Norse Pagan Circles in My Area In recent years, the interest in Norse paganism has grown in my area, with the formation of various Norse pagan circles. These circles serve as a gathering place for individuals who identify with the ancient Norse gods and traditions. **The main idea here is the increase in interest and the formation of circles related to Norse paganism**. Norse paganism, also known as Heathenry or Asatru, is a modern revival of the pre-Christian religion practiced by the Germanic tribes in the Nordic regions. The belief system centers around the worship of gods such as Odin, Thor, and Freya, as well as the reverence for nature and the elements. **This paragraph provides a brief explanation of Norse paganism and its key aspects**.
“I think some hardcore witch historians might be offended by my use of some of these continental tropes,” he added, laughing. “All my talk about accuracy, they might think, Well, uh uh uh.” Still, Eggers defended Black Phillip’s depiction, pointing to artwork showing witches riding goats instead of sticks, along with engravings and woodcuts depicting goats. He also cited Goya, with paintings like “Witches’ Sabbath (The Great He-Goat).”
There is no single point of reference, but goats pervade many strands of mythology connected to malevolent spirits, and Eggers isn t even the first contemporary horror director to seize on the association. I guess the goat-devil features so prominently in European iconography because of the horns and weird eyes, he wrote, but also because of the association with predatory sexual potency and energy.
**This paragraph provides a brief explanation of Norse paganism and its key aspects**. The Norse pagan circles in my area provide a supportive community for individuals interested in exploring and practicing Norse spirituality. Members come together regularly for rituals, celebrations of seasonal festivals, and discussions about Norse mythology and history.
Gaze at the witch 2015
So last night Tony and I saw The Witch, director Robert Eggers highly praised horror film set in early Puritan New England. As we walked home along the Muddy River (where the estate of executed witch Anne Hibbens was located) and rabbits frolicked around us in the moonlight, I thought: how am I going to write about this movie?
I've been a horror movie fan for most of my life, and I've been writing about New England folklore for many years. I saw The Witch from this dual perspective, so I'm going to first write about it as a film, and then about its folkloric aspects.
I really, really enjoyed The Witch. It's been getting a lot of hype as being incredibly scary, which I think does it a disservice. It's more of an art film with horrific aspects than a straight up horror film. Don't go into it expecting screaming teenagers being chased through the woods by an axe-wielding maniac. Yes someone does wield an axe, and teens do indeed scream, but it's not Friday the 13th. Rather than terrifying, I found it spooky, unsettling, and morally icky, but also emotionally resonant and thought-provoking.
If you want to be surprised about this movie don't read any further. In other words, SPOILERS AHEAD.
The premise is relatively simple. In 1630s New England, a family is banished from a Puritan settlement for being too religiously strident. Exiled but unbowed, Mom, Dad and their five children carve out a small farm a day's journey away from the settlement. Things go well at first, but by the fall their crops are failing, and one day when oldest daughter Thomasin is playing peek-a-boo with her baby brother Samuel he suddenly disappears. The parents suspect a wolf took him, but the name of this movie isn't The Wolf.
That all happens within the first ten minutes. Things only get worse for the next eighty. The narrative is a twisty mix of family psycho-dynamics and mythic imagery. The tight-knit pious family is realistically dysfunctional. Did they really think settling on the edge of an unknown continent would be easy? Dad is successful only at splitting logs, the children tell vicious stories about each other, Mom is getting cold feet about the whole pioneer thing, and their oldest daughter is reaching the peak of puberty. At times the movie implies the supernatural shenanigans are just the imaginings of a stressed out family in a bad situation, but then shifts to show powerful, archetypal images that indicate the supernatural forces menacing the family are quite real. A woman in a red cape in a tangled forest. A rabbit that can't be killed. Baby Samuel's real fate.
My favorite scenes in the film involve the young twins Mercy and Jonas, who are simultaneously cute, bratty and creepy, like the Olsen Twins of Full House mixed with Rob Zombie's Lords of Salem. They spend a lot of time frolicking with the family goat Black Phillip. The twins say he talks to them, but maybe they're just playing a game. Or maybe not.
Robert Eggers is from New Hampshire, and says as a child he thought the New England woods were haunted. He's trying to capture an Olde Tyme New-Englande vibe in this movie, and I think he succeeds in capturing what we know or imagine the early Puritan era looked like. The colors are muted, the homes are dark, and the landscapes have a familiar Northeast gloom. The family's home is festooned with bunches of drying diseased corn, making it look like the grimmest Thanksgiving you've ever imagined. The brief scene of the family leaving the Puritan settlement was filmed at Plimoth Plantation here in Massachusetts, so I think that comparison is apt.
Now onto the folklore in the film. The movie's full title is The Witch: A New-England Folktale. Although is is not based on any actual witchcraft cases or particular folk stories, Eggers did a lot of research into 17th century life and folk beliefs. Much of the movie accurately reflects authentic New England folk stories.
There are bewitched children pinched and tortured by unseen attackers. There are ghosts. There is Protestant prayer, both fearful and ecstatic. There are bewitched farm animals, and familiar spirits suckling on human blood. The Devil appears as a man in black with a book awaiting signatures. There is the overwhelming sense of being a sinner in the hands of an angry God and the accompanying fear of damnation.
