Henna Prayer Flags for the Dead, Henna Prayer flags for compassion and wisdom

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Henna Page Forum ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on September 12, 2001 at 15:13:04:

Sometimes words can't possibly express profound and intense feelings.
Symbols can embody the inexpressible. When words seem futile and
feelings must be released ... prayer flags or rangoli may be a good
focus.
Henna is an expression of the joy of life, and it may not be
appropriate to henna for sorrow.

Hennaed prayer flags, though, may help.

Take some old henna paste out of the fridge (any old paste will do the
job!)

Take a bit of cotton or silk cloth and henna a pattern on it (just
focus on your feelings,a prayer for the dead, start drawing, the
pattern will come!) Draw your prayer in henna on the cloth. It's just
like hennaeing skin ... Except push the henna a bit down into the
cloth instead of draping the line as you do on skin.

Let the henna dry. Flick off the henna and iron the cloth (Iron set
on cotton). Pass the iron over the hennaed part several times and it
will darken each time. The scent of the ironed henna is beautiful and
will start carrying your prayer on the wind. Hang your prayer flag
out somewhere .. and every time it flutters, the essence of your
prayer will be carried on the wind to the proper place.

Eventually, the wind and rain will consume your flag and the feelings
carried with it, and by then, perhaps, there may be an answer to your
prayer, some understanding, compassion, wisdom.

Rangoli are another way of creating a sacred space with a symbol, to
focus your prayers and intentions. .... you create a pattern very
similar to a henna pattern, using rice paste, on the ground. The
rangoli is the locus for the sacred. You can bring incense,
offerings, prayers to this place ... it's like creating a small ad hoc
prayer space. Outside, the elements and small creatures reclaim the
rangoli..... as the intent of the prayer is accepted.

I'll work on symbols today ... I'm leading workshops on creating
prayer flags and rangoli at Brushwood this weekend .... I'll post
some patterns tomorrow....

Follow Ups

Re: Henna Prayer Flags........ Natalie 15:02:55 9/13/2001 (1)
- Re: Henna Prayer Flags........ Catherine Cartwright Jones 17:02:21 9/13/2001 (0)
Henna Prayer Flags- I'm there lisa 18:15:23 9/12/2001 (0)
Re: Henna Prayer Flags for the Dead, Henna Prayer flags for compassion and wisdom KAT 17:00:37 9/12/2001 (0)

Post Followup

Name:
E-Mail:
Subject:
: Sometimes words can't possibly express profound and intense feelings. : Symbols can embody the inexpressible. When words seem futile and : feelings must be released ... prayer flags or rangoli may be a good : focus. : Henna is an expression of the joy of life, and it may not be : appropriate to henna for sorrow. : : Hennaed prayer flags, though, may help. : : Take some old henna paste out of the fridge (any old paste will do the : job!) : : Take a bit of cotton or silk cloth and henna a pattern on it (just : focus on your feelings,a prayer for the dead, start drawing, the : pattern will come!) Draw your prayer in henna on the cloth. It's just : like hennaeing skin ... Except push the henna a bit down into the : cloth instead of draping the line as you do on skin. : : Let the henna dry. Flick off the henna and iron the cloth (Iron set : on cotton). Pass the iron over the hennaed part several times and it : will darken each time. The scent of the ironed henna is beautiful and : will start carrying your prayer on the wind. Hang your prayer flag : out somewhere .. and every time it flutters, the essence of your : prayer will be carried on the wind to the proper place. : : Eventually, the wind and rain will consume your flag and the feelings : carried with it, and by then, perhaps, there may be an answer to your : prayer, some understanding, compassion, wisdom. : : Rangoli are another way of creating a sacred space with a symbol, to : focus your prayers and intentions. .... you create a pattern very : similar to a henna pattern, using rice paste, on the ground. The : rangoli is the locus for the sacred. You can bring incense, : offerings, prayers to this place ... it's like creating a small ad hoc : prayer space. Outside, the elements and small creatures reclaim the : rangoli..... as the intent of the prayer is accepted. : : I'll work on symbols today ... I'm leading workshops on creating : prayer flags and rangoli at Brushwood this weekend .... I'll post : some patterns tomorrow....
Optional link URL:
Link title:
Optional image URL: