Tacitus' Germania and the concept of the heathen hof/Viking temple

"The Germans do not think it in keeping with the divine majesty to confine gods within walls or to portray them in the likeness of any human countenance. Their holy places are woods and groves, and they apply the names of deities to that hidden presence which is seen only by the eye of reverence."
~Tacitus, Germania.


Now I know that Tacitus had his own agenda when writing Germania. Satire was probably at the forefront of his mind, rather than the accurate and sensitive portrayal of the religion of the Teutons. However, why is this passage so completely ignored by modern pagans?

None of the historical evidence we have is completely devoid of prejudice, even Snorri undoubtedly put his own slant on the mythologies he recorded. So why is Tacitus' passage here ignored? The average heathen household, in my experience, is rife with heathen iconography. Hofs are raised and/or dedicated to give the religion a physical presence that is, judging by the above quote, not only unnecessary, but wildly inappropriate.

Food for thought.

Magic(k) - That tricky little beggar...

I have to start this post by admitting that I am not a believer in magic as most people (or, at least, most neopagans) see it.

Most dictionary definitions of magic tend to involve referencing 'the supernatural' and that itself is described as being something that operates outside of nature.  That is where my problem lies.  For me, if something exists, it exists within nature.  Mankind is a part of the natural world and claims from some pagans that somehow, by living in a city and creating machines man has all but severed his attachment to the rest of nature just don't make sense to me.

If that is the case, why is an apartment block considered 'not natural' and yet a termite mound is?  Why is a man using a machine unnatural and yet a chimp or even a bird using a stick perfectly okay by Mother Nature?

So, to get back to the topic of magic.  Rather than believing in mystical mumbo-jumbo and arcane knowledge, I tend to find my magic firmly enshrouded within the natural order.  Now I could get all twee and start singing about how caterpillars metamorphosing into butterflies is magical.  But, frankly, I doubt I could keep the bile down long enough to sing the first few bars.  Instead, I choose to see anyone who makes a significant change in the world around them through the application of their will as a magical event.

To provide a topical example, a person who loses an arm or a leg but, through self discipline and training (and the exertion of their will) goes on to win gold at the paralympics - that could be considered, by me, to be a form of magic.

That is but one of a myriad of examples I could give, but the point is that, in my opinion, magic doesn't have to be conjured from the ether.  It is all around us and pervades everything - it is just a change in attitude and outlook that allows it to be seen.

Now let this muggle get back to work...