Beowulf An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem

Book: Beowulf An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem by Lesslie Hall

The world that Beowulf depicts and the heroic code of honor that defines much of the story is a relic of pre–Anglo-Saxon culture. The story is set in Scandinavia, before the migration. Though it is a traditional story—part of a Germanic oral tradition—the poem as we have it is thought to be the work of a single poet. It was composed in England (not in Scandinavia) and is Historical in its perspective, recording the values and culture of a bygone era. Many of those values, including the heroic code, were still operative to some degree in when the poem was written. These values had evolved to some extent in the intervening centuries and were continuing to change. In the Scandinavian world of the story, tiny tribes of people rally around strong kings, who protect their people from danger—especially from confrontations with other tribes. The warrior culture that results from this early feudal arrangement is extremely important, both to the story and to our Understanding of Saxon civilization. Strong kings demand bravery and loyalty from their warriors, whom they repay with treasures won in war. Mead-halls such as Heorot in Beowulf were places where warriors would gather in the presence of their lord to drink, boast, tell stories, and receive gifts. Although these mead-halls offered sanctuary, the early Middle Ages were a dangerous time, and the paranoid sense of foreboding and doom that runs throughout Beowulf evidences the constant fear of invasion that plagued Scandinavian society.

Download Lesslie Hall's eBook: Beowulf An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Swain Wodening - Anglo Saxon Witchcraft
Daniel Haigh - The Anglo Saxon Sagas
John Yarker - The Anglo Saxon Chronicle
Lesslie Hall - Beowulf An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem

Paganism Surviving In Christianity

Book: Paganism Surviving In Christianity by Abram Herbert Lewis

This book presents a suggestive rather than an exhaustive treatment of these influences, and of their effect on historic Christianity. The author has aimed to make a volume which busy men may read, rather than one whose bulk would relegate it to the comparative silence of library shelves. The following pages treat four practical points in Christianity, without attempting to enter the field of speculative theology, leaving that to a future time, or to the pen of another F viz.: The influence of pagan thought upon the Bible, and its interpretation; upon the organized Church, through the pagan water-worship cult; upon the practices and spiritual life of the Church by substituting pagan holidayism for Christian Sabbathism, through the sun-worship cult; and upon the spiritual life and subsequent character of the Church, by the union of Church and State, and the subjugation of Christianity to the civil power, according to the pagan model. Facts do not cease to be facts, though denied and ignored. They do not withdraw from the field of history, though men grow restive under their condemnation. I have dealt mainly with facts, giving but brief space to "conclusions." I have written for those who are thoughtful and earnest; who are anxious to know what the past has been, that they may the better understand the duties of the present and the unfolding issues of the future. Such will not read the following pages with languid interest nor careless eyes.

Buy Abram Herbert Lewis's book: Paganism Surviving In Christianity

Downloadable books (free):

Al Selden Leif - Pagan Samhain Recipes
Anonymous - Pentagram Meaning And History
Bertrand Russell - Why I Am Not A Christian
Rodolfo Amadeo Lanciani - Pagan And Christian Rome
Abram Herbert Lewis - Paganism Surviving In Christianity Ver 1

Odinism

Tweet

The term Odinism was coined by Orestes Brownson in his 1848 Letter to Protestants. The term was re-introduced in the late 1930s by Alexander Rud Mills in Australia with his First Anglecyn Church of Odin and his book The Call of Our Ancient Nordic Religion. In the 1960s and early 1970s, Else Christensen's Odinist Study Group and later the Odinist Fellowship brought the term into usage in North America. In the UK, Odinic Rite has specifically identified themselves as "Odinists" since the 1970s, and is the longest running group to do so.

The term "Odinism" tends to be associated with racialist Nordic ideology, as opposed to "Asatru" which may or may not refer to racialist or "folkish" ideals. As defined by Goodrick-Clarke (2002), Nordic racial paganism is synonymous with the Odinist movement (including some who identify as Wotanist). He describes it as a "spiritual rediscovery of the Aryan ancestral gods...intended to embed the white races in a sacred worldview that supports their tribal feeling", and expressed in "imaginative forms of ritual magic and ceremonial forms of fraternal fellowship".

