TYR Volume 3
Edited by Joshua Buckley and Michael Moynihan
530 pgs.; 6”x9”; 2007; Perfect bound
Reviewed by Aaron Garland
By now, I would assume most readers spanning these pages have read or at least heard of the journal TYR. Originally conceived as an annual publication that has proven otherwise over time, this third installment is nonetheless well-worth the wait. Dedicated to pre-Christian myth, culture and tradition in an Indo-European context, TYR contains a wealth of articles, music and book reviews with an undeniably anti-modernist slant that maintains a high standard of erudition and scholarship. Anyone looking for mere ideological rants should look elsewhere. As the editors make clear in the editorial preface, the radical traditionalism espoused provides a “nexus where any different number of ideas might intersect.” Echoing Oswald Spengler’s distinction of a “people” as opposed to a “mass” several decades ago, the various authors hardly treat the underlying key themes – “culture” and “civilization” as synonymous.
This volume contains 18 articles, the first three of which are essentially critiques of the modern world in its various guises. The first, “Cipherspace,” methodically attacks the over-bearing presence of Corporate America and the crises that have arisen as a result. Affluenza, Technomania, E-mania and globalization are just a few symptoms of today’s world that affect not only America, but most other industrialized countries. “Catastrophe Pending” makes a strong case for the Unabomber as embodying the ultimate enemy and outsider of the modern world. Author Annie Le Brun proposes that he raised questions about the current state of affairs no one else as of yet wanted or dared to answer. “Survival Theory,” by Finnish eco- scholar Pentti Linkola is the journal’s most severe critique of modernity, offering uncompromising yet levelheaded discourses on population explosion, life-protection and humanism.
The next two articles, “The Primordial and the Perennial,” by Michael O’Meara and “Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power,” by Alain de Benoist traverse the traditionalist thought of 20th century luminaries such as René Guénon, Julius Evola, Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and Martin Heidegger [Editor's note: Heidegger was not in fact part of the "traditionalist" movement and came out of the transcendental idealist current of Kant, Hegel, and Husserl, before eventually abandoning conventional Western philosophy altogether]. It offers much insight to their similarities and more crucially, their differences in what traditionalism actually represents. O’Meara proposes that nihilism is the opposite of tradition rather than modernity. In doing so, he points out the schism between the Guénonian school of Traditionalist thought and the views held by the editors of TYR, the latter championing traditionalist values in reference to European culture. Furthermore, he puts Heidegger and Julius Evola at loggerheads with each other, the former approaching tradition from a decidedly non-metaphysical, primordial standpoint and the latter espousing the perennialist view that upholds a metaphysical absolute. Guénon is by far the most stringent in the perennialist view, as Benoist’s article further examines the disparities between Evola and Guénon’s interpretation of tradition regarding spiritual authority and temporal power. Guénon championed spiritual authority and knowledge over temporal power and action and saw no complementary function between the two in a sovereign entity. Benoist quotes directly from him when the aforementioned relationship becomes inverted, “The revolution that toppled the monarchy is both its logical consequence and its punishment, meaning its reward for the revolt of this same monarchy against spiritual authority.” Evola, as one might have guessed, placed far more emphasis on temporal power, action, and the warrior tradition. Benoist quotes, “The domination of the sacerdotal castes by a warrior tradition, the primacy of action over contemplation, do not on their own constitute any kind of lowering of the level;” Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, a contemporary and close friend of Guénon, emphasized the marriage between the monarchy and the priesthood from an exclusively Indian context. Benoist also introduces two more prominent 20th century traditionalists (not Traditionalists) into the fray – Mircea Eliade and Georges Dumézil. Dumézil’s idea of the Indo-European tripartite function is brought on board to this topic (see Priests, Warriors and Cultivators, Benoist’s interview with Dumézil for an overview of his tripartite theory in TYR Vol. I) and both men emphasize collaboration over conflict between spiritual authority and temporal power. Benoist essentially reaches the same conclusions, maintaining that both Evola and Guénon were both misguided in emphasizing the superiority of one over the other.
Regular TYR contributor and author Nigel Pennick delivers the essay “Weaving the Web of Wyrd” that examines the three states of being (i.e. past, present, and future) as personified in the feminine form as three human figures. The three Fates, as Pennick illustrates, are to be found throughout literary history with the ancient Greeks, Romans, and the Germanic tradition to name a few. Pennick likens the handling of human lives to the age-old craft of spinning and weaving flax. The author’s penchant for relegating the spiritual arts to a profound level shines throughout this most fascinating article on the notions of human destiny in European culture. French author Thierry Jolif’s article The Abode of the Gods and the Great Beyond takes a primarily etymological approach toward the Celts view of the “post mortem state of the soul.” Of particular interest is his examination of the Irish term Síd (alternately meaning the Other World or Peace) in the context of a poem from the Immram Brain, Mac Febal (The Voyage of Bran, Son of Febal) which relegates the síd to represent a marvelous island held up by four pillars. Jolif astutely notes a correlation of this island as the Supreme Center with the four islands of the Irish Celts as the Primordial Center. Jolif quotes the following quatrain: “There are a hundred and fifty faraway isles, in the ocean to the west. Each of them is twice or even three times as large as Ireland.” One may wonder if these particular islands were ever referred to as the land of Hyperborea, although the author makes no such assertion.
