Two weeks past, I embarked on a trip with two spiritual brothers. We stayed at a cottage nestled in a small town in Ontario. We drank, smoked, played cards, debated, and watched the fire burn for a few days. The highlight of our sojourn was rising early each morning, marching to the nearby beach, and embracing the brisk morning water.
We marched silently, reminding me of my favorite scene from my favorite cowboy movie, The Wild Bunch. It’s a gorgeous scene where a gang of hardened men glance at each other, knowing exactly what they must do: what is good to do.
I implored my spiritual brother to create a litany for us, ensuring the memory of our silent march and chilling embrace be relivable. As a true skáld, he delivered...
Let’s go, let’s fucking go!
Spellbreaker, Skáld and Stoic Zaddy march onto the cold lake, with a stern face and a rhythmic pace. Good warrior vibes all around them. Silently hopeful and filled with gravitas, like legionaries.
Let’s go, let’s fucking go!
Like wolves in the forest, in its telluric energies. Spellbreaker, Skáld and Stoic Zaddy are awake in the Shiva consciousness of their inner power. Their arms are wide open; they breathe in the cold air. Purebloods, strong, bold, joyful; they challenge each other to do great deeds and develop mighty busts with intelligence and testosterone, well calibrated, they plunge wilfully in the coldest morning water. The pain stings their limbs while they laugh. Spellbreaker, Skáld and Stoic Zaddy shout, like an incantation: Let’s go, let’s fucking go!
Every man needs some let’s fucking go ethos in his life, and they need spiritual brothers to shout the words out with. Life is challenging and overwhelmingly complex, with piercing fear rushing through every crack of our makeshift armor. There is a good reason why good men prefer a gang that appreciates a certain kind of rough madness. At times, life requires a mutual conjuring of primordial thumos, entering into a trance-like state, marching toward affliction with virile joy.
I am about to start a three-month sprint, attempting to accomplish many things while journeying toward a better life for those I live for. I have fear in my system. I could fail, be embarrassed or humiliated, and get my ass kicked in more ways I know are possible. Yet, these fear-based projections do not matter because I have spiritual brothers by my side, and like an incantation, we are ready to fucking go.
I will be busy with projects for the next three months and will be renegotiating the editorial schedule of this Substack. I’ll write short and punchy entries a few times a week or long-form “philosophical reports” once a month. Let me know what you prefer.