Womankind

The expression to ‘make do’ is often seen as a negative. It has a subtle disheartening quality to it as though you would love to do something extraordinary in life, but you are forced to ‘make do’ with reality. To ‘make do’ is almost a resignation, s

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It could be called an urge, or a need, and it pesters us. We think we can rid ourselves of it, but before long, it is back, niggling at us. But in a society that values money and prestige, we can’t fathom how such a need as superfluous as this, which

The Asiatic cheetah once roamed the arid landscapes of the Middle East, Central Asia, as well as India, but sadly no longer. Asiatic cheetahs have not been seen in Saudi Arabia since the early 1950s - habitat destruction, hunting, road accidents, and

If your home were a mirror to your soul, what does it say about you? If disordered and chaotic comes to mind, then perhaps your home is a good place to start in your quest for personal change. In her book, Happy Inside, Michelle Ogundehin writes, “We

When you look into the night sky, it can feel as if outer space is millions of miles away. However, you may be surprised to discover that it’s closer than you think. The Kármán line, at an altitude of 100 km above mean sea level, is conventionally us

Even when our lives are hectic and full of activity, writes American Zen Buddhist teacher Joan Halifax in her book Standing at the Edge, we can still stand in engagement without falling off the edge into burnout. She uses Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thi

A pilgrimage is a journey taken in search of something deemed important in one’s life, whether that’s the search for meaning, personal transformation, or the higher good. Many religions around the world involve pilgrimage to a sacred place, either al

The women in her work convey a boldness and strength, a look that has made Saudi Arabian artist Fatimah Al Nemer rather popular in artistic circles, particularly with female art patrons. With a career spanning over 21 years, Nemer is now at the foref

How are we inspired? How do we source inspiration? These are some of the questions photographers pondered for Womankind’s Photographers’ Award XXIV: Inspiration. In first place is Audrey in the Skyspace, by Samantha Roche. “This is my daughter Audrey

Great change has taken place in the lives of Bedouin populations throughout the Arabian Peninsula over the last century. A general displacement from their traditional migratory lifestyle has had an inevitable effect on cultural identity, economic ind

“‘What, then, shall we do?’ someone may ask. What else, indeed, than devote ourselves to the care of our souls, keeping all our leisure free from other things.” Basil of Caesarea ■

Day one: When I finally sit down at 11pm and set a timer for five minutes, it’s the first time I’ve been alone all day. I worked at home - in the same room as my partner - with an hour for lunch during which I looked online for places to rent. I went

I’m 33. I was born in Al-Taif, Saudi Arabia. I’m not married or divorced. I’m simply single, and happy. I live in a rented apartment. I moved into it four months ago. I have lived with my family my whole life, and in that time we only moved maybe, sa

To the naked eye, Chateau Louis XIV appears centuries old, built in the tradition of the great French palaces. Nestled in a 57 acre park, there are marble statues and fountains; a hedged labyrinth and bridle paths; and a handsome, if ostentatious, fa

My name is Saa’da Muhammad Al-Zahrani. I turned 50 last year. I have eight children, four girls and four boys. If I could change anything in my life, it would have been the first mistake I made with my husband, the father of my children. I should hav

“Oh, she is very balanced,” we say about the person who doesn’t seem at all ruffled, even in the most trying circumstances. When we call someone ‘balanced’, it’s typically said as a compliment. It follows that being ‘out of balance’ is, therefore, pr

“Don’t you want to escape?” Amani asks dryly, “That’s one of the most offensive ones I get.” As an up-and-coming filmmaker who often travels for work, she is used to a certain line of questioning whenever she reveals her nationality abroad. Given the

Twenty prospective students, myself included, stood in a loose circle around Ted, the course coordinator. “This course,” he told us, “will change your life. By the end of the first semester, you’ll be looking at the world differently. Even that windo

Before the 16th century, we human beings believed that the earth was the centre of the universe and that everything circled around it (us). This was not only a longstanding theory of astronomy but, dare I say, an implicit theory of psychology as well

When Zora O’Neill embarked on a trip through the Middle East in search of a new language, she was under no illusion as to the hardships she was about to face. Learning a new language to some sort of fluency, especially when approaching middle age, wa

Hafsa belongs to a Bedouin tribe which has inhabited the north-west of the Arabian Peninsula since long before the creation of Saudi Arabia. A mother of eleven, she was raised according to a traditional nomadic way of life where tents and camels were

It was midnight, or perhaps it was around one in the morning when I woke up. My room had caught on fire. I opened my eyes, and all I could see were flames. I don’t know how I got the power. It was like a power that came to me from the universe. I bec

Meet Hafsa, a Bedouin who gave birth to eleven children in the open desert, or Jamila, the first wife in a polygamous household. Nicola Sutcliff spent four years living in Saudi Arabia, meeting and interviewing women from all walks of life. This cand

Iranian artist Narjes Mohammadi was born and raised in the ancient city of Mashhad, Iran, a city known for its literary figures, and artists, such as the poet Mehdi Akhavan-Sales who moved within Mashhad’s literary circles. Mohammadi, a self-professe

Do you think that the rights of women in the Middle East have improved over recent years, particularly in places like Saudi Arabia? Yes, definitely, as we do not live in a static world. We see dynamics in the trajectory of the world we live in. Beli

A pea-sized lump, hard as a bullet. A dull pain in my left breast. A haunting thought that something was brewing. Susan Sontag perceived illness as the night-side of life, a more onerous citizenship. There’s the country of the well, and the country o

Lose yourself, Lose yourself. Escape from the black cloud that surrounds you. Then you will see your own light as radiant as the full moon. Now enter that silence. This is the surest way to lose yourself. . . . What is your life about, anyway?—Noth