21 PLEASURE PRINCIPLES | Day 20 | Zilpha Elaw

Pleasure Muse: Zilpha Elaw 

Tantalizing Trivia 

One of 22 children, she was born in 1790 in Pennsylvania to free Black parents. 

Her mother passed away when

Zilpha was just 12 years old. Her father passed away two years later. She was sent to live in the home of a Quaker family. 

Soon after she would attend a camp meeting held by the Methodist society. She embraced the teachings and became an active member of the Methodist church. 

On her sister's deathbed, she had a prophecy that Zilpha would be a preacher. She rejected this message, until years later, when she fell deathly ill and in her sickness had her own prophecy of the same vision. 

She was 29 years old when she preached her first sermon. 

At the age of 56 she published “Memoirs of the Life, Religious Experience, Ministerial Travels and Labours of Mrs. Elaw.” The book documented her personal travels from around the world preaching. 

In Britain, where she lived for more than a decade, she entered into one of the first interracial marriages with a her second husband, a white man. While living in England she had a chapel built in London to further her ministry. 

She was considered to be one of the most “outspoken” women of her time.

Mirror Work:

Assume a posture of prayer. Whatever feels most natural to you. You can kneel, lay, or fold yourself over in a child pose and let all of the weight you are carrying drip down onto the floor. Take three deep breaths from this place,  with each exhale, repeat quietly to yourself, “I am listening.”  Now take three more deep breaths. What do you hear? Take a few minutes to write. Don’t overthink or censure yourself. Just write. 

Affirmation:

My words have power. I use them to speak life. 

I am walking into the greatest vision I have for myself. 

I see a future that is expansive and bright. 

Prophesy Over Your Life:  A Playlist 

Alchemy Assignment:

Create or update your vision board with 2-3 images that speak to you about the life that you dream of living. 

Didn’t catch the live recording of today’s episode? We don’t want you to miss out on getting the full experience. Check out the opening and closing songs below.

Opening ⁠Song⁠

Closing ⁠Song