Pagan Magic Of The Northern Tradition

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Pagan Magic of the Northern Tradition

Author : Nigel Pennick
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1620553902
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (25 download)

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Book Synopsis Pagan Magic of the Northern Tradition by : Nigel Pennick

Download or read book Pagan Magic of the Northern Tradition written by Nigel Pennick and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2015-05-21 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A practical guide to the magical history, customs, and practices of pre-Christian Northern Europe • Details the everyday magic of the Northern Tradition, including household magic, protection spells, and the significance of the days of the week • Explores direct natural magic, such as shapeshifting and soul travel, and talismanic or sigil magic, including runes and rituals to unlock the power of crafted objects • Explains how many of these customs continue to the present day In the pre-Christian societies of Northern Europe, magic was embedded in the practical skills of everyday life. Everything in Nature was ensouled with an inner spirit, as was anything made by hand. People believed in magic because it worked and because it was part of the functionality of their day-to-day lives. Many of these practical observances and customs continue to the present day as rural traditions, folk customs, household magic, and celebrations of the high and holy days of the calendar. Exploring the magical pagan traditions of the people now called Celtic, Germanic, Scandinavian, Slavonic, and Baltic, Nigel Pennick examines the underlying principle of the Northern Tradition--the concept of Wyrd--and how it empowers the arts of operative magic, such as direct natural magic and talismanic or sigil magic. Through direct natural magic, individuals can shape shift, journey out of the body, or send one of their three souls (fylgia or “fetch”) ahead of them. Sigil magic involves the powers contained in objects, which can be channeled after the appropriate ritual. Runes are the most powerful sigils in the Northern Tradition and were used to ward off illness, danger, hostile magic, and malevolent spirits. Emphasizing the importance of the cycles of Nature to the tradition, Pennick explores the eightfold sun dials and the four ways the solar year is defined. He looks at the days of the week and their symbolic association with different deities as well as why particular acts are performed on certain days and what the customary lucky and unlucky days are. He also examines sacred spaces, household magic, protection spells, and the role of music in the Northern Tradition. Explaining all the traditional holidays and activities necessary to honor them, Pennick shows how anyone can participate authentically in the magic of the Northern Tradition if they take care to do things properly, with respect, and on the right day.

Exploring the Northern Tradition

Author : Galina Krasskova
Publisher : Red Wheel/Weiser
ISBN 13 : 1564147916
Total Pages : 221 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (641 download)

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Book Synopsis Exploring the Northern Tradition by : Galina Krasskova

Download or read book Exploring the Northern Tradition written by Galina Krasskova and published by Red Wheel/Weiser. This book was released on 2005-01-01 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides an overview of Heathenry, a modern polytheistic religious movement based on the ancient religion of the Germanic and Scandinavian peoples.

Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner

Author : Galina Krasskova
Publisher : Red Wheel/Weiser
ISBN 13 : 1601639546
Total Pages : 156 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (16 download)

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Book Synopsis Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner by : Galina Krasskova

Download or read book Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner written by Galina Krasskova and published by Red Wheel/Weiser. This book was released on 2008-11-21 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An essential guide to expand your spiritual practices for followers of Norse Paganism, Heathenry, Asatru, and other Northern Traditions. Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner is a groundbreaking look at devotional work in religions from Theodism to Asatru to Norse Paganism, all of which comprise the umbrella of the Northern Tradition. Although interest in devotional and experiential work within these traditions has been growing rapidly in the past few years, this is the first book to show the diverse scope of such practices as a living, modern-day religion. It features an in-depth exploration of altar work, prayer, prayer beads, ritual work, sacred images, and lore, and a thorough examination of common cosmology that forms the foundation of belief for Northern Tradition communities and related Heathen practices. Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner is not denomination-specific: rather, it seeks to provide an entry into interior practice for anyone involved in a branch of this broad family of traditions of the ancient Norse, Germanic, and Saxon peoples, using material suitable for the solitary, independent practitioner. Those outside of the Northern Tradition who wish to deepen their own devotional practice will find this book helpful in their own work, as well.

