Author: Dan McCoy
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781492761556
Category : Europe, Northern
Languages : en
Pages : 98
Book Description
We're all familiar with the pop culture depictions of Norse mythology that are shallow and trite at best, and often downright misleading. They owe far more to puerile fantasies of being a macho superhero than they do to the ways in which the pre-Christian peoples of northern Europe actually thought of themselves and their spirituality.Even many of the attempts to revive the practice of heathen spirituality in the modern world suffer from similar shortcomings; many of these attempted reconstructions have unfortunately only reconstructed the most superficial elements of this ancient tradition, grafted them onto an essentially Christian way of perceiving and experiencing the world, and missed the bigger picture.The Love of Destiny: The Sacred and the Profane in Germanic Polytheism explores this bigger picture. In this relatively short book or long essay by Dan McCoy, the author of the articles on Norse-Mythology.org, many of the recurring themes in these articles are explored in much more depth. The book articulates the heart of the indigenous Germanic worldview - the unconditional affirmation of the world as the very embodiment of the gods - and shows how the rest of that worldview is structured around that central idea.To do this, it "translates" the narratives and images that comprise the pre-Christian mythology of the Norse and other Germanic peoples into the more familiar idiom of conceptual language, and contrasts this polytheistic mythology with the mythology of four monotheistic religions: ancient Judaism, Greek rationalism, Christianity, and modern science. It argues that many of the most taken-for-granted ideas in the modern world, such as the dichotomy between "good" and "evil" and the dichotomy between the "objective" and the "subjective," frame their topics in counterproductive, monotheistic ways, and shows how Germanic polytheism offers compelling alternatives that are truly "outside the box." Ultimately, it evokes a way of engaging with the more-than-human world that honors our inescapable and awe-inspiring entanglement within it.
The Love of Destiny: the Sacred and the Profane in Germanic Polytheism
Author: Dan McCoy
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781492761556
Category : Europe, Northern
Languages : en
Pages : 98
Book Description
We're all familiar with the pop culture depictions of Norse mythology that are shallow and trite at best, and often downright misleading. They owe far more to puerile fantasies of being a macho superhero than they do to the ways in which the pre-Christian peoples of northern Europe actually thought of themselves and their spirituality.Even many of the attempts to revive the practice of heathen spirituality in the modern world suffer from similar shortcomings; many of these attempted reconstructions have unfortunately only reconstructed the most superficial elements of this ancient tradition, grafted them onto an essentially Christian way of perceiving and experiencing the world, and missed the bigger picture.The Love of Destiny: The Sacred and the Profane in Germanic Polytheism explores this bigger picture. In this relatively short book or long essay by Dan McCoy, the author of the articles on Norse-Mythology.org, many of the recurring themes in these articles are explored in much more depth. The book articulates the heart of the indigenous Germanic worldview - the unconditional affirmation of the world as the very embodiment of the gods - and shows how the rest of that worldview is structured around that central idea.To do this, it "translates" the narratives and images that comprise the pre-Christian mythology of the Norse and other Germanic peoples into the more familiar idiom of conceptual language, and contrasts this polytheistic mythology with the mythology of four monotheistic religions: ancient Judaism, Greek rationalism, Christianity, and modern science. It argues that many of the most taken-for-granted ideas in the modern world, such as the dichotomy between "good" and "evil" and the dichotomy between the "objective" and the "subjective," frame their topics in counterproductive, monotheistic ways, and shows how Germanic polytheism offers compelling alternatives that are truly "outside the box." Ultimately, it evokes a way of engaging with the more-than-human world that honors our inescapable and awe-inspiring entanglement within it.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781492761556
Category : Europe, Northern
Languages : en
Pages : 98
Book Description
We're all familiar with the pop culture depictions of Norse mythology that are shallow and trite at best, and often downright misleading. They owe far more to puerile fantasies of being a macho superhero than they do to the ways in which the pre-Christian peoples of northern Europe actually thought of themselves and their spirituality.Even many of the attempts to revive the practice of heathen spirituality in the modern world suffer from similar shortcomings; many of these attempted reconstructions have unfortunately only reconstructed the most superficial elements of this ancient tradition, grafted them onto an essentially Christian way of perceiving and experiencing the world, and missed the bigger picture.The Love of Destiny: The Sacred and the Profane in Germanic Polytheism explores this bigger picture. In this relatively short book or long essay by Dan McCoy, the author of the articles on Norse-Mythology.org, many of the recurring themes in these articles are explored in much more depth. The book articulates the heart of the indigenous Germanic worldview - the unconditional affirmation of the world as the very embodiment of the gods - and shows how the rest of that worldview is structured around that central idea.To do this, it "translates" the narratives and images that comprise the pre-Christian mythology of the Norse and other Germanic peoples into the more familiar idiom of conceptual language, and contrasts this polytheistic mythology with the mythology of four monotheistic religions: ancient Judaism, Greek rationalism, Christianity, and modern science. It argues that many of the most taken-for-granted ideas in the modern world, such as the dichotomy between "good" and "evil" and the dichotomy between the "objective" and the "subjective," frame their topics in counterproductive, monotheistic ways, and shows how Germanic polytheism offers compelling alternatives that are truly "outside the box." Ultimately, it evokes a way of engaging with the more-than-human world that honors our inescapable and awe-inspiring entanglement within it.
The Semiotics of Clowns and Clowning
Author: Paul Bouissac
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472525086
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 233
Book Description
During the last 300 years circus clowns have emerged as powerful cultural icons. This is the first semiotic analysis of the range of make-up and costumes through which the clowns' performing identities have been established and go on developing. It also examines what Bouissac terms 'micronarratives' - narrative meanings that clowns generate through their acts, dialogues and gestures. Putting a repertory of clown performances under the semiotic microscope leads to the conclusion that the performances are all interconnected and come from what might be termed a 'mythical matrix'. These micronarratives replicate in context-sensitive forms a master narrative whose general theme refers to the emergence of cultures and constraints that they place upon instinctual behaviour. From this vantage point, each performance can be considered as a ritual which re-enacts the primitive violence inherent in all cultures and the temporary resolutions which must be negotiated as the outcome. Why do these acts of transgression and re-integration then trigger laughter and wonder? What kind of mirror does this put up to society? In a masterful semiotic analysis, Bouissac delves into decades of research to answer these questions.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472525086
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 233
Book Description
During the last 300 years circus clowns have emerged as powerful cultural icons. This is the first semiotic analysis of the range of make-up and costumes through which the clowns' performing identities have been established and go on developing. It also examines what Bouissac terms 'micronarratives' - narrative meanings that clowns generate through their acts, dialogues and gestures. Putting a repertory of clown performances under the semiotic microscope leads to the conclusion that the performances are all interconnected and come from what might be termed a 'mythical matrix'. These micronarratives replicate in context-sensitive forms a master narrative whose general theme refers to the emergence of cultures and constraints that they place upon instinctual behaviour. From this vantage point, each performance can be considered as a ritual which re-enacts the primitive violence inherent in all cultures and the temporary resolutions which must be negotiated as the outcome. Why do these acts of transgression and re-integration then trigger laughter and wonder? What kind of mirror does this put up to society? In a masterful semiotic analysis, Bouissac delves into decades of research to answer these questions.
Living Mythos
Author: Mark Allard
Publisher: Balboa Press
ISBN: 1504391349
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 231
Book Description
As we consider the unfolding conditions of our lives through a mythological filter, archetypal qualities of behavior recognizably manifest. This empowers us to infuse value and meaning into our lives that are relevant to our personal experience. Nietzsche understood this process to be essential in the development of his Overman. Carl Jung called this process of bringing unconscious qualities of behavior into consciousness, individuation. Building on the structure of elementary ideasthe universal symbolism that transcends cultural and spiritual landscapesLiving Mythos presents a compelling alternative to the dependency doctrines of modern tradition, and it inspires us to imagine a tomorrow in which we have reclaimed the spiritual nature of our thoughts. Through an exploration of Norse mythology and the influence of Indo-European shamanism, we may begin to understand the mythological worldview as a form of ancient psychology, designed to awaken us to our inherent potential to create and become our own unique living mythos.
Publisher: Balboa Press
ISBN: 1504391349
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 231
Book Description
As we consider the unfolding conditions of our lives through a mythological filter, archetypal qualities of behavior recognizably manifest. This empowers us to infuse value and meaning into our lives that are relevant to our personal experience. Nietzsche understood this process to be essential in the development of his Overman. Carl Jung called this process of bringing unconscious qualities of behavior into consciousness, individuation. Building on the structure of elementary ideasthe universal symbolism that transcends cultural and spiritual landscapesLiving Mythos presents a compelling alternative to the dependency doctrines of modern tradition, and it inspires us to imagine a tomorrow in which we have reclaimed the spiritual nature of our thoughts. Through an exploration of Norse mythology and the influence of Indo-European shamanism, we may begin to understand the mythological worldview as a form of ancient psychology, designed to awaken us to our inherent potential to create and become our own unique living mythos.
The Sacred and the Profane
Author: Mircea Eliade
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780156792011
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 268
Book Description
Famed historian of religion Mircea Eliade observes that even moderns who proclaim themselves residents of a completely profane world are still unconsciously nourished by the memory of the sacred. Eliade traces manifestations of the sacred from primitive to modern times in terms of space, time, nature, and the cosmos. In doing so he shows how the total human experience of the religious man compares with that of the nonreligious. This book serves as an excellent introduction to the history of religion, but its perspective also emcompasses philosophical anthropology, phenomenology, and psychology. It will appeal to anyone seeking to discover the potential dimensions of human existence. -- P. [4] of cover.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780156792011
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 268
Book Description
Famed historian of religion Mircea Eliade observes that even moderns who proclaim themselves residents of a completely profane world are still unconsciously nourished by the memory of the sacred. Eliade traces manifestations of the sacred from primitive to modern times in terms of space, time, nature, and the cosmos. In doing so he shows how the total human experience of the religious man compares with that of the nonreligious. This book serves as an excellent introduction to the history of religion, but its perspective also emcompasses philosophical anthropology, phenomenology, and psychology. It will appeal to anyone seeking to discover the potential dimensions of human existence. -- P. [4] of cover.
Islam and the Destiny of Man
Author: Charles Le Gai Eaton
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780887061639
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
Islam and the Destiny of Man by Charles Le Gai Eaton is a wide-ranging study of the Muslim religion from a unique point of view. The author, a former member of the British Diplomatic Service, was brought up as an agnostic and embraced Islam at an early age after writing a book (commissioned by T.S. Eliot) on Eastern religions and their influence upon Western thinkers. As a Muslim he has retained his adherence to the perennial philosophy which, he maintains, underlies the teachings of all the great religions. The aim of this book is to explore what it means to be a Muslim, a member of a community which embraces a quarter of the worlds population and to describe the forces which have shaped the hearts and the minds of Islamic people. After considering the historic confrontation between Islam and Christendom and analysing the difference between the three monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), the author describes the two poles of Muslim belief in terms of Truth and Mercythe unitarian truth which is the basis of the Muslims faith and the mercy inherent in this truth. In the second part of the book he explains the significance of the Quran and tells the dramatic story of Muhammads life and of the early Caliphate. Lastly, the author considers the Muslim view of mans destiny, the social structure of Islam, the role of art and mysticism and the inner meaning of Islamic teaching concerning the hereafter. Throughout this book the author is concerned not with the religion of Islam in isolation, but with the very nature of religious faith, its spiritual and intellectual foundations, and the light it casts upon the mysteries and paradoxes of the human condition.
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780887061639
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
Islam and the Destiny of Man by Charles Le Gai Eaton is a wide-ranging study of the Muslim religion from a unique point of view. The author, a former member of the British Diplomatic Service, was brought up as an agnostic and embraced Islam at an early age after writing a book (commissioned by T.S. Eliot) on Eastern religions and their influence upon Western thinkers. As a Muslim he has retained his adherence to the perennial philosophy which, he maintains, underlies the teachings of all the great religions. The aim of this book is to explore what it means to be a Muslim, a member of a community which embraces a quarter of the worlds population and to describe the forces which have shaped the hearts and the minds of Islamic people. After considering the historic confrontation between Islam and Christendom and analysing the difference between the three monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), the author describes the two poles of Muslim belief in terms of Truth and Mercythe unitarian truth which is the basis of the Muslims faith and the mercy inherent in this truth. In the second part of the book he explains the significance of the Quran and tells the dramatic story of Muhammads life and of the early Caliphate. Lastly, the author considers the Muslim view of mans destiny, the social structure of Islam, the role of art and mysticism and the inner meaning of Islamic teaching concerning the hereafter. Throughout this book the author is concerned not with the religion of Islam in isolation, but with the very nature of religious faith, its spiritual and intellectual foundations, and the light it casts upon the mysteries and paradoxes of the human condition.
