#devotional veiling

[pomegranatehymns]

Ignore the mask filter, I don't like showing my full face, but this is the current fit, I'm out in public, and I've never worn a headcover like this in public.

I'm super nervous, but I saw one of my buddies, and he immediately cracked a joke to make me feel better. (I'm a Star Wars fan, and he called me darth sidious lol)

But yea, I'm officially veiling in a way closer to what I want outside of work :)

[theonewhowails]

rotating this fucked up cat in my head like a rotisserie chicken

[apolloslyrics]

Here is your reminder that veiling does NOT have to be with traditional veils!

It's okay to veil with a hat.

It's okay to veil with a bandana.

It's okay to veil with a scarf.

It's okay to veil with jewelry.

It's okay to veil with oils.

It's okay to veil with perfume.

It's okay to veil with a simple cleansing.

Heck, it's okay to veil with hair binding!!

It's okay to veil with ANYTHING, and to prove it, here is my veil for today. It's a new hairstyle I'm trying out! (Also, a face reveal?? omg!)

Love yall! Take care of yourselves 🫶🌻

[hestiashearthfire]

Veiling Hellenic polytheists interact! I think I’m going to start veiling for Hera/Hestia.

[apple-piety]

So, not even a week after resuming my veiling practice, I experienced discrimination. I don’t wish to recount the experience to save my emotional energy, but I do want to go into why I’m glad I had this experience, and how it encourages me to continue.

Firstly, I want to acknowledge the fact that my preferred approach to veiling does in fact make me resemble Muslim women. And because of this, I want to give a heartfelt thank you to Muslim women worldwide for setting the standard for others who find empowerment and comfort in modesty. As a white person, I have been aware of and sympathetic to the plight of Muslim women worldwide, but it’s different when it happens to you. It cements it. My heart aches for your strife and is full by your courage. This is one reason I’m glad for this experience. It strengthens my resolve and compassion. Thank you.

Another reason I’m glad for the experience, is because it reiterates why I want to veil in the first place. I live in Midwestern America. Our bodily autonomy is quickly being stolen from us. Our bodies are hyper-sexualized and spoken about as if all I’m good for is having babies that the government can raise as cattle for the capitalist machine. It’s a physical symbol of rejecting that. I get to decide how I look to others. I get to decide who gets access to my body, not just in a sexual manner but as a whole. For me, it’s a radical act of feminism. It feels as though the fibers in my headscarves and coverings are woven together in a greater tapestry of women worldwide. I can feel it with Muslim women, whom I do not share a religion with, but share something more important: kinship, and sisterhood. My threads are woven with the Muslim women in France who are fighting legislation for their right to be modest (that is batshit insane) and also with those victimized by western imperialism (which gave birth to the Taliban). The tapestry is worldwide, including Jewish women and their tichels, other pagans with their bandanas and beanies, even traditional Christian women who wear lace coverings. But modesty and autonomy reach beyond the gender divide so I have home in those who are also men, nonbinary, gender-fluid, two-spirit, and many others. It is community. It filters out many people who show their true intentions and beliefs, and makes it so much easier to cut through the lies and masks of people whose support is conditional.

I have always been modest and prudish and now I can celebrate it, instead of being “othered” by it. I feel as though it is a symbol of my devotion, but also a form of radical self-care that I celebrate myself.

It is Hera’s Crown.

It is Athena’s War Helmet.

It is Hermes’ Winged Helmet.

It is Eurybia’s Cloak of the Ocean.

It is Hades’ Helmet of Shadow.

It is Hestia’s Veil.

It is Zeus’ Crown.

It makes me feel godly and holy. It protects me. It invigorates me. It gives me confidence.

Khaire.

[lovewardeath]

Pagan Veiling

I used to veil all the time when I was a Christian & when I was Muslim, and I did wear the veiling type that is commonly associated with Muslims. I still have those articles of clothing, scarves, etc.

I do plan on veiling again but this time, it’s for me and for the deities I work with. I do plan as well to share photos at some point.

[praise-to-the-theoi]

To Lady Hestia for confidence and safety when veiling

Hear me, Beloved Hestia,

Daughter of Kronos of Time and Flowing Rhea.

She who feeds the fires of Olympus and calls all hearths her home,

Eternal Hestia, the veiled goddess, and keeper of the home,

If I have ever lit your flame in your honour, please accept this prayer,

I wear this veil in honour of you and ask you to grant me the confidence to wear it in public, please sheild me from the negative thoughts and actions of others and to keep me safe outside my home,

I ask for your favour with a token of my praise, I offer to you (offering)

[apollons-laurel]

Went on a walk wearing my veil for the first time in public, and this field of buttercups reminded me of Lord Apollon, I ended up collecting a few and putting them on his altar

[herashandmaiden]

Well I thought wrapping at work was going well until a coworker told me I looked like 1) a fortune teller 2) a hippie and 3) I smoked weed. I can’t even be mad anymore. This is just exhausting. I’m going to keep wrapping, but I am tired.

