Ekua Adisa

Tell us: what excites you about your work right now?

I am excited that so many people are becoming more aware of the impact of grief on their day to day capacities and abilities. So many people are beginning to understand that grief is more than a linear number of stages that one goes through when a beloved dies; people are learning that grief is ever present in the ebb and flow of loss and renewal that colors all aspects of living. Because of this collective shift in consciousness, I am experiencing people as open and willing to explore ways to tend grief when in the past, it was hard to even broach the subject in many spaces. I'm grateful for the ways this allows me to expand and grow my practice and become more specific and nuanced in the spaces and tools I offer to support others.

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What feels rich and abundant in your work right now?

Because collective grief is so pervasive right now and so many people are showing up to tend grief, there are unending possibilities to be in spaces grieving collectively. In collective grief spaces I get to experience various examples of what folks need to grieve, the ways that grief can look, and ways I can make the spaces I offer more accessible to as many people as possible. Grieving is such a personal experience, so it feels rich to get to be in such intimate space learning with so many different kinds of people.

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Who do you dedicate your work to?

I dedicate my work to Sobonfu Somè of the Dagara people of Burkina Faso. She is the person who introduced me to a more expansive way of thinking about grief as well as the experience of collective grief ritual work. I aim to continue the work she did while living and specifically to make it most accessible to people of African descent.

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Who inspires you, who are you learning from, what books are you reading? We are really excited to learn this about you!

I am inspired by my eight year old child and the ways they show up with genuine love, compassion, and kindness to all living beings. I learn so much from their inherent freedom and inquisitiveness. I am also inspired by my mother who has survived an unthinkable amount of trauma and numerous near-death experiences while maintaining a will to be on the planet in service to others. I am currently reading my own poetry which is helping me to remember who I am. I am also reading the works of Black women I know and respect including gossypiin, a poetry collection by Ra Malika Imhotep, Gumbo Ya Ya, a poetry collection by Aurielle Marie, and None But The Righteous, a work of fiction by Chantal James.

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How can people reading this support the work you are doing?

People can support my work first and foremost by grieving: feeling your feelings, making space for others to feel their feelings, and normalizing this as a wellness practice in all settings. Additionally, I make my work accessible to whomever needs it regardless of financial ability, so it is extremely supportive to receive financial donations. All ways to support my work financially, including subscribing to my Patreon, can be found at my linktree: https://linktr.ee/adisaekua.

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What do you understand differently about wellness?

In the past, I didn't understand that many people are averse to turning towards their grief because of fear and ignorance. When I began to understand that many people were afraid to feel their feelings or unaware of the havoc that the grief in their bodies was wreaking on their well-being (as opposed to not caring or valuing grieving), I was able to develop gentle strategies that assuage fear and inform people of how grief functions. I am so much more effective now.

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What is your own wellness practice? How do you find balance?

My wellness practice includes meditation, play, working with herbs (teas, herbal baths, and tinctures), moving at a slow pace, taking many baths, journaling, regularly being in nature, grieving regularly, choosing foods that support my nutritional and energetic needs, seeking support from practitioners, and offering support to others. I am not usually doing everything at once, but I'm always doing as much as I can at my level of access in a given moment to stay grounded and balanced. In a moment, my go-to balancing technique is to breathe intentionally and deeply.

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