The Hidden Pathways of Germanic Mythology: On the Neglected, Demonized, Repulsed and Repressed Archetypical Representations of Original Germanic Culture

In the context of the Indo-European cultures, this book, The Hidden Pathways of Germanic Mythology, offers an overview of the hidden pathways of Germanic Mythology, focusing upon the Germanic Word View, the creation of the world, the Dawn of Gods and the psychological role of some of the most significant gods and goddesses. The center of gravity is given to the relationship between the Germanic mythology, Christianity and humanistic education. It is revealed that the Germanic universe had a balanced worldview between patriarchal and matricentric gods and that the Norse people developed and cultivated some of today's most highly held values such as democracy and individual and female rights. The book points at the considerable consequences of neglecting, demonizing, repulsing and repressing archetypical representations of the original Germanic culture, which was and still is considered barbarous and primitive. This creates momentous daggers for the resilience, diversity and wellbeing of our societies. It is shown that Odin's fundamental act of divination, his voluntary hanging on the Word Tree, provided humanity with access to the collective unconsciousness and ego autonomization. Odin is thus the archetype of the therapist of the psychodynamic tradition. The book ends with a plea that advocates for increased archetypal literacy, looked at as roadmap to peace.

About the Author :
Paul Wassmann was born in Germany, but spend his adult life in northern Norway. He is a professor in marine ecology at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø, Norway. He has extensively worked with ecosystem functioning in all European seas, but particularly in the ice-covered waters in the European Arctic, focusing upon the consequences of climate warming. Wassmann has been leading a range of research projects, a PhD school, various national and international networks and contributed to an integrative understanding of Arctic marine ecosystems. He studied also basic psychology and has frequently attended lectures at C. G. Jung Institute in Küsnacht, Switzerland. Based upon analytical psychology and cultural history he frequently lectured about Germanic mythology.

Review :
"Paul Wassmann has written an important work of cultural reclamation and reconstruction. He brings the story of Germanic myth alive against a vividly described historical background. One might say this is a project of redeeming the gods of the Germanic peoples. Very intelligently written and with a strong sense of meaning for the contemporary world." -Murray Stein, Ph.D. "Wassmann's project is to bring forward the Germanic mythology, which appears, by and large, at best marginalized, but for the most repressed and neglected--or misused. Jungian analysts need to know about this to be able to recognize motives, as they turns up in dreams." -Pia Skogemann, Jungian analyst, supervisor, teacher at the C. G. Jung Institute Copenhagen, author of several books, in English including Where the Shadows Lie