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Preface to the new edition: When I went to school, my history teacher told us about the old Germani. In her opinion, the Taunus mountains were populated by a bunch of brawny brawlers who wore horned helmets and small pieces of pelt. They lived in hilltop settlements which were fortified by ringwalls. Barely able to manage agriculture, they had to rely on hunting to fill their stomachs. They lived in shabby huts with mud-plastered walls and when the Romans came, they fought the invaders with crude swords, pointy sticks and by hurling rocks at them... Nowadays, the ringwalls of the Taunus are known as the work of La T#65533;ne Celts, who lived on the heights in well organised cities. For this new edition much of the text has been rewritten and updated. A large section on the bronze ages, the Celts, Germani and the later Vikings added. The theme of Wodan and Helja has been elaborated with more detail on pagan Scandinavia. The chapter on magical rune inscriptions has been extended, on Sei#65533;r/seething trances rewritten, the bibliography updated and twelve pages of new illustrations added. The runes are a pan-European magical language. Its roots lie in the ancient pagan beliefs of our ancestors, who built many thousands of stones circles, long barrows and dolmens throughout ancient Europe. These same symbols and techniques were used by the pagan Celts and Germans. This book is a complete manual of magick based upon arcane symbolism and secret techniques.… (more)
User reviews
A historical book about runes and pagan culture: this is the weakest part of the book, Fries already knew that within a few decades this part would have been mostly, if not completely obsolete. And he was right. Only a few interesting things here
Then there is the other part:
A brilliant psychology book, critiquing some forms of over-intellectual therapy, favouring some more screaming, agitating, dancing ones. Discussing the ego relationship with the self, the breaking and surrender of the ego to the self, the nature of spirits, and neurosis (physical armour). This is the best part in my opinion. Showing how one could go from a rigid and egocentric practice to a more fluid and natural one.
The only real bone that I have to pick with the author is his opinion on astral projection. But I have been told that he treated the subject in his next book Seidways.