In “Code of Blood,” Stephen Edred Flowers contributes a brief, but concise overview of the mainstream acceptance of the “spear of destiny” and the “holy blood/holy grail” paradigms as promulgated by blockbuster flick/novel The Da Vinci Code. It is the author’s opinion that much of this subject matter has been placed on somewhat shaky ground to make it more palatable (and profitable) for the masses. In a similar vein, Joscelyn Godwin examines the enormously popular novels of Philip Pullman, with most of the emphasis on the book His Dark Materials. Unlike Flowers, Godwin sheds a much more positive light on his subject matter, emphasizing the esoteric thread that runs through Pullman’s work.
Four articles in this volume examine various facets of Icelandic culture and tradition, including “Humour in the Icelandic Sagas” by Ian Read; “Iceland’s Pagan Renaissance” by Christopher McIntosh; “Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson: A Personal Reminiscence” by Jónína K. Berg (with selected poems by Beinteinsson); and “Rune Song or Magic Charms? An Investigation of the Hávamál” by Géza von Neményi (translated by Markus Wolff). Although the latter does not address Icelandic culture per se, it examines the final two sections of the Old Icelandic Poetic Edda and references to the Eddas abound in the other three essays. Read’s article cites numerous examples of humour in the Icelandic sagas and Eddas and their application to the brutal and harrowing circumstances of battle and death. Use of wordplay, satire, and sexual innuendo that remain staples of modern comedy were used at a time when the first phases of Christianity were taking hold in Iceland. Read notes that the Christian church has long condemned laughter and that the Church Fathers saw laughter as somehow pagan! As was often the case in trying times, facing death with a smile and a joke was considered to show great courage. Christopher McIntosh’s article provides an informative overview of the current renaissance of Ásatrú in Iceland, and highlights its historical distinction as being one of the few European countries to maintain a spiritual continuity with pre-Christian paganism. McIntosh attributes the Eddas and Iceland’s geographic isolation from the rest of Europe for its consistent ties to paganism over the centuries despite Christian influence and coercion. One of the more intriguing belief systems mentioned here belongs to geologist and writer Helgi Pjeturs, who lived over a century ago. The “Nyall,” as he referred to it, is a stew of Nordic mythology, astronomy, and evolutionary biology. McIntosh’s article concludes with an appendix on popular musician/composer Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Iceland’s current leader of Ásatrú. Jónína K. Berg’s account of Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson, practically a 20th century icon to Icelandic Ásatrú, is a very moving and heartfelt portrait of a man with great temperament in his encounters with other religions in his life-long championing of the Ásatrú faith. His countenance is striking to say the least, as evidenced by the wonderful photographs the author has provided. In addition, several of his poetic works are included as well.
“Carl Larsson’s Greatest Sacrifice: The Saga of Midvinterblot,” by TYR co-editor Michael Moynihan, provides a fascinating look at the life and painted works of Swedish artist Carl Olof Larsson. Touch points of Larsson’s entire career are investigated as well as his personal life, as the man and his art were inseparable – offering key insights into each other. Midvinterblot, his most well known work bar none, has been the subject of controversy since its earliest incarnations in 1911 and was eventually auctioned off to a Japanese art collector! It currently resides in the Swedish national museum. One of the more bizarre protestations of the painting, documented by Moynihan in the article’s Notes, came from artists’ group the Vaners (re: the Vanirs) who wanted it replaced with their “Midsummer” painting on the grounds that their work representing “peace, love, and harmony” would be better suited to the museum than Larsson’s representation of “war, violence, and chaos.” (Note: A scene from Midvinterblot is showcased in full color on the Blood Axis 1997 live release Blot: Sacrifice in Sweden.)
Gordon Kennedy’s “Children of the Sonne” is perhaps the most unexpected and unusual article in the entire volume. Then again, from an anti-modernist viewpoint, it fits quite nicely with the premise that 19th and early 20th century German groups evoking the Naturmenschen outlook and lifestyle such as the Wandervögel and Die Naturfreunde inspired the hippie counter-culture in America. Kennedy provides ample historical evidence of a long-held aspect of German culture from the Middle Ages to the present day that promoted organic virtues including vegetarianism, nudism, natural medicine, and all manner of reform ranging from the cultural to the religious. One may be initially shocked to read the likes of Goethe, Fidus, and Herman Hesse as being pre-cursors to the Beatnik and Hippie era of latter-day America.
