Wayward Wanderer: Recent Episodes
Ryan Smith
Your friendly neighborhood Radical Heathen podcast! Join "The Way of Fire & Ice" author Ryan Smith for discussions on Norse Paganism in the 21st century, episodes come out on the first Wednesday of each month.
The surviving literature of the pre-Christian Nordic peoples were recorded in poetic form. Join your host for an explainer on the poetry of the eddas and sagas, how it works, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
Hey everyone I'm going to be focusing my upcoming regular episodes on the Poetic Edda and will be presenting at the Harvard Divinity School this September! Listen for more info.
Hey everyone welcome to another episode of Let's Read! In this series, Ryan and Siri are taking apart Creed of Iron, a 1997 book which is a great example of far-right, white nationalist Pagan theology at the dawn of the Internet. In Part 3, we dive in to the mysticism of Creed of Iron and have a surprise appearance by a historical figure.
CW: Neo-Nazi language, ideology, and content
Listen to Part 1
Listen to Part 2
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
Hey everyone welcome to another episode of Let's Read! In this series, Ryan and Siri continue taking apart Creed of Iron, a 1997 book which is a great example of far-right, white nationalist Pagan theology at the dawn of the Internet. In Part 2, we watch as the author proceeds to repeat themselves constantly and show off his distinctive, totally not derivative visual style.
CW: Neo-Nazi language, ideology, and content
Listen to Part 1
Listen to Part 3
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
Hey everyone welcome to another episode of Let's Read! In this series, Ryan and Siri will be taking apart Creed of Iron, a 1997 book which is a great example of far-right, white nationalist Pagan theology at the dawn of the Internet. In Part 1, we meet the author, his best friend and neo-Nazi icon David Lane, and the book's distinctive artwork.
CW: Neo-Nazi language, ideology, and content
This meditation helps build the animistic elements of your practice by giving you the tools to communicate with the Powers of a specific place. It builds on the Lifting the Veil meditation and is useful for initiating relationship with the Powers of place or building on an existing relationship.
Lifting the Veil meditation
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwf
Are you interested in learning more about rune magic and want to know more? Then tune in for this explainer where we dig into the metaphysics of how runes work, chanting the runes, bindrunes, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
The origins of humans are, in myth, a critical story for understanding our place in existence and our purpose. Join your host for a short guide for how the first humans were made in Nordic myth, why it matters, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
This meditation is meant to help you make contact with your Fylgja, the part of the Nordic Self which is often associated with the subconscious or the unconscious. The Fylgja often serves as a guide and protector during trancework and can offer invaluable insights on your present conditions.
Sea and Sky Meditation: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/meditation-calming-the-sea-and-sky--63703724
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
This meditation is meant to help ignite your creativity and fuel your imagination by re-acquainting you with past epiphanies. It utilizes the sea and sky meditation, which is linked below, and needs a quiet place to rest and reflect.
Sea and Sky Meditation: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/meditation-calming-the-sea-and-sky--63703724
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
Welcome to my latest fireside chat! In this one, we talk about digital hygiene and some useful habits, changes, and techniques you can employ to better control your information feed, devices, and gain greater control over these sources of distraction in daily life.
If you want to hear the rest of this episode then head on over to my Patreon at this link: https://patreon.com/waywardwan...
Patrons at the Shield-Bearer level and above gain access to special episodes and more!
Stags and boars are two animals that pop up a lot in Heathen and Pagan spirituality. Join your host for a short talk on how they appear in Nordic myth and what stags and boars represent.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
This meditation uses your personal resilience and what gives you strength to protect you from the hardships of the world. It works by using guided visualization to call up your sources of resilience and imagine them as a source of safety.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
Many of the segments of society who are aware of Paganism, Heathenry, and Witchcraft treat it as a curiosity at best. Join your host for a walk through why Paganism makes the world better by being a part of it, how it improves our lives & society, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
This meditation helps the practitioner remind themselves of what brings them joy, comfort, and fulfillment. It works by interacting with the Norns, calling forth what is in your consciousness, and utilizes the Calming the Sea & Sky meditation.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes in Heathen spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
This episode dives into the place of two particular animals in Nordic myth: goats and horses. Join your host for a short trip through the examples we have of goats from Nordic myth, the best of horses, the qualities of both animals in myth, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching a new round of classes! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
Breathing Away Anxiety is a simple, grounding meditation meant to help dispel anxiety and reach a state of calm. This one is fairly simple, can be done under most circumstances, and is easy to adapt.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching a new round of classes! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
Wolves and ravens are two of the most widely invoked and depicted animals in modern Nordic practice. Join your host for a walk through what they mean, animals in Nordic myth, and more!
Wolf facts
Alpha Wolves Debunked
Raven saying "Who's a good bird?"
More on ravens
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching a new round of classes! You can find out more and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes
I will be at Sacred Space/Between the Worlds 2026! Check out my workshops and say hi.
We face times that try our souls so the real question facing us is: will you fight or will you hide? Join your host for a voyage through why Heathens and Pagans cannot stay on the sidelines of this struggle, how taking a stand is justified by Heathen principles, and more!
Deaths by ICE
In Their Own Words - ICE in the Twin Cities feat. Ben and Siri
Seth Staton Watkins on YouTube
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On December 1st, ICE launched Operation Metro Surge and dispatched thousands of agents to the Twin Cities, a city which also happens to be the home of one of the largest Pagan communities in the United States. Join your host for a conversation with Minneapolis Heathen Godi Ben and friend of the pod Siri on how the ICE operation has impacted life in Minnesota, the interfaith resistance, and more!
Stand With Minnesota
Siri is now enrolling students in their intensive Queering the Runes course of study. You can find more information at their Patreon!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
This meditation is for helping hone your focus, clearing out any distractions, and providing guidance in attaining your goals despite the forces arrayed against you. It can be done under any circumstances and utilizes a less altered state than my other meditations usually employ.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes on Inclusive Nordic Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
The Winter Solstice is sacred in many of the cultures that inspire modern Pagans. Join your host for a brief journey through the significance of this time of year, the importance of sacred time, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes on Inclusive Nordic Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
Runecasting is one of the best known forms of Heathen, Nordic, and Germanic divination. Join your host for a short walk through the whys and hows of runic divination.
