An Interview with

Jhahn Meagan
& Skyclad

"What is Skyclad? To live. To contemplate where we are. Who we are. To enjoy the magnificence of being human. To bask in the sunshine of our personal identities. To commune with the great universe as a whole. To be free. True freedom. Freedom that uplifts and gives the spirit wings to soar into the blue skies around us. Freedom to throw off our chains and our shackles. Freedom to dance beneath a silver sky in the wonder of our creation. Freed from the constraints of our straightjackets. Free from the restrictions of our clothes, wrapped in the warmth of a beneficent nature. Naked to the stars and the full moon SKYCLAD."

How did you discover your own spiritual path?

I honestly don't think I found my path rather that it was always a part of me. I have always been around magick and energy workings, with my father having his doctorate in metaphysics, and I grew up reading books on Magick so it was never a taboo in my world. I started following a purely magickal path and then came across Wicca and it just fit. As far as my tradition, your tradition should come from within you. Then when you read and learn it confirms what you already know deep inside. You should never ignore your inner self as that is what has lead you thus far. You should never have to feel you need to "work" at your path, it should come naturally from within.

What was the inspiration behind your publishing 'Skyclad'?

With the Wiccan community in South Africa growing from a small group to a large community, we are receiving more recognition as a legitimate religion in South Africa. With this happening, I saw a need for a hard copy magazine to link up the Pagan / Wiccan community, to share knowledge, to show non-Pagans that we are a peaceful community.

The main aim of the magazine is to educate and link like minded people together. I feel that it is important to share with fellow South Africans, who perhaps are not exposed to Wicca or Paganism, to enable them to discover factual information that can give them some insight into our faith and practises.

Although Wicca and Paganism are relatively out of the closet so to speak, there have still been some issues with regards to the new laws, some of which could have restored historical, incorrect perceptions, like the anti-witchcraft bill. With more people knowing what we are about, the chances of something like this happening again are reduced, as there will be more of an awareness as to what it is that we are all about.

Why the name Skyclad?

Skyclad means "Clad by the Sky", in other words being dressed by the sky. Skyclad is when one performs rituals with no clothes. This is done for many reasons one of which is to be one with nature, a sense of freedom, freedom from the chains that hold us back in life, and the freedom to just be.

What kind of content does / will Skyclad be publishing? Who is your target audience?

Skyclad is targeted at the Wiccan and Pagan community at all levels, from novices to adepts. It will also appeal to those who are not necessarily followers of these paths, but who have an interest in understanding broader religious views. The magazine's focus is, first and foremost, the articles. We also aim to provide a platform for Wiccan and Pagan related advertising. This gives people the opportunity to get some more information and then in the directory listing they can see what courses are available to them, what shops they are able to get herbs, candles, robes etc from.

The Magazine has the following regular columns to look forward to:

The Witch’s Kitchen – Where you will find recipes and brews.
Heather’s Herbal Corner – Each issue will focus on the use and properties of different herbs.
The Surfing Witch – Will focus on various recommended web pages that one can visit. With so much information on the internet. Often it can feel like we don’t know where to start and this column will shed some light on various recommended forums / web pages.
There will also be feature articles in each issue for the novice as well as the adept.

*Deadline for submissions for the next issue is 15th April.

Where can Penton's readers purchase Skyclad?

At first distribution was only going to be Johannesburg, but the response from the community has been so enthusiastic that I have extended distribution to Cape Town and KZN. One is also able to subscribe to the magazine.

You can currently get it at the following locations:

House of Isis – Rosebank Mall and Village Walk (011)447 2349 / 442 8399
Golden Gecko – Benoni 20 Mowbray Ave, Benoni West 011-845-4866
Mysts of Magick – Kyalami
The Witchery – Fourways - 0833206885
Stones for Africa – Fourways 39A Kingfisher Drive Delta House
Shati Gardens sensual sanctuary - shantigardens.com
Exclusive Books - Mandela Square and Hyde Park
Estoril Books - Fourways Mall and Village Walk
Fire and Ice – Monte Casino
Druids Arts and Crafts in Cape Town
POD Products in KZN

The list of distributors is constantly growing with the demand of the magazine.
If in doubt please e-mail me and I will gladly forward an updated list to you.

Contact Jhahn Meagan