Montague Whitsel

About me:

AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE MOMENT: I am a writer, amateur naturalist, narrative philosopher and earthen poet seeking ever deeper engagement with the Mystery of What-Is. Existentially rooted and aesthetically sourced in the woods of western Pennsylvania, I am always open to new possibilities for knowing and experiencing, and am always ready for engaging conversation.

THE JOURNEY: Over the last four decades I have sought wisdom in various traditions, including monasticism, Celtic mysticism and mythology, Wicchan traditions, Goddess spirituality and Neo-Paganism. I've journeyed into imagined worlds via literature and poetry, film and theater. Seeking a ground in science as a touchstone for understanding and experiencing the world, I've meditated on the history and evolution of life on this planet over the last 4 billion years, as well as on the mystery of the expanding universe and our place in it. I have enthusiastically read geology, evolutionary biology and paleontology, as well as in philosophy, mythology (including the Bible) and theology. I am just as interested in physics and chemistry, astronomy and cosmology as I am in music, poetics, art and theater.

The DREAM: I dream as I live; seeking wisdom; i.e., the kind of knowledge that enables a person to better live life. To live life fully, I believe we must be disciplined and be free to employ all of our talents and resources toward the best ends, not just for ourselves but for the good of the planetary community as well. I have long sought touchstones of wisdom in religious traditions, especially the Wicchan, Celtic and Monastic traditions of the West. I am now seeking wisdom in the revelations of science. I am interested in the relationship between science and 'the Good Life.' I meditate in the interface between science and aesthetics; poetics and the truth about the world that has been established by the sciences. Ultimately, I dream of a better world and a better life for all living things, powered by both the revelations of science and the wisdom of ancient spiritual and mystical traditions.

I believe that a spirituality grounded in the revelations of science; but not limited to what science has revealed-- is possible, and that there is a real need today for us to strive toward new spiritual and mystical horizons, inspired by the story of the Earth & Cosmos now outlined by evolutionary biology, historical geology, paleontology and cosmology. If we, as a species, are going to do more than merely survive, we need A NEW SPIRITUALITY -- one grounded in what science has shown us about ourselves and the universe in which we find ourselves. All of my published books explore this question of how we should now live, at one level or another; either reconstructing a Celtic paradigm of mysticism or telling stories that will inspire reflection on where we are going as a species; as spiritual beings grounded in the Earth in our becoming.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: I hold degrees in anthropology, sociology, history, philosophy and religion. In addition to teaching at the college and university levels, I have engaged in private instruction with students interested in a variety of spiritualities, including Celtic traditions. I have often given guest lectures on topic from "The History of Halloween" to "Science and Spirituality" for both college classes and private groups.

"The time for religion and politics is past. What we need now is science and spirituality."

--Arthur C. Clarke..

PUBLISHED WORKS: I have two books published on Celtic spirituality: The Fires of Yule: A Keltelven Guide for Celebrating the Winter Solstice (2001) and WellSprings of the Deer: A Contemporary Celtic Spirituality (2002). I have six articles exploring various aspects of Celtic mysticism posted at the Isis Books & Gifts website (http://isisbooks.com/articles.asp). I have published a novel called Ham-Farir: The Faring of Matthew Thorin Dier (2008) that portrays three groups of people from varying spiritual and secular backgrounds coming together confront a mysterious phenomenon that has touched all of their lives and that has been threatening the welfare of people in the are where they live; in Ross County, PA--over the course of a century I have two collections of short stories and poetry in print. The first, called Tales from the Seasons (2008) focuses on the emergence of the extra-ordinary from the ordinary. The second, called Heart and Hearth (2009), is focused on the question of 'home.' What is a 'home,' what does it mean to be 'at home,' to lose a 'home' and to 'return home?' It explores these questions through stories and verse about events in the lives of the Whittiers; a fictional family living in Ross County, PA. If you are interested, you may find out more about these books at my author site (www.montaguewhitsel.com.)

FICTIONAL WORLD: All of my stories and poetic narratives take place in a fictional landscape called Ross County, PA,, 'located' somewhere in west-central Pennsylvania. This landscape has evolved over the last 30 years as I have grown to maturity as a mystic, poet and philosopher. The poetic landscape called "Ross County, PA" even plays into my two published books on Celtic spirituality, as the quotes at the head of sections in those books are taken from the 'writings' of characters from Ross County, PA. If you would like to 'visit' Ross County, please go to the Ross County site at http://rosscountypa.webs.com