Nine Worlds of Seid-Magic
Subtitle: Ecstasy and Neo-Shamanism in North European Paganism
Publisher: Routledge
Published: December 14, 2001
Language: eng
Number of pages: 208
ISBN-13: 9780415256506
First sentence: On a day at the end of April 1999, I journeyed by plane from Nova Scotia to Boston, Massachusetts, on my way further west to Illinois.
Description: "Shamanistic practices known as seidr, often involving interactions with the spirit world and states of altered consciousness, lie at the heart of the pagan religions of Northern Europe. This accessible study explores the ways in which seidr, a key element of ancient Scandinavian belief systems described in the Icelandic Sagas and Eddas, is now being rediscovered and redeveloped by people around the world. The book draws on a wealth of research and experience to analyse the phenomenon and place it in context." "Written by someone who is a practitioner as well as a scholar, this is a unique exploration of what Northern 'shamans' do, and how they speak of the spirits they meet. It is set within discussions of shamanism, identity, insider ethnography and new directions in the anthropology of religion. It will fascinate all those with an interest in the possibilities for alternative spirituality in today's world."--BOOK JACKET.