Spirituality has often been regarded as a staple of Black culture and identity. This can be examined namely within mediums born out of slavery eras - for example, negro spirituals. The latter was utilized to detail the hardships of slavery, but also served as a uniting force between enslaved individuals at the time. Furthermore, the catalysts for one of the largest slave revolts of all time - Nat Turner’s slave revolt of 1831 - was spurred by Turner’s proclamation that God had imbued him with visions of liberation; not on one occasion, but many. Even before the enslavement of African Americans, within African religions, various beliefs and deities were and still are highly regarded whilst varying practices were crafted to continue to honor them. It becomes clear that spirituality and Blackness are inherently intertwined as a result of the primary’s integral nature to many of our ancestors' lived experiences.
Today, the number of Black and Brown spiritualists and healers have increased a ton thanks to social media. Every day, you can find a source of connection via Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, and even Reddit as spiritualists have been able to form and maintain largely online followings. Many healers have created entire communities around their craft that allow individuals to not only inquire about services but also aid themselves and others in the brushing up of their spiritual practices.
Knowing this, it becomes clear that it’s a time of spiritual revolution. This is further made evident by the recent emphasis on spiritual health within mainstream media - what might be less clear, though, is how to begin and maintain a relationship with the metaphysical.
Various mediums can be utilized to preserve one’s spiritual well being, though one tactic that has been increasingly discussed on social media is divination. Divination is the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means standing as more of an umbrella term, as many different acts fall under it. The most popular to name a few, cartomancy, better known as the usage of tarot or oracle cards to gain further insight into a matter. Dowsing, utilizing a pendulum or dowsing rods for quick and easy decision making. Lastly, Numerology and Astrology to further understand one’s reality. These are only scratching the surface, as some practices align with certain belief systems that a healer might adhere to like Wicca. Nevertheless, while you can try out a variety of methods, finding the best mode of exploring spirituality tends to appear via serendipitous happenings rather than those that are pre-planned - take it from me.
They often say tarot cards should be gifted to you by an outside source. So Christmas of 2017, I asked my parents for my own set of tarot cards. I watched youtube videos about how they worked and how to become well versed in what each of the cards meant. I was obsessed. However, upon receiving them, they had gone untouched for months. It wasn’t so much that I was no longer grateful for them or lacked interest - rather, I didn’t feel connected to the cards. It wasn’t until the summer of 2018 that I’d truly taken to them. What I had come to realize though was that the cards had been perfectly fine - it was me that was lacking. When I received my deck, I wasn’t in a space to truly understand what was being communicated to me and the introspective work that came with receiving such mystic messages. I became drawn to it when I was ready, and I was ready when I was without expectation.
My methodologies transformed over time, being far less formal at the beginning and becoming much more ritualistic with the progression of time. Various mediums of divination became designated for different aims. My pendulum allowed me to connect with my ancestors and my higher self. Confidence radiated off of me as I utilized my tarot cards, bettering myself with the messages they revealed to me. Becoming well-versed in numerology allowed me to recognize within everyday occurrence the Universe’s eagerness to communicate with me. However, none of these events happened at once - instead, each of them developed within their own time.
Throughout my spiritual practice, the one thing that remained consistent was my affinity for altar-esque spaces. How this manifested often evolved, becoming far more extravagant than originally intended. At the start, I’d merely place all of my crystals in one area alongside my incense. Then, eventually, those items would be accompanied by plants, candles, and sculptures. Now? All those items and more are perfectly perched upon a three-tiered silver cart in which all my spiritual items lie - including my beloved manifestation journal. By making physical space for my internal endeavors, it grounded my practices even further in reality.
That said, none of this would have come to fruition sans online communities rife with information and those eager to provide their services. As a result of being introspective about my journey as a spiritualist, I became naturally curious about how others connect to the Universe and understand their experiences. I reached out to an intuitive reader, healer, and astrologer MacKenzie Galloway of Conscious Creations and Consultations to pick her brain and receive a further understanding of her role as a healer, as well as to gain insight into what being a spiritual entity means to her.
Her journey began quite early on, as Galloway had picked up on her strong intuition at a young age. As a result, she sought out more information surrounding her ability to connect. This was only then furthered by developing an interest in astrology, a pastime spurred thanks to horoscopes within magazines and media. At around nine-years-old, these spiritual practices spoke so deeply to her, propelling her to continue to learn more and develop her craft with time.
When it comes to Black people being in spiritual spaces, Galloway speaks ardently of the subject. “Spirituality is so important to me,” she expressed. “I think it’s important for more people to recognize and act on their spiritual gifts, especially Black people. We were born to do this work.” Believing the skill and quality are in us all, “It’s so important, now more than ever, that we wake up and recognize our powers and our gifts,” she continued. “We all have spiritual gifts.”
Delving deeper into her role as a healer, she passionately proclaims, “Part of the work that I do is helping people recognize that [they are spiritually gifted]. I help people figure out what their spiritual gifts are, understand them - of course, while providing them services. Whether it be love readings, whether it be astrology charts or natal chart readings, I offer holistic health consultations.”
Speaking to the necessity for a strong spiritual foundation, “I think it’s so important that we, especially Black people, decolonize ourselves and our minds and uncover our truths. Our spiritual gifts, and learn to just spread love.”
“Love is the root of all of life. We have to be conscious.”
Like Galloway stated, finding one's means of spiritual expression is of the utmost importance. Her work affirms that there is no shame in receiving help from those within the pre-existing spiritual communities on one of the many platforms previously mentioned. To help you find the right one, check out the quick and easy guide created to aid you in finding your reader or healer to address all your spiritual needs.
1. LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION.
Often, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by how many talented and dedicated readers there are on social media. Sometimes, you might just be drawn to a specific reader for a set of logic-based reasons - and that’s okay! If something’s drawing you towards someone and their work, it’s likely for a reason. The same can be said if something is energetically drawing you away from someone and their work. Not everyone or everything is for you and that’s cool too.
2. ESTABLISH A PRICE RANGE.
There’s no shame in knowing how much or how little you’re willing to spend. What there is shame in, though, is attempting to haggle prices with those out of your price range. This is a surefire way to offend a reader or a healer - they know their worth. If you cannot fulfill that monetarily, it’s okay to take your services elsewhere! On the cheaper end of things, some readers work purely off of donations and still provide wonderful services. In short, knowing how much you’re willing to spend is a great and efficient way to narrow down your options.
3. ASK QUESTIONS.
Asking your potential reader or healer about their methodologies might grant you better insight into what you’re getting into. If the details you seek are not listed on their website or designated platform, speaking directly to them might also help in getting a better read on their energy. This doesn’t have to be complicated - keep questions about their services brief and direct. This will likely grant you responses of the same nature that will make any confusing aspects clear most simplistically and efficiently. Once you're in a space where you feel you understand, you can then choose to proceed forth with confidence or continue your search for the right connection elsewhere.
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