Last Friday marked the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century.
For those of us who live in America the eclipse wasn’t visible, but that didn’t stop people from posting about the “blood moon” all over social media. Though I’ve never lived by the words of my horoscope, from time to time I do enjoy astrology. Over the weekend I learned that the full moon is an ideal time to set intentions for what you want to manifest in the next cycle.
Recently I’ve become more attracted to holistic practices and spirituality, and have begun exploring my interest through meditation, herbs, and researching the concepts of indigenous African religions. To take advantage of this weekend’s full moon (which according to astrologist was particularly powerful thanks to the eclipse) I decided to spend the weekend writing my goals, cleaning my living space and setting intentions for what I plan to actualize.
Check out my list of 5 Black-owned holistic businesses in Brooklyn:
1. Heal Hause
I visited Heal Haus thanks to one of my favorite yogis, Black Girl In Om founder, Lauren Ash. Lauren hosted a meditation in Brooklyn and I was excited to see it held in a new Black-owned holistic center in the Bedstuy / Clinton Hill area. The studio offers daily yoga, meditation, private acupuncture and various holistic workshops. They have both an indoor and outdoor space, so you have the option to be one with nature.
2. Minka
Minka is a healer-led center for wellness and holistic living. Offerings include various holistic workshops and healing modalities such as their corporate wellness program, acupuncture, reiki, ritual circles etc. According to their website Minka means “home of the people”. Like their name, the brand ethos places a strong emphasis on respecting community and the lineage of healing practices. Visit their monthly full moon circle to manifest your intentions in a community setting.
3. Dropping Seeds
Based in Brooklyn this chemical-free product is one of my personal favorites thanks to its multi-use purpose. Dropping Seeds is a collection of herbal blends designed to be smoked, sipped, vaped and soaked. During their pregnancy the founders sought alternative remedies to modern medicine. Eventually they turned their homemade solutions into blooming plant-based products. Each blend can be used as a therapeutic tea, vaped for aromatherapy, soaked in a restorative bath or smoked in rolling papers of your choice. The blends are appropriately titled Relax, Focus, Sync and Sleep, named after their intended effect.
4. Rituals + Ceremony
The next time you’re shopping for sage, crystals, or a journal look no further than this Crown Heights gem. Rituals + Ceremony is a home goods and lifestyle store stocked with everything you need for your sacred space. When the owner Sara found herself drawn to spirituality she decided to act by opening this much needed self-care shop. I always find really interesting books and bought myrrh and frankincense to cleanse my room this weekend.
5. Celebration Spiritual Center
If you enjoy communion with others and can draw as much meaning from the bible as you can from Buddhism then Celebration Spiritual Center may be for you. This non denominational church focuses on spirituality rather than religion. Pastors Greg Stamper and Yolanda Batt teach from diverse spiritual texts including the teachings of Abraham-Hicks and The Law of Attraction, The Quran, The Bible and more. Cant make it to service? No biggie, join their weekly Sunday service live on Facebook
