RUNIC JOHN

A BritishHeathen neo-shamanicpractitioner and the author ofThe Book ofSeidr:The Native English and Northern EuropeanShamanic Tradition(2004) whose shamanic work with runes earned him this nickname. Ethnographic records of John’s shamanic practices, includingjourneyingto the nineother worldsof the Yggdrasill world tree andhealingwork at alternative festivals are presented inRobertWallis’s bookShamans/Neo-Shamans(2003). Wallis argues that unlike those neo-shamans who decontextualize and psychologize indigenous practices and focus onindividualempowerment, Runic John’s work is more readily comparable with traditional shamanisms, as it is embedded in a specific tradition and involves direct encounters withspiritsJohn perceives as “real” rather than aspects of self, as well as the healing of those clients who request his services.