Indo-European Studies
For the Dedicant that truly wants to learn the roots of their religion and the culture that inspired it, Mallory’s work, “In Search of the Indo-Europeans” is an excellent beginning. However, “May the Reader Beware!” This is not for the faint-hearted (or those that have trouble staying awake.) I strongly recommend that the reader take copious notes and have on hand a dictionary with a word root section and Internet access for research into the more vague references to long dead cultures and peoples. Once the reader becomes used to the references the reading becomes significantly easier and more enjoyable.
I chose to read this piece not just because it was highly recommended on the ADF reading list, but because I personally have a love for etymology. Mallory takes the Dedicant across the ancient world via the spoken word using the research of generations of linguists and archaeologists.
Various scholars localized the Indo-European homeland in different places of the Eurasian continent. Mallory examines a diverse segment of those points. He has shown that the European homeland’s localization is impossible because cultures of these regions have successors neither in Steppe zone nor in Anatolia, Iran and India. Any attempts to search for such successors there for Balkan cultures have no chance of success, except Anatolia. At this point one of the most popular theories places the Indo-European homeland in the Steppes of Eastern Europe. Mallory refers to this as the “conventional wisdom” theory.
In his book Mallory introduces the concept of the Indo-European hypothesis, and then we are quickly whisked away into the world of our progenitors. Through Asia and into Europe we are bombarded with cultural references which perhaps only the most well read historian can make heads or tails of. This is definitely where the Internet comes in handy. I would suggest visiting Phrygians.com for more information about this particular race. These people are absolutely nuts about the subject. Many references to neighboring races are made and do make some very clear comments on the subject.
Now the next chapter goes into detail about the cultures that predated the Celts and the Nordic. There are a great many readers that may be tempted to just skip forward to this chapter and then read the rest as an afterthought. I strongly recommend against this. If possible the complete opposite should be true. Read the other sections and leave the European material for last. There is a vast amount of useful and fascinating material and it would do a great injustice to this piece to not take complete advantage of the research Mallory has done.
In chapter five Mallory goes into detail about the religion of these people and makes it a point to push sacrifice, especially that of the horses. Dumezil is mentioned and I am reminded of a line of posting on an ADF list regarding the trend to accept the tripartition theory without doing research into the subject. This is definitely something that I will personally have to look into at a later time.
Mallory winds down in chapter six with his theories on the homeland problem and chapter seven brings the archaeology into the equation. This is truly where the book becomes complicated and these sections will definitely require two or more readings to fully grasp Mallory’s points.
Finally in chapter eight we are shown the possible routes of expansion as defined by the research presented thus far. I know that I personally have to reread this material again as I am not exactly sure where Mallory is theorizing the expansion began. I am not even sure that a single place was given. I did say this required several reads to fully experience the work.
If I were to be asked what I garnered from reading this book there would be two major points. The first point is summarized in the final chapter with the Aryan myth. If nothing else this book does show that thousands of years of posturing by “superior” races are worthless when faced with the reality that we all come from the same places and had the same ancestors in the beginning. There is no superior race, only the human race. This is a lesson that each Dedicant should take with them and spread around liberally.
The second point that I feel I have taken from this well written piece is that in order to truly understand the religion that we practice on a regular basis, we need to stand back and take a look at the religions of the world and see how we relate to them. Where are our similarities and where are our differences. It is those similarities (and the differences) that bind us and make us stronger.
In conclusion I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Mallory’s work. This is not necessarily a volume for everyone. Those individuals that have trouble with historical works (or are prone to falling asleep) I would stay away from this piece and would instead recommend something like “Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe” as I have personally found H. R. Ellis to be a much easier read. Otherwise this piece should be a staple on all the shelves of those interested in the Indo-European culture and its beginnings.
Ethnic Study
For the individual looking for a beginners guide to the Nordic mythology I might suggest reading H. R. Ellis Davidson’s work, “Gods and Myths of Northern Europe.” However, I will also caution that the reader will come away with more than just a general knowledge of the myths; they will indeed finish this work with some thought provoking ideas about a people that practiced the Old Ways long after Christianity had taken control of the world at large.
I chose this book originally because I was having trouble getting through Matthew’s work on the Celtic Shaman and needed a break. This piece practically jumped out at me from the local library. Our library has a very limited selection of mythology outside of the thousands of works on the Hellenic period mythos and I was pleased to discover it.
Our local Grove practices with a mix of both Nordic and Celtic flavor and though I dimly remembered long forgotten references to the Norse mythos I had little experience with the pantheon as defined by the scholars. I was literally lost in translation. I guess you could say that finding this volume was literally a gift of the Gods.
