Herb Fritters (Frytour of Erbes)

This recipe has survived all the way from 14th century England. I have to admit that I did modify it a bit according to my own discretion (but only in the ratio of certain ingredients). Nevertheless, I am not the least bit sorry that I did this. :)

As far as I know, these fritters were a part of the old traditional Celtic Lammas feast. The recipes for the other meals included in this feast can be found here. So this meal is actually a part of an age-old tradition which I have decided to honor for this Lammas.

You Will Need:

• _{3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour}
• _{2 cups warm water}
• _{1/2 a bag of instant-rising yeast}
• _{a pinch of salt}
• _{a pinch of sugar}
• _{2 tsp. finely chopped sage}
• _{1 tsp. finely chopped thyme}
• 5 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped oregano
• honey (for topping)
• sunflower oil for frying 3

Notes: all of the herbs should be fresh (not dried!), this amount of ingredients yielded 30 fritters for me, although the quantity may vary depending on how big you decide to make them

How To Prepare:

1. Mix yeast and sugar into half a cup of warm water (stir until it gets a bit foamy).
2. In a bowl, mix together flour, salt and add the yeast mixture.
3. Add the rest of the water bit by bit, constantly mixing with a whisk until all of the clumps are gone. The final mixture should be quite dense.
4. Chop the herbs as finely as you can and add them to the mixture.
5. Fry the dough in oil (be careful to always keep enough oil in the frying pan because the fritters tend to soak it up).
6. Leave the fritters on napkins to let the excess oil out.
7. Melt some honey (if it isn't already liquid). While the fritters are still warm, drip some honey on them (do not dip them in honey because they will be too sweet; I recommend dipping a spoon in the honey and then dripping). 
8. Enjoy! :D

Biljni uštipci (frytour of erbes)

Recept potječe iz 14. stoljeća iz Engleske i zaista podsjeća na ličke uštipke po mom mišljenju (osim što nema jaja i rakije). Priznajem da sam malo modificirala recept po vlastitom nahođenju (samo omjere nekih sastojaka) i zaista mi nije žao št sam to napravila. :)

Koliko sam uspjela saznati, ovi uštipci su bili uobičajeni dio Lammas gozbe u keltskoj tradiciji. Ostale sljedove (i recepte za njih) možete naći ovdje. Stoga su dio višestoljetne tradicije kojoj sam odlučila ove godine za Lammas odati počast.

Potrebno je:

• _{3 1/2 čaše glatkog brašna}
• 2 čaše mlake vode
• 1/2 vrećice instant kvasca
• prstohvat soli
• prstohvat šećera
• 2 čajne žličice sitno sjeckane kadulje
• 1 čajna žličica sitno sjeckanog timijana
• 5 jušnih žlica sitno sjeckanog peršina
• 1 žlica sitno sjeckanog origana
• med (za preljev)
• suncokretovo ulje za prženje

Napomene: sve bilje treba biti svježe (ne sušeno!), meni je od ove količine sastojaka ispalo 30 uštipaka, iako ovo može varirati ovisno o tome koliko ih odlučite velike raditi.

Priprema:

1. U pola čaše mlake vode umutite kvasac i šećer (miješajte žličicom dok ne postane lagano pjenasto).
2. U zdjelu izmiješajte brašno, sol te dodajte smjesu sa kvascem.
3. Malo po malo dodajite vode miješajući smjesu žicom za mućenje dok ne nestanu sve grudice. Konačna smjesa bi trebala biti jako gusta.
4. Nasjeckajte sve bilje što sitnije možete i dodajte ga u smjesu.
5. Pržite tijesto na ulju (pazite da ne nestane ulja u procesu jer ga uštipci upijaju).
6. Ostavite uštipke da se cijede na ubrusima.
7. Otopite malo meda (ako već nije dovoljno tekući). Dok su uštipci još mlaki, kapajte med po njima (nemojte ih umakati jer će biti preslatki; radije umočite žlicu u med i pustite med da kapa s nje, ili štrcajte njome).
8. Uživajte! :D

Novi časopis "Puni Mjesec"

Iskoristila bih ovu priliku da vam predstavim novi časopis koji nosi naziv "Puni Mjesec". Radi se o službenom časopisu Paganskog kruga Hrvatske i, koliko je meni poznato, prvom paganskom časopisu u Hrvatskoj. Novi broj će izlaziti svakog punog Mjeseca u elektronskom obliku i biti od tog dana dostupan svim članovima udruge PKH, a samo nekoliko dana nakon toga će biti dostupan ostatku svijeta na službenoj stranici udruge, te u sekciji "Časopis 'Puni Mjesec'" ovoga bloga.

Ne bih previše govorila o njemu jer ćete sve saznati ako pročitate članke. :) Sve kritike i sugestije su dobrodošle. Također, od idućeg broja (koji će izaći oko 10. kolovoza) ćemo početi odgovarati na pitanja čitatelja koja se tiču paganizma i srodnih tema. Stoga nam slobodno postavljajte pitanja. Možete nam se obratiti putem e-mail adrese (info@pkh.hr), Facebook stranice, ili pak svoje pitanje postaviti u komentaru na ovaj ili bilo koji drugi post na ovom blogu s naglaskom da je ono namijenjeno za časopis. Samo nemojte zaboraviti navesti pseudonim koji želite da stoji ispod pitanja.

Uživajte u prvom broju! :D

Puni Mjesec br. 1

Napomena: na nekim računalima će boja fotografija biti nešto drukčija, no čim preuzmete časopis na računalo bi se sve trebalo normalno učitati.

Darovi ili žrtve?

Caravaggio - Abraham žrtvuje Izaka, 1603.g.

Poviše ovih riječi možete vidjeti dvije slike. Koju biste na prvi pogled asocirali sa žrtvovanjem? Pretpostavljam desnu jer je to i moja asocijacija. Iz nekog razloga, velik broj ljudi misli da pagani prakticiraju žrtvovanje na svojim obredima. Pritom je zanimljivo istaknuti da se pojam "žrtva" uglavnom poistovjećuje/percipira kao krvnu žrtvu. Ovo je još jedna zabluda koju namjeravam dokinuti u ovom postu. Ali hajdemo se prvo osvrnuti na definicije ovih pojmova samo da pokrijemo osnove.

Napomena: tijekom posta riječ "žrtva" koristim kao istoznačnicu za englesku riječ sacrifice, a "dar" za riječ offering. Stoga ću navesti engleske i hrvatske definicije te napraviti usporedbu.

sacrifice /ˈsækrəfaɪs, ˈsækrɪfaɪs /, noun
(1) when you decide not to have something valuable, in order to get something that is more important
(2) a) the act of offering something to a god, especially in the past, by killing an animal or person in a religious ceremony; b) an animal, person, or object offered to a god in sacrifice
a human sacrifice (= a person killed as a sacrifice ) 

offering /ˈɒfərɪŋ/, noun
(1) a book, play, piece of music etc that someone has written recently(2) something that is given to God(3) something that is given as a present to please someone

žȑtva
1. a. ono što se prinosi u čast višem biću; b. rel. pov. obredni čin prinošenja životinja ili nekog predmeta u čast božanstvu da bi ga se umirilo, umilostivilo i zahvalilo mu se [žrtva paljenica; krvna žrtva; žrtva ljevanica; žrtva zahvalnica]
2. a. odricanje od čega, nesebično davanje, ono čega se odriče tko u korist drugoga; b. samoprijegor i požrtvovnost za ostvarivanje viših ciljeva, ideala i plemenitih nakana [žrtva za domovinu; žrtva za slobodu]
3. a. živo biće ili predmet kojem predstoji smrt, uništenje; b. onaj koji je stradao
Etimologija: prasl. žьrtva (stsl. žrьtva, rus. žértva) ≃ lit. girti: hvaliti

dȃr
1. predmet ili vrijednost što se kome daruje [dati na dar; primiti dar]
Etimologija: prasl. i stsl. darъ (rus., polj. dar)

Prema engleskim definicijama (koje su uzete iz rječnika Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 5. izdanje), žrtva podrazumijeva krvnu žrtvu i/ili traženje nečeg vrijednog zauzvrat. S druge strane, dar (eng. offering) ne uključuje krv i može biti praktički bilo što. Uz ovo, darovi se obično daju s ciljem pružanja zadovoljstva nekome/nečemu. Govoreći iz osobnog iskustva, pagani ne prinose žrtve bogovima/Bogu/Božici ili ikojem drugom biću; oni daju darove. Naravno, kada kažem "pagani", pritom mislim na neopagane, a ne pripadnike drevnih civilizacija. U antička vremena, krvna žrtva i cjenkanje s bogovima su bili sasvim normalni. Danas se gotovo ni ne čuje za krvne žrtve, a prema bogovima se uglavnom ponaša drukčije. U pozadini ovoga se nalazi globalna promjena u etici, odnosno promjena suvremenog shvaćanja što jest, a što nije etično (a mislim da se može reći da većina ljudi danas smatra da krvna žrtva nije etička). 

No, nailazimo na prilične nejasnoće u hrvatskim definicijama ovih pojmova. Darovi zapravo ne predstavljaju problem, ali pojam žrtve komplicira situaciju. Naime, ako se žrtvu gleda kao nešto što se "prinosi u čast višem biću", onda žrtva i dar jesu ista stvar u ovom kontekstu. No definicija je mnogo složenija od ovoga i dalje ukazuje na poistovjećivanje pojma krvne žrtve s općim pojmom žrtve. Ako se prenosi neki predmet umjesto životinje, ili čovjeka kao žrtvu, onda se očito ne radi o krvnoj žrtvi, ali tada pak dolazi do problema oko razloga izvođenja ovog obrednog čina. Da pojasnim, Pagani nemaju zašto "umirivati, ili umilostiti" bogovima, niti se bogovi znatno koriste paganskim darovima. Također, dajući bogovima darove, pagani se ne "žrtvuju" za viši cilj. Paganski darovi imaju drukčije svrhe od onih koji su navedeni u definiciji riječi žrtva. Zapravo, paganska svrha dara (ili uvjetno rečeno žrtve) se podudara s etimologijom riječi. Žrtva je prije označavala čin hvaljenja. Iako pagani danas ne hvale svoje bogove prinoseći im darove, oni im se između ostalog zahvaljuju. Stoga bi se na osnovi etimologije moglo reći da je riječ "žrtva" relativno prikladna u hrvatskom kontekstu, no sve konotacije koje nosi sa sobom (koje su vidljive u definiciji riječi) u potpunosti odudaraju od svrhe "žrtve" u paganizmu. 

