The Way of Wyrd describes a young Christian monk’s experiences as assistant to Anglo-Saxon Wizard or Shaman, Wulf.
This highly readable novel is a fascinating insight into the genuine spiritual heritage of England, which is often overshadowed by Celtic culture.
The Way of Wyrd based on Historical Fact
The Way of Wyrd contains breathtaking descriptions of the spiritual world view of the Anglo-Saxons, descriptions which are all the more extraordinary given the fact that the author is a distinguished academic in the field.
The Way of Wyrd is based on authentic Anglo-Saxon sources, including a key text found in the British Library which describes the ceremonies, beliefs and healing practices of the Anglo-Saxons of the “Dark Ages.”
English Shamanic Tradition Revealed in The Way Of Wyrd
Brian Bates describes the lead character of The Way of Wyrd, Wulf, as a Wizard of Shaman. While England is not renowned for a Shamanic heritage, there are genuine similarities between Anglo-Saxon spiritual world view and Native American Shamanic beliefs and traditions.
At the University of Sussex in England, Brian Bates teaches a popular course on Shamanic consciousness. Far from taking a dry academic view of the subject, Brian Bates holds that the English Shamanic tradition revealed in The Way of Wyrd offers real wisdom for people today.
Shamanic Practices and Beliefs on the Way of Wyrd
The Wyrd of the Anglo-Saxons is a cosmic web that interlinks all things by invisible and ever changing threads. Physical things, living beings, thoughts, feelings and spirit are all bound together by the lines of the Wyrd.
Often translated into modern English as “fate,” Wyrd is in fact a wider, deeper and altogether more powerful world view which author Brian Bates seeks to promote as a spiritual framework which is as relevant today as it was to ancient ancestors.
Links with J.R.R. Tolkein
J.R.R. Tolkein, author of Lord of the Rings, was Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University. His books recreate something of the culture and beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons, which explains some similarities between Tolkein’s novels and the world described in The Way of Wyrd.
The Way of Wyrd has attracted a considerable interest, and author Brian Bates continues to explore and teach the subject of Anglo-Saxon Shamanism to an receptive audience who feel that the time has come for the book’s message of the deep connection with the natural world.
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Readers may also be interested in Discovering Shamanic Practices along with Traditional Shamanism Worldwide.
Source:
- The Way of Wyrd by Brian Bates (Hay House UK, 2004).
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