In this episode of LaidOPEN, I'm joined by Gabrielle Felder, author of The Five Blessings of Ifá.
We talk about returning to spiritual lineage, writing about Ifá as a living oral tradition, and what it meant for Gabrielle to publish this work after being raised Baptist. She shares how being on ancestral land in the American South changed her relationship to history and belonging.
We explore Oshun and Obatala, gender expansiveness in Yoruba cosmology, burnout and joyful militancy, and how to remain spiritually grounded in times of cultural instability.
LaidOPEN offers intimate conversations at the intersection of sexuality, spirituality, and relational healing. If you're longing for depth, warmth, and nuance, follow the show and share this episode with someone who might need it.
Show Notes:
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
02:42 – Writing Process
04:18 – Family, Faith & Secrecy
08:06 – Parents at the Book Event
09:24 – Publishing as Coming Out
12:26 – Writing About Ifá
14:11 – Southern Ancestry
18:12 – Embodying the Land
22:30 – Entering Ifá
24:43 – Mississippi River & Oshun
27:22 – Orishas & Creativity
28:03 – Beyond the Love Goddess Trope
29:00 – Yoruba Language & Gender
31:22 – Orishas & Gender Fluidity
34:18 – Micro-Acts of Freedom
35:31 – Burnout & Joy
47:17 – Collapse & Rebuilding
52:22 – Spiritual Hygiene
55:34 – Closing