Stoga čvrsto vjerujem da bi se pojmovi "žrtve" i "dara" u ritualnom kontekstu trebali razlikovati. One po mom mišljenju nisu ista stvar. Pagani daju darove; oni ne prinose žrtve jer nam to uvjetuje i odnos s božanstvima, no ovo ću detaljnije obrazložiti malo kasnije. Ipak vrijedi istaknuti da se neki paganski autori ne bi složili sa mnom po pitanju ovoga. Na primjer, Raymond Buckland u svojoj knjizi The Witch Book kaže sljedeće o žrtvama:

A sacrifice is the giving of something or someone to a deity or deities as a gift, in supplication, to atone, or to appease. It establishes a connection between the profane and the sacred. Common sacrifices are food and drink, tokens from the harvest, animals, and - historically - even humans. (str. 398.-399.)

Slobodno prevedeno: Žrtva znači davanje nečega ili nekoga božanstvu/božanstvima kao dar, znak preklinjanja, iskupljenja, ili umirivanja. Ona uspostavlja poveznicu između profanog i svetog. Učestale žrtve su hrana i piće, simbolične količine žetve, životinje i - povijesno, čak i ljudi.

On definira darove (eng. offerings) na sljedeći način:

A sacrifice or gift to the gods. Whenever Witches have a meal, before they eat or drink they pour some wine onto the earth, onto the altar, or into the fire, as a sign of giving thanks to the gods for what they have. This is an essential part of the ceremony of Cakes and Wine, a part of every Witch meeting, although it will also be done any time Witches are feasting together. Offerings may also be made at any time, but they are done especially at the time of harvest to show appreciation for the bounty of the gods. (str. 350.)

Slobodno prevedeno: Žrtva, ili dar bogovima. Kadgod vještice imaju obrok, prije nego što jedu ili piju, prospu malo vina na tlo, oltar, ili u vatru kao znak iskazivanja zahvalnosti prema bogovima za ono što imaju. Ovo je ključni dio ceremonije hrane i pića, dijela svakog vještičjeg sastanka, iako će također biti izvedeno bilo kojom prilikom kada vještice zajedno jedu. Darovi se također mogu prinijeti bilo kada, ali im se posebna pažnja posvećuje u vrijeme žrtve kako bi se pokazala zahvalnost za izdašnost bogova.

Rosemary Guiley kaže nešto slično u svojoj knjizi The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca:

sacrifice: An offering of a gift, especially to a deity or being, in petition, thanksgiving or appeasement. The most common offerings are food, drink, the fruits of harvest and the blood sacrifice of animals and fowl. The highest sacrifice is that of human life, a practice now rare. Sacrifices can be made to the elements, the sun and Moon, the cardinal points, sacred landmarks (mountains, lakes, rivers and so on), the dead and supernatural beings.

In contemporary Witchcraft and Paganism offerings are cakes, drinks, fruits, flowers, poems, handicrafts, incense, nuts and other items. Blood sacrifice is considered unnecessary for worship. In Witchcraft rituals, an offering of food and drink is presented at the altar or sprinkled about the outdoors as an offering. (str. 294.)

Slobodno prevedeno: Žrtva = pružanje žrtve, pogotovo nekom božanstvu, ili biću kao molba, zahvala, ili način smirivanja. Najčešći darovi su hrana, piće, plodovi žetve i krvne žrtve životinja i živine. Najviša žrtva jest ona ljudskog života, praksa koja je danas rijetka. Žrtve se mogu prinositi elementima, Suncu, Mjesecu, stranama svijeta, svetim mjestima (planinama, jezerima, rijekama itd.), mrtvima i nadnaravnim bićima. U suvremenom vještičarstvu i paganizmu, darovi su kolači, pića, voće, cvijeće, pjesme, ručno izrađeni predmeti, kȃdi, orašasti plodovi i drugi predmeti. Krvne žrtve se smatra nepotrebnima za štovanje. U vještičjim ritualima, dar hrane i pića je predstavljen na oltaru ili prosut vani po tlu kao dar.

Po mom mišljenju, ni Buckland ni Guiley nisu uspjeli pojasniti razliku između žrtve i dara. U oba slučaja se pojam žrtve uzima kao sinonim za pojam dara (i obrnuto) te su povezani s moljenjem, smirivanje božanstva i u jednom slučaju čak s kajanjem (što iz ove duhovne perspektive podrazumijeva koncept grijeha, a kao što je dobro poznato, pagani ne priznaju grijeh).

Razlog zbog kojeg smatram da definicije ovih autora nisu precizne je jer pagani ne mole svoja božanstva, ili druge entitete za išta pošto je naš odnos s njima nešto drukčiji nego onaj na kojeg je većina ljudi navikla. Dok većina organiziranih religija smatra Boga transcendentnim (uzvišenim Stvoriteljem koji je iznad nas i čeka da nas spasi), većina pagana smatra da su božanstva imanentna (odnosno da prožimaju svijet i sve u njemu, uključujući i ljude). Dakle, i sami ljudi su djelomično božanski, kao što je i sva priroda iz paganske perspektive. Stoga nema razloga da proklinjemo bogove za nešto ako ih nužno ne percipiramo kao hijerarhijski dominantne (ipak smo međusobno povezani). Također, većina pagana vjeruje da bogovi mogu donijeti sreću, blagoslove, snagu i tako dalje, ali oni ne mogu magično ostvariti želje. Na pojedincu je da nešto poduzme. Na primjer, većina pagana će se složiti da nijedan bog u povijesni čovječanstva ne bi mogao pomoći pojedincu da dobije posao kada bi ta osoba samo spavala, gledala televiziju i sjedila kod kuće bez da uopće pokuša naći posao preko novina, ili interneta. Umirivanje božanstva podrazumijeva postojanje ljutog božanstva kojeg treba smiriti. Iz paganske perspektive, bogovi se nemaju zašto na nas posebno ljutiti jer ne kršimo njihove zakone i nismo grešni. Naravno, ako učinimo nešto loše, trebati ćemo snositi posljedice. Oni mogu biti svjetovne, ili duhovne prirode, ali čak i ako se shvati da su sami bogovi poslali te posljedice, mi ih ne shvaćamo kao kaznu za neki naš "grijeh". Bogovi nas ponekad trebaju upozoriti i naučiti vrijednim životnim poukama, ali nas oni ne osuđuju, oni nas ne udru kada napravimo nešto krivo. Posljedice naših djela su tu da bi nas naučile životnoj pouci. U ovom slučaju bogovi nisu ni ljuti ni osvetoljubivi; oni su poput roditelja koji pokušavaju naučiti dijete kako snositi posljedice za vlastita djela. Što se tiče iskupljenja, mislim da je jasno da pagani ne priznaju grijeh i time se nemaju za što iskupiti u onom uobičajenom religioznom smislu. Ako se iskupljenje shvati kao ispravljanje štete u svjetovnom smislu, onda se ono ubraja u kategoriju prihvaćanja odgovornosti za vlastita djela. Mi se "iskupljujemo" za svoje prijestupe tako da shvatimo što smo napravili i potom pokušamo popraviti situaciju, ili naprosto prihvatimo posljedice.

Iako, da budem poštena, oba autora jesu istaknula da je krvna žrtva (ljudska ili životinjska) primarno dio drevnih običaja i nekolicine suvremenih religija/duhovnih puteva koji nemaju veze s paganizmom. Zapravo, oni jasno govore da tipični paganski darovi uključuju hranu, piće, plodove žetve, cvijeće, pjesme, ručno izrađene predmete, kȃdi, orašaste plodove i tako dalje. Oni nas zaista zbližavaju s Božanskim jer su darovi samo jedan način komunikacije s bogovima. A na naposljetku, svaki oblik komunikacije je dobar, kako u svjetovnim odnosima, tako i u ovom slučaju.

Za nas wiccane, ali i za mnoštvo drugih pagana, ceremonija hrane i pića je dio rituala kada dajemo darove bogovima. Ovoga puta nemam zamjerke za definiciju koju donosi Rosemary Guiley:

cakes-and-wine (also cakes-and-ale): In Wicca and Paganism, a relaxed sharing of refreshments, conversation, dancing and singing that follows rituals, circles, seasonal celebrations, rites of passage and other sacred occasions. The food and drink, which help to replenish energy after psychic work has been done, are consecrated and blessed by the high priest and priestess, which imbues the refreshments with divine energy of the Goddess and God. An offering is made to the deities as a thanks for the basic necessities of life. The high priest and high priestess sample the food and drink then share them with the group. Some of the refreshments may be scattered upon the earth as an offering, or be left for the fairies or elementals. (str. 49.)

Slobodno prevedeno: hrana i piće/kolači i vino (također nazvano kolači i pivo) = u wicci i paganizmu, opušteno dijeljenje zakuske, razgovaranje, plesanje i pjevanje koje slijedi rituale, krugove, sezonska slavlja, obrede prijelaza i druge svete prigode. Hrana i piće, koji pomažu obnoviti energiju nakon psihičkog rada, su posvećeni i blagoslovljeni od strane Visokog svećenika i Visoke svećenice koji ih prožimaju božanskom energijom Božice i Boga. Dar se prinosi bogovima kao znak zahvale za osnovne životne potrebe. Visoki svećenik i Visoka svećenica probaju hranu i piće i potom je podijele s ostatkom grupe. Dio zakuske se može posuti po tlu kao dar, ili se ostaviti vilama, ili elementalima.