[devotedtomygods]

'Wrath of Hera (Female Rage)'

Digital

There's actually a story behind this one... I have a conservative Christian grandmother. And as a veiling pagan, she doesn't really accept me, you know? She is most against me veiling, and talks shit about my, our, religion. Calls our gods evil and bad and says that I'm scared of them... Nothing about that is right.

Well... she made me understand that I could be allowed to have my veil on while visiting her house (I wasn't allowed to even come to her yard before with my veil on) and yesterday I wanted to visit her, but seems that she has changed her mind. I went to hug her, like I always do when we meet. For a moment I was overjoyed, I thought she was gonna hug me back! But instead she grapped my veil and pushed it down and said 'Take that off in MY house'.

Long story short I left after that and I only started crying outside, but suddenly from different yards dogs started barking and howling. It was a.... it was quite an experience. Me crying for being mistreated and all these dogs around me just barking, I didn't even see any of them.

But yeah I rather kept my veil on than stayed in that toxic place... Since the veil is a sacred thing of Hera, I know She is mad for how I was treated, and how She was treated, as well. Here I tried to portray Her wrath towards what was done to me. Do not be mistaken, She totally doesn't blame me. I'm quite proud of how I handled the situation and I think She is too.

Yeah... so that happened... enjoy my traumadumping hah

[ianitos]

to anyone who wears veils as a polytheist or pagan:

what styles do you wear?

do you fully veil or only partially?

do you veil consistently or only on certain days/dates?

if the later, what's your schedule?

i am simply curious since i've started veiling :)

[kallisto-aglaia]

REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO VEIL

Ramadan is here! Which means muslima clothing stores are going crazy with the Ramadan sales. We're talking hijabs/veils for as little as $5 pre-tax/shipping. We're talking BOGO deals. We're talking 50/60/70%

Now is the time to rack up those veils yall. Get em while you can.

[roses-and-split-open-peaches]

Our Lady is no more, nor less, both different and the same, a chimera which changes with every approach, a ruby filled with innumerable facets, a room full of dancing girls all fitted with veils.

Approaching Babalon: Essays for the Abyss by Georgia van Raalte

“How can a goddess so obviously sexy, sexual, sexed, and sexualised, ever ask for or expect modesty? Doesn’t that defeat the point?” Is the question that briefly flit across my mind when the thought of religious modesty bubbled up from devotional time with Babalon. It wasn’t a question that stuck around for long – Babalon is a Woman of many surprises. After reflection it makes more than a small bit of sense…especially when considering Her inverse as Saturn the destroyer, a cycle ender, a ‘mother’ that destroys everything she creates. Veiling for grief and loss, modesty in the everyday to heighten ritual and devotional nudity, and veiling & modesty as means of control over who can see/Know me are just the tip of the iceberg.

Babalon’s veiling is a means of control over Herself. When she has been ravaged and violated by the eyes of greedy men for decades, treated as an object and cash cow, someone to be summoned and wishes, workings, and gnosis demanded of Her. When She covers Herself in robes and veils spun from dawn and dusk, and sits upon her Abyssal throne further cloaked in shadow, She regains sovereignty over Herself. In this, control over Her image, Babalon becomes once again the only person with the power to reveal Herself. We, of course, already know the opposites held in Her – accepting all and refusing none, and yet also ruthless in her wrath against those who affront Her. Welcoming the reverent and violently rejecting the disrespectful.

Returning to the idea of devotional and religious modesty in Her honour – it can also be understood as a means to reflect the teachings and gnosis found through Her towards an uninitiated world. The knowledge of how powerful allowing yourself to be deeply perceived in ritual nudity while maintaining modesty in the day to day is one consideration. The power of ‘showing it all’ is balanced by the power in direct denial that modesty and veiling offers.

The manner of veiling and modesty will, naturally, be something deeply unique and personal – as it already is in a lot of contexts, cultures, and religions. It will be something I explore slowly and with careful steps to ensure I continue to feel empowered in line with Babalon’s energy and current.

first posted on my patreon

[hestiashearthfire]

Can you tell me more about veiling? Or link any other places to learn? :)

Khaire, @siriuscitrus! Thanks for your ask; I've been putting off answering because this is such a big question. I've divided my answer into three parts. Keep in mind this is based on my personal experience, so other people may have different opinions.

What is Veiling?

Veiling, generally speaking, is the practice of covering one's head, and depending on tradition, one's hair, shoulders or face. (See a definition here.) Veiling can be practiced for many reasons; oftentimes this reason is religious, but veiling is also practiced culturally as a form of dress. In addition to whatever spiritual purpose a veil might have, a veil is also just a convenient way for many people to protect their hair, shield themselves from the sun, or express themselves aesthetically.

