Skyclad or Robed

[Mysterious]

Just taking a poll to see what people prefer and whether it's your preference or your tradition etc.

I mostly work robed especially since in this house people are apt to barge in at unexpected moments, but I've tried both.

[argento_occhi]

Em Hotep! ( in peace)

I'm first to reply! That much be a first for me.

i'm much the spontaneous one for rituals, so sometimes i'm wearing whatever i wore that day, or i've just had a shower, or i'm in my pyjamas. I find it much more rewarding doing spontaneous rituals. I have robes, but after a full moon rite where part of the lovely flowing robe i was wearing caught fire briefly (it only burnt for about 5 seconds before I put it out). I'm not one to risk it again. Besides, I was Wiccan at the time, though I'm Kemetic Pagan now. The kemetic rituals I perform now don't require casting circles and such like, which means I have more room to do spontaneous rituals of lighting candles on my altar, or burning some incense. Sometimes, the process of drawing an offering picture for The Gods is the same as kneeling before my altar, lighting candles and chanting a prayer. I'm in my pyjamas now, actually, even though it's after midday, and i've just gotten up.

hope this helps.

bright blessings
argento_occhi.

[Sylvan]

I voted skyclad because that's what I'd rather. Being solitary, that's just fine for me, but the few times I do get together with others, I usually wear clean, nice jeans, and a decent shirt. I like spontaneous rituals too, and sometimes they do happen when I've got whatever I happen to have on, on. *shrug* It depends... :ack:

[MoonFaerie]

I prefer to work robed. Since I really don't follow a tradition I don't put myself into the niche of having to wear a specific things for rituals. Everyone likes to get dressed up, even I do at times. I just don't think one needs to associate wearing special cloths in order to set your mind to do these sorts of things. Make sense? To me it does.. Please note these are just my beliefs on the clothing issue, don't hold it agains me :)

~ MoonFaerie

[cloud]

i wouldn't be comfortable skyclad.. if i had a robe.. i would use that, but since i don't i just use jeans and a t-shirt usually. so my vote is "other".

[Aranel]

personally i would love to go skycald but my circle would kill me so i can't. that's why i clicked other.

blessings and light
Aranel

[banondraig]

i voted other. i don't have any robes, but i have a dress which i wear for formal rituals. i was raised with the belief that one dresses up for ritual in order to show respect for God (i.e. making a special effort). the fact that i no longer worship the same god has not changed my feelings on the subject. :lol: i like skyclad in theory, but i don't have an indoor place of my own, and outdoors is full of mosquitos when it's not just plain too cold.

[mothwench]

personally i would love to go skycald but my circle would kill me so i can't. that's why i clicked other.

blessings and light
Aranel
eh? what kind of a circle is that? :huh:

[Aranel]

we have a little circle with my friends, they say that they would be uncomfortable with me being skyclad. :hairraise

when we all split to go to uni i will start going skyclad but til then i use my robe so that i don't make them uncomfortable.

[blueiris]

i don't think i'm comfortable enough with myself to go skyclad...I usually do whatever's comfortable and whatever I'm weaing (i do a lot of spontaneous rituals as well) but sometimes I wear my pajamas as they're the most comfortable thing I own! :hehehehe:

[Convallaria]

As a solitary witch I tend to go skyclad as I'm sure I won't offend anyone, lol. But in the winter I find it reasonable to be robed.

[Rick]

From August 2001... enjoy: Skyclad (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=4905&highlight=skyclad)

[13thChylde]

I've done both, depending on circumstances.

[Antoninus]

Ive gone shirtless before, but often times its cold around here and NO way Im standin outside when its butt cold. Plus the terrain around here isnt condusive to being naked, nosy neighbors and ZERO grass. My handfull of rituals have taken place at night so like I said, temperature was a factor. Plus Im VERY self consious about my body so Id be too embarassed, even if I was alone.

[Fairywolf]

From August 2001... enjoy: Skyclad (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=4905&highlight=skyclad)
Rick are you gonna wear the Fig leaf??? :heybaby: :hehehehe:

[WiccanGoddess]

I go robed, but sometimes I'll go in something skimpy, like short shorts and a tight shirt. Depends on the weather...if it's hot, I'll go in my PJs, if it's cold, something comfortable. I have only gone skyclad once, but prefer robed.

