Episode 76: Channeling the Ancestors and African Spiritual Wisdom with Araba Ofori-Acquah
What did Araba’s journey to reclamation look like? Her journey to reconnecting with her roots was intertwined with her mental health journey as she struggled with depression and anxiety during her early to mid-20s. However, she finally eventually found her way to therapy after years of resistance which, for communities of color, is not widely talked about, accepted, or seen as part of life. Her journey to healing had been attached to her identity which, going into therapy, would serve as the foundation for her book. From understanding her Ghanian heritage and eventually grieving the loss of her grandmother, this had led her to reconnect with her culture as well as beginning her spiritual journey to healing.
Araba Ofori-Acquah is a healer, DJ, cultural curator and award-winning writer who practices and teaches an African-centred approach to wellness. Her journey to becoming a healer began with herself through experiencing first-hand the power of talking therapies, mind and body practices and meditation. Inspired to create safe spaces for other Black people, Araba studied different healing modalities, including a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training in India, an NHS-accredited Wellbeing Coach qualification and the study of Advanced Pranic Healing in Ghana. Her debut book 'Return to Source: Unlock the power of African-centred wellness' published by Hay House is available to order now.
What we discuss:
What we discuss:
01:11 – Introducing Araba
03:19 – Writing “Return to Source: Unlock the Power of African-Centered Wellness”
07:32 – Araba’s Journey of Reclamation
15:21 – Women’s Mental Illness and Disconnection from the Soul
18:07 – Araba’s Journey Through India and Ghana
27:32 – There’s No Perfection in Spirituality
31:39 – White Lens in Spirituality and the Capitalistic System
33:53 – How Araba’s Book Came About
43:00 – White Culture and Losing the Art of Transmission
45:48 – Learning from Ancestors
47:50 – Araba’s Magic
49:02 – The Process of Channeling
56:07 – Reading a Passage from “Return to Source”
1:01:02 – Araba on Behalf of the Divine Mother
1:04:35 – Closing Notes
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Learn more from Araba:
Website: arabaoa.com
Instagram: instagram.com/araba.oa
Book: arabaoa.com/book
Learn more about the Global Sisterhood
Website: www.globalsisterhood.org
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Lauren Walsh @Laurenelizabethwalsh
Shaina Conners @shainaconners