Mogu svjedočiti da je poviše navedena definicija jako precizna jer su svi paganski rituali kojima sam prisustvovala, ili koje sam vodila uključivali dar hrane/pića. Povremeno su se neki kristali, ili cvijeće podarili zemlji, elementalima, ili drugim bićima, ali se prvi komad hrane i prvi gutljaj pića obično prospu u libacijsku zdjelu kao darovi (ili ih se rasprši po tlu ako je to ikako moguće).

Također je potrebno spomenuti prirodu paganskih darova. Pagani se ne iskupljuju za svoje grijehe davajući darove bogovima, oni im se ne pokušavaju ulizati na taj način, ili i smiriti i učiniti manje ljutima. Moja percepcija hrane i pića je usporediva s nečim što biste dali cijenjenom, prijatnom gostu koji je došao u vašu kuću. Na primjer, kada prihvatite nekoga koga cijenite i tko vam je drag u vašu kuću na kavu i kolače (ili što god), stvar je bontona prvo gostu uliti kavu u šalicu i ponuditi ih s kolačima. Tek kada ste to napravili možete i sami uzeti nešto za pojesti/popiti. Ovo je naprosto znak poštivanja, dobrodošlice, pa čak i zahvalnosti što vas je ta osoba došla posjetiti (ako se radi o nekome izrazito važnom). Po mome je ista situacija i s bogovima i bilo kojim entitetom kojeg se prihvaća u obredni krug. Nudeći im hranu i piće govorite: "Bok. Dobrodošli u naš sveti prostor. Voljeli bismo da nam se pridružite u slavlju. Zahvaljujemo vam što ste tu s nama i dajemo vam ljubav i poštovanje kao što i vi nama". Nadam se da je ovo malo pojasnilo stvari.

A što se tiče krvnih žrtava, nemam nešto puno za reći osim da one nisu sastavni dio paganizma. Većina pagane na ovaj tip žrtve gleda kao na drevnu praksu koja se naprosto ne uklapa u etičke principe modernog doba ni u neopaganski svjetonazor općenito. Osobno smatram da se krvna žrtva u potpunosti kosi sa "zlatnim pravilom" paganizma - ne naudi nikome - jer "nikome" uključuje sva živa bića.

Ovo su bila moja razmišljanja o ovoj temi i rado bih čula vaša (makar se razlikovala od mojih). Slobodno ih iskažite u komentarima na ovaj post. :)

Do sljedećeg puta,

vaša Witch's Cat

Offerings or Sacrifices?

Caravaggio - Sacrifice of Isaac, 1603

Just above these words, you can see two pictures. At first glance, which one would you associate with sacrifice? I'm guessing the right one because this is definitely my association. For some reason, a lot of people think that Pagan rituals include sacrifices. And it is interesting to point out that "sacrifice" is usually perceived as/equated with blood sacrifice. This is yet another misconception that I will attempt to dispel in this post. Let us first have a look at dictionary definitions of these two terms just to cover the basics.

sacrifice /ˈsækrəfaɪs, ˈsækrɪfaɪs /, noun
(1) when you decide not to have something valuable, in order to get something that is more important
(2) a) the act of offering something to a god, especially in the past, by killing an animal or person in a religious ceremony; b) an animal, person, or object offered to a god in sacrifice
a human sacrifice (= a person killed as a sacrifice )

offering /ˈɒfərɪŋ/, noun 
(1) a book, play, piece of music etc that someone has written recently
(2) something that is given to God
(3) something that is given as a present to please someone  

According to these definitions (which were taken from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 5th Edition), a sacrifice implies either blood and/or asking for something valuable in return for it. An offering, on the other hand, does not include blood and can be practically anything. In addition to this, offerings are usually given with the goal of pleasing someone/something. Speaking from personal experience, Pagans do not give sacrifices to the gods/God/Goddess or any being; they give offerings. Of course, when I say "Pagan", I am referring to Noepagans and not the people who lived in ancient times. Back then, blood sacrifice and bargaining with the gods was a completely normal thing. Nowadays, blood sacrifice is almost unheard of and the gods are generally treated differently. At the bottom of this lies the global change in ethics or rather the contemporary understanding of what is ethical and what is not (and I think it is safe to say that blood sacrifice is thought of as unethical by most people today).

I firmly believe that offerings and sacrifices are not the same thing and that Pagans give offerings, not sacrifices, because this is what our relationship with deities implies. But I will get to this a bit later on. It is worth noting that some Pagan authors would not agree with me on this subject. For instance, Raymond Buckland in his The Witch Book says the following about sacrifices:

A sacrifice is the giving of something or someone to a deity or deities as a gift, in supplication, to atone, or to appease. It establishes a connection between the profane and the sacred. Common sacrifices are food and drink, tokens from the harvest, animals, and - historically - even humans. (pp. 398-399)

 He defines an offering as:

A sacrifice or gift to the gods. Whenever Witches have a meal, before they eat or drink they pour some wine onto the earth, onto the altar, or into the fire, as a sign of giving thanks to the gods for what they have. This is an essential part of the ceremony of Cakes and Wine, a part of every Witch meeting, although it will also be done any time Witches are feasting together. Offerings may also be made at any time, but they are done especially at the time of harvest to show appreciation for the bounty of the gods. (p. 350)

Rosemary Guiley says something similar in her book The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca:

sacrifice: An offering of a gift, especially to a deity or being, in petition, thanksgiving or appeasement. The most common offerings are food, drink, the fruits of harvest and the blood sacrifice of animals and fowl. The highest sacrifice is that of human life, a practice now rare. Sacrifices can be made to the elements, the sun and Moon, the cardinal points, sacred landmarks (mountains, lakes, rivers and so on), the dead and supernatural beings. 

In contemporary Witchcraft and Paganism offerings are cakes, drinks, fruits, flowers, poems, handicrafts, incense, nuts and other items. Blood sacrifice is considered unnecessary for worship. In Witchcraft rituals, an offering of food and drink is presented at the altar or sprinkled about the outdoors as an offering. (p. 294)

In my opinion, both authors have failed to distinguish offerings from sacrifices. In both situations, sacrifices are taken as being synonymous for offerings (and vice versa), and are associated with begging (supplication, petition), appeasement and, in one case, even atonement (which, from this spiritual point of view, implies the concept of sin; but as we all know, Pagans do not acknowledge sin). 

The reason why I think Bucland's and Guiley's definitions are not precise is because Pagans do not beg deities or beings for anything because our relationship with them is slightly different that what most people are used to. Whereas most organized religions see God as being transcendent (the ultimate Creator, above us all and therefore waiting to rescue us), most Pagans understand deities as being immanent (which basically means that they permeate the world and everything in it, including humans). Therefore, humans themselves are partially deific, as is all of nature from the Pagan perspective. So why would we beg a deity for something if we don't perceive them as hierarchically above us (after all, we are interconnected)? Also, most Pagans believe that the gods can bring good fortune, or blessings, strength and so on, but they cannot make something magically happen. It is up to the individual to do the actual work. For example, most Pagans will agree that no god in the history of mankind could help you get a job if all you did was sleep all day, watch TV and stay at home without even picking up the phone or newspaper to look for employment. Appeasement implies an angry god/goddess who needs calming down. From the Pagan point of view, gods have no reason to be too angry at us because there is no sin. Of course, if we do something wrong, we will have to endure the consequences. They may be of a worldly or spiritual nature but even if consequences are understood as being sent by the gods, we do not perceive them as pure punishment for a "sin". The gods sometimes have to give warnings and teach us lessons, but they do no condemn us, they do not simply strike us when we do something wrong. The consequences of our actions are there to teach us a lesson. In this sense, the gods are not angry or vengeful; they are like parents trying to teach their children how to take responsibility for their own actions. As for atonement, I think it is clear that Pagans do not acknowledge sin and therefore have nothing to atone for in the usual religious sense. If atonement is understood as making amends in the worldly sense, then this falls under the above category of taking responsibility for one's own actions. We "atone" for our wrongdoings by understanding what we have done and then trying to fix it or simply bearing the repercussions.

Although, to be fair, both authors do emphasize that blood sacrifices (i.e. human or animal sacrifices) are primarily a part of ancient customs and a few contemporary religions/spiritual paths that have nothing to do with Paganism. In fact, they clearly state that typical Pagan offerings include food, drink, fruits of harvests, flowers, poems, handicrafts, incense, nuts and so on. And they do indeed bring us closer to the Divine because offerings are only one way of communicating with the gods. After all, any form of communication is good for this, or any other relationship.

For us Wiccans, but also many other Pagans, the ceremony of the Cakes and Wine is the part of the ritual when we give offerings to the gods. This time, I have no objections to Rosemary Guiley's definition:

cakes-and-wine (also cakes-and-ale): In Wicca and Paganism, a relaxed sharing of refreshments, conversation, dancing and singing that follows rituals, circles, seasonal celebrations, rites of passage and other sacred occasions. The food and drink, which help to replenish energy after psychic work has been done, are consecrated and blessed by the high priest and priestess, which imbues the refreshments with divine energy of the Goddess and God. An offering is made to the deities as a thanks for the basic necessities of life. The high priest and high priestess sample the food and drink then share them with the group. Some of the refreshments may be scattered upon the earth as an offering, or be left for the fairies or elementals. (p. 49)

I can testify that the above definition is very accurate because all of the Pagan rituals I have attended or lead have included a food/drink offering. Occasionally, some crystals or flowers were also given to the earth, elementals or other beings, but the first bit of food and the first sip of the drink are generally left in a libation bowl as offerings (or directly poured/scattered on the ground).

It is also necessary to mention the nature of Pagan offerings. Pagans do not atone for their sins by giving gifts to the gods, they do not try to get on their good side by doing this or try to make them less angry. My perception of offerings is like food or drink that you give to a respected, pleasant guest when they enter your home. For instance, when you welcome someone you like and respect into your home for tea and cookies (or whatever), it is a matter of etiquette to pour tea into their cup first and offer them a snack to go with it. Only when you have done this do you take some tea and cookies. This is simply a sign of respect and greeting or perhaps gratitude for the guest coming to your home (e.g. if they are very important). As I see it, it's the same with gods and basically any entity which is welcomed into the ritual circle. Offering them food and drink is a way of saying: "Hello. We welcome you into our sacred space and wish you to join us in celebration. We thank you for being here with us and give you love and respect just as you do to us". Hopefully this has made things a bit clearer.

