As a consequence of sheltering in place, many holiday events are taking place online this year. In your quest of learning how to navigate in this new world, you might want to consider attending the Black Spirit Solstice Summit for your Winter Solstice celebration.
The Black Spirit Solstice Summit is an online annual event put on by Ile Ase Ire, a Ifa-Orisa temple founded by Scholar and Priestess Iya Funlayo E. Wood, PhD. The goal of the summit is to reach people of African descent who are seeking connection with ancestral magic and each other.
“Our tagline is ‘All the juju Black folk do’…We are bringing in and raising up our spirit and our magic in celebration of the return of the light,” says Wood.
Now in its third year, the summit will include ancestral veneration, reiki energy healing from an African spiritual perspective, a workshop on self empowerment through Ifa-Orisa, hoodoo herbs workshop, spiritual tools and much more. DJ Funke will close out the day by spinning Afro spiritual house music for an online dance party.
An added highlight of the event will be the African market place that will feature pieces from Black owned businesses.
“Come and learn all the juju black folks do!…This is my 3rd time in attendance (1st time as a vendor) and each time it only gets better!” says Eclectic Soul Organics Owner Sharon Oliver.
The summit will feature prominent figures in African and Diasporic Spirituality as well as respected elders including N’ganga Mkhosi The AfroMystic, Awo Chief Oluwole Ifakunle, Iyalode Yeyefini Efunbolade, Iya J. Efunlayo Maxey, Iya Jessica Baptiste, Baba Jamel Sangobukunmi Cherry and Baba Jamel Sangobukunmi Cherry.
“So much goodness in store,” says Priestess, Diviner, Author and Healer Iyalode Yeyefini Efunbolade.
As an added bonus, this year the summit will be held at Wood’s online Africana studies institute Ase Ire Communiversity for the first time.
“It’s an experiential day. So it’s not just a day to be talked at but it’s a day where we will actually interact,” says Wood.
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While events have taken hits in epic proportions due to COVID-19, the Black Spirit Solstice Summit has always been held online. To that end Wood, who is also a former computer programmer, didn’t feel the brunt of the pandemic.
“It really just encouraged me to take the bull by the horns and really dig in and do what was in my heart to do,” says Wood.
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