by Sybil Fogg
Henna smells like dirt and is cold when applied to skin. The eucalyptus oil used to prepare the skin smells like life and is pleasantly warm. When combined with incantations, a full moon, and expectant parents, henna can create some potent magic.
Early in my fourth pregnancy, the life of my unborn child became threatened. My midwives were at odds: one thought that my pregnancy would not declare itself and another felt that bed rest and reduced stress could allow the pregnancy to continue.
When those measures didn’t work, I decided to use henna magic. I felt handing over the fate of my unborn child to the goddess and god was a necessary step to remove stress from myself. I had already followed all of the recommendations of my midwives to no avail. I needed something that would help me focus my energy away from what was happening to me and direct it toward making something happen for me. That is what magic is all about.
It also helped that my partner is a skilled henna artist.
Henna art is called mehndi and draws its traditions from the Middle East and India. The action consists of applying a thin coat of a paste made from ground henna plant mixed with black tea and eucalyptus oil. There are many variations in the recipe with people trying a little of this and a little of that to find the desired consistency. Personally, I find that mixing equal amounts of henna powder and brewed black tea with a quarter amount of eucalyptus oil creates the best paste. For example, mix a half tablespoon of eucalyptus oil with two tablespoons each of henna power and black tea. Henna paste should have the consistency of toothpaste.
Henna works by staining the skin. This happens almost immediately, but to assure a darker, longer-lasting design, it is best to coat the henna with sugared lemon water and to leave it on for at least eight hours. Once dry, henna can be brushed off. A cotton ball dipped in olive oil can be used to loosen any stubborn residue. The image that is left will be light to dark reddish-brown depending on the color of your skin.
Henna magic is powerful. You are using earth to draw your intention from your own body. It incorporates all aspects of spellcasting, from mixing the powder to creating the design to applying the paste to your skin. Henna magic should be approached with extreme care and respect, for you will be wearing your design for about one month, the time it takes the moon to go from round to dark to round again. As with anything being applied to your skin, you should test a small area first to be certain that you won’t have any reactions to the henna paste.
To begin any magic, you should first determine the nature of your intention. In the case of my possible miscarriage, mine was specific. I didn’t want to lose my baby. Henna magic can be used for any type of spell: prosperity, love, self-confidence, happiness.
Once the nature of your spell has been decided, it is important to choose the correct correspondences to go with your magic. The day, time of month, and astrological influence should be researched and observed. In my case, I chose to do my spell during a full moon to represent the pregnant goddess and picked a day that the moon was in its governing sign, Cancer, because I wanted all influences to be as strong as possible for my request.
When choosing your time, keep in mind that mixing henna paste is time consuming. You will need about two days to make the henna, one twenty-four-hour cycle to brew the black tea (two tablespoons in one cup of hot water) and then another twenty-four-hour cycle once the paste is mixed. Once ready, the prepared henna will only last three to four days, so timing is critical.
It is useful to add a pinch of certain herbs to your henna mixture. Be sure to check your lore and to grind the herb into powder so that it is absorbed into the mixture and doesn’t clog up your applicator (the easiest vessels for applying henna are plastic tubes used for silk screening found in most art supply stores). A coffee grinder works well to grind the henna with the herbs, but make sure you clean the grinder thoroughly or purchase one solely for spellcasting. There are many books on herbal use in magic if you are having trouble choosing. To keep the henna paste smooth, use a minute amount of only one or two herbs. For example, I used lavender for protection of children and rose petals for love in my spell.
Once you have determined all correspondences direct your intention to the design. Are you simply going to write out the words of your spell? Perhaps this is not what you want to wear for the next four to six weeks. Maybe you will settle on symbols to represent words. Or one image. For my spell, I let my partner create a more traditional Indian motif in which he inscribed symbols representing our intentions.
Once you have your henna paste and your design picked out, you will need to choose what part of your body to decorate. If you are working solo, you are pretty much limited to your feet, legs, or the hand/arm opposite your writing hand. If you are fortunate enough to be working with an artist, then the options are limited only by your body and the nature of your spell. Because of the circumstances, I chose my navel.
Now that you have everything you need and all is planned out, it’s time to do some magic. Start by casting a circle in the way you normally would. Feel free to call the quarters, though this is by no means necessary. When I do magic, I like to burn incense and candles appropriately scented and decorated to my intent. Then I call the quarters and cast my circle, at which point I drawn down the moon by reciting my version of “The Charge of the Goddess.” It is in the center that I chant for what I want while my partner applies the henna. When finished, we both say, “From full to dark to full again, please grant for us (me) our (my) wish by then” over and over raising the cone of power, inhaling deeply with the words. Once we are filled to the brim, we release the cone by exhaling loudly. At this point, blow out the candles, close the circle, and thank the guardians of the four corners. The henna will last for the moon’s cycle if care is taken not to scrub vigorously while washing, wearing gloves for dishes (if the design is on the hands), and keeping the area dry. As the henna dries, your wish will come to fruition. In my case, I am now the proud mother of a son born at the Winter Solstice of 2005.