|
|
|
|
Celebrate Spring
Spring is so different from place to place, as we see when reading posts on the list. One Nut may be looking out her window at blossoms and daffodils, while another is in the middle of a snow storm! Everywhere, though, Spring is a time of renewal and growth, definitely cause for celebrating!!! I have put together a few ideas to help you welcome in the season, both alone, with family, and with friends. As the cold and snow of Winter begin to
become a dim memory, why not take some time out for yourself, to celebrate who
you are, and what you hope to become, insh’Allaah?
Choose a day when you have no other commitments, and take the time to
pamper yourself. Think of yourself
as shrugging off your Winter cocoon and emerging as a beautiful butterfly!! First of all, try to get up and see the sunrise. Make a cup of herbal tea and watch as the darkness gives way to the light of a new day. Feel the sun on your face, and let yourself be happy again, like when you were a little kid and you finally got out of class for recess. Next, get your blood flowing with some exercise- your pick- stretch, go for a brisk walk, whatever, just get yourself moving, letting your own sun rise inside of you. When you are sufficiently exercised, cool
down and head in for a good shower. If
you have a brush for dry brushing your skin, get it out and give yourself a good
once over. Make sure you make
small, circular motions with the brush, and don’t do it too hard, or on
sensitive skin areas. I have also
used a small loofah, slightly dampened (I know, I know, it is called dry
brushing, but I have very sensitive skin and a dry loofah is too hard for me…)
with good results. Hop in the
shower (I believe I recommended leaping into the shower when I posted
about this on the list, so take your pick- hop or leap) with your favorite
homemade soap and go to it! After you are well washed, you may want to treat
yourself (yes, only herbalists would think this was a treat, but hey, we sniff
goldenseal, too…) to a quick shot of cold water alternating with the warm
water. If you have a heart
condition, don’t do this, but otherwise, it is a great way to get EVERYTHING
stimulated and flowing and ready for the day!!! Take a little time and treat yourself to a
good breakfast. This is a recipe
that is always well received by the whole household.
If you have freezer space, double it, as it freezes very well. In a
pinch, or if you simply don’t use eggs, you can substitute ¼ cup of sunflower
oil for the eggs. Crunchy Banana Bread Add sugar and eggs to the bananas, mixing well. Add the milk, butter, and vanilla, and stir to blend. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips last. Pour into a loaf pan and bake one hour, or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Dish doing is optional- if it drives you bonkers to have dirty dishes about, do them. Otherwise, let them be, or, better yet, get someone else to do them!! Okay, I am going to be vague on how you spend
your day off, as everyone has different things that make them feel happy.
If you want to curl up with a good book, do it.
If you want to go hiking with friends, do it…whatever will make you
happy, that does not involve something illegal or evil, hey, do it. But before you do it, mix up some henna for your henna party in the evening. Yes, you are going to have a henna party.
This is one of the main ways that women here in Yemen beautify
themselves, and it is a treat. You get to be artistic, and expressive, and go a little wild,
without having to worry about it being permanent. Some women simply dip their palms and soles of their feet
in the henna mixture and call it a day- you can do that, or you can have
a lot of fun making up your own designs. If
you are totally inept at such things, make sure at least one of the people you
have to your party is NOT , so she can do everyone’s henna!!!
First of all, a couple of things about henna. If you are able to purchase your henna in an eastern market or international market, avoid any package that explicitly states that it contains henna for hair, as this may be adulterated with metal oxides or other materials. These are often found in natural or health stores. Also avoid black henna, as it often contains ingredients which may cause cancer.
When looking at the powders, you will notice many different shades of green. You want bright green, very finely ground henna. The brighter the green, the deeper your henna stain will be, insh'Allah. Avoid henna that has been exposed to light and air for any period of time. This is only sensible, as henna is an herb, and dried herbs do not appreciate being exposed to air and light as a general rule. One good reason to use freshly prepared henna paste is because the ones that you purchase in the tubes
In order to prepare your own henna, you first need to make what we henna junkies call a catalyst. Henna needs to be activated with a hot liquid. If you simply use water, that is fine, but a much better and longer lasting stain can be obtained by using other things. Black tea or coffee will work, as will Chai tea. Personally, I make a decoction of cloves, using about four tablespoons of whole cloves to one and a half cups of water. Let it simmer for about ten minutes or so, then add three tablespoons of lime juice (or lemon, I can only get limes here, so limes it is.) Add this to a few tablespoons of henna powder, adjusting henna and tea amount as needed, until it is a think paste. At this point, add some eucalyptus, tea tree and/or or clove essential oil. These help bind the paste, and make for a darker stain. They also smell good, just make sure that whatever oil you use is not irritating for your skin. You are aiming for a yogurt like consistency. When you are satisfied with your paste, spoon it into a nylon sock and squeeze it through into a container that can be covered. (NOTE: do NOT use metal containers or utensils with the henna- this is a big no no. It will not blow up or anything, but I have been told by every henna artist I have ever met not to do it, so I don’t. Now you can carry on the tradition and NOT do it as well.) This will wreck your stocking, so don’t plan on wearing it ever again. This is a good use for the odd knee highs that are left by the sock gremlins every time you do a washing. Cover the paste and pop it in your fridge. You can even mix this up a day ahead of time, if you like- it gets better as it sits, at least up to a point. Keep any extra catalyst (there’s that neat scientific sounding word again) in case you need to add some to your henna paste later.
