What Spiritual Goal is Served By Modest Dress?

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I think it is telling that concepts of modesty, and particularly their most strictest forms, tend to only pertain to women.

We have a fairly large Mennonite population around here, and "modest dress" is a big thing for them. I'd say that for them, the restrictions on the men are greater.

They both generally have to cover the same body area (though women generally wear some form of bonnet/kerchief while hats seem optional for the guys), but the men's clothes tend to be much plainer while the women will use more visually interesting fabrics for their dresses.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

We have a fairly large Mennonite population around here, and "modest dress" is a big thing for them. I'd say that for them, the restrictions on the men are greater.

They both generally have to cover the same body area (though women generally wear some form of bonnet/kerchief while hats seem optional for the guys), but the men's clothes tend to be much plainer while the women will use more visually interesting fabrics for their dresses.

That's interesting. The dairy farm we frequent around here is part of a Mennonite community, and I would say the restrictions are about the same for men and women. Covering head to toe, hats for men, bonnets for women, and usually they see me not knowing what to say for simple conversation, but are still very polite (I tend to arrive from the dance studio, so....).

Oh, one time they said "Nice weather we're having." But boy other than that every time I've seen them were they're all distracted by my camisole tops and yoga pants, and they look confused or horrified or both.

Not just men, but women too, in the community. Nice people though.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

That's interesting. The dairy farm we frequent around here is part of a Mennonite community, and I would say the restrictions are about the same for men and women. Covering head to toe, hats for men, bonnets for women, and usually they see me not knowing what to say for simple conversation, but are still very polite (I tend to arrive from the dance studio, so....).

Oh, one time they said "Nice weather we're having." But boy other than that every time I've seen them were they're all distracted by my camisole tops and yoga pants, and they look confused or horrified or both.

Not just men, but women too, in the community. Nice people though.

My main thought was that - at least around here - women tend to use how they dress for at least a bit of personal expression and "flair" (if that's the right word for someone wearing a bonnet and an ankle-length dress) through things like choice of fabric and a small bit of trim and adornment, but it's almost like the men wear a uniform; their wardrobe seems to be entirely utilitarian instead of just mostly utilitarian.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

My main thought was that - at least around here - women tend to use how they dress for at least a bit of personal expression and "flair" (if that's the right word for someone wearing a bonnet and an ankle-length dress) through things like choice of fabric and a small bit of trim and adornment, but it's almost like the men wear a uniform; their wardrobe seems to be entirely utilitarian instead of just mostly utilitarian.

Ah, I see. In these parts, they have been all utilitarian for all genders who are part of the community.

 

[Me Myself]

What spiritual goal, if any, is served by modest dress? Or is there some other purpose to modest dress than to serve a spiritual goal?

Its very good.

Look, of women dont wear dresses, and dont wear sunglasses too, then men will get very horny.

Their sexual desires will go to the ground, and the earth will get hornier. This will cause tremors.

Its documented science.

Boobquake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Ah, I see. In these parts, they have been all utilitarian for all genders who are part of the community.

This area's a bit different, I think: we have two main cultural branches (German Mennonites and Mexican Mennonites), each with their own traditions and differences, and both are spectrums from very strict to not strict at all.

 

[idea]

What spiritual goal, if any, is served by modest dress? Or is there some other purpose to modest dress than to serve a spiritual goal?

seeing beyond the physical form, and instead looking to the spirit that lies within the physical... who we are is not what we look like.

 

[ratikala]

dear mystic sangha ,

That's interesting. The dairy farm we frequent around here is part of a Mennonite community, and I would say the restrictions are about the same for men and women. Covering head to toe, hats for men, bonnets for women, and usually they see me not knowing what to say for simple conversation, but are still very polite (I tend to arrive from the dance studio, so....).

Oh, one time they said "Nice weather we're having." But boy other than that every time I've seen them were they're all distracted by my camisole tops and yoga pants, and they look confused or horrified or both.

are they distracted or bemused ? ....they are probably thinking why does she come out in her gym clothes ???

the question is would you go out to buy milk in your pyjamas ? ...
in which case I expect that they would be simmilarly distracted , ... or bemused .

it seems that we live in an anything goes world and we think that it is liberation ?

the question is it liberation or laziness , there is a fine line between the two .


what we might see as ''regulations'' can also be very liberating , it can equalise a comunity and remove the negativities of constant one upmanship , it can take ones focus of the self and allow room for higher thought .

this amounts to letting go of attatchments to the self allmost every religious comunity has some form of dress code for those with higher levels of commitment , the habit of a monk or a nun is not a uniform to denote ones sect , it is a sign of conformity to a comunity and a renunciation of attatchment to the self , and the self's obsessions with apperance .

