This month I would like to introduce you to a man who has very limited online Gorean interaction, but he practices the lifestyle in his day-to-day life. Pål was born in the year 1971, he is currently living in the mountains of Hemsedal, although he was original form Oslo, Norway. He considers himself to be very active and adventurous. Pål finds great pleasure in increasing his abilities both mentally and physically. Some of his hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, deep sea fishing, rock climbing and last but certainly not least swordsmanship. Pål is a single father raising two children, and works as a 3-D animation and graphics designer.

Most recently he became a member of an historical armored combat study group on the web. However, he tends to find his true self through the sword, as he also did when he was first presented to the Gorean ways through a now ex-girlfriend some four years ago. During this time he frequently visited some of the taverns in mIRC and soon he found himself having a deeper interest and curiosity in the Gorean ways.

"I may have fallen into a somewhat different crowd, unquestionably through my most submissive and sexual oriented girlfriend at the time, but after reading the books I realized that I have always been Gorean. Since childhood, I have always valued the generosity, respect and honor that John Norman gives us through the chronicles of Tarl Cabot. I do think there is a Gorean in many men, and undoubtedly in many women. I am to a certain level concerned about evolving away from human interaction that is so important to the human race. The male comradeship, the intelligent tease and femaleness of women, the appreciation of enjoying nature are all issues that are neglected this day in age." He responds when I asked him about his thoughts and views of the world today.

When asked the question "How has the Gorean lifestyle affected your life?" his response was " I felt I had experienced and rediscovered myself when first presented to the Gorean ways. It was not "coming out of the closet", but rather looking at the closet and with curiously opening it. I have learned even more to appreciate the women, the world, the codes between good friends and family. It has of course made an affect on my sexual life, since always being the dominant one in a sexual relationship. I am surprised at how many women carry a little bit of Gorean inside them. I have gained a true interest in European medieval swordsmanship through the Gorean novels, and I am a most dedicated student at this time. I find the moves and the philosophy of the true cut-and thrust of course, short-swords, very honest, challenging and interesting. Also, I have "stumbled" over a magnificent artist through the Star published book covers. The early works of Boris Vallejo is truly amazing. I have also grown most found of the wilderness and mountain. I often walk 5-8 hours in steep terrain, summer and winter, to either fish, hunt or snowboard. The powers of the nature is often highly unpredictable up here, but when understanding how to read the mountains and take precautions its a great and giving challenge. I can stay up in the mountain for days. Alone, with my children or friends. To exist in, and live of the nature I think is a very basic need in the human race. I just think many have grown too far from the opportunities through city living, to perhaps ever snap out of it. I have lived in Oslo for 29 years, but have the last 15 years used weekends and vacations to be outdoors in this raw, beautiful and wild country"

What does being a Gorean and living the Gorean lifestyle mean to you?

"To me being a Gorean means following my heart in the most difficult situations to value honesty and affection in a dedicated way. It means to me really choose people I can relate to and who not. Perhaps in a too direct way sometimes, but rather that, than performing an act. The great feeling of speaking my mind, and the absolute confidence of telling an absolute truth with my back straight and head held high. I really think that the people I choose to surround myself with know me quite well. I have been Gorean in many ways before even reading the books. As to colleges and more social friends, none of my true self would come as a surprise to them."

"Has your view of the world changed since learning about the lifestyle? If so, how?"

"I have spent hours thinking about how the two sexes have almost completely blended into each other through the human development. How both the males and females both strife to be more identical to each other neglecting our races, differences, needs and functions both mentally and physically. No man has to be strong anymore. No female has to be female anymore. This makes me truly sad, but by experience I have learned that once introduced to the Gorean ways, many recognize this way of living and feel the urge to let the Gorean out."

Out of the Gorean novels which one would you say is your favorite?

"My first experience with Gor was through sexual role-play and experimentation with my girlfriend. She gave me Tarnsmen of Gor when we broke up months later. I had spent some time on mIRC taverns and learned and handled the way of online interaction rather quickly. I purchased some Masquerade paperbacks, Nomads and Assassins, on an online bookstore and went straight to Nomads. This was understandingly a true pleasure and a blast to read. Kamchak of the Tuchuks is brilliant. "

"Since being a creative and critical art and graphics enthusiast, I dismissed the horrible paperback covers of Masquerade for the STAR published books. And with the help of Pantheus I was able to find the entire series of books all published by STAR. I also feel that the STAR cover art is more suitable for the type of books that the Gorean novels are."

"My favorite quote would have to be, "I choose ignominious bondage before honorable death". This is where Tarl Cabot the warrior of Ko-ro-ba turns into the merchant Bosk of Port Kar. Not perhaps my favorite in the way it affected our hero, but a most memorable quote. "

What do you think the role of a woman is according to the Gorean philosophy? "I think firstly the female role is to please, respect and love the man. To honor him and attend both his physical and mental needs. To submit herself completely to him and serve his every need on his terms whenever he should call for her. I think the female role is to accept their strength in some areas and weaknesses in others. " Are females all meant to wear collars or perhaps is there a chance that there are some true free women walking the Gorean path? "A modern free woman can perhaps be close to Gorean in some ways for a limited period of time, but I doubt there are many, if any walking that path to the end. Women are to my opinion much more individual and more complex than John Norman writes. I think this makes him narrow their spectra of qualities to make the story more authentic. But I also think the far most part of women would make excellent slaves when mastered the Gorean way. I have never been given anything but gratitude for presenting parts if their primal femaleness to them through Gorean philosophy. " Can you give me a little more detail about what "Historical Armored Combat study group" is? "Since in the last 1 1/2 years I have had some geographical distance to a larger city, I study mostly through web and mailing groups. Mpg video clips of exercises ranging from stances and guards to test cutting and polstered sparring. It's all surprisingly serious, well made and accurate in terms of historical authentication. Real swordsmen manage the study group. It does not have a picky modern fencing style, but the true European medieval swordsmanship, and with a more precise focus on the martial art influences and similarities that was during these times. I know swordsmen from all over the US and Europe attend their camps and workshops to fight, exchange experiences and techniques. I am now working on gathering some fellow Vikings up here in the mountains to spar and study. I did a few years of martial arts some years ago, so implementing a sword feels pretty natural, and I train with high intensity and effort." A sword is truly an amazing weapon when handled the right way When you visited online chat rooms, how did they stand up to your standards on how Gorean should be and interact with each other? "Since I hadn't read any of the books when first visiting the mIRC taverns, I really didn't have much to compare it too, but now that I haven't been online that much for some time, rather reading. It was my impression that the standards where much more sexual oriented. Some, to some measure, made a poor attempt to be something their not, more just wanting to fell Gorean. I think the Gorean way is much more complicated, instead of obvious, to many online actives."

~Amara~