The Northern Tradition

Author : Pete Jennings
Publisher : Holmes Publishing Group Llc
ISBN 13 : 9781861631879
Total Pages : 120 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (318 download)

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Book Synopsis The Northern Tradition by : Pete Jennings

Download or read book The Northern Tradition written by Pete Jennings and published by Holmes Publishing Group Llc. This book was released on 2003-07 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written by the President of the Pagan Federation, who is also a follower of the Norse (or Northern) Tradition - so he can be classed as a bit of an authority on the subject. A good basic introduction to anyone interested in finding out about this particular Pagan path. Dragonsphere Pete has clearly set out the basic principles of the Norse Tradition Wiccan Rede A compact, concise, very affordable book that I would have no hesitation in recommending Eastern Spirit A comprehensive introduction to the Northern Tradition, a vibrant, living current within the multitude of spiritual paths of Paganism. It explains the Pagan religious beliefs of the Saxon and Norse peoples and their associated magic. Through practical exercises the book teaches you about runes, Troth, folklore and rituals in addition to the history of this exciting and mysterious tradition and it s practise and relevance today.

Pagan Book

Author : Nancy Pennick
Publisher : Inner Traditions
ISBN 13 : 9780892813698
Total Pages : 152 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (136 download)

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Book Synopsis Pagan Book by : Nancy Pennick

Download or read book Pagan Book written by Nancy Pennick and published by Inner Traditions. This book was released on 1992-09-01 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide to the festivals, traditions, and sacred days of the year.

Essential Asatru

Author : Diana L. Paxson
Publisher : Citadel Press
ISBN 13 : 080654113X
Total Pages : 208 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (65 download)

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Book Synopsis Essential Asatru by : Diana L. Paxson

Download or read book Essential Asatru written by Diana L. Paxson and published by Citadel Press. This book was released on 2021-02-23 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Essential Asatru, renowned author and priestess Diana Paxson demystifies an ancient, rich, and often misunderstood religion, and offers a practical guide for its modern followers. A Journey to Fulfillment and Renewal Filled with clear, concise instructions on living Asatru every day, this truly accessible guide takes you on a journey from Asatru’s origins in Scandinavian and German paganism to its recognition as an official religion in the 1970s and its widespread acceptance today. Essential Asatru also includes: · A complete history of Asatru gods and goddesses, including Odin, Thor, and Ostara · The life values, such as honor, truth, fidelity, and hospitality, that shape Asatru’s tenets · Indispensable information on rituals, rune casting, ethics, and divination Essential Asatru is an elegant and splendid introduction to a centuries-old religion that continues to enrich and fascinate its followers today. Praise for Essential Asatru “This mainstreamed book on Asatru offers a thorough grounding in both history and the present and shows how those values—the true heart of any religion—are expressed in the lives of its faithful. This book is recommended for personal education, library shelves, and world religion classes.” —Facing North “A solid and thorough yet concise introduction to the religion, its history, the gods and goddesses, and the basics of modern practice.” —Idunna

Neolithic Shamanism

Author : Raven Kaldera
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1594775044
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (947 download)

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Book Synopsis Neolithic Shamanism by : Raven Kaldera

Download or read book Neolithic Shamanism written by Raven Kaldera and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-11-16 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A step-by-step guide to working with the spirits of ancient northern Europe • Explains how to build relationships with Earth, Sun, Moon, Plants, Animals, Water, Fire, Craft, Air, and the Ancestors through 83 practical exercises • Explores the role of altered states in spirit work • Outlines the ancient cultural rules and taboos to avoid spiritual debt or offense We are all surrounded by spirits. Many people feel called to work with them, but few know where to begin. Enjoined by the gods and spirits to fulfill this need, Raven Kaldera and Galina Krasskova have reconstructed the indigenous spiritual traditions of northern Europe and Scandinavia extinguished more than one thousand years ago by the spread of Christianity. Arising from basic survival needs, these practical traditions are fundamentally tied to the elements found in the harsh world of the ancient North. Beginning with the skills tied to the Earth element, necessary for grounding prior to the more demanding aspects of the practice--working with Sun, Moon, Plants, Animals, Water, Fire, Craft, and Air--the authors explain, step by step, how to build relationships with each elemental spirit and the Ancestors. Offering 83 practical exercises, from cleansing with the Moon or borrowing the legs of Reindeer to making sacred space with Mugwort or creating an ancestor altar, they also explore building spirit relationships through altered states. Emphasizing the proper management of your spirit relationships to avoid spiritual debt or offense, the authors outline the ancient cultural rules and taboos that circumscribe these practices, essential knowledge for successful and fruitful spirit alliances. Detailing the beginning set of skills needed to work with the spirits of this ancient world, this comprehensive workbook offers a unique ancestral spiritual outlet for those of northern European descent as well as an accessible guide for anyone trying to fulfill their shamanic callings.