Davidson works through the Nordic pantheon one god-type at a time. She actually begins by describing the peoples of the region as they are seen by archaeology, paleontology and ethnic history. She then goes into some detail of the gods of battle, Thunder God, peace and plenty, sea gods, and the gods of the dead respectively. Thankfully she also includes the more enigmatic gods such as Bragi and Balder who I have noted are deities neglected in other mythic sources. Bulfinch’s Mythology is a perfect example of this.
I was much impressed with Davidson’s knowledge of the Nordic material. Her references to such texts as the Elder Edda, Beowulf, and Snorri’s translation of the Prose Edda have given me the inspiration to take the time to read these sources, or at the very least give them a proper scan. I might make the same suggestion to other new readers to take the time to at least peruse those works so as to have a reference for many of Davidson’s points.
Davidson’s last chapter is a summation of what I would refer to as the “God Timeline,” Creation to Annihilation. The creation story as it is believed to be within the pantheon to Ragnarok and beyond. I have heard it said that the Norse and the Celts are unique in that they have no Creation myth. After having read this material I am inclined to believe that it is not that they do not have a creation myth, it is simply forgotten or at the very least misunderstood. As archaeologists and researchers delve deeper into the mysteries of history using forensic science I imagine more will come into the light of day as time passes.
Some readers, me included, may want to have at hand a pronunciation guide for the Scandinavian language. The use of the language at times makes reading a little difficult if you aren’t sure of Nordic pronunciation. There is one available at the back of the book; perhaps a copy would be useful as a bookmark so the individual isn’t flipping back and forth.
There are various questions that should be addressed regarding this book. The first would be, why is this particular book on the reading list, and should it be there? I wholeheartedly agree that this piece is an excellent starting point for any Dedicant working with the Norse pantheon as their chosen path. It is an excellent building block to further reading of Nordic work. I am told that she has another piece, “Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe” which is a wonderful companion for the intrepid reader.
Now because of this work I have a greater working knowledge of the Nordic Gods and can now relate to the High Holy days as celebrated within the local Grove. This translates to being able to actively participate in the worship as opposed to just standing there as a passive witness. As I said, I may also jump into other works by other authors and not find myself completely lost by vague references to enigmatic passages.
If I were to include any differences of personal opinion regarding this work it would be the blurb at the back of the book. It states, “… the author has endeavored to relate their cults to daily life and to see why these Pagan beliefs gave way in time to the Christian faith.” I am not sure that I agree with that summary. I truly do not believe that she made nearly enough reference to the similarities outside of the summary at the end of the book to make this claim. There are some references scattered occasionally through the text but the bulk is in the final chapter and does not leave this reader feeling that the comparisons are sufficiently made. The use of the word cult also seems rather misleading since today’s cultural definition of cult does not apply to the Old Ways as practiced by the Norse. I rather think that my wife’s summation was more correct, “This seems like a work written by someone that was a Christian trying her best to make the Old Ways seem nice while downplaying it as outdated.”
I would like to end this with a thought based on the paraphrasing of Davidson’s last paragraph. The old religions pointed in the direction of a new religion and while the two were similar, the Christian religion was richer and deeper. Lamenting the loss of the Old Ways is simply lamenting a simpler life. Personally, this reader tends to think that the time of Christianity is now passing. Though it had given mankind what it needed in the past, society is in dire need of a new direction and a new focus. For this reason perhaps we as Neopagans or Neopagan Druids are looking back over our shoulder to the Old Ways in order to meld new social values with old philosophical ideologies to create a new religious movement more appropriate for the individual. It’s just a passing thought of a rambling mind.
Paganism
I didn’t know exactly what to expect of Adler’s work when I first chose it. I had been reading other occult titles through Llewellyn and Samuel Wiser publications and often the authors of these works would inevitably refer back to either Margot Adler or Margaret Murray. So I purchased my copy of “Drawing Down the Moon” and started reading. I thought perhaps I would breeze through since the subject was so simple, but I was so very wrong. Several weeks of reading later I have come back from the work with a completely new vision of the Modern Pagan Movement.
I have to admit that there are some passages and chapters that I did not like, and there were some that were positively inspiring. Throughout, I have come to the conclusion that during the earliest days of the Movement there were two major types of Pagans in the public eye, the “Fluffy-bunny” and the “Militant.” There are some individuals that would like to eliminate the categorization of “fluffy-bunny” but there is no denying that the tree-hugging, crystal-gazing, Atlantis-descending, types are out there and they were and still are in the public eye. On the other hand, we still have those individuals that see the Pagan Movement as their own personal war against the old Mainstream. Yes, the Pagans have their fundamentalists, just like the Christians.
