PariseNichelle - The High Priestess
PariseNichelle -
The High Priestess
PariseNichelle, lovingly referred to as Iya, is a healer, medium, priestess, mother and wife. Focused on the healing of women of color, she founded Do The Healing Work in 2014.
What is your definition of freedom? What does it look and feel like to you? And how do you cultivate it daily?
Freedom is the ability to know and define yourself outside the limitations of social pressure and expectations. Freedom is finding one’s voices and breaking free of the requirement of permission to BE. I cultivate this, by being authentic with myself, my community and those I hold dear. Meditation, journaling and my relationships are all practices that allow me to self check and also heal.
How have your thoughts, perception, and understanding of freedom evolved with time? What was it before and what is it now?
As a young child , my views were that adulthood was freedom. Once I became a teenager ,I could feel the pressure to conform into other’s idea of who I should be. As I grew,I found the confidence to take up space. That’s when I understood freedom was not a status. It wasn’t achievement based or doled out through financial merit. But rather, a decision to operate from an elevated mind state.
Freedom can feel like something we’re all seeking, but may have trouble grasping. What's one piece of advice or some words of wisdom you can offer to this community as they look to "get free"?
Life ebbs and flows. People come and go. But YOU are with you forever. Self care, learn, grow, take your time, be self centered. All without guilt. Leave space and room to change your mind as new information becomes available.
Share an anecdote, memory, or practice in your life that embodies freedom in every way.
It may sound crazy but I make a practice of saying no! I set boundaries and stick to it. It is apart of my personal constitution. It gives me the freedom to be in charge of my time and ultimately my life.
For those of us unfamiliar with African spiritual practices, where should we start and how might these practices change our relationship to freedom?
African spirituality is a generalized term that refers to Traditional Continental African worship ritual and practices such as ancestor worship and Veneration, connection to nature, deified forces of nature, prayer and ritual in the style and languages of our African ancestors. It is important to note that African culture is not monolithic. There are over 5,000 languages, tribes and cultures that all have their own specific practices. My path is specifically Yoruba because I am Yoruba and Igbo. I suggest starting with your Ancestors. Who are they? What did they do?? By learning who we truly are, we are granted the freedom to explore who we will become.