Hijabis for Peace?

Dear Reader,

Back when the war in Ukraine started, this meme went around - Babushkas for Ukraine. It's rather waned as that war has dragged on. I try to remember to do it but it's kinda hard when you have a lot of distractions.

I propose we bring that back. Maybe we pick a day that we do this tribute/protest action. And once a week, we wear that babushka in defiance of the apathy that has risen up in the face of a war that has not ended quickly.

In the light of the military action in Gaza, I additionally propose that people who cover their head wear the hijab for peace. This idea hit me today as I was trying to figure out what to wear to cover my head for my pictures on Instagram. (You can find me over there as cydira13)

The day I propose the Filianic and Déanic community who cover their heads to do this is the day of Sai Thamë. She is a Janya of peace and harmony. I would consider wearing the hijab that day as a silent prayer that Sai Thamë intervenes in the world's conflicts and bring peace among all people. If you wish, as you cover, pray for a special focus on specific regions of conflict (i.e. Gaza or Ukraine).
 

July for Loki: Post No. 16 - Veiling

Dear Reader,

Some my be a bit curious about Loki's thoughts on my veiling practices. While there is an established practice of covering to signify that you are a godspouse in many communities, Loki doesn't ask that of me. He recognizes that my choice to veil is an expression of my devotion to Dea and my role as a priestess of hers. He sometimes makes silly, playful comments about the style that I choose for a given day. But aside from the playful teasing, Loki finds it to be a non-issue. 

Well, that's not entirely accurate. When I have days that I forget to veil, he reminds me. He sees it as important and when I am wearing my "good" veil for ritual, he is solemn and witnesses the ritual. He encourages me to wear it when I am feeling overwhelmed and my psychic energy is gone off loopy because of stress. He encourages me to explore styles and try out new things. He also is as much of a jackdaw as I am and absolutely delights when I find something particularly eye catching and sparkly.

I asked him at one point if he wanted me to veil for him as well. Loki chuckled and said, "I don't think She would approve of that."

Photo from Pexels.com

Vintage Veiling: Lacy Fascinator notes.

Dear Reader,

I've been wrestling with that darn pattern. Changing hook sizes and yarn sizes in an attempt to get the fabric to open up into that 'lacy' look that it has on the original pattern images. I have also tried really aggressive blocking. I am forced to admit defeat. Apparently this requires a yarn that is no longer in production for me to get this to work out right. I've tried everything I've got from baby yarn to gauge ten thread. Nothing works up in to a lace pattern. Only thing that came close to it was when I made the mistake on my last attempt and I was working moss stitch and a variation through out the whole thing. But that was too much openwork for it to have the look it was supposed to.

So, I have frogged this project multiple times and decided that I am going to move on to a different pattern from the vintage crochet site. The only yarn I haven't used is my handspun but that is because it is even finer than the cotton thread. In my frustration right now, I have moved on to a simple triangular kerchief pattern and am expanding it into a triangular shawl. This is something I can do with out wanting to throw the whole project across the room.

The kerchief pattern is on Ravelry. It's just a basic top down double crochet triangle with a button fastening once it is large enough to fit comfortably on your head.

Vintage Veiling: Lacy Fascinator

Dear Reader,

I'm attempting this pattern again. My last attempts are documented somewhere in the posts from the last year. I tried recreating it using sport weight yarn. I got something that was better suited to be a shawl (which I eventually did turn into a shawl but that's a different story). This time, I'm going to go with a finer weight yarn to see if I can get this 'lace' effect that I'm supposed to. No amount of blocking opened up the 'lace' for this thing. So, I'm going down a notch or two on the yarn weight and I'm going to try it again with size 2 sport weight yarn instead of size 4.

I'll post my notes and a picture of the finished result when I get it done.The picture to the right is what it was supposed to look like. The picture below is how my final result came out in my last attempt.

No amount of blocking opened it up. I didn't put the tassels on because I was running low on yarn. This time, I have a whole heap of yarn and I expect I'll have some left over to possibly make another project when I get done with this. (I won some lovely peach colored sport weight size 2 yarn at spinning guild's silent auction last year. I now finally know what I'm going to do with it.)

Vintage Veiling: Shaker Style Bonnet pattern review

I set out to make the Shaker Style Bonnet pattern from an online vintage crochet library. The pattern dates to the 1950s, as best I can tell. It wasn't entirely clear what kind of yarn it required in modern style yarn. The brand it referenced is off the market and I don't know what weight it was. I set out with my sport weight yarn and the size F hook it called for.

The end result was something that would have fit a toddler. The picture featured a grown adult. I ripped it out and started over again with some adjustments. I used a size H hook. My starting chain was 18 stitches long, not 9. I single crochet down the first side of the starting chain until I reached the last stitch. There, I worked five single crochet into that stitch and worked my way down the back of the chain. From this point on, I worked in rows. Row two was single crochet down to the first of the five stitches I made in the end, work an increase, work three stitches, work an increase, and then single crochet to the end of the row. Row three was single crochet down to the increase. Work another increase.

Work one single crochet, increase, single crochet, increase, another single crochet, followed by an increase in what would have been the increase on the opposite side of that turn. After this, I did single crochet down to the end of my row. Row four was single crochet two stitches, work an increase; then work two more single crochet in the next two stitches and followed by an increase in the third stitch around the whole row. I ended row four on a single crochet. After this, I worked rows of single crochet (21 more to be precise).

