RITUAL NUDITY " The naked body represents truth, the truth that goes deeper than social custom. Witches worship naked for several reasons: as a way of establishing closeness and dropping social masks, because power is most easily raised that way, and because the human body is itself sacred. Nakedness is a sign that a Witch's loyalty is to the truth before any ideology or any comforting illusions." from THE SPIRAL DANCE by Starhawk Ritual nudity is an ancient Pagan and Witch practice. When seekers take off their clothes for circle - they are taking off their pretenses. They are allowing their brothers and sisters to see and accept them as they are. If you don't hide anything physically from each other, it's harder to have anything to hide mentally. Experience has shown over a millineum that it is easier to raise psychic power naked than with clothes on. As the Farrar's state, "it's like trying to play the piano with gloves on - it's possible, but if not necessary, why do it?" When everyone is nude, everyone feels more equal. You cast aside your mundane roles - you are no longer doctors or secretaries or whatever. You are just yourselves. Each unique and special and each as vulnerable and open as the other. Although working rituals skyclad is also a very old pagan practice, it was used by ancient Hebrew prophets as well. The main purpose was to raise psychic power. It was found that this was easier with a naked body than through a clothed one. There are also psychological reasons. To work magic effectively, you must truly be yourself. Working skyclad helps to get beyond the ego's idea of how it wants the world to see it and allows you to really be yourself without those barriers. Psychic ability comes from within and by shedding the trappings of the ego, you can be more effective in developing and using your psychic potential Pagans these days and in the past have made themselves notorious at worst and confusing at best for the tendency of some traditions to drop their clothing at the drop of an athame. At least, notorious and confusing to the non-pagans who still take the absence of coverings entirely different than many pagans do. Among pagans themselves, the varying connotations of nudity have led to some debate and the occassional schism -- not well resolved by someone shouting "Keep your shirt on!" Nudity in particularly Wiccan practices comes from a line in the Charge of the Goddess: "and to show that you are truly free, you shall be naked in all your rites". Thus the symbolism is meant to indicate freedom from everything in our culture that binds us. Gardner particularly emphasised the importance of ritual nudity, arguing that the optimum magickal energy radiates from the undressed body. By removing clothing, many pagans practicing together also remove the symbols of everyday society that they normally use to divide and define themselves. Clothing is the main way people communicate their status. By removing those indicators, all can see past the brand of heels or the tailored suit and see the person -- as naked, as vulnerable, and as human as they are. To many pagan minds, nudity is not sexual. While most non-pagans only experience the naked form while bathing or as a prelude to sex, pagans may experience it in spiritual practice and thus view the human body as more a sacred aspect of existence. Although sex is a driving force in pagan temptation"). At the same time, many pagans, particularly pagan parents have valid issues with the practice of ritual nudity. Though they may raise their children to value the human form and to celebrate their bodies, they may also have encounters with less-than-informed non-pagans who see naked people, and children, and draw their conclusions without asking the usual necessary questions. For pagan parents, avoiding celebrations that include nudity may be a matter of family protection. Also, nudity as a matter of common sense may have its limits. Although I prefer to practice nude, I live in the wrong state to do it. I cannot tell if there is a difference in energy transmission or not -- perhaps because the chattering of my teeth easily compensates for the layers of clothing on my body. I have little or no feelings about being nude or around those who are nude; my concern is more about being bit by mosquitoes. Naked pagans, however, are a fact of our society. They are not shedding their clothing for lascivious reasons and it's my belief that because of their openness about sexuality are much less likely to fit the profile needed for sexual offense. I consider the attitude towards nudity healthy and positive; I hope more people become at peace with being naked. copyright Diana Rajchel 2000 |