The term Wotanism is used in a somewhat different sense from Odinism. It is the name of a racialist Neopagan current initiated by David Lane.

You also may enjoy this free books:

Anonymous - Odinism And Asatru
Roger Whitaker - Antinomianism

Keywords: pagan goddess  modern pagan  pagan religious festival  paganism rituals  mythology art  reformed druids of north america  magic ritual  magical runes  magick rituals  pagan goddess names  god and goddess names  alex sanders  easy witch spells  lucid dreamer  magic spells curses  

Fire And Ice Magical Order The Brotherhood Of Saturn

Book: Fire And Ice Magical Order The Brotherhood Of Saturn by Stephen Flowers

Since 1972, Edred Thorsson has been dedicated to the esoteric and esoteric study of the Indo-European, Celtic and Teutonic Traditions. He studied Old Irish, Middle Welsh and Indo-European religion and culture at major universities in Germany and in the United States.

The Fraternitas Saturni is a Thelemite order which has shaped the modern occult scene in Germany since its foundation in 1928. This volume presents the history and doctrines of that order. Appendices include the texts of many actual rites performed by the FS as well as historical documents relating to aleister crowley's relations with the FS. This order is especially well-known for its use of sexual magic. This book was originally published in the early 1990s by Llewellyn under the title Fire and Ice. xii

Buy Stephen Flowers's book: Fire And Ice Magical Order The Brotherhood Of Saturn

Downloadable books (free):

Peter Carroll - The Magical Pact Of The Illuminnates Of Thanateros
Loptsson - Icelandic Poetry Or The Edda Of Saemund
Jim Reeds - John Dee And The Magic Tables In The Book Of Soyga
Stephen Flowers - Fire And Ice Magical Order The Brotherhood Of Saturn

Odinism In White Supremacist Tattoos

Tattoos are an increasingly popular way to express beliefs and identity—and those within the Odinic white supremacist movement are no exception to this trend. White supremacy message boards and websites over flow with advice about where and what kinds of tattoos to get to express belief in the supremacy of white people. Advice ranges from the more conservative end of the spectrum—warnings to get the tattoos in places easy to hide in case one is pulled over or simply wants to lay low in his supremacist beliefs—to people encouraging others to be loud and proud about their heritage. Many of their designs combine traditional Norse images (such as Thor’s hammer or Odin’s ravens, even runes) with more modern white supremacist themes (swastikas or even the symbols of various white supremacist groups). Some recommend simply Norse-themed tattoos without any other obvious symbols as a way to fly under radar—other white supremacists will recognize the message, while people not in the loop will simply see a cool design.

The following tattoos were all Pictures posted on vairous white supremacist message boards or websites as examples of tattoos that would show racial pride and a belief in the inherent supremacy of white people. They all contain Elements of Norse Mythology and belief in a warrior culture.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Anonymous - Divination Spreads
Dom Antoine Joseph Pernety - A Treatis On The Great Art
Jone Salomonsen - Enchanted Feminism The Reclaiming Witches Of San Francisco
Aleister Crowley - Songs Of The Spirit
Anonymous - Odinism And Asatru

Ancestor Veneration Of Neodruids

Respect for the Ancestors is another core belief for some Druids. This idea of great ancestor respect or ancestor worship is common in pagan folk religions. Revivalists and reconstructionist alike agree that knowing as much as possible about the lives of our Ancestors and preserving national or tribal heritage is important and good. Archaeological evidence does suggest that the ancient peoples of Britain, Ireland, and other parts of Europe practiced burial customs that we assume imply particular respect for ancestors and probably a belief in life after death in some form.

This veneration of the ancestors primarily emphasises the Iron Age “Celtic” peoples of western Europe, because these were the peoples amongst whom the ancient druids lived. This connection to the Celtic peoples can be through both a “blood link to a modern Celtic land or merely a soul allegiance”. However some Druids, particularly those with no ethnic connection, do not emphasise such a Celtic link, instead focusing on other historical cultures, such as that of the Anglo-Saxons or the Norse.