As for the topic of blood sacrifice, I don't have much to say except that it is not a part of Paganism. Most Pagans see it as being an ancient tradition that simply does not fit into modern-day ethics and the Neopagan worldview in general. Personally, I think that blood sacrifice completely goes against the "golden rule" of Paganism - harm none - because "none" includes basically all living beings.

So these were my thoughts on the subject and I would love to hear yours (even if they might differ from mine). Feel free to leave them in the comments below. :)

Until next time. Yours,
Witch's Cat

Ritualna nagost

(Alex Sanders inicira Janet Farrar)

Nago ljudsko tijelo se u modernom društvu smatra ili nečim sramotnim, ili perverznim. Stoga će se većina ljudi namrštiti na pomisao nudizma ili naturalizma.

Još jedan faktor kojeg bi se trebalo uzeti u obzir jest da je većina ljudi odgojena u odjevenom društvu koje potiskuje seksualnost, ili je pak reklamira na lažne načine. S jedne strane postoji pornografija koja, po mom mišljenju, prikazuje seks na sve osim realističan način. Osobna smatram da je pornografija groteska, ili karikatura seksa koju se ne može ozbiljno shvaćati usprkos tome što donosi mnogima zadovoljstvo. Uz to, postoji bezbroj apsurdnih reklama koji promoviraju i eksploatiraju nago ljudsko tijelo na smiješne načine. Na primjer, neću nikada zaboraviti reklamu za Lavazza kavu koju sam vidjela prije dosta vremena. Ona prikazuje nagu ženu koja leži na tanjuru špageta i drži čašu Lavazzine kave u ruci (koja se, usput rečeno, jedva vidi). Kave veze ove tri komponente uopće imaju jedna s drugom?!?! Onda postoji ona posebna vrsta reklama koje promoviraju specifičnu vrstu ljudske građe koja je "savršena". Ovo uzrokuje osjećaj nedostatnosti, nesigurnosti i stida za vlastito tijelo kod ljudi jer ne izgledaju poput modela na tim reklamama. Sve ovo i još mnoštvo faktora je dovelo do toga da je nagost postala svojevrsni tabu.

Većina pagana će reći da smatra ljudsko tijelo nečim prirodnim, a time i svetim. Ono nije nužno uvijek seksualno, ali ono jest lijepo. Ne bismo se trebali sramiti ni seksualnosti ni nagosti, ali ih se također ne bi smjelo kaljati. Mnogi pagani i neopagani su preuzeli ovaj stav i ukomponirali u svoje devocijske i magijske prakse. Uostalom, paganizam jest duhovni pravac koji je zasnovan na štovanju plodnosti i prirode, a što je ljudsko tijelo nego plodno i prirodno? Ovo je jedan od razlog zbog kojih se nagost dobro uklapa u pagansku filozofiju.

Čak su i ljudi koji nisu toliko dobro upoznati s paganizmom čuli šaputanje o nagim ljudima koji plešu oko vatre. Djelomični uzrok ovome su umjetnost i narodne priče. Već stoljećima umjetnici prikazuje vještice i kovene pretežito gole. Također se i drevne paganske bogove prikazivalo skoro uvijek golima (pogledajte bilo koji starorimski ili starogrčki kip, ali i renesanse slike koje tematiziraju ista ova božanstva). Evo samo nekoliko primjera:

Zues/Posejdon, antička grčka skulptura, 
cca. 460.g.pr.n.e.

Čučeća Afrodita, cca. 200.g.p.n.e., antička rimska kopija 
helenističke skulpture iz cca. 300.g.pr.n.e.

Hans Baldung Grun - Vještičji sabat 
(Witches' Sabbath), 1510.g.

Francisco de Goya - Vještice u 

zraku (Witches in the Air), 1797.g.

Pierre de Lancre - Tableau de
 l'inconstance des mauvais anges, 1613.g.

Luis Ricardo Falero - Vještičji
sabat (The Witches' Sabbath), 
1880.g.

Luis Ricardo Falero - Vještice odlaze
na svoj sabat (Witches Going to Their 
Sabbath), 1878.g.

Albrecht Durer - Četiri čarobnice
(The Four Sorcerers), cca. 1500.g.

William-Adolphe Bouguereau -
Rođenje Venere (The Birth of Venus), 
cca. 1879.g.

Albert-Joseph Pénot - Odlazak na sabat 
(Départ pour le Sabbat), 1910.g.

Nagost tijekom devocijskih službi je već stoljećima uobičajeni dio religijskih/duhovnih praksi. Moderne šamanske i paganske prakse su živući dokaz ovoga jer i dalje nastavljaju ovu drevnu tradiciju. Zaista, mnogi šamani i danas izvode svoje seanse nagi baš kao što su to činili i njihovi preci. Isti je slučaj i s nekim paganskim pravcima i pojedincima danas. Ceremonijalna nagost je također bila prisutna i u ranokršćanstvu kada se krštenje provodilo nago (osoba koja je bivala krštena se obično kupala u malenom bazenu, ili nekakvoj vrsti kade, a kako bi ovo bilo pravilno izvedeno, osoba je trebala biti naga, iako su svi ostali prisutni bili odjeveni). Nagost se također može naći i u Bibliji, na primjer: "Tu i on svuče svoje haljine jer i njega obuze zanos pred Samuelom; zatim je legao gol i ostao tako cio onaj dan i svu noć. Tako je nastala uzrečica: »Zar je i Šaul među prorocima?«" (Prva knjiga o Samuelu, 19:24). Naposljetku, i Adam i Eva su bili nagi u Edenskom vrtu. Tek je kasnije u Bibliji nagost povezana sa sirotinjom, sramotom i grijehom (kao što je bila i u srednjem vijeku). Nagost je također prisutan i u drugim religijama i duhovnim pravcima. Određeni hinduistički redovnici su skoro uvijek nagi, a da ne spominjemo tantru u kojoj nudizma čini jednu od osnova. Određeni džainistički redovnici također izvode svoje religijske službe nagi i tako dalje. Dakle, ritualna nagost nije toliko neuobičajena čak i u modernom društvu, iako jest nešto skrivenija.

Ali pošto je ovo paganski blog, bilo bi najbolje objasniti kako se nagost uklapa u cijeli paganski svjetonazor.

Istinitost nagog tijela

Kao što sam već objasnila, ljudsko tijelo je paganima u potpunosti prirodno, lijepo i sveto. Ono nas tvori jednako koliko i duša, astralno tijelo, umovi (i emocije) itd. te bi se stoga trebalo jednako poštivati. Također, nagost je najprirodnije fizičko stanje; ipak smo rođeni nagi. Ova je simbolika izuzetno važna jer skidajući odjeću sa sebe, osoba se vraća u neku vrstu mladosti, nevinosti i još važnije stanje istinitosti. Naša nas odjeća skriva od drugih, ali kada smo nagi, mi smo ujedno i ranjivi, iskreni i nemamo što skrivati jer je sve jasno vidljivo. Ranjivost je još jedan važni faktor. Naravno, ritualna nagost je pojedinačni izbor. Ali čak i oni pagani koji odluče raditi nagi će to činiti samo u ugodnim okolnostima pred ljudima koje vole i u koje imaju povjerenja. Zbog ovoga im ne smeta biti ranjiv u takvim trenucima.

Nagost i koncept grijeha

Pagani ne vjeruju u grijeh. Ovo je pretežito zbog toga što paganski bogovi/božice ne nameću određene zakone i kriterije koje se može prekršiti (a kršenje bi bio grijeh). Jedan od kamena temeljaca paganizma je prihvaćanje odgovornosti na vlastita djela i prihvaćanje posljedica. Ako smo ikome naštetili, pa čak i sebi, ovo ćemo znati i bez koncepta grijeha. Ali ćemo uvijek nastojati ne štetiti ikome jer činjenje štete je protiv našeg morala (pogledajte sekciju o moralu).

Nagost se ne percipira kao nešto grešno u paganizmu jer, kao što je očito, pagani ne vjeruju u grijeh, ali i jer se ljudsko tijelo smatra svetim i prirodnim. Seksualnost se također ne smatra grešnom osim ako seks nije prisilan ili na ikoji način izvršen bez pristanka obojice/svih sudionika. Cijela ideja ljudskog tijela i seksa kao grešnih je dobila na popularnosti u srednjem vijeku kada je dualnost tijela i duha dovedena u paralelu s dualnošću grješnosti i pravednosti. Ovakva vrsta dualnosti ne postoji u paganizmu jer se tijelo i duša upotpunjuju, ali i jer one nisu jedine komponente koji tvore ljudsko biće.

Nagost i seksualnost

Pošto živimo u odjevenom društvu, uglavnom smo naviknuti na nagost samo kada si trebamo okupati, ili kada je u pitanju seks. Nagost van ovih vrlo ograničenih barijera je društveno neprihvaćena izuzev na određenim mjestima (npr. na nudističkim plažama i kampovima) i u određenim prilikama. Zbog ovoga se nagost najčešće veže uz seks te mnoštvo ljudi pogrešno misli da se paganska slavlja vrte oko orgija. Ne. Ovo naprosto nije istina. Paganizam je duhovni put zasnovan na štovanju plodnosti, između ostalog, ali ovo ne znači da je seks nužno dio paganskih rituala. 

