Tribe Neuro

Queening w Nnena Freelon

11/22/2020

Words cannot explain the energy of this experience--of being in the same room with so many amazing dynamic talented artists. Painting Jazz Empress Nnenna Freelon (world-renowned jazz singer, composer, producer, arranger & 6 time Grammy Nominee) was truly an honor. She embodies grace, resilience, & creativity--the jewel of Durham.

Amazing Artists on Set:
Indigenous Make Up (henna x tribal paint): Shemora Sheikh
Make Up Artist: S. Davis Make Up Artistry
Photography: Chris Charles
Hair: Styles by Anes
Wardrobe: Katina of Azani Couture

If you are interested in henna, tribal paint, headwrapping for a special event or photoshoot, book Rites of Passage Institute for a practice session.

Wrap Stars x Lexis Nexis

11/22/2020

Wraps Stars was honored to be part of the Black History Month program for the Raleigh Chapter of AAN (African Ancestry Network) of Lexis Nexis. Thank you to Exotique Boutique for providing African fabric/headwraps and art. This was the whole experience with soul food, the Drum Phophet, & a presentation by the DC African American Museum. Bring the Wrap Stars Headwrapping Workshop to your organization/group. Learn more HERE.

Afroglam x NCMA

11/22/2020

You haven't seen gold till you've seen African Gold!! Rites of Passage Institute had the honor of creating geles (headwraps) for the North Carolina Museum of Art Good As Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women Exhibit where you can see lots of African gold!! Bling, Bling! And the exhibit is virtual or you can go and experience the exhibit in person (available till Jan 3, 2021). These headwraps were created to complement pieces by world renown Senegalese fashion designers Khadija Aisha Ba of L'artisane and Rama Diaw of Rama Diaw Fashion.

It was nice to see it all come together when I visited the exhibit in person with my family.

Building geles for the Good as Gold Exhibit was special because not only do I have Senegalese roots, but Rites of Passage Institute has been teaching Wrap Stars: Headwrapping Workshop for over 10 years. Our workshops are hands on and we provide historical background, culture, and use of symbolism. As with any Rites of Passage Institute workshop, it's a whole experience. Catch a Wrap Stars Workshop HERE. Also, special shout out to Exotique Boutique of Durham where we purchased the fabric for the geles for the Good as Gold Exhibit.

Spiritual Candles: Womanprenuers Unite with Light

11/22/2020

In support of wellness during a time of crisis & trauma, we 2 womanprenuers unite to offer spiritual candles that will soothe your soul and help you balance. Something as simple as a candle can shift energy and offer respite.

"Look at how a single candle can defy and define darkness."
"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."

Siedah of Celestial Enchantment is the Creatress of these beautiful Spiritual Candles. Rites of Passage Institute is honored to carry her spiritual candles, which are infused with essential oils, herbs, & crystals (what is there not to love). These candles are works of art and it can be difficult to decide if you should burn it, eat it, or just admire it! So order candles HERE, light up, add "I am Light" by India Arie to your playlist, and prepare to release, relax, and manifest! Let love illuminate your heart and total being. Ase! Ameen!

#loveislight #spiritualcandles #sisterprenuer #womensupportingwomen
#ujima #ujamaa #momprenuer #lightinyourheart #girlgang #illuminateyourpath #onecandlelightsanother #breathe #kuumba #imani #kindletheflame #healinglight

Moon Swag Bag

11/19/2020

Moon Awareness is Self-Awareness. Women are in sync with the phases of the moon. We are all affected by the moon because the moon governs liquids/fluids and it affects our bodily fluids, especially our fertility cycle. The Full Moon is a mini celebration/release every month that nurtures us mind, body, & soul. Rites of Passage has Moon Swag Bags for every Full Moon every month to aid you in maximize the experience. This upcoming full moon will be a Full Moon in Gemini (November 30, 2020). If you really want to deepen your experience take a Moontracking Class. In the meantime, spread Lunar Love! xoxo

Armpit Detox

11/19/2020

Next time you do a face mask, do an underarm mask too! If your armpits breakout, get swollen, if you are sensitive to deodorants, if you are ready to transition to a natural deodorant (like Aurafresh by Rites of Passage Institute) after years of using chemical conventional deodorant--it is time for an Armpit Detox!!

