Spiritual Style > Wearing the Soul

In this post i write about this kind of fashion or anti-fashion or non-fashion or simple-fashion,way of wear, life style…
I choose to study the major spiritual movements or faith groups in the world and that I have some contact here in São Paulo, so it is:
Rastafari, Hare Krishna, Islam

Rastafari

Well, this one i have intimacy, i wrote a monography about and i already passed through rituals and studies.
The Idea is that you does not exist only I . You are I and I am You and We are I and I, including god is in I. This is a strong concept of unity.
They follow the Nazireu Vow, described in Torah at Numbers 6: 12-21.
This vow requires that the Nazirite abstain from:
-Cut the hair or even use comb;
-Alcohol, wine or any grape derivates;
-Corpses and Graves. including to eat animal meat
For the most of them who follows the E.A.B.I.C (Constitution)
“they must dress in a dignified manner when attending Church services and the brethren are to be attired in a robe and turban and the sisters are to cover their heads with a fall and wear robes that cover their ankles”

Prophet Marcus Garvey, Priest Emmanuel Charles and King Haile Selassie I: Foundation


The roots of movement is a prophecy of marcus garvey predicting the raise of a Christian Black King in Africa to redemp the black people who was spread in diaspora, (actually all humanity comes from one African Couple) This king is Haile Selassie, in fact a preacher and convinced Christian. Untill before he become King of Ethiopia his name is Tafari Makonem with the noble title of Ras. Emannuel starts to gather the people under the prophecy of Marcus in 50’s.

As a leader, these men inspires every rasta to be like them, not only the EABIC (Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress) followers, So the formal,politician - militar – simple are three tags that best describes the style
Bob Marley is a good example even nowadays,  Lutan Fyah and Sizlla are strong popular.

Men
-Dreads
-Red, Gold and Green (blood, treasures, forest from Ethiopia flag)
-Turbans;
-Shirts with all closed buttons;
-Social pants;
-Buttons with Rastafarian themes and leaders;

Women

-Hair Scarves
-White color
-Cotton
-Long skirt
-No make up
Queen Ifrica

Islam

I read a lot to write here, this kind of living seems to be near from the followers of Christ and Krishna.
Let`s start reading expressive verses from Quran, the religious text of Islam:

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters, and the believing women, to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies. That will be better that they should be known (as respectable woman) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."God is forgiving and kind.” Quran 33:59

"Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, tathers, husbands' fathers, sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women or the slaves whom their right hand possess or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sence of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah (S.W.T) that ye may attain Bliss” (Surah 24:31)

All i can say is that Modesty is the most important piece to wear and for every muslim this piece is represented by Hijab.

“Hijab refers to the complete covering of everything except the hands, face and feet in long, loose and non see-through garments. A woman who wears hijab is called Muhaajaba”(BBC-Religions)

There is many types of Hijab, depends on region and school and the most controversial or radical for sure is Niqab common in Affghanistan; But let’s focus on Liberal and Progressive Muslims Style, people who is promoting a dialogue between others faith bringing Islam to the center of attention with The concept of Halal (meaning permissible in Arabic ) that has traditionally been applied to food, now other goods and services can also be certified as halal, including clothing, pharmaceuticals and financial services.

“Islam has two fundamental principles, Jihad and Ijtehad. In strict Quranic terminology, Jihad means physical struggle or endeavor against suppression and aggression. It is a defensive war. It is not aggression. Ijtehad means intellectual endeavor to seek the solutions of day to day matters” with an emphasis on use of reason and intellect, They believe in interpreting the sources of religion on a metaphoric basis and not literal.

The Islamic Fashion Festival from Kuala Lumpur shows stylish Hijabs for the modern Society, heating the segment.


This video shows some famous Muslim hip-hop artists

An artist is calling atention to discurse with a peculiar way. Princess Hijab is painting with a black pen, hijabs in Ads in the subway of Paris inspiring other artists for a movement or technic called Hijabism. A marginal celebrity, her last acts is on the doc www.streetart-film.de

Hare Krishna

Here i speak about the personality of God, all atractive in Sansckrit, Krishna and his followers.

The basis of this movement remains to the Vedas, ancient texts wrote by vedic civilization in 1200–272 BC the period called Vedic dated in iron age in the Indian Subcontinent.

This is the foundation for Hindu pantheon, formed by the trinity Shiva, Brahma e Vishnu and for the followers of the last one, Vaishnavas, Shiva and Brahma are devoted of Vishnu.Buddhism, Jainism are also hinduism (religions from India) but non-vedic.(texts)

Krishna is one Avatar of Vishnu, is cited in Mahabharata, more specificly in Bhagavad Gita
The devotee lead his life taking into account four principles:

1 - Compassion and nonviolence.(Do not eat meat, fish or derived from those products);
2 - Cleansing and Purity; (Avoid the practice of illicit sexual, promote sexual pleasure);
3 - Austerity and intellectual autonomy. (Avoid the use of drugs, modify the ENC, or state of normal other);
4 - Truthfulness and honesty. (Avoid gambling or farming activities)

One of the pratices that makes the movement to get more followers is Yoga, the major, Bhakti Yoga, is the individual and devocionoal service described in Bhagavata Purana , that teaches nine primary forms of bhakti or devocional service:
(1) śravaṇa ("listening" to the scriptural stories of Kṛṣṇa and his companions), (2) kīrtana ("praising," usually refers to ecstatic group singing), (3) smaraṇa ("remembering" or fixing the mind on Viṣṇu), (4) pāda-sevana (rendering service), (5) arcana (worshiping an image), (6) vandana(paying homage), (7) dāsya (servitude), (8) sākhya (friendship), and (9) ātma-nivedana(complete surrender of the self). (from Bhagata Purana, 7.5.23-24)

Wear

Men

Dhoti;
Kurtta;
Kanthi;
Tulasi beads,
Sikha;
Orange for celibate, White for the married;
All these made with natural fibers;

Women
 

Saree;

Preferably braided hair and covered by own saree;
Ghaghra;
Choli;
Bindi;
Churi/jewels.

Conclusion

To list what i found in common in between these movements
-Modesty;
-Simplicity;
-Nature;
For me the original intention is promote the invisible qualities, to enhance them and so to link with God, that seems to be the encounter of all Good things and concepts of Life and for a better living.
Not considering the failures and the systems.


To see my monograph about this theme click HERE

This image is from a study about marketing 3.0 by the authority Kotler.
We can see that the spiritual sphere is gaining the deserved importance to the business.