Žiarislav

Miroslav Žiarislav Švický (born in 1967), best known as Žiarislav, is a Slovak musician, writer and organiser within modern Slavic paganism. He writes and performs music inspired by Slovak folk music. He has written books about Slavic spirit and is the founder and leader of the modern pagan organisation Rodný kruh (lit. 'Native Circle').

Early life and education

Miroslav Žiarislav Švický was born in 1967. He was trained as a geologist and lived in Bratislava and Trnava where he wrote for the newspaper Zmena and "Smena". He began to write books on spirituality and ended his journalist career to be a farmer and musician.

Slavic paganism

Švický is active in modern Slavic paganism in Slovakia as a teacher, writer and keeper of traditions and calendars. He has adopted the name Žiarislav, which roughly means "The one who celebrates light". He is the founder and leader of the Rodný kruh (lit. 'Native Circle'), with which he hosts traditional native celebrations. The group does not have a formal organizational structure and describes itself as a "society for native natural spirituality". Since 2000, it publishes the magazine Diva. and

Žiarislav has presented his conceptions of ancient Slavic culture and Slavic natural spirituality in several books, including Návrat Slovenov (1997), Čaro štyroch živlov (1998) and Čaro prírody (1999). He rejects the idea that folklore is something that only concerns outdated lifestyles and emphasises the need for creativity when dealing with folkloric material. Common themes in his works include patriotism, environmentalism, personal health, respect for traditions, creativity, anti-consumerism and rustic aesthetics. Diva was later renamed to Rodná Cesta (Native Way). The magazine´s internet version is being published regularly on the web page Rodná cesta.

The Slovak mainstream media have been ambivalent about Žiarislav and his religious activities: he is typically portrayed as a romantic character who lives in harmony with nature. The sociologist Miroslav Tížik describes his teachings as a combination of some immutable beliefs concerning knowledge, Slavic identity and nature, and a dynamic approach to doctrine and vocabulary, which continuously change in his publications. Tížik connects Žiarislav's rhetoric to the New Age movement, to the period of the Slovak national awakening and to the Romanticism of Ľudovít Štúr. Žiarislav has inspired other modern pagan groups in Slovakia, including the Perúnov kruh and the Slovanský kruh.

Music

Žiarislav is a songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist who makes his own instruments. He performs with his band Bytosti. He draws inspiration from Slovak folk music and contemporary pagan folk. His spiritual views are integrated in his music and he rejects the distinction between religious and musical activities. His music has been a major part of his spiritual outreach.

Further reading

• Pániková, Katarína (2004). Spolocenstvo pre pôvodné prírodné duchovno: Rodný kruh Miroslava Švického (MA) (in Slovak). Comenius University.

External links

• Personal website (in Slovak)