It is largely because of the fact that Druids venerate the ancestors that many object to the archaeological excavation of human remains and their subsequent display in museums, and in many cases have organised campaigns for their reburial. For instance, in 2006, the Council of British Druid Orders’ reburial officer Paul Davies requested that the Alexander Keiller Museum in Avebury, Wiltshire rebury their human remains, and that storing and displaying them was “immoral and disrespectful”. Criticism has come of this view from the archaeological community, with statements like “no single modern ethnic group or cult should be allowed to appropriate our ancestors for their own agendas. It is for the international scientific community to curate such remains.”

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Isaac Bonewits - The Enemies Of Our Enemies
Phil Legard - An Approach To The Operation Of The Arbatel Of Magic
John Opsopaus - Interpretationes Of Ancient Herbs
Bylaws - Unicorn Tradition Of Wicca
James Eschelman - Invocation Of Horus

The Complete Idiots Guide To Paganism

Book: The Complete Idiots Guide To Paganism by Carl Mccolman

You-re no idiot, of course. But finding the perfect expression of your Spirituality can prove long and challenging. You might already be attracted to paganism, but considering the variety of traditions and paths that fall in this category, you-ll need a spiritual guide.Seek no further! Whether you-re interested in following the pagan path or just curious to know more, The Complete Idiot-s Guide- to Paganism will enlighten you on this fascinating array of nature-based beliefs and practices. In this Complete Idiot-s Guide-, you-ll learn about: * The Basic Principles of shamanism, druidism, Wicca, and more. * How to deepen your connection to the Goddess, the God, and nature. * The fundamentals of meditation, magic, divination, and spiritual healing. * Tips on incorporating pagan rituals into your modern lifestyle.

A lot of the Idiot's Guides that I have read are really misnamed, because they contain a lot of valuable information about the subject and presented in terms that anyone can understand. I loved this book because it explains virtually every aspect of Paganism. The explanations and descriptions of various Pagan practices, ideals, Sabbats, rituals are kept brief as befits an introductory book. And yet, even after having a handful of other intoductory Pagan books, I found myself learning facts here that I hadn't known about before. The author sticks to the "Pagan philosophy" of "Harm no one" in describing Paganism.

Among topics discussed? Besides the various Pagan Sabbats and pagan ideals, there are chapters devoted to Shamans, Druids, Wicca, the "Spirit World" and the Pagan elements of fire, air, water, and earth. There are four chapters that discuss Pagan rituals and I found the author's claim that we already do rituals in our lives (high school and college graduation, marriage and funerals, for example) very true. I never would have thought about that. There's also several chapters devoted to "Pagan magic," which help to demystify it. The book's last few chapters offer advice on "living the Pagan lifestyle," and there's an extensive list of Recommended Reading at the book's end. One could spend months reading through the list of books alone if one wanted to.

The more I read about Paganism, the more I realize other religions over the centuries have liberally borrowed its customs and holidays. For anyone wishing to join this path or those already on it seeking to learn more, this book is a wonderful introduction.

Buy Carl Mccolman's book: The Complete Idiots Guide To Paganism

Downloadable books (free):

Max Heindel - The Message Of The Stars
Simon - The Complete Simon Necronomicon
Samuel Croxall - The Secret History Of Pythagoras
Devi Spring - The Emerging Indo Pagans
Denise Zimmermann - Complete Idiots Guide To Wicca And Witchcraft

December 13 Feast Of St Lucia

Tweet

THE "FIRST FEAST OF SAINT LUCIA" IS HELD ON THIS DATE EACH YEAR IN ITALY. BEFORE BEING CHRISTIANIZED INTO A SAINT, SHE WAS ORIGINALLY A ROMAN GODDESS WHO REPRESENTED LIGHT, LABOR, AND CHILDBIRTH, "LUCINA (SHE WHO BRINGS CHILDREN INTO THE LIGHT) "MERGED WITH "JUNO" BECOMING "JUNO LUCINA". SHE SAFEGUARDED THE LIVES OF WOMEN IN LABOR. LUCINA" WAS CHIEF AMONG A NUMBER OF DEITIES WHO INFLUENCED OR GUIDED EVERY ASPECT OF BIRTH AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT. HER EMBLEMS WERE THE LADYBUG AND THE CUCKOO. HER SYMBOLS WERE A LAMP, A RITUAL OFFERING DISH, AND SHE BESTOWED THE GIFTS OF LIGHT, ENLIGHTENMENT, AND EYESIGHT." LUCINA " WAS HONORED IN BOTH SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER. ANOTHER FESTIVAL WAS CELEBRATED ON MARCH 1 AND ALLOWED MATRONS TO ASSEMBLE AND IMPLORE FOR A HAPPY POSTERITY. CANDLES WERE SACRED TO THIS" MOTHER OF LIGHT."

