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Introduction
We believe that modern people are in difficulty.
As individuals many of us struggle to gain a good quality of life, one that satisfies us, provides an outlet for our potentials and heals us of past wounds.
As a society it can feel that things are falling apart - things that most of us once took for granted seem no longer to be guaranteed.
Some of us also may feel guilty that the way we live our lives is causing detriment to others - perhaps people in other countries, animals being reared for food or future generations whose environment is being despoiled.
Heathens believe that the way the world functions stems largely from the actions of people. Thus if we change the actions of people, then we can change the world.
Actions begin in the mind. So to change actions we need to change minds.
Heathenry as we see it is a technology for changing people's minds - one that has been developed freely by people in their quest to better themselves and their situation in life.
A feature of ancient Heathens was a way of life which was much more decentralized than is the case today. The family, clan and tribe had greater freedom to shape their lives as they wished - though restricted of course by the needs of gaining sufficient food and defending against wild animals or bandits. With none of the modern conveniences ancient Heathens lived a more self-reliant kind of life. There were more different things to do and more opportunities for people to come together in groups for a practical task or to socialise, tell each other stories and enjoy themselves.
We believe there is a profit to be gained for us modern people to learn about the culture of the ancient peoples. We may not want to copy them exactly but we may be inspired to create our own new Heathen traditions for a more community-minded, more self-reliant, more ethical and more satisfying way of life.
Heathen Autonomism
Heathen Autonomism is a modern ideology to promote the revival of the ancient way of decentralised autonomous living.
July and October 2011 CE