Electronic God-Man
08-11-2009, 11:53 PM
I would like to know if anyone has any clue as to how to extract the heathen aspects out of the rather large body of mixed Christian-Heathen (relative to the purely heathen) spells, incantations, and rituals that we have.
Here is a link to a book called Das Romanus-Büchlein (http://www.esotericarchives.com/moses/romanus.htm) (The Little Book of the Roma-Gypsies*). I found it while trying to get a copy of Der Lange Verborgene Freund (usually known in English as The Long Lost Friend) which is a Pennsylvania Dutch book of spells. The Long Lost Friend, written in 1820, takes much of its spells directly from Das Romanus-Büchlein, which was written in 1788. Within are many spells that appear to mix Christianity with Rheinland and Swiss German heathenism. A few of the spells I have seen in earlier purely heathen form, such as the spell to "Free Yourself of All Ropes and Fetters". However, this spell, if it is a version of the spell I have seen before, is heavily Christianized.
You don't have to discuss just these two books of course. There are numerous spells and rituals of this very same mixed Christian-Heathen nature from all over Europe. There are likely even better examples out there. Ones that are less heavily Christian influenced. I'd simply like to know if anyone has any suggestions on how to get as much of the earlier Heathen aspects out of them. What would the Heathen spell have looked like? Is it at all possible to vaguely see the spells' heathen origins? Or are they far too Christianized to even hope to glean anything heathen from them?
*The book's title refers to Roma Gypsy's but most likely the spells have little to do with them. I think the author just wanted to make the origins seem more exotic and choosing Gypsies was probably even safer than saying that the spells were pagan-influenced. This is much like other similar books that claim to have ancient knowledge from Egypt. Afterall, the Gypsies were at one time thought to have been from Egypt.
Here are a few examples from Das Romanus-Büchlein:
When a Person goes out to Battle, and speaks the following, he will be Secure against Swords and other Weapons which may be Drawn against him. [EG, pp. 188-9.]
God greet ye, brothers of good cheer [Wohlgemuth = gemütvoll]. Ye have drank of Christ's blood. This I have drank for your own good. God the Father is with me. God the Son, he is with ye. God the Holy Spirit be between us two and be with us all that no one be able to draw the sword from the hilt. Lord Jesus I am thine. I lean myself upon the help of God the Father. † † † I commend myself to the sweet name of Jesus Christ who is above me. As true as the Lord liveth and soars above, so true will his holy angels protect me with his love and protect my going in and coming out, hither and thither. God the Father be my power. God the Son be my strength. God's holy angels defy and chase all my foes and all bands of thieves, and protect me against all ills and grievances. As sun and moon stood still at Joshua's command, when he fought the Philistine's on Jordan's strand. Three roses stand upon the dear Lord's brow, the first is kind, the second is meek, the third is his divine will, whoever is under it must stand fixed and still. † † †
65. To Compel a Thief to return Stolen Goods. [H 179]
Walk out early in the morning, before sunrise, to a Juniper tree, and bend it with the left hand toward the rising sun, while you are saying: Juniper tree, I shall bend and squeeze thee, until the thief has returned the stolen goods to the place from which he took them. — Then you must take a stone and put it on the bush, and under the bush and the stone you must place the scull of a malefactor. † † † Yet you must be careful in case the thief return the stolen goods, to unloose the bush and replace the stone where it was before.
62. A Charm to gain advantage of a man of superior strength.
I, (name,) breathe upon thee. Three drops of blood I take from thee: the first out of thy heart, the other out of thy liver, and the third out of thy vital powers; and in this I deprive thee of thy strength and manliness.
60. Another well-tried Charm against Fire-Arms. [H 172]
Blessed is the hour in which Jesus Christ was born; blessed is the hour in which Jesus Christ was born; blessed is the hour in which Jesus Christ was born; blessed is the hour in which Jesus Christ has arisen from the dead; blessed are these three hours over thy gun, that no shot or ball shall fly toward me, and neither my skin, nor my hair, nor my blood, nor my flesh, be injured by them, and that no kind of weapon or metal shall do me any harm, so surely as the Mother of God shall not bring forth another son † † †. Amen.