No kako bih bila u potpunosti iskrena, potrebno je spomenuti Moćni obred o kojemu sam detaljno govorila u prijašnjem postu o Moćnom obredu i seksualnosti u wicci. Još jednom bih istaknula ono što sam rekla u tom postu. Postoje dva načina njegove izvedbe; metaforički i doslovni. U oba slučaju ga izvode Visoki svećenik i Visoka svećenica. Metaforički tj. simbolički Moćni obred je ceremonija sama po sebi (koju možete u cijelosti pročitati u prije spomenutom postu) je metafora za spolni odnos. Ovo je najčešće prakticirana verzija Moćnog obreda zbog mnoštva razloga. Drugi način je doslovan. Odnosno, Visoki svećenik i Visoka svećenica zapravo vode ljubav, ALI uvijek sami i ako se vole. Najčešće se radi o dvoje ljudi koji su u vezi, ili u braku. Do sada nisam čula za nijedan par da je ovo radio u wicci a da nije bio u romantičnoj vezi. Dakle, nitko vas neće prisiljavati na ovo niti ovo očekivati od vas! Makar, osim ako ne vodite neki ritual, nitko od vas neće zatražiti da izvodite Moćni obred na ovaj način. Također, Moćni obred se skoro nikada ne izvodi na doslovni način. Pretpostavljam zbog toga što je rijetko slučaj da bračni/ljubavni par vodi koven, a i zbog toga što svatko cijeni svoju seksualnu privatnost. Ako se i izvodi na ovaj način onda koven izađe iz prostorije dok ih svećenik i svećenica ne pozovu natrag. Na taj način je osigurana privatnost, jer je ovo i dalje sveti čin (ne govoreći u religioznom smislu nužno nego i u ljubavnom) koji zaslužuje poštovanje. Bez obzira na ovo, mnoštvo paganskih skupina ne prakticira Moćni obred jer je on pretežito wiccanska praksa.

One paganske skupine koje izabiru raditi nage ne prakticiraju nužno seks za vrijeme rituala. To bi bilo kao da kažete da svi domaćini priređuju zabave zbog seksa. Rituali se izvode s određenim ciljem; slavlje godišnjih doba, određenog aspekta prirode, određenog božanstva, prijelaza u životu pojedinca (rođenje djeteta, vjenčanje itd.). Jednostavno rečeno, rituali nisu orgije.

Također, oni pagani koji prakticiraju ritualnu nagost su uspjeli prijeći preko društveno nametnutog stajališta prema nagom ljudskom tijelu kao seksualnom objektu. Ponekad oskudno odjeveno tijelo može biti provokativnije od nagog tijela. Zapravo, čak i u potpunosti odjeveno tijelo može ponekada biti više seksualno od nagoga. No ovo je druga tema. Ovdje je važno naglasiti da pagani ne vide ritualnu nagost kao izgovor za seks. Bilo tko tko kaže da očekuje seks za vrijeme rituala, po mom mišljenju, zaslužuje dobiti šamar i biti izbačen iz grupe. Svaki pojedinac ima pravo na seksualnu slobodu, a to uključuje izbor seksualnog/ih partnera, seksualnu orijentaciju, ali i odabir da uopće imaju, odnosno nemaju spolni odnos.

Nagost i sloboda izbora

Oni pojedinci i grupe koji odabiru raditi nagi rade to znajući da su u sigurnom okruženju s ljudima kojima mogu vjerovati i koji su dali svoj pristanak na nagost ili sudjelovanje u ritualu s drugim nagim ljudima. Ritualna nagost nije i ne bi smjela biti nametnuta. One grupe koje isključivo rade nage obavijeste pridošlice i svojoj praksi (ili se od pridošlica očekuje da se sami raspitaju o ovome). U nekim slučajevima (npr. u gardnerijskoj i aleksandrijskoj tradiciji wicce), ritualna nagost se očekuje od upućenika (eng. initiate); dovede ga/ju se pred koven i zamoli da se razodjene. U ovom slučaju je nagost izazov koji, ako ga se prijeđe, dokazuje da upućenik zaista želi pristupiti kovenu i da vjeruje svim članovima (doduše, uzmite u obzir da inicijaciju u ove tradicije prethodi dugi period obuke tijekom kojeg upućenik ima mnoštvo prilika za zbližavanje s ostalim članovima kovena). No upućeniku je dozvoljeno odbiti zamolbu i potom može naprosto naći drugi koven/put koji više odgovara njegovim/njezinim potrebama. Postoji mnoštvo duhovnih puteva i grupa koji ne inzistiraju na ritualnoj nagosti. Neki čak inzistiraju da rade isključivo odjeveni, dok drugi prihvaćaju da se određeni članovi mogu razodjenuti tijekom rituala ako im tako odgovara u datom trenutku. U potonjem slučaju se ni nagost ni odjeća ne nameću pojedincima. Smatram da je ovo najbolja opcija, samo ako nitko nema ništa protiv nekolicine nagih članova i ako nema maloljetnika (ako ih kojim slučajem i ima, onda bi njihovi roditelji trebali dati pristanak, ili u idealnom slučaju biti tu s njima). Starhawk je odlično sažela navedene misli u svom djelu Spiralni ples (str. 54):

"Koven postaje siguran prostor u kojemu se članovi osjećaju slobodnima opustiti svoje inhibicije: smijati se, plesati, smiješno ponašati, propjevati, spontano recitirati poeziju i dopustiti Mlađem jastvu da se ispolji i igra. Tek se tada mogu doseći viša stanja svijesti. Razvijene su mnoge tehnike da bi se izostavila »cenzura« Jastva koje govori i dopustilo unutarnjem glasu da se slobodno izrazi.

Takva je tehnika nagost. Kad skinemo odjeću skidamo društvene maske, naše pažljivo sazdane pojavnosti. Otvaramo se. Mistično značenje nagoga ljudskog tijela je »istina«. Ljudi trebaju različite razine privatnoga prostora; dok neki sretno odlaze na nudističke plaže, drugi se ne mogu nagi osjećati sigurnima sve dok se ne izgradi povjerenje. U našim su kovenima javni rituali uvijek s odjećom. Ako gosti koji su pozvani na privatne nage ceremonije osjećaju nelagodu da se skinu, mogu nositi što god žele. Nikoga ne treba prisiljavati na ranjivost, jer je to destruktivno."

U originalnom engleskom tekstu, Starhawk spominje pojam skyclad, odnosno rad u "nebeskoj odori". Pošto je ovaj pojam nekima od vas možda nov, voljela bih ga objasniti prije nego nastavim s postom. :)

Rad u "nebeskoj odori"

Engleski pojam skyclad u doslovnom prijevodu znači biti odjeven nebom (eng. clad by the sky). Ovo je prekrasna metafora za nago ljudsko tijelo koje pleše, pjeva i slavi ispod Sunca, Mjeseca i zvijezda. Najšire prihvaćena teorija o asimilaciji ovog pojma u paganizam se veže uz digambar sektu džainizma. Sam naziv ove skupine se može prevesti kao "sky-clad" odnosno "odjeveni nebom".

Bez obzira na porijeklo, pojam skyclad postao općeprihvaćeni sinonim za nagost/nudizam u paganskim krugovima. Čak ga se može smatrati i prikladnijim terminom zbog prelijepih slika koje idu uz njega i koje samo pridonose paganskoj percepciji rituala.

Razlozi za ritualnu nagost

1. Prijenos energije

Kada se izvode rituali, energija se šalje iz tijela prema nekom cilju. Ako je ritual devocijske prirode, energija se šalje ka nekom božanstvu, a ako je magijske prirode onda se jednostavno šalje u univerzum s precizno određenom namjerom. Kako se god okrene, energija se šalje nekamo. No energija se također i prima za vrijeme rituala; od božanstva, univerzuma, drugih praktičara u ritualnom krugu i tako dalje. Stoga određena količina energije uvijek cirkulira tijekom rituala. Mnogi pagani misle da ritualna nagost pospješuje ovaj prijenos energije jer odjeća može jedini služiti kao barijera. Ovo znači da odjeća ometa vezu među pojedincima u krugu i da također može ublažiti magijsku energiju time pogoršavajući ishod određenog magijskog rada. Pošto odjeća ometa energiju, ona također može uzrokovati probleme kod podizanja energije u krugu i praktički kod bilo čega što uključuje energetski rad (što je zapravo sve kada su u pitanju rituali).

Ovo se može povezati s osjetljivošću nagog ljudskog tijela. Tijelo koje je prekriveno odjećom je manje osjetljivo na fizičke podražaje a po tome bi se moglo reći da je ono također manje osjetljivo i na psihički/energetski kontakt. Stoga bi nagi praktičar u krugu, po nekima, ne samo bolje odašiljao energiju od odjevenog praktičara, nego bi ujedno bio i svjesniji energije oko sebe, impulsa u krugu i tako dalje. Sve ovo uzrokuje povišenu svijest o pojedinčevom okruženju, što uzrokuje svjesnije postupanje, kretanje i razmišljanje. Janet i Stewart Farrar iznose zanimljivu metaforu za ovo: 

"A witch at work brings all his or her levels into operation - spiritual, mental, astral, etheric and physical. (...) ...they must all be fully functional; so it may be that trying to work with one of them partly screened is like trying to play the piano in gloves, or to paint a picture in dark glasses. It can be done if circumstances demand it - but if they do not, why add to your difficulties?" (The Witches' Way, str. 196)

Slobodno prevedeno: Vještica tijekom rada sa sobom donosi sve svoje razine - duhovnu, mentalnu, astralnu, eteričnu, fizičku. (...) ...one sve trebaju biti u potpunosti funkcionalne; stoga je moguće da pokušaj rada kada je jedna od njih djelomično zastrta je poput sviranja klavira u rukavicama, ili slikanja na platnu noseći zatamnjene naočale. Izvedivo je ako okolnosti tako diktiraju - ali ako ne diktiraju, čemu sebi otežati situaciju? 

Ja se slažem sa Scottom Cunninghamom po pitanju ovoga. On između ostalog spominje vjerovanje da su "odjeveni" rituali izvedeni u zatvorenom prostoru jednako efikasni kao "nagi" rituali na otvorenom. Zaista, i drugi pagani bi se složili s ovom tvrdnjom. Ja spadam upravo u tu kategoriju jer se moja osobna iskustva s odjevenim i nagim ritualnim radom ne razlikuju. Ali ako bolje promislite, metafora o odjeći kao barijeri za energiju bi se također mogla prenijeti i na zidove. Odnosno, i zidovi po toj logici mogu spriječiti protok energije. U tom slučaju nema smisli izvoditi rituale nego isključivo vani jer bi inače bili beskorisni. Ovo je nešto za što bi većina pagana reklo da je apsurdno jer su gotovo svi imali iskustva s ritualima u zatvorenim prostorima koji su bili jednako zadovoljavajući i intenzivni kao i oni rituali izvedeni na otvorenom.