IN LATER YEARS, SHE EVOLVED INTO " ST. LUCIA", THE PATRON SAINT OF SYRACUSE. INDEED, MANY OF HER EARLY CELEBRATIONS INCLUDED THE" FIRES OF ST. LUCIA", AND IS STILL CELEBRATED IN SCANDINAVIA ON DECEMBER 13TH WHERE SHE IS IMMENSELY POPULAR. THE CHURCH'S ASSIGNATION OF THIS DATE BEARS INADVERTENT HOMAGE TO THE PAGAN MIDWIFE, LUCINA. INDEED, IN A SWEDISH RITUAL, THE OLDEST DAUGHTER IN THE FAMILY WEARS A WHITE GOWN AND A CROWN OF LIGHTED CANDLES....SYMBOLIZING THE RETURN OF THE SUN. AN OLD RHYME SAYS: "LUCY LIGHT, LUCY LIGHT, THE SHORTEST DAY AND THE SHORTEST NIGHT. "BECAUSE THE NUMBER 13 IS CONNECTED WITH THE FEMININE, MANY PRACTITIONERS OF WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITY HAVE HAVE ADOPTED HER AS A PATRON OF WOMEN.

THERE IS A CHRISTIAN MYTH ABOUT HER WHICH TELLS HOW SHE CUT OUT HER EYES BECAUSE A SUITOR PRAISED THEM FOR THEIR BEAUTY, AND THEN SENT THEM TO HIM. THIS HARKENS BACK TO THE ANCIENT ASSOCIATION BETWEEN LIGHT AND EYES.

The Feast of St Lucy: Luciadagen

And I will stay awake throughout the longest winter night
And dress up in a red silk sash and flowing gown of white
And serve my parents with warm sweets and sing for their delight.
And I will wear upon my head a crown of fragrant green
Ablaze with tall white candles, with golden candle-gleam,
And I will be a Lussibrud as in some wondrous dream.
And as the night begins to fade I'll greet December sun
And knock on all the neighbors' doors and sing to everyone
And offer all the friends I greet a golden saffron bun.
Lucia maidens will come too, with silver in their hair
And star boys with their studded wands and pointed caps to wear,
And elfin boys will follow us as we walk everywhere.
And I will stay awake throughout the longest winter night
And dress up in my silken sash, my crown, my robe of white
And I will be, for one brief day, Lucia of the Light.

by Myra Cohn Livingston

You also may enjoy this free books:

Arthur Edward Waite - Some Deeper Aspects Of Masonic Symbolism
Aleister Crowley - Liber 052 Manifesto Of The Oto
Aleister Crowley - Liber 165 A Master Of The Temple

Keywords: athens gods  who are pagans  pagan books  celtic religions  drawing down the moon  celtic religions  magical runes  ancient scandinavia  children of odin  cassandra eason  hindu gods and goddesses  paschal beverly randolph  most important greek gods and goddesses  

The Galdrabok An Icelandic Grimoire

Book: The Galdrabok An Icelandic Grimoire by Stephen Flowers

The so-called Galdrabok,' or "Book of Magic," is the single most important document for Understanding the practice of magic in late medieval Iceland. It is especially important in that it give, a unique insight into the various religio-magical elements that went into a synthetic national magical tradition in Iceland all the time of its compilation. No other document of comparable age gives so many details of the preservation of the archaic Germanic gods, cosmology, and magical practices as does this little manuscript. Here we are not dependent on folktales or indirect reports through confessions exacted by the tortures of the Inquistion or other churchly authorities to reconstruct the magicoreligious views of the galdramenn (magicians) of the day; instead, we have direct evidence of actual practices written by the magicians' own hands. In many ways the Galdrabok is to the Icelandic folktales of magic' what the runic inscriptions are to the accounts of magic recorded in the sagas. They provide factual corroboration of what otherwise might have been considered, form of fantasy.

