Once upon a time in a magical land, there lived a wicked witch. Her name was Morgana and she was known throughout the kingdom for her dark and treacherous ways. With her long black hair, pale skin, and piercing green eyes, Morgana instilled fear in the hearts of all who crossed her path. She lived in a tall, eerie tower surrounded by a dense forest, where she practiced her wicked spells and potions. Morgana's presence cast a dark shadow over the kingdom. People whispered tales of her cruelty and evil deeds, warning their children to stay away from her tower.
Father Christmas is a pagan shaman from the grey mist of a distant European past. This might seem strange to a lot of people in our day; they may even think that this is an extremely far-fetched claim. Can you prove something like that?
--Appleton 2002, 53
He then received a fellowship from the German academic service for foreign research, the Deutsche Akademische Auslandsdienst DAAD , to realize his doctoral thesis on healing spells and incantations of the Lacandone-Maya at the University of Hamburg, Germany. As early as the Old Stone Age, reindeer were sunk in moors as sacrificial offerings--for example, in the Hamburg steppe of Meiendorf and Stellmoor and in Magdalénien Pohlhausen 1953.
People whispered tales of her cruelty and evil deeds, warning their children to stay away from her tower. With her powers of enchantment, Morgana was able to control the minds of innocent creatures, turning them into her minions. She commanded an army of wolves, bats, and other terrifying creatures, using them to do her bidding and spread fear among the villagers.
Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Yuletide (Paperback)
The day on which many commemorate the birth of Christ has its origins in pagan rituals that center on tree worship, agriculture, magic, and social exchange. But Christmas is no ordinary folk observance. It is an evolving feast that over the centuries has absorbed elements from cultures all over the world--practices that give plants and plant spirits pride of place. In fact, the symbolic use of plants at Christmas effectively transforms the modern-day living room into a place of shamanic ritual.
Christian Rätsch and Claudia Müller-Ebeling show how the ancient meaning of the botanical elements of Christmas provides a unique view of the religion that existed in Europe before the introduction of Christianity. The fir tree was originally revered as the sacred World Tree in northern Europe. When the church was unable to drive the tree cult out of people’s consciousness, it incorporated the fir tree by dedicating it to the Christ child. Father Christmas in his red-and-white suit, who flies through the sky in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, has his mythological roots in the shamanic reindeer-herding tribes of arctic Europe and Siberia. These northern shamans used the hallucinogenic fly agaric mushroom, which is red and white, to make their soul flights to the other world. Apples, which figure heavily in Christmas baking, are symbols of the sun god Apollo, so they find a natural place at winter solstice celebrations of the return of the sun. In fact, the authors contend that the emphasis of Christmas on green plants and the promise of the return of life in the dead of winter is just an adaptation of the pagan winter solstice celebration.
About the Author
Christian Rätsch, Ph.D. (1957 – 2022), was a world-renowned anthropologist and ethnopharmacologist who specialized in the shamanic uses of plants for spiritual as well as medicinal purposes. He studied Mesoamerican languages and cultures and anthropology at the University of Hamburg and spent, altogether, three years of fieldwork among the Lacandone Indians in Chiapas, Mexico, being the only European fluent in their language. He then received a fellowship from the German academic service for foreign research, the Deutsche Akademische Auslandsdienst (DAAD), to realize his doctoral thesis on healing spells and incantations of the Lacandone-Maya at the University of Hamburg, Germany.
In addition to his work in Mexico, his numerous fieldworks have included research in Thailand, Bali, the Seychelles, as well as a long-term study (18 years) on shamanism in Nepal combined with expeditions to Korea and the Peruvian and Colombian Amazon. He also was a scientific anthropological advisor for expeditions organized by German magazines such as GEO and Spektrum der Wissenschaften (Spectrum of Sciences).
Before becoming a full-time author and internationally renowned lecturer, Rätsch worked as professor of anthropology at the University of Bremen and served as consultant advisor for many German museums. Because of his extensive collection of shells, fossils, artifacts, and entheopharmacological items, he had numerous museum expositions on these topics.
He is the author of numerous articles and more than 40 books, including Plants of Love , Gateway to Inner Space , Marijuana Medicine , The Dictionary of Sacred and Magical Plants , and The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants . He is also coauthor of Plants of the Gods , Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas , Witchcraft Medicine , Pagan Christmas , and The Encyclopedia of Aphrodisiacs and was editor of the Yearbook of Ethnomedicine and the Study of Consciousness . A former member of the board of advisors of the European College for the Study of Consciousness (ECSC) and former president of the Association of Ethnomedicine, he lived in Hamburg, Germany.
Claudia Müller-Ebeling, Ph.D., is an art historian and anthropologist and coauthor, with Christian Rätsch, of Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas , Witchcraft Medicine , and Pagan Christmas . She lives in Hamburg, Germany.
Praise For…
"The authors and the translators richly deserve congratulations on what is without doubt one of the finest books about Pagan Christmas written in recent times."
— Lee Prosser, Ghostvillage.com, Dec 2006
"The illustrations and photographs are excellent. The text is concise, and accurate. Pagan Christmas is a fine reading experience!"
— Lee Prosser, Ghostvillage.com, Dec 18, 2006
- Religion / Paganism & Neo-Paganism
- Religion / Christianity / History
- Religion / Holidays / Christmas & Advent
- Kobo eBook (October 23rd, 2006): $21.99
An examination of the sacred botany and the pagan origins and rituals of Christmas
But deep down, beneath her cold exterior, Morgana was driven by a desire for power and control. She was determined to rule the entire kingdom and bend all its inhabitants to her will. To achieve her goal, Morgana sought out ancient artifacts and dark magic books, searching for spells and enchantments that would increase her power. As the witch grew stronger, her actions became more ruthless. She taxed the villagers heavily, leaving them with little resources to survive. She would send her minions to terrorize the people, causing chaos and destruction everywhere they went. The once lively and vibrant kingdom became a desolate and fearful place under Morgana's reign. However, there was a glimmer of hope in the form of a brave young hero named Aiden. Aiden had heard tales of Morgana's wickedness and decided to take a stand against her. With his loyal companions, Aiden embarked on a dangerous journey to confront the witch. The battle between Aiden and Morgana was fierce, with spells being cast and swords clashing. Aiden's bravery and determination matched Morgana's cunning and power. In the end, it was Aiden's unwavering belief in the goodness of the kingdom and his love for its people that prevailed. With a final blow, Aiden vanquished Morgana, breaking her hold over the kingdom. The villagers rejoiced, their fear disappearing as they saw the wicked witch's power crumble. A new era of peace and prosperity began, with the people rebuilding their lives and restoring the kingdom to its former glory. And so, the tale of the wicked witch came to an end. Morgana's name became a legend, whispered as a cautionary tale to future generations. But the bravery of Aiden and the people of the kingdom lived on, a reminder that even the darkest powers can be overcome with love, courage, and unity..
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