You Meet a Version of Yourself Who Had Always Existed but Had Never Been Seen with Tamela Julia Gordon

In this episode of the Bodyway Intuition Podcast, meet Tamela Julia Gordon, author of Hood Wellness, a memoir that blends personal storytelling, communal care, spirituality, wellness practices, and collective healing. She is also a freelance writer, editor, tarot reader, and communal care advocate.Introduced to Santería through her father's Cuban lineage, Tamela was immersed in spiritual practices from an early age. By age four, she was creating altars, and as a teenager, she was giving spiritual readings, following in the footsteps of her paternal grandmother, who also gave readings. Tamela shares how ancestral altar practices, intuitive experiences, and spiritual traditions shaped her understanding of healing, belonging, and community. She also reflects on receiving intuitive information from a young age, discovering tarot during the pandemic, and why she believes everyone has the capacity to deepen their own spiritual practice.We also discuss the creation of Casa de Tammy, a self-care home and community-funded retreat space for Black activists and community organizers seeking rest, healing, and renewal. Her book emerged from those experiences, and, specifically, seven years of studying care. Together, we also explore the challenges of vulnerability in writing and of maintaining authenticity through the publishing process.