The history and origins of the Earthlodge Center for Transformation teachings begin in Silvercreek, Mississippi with Grandma Naomi Hollins, a southern Black medicine woman who used ecology and herbal remedies to heal her surrounding community at a time when they were shunned by segregated health institutions. Queen carried a lot of anger inside of her as a child and instead of spanking her, she would make her dig a whole and get in it so that the Earth could “clean her off”. She wasn’t allowed to come out until she showed signs of being more in balance. These Southern Black/African American indigenous practices were passed on to Queen from her grandmother and she continues their practice and legacy today aiding hurting communities to heal their trauma using the Earth in all of her forms.
Through the development of the Earthlodge, Queen has adapted her grandmother’s connection to the plant and earth medicine expanded those remedies through a broader vision. Through her study in metaphysics, gnostics and African spirituality, she came to understand that the legacy of healing practices that she inherited put herself and community members in direct contact with minerals and the spinning earth’s core, which literally cleans the energetic body of all beings. In 2004, Queen Hollins turned her Long Beach family home over to the organization and took this concept to new heights with the help of other community members who dug one of the largest Earth Healing Womb Pit (The Pit) in Los Angeles county. The Earth Healing Pit is used as a fundamental part of sacred healing rituals for Earthlodge community members. Participants descend into the Earth Pit with the intention to rebalance and heal deep-rooted trauma. The Earth Pit is also used in Reconciliation Circles and individual or collective grounding.In 2008, 5 women began the deep journey into Mama Earth's Womb descending beneath the Earth's surface to create a healing sanctuary inside of the Earth; affectionately called THE EARTHPIT. Two years later and with the help of over 20 women over the years, the Earthpit is complete and healing us all with her magic.
The Earthlodge Center grounds expands 10,000 square feet and provides a safe, spiritual community center for women and queer folks of all generations (from youth who are just coming out to elders) to transform, heal, restore balance within and celebrate all aspects of our lives. The safe space of the Earthlodge transforms the shame of being queer into the power of being queer while healing any sense of separation or inability to integrate into society in a way that is whole, healthy, and happy. We do this through reconnecting with nature, providing and teaching of rituals and ceremonies, self reclamation through sharing our intentions and stories within community, sacred crafting (talismans etc), meditative journeys, emphasizing healthy cuisine through community dinners post ceremonies, and creating and maintaining sacred grounds and ritual space.
