{"id":91,"date":"2025-04-23T20:24:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T20:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/?page_id=91"},"modified":"2025-04-23T20:59:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T20:59:24","slug":"tolas-creations-botanica-wellness-cultural-center","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/?page_id=91","title":{"rendered":"Tola’s Creations Botanica, Wellness & Cultural Center"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2943 W 71st St, Chicago, IL 60629<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operating since 2023 from a space that blends holistic healing with spiritual practices, Tola has become a cornerstone for those seeking mental, physical, or spiritual health. \u201cSpirituality is the beginning of everything,\u201d she begins, explaining how spirituality is the foundation everything else is built on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For Tola, spirituality must work hand in hand with physical healing\u2014not as a substitute or even a stand-alone practice, but as a complement. \u201cThey both have to work together,\u201d she says firmly,
believing that spiritual work can help lessen the severity of an illness. \u201cThere are herbs that may help, spiritual works that I might do to lessen the seriousness,\u201d she explains, emphasizing that her role is to support healing in a way that complements medical treatments. \u201cI\u2019m in favor of everything\u2014whatever is going to work to heal you, I\u2019m in favor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everyone that walks into Tola’s space immediately trusts in the spiritual practices, but she knows that the trust must be built. She recalls a client who had come in for help and received a reading that revealed something deeply personal no one else knew. \u201cOnce that message was given to her, it was like a waterfall of tears.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She explains these are the kinds of moments that often turn those doubts into faith, when they realize, \u201cOh, wow, nobody knew this… this is for real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, healing is not just about offering spiritual advice, it\u2019s about being a part of the larger community\u2019s wellness. From offering workshops like \u201cTalk About it Tuesdays\u201d to collaborating with licensed therapists during Mental Health Awareness Month, Tola creates an environment that prioritizes healing in all its forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just about herbs and spiritual services. It\u2019s about providing a space for people to talk, to heal,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tola reflects on her time as a dispatcher and later as a sheriff, where she witnessed firsthand the struggles of those in need of mental health support. \u201cA lot of these people… they need mental health services,\u201d she says, recognizing the lack of resources in many communities, particularly among Black and Brown populations. \u201cSome sicknesses come from spiritual things, not necessarily physical ailments. That’s why they go in conjunction with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tola believes that more people are embracing spiritual practices today, \u201cpeople are learning more for themselves\u2026 They\u2019re seeking their own truth. We\u2019re in the age of information.\u201d She notes many no longer feel bound by the rigid structures of traditional belief systems. \u201cIt\u2019s just not so rigorous and strict anymore,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cPeople are more open now because they\u2019re not condemned for thinking or acting a certain way,\u201d Tola says, and this openness is what allows individuals from all backgrounds and religions to enter the space in search of healing. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to stop believing in what you believe in to get spiritual,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healing, in all its forms, is a process of reclaiming one\u2019s own power, which Tola connects to the historical struggles of marginalized communities. Reflecting on the Haitian Revolution, she shares, \u201c[they] were reclaiming their power with their spiritual practices. It was empowering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As her practice continues to grow, Tola remains committed to offering a space where wellness, spirituality, and community come together. As she puts it, \u201cyou have to see it for yourself\u2026 just try it. You won\u2019t regret it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2943 W 71st St, Chicago, IL 60629 Operating since 2023 from a space that blends holistic healing with spiritual practices, Tola has become a cornerstone for those seeking mental, physical, or spiritual health. \u201cSpirituality is the beginning of everything,\u201d she begins, explaining how spirituality is the foundation everything else is built on. For Tola, spirituality…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-91","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=91"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":167,"href":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91\/revisions\/167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kathyangu.digital.uic.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=91"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}