My edging was a stripe of single crochet in contrast color followed by a row of half double crochet. That was when I discovered that the whole affair required a bicycle clip style headband to keep it on. I didn't have one, so I ripped back my edging to make a single crochet row followed by a set of twenty chain stitches. I then made my edging in double crochet. I attached a button to the opposite end of the front and to wear, I pulled the strap I made under my chin and button it up.

The Right Side

The Left Side

The Back

Here's the pics of how it came out.

I was wearing it over a tichel. It was pretty comfortable. I wore it outside and it was ok. I think I may line it so that it has more wind resistance. But, for a hat with out any lining it was not too bad.

The Shaker Bonnet Pattern (vintage)

Dear Reader,

I've been so busy with other things that my project of making vintage hats and head coverings fell by the wayside. I'm picking it up again and this is my first project of the year. I want to say this is the pattern that I used to make my calico bonnet but I'm not sure. I don't remember. So, I'm going to make this up (again?). My yarn stash is rather large and I'm still deciding on colors. I'm leaning towards white with the ornamentation and trim done in blue. Or perhaps blue and the pretties done in white. Like I said, I'm not fully decided. I could go pink with everything but that big stash of pink yarn I have is being saved for another shawl project.

Veiling: DIY veils

Gentle Reader,

Because one of the original focus points for this blog was veiling, I wanted to start posting things on this topic. I have had times where I needed to get creative in how I was approaching making or wearing a head covering. Some times necessity is the mother of invention. If you happen to have a standard sized cafe curtain that is square in shape, with the curtain rod pocket instead of tabs, you can fold it in half and make it up into a crown style tichel like cover.

With a single yard of faux velvet, I made a himaiaton to go with a Grecian based costume I wore one year for a holiday gathering. It is still one of my favorite covers for prayer. It is wonderfully cozy and warm. Which is really good in the winter time. I'm still trying to figure out what yarn I want to use to knit one. (I knit really slow, so the fact that I am seriously considering knitting one should tell you how much I love this thing.)

Apron style tichels are pretty awesome too. There are lots of great patterns on the internet for them. Best part, most of the patterns that I have found are free. All you need is a few yards of fabric, a pair of scissors, and the stuff to do a little sewing. It is all straight seams and looks fantastic in the end.

No video today, but something to think about.

Dear Reader,

My blog is about being a witch who veils. For various reasons over the last year, I have been veiling less. Almost all of them come down to anxiety issues and not having the stamina to do so when I go out of the house. This makes me very sad. I know that being bipolar and having complex post-traumatic stress disorder (with a dash of social phobia) makes it hard for me to do these things. I didn't realize how much of a problem it was for me until recently.

Several of the other folks I know who veil were finding that their hair was thinning due to how much they were covering and different styles causing more problem than others. So, when I realized that my hair was not only starting to go white but also thinning, my first thought was Is it the style of veil I use? and then I remembered I was covering about once a month at best for most of the last year. That was when I felt really sad about it all.

I have been examining the anxieties that keep me from veiling and they all boil down to a fear of violence against myself or my family for how I look. Now, I live in a small community. There are relatively few instances of blatant xenophobia that go beyond comments. This fact should, theoretically, make me feel a little safer. Instead, I feel like I'm playing chicken with a semi truck loaded with firecrackers that is burning and hurling towards me at 65 miles per hour and a rabid sack of weasles behind the wheel. (Yes, I have a very vivid imagination. This was not the first illustration of how I felt that came to mind but it was the least triggering of them.)

So, I'm going to face down my fears. It's going to take some effort and a little encouragement. My weekly video posts are going to be filmed at home and possibly around town. I will be attempting to veil more frequently and in a style that I find most comfortable. I am also going to stop saving the pretty veils for a special occasion because life is a special occasion and I am not going to live a life where I say 'I wish I wore this thing more often.' when I'm on my deathbed.

My posts are going to include some discussion about style and clothing as I adjust my wardrobe. Part of this is because my tastes have changed over the years and I'm exploring what truly makes me happy. Part of this is because I recognize that I need to offer more than technical discussions of magic and such. Don't be put off by anything that seems a little rough or a tad maudlin. My moods cycle and it colors just about everything. Rest assured, I'll come back to cheerful soon enough.

In the meantime, I'm going to debate how much of my hair I'm going to trim and color. I've been in the negotiation process with Freyr about that taboo. I'll share what ever the final result of that is when it comes along. Either way, I have a feeling it is going to be interesting.

Vintage Veiling: Thrift shop finds.

Vintage veils are pretty awesome. You get to do a little bit of ecological justice and a little bit of retail therapy when you are shopping for a second hand scarf. In my video below, I talk about why I like doing so. I'm a little bit off kilter in this video because I had no script and because I've been distracted by a ton of things. And really busy, as the looming pile of laundry in the background may suggest. (It is sitting on the couch, so it is not as bad as it looks, I promise. Well, mostly.)

Vintage Veiling: Pattern Review.

In my previous vintage veiling post I mentioned that I was going to work on some vintage head covering patterns. I was silly and thought that the first pattern I picked was going to be a simple affair. It was a basic rectangle with tassels on the narrow ends. Then I read the pattern and discovered a few problems. The first was that I did not read the pattern correctly. The second problem was that it was written in such a fashion that a person who was new to crochet wouldn't easily understand it. I have a bit of experience and the pattern wasn't exactly kind to me at first either.

Lacy Fascinator Pattern No. 1826 is on one hand a very simple pattern after you get past how badly the directions were written up. On the other hand it is rather easy to get bored with your project with this pattern. I was working with worsted sport weight acrylic yarn. I can't give an exact amount for how much it took but it was not something even close to the eight balls of yarn called for. My best estimate is that this would easily completed with a skein and a half of yarn, if you are working at the weight of yarn I was. 

