Skyclad Rituals
Going all natural is nothing new to modern paganism
Dr Raven Dolick MsD Nov 7, 2014
All rights reserved
Going all natural is nothing new to modern paganism
Dr Raven Dolick MsD Nov 7, 2014
All rights reserved
The traditions followed by modern paganism are a mixture of global practices, including the long accepted practice of going sky clad. Many rituals and rites are accepted as traditional, but are not practiced by all pagans today. In modern Wicca and witchcraft, the American traditions have drawn greatly from the writings of Doreen Valiente, Margot Adler, Janet and Stewart Farrar, with a heavy influence also coming from the works of Gerald Gardener.
Without getting into a debate concerning the differences between the various traditions that stem from these authors, let me say that American witches owe much to these branches of paganism. These traditions taught observance of the annual cycles, preparation of rituals, casting of the sacred circle, calling of the four winds, festivals for the seasons, invocations for the God and Goddess, but also a less often practice known as going skyclad.
Without getting into a debate concerning the differences between the various traditions that stem from these authors, let me say that American witches owe much to these branches of paganism. These traditions taught observance of the annual cycles, preparation of rituals, casting of the sacred circle, calling of the four winds, festivals for the seasons, invocations for the God and Goddess, but also a less often practice known as going skyclad.
Skyclad, as a word is credited as coming from the religions of India.
It stems from the term Digambara, a word meaning 'sky-clothed'. As the founder of Gardnerian witchcraft in England, it was Gerald Gardner who made the term popular. He tells Wiccan practitioners to work their rituals skyclad, a practice that he probably picked up by watching the Digambara Jains while traveling India. This sect of monks practices many of their rites and rituals in the nude.
It is likely that Europeans practice ritual nudity due to influences from India, but the skyclad tradition comes from earlier texts.
It stems from the term Digambara, a word meaning 'sky-clothed'. As the founder of Gardnerian witchcraft in England, it was Gerald Gardner who made the term popular. He tells Wiccan practitioners to work their rituals skyclad, a practice that he probably picked up by watching the Digambara Jains while traveling India. This sect of monks practices many of their rites and rituals in the nude.
It is likely that Europeans practice ritual nudity due to influences from India, but the skyclad tradition comes from earlier texts.
Most scholars trace skyclad ritual traditions to a book by Charles Godfrey Leland in 1899. It is called Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches and is famous for this poetic reference to skyclad pagan rites...
“"Once in the month, and when the moon is full,
Ye shall assemble in some desert place,
Or in a forest all together join
To adore the potent spirit of your queen,
My mother, great Diana. She who fain
Would learn all sorcery yet has not won
Its deepest secrets, them my mother will
Teach her, in truth all things as yet unknown.
And ye shall all be freed from slavery,
And so ye shall be free in everything;
And as the sign that ye are truly free,
Ye shall be naked in your rites, both men
And women also: this shall last until
The last of your oppressors shall be dead..."”
“"Once in the month, and when the moon is full,
Ye shall assemble in some desert place,
Or in a forest all together join
To adore the potent spirit of your queen,
My mother, great Diana. She who fain
Would learn all sorcery yet has not won
Its deepest secrets, them my mother will
Teach her, in truth all things as yet unknown.
And ye shall all be freed from slavery,
And so ye shall be free in everything;
And as the sign that ye are truly free,
Ye shall be naked in your rites, both men
And women also: this shall last until
The last of your oppressors shall be dead..."”
This pagan styled prose comes at the ending the first chapter of the book. It has become the source for numerous modern pagan revisions on it's original text. All modern works that instruct pagans in the practice of skyclad rituals, these at least reference Leland's text in their source material.
Followers of the Gardnerian and Protean traditions of Wicca tended to be dogmatic about going skyclad. It was not uncommon for these sects of Wicca to be practicing naturists or nudists. Their belief was based on going skyclad promoted good health. Going nude in Wiccan rituals also allowed for all coven members to meet as equals. They let their inhibitions, status, worries and illusions be left behind, as they stepped into the sacred space of the ritual circle. All things from their daily lives would come off, as their clothing fell from their bodies. It was a kind of ritualistic equality for witches, magicians and pagans.
“Modern Wicca has accepted the skyclad as tradition, but not as dogma. The American and Wiccan author Starhawk says in her book, the Spiral Dance, "The naked body represents truth, the truth that goes deeper than social custom."
“The practice of nudity helps men and women free themselves from negative social barriers, such as sexual prejudice caused by rape and gender stereotypes. She further says that ritual nudity, or going skyclad "...is a sign that a Witch's loyalty is to the truth before any ideology or any comforting illusions."”
“The practice of nudity helps men and women free themselves from negative social barriers, such as sexual prejudice caused by rape and gender stereotypes. She further says that ritual nudity, or going skyclad "...is a sign that a Witch's loyalty is to the truth before any ideology or any comforting illusions."”
In essence, going skyclad can be a liberating statement for anyone, but paganism has a long tradition liked to this in ritual practices.
Pagans and nudists are not synonymous, nor do they practice their rituals in the same places.
No comments:
Post a Comment