2. Fizička i energetska uzbuđenost

Svidjelo nam se to ili ne, mi svi imalo seksualne nagone. Nismo naviknuti viđati gola tijela svugdje oko sebe i kada dođe do toga (npr. u nagim ritualima), uzbudimo se. Ovo ne znači da će svakoga u tom trenutku nadvladati njihovi seksualni nagoni. To naprosto znači da će osjetila odjednom postati više izoštrena i feromoni će se brže širiti po prostoru (neki smatraju da ljudi oko nas bolje osjećaju naše feromone ako nemamo na sebi odjeću koja bi "spriječila" njihov protok). Feromoni su zapravo kemijske supstance koje odašiljemo u vanjski svijet. Druga živa bića ih osjećaju i nesvjesno reagiraju na njih. Ovakva vrsta fizičke uzbuđenost također uzrokuje i energetsku i duhovnu uzbuđenost. I zaista, mnogi praktičari magije će reći da je seksualna energija jedan od najboljih izvora energije za magijske svrhe upravo zbog njezine jačine. Ali naravno, nijedna ozbiljna paganska grupa neće dozvoliti da seksualnost preuzme kontrolu nad ritualnom. Ono je odličan izvor energije, ali se ni pod kojim slučajem ne smije dogoditi da se itko osjeća seksualno ugroženim.

3. Iskrenost

Nago ljudsko tijelo nosi sa sobom simboliku iskrenosti. Kao što sam i prije objasnila, mi ne možemo ništa sakriti kada smo goli; ni od naših prijatelja u krugu ni od Božanskog. Nagost podrazumijeva da nemamo što skrivati i da smo u potpunosti otvoreni ka uplivu pozitivne energije koja ide u našem smjeru. Fizička iskrenost i otvorenost vode ka psihičkoj, emocionalnoj i duhovnoj otvorenosti, što sigurno može poboljšati rituale.

4. Jednakost

U mnogim religijskim praksama, ritualne odore i halje bilo koje vrste postoje kako bi definirale rang. Čak i u paganizmu, Visoki svećenik i Visoka svećenica obično nose nešto što ih izdvaja iz grupe. Naravno, ovo nije zlonamjerno, no paganizam pokušava staviti naglasak na jednakost svih unutar ritualnog kruga. Svi su jednaki kao ljudska bića; svi mi imamo svoje vrline i, u ritualnom smislu svi donosimo nešto u krug. To jest, svačija energija utječe na opći ambijent i ishod rituala pa je stoga svatko jednak. Svećenik i svećenica su tu samo kao vodiči koji možda imaju nešto više iskustva i time mogu bolje organizirati skupinu; oni nisu ni manje ni više važni od ikoje druge osobe unutar ritualnog kruga. Ali čak i u slučajevima kada su svi, uključujući svećenika i svećenicu odjeveni u svakodnevnu odjeću (tj. ne rituale odore), određena nejednakost može biti vidljiva u kvaliteti ili skupoći odjeće, pa čak i količini nakita kojeg osoba nosi.

Nagost eliminira čak i ovu prividnu nejednakost uzrokovanu različitom ritualnom odorom, ili odjećom bilo koje vrste jer je nagost naše prvobitno, bazično i na kraju krajeva najprirodnije stanje bivanja. Ono nas vraća u ono stanje u kojemu su svi fundamentalno jednaki.

5. Sigurnost u sebe

Neki praktičari osjećaju da im njihova ritualna odora, nakit ili oruđe daju snagu, ali ovo nije istina. Svaka osoba posjeduje energiju koja im je potrebna, a ritualna nagost može pomoći u osvješćivanju ovoga. Jednom kada je osoba svjesna vlastite snage, ona postane sigurnija u svoja djela te ujedno počne prihvaćati sebe. 

Sigurnost i samoprihvaćanje također potječu od jednakosti. Ako su svi unutar ritualnog kruga jednaki i ako je svačija ljudskost naglašena (što jest jer je svaki centimetar svačijeg tijela vidljiv u slučaju nagosti), onda nema razloga za ne prihvaćanje drugih. Bez obzira na građu tijela, spol, ili dob praktičara, on/ona će se osjećati prihvaćeno i samopouzdano. Ovo također može pomoći osobi da prebrodi osobne probleme i komplekse koje su prethodno imali što može rezultirati u kvalitetnijim i fokusiranim ritualima i ishodima.

6. Tradicija i sloboda 

Od svih razloga za ritualnu nagost, smatram da je ovaj razlog najmanje validan i jedino prihvatljiv ako služi kao "dodatak" jednom, ili više prijašnjih razloga. Kada kažem "tradicija", mislim na izjave poput "Ali najpoznatiji koveni su radili nagi", ili "Sam Gerald Gardner je preferirao raditi nag" i tako dalje. Nitko ne bi trebao raditi nag bez da zna ZAŠTO tako radi.

Ali da, postoji nekoliko tradicionalnih aspekata za koje neki praktičari smatraju da potvrđuju njihov izbor ritualne nagosti. U paganizmu, ili preciznije u wicci, dobro poznati argument za ritualnu nagost se može naći u Vodstvu Božice kao i u jednom od njegovih izvora - djelu Aradia, Gospel of the Witches. Charles Godfrey Leland je napisao Aradiju kao svjedočanstvo jedne toskanske vještice koja je njemu objašnjavala rituale talijanskih vještica. Dio teksta koji se tiče ove teme je sljedeći:

"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 menAnd women also: this shall last untilThe last of your oppressors shall be dead;"

Odnosno, slobodno prevedeno:

I biti ćete oslobođeni od ropstva,
I tako ćete biti slobodnu u svemu;
I kao znak da ste zaista slobodni,
Biti ćete nagi u svojim ritualima, i muškarci
I žene također: ovo će trajati dok
Posljednji od vaših tlačitelja ne bude mrtav;

Navedeni citat je kasnije bio pripojen Vodstvu Božice u skoro svim njegovim poznatim verzijama. Stoga u Gardnerovoj verziji (tzv. Leviter Veslis verzija iz njegove Knjige sjenki), citat je bio preoblikovan da glasi:

 "And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and women, and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise."

Odnosno (slobodno prevedeno):

I biti ćete slobodni od ropstva, i kao znak da ste zaista slobodni, biti ćete nagi u svojim ritualima, i muškarci i žene, i plesat ćete, pjevati, imati gozbe, praviti glazbu i ljubovati, sve u moju slavu. 

Doreen Valiente je napisala prozaičnu verziju Vodstva u kojemu je navedeni dio preformulirala ovako:

"No more shall ye know slaverywho tread my round the Sabbat night.Come ye all naked to the riteIn sign that ye are truly free."

Slobodno prevedeno:

Poznat ropstvo više neće,
Koji noću na sabat dođu,
Za obred plešu nagi u kolu, U znak slobode istinske.

Očito, u svim navedenim citatima, nagost je povezana sa slobodom, kao što bi i trebala biti. Stoga čak i oni praktičari koji prakticiraju ritualnu nagost naprosto zbog tradicije bi trebali biti svjesni ovih tekstova i njihovog značenja. Svi ovi autori tvrde da je nagost znak oslobođenja. Ali kakvog oslobođenja? Neki bi jednostavno rekli oslobođenja od ograničenja odjeće. Drugi bi ovo mogli protumačiti iz sociološkoga gledišta i reći da nagost simbolizira oslobođenje od društvenih ograničenja. Kako god bilo, sloboda je osnovna bit. 

"Odjeveni" rituali

Usprkos svim navedenim argumentima za ritualnu nagost, čak i skyclad grupe i pojedinci koji su naviknuti na nagost ponekad rade odjeveni. Razlog ovome može biti neka posebna prigoda (ne traže svi rituali nagost; neke prigode se čak može bolje proslaviti u posebno odabranoj odjeći), hladnoća (nema smisla raditi nag ako će to samo rezultirati u povišenoj temperaturi), posebne okolnosti (npr. izvođenje rituala na prostoru kojim mogu ljudi proći i gdje ne bi bilo poželjno da se vidi skupinu nagih ljudi), medicinski razlozi (neki ljudi mogu biti alergični na sunce ili tko zna što još pa stoga trebaju štititi svoju kožu odjećom) i tako dalje. Očito je onda da postoje iznimke. Zbog ovoga smatram da ritualna nagost nije obavezna.

Što se tiče "odjevenih" rituala, mnogi praktičari će reći da je posebna odora uvijek bolja opcija od svakodnevne odjeće zbog više razloga. Kao prvo, naša svakodnevna odjeća se zaprlja, znojimo se u njoj i podsjeća nas na naše svakodnevne probleme, a kada ulazimo u ritualni krug, želimo se osjećati čisto i neopterećeno. Zbog ovoga se mnogi praktičari vole otuširati/okupati (ili barem umiti i oprati ruke) prije rituala te održavati svoju ritualnu odoru čistom i urednom. Kao drugo, ritualna odora je posebna odjeća; nju se nosi samo za posebne prilike (rituale) i samo tada. Kada ju odjenemo, šaljemo signale našim umovima da ćemo započeti nešto posebno i svečano. To jest, oblačenje ritualne odore uzrokuje mentalnu promjenu koja može pomoći praktičaru prijeći preko vela između ovog i duhovnog svijeta koji počinje unutar ritualnog kruga.

Čvrsto vjerujem da svatko ima pravo odlučiti kako će raditi (sve dok znaju zašto su donijeli tu odluku). Ritualna nagost nije za svakoga, kao što nije ni odjeća u vrijeme rituala. Nekima će odjeća biti korisna i služiti kao neka vrsta pomoćnog sredstva dok će drugima samo biti barijera. Mislim da je najvažnije da se praktičar osjeća ugodno i da ga/ju ništa ne ometa u ritualnom radu. Ako će odjeća natjerati nekoga da se osjeća nelagodno i odvlačiti im pozornost, onda je bolja da takva osoba radi naga. Drugi se možda drukčije osjećaju; možda osjećaju da im njihova nagost te nagost drugih ljudi oko njih odvlači previše pažnje i čini ih nelagodnima. Ovo samo može voditi ka nemarnim ritualima i beskorisnim ishodima. Kada se radi u skupini, važno je odrediti hoće li svi raditi nagi, ili ne (te je li ta odluka smeta ikome). Ako samo nekoliko pojedinaca odluči raditi suprotno, ovo također treba biti u redu s ostalim članovima grupe. Naposljetku, nema smisla raditi u skupini ako se ne može postići suglasnost i sklad.

