The Sacred Feminine is infinitely large and multifaceted, but let’s face it: all too often, she is depicted and celebrated as white. European prehistoric figurines are far more recognized and depicted than African icons of the Sacred Feminine, for example, and even Goddesses with African origins often end up depicted with lightened skin and European features. We do the Sacred Feminine and ourselves a huge disservice when we whitewash Her in this way. On the latest episode, I discuss the need for better representation within the Sacred Feminine community with Dr. Giavanni Washington, creator of the Black Goddess Within Oracle Deck, the only oracle deck that features photos of Black women embodying the Goddesses of Africa. Dr. G, as she is affectionately known, earned her PhD from UCLA’s department of World Arts & Cultures after studying and performing percussive healing traditions all over the world. While she is a biologist, epidemiologist and ethnographer by training, standing up for the Black Body is her daily personal, professional and artistic practice. In this episode, we discuss the inspiration behind her oracle deck and the power inherent in Black Goddesses, the connection between percussion and the divine, how we might go about decolonizing spiritual practice, the case for reparations and how to deepen our relationship with our ancestors.
You can learn more about Dr. G and purchase the Black Goddess Within Oracle Deck at https://go.blackgoddesswithin.com.