Extra Lacy Version

The pattern as it is written makes it hard to decipher what the pattern is. At first, I thought it was one row of moss stitch (single crochet one, chain one, repeat, end on a sc stitch) and then one row of double crochet moss stitch (double crochet one, chain one, repeat, end on a dc stitch) until 36 inches long after blocking (approximately 32 inches long unblocked). After I made it and compared what I made to the pictures with the pattern on the website, I knew that it wasn't right. It was a lacy mesh, but not long enough even after blocking.

Correct stitch pattern.

Final version w/o tassels

If you decide to try out the original pattern, the pattern starts with the first row crochet. It is a four row repeat for twenty repeats to get the desired length. Chain your 76 stitches. Turn and then single crochet into the second stitch from the hook. Chain one. Moss stitch across the row. Chain three for your turning chain. Double crochet into the first chain space (not into the stitch) and then double crochet into the single crochet stitch. Continue to alternate between double crochet into chain space and double crochet into single crochet stitch across the row. Moss stitch the next row followed by a double crochet row. Pattern complete, repeat this 20 times to reach your desired size (if you are using an 'H' hook and the same weight yarn as I did). The final row is moss stitch. 

In both cases, after you break off the yarn, you add tassels in the chain spaces on the narrow end rows. I chose not to do this with the one made as per the correct directions. Mainly because the tassels annoyed me.

Looking back over this project, I think that the sport weight yarn was too heavy. I would also make this longer because it is not a comfortable length on me. In all honesty, I'm going to take the remnants of the ball of yarn to add length to this to make it into a shawl. The stitch pattern is fantastic for a prayer shawl. If your do not make it quite so wide, and just a smidge longer, you could get a nice cowl out of it too.

Veiling, Vintage Style.

Hello dear Reader,

As the weather has been inclement, my most frequent form of head covering has been a ski hat. Now, ski hats are nice and warm. Don't think I dislike that. But I am not the biggest fan of how they look. So, I have been looking at vintage crochet and knitting patterns for hats. It has been fun and confusing all at the same time. Some of these things I honestly have no idea how these ladies kept them on their heads.

I decided that I am going to make a bunch and share the results here. This week, I am going to make the Lacy Fascinator Pattern #1826. I'll post a picture of myself wearing the end result when I get it finished with my comments on the pattern and the process. As well as what yarn I used and any adaptations I made to it.

It happens to me too.

Gentle Reader,

I know that many of your associates or even yourself have suffered indignities because of the choice to be veiled. Given the rise of acceptance for the attitudes of xenophobia, Islamophobia, and fear of anything that looks remotely Arab through those highly skewed viewpoints, there has been a sharp uptick in incidents where people who choose to be veiled are harassed. Sometimes it is the store manager following you around the store as you make your purchases. Sometimes it is the people you walk by at the park muttering something vile and degrading. There's even been incidents where someone has attempted to pull a veil off of a person's head because of their frothing hatred of anything different.

I just want to say that you are not alone. I have had people mutter behind me at the grocery store that I should go back to where I came from. (Honestly, I have been tempted to turn around and say, "I'll be doing that as soon as I get my ham and the rest of my groceries. I live right around the corner." I don't because I don't want there to be a scene.)  I have had people tell me that I was oppressing myself in wearing my veil (which makes absolutely no sense to me). I have also had people move well within my personal space and try to loom over me.

The incident that bothered me so much that it was hard to function for the rest of the day happened yesterday afternoon. I was at the grocery store. I was wearing a sparkly pashmina in a headrail style. Honestly, with how cold it has been, I was thinking about a face veiling style just to be warmer. Looking back, I sadly say that I am glad I didn't.

As I was on my way into the grocery store, a group of young adults (I think they were around 20 and there was five of them.) said "Let's mess with the weird lady in front of us." I would have paid it no mind except for the fact that I was literally the only person in front of them at that time. They followed me around the store for a bit. I managed to dodge them towards the back of the store.

When I finished my shopping and I came out to my car, I found that it was half surrounded by shopping carts. This was not some one just left their cart in the parking lot rather than move it to the cart corral or the front doors because it was so cold it made my feet look tropically warm. It was clear they were placed there deliberately. I suspect the car would have been completely surrounded if they had not been interrupted by someone. It was very upsetting for me. I was having a hard time feeling safe after they stalked me through half the store. Coming out to find that someone deliberately attempted to block my car in with shopping carts was distressing.

I honestly don't know what would have happened if I came out while they were playing their 'prank'. I genuinely felt like my safety was at risk when they were following me. But because I didn't get a good look at them, I couldn't go to staff at the store and inform them that I was being harassed and request the store manager resolve the problem. I feel like if I was wearing a more 'Islamic' style of veil, the threat of physical danger to my person would have been greater. This causes me deep grief and anger.

It also has me feeling like I should carry a roll of quarters in my pocket like I did ages ago when I was dealing with the potential threat of being jumped on a semi-regular basis. Because throwing a punch is more effective with more mass behind it. Just remember, keep your thumb on the outside of the fist. Sensei said if it was on the inside, you'd break your thumb. And keep your hand square with your wrist, so you don't break that either.

Fashion! (And other natterings.)

Hi everybody,

I spent most of November sick. It cut into pretty much everything. I'm presently taking a break from catching up on housework and paperwork to post here. This is my reward for getting work done, because you are all a great source of joy for me.

