Coming soon: Heathen Book Nook

So, rather than railing against whatever post or comment has aggravated me recently, I thought I'd add some proper meat and potatoes content to this blog. Something that actually has some heathen information and/or advice to offer, rather than just grumbling.

Now, while I've read a few of of the sources - something I'd recommend to all heathens - I don't really have the kind of brain that retains that kind of knowledge in any useable format. I know a few things, but generally with my mind - well, it's a mess in there. So, I've decided to try to offer what help I can to the aspiring heathen by putting some long awaited content into this here blog.#

Coming soon, I will be taking a book from my modest heathen library and giving a review of what I liked, what I disliked and what I learned from each book.

I've got about a dozen or so books that are appropriate for this kind of thing. Then, if all this proves fruitful, then I have several .pdfs that I found on various sites that could also perhaps benefit from the Sons of Heimdall treatment.

Watch this space!

Things that make me feel heathen

Normally, I practice a very low-key (Loki?), understated form of heathenry. My path is, to me, so ingrained and interwoven with everything I do that I can't really point to a single aspect of my life or activity / pass time that is heathen. I am heathen and what I do doesn't have to be, because my path informs my worldview, values and goals without requiring anything particular from me in return.

However, every now and again, I do get more enthused with the whole idea of heathenry, just like I did when I was a teenager in the 80s and first heard of the concept. So, just occasionally, there are times when I feel like connecting with my inner heathen, swinging my proverbial axe, or I even sometimes feel like giving back in some small way to the path that I walk (I dislike the term 'faith' for personal reasons).

1/. Watch some viking movies or series on tv / Netflix / DVD

I have a decent collection of viking-themed movies on DVD and these can sate my appetite for heathen / viking stuff to keep me amused. Of course, the relatively recent advent of a series about Vikings makes this even better than before. That said, mere entertainment like this usually only offers a small, fleeting viking fix that pays some minor deference to heathenry.

2/. Read up on heathenry

I also enjoy a library of books on heathenry and norse mythology. Sadly, this is woefully small, but I intend to improve on it whenever I can. Knowledge is power and all that. It is also a very important tool for the modern heathen as the internet is rife with utter unsubstantiated tripe written about heathenry, mythology and neopaganism in general.

3/. Practice martial arts

As I insinuated in a previous blog entry, I consider martial arts a very good pass time for the modern heathen. It offers many benefits. A good class (mine is Manchester Bagua in Chorlton) can offer increased confidence, stronger mind-body connection, improved health, self defence and a social network.

Even when I can't train for some reason (tiredness is the big one), then I again have a large collection of chop-sockey movies and a number of training manuals to peruse and learn from.

4/. Spending time with friends

Simply spending time with close friends is, to me, perhaps one of the most heathen pass times. If, however, I feel like adding a more specifically neopagan flavour, then I am troubled by the fact I have few real life pagan friends. That said, there are a few good online hangouts for pagans. As I stated before, much of what is written about paganism online is dross, but one good and reliable site I have found is UK Pagan's Forum, "The Valley". Well worth a visit and a comprehensive and informative source of reliable knowledge for all pagan paths.

UKPagan blog July 2012: Lokke = Spider = Loki ?

Here is another post from a while ago from another pagan blog of mine (see The Valley UK Pagan forum for more goodies like this). I know I am posting a lot of this kinda thing, but I hope it gives you a better idea where I am coming from vis-a-vis my pagan path, and maybe gives you a little food for thought, too.



Now a good few years ago, when I was living in Sweden, I 'rediscovered' my paganism. Around the same time, and perhaps connected (who knows?), I had what I refer to as 'a waking dream' or hallucination which occurred just as I awoke. It was a hallucination of a bloody huge spider in my bed. Scared the shit out of me and caused me to wake my (then) girlfriend up in the middle of the night - which may have contributed to our splitting up (again, who knows?).

I have found references online to a book, "Loki in Scandinavian mythology" by a Ms Roothe which posits that Loki is, in fact, an anthropomorphic deification of spider. Apparently, spider in old Danish is "lokke", which may have mutated into 'Loki'. I am hoping that is not the only (rather tenuous) justification for the association.

The only copy of said text that I can find is at the John Rylands library here in Manchester. To access it, though, I fear I need to pay an annual subscription of £30, for access (reference only) to the library. Thing is, this is the first time I have had to put my money where my mouth is regarding the weirdish things that have happened to my around and since my 'spiritual awakening'. I have had a few of these hallucinations or what have you and I would normally write them off as the symptoms of fatigue or stress or somesuch. But as I am being more open minded and experimenting with some rather more far out beliefs than normal, I would like to investigate further.

But, £30? Not that much money, but it is a good night on the beers, or a respectable surprise gift for my baby daughter...

Have I been touched by Loki?
How will that contact affect me in the future?
Can I point out on the doll, for the benefit of the court, where Loki touched me? ;)