Book review

The Modern Pagan

How to Live a Natural Lifestyle in the 21st Century

Brian Day

Paganism means living in harmony with nature and respecting all that nature has to offer. It is a sustainable way of life that has existed in the British Isles for thousands of years and that has survived secretly among scattered households throughout the UK. Although it is not a religious path (tru... Les mer

"Paganism means living in harmony with nature and respecting all that nature has to offer. It is a sustainable way of life that has existed in the British Isles for thousands of years and that has survived secretly among scattered households throughout the UK. Although it is not a religious path (true pagans do not worship deities), paganism will appeal to anyone who cares about the environment, who is interested in maintaining an organic lifestyle or who believes in respecting their roots whilst catering for the future. Paganism may be thousands of years old, but it is particularly suited to meeting our twenty-first century concerns. In "The Modern Pagan", Brian Day explains how to live in a way that honours the land and its inhabitants. There is advice on celebrating seasonal festivals, on cultivating a true pagan garden, on creating delicious food and drink from hedgerow fare, on herbal medicine and on working for the benefit of all. The core principles of Modern Paganism will make sense to anyone who is tired of the hustle and bustle of our polluted lifestyles, and who is looking for a way to connect with their surroundings."



This book is based on a wonderful premise. How do we as people with an earth based spiritual practice integrate our beliefs into our daily lives. This book cuts the the quick and shows ways for pagans to live their beliefs, and walk their talk. Much of what I promote in bioregional animism is focused in the same way. Living your life as an animist means getting your hands dirty.
Though I have not had a chance to fully read this book. I did get a chance to look it over and I think that though the pagan community at large may not be as accepting of it ideologically, the attempt to integrate earth based spiritual practice with ACTUALLY living sustainably is a real first in pagan literature. Very few people who practice an earth based spiritual system actually live in praxis and because of that THERE ARE FEW BOOKS OUT THERE ATTEMPTING TO SHARE HOW THIS IS DONE WITH ANY ONE! Which I find to be very alarming. Brian Day seems to be in the same category of folk such as I and Graham Harvey as well as all of the bioregional animists out there I have had the pleasure of meeting who feel that what you believe and think is not nearly as important as how you act in the world.
Much of my work with bioregional animism came from the frustration of participating in "shamanism" circles who lived what they practiced on the weekends about as much as a pedophilic catholic priest does every day but sunday. The frustration of seeing a natural life way perverted into a self serving practice of narcissism was hard to stomach. So though I have not read his book enough to be critical and give it a sparkling review or NOT, I have to applaud that he even put the two together in this day an age, earth based religion=sustainable living? Its about time the topic was covered in pagan book sections... you will be hard pressed to find others like it.
more power to ya Brian...