Yeye Luisah Teish is a writer, storyteller- activist, and spiritual counselor. She is an initiated elder (Iyanifa) and woman chief in the Ifa/Orisha tradition of the African diaspora.
She has studied the indigenous spirituality of African, Native American (North, South, and Central) and Caribbean cultures. She is a priestess of Oshun, the Goddess of Love, Art, and Sensuality, and a devotee (mambo) of Damballah Hwedo, the Haitian Rainbow Serpent
She is the author of six books, most notably “Jambalaya: The Natural Woman’s Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals,” a women’s spirituality classic (1985) that has been translated into German, Dutch, and Spanish.
She co-authored “On Holy Ground: Commitment and Devotion to Sacred Land” with Leilani Bireley, a Hawaiian Kahuna.
Her latest work, “A Calabash of Cowries: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times” ( Feb. 2023.), is an Amazon Books best seller.
She has received a lifetime achievement award for community service from the International Black Women’s Congress, the XX award for Defending women’s rights, the Radical Truth Telling Award, and the Grandma’s Hands Award.
Luisah Teish is a writer, a ritual theater performance artist, and spiritual guidance counselor.
She has contributed to 25 anthologies and published articles in magazines such as Essence, MS, Shaman’s Drum and the Yoga Journal.
She is a featured storyteller in the film “Changing of the Gods.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU_QkhxfZjs&t=2s.
She can be reached at
https://linktr.ee/luisahteish