“The End Times According to the Indo-European Worldview” by James Reagan is a befitting coda to the main body of TYR in its appropriation of The Kali Yuga, the Iron Age, the Age of the Wolf and the Morrígan Prophecy to the state of modern civilization. Excerpts from the Vedas, Greek poet Hesiod, the Völuspá, and Irish text Cath Maige Tuired leave little to the imagination when applied to life in the 21st century.
The article preceding Regan’s short essay, “Baltic Lithuanian Religion and Romuva,” is the journal’s centerpiece. The lengthiest entry by far, author Vilius Rudra Dundzila takes TYR into much uncharted territory with a fascinating and in-depth look at Lithuanian folklore, Baltic religious history, deities, belief systems and practices from the end of the last Ice Age up to the present day. Baltic religion owes much of its mystique and intrigues to the fact that it predates recorded history and cannot be traced to any single source. Around 7000 B.C., inhabitants in the region of what is now Lithuania and Latvia survived by fishing and hunting and possessed a complex form of hunting magic that must have developed even earlier in Paleolithic times. Agriculturalization became the norm during the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods, and there is much debate about whether an Old European culture existed and when and to what extent Indo-Europeanization had on the original inhabitants of the Baltic area. Flashing forward to the advent of the crusades when the western Balts faced opposition from the Roman Catholic Church, Dundzilia notes that the Balts were the very last Europeans to be Christianized – a fact that Lithuanians are most proud of to this very day. Traditional Lithuanian religion once again came under attack, this time from the Soviet Occupation in 1939, which executed or deported many of its participants to Siberia. A few years earlier, the academic fraternity Romuva formed, and a later incarnation in 1967 altered the name to Ramuva in order to keep its pagan and religious ties under the radar. The Ramuva was banned – this time by the Soviet Union. Baltic religion continues to thrive today through the various dainos (folk songs) and elaborate rituals, the most popular being Rasa, which is celebrated on the summer Solstice, and Užgavėnės, which anticipates the spring season and contains a bizarre and elaborate holiday of festivities. The aforementioned dainos were used for a variety of events, including funerals. The following excerpt is from a war daina, which is about a young man preparing for battle and acceptance of the heavenly gods and goddesses in place of his human family:
“Oh son, oh child, who will be your dear father? Who will be your dear father and real mother? And your real mother, your real brothers? Your real brothers, and your loving sisters? Oh, the moon in sky is my real father. Oh, the sun in the sky is my real mother. Oh, the constellations in the sky are my real brothers. Oh, the stars in the sky are my real sisters.”
Rounding out the last third of the journal are two insightful interviews with musicians Roland Kroell and Andrew King, and numerous music and book reviews – two of them essay-length reviews of Alain de Benoist’s On Being a Pagan and Against the Modern World by Mark Sedgwick. Michael Moynihan’s interview with Rolan Kroell begins with an informative bio of a musician Moynihan refers to as a modern Minnesänger “a singer of Minne”: a troubadour and performing poet. Kroell’s career spans four decades with his self-described repertoire of “Celtic-archaic” songs. His most well known work is Parzival and Kroell has a unique perspective of Wagner’s own adaptation of the epic work. Bitter Troubadour, by Andreas Diesel and Marco Deplano, examines Andrew King’s music works, art and public performances over the last twenty years. Almost anyone who is familiar with the “Neofolk” genre has heard King in one context or another. His insights on experimentation in the music scene out of which he evolved are particularly interesting. Regular contributor Collin Cleary’s review essay of On Being a Pagan offers as much criticism as it does praise to Benoist’s Nietzschean approach. Róbert Horváth’s review of Against the Modern World offers a critique of Sedgwick’s book from a Traditionalist perspective, while co-editor Josh Buckley offers his own take on said book from a “radical traditionalist” view. Of particular interest to Hex readers (and contributors) would be Annabel Lee’s review of Gardens of the Gods: Myth, Magic and Meaning by Christopher McIntosh. I am one such reader Annabel refers to when she mentions the book’s themes of art, history, and initiation as points of interest to those who would not consider the design of gardens. Finally, a couple of pages are devoted to cover artist Odd Nerdrum.
Overall, TYR is not exclusively dedicated to heathenism, paganism, or any other “ism” for that matter. Not surprisingly, it has come under its share of criticism for not catering to any specific religious conviction or group but that is precisely its strongest attribute. Rather, its authors (and probably most of its readership) generally adhere to a “radical traditionalist” outlook. As such, it leaves much room for those of a more perennialist inclination and other anti-modernist thinkers regardless of their beliefs, political or otherwise. This issue is dedicated to Robert Ward (1968-2004) whose pioneering work with The Fifth Path Magazine laid much of the groundwork for publications like this one. If it were not for him, TYR may very well not exist. This review most certainly would not.
