Pagan Resurrection

Just spotted this brand new book published by Random Books - sumat for my Christmas pressies list, I think!

This is the Synopsis from the website:

Pagan Resurrection puts forward a fascinating and controversial idea - namely that it is the pagan god Odin and not Christ who is the single most important spiritual influence in western civilisation.

Far from being just a New Age fad, paganism is fast becoming a major spiritual, intellectual, ecological and political force across the globe.Rudgley is an Oxford trained anthropologist and critically acclaimed author of Lost Civilisations of the Stone Age, who has since presented three series on Channel 4.

He takes the reader through the strange world of modern pagan cults, the beliefs that underpin important parts of modern culture, such as Lord of the Rings and the highly pagan counter culture that sprang up in the sixties and now offers an attractive alternative spiritual vision to millions alienated from Christianity.

He explains the ancient idea of the Web - a cosmic field of energies that encompasses time, space and the hidden potentials of the human organism, and shows that this is a pagan equivalent to the eastern tradition of the Tao.Our civilisation, our belief systems and attitudes, indeed our psyche have been formed by Odin. The influence of Christ, he says, has been relatively recent and shallow.Paganism, like Christianity, can be a force for good or evil.

At this turning point in history we need to choose between the dark and destructive paganism that gave rise to Nazism and modern right-wing movements in America and, on the other hand, the green paganism of ecology and alternative spirituality. Every decade or so a new generation is inspired by a controversial classic of alternative history/spirituality - The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, Fingerprints of the Gods...

The time now is just right for Pagan Resurrection.

Year in retrospect

With Samhain being the start of the Pagan new year it prompted some introspection.

I've not done a single witchy or pagan thing this whole year. Or rather, not purposefully. I've read a few random books, lit a candle on my mom's birthday, toyed with the idea of creating a small altar space, but not actually done it. Or anything else, it feels like. Maybe did the grand total of 2 tarot readings, done half heartedly.

I'm as dry as a riverbed in a drought.

The only time I felt connected to something bigger than me was when we were in Greece, in Sparta. Standing in those ancient ruins of that ancient city I looked up at these fantastically huge and majestic mountains towering over the valley and I just yearned to stay there and stare at them forever. I know, it sounds New Age and naff, but it felt like the gods never left that place. Or rather, the goddess. Freaky, I know. The modern town is nothing spectacular. It's not geared to tourists, but it has this, gorram it, I'll call it "magic" about itself. Walking through the olive groves on the Spartan acropolis and looking at the ancient ruins, I felt connected to a different time and place. It could have been my imagination, being in such an atmospheric place, but I would like to think not.

I've resolved, ontop of a few other things, this coming year, to pay more attention to the spiritual side of life. Buy some new mind, body, spirit books, get out into the countryside again, to go and visit the seaside and just sit at the sea and stare at it a bit. To connect to the other missing parts of the elements in our lives. To learn how to meditate, even if I have to go take classes at my local gym. Maybe even take up yoga or pilates. Become a bit more balanced in my life.

This I resolve, so mote it be.