Northern Mysteries & Magic

Author : Freya Aswynn
Publisher : Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN 13 : 9781567180473
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (84 download)

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Book Synopsis Northern Mysteries & Magic by : Freya Aswynn

Download or read book Northern Mysteries & Magic written by Freya Aswynn and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 1998 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the Norse system of runes, known as Futhark, explaining the meanings of each rune, offering methods of interpretation, and discussing some of the feminine mysteries of the Norse pantheon.

Witchcraft and Secret Societies of Rural England

Author : Nigel Pennick
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1620557614
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (25 download)

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Book Synopsis Witchcraft and Secret Societies of Rural England by : Nigel Pennick

Download or read book Witchcraft and Secret Societies of Rural England written by Nigel Pennick and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2019-04-09 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive account of the rich folk culture preserved in the rural secret societies of the British Isles • Describes the secret rites, ceremonies, and initiation rituals of guilds and rural fraternities such as the Shoemakers, Horsemen, Toadmen, Mummers, and Bonesmen • Explains their use of masks, black face, and other disguises to avoid persecution • Draws not only on scholarly research but also the author’s personal contacts within these still living traditions Centuries ago the remote, marshy plains of eastern England--the Fens--were drained to create agricultural land. The Fens remained isolated up until the nineteenth century, and it was this very isolation that helped preserve the ancient traditions of this area, traditions ruthlessly eradicated elsewhere in the British Isles. These magical folk traditions also owe their survival to secret rural societies, from craft guilds and trade unions to Morris dancers and village bands. Exploring the folk customs and magical traditions of guilds and rural fraternities such as the Shoemakers and Horsemen and the secrets guarded by the Free Gardeners, Witches, Toadmen, and Bonesmen, Nigel Pennick shows how the common working people of the Fens belonged to secret societies based on their specific trade. He details the hidden aspects of rural life that most historians ignore--the magical current that flowed through the lives of working people--and describes the secret rites, ceremonies, oaths, and initiation rituals of the guilds and fraternities to which the folk belonged. Drawing not only on scholarly research but also his personal contacts within these still living traditions, Pennick explains their use of masks, black face, and other disguises to avoid persecution and describes how wise woman healers and witches in rural villages were sought-after for their remedies. He shares the secrets of the toad-bone rite, which gave the Toadman control over animals and members of the opposite sex, and explores the guardian spirits thought to inhabit the Fens, including those of the Wild Hunt. Providing insight into a world that has largely disappeared, one whose magic still echoes in lore and legend, Pennick shows that the rites, customs, and ceremonies of guilds and rural fraternities connect individuals to a wider community and, through collective action, to the power of Nature and the Cosmos.

Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft

Author : Raymond Buckland
Publisher : Weiser Books
ISBN 13 : 1609254759
Total Pages : 176 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (92 download)

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Book Synopsis Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft by : Raymond Buckland

Download or read book Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft written by Raymond Buckland and published by Weiser Books. This book was released on 2005-01-01 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft was one of the first books to explore Wicca from a solitary perspective. Originally written 30 years ago to correct abuses he saw occurring in covens, Buckland offered Wiccan seekers an introductory text on Saxon witchcraft or Seax-Wicca, which can be practiced alone. Buckland presents meticulously researched information on the time-honored tradition of Saxon witchcraft. He writes cogently and informatively about the history, mythology, spiritual practices, and witchcraft of Saxon England. Buckland's Book of Saxon Witchcraft includes everything the solitary witch needs to practice Seax-Wicca, including: Descriptions of the Saxon deities and explanations of their primary beliefs An introduction to the magical runic Saxon alphabet A selection of original Pagan songs A selection of Seax-Wiccan recipes for intoxicants Instructions for initiation ceremonies, the eight Sabbats, marriage, birth, and death rites An explanation of the art and practice of Saxon Galdra or magic and the divination and herbal lore used for protection, love potions, and healing The Seax-Wicca Rite of Self-Dedication, which allows individuals to form their own covens and initiate themselves into the Craft An indispensable handbook for solitary witches or for witches in covens who want to explore Saxon witchcraft. Originally published as The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft, this edition offers a new introduction by the author to guide a new generation of witches into the art and practice of Seax-Wicca.

Wyrdwalkers: Techniques of Northern-Tradition Shamanism

Author : Raven Kaldera
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780615139449
Total Pages : 425 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (394 download)

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Book Synopsis Wyrdwalkers: Techniques of Northern-Tradition Shamanism by : Raven Kaldera

Download or read book Wyrdwalkers: Techniques of Northern-Tradition Shamanism written by Raven Kaldera and published by . This book was released on 2007-04 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From dealing with Gods and spirits, to mastering the elements to reading the Threads of Wyrd, this book is a primer for the basic skills of a northern-tradition shaman or shamanic practitioner. The third book in the Northern-Tradition Shamanism series, this book includes spirit-taught lessons from many different spirit-workers and the Gods that they serve and revere.

