Wayward Wanderer

CW: Extensive discussion of Neo-Nazi ideology and history, terrorism, and other political violence Joining us today is author and antifascist researcher Spencer Sunshine!  Spencer has a PhD in Sociology, has written extensively on the U.S. Far Right, and has a new book out with Routledge called Neo-Nazi Terrorism and Countercultural Fascism .  We talked all about the central figure of his work, ne...

These days, it feels like everything is in a state of crisis.  Join your host for a dive into how Nordic myth addresses the question of systemic crisis through the myth of Ragnarok, our present polycrisis, and whether we can avert the horrors of the Wolf Age and the destruction it promises. Hatian Community Support and Help Center: https://www.haitiansupportcenterspringfield.org/ Sources and links...

Joining us today is author Tim Rayborn!  Tim is a highly prolific author with a PhD from the University of Leeds who has published in history, mythology, and many other topics and has recently published a new book, Northern Mythology: Tales from Norse, Finnish, and Sami Traditions .   We talked all about it, what makes myth true and relevant today, and more! Want to support this podcast and my oth...

Want to know how Heathens celebrate holidays and why?  Then join Ryan for a journey into the why, how, and what of Heathenry's biggest holidays.  Highlights of this episode include a short trip through the Heathen calendar, some practice tips on doing feasting right, and giving a deeper understanding of the reason for the celebration of the seasons. Click here to schedule a rune reading with Ryan!...

Joining us today is author, Nordic witch, and folk magic practitioner Siri Vincent Plouff (they/them).  Siri is the author of the upcoming Queering the Runes  published by Weiser, co-author of Lessons of the Empress with Cassandra Snow, and host of  The Heathen's Journey  podcast.  We talked about their new book, gender in Nordic myth, runelore, and more! Want to support this podcast and my other...

The Pagan, Heathen, and Witch movements are very much products of a protest against the modern world.  Join your host for a journey through what modernity is, the place of the Pagan and Heathen movements in our present times, and what we can do to help sew the seeds of new possibility. Click here to schedule a rune reading with Ryan!

Joining us today is Witch, author and teacher Fio Gede Parma (she/they).  Fio is the author of the newly-released The Witch Belongs to the World , and a teacher in the Reclaiming tradition of Witchcraft.  We talked about her new book, The Witch Belongs to the World , the upcoming  Ecstatic Witchcraft , the relationship between Witchcraft and colonialism, and so much more!

Did you know there are Nordic Gods who stand apart from all the rest?  Join Ryan for an exploration of who the Others are and their strong ties to the most primordial of all forces in the Nordic cosmos.  Highlights of this episode include naming some of the more well-known of the Others, what they are associated with, and how the Others represent the forces that even other Gods heed and respect. C...

The words Pagan and Heathen mean a lot of different things.  In the mouths of modern Pagans & Heathens, they are badges of honor.  For Christians and religious conservatives, they are a shorthand for everything they see as sinful, degenerate, and unholy.  Join your host for a journey into their history, why they matter, and what they say in these times of increasingly aggressive Christian nati...

Joining us today is author and musician David Bramwell.  Bramwell is a co-creator and producer of The Wicker Man sing-along, the host of the podcast  Adventures in Nutopia , author of  The Cult of Water , and a member of the Order of Bards, Ovate, and Druids.  We talked about The Wicker Man and its enduring appeal, ecological spirituality, and more! You can find out more at www.drbramwell.com

Animism.  For some, it is a shorthand for spiritualities that worship what is in the world around them but there's a lot more to this concept than simply worshipping rocks and trees.  Join your host for a journey into what animism is, why it is relevant to Heathen practice, and what it says to a world facing climate crisis. Click here to schedule a rune reading with Ryan!

The shadow, in Jungian psychology, is all of the things about ourselves that we have repressed and refuse to acknowledge as being a part of who we are.  In the case of Heathenry, the core of our collective shadow is our movement's troubled, messy relationship with authority and how it is built.  Join your host for a journey into our shadow, what makes it tick, and how we can resolve these deep pro...

Welcome to the Vanir episode!  Join Ryan for a short journey through the Vanir's roles as Gods of the liminal, the mystical, and humanity's relationships with the natural world.  Highlights of this episode include naming some of the more well-known Vanir and what they are associated with, the Vanir and magic, and how the Vanir as best understood as deities of relationship and moving between worlds...

Abuse and the toleration of abusive practices in spiritual communities is a significant problem in Paganism and Heathenry, as has been especially shown with Diana Paxson's recent removal from the Troth.  Join your host for a journey through what enables abusive systems, their structures, and what brings about the institutionalization of abuse in communities.  https://wildhunt.org/2024/05/the-troth...

In this episode, your host guides you through the twisting paths of Nordic mysticism.  Along the way, you will learn why modern people engage in mysticism and how seiðr and runework, the two main forms of Heathen mysticism, work. 

Community.  It can be a source of support and joy, a cause of frustration, and often a mix of both.  Join your host for a walk through the advantages offered by organized community, the state of community and organizing within Heathenry, the causes of cults of personality, more sustainable options for community organizing, and more!

Hey folks I'm pleased to announce that I will be presenting on confronting white supremacy at the Harvard Divinity School this April!  The event is free to attend, both in-person and online, so please register and find out more at the following link: https://hds.harvard.edu/faculty-research/programs-and-centers/program-evolution-spirituality

Welcome to the Aesir episode.  Join Ryan for a short journey through the Aesir's roles as Gods of society, humanity, and community.  Highlights of this episode include naming some of the more well-known Aesir and what they are associated with, the Aesir and war, and the Aesir's place in the grand cosmic drama of Ragnarok.

In this explainer, Ryan explores ritual and sacrifice in modern Heathenry. This explainer will cover why ritual is important, what the words sacrifice and offerings tend to mean in modern Pagan and Heathen practices, and the core Heathen rituals and blot and oathmaking.

How is the world made and shaped?  By co-creation, of course!  Join your host for a deep dive into what co-creation is, how it is founded in Wyrd, why it empowers people, and more.

The Wayward Wanderer welcomes Shane Burley back to the pod for a dive into how Richard Spencer of AltRight fame is rebranding by stealing from Dune and Greek myth, fascists ditching Heathenry and the Eddas for highly antisemitic reasons, the infighting plaguing the non-Christian far-right, the Asatru Folk Assembly cannibalizing the Ku Klux Klan, and what Heathens, Pagans, and antifascists can do t...

What could spirituality look like if you remove the concept of ultimate evil? Join your host for an exploration of what a spirituality without ultimate evil might look like, how the concept of the Devil emerged, and why Nordic myth and spirituality have no devils of their own. *https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2010/aug/02/book-job-religion-judaism *https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/gu...

In this explainer, Ryan dives into what makes the Nordic Gods what they are. This explainer will cover how all Gods are not the same, the attributes that unite the Nordic Gods and set them apart from other forms of deity, their main groups better known as the Aesir, Vanir, Jotnar, and Others, how they interact, and what this means for modern Heathen and Pagan practitioners.

2024 has definitely started with the world in a messy place. Join your host for a walk through how our increasingly tumultuous world may impact Heathens and Pagans and, despite all appearances to the contrary, why our movement's may have a brighter future than you think. Notes: *Growth of Paganism https://www.newsweek.com/witchcraft-wiccans-mysticism-astrology-witches-millennials-pagans-religion-1...

Polytheism. It is easily one of the most well-known defining characteristics of Heathen and Pagan spirituality. So what is it and why do modern people find it to be so appealing? Join your host for a deep dive into what polytheism is and why it holds meaning for modern practitioners.