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[FairyQueen]

I came across this article while surfing the Pinterest.com and thought it interesting. Thought I'd get your take on it

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/pantheon/2012/03/veiling-a-different-take-on-pagan-womanhood/

[earthmuffin]

Interesting.... especially the last line that makes you really think about your own perceptions and judgements of people based on looks and dress. We take things that may have been symbolic of one thing at one time and apply our own fresh symbolism to them every day. But other than that, I don't really have much of an opinion on it. If ladies like to wear a veil or head scarf, I say go for it. Personally, I dislike wearing head coverings of any kind as they cause my head to sweat and I end up with horrid hat head-- there's nothing sexy about that for me.  :P

[Wolfsrain]

That was an interesting read. I love my big scarves that I can wrap around my head if the weather suggests it's a good idea, but I mostly wrap em around my shoulders... Interesting that others found a spiritual call to wear them being pagan... Can't say it's really for me personally. I'm a "hair in the wind oops I forgot a brush" kind of girl and not even on a spiritual level that would change about me. Might even say it's on a personal spiritual level that I just kinda usually let my hair fly.

What I will say, is that I like the fact most of the women felt sexy or empowered covering their hair... but I hope they can feel that too when they let their hair down.

I'm all for clothes and pretty ones at that, but I would think being able to feel sexy with nothing on, not even on one's hair would also be empowering to a woman. Merf... being a woman alone should be enough to feel empowered and sexy.

[diniesaur]

That's fascinating! I can't say I relate to that, but I would support anyone who wanted to do it!

[Ghost Wolf]

Read this last week on a link from Facebook. Don't like.

[diniesaur]

Read this last week on a link from Facebook. Don't like.

Why don't you like it? Explain?

[dragonspring]

To each her own, I guess.  I do find it somewhat disturbing that many of these women find the veil necessary as a means to boost their self-esteem though.  Real confidence is not something that one "puts on" and the veil seems like a band-aid to me in those cases.  I did see that several of the women took the veil because they were commanded to do so by Deity and I can certainly respect that.

Personally, I would never wear the veil.  First of all because I do not like the restriction of ANY type of head covering.  I am claustrophobic like that.     To tell the truth, I am not fond of shoes either.  Or clothes for that matter, although society demands that I wear them most of the time.    Secondly, the veil symbolizes oppression of the Feminine to me and I would not want to confuse my psyche by taking up a symbol so opposed to my personal values.  Besides, I kinda like my hair.  Most times, I wear it unbound and only put it up when it is in the way or too hot. 

[Ghost Wolf]

I see it as a symbol of oppression as well. The example given of "respectable" women in Greek society wearing it as a symbol of their married status, means that other women were seen as not respectable. Mediterranean culture was extremely patriarchal. Also, in modern times, it is primarily seen as a Judeo/Christian/Muslim custom, which is used to strip women of their sexual power. They may not see it that way, but that is because they have been brainwashed by their religion to see it as "freeing," as not having men look at them as attractive. I see the same thought process in some of the pagan women replying in the blog.

[Tirya]

The article lost me at the second paragraph. Are we that out of step with the "Pagan mainstream" (for lack of a better term) here?

There is a tendency to place the practice over the spiritual in our communities. We care what you do, and not as much why you do it. We care that you walk the proper direction in circle, not why you do it. We care that you invoke the Gods, not what you believe regarding their nature and relationship to humanity. It is the practice we value, not the belief.

Maybe it's just me, or just the home we have built here, but all y'all seem to me to be exactly the opposite...

Anyway, about veiling...to each their own. I don't find it empowering, and my relationship with my Gods has not requested or required it of me. In the group I was in before, our HPS (for lack of a better term) didn't eat certain kinds of meat. Pork, I think. Because her Gods had requested that restriction of her. But she didn't try to impose that restriction on the rest of us, and we understood it was part of her relationship with her Gods.

In the end, as long is no one is forcing it on anyone else, what's the big deal? If it makes a woman feel more mature, more confident, more connected to their Gods, good for them. We all do or wear things that make us feel more confident, and many of us wear things that make us feel more connected to our Gods (jewelry, tattoos, etc.) that others may not understand or would not choose for themselves. But the minute they start telling me that I have to wear one, well, then there will be an issue.

Would I wear one? No. I like my hair. But if I were to have a spiritual epiphany or a message from my Gods that They wanted me to, that would be another story.

[FairyQueen]

I thought what was written in that paragraph was a little backwards, too, but decided to look over it for the meat and potatoes on the veiling. Shrug.

[Crystal Dragon]

The article lost me at the second paragraph. Are we that out of step with the "Pagan mainstream" (for lack of a better term) here?

There is a tendency to place the practice over the spiritual in our communities. We care what you do, and not as much why you do it. We care that you walk the proper direction in circle, not why you do it. We care that you invoke the Gods, not what you believe regarding their nature and relationship to humanity. It is the practice we value, not the belief.

Maybe it's just me, or just the home we have built here, but all y'all seem to me to be exactly the opposite...

We are the exact opposite.  I'm not sure who the author is referring to, but I've met a number of pagans who insist that doing things their way is the "only correct way" because that's what they were taught ... but we've all seen silly things come from different groups within the pagan community.  To me, it's not much different than those who go around spouting that Wicca is an "ancient" religion.  Just silly stuff coming from ignorant people and it's unfortunate that a good number of them are quite vocal.

Anyway, about veiling...to each their own. I don't find it empowering, and my relationship with my Gods has not requested or required it of me. In the group I was in before, our HPS (for lack of a better term) didn't eat certain kinds of meat. Pork, I think. Because her Gods had requested that restriction of her. But she didn't try to impose that restriction on the rest of us, and we understood it was part of her relationship with her Gods.

In the end, as long is no one is forcing it on anyone else, what's the big deal? If it makes a woman feel more mature, more confident, more connected to their Gods, good for them. We all do or wear things that make us feel more confident, and many of us wear things that make us feel more connected to our Gods (jewelry, tattoos, etc.) that others may not understand or would not choose for themselves. But the minute they start telling me that I have to wear one, well, then there will be an issue.

Would I wear one? No. I like my hair. But if I were to have a spiritual epiphany or a message from my Gods that They wanted me to, that would be another story.

    My thoughts exactly.

[earthmuffin]

The article lost me at the second paragraph. Are we that out of step with the "Pagan mainstream" (for lack of a better term) here?

There is a tendency to place the practice over the spiritual in our communities. We care what you do, and not as much why you do it. We care that you walk the proper direction in circle, not why you do it. We care that you invoke the Gods, not what you believe regarding their nature and relationship to humanity. It is the practice we value, not the belief.

Maybe it's just me, or just the home we have built here, but all y'all seem to me to be exactly the opposite...

I didn't think the author was off-base. I thought what she was attempting to convey is that there is a lot of open-mindedness in the pagan mainstream toward different ideas and reasons and concept of divinity, while the practical aspects are the part of the religions that tend to be more strict, especially in the traditional Wicca sects. There is a basic generally accepted way so of casting a circle that is rehashed in every Wicca 101 book. There are common ways to ground and manipulate energy. I can't remember who exactly posted the response to FQ recently but they made the point that Wicca is an orthopraxy not an orthodoxy. I think this is what the author meant by that statement that we care more about what we do than why we do it.