[LittleRhiannon]

I prefer being robed. If the ritual is inside, sometimes I'll go skyclad, but usually only if I can't use my robes for some reason.

Being solitary right now, it doesn't matter much to me. But if I was in a group, I wouldn't go skyclad, as I have really neurotic privacy issues.

[Linx]

I go robbed... I cant get over being selfconcious

[Vuthiel]

I chose "Other/Not sure" because I don't do either. I don't work skyclad, because I have a personal aversion to my own nudity. (It just makes me feel self-conscious, I guess... even when I'm by myself.) I also don't wear any special robes, either. I just work in my regular clothes. Generally because I don't do any elaborate rituals that would require special clothing. I pretty much do all my work on the fly, and I don't work with ritual tools or anything... so I guess I just don't see any need for me to dress in a special way.

[Flaire-FireStar]

I have done skyclad before (once) just to see if it was any different...But I was much too distracted by my own body. (yah, I'm not comfortable in my skin)

I don't have a robe (yet), though I'm planning on making one, one of these days.

[absynthia]

I've done both, though I've no problem being skyclad, especially when my ritual takes place in the bath. I live in a large city, though, so when I work outdoors, it's generally in street clothes or at least decent pajamas.

[moonmorgan]

I chose other because I wasn't sure if by robed you meant in robes or just in clothes. I work in my general clothes. Although I do have a makeshift robe now that I might consider using. But regular clothes work just fine for me.

[Alexandra Asinine]

My tradition of study prefers Skyclad. But, since I'm starting with a new group, the first year we work together robed in order to get to know each other before making the leap of trust.

[enchancea]

I prefer to wear clothes because Im not very comfortable being naked.

[amberwolf]

I voted robed as I try to do alot of my rituals outside and the British weather isnt very tolerant to skyclad lol.If Im working at home and I have the house to myself i will do it skyclad..

[Ben Trismegistus]

I prefer going skyclad, and my coven does a few skyclad circles a year (Samhain, for instance, is always skyclad) - but due to space-renting issues, we generally stay robed unless we're at someone's house.

As for those with privacy and/or trust issues, one should never go skyclad in a group until the entire group feels completely comfortable with each other. Like in Alexandra's case, my coven worked together entire clothed for over a year until we all received our first degree initiations. By then, everyone in the coven had grown so close that going skyclad (which several of us had been uncomfortable about when we began) seemed like the most natural thing in the whole world.

And for anyone thinking of joining a group, beware of groups that insist on working skyclad from the outset. They're probably just interested in naked chicks.

[Desert_Yaqui]

"...They're probably just interested in naked chicks..."

so THAT really happens? :rotfl:

[Avalon]

Most of my winter rituals are done clothed in ordinary streetclothes, but I have a special necklace that I put on...in the summer, I have two long dresses (white and black) that I wear according to need...and when I have an intense magickal working, I will go skyclad. Oh, and I always unbind my hair, no matter what I wear...

[Felidae]

Robed - now because I feel more comfortable that way, but when I was starting out I felt more "magickal" that way, probably due to overexposure to horror movies. :)

[Bainidhe Dub]

I go both skyclad and robed; since I have moved back with my parents though, it's mostly robed, except when I know for sure 100% that I won't be bothered. I don't usually unbind my hair, because it's sort of long and I really don't want to catch it on fire.

[Ben Trismegistus]

so THAT really happens? :rotfl:
Oh, absolutely. I met a woman who was feeling uncomfortable about her coven because her HP had informed them that in order to receive their third degree, all the female coven members would have to have sex with the HP.

[Rick]

Rick are you gonna wear the Fig leaf??? :heybaby: :hehehehe:
Hehehe... nah...





softball mitt...




:heybaby: :hehehehe:

[Fairywolf]

Hehehe... nah...





softball mitt...




:heybaby: :hehehehe:
LMMFAO!!!!

[TornadoAli]

Neither really. I wear whatever makes me feel "witchy" at the time.

