The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices
Zoomicon-zoom-in
The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices

The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices

By
Claude Lecouteux (Author)  

Paperback

In Stock

Quantity

Also available on eBook for £10.99. Click here to purchase from Rakuten Kobo

Why do we hang horseshoes for good luck or place wreaths on our doors? Why does the groom carry his new bride over the threshold? These customs represent the last vestiges from a long, rich history of honoring the spirits of our homes. They show that a house is more than a building: it is a living being with a body and soul. Examining the extensive traditions surrounding houses from medieval times to the present, Claude Lecouteux reveals that, before we entered the current era of frequent moves and modular housing, moving largely from the countryside into cities, humanity had an extremely sacred relationship with their homes and all the spirits who lived there alongside them--from the spirit of the house itself to the mischievous elves, fairies, and imps who visited, invited or not. He shows how every aspect of constructing and keeping a house involved rites, ceremony, customs, and taboos to appease the spirits, including the choice of a building lot and the very materials with which it was built. Uncovering the lost meaning behind door and window placement, the hearth, and the threshold, Lecouteux shares many tales of house spirits, from the offerings used to cajole the local land spirit into becoming the domestic house spirit to the good and bad luck bestowed upon those who seek the help of the "Little Money Man." He draws on studies and classic literature from old Europe--from Celtic lands and Scandinavia to France and Germany to the far eastern borders of Europe and into Russia--to explain the pagan roots behind many of these traditions. Revealing our ancestors' charms, prayers, and practices to bestow happiness and prosperity upon their homes, Lecouteux shows that we can invite the spirits back into our houses, old or new, and restore the sacred bond between home and inhabitant. Includes 8-page color insert and 21 b&w illustrations EU Toy Safety Directive - No warning
Claude Lecouteux is a former professor of medieval literature and civilization at the Sorbonne. He is the author of numerous books on medieval and pagan afterlife beliefs, including The Secret History of Poltergeists and Haunted Houses. He lives in Paris.
  • Contributor: Claude Lecouteux
  • Imprint: Inner Traditions Bear and Company
  • ISBN13: 9781620551059
  • Number of Pages: 248
  • Packaged Dimensions: 152x229x15mm
  • Packaged Weight: 308
  • Format: Paperback
  • Publisher: Inner Traditions Bear and Company
  • Release Date: 2013-07-21
  • Binding: Paperback / softback
  • Biography: Claude Lecouteux is a former professor of medieval literature and civilization at the Sorbonne. He is the author of numerous books on medieval and pagan afterlife beliefs, including The Secret History of Poltergeists and Haunted Houses. He lives in Paris.

Delivery Options

Home Delivery

Store Delivery

Free Returns

We hope you are delighted with everything you buy from us. However, if you are not, we will refund or replace your order up to 30 days after purchase. Terms and exclusions apply; find out more from our Returns and Refunds Policy.