Explainer - Divination
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I am teaching classes on Inclusive Nordic Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
This meditation creates an anchor with a moment in your life where you felt especially fulfilled, happy, joyful, and otherwise in a state of bliss & safety. These images can be called up later when you especially need to refresh & restore your sense of self.
Calming the Sea & Sky Meditation
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes on Inclusive Nordic Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
This meditation is meant to bolster and empower you in the face of great challenges. it works by calling on the aid of the Nordic Powers to grant you the tools, wisdom, & protection needed to accomplish the task ahead.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes on Nordic Ritual and Inclusive Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
As above, so below is a common phrase in many Pagan & Witch spaces and can be seen as an assertion of inherent connection. Join your host for a walk through its deeper significance, how it applies in a Heathen context, & more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching classes on Nordic Ritual and Inclusive Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
And we're back with more of "The Pagan Threat." In this segment, Ryan and El wade through Lucas Miles' takes on UFOs, trans people, how Pagans are taking over Christianity, and more!
Listen to Part 1 https://www.spreaker.com/episo... />
You can help support Cassandra Snow, one of the authors singled out by Lucas Miles, by going to their Patreon and signing up https://www.patreon.com/cassan... />
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
A new Evangelical hate screed called The Pagan Threat dropped last month with a foreword by the late Charlie Kirk. Joining the pod is author Elizabeth Sandifer for a dive into Lucas Miles' hot takes on Paganism, Christianity, Hazbin Hotel, and more!
Listen to Part 2 here.
You can help support Cassandra Snow, one of the authors singled out by Lucas Miles, by going to their Patreon and signing up here.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
For Spooktober, we will be doing a meditation which helps you commune with the dead. It helps for this meditation to have a picture or possession of the dead you are seeking to connect with.
Lifting the Veil
I am teaching classes on Nordic Ritual and Inclusive Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Valhalla is the most well-known of all the Nordic death realms. For most of popular culture, it is a Viking Heaven that inspires violent, heroic deeds. Join your host for a dive into Valhalla, what it is, what it isn't, and more!
In Their Own Words - Kash Patel & Valhalla feat. Heather Greene
I am teaching classes on Nordic Ritual and Inclusive Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
The Pagan, Heathen, and Witch movements may now be facing the greatest challenge in our young, vibrant history. Join your host for a journey through why our movements have always been a challenge to Christian hegemony, how we might now be an explicit target for persecution, The Pagan Threat, and more.
Sources:
The Pagans & the Christians - https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-37-the-pagans-and-the-christians--60874790
Number of Pagans in the US - https://www.newsweek.com/witchcraft-wiccans-mysticism-astrology-witches-millennials-pagans-religion-1221019
Pew Forum on Religion - https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/
The Federalist - https://thefederalist.com/2019/09/26/climate-worship-is-nothing-more-than-rebranded-paganism/
Charlie Kirk on Maui - https://www.mediamatters.org/charlie-kirk/charlie-kirk-blames-maui-wildfires-pagan-hawaiian-culture
The Pagan Threat - https://wildhunt.org/2025/09/the-pagan-threat-is-talking-about-us.html
Megyn Kelly - https://www.megynkelly.com/2025/09/23/megyn-kelly-reveals-erika-kirk-reaction-to-jezebel-curse-story-about-charlie-kirk/
I am teaching classes on Nordic Ritual and Inclusive Spirituality! You can find out more and sign up at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Last week, FBI Director Kash Patel promised to meet Charlie Kirk in Valhalla. Joining us today is journalist and author Heather Greene to talk more about what this suggests, why the far-right's understanding of Valhalla is rooted more in pop culture than myth or history, and more!
https://www.llewellyn.com/prod...
https://www.heathergreene.net/
https://www.youtube.com/@WitchesMovieCoven
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Fascism is on the march so it's time to answer the question: what is it and where does it come from? Join your host for an explainer on fascism, its history, the realities of that movement today, and some tips for how to beat them.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwf
Joining us today is Ron Padron! Ron is a gay Cuban-American hedge priest and ordained Pagan clergy. His focus is on queer-affirming spirituality & spiritual activism and his practice is a blend of folk Catholicism, Druidry and Witchcraft. He runs White Rose Witching, has published three books on rites, ceremonies, and magical resilience, and edits the ALTAR PUNK and PaganPunk Community Grimoire.
We talk about being Pagan clergy, ALTAR PUNK, the Community Grimoire, and more!
You can find Ron's Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/whiterosewitching
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwf
Lifting the Veil is a meditation that helps you shift your focus away from the pulse of day to day life & towards the presence of animistic entities & other than human intelligences that are all around us. It works by giving your daily cares a means to manifest that is then easily dismissed, making way for reaching the Otherworldly all around us.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwf
There is little question that a militant, aggressive kind of Christianity is now on the march to domination. If those of us, including the Pagan & Witch movements, wish to survive & overcome these times then we need to start asking what a world after Christian hegemony will look like. Join your host for what this means for religion & society, how we might get there, and more!
In Defense of Puritanism by Atun-Shei Films
The Diggers from the Revolutions Podcast
I am teaching Intro to Nordic Paganism and Intro to Inclusive Practice remotely this September! You can register by going to the Fire & Ice Teaching Collective classes listing at this link: http://www.onblackwings.com/classes
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
The Vaettir are the animistic beings of Nordic spiritualities. In this explainer, your host Ryan Smith introduces you to some of the core features of the vaettir, gives some examples of kinds of vaettir that exist in the Nordic world, and more!
Explainer 6 - Animism
Interview with Sif Brookes on Valkyries
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Reading Frigga's Loom is a meditation that helps you better understand how you are connected with others in the world and your relationship with wyrd, the force that unites and binds all things in existence. It works by using images and symbols of connection to give shape to our relationships with other entities, forces, and institutions.
