Friday, February 7, 2014

Pagan Blog Project - week 6 - C#1 - Crowns and Circlets

not my favorite style, but don't you just love the stars?
Pagan Blog Project - week 6 - C#2 - Crowns and Circlet

Because of my recent studies of the Queen of Heaven/Earth/The Universe/MOTHER OF US ALL, I've been a little obsessed with the idea of crowns, headdresses, tiaras, and circlets. Why don't we all wear one of these things all the time? They're so great!

They're beautiful! They're elegant! They're classy! They're historical! Why did crowns ever go out of style?

not a crown, but still lovely!
Many goddesses of antiquity are crowned, often with stars, moons, flowers, or horns. Inanna is given a crown to show her sovereignty over civilization. Sometimes it is made from stars, flower petals, horns, moons, or all of the above. Cybele wears something similar, as does Isis and even the Blessed Virgin Mary. Artemis is often depicted with a crescent moon, and Hera wears a queenly tiara.

Some Pagans will wear circles or headdresses in ritual, but I'm a little sad that none of my groups ever do this. (Or if they do it's very rarely.) Maybe it seems a bit archaic or inappropriate or too hierarchical or something?

In traditional covens the High Priestess would often wear a crown or circlet. Maybe modern Pagans are pulling away from this tradition and any associations with more structured coven/circle/etc structure, and because of this have pulled away from the idea of wearing headdresses during ritual? None of my Pagan friends and family are really "traditional" in any sense, so I could really see them rolling their eyes at the idea of wearing a circlet during ritual.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/91880337/star-crown?ref=favs_view_2
https://www.etsy.com/listing/91880337/star-crown?ref=favs_view_2
But I think a headdress can be a fun addition to a ritual. They really making the participants feel good and pretty and maybe even contribute to the specialness of the energy, further setting the ritual apart from mundane reality and the "time away from time, space away from space" aura of ritual in general.








 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/126560083/star-crown?ref=favs_view_5
On Beltane, though, I try to have at least some type of headdress for everyone involved. 
The Maiden gets a crown of flowers, because flowers, like our youth, are fleeting. The Queen gets a crown that is (in theory) passed down from queen to queen (the former maiden becomes the queen.) (To be honest, I've had to buy the Queen's crown a few times. We all have the best intentions, I suppose.) The Crone gets a witch's hat, because regardless of our age, our wisdom is something we carry with us. The Green Man gets a crown made of some type of wild greenery, because that's awesome.






I tried to make this own once. It was a disaster.




Gathering and making these items has really become a special task, and I think everyone really enjoys wearing something extravagant for an already extravagant ritual (isn't Beltane the best?)








Of course I can wear a crown or circlet in the privacy of my own solitary rituals. What's to stop me from being so awesome?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/155807677/bbbl-crystal-rhinestone-headbandbridal?ref=favs_view_3
https://www.etsy.com/listing/121563220/gold-star-headband-gold-star?ref=favs_view_4
I'm never as crafty as I pretend I am, though. The one time I tried to make a crown for myself out of wire I ended up with a jester's type hat. Now, that ended up being kind of appropriate for the ritual I was hosting, but I really had my heart set on being a majestic Queen, and not a holy Fool. But then again, these things have a way of working themselves out, I suppose...
something seasonal, and it looks good on men, too!

Lana Del Ray, snow queen
Go ahead and put on a crown. Do it for realsies. 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/125841681/glitter-star-crown-headband-dreamy?ref=favs_view_7
There, don't you feel special?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/172373219/quartz-crystal-hair-comb?ref=favs_view_4
https://www.etsy.com/listing/172392585/rainbow-fluorite-hair-comb?ref=favs_view_2

edit - two more of my favorites! (I bought one!)

6 comments:

  1. Though not a crown or tiara, I used to practice Pagan Veiling, where I wore a headcovering full time for Hestia. I don't do it anymore, but I do miss it; I loved the way it made me feel, empowered and beautiful. During the Vestalia, however, I will wear my veils for Her in honor and celebration.

    For my handfasting, I did wear tiara and LOVE IT. Never thought I would, thought they were too princessy and prissy, but with a gown wedding gown on, it was perfect. I didn't feel like a princess or a Queen, but I did feel....enchanted, I suppose. Not to sound vain, but even Goddess like.

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    1. I think the practice of veiling is fascinating. Do you remember a few years ago when it was a huge controversy in certain on-line Pagan communities? I'll never understand that! anyway, I use head-covering during certain Gnostic rituals, or during Roman rituals. Something about veiling can be so otherwordly!

      So awesome to hear about your handfasting tiara! I wore a circlet and felt positively like a princess. Glad to hear you had such a good experience... and yes! Thou art Goddess! <3 (bet you looked lovely!)

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  2. I'm with you - we need more headgear in the circle! I made silk flowered crowns for Beltane that are reusable. We've also had oak leaf crowns and forsythia crowns. I wear a star studded tiara on my birthday, too.

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    1. Forsythia crowns sound just amazing! What a lovely, bright idea! Do you use them for a specific ritual or just a seasonal piece?

      and this Space Witch can TOTALLY get behind star studded birthday tiaras!

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  3. Greetings! Long time lurker of your fantastic blog here. I wanted to let you know that I've nominated your blog for a couple awards.You can find the post here: http://witchywords.blogspot.com/2014/02/awards-abc-and-sunshine.html

    As always, looking forward to your next post!
    -Marietta

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    Replies
    1. oh, Dear Marietta! Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time out to check out my blog! I'm just tickled pink about being nominated for your awards. I'll be sure to post on the awards soon! (in between homework and all of those other fun things)

      Clear skies and thanks again SO much!

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