[Mesektet]

My work doesnt really require a clothing aspect, just that you are comfortable, but i have done skyclad, though robes? only use them in leisure wear....

[Seren Mara]

Oh, absolutely. I met a woman who was feeling uncomfortable about her coven because her HP had informed them that in order to receive their third degree, all the female coven members would have to have sex with the HP.


!


:hairraise


I am speechless!

[Desert_Yaqui]

!


:hairraise


I am speechless!


Holy Crap!

I just came back to see this and realized that BenT answered my question...


Seren... :hairraise I too, am speechless!

[corsai]

well skylad most be interesting, but i cant do that here, so, i guess its what you what, you o purificaton with salt and oils water and, respect the higher power, times have change, but mind power is still alive, i think its up to the person
peace

[AmbivalentMirage]

I do whatever feels right to me. :) Both have pros and cons. ^.^

[serenarian]

It depends on the ritual but the usual trend for me is skyclad at sabbats and robed for my usual, more regular rituals. :D

[Morr]

PJs all the way.. mostly because I work at night (midnight - my fave time).. Plus, I'm usually after a bath, and I want to wear something comfortable..
I usually go straight to sleep after I'm done with a ritual (cause I get exahusted from all the energy raising, etc), so having my PJs on me works :)

Michelle

[Enchanted Echoes]

Depends on my mood... I have done both. Only nekkid around Hubby though.

[rain_fallen_tears]

I mostly do work in plain clothing....my best are usually in comfy pajamas after a relaxing shower or bath...I've done skyclad...but it didn't effect much change for me...I would like to try it robed...but its not the highest of my supply priorities...maybe I'll make one soon....hmmm....must dwell on this....;)-Blessed be.

[phoenixblayze]

i have done both, but preferr skyclad. when you go to gatherings were the majority of people run around naked, you get kinda used to it..... :lol: and i feel more in my element that way

[Kadynas]

I prefer skyclad too, but if it's freezing I'll wear a robe... :) Find it kind of hard to focus when I'm shivering! :lol:

[dragonspirit 69]

This time of year it is too cold not to wear anything but come this summer ... :elf:

[grnpuffer]

skyclad when the ritual involves jumping through bon fires (Whooo Hooo!!)
Robed for everything else (we use deep trance in a lot of our work and hypothermia takes the edge off the buzz)

[WillowBrook]

When I'm in the privacy of my own home (and if it's not too cold) I work skylad. For public gatherings or when the weathers a bit chilly, I usually wear robes. If the working is a bit spur of the moment and just going to be basic then I'm likely to just wear whatever I have on. :)

[DeerWolf]

The first this I do when I get home is undress so in house I am skyclad. As for Outdoor Rituals well I am 15 minutes from the White House. I Wouldn't want shock a good upstanding man :smoke: like GW :sick: . Honest I wouldn't :lol:

[DraconisArcanus]

I prefer robed but have also done my initiation ritual skyclad (In Wisconsin on a cold fall/winter's night). Talk about shrinkage...whew! LOL


Peace

[Agayvli Wahya]

I prefer robed, although I've done rituals skyclad before. There's a cyst on my tailbone that won't heal, basically an open wound, and it tends to attract insects, so no skyclad for me if I can help it.

[ArKane]

I prefer robed. There was a incident last week invovling an arse cheek and a mudcrab that has really turned me off going nekkid.

[Joe Nobody]

While I would normally work robed I am often quite lazy and just work skyclad. But if I am working in a group setting or if I feel that I need to reach a higher state of consciousness for special purposes then I work robed.

[Kalika]

I do both... but I think I'm unusual in the sense that I like to do my outdoor rituals skyclad... and my indoor robed. :) Call me crazy. :lol:

[Dextra]

I've tried both, but I prefer to be clothed. I used to do robes, but I was never really comfortable in them, and I wasn't comfortable being skyclad either. And DEFINETLY not in the presence of others. I usually just wear something loose and comfortable. Like I have a light and gauzy cotton shirt and pants that's very comfortable. And a good deal of my rituals are spontaneous, so when the mood strikes me, taking time out for a wardrobe change is kind of a mood killer.