Link to the Calming the Sea & Sky meditation
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwf
Let's talk about why my book, community, and tradition is so much about fire & ice. Join your host for a journey through two of the great cosmic forces of Nordic myth, the dialectics of creation, what ice & fire represent, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
I am teaching an online workshop on Hexing & Warding next week on Tuesday, June 10th! In this class, we'll be covering the basics of offensive and defensive magic, how these techniques can be used for direct action, why they may have more power than ever thanks to the widespread Christian Nationalist belief in spiritual warfare, and more!
You can register for this and other classes and workshops at the following link:
https://forms.gle/HWpi18JVyXjPHpkE7
Joining us on the show today is Malu Reynaud! Malu Reynaud is Brazilian and passionate about religion and spirituality. After a change in career teaching and practicing Law, she decided to pursue a master's degree in Religious Studies (University of South Florida), where she is a teaching assistant. She is currently focusing her research on Afro-Brazilian Religions and Spiritism.
We talk about Brazilian Spiritism, its relationship with Afro-Brazilian faiths like Candomble & Umbanda, the "Pope of Samba" Zeca Pagodinho's open incorporation of spiritism into his music, and more!
You can find Malu on Insight Timer here: https://insig.ht/vJJTe6odDTb
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Odin is one of the best-known of all the Nordic Gods. Join your host for a dive into this mysterious, multi-faceted deity who often defies all attempts at definition.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Joining us on the podcast is Mhara Starling! Mhara was born in North Wales, raised on the Isle of Anglesey, is a native Welsh speaker, and has been practicing witchcraft from a very young age. Mhara is a celebrant and tarot reader who runs moots, gatherings & open rituals. She is the author of Welsh Witchcraft and Welsh Faires, has been featured on the BBC Wales documentary series Young, Welsh and Pretty Religious and is a prolific TikTok video creator.
We spoke about Welsh folk magic, why Welsh witchcraft is the tradition of cheese, tits, & toads, the myth, folklore, & history of Wales, Cerridwen, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Reaching the divine is a meditation that helps the practitioner establish and reinforce their connections with one of the many Nordic Gods. It works by tapping into the power of names, kennings, and symbols associated with each of the Nordic deities. This meditation and supporting information for it can be found in Ch. 3 of The Way of Fire & Ice.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwf
Folk magic is easily the most widespread form of magic in human history. Join your host for a discussion of what folk magic is, black vs white magic, developing your own practice, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Sign up for my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwf
Happy Star Wars Day everyone! Join your host for a dive into a discussion of Star Wars as myth, the mythic power of Star Wars, and what Star Wars shows about how myths can influence the world.
This is an unlocked version of a special, Patrons-only episode. If you want access to other Patrons-only episodes, ad-free listening, and more then sign up at patreon.com/waywardwanderer
If you want to book a rune reading then head on over to my Calendly: https://calendly.com/ryan-fire...
Explainer on Myth: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/explainer-13-myth--64215502
Episode on Myth & Conspiracy: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-29-myth-and-conspiracy--57549804
Lucas on the Rebels and Palpatine as Nixon: https://nextshark.com/star-wars-vietnamese-resistance
Lucas on Joseph Campbell: https://www.jcf.org/learn/star-wars
Buddhism, Daoism, and Star Wars: https://popculturephilosopher.com/jedi-philosophy/
We, without question, are facing rising fascist and authoritarian tides which threaten to wash away all that Heathens, Pagans, and Witches hold dear. Tune in to this fireside chat for guidance on direct action, one of the most powerful tools we have for resistance. In this chat, I will cover what direct action is, how to get started, the basics of security culture, and how to deal with questions of risk and civil disobedience.
If you want to hear the rest of this episode then head on over to my Patreon at this link: https://patreon.com/waywardwan...
Patrons at the Shield-Bearer level and above gain access to special episodes and more!
I am also available for divination readings, you can book one at this link here: https://calendly.com/ryan-fire...
Joining us today is Jason Mankey! Jason is a third-degree High Priest and prolific Witchcraft author ten books and counting. Jason has spent the last twenty-five years of his life researching the Horned God, Witchcraft, and magickal history, and the occult influences in rock and roll music. He regularly lectures and leads rituals at Pagan and Witchcraft events in both North America and the United Kingdom.
We talked about the future of the modern Pagan and Witchcraft movements, LGBTQ+ inclusion in the movement, heavy metal and Paganism, his upcoming book on Raymond Buckland, the father of American Witchcraft, and more!
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out https://patreon.com/waywardwan...
You can also help out by https://calendly.com/ryan-fire...
I'm going to be presenting my research on Pagans and Heavy Metal at this year's Program for the Evolution of Spirituality Conference which hosted and organized by the Harvard Divinity School. The conference is free and you can attend either in person at Harvard or online via Zoom at this embedded link. My presentation starts at 6PM EST this Wednesday, April 23rd.
I am also teaching a whole range of classes that start next week and I've got spaces available! If you'd like to learn more about the Nordic Gods, the runes, ritual, and more then head on over to this embedded link to get signed up.
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
Joining us today is Irene Glasse, a Heathen witch, longtime teacher of witchcraft, meditation, and magic, Commissioned Lay Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, Maryland, lead organizer of the Frederick Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, and a member of the Sacred Space Conference board. She shares her thoughts on community building, making Pagan organizing sustainable, the biggest challenges facing our movement, what seiðr brings to Heathen practice, and more!
Enrollment with the Fellowship Teaching Collective is open for May classes! I'll be teaching the Nordic Gods, Intro to the Younger Futhark, and Intro to Nordic Ritual, you can find more information and sign up at www.onblackwings.com/classes.
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
This meditation helps practitioners better understand the meanings and significance of any one of the Elder, Younger, and Anglo-Saxon runes. For this meditation, you will need a guide to the meaning of the runes. You can find one in Chapter 6 of The Way of Fire & Ice and I also recommend Siri Plouffe's Queering the Runes, which was published this past fall.
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
Seiðr is one of the other main forms of mysticism practiced in modern Heathen and Nordic Pagan spaces. Join your host for an explanation of what seiðr is, historical examples of it, modern seiðr, and more!
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
Revenge is one of the most common motifs in surviving Nordic source materials. Join your host for an examination of vengeance, its place in Nordic myth, a dive into examples from the tales of Volund & Ragnarok, and what this means for the modern Heathen.
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out https://patreon.com/waywardwan...
