For those who follow the pagan path, the term ‘The Horned One’ is familiar. Some other names that are associated are Pan, Cernunnos, Herne, the Green Man and more. The Horned God is known to represent raw nature masculine energy and wild spaces. Typically in pagan books and traditions you will find more information on the Goddess. This is another great look at the history, myths, and practices that focus on the God of the witches.
The author does a good job of providing the history and research on the various versions of the Horned God. For those who wish to deepen their connection, he provides various exercises and rituals for connecting and forming a relationship with deity.
The book is broken down into sixteen chapters. These chapters include: The Nature of Deity, Myth and Ancient History, Ritual to Meet The Horned God, Antlers and Horns and Phalluses in the Ancient World, Pan and the other Horned Gods of Ancient Greece, Igniting the Fire (a Pan ritual), Cernunnos, Devotional altars, The Green Man, Herne the Hunter and Elen of Ways, The Rebirth of Pan, The devilish Horned God of Death, John Barleycorn Ritual, and lastly, From Horned God to the God: The Horned One in Wicca.
The bulk of the book is written about the history and information on the different versions of the Horned One. There are some exercises contained within to help the reader to connect thru meditations and rituals. The book is recommended for those who are looking to learn more about the history and background of the Horned One. The writing is more of a resource on the history and literature than a how to guide, but it is an interesting read.
~review by Amber Barnes
Author: Jason Mankey
Llewellyn Publications, 2021
pp. 304, $21.99