[Druchii]

I prefer robed. There was a incident last week invovling an arse cheek and a mudcrab that has really turned me off going nekkid.


:lol: :lol: Funny!

[Avalon]

:lol: :lol: Funny!
And what about you, sweetie? :heybaby:

[Druchii]

And what about you, sweetie? :heybaby:

VERY robed thank you very much! :hehehehe: :hehehehe:

[Wascally Wabbit]

It's truly whatever you feel comfortable in. Nudity is o.k. if you really prefer it and are in a comfortable place for it, but that isn't always the case. Whenever there is nudity for some ostensible purpose, there are some people who have ulterior motives for encouraging it, especially if there are young girls involved. I don't have any particular experiences with this in the pagan community, but that's a general observation I'll pass on to the younger women. Always follow your feelings.

[Memnoch McKiln]

I have done both, and prefer robed in most cases, simply because the people around me tend to, I'm solitary, but I'm usually not alone when I do ritual. If I am absolutly alone, I'll do Skyclad. The few times I have done ritual with anyone else, it was either with a very large robed group, or it was just me and my ex, and we went skyclad. I, however would not have a problem with a skyclad, or mixed group, and would most likely go Skyclad if it was an option. I am very secure with my body, and mature enough to establish the mental perception difference between a Woman being Skyclad, and a naked Woman.

[CryssieWillow]

I prefer robed. I have only gone skyclad in the absolute privacy of my room. I don't take standing naked before the Gods very lightly. I would never do it in front of others.

Bare feet I find very important. Like to stay in touch with the earth.
(don't believes that magick can be obstructed by a piece of cloth anyways, but that's my opinion)

[Veritas]

The human and non human form is beautiful whether robed or unrobed.

[MoonKnight]

I'm solitary and I prefer to work skyclad. Of course, if I were to join a coven, I wouldn’t have a problem working skyclad.

[halfwaynowhere]

well, i don't usually get to do anything, but i prefer the idea of working skyclad, although if i were working in a group, i would probably go robed for the first few times...

[Faerin]

I wear a robe (a white dress, actually) because it feels more comfortable. I don't mean like self conscious comfy, I just mean I like the feel of soft fabric when I'm in ritual or whatnot. I'm one of those people that has to have at least a sheet over myself when I sleep, even if it's totally hot. I just don't like going around naked, even though I'm totally comfortable with my body.

[The Shadowy Dawn]

i do mostly robed but when ever i can go skyclad... man! i tear my clothes off!!! lol.. nah j/k... but it is great to go sky clad, no itchy material.. but it does get a little frosty.. lol,,, :bumpsmili

plus, idk, i just get better vibrations and it just feels better goin all nudy... :rollingla

[-Ember]

I tend to prefer robed. I get over self conciousness quickly enough, but not when others are self concious about it.

Also, there are just enough issues surrounding nudity that I don't feel it is something to force unless there is the support to work through those issues. The nudity itself isn't important (I don't believe that cloth interferes with magic) and the mindset issues that are important can usually be worked on in less traumatic ways.

[Pandoras]

I voted robed. Actually, I don't even have a robe and at the public Sabbats I've attended, people wear mostly regular street clothes. I'm not comfortable with ritual nudity and I don't find that clothing affects my workings in any way.

[Windigo]

I prefer skyclad but I do live in Canada, so certain seasonal exceptions have to be made :floating:

[Wolfscout1]

To be or not be Skyclad has never been an issue for me, whatever i'm wearing works fine.
Though i do like to be shoeless when i'm working with energy. Just helps me to feel grounded more readily.

[Hecates angel]

I voted both. It depends on the work/ritual involved as well as my mood. I'm not to into freezing my arse off if it's cold or being barged in on by a family member however there are times when it feels appropriate.

Namaste, Hecates Angel

[Ailinea]

I voted both. I prefer being warm overall, so robed, but occasionaly get the feeling to hold a ritual skyclad.

Usually I'm in whatever's comfortable at the moment.

[Moonlight's Daughter]

I generally go skyclad. I am solitary and live in an apt. I tried robed but with the candles I light, I just get too hot! I am on the middle floor so I have lots of insulation!

Brandiwyn