You can also help out by booking a reading here: https://calendly.com/ryan-fire...
This month's meditation helps build a sense of connection with the world around you. It brings you into relationship with the world above and below before then circulating the energy of pure potential throughout you.
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
Hey everyone I'm going to be presenting live and in the flesh over the next couple of weeks! I am going to be doing a workshop on Utiseta, a form of trance meditation, at Paganicon in the Twin Cities this coming weekend, talking about Liberated Spirituality at Sacred Spaces in Baltimore on March 27th, and am presenting my research on Paganism and Heavy Metal at the Harvard Divinity School at the end of April. If you can help support my cost of travel then please donate to my Ko-fi, consider signing up for my Patreon if you haven't already, and sharing these links wherever you can. I can't wait to meet my listeners, readers, patrons, and students in the flesh in the coming weeks and am looking forward to hitting the road!
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi/goal?g=4
Patreon: patreon.com/waywardwanderer
CW: Discussion of the Folkish movement, white nationalists, threats of violence and school shootings
Joining us today are Christine Cormier and Scott Kelley Ernest, two Heathens who were previously part of the Folkish movement who have since become outspoken critics of white nationalist spirituality. They share what their experience inside the Asatru Folk Assembly and Odinic Rite was like, the one thing they think everyone should know about far-right religious sects, and more!
Christine's links:
https://savannahcatgiannis.wordpress.com/blog/
https://bsky.app/profile/savannahcat.bsky.social
https://soundcloud.com/destructionofjustice
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
The runes are one of the most visible expressions of modern Nordic spirituality. Join your host for a short introduction to what the runes are, their history, how they're used, and more!
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
Welcome to the first of my fireside chats, special episodes where I talk about what's going on right now in the world, how we can stay hopeful in times of turmoil, and ways we can work to make things better. I've unlocked this one because I'd like to share it with everyone and shine a light in dark times.
I am teaching a class on the Younger Futhark, the runes of the Viking Age, this March! If you are interested, sign up at this link.
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
Sources:
https://resolutesquare.com/articles/59WL4t7WTu2rjxNmANFyE2/the-authoritarian-regime-survival-guide
https://medium.com/@djordjepadejski/a-recipe-for-surviving-authoritarian-regimes-d5ad1cc8f303
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388915809_You_need_to_put_on_your_own_oxygen_mask_first_considering_extinction_rebellion's_regenerative_culture_as_a_mode_of_constructive_resistance
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-republicans-hit-the-brakes-on-town-halls-after-blowback-over-trump-s-cuts/ar-AA1zNqAa
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/02/28/southern-california-gop-lawmaker-booed-at-town-hall-for-supporting-elon-musk/?preview_id=10753385
https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-takedown-protests-photos-2025-2
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-01-16/climate-protesters-storm-phillips-66-facility-amid-recent-wildfires
This guided meditation helps the practitioner gain a better sense of awareness of their surroundings and relationship with the space they are currently in. All you need to do this meditation is a safe space where you can sit comfortably and not be disturbed.
I am teaching a class on the Younger Futhark, the runes of the Viking Age, this March! If you are interested, sign up at this link.
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
Law and justice are two institutions which are meant to address the role violence players violence within society. Join your host for a walk through how these questions were mediated by the Nordic peoples, why this is different from how we handle it today, what that suggests for modern practitioners, and more!
Episode 45 - Violence
I am teaching a class on the Younger Futhark, the runes of the Viking Age, this March! If you are interested, sign up at this link.
I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
The concept of myth is central to many modern Pagan and Heathen forms of spirituality. Join your host for a discussion on what myth is, why it matters, and how it influences modern practice.
Episode on Conspiracy Theory and Myth:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-29-myth-and-conspiracy--57549804
Source for Jung's Collective Unconscious: https://iaap.org/jung-analytical-psychology/short-articles-on-analytical-psychology/the-collective-unconscious-2/
Source for Joseph Campbell's Four Functions of Myth: https://www.jcf.org/learn/joseph-campbell-four-functions-of-myth
I'm hitting the conference circuit! You can help get me out to Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Maryland this spring by donating at this link: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with me!
This modern myth takes us to the Atlantic in the Age of Sail where a certain red-bearded stranger inspires sailors to take charge of their destiny. Tune in for the myth, stick around for the piracy!
I'm hitting the conference circuit! You can help get me out to Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Maryland this spring by donating at this link: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to hear the rest of this episode, this podcast, and my other work? Check out my Patreon and sign-up as a Deck-Hand or Navigator for access to special episodes and more!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
This guided meditation walks the listener through one of the core exercises in Fire & Ice spirituality which is used for helping practitioners reach a state of inner calm. All you need to do this meditation is a safe space where you can sit comfortably and not be disturbed.
I'm hitting the conference circuit! If you can help get me out to Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Maryland this spring then please chip in what you can at my Ko-fi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
If there's one thing that Nordic myth is known for, it is violence. Nordic groups are often depicted in pop culture and beyond as an inherently violent, warlike society. But how true was this and what does this mean for modern Heathens and Nordic spiritualists? Join your host for a deep dive into the violence of myth, saga, and history.
How the Vikings Killed the Nordic Gods: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-17-how-the-vikings-killed-the-nordic-gods--51163737
I'm hitting the conference circuit! Find out more how you can help get me out to Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Maryland this spring at this link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/spring-conferences-fundraiser--63344095
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
The World Tree is the center of the Nordic cosmos. It brings together the human and the cosmic, connecting all things into one vast multiversal ecosystem. Join your host for a journey through what the World Tree is, what it represents, and why it matters in Nordic myth.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
Laura Cohen's Presentation: https://www.hds.harvard.edu/publications/diasporic-mysticism-psychology-tarot-path-decolonizing-intuitive-development
Episode on the Supernatural: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-41-supernatural--62492392
Episode on Nordic Mysticism: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/explainer-4-nordic-mysticism--59924324
Queering the Runes: https://www.lore-books.com/shop/p/queering-the-runes-by-siri-vincent-plouff?rq=Runes
Hey everyone I hope you enjoy my first ever Patrons-only episode! This episode is the first of my modern myths, stories where I bring Nordic myth into the present and more recent past. I also, in the spirit of the Yuletide, am releasing this episode to the public while Patrons will enjoy a little early access and the ad-free experience.
