No

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Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on August 10, 2001 at 03:14:54:

In reply to: is the henna plant sacred? posted by Darlahood on August 10, 2001 at 02:58:29:

Linguistics and semiotics stand in the way of a straight answer to
that question:

In English, sacred and secular are mutually exclusive, polar
opposites. According to an English-speaker's perspective, NO, henna
is NOT sacred. In belief systems where sacred to secular is a
continuum, it is in the mid range: neither wholly sacred, nor totally
banal.

In animist religions, all things may be regarded as having "Presence"
within, and that "presence" may be addressed with respect. Though
henna is a favored and auspicious plant in some animist religions, it
is not listed as a "sacred" plant. It's sort of in the mid-range.

It's a "favored plant", appreciated by Mohammed, and appreciated by
other groups for it's auspicious red color and other excellent
qualities. It falls in the range of incense, soap, perfume, eggs,
pigeons, coffee. It's lucky, it's a purifactory ... but it is not
sacred. It has "baraka", blessedness, which is not the same as
"sacredness". There's a little story below about that....

For henna to be sacred, fasting, prayers and puja would be required
before its use, and only specially ordained people could handle it.
That's not the case. A regular person can apply henna in the home,
without fasting or prayers.

down the rabbit hole, looking for "baraka"

Follow Ups

still good to be surrounded by the auspicious Darlahood 04:07:48 8/10/2001 (2)
- pigeons O/T Catherine Cartwright Jones 14:59:25 8/10/2001 (1)
  - Re: pigeons O/T Natalie 22:27:51 8/11/2001 (0)

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: Linguistics and semiotics stand in the way of a straight answer to : that question: : : In English, sacred and secular are mutually exclusive, polar : opposites. According to an English-speaker's perspective, NO, henna : is NOT sacred. In belief systems where sacred to secular is a : continuum, it is in the mid range: neither wholly sacred, nor totally : banal. : : In animist religions, all things may be regarded as having "Presence" : within, and that "presence" may be addressed with respect. Though : henna is a favored and auspicious plant in some animist religions, it : is not listed as a "sacred" plant. It's sort of in the mid-range. : : It's a "favored plant", appreciated by Mohammed, and appreciated by : other groups for it's auspicious red color and other excellent : qualities. It falls in the range of incense, soap, perfume, eggs, : pigeons, coffee. It's lucky, it's a purifactory ... but it is not : sacred. It has "baraka", blessedness, which is not the same as : "sacredness". There's a little story below about that.... : : For henna to be sacred, fasting, prayers and puja would be required : before its use, and only specially ordained people could handle it. : That's not the case. A regular person can apply henna in the home, : without fasting or prayers.
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