The Viking Spirit
Author: Daniel McCoy
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781533393036
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 318
Book Description
The Viking Spirit is an introduction to Norse mythology like no other. As you'd expect from Daniel McCoy, the creator of the enduringly popular website Norse Mythology for Smart People (Norse-Mythology.org), it's written to scholarly standards, but in a simple, clear, and entertaining style that's easy to understand and a pleasure to read. It includes gripping retellings of no less than 34 epic Norse myths - more than any other book in the field - while also providing an equally comprehensive overview of the fascinating Viking religion of which Norse mythology was a part. You'll learn about the Vikings' gods and goddesses, their concept of fate, their views on the afterlife, their moral code, how they thought the universe was structured, how they practiced their religion, the role that magic played in their lives, and much more. With its inclusion of the latest groundbreaking research in the field, The Viking Spirit is the ultimate introduction to the timeless splendor of Norse mythology and religion for the 21st Century.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781533393036
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 318
Book Description
The Viking Spirit is an introduction to Norse mythology like no other. As you'd expect from Daniel McCoy, the creator of the enduringly popular website Norse Mythology for Smart People (Norse-Mythology.org), it's written to scholarly standards, but in a simple, clear, and entertaining style that's easy to understand and a pleasure to read. It includes gripping retellings of no less than 34 epic Norse myths - more than any other book in the field - while also providing an equally comprehensive overview of the fascinating Viking religion of which Norse mythology was a part. You'll learn about the Vikings' gods and goddesses, their concept of fate, their views on the afterlife, their moral code, how they thought the universe was structured, how they practiced their religion, the role that magic played in their lives, and much more. With its inclusion of the latest groundbreaking research in the field, The Viking Spirit is the ultimate introduction to the timeless splendor of Norse mythology and religion for the 21st Century.
The spirits’ book
Author: Allan Kardec
Publisher: FEB Editora/CEI
ISBN: 6555703024
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 527
Book Description
After you have read The Spirits’ Book, you will no longer have any reason to fear death. The Spirits’ Book will provide you with the answers to nearly all the questions you may have with regards to the origin, nature and destiny of each and every soul on earth – and those of other worlds as well. It also addresses the issues of God, creation, moral laws and the nature of spirits and their relationships with humans. The book contains answers that were dictated to mediums by highly evolved spirits who love God. The Spirits’ Book is the initial landmark publication of a Doctrine that has made a profound impact on the thought and view of life of a considerable portion of humankind since the first French edition was published in 1857.
Publisher: FEB Editora/CEI
ISBN: 6555703024
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 527
Book Description
After you have read The Spirits’ Book, you will no longer have any reason to fear death. The Spirits’ Book will provide you with the answers to nearly all the questions you may have with regards to the origin, nature and destiny of each and every soul on earth – and those of other worlds as well. It also addresses the issues of God, creation, moral laws and the nature of spirits and their relationships with humans. The book contains answers that were dictated to mediums by highly evolved spirits who love God. The Spirits’ Book is the initial landmark publication of a Doctrine that has made a profound impact on the thought and view of life of a considerable portion of humankind since the first French edition was published in 1857.
The Varieties of Religious Experience
Author: William James
Publisher: The Floating Press
ISBN: 1877527467
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 824
Book Description
Harvard psychologist and philosopher William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature explores the nature of religion and, in James' observation, its divorce from science when studied academically. After publication in 1902 it quickly became a canonical text of philosophy and psychology, remaining in print through the entire century. "Scientific theories are organically conditioned just as much as religious emotions are; and if we only knew the facts intimately enough, we should doubtless see 'the liver' determining the dicta of the sturdy atheist as decisively as it does those of the Methodist under conviction anxious about his soul. When it alters in one way the blood that percolates it, we get the Methodist, when in another way, we get the atheist form of mind."