Okay, so you have had your wonderful day, and have eaten your supper and done any washing up you want to do that evening. Henna needs to stay on your skin for quite awhile, overnight is best for a dark stain, so you have to either: 1) Do it at night, after all your little chores are done, and get someone else to change the baby’s diapers 2) Delegate all washing type tasks to someone else in the house 3) Choose a part of your body to stain that does not need to be immersed in water any time soon. 4) Any and all of the above, as you like Wearing rubber gloves, squeeze your henna paste through that stocking again, into one of those small clearish squeeze bottles that you can buy at Michael’s, or Joanne’s or Dharma trading (yay for Dharma trading!) wherever. I think they are used by painters??? They usually come with a size seven tip, but a five is better if you can get it. Put the tip on, and get ready for some fun!
First of all, you may want to prepare your skin for your henna tattoo. This is purely optional- you can get a good tattoo simply by making sure your skin is clean and dry, but if you want to follow these steps, go ahead. I would like to add here that it has been my experience that thinner skin, like that on your inner forearms, does not stain well. Palms stain better than the back of hands, but both are doable. It is a lot of fun to make bracelets or anklets with the henna, but it is a little tricky, so you may want to wait until you have some practice before doing this. If you want to make a band, try making it around your belly button or down your arm or leg. Nice! Lightly exfoliate the area where the design is going to be placed. This can be done with an exfoliating glove, a loofah, oatmeal soap, a bit of ground oatmeal or cornmeal- it doesn't really matter. You just want to get the layer of dead skin cells off, so that the design will be applied to new skin and insh'Allah last just a bit longer. Since you did your dry brushing in the morning on this particular day, you are covered on this point already. Wash the area with soap and water, making sure to rinse thoroughly, and DO NOT apply any moisturizer at all, as this will affect the henna design. Let the skin dry thoroughly. Immediately before application, you may put some eucalyptus oil on the area to make the skin more receptive to the "tattoo". Usually when using essential oils, they must be added to a base oil, but I personally do not do this in this instance, as it seems that it would defeat the purpose of cleansing the skin of moisturizers as earlier mentioned. If you experience any irritation, either dilute the eucalyptus oil in a small amount of vegetable oil, or skip this step all together.
Mix together a solution of 2 parts lime (or lemon) juice and one part of sugar. Stir well, and set aside for later use. Now apply your henna! Different areas of the Muslim world have styles that are most popular there. For example, India and Pakistan are known for the very thin lined, intricate, lacy designs. In Africa, strong, bold geometrics and more common. Here in Yemen the dark, bolder designs are also most common, usually in flower, vine, and leaf motifs. There are many books and web sites with sample designs available, or you can simply draw what you like. Be patient as you get used to using the bottle and find the pressure that works best for you. You do not want the tip to actually touch your skin, it should hover right above it, and the pressure should be evenly applied throughout. One henna artist who did my hands once used her pinkie as an anchor as she drew the designs, and they came out beautifully, alhamdulillah.
If you have friends over, you can do each
other’s designs, or simply work at the same time in the same room. Remember the theme of the day, and discuss hopes and dreams,
and be encouraging to each other share good thoughts. Keep the energy positive, in other words. When you are finished, let the design air dry for about fifteen or twenty minutes, then use a tissue or cotton ball to apply the lime/sugar mixture over it. This helps to keep it in place, and to get darker overall. Throughout the evening apply this again, perhaps every half an hour or so, until you either forget about it or fall asleep. You can wrap the design lightly in tissue paper, light cotton fabric, or even plastic wrap or plastic bag. A good paste seems to stay on without these extra steps, but if you feel better offering some protection, go right ahead. One of my teachers once came to class with one of her hands hennaed, and she gestured and held her stick and everything, and no henna came off!
I think it is always nice to finish a get together with people you treasure by giving them a small gift to remind them of the time spent. Make up some special soaps, or bath salts, or whatever you like, beforehand. Wrap them up and add a tag with the date and the occasion, and hand them out as your friends leave the house. Don’t clean (see note for dishes). Go to bed and forget about your henna until the next day. In the morning, gently scrape the henna off your hand with a dull butter knife or something similar, and enjoy the fruits of your labor!! To keep the tattoo looking nice as long as possible (I have seen them remain dark for two weeks before beginning to fade in earnest) make sure you keep the area moisturized (body butter and lotion bars are great for this), especially after you have washed your hands or done some cleaning. Hold this day in your heart, and enjoy your April, everyone!!! ~ Khadijah Lacina DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational purposes, based on the study, education, and experience of the author, and is not meant to replace the advice of a trained physician. Soapnuts and the author are not responsible for any outcome of your use of this information. |
