Everyone wants to be special

Heathenry is often described as "the religion with homework". It's true that, to forge a stable path a lot of reading and research is required. This tends to mean that, up til now, heathenry has attracted a certain type of person. Usually quite academic, interested in history and archaeology, amongst other things. The kind of person who likes to find their own way of doing things - independent and free-thinking. For the most part, this is the kind of person who does well within heathen culture at present.

In addition to, or perhaps because of, this personality type, the contemporary heathen community suffers a little from "too many chiefs and not enough indians". Everyone wants to style themself as a gothi or skald. After all, who would give up the opportunity to carve themselves a position of influence in the relatively small but burgeoning heathen community?

Problem is, the heathen community doesn't quite have the population to support all these leaders, projects and businesses. All the would-be leaders have their own visions and are pulling in their respective directions. Unfortunately, without any lay heathens to whom they can preach, sing or sell, no material progress will ever really manifest.

Take a look at any of the online heathen groups, and there appears to be a lot of industry going on. This fills a lot of people with confidence, but I am not so sure. The activity mostly boils down to people broadcasting their views and talents in the hopes of being recognised in their chosen role. As gothi, skald, artisan or whatever. How many heathens are there who are actually listening to their messages and buying their products? This is the true measure of the health of the heathen community. Not how much is being said, but how many are listening.

Myself, I don't really have dreams of any particular goal or position within my heathenry. I am happy to do my own thing and socialise with heathen friends by sharing important words by the fire. That is enough for me. I tend not to join in with inter-factional disputes. My opinion is that these disagreements will sort themselves out over time. If one gothi promotes daily blots, while another promotes monthly blots that may create a disagreement within the community. However, the winner will not come down to whose opinion is better researched and supported by the lore, or whose UPG makes most sense. It will come down to which option those aforementioned "lay heathens" with no particular skills or titles decide to include as part of their own paths.

You see, at the end of the day, the power is always with the people, rather than the leaders.

News: Female Viking Lesley Simpson makes Shetland history

Originally posted on the BBC News website

The first female Guizer Jarl - or chief Viking - in the 130-year history of Shetland's world famous fire festivals is preparing to don her armour.

Lesley Simpson will lead a mixed-sex procession of Viking warriors in the South Mainland Up Helly Aa festival.

The event is one of several Viking-themed torchlit processions held on Shetland every year.

Only men are allowed to take part in the main Up Helly Aa festival in the capital, Lerwick.

Women have been playing a more prominent role in many of the similar fire festivals that have spread to smaller communities around the islands.

But Ms Simpson, from Bigton, will be the first woman to ever play the honoured role of the Guizer Jarl, around whom the whole festival revolves.

The primary school head teacher will lead the procession on Friday night while dressed as a Viking warrior complete with axe, shield and armour, before helping to burn a replica Viking galley.

Speaking ahead of the event, she told BBC Scotland: "It is really important to me. It has been a long build up, five years of knowing that this was going to happen, five years of people talking to me about it and wishing me the best with it and it is going to be a wonderful day.

"I'm really looking forward to visiting all the different places, the different schools and especially for our procession at night time."

Up Helly Aa
The fire festivals have been largely male-dominated since they began in the 1880s