I don't talk about fashion because I'm pretty ignorant about trends and stuff. I am trying, however, to move out of my comfort zone and do something new. After going for a while with dyed hair and being bare headed (well, not literally, just no scarves), the dye has washed out and I'm wearing scarves again. It is all just in time for the weather to start getting cold again. In case you weren't aware, my favorite color is pink.

I don't know about you, but rayon scarves don't stay on my head very well. I think it is because my hair is so fine and really has no body to it. My solution today was to take an apron tichel that I made about two years ago and use it as an underscarf. I put the pink square scarf over it all. The end result is pictured below.

I think if I had to change anything about this arrangement it would be to find a bigger square scarf to use. I confess, I catch myself looking at bolts of cotton fabric thinking about buying a full yard square and tying it up. I am still in the planning stages on that one, though. I will be getting my hands on appropriate length and weight fabric to make a period headrail (my big time period geekery era is 10th century Europe, focusing on the British Isles area). I gave away my white pashmina and now am realizing that was a little bit of a mistake. Only a little bit of one, because those are pretty easy to replace.

I'm prating on about other things, so let's take a look at that picture. I used my antique hand mirror to try to show you the back of the tichel style I did. I may want to acquire another snood to make fighting with my nearly waist length hair easier.

Notice of Services Offered

In New York state, you need a note (at least in Livingston county) that tells them your covering is for religious purposes. I am ordained clergy through the Church of the Ancient Paths .

I offer my services in assisting you if you are local to me and in need of a note stating that your covering is for religious purposes. The letter will be sent to you via registered mail, this way everyone has a record that it has been sent and received. I will also be willing to assist in getting the letter notarized. I do not know if there will be fees associated with this process. (I need to look that up.)

Prior to sending you this letter, you and I will have an 'official' discussion where we talk about your covering needs - read you tell me why you cover and any other situations you may need an official letter explaining that you cover for religious purposes, as well as anything else you deep pertinent to the discussion.

If you are not local to me, I will do my best to assist you in your effort to have your right to headcovering as religious expression assured. There will be more information forthcoming on this matter over the next several months.

Question Time: Snood pattern.

I have been asked several times for the pattern to my snoods. There is one that I used which comes from a video on Youtube. This has a mesh to it. My solid snood pattern is essentially a large circle with a few inches of depth made before crocheting on an elastic hairband. For my blue silk snood, I used one ball of Patons Silk-Bamboo yarn. This is really soft and feels nice against my scalp. You can use acrylic but it will be a bit scratchy against the skin unless you have killed the yarn before hand. I used a size H hook.

Starting round: Chain 5, slip stitch final chain to first chain stitch. Ring made.
Round 1: Half double crochet twelve stitches into ring. Slip stitch stitch twelve to stitch one.
Round 2: Half double crochet twice into each stitch. Slip stitch 24 into stitch one.
Round 3: Half double crochet twice into first stitch of each pair of the increases. Stitch one double crochet before doing next increase. Slip stitch stitch 30 to stitch one.
Round 4 - 12: Half double crochet twice into first stitch of each increase. Stitch one double crochet into each stitch until next increase is reached. Slip stitch final stitch to first stitch of the round.
Round 13 - 16: Half double crochet once into each stitch. Slip stitch final stitch to first stitch of the round.
Round 17: Single crochet each stitch over a narrow elastic headband (hold the headband against previous round of stitches. complete single crochet as per usual, which will cover the headband with each stitch). Slip stitch final stitch to first stitch. Bind off and break yarn. Weave end in to single crochet stitches.

Reminder - the first half double crochet in the round will be a chain of two stitches.

Veiling: Stealth Veils

If you are inclined towards wearing a head covering (which many of us refer to as 'veiling') but live in an environment that is hostile towards it, it becomes really tricky navigating through the conflict between your desire/need to veil and the hostility. It is one of the reasons why there are quite a few people out there who, as much as they feel called to do it or wish to do it, don't. Because the risk of persecution and harassment is quite high in many places. Wearing a veil tends to set you apart and some people decide that it makes you a target.

I have many opinions on the sort of people who consider a person who veils as a target for harassment and persecution. None of my opinions in their full expression are fit for mixed company. I will only say that I loath them and aggressively oppose their behavior. The purpose of my post this evening, however, is not to rant about the problem of a hostile environment. My goal is to share with you some ways to circumvent some of that hostility.

The reason why people will choose to stealth veil is to pass as part of the 'normal' group whilst remaining true to their decision to veil. This can result in the person who is stealth veiling having less harassment from people who oppose veiling. It can additionally work to reduce the self consciousness for the person veiling (which is often helpful for those who are beginning to veil). Also, in many cases, the stealth veil involves less effort in procuring supplies and using more obvious veils.

There are two huge divisions in stealth veil techniques. One set are more effective for short hair. The other is more effective for long hair. There are some techniques that are applicable for both forms with varying degrees of coverage. In many ways, veiling short hair is easier with stealth veiling than it is with long hair. I believe part of the reason is because Western society has encouraged women to keep their hair short for fashion sake as well as the fact that there are simply an enormous difference in the sheer volume of hair that is being covered.

Partial coverage of short hair can be achieved with headbands. Narrow headbands are, obviously, less effective for covering than wide ones. A bandana is excellent for partial coverage options. There are many ways to style it to keep your bandanna fashionable even as you are covering your head and hair. In the case of really short hair, a bandana can provide semi- to full- coverage. Also, fascinators can work for a very limited form of partial coverage in the sense of the modern fascinators. Traditional ones are excellent for full coverage.

