You're not strange, you're a good gorilla. (short rant on why henna feels good)

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Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on April 25, 2001 at 17:29:43:

In reply to: kit boxes + last night posted by samantha on April 25, 2001 at 16:53:42:

: All I can say is WOW it was a truly sensual experience. Oh I've
: henna'd friends before but never a stranger and never a bloke what a
: buzz has anyone else had this or
: am i just a little strange?

No, you're not strange, you're a mammal. Probably a primate, as
well.

When primates groom each other, endorphin levels raise, and stress
chemicals in the bloodstream drop! Primates establish bonds by
touching each other with gentle attentiveness.... it helps keep a
tribal group together ( strenghens relationships, resolves conflict).
Primates who groom each other live longer, are more relaxed, have
better disease resistance, and are more apt to help each other during
conflict. It is presently socially unacceptable to walk up to another
of our species and gently sort out the other's fur, pluck out crud and
vermin ... but we still NEED that physical contact and comforting!
We're just not THAT long out of the trees!

With a really good grooming session, the natural opiate levels will
raise ... you feel pain-free, blissful, with that soft half smile and
steady gaze of the gently buzzed. That upped natural opiate level is
what some people percieve as a spiritual or religious experience when
being hennaed. Others find it more sensual. Depends on your
chemistry. It's a blissy-fix, and a nice one too!

Henna is an excellent replacement for a good fur-sorting session, and
is VERY much needed by our species! When I teach henna classes, I try
hard to point out that there IS a middle ground of touching between
violence and sex. It's called being nice to each other, and we're
absolutely starved for it in the US! Henna is one of the behaviors of
that middle ground touching ... and that's why it feels so good and we
love it so much!

Primates get all sorts of stress-related diseases if deprived of a
regular grooming partners. Get hennaed more. Grind your teeth less.

Is henna's legendary "baraka" (blessedness) simply the magic of kind,
patient, companionable touching?

Could be.

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: : All I can say is WOW it was a truly sensual experience. Oh I've : : henna'd friends before but never a stranger and never a bloke what a : : buzz has anyone else had this or : : am i just a little strange? : : No, you're not strange, you're a mammal. Probably a primate, as : well. : : When primates groom each other, endorphin levels raise, and stress : chemicals in the bloodstream drop! Primates establish bonds by : touching each other with gentle attentiveness.... it helps keep a : tribal group together ( strenghens relationships, resolves conflict). : Primates who groom each other live longer, are more relaxed, have : better disease resistance, and are more apt to help each other during : conflict. It is presently socially unacceptable to walk up to another : of our species and gently sort out the other's fur, pluck out crud and : vermin ... but we still NEED that physical contact and comforting! : We're just not THAT long out of the trees! : : With a really good grooming session, the natural opiate levels will : raise ... you feel pain-free, blissful, with that soft half smile and : steady gaze of the gently buzzed. That upped natural opiate level is : what some people percieve as a spiritual or religious experience when : being hennaed. Others find it more sensual. Depends on your : chemistry. It's a blissy-fix, and a nice one too! : : Henna is an excellent replacement for a good fur-sorting session, and : is VERY much needed by our species! When I teach henna classes, I try : hard to point out that there IS a middle ground of touching between : violence and sex. It's called being nice to each other, and we're : absolutely starved for it in the US! Henna is one of the behaviors of : that middle ground touching ... and that's why it feels so good and we : love it so much! : : Primates get all sorts of stress-related diseases if deprived of a : regular grooming partners. Get hennaed more. Grind your teeth less. : : : Is henna's legendary "baraka" (blessedness) simply the magic of kind, : patient, companionable touching? : : Could be.
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