The Nature of Magic: An Anthropology of Consciousness [Paperback]

Susan Greenwood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 2005

This book examines how and why practitioners of nature religion--Western witches, druids, shamans--seek to relate spiritually with nature through "magical consciousness". Greenwood develops a new theory of magical consciousness by arguing that magic ultimately has more to do with the workings of the human mind in terms of an expanded awareness than with socio-cultural explanations. She combines her own subjective insights gained from magical practice with practitioners' in-depth accounts and sustained academic theory on the process of magic. She also tracks magical consciousness in philosophy, myth, folklore and story-telling, and the hi-tech discourse of postmodernity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The Nature of Magic 'reflects increased confidence, maturation of thought, and the ongoing development of sophisticated and nuanced theoretical frameworks that enable [Greenwood] to successfully tackle the challenge of writing academically about magic without simply dismissing, ridiculing, or explaining it away as so many other scholars have done'The Pomegranate review by Nikki Bado-Frelick, Iowa State University'This is a timely and original contribution to our understanding of magical thought in post-modern Western civilization. Greenwood's in-depth study of her subject, combined with thorough field research, has enabled her to perceive connections not previously made, and to construct a comprehensive and ambitious theory of magic.'Roy Willis, Emeritus Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh.'Most work on contemporary Western shamans and magicians is either uncomprehending dismissal or uncritical celebration. In this work, Greenwood shows again that she is one of the ver

About the Author

Susan Greenwood is Lecturer in School of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Sussex.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Berg Publishers (July 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845200950
• ISBN-13: 978-1845200954
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,273,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Relationship of Humankind and Nature; A Review, Oct 1 2011, October 2, 2011

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John Richard Lovell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Nature of Magic: An Anthropology of Consciousness (Paperback)

This book from Susan Greenwood is an excellent read, that takes the reader on a virtual `how to' journey into the connectivity between the human mind and the natural world. Taking several examples from indigenous societies around the world, Greenwood reveals the connection between the animal spirit and that of human spirit in her description of the "Wild Hunt' where she highlights how, "Human beings and animals are enmeshed in relationships of reciprocity," Greenwood, 2005: 137) an ontological approach that provides vivid examples to illustrate this relationship between the Rock Cree of Manitoba, Canada and the animals they hunt for sustenance. As a contrast, Greenwood draws upon the work of world class philosopher Gregory Bateson to inform the reader of the tragic disconnect of humanity from our natural ecology, which evolved out the `scientific' infancy of the 16th and 17th century that denied nature of it's independent life-force instead into an inanimate object devoid of any power, power which was reserved solely to mankind's interpretation of `God' as a reflection conceived in human terms (Greenwood, 2005:207).
Greenwood invites the reader to reflect upon `magic consciousness' as a state of mind that is a natural force, not a supernatural one. Susan Greenwood's book the "The Nature of Magic" is well-researched and extensively documented from her personal experience and multiple ethnographies. This accounts for her statements of inter-connectivity of the minds of humanity with the natural world since magic is not an unnatural state, but a perfectly human state of mind not confined to the annals of historical myths but potentially with all of us.
This highly readable book is a must, for those who wish to embark on a journey to explore their own personal connection with the natural world. Greenwood's book "The Nature of Magic" provides the reader with a `road map' for that journey.