Fate and the Twilight of the Gods

Fate and the Twilight of the Gods: The Norns and an Exegesis of Voluspa, Gwendolyn Taunton, Manticore Press, 2018

This is a short book on Northern European (specifically Norse) mythology.

Fate is a force that is outside of human control. In Northern Europe, fate is usually shown as a Goddess with three aspects, known as the Norns or Nornir. They are not separate and distinct figures, which leads to the possibility that they were imported from somewhere else, and merged with the existing belief system via Roman incursions into Europe.

There is a problem in trying to study the surviving textual references to the Nornir. Christians destroyed a lot of indigenous literature during their aggressive converting of Europeans. Therefore, the concept of the Nornir could have been part of something much bigger.

Many different traditions have their own apocalypse story; for the Norwegians, it is called Ragnarok. It is similar to other traditions in that there is a cycle of decline in the quality of life until the end comes. Then the world is purified through destruction and things begin again.

Loki is the antagonist behind the coming of Ragnarok. He is never fully accepted into the community of Asgard. He is eventually imprisoned and tortured. Ragnarok can not be prevented, only postponed, because of a mistake in Odin's (Loki's father) past.

This is a very specialized book. It is recommended for mythology scholars, or those who otherwise know their way around Norse mythology. For the average reader, this book can be skipped.

Tantric Traditions

Tantric Traditions: Gods, Rituals and Esoteric Teachings in the Kali Yuga, Gwendolyn Taunton, Manticore Press, 2018

In the West, the word "tantra" is usually followed by the word "sex". Part of mainstream Hinduism, there is much more to tantra than just sex.

Tantra is actually loosely defined, consisting of multiple schools that worship various deities and practice different techniques. Tantra cannot be "nailed down" to a specific tradition.

The God Siva is a very important part of the social and religious life of India. Among the aspects, or portrayals, of Siva is that of Nataraja, King of the Dance. Another aspect of Siva is Sankara the Beneficent. Nataraja uses constant dancing, and Sankara uses yoga, as a route to a higher level of consciousness. Such different facets of Siva lead to the description as a God that transcends opposites and the limitations of humanity.

Devi is a Goddess with many aspects which are shown under numerous names and forms. In Hindu law, menstrual blood and menstruating women have all sorts of taboos. Touching a menstruating woman is akin to touching an outcast or a corpse. A woman who wears her hair unbound is a sign that she is menstruating.

The holy city of Kasi is not just a place of pilgrimage. The God Siva is said to be always present there. It is said that merely to die in Kasi is enough to release a person from Hinduism's cycle of death and rebirth.

This book is not Hinduism For Beginners. It is recommended for religious scholars, university students or people who otherwise know their way around the Hindu religion. For everyone else, this book can be skipped.