The Pagan Book of Days

Author : Nigel Pennick
Publisher : Destiny Books
ISBN 13 : 9780892818679
Total Pages : 160 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (186 download)

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Book Synopsis The Pagan Book of Days by : Nigel Pennick

Download or read book The Pagan Book of Days written by Nigel Pennick and published by Destiny Books. This book was released on 2001-04-01 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: • A daybook containing information about rituals and celebrations that have for centuries been associated with the changing seasons of the year. • Includes charts of equinoxes and solstices, movable holy days, and monthly lunar phases through 2033 • First edition sold more than 30,000 copies Pagan rites and festivals are at the root of many traditional holidays in the Western world. Embracing a sensitivity we have lost, the Pagan traditions emphasize mystical spirituality, reverence for the feminine principle, and the links between people and the earth. This unique daybook contains a treasury of information about rituals and celebrations that have for centuries been associated with the changing seasons of the year. Included are the observances of the ancient Greek, Roman, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse traditions, as well as Wiccan traditions and the worship of the Goddess. In The Pagan Book of Days the author provides details on auspicious and inauspicious days, holy days of ancient gods and goddesses, and the eight stations of the year (the solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter days). He also includes lunar and solar charts indicating dates of major Pagan celebrations from the year 2011 through 2033. Illustrations throughout depict images from the classical and northern European traditions. The Pagan Book of Days is an enlightening way to incorporate these ancient cultural and spiritual practices and awarenesses into your daily life.

Witching Culture

Author : Sabina Magliocco
Publisher : University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN 13 : 0812202708
Total Pages : 278 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (122 download)

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Book Synopsis Witching Culture by : Sabina Magliocco

Download or read book Witching Culture written by Sabina Magliocco and published by University of Pennsylvania Press. This book was released on 2010-11-24 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taking the reader into the heart of one of the fastest-growing religious movements in North America, Sabina Magliocco reveals how the disciplines of anthropology and folklore were fundamental to the early development of Neo-Paganism and the revival of witchcraft. Magliocco examines the roots that this religious movement has in a Western spiritual tradition of mysticism disavowed by the Enlightenment. She explores, too, how modern Pagans and Witches are imaginatively reclaiming discarded practices and beliefs to create religions more in keeping with their personal experience of the world as sacred and filled with meaning. Neo-Pagan religions focus on experience, rather than belief, and many contemporary practitioners have had mystical experiences. They seek a context that normalizes them and creates in them new spiritual dimensions that involve change in ordinary consciousness. Magliocco analyzes magical practices and rituals of Neo-Paganism as art forms that reanimate the cosmos and stimulate the imagination of its practitioners. She discusses rituals that are put together using materials from a variety of cultural and historical sources, and examines the cultural politics surrounding the movement—how the Neo-Pagan movement creates identity by contrasting itself against the dominant culture and how it can be understood in the context of early twenty-first-century identity politics. Witching Culture is the first ethnography of this religious movement to focus specifically on the role of anthropology and folklore in its formation, on experiences that are central to its practice, and on what it reveals about identity and belief in twenty-first-century North America.

Pagan Astrology

Author : Raven Kaldera
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1594779872
Total Pages : 368 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (947 download)

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Book Synopsis Pagan Astrology by : Raven Kaldera

Download or read book Pagan Astrology written by Raven Kaldera and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2009-09-28 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide to the practice of planetary magic • Offers tools for practitioners of green magic and folk magic to incorporate astrology into their practice • Includes an extensive collection of magical remedies to resolve astrological afflictions • Provides information on creating planetary altars and the astrological correspondences of traditional pagan holidays Traditionally, magically oriented astrology has focused on Sun-sign horoscopes while modern Western astrology has focused on attempting to become as “scientific” as possible in hopes of aligning with its sister science of astronomy. In Pagan Astrology, Raven Kaldera, a practicing astrologer and Pagan shaman, uses the commonalities and strengths of Western astrology and Pagan green magic to introduce a hands-on astrological practice that incorporates intuition, spells, and other modes of folk magic into astrology. Kaldera includes an extensive compendium of modern magical remedies to counteract negative astrological influences and shows how to use planetary energy to aid Pagan worship and green magic practice through spell casting, love magic, and shamanic stargazing. Kaldera also explains how to create planetary altars that enhance the astrological correspondences of traditional Pagan holidays using the tools of folk magic. Practitioners of green and folk magic and those who love traditional astrology will welcome this unique approach to planetary magic.

