Church of Body Modification

With the onset of the Resources forum, I feel we're neglecting a big part of what's brought us here. Most of the forums here relate directly to modification and ritual, and none for the history. There's only so many documentaries one can watch that relate directly to modification, I don't think it's right to cut out the cultural history aspect of it either. If one was to watch a documentary on east africa and want to discuss it and how it relates to modern primitivism, where is it okay to do that? Does it always have to be mod related, when so much of our individual beliefs and rituals come from other cultures, and not necessarily just other culture's mods?

Perhaps another forum on Culture and Anthropology might be needed, so we can discuss where we come from, instead of just the mods and the rituals we borrow.

I can understand having a forum possibly filled with misinformation about culture, but maybe it's time to study some as well, including recommended readings on cultural and social anthropology, as well as documentaries and other resources.

I apologize for this being kind of poorly worded, I started it in another topic and decided it was better to have it's own, and I haven't finished my coffee yet.

I completely agree with you both.

It's simple really. First, I feel people should ask questions. Even if it's a common question with a common answer, because this would be a tool for everyone who's new to mods or those who need a refresher course.

Start off by discussing the origin of tattoos, religious reasons for tattoos, medical reasons, aesthetic reasons and so on. Same with piercings, suspensions, branding, etc. Bring to light why our culture today has adopted so many of these ancient traditions as our own, and explain why it's important to honor the mothers and fathers of the past who were shamans who performed these rituals.

I feel that this section would in fact put a solid image behind the word ritual that a lot of us use on this forum. The term can be used for so many things, from waking up and having coffee, to spending every full moon by a lakeside burning things that trouble your mind, and I feel that by explaining the cultural use of rituals, past and present, would make a lot more people comfortable in their own skin.

I guess I just feel like this is something that needs its own forum, otherwise it'll never be brought up really, nor would it be easy to find for later reference. It is where we came from, after all. I'd love to post weekly topics for discussion in a forum like this. I already have about a year's worth of topics floating around in my head, and I'm sure plenty of people have questions, as well as things to say on the subject of the history and rituals involved.

I couldn't place this subject anywhere in the forums that are already in place. It could fit in Spirituality, but it's too broad of a topic, because not all of it would revolve around religion of any sort, and I fear that it could quickly get off topic if we had to put it there.

It could be put in Other, but I feel that could be a better resource for actual techniques, meditations, and un-mod related things such as acupressure and yoga.

I don't know. That's my suggestion, in a rather large nutshell.

In the meantime, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to PM me and I'll answer to the best of my knowledge, or direct you to a few great resources.