Wayward Wanderer

Wayward Wanderer

Your friendly neighborhood Radical Heathen podcast! Join "The Way of Fire & Ice" author Ryan Smith for discussions on Norse Paganism in the 21st century, episodes come out on Wednesdays every month. Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rysmi... Like my work? Then please check out my Patreon for bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/waywar...

Episodes

June 9, 2025 11 mins
Reading Frigga's Loom is a meditation that helps you better understand how you are connected with others in the world and your relationship with wyrd, the force that unites and binds all things in existence.  It works by using images and symbols of connection to give shape to our relationships with other entities, forces, and institutions.

Link to the Calming the Sea & Sky meditation

Want to support this podcast and my other work...
Mark as Played
Let's talk about why my book, community, and tradition is so much about fire & ice. Join your host for a journey through two of the great cosmic forces of Nordic myth, the dialectics of creation, what ice & fire represent, and more!

Want to support this podcast and my other work?  Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Mark as Played
I am teaching an online workshop on Hexing & Warding next week on Tuesday, June 10th!  In this class, we'll be covering the basics of offensive and defensive magic, how these techniques can be used for direct action, why they may have more power than ever thanks to the widespread Christian Nationalist belief in spiritual warfare, and more!

You can register for this and other classes and workshops at the following link:

https://fo...
Mark as Played
Joining us on the show today is Malu Reynaud! Malu Reynaud is Brazilian and passionate about religion and spirituality. After a change in career teaching and practicing Law, she decided to pursue a master's degree in Religious Studies (University of South Florida), where she is a teaching assistant. She is currently focusing her research on Afro-Brazilian Religions and Spiritism.

We talk about Brazilian Spiritism, its relationship w...
Mark as Played
May 26, 2025 53 mins
Odin is one of the best-known of all the Nordic Gods.  Join your host for a dive into this mysterious, multi-faceted deity who often defies all attempts at definition.

Want to support this podcast and my other work?  Sign up for my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wayw... or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi
Mark as Played
Joining us on the podcast is Mhara Starling! Mhara was born in North Wales, raised on the Isle of Anglesey, is a native Welsh speaker, and has been practicing witchcraft from a very young age. Mhara is a celebrant and tarot reader who runs moots, gatherings & open rituals. She is the author of Welsh Witchcraft and Welsh Faires, has been featured on the BBC Wales documentary series Young, Welsh and Pretty Religious and is a prol...
Mark as Played
May 12, 2025 11 mins
Reaching the divine is a meditation that helps the practitioner establish and reinforce their connections with one of the many Nordic Gods.  It works by tapping into the power of names, kennings, and symbols associated with each of the Nordic deities.  This meditation and supporting information for it can be found in Ch. 3 of The Way of Fire & Ice.

Want to support this podcast and my other work?  Sign up for my Patreon here: www...
Mark as Played
May 7, 2025 26 mins
Folk magic is easily the most widespread form of magic in human history. Join your host for a discussion of what folk magic is, black vs white magic, developing your own practice, and more!

Want to support this podcast and my other work?  Sign up for my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/waywardwanderer or contribute to my KoFi here: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwf
Mark as Played
Happy Star Wars Day everyone! Join your host for a dive into a discussion of Star Wars as myth, the mythic power of Star Wars, and what Star Wars shows about how myths can influence the world.

This is an unlocked version of a special, Patrons-only episode.  If you want access to other Patrons-only episodes, ad-free listening, and more then sign up at patreon.com/waywardwanderer

If you want to book a rune reading then head on over to ...
Mark as Played
We, without question, are facing rising fascist and authoritarian tides which threaten to wash away all that Heathens, Pagans, and Witches hold dear. Tune in to this fireside chat for guidance on direct action, one of the most powerful tools we have for resistance. In this chat, I will cover what direct action is, how to get started, the basics of security culture, and how to deal with questions of risk and civil disobedience.

If yo...
Mark as Played
April 23, 2025 31 mins
Joining us today is Jason Mankey!  Jason is a third-degree High Priest and prolific Witchcraft author ten books and counting.  Jason has spent the last twenty-five years of his life researching the Horned God, Witchcraft, and magickal history, and the occult influences in rock and roll music. He regularly lectures and leads rituals at Pagan and Witchcraft events in both North America and the United Kingdom.

We talked about the futu...
Mark as Played
April 21, 2025 1 min
I'm going to be presenting my research on Pagans and Heavy Metal at this year's Program for the Evolution of Spirituality Conference which hosted and organized by the Harvard Divinity School.  The conference is free and you can attend either in person at Harvard or online via Zoom at this embedded link.  My presentation starts at 6PM EST this Wednesday, April 23rd.

I am also teaching a whole range of classes that start next week and...
Mark as Played
April 16, 2025 42 mins
Joining us today is Irene Glasse, a Heathen witch, longtime teacher of witchcraft, meditation, and magic, Commissioned Lay Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, Maryland, lead organizer of the Frederick Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, and a member of the Sacred Space Conference board. She shares her thoughts on community building, making Pagan organizing sustainable, the biggest challenges fac...
Mark as Played
April 9, 2025 10 mins
This meditation helps practitioners better understand the meanings and significance of any one of the Elder, Younger, and Anglo-Saxon runes. For this meditation, you will need a guide to the meaning of the runes. You can find one in Chapter 6 of The Way of Fire & Ice and I also recommend Siri Plouffe's Queering the Runes, which was published this past fall.

I am hitting the conference circuit this spring!  Please contribute by d...
Mark as Played
April 3, 2025 29 mins
Seiðr is one of the other main forms of mysticism practiced in modern Heathen and Nordic Pagan spaces. Join your host for an explanation of what seiðr is, historical examples of it, modern seiðr, and more!

I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi

Want to support this podcast and my other work?  Check out my Patreon!

You can also h...
Mark as Played
March 27, 2025 52 mins
Revenge is one of the most common motifs in surviving Nordic source materials. Join your host for an examination of vengeance, its place in Nordic myth, a dive into examples from the tales of Volund & Ragnarok, and what this means for the modern Heathen.

I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi

Want to support this podc...
Mark as Played
March 19, 2025 9 mins
This month's meditation helps build a sense of connection with the world around you. It brings you into relationship with the world above and below before then circulating the energy of pure potential throughout you.


I am hitting the conference circuit this spring!  Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi

Want to support this podcast and my other work?  Check out my Patreon!

Yo...
Mark as Played
March 18, 2025 2 mins
Hey everyone I'm going to be presenting live and in the flesh over the next couple of weeks! I am going to be doing a workshop on Utiseta, a form of trance meditation, at Paganicon in the Twin Cities this coming weekend, talking about Liberated Spirituality at Sacred Spaces in Baltimore on March 27th, and am presenting my research on Paganism and Heavy Metal at the Harvard Divinity School at the end of April. If you can help suppor...
Mark as Played
CW: Discussion of the Folkish movement, white nationalists, threats of violence and school shootings

Joining us today are Christine Cormier and Scott Kelley Ernest, two Heathens who were previously part of the Folkish movement who have since become outspoken critics of white nationalist spirituality. They share what their experience inside the Asatru Folk Assembly and Odinic Rite was like, the one thing they think everyone should kn...
Mark as Played
March 6, 2025 28 mins
The runes are one of the most visible expressions of modern Nordic spirituality. Join your host for a short introduction to what the runes are, their history, how they're used, and more!

I am hitting the conference circuit this spring! Please contribute by donating whatever you can afford at my Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryansmithwfi

Want to support this podcast and my other work?  Check out my Patreon!

You can also help out by scheduli...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.