Full coverage of short hair is easily accomplished. Caps and hats work exceptionally well for very short hair. Pinning your hair up and wearing a large square scarf over it in a bandana style is another method that works well for hair of short to shoulder length. Also, the hair can be pinned up and a wig can be worn over it.

Partial coverage of long hair can be accomplished via all of the methods described for partial coverage for short hair. Also, hats and caps are effective for partial coverage of long hair. Additionally, long hair can be pinned up into a bun and covered with a bun cover. Full coverage of long hair is a bit more challenging. Hats can still be applicable when the hair is gathered up and hidden beneath. A snood is a form of semi-full coverage that is relatively easy to use. Depending on how close the mesh is for the snood, it could qualify as full coverage.

Pinning up long hair and tying a large square scarf over your head in a bandana style is an equally applicable option, though the scarf needed to be truly effective will be larger than what works for short hair. With some planning and careful adjustment of one's hair, wigs can be equally effective for long hair. When one's hair is pinned up, a traditional fascinator works well for full coverage also.

Additionally, some people argue that dying one's hair is a form of full coverage. And others present the argument that binding one's hair up achieves a similar effect as veiling. These latter techniques are not ones that I personally use but I can see the logic of these arguments. In dying your hair, you completely cover the natural color of your hair. Binding your hair up serves to limit the amount of hair that is immediately visible and accessible to others. It is frequently done beneath veils for the sake of keeping one's hair tidy but the appeal of the argument that it is part of the veiling process and therefore can serve as a stealth veil is one I can not deny.

There are many ways to stealth veil. They can be used for varying environments where one can not use full veiling options such as a tichel. Stealth veils tend to pass as fairly 'normal' to the eye of the community at large which makes it easier for one to accomplish their goals in veiling with a minimum of harassment. With a little ingenuity and creativity, stealth veils can be equally as elegant and delightful as more complex and overt veils.

Veiling during ritual? (Part II)

In the last post discussing veiling during rituals, I focused upon why one would or would not veil during religious rituals. There are many different forms of rituals that one would engage in aside from formal worship. Small devotional activities at shrines or as part of one's daily habits can fall under many of the same conditions as formal worship, provided that the mode of prayer remains relatively the same and the same expectations are made upon the practitioner by their faith's precepts, the cultural expectations attached to their worship, and the established expectations between the Divine and the worshiper. Other rituals that are not explicitly connected with one's faith hold different expectations.


One could discuss the conditions where veiling would be considered acceptable in rituals created by the society one lives within. This, however, poses some problems because the conditions where veiling is accepted (if not demanded) vary between cultures and subcultures. I leave the consideration of those rituals to the anthropologists, whom I know have spent an admirable quantity of time upon studying things such as this. I will focus my second article discussing veiling during ritual upon the situations where veiling might be appropriate for magical work, including but not limited to spell craft, divination, and energetic manipulation^[1].


The first thing to note is that magical work happens within the context of one's religious/spiritual background and their cultural setting. This influences what expectations are present for the practitioner and the mental architecture that the magical work is constructed within. A person who comes from a setting where magical work is an explicit extension of prayer (the Judeo-Christian practices of praying for events to happen are an excellent example of this type of situation) will find that their demands from religious worship will carry over into their magical practice. As such, one who veils for worship would continue to veil whilst conducting their magical efforts via prayer.


There are those who have a measure of division between their religious/spiritual situation and their magical efforts. (A good number of Chaos mages I know seem to fall upon this category.) In a situation where magical efforts are somewhat independent of religious activity, one finds a fairly broad array of positions upon the matter of veiling. In modern paganism, the bias leans towards the practitioner being unveiled because of the belief that being bareheaded facilitates access to ones spiritual environment and their magical gifts. There are those within the various pagan faith systems that take the position that conducting magic whilst having one's crown chakra (the energy center associated with the crown of one's head) covered will be less effective then magical undertakings done bareheaded.


The veil's capacity to serve as a barrier to magical energy is used as a tool to filter out a significant amount of input along one's psychic senses for many people who are especially sensitive. It is also used at times to carry energy, wherein the veil is charged magically to hold or otherwise contain energy. These veils could be described as talismans, though they are not immediately recognizable as such. Sometimes, veils are used to direct energy away from the wearer. These veils could be described as acting as psychic shields or mirrors. Other times, veils are used to redirect the wearer's energy back to themselves.


The latter is used in cases where a person finds themselves suffering from low magical energy. In these instances, the veil acts to not only shield the wearer from the psychic actions of others but to boost their own magical potency by retaining energy that would otherwise be lost through daily activities. The veil could also be used to draw energy. This is an uncommon magical practice, however.


The Western occult practitioner community (which includes many pagans) tends to frown upon persons who engage in drawing energy to themselves from others. These people are known as psychic vampires and the community at large tends to view these people poorly. It is, however, possible to draw energy to oneself with out drawing from other people about you. Indeed, with some careful and intentional efforts, it is possible to fashion a talisman that draws magical energy from a specific source and that source alone.


If the veil is used to block, reflect, or draw energy, it is still functioning as what could formally be called a talisman. While the practitioner using the talisman could engage in what the talisman is doing for them, the talisman serves as a tool to allow the user to focus their efforts upon other activities. It is akin to a person using a recording to provide music for something instead of singing themselves. The talismanic qualities of the veil will have subtle variations that are informed and influenced by the cultural background of the practitioner fashioning the talisman and that of the wearer.


In general use, a talisman is most effective when used within the cultural setting it was created in. While it is possible to use talismans across different cultural settings, they become less effective because the connection to the original thought-forms that power the talisman are diminished. In these instances, the wearer's focused mental and magical effort to maintain the talisman's attributes will act to fill in the energetic gaps left by the cultural distance between use and origin.


