Mircea Eliade

Mircea Eliade (1907-1986) was a Romanian scholar, fluent in eight languages, who authored seminal works on the history of world religions and mythology. He is perhaps best known for his studies on shamanism, yoga, and alchemy. Eliade also edited the … Continue reading →

The Runes – Another window into beliefs about the sacred and profane

Runes are the characters of different Germanic languages dating from 150 CE.¹ The characters gradually took on divinatory and mystical significance as they spread from southern Europe to Britain and Scandinavia. They were replaced by the Latin alphabet when runic cultures converted … Continue reading →

Evil: Natural, Moral and Intrinsic

How we define evil is influenced by our core beliefs. Materialists and some scientists dismiss the idea of evil as if it were culturally inherited from a world once peopled by believers in magic and outdated superstitions. Today, violent criminals … Continue reading →

Rudolf Otto – pioneering and influential German theologian (and probably part-mystic)

Rudolf Otto (1869-1937) was a German Lutheran theologian who wrote an influential book called Das Heilige: Über das Irrationale in der Idee des Göttlichen und sein Verhältnis zum Rationalen (1917) [English translation: The Idea of the Holy (1923)] which, as the … Continue reading →

The Shadow

View image | gettyimages.com Keira Knightley at the presser for A Dangerous Method, a movie that explores the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud at TiFF in Toronto. September 10, 2011 In the psychology of C. G. Jung, … Continue reading →

Shaman

A shaman (From Evenki, saman: ecstatic one) is a healer or wise-person, believed to have the ability to perceive spiritual beings and matrices of power, and in some instances perform magic. Shamans believe that their otherworldly focus may bring tangible … Continue reading →

Shamanism

A critical look at Shamanism Continue reading →

The Sirens of Ancient Greece

In Greek mythology, the Sirens are usually depicted as bird-like creatures with women’s heads who lure sailors to their doom through their haunting song. They can also tame the wind. In Homer, Odysseus heeded Circe’s warning to avoid the Sirens’ … Continue reading →

Soul Loss

In shamanic traditions, soul loss is the notion that psychological or physical illness is caused by the loss or spiritual abduction of the soul from the physical body. Through rituals, dancing or entry into a trance (sometimes induced by hallucinogenic … Continue reading →

Spiritual Attack (or warfare)

The idea of spiritual attack (also spiritual warfare) is found in most religious and spiritual traditions sharing the belief that a normally invisible attack is caused by evil or lower beings wishing to cause misfortune, distress and physical or psychological … Continue reading →