Not just men, but women too, in the community. Nice people though.

nice people yes , ... because their focus is on god and on the comunity and not so centered on the self , or apperance for apperance sake .

 

[Me Myself]

seeing beyond the physical form, and instead looking to the spirit that lies within the physical... who we are is not what we look like.

Who we are is not one single attribute of what we are. How we look is still part of who we are.

 

[Father Heathen]

I agree.

Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins, too, but food itself can through the sensory experience of texture, taste, smell, color, ambiance, and the company one is with make for a beautiful expression of humanity. When in the moment, a fantastic meal can be quite sacred and divine on it's own, however one interprets what is sacred.

I think exercising our senses heightens our consciousness. Sex, music, etc. are natural, spiritual highs.

 

[George-ananda]

I think exercising our senses heightens our consciousness. Sex, music, etc. are natural, spiritual highs.

Sounds like your talking more about adrenaline highs than spiritual highs.

Spiritual highs are about feeling an undisturbable deep steady blissful state where you are in a non-sexual brotherly love mindset while liberated from the push/pull of material desires.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Sounds like your talking more about adrenaline highs than spiritual highs.

Spiritual highs are about feeling an undisturbable deep steady blissful state where you are in a non-sexual brotherly love mindset while liberated from the push/pull of material desires.

Ah... so a "spiritual high" is the kind you get from oxytocin, not adrenaline. Gotcha.

 

[Straw Dog]

What spiritual goal, if any, is served by modest dress? Or is there some other purpose to modest dress than to serve a spiritual goal?

It's not a matter of what we wear, but rather our perspectives on people. Just because someone may be scantily-clad doesn't necessitate any particular reaction. The spiritual practice is approaching individuals as they really are and learning to respect them as human beings, despite superficial appearances. As crazy as it may sound, we can train our minds to resist the temptation to objectify or become easily distracted. Spirituality isn't about controlling other people, but rather learning to work with/direct our own passions in positive ways.

 

[ratikala]

I think exercising our senses heightens our consciousness. Sex, music, etc. are natural, spiritual highs.

exercising the sences leads to attatchment to the bodily platform , the hightened conciousness atained through pleasurable sensations is merely self gratification and has little to do with spiritual conciousness .

sex and music lead to emotional highs , pleasurable sesations , and attatchment to the body , the sensations of hightened conciousness is not a conciousness relating to the spirit , .....these highs pertain to the physical body .

where music is of a spiritual nature it lifts the spirit above the bodily platform , it is a form of meditation which trancends , rises above , that is not a high .

 

[ratikala]

Sounds like your talking more about adrenaline highs than spiritual highs.

Spiritual highs are about feeling an undisturbable deep steady blissful state where you are in a non-sexual brotherly love mindset while liberated from the push/pull of material desires.

jai jai , ........such highs are without lows they are forms of realisation , thus they trancend the bodily platform .

 

[Titanic]

What spiritual goal, if any, is served by modest dress? Or is there some other purpose to modest dress than to serve a spiritual goal?

None what so ever. This is coming from a pothead though. A learning Buddhist.

 

[ratikala]

It's not a matter of what we wear, but rather our perspectives on people. Just because someone may be scantily-clad doesn't necessitate any particular reaction. The spiritual practice is approaching individuals as they really are and learning to respect them as human beings, despite superficial appearances. As crazy as it may sound, we can train our minds to resist the temptation to objectify or become easily distracted. Spirituality isn't about controlling other people, but rather learning to work with/direct our own passions in positive ways.

yes , but all too often the responce to such questions as modesty in dress is about the effect a woman has on a man by revealing too much and causing him to loose his equanimity , not enough is said about the efect of modesty on the person applying it .

and yes , for sure , both men and woman would be best to regard each other as human beings not objects of facination lust or desire , try imagining all women as mothers or sisters , and women immagine this is my brother , this is a father human being ,

but the question for everyone is how does being modest yourself make you feel ? .... or how does being imodest make you feel ? , and which of the two makes you feel closer to god ?

 

[George-ananda]

Ah... so a "spiritual high" is the kind you get from oxytocin, not adrenaline. Gotcha.

No it doesn't come from any drugs or intoxicants.

It comes from stilling the mind and allowing the real Self (which is beyond the mind) to be experienced. The real Self is unchanging bliss and love experienced irregardless of material circumstances.

 

[Vinayaka]

No it doesn't come from any drugs or intoxicants.

It comes from stilling the mind and allowing the real Self (which is beyond the mind) to be experienced. The real Self is unchanging bliss and love experienced irregardless of material circumstances.

You've done this?

 

[Sunstone]

No it doesn't come from any drugs or intoxicants.

It's been said, the brain is an electromagnetic "computer" sitting in a bath of chemicals. If so, all mental states are dependent on "drugs" like adrenaline or oxytocin.