I think henna is spiritual

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Posted by Darlahood on May 8, 2001 at 05:41:55:

In reply to: Re: a few questions posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on May 8, 2001 at 03:19:30:

I'm not out worshipping Anath, but I do know the Goddess is out there
and is still alive and kickin'

: Some people seem quite invested in making henna out to be a
spiritual thing... but careful research just does NOT support that!

For me henna is spiritual because it is my ART. I haven't had the
familial experience of henna parties before weddings; simply being
hennaed by someone other than myself is a big deal to me. If I had
grown up with this as just something girls do when they get together,
perhaps I wouldn't be so fierce about it.

There is a new article in Newsweek this week, talking about how
humans are wired to have a spiritual existence. It showed brain
photos of Tibetan Buddhists during meditation. The part of the brain
that controls space and time is almost completely inactive (in order
to achieve a meditative state), but the frontol lobe area is all red
from introspective activity. I bet we go through the same shit when
we henna others. I don't know about the rest of you, 'cause
everyone's different, but I totally zone out after I've been hennaing
people for a while. I see the design as a sort of burned image on
the person's hand and I just start to trace it, never mind what they
told me to henna. I've completely dissed what design people have
wanted before, just because I already saw a better pattern there
already. I don't know who put it there, but it's obvious that's what
they need. Y'all probably think I'm crazy, or that I'm some kind of
henna fundamentalist. hehe, that IS funny, and maybe I am a henna
fundamentalist. I just think it's really important not to lose sight
of the spirituality of things, even though they may become an
everyday occurence. For me, every opportunity to share my art is a
blessing, and I thank the Goddess every time she gives me the work.

I know henna does not belong to any set religion or system of
beliefs, but to classify it as only a cosmetic? Is that what it's
all about, or am I making my artistry out to be more than it really
is?

~~Darlahood, wandering, lone henna ascetic.

Follow Ups

Re: I think henna is spiritual Theadora Sideras 17:53:15 5/8/2001 (0)
long rant on creative blissyness as disticnt from spiritual experience Catherine Cartwright Jones 14:15:26 5/8/2001 (1)
- thanks for clearing that up, you said it better than me! (n/t) Darlahood 00:31:55 5/9/2001 (0)

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: I'm not out worshipping Anath, but I do know the Goddess is out there : and is still alive and kickin' : : : Some people seem quite invested in making henna out to be a : spiritual thing... but careful research just does NOT support that! : : For me henna is spiritual because it is my ART. I haven't had the : familial experience of henna parties before weddings; simply being : hennaed by someone other than myself is a big deal to me. If I had : grown up with this as just something girls do when they get together, : perhaps I wouldn't be so fierce about it. : : There is a new article in Newsweek this week, talking about how : humans are wired to have a spiritual existence. It showed brain : photos of Tibetan Buddhists during meditation. The part of the brain : that controls space and time is almost completely inactive (in order : to achieve a meditative state), but the frontol lobe area is all red : from introspective activity. I bet we go through the same shit when : we henna others. I don't know about the rest of you, 'cause : everyone's different, but I totally zone out after I've been hennaing : people for a while. I see the design as a sort of burned image on : the person's hand and I just start to trace it, never mind what they : told me to henna. I've completely dissed what design people have : wanted before, just because I already saw a better pattern there : already. I don't know who put it there, but it's obvious that's what : they need. Y'all probably think I'm crazy, or that I'm some kind of : henna fundamentalist. hehe, that IS funny, and maybe I am a henna : fundamentalist. I just think it's really important not to lose sight : of the spirituality of things, even though they may become an : everyday occurence. For me, every opportunity to share my art is a : blessing, and I thank the Goddess every time she gives me the work. : : I know henna does not belong to any set religion or system of : beliefs, but to classify it as only a cosmetic? Is that what it's : all about, or am I making my artistry out to be more than it really : is? : : ~~Darlahood, wandering, lone henna ascetic.
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