Hoagascht is a Pinzgau/Austrian dialect word meaning a relaxed, informal chat or friendly get-together.

The word may have a much deeper meaning, as a linguist once assured me many years ago, someone who was willing to look a little beyond the boundaries of the official academic perspective.

According to this interpretation, Hoa stands for Hain, referring to the ancient sacred groves of the Celts, where people gathered as a community for rituals and gatherings.

Gascht stands for Garten, meaning an enclosed or defined space.

Approaches like this in the study of language are interesting food for thought, and that is precisely what this blog is about. Things are often viewed from a different perspective, leaving room for everyone to form their own opinion.

In no way is it claimed that we possess the absolute truth. The fact is, however, that no other approach can make that claim either, no matter how scientifically well-founded it may appear. There are always many possibilities and different levels of interpretation.

The same applies to the interpretation of myths and legends. Here, too, there are many different approaches: scientific, historical, or indeed natural-mythological. In the case of myths and legends, the latter is actually the most obvious approach.

I therefore do not believe that, as is so often assumed, the majority of these legends originated in the Middle Ages or the early modern period. Rather, I believe that many of the legends and legendary motifs are considerably older and date back at least to the Celts. Some legends are obviously even older, as they contain very strong animistic and shamanic elements.

I feel confident in saying this because, through my own background, I have encountered corresponding parallels within my shamanic tradition, where the same archetypes can be found as in the myths and legends of the Alps. We will therefore approach these traditions here from a natural-mythological and archetypal perspective, also inspired by the outstanding work of the late Celtic and mythology researcher Georg Rohrecker.

Hoagascht is also a space where, from time to time, the voice of the Fetznschädl Oracle will come through. This means oracle messages concerning the current quality of time, as well as guidance from the spirits of the mountains on how certain things might be approached.

From time to time, places of power from the Alps and beyond will also be presented here.

This blog aims to inspire, stimulate thought, and ultimately contribute to freeing the Salige, the Wild Woman, from her cave. It seeks to assist the great mountain mother Percht, with her three faces, the alpine goddess, in reclaiming her rightful throne. And it also aims to restore the Wild Man, the almost forgotten god with the club, who pours the cauldron of inspiration upon us, to his venerable place within and around us.