Veils have a rich history of functioning as protective talismans and magical shields. They have been used not only for personal protection but for that of other items. They serve the dual function of protecting the item wrapped or covered by them from physical contamination and from spiritual contamination. The veil has been used in this function in Western society since antiquity in a relatively unbroken lineage. This, perhaps, adds to the effectiveness of the veil as a protective barrier.


Veils can also be used to obscure. The division between the living and the Otherworld is colloquially known as The Veil. This is another example of veiling serving to obscure, even if it is within concept only. The veil as disguise or something to obfuscate is not as recognizable as the use of a cloak for that function. This, however, is an occurrence within relatively modern thought. Traditionally, the veil has functioned as a disguise for the female identity, again, since antiquity. This can be something that is useful to one who is engaged in magical practice and attempting to hide themselves or something/someone else.



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1. Energetic manipulation is a broad term that encompasses things such as Reiki, chakra alignment, and any form of psychic activity that utilizes the body's energetic biofield that is commonly referred to as the aura.

Veiling during ritual? (Part I)

There's been some buzz in the pagan veiling community (I just have to pause to note how awesome that statement is. Pagan veiling community!) as to if one should cover their head during ritual or not. The consensus seems to be: yes, except for when you don't. Like veiling at other times, there is a whole spectrum of responses to this question. I can not speak for others here, nor would I attempt to. I do, however, wish to share some of what I have observed from the sidelines of this discussion and give my angle on the matter.

There seems to be a higher percentage of people who veil for religious observances (ie. whilst praying, giving offerings, etc.) than those who veil for magical working. The general arguments in favor of covering one's head for religious observances seem to fall along three lines. The first is that it is something that has historical precedent for one's practices. (Religio Romana seems to be the best documented case of this from what I can tell.) As there are many who are either influenced by reconstrutionist positions or active in reconstructionist pursuit of their faith, this argument really makes a lot of logical sense. Being a person who has a very eclectic background, I can find some examples (like in some branches of Filianism) where there is an established practice of doing this in my own roots.

The second general argument in favor of covering one's head for religious observances is to distinguish it from 'normal' time. It is, for some, the equivalent of putting on their Sunday best before going to pray. It is both a gesture of respect and a gesture that denotes the sacred as different from the 'mundane.' There really is a lot to be said for this position. It is one that is actually pretty common across religious lines (if you include all forms of special dress for worship) and veiling just seems to be another manifestation of this. I don't know if it makes prayer more effective beyond the fact that it helps the practitioner focus more intently on it. As I don't really engage in this practice, I can't say much about it beyond the fact that it happens, like the former argument.

The third general argument for veiling during religious observances is because it is observing a taboo. I set this apart from following established precedent because not all taboos have such origins. There are some who are called to cover when they engage in prayer and that calling comes from no higher then that of their deity of belief. This argument could, I suppose, supersede the others but I think that is just playing with semantics. (For the record, when I engage in formal worship activities for Dea, she has instructed me to have my head covered for some forms of worship and bared for others. As of right now, I am not able to speak much about this set of taboos beyond noting that they are present.)

The arguments against veiling during religious observances are myriad as well. Just as there is historical precedent for having one's head covered during worship, there is precedent for having one's head bared. There are those who are instructed to adhere to a taboo that requires them to be bareheaded at worship and others who do so for the sake of comfort and to distinguish from their daily practice of covering. In looking at both sides of this, I can only say that they all are legitimate positions and they should all be respected. Everyone's individual circumstances are going to be different and have different requirements and needs.

Veiling: The Fine Art of Diplomacy in a Hostile Environment

A wise (and pithy) person I knew once said that diplomacy is the fine art of telling someone to go to Hell in such a manner that they look forward to the trip. It is tempting to very directly tell the people who have decided to harass us over our decisions to veil exactly where to go and what method to take to get there. It is very tempting when you have a short temper (which I confess, I do). The real question that faces any person who chooses to dress outside the culturally accepted norm is how to deal with people who oppose them.

In my last post specifically on veiling, I noted three major challenges to people who choose to veil within our culture. We encounter problems with people who take umbrage at our standing outside of the cultural stereotypes that get assigned to us on the basis of our gender presentation, skin color, and economic standing. We find ourselves confronted by people who dare to engage in body policing and a campaign to shame us into meeting their ideal norms. And we find ourselves dealing with people and institutions that look at the choice to veil or otherwise dress modestly as a fashion statement and therefore frivolous. Taken as a whole, this trio of problems can make a person fearful of engaging society whilst dressed in the manner that conforms with their sense of identity, comfort, and religious inclinations when it deviates even slightly from what is assumed about them.

There is cases where the persons who make these arguments are well intentioned but ignorant. In these cases, it is best to gently correct them and, if you are comfortable doing so, explaining a little bit about your reasoning for how you are dressed. It can be something as simple as "I cover my hair because of my faith". In many cases, this is enough of an explanation to give. There is also the option of redirecting the conversation into other matters or ignoring their comments entirely whilst pursuing an earlier subject of conversation from the discussion. Most people will get the hint that you don't want to talk about it when you reject their overtures of discussing fodder.