Ultimately though this is a movie by a modern American aimed at a modern audience. Traditional New England witch stories are usually about societal issues. Accused witches were seldom family members but were usually shunned members of the community. The stories often follow this pattern: a poor person asks a wealthier person for food or money. The wealthier person refuses, and the poor person mutters threats. Shortly thereafter bad things happen to the wealthier person. Cattle don't give milk, children sicken, crops fail. The poor person is suspected of witchcraft.
Eggers' film does not follow this classic pattern, but instead focuses heavily on psycho-sexual issues. To support this focus, many of the film's later images are drawn not from New England witch narratives but instead from continental European myths and narratives, which had more sexual content. Continental witch stories were quite lurid, full of orgies, infanticide and cannibalism. The New England witches, malevolent though they were, were demure Puritans at heart. Their nocturnal gatherings didn't involve naked gyrating hags, but rather fully clad people standing around listening to the Devil lecture them. They were an inverted version of the Puritan Sunday meetings, not a crazed bacchanalia. At their wildest they sometimes had fiddle music and square dancing. Square-dancing witches wouldn't make for a very scary movie.
And though I love the goat in this movie, the Devil seldom appears as a goat in New England witch stories. Most often he appears as a man richly dressed in black, but when he does take animal shape he appears in a variety of forms, including a cat and a hog. Modern people tend to think of Satan as goatish, though, so I understand why this makes sense for the film.
Finally, many traditional New England witch stories are actually about how to defeat a witch. They describe the witch's predations only to relate how they can be stopped. They are instructional tales told to help younger generations manage malevolent forces. They are not grim or pessimistic.
Witches were bad, but their magic could easily be foiled by simple measures. Keeping urine in a jar full of nails. Hammering a horseshoe above the door. Placing bay leaves around the window. Burning the hair of a bewitched child. All of these could effectively stop a witch's attack. The world was full of evil forces, but the early settlers were optimistic that ultimately they could be defeated.
I think the ending of The Witch is morally ambivalent, but is it optimistic? Probably not, but then again, much like square-dancing witches, it's probably not what a modern audience is looking for.
**The main idea here is the purpose and activities of the Norse pagan circles**. These circles also often organize study groups and workshops to delve deeper into the traditions and teachings of Norse paganism. Participants have the opportunity to learn about rune divination, herbalism, traditional crafts, and other aspects of Norse culture. **The main idea here is the educational aspect of the Norse pagan circles**. The gatherings within these circles offer a space for individuals to connect with each other and to honor their ancestors and the gods of the Norse pantheon. The rituals involve chanting, drumming, and sometimes the use of ritualistic tools such as runes or seidr staffs. **The main idea here is the spiritual and communal aspects of the circles**. While Norse paganism is not a widely known or understood belief system, the growing presence of these circles in my area signifies a desire to reconnect with ancient traditions and to explore alternative spiritual paths. **The main idea here is the significance of the presence of Norse pagan circles in the area**. Overall, the Norse pagan circles in my area serve as a place of community, education, and spiritual exploration for individuals interested in Norse paganism. With their rituals, celebrations, and study groups, these circles provide a supportive environment for those seeking to deepen their connection with the Norse gods and traditions. **The main idea here is a summary of the overall purpose and significance of the Norse pagan circles**..
Reviews for "Exploring Norse Pagan Cosmology: Insights from Local Circles"
1. John - 2/5 - I was really excited to join a Norse pagan circle in my area, but I was sorely disappointed with the experience. The organizers were unwelcoming and seemed more interested in excluding newcomers than fostering a sense of community. The meetings were held in a small, dark space that lacked any sort of ambiance. Overall, I left feeling disenchanted and disillusioned with the entire concept. I ended up seeking out other avenues to explore my interest in Norse paganism.
2. Sarah - 1/5 - My experience with the Norse pagan circle in my area was extremely disappointing. The circle was poorly organized, and there was a general lack of structure in the meetings. The participants seemed more interested in discussing their personal experiences and beliefs, rather than engaging in meaningful discussions or rituals centered around Norse mythology. It felt more like a group therapy session than a pagan circle, and I left feeling more confused about Norse paganism than when I first arrived.
3. Mark - 2/5 - I was initially intrigued by the idea of joining a Norse pagan circle in my area, but my experience was far from satisfactory. The circle lacked any sort of cohesion or focus, with discussions often veering off into unrelated tangents. The organizers seemed disinterested in guiding the conversations or rituals, leading to a disorganized and disjointed experience. I left feeling frustrated and wishing I had spent my time exploring other avenues to connect with like-minded individuals interested in Norse paganism.
4. Emily - 1/5 - The Norse pagan circle in my area failed to meet my expectations in every way possible. The leaders were pretentious and condescending, making it difficult for newcomers to feel welcomed or included. The rituals were poorly executed and lacked any sort of depth or meaningful connection to Norse mythology. Overall, it was a disappointing and uncomfortable experience. I would not recommend this circle to anyone looking for an authentic and inclusive Norse pagan community.