Polytheistic Monasticism: A New Anthology

[ecosophia]

I'm very pleased to announce the publication of Polytheistic Monasticism: Voices from Pagan Cloisters, edited by Janet Munin, a new anthology of essays by people involved in one way or another in the emerging world of polytheist and animist monastic life. 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 -- and things unfolded from there. As far as I know this is the first attempt to sketch out the emerging movement that's resulted from that trend. 

(Yes, I've got a piece in the collection, on the process by which the Ancient Order of Druids in America established its own monastic church, the Gnostic Celtic Church; it might be of use to others who are looking toward a similar process -- but frankly most of the other essays are more interesting.)

It's just been announced for release in the spring of 2022.  If you'd like a copy, you can preorder one in the US here, and in the rest of the world here.