Drawing the Way to the Soul’s Revival

In the hustle and bustle of life, when was the last time you felt truly happy? When Earthlyn Marselean Manuel was asked that question, she cried when she realized her answer: as a child, strolling through the neighborhood with her dog.

An L.A. native and present-day Oakland resident, Manuel decided she needed a revival of the soul. Drawing from the experiences of African American women, she came up with “Black Angel Cards: A Soul Revival Guide for Black Women.”

The guide includes a book and 36 illustrated cards with characters meant to stimulate self-analysis. The book encourages meditation, journal writing and interaction with other users of the program.

The characters on the cards include “The Braider,” representing sisterhood, or a person who helps by bringing order.

“The Gardener” encourages black women to recognize both the favorable and unfavorable within themselves.

Earthlyn Marselean Manuel will speak at Eso Won bookstore in Los Angeles at 7 p.m. May 7.