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What do you use ritual garb?

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    What do you use ritual garb?

    So this semester in school I have been taking a course called Dress and Culture, and it has sparked my interest in how clothing and other wearable symbols (such as pendants, and tattoos) can be used to convey meaning in a ritual setting. It then occurred to me that I don't actually know that much about ritual dress in the context of Paganism. I have only ever been attached to one group that had specific ritual garb, so i have only really seen one way of doing this.

    So my questions for those who are willing to share are; What do you use for ritual garb, and what does it mean to you? What other symbols do you wear during ritual (Such as pendents, bracelets, tattoos that relate to your spirituality), and what do they mean? Pictures are good too if you have them.

    #2
    Re: What do you use ritual garb?

    I think it's different for everybody. For instance, I don't have ritual wear at all. I'm quite content wearing whatever it is I threw on from the floor that morning, because I don't think it makes a difference.


    Mostly art.

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      #3
      Re: What do you use ritual garb?

      I tend to worship nude, indoors and out. If it's cold I may wear a black cloak. I have a stag pendant that I always wear, including during ritual. I may also put on a special pentagram pendant, bracelet or ring specifically for ritual. The shedding of clothing, donning of a cloak or jewelry serves as a cue to my psyche that something "different" is about to happen. Nudity represents freedom and honesty. When the same garments or jewelry are worn continually for ritual, the items absorb the energy generated by the act and a link is created between the psyche and the item, so that when one puts on that special necklace, for example, their mind automatically goes into ritual mode.
      Children love and want to be loved and they very much prefer the joy of accomplishment to the triumph of hateful failure. Do not mistake a child for his symptom.
      -Erik Erikson

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        #4
        Re: What do you use ritual garb?

        Most of the time, like volcanic, I wear whatever I decided to wear for the day; casual, normal clothing.

        For Esbats, I actually feel the need to dress myself up. The New Moon, represented as the Maiden, is a time for childish things. So, I wear bright, silly dresses (Think polka dots) and do up my hair curly with ribbons. For the Full Moon, represented as the Mother, I wear something more formal and mature. I straighten my hair, and put on makeup. (This is the only time I ever put on the stuff.)



        For the last quarter, I wear my ritual cloak that I wear to coven rituals. And lastly, for the Dark Moon, I wear all black and end up looking goth :,D


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          #5
          Re: What do you use ritual garb?

          I don't dress up anymore but when I was doing ceremonial magic I wore a black cloak I made to feel the aesthetic and a special ring on my projecting hand to fill my magical self with power. If it was a cold night I wore fancy black long johns underneath. If I was doing an invocation I would dress appropriately, for instance on Halloween I was Satan so I dressed as suave as I could and got as many people as I could to sign a little red book (I offered a quarter for their signature).

          Now I primarily meditate so dressing up has no real use to me. I think the reason people dress up for ritual is to connect with the ancient practitioners, hence large cloaks that go down to the feet with cool hoods- that was the norm in the Viking and medieval era, white robes to represent the Greeks and black cloaks when witches were being wrongfully hunted. I think it shows respect for the tradition and I agree and enjoy the aesthetic, but being more into 'pragmatic magic' I really don't think it matters so I do magic in the shower or staring at the sky when I've drank too much. That's also how I communicate with my gods- I just 'talk' to them while I am in nature or have a daunting question. But I am going to dress up for Faerieworlds with a costume I am making to represent my spirituality and connection to the fae and the craft. Like I said, I love the aesthetic although I hardly practice it, but the festival is a perfect excuse to get back into magical childhood.

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            #6
            Re: What do you use ritual garb?

            I get restless when I wear clothes that don't fit right or are too constricting so I typically just like to wear either some yoga pants or something loose enough that will allow any range of motions. Sometimes I move around a lot when trancing and I don't want tight fitting clothes (or whatever) distract me. Primarily though, I just want to be comfortable regardless of if I'm dancing or sitting/laying still. I've never done rituals in the nude and am 99.9% sure I never will. I feel more comfortable in sweats and a tank top than nude.
            �Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.�
            ― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture
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              #7
              Re: What do you use ritual garb?

