Something I've Discovered...

[Katsbrain]

I am on a decidedly naturalistic/pantheistic path, but I do practice ritual meditation. Recently, I have had trouble keeping my focus and shutting out the many little distractions (loud neighbors, the toilet running, the persistent voice in my head telling me I need to do laundry). When we finally had a cold snap this winter (I live in southern Florida, where anything below the 50s is rather rare), I was sitting in my living room wrapped up in a large shawl (head included) and a weird sort of flash of inspiration came to me. I lit my candle and incense, and kept the shawl over my head and wrapped around my shoulders, identifying it as symbolic of the all-encompassing nature of Divinity as well as an insulation of sorts for my soul against the mundane distractions. I have not felt such a sense of peace and personal power in ritual before! I have since made draping myself around the head and shoulders a part of my rituals, and recognized an immediate effect. Because my path is naturalistic, I tend to see this as a psychological phenomenon more than anything supernatural, but I don't think that means it is not meaningful or spiritual in nature. As a pantheist, the human psyche IS spiritual, because it is just one more aspect of the universe.

What I would like to know, though, is if there are any traditions that encourage this practice, aside from some branches of the Abrahamic faiths, where head covering, in ritual, prayer, or everyday life is relatively common? If so, what is the meaning of it? I have seen lots of pagan-inspired art that feature people, usually women, wearing veils or shawls, but never knew if it was for aesthetic reasons on the part of the artist, or referencial to a particular path or practice.

[madness]

I've used several meditation techniques that use a key like that to trigger a good state of mind. It may just be that it works for you.

On the other hand, head covering is by no means an unknown religious idea. From a pagan perspective (well, from MY perspective!), I would liken it to The Veil. You are literally wearing the veil and crossing into another world - into another mindset. The symbolism seems clear to me.

As far as a traditional pagan head covering? Hmm...nothing is reaching its way out of the depths of my brain at the moment...

[Áine de Morrígan]

I have an inkling that the pictures you're talking about - the pagan-inspired art with women wearing shawls as you described - are inspired primarily by photographs of Irish (and probably other Celtic cultures, or it might even be a universal thing) natives in rural areas. Many of the iconic photographs of old Irish women are complete with a shawl draped around the shoulders and very often around the head. I think it has translated into crone imagery. In reality, I think all women wore shawls like this to keep themselves warm? But particularly older women. I haven't checked this out at all, but I know this is true of early photographs of rural Ireland, such as those taken by JM Synge in the early 20th century. There could well be a more religious association too, but that's just my theory on where the pagan imagery comes from!

[Heliotrope]

http://riamorrison.hubpages.com/hub/Veiled-Pagans

Here is a link to an article that a pagan wrote some time ago about being "veiled"...

[Katsbrain]

Thank you, Heliotrope! That's a wonderful article, and the comments for it have indicated that head covering in modern paganism is not so unheard-of! Since I first posted this, I have been learning about Hestia (I am being drawn to the Greek pantheon and Hellenismos more and more lately) and have discovered that she is often portrayed as being veiled. I feel a real kinship with her, as I am very much a happy domestic and embrace the "womanly arts." I will have to study more and meditate on where this may be leading me. I have always had a strange urge to veil crop up now and then throughout my life. I thought as first it may simply be a sense of aesthetics (the framing of the face can be quite flattering), but I see now it could be something much deeper.

[brymble]

When I was a new Wiccan, many moons ago, I was taught, and also read in books (Uncle Bucky's, I think, and others) that hoods on robes were a practical, although optional, feature of design, that served the purpose of limiting vision and other mundane senses, thus enhancing meditation. To this day I still find the restricted vision of a black hooded robe to be one of my favorite meditation aids. I just have trouble finding a hood that will fit over my hair!

[madness]

I just have trouble finding a hood that will fit over my hair!

I immediately knew you had dreadlocks! (looked at your album to confirm.) Tell me about it. I've taken to making most of my own hats and things but haven't done a hooded thing yet.

I like the idea of limiting distractions. That actually makes a lot of sense to me. Maybe one of these days I can actually find the concentration to meditate again.

[Katsbrain]

Since I first made the OP, I have been studying the issue of pagans and headcovering extensively, and I have been extremely surprised at the results! There seems to be a small, but growing, movement of pagan women of a variety of paths embracing headcovering for prayer, ritual, and/or everyday use. Some of them are followers of Hellenismos or Religio Romana, and there are also members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) who identify as pagans, indicating that the Friends may be headed in the post-Christianity direction that the Unitarian Universalist Church went down years ago. My personal spirituality is undergoing a very distinct evolution (with my practices and focus heading into the direction of Hellenismos), and I have a feeling that headcovering will become a part of this transition. It is actually very exciting for me!

[Ula]

I don't wear special clothing but I do wear a shawl over my head my husband gave me. It's for when I mediate to help keep light out and when I do spell work.

[Garm]

Yeah, yeah it starts out innocently enough

First caps, then shawls then work your way up to blankets

Then before you know it, your'e getting in to the heavy stuff

http://www.northernshamanism.org/shamanic-techniques/altered-state/going-under-the-cloak.html

[Garm]

But seriously it all sounds like it descends from being a kid and pulling the blanket over your head to keep the monsters out