Name: Sacred Woman
Rating: 4.2 (17 reviews)
Author: Queen Afua

What’s in it for me? Get inspired by Queen Afua’s pioneering work in holistic healing.

Today, the wellness industry is just that – an industry. A perusal of any influencer’s Instagram feed reveals how spiritual and physical health are packaged as something that can be attained – if you have the money. It’s just one seminar or weighted blanket or scented candle or yoga retreat away. The common idea of self-care also suggests that wellness is an individualistic pursuit, achieved in the form of solitary bubble baths.

But decades before “wellness” became a buzzword, the venerable healer Queen Afua created a radical guidebook for women – and especially African American women – to work toward spiritual, emotional, and physical wellness. Queen Afua’s approach is, at its core, holistic. It combines prayer with pragmatic dietary advice, social justice with dance moves. It’s also staunchly anti-consumerist. This is an approach that sees wellness as a sacred calling rather than a product to be bought.

In this Blink, we’ll explore just a few of the practices that Queen Afua outlines as being so essential to healing and growing into our full power as sacred women. You’ll also learn some practical approaches to applying her healing philosophy in your own life.

Healing starts in your community.

Once word got out that Queen Afua was a healer, the phone calls kept coming. On the line were women who were experiencing painful, heavy bleeding. Or who were being told they had to get hysterectomies. Or who were struggling with the aftereffects of botched abortions.

Research shows that African American women are 25 percent more likely to be referred for a hysterectomy, even when it’s not strictly necessary. Furthermore, these women are more likely to suffer complications during surgery, resulting in longer hospital stays and even death.

The women calling Queen Afua had despaired of a medical system they could no longer trust. They were desperate for other solutions – for tools that could help them care for their bodies independently.

These calls convinced Queen Afua that the foundation of all healing was womb wellness. And in her eyes, womb wellness could only be achieved through a holistic approach that combined meditation and prayer with emotional healing, good nutrition, and other lifestyle changes.

At the heart of her healing philosophy is a structure called the Sacred Womb Circle. Sacred Womb Circles are groups of women who come together to create safe, healing spaces where they can support each other in their transformations. These circles provide a place to share stories, shed old hurts, and learn how to let go of the past. They’re spaces where women can go deep into painful memories, with the knowledge that they’re supported. At other times, they can also be spaces of joyful laughter as women celebrate their triumphs together.

Think about the people you surround yourself with. Are they dedicated to their own healing? Do they support yours? Caring for yourself becomes so much easier in the context of collective care – of being part of an environment where other people are dedicated to the same goals as you and committed to mutual support.

If the idea of a womb circle has inspired you, then why not set up your own? First, you’ll need to assemble a group of women who are all engaged in their own healing journey. The ideal group size is between four and eight women. Then, schedule an initial session where everyone can just hang out and get to know each other. In this first session, everyone can talk about what her own womb wellness project is, and what she hopes to get out of the circle.

By the end of the session, you should be able to articulate a common underlying purpose for the circle that encompasses everyone’s individual goals. Once you’ve done this, make a commitment to come together weekly for at least 21 days. Each woman should write out and sign her own contract.

The real healing work happens in regular sessions – ideally at different group members’ homes. For each session, create a tranquil, intimate space with an altar of flowers, incense, and essential oils.

Open the circle with music; playing instruments and singing together immediately creates the right atmosphere for healing. Then, recite prayers together. Bless the circle, and invite the Divine One to guide and protect you.

Collective healing is powerful. Together, you’ll be able to support and maintain each other’s journeys, despite all the distractions and demands of everyday life. But you still need to learn some practical and spiritual skills to help you along your journey.

Queen Afua has distinguished eleven gateways to embodying your full power as a sacred woman. In this Blink, we are going to briefly delve into three of them: sacred words, sacred movement, and sacred work. These three gateways reveal foundational tools that can change your relationship with yourself and your world.

When in doubt, dance.

Dance saved Queen Afua’s life – literally.

One day, she was cycling home after teaching a dance class in Brooklyn. Suddenly, a large car crashed into her bike. She felt the shock of the impact – and then a clear voice rang out inside of her, instructing her to dance. In that moment, she let go of the handlebars and stretched her arms wide. She performed a swan dive, landing on the hood of the car with her toes pointed. The driver stared at her in shock. But, though she was shaken, Queen Afua didn’t have one scratch on her body. In embracing the movement of the crash and dancing through it instead of tensing her muscles and gripping onto her bike, she was able to emerge unscathed.

Pursue your sacred work relentlessly.

How many hours do you spend at work every week? Forty? Sixty? And how do you feel once the weekend comes around? Energized and excited, or tired and frustrated?

The truth is, no matter how carefully you choose your words or how much you dance around your living room, you’re not going to be fulfilled if your work doesn’t align with your purpose. You may be wondering, Who can afford to chase their purpose when there are bills to be paid and kids to look after?

Final Summary

The keys to transforming your physical and spiritual well-being lie in your community. You don’t have to wait for any professional’s permission to claim your power. Just assemble a circle of women who are also hungry for healing, and commit to supporting each other. Together, you can dance your way to health, well-being, and deep healing.

Kernaussagen in Sacred Woman