The Nature of Magic : An Anthropology of Consciousness

This book examines how and why practitioners of nature religion – Western witches, druids, shamans – seek to relate spiritually with nature through ‘magical consciousness’. ‘Magic’ and ‘consciousness’ are concepts that are often fraught with prejudice and ambiguity respectively. Greenwood develops a new theory of magical consciousness by arguing that magic ultimately has more to do with the workings of the human mind in terms of an expanded awareness than with socio-cultural explanations. She combines her own subjective insights gained from magical practice with practitioners’ in-depth accounts and sustained academic theory on the process of magic. She also tracks magical consciousness in philosophy, myth, folklore, story-telling, and the hi-tech discourse of postmodernity, and asks important questions concerning nature religion’s environmental credentials, such as whether it as inherently ecological as many of its practitioners claim. This Book Examines How And Why Practitioners Of Nature Religion - Western Witches, Druids, Shamans - Seek To Relate Spiritually With Nature Through 'magical Consciousness'. 'magic' And 'consciousness' Are Concepts That Are Often Fraught With Prejudice And Ambiguity Respectively. Greenwood Develops A New Theory Of Magical Consciousness By Arguing That Magic Ultimately Has More To Do With The Workings Of The Human Mind In Terms Of An Expanded Awareness Than With Socio-cultural Explanations. She Combines Her Own Subjective Insights Gained From Magical Practice With Practitioners' In-depth Accounts And Sustained Academic Theory On The Process Of Magic. She Also Tracks Magical Consciousness In Philosophy, Myth, Folklore, Story-telling, And The Hi-tech Discourse Of Postmodernity, And Asks Important Questions Concerning Nature Religion's Environmental Credentials, Such As Whether It Is Inherently Ecological As Many Of Its Practitioners Claim.--jacket. Introduction -- Nature Religion And Underlying Influences -- Connection With Nature -- 'calling To Be Remembered' : Place, Ancestors, And Tradition -- Magical Consciousness -- The Wild Hunt : A Mythological Language Of Magic -- Learning To Be Indigenous -- A Tangled Web : Paradoxical Elements -- Nature In The City : A Globalizing Postmodern World? Susan Greenwood. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 215-236) And Index. This book examines how and why practitioners of nature religion--Western witches, druids, shamans--seek to relate spiritually with nature through "magical consciousness". Greenwood develops a new theory of magical consciousness by arguing that magic ultimately has more to do with the workings of the human mind in terms of an expanded awareness than with socio-cultural explanations. She combines her own subjective insights gained from magical practice with practitioners' in-depth accounts and sustained academic theory on the process of magic. She also tracks magical consciousness in philosophy, myth, folklore and story-telling, and the hi-tech discourse of postmodernity.

greenwood (u. Of Sussex, Uk) Offers An Anthropological Study Of Magic And Consciousness Conducted Through An Examination Of Nature Spiritualities, That Is Religions Concerned With Developing Intense Personal Relationships With Nature. She Emphasizes How Practitioners Overcome The Notion That Nature Is Everything But Humans In Order To Relate With Nature As A Living And Inspirited Cosmos. Among Her Topics Are The Wild Hunt, Learning To Be Indigenous, And Nature In The City. Distributed In The Us By Palgrave Macmillan. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, Or

Preface......Page 8 Introduction......Page 16 Nature Religion and Underlying Influences......Page 36 Connection with Nature......Page 54 ‘Calling to be Remembered’: place, ancestors, and tradition......Page 76 Magical Consciousness......Page 104 The Wild Hunt: a mythological language of magic......Page 134 Learning to be Indigenous......Page 158 A Tangled Web: paradoxical elements......Page 186 Nature in the City: a globalizing postmodern world?......Page 220 Bibliography......Page 230 Index......Page 252