The Healing Power of African-American Spirituality: A Celebration of Ancestor Worship, Herbs and Hoodoo, Ritual and Conjure

by Stephanie Rose Bird

The essential resource and guide to African American spirituality and traditions.

This is a fabulous resource for anyone who wants to understand African American spirituality, shamanism, and indigenous spiritual practices and beliefs. It is designed to be informative while providing hands-on recipes, rituals, projects, and resources to help you become an active participant in its wonderfully soulful traditions.

Inside you will find:
1. A celebration of healing, magic, and the divination traditions of ancient African earth-based spirituality
2. An explanation of how these practices have evolved in contemporary African American culture
3. A potpourri of recipes, rituals, and resources that you can use to heal your life

Among the topics covered:
African spiritual practices of Santeria, Obeah, Lucumi, Orisa, and Quimbois
Hoodoo—and how to use it to improve your health
Ancient healing rituals and magical recipes of Daliluw
Talking drums, spiritual dancing, clapping, tapping, singing, and changing
ower objects, tricks and mojo bats, and herbal remedies
Previously published as The Big Book of Soul.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, History, Audiobook, Self Help, Religion

272 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2022

About the author

Stephanie Rose Bird is a prolific nonfiction author. Her newest work of nonfiction, "Mama Earth's Spiritual Guide to Weight-loss" has just been published (May 2017) by Green Magic Publishing. She is also the author of 5 other published books, the most recent two are "The Big Book of Soul: the Ultimate Guide to the African American Spirit: Legends & Lore, Music & Mysticism, Recipes and Rituals" (Hampton Roads Publishers, 2010) and "A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for Body and Spirit," (Chicago Review Press, 2009). Bird is an eclectic pagan practicing Green Witchcraft, Shamanism and Hoodoo. She is also a practicing artist, herbalist and aromatherapist. Bird is available to conduct hands-on herbal, botanical arts, magick and ritual workshops as well as hosting spiritual retreats. Contact her for more information:
www.stephanierosebird.com

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Reviews

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of learning in these pages. A good resource for a beginners understanding of spirituality from an African American perspective. Not only does Stephanie Rose Bird lay a solid foundation, she also talks about various roots and herbs and their healing properties. It is important and very helpful for us to be able to recognize Africanisms that exist amongst us presently. Stephanie Rose Bird did a great job of connecting the traditional African ways to the boundary free spirituality that Africans in the diaspora seek to practice today. In chapter two she has a most meaningful discussion of African American wellness and ties holistic health(holism) to hoodoo.

“Hoodoo is an eclectic group of ever-evolving,
ever-changing folkloric practices.” With that definition, many of you are unknowingly practicing hoodoo on a fairly consistent basis. But, don’t be alarmed, Stephanie Rose Bird guides the reader along gently but firmly rooted in history and traditional culture born of her years of study and research.

This is not a book to read and then relegate to the shelf, this is something you need to keep nearby, to search practices, use of prayers, altars, and definitely information on hard to find herbs. This book is designed to help you tap into your power and live a more spiritual based life. I would say she has succeeded in providing a guide to aid readers along the journey to spirit!

[Courtney Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie Rose Bird is an immense wealth of information and wisdom. Her work is highly intellectual, but accessible. She brings history and perspective, but modern focus for a contemporary practitioner. Anything by Stephanie Rose Bird is an enriching addition to a Witch's Magickal collection.

[Dide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprised!
I wasn't genuinely expecting to enjoy this book but i really did. Not only was the language and approach clear and concise but it was also informative and showed greath depth in research and knowledge.
Look forward to rereading this soon.

[Nyx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate this book and all it has to offer. It was nostalgic to read about some of the herbal remedies that were a staple in my household that I forgot about, as well as learn about new herbs that I have never heard of and the ways to use them.

I enjoyed learning about different tribes of people and their culture, different ways to access spirituality, as well as different terms and practices that spread across the African diaspora. I believe this book is very beginner friendly to anybody within the African diaspora that wants a short yet informative read on history, remedies, and various cultural practices.

I did come into this book with the expectation that I would read about some of the traditions we subconsciously perform today and how they relate back to the superstitions and practices in the motherland and was slightly disappointed, but I do understand that it would've been challenging to cover it, especially if we were to talk about every single diasporic group. I do wonder though if the concept of Yivi Yivi is why many of us struggle with the feeling of our hair not being done when left untouched.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting...

[Britney Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good information.

[Parkway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great partial insight. 4.7 ✨

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written, it was interesting to learn about African history in the use of healing. Good reference to keep handy.