Ritual Purity: Non-Binary Mysteries Prompt #5

I am extremely excited to start participating in the Non-Binary Mysteries prompts. Not only do the questions seem interesting, it also combines two important aspects of my identity: being pagan and being nonbinary.

That being said, let's get started. This month's theme is miasma and ritual purity.

What does your path have to say about the concept of miasma or ritual purity?

My practice is very eclectic. More than anything I lean towards urban witchcraft, which means that in an ideal situation I would be out and about for a lot of my magic. That doesn't always go hand in hand with things like ritual bathing.

However, I do draw somewhat from paths that place more of an emphasis on ritual purity. For example, I work with Djehuty and have some Kemetic aspects in my practice. Of course, even within Kemetic practices the standards for ritual purity are a bit fluid and can differ from person to person (assuming you're working solo rather than as part of a group such as Kemetic Orthodoxy) so...I suppose my path doesn't really say much about miasma or ritual purity.

How do you define ritual purity?

For me, ritual purity is just being in the right state (physically, mentally, etc.) to perform a ritual or interact with a deity. The exact requirements of ritual purity vary from situation to situation.

How do you feel about the traditional gendered implications of miasma and ritual purity?

Some traditions dictate that you are not ritually pure while you are on your period. That has never felt true to me so I haven't incorporated it into my practice.

How does your gender influence your ritual purity?

It doesn't really. Being agender has basically no effect on my view of ritual purity or the things I do to achieve it.

Does your worship and practice differ in the kind of demands they have on your ritual purity?

Whether I am worshiping or doing magic does not really affect what I need to do to be ritually pure. More often it depends on the complexity and formality of what I am doing. Generally the more formal the activity the more I will do to be ritually pure. Large formal rituals, celebrations, and works of magic often require a dedicated cleansing bath and clean clothing, whereas simply washing my hands and face is suitable for smaller works. If the activity is more spontaneous I might not do anything at all, depending on the situation.

One thing I do always need to do to be prepared is to be focused. Sometimes this means taking a moment to calm down. Other times it means feeling the energy and emotion associated with whatever I am going to be doing and just going with it.

Generally, anything I do regarding ritual purity is just meant to get me in the right state of mind.

You've probably noticed that I haven't used the word miasma very much in this post. That's because it's a concept I'm extremely unfamiliar with. I actually had to look it up because of this prompt.