PHOENIX FROM THE FLAME, Living as a Pagan in the 21st Century,
Vivianne Crowley, Thorsons, London, 1995 (1994)

This book begins with an introduction (pp. 9-14), noting the revival
of paganism, the return of the old gods and goddesses, the variety
of pagan paths and telling a bit about the writer's largely solitary
natural and magical childhood.

Chapter One, "Paganism Today" (pp. 17-42), begins with some common
characteristics of paganism: traditional, pre-monotheistic,
attunement to nature. Various paths and deities are named (Celtic,
Asatru, Wicca, Bride, Freya, Cerridwen) underlining the inclusion of
the feminine aspect of the divine. There's mention of relatively
loose organization, of openness to the vast variety of personal
views and understandings, absence of scripture, deities here among
us instead of separate from us, ecological awareness.

Chapter Two, "The Return of the Pagan" (pp. 43-56), begins with
Palaeolithic pictures, and deities of hunt and field and survivals
of the worship of the pantheons of Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome,
etc. It mentions the triumph of monotheism, even if some former
aspects, even deities, of the old religion survived attired in a new
garb (e.g. Saint Bridget). There is what medieval authorities found
necessary to outlaw, the additional Classical pagan texts coming
West as a result of the Crusades, the magical and pagan interests of
Renaissance scholars, more modern investigations of prehistoric
remains (e.g. Stonehenge), of Indo-European languages, of the
spiritual traditions of India. There is the awareness since at least
Victorian times that established Western religion is unbalanced due
to the absence of the feminine in the divine. This balance began to
return with the emergence of Wicca in the early Twentieth Century,
and as the seasons flowed, other pagan paths, Eastern and Western
attracted increased attention.

Chapter Three, "The Way of the Celt" (pp. 59-72), begins with
archaeology and Classical and Celtic Christian literatures, with
Celtic expansion into the Balkans and the British Isles, with Rome
and the independence of Scotland and Ireland. the Celts are
described as worshipping in groves, believing in the immortality of
the soul, intently aware of the Otherworld, oral, recorded as
avoiding the names of their deities, stating instead, "I swear by
the gods my people swear by" (p. 62). Celtic deities are named in
the book (Daghda, Lugh, Morrighan, Brigid, Rhiannon, Epona, etc.).
The book refers to sun worship, quotes Amairgin's poem on landing in
Ireland, "I am a wind on the sea..." (p. 67). There's a glimpse of
druids with their twenty years of unwritten study, the bull's hide
trance and brehon law's concern for unequal honour price. Druidic
orders from the Eighteenth Century with their Christian influence
are mentioned, along with more recent and more pagan organizations
of druids.

Chapter Four, "The Norse and Germanic Traditions" (pp. 73-86),
begins with the terms Asatru and Odinist, with paganism official in
Iceland, with concern for nature, with some deities (Odin, Frigga,
Baldur, Bragi, Heimdall, Loki, the Norns, Freya, Frey, etc). Norse
myths survive of the world's beginning and of Ragnarok, its
destruction, though this will be survived by some.

Chapter Five, "Pagan Traditions of North-East Europe" (pp. 87-98),
begins with the shamanic influence of the Sami (Lapps), the Kalevala
and the Kanteletar (Nineteenth Century recording of Finnish
mythology). The Kalevala is in verse and recited and sung by a
hypnotic duo of bards. The creation myth, the birth of Vainamoinen,
the first shaman, similar mythic landscape to the Nordic one,
including the World Tree, deities (Ukko Sky God, Mielikki Forest
Goddess, Tapio "Old Man of the Forest" p. 91, etc.), and festivals
(e.g. Ukko's Day April 4th) are mentioned. Baltic paganism is stated
to contain the old IE female sun deity, to also have an Earth
goddess, worshipped into the Seventeenth Century, to consider fire
and water sacred, to have three fates and eight high holy days,
including the four solar ones.

Chapter Six, "Wicca" (pp. 99-113), begins with terminology (Wicca,
Witch, Craft), Margaret Murray's 1921 study, Gardner's claim of
continuity, the Sanders and then a number of popular authors in the
60s and 70s. Four main branches of Wicca ("Traditional, Hereditary,
Gardnerian and Alexandrian" p. 101) are outlined, the triple goddess
and the god and the place of spellcraft and handed down books of
shadows mentioned. Myths and chants praising the goddess are quoted,
the eight solar sabats and full moon esbats are mentioned, along
with the often closed nature of Wiccan groups.

