Witchcraft: Daily Practice - Day 17

Clothing

When I began my Pagan Witchcraft journey, I was very solitary; it was pre-internet, and I did not know anyone in my area who walked the spiritual pathway. However, I did have a love of clothing (still do). When I began to find like-minded folk out in the real world and to attend rituals, my wardrobe expanded to include ritual dresses, robes and cloaks. At the time, the group I belonged to required full ritual dress, the idea being that dressing up in robes and cloaks was a way of honouring the gods, which I do agree with generally. Over time, my thoughts have changed somewhat. Roll forward a few years, when we began hosting our own Kitchen Witch Coven rituals, there were folk who wanted to come to the open rituals but felt they could not because they did not own a cloak or fancy robes. There is no way people should not feel welcome or comfortable in a ritual if they only have jeans and a sweatshirt. These days, although I do still own a couple of cloaks, the long, drapey-sleeved items have long since been donated to charity; really, they are the most impractical pieces of clothing ever invented. Now I wear what I feel comfortable in. Just to be contrary, though, clothing can be a ‘key’ to put you in a witchy frame of mind. Dressing up in ritual robes and a cloak could be the switch needed to make that jump back into your magical self. A cloak is ideal for doing just that, but equally, it could be a shawl or scarf that brings you that magical feeling.

If the idea of having a magical piece of clothing appeals to you, you do not need to purchase a cloak; you can, of course, but they can be quite expensive. I have seen some very inventive cloaks made from altar cloths or tablecloths, just fastened with a brooch. Scarves or shawls can be picked up from charity/thrift stores very cheaply and can be used as your magical head covering or over your shoulders when you meditate or work spells. Heck, even a sweatshirt could be designated as your magical wear! If it makes you feel witchy, then it is a magical item of clothing for sure.

Prompt:

•             Try wearing different outfits and seeing how magical you feel in them.

•             Put a shawl on for meditation and see if it works to change your frame of mind.

•             Make yourself a cloak from a shawl or tablecloth, even a sheet thrown around you, and see if it makes you feel any different.

•             Try wearing different hats or head scarves.

•             Identify which items in your wardrobe make you feel magical.