Re: I think henna is spiritual

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Posted by Theadora Sideras on May 8, 2001 at 17:53:15:

In reply to: I think henna is spiritual posted by Darlahood on May 8, 2001 at 05:41:55:

Henna is a spiritual path for me. It is meditation, its is connection
to people. It slows us down and lets us align with beauty for a
moment. The symbols are also a launguage of spirit. Spirit is alive
in everything and is a gift to be shared. As my little sister just
wrote me in a letter "The heart of the matter is that you are making
beauty and I believe that beauty has the power to right all wrongs.
Go sister go!"
Adornment has been practiced as part of Shamanic tradition since we
first smeared charcol or red clay or chalk on us. I dont see
seperation in life between spirit and mundane. One of my Favorite
Women saints or Dieties is Shri Ananda Mai Ma or Bliss Permiated
Mother. Who was an Indian house wife who found her extatic joy and
bliss in scrubbing pots and pans and careing for her children. I dont
go set out to make henna any thing in particular. Some days it feels
like a job, a big pain (literaly) and why do I bother.But if there is
intent and connection I beleive it becomes a pathway to spirit. Just
like in "The Knitting Goddess" By fellow tribal belly dancer Deborah
Bergman. She writes about textile arts for women over time being a
connection to spirit for them.That it is in our genetic memory and
comes from useing our hands. Henna is another "thread" that weaves
through time and space and grounds us and opens us to creative source.
I did healing body work for 9 years before I started with henna and
touch is also an element that can be very powerful.

: 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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: Henna is a spiritual path for me. It is meditation, its is connection : to people. It slows us down and lets us align with beauty for a : moment. The symbols are also a launguage of spirit. Spirit is alive : in everything and is a gift to be shared. As my little sister just : wrote me in a letter "The heart of the matter is that you are making : beauty and I believe that beauty has the power to right all wrongs. : Go sister go!" : Adornment has been practiced as part of Shamanic tradition since we : first smeared charcol or red clay or chalk on us. I dont see : seperation in life between spirit and mundane. One of my Favorite : Women saints or Dieties is Shri Ananda Mai Ma or Bliss Permiated : Mother. Who was an Indian house wife who found her extatic joy and : bliss in scrubbing pots and pans and careing for her children. I dont : go set out to make henna any thing in particular. Some days it feels : like a job, a big pain (literaly) and why do I bother.But if there is : intent and connection I beleive it becomes a pathway to spirit. Just : like in "The Knitting Goddess" By fellow tribal belly dancer Deborah : Bergman. She writes about textile arts for women over time being a : connection to spirit for them.That it is in our genetic memory and : comes from useing our hands. Henna is another "thread" that weaves : through time and space and grounds us and opens us to creative source. : I did healing body work for 9 years before I started with henna and : touch is also an element that can be very powerful. : : : 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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