In this volume the reader will find not only an annotated Translation of the complete Galdrabok but also a similar treatment of selections from other written sources of Germanic magical practice from all of the Germanic peoples. However, in no region did the old ways and the old Gods and goddesses survive so well as in Iceland. And because we are focusing on these texts for what is uniquely Germanic about them, leaving as secondary what is common to every European tradition, we will concentrate mainly on Icelandic sources in this study. Our two principal areas of interest will be the preservation of the old gods and the preservation of the unique forms of Germanic magical practice inherited from the heathen age.

In preparing this work for modern publication, I've made every effort to remain true to the original text of the Gaklrabok. Irregularities in capitalization and spelling are left as in the original as they may have special meaning or significance.

Buy Stephen Flowers's book: The Galdrabok An Icelandic Grimoire

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Mindy Macleod - Bandrunir In Icelandic Sagas
Austin Osman Spare - The Zoetic Grimoire Of Zos
Stephen Flowers - The Galdrabok An Icelandic Grimoire

Rune Might History And Practices Of The Early 20th Century German Rune Magicians

Book: Rune Might History And Practices Of The Early 20th Century German Rune Magicians by Edred Thorsson

This work reveals, for the first time in the English language, the long-hidden secrets of the German Rune Magicians who practiced their arts in the beginning of the 20th century. Most of their work has been unavailable even in German for many decades. This book includes material by Guido von List, Friedrich Bernhard Marby, Siegfried Adolf Kummer, Karl Maria Wiligut, Peryt Shou, Karl Spiesberger and others. This text presents the best and most powerful of the runic techniques developed in the early phase of the runic revival and offers them as a coherent set of exercises. Experience rune-yoga, rune-dance, runic hand gestures (mudras), rune-signing (mantras), group rites with runes, runic healing, and two of the most powerful methods of engaging transpersonal powers~W the ritual of the Ninth Night and the Ritual of the Grail-Cup.

Magical practice dealing with runes and the use of runic lore to shape occult teachings has a long history in Germany. For almost as long as there has been a magical revival in that country, there has been a magical runic revival. In the annals of this renaissance, two names shine out above all the rest: Guido von List and Friedrich Bernhard Marby. Others would expand and adapt their ideas, but without doubt all of the significant magical innovations of the occult German runic revival can be traced to one or the other of these two men. But in this work we will be dealing not only with the teachings of these two but also with that of their followers and students, each of whom added something to the hoard of teachings that make up the German occult tradition surrounding the runes.

In the present work I want to explore the practical teachings and workings of the German rune magicians. It will be shown how the German runic tradition fits well with the Western magical tradition, for it is largely an outgrowth of it, although the runic magician would argue that it is the deepest root and basis of the Western revival itself. The second part of this book is a collection of some of the most influential and powerful workings of the German rune-magical tradition. The techniques are drawn from a wide ranger of books, mostly printed in the 1920s, 1930s and 1950s. They represent the teachings of various esoteric individuals and groups working with the runes in Germany during the early part of the 20th century. The reader will be able to enact these runic workings and exercises for purposes of self-development, strengthening the will, and generally improving all phases of magical work. The runes, as taught in the Armanic system, can very easily be put into the working context of any other Western magical tradition, in contrast to the highly traditional forms of runelore expressed in the 24-rune futhark, which is fairly "intolerant" of admixture with other systems. This is simply because the 18-rune futhork as used by the Armanen (followers of Guido von list) and most other German rune magicians of this time is more a part of the so-called Western Tradition than is the 24-rune system. If one is going to work "eclectically" with the runes, it is perhaps best to work with the Armanic runes (the 18-rune futhork).

Buy Edred Thorsson's book: Rune Might History And Practices Of The Early 20th Century German Rune Magicians

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Ophiel - The Art Practice Of Caballa Magic
David Oringderff - Spiritual Philosophy And Practice Of Wicca In The Us Military
Diane Purkiss - The Witch In History Early Modern And Twentieth Century Representations
Kveldulf Gundarsson - Teutonic Magic The Magical And Spiritual Practices Of The Germanic Peoples
Edred Thorsson - Rune Might History And Practices Of The Early 20th Century German Rune Magicians P4