This modern myth is a story of the Wild Hunt, set in 1880s California, where greed, hospitality, and history collide on Central Valley ranchland. Enjoy!
I'm hitting the conference circuit! Find out more how you can help get me out to Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Maryland this spring at this link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/spring-conferences-fundraiser--63344095
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
One term most people who have spent time in Pagan spaces has probably heard is UPG or unverified personal gnosis. Tune in for a wander with your host through what this term means, why it is essential to the modern Pagan movement, and the best way to handle UPG.
I'm hitting the conference circuit! Find out more how you can help get me out to Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Maryland this spring at this link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/spring-conferences-fundraiser--63344095
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
Hey everyone I have some big announcements for the spring 2025 conference season. I've been accepted to present at Paganicon in the Twin Cities, Sacred Spaces in Baltimore, and will be returning to the Harvard Divinity School this April!
I'm also going to need everyone's help to make all of that possible. If you would like to help then please tune in, head on over to my Ko-fi and Patreon, consider booking a rune reading with me, and share this info far and wide.
Ko-fi link: ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Patreon: patreon.com/waywardwanderer
Book a Rune Reading: https://calendly.com/ryan-fireandice/reading-appointment
Elizabeth Sandifer is an author, the creator of Eruditorum Press, and is a practicing Pagan. She currently writes Last War in Albion, a history of the magical war between Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. She used to write TARDIS Eruditorum, a history of Britain told through the lens of a ropey sci-fi series. She also wrote Neoreaction a Basilisk, writes comics, and presented the workshop "Heretical Heathenry" at Northeast Thing this past summer. We talked about that workshop, her questions for the workshop, and more!
Links:
https://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/author/elizabeth
https://www.patreon.com/elizabethsandifer
https://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/heretical-heathenry
https://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/exiting-the-draugr-castle
Divination is probably one of the most commonly used spiritual tools in the world. Join your host for a discussion of why divination is worth doing, some key dos and don'ts while using it, and a short introduction into Heathen divination methods.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
Laura Cohen's Presentation: https://www.hds.harvard.edu/publications/diasporic-mysticism-psychology-tarot-path-decolonizing-intuitive-development
Episode on the Supernatural: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-41-supernatural--62492392
Episode on Nordic Mysticism: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/explainer-4-nordic-mysticism--59924324
Queering the Runes: https://www.lore-books.com/shop/p/queering-the-runes-by-siri-vincent-plouff?rq=Runes
Joining us today is author and podcaster Sif Brookes! Sif is a reconstructionist Nordic Heathen writer and artist who is the Marketing Officer for the Committee of Asatru UK, the National LGBTQIA+ manager for the Pagan Federation, co-wrote and illustrated The Wyrd Less Woven, an Alternative Heathen Prayer Book with Dan Coultas, was a founding host of the Heathen Wyrdos podcast, is currently creating content as Valsif on Youtube, and has a new book coming out called, Valkyrjur, Servant or Master: An Exploration of the Valkyries throughout the Medieval Period. We talked all about her book, the history and myth of the Valkyries, how the Choosers of the Slain are relevant today, and more!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
The US election has happened and fascism won at the ballot box. It's time to get to work on what can best sustain the Pagan, Heathen, and Witch movements in the days ahead and help build a better world for all. Join your host for a walk through what can be done and where we can go from here.
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
COVID-19
https://www.who.int/data/stories/the-true-death-toll-of-covid-19-estimating-global-excess-mortality
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00493-2/fulltext
*https://www.weforum.org/stories/2020/10/the-rich-got-richer-during-the-pandemic-and-that-s-a-daunting-sign-for-our-recovery/
Discourse Forum Software
*https://www.discourse.org/
Margaret Killjoy
*https://margaretkilljoy.substack.com/p/the-sky-is-falling-weve-got-this
Sunrise Movement
*https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-on-climate-change
Never Again Action
*https://www.neveragainaction.com/
How reality is made and functions is a central concept in every form of spirituality. Join your host for a journey into the intricate dance of creation and destruction that lies at the heart of Nordic myth!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
Hey everyone I'd like to make some updates on what is coming from this podcast and let you all know about ways you can help support my work. Please tune in to find out what's coming in 2025 for the Wayward Wanderer and more!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer
Calendly: https://calendly.com/ryan-fireandice/reading-appointment
Classes: www.onblackwings.com/classes
On October 31st, Ryan hosted a livestream and Q&A with Shane Burley, co-author of "Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism" and author of "Fascism Today: What it is and How to End It", on antisemitism today, antisemitism in the Pagan community, and how Pagan and Jewish communities can resist the conspiratorial Right and rising Christian Nationalism through unity and solidarity.
You can also watch the livestream on YouTube here!
Shane's article on antisemitism in American Paganism: https://safetythroughsolidarity.substack.com/p/antisemitism-and-the-american-pagan
You can purchase Shane's book here!
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
Election 2024 is only days away and the choices couldn't be more stark. Join your host for a walkthrough of what is at stake, why we need to reinforce the sandbags holding back the fascist flood, and more!
Project for a New American Century:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/10/decades-after-9-11-what-became-of-the-uss
Project 2025:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bTpbDL5dcgProject Esther:
https://religiondispatches.org/heritage-foundations-christian-nationalist-project-esther-wont-combat-antisemitism-but-it-will-weaponize-jews/
https://jewishinsider.com/2024/10/heritage-foundation-project-esther-combat-antisemitism/
Want to support this podcast and my other work? Check out my Patreon!
You can also help out by scheduling a rune reading with Ryan!
Hey everyone I'm holding a special live online Q&A with Shane Burley this Thursday, October 31st at 5PM PST!
Join me, the author of "The Way of Fire & Ice" and "Spinning Wyrd", for a live Q&A with Shane Burley, co-author of "Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism" and author of "Fascism Today: What it is and How to End It", on antisemitism today, antisemitism in the Pagan community, and how Pagan and Jewish communities can resist the conspiratorial Right and rising Christian Nationalism through unity and solidarity.
