I’m delighted to announce that a new anthology about polytheistic monasticism — the first book of its kind — is finally available for preorder!

“Too many people think of monasticism as purely something done by revealed religions such as Christianity and Buddhism; au contraire, there were monks and nuns in ancient India and Egypt long before those other religions were born.”

“Over the last decade or two, as pop-culture Neopaganism hit its diminuendo phase, there's been a great deal of new interest in more traditional modes of polytheist spirituality, and that inevitably led some participants to look toward the sort of deep commitment to their spiritual paths that gives rise to monasticism...As far as I know this is the first attempt to sketch out the emerging movement that's resulted from that trend.”

“I'm enthusiastic about this project and the movement it discusses.”

~John Michael Greer, contributor (who also posted the original call for submissions)

Polytheistic Monasticism: Voices From Pagan Cloisters is an anthology of writings from the forefront of the first wave of experimental monastic spirituality in the modern polytheist-animist revival. In this groundbreaking anthology, contemplative practitioners tell their stories of exploring classic monastic disciplines such as eremitic life, asceticism, retreat, service, and simplicity.

Table of Contents

Introduction by Janet Munin

Chapter 1: Finding Monasticism by Aine Llewellyn
Chapter 2: Called by the Spirits, But Not to the Priesthood by Kimberly Kirner
Chapter 3: An Eremitic Calling: Harvest Home Hermitage by Danica Swanson & Patricia Christmas
Chapter 4: Modern Polytheistic Monasticism: A Revolutionary Vision by Syren Nagakyrie
Chapter 5: Building A Druid Monastic Practice by Julie Bond
Chapter 6: Druid/Pagan Lectio by Julie Bond
Chapter 7: On the Custody of the Eyes by Rebecca Korvo
Chapter 8: Of Hearth and Shadow: A Contemplative Norse Polytheist and a Fledgling Animist Sanctuary by Danica Swanson
Chapter 9: Toward the Hermitage of the Heart by John Michael Greer