You need:
1. Apple cider vinegar
2. Bentonite Clay
3. Water
4. Optional: Coconut oil

Do not use a metal spoon or bowl. I read that you should do the armpit mask everyday for 2 weeks, but I only did it everyday for 1 week. Leave the mask on your armpits for 10 minutes the 1st time, then increase the time everyday until you reach 25 minute.

During the armpit detox you cannot use any deodorant! Shits about to get real. That's why you need to do this in the winter during quarantine!

Do not go back to a synthetic toxic deodorant after an armpit detox. Use a natural deodorant like Aurafresh from passageinstitute.com

Have you ever tried this? Would you try it?

Lapas: Men's Loungewear

11/17/2020

Lapas are the ultimate loungewear. However, they are more than just loungewear. You can go from chillin to business meeting with a lapa. They can be casual comfort wear or be upscale wear of the finest cloth. Lapas also known as Izar (in Arabic) span across many cultures from Africa to Asia. Honestly, I think the kelt is a form of a lapa.

My early introductions to the lapa were the brothers in my Muslim community and through my travels to Senegal and Pakistan. I first started sewing lapas for my husband and sons because the ones from other countries are often not big or long enough and have less fabric variety and quality. Before we knew it, we were swamped with orders AlhumdilAllah!

The lapa is an easy way for Muslim/African men to ensure modesty while praying (as it is not appropriate for Muslim men to pray in anything above his knee or with his navel exposed). The lapa is also a Sunnah (tradition), which means the Prophet Muhammad (saw) wore it. My husband has his winter lapas (flannel) and his summer lapas (cotton, wax cotton, Ankara fabric). A lapa often takes the place of or is used like a man would use a robe in Western culture. It is the African man's robe.

Nothing makes a young man look more cultured and charming than sporting a lapa. Wearing a lapa demonstrates good habits, confidence in their culture/manhood, and body awareness.

Lapas can be useful for young boys who are potty-training and aren't ready to deal with the mechanics of pulling pants up and down or buttoning/zipping closures. We can design the lapa with elastic for this purpose.

Check out our lapa selection HERE. Lapas make great gifts, especially for Kwanza, Ramadan, Eid, birthdays, Father's Day, or just because. We have mens' lapas, boys' lapas. Lapa sets with a matching shirt. Our lapas have a draw string and pocket on the side. Send us your measurements and be ready for a quality custom designed lapa experience.

Body Care Collection

10/30/2020

Yo! Did u notice our logo is standing?! She been sitting in meditation mode, but we decided it was time for her to take a stand! To stand up for peace, justice, change, unity & also, it's or 10 year business anniversary. More about this in the next post!

We got something for every chakra! Which body care product would you like to try? Let us know and we'll send you a sample. We have been creating body care product for our family & the community for years. Now they are available for the public on our website. Some of these are old family recipes based off of recipes that were passed down. Some of them we created out of need.

For example, we needed a toothpaste without fluoride that was safe for our toddlers to use, safe for them to swallow. So we did some research and started making our Diamonds & Pearls Toothpaste. Before we knew it, we were all using it and friends were asking for it too.

As for the deodorant, I've always been a fan of the deodorant salt crystal, but this irritated Hakim's (my husband's) armpits. He has very sensitive pits. I bought many other natural deodorants for him and they all left his armpits swollen with a red rash. So, we had no choice but to do some research and create our own. And Guess what? It worked. I was holding my breath as he tried it. But no rash and he stayed fresh. Aurafresh Deodorant is gentle enough to use on many body parts. In fact, we also use it on our children.

Many of our friends called asking for a foot soak that could help with swollen ankles/feet. After 5 requests, we said sure, we can come up with something. And the Sole Glo Foot Tea was born.