It is important to remember, however you wish to respond, that you do not owe anyone an explanation for your appearance.  You are the sovereign of your body and all decisions that you make with respect to your body should be respected. Those who would scorn or disrespect you on the basis of your presentation and matters as superficial as how you appear are most likely people who you are not going to wish to associate with in any sense of confidence about your innermost thoughts because you can tell already that they do not respect you. The age old maxim "the clothes makes the man" is a lie that we must all reject because our clothes are secondary to the person who wears them. If one is dressed in high couture fashion, they are as much the same person as they are in blue jeans and a t-shirt. Our clothes are a means of expression and a necessary protection against the elements in certain climes. Any additional meaning that they may have is opinion and we know that all people have opinions. This does not make them any more fact then opining that blue is a terrible color. Just as the color blue is morally neutral, so too are clothes.¹

The problems arise when people decide to imply that you do not have the right to make all decisions with respect to your body and welfare. The arguments that one does not look 'right' for their cultural situation and gender presentation are subtle implications that one's appearance and mannerisms are not their personal property and within their rights to determine what happens with them. In this case, the argument is made that 'society' has the right/duty to dictate how one must dress and carry themselves. Society argues that certain subcultures are acceptable and others are not, failing to recognize that these people are part of society as a whole and that they have the right to participate in it.

Presently, people who are from a Arabic or Asiatic (generally from the Indian subcontinent region) background are one of the largest groups considered to be unacceptable within society. One of the reasons that is put forth by society is that it is because they practice the religion of Islam. A given image of the person who practices Islam is a caricature of what the people from these regions are like and of the people who practice Islam. This image is a highly sensationalized and very negative one that is used to encourage fear in the population at large². When women choose to veil themselves, it is assumed that they are practitioners of Islam and they frequently find themselves to be target of the same harassment and negative assumptions that are made with respect to this group.

This is a situation that is difficult to handle on a good day. We must keep in mind that the person pushing confrontation over this matter is fearful on some level of what we represent, in their mind's eye. We can possibly attempt to disentangle the assumptions that they have been programmed to have from our personal identity, but this is only successful with people who are willing to attempt the process. When we encounter people who are decidedly hostile and actively seeking confrontation, the best approach is to diffuse the situation. Perhaps the simplest thing that can be done is to do not return their efforts to interact. It can range from ignoring their comments to leaving the location.³ If this is not an option, redirecting the conversation into more neutral territory or bringing a third party into the conversation may be successful in halting the offender's behavior. For some reason, people get uncomfortable continuing their poor behavior when there is an audience.⁴

We also encounter people who would accuse us of cultural appropriation. This is based in the assumption that certain manners of dress are the cultural property of one ethnic/social group. The assumption is false and can be countered with information. Educating the person who dares to accuse you of stealing from another culture not only shifts the conversation back into more neutral waters, it exposes them to the idea that there are alternate reasons for things then what they assumed. This can lead to an eventual change of behavior. At the simplest, one can state that there are only so many ways to manipulate a piece of fabric and no one has the patent on all of them. If you choose to go the route of education in a deeper sense, learn the history of your practice of veiling and the origins of it. It is possible to find arguments and historical examples of veiling from every culture around the world, though veiling will take different guises due to cultural and environmental differences. This is a tactic that not only allows you to demonstrate how you are a nonthreatening figure (because people tend to assume that one who teaches something is not a threat to them within our culture) but gives you greater depth in your own practice. (This is a tactic that I use and I have found to be very successful and rewarding for many reasons.)

The most insidious of people who argue that we should not veil or dress in a manner they don't approve of are the ones who are the self declared body police. They don't usually come out and say directly that they don't approve of what you are wearing or how you look. Instead, it is back handed little comments like "Your hair is so pretty, you should show it more often." and "You have great legs. You oughta show them off, you're so lucky." Part of the body police nonsense comes out of a measure of envy. Yes, I did just say that and I'll say it again. One of the root causes of body police behavior is the fact that the speaker is envious of the target for some reason. As such, they'll try to cut the other person down in some way to make themselves feel better even as they deny that there is any envy. Another major cause of body policing is fear.

The ones who body police from a position of fear are the ones who warn women not to go out wearing revealing clothing and tells the person veiling that they're in danger for doing so, regardless of the actual threat that may be present. The body police of fear are harder to deal with because in some fashion, their expression is truly rooted in a concern for the target's welfare and a desire to see them remain safe. It is good to remind the person who is body policing out of fear that you have the means and ability to protect yourself in the event of something they fear happening. Instead of letting them focus on the body policing behavior, redirect the focus back to their fear and address it.

The envious body police are a thorny problem to deal with. On one hand, we can not magically fix another person's emotional insecurities (which is the root of 99% of envy 99% of the time). At the same time, we must not make excuses for their unacceptable behavior. When someone who is body policing from a position of envy declares that people who dress modestly are selfish (this seems to be the most popular arguments from what I can tell), they are telling the target of their behavior that they do not have the right to decide their appearance. It is perfectly reasonable to retort with one of the following (tailored to suit your circumstances):

1. I am sorry that you feel it necessary to say that. It must be very difficult to see the world that way.
2. We don't expose our (breast or other body part commonly covered) because it is private. So is the rest of me.
3. I don't appreciate your remarks about my person. Please stop and discuss something else. I am not here for your amusement or approval.

There is a laundry list of variations on those themes. It is possible to take the statement and make it sound very innocuous or a blatant challenge to the person. I trust that you all have the discretion to pick which battles are truly worthy of fighting.

Finally, we have the group that assumes that our manner of dress is dictated by fashion sense. While it is possible to be both modest in your manner of dress and fashionable, fashion is not the primary motivator. In these circumstances, it is important to be forthright and direct about the fact that you are covering for reasons aside from fashion. When in a position where one's covering is being argued to be driven by the dictates of fashion, maintain your argument that it is from deeply held beliefs. The law in the United States allows for freedom of religious expression. This includes head coverings.

