The Way of Wyrd

'The Way of Wyrd' by Brian Bates.

Background: I first read the book "The Way of Wyrd" by Brian Bates some ten years ago, maybe more. At the time I was well into my thrash metal and this English band, Sabbat, had written an album entitled "History of a Time to Come".

The lyrics particularly appealled to me as they were exceptionally well crafted, they were deeper than your average pop tune and I can still remember some of them, which is no mean feat if you know me. Here's a snapshot, though I must make it clear that they may appear a little harsher in their attitude toward christianity than the book actually implies...

The clerical conspiracy begins,
We'll wash away your sins,
We've come to purify.
To purge you of your liberty,
Absolve you of all sanity,
The truth you want to hear we shall provide.

and other poetic beauties like...

Whilst living your life, like an arrow in flight,
You must always remember the end is in sight.
Be grateful, at least, for the fact that you knew,
That you came to death he did not come to you.

So, reading more of the Sabbat album cover and sleeve (vinyl - oh yesss!) it revealed the concept was based on the book "The Way of Wyrd" by Brian Bates. So, completely intrigued, I ordered "The Way of Wyrd" and read...

Being of Scottish/English/Irish descent I was removed from the lapsed Catholic domain was raised as a Church of England kid, not especially religious but had been bombarded with lots of biblical readings and hymns. And then as a teen found myself reading about a Christian scribe sent to report to his superiors on the ways of the Anglo-Saxons so that his church could come and convert the pagans... and all because of thrash metal.

The Book: The scribe, Wat Brand, is sent on his mission to the Anglo-Saxon British Isles, leaving behind the relative safety and routine life of the cloisters back in France. As soon as he sets foot in Britain his teachings about the "dark" pagan rituals take over his thoughts and turn his new reallity into nightmare.

Brand's guide and mentor is the sorceror and mystic, Wulf, who introduces him to the customs of the land and Brand's journey leads him to discover the sacred rites of Anglo-Saxon Britain, the animals, runes, plants & spirits and the all important concept of "wyrd" or "all that was sacred and unexplainable".

"The Way of Wyrd" is quite an unusual book, highlighting a time in our Anglo-Saxon past that receives far less attention than the popular and romantic view of the Celtic aspect. It draws upon a lot of other works, with a good bibliography to delve into should you require further reading.

Like Tolkien, Bates has contributed a lot of detail to the potential British mythos and how we once were, and like Carlos Castaneda in his Teachings of Don Juan, reveals a possible level of ritual so far from modern day life. And yet, it all parallels with the Tao (and physics ;) and works on a deeper and wider level than some religions. Though this is not a book on religion, rather about what religion replaced in Anglo-Saxon Britain.

Further info can be found at www.wayofwyrd.com, at the author's site www.brianbates.co.uk or you can order your own copy of "The Way of Wyrd".