              Mostly I am just wearing something comfy. I was doing about half of them nude, (specific magical workings rather than rituals.) but I no longer do them nude because of privacy issues, (there isn't any...) I will, however, agree with Juni, yoga pants are great, but mostly I wear them under skirts, I like the big flowy skirts so I have a ton of them and wear them alot.
              http://catcrowsnow.blogspot.com/

              But they were doughnuts of darkness. Evil damned doughnuts, tainted by the spawn of darkness.... Which could obviously only be redeemed by passing through the fiery inferno of my digestive tract.
              ~Jim Butcher

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                #8
                Re: What do you use ritual garb?

                I don't normally wear anything special, except I may dress up on Sabbats and Esbats. But the main reason I don't dress up in ritual garb often at this time is, I haven't found what I am looking for yet (or it hasn't found me) But I do always tend to wear my chalice/pentacle necklace in all of my rituals. It helps me to feel protected.

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                  #9
                  Re: What do you use ritual garb?

                  I've really only begun my path in paganism a few months ago, and thus far my ritual garb is either whatever I happen to have on, or my birthday suit. But that may change someday.

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                    #10
                    Re: What do you use ritual garb?

                    I have never worn anything special for my craftwork, but I thoroughly enjoy the idea of it. Perhaps someday I'll get a dress or robe of some kind, because I have felt a greater calling to be thoughtful in the way I work my craft.

                    I don't like getting caught up on the details though. I say that if you really want something to be sacred, your naked body is probably the most powerful thing you could present.
                    No one tells the wind which way to blow.

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                      #11
                      Re: What do you use ritual garb?

                      Well, I prefer to do my rituals outside, in the forest with my mom. And I wear my bright(neon) green shorts. That's about it. I prefer to be barefoot outside. And the shirt just makes me feel skyclad, without actually being So.

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                        #12
                        Re: What do you use ritual garb?

                        I like to go barefoot. And I do intend to get some meaningful tattoos done once I have some cash for them. But, I don't have ritual garb so much as ritual items.
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                          #13
                          Re: What do you use ritual garb?

                          Thank you all so much for sharing. I have learned a lot from reading your responses. When I was working with the coven I was kind of the odd one out. Everybody wore a cloak, or an old fashioned dress in the case of some of the women. I wore a very informal light blue 'dress' that I could just kind of pull over my head. It had long pleated sleeves that connected to the waist and reminded me of faerie wings!
                          I still where it occasionally, when I am doing something more involved, but usually my rituals are spontaneous enough that I end up just working in whatever i happen to be wearing.

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                            #14
                            Re: What do you use ritual garb?

                            Originally posted by Spiritfay View Post
                            Thank you all so much for sharing. I have learned a lot from reading your responses. When I was working with the coven I was kind of the odd one out. Everybody wore a cloak, or an old fashioned dress in the case of some of the women. I wore a very informal light blue 'dress' that I could just kind of pull over my head. It had long pleated sleeves that connected to the waist and reminded me of faerie wings!
                            I still where it occasionally, when I am doing something more involved, but usually my rituals are spontaneous enough that I end up just working in whatever i happen to be wearing.
                            At a certain point, it just becomes a form of church: "Oh, what's Marjory wearing to this morning's ritual?" etc. It doesn't matter where you are, if you're full of white light, the chaff will always burn away.
                            No one tells the wind which way to blow.

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                              #15
                              Re: What do you use ritual garb?

                              I just like to be comfortable. When I meditate, I like to shower first because it helps me get rid of negative energy that I've picked up throughout the day...so I usually just end up wearing my white bath robe when I'm doing anything "magick-y" or I'll put on a comfortable t shirt and yoga pants.

                              I haven't done any formal rituals yet, but I'll figure out that out when I'm ready.

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