What Are Waistbeads?

What are waistbeads and where did they come from?

Waist Beads originated in Africa. In countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and many other West African countries, waist beads are a symbol of femininity, fertility, sensuality, and spiritual well-being. Today, in both Africa and the United States, women wear waist beads for aesthetic reasons, as well as for spiritual purposes.

Why should I wear them?

Female Empow(HER)ment: Waistbeads are used as a liberating tool to promote confidence in embracing their sexuality & sensuality. 

Healing/Energy: Adding crystals and gemstones to your waist beads, can enable spiritual grounding that can clear physical & mental ailments while assisting you to achieve spiritual alignment.

Aphrodisiac: Waistbeads are also known to elevate sexual desire & pleasure. They are said to arouse men who find the beads to be more visually seductive around a woman’s waist.

Body Posture/Weight Awareness: Waistbeads can help a person become more aware of their stomach and posture. The beads fit quite differently depending on how one is sitting and breathing. They can serve as a reminder to sit up straight, engage your stomach muscles, relax your back, and breathe properly. Waistbeads are also commonly used to gauge changes in weight. Rather than step on a scale, people can use waist beads to stay aware of any weight gain or loss in the midsection. The more weight gained, the higher the strands will rise, and the more weight lost, the lower the strands will fall.

Whatever your reason may be for choosing to wear waistbeads, your journey is your own. Your reason may be completely different from my reason, and that’s okay. Find your why and commit to it!