If you would like to participate in this live, online event then please register now using the following form:
https://forms.gle/jwPSCqopmp4hCMd69
Many core Pagan and Heathen practices are often described as supernatural, but is that really the right word for what we do? Join your host for a dive into the origins of the concept of the supernatural, what it implies, and how we could move beyond its logic of separation and isolation.
Click here to schedule a rune reading with Ryan!
Ancestor veneration is a major component of modern Heathen spirituality and many forms of Paganism. Join your host for an exploration of veneration for the dead, the foundations of ancestor worship in modern Heathen practice, how to deal with awful ancestors, and more!
Click here to schedule a rune reading with Ryan!
I am taking a break from the usual programming to talk about mutual aid, disaster relief, and disinformation in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Mutual Aid
It Could Happen Here
Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
Appalachian Medical Solidarity
Appalachian Regional Commission Hurricane Helene Resources
Is Chimney Rock Being Bulldozed?
It's Spooktober, so let's start the month off right with a little explainer about death, dying, and the dead in Heathenry! Join Ryan for a journey into the why, how, and what of death, dying, and the afterlife in Heathenry. Highlights of this episode include a short trip through the Heathen hereafters, attitudes towards life and death, and dispelling any notion that your afterlife is a reward or a punishment for how you lived.
Click here to schedule a rune reading with Ryan!
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, neo-Nazi ideologue James Mason, Mason's influence on the modern far-right and connections to critical figures in the occult, Pagan, and Satanic far-right, and more!
Boyd Rice: Neo-Nazi Collaborator
Spencer's Patreon
Routledge Discount Code: nntcf30
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:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-22-ragnarok--53067190
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160419083247.htm
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/03/polycrisis-adam-tooze-historian-explains/
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/12/extreme-weather-climate-change-displaced/
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/living-paycheck-to-paycheck-statistics-2024/
https://redgreenandblue.org/2024/09/03/klamath-dams-finally-come-freeing-salmon-liberating-indigenous-peoples/
*https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/dillon-ranch-graton-rancheria-land-back/
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 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!
Click here for the Yule episode
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!
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.
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.
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 nationalism, Project 2025, and more!
Sources:
https://wildhunt.org/2024/04/editorial-new-book-is-ripe-with-dangerous-anti-pagan-rhetoric.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/29/opinion/christianity-paganism-woke.html
https://www.ncregister.com/in2:21 PM 7/30/2024terview/post-christendom-and-the-return-of-paganism-in-the-west
https://www.npr.org/2024/02/29/1234843874/tracing-the-rise-of-christian-nationalism-from-trump-to-the-ala-supreme-court
https://globalextremism.org/post/project-2025-a-heightened-threat-of-christian-nationalism-and-authoritarianism/
https://www.au.org/the-latest/church-and-state/articles/destroying-life-and-liberty-a-christian-nationalist-playbook-outlines-a-broad-scheme-to-overthrow-american-democracy-and-install-a-theocracy/
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.
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 problems to build a better, more sustainable Heathenry for all.
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 rather than simply as gods of nature.
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-removes-diana-paxson-from-all-positions-in-unanimous-decision.html
http://glassewitchcottage.com/2024/05/13/breaking-the-pedestal/
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 to fight fascism in 2024.
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/guides/zhsjscw/revision/6
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/history-magazine/article/history-devil-medieval-art-middle-ages
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/06/02/return-to-paradise
*https://www.onblackwings.com/post/christian-bias-in-the-prose-edda
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-1221019
https://www.christianpost.com/news/witches-outnumber-presbyterians-in-the-us-wicca-paganism-growing-astronomically.html
*Growth of Charismatic Christianity
https://www.csmonitor.com/1987/1223/zheal2.html
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2396939320966220?Tag=security
https://www.gordonconwell.edu/blog/pentecostal-charismatic-christianity/
Gaza
https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-dropped-as-many-bombs-in-gaza-us-afghanistan-2019-2023-11
https://www.newsweek.com/gaza-strip-size-us-cities-maps-1833863
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.
CW: This episode deals with conspiracy theory, the origins of racism and whiteness, colonialism, genocide, anti-Semitism, and other related topics. Listener discrection is advised.
Can myth, as it is understood in Heathenry and Paganism, help us better tackle the problem of conspiracy theory? Join your host and find out as we explore how myth can help us better understand conspiracy theories, why conspiracy theories are so appealing, and how they twist reality to reinforce themselves as shown by the history of the white genocide myth.
Sources:
Online:
https://theintercept.com/2016/06/06/in-1971-muhammad-ali-helped-undermine-the-fbis-illegal-spying-on-americans/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/exxon-knew-about-climate-change-almost-40-years-ago/
https://knowledgefight.libsyn.com/865-chatting-with-anna-merlan
https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/racist-obsession-south-african-white-genocide
https://www.adl.org/resources/report/hate-beyond-borders-internationalization-white-supremacy#canadian-influencers
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/05/13/conservatisms-wunderkind-is-getting-swallowed-by-the-far-right/ https://theconversation.com/politiques-identitaires-et-mythe-du-grand-remplacement-117471 https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/white-supremacists-praise-rep-steve-kings-racist-tweet https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1282320656500174848
https://www.mediamatters.org/laura-ingraham/laura-ingraham-vote-republican-or-you-will-be-replaced-immigrants https://www.mediamatters.org/jeanine-pirro/fox-host-jeanine-pirro-pushes-white-supremacist-great-replacement-conspiracy-theory https://www.businessinsider.com/tucker-carlson-endorses-white-supremacist-replacement-conspiracy-theory-2021-4
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/13548565221091983
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/11/29/tucker-carlson-neo-nazi-favorite/ https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute/assets/conspiracy-belief-among-the-uk-public.pdf
https://www.cato.org/blog/new-research-illegal-immigration-crime-0
https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2014704117
Books:
Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and Politics of Identity by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Gods of the Blood: The Pagan Revival and White Separatism by Mattias Gardell
How the Irish Became White by Noel Ignatiev
White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
Welcome to a spooky season offering on some of the creepier creatures in Nordic myth. Join your host for a little visit with trolls, huldra, nokken, nattmara, cryptids, and more!