Jasno mi je da je ovo osjetljiva tema i mogu se samo nadati da sam je kvalitetno objasnila i učinila barem malo manje problematičnom za neke. :) Do sljedećeg posta,

vaša Witch's Cat

Ritual Nudity

(Alex Sanders initiating Janet Farrar)

The naked human body is thought of either as something to be ashamed of or as something perverse in modern society. Thus, nudism and naturalism have become frowned upon in most cases.

Another factor that should be taken into consideration is that most people were raised in a clothed society which oppresses sexuality or promotes it in fake ways. On one hand there is pornography which, in my opinion, depicts sex as everything except realistic. I personally see pornography as a grotesque or caricature of sex which can't be taken seriously even though it may bring pleasure to many people. In addition to this, there are millions of absurd advertisements which promote and exploit the naked human body in ludicrous ways. For example, I will never forget an ad for Lavazza coffee I saw a while ago which depicts a naked woman lying in a plate of spaghetti holding a cup of Lavazza coffee (which is barely visible). What on earth do these three components have to do with one another?!?! Then there are those types of ads which promote a specific type of human build which is "perfect". This results in many people feeling unworthy, self-conscious and ashamed of their own bodies because they do not look like the ones in commercials. All of this and many other factors have lead to nudity being a taboo of sorts.

Most Pagans will say that they see the human body as natural and therefore sacred. It is not necessarily sexual all the time, but it definitely is beautiful. Neither nudity nor sexuality are to be ashamed of, but they must also not be tainted. Many Pagans and Neo-pagans have taken this stance and incorporated it into their devotional and magical practices. After all, Paganism is a nature and fertility-based spiritual path; and what is the naked human body but natural and fertile? This is one of the reasons why nudity fits well into Pagan philosophy.

Even people who aren't all that well-acquainted with Paganism have heard whispers of naked covens dancing around bonfires. This is partly due to art and folk stories. For centuries, artists have depicted witches and covens mainly naked. Also, ancient Pagan gods were almost always depicted nude (just look at any ancient Roman or Greek sculpture, but also Renaissance paintings which thematize ancient gods/goddesses). Here are just a few examples:

Zues/Poseidon, ancient Greek sculpture, c. 460 BCE

Crouching Aphrodite, c. 200 CE,
ancient Roman copy of a Hellenistic
sculpture (from c. 300 BCE)

Francisco de Goya - Witches in the Air, 1797

Hans Baldung Grun - 

Witches' Sabbath, 1510

Luis Ricardo Falero - The 

Witches' Sabbath, 1880

Pierre de Lancre - Tableau de
 l'inconstance des mauvais anges, 1613

Luis Ricardo Falero - Witches

Going to Their Sabbath, 1878

Albrecht Durer - The Four

Sorcerers, c. 1500

William-Adolphe Bouguereau -
The Birth of Venus, c. 1879

Albert-Joseph Pénot - 

Départ pour le Sabbat, 1910

Nudity in devotional services has been a normal part of religious/spiritual practices for ages. Modern Shamanic and Pagan practices are living proof of this as they have carried on their ancient traditions. Indeed, many modern Shamans perform their séances naked just as their predecessors did. It's the same case with certain Pagan paths or individuals. Ceremonial nudity can also be found in early Christian times when the sacrament of Baptism was performed nude (the person being baptized was fully bathed and in order for this to be done properly, they had to be naked, although other participants were clothed). Nudity can also be found in the Bible, for example: "He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'" (1 Samuel 19:24). Even Adam and Eve were naked in paradise. Only later in the Bible is nakedness equated with poverty, shame and sinfulness (just as it was in the Middle Ages). Nudity is also present in other religions and spiritual paths. Certain Hindu monks are almost always nude and not to mention practitioners of Tantra to whom nudity is a completely normal ritual practice. Certain Jainist monks also perform their religious services nude and so on. So, ritual nudity is not all that uncommon even in modern society, although it is a bit off the radar.

But since this is a Pagan blog, it would be best to say how ritual nudity fits into the whole Pagan worldview.

The Truthfulness of the Naked Body

As I have clarified, the human body is completely natural, beautiful and sacred to Pagans. It forms us equally as much as our soul, astral body, minds (and emotions) and so on and should therefore be equally honored. Also, nudity is the most natural physical state; we were born naked after all. This symbolism is very important because by taking one's clothes off, one returns to a sort of youth, innocence and, most importantly, a state of truthfulness. Our clothes hide us from everyone else, but when we are naked, we are vulnerable, honest and have nothing to hide because everything is clearly visible. This vulnerability is another important factor. Of course, ritual nudity is an individual choice. But even those Pagans who choose to work nude will do so only in a comfortable surrounding, with people they love and trust. This is why they don't mind being vulnerable.

Nudity and the Concept of Sin

Pagans do not believe in sin. This is mainly due to the fact that Pagan gods/goddesses do not impose certain laws and criteria that can be breached (breaching them would be a sin). One of the cornerstones of Paganism is taking responsibility for one's own actions and accepting the consequences. If we have wronged anyone and even ourselves, we will know this even without the concept of sin. But we will always try not to wrong anyone because doing harm to anyone/anything is against our morals (see the section on morals). 

Nudity is not perceived as sinful in Paganism because, obviously, Pagans do not believe in sin but also because the human body is seen as sacred and natural. Sexuality is also not seen as sinful unless the act of sex is forced onto someone or is in any way performed without the consent of both/all the people involved. The whole idea of the human body and sex being sinful gained acclaim in the Middle Ages when the duality of body-soul was compared with the duality of sinfulness-righteousness. This sort of duality does not exist in Paganism because the body and the soul fulfill each other and also because they are not the only two components which fulfill a human being.

Nudity and Sexuality

Since we live in a clothed society, we are mainly used to being naked when taking a bath/shower and during sex. Nudity outside these very limited barriers is socially unacceptable other than in special areas (e.g. nudist beaches or camps) and occasions. This is why nudity is most commonly connected to sex and why many people mistakenly believe that Pagan celebrations are all about orgies. No. This simply is not true. Paganism is a fertility-based, among other things, but this does not mean that sex is necessarily enacted at Pagan rituals. 

Just to be fair, it is worth mentioning the Great Rite which I talked about in detail in a previous post entitled "The Great Rite and Sexuality in Wicca". I will emphasize once more what I said in this post. There are two ways of enacting the Great Rite; metaphorical and literal. In both occasions, it is done by the High Priest and High Priestess. The metaphorical Great Rite is a ceremony in itself (which you can read in the aforementioned post) and it is a metaphor for sexual intercourse. This is the most commonly practiced version of the Great Rite for various reasons. The other way is literal. To explain, the High Priest and High Priestess physically make love, BUT always and only if there is love involved. Most often they are a couple (married or not) and have been for some time. I have never heard of a High Priest and Priestess in Wicca doing the Great Right this way and not being in a romantic relationship. Therefore, nobody will force you to do this or expect this from you! But then again, unless you are leading a ritual, your probably won't even be asked to perform this type of Great Rite. Also, the Great Rite is rarely enacted this way. I assume because it is quite rare that a coven is actually lead by a married/unmarried couple, but also because everyone appreciates their sexual privacy. But even if the Great Rite is performed literally, the coven leaves the room until the High Priest and High Priestess invite them back in. This way, a certain amount of privacy is guaranteed, since the act of making love is still sacred (not only from a religious point of view, but also from a lover's point of view) and deserves respect. Nevertheless, many Pagan groups do not practice the Great Rite (which is mostly a Wiccan practice).

Those Pagan groups that do work nude do not necessarily practice sex in their rituals. This is like saying that all hosts throw parties and expect there to be sex. Rituals are performed for specific reasons; for celebrating the seasons, a certain aspect of nature, a specific deity, and transition in an individual's life (the birth of a child, marriage etc.). Simply put, rituals are not orgies.

Also, those Pagans who practice ritual nudity have managed to overcome the socially-imposed view of the naked human body as being sexual. Sometimes, a skimpily dressed body can be more arousing and provocative than the naked human body. In fact, even a fully-dressed body can sometimes be more sexual than a naked body. But this is a different topic. The main idea here is that Pagans do not see ritual nudity as an excuse for sex. Anybody who says they expect sex during rituals should, in my opinion, be slapped and thrown out of the group. Every individual has the right to sexual freedom and this includes the choice of sexual partner(s), sexual orientation and also the choice of having/not having sex at all. 

Nudity and the Freedom of Choice

Those individuals or groups which choose to work nude do so knowing that they are in a safe environment with trusting people, all of which have given their consent to work nude or with other nude members. Ritual nudity is not and must not be forced upon anybody. Certain groups which only work nude inform newcomers about this practice (or the newcomers are expected to ask this of their own accord). In some cases (e.g. Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca), ritual nudity is expected from the initiate; they are brought before the coven and asked to disrobe. In this case, disrobing is a challenge which, if overcome, proves that the initiate is really willing to enter the coven and trusts all of the members (keep in mind, though, that initiation into these paths is preceded by a long period of training during which the newcomer has time to get acquainted with all the coven members). But the initiate is free to refuse to disrobe and they can just find another coven/path which will suite their needs better. There are many covens and Pagan paths which do not insist on ritual nudity. Some insist on exclusively clothed rituals, while others let individuals undress if they feel this is right for them. In the latter case, neither clothes nor nudity are imposed on the practitioner. I feel that this is the best option, as long as nobody has anything against a few people being naked and if there are no minors present (if there are, their parents should give consent and preferably also be present). Starhawk explained this wonderfully in her book The Spiral Dance (p. 36):

"A coven becomes a safe space in which members feel free to release their inhibitions: laugh, dance, act silly, burst into song, chant spontaneous poetry, make bad puns, and let Younger Self come out and play. Only then can the higher states of awareness be reached. Many techniques have been developed to drop the "censor" of Talking Self and to let the inner voice speak freely.  

