The Heathen Way
Features of the Heathen Way:
1. An awareness of the world as a place of flux which can be either more orderly and conducive to the good life or else more chaotic and destructive of happiness.
2. An understanding of the world as a playground of both natural (visible) and hypernatural (invisible) beings which it is profitable to be aware of and to interact appropriately with.
3. An attitude to strive actively for a more orderly world against the forces of disintegration and chaos.
4. A desire to lead a mature adult life as an individual, family or community - a self-directed life where one takes responsibility for one's own welfare and strives for greater health, wisdom, capability, strength and resilience.
5. A respect for those who have come before us and their accumulated wisdom which we call a cultural tradition. Respect for ourselves and our ability to discover new ways of doing things appropriate for us. Concern for those who will come after us that we will leave them with a good foundation to build on.
6. A respect and concern for the wider world which we live in - its human and non-human inhabitants and its material substrate and the good relationships between them.
The Heathen Way is many things but it includes:
- the striving to support the small against the giant
- a participation in activities that attune oneself to reality
- an appreciation of community
- a valuing of self-reliance
- a willingness to put one's hand to many kinds of tasks not just one
- an awareness of one's roots in the ongoing processes of existence
- a desire to be a person of worth who creates value in the world
Twelve Activities of a Heathen Life
Gathering - gathering food, materials people from out there to in here so that we have what we need to produce what we need.
Gardening - cultivating plants that can provide us with food, animals too maybe
Cooking - preparing our food from raw ingredients so that it is good for us to eat
Nursing - attending to those who are small or infirm or in need of help to get what they need from the world so that their life can continue, their health be restored, their growth assisted, their happiness enhanced.
Story-telling - telling each other stories which build our understanding of the world.
Dancing - moving, speaking, singing, acting with a rhythmn that pleases us - especially in co-ordination with others to produce something that is good for body and soul.
Handcraft - creating objects and tools for our use that assist our lives.
Shelter-making - creating places to live in suited to our nature through dual-faced structures - once face outwards to the earth and the elements and one face inwards to us and our living space.
Warfare - action to influence the other people and creatures about us to take account of our needs and give us space to live when they might not otherwise do so. Physically violent action will not usually be the best way for heathens today.
Herbalism - the use of substances from plants to heal the body and other similar interventions.
Witchcraft - the practice of psychospiritual techniques to impact the mind and restore it to a healthy peace.
Wizardry - the seeking after wisdom and the use of such wisdom to benefit the community and the world.
Seven Important Things
Wisdom
Wisdom is important. The wiser a person is the more likely they are to take the actions which benefits themselves and others.
Capability
Capability is important. The more capable a person is at performing different tasks the more likely it is that when something needs doing they will be able to do it.
Food
Food is important. People need a continuous supply of food to continue living. For best health the food needs to be of sufficient variety and quality and not contain injurious ingredients.
Health
Community
Community is important. The relationships people have with each other, how they interact and how they see and feel about each other are things that matter. Heathens work to build good relationships between people and strong and happy family and community lives.
Communications
Shopping