Wednesdays Under Wraps: Why We Cover

Greetings Earthlings!

I want to continue the discussion, today, on why some Pagan women choose to cover their hair. Paganism is not like other religions. There are truly no hard and fast rules to be a Pagan. We all know of the mainstream religions that have rules about head covering, but why do Pagans choose to cover when it's not typical to the religion? Last week I posted a question in one of my head covering groups. I asked for members to share with me why they choose to veil as Pagans. Just like the women who shared their stories, they were all different, but still had something in common. Called by Goddess or not, each member who responded said something to the effect of "it just felt right." So, whether inspired by non-pagans who veil, or by Divinity, we all seem to be in agreement that once the scarf was on, it felt natural!

Something I've noticed as a common thread among the different members of the group, is that we all seem to feel better when we veil. It helps us feel contained and calm. It soothes frayed nerves and anxiety. It helps to contain our energy and keep us from absorbing the energy of others. It's a form of energetic protection - spiritual armor, if you will. It's a tangible thing that connects us to the intangible! And, on top of all the paranormal, supernatural or metaphysical (whatever your word for the unknown) properties, having a scarf on makes us feel good! And by good, I mean, DAMN GOOD!! I've yet to see someone post saying they feel like the scarf detracts from their beauty. I know when I wrap, especially when I put some effort into choosing a scarf and a style, I feel pretty! I feel confident and un-stopable!! A friend of mine likes to say "un-fuckable-with" when she's feeling sassy and confident! My veil makes me feel UN-FUCKABLE-WITH!!

Everyone likes to criticize Islam and Hijab. People like to say Muslim women are "opressed." But, WHY are they opressed? Because they get to choose how much of themselves they want to allow strangers to see? That to me is the very definition of freedom! I don't walk around naked, I choose who gets to see my body. The same with my hair! And it's not that hair is a sexual object, not at all. However, I do like to know that I can decide whether I want to show it or not! I'm not a slave to society. I'm not a slave to a hair salon (although proper hair care is important whether you veil or not!) People don't like Hijab or other head coverings because they think they are entitled to see certain parts of people, women especially, and when we deny them, they get upset. "Why do you want to hide yourself?" Well, frankly, "Susan," because you're not worthy.

I don't veil full time, I'm not allowed to at work and I also know when it's simply not appropriate (in MY opinion). For example, I'm not going go to a bar wearing a headscarf. I'd be worried about misrepresenting a Muslims, who don't participate in that kind of behavior. But I'm also not one to pass up a night out with my friends, so, the scarf stays home those nights, and that is a personal choice I've made. Some may feel differently, and that's okay. There are also days where I just don't feel like it's necessary. I tend to listen to my intuition, and if it's going to be a struggle to make a headscarf work, I'll probably pass. My Goddess, Brigid, recommended veiling to me as a suggestion to help with my anxiety around large crowds. She always made it clear to me that it was MY choice and that I could choose not to cover at will. I don't feel guilty if I go a stretch of time without veiling. Until I start to notice my anxiety begin to spiral out of control. Then I simply make an effort to veil as often as possible.

Others DO veil full time. They are able to do so at work and school, so they do. Many are devoted to the Goddess Hestia, also known as Vesta. The cult of the Vestal Virgins is probably one of the most well known ancient religious cults in history. I'll be delving more deeply into the subject another time, however, it's interesting to see her name still inspires such devotion among her daughters! Some women weren't called by a particular Deity, but just "felt" the urge to put on a scarf. One thing's for sure, there are as many reasons women choose to cover as there are women who do so! I truly count myself blessed to be a part of such a diverse and incredible group of women! We are all beautiful in our uniqueness! One thing that I know to be certain, is that it takes a great deal of courage to cover your hair in today's society. I can't speak for everyone, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't notice any weird looks

I hope you found this informative, useful or even just entertaining. If you have any questions, or if you would like to share your journey with the veil, please do comment down below! you can also find me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, all the links are on the side of the page!

Until next time!