Empowering Women
Henna is a Transformative Ritual
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Henna is a feminine art form which has been practiced for thousands of years by women all around the world.
I have observed that Henna is loved by all women, young and old. We are attracted and drawn to it.
It lights us up and makes us feel beautiful, both inside and out. Henna connects us to each other as women.
We all share the desire for that feeling that henna gives us. I am beautiful. I am loved. I am woman.
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The colour of henna is symbolic for women. The deep red and brown symbolises the colour of blood. This blood represents our femininity and our creative, life giving abilities. Blood is the colour of life which appears during menstruation and childbirth. Traditional henna designs also symbolise themes such as beauty, life, fertility and eternity.
The powerful symbolism between women and henna means that henna has always been an essential part of women's rites of passage. These rites of passage include her first menstrual period, marriage and becoming a mother. These are important times of transformation. This is a time when our self perceptions and those of others change in regards to our expectations. It is also a time where our mind, body and spirit are transformed.
Henna also goes through a process of transformation. It begins as a green leaf, to a powder than a paste. The paste stains orange and then gradually deepens red to brown. After approximately 1.5 weeks the skin has shredded and the stain has disappeared. Henna symbolises transformation. The transformation of the henna on a woman's skin is a tangible expression of the transformations women experience at theses significant events in their life.
Henna is a traditional and beautiful way to mark these special occasions. Consequently it is common place at weddings, especially in India. Mothers's Blessings and First Moon Blessings are other feminine celebrations which mark important stages in a woman's life.
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Henna is also an act of self-love and rest, which are important for our well-being as women. Having henna applied requires the woman to sit still for a long period of time. This forces her to stop and rest. It provides an opportunity for a women to be pampered, to regain her strength and to re-full herself with love so that she can return energised and full of love to give to her family. In India and Morocco, new mothers are continually hennaed to allow them to rest properly and take care of themselves. Furthermore, after the paste has been applied and is drying, the woman must continue to rest and limit her chores, especially those that involve water. Indian brides are also not allowed to do any housework until their henna stains have completely disappeared.
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