10.02.2020
Shamanism "Shamanism," much like "love," is a term notoriously challenging to define. However, for our purposes here, we can consider shamanism as the practice of entering an ecstatic trance state with the aim of contacting spirits, traveling through spiritual realms, and...
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Magic in the pre-christian germanic and modern world You might be wondering at this point, "Okay, but does this form of magic only work on humans? What about its influence on the weather, the behavior of animals, and plants—activities often credited to sorcerers, shamans, and others worldwide?" It's a valid...
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Magic In the modern world, magic often gets relegated to the realm of cheap, disposable paperback books, primarily read by impressionable teenagers going through rebellious phases. "Magic," much like "myth," is frequently used derogatorily, associated with primitive...
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Fate - Wyrd/Urd For the pagan Norse and other Germanic peoples, the concept of fate, known as Urðr or Örlög in Old Norse, Wyrd in Old English, Wurd in Old Saxon, Wurt in Old High German, and Proto-Germanic *Wurðiz, played a central role in determining the course of events in the...
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The relationship between the gods and humans The Norse people held a view of their gods as highly anthropomorphic beings, resembling humans but on a grander scale. Even their spiritual nature did not entirely separate them from humans or the physical world. Just as humans were believed to possess a material aspect and a spiritual...
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Norse theology The Vikings, it seems, did not express their beliefs about the divine in the abstract, philosophical language of theology or philosophy. Instead, they employed concrete imagery and narrative forms within their myths to convey their understanding of divinity. While these myths are...
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The disenchantment of the world Prior to the Reformation, Counter-Reformation, Witch Trials, and Scientific Revolution, a substantial portion of Europeans still inhabited a profoundly enchanted world. This was due to the syncretic nature of their Christianity, which retained many prominent elements of paganism. Their...
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The enchanted world In the contemporary era, our world has become remarkably devoid of enchantment. Our constructed environments primarily serve utilitarian purposes, with only superficial aesthetic embellishments. Nature, too, is appreciated for its practicality and occasional beauty but is seldom seen...
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