Within contemporary Heathen communities, the Old English term "wyrd" is used to refer to the web of relations that connect all threads of existence. Inspired by pre-Christian traditions of Northern Europe, Heathens give gifts, toasts, and offerings to foster a sense of connection with other humans and the more-than-human world.
In Wyrd Ecology, author Barbara Jane Davy posits that these ritual activities are not merely isolated exchanges but rather a means of sustaining entire relational systems, in turn inspiring givers and receivers to participate out of a desire for meaningful connection.Davy utilizes research from two years of participant observation in a Heathen community in Ontario, Canada to show how ritual activities deepen practitioners'' sense of appreciation for what they have already received and instil a desire to give back.
Davy illustrates how making offerings and giving gifts is important not only because of what people might believe about the gods, but because it gives people a sense of relatedness with their world. Ritual practices may thus play a critical role in instilling an ecological conscience and can encourage ethical relations and pro-environmental behavior.
| Format |
Häftad |
| Omfång |
240 sidor |
| Språk |
Engelska |
| Förlag |
Oxford University Press Inc |
| Utgivningsdatum |
2025-07-09 |
| ISBN |
9780197804926 |
