On the mystical level, Loki is one of the agents of this transformation: his recurrent subversions of the high and low under the noses of the gods reveal his truly Hermetic character. Loki is the emblem of alchemy in the Norse tradition, in my view.

Music is an excellent symbol for culture in general – part of the rationale for Chaos Heathenism – that a straighforward attempt to “preserve” cultural heritage without change (a total anachronism, by the way) runs the risk of destroying that heritage by rendering it lifeless, if not a self-parody…so therefore let’s celebrate the unique gifts of the spiritual heritage of Northern Europe by being open-minded and even a touch polymorphic!

There is a film about Spanish music called Vengo which opens with the most amazing musical exchange between Moorish and flamenco players. Truly beautiful to watch as these icons of cultural specificity naturally and easily communicate and celebrate creativity…without being lost in the process, either. Form and spirit are not enemies unless they are perverted. Interconnection and exchange often strengthen the integrity of the cultural forms involved.

And then again, there are military mystics!

I expect the same is true of mystics. Two mystics of very different origins will probably get along much better than a mystic and a fundamentalist of similar background.