Does the mention of a sun deity make you think of Apollo? Perhaps you should envision a female divinity instead! Unlike the Greeks, many Indo-European peoples probably believed a goddess ruled our bright, blazing star. So, dispense with the stereotypes of mainstream culture and set out on a journey of discovery to bring this long-forgotten idol into focus. Through etymology, mythology, and religion, a compelling argument emerges for seeing the sun in feminine terms. Norse, Baltic, Celtic, and Hittite legends, goddesses named Sol and Saule, plus pictures of a variety of artifacts, lend weight to this eye-opening thesis.

The Sun Goddess: Myth, Legend and History

Religion & Spirituality

McGrath, Sheena

Christian Books & Bibles

Sterling Pub. Co., Inc.

<p>Unlike other titles in this area, this book looks at all aspects of women's lives, their magic and their religion in the Northern Tradition. Topics covered include the nature of women's activities from the 'traditional' position of housewife to those of scald and warrior, the role of female figures in creation and Ragnarok myths, a comprehensive coverage of Northern Tradition Goddesses, rituals specific to women, runes and the female power of foreseeing events, Seidr - the combination of witchcraft and shamanism, its connections with Freya as well as the connections between her, fertility magic and Seidr itself.</p>

Asyniur: Women's Mysteries in the Northern Tradition

Capall Bann Pub

Njord and Skadi: A Myth Explored delves into the story of the Norse giantess Skadi and her unhappy marriage to the sea-god Njord.  As compensation, after the gods killed her father, Skadi is given a choice of husbands from among the gods, but she has to choose by looking at just their feet.  She chooses the finest-looking feet, believing them to belong to Baldr, but finds to her dismay that she chose the Vanir god Njord instead. Not surprisingly, the marriage does not work out, and they each return to their respective domains, with Skadi keeping her status as a goddess.  The author, Sheena McGrath, presents this book as a series of questions, using the story to open up the world of Norse myth and culture.  She goes beyond the bare narrative by providing a wide perspective both on how myths work and some of the interesting theoretical questions raised in the study of mythology. Even simple questions, like why Skadi had to choose her husband by his feet alone, are shown to open up all sorts of mythological perspectives from Cinderella to medieval penitents to interpretations of myth in the 19th century.   Drawing on her extensive study of mythology the author also addresses many other important questions, including:   Asgard, Jötunheim, Midgard:  Where Are They? Are there any stories similar to this myth? Why do the Gods and Giants Interact at all? Who are the Vanir? Why is Njord so passive? Why is Loki so vulgar?     Influenced by the work of the scholar Margaret Clunies-Ross, who views the conflict between the gods and giants anthropologically, as a battle over resources, access to women, and power, this book does not start from the assumption that the giants are evil or stupid but treats them every bit as seriously as the gods.  In this ground-breaking study, McGrath encourages the reader to question received wisdom, explore Norse mythology and its goddesses, and deepen their understanding of the ‘how and why’ of myth.      About the author:  Sheena McGrath lives in northern Canada. She has a degree in medieval studies, and is the author of four other books: The Sun Goddess, Asyniur, Sun, Moon and Stars, and Brigantia. To catch up with what she's doing now, check out her blog, We Are Star Stuff.     Other books by this author:  The Sun Goddess: Myth, Legend, and History (Cassell: 1997)  Asyniur: Women’s Mysteries of the North (Capall Bann: 1997)  Sun, Moon and Stars (Capall Bann: 2006)

Njord and Skadi: A Myth Explored (Norse Mythology)

Literature & Fiction

History & Criticism

Avalonia

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Books by McGrath, Sheena