Everyone that has ever read text regarding Wicca or Druidry (good or bad) there will be a “History of Witchcraft” which will take the reader through ancient history, retelling the same white-washed stories of white-bearded men, and gossamer-clad women. They will tell the horror stories of matriarchal societies being destroyed by patriarchal, misogynists. “Drawing Down the Moon” does not fall into this category. This is a telling of the history of the new Modern Pagan Movement. It tells the story of the people that have been trying to, not necessarily recreate a long lost society, but to create a new society based on the best aspects of the Old Ways.
I tend to wonder about Ms. Adler’s definition of Paganism. I believe her view of the Movement is colored by the time frame in which it was written. The Movement of the 60s and 70s is much different than the Movement of today. However, that is an essay for another time.
She begins her story with the general view of the Pagans in the 70s and 80s and how the scientific community looks down on the Pagans even though we are reminded that the Astronomy of today was the Astrology of the past and the Chemistry of today is the Alchemy of the past.
The next chapter explains that people are usually brought to Paganism through “the Calling.” For many, this is a coming home, a feeling of being in the right place at the right time. This is a form of healing for both men and women.
I found the section on the difference between polytheism and monotheism and the opinions of many of the Pagans to be very interesting. It brings to mind the thought that many of the Pagans from the past and still into today have gone from the extreme of a patriarchal view of an “All Father” to the opposite extreme of “the All-Mother.” It doesn’t seem to me to be that much of an improvement. Both male and female are necessary for a balanced view of the world both within and without.
Adler’s next section takes up the largest portion of the book and it is because of this that there are some that feel her book is rather one-sided. However, her research is quite good and I must admit to being rather jealous of her opportunities to speak with some of the biggest names in the Movement while they were still young and full of ideas, as opposed to old and full of…. well, older anyway. In the past I have had the opportunity to speak with some of the newer authors coming onto the scene that have made Paganism mainstream. Admittedly, some of them are a little flaky, but still, their efforts have brought the Pagans into the 21st century.
In the chapter regarding the Craft Today, we are given an overview of Pagans, specifically the Wiccans and their beliefs and philosophy. Adler has taken the time to interview many individuals and get their opinions of the Movement and its direction. Some of the opinions were positive, while others showed rather a lack of enthusiasm for the new generation of Witches.
After the introduction Adler went on to describe many of the groups that have popped up throughout the years. Some were a flash in the pan and some are still in existence, still going strong.
I have to admit that I was rather disappointed to see how little coverage there was of the ADF. I understand that at the time of the writing, there was little information available. I was also rather disturbed to read about the Odinists. I can see how some people may be confused about who we are as members of ADF and how we relate to this group. I can only hope that our current position in the Pagan community allows newcomers to see us in the proper light. RDNA may have had questionable beginnings as a protest against unfair collegiate rules, but to place it and ADF under the heading of Paradox and Play seems a bit harsh. ADF has a very serious beginning and vision.
We are also given a unique glimpse of the trend of men trying to break out of their proverbial “male” box and connect with a more spiritual side. What truly struck me was the section describing the problems that face most modern men. Women, in order to take back their equality must work their way out from under the patriarchal “man’s world.” Men, on the other hand, must work their way out from under the very sociological yokes put on them by their gender. Spirituality is more difficult for the male members of the Pagan community because they are taught that emotions are undesirable. So the men of Pagan community are required to find their own place in group forums. This trend still continues today, though we have a long way to go, since some Wiccans still show a rather dim view of the male influence in covens.
The last two chapters tell us of those individuals who have taken a more scholarly view of the history of ancestral religion and wrote their pieces based on a relatively unbiased point of view. One of the most poignant works well worth reading would be Mircea Eliade’s “The Sacred and the Profane.” Though this is a difficult read, it allows the reader to understand the points of view of the Modern Pagan and works well as an accompaniment to Adler’s work.
Lastly, we are told how the Pagans balance their personal religious lives with their public lives. Some find no difference and meld the two with ease, others more commonly have split lives which causes them eventual distress because they must live lives that seem hypocritical. Personally, as a Druid working in a Catholic based hospital, I leave the religion out of the equation and do my own best to live according to the nine virtues.
The final pages are taken up with the 1985 questionnaire created by Adler to get a view of the demographics of the Pagan community of the time. I have seen several versions of this questionnaire making its way throughout the Internet with various alterations to the questions for the purpose of polling the community as a whole.
You will find that Adler included some of the rituals that she encountered in her travels. I personally do not think that these were necessary since the rituals had a very Wiccan view and little else. Also in the appendices you will find resources, which of course are dated; although the resources could be considered a step off point for further research.
In summation, though this piece does seem a bit Wiccan oriented and extremely dated, it is an excellent resource for historical precedence within the Modern Pagan Movement. I would love to see a newer version of this piece written, but I realize that it would have to be completely rewritten and would end up being a very large volume.
We are able to see, through Adler’s eyes, where the previous generations had started and where they intended our generation to take it. The torch has been passed and a new generation is illuminated.