Welcome to the episode where we talk about the elephant in the room: what is Paganism? Join your host for a conversation about the new religious movement that Heathenry is a part of, the factors behind its emergence, why people are attracted to it, and more!
https://thefederalist.com/2019/09/26/climate-worship-is-nothing-more-than-rebranded-paganism/
The Havamal is the most important of the surviving primary source texts for understanding Heathen ethical philosophy, morality, and practice. This episode dives into this saga, its form, contents, and what we can learn from it today. What you will find may surprise you.
The Jötnar are one of the most controversial groups of the Nordic Gods. Treated as demons by some and often maligned in many discussions of Nordic myth, these Powers of the wilderness are more than meets the eye. Join your host for an introduction to these beings and how Heathen practice benefits from integrating them into your spirituality.
Joining us today are the fine folks from the Hel's Gate Heathen Kindred, an inclusive Heathen group based out of Missoula, Montana. We sat down to talk about the challenges they've faced in building community, their successes, and what has worked best for them on their journey.
You can find out more about the Hel's Gate Kindred at the following link: https://helsgateheathen.com/
Welcome to the episode where we really get the ball rolling on why social justice ideas should be incorporated in your Heathen spirituality and the ways that existing Heathen concepts gel really well with them. It will also discuss why the whole, "don't get political" argument has nothing to stand on, especially in these times.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/politics-and-religion/article/abs/political-profile-of-us-pagans/5EBF4A0BCFCB4B96FDC235505F5A9A16
https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/houston-mayor-food-not-bombs-17839562.php
https://www.vice.com/en/article/7bmwgq/jesus-christ-king-of-poland-876
https://thefederalist.com/2019/09/26/climate-worship-is-nothing-more-than-rebranded-paganism/
https://www.crisismagazine.com/opinion/child-sacrifice-is-nothing-new
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/montana-lawmaker-suggests-she-d-rather-risk-child-s-suicide-than-allow-her-to-transition-171661893607
Developing relationships with Gods is a major element of Pagan and Heathen spirituality. Join your host for a dive into some dos and don'ts, the possibility of holding to no Gods at all, why having a relationship with a God does not grant anyone special power or authority, and more!
Welcome to a special episode on how trans identity and Heathenry. Joining your host are three trans practitioners describing their reasons why they Heathen spirituality appeals to them, how they feel Heathen lore is trans-positive, and what allies can do in these times of growing danger for trans people everywhere.
GoFundMe for Dee Shull: https://www.gofundme.com/f/dqhtp-raise-money-for-rent-and-bills?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
Ragnarok is, without a doubt, one of the most well-known of the Nordic Myths. Join your host for a dive into why it matters, what it signifies, its possible influences, and more!
Welcome to Part 7 of Streams of Resistance, a Wayward Wanderer special limited series. In this episode, I sit back down with Scott Earnest, founder of Hands of Eir and a former white nationalist, to talk about dogwhistles, a rhetorical tactic that is very commonly used by the Right and Far Right.
Welcome to Part 6 of Streams of Resistance, a Wayward Wanderer special limited series. In this episode, we will be discussing the far right in the US armed forces featuring Dreya Taylor, a long-term active duty US Navy sailor and anti-racist Heathen.
Welcome to Part 5 of Streams of Resistance, a Wayward Wanderer special limited series. In this episode, we will be finding out more about the relationship between the far right and elements of law enforcement featuring Austin Lawrence, criminologist and co-founder and Steward of Raven's Knoll.
Welcome to Part 4 of Streams of Resistance, a Wayward Wanderer special limited series. In this episode, we find out more about eco-fascism, fossil fuel fascism, what these are, how they are connected to climate change, and what we can do about them featuring Steve Ongerth, co-founder of the IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus and long-time environmental activist.
Welcome to Part 3 of Streams of Resistance, a Wayward Wanderer special limited series. In this episode, we dive into Christian Nationalism, their favored methods and recent successes, the exvangelical movement, what to expect, and how we can fight back featuring Blake Chastain, writer of the Post-Exvangelical Post newsletter and host of the Exvangelical and Powers & Principalities podcasts.
Welcome to Part 2 of Streams of Resistance, a Wayward Wanderer special limited series. In this episode, we dig in to the world of modern Nordic spirituality, also often known as Heathenry, who have long been seen by mainstream society as a major source of Far Right extremism. Tune in to find out how true that actually is with Rune Rasmussen, creator of the Nordic Animism YouTube channel, Scott Earnest, former white nationalist and founder of Hands of Eir, and Eric O. Scott, writer and editor at the Wild Hunt.
Welcome to Part 1 of Streams of Resistance, a Wayward Wanderer special limited series. In this episode, we dive in to the state of the Far Right in 2023, the antifascist response, where everything might be going, and what you can do about it with Shane Burley, author of Fascism Today: What it is and How to End It, and Alexander Reid Ross, author of Against the Fascist Creep.
Over the course of the past year, far right violence and action has become more aggressive and visible than ever. From drag shows and children's hospitals to coup plots on two continents, there is no question the forces unleashed by Trump and Bolsonaro aren't going away anytime soon. This month your host will be conducting a short-run special series on the current state and shape of the far right. Tune in beginning February 7th for interviews with Heathens, antifascists, exvangelicals, and more on where the Far Right is, what they're up to, and what we can expect.
Welcome to the second foray into the craft and art of history. Join your host for a deeper dive into how historians work with primary sources, what they mean, and some of the major cautions that any scholar engaging with such material should heed.
https://www.livinganthropologically.com/archaeology/guns-germs-and-steel-jared-diamond/
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/08/03/guns-germs-and-steel-reconsidered
https://reviews.history.ac.uk/review/51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6DiA_7AjcU
https://www.arnastofnun.is/is/konungsbok-eddukvaeda-gks-2365-4to
Yule is the most important holiday of the year for modern Heathens. Join your host for a journey through the history of Yule, its origins, some ancient practices, and for a brief bout of wrestling with the age-old debate: how much did Christmas take from Yule?
Everything is getting a bit hot in the United States of America, but how bad could it really get? Join your host for a walk through America's history of moral panics, political purges, and some more modern parallels that may help answer that question.
