Beyond the North Wind: The Fall and Rise of the Mystic North

Description

"The North" is simultaneously a location, a direction, and a mystical concept. Although this concept has ancient roots in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales, it continues to resonate today within modern culture. McIntosh leads readers, chapter by chapter, through the magical and spiritual history of the North, as well as its modern manifestations, as documented through physical records, such as runestones and megaliths, but also through mythology and lore. This mythic conception of a unique, powerful, and mysterious Northern civilization was known to the Greeks as "Hyberborea"--the "Land Beyond the North Wind"--which they considered to be the true origin place of their god, Apollo, bringer of civilization. Through the Greeks, this concept of the mythic North would spread throughout Western civilization. In addition, McIntosh discusses Russian Hyperboreanism, which he describes as among "the most influential of the new religions and quasi-religious movements that have sprung up in Russia since the fall of Communism" and which is currently almost unknown in the West.

Christopher McIntosh holds a DPhil in history from Oxford, a degree in German from London University and a diploma in Russian from the United Nations Language School. He lives in Lower Saxony, North Germany. Hilmar OErn Hilmarsson is the Allsherjargodi (high priest) of the Asatru community of Iceland. He is an internationally celebrated musician and a composer of film music.

"Christopher McIntosh's new book on the history, mythology and meaning of actual and supposed Hyperborean civilizations provided me with a captivating adventure, akin to setting sail in a Nordic longboat into formerly icy and uncharted territory. As the journey progressed, my mind began to un-freeze as I was opened to the author's fabulous array of scholarly lore amid a fascinating range of vital research upon topics many of us have gained only hints about in the past. This is an invigorating, important work to appear as many people seek meaningful identities within, and perhaps beyond, a modern world that is fast divorcing people from their roots and their souls. Dr McIntosh cuts through the ice with a diamond edge, revealing a lake of insight and promise of greater, more enriching vistas to come. I commend this work highly both to fellow scholars and to anyone seriously interested in the highly charged meaning of the word "Nordic", a word rightly associated with quality, nobility, and beauty, only abused by those who lack those very qualities. Dr McIntosh's genial text is consistently illuminating, easy to read and digest, scholarly but by no means dry or obscure. He wants to communicate his knowledge and interest, clearly and fairly, and succeeds wonderfully in a work representing the achievements of a lifetime of open-hearted study and valid experience." --Tobias Churton, author of The True History of the Rosicrucians, Aleister Crowley: The Biography, Jerusalem! The Real Life of William Blake; Occult Paris, and The Spiritual Meaning of the Sixties--Tobias Churton "Among many other things, Christopher McIntosh's book deals with the fascinating topic of Hyperborea, the legendary northern homeland, lying somewhere beyond the Arctic Circle, a source of ancient wisdom and advanced knowledge, lost to humanity. This mysterious land has captured the imagination of many esotericists, artists. and explorers, especially those in Russia, seeking to solve one of the world's greatest mysteries. Based on a variety of documentary sources and beautifully written, Beyond the North Wind makes compelling reading." --Alexander Andreyev, Russian historian, Tibetologist. and philologist, author of The Myth of the Masters: The Occult Lives of Nikolai and Helena Roerich and Occultist of the Land of the Soviets: The Mystery of Dr. Barchenko--Alexander Andreyev "The North is back with a vengeance. So says Christopher McIntosh in his latest book, Beyond the North Wind: The Fall and Rise of the Mystic North. In a mixture of scholarly research, historical evidence, archaeological findings and speculative musings, the author invites the reader on an adventure of exploration to find the truth about a 'mysterious, advanced, prehistoric culture in the North.' The North has long been considered barbaric and primitive. We have been taught that culture moved from the south to the north, despite much historical and archaeological evidence to the contrary. Have we been blinded by popular dogma? Did Hyperborea actually exist? What if a superior civilization did exist in the circumpolar regions and it moved south leaving its mark on culture, language, science, math and religion in all parts of the world? What if we have actually degenerated rather than advanced? What if enlightenment came from the North? I would definitely recommend this book." --Ingrid Kincaid, author of The Runes Revealed--Ingrid Kincaid "Unique among scholars, Christopher McIntosh knows Iceland and the leaders of its Pagan revival; Russia, with its new wave of art and literature; and the popular genres of folk music, fiction and film. All this is backed by a profound knowledge of Western esoteric traditions. In his new book Beyond the North Wind, he not only chronicles the rise of the Northern egregore but contributes his own loyalty and learning to it. He argues persuasively for the reality of Hyperborea as a prehistoric circumpolar culture, and for the perennial value of its legacy." --Joscelyn Godwin, author of ARKTOS: The Polar Myth in Science, Symbolism, & Nazi Survival, The Pagan Dream of the Renaissance, and many other books--Joscelyn Godwin "Beyond the North Wind is important and deserves celebration for the profound, but until now hidden truth it contains suggesting a Nordic origin of civilization, backed up by solid research in archaeology. Both esoteric scholars and educated Heathens will find it of inestimable value. This tantalizing tapestry of hard factual evidence of the Hyperborean hypothesis is allied by deep metaphysics and mythology. The book contains a wealth of information from Russia, not seen before in the West, to my knowledge, as well as an extensive appendix listing gods and other beings from Norse mythology. Fascinating and pleasant to read." --Freya Aswynn, author of Northern Mysteries and Magick and Leaves of Yggdrasil--Freya Aswynn "In Beyond the North Wind, Christopher McIntosh takes us on a journey to explore all the profound cultural history and nuances of Hyperborea in the European heritage, expertly guiding us to understand the Northern Mysteries of Paganism in new and deeper ways. Numerous important historical figures and traditions and all manner of ancient ideas are here, presented in an engaging way. If you're interested in finding your spiritual North, read this book!" --Arthur Versluis, author of Entering the Mysteries: The Secret Traditions of Indigenous Europe and The Secret Island--Arthur Versluis "Beyond the North Wind is a masterful example of academic detective work, leading to the astounding conclusion that our Arctic northlands were once home to a lost prehistoric civilization. Highly recommended." --Herbie Brennan, author of The Atlantis Enigma--Herbie Brennan "Like the runes he explores, Christopher McIntosh's use of language contains 'capsules of magical power'. His shamanistic journey to Hyperborea leads the reader through myths, place names, folk tales, star lore, and intriguing and outlandish archaeological traces. In Beyond the North Wind, McIntosh takes us back in time to a civilization older than Atlantis and called the origin of all primal tradition. He also shows how in another dimension Hyperborea never went away, how it is still a root of primal forces, giving individuals in politics and the arts a sense of energy and power - for good or for ill." -Mark Booth, author of The Secret History of the World--Mark Booth "This is an amazing and deeply original book; a work of immense erudition written in an elegant, approachable, and luminously intelligible style. Its quiet wit tempers its awe-inspiring and sometimes terrifying perspectives. I have been educated and delighted by this book." --Frederick Turner, Founders Professor of Arts and Humanities, University of Texas at Dallas--Frederick Turner