Publisher: The Floating Press
ISBN: 1877527467
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 824
Book Description
Harvard psychologist and philosopher William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature explores the nature of religion and, in James' observation, its divorce from science when studied academically. After publication in 1902 it quickly became a canonical text of philosophy and psychology, remaining in print through the entire century. "Scientific theories are organically conditioned just as much as religious emotions are; and if we only knew the facts intimately enough, we should doubtless see 'the liver' determining the dicta of the sturdy atheist as decisively as it does those of the Methodist under conviction anxious about his soul. When it alters in one way the blood that percolates it, we get the Methodist, when in another way, we get the atheist form of mind."
On Being a Pagan
Author: Alain De Benoist
Publisher: Arcana Europa Media
ISBN: 9780999724507
Category : Christianity
Languages : en
Pages : 284
Book Description
What is paganism? In this penetrating and tightly argued manifesto, French philosopher Alain de Benoist seeks to answer this question with passionate intellectual vigor and a tremendous erudition. Arising out of the "monotheism vs. polytheism" debate that reverberated through Parisian intellectual circles in the late 1970s, this is neither a survey of ancient, pre-Christian religions, nor is it an argument on behalf of any modern neo-pagan sect. On Being a Pagan draws on Nietzsche, Heidegger, ancient philosophy and mythology, and biblical hermeneutics to articulate a pagan theology based on a common Indo-European foundation. In keeping with the critical tradition which hearkens back to the Greek philosopher Celsus, Benoist contrasts the heroic pagan worldview with Christianity's attempts to hobble everything that is beautiful and strong. He compares the cyclical pagan conception of time to the de-mythologizing, linear understanding of history favored by the prophets. Most disturbingly, he traces the roots of modern totalitarianism and intolerance--of both the left and the right--to the leveling ideology of ancient Judeo-Christian monotheism, with its underlying rejection of diversity and différence. Originally published to wide critical acclaim in 1981, Benoist's text is as relevant today as it was when it first appeared--and perhaps even more so for the English-speaking world. This newly revised translation now features an extensive interview with the author, and includes his reflections (both positive and negative) on the various groups and individuals that have attempted to resurrect the pagan spirit. Rather than simply dissecting the 2,000-year Christian interregnum, Benoist's greater purpose is to point the way forward to a world that could have been, and which may only now be in the first stages of being reborn.
Publisher: Arcana Europa Media
ISBN: 9780999724507
Category : Christianity
Languages : en
Pages : 284
Book Description
What is paganism? In this penetrating and tightly argued manifesto, French philosopher Alain de Benoist seeks to answer this question with passionate intellectual vigor and a tremendous erudition. Arising out of the "monotheism vs. polytheism" debate that reverberated through Parisian intellectual circles in the late 1970s, this is neither a survey of ancient, pre-Christian religions, nor is it an argument on behalf of any modern neo-pagan sect. On Being a Pagan draws on Nietzsche, Heidegger, ancient philosophy and mythology, and biblical hermeneutics to articulate a pagan theology based on a common Indo-European foundation. In keeping with the critical tradition which hearkens back to the Greek philosopher Celsus, Benoist contrasts the heroic pagan worldview with Christianity's attempts to hobble everything that is beautiful and strong. He compares the cyclical pagan conception of time to the de-mythologizing, linear understanding of history favored by the prophets. Most disturbingly, he traces the roots of modern totalitarianism and intolerance--of both the left and the right--to the leveling ideology of ancient Judeo-Christian monotheism, with its underlying rejection of diversity and différence. Originally published to wide critical acclaim in 1981, Benoist's text is as relevant today as it was when it first appeared--and perhaps even more so for the English-speaking world. This newly revised translation now features an extensive interview with the author, and includes his reflections (both positive and negative) on the various groups and individuals that have attempted to resurrect the pagan spirit. Rather than simply dissecting the 2,000-year Christian interregnum, Benoist's greater purpose is to point the way forward to a world that could have been, and which may only now be in the first stages of being reborn.
A Philosophical Dictionary
Author: Voltaire
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 682
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 682
Book Description