Chapter Seven, "The Way of the Goddess and the God" (pp. 114-135),
begins with the greater importance of the goddess for most pagans,
presents Dianics, many of whose groups are exclusively for women,
notes some drawn to paganism with a background keenly activist in
women's issues, environmentalism, etc., and challenges stereotypical
patriarchal views of the passivity of the feminine. The concept of
the male is also raised and aspects of fertility, hunter, warrior.
There is also the traditional ritual attainment of adulthood. The
spiritual connection of each gender to both aspects of the divine is
considered.

Chapter Eight, "Rites of Passage: Making Sense of the Life Cycle"
(pp. 139-155), explores marriage (including handfasting,temporary
and renewable), birth and naming ceremonies, attainment of
adulthood, old age and death, seen as the beginning of a renewed
cycle of life.

Chapter Nine, "An It Harm None: Living as a Pagan" (pp. 157-173),
begins with such counsel as the Havamal (Nordic advice on moderation
in drinking, eating, speaking). It notes concepts of taking care of
the weak, a gift for a gift, sacrifice, friendship, oath keeping. It
notes the prevailing culture's entangling of sex and religion and
the distinction of paganism in this regard, "An it harm none" p.163,
a fundamental pagan ethical concept. There's mention of channeling
natural capacity to struggle into self-improvement and bettering
society, rather than fighting less constructively in groups.
Harmonizing our relationship with the natural world and balance in
all aspects is a significant element of pagan spirituality.

Chapter Ten, "Stepping Into the Dark" (pp. 174-182), looks at good
and evil, the absence of original sin, personal responsibility for
our actions, karma, the value of each individual, making recompense
for our failings and proceeding forward unimpeded by oppressive
feelings of sin and guilt.

Chapter Eleven, "Worshipping the Gods" (pp. 185-200), considers
ritual celebration of the natural cycles, preferably in nature,
though fine indoors, if reality so imposes. There is sacred space,
often marked by a circle. There is calling gods. There can be spell
work, raising energy. There is offering libation to deity and
communal feasting. There are the festivals, the four solar and the
four midpoint ones (Celtic Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine, Lughnasad).
The meaning and significance of the wheel of the year is outlined.

Chapter Twelve, "Weaving the Web of Wyrd: Shamanism, Divination and
Magic" (pp. 201-219), notes the modern urge, "To understand and
experience for ourselves other states of being and other states of
consciousness." (p. 201) The widespread extent of shamanism across
the planet, its ecstatic nature and its purpose of helping the
community are noted. Venturing into the Otherworld brings the shaman
into contact with entities there requiring negotiation. The shaman
acquires the assistance of spirit guides. The shaman may also be
helped by such means as drumming. There is reference to Irish
sleeping at burial mounds, to Norse sejd and volva, to Odin's
shamanic nature, to the great difficulty for a modern Westerner to
access authentic shamanic instruction. Reference is made to
divination (e.g. "Tarot, astrology and runes" p. 210), to basic
concepts of interconnection, of synchronicity of times normally
viewed as separate. Magic is discussed, focus and willpower and
beneficience ("An it harm none" p. 216).

Chapter Thirteen, "Paganism and Mysticism: The Self and the Grail"
(pp. 220-234), notes the Western aspect of much modern pagan
mysticism.

   to Western pagans the created universe is not Maya, illusion, but
   the work of the Goddess -- the Divine made manifest in Nature. In
   the worship of the Divine both immanent in Nature and
   transcendant beyond, we find our true religion. p. 222

The mystic seeks oneness with Deity, but this is not a selfish Grail
Quest, rather one intended to benefit all. Spiritual alchemy is
mentioned. The achieving of the actual self, "the core of our
personality -- the bedrock -- where the individual verges on the
collective and where we meet with the greater whole -- the group
mind of humanity." p. 231

Chapter Fourteen, "Becoming a Pagan" (pp. 235-251), states one does
this by realizing one is a pagan. There is the importance of
connecting to nature, marking the turning wheel of the year, linking
to deities who often will choose us, living ethically and
considering whether to remain solitary or to join a community, a
specific tradition, retaining normal caution to ensure the group
approached is honourable and congenial. There is some advice on
starting new groups. The issue of being open and of public
misconceptions is treated.

Chapter Fifteen, "Towards the Future: Paganism in the Twenty-First
Century" (pp. 252-256), has the gloomy vision of nuclear winter and
Ragnarok with the admonition to act so as to long delay the natural
destructive close of the present cycle. Ours the joy of living
worthily in the present, attempting to be a part of the reemergence
of the old gods as Phoenix from the Flame.

The book contains about a dozen pages listing pagan resources,
including ADF, as well as a five page bibliography and each chapter
has notes at its end.

This is quite an impressive introduction to the topic, more so than
can be conveyed by this summary.

Michael McKenny July 5, 2003.


Solarguard Pagan



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