Men and women wear veils, and veiling has been a part of many cultures throughout history. Different cultures have different traditions, terms, and styles of veiling. While many cultures are open to sharing their veiling traditions, some styles of veiling are closed practices with immense cultural meaning, and it's important to be respectful when studying veiling as a practice. Though veiling is ubiquitous throughout places and times, not every style of veiling is appropriate for everyone.

Although veiling typically involves cloth of some kind, such as a scarf or shawl, veils do not have to fully cover the hair, or the neck and shoulders, and veiling can be practiced using accessories such as hats, headbands, bandannas, or clips. The style of veiling chosen by the wearer is a matter of personal comfort, social expectations, or religious norms, and varies widely from place to place.

Why Do People Veil?

As stated above, veiling can be practiced for many reasons, including religious, cultural, personal, practical or aesthetic reasons. For example, in Islam, veiling (termed hijab) is practiced as a form of religious modesty. Other religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, may also have religious reasons for veiling.

Still more people veil as an expression of culture, or simply as a personal preference. Since my reasons for veiling are primarily religious, I can't speak to cultural reasons, but suffice to say that wearing a veil, while certainly an indicator of faith in many cases, is not always a religious matter. Many pagans who practice magic, for example, view veiling as a practical method of protecting one's energy, rather than a religious expression. Sometimes, veiling can be both religious and practical; it is up to the wearer to determine their reasons for veiling.

I veil out of devotion to Hestia, Hera, and Aphrodite. On a less religious note, I simply like the way my hair looks covered, and I enjoy styling my scarves to match my outfits. Veiling makes me feel beautiful and confident, and serves as a physical reminder of the Gods' presence in my life.

How Do People Veil?

Veiling styles are as varied as the cultures from which they originate. For example, I learned to veil from a Jewish community, and so my veils often look like this. In other religions and cultures, more full-coverage styles like this or this, or even full-body veiling might be the style.

It is my understanding that Jewish veiling styles are not closed, and are open for everyone to wear respectfully. More full-coverage styles are also open when worn respectfully; however, one who is not Muslim should not call this practice hijab. Just as it is up to the wearer to determine their reasons for veiling, it is up to the wearer to determine what style of veiling suits them based on their preferences. Although one's religion can impose certain standards, where one lives, works, or worships will ultimately determine what a veil looks like to them.

As an attorney, for example, I have to ensure my veils look professional and are suitable for a conservative environment. Personally, I prefer more turban-like styles, although I am experimenting with more full-coverage styles currently. Veils are incredibly personal to the wearer, and a knit hat may be as precious to one person as a scarf is to another.

Rules surrounding veiling will vary based on religion and culture. As a Hellenic Polytheist, I am not required to veil at all, but as a practice, this was something I carried over from Catholicism. I choose to veil around all but close family and friends. However, in other cultures, one may be required to veil after certain milestones like puberty or marriage, or around certain people, or at times of worship. It is an unfortunate reality in many places that veiling is either enforced or forbidden, and I try to be mindful of that in my practice.

For practical how-to on veiling, the internet is your friend. Sites like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram all have visual examples and tutorials for you to follow. Wrapunzel is one such site with many tutorials. The Haute Take, Haute Hijab's blog, also has great style advice for full-coverage styles. (I'm not getting paid if you click on these links. I am just a happy customer recommending both.)

Please understand that I am not an expert; I have tried to keep this post general to avoid misinformation, but I welcome any corrections or additional information for clarification! I hope this post was helpful to you, and I wish you the best in your veiling journey.

Gods bless you always!

[apple-piety]

NO BECAUSE YOU'RE SO RIGHT ABOUT VEILING.

I've always been rather drawn to veils. I veiled when I was first pagan back in my freshman year, and I got shit for it from some guy who went to a megachurch and I was just like.... Bruh.

THEN i started veiling again when I was getting into orthodox christianity, which felt nice!

and NOW I still like to cover my head and body when the time is right.

Anyway. Just wanted to say thanks for pointing out people's dumbassery when it comes to people veiling.

- @sugarplum-sapphic 🫂

Of course! We’re ingrained from being little kids, especially being afab, to show and give and be exposed. Children, including boys, are not given bodily autonomy. We’re forced to hug strangers, sit on laps, give kisses when we don’t want to, etc. Some children aren’t even allowed to pick their own clothes. We are treated like accessories, something to consume in a hyper-consumer culture. Veiling can be a way to take back our bodies and our autonomy! Khaire!

[birt-art]

There's some great Elden Ring lore videos but where's my two hour long queer reading of Elden Ring you cowards !!