Wyrd Ecology - Barbara Jane Davy

Within Contemporary Heathen Communities, The Old English Term Wyrd Is 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.