27. To Win every Game one engages in. [H 139]
Tie the heart of a bat with a red silken string to the right arm, and you will win every game at cards you play.
Here is a link to a book called Das Romanus-Büchlein (http://www.esotericarchives.com/moses/romanus.htm) (The Little Book of the Roma-Gypsies*). I found it while trying to get a copy of Der Lange Verborgene Freund (usually known in English as The Long Lost Friend) which is a Pennsylvania Dutch book of spells. The Long Lost Friend, written in 1820, takes much of its spells directly from Das Romanus-Büchlein, which was written in 1788. Within are many spells that appear to mix Christianity with Rheinland and Swiss German heathenism. A few of the spells I have seen in earlier purely heathen form, such as the spell to "Free Yourself of All Ropes and Fetters". However, this spell, if it is a version of the spell I have seen before, is heavily Christianized.
You don't have to discuss just these two books of course. There are numerous spells and rituals of this very same mixed Christian-Heathen nature from all over Europe. There are likely even better examples out there. Ones that are less heavily Christian influenced. I'd simply like to know if anyone has any suggestions on how to get as much of the earlier Heathen aspects out of them. What would the Heathen spell have looked like? Is it at all possible to vaguely see the spells' heathen origins? Or are they far too Christianized to even hope to glean anything heathen from them?
*The book's title refers to Roma Gypsy's but most likely the spells have little to do with them. I think the author just wanted to make the origins seem more exotic and choosing Gypsies was probably even safer than saying that the spells were pagan-influenced. This is much like other similar books that claim to have ancient knowledge from Egypt. Afterall, the Gypsies were at one time thought to have been from Egypt.
Here are a few examples from Das Romanus-Büchlein:
When a Person goes out to Battle, and speaks the following, he will be Secure against Swords and other Weapons which may be Drawn against him. [EG, pp. 188-9.]
God greet ye, brothers of good cheer [Wohlgemuth = gemütvoll]. Ye have drank of Christ's blood. This I have drank for your own good. God the Father is with me. God the Son, he is with ye. God the Holy Spirit be between us two and be with us all that no one be able to draw the sword from the hilt. Lord Jesus I am thine. I lean myself upon the help of God the Father. † † † I commend myself to the sweet name of Jesus Christ who is above me. As true as the Lord liveth and soars above, so true will his holy angels protect me with his love and protect my going in and coming out, hither and thither. God the Father be my power. God the Son be my strength. God's holy angels defy and chase all my foes and all bands of thieves, and protect me against all ills and grievances. As sun and moon stood still at Joshua's command, when he fought the Philistine's on Jordan's strand. Three roses stand upon the dear Lord's brow, the first is kind, the second is meek, the third is his divine will, whoever is under it must stand fixed and still. † † †
65. To Compel a Thief to return Stolen Goods. [H 179]
Walk out early in the morning, before sunrise, to a Juniper tree, and bend it with the left hand toward the rising sun, while you are saying: Juniper tree, I shall bend and squeeze thee, until the thief has returned the stolen goods to the place from which he took them. — Then you must take a stone and put it on the bush, and under the bush and the stone you must place the scull of a malefactor. † † † Yet you must be careful in case the thief return the stolen goods, to unloose the bush and replace the stone where it was before.
62. A Charm to gain advantage of a man of superior strength.
I, (name,) breathe upon thee. Three drops of blood I take from thee: the first out of thy heart, the other out of thy liver, and the third out of thy vital powers; and in this I deprive thee of thy strength and manliness.
60. Another well-tried Charm against Fire-Arms. [H 172]
Blessed is the hour in which Jesus Christ was born; blessed is the hour in which Jesus Christ was born; blessed is the hour in which Jesus Christ was born; blessed is the hour in which Jesus Christ has arisen from the dead; blessed are these three hours over thy gun, that no shot or ball shall fly toward me, and neither my skin, nor my hair, nor my blood, nor my flesh, be injured by them, and that no kind of weapon or metal shall do me any harm, so surely as the Mother of God shall not bring forth another son † † †. Amen.
27. To Win every Game one engages in. [H 139]
Tie the heart of a bat with a red silken string to the right arm, and you will win every game at cards you play.