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Angloheathenry Angloheathenry is a modern English paganism. It can be seen as an updated variety of the ancient pagan religion of the early Anglo-Saxons or else as the English answer to Hinduism. Angloheathenry seeks to encourage people to try and make the world a better place to live in, and to provide the cultural foundation from which they might discover how to do so. Angloheathenry is characterised by its commitment to rationality. We believe that existence has a particular nature and that we have both the ability and the duty to discover this nature for ourselves and to adapt our conduct accordingly. We understand however that good things in life have both a prosaic intellectual resonance, and a more immediate cognitive and spiritual one. We seek to provide a religious framework which engages people and meets their spiritual needs alongside their need to grasp the truth of material reality. In this vein Angloheathens recognize the concept of divine beings which can be imagined as persons. However we reject the superstitious belief that divine beings can act outside of the natural order. While Angloheathenry is a new religious framework it seeks to build links with certain existing religious traditions. Angloheathenry is especially close to Zoroastrianism - which was the original proponent of many religious themes which have shaped Western civilization such as monotheism, rational enquiry, struggle between good and evil and a belief that it is possible to make the world a better place. Additionally Angloheathenry draws from the Indo-Iranian Pagan religion out of which Zoroastrianism was born. We also draw from certain Greek, Gnostic and Christian texts and Christian culture. Angloheathenry encourages those who are suited to develop their self-knowledge. We point them in the path of Buddhist writings which owe a great debt to the Zoroastrian enlightenment. However we see Buddhism as a mental practice, and don't accept the religious beliefs that have erroneously become associated with it. A major theme of Angloheathenry is the struggle between the good processes acting in the world, and the bad ones. We think the best human processes tend to exist where knowledgeable people are striving to improve the world. The worst processes come where clever people are seeking to turn things to their own advantage and their souls are shut up to the suffering caused. In between ignorance can make good intentions turn bad or less effective, and everyday selfishness or laziness can have bad consequences. Sometimes the best way to deal with bad behaviour is to intervene with superior force to stop the people involved continuing. However Angloheathens prefer to change people's minds so that they are minded to do what is right. This may be by converting them to Angloheathenry or Zoroastrianism. Other times another religious tradition may be more appropriate. Angloheathens recognise the different modes of human life. In particular we distinguish the 'instrumental mode' and the 'organic mode'. When in 'instrumental mode' people make a conscious effort to bring about a particular change in the world outside of themselves. When in 'organic mode' people respond naturally to what happens in their environment without trying to change the nature of that environment. Angloheathenry concentrates on teaching about 'instrumental mode' behaviour - something which entails a commitment to truth and righteousness. However we recognise that people need times when they are more relaxed and responsive to life without trying to implement any agenda. This organic behaviour is the time when a person is able to test out their own nature, and to grow in capability, or else to recuperate and be healed of disharmony within themselves. We believe that Zoroastrian teachings are most appropriate for instrumental mode behaviour, but accept that pagan ideas may be a benefit in organic mode. Runes are the 'Secrets of Life'. The word especially applies to sets of elemental concepts which together provide a framework for analysing the nature of existence into its fundamentals. Typically sets of runes are associated with a 'rune-stave' - a kind of cupboard of pigeonholes into which individual runes are placed. By preference Angloheathen rune-staves are made up of octets - or rows of 8 elements , which come in layers - i.e. so that a 3-row rune-stave would contain 24 runes. Runic octets can be visually mapped onto the 8-spoked wheel of Asha. Currently (in 4008) there is no one set of runes that we particularly recommend. Angloheathenry gives great attention to encouraging people to develop their wisdom and understanding about themselves and the world they live in through the practice of Sophistry. The success of the project of Angloheathenry stands on its ability to produce enlightened people with benevolent intentions and high capability. Angloheathens recognise the social role of Wizards - professional wise persons who understand the craft of making transformations in the world. Wizards need to be alert to all the issues involved in discerning the truth of a situation and able to dodge all the pitfalls put in the path of those seeking to develop good understanding and making a beneficial use of their knowledge. Angloheathens tend to consider Wizards the most important members of society in terms of the beneficial impact or otherwise that they can potentially make. For it is Wizards who shape the culture of a society - the way people think and act - and this in turn creates the way of being of that society which may be good or bad for its members. Thus the success of the project of Angloheathenry stands on its ability to produce wizards with benevolent intentions and high capability protected from harmful influence to their mind or body. This might for instance involve setting up a school of wizardry in a protected environment. January 4008 HE / Updated May 4014 |