Heathen Mysticism Blogging Month

Last month, I participated in International Pagan Values Blogging Month.  I was glad for the opportunity to discuss my own Pagan values, specifically the thews (customs) of Fyrnsidu and greater Anglo-Saxon Heathenry.

I am declaring Heathen Mysticism Blogging Month for July.  I will be spending July discussing various issues and topics within the bounds of the mystical side of Heathenry.  While I’m not demanding everyone in the world or even within my circle of friends follow suit (although I know my friend Valgrind is on board with this), it would be nice to get some blogging going on the subject of mysticism in Heathenry.  Why?

I have gotten a lot more reticent in discussing my “woo”.  There are many reasons for this, but the three most important are 1. I trusted the wrong people with some sensitive information, 2. there are things too personal for me to discuss at all (the P in UPG), 3. I do not want to encourage people to be seekers who have no aptitude for it and want something fun or “cool” to do.

However, the topic of mysticism in Heathenry is not going away.  Up until now, it seems there are two pervasive attitudes in this direction:

1. Those of people who are not open to magic and mysticism in Heathenry at all, full stop, or only within a select few (and usually those who are considered “important” in some way)

2. Those who feel that dismissing any kind of UPG no matter how off the deep end is “narrow minded”, who promote or at least condone beliefs and practices that are completely incompatible with the theology and thew of Heathenry, and may even be psychologically or physically dangerous.

There is a sane middle perspective, both from people of a mystical bent, as well as a few people I know who are not mystically inclined at all but are nonetheless interested in better understanding on the topic.

While I never set out to be a writer, I write in large part to “pay it forward” to people who are currently or will be where I was at a few years ago, with wyrd things happening and not much to go by other than standard generic business-as-usual American Asatru information.  I write as a public resource.  It has taken me in directions I never thought possible, such as writing books and having a PR/communications job for an international Heathen organization.  As much as I write to provide people with helpful information, it now seems I am also writing to provide a counter-balance against misinformation (although I still hope it’s helpful and inspirational to those who read).

Anyway, I expect July’s posts will be interesting.  Being the pedantic INTJ that I am, I like to have topics and find my writing more productive that way.  There’s a lot of things I could talk about under this umbrella, and you’ll see at least some of them.