CW: Frank discussion of transphobic and anti-LGBT violence, historical racial violence, anti-Semitism, and the far-right
Who is interested in talking about some angry dead? Join your host for a spooktober special on the draugr, the Nordic world's walking corpses, what moves them, where they dwell, what they are like, and what they tell us about animistic views of death and the world.
CW: Discussions of religious violence, sexual assault, and colonization of the Sami peoples
What if someone told you the Vikings were a key player in destroying pre-Christian Nordic spirituality? Join your host for a conversation on how this happened, why this is important to modern Heathens, what we can learn, and more!
Welcome to the episode where I start dipping my toes into the vast ocean that is mutual aid. Join your host for a brief jaunt through what this is, why we need it, how it is as Heathen as the Eddas, and more!
Links:
https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/petr-kropotkin-mutual-aid-a-factor-of-evolution
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8653332/
https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/asap.12275
https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2020/10/california-mutual-aid-networks-pandemic-relief/
https://pdx.eater.com/2020/9/11/21431328/restaurants-helping-oregon-fires
For news and information:
https://itsgoingdown.org/
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-it-could-happen-here-30717896/
Welcome to the episode where I start dipping my toes into the vast ocean that is mutual aid. Join your host for a brief jaunt through what this is, why we need it, how it is as Heathen as the Eddas, and more!
Links:
https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/petr-kropotkin-mutual-aid-a-factor-of-evolution
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8653332/
https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/asap.12275
https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2020/10/california-mutual-aid-networks-pandemic-relief/
https://pdx.eater.com/2020/9/11/21431328/restaurants-helping-oregon-fires
For news and information:
https://itsgoingdown.org/
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-it-could-happen-here-30717896/
Welcome to the episode that answers some of the questions about ecstatic practice that you may have been afraid to ask! Join your host for a discussion of techniques, tools, and tips for reaching the ecstatic state and using altered states of consciousness as part of your practice.
Things in the US are looking quite a bit more fascist dystopia lately. Join your host for a dive into the different strains of the modern US Right, how they are related and connected to Folkish Heathenry, and what the experiences of inclusive Heathens can offer for the broader challenges facing society.
Recommended Reading, Listening, and Viewing:
Alt America by David Neiwert
American Rule by Jared Yates Sexton
The Power Worshipers by Katherine Stewart
Bringing the War Home by Kathleen Belew
Fascism Today: What it is and How to End It by Shane Burley
American Fascism: How the GOP is Subverting Democracy by Brynn Tannehill
Hitler's American Model by James Q. Whitman
Behind the Police podcast miniseries hosted by Robert Evans and rap artist Propaganda
The Family on Netflix
Wolves and their imagery are very popular in modern Heathen and Pagan practice. What they represent, in myth and history, tells a much deeper story about the relationships between modern society and the natural world. Join your host for this journey spanning continents and centuries.
CW: Discussions of genocide, ecocide, and colonialism.
Frigga and Freya are two of the most prominent Goddesses in modern Nordic practice, but is it possible they are both the same deity? Join your host for a discussion of both of these Powers, the differences between hard and soft polytheism, and more!
Welcome, everyone, to the runes episode! Join your host for a journey through the history and myth surrounding the runes, some new ideas for why they are a valid part of Nordic Pagan and Heathen practice, and more.
If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Language of Fire & Ice send a ---friends/family payment-- to Sophia's venmo or paypal with their address in the description. $15 to US, $17 anywhere worldwide.
Venmo- thewickedbrow last four digis are 2071
Paypal- ofodinsflesh333@gmail.com
History is easily one of the most central and contentious topics in modern Heathenry. Join your host for a peek behind the curtain at how historians do their craft and how history, as we know it, develops.
John Tosh's Pursuit of History: https://www.routledge.com/The-Pursuit-of-History-Aims-methods-and-new-directions-in-the-study-of/Tosh/p/book/9781138808089
Christianity is, without question, one of those topics that hits a powerful hot button with all Heathens and Pagans which is very gladly exploited by far right, neo-Volkisch organizations. Join your host for a journey through some very valid critiques of institutional Christianity, how the far right exploits them, and asking how Heathens and Pagans can build spirituality that is free of such abuses.
Greed is, without question, one of the central drivers of conflict in the Nordic lore. Join your host for a deep dive into greed in the lore, how this relates to modern society, and what this might say about Heathen practice in the 21st century.
Heathenry's history of entrenched racism has, in part, been driven by the demands of people who literally deified whiteness. This episode dives into what whiteness is, how it was created, and why modern Heathens should question it & confront the institutions it sustains.
Wyrd is one of the most central cosmological concepts in modern Heathen practice and understanding it is essential for grasping the greater cosmos. Join your host for a dive into Wyrd, how it works, co-creation, and more!
This episode, inspired by the whole "hex Allah" fiasco on Reddit, takes you down the rabbit hole that is the occult to far right pipeline. Tune in for this examination of what this pipeline is, its history, its parallels to the neo-Volkisch movement, and what you and your communities can do to halt the flow.
This episode jumps in to the topic of decolonization: what it is, why it matters to Heathenry and modern Heathens, and how you can start applying the ideas of this school of thought to your spiritual practice. During this journey through a very big topic we'll cover subjects like the history of empire, systems of power, and more.
Useful links:
https://decolonizingheathenry.com/
https://kanyonkonsulting.com/darced/
Antifascism, Antifa, and inclusivity are all hotly debated in modern Heathenry. Join your host for a journey through the white nationalist influences on modern Heathenry, the antifascist answer, and some time spent totally disregarding that rule about not discussing religion or politics in polite company.
Welcome back! This episode dives right in to the concept of Living Tradition, one of the core ideas behind the Way of Fire & Ice. Join your host for a discussion of what Living Tradition is, the origins of this concept, and how it works on individually and communally.
Welcome aboard! This episode kicks off the podcast with information on your host, what this podcast will be covering, what Radical Heathenry or Radical Norse Paganism is, and why this spiritual practice is relevant and important in the present day.
If you liked this episode and want to help support this podcast, please visit patreon.com/waywardwanderer