Over the last couple of months, we have been journeying together highlighting different local Northside businesses and community resources. While many of those might feel obvious because they are brick-and-mortar establishments, not all of the creative work that can be supported looks the same. We have folks who work out of their home, some who have cottage licenses for small businesses, collectives where groups of folks work together, and some who move around to available spaces. We are grateful for social media and online spaces where we can discover our neighbors who are doing transformational and exciting work. So many folks here are building new careers and passions alongside survival, and it takes so many different shapes, especially those who are our community’s healers.
The older I get I have come to understand more fully how our bodies, minds and spirits are not separate aspects of ourselves to be tended to, but more importantly, that our human selves are wholly and intricately connected. Our different bodily and spiritual elements are interdependent. This is more recognized in ancient traditions and Eastern medicine, but some incorporate this tribal wisdom and teaching in their work here in the States.
Specifically we have one such wise woman who does holistic healing right here on the Northside, Donyelle Headington.
Donyelle works within the physical and spiritual world which allows her to use traditional and plant medicine along with bodywork that creates an approach to address multidimensional layers of pain. She is a “Natural woman attuned and gifted in many healing modalities. She is a wise woman who is generous with her wisdom. Nourishing to the mind, body, and spirit.” – Venus Raquel.
It can be hard to find people you trust and a place where you feel safe to be vulnerable about the support and care you need. A place where your mask, effort and worry can be taken off, and you can rest for a minute. While I have known Donyelle for years, I went to see her professionally for the first time this past year to have “cupping” done. Now I could go to a lot of places for cupping, but when I heard she had availability, I knew it had to be her to guide me in my first-ever cupping session. I knew she had to be the one because when I went to see her I could bring my sore muscle pain along with my wounded heart that felt wrapped up in shame and fear. Donyelle greeted me with open arms and an open heart. While she worked with fire and cupping on my back, she also asked questions to explore my emotional hurt. She was building bridges between my emotional pain and physical healing.
As a gardener, I also deeply appreciate that beyond bodywork and “counseling” Donyelle brings in the healing power of plant medicine through teas and tinctures. She gave me homework and education around plant medicine to continue my work outside of her services. This aspect of her work brought me so much peace because she was teaching me to trust myself and ancient medicine. What I have loved about my experiences with Donyelle at her Baami’s house is that I feel seen as a whole person. The connections between my points of pain are being strengthened, understood and addressed.
Donyelle is a self-described healer, “I work with the elevated and stuck. Ancestor as parent, ancestor as deity. I serve with bodywork, spiritual cleansings, space tending, sacred listening, readings and mediumship. I serve by recreating village structures that nurture re-membering. I serve by manifesting and teaching folks to create images, effigies and idols of them. I serve by helping folks to connect to and bring forward the multidimensional gifts of the ancestors. I serve by allowing the need to guide my education. It is the honor of my life.”
When I talk about the variety of services and support that Donyelle offers, the best way to describe her work is in her own words that I pulled from a FB post on April 27:
“Good morning my Friends! In celebration of springtime and my return to community care, there are some updates I would like to share with you. We built my father’s shed together, community. It was a beautiful labor of love and connection. My father, as you all know, was a healer, wisdom-keeper, plant man, and a student of the Spirit. He was as deep and rich as good black dirt and created a sort of grounded community space wherever he was. I have been studying and practicing traditional (folk) medicine for many years, specifically traditional Chinese, European and Mezo-American methods of fire-cupping (ventosas, hijama, kuppaus). My practice combines the physical benefits of cupping therapy with its holistic cultural components. As with everything I do, spirituality, cultural connection and emotional well-being are integrated into this practice, as well as touch as loving-kindness and massage for relaxation.
I also practice the spiritual/cultural traditions of my ancestry, including Oorlog readings, Ancestor readings, and a heart-centered Folkway Practice (Black-belt Hoodoo, Curranderismo and the Völva path). This work has helped me support members of our community in healing difficult interpersonal (including ancestral) relationships, racial and cultural healing and belonging, navigating active addiction and alcoholism, working on personal spiritual gifts and difficulties, and in some cases, working with teams to clear spaces, people and situations.
This is my heart’s work, the path of my spirit. In honor of this spirit, the spirit of my father’s path, your spirits, and through consultation with my Comadres and Elders, I have turned Jerry’s Shed into a Community Care space.
Baami’s House, micro healing studio. And Baami (my father) Yoruba language: This space is a studio where I now offer my practice to community members on a sliding scale basis. I will continue to allow folks who can afford to pay more to support and supplement folks who can’t pay as much, and as always, working with folks who can barely pay at all. Baami’s House is for Us.”
Beyond holistic healing, Donyelle is also an artist who creates a variety of spiritual art used for ceremony and healing. Her talents and offerings are not one-dimensional but rather weave together what is needed for the community to address our collective and individual hurt.
If you have aches or pains of the body or the heart, I encourage you to seek Donyelle out. Sit with her. Take the mask off. Be open to the gift of her sight and abilities.
Donyelle is active on FB where she talks about her art and community care. She promotes her backyard gatherings, sales and services. You can find Donyelle on FB as Donyelle Headington and Donyelle Headington Artist. Make sure to “Follow” or “Friend” both because you will be treated to a variety of different opportunities on both. You can also learn more about Donyelle’s services (and make an appointment) at sisterd.com or reach out to her at donyellemary@yahoo.com.