Sky Clad Or Not? - Does it make a difference

[Guest morrigan]

I've never gone skyclad (i'd frighten everyone) :D

Are there any benifits or doesnt it matter?

 

Just curious as when I've read books on wicca it goes on about going skyclad.

 

 

Ta

 

Morrigan :D

[Guest stormy]

depends on the weather and how drunk i am.

[Guest Effra]

Bear in mind that Gerald Gardner was a naturist, and there was (still is) a nudist colony down a secluded lane in Bricket Wood. If it (or a clearing v near it) was used by his Bricket Wood coven, I wouldn't be surprised.

 

For all a lot is written about Wiccans going skyclad, they don't in open rituals.

 

Others aren't naturists, or live in colder areas, or don't have the luxury of a place where they can strip off without somebody objecting.

 

Some Dianics also work skyclad (as a sign that they're free). Whether that can work for you, even indoors is something you'll need to work out for yourself.

 

I don't notice much difference between working skyclad, robed, and wearing ordinary clothes. What seems to make a bigger difference is finding a way of showing (and telling) yourself that everything you've gone through is put aside until after the ritual.

[Guest Fortuna]

I cant see why going skyclad would be considered necessary. Magic can be performed clothed and deities do not need you to strip off before they will listen to you.

 

What I cannot understand is why some go skyclad, but then perform rituals indoors (which is even more hidden from nature). I would think it better to practice ritual in the open with a duffle coat on than naked in somebodies sitting room.

 

Nothing wrong with skyclad, just dont see the necessity myself.

 

mike

[Guest Boris]

I've only done it once (outdoors, alone, on a hot summers day in a secluded but magickal spot) and it was certainly a liberating experience, as our clothes project an image which is not really the deep person beneath. The theory is that it is all about shaking off our everyday concerns and persona, and adopting a more open magickal attitude.

 

In practice it was probably because Garnder was a naturist (some might even suggest a perv...).

 

The most powerful (and effective) ritual/spell I have ever been involved with was where all participants were not only fully-clothed, but wrapped up in several layers of warm and waterproof clothing against a raging blizzard...

[Guest HerbalOwl]

:) I've done it once outside and ended up been covered in leeches.(not good experience)so now i tend to go for a special dress,but i wouldn't go out and buy one.Could try making one add your own touch to it.Or yeah using a bath robe,seeing i too shower before any ritual i do. :D

[Guest Dave]

I've got no problem with skyclad at all.

 

If there's a SC Sauna...I'm there.

 

If there's a SC beach....I'm there again.

 

However I didn't go skyclad last night because the neighbours would probably have phoned the police at the sight of a naked man with candles and incense in the garden just as theeir children were going to bed.

[Esk]

This is Aberdeen, skyclad is not an option! Fine if you want to and you're somewhere warm but I'll stick to concerning myself with the communication, rather than the props.

[Guest Stormraven]

In my opinion apart from Gerald Gardner being a naturist, it was a way of symbolically stepping out of the everyday material world and becoming one with nature, in a group ritual this symbolism is very important.

 

Storm Raven :o_bounce2:

[Esk]

ok, but then I can't find a dividing line, it's all one as far as I can tell so I dont feel the need to mark out a difference.

[Guest Stormraven]

I totally agree with you Esk, the whole skyclad thing is a matter of personal preference and practicality, I for one don't do rituals skyclad, but I know people for whom it a preferred way of performing a ritual.

 

Storm Raven :o_bounce2:

[Pomona]

It's too cold here! (Scotland). I feel more comfortable clothed in any case. If I want to mark out my ritual from the start as being "apart" from "mundane" I have a dress and cloak that I keep just for those occasions. I haven't found it makes any difference, and even the outfit I wear doesn't make THAT much difference to what I'm doing or the outcome - I just like dressing up as it makes it feel more "special" to me.

[Guest fuzi]

I don't really go in for ritual but I'm not one for being nekkid before the gods... I don't want them laughing at the wobbly bits while I'm making a serious request!

[Guest QuercusRobur]

Fuzi, some of the gods have wobbly bits as well so I don't think they'd laugh. I don't bother with skyclad or robes. I used to but don't think they make a difference.

[Guest fuzi]

Just cos they have their own wobbly bits doesn't mean they're not gonna laugh at mine. Anyway, it's too cold and overlooked near me so there's no running round in the nuddy here.

[Guest thebanringwanderer]

Personally I think being skyclad is great for learning to accept yourself but it takes a lot of trust to find a group of folk to feel comfortable accepting yourself in (again my personal opinion).

 

The Farrars book is designed for skyclad coven meetings, if and when possible. When I read it I thought it really demonstrated the love of self acceptance and the appreciation of age.