Nudity is one such technique. When we take off our clothes, we drop our social masks, our carefully groomed self-images. We become open. The mystical meaning of the naked human body is "truth." Different people need different levels of private space; while some romp happily on nude beaches, others cannot feel comfortable naked until trust has been built over a long period of time. In our covens, public rituals are always clothed. If guests invited to private "sky-clad" ceremonies feel uncomfortable disrobing, they are welcome to wear whatever they like. Vulnerability cannot be forced on anyone, except destructively."

Starhawk mentioned a term that may be new to you, so I would like to clarify this before going on with the post :) 

Going "skyclad"

The term skyclad literally means clad, or dressed only by the sky. This is a beautiful metaphor for the naked human body which dances, sings and celebrates under the Sun, Moon and stars. The most accepted theory regarding the assimilation of the word into Paganism is that is comes from the digambar sect of Jainism. The very word digambar can be translated as "sky-clad". 

No matter its origin, skyclad has become a widely accepted synonym for nude/naked in Pagan circles. It can even be thought of as more appropriate because of the lack of negative overtones and because of the beautiful imagery that goes with it which complements the Pagan perception of rituals.

Reasons for Working Skyclad

1. Energy Transference

When rituals are performed, energy is sent from the body towards a certain destination. If the ritual is devotional, then this energy is sent towards a deity, and if it is magical, then it is simply sent into the universe with the appropriate intention. Either way, energy is sent. But energy can also be received; from a deity, from the universe, from other practitioners in the ritual circle and so on. So a certain amount of energy is constantly circulating during rituals. Many Pagans feel that working skyclad enables this transferal because clothes can only serve as a barrier. This means that clothes hinder the connection between individuals in the circle and that they can also mitigate magical energy thus reducing the outcome of a certain magical act. Since they obstruct energy, this can also cause problems with raising energy in the circle and basically anything else that involves energy (which is basically everything in the ritual circle).

This can be connected to the sensitivity of the naked body. A body covered with clothes is less sensitive to physical contact and, by extension, the same can be said of psychic/energetic contact. So a naked practitioner in the circle would, according to some, not only emit more energy than a clothed one; they would also be more aware of the energy around them, the impulses in the circle and so on. All of this results in a heightened awareness of one's surroundings and this, in turn, causes more conscious actions, movements and thoughts. Janet and Stewart Farrar present an interesting metaphor for this: 

"A witch at work brings all his or her levels into operation - spiritual, mental, astral, etheric and physical. (...) ...they must all be fully functional; so it may be that trying to work with one of them partly screened is like trying to play the piano in gloves, or to paint a picture in dark glasses. It can be done if circumstances demand it - but if they do not, why add to your difficulties?" (The Witches' Way, p. 196)

I have to agree with Scott Cunningham on this subject. He mentions, among other things, the belief that indoor clothed rituals are equally as effective as outdoor nude rituals. Indeed, some Pagans do share this belief. I fall under this category because my personal experiences with clothed rituals and nude rituals have not differed. But if you think about it, if the theory about clothes being barriers for energy is true, then the same could be said of walls. In that case, all rituals should be performed outdoors because they would be useless otherwise. This is something that most Pagans would find absurd because everyone has performed at least one ritual indoors and found it equally as fulfilling and intense as any outdoor ritual.

2. Physical and Energetic Arousal

Like it or not, we all have sexual instincts. We are not used to seeing naked bodies all around us so when we do (for example in nude rituals), we get aroused. This does not mean that everyone will suddenly be overcome by their sexuality. It just means that senses will become heightened, pheromones will be emitted faster (some claim that pheromones are better sensed by others if there are no clothes to "block" them). Pheromones are basically chemical substances which we send to the outside world. Other living beings sense them and react to them unconsciously. This kind of physical arousal also causes energetic and spiritual arousal. Indeed, many practitioners of magic claim that sexual energy is one of the best types of energy to draw upon for magical purposes because it is so strong. Of course, every responsible individual and Pagan group will not let sexuality control the ritual. It is a great source to draw energy from, but under no circumstances must anyone feel sexually assaulted. 

3. Being Honest 

The nude body carries with it the symbolism of truthfulness. As I have explained before, we cannot hide anything when we are naked; neither from our fellow practitioners nor from the Divine. Nudity means that we have nothing to hide and that we are fully open towards any positive energy that comes our way. Physical honesty and openness then leads to psychological, emotional and spiritual openness which definitely improve rituals.

4. Equality

In many religious practices, ritual robes and garments of any sort exist to define rank. Even in Paganism, the High Priest and High Priestess usually wear something that sets them apart from the other members of the group. Of course, none of this is ill-intentioned but Paganism tries to put emphasis on the equality of everyone in the ritual circle. Everyone is equal as human beings; we all have our virtues and, in ritual terms, we all bring something to the circle. That is to say, each person's energy helps to define the general ambient and outcome of the ritual so everyone is equally important. The priest and priestess are just there as guides who may have a bit more experience and who can therefore organize the group better; they are not any more ore less important than anyone else in the circle. But even in cases where everyone, including the High Priest and High Priestess is dressed in "normal clothes" (i.e.  not ritual garments), a certain inequality may be visible in the quality or costliness of the clothes and even the quality and amount of jewelry. 

Nudity eliminates even this apparent inequality caused by different ritual garments or clothes of any kind because the naked human body is our primary state, our basic state and our most natural state of being. It returns us to that state in which everyone is fundamentally equal.

5. Security in Oneself

Some practitioners may feel that their ritual garments or jewelry or tools give them power, but this is not true. Every person possesses the energy they need within and ritual nudity can help draw awareness to this. Once a person is aware of their own power, they become more secure in their actions, they also become more accepting of themselves.

Security and self-acceptance can also stem from equality. If everyone in the circle is equal and if everyone's humanity is emphasized (which it is since every inch of the body is visible), then there is no reason not to accept everyone. So no matter the body type, sex or age of the practitioner, they will feel accepted and confident. This may also help them to overcome personal issues and complexes they may have previously had, resulting in more quality, focused rituals and outcomes.

6. Tradition and Freedom

Of all the reasons for working skyclad, I perceive this one as being the least valid and only acceptable if it is a "supplement" to one (or more) of the other aforementioned reasons. When I talk about tradition, I refer to statements like "Oh, but the most famous covens worked skyclad" or "Gerald Gardner himself preferred to work nude" and so on. Nobody should work skyclad without knowing WHY they do so.

But yes, there are a few traditional aspects which some practitioners may find validate their choice of working skyclad. In Paganism, or more precisely in Wicca, a well-known pro-ritual nudity argument can be found in the Charge of the Goddess as well as in one of its sources - Aradia, Gospel of the Witches. Charles Godfrey Leland wrote Aradia as a testimony of a Tuscan witch who explained to him how Italian witches performed their rituals. A section of the text reads as follows:

"And ye shall all be freed from slavery,

And so ye shall be free in everythin;

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 section was later incorporated into the Charge of the Goddess in practically all of its known versions. So in Gerald Gardner's version (a.k.a. the Leviter Veslis version from his Book of Shadows), it was transformed into:

"And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and women, and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise."

Doreen Valiente wrote a verse version of the Charge and changed this section into:

"No more shall ye know slavery

who tread my round the Sabbat night.

Come ye all naked to the rite

In sign that ye are truly free."

Obviously, in all of these quotations, nudity is connected to freedom, as it should be. So even those practitioners who work skyclad simply because of tradition should be aware of these texts and their meaning. All of these authors claim that working naked is a sign of liberation. But from what? Some may say simply liberation from the confines of clothes. Others may interpret this from a sociological point of view and say that nudity symbolizes liberation from social constraints. Either way, freedom is the bottom line.

Working Clothed

Despite all of these arguments for ritual nudity, even skyclad groups and individuals who are used to working nude will sometimes work clothed. The cause my be a special occasion (not all rituals call for nudity; some are even better celebrated in specially chosen garments), cold weather (there is no point working nude if it will only cause you to catch a fever), special circumstances (e.g. working in an area where you believe people may pass and disapprove of nudity), medical reasons (some people may be allergic to the Sun or who knows what else and have to protect their skin with clothing) and so on. So exceptions are made. This is why I do not see ritual nudity as obligatory.

Regarding clothed rituals, many practitioners will say that special robes are favored over everyday clothes. There are several reasons behind this. First of all, our everyday clothes get dirty, we sweat in them, they remind us of our everyday troubles and when we enter the circle, we want to feel clean and unburdened. This is why many practitioners like to take a bath or shower (or at least wash their face and hands) just before entering the ritual circle and why they keep their ritual robes clean and tidy. Secondly, ritual robes are special clothes; they are worn on special occasions (i.e. rituals) and only then. Once we put them on, we send signals to our brains and others around us that we are about to begin something special and solemn. That is to say, donning on a ritual robe causes a mental switch which can help the practitioner to cross the veil between this world and the spiritual world inside the ritual circle.

It is my firm belief that everyone has the right to choose how they will work (as long as they know why they made this choice). Ritual nudity is not for everyone, but neither are clothed rituals. Some may find clothes useful and see them as an aid of some sort, while others will see them as obstructions. I think the most important thing is that the practitioner feels comfortable and that nothing distracts them from the ritual work. If clothes will make a certain person feel uncomfortable and make them distracted, then its best for that person to work skyclad. Others may feel differently; they may feel that their own nudity and even other people's nudity distracts them too much and makes them uncomfortable. This can only lead to sloppy rituals with unbeneficial outcomes. When working in a group, it is important to clarify if everyone will work skyclad (and also if everyone is ok with this). If only a few members wish to go against the current, this must also be ok with the other members of the group. After all, there's no point in working together if agreement and harmony cannot be realized.

I realize that this is a sensitive subject and I can only hope that I did it justice and made it slightly less troublesome for some of you. :) So until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat