This sermon is about the two sides of you that society has taught you to treat as opposing forces instead of what they actually are: twin aspects of the same divine power.

Drawing on Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run with the Wolves and bell hooks’ Sisters of the Yam and Communion, this video lays the foundation you will explore who the wild woman is beneath everything media taught us to fear about her, and who the civilized woman is beneath the language of “well-behaved,” and what it costs Black women specifically to sever ourselves in half.

The Dark Divines is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my art, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Books used for this sermon:

* Women Who Run with the Wolves — Clarissa Pinkola Estés

* Sisters of the Yam — bell hooks

* Communion — bell hooks

**feel free to grab your bell hooks books from The Lit Twist! My girl Petra is also having a summer school all about bell hooks if that sounds like a vibe for you! Tell her I said <3

Songs to meditate on:

* “Twin Flame” — Victoria Monét, on what it feels like when you’re in internal divorce, wild and civilized pulling against each other instead of together

* “Gemini” — Princess Nokia, on what it feels like in divine union, fully accepting all of yourself

Go deeper:

* The complete 2026 syllabus : the full theological and literary framework behind this sermon and the year’s theme of duality

* Haven’t read the story of Manawee? I read it directly from Women Who Run with the Wolves in part two, so you can catch the full story there, or pick it up in the book beforehand if you want a head start.

Share this: Tell me what came up for you watching this. And if it named something true, send it to someone you love — repost it, get it in front of the person who needs it.

Part two picks up with what that separation actually costs us, what it means to build the container strong enough to hold both sides, and what divine union looks like in practice — plus reflection questions to sit with after you watch.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lotuslaloba.substack.com/subscribe