Witchcraft and Magic in the Nordic Middle Ages

Author : Stephen A. Mitchell
Publisher : University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN 13 : 0812203712
Total Pages : 384 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (122 download)

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Book Synopsis Witchcraft and Magic in the Nordic Middle Ages by : Stephen A. Mitchell

Download or read book Witchcraft and Magic in the Nordic Middle Ages written by Stephen A. Mitchell and published by University of Pennsylvania Press. This book was released on 2011-06-06 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stephen A. Mitchell here offers the fullest examination available of witchcraft in late medieval Scandinavia. He focuses on those people believed to be able—and who in some instances thought themselves able—to manipulate the world around them through magical practices, and on the responses to these beliefs in the legal, literary, and popular cultures of the Nordic Middle Ages. His sources range from the Icelandic sagas to cultural monuments much less familiar to the nonspecialist, including legal cases, church art, law codes, ecclesiastical records, and runic spells. Mitchell's starting point is the year 1100, by which time Christianity was well established in elite circles throughout Scandinavia, even as some pre-Christian practices and beliefs persisted in various forms. The book's endpoint coincides with the coming of the Reformation and the onset of the early modern Scandinavian witch hunts. The terrain covered is complex, home to the Germanic Scandinavians as well as their non-Indo-European neighbors, the Sámi and Finns, and it encompasses such diverse areas as the important trade cities of Copenhagen, Bergen, and Stockholm, with their large foreign populations; the rural hinterlands; and the insular outposts of Iceland and Greenland. By examining witches, wizards, and seeresses in literature, lore, and law, as well as surviving charm magic directed toward love, prophecy, health, and weather, Mitchell provides a portrait of both the practitioners of medieval Nordic magic and its performance. With an understanding of mythology as a living system of cultural signs (not just ancient sacred narratives), this study also focuses on such powerful evolving myths as those of "the milk-stealing witch," the diabolical pact, and the witches' journey to Blåkulla. Court cases involving witchcraft, charm magic, and apostasy demonstrate that witchcraft ideologies played a key role in conceptualizing gender and were themselves an important means of exercising social control.

Norse Paganism

Author : James Owenby
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781774859971
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (599 download)

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Book Synopsis Norse Paganism by : James Owenby

Download or read book Norse Paganism written by James Owenby and published by . This book was released on 2022-11-16 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How would you like to build a deeper connection with the traditions, customs, and beliefs of the ancient Norse people? Introducing Norse Paganism: Master the Spells and Rituals of Norse Magic and Ancient Futhark Runes in Divination, Discovering the Ancient Way of the North and the Magic of Norse Paganism and Asatru, an easy-to-follow guide that explains everything you need to know to understand and follow the Heathen religion. You will learn everything you need to know about: The origins of Norse Paganism and its history through the centuries The nature of polytheism and how it makes this religion unique The Viking way of life The details surrounding Norse magic and runes The Nine Realms of Norse Mythology The impact of Norse Paganism on pop culture So, if you want to learn about Norse magic, rune casting, and cosmology, then this is the book for you. Don't wait until the right moment because that moment is now. Interested? Click the "Buy Now" button and start your journey into the northern traditions!

Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits

Author : Emma Wilby
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 344 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits by : Emma Wilby

Download or read book Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits written by Emma Wilby and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the hundreds of confessions relating to witchcraft and sorcery trials from early modern Britain we frequently find detailed descriptions of intimate working relationships between popular magical practitioners and familiar spirits of either human or animal form. Until recently historians often dismissed these descriptions as elaborate fictions created by judicial interrogators eager to find evidence of stereotypical pacts with the Devil. Although this paradigm is now routinely questioned, and most historians acknowledge that there was a folkloric component to familiar lore in the period, these beliefs and the experiences reportedly associated with them, remain substantially unexamined. Cunning-Folk and Familiar Spirits examines the folkloric roots of familiar lore from historical, anthropological and comparative religious perspectives. It argues that beliefs about witches' familiars were rooted in beliefs surrounding the use of fairy familiars by beneficent magical practitioners or 'cunning folk', and corroborates this through a comparative analysis of familiar beliefs found in traditional native American and Siberian shamanism. The author explores the experiential dimension of familiar lore by drawing parallels between early modern familiar encounters and visionary mysticism as it appears in both tribal shamanism and medieval European contemplative traditions. These perspectives challenge the reductionist view of popular magic in early modern British often presented by historians.