I have to give my Great Aunt credit for the Glow Up Face Mask. She taught me that recipe when I was a teenager and its the one skincare regimen that I've consistently kept up. As much as I'm embarrassed to admit, I don't have a skin care routine, but I do a face/body mask every week and that is probably what has saved me. The Glow up Face Mask is not called a the glow up for nothing.

So all of our products have a story like this, and while we've been selling them for years, we just now added them to our online store and started marketing them. Literally, from our tribe to yours with love.

Below are some Rites of Passage Institute Bodycare Products. Keep watching because there is more to come!

About our deodorant:

About our toothpaste:

For Laughs:

Beauty Break I

10/28/2020

Actually, scroll down and click on the videos to hear our top beauty picks. What are your top beauty product picks? Plz comment below. We want to hear from you!

Empress Adenike of FLYA HERBS will be shedding light on the beauty world alongside Empress Mateenah & I. She's the earthy lightworker who will fix ur crown & ur acne.

F.L.Y.A. Herbs creates the ultimate cup of tea hot or iced. Indulge. See the creatress of F.L.Y.A. Herbs in the video below sharing her beauty wisdom.

Empress Mateenah of NSCRXPTION will b dropping jewels of beauty knowledge along w/Empress Adenike & I. Can't wait to see what she will share, for she is the go to for that luxurious artsy vibe ;)

Mateenah is a Beauty Enthusiasts, n she is also a painter. See her video below to learn her top beauty picks. Did I mention that she does eyebrow threading & nails?

Now, it's my turn! Here are my top 3 beauty picks. I have been using these 3 products for years. Believe it or not, I'm a product minimalist, so I love products that I can use for more than one thing. Enjoy!

We Dig Crystals

10/27/2020

We dig crystals--literally. You may know us for our crystal wrapping skills and crystal jewelry. However, our crystal jewelry starts at the earth. Well, it usually begins with us driving out to some remote cave where there is barely any sign of humankind. I don't know why, but it seems like we always end up going on the hottest day. We are always prepared though, with a cooler filled with water and food.

As a family we go crystal digging every year. We have ventured from Arkansas to along the East Coast. To say we are crystal enthusiast is an understatement. When you dig a crystal from the earth, it's usually covered in red dirt or trapped inside of a rock. It's not very beautiful. The real adventure starts once we get home and put these rocks through a series of baths to remove the grim. We love their raw beauty, but sometimes we put them through a tumbler and polish them. There' something about a crystal that you have dug from the earth with your own hands. This experience also teaches one about the conditions in which the crystals develop. When we are on a digging site it's so purifying, you can feel the healing energy. Trust me it is not glamourous though. It's not like going to the spa. It's more like camping. Many times there are no bathrooms. We are all day in the hot sun and we get covered in clay and all kinds of things.

Why do we do this? We have a long relationship with the earth, crystals, and healing. As wholistic healers we, Hakim (my husband) & I, use crystals for healing. Yes we make jewelry with them, but we also bath with them, put them in our garden, put them in our water, in our facial masks for body care, etc. One day while digging under the hot sun, my husband leaned over and whispered, "I didn't want to buy you a diamond, I wanted to give you all the crystals and make you a ring." And he has, he has made many beautiful crystal rings for me!! I can't explain the feeling of wearing something like that. It is more than a symbol of our love, more than a piece of him, but it embodies the wonders of our Creator and all of creation. It also helps to know that he didn't have to destroy the earth or children's lives to get it! Also, wearing the crystal rings benefit my health and spirituality. So, I have to say, "Thank you King for your love and care of not just me, but our family and all of the earth."

We share our love for crystals through our products and classes. Take our Virtual Crystals 101 Class. Shop our Crystal Jewelry and Body Care Products. See Yoni Eggs HERE. Take our Yoni Egg Class HERE. Ask about our upcoming Crystal Digging Tours & you can accompany us and dig your own crystals!!