The Well of Remembrance: Rediscovering the Earth Wisdom Myths of Northern Europe

Drinking from this Well is Well-Worth it! Ralph Metzner has helped us to remember many of the Old myths of northern Europe. With great detail, he shows the history and social developments which shaped the beliefs of the northern people. This is not a book of modern day Asatru practices or Norse rituals. It is a rich text of Pagan history, pointing out many examples of how we can benefit today by learning from the past. Metzner's title refers to the magic Well from which Odin drank to learn (i.e. "remember") the age-old origins of all things. He points out that we too can drink from this Well, and remember much of what modern society has sadly forgotten. While Metzner focuses mainly on Germanic, Scandinavian cultures, he makes frequent connections to the Celts, Romans, Asians -- and even Native Americans. More than mere history, Metzner (now in his sixties) mixes in his own thoughts and dreams, tales of vision quests and crossroads which he has faced upon his own spiritual journey. He also includes contributions from other writers, including an inspiring forward from author Marija Gimbutas. Readers will find a detailed history of how the migrations and invasions of the Indo-Europeans changed the face of northern Europe. Metzner explains how this change affected the beliefs and customs of northern Paganism. If you'd like to learn how Pagan society slowly shifted away from matriarchy to patriarchy, this book is a good resource. Metzner gives many examples of the shift from the matriarchal Earth Deities, or Vanir, to the warrior Sky Gods, called the Aesir. He bases much of this work on a good variety of historical sources, including Germanic cultural texts called the Eddas. (The term Edda translates to "Great Grandmother.") While Metzner offers his own personal views and interpretations, he leaves the door open for readers to draw many of their own conclusions. He also gives many examples of word origins, showing their root in social customs. An interesting example of this is the word matrimony, which Metzner claims is rooted to the matriarchal custom of family wealth being passed down along maternal lines, "matri" meaning mother and "mony" meaning money. His ten-page timeline of world history is an excellent research tool. It starts with the rise of human culture, using stone tools 2 million years ago, to cave paintings of "paired male and female figures," then brings us through classical Europe, ending in 1492 with Columbus. His views on the ferocious warriors, called the Berserkers, is interesting. Berserkers, meaning those who wear bear skins, fought wildly, sometimes under the influence of an herbal-induced frenzy. He also mentions the concept of Valhalla, a paradise reserved for warriors "lucky" enough to die in battle. Metzner then puts the ugliness of war into perspective, stating that Valhalla was a religious belief used to conveniently motivate the troops, moving the reader to ask what Valhallas we create today

Of all the Norse reading I have done, this was my favorite. Ralph Metzner examines Norse mythology through a very matricentric set of lenses, deconstructing some of the dominance-model material that has found its way into Norse "tradition". He reclaims the Vanic tradition without dishonoring the Aesir. He focuses on the shamanic aspects of Odin and deconstructs a great deal of misogynistic material surrounding Freyja. He separates the Norse heritage from the Nazi mythos and gives us a humane and empowering way to reclaim the Nordic traditions. This is a unique book--one I cannot recommend loudly enough.

"The Well of Remembrance" is an excellent place to begin a study of the old Norse religion and pantheon of Gods/Goddesses. The text is an extremely well written and scholarly investigation and interpretation of the myths and traditional texts (ie. The Poetic Edda), yet the language is grounded and flows smoothly, and the author's voice is clearly sympathetic to the tradition. The fact that Metzner is both interested in what he's writing and finds personal meaning in the subject really drew me in. It made me feel like I had found a spiritual guide, as opposed to just a book for reference. He does, however, thoroughly address all the major gods/goddesses, myths, etc... This book goes beyond the typical "new age" section book. It's intelligent, tender, and will set you on the right path.