Forms of the Horned God

I'm seeing if I can make a post regarding the Horned God and the names he goes by in different places. Of course, I want to see if there are any who are interested first.

Pan! (Ancient Greek/Roman)
I'd be very interested to see this.
Relevant to my interests +1

The reason I will be writing of the Lord of Animals is because of his diverse spheres of control and the fact the Church feared these horned or antlered gods so much, they demonized them. King of the Earth and Sky, God of life, death, and rebirth. Lord of the hunt, and music. If I'm able, I'll be adding the ways he can aid in aspects of astral combat. However, first I must give overviews of the different gods that come together under the title of Horned God.

Pan the Reveler
First I'll speak of the Horned Lord in Greece. Pan is the God of the