There may be some circumstances where allowances must be made. Check, however, if these allowances are required of everyone. If a Catholic nun is permitted to wear her wimpel and veil, you are permitted your head covering as well. Some places may require documentation that you are expression sincerely held religious beliefs (ie: a note from your pastor or spiritual adviser). In the event of this circumstance, go to the members of your religious community and get their assistance. It may be that someone in your local community has the ability to sign said documentation as an ordained minister. If you want to be extra careful, get it notarized and keep a copy of it on hand.

Next veiling post will talk about how to navigate the world of veiling from a beginner's perspective. I'll be focusing on immediate family and household matters first.

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1. While garments may have different connotations in different settings due to cultural and social mores, it does not change the fact that they are merely pieces of fabric upon our body. This is a stance that I hold with respect to all forms of clothing and whomever is wearing it. It may not be pleasing in a matter of aesthetics or be appropriate for the situation, but this is not a matter to shame someone over. Any and all aspects of clothing having meaning is assigned by the person wearing it. Assumptions as to what that meaning is by others is pure foolishness and results in the problems that we are discussing.

2.I could devote a small novella to my opinions upon the matter of propaganda and how it influences culture. The perpetuation of the 'dangerous Muslim' stereotype is among the ones that I find repellant because it dehumanizes a vast swath of people with out any regard for the individuals. I object to this on more levels then I can coherently express right now.

3. If you have any reason to be concerned for your safety or welfare, vacate the area immediately and seek out assistance. No one has the right to assault or harass you. This is a crime and you have a legitimate cause to seek out the assistance of law enforcement if it comes to be necessary.

4. If in a situation where all about you are considered hostile and a potential threat to your welfare, exit the location immediately. Don't get yourself into a dangerous situation on the basis of pride.

Veiling: Three challenges to the practice

The western world is very secular and views the only appropriate time for veiling is for a wedding. On occasion, the secular world will tolerate a widow wearing a birdcage veil but only if it is small. The people that the western world view as appropriate to wear veils on regular basis are nuns. There is grudging tolerance given to Muslim women and their hijab. Additionally, it is tolerated in a restricted fashion for women who are of African-American descent, if they do so in a fashion that is appropriately 'ethnic'.

The Mennonites and the Amish are tolerated in much the same fashion as women of color. The wearing of bandannas and charity style veils are becoming accepted in conservative Christian communities. It is, however, viewed as a sign of their status as 'other' within the more protestant Christian oriented society at large. Because the conservative Christians are similar in their beliefs to the protestant Christians that society at large considers to be mainstream, the people who come from these sects are given something of a blind eye to their increasingly distinctive manner of dress.

The ingrained attitude that veiling is for specific people and should be done in certain ways for the groups in question is the first challenge to people who wish to wear a veil and do not fall into those categories. A white woman who is non-Christian is viewed with suspicion when she chooses to wear her veil in a manner that resembles the styles of hijab worn by Muslim women. Especially if in the midst of it all, she does not conform to the appearance expected to accompany that style. Accusations of cultural appropriation are an extension of the tendency of society at large to pigeonhole people as being a certain way on the basis of their appearances.

When one wears a veil and does not conform to the expected appearances for the fashion of veiling that is worn, they find themselves on the receiving end of a great deal of vitriol from people who are attempting to keep societal norms within the 'commonly accepted' parameters. This body policing brings people who stand outside of those norms a great deal of difficulty and can contribute to problems in how these people view themselves. This is the first major challenge that people who veil encounter, especially at the beginning of the practice.

The second major challenge that is encountered is a direct outgrowth from the attitudes that give rise to the first. When a person begins to veil, they will inevitably have someone comment on their new appearance with statements to the effect that they should show their hair/body because it is so 'pretty'. This is partly body policing and partly a continuation of an attitude that is problematic for women in general. The idea that one's appearance and body is some how communal property is one that we consciously reject when we choose to dress in a modest manner (including but not limited to dressing in 'traditional' clothing styles, ie: dresses and skirts for women).

It is very difficult and very uncomfortable to have people tell you that what you are doing in dressing in this fashion is selfish. It sends the message that this is improper behavior and that we are not permitted autonomy with respect to our appearances. It also sends the message that we do not have the authority to make decisions with respect to our bodies. Veiling brings out the 'wistful' body police almost as much as when a woman chooses a shorter hair style after having long locks. Sending the message that one is some how less for making these decisions is reprehensible.

The third major challenge that people who take up veiling encounter is the attitude that it is a mere fashion statement. Veiling for spiritual reasons or other purposes is a legitimate thing. The person who veils as an expression of their spirituality and in accordance with their professed faith is not doing so because it is stylish. Unfortunately, the secular aspect of Western society fails to consider the spiritual aspect of doing so. It is bitterly ironic considering how it accepts that one wearing jewelry in accordance with their faith is appropriate. One is no less important to the person wearing it then the other. Indeed, a garment may be considered to possibly be of greater importance then jewelry in some cases.

This failure to consider veiling as a legitimate form of expression of one's faith has lead to many people being troubled by their employers, coworkers, and officials in the community over their head covering. It is the attitude that one's manner of dress is dictated by the trends of the day rather then one's deeply held religious beliefs that creates situations where it is considered appropriate to ask someone who is wearing a veil to remove it. The outward expression of one's faith is not limited to their speech. It can also be expressed by their clothing choices, hence veiling. It is difficult for people who veil to do so because of the intolerant attitudes they encounter.

Next veiling post, I will propose arguments to present when these challenges arise and one must handle an intolerant person.