Elhaz Ablaze: We are a group of Heathen mystics.
Our internally contradictory philosophy is one of
Chaos Heathenism.
On this site you will find articles on runes, seid/seidh/seidhr, Heathenism, history, philosophy, magic, trance, martial arts, altered consciousness, music, art, politics, and practical experimentation. We are interested in creativity and wit. We hope to inform, entertain, annoy, and inspire Heathens, mystics, chaos magicians, berzerkers, martial artists, lovers, fighters, and trouble-makers. You will also find all sorts of reviews on our site.
We regard our writings as being opinions, and regard all other writers on these subjects in the same way. We will even happily disagree with one another. Our work flows from Heathen lore but we regard the rampant anti-spiritual attitudes of many Heathens to be boring, untrue to history, and frankly a waste of time. We are suspicious of demagogues and esoteric organisations. We take joy in mocking such characters.
We hope you get something of value from our writing. In addition to DubhGhaill, Donovan, Matt Anon, Sweyn, and Heimlich A. Loki, we also occasionally accept guest submissions. Contact us if you would like to offer a submission or otherwise communicate with us. Note that we reserve the right to decline submissions without explanation or rancor.
You are also advised to read our disclaimer.
Why “Elhaz Ablaze?”
Elhaz is a rune of polarities – consider the Old English Rune Poem (this translation by the inestimable Sweyn Plowright):
Elk-sedge is native most often to the fen,
It grows in water; it wounds grimly,
Burning with blood any warrior
Who, in any way, grabs at it.
The fen, the marsh, the swamp, is a liminal place between land and sea. We know these were holy places to the arch-Heathens – the bog offerings archaeologists have found alone confirm this. Yet for all of its liminal openness, the marsh is warded by the elk-sedge – sharp grass, the points of the elk’s antlers, the reach of a deadly blade.
Elhaz represents, therefore, all the beauty and magic of vulnerability and mystery; but also the strength and integrity of the wild beast that dwells within the wetlands. It represents our desire to deal only with those on the ‘level’. This isn’t a question of elitism or anything silly like that, more a question of taste and time management.
Why Elhaz Ablaze? The fire represents the overflowing flames of inspiration, magic, possession, enlightenment, purification, celebration, Life itself. The two words in combination suggest the meeting of frost and flame, fire and water: in Elhaz Ablaze all oppositions are subsumed into a greater and dynamic whole.
In a sense, then, Elhaz Ablaze is the necessary conceptual twin to Chaos Heathenism. Chaos Heathenism is a philosophy built on the notion of Elhaz Ablaze – the Chaos offers us liminality and magic, the Heathenism offers structure and integrity. In combination they create a synergistic conflagration.
