Sunday, December 18, 2022

2100 East 71st Street, Chicago

71st street is always bustling but on this particular day there was a buzz in the air.  People were greeting one another with a bit more enthusiasm than the typical head nod that you may get from the passersby.  The local residents were peering in the windows trying to see what the fuss was all about.  Inside the cutely decorated Afrocentric marketplace with clothing, housewares, and alters shrine décor there was a growing audience of enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the workshops and festivities.  

In the back of the shop, the drum circle was softly drumming to warm up the meditation/yoga workshop  participants.  Others chatted in small circles waiting for the panel discussion on Spirituality and Mental Health Awareness.  There were 2 groups of panelist that gave an introduction to how they came into their spiritual practice and the impact that practice had on their lives.  There were approximately 10 spiritual and religious practitioners which included Ancestral Worship, Hoodoo, Islamism, Buddhism, Meditation, Yourba, Candombie, and Dogon practices.  If you wanted to learn more about a particular spiritual paradigm there was a breakout session that gave you an opportunity to learn more about that particular practice.  

As one of the panelists, The Earth Center represented the Dogon traditions.  This spiritual system is solution-driven and connects the seen and unseen dimensions to address the spiritual, energetic, and physical wellness of their practitioners.  "The Earth Center looks forward to working closely with the local community to share Dogon principles to address the challenges we collectively face", said the panelist.  

This event was hosted by a group of psychology professionals lead by Dr. Obari Cartman of the Chicago Association of Black Psychologists.  According to their website, "Black/African Centered psychology is ultimately concerned with understanding the systems of meaning of human beingness, the features of human functioning, and the restoration of normal/natural order to human development." This group is interested in uniting metal health and spirituality as part of Black culture contrary to the modern approach to wellness.  This panel discussion  was just one of many events that they host to help bring awareness and offer practical advice to the community.  Visit their website to learn more and view their upcoming schedule of events.

{Do not hesitate to reach out to The Earth Center for deeper insights on this or related topics.  We have teams of initiates eager to assist.  Stay tuned for more discussions and related events.}