TWIH Episode 70: Hospitality and Sacrifice in Asatru with Alf Herigstad
Release Date: 02/15/2016
TWIH Episode 81: Planting the Church Unusual with Darnell Fennell #radicalinclusion #blacklivesmatter
This Week In Heresy
This episode we welcome Darnell Fennell, the founding pastor of Just Love, a radically inclusive church plant in Houstan, TX. We discuss what it’s like to create an inclusive church in an area that is seen as more conservative to the wider progressive community. What does it mean to be “church” and what are the difficulties in starting a new church in general? How do you bridge the conversation on race and privilege in a mixed congregation? What is the importance of doing the inner work outside of the worship space? We also discuss how to pastor people through the ever shifting...
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TWIH Episode 80: Learning from Where You're At with Pat Mosley #hb2
This Week In Heresy
In this episode we talk with Pat Mosley, a Gardnerian witch in North Carolina. We talk about how Wicca takes on the culture of where it’s at, and how it’s not that much of a stretch for people to be multi-faith practitioners. Pat discusses his coven, Granny Magick, and his involvement in CUUPs. We also talk politics and #HB2 (also known as the “bathroom bill”) and how, on the ground in North Carolina, there are more people who are against it rather than for it. Pat talks about the uphill battle in challenging their state government and the disconnect of their elected leaders from the...
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TWIH Episode 79: The Needles and the Compassion Done with Denise Cicuto #orlando
This Week In Heresy
Denise Cicuto returns in this episode to talk about her call to study acupuncture through a visitation by Kuan Yin. We talk about her journey, not only through acupuncture school, but her spiritual journey with Kuan Yin and her current studies of the spiritual side of acupuncture . We also discuss the nature of Kuan Yin, and how compassion isn’t necessarily “fluffy”. We also talk about the importance of self care when doing activism and after major emotional events such as Orlando. Denise Cicuto is a Witch and Healer. She is a third degree Priest in the Circle of Cerridwen. In...
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TWIH Episode 78: The Magick of Pagan Music with Sharon Knight
This Week In Heresy
After a brief TWIH hiatus, we return with our guest Sharon Knight, a pagan musician who does both solo work and plays as a group with her partner Winter in Pandemonaeon. We talk about the art of performing, the magickal experience of being on stage, the future and past of pagan music, and how music influences her work, both spiritually and professionally. We also talk about her latest album and the work that goes into writing, recording, and making videos for an album. Note: Please excuse the audio weirdness. We were having a bad Skype day. Festival Favorites Sharon...
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TWIH Episode 77: The Politics of the Body with Irene McCalphin
This Week In Heresy
Irene McCalphin joins us this week to talk about the intersections of fat liberation and marginalization. Why is it important to have representation in spiritual imagery, both in regards to race and body size? Why is the language of our rituals important? How can we move through learning about these issues of marginalization and come to a place where we can see outside of ourselves to a more inclusive community? Why is it important to keep the language of the diet industry out of spiritual space? How can kink (BDSM) be used as a spiritual tool and a pathway to a positive self image? ...
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TWIH Episode 76: Being Heathen with Cara Freyasdaughter
This Week In Heresy
In this episode, we talk to Cara Freyasdaughter, where we discuss her journey to Heathenism, her introduction to Freya and Freyr, and some of the issues that are challenging modern Heathenism. What are CUUPs and ADF? What does the lore say about racism and other issues that have been being dealt with within the Heathen community? ...
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TWIH Episode 75: Called by Kali with Chandra Alexandre
This Week In Heresy
In this episode we talk to Dr. Chandra Alexandre about her journey with Kali Ma and her experiences with the Divine Female. Not only through her travels and learning in India, and her current work in the Bay Area. What is Tantra and the SHARANYA practice? Why is daily practice important and how do you keep up a daily practice? How do we approach the everyday to support our own practices? ...
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TWIH Episode 74: The Polytheist Death Guild with Rebbeca Lynn Scott
This Week In Heresy
In this episode we talk about death and dying with Rebecca Lynn Scott, founder of the Polytheist Death Guild. She talks about her own experiences that lead her to creating the Guild and the importance and necessity of death rituals in our society. How do we talk about death in our society? How are we able to express grief? Do pagans (of any traditions) have a healthier view of death than other traditions? ...
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TWIH Episode 73: Paganism and Shinto with Megan Manson
This Week In Heresy
This week we talk to Megan Manson, a pagan who also practices Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan. Megan talks about her path to Shinto, some of the history of Shinto and how it relates to the other religions practiced in Japan. We also talk about how religion co-exists together in Japan and how it differs from how religions get along in the West. What is the difference between Japan and the West in regards to religious identity? What does it mean to be multi-faith, and how do we explain it to others? ...
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TWIH Episode 72: Honoring Death with Robin Griffith
This Week In Heresy
Robin Lynn Griffith joins me in this episode to talk about death and dying. Both of us are called to minister to the dying and while, for the two of us, this is a normal process, for most people in our culture, death is something you just don’t talk about. Why does our society tend to try and banish the idea of death? Why are we so afraid of something that is inevitable? Are we doing a disservice if we don’t allow someone to really grieve in their own way or telling people to just “get over” their grief? When does one’s grief need more professional help? Should we...
info_outlineHeathenry is going through a difficult stage in it’s evolution, especially lately. In this episode, we talk to Alf Herigstad founder of the Hawk’s Hearth Kindred, about his tradition of heathenry and the various issues that are important in heathenry today. What is heathenry? Why is there racism in heathenry? What are people doing about it? What does Heathen lore say about difference, and how does racism go against the edict of hospitality? Alf also talks about doing prison ministry, being on a Norwegian reality TV show, and his tradition’s use of animal sacrifice.
Note: This episode talks about animal sacrifice and farm life.
Alf Herigstad grew up in Washington State where he and his wife still reside on a small farm. He is a veteran of the Army, a former owner of several construction businesses, as well as a former long haul trucker and real estate agent. His employment list is long and varied because, as he says...he likes to learn new things.
Raised as a Christian Alf at one time had an ambition to become an evangelical preacher and was very active in his local church. After life took several turns he found himself disillusioned with that path. Being descended from Norwegian immigrants he turned to one of his life-long interest; that of researching his heritage...that led to his discovery of Asatru
Alf first became interested in Asatru around 2005, he began attending a Kindred local to him. He took to it immediately and after intense study eventually attained a position in the kindred. He was ordained / appointed as a Gothi in 2008. Then, in 2011 founded a new Kindred; Hawk's Hearth, which currently consists of about 30 members.
Alf is the host of a new podcast; Being A Better Man. A secular program devoted specifically to the character of men. The idea is to be a better man today then we were yesterday...then do that every day. Although the program is secular in nature, his opinions are strongly influenced by his heathen philosophy and in that way he is infusing his listeners with a healthy dose of Heathen principles...which he says is basically just common sense.
Links:
Hawk’s Hearth: www.hawkshearth.com (website still being added to and updated)
Alf’s Podcast: www.beingabettermanpodcast.com
Alf’s email: [email protected]