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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Myths & mythology
In the wake of the elegant master theories of Joseph Campbell,
Mircea Eliade, Georges Dumezil, and Claude Levi-Strauss, how are
mythology and the comparative study of religion to be understood?
In Myth and Method, a leading team of scholars assesses the current
state of the study of myth and explores the possibilities for
charting a methodological middle course between the comparative and
the contextual issues raised in the last ten years. In confronting
these tension, they provide an outline of the most troubling
questions in the field and offer a variety of responses to
them.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the
1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly
expensive. We are republishing many of these classic works in
affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text
and artwork.
Using a cultural approach to classical myths, this book examines
how they affect psychoanalytic theory, historical experience, elite
culture, popular culture, and everyday life. Berger explores
diverse topics such as the Oedipus Myth, James Bond, Star Wars, and
fairy tales.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the
1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly
expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable,
high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
The Book of Black Magic is Arthur Edward Waite's magnum opus of
occult lore; this edition contains the author's original icons,
symbols, seals and drawings. This supreme guide to occultist
history, lore, magick, and ceremony is split into two parts: The
first is entitled ""The Literature of Ceremonial Magic."" Here,
Waite examines the ritualistic traditions which surrounding the
occult movement for centuries. He notes various texts, and how
these had a bearing upon the practice of the occult and of magical
ceremony. The second part, ""The Complete Grimoire,"" concerns how
those who practice black magic and occult ritual become versed in
the craft. The stringent physical and mental requirements, and the
need to practice a spiritual attunement and inner ablution, is
detailed. Astronomical knowledge of the planets and their movements
is a necessity, as is possession of a variety of instruments, plus
a deep knowledge of the various symbols and scripts used in
occultism.
There are far fewer publications on the ethnology of Micronesia
than for any other region in the Pacific. This dearth is especially
seen in the traditional religion, folklore, and iconography of the
area. Haynes and Wuerch have located 1,193 relevant titles. For the
first time, these mostly scarce or unpublished materials are now
accessible in this essential research tool. The focus is on
tradition, which became modified after contact with the West--the
adaptation and persistence of these traditions are included in this
bibliography.
Traditional Micronesian iconography is largely religious in
nature, as is the case with most tribal or preliterate societies.
There is also a large corpus of Micronesian myths, legends,
beliefs, and practices that may not fit the Western concept of
religion, but would be classified under folklore. That distinction
cannot be consistently made in Micronesian cultures, nor in most
other preliterate, thus prehistoric, societies. The overlap of
religion and folklore is pervasive, so the scope of subjects
included is broad. The subject matter encompasses magic, sorcery,
ritual, cosmology, mythology, iconography, iconology, oral
traditions, songs, chants, dance, music, traditional medicine, and
many activities of daily life. Only those works that directly treat
these subjects in the context of religion or folklore are included
in this volume.
Spontaneous shrines have emerged, both in the United States and
internationally, as a way to mourn those who have died a sudden or
shocking death, and to acknowledge the circumstances of the deaths.
The contributors to "Spontaneous Shrines and the Public
Memorialization of Death "address events such as the Texas A&M
bonfire collapse, the Pentagon and New York City after 9-11,
roadside crosses, a memorial wall in Philadelphia, and the use of
Day of the Dead altars to bring attention to deceased undocumented
immigrants. The first comprehensive work to examine and theorize
the phenomenon as a whole, this book explores the origins, types,
uses, and meanings of these shrines.""
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the
1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly
expensive. We are republishing many of these classic works in
affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text
and artwork.
Myths are best understood as a convergence of voices from across
times and cultures. They are the instruments through which authors
and audiences seek to grapple with questions about the fundamental
nature of the universe. The answers, however, constantly change in
light of changing circumstances such as the interface between
western and non-western cultures, or cataclysmic events. The
authors argue that these societies' worldviews assume that the
process of flow between events, rather than the nature of the
events, is critical to a model of human sociality.
Boundaries, whether of a ritual, physical, or social nature, are
perceived as constantly broken by the exchange of ideas across
time, space, and peoples. Our understanding of such issues as
gender relations and the body, social change, imagination, play,
and the conceptualization of power is furthered by probing how it
is that myth is both expressive as well as constitutive of human
thought on these topics.
Inuit hunting traditions are rich in perceptions, practices and
stories relating to animals and human beings. The authors examine
key figures such as the raven, an animal that has a central place
in Inuit culture as a creator and a trickster, and qupirruit, a
category consisting of insects and other small life forms. After
these non-social and inedible animals, they discuss the dog, the
companion of the hunter, and the fellow hunter, the bear,
considered to resemble a human being. A discussion of the renewal
of whale hunting accompanies the chapters about animals considered
'prey par excellence': the caribou, the seals and the whale, symbol
of the whole. By giving precedence to Inuit categories such as
'inua' (owner) and 'tarniq' (shade) over European concepts such as
'spirit 'and 'soul', the book compares and contrasts human beings
and animals to provide a better understanding of human-animal
relationships in a hunting society.
Originally published in 1913. Author: J.G.Frazer, D.C.L., Ll.D.,
Litt.D. Language: English Keywords: Religion / Magic / Folklore /
Mythology Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating
back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and
increasingly expensive. Obscure Press are republishing these
classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using
the original text and artwork.
This is a reissue of a much-admired variorum edition of Yeats's
stories. 'This edition, which includes previously unpublished
texts, gives a text history, which establishes once and for all the
extent to which Yeats's work was modified by editors. Truly
definitive. Indispensible for any major collection, including
public libraries.' Library Journal
In this dazzling history of the imagination, Patrick Harpur links
together fields as far apart as Greek philosophy and depth
psychology, Renaissance magic and tribal ritual, Romantic poetry
and modern models of the Universe, to trace how myths have been
used to make sense of the world. In so doing he uncovers that
tradition which alchemists imagined as a Golden Chain of initiates,
who passed their mysterious 'secret fire' down through the ages. As
this inspiring book shows, the secret of this perennial wisdom is
of an imaginative insight: a simple way of seeing that re-enchants
our existence and restores us to our own true selves..."His
flame-like knowledge is central to the urgent seriousness of this
book; buy a copy before it vanishes." THE LONDON MAGAZINE ..."It
would be hard to overestimate the value of Harpur's book or to
praise it too highly." RESURGENCE MAGAZINE ..."Once we believed
that truth was 'out there', now we hold that it's 'in here', but if
Harpur is right then it lies in the line of vision between the two"
THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY ..."Mr. Harpur links together fields as
far apart as Greek philosophy and depth psychology, Renaissance
magic and tribal ritual, Romantic poetry and the ecstasy of the
shaman, to trace how societies over time have used myths to make
sense of the world. Harpur leads us through history's secret
chambers with such grace of language and insight that we forget the
hour. I would make Harpur's book required reading for every student
of philosophy, depth psychology, and history." DIANNE SKAFTE
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