 

The only other time I read that being skyclad was important was for a fertility ritual historically used in Ireland. In that ritual whole families took part in a nighttime rite to encourage the growth of crops (and help infertile women) by walking in the moonlight through the fields. Sounds beautiful to me. :)

[Guest morrigan]

Maybe if it was warmer I might consider it and somewhere secluded as I wander around the house half naked anyway.

But here and now.

Too many nosy neighbours.

 

:o_beer:

[Guest Welshwytch]

When I do a ritual or spell on my own - with nobody else in the house, yes I bathe and then do the ritual skyclad, but the ones that I have done with friends, no, I dress in something I am comfortable in and still have had good results. (btw I do my spells in the house as I haven't got a garden )

[Guest Galena]

well I was raised by naturists, so nudity is no big deal to me.

 

but temparature is.

 

why go naked only to wear a house?

 

to me the only difference between skyclad and fully dressed is temparature.

[Guest gypsimoon]

I think it is a must for one to be comfortable. I'm more comfortable in just a T-shirt rather than being barefooted all over and tend to shower. For some reason I also like the house clean. It bothers me if there is clutter around when involved in either meditation or rituals.

 

Most of my rituals involve candles or scrying and usually sit crosslegged on the floor or ground. The last ritual I did was when I moved into this apt. I did a protection ritual with Sage and smudged all the openings, including the front and back doors of my building.

[Guest Twilightdreamer1979]

Have done both and got good results so it doesn't matter to me.

 

To those who don't have robes and don't want to/can't go sky clad how about a piece of jewellery that you only wear for magickal workings? A specific Stone, Pentagram?? etc?

 

Just a thought ..

TD.x.

[Cosmic_Fool]

hmmmmm, I tend to wear clothes (comfortable ones) though I am working on some robes.

 

Don't think I'd go nekkid unless global warming picks up a bit

 

Funny thing is that when I journey I always wear a cloak. So I don't even go skyclad in my imagination!!!

 

 

Kev - who though he likes the colour blue, does not like it as a skin tone

[Guest morrigan]

I'm getting chilly reading this now. :D

Perhaps in the summer but right now,too cold.

:D

[Guest Sablemaine]

I don't go skyclad...

 

I believe that nudity is used to mentally take yourself out of the everyday mindset and into a more 'natural' state of mind... Though for most people semi-public or even private nudity feels unnautural. That is why I have a set of clothes specifically for ritual and spell-work... (all cotton - a bugger to iron)... I think it's the next best thing and works for me.

 

Sabe

[Esk]

I just wanted to say GREEBO! nice avatar, Sabe

[Guest Badkitty]

His sig made me laugh hard enough to snort...damn it.

 

Anyway, "skyclad" just doesn't have the sacred thing for me - we tend to be a rather unclothed bunch at home anyway more often than not, and it seems to me that Ceremonial is supposed to be a definite sort of "stepping out of oneself".

 

That said, I have certain jewelry that I'll wear for this or for that. Mostly it's because I like jewelery (ooooo shiny) but I guess it's whatever folks find comfortable.

Edited October 19, 2004 by Badkitty

[Guest Dave]

Well I can only reiterate voquatiously that skyclad is good anytime and at every oportunity for me.

[Guest pebble]

So just to be clear Dave, you're in favour of going sky clad then?

 

I've never actually done a proper ritual as such...just not really my thing, but don't think anything I was doing would be any more effective if I was naked. And if I was with others I think it would be less effective for me personally because I'd be thinking about that at the back of my mind instead of what I should be thinking about.

 

Guess if I had an, erm, 'special' kind of pagan friend to work with it could be a lot more effective sky clad, but I never have, so can't back that up!!

[weatherwitch]

I would say that there is no different benefit from going skyclad as opposed to wearing a special robe. The benefits that both might have are to help put you in the mind frame for what you are doing. Like ritual batheing beforehand. I used to have a certain garment I wore if it was cold or went skyclad, but there is no point to being skyclad if you are feeling self concious. Nor is there any reason if it's so damn cold that your bits would fall off :)

 

To be skyclad outdoors is liberating too, and I think that this is part of the ritual, to shed off your inhibitions, to understand that you are doing ritual, and not merely something mundane.

 

But each to their own, and it's too bloody cold here to go skyclad anyway :D

[Guest Ophidianoir]

To be honest we would not be having this discussion were it not for our lovely central heating. I am sure our ancestors wrapped up sensibly in adverse weather conditions. If not they would have made themselves ill and possibly died of pneumonia. It would not have been seen as a beneficial practice.

 

Skyclad is very nice in the Summer or a stable warm climate.

 

I prefer big jumpers, waterproofs and two pairs of socks in me big boots.

 

Ophi