The Paganism Reader

Front Cover
Chas Clifton, Graham Harvey
Psychology Press, 2004 - 387 pages

Paganism is one of the world's fastest-growing religions, practised in a huge variety of ways. The Paganism Reader provides a definitive collection of key sources in Paganism, ranging from its ancient origins to its twentieth-century reconstruction and revival. Chronologically organized sections include extracts from ancient Greek, Norse and Celtic literature, inspirational texts from the early twentieth-century, writings by leaders of the Pagan revival, and newer perspectives showing the diversity of Paganism today. Witchcraft, nature religion, shamanism and goddess worship are considered, as is the influence of environmental and feminist movements. Fully introduced, with editors' prefaces to all extracts and suggestions for further reading, this comprehensive book is an invaluable guide to Paganism and critical issues in its study.

 

Contents

The Hymn to the Mother of the Gods and The Hymn
11
Perfect Mind
33
ANONYMOUS
45
How Diana gave birth to Aradia Herodias
61
A tree song
80
The Old Gods
95
The triple muse
128
Living witchcraft
153
Working with Gerald and Robert Cochrane Magister
215
The nature of the rites
239
A magic childhood
254
The solo witch
273
Pagan musings
300
Initiations
326
What happened to Western shamanism?
342
Entertaining faeries
365

Preliminary preparations
170
the comeback of ancient cults
186
as it will
209

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