Fries, Jan – German neo-shaman, occultist, and magickian who has been influential in Europe in promoting a form of “freestyle shamanism” that emphasizes trance work in nature without necessary reference to a specific tradition or traditions. As such, Fries has been influenced by the work of Austin Osman Spare in particular, especially his use of sigils to effect magick, as well as the focus on individual gnosis in Chaos Magick. Yet, in addition to his acultural Visual Magick: A Manual of Freestyle Shamanism (1992), Fries has published the acclaimed Helrunar: A Manual of Rune Magick (1993) and more recently Cauldron of the Gods: Manual of Celtic Magick (2001), which clearly draw on established traditions.
SOURCE:
Historical Dictionary of Shamanism by Graham Harvey and Robert J. Wallis 2007