Hair

[TeaDidikai]

patch99329

I actually keep my hair well pinned back in ritual.

Just so I'm modest, well presentable and clean for an audience with the gods.

Plus the gods tend to like sweet scents... burnt hair isn't on the list. wink

Niamhy, It makes a lot of sense contextually. When you start to examine how "purity" and "contamination" work you note that some elements can be "washed" away and some elements remain and have to be physically thrown out to be severed.  

[niamhybeag]

Tea, Gotcha. Was having a bit of a numb-brain day at work ninja  

[TeaDidikai]

niamhybeag

Tea, Gotcha. Was having a bit of a numb-brain day at work ninja

No worries. A lot gets lost in cultural translation.  

[patch99329]

TeaDidikai

patch99329

I actually keep my hair well pinned back in ritual.

Just so I'm modest, well presentable and clean for an audience with the gods.

Plus the gods tend to like sweet scents... burnt hair isn't on the list. wink

And lets not forget that nobody likes food with other people's hair in it. wink  

[Ainwyn]

patch99329

TeaDidikai

patch99329

I actually keep my hair well pinned back in ritual.

Just so I'm modest, well presentable and clean for an audience with the gods.

Plus the gods tend to like sweet scents... burnt hair isn't on the list. wink

And lets not forget that nobody likes food with other people's hair in it. wink

I just had this image of the gods sending an offering back to the kitchens and demanding a comp meal... that was interesting.  

[patch99329]

Rajani Kali

patch99329

TeaDidikai

patch99329

I actually keep my hair well pinned back in ritual.

Just so I'm modest, well presentable and clean for an audience with the gods.

Plus the gods tend to like sweet scents... burnt hair isn't on the list. wink

And lets not forget that nobody likes food with other people's hair in it. wink

I just had this image of the gods sending an offering back to the kitchens and demanding a comp meal... that was interesting.

'This looks nice, oh..wait...what? Oh ewww thats disgusting, look a..a hair.'
'Thats un acceptable, If I were you I'd send that right back and demand a new meal'
' I don't want to cause a scene, I'll just pick around it'
'No, thats completely unacceptable, trading standards could shut this place down, waiter waiter!'
'Um no, shh it's fine, really.'  

[Maze]

niamhybeag

Maze

Does that whole 'untie all knots (and let hair down/untie all knots in hair too) in a birthing mother's presence' thing count?

Where does that come from? I'd be interested in hearing the source, if you know it.

Bum. I checked, but I either don't have the feminist booklet anymore, or it's buried somewhere deep in my room. I did find the Llew.. oh, for crying out loud. *checks the name on the book* Llewellyn thing, but that turned out to be a herbal almanac full of things that didn't interest me.

If I run into it when I clean up my room one of these weeks, I'll be sure to pester you with it then. 3nodding  

[Starlock]

I suppose you could use your own hair in spellwork. I haven't taken to that, but that's not to say I wouldn't in the future. I imagine using one's hair in spellwork could be problematic for those who don't have much of it though. sweatdrop  

[Morgandria]

Starlock

I suppose you could use your own hair in spellwork. I haven't taken to that, but that's not to say I wouldn't in the future. I imagine using one's hair in spellwork could be problematic for those who don't have much of it though. sweatdrop

Doesn't take much. I've used what little comes off the shaved parts of my head for spellwork before.  

[Wood Sorrel]

Neo-pagan traditions are very diverse, but I know that the medieval Christian tradition of the married woman keeping her hair up and covered was in deliberate contraction to the previous European pagan traditions. Married women wore their hair down like maidens. They wore certain clothing to denote their married status instead (generally a garter or apron). Long hair has long been valued in European society by both sexes.

I personally give no spiritual significance to my hairstyle, though I do prefer to care for it as naturally as possible (not over washing it, and I'm trying again to grow it long).  

[Deoridhe]

I use hair as a way to link myself with things. Also, since hair is associated with hamingja, one way to mark grief is to cut ones' hair. When one of my kindred mates suicided, I cut off a good chunk of hair and sacrificed it on the bier we raised to his memory, so something of myself and the kindred would go with him.

Wood Sorrel

Neo-pagan traditions are very diverse, but I know that the medieval Christian tradition of the married woman keeping her hair up and covered was in deliberate contraction to the previous European pagan traditions. Married women wore their hair down like maidens. They wore certain clothing to denote their married status instead (generally a garter or apron).

Which pagan traditions?  

[Lotus Poem]

This is such a fascinating thread! I have very long hair, below my waist, and I haven't had it cut short since...around 2nd grade when I swore to my mother i would care for it myself if she would quit giving me those hideous mushroom cuts! I was told as a child to grow my hair long as a sign of royalty but I have no basis for that claim other than the word of a beloved elder family member. I physically can't bring myself to cut it. I get nervous even thinking about going in for a trim and haven't been to a salon in over 7 years. Usually I will say I want x amount of hair cut off and they want to cut more and play with it. Ugh.

Tea, what are the rules in your family as far as trims or the like?  

[Recursive Paradox]

There are some things I do with my hair when channeling certain Aspects but that's mostly just because drawing yourself close to a given Aspect can often involve minor and temporary physical changes to enable that closeness.

For instance, Channeling the Water Aspect, I often have my hair down because the flowing curls of my hair makes me think of water far more then my hair tied back.

It's more of a psychological thing for me, not really a requirement. It's easier to have symbols and parts of myself act as reminders of the Aspect I wish to Channel the energies of. That kind of thing keeps my concentration fully intact and zoned in on my goal.

I've actually been looking to make a silver pendent with the Star/Radiance Aspect's symbol as the pendent itself or on the pendent. Tracing the symbol in the air tends to make me look crazy but I can't Channel Star/Radiance as effectively without that symbol firmly planted in my consciousness.

>.<

I also have a hell of a time Channeling Star/Radiance in the morning, ironically.

Well only seemingly ironic because Star/Radiance is all of the stars not just our sun and it feels like I'm Channeling through a damn funnel when I have the sun blotting out all the other stars.  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

Deoridhe

I use hair as a way to link myself with things. Also, since hair is associated with hamingja, one way to mark grief is to cut ones' hair.

Ah interesting 3nodding .
I had gotten my hair cut 3 days before my grandmother died, and although I love my short hair, I'm growing it out and cutting it on the anniversary of her death. It'll probably be my tradition for a few years at least.  

[Bohemian_Scara]

I decided from a young age I wanted long hair...and I get it trimmed every so often.

I also read somewhere (though I cannot for the life of me remember where) that it's a sign of the Fae folk. I also remember reading that glossy hair as if wet is another one. I'm guessing that comes from an Irish tradition as my Boyfriend's Irish Catholic Grandmother talks about being 'fae' in terms of sensing spirits in a place.

I feel more natural with the wind in my hair, so I don't wish to cut it short. Though many people see it as a way of expressing a fresh start in their lives. I have also heard of it being almost like a rite of passage when a girl decides she wants a more 'grown up' hairstyle which generally means short, where I am.