Exodus 30: 23-25 tells us, “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Take the following fine spices…Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend. It will be the sacred anointing oil.”

He’s misrepresented throughout Western culture as a blood-thirsty spirit tricking people into making “deals with the devil.” But this is NOT what this West African spirit is about. He’s actually important to all spiritual work we do.

Our people know grief all too well, but this tradition brings us together in the most beautiful way during turbulent times.

We all know these iron fences when we see them, but little do we know they're holding hidden ancestral messages in plain sight.

We always assume the “cross” is a symbol meant to remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice. But what if the cross has another origin story? One that started in Africa, survived slavery, and calls to us today?

We have the power within us to get free, but sometimes racial prejudice can exhaust us. We’re in an imagination battle, and the goal is to keep the world from killing our dreams. What do we mean by this?

As if enslavement wasn’t enough, Black bodies were shamed and used for another reason. And you can bet God is very likely far from pleased about it.

There’s more than one way to resist society’s anti-Blackness against us. Here are some ways you can resist and maintain your good energy.

Have you ever had a weird dream or nightmare that stayed with you even after you woke up? It could be that this West African deity is trying to send you a very important message, one that is life or death.

It takes a lot to forgive a loved one but even more to forgive an oppressor. Her powerful story shows that we can both forgive our oppressors and stay true to our own liberation. But do our oppressors even deserve our forgiveness?

This viral challenge is asking us to do something our ancestors had their limbs cut off for doing. What could possibly be worth risking your right hand?

Many non-Black leaders romanticize the “non-violence” of the Civil Rights Movement as a means to gatekeep how we protest against racial prejudice. But often we have to feel rage before we can heal. Is rage really a good spiritual practice?

“[God] set the North Star in the heavens; He gave me the strength in my limbs; He meant I should be free.” -Harriet Tubman. She didn’t need “maps” to get free. She had her own navigation system, one that continues to remind us that freedom is our divine, guiding force.

Police forced him to let her die and made him watch. Consumed with grief, his faith was shaken. But then he remembered his enslaved father’s words.

They helped lather each other in oil, affixing the devil horns to their heads. Chains and ropes dangled from their hands. This was a joyous occasion - enslavement had ended. So why were they dressed like devils?

In our world of constant injustice it takes courage to block out the noise and do God’s work. This ancient African symbol reminds us of the message God needs us to hear.

“If there is to be free will at all it must accept suicide.” - Alice Walker, “Gathering Blossoms Under Fire.” Content Warning: The following story contains content about Suicide and Mental Health Issues that some may find triggering.

She woke up to a message that read, “Grand rising 💫 I’m drawn to you✨ The universe is telling me your ancestors are trying to reach you. Would you like a reading beloved💛” She responded “yes!” But immediately regretted it.

After cops killed him in 1995, it was like history repeated itself in 2020. And the violence just never stopped. Blood on the streets, protests, rinse and repeat. But there’s something else that’s been creeping on us, and it’s a killer, too.

Western medicine focuses primarily on healing the body, but our ancestors understood that the spirit, too, is essential for good health. Here’s why the notion of healing the body and not the spirit can be sickening.

He was struggling. Like many of us, he felt isolated and was looking to deepen his relationship with spirit. He looked into meditation apps but kept running into one major wall: whiteness.

Most of us are familiar with Philadelphia’s music scene, cheesesteaks, and soft pretzels - but did you know that Philadelphia used to be called “Muslim Town because of this man’s teachings?”

“To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.” - Exodus 24:17. A white mob watched his home burn — while his family was inside and screaming! Buried within the ashes of this fire is spiritual truth about lynchings.

“Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” - Exodus 3:5. These spaces were built for our people to heal and honor lost souls like his. So why are women like her disrespecting him with this level of white spectacle?

A tumultuous home life turned her into an influential writer who wields words as literary weapons needed to overthrow oppression. These are her must-read books.