in conversation with Ayanna

our womanhood ~ chapter IV

As part of our latest campaign, we invited our community to take part in a shoot for womanhood. As with all our images, they remain untouched. 

We had a chat with Ayanna about what womanhood means to her and the journey she has been on.

I’m on my biggest journey of womanhood to date. On the road to becoming a mother. All those responsibilities I’ve seen the women in my family go through and it’s happening to me. Fear, excitement, love gratitude and the knowing of the mundane everyday that literally breeds anxiety. A stream of feelings all whist experiencing drastic changes my body’s making; majestic really. 

Honestly I’ve become more accepting of my body and that came with age. Having previously had an eating disorder in disguise, I spent so much time and energy trying to perfect my body image that never succeeded to please me. My body has gone through so many changes and still is; gradually I’m learning to be comfortable with its transitions; love & enjoy what it needs to do. To also be okay with making healthy changes to my body instead of damaging my body with quick “fixes” to fit societies & my own vanity. 

I’m a huge contemplator in life. However one thing that I never needed to second guess ironically, was taking that leap of faith, in no longer holding onto my younger dreams of becoming a dancer but finding passion in the art of becoming a holistic massage therapist. Movement through therapeutic touch was the healing I needed to seeking my personal body acceptance. Maturity came with knowledge & learning about the human body, which allowed me to show kindness to mine and others.

Our bodies are water; moves, clashes, stagnant at times, changes and adjust to the environment it takes & fluid, so sometimes we have to go with the flow of it. I believe the pivotal moment and shift was when I wanted to make a change of how I viewed myself, therefore I made a decision to change my actions and evolve as a therapist, an important part of me and my womanhood. 

 

The roles we take in life normally mimic how we feel internally. My relationship with womanhood over the years is the understanding and acknowledgment of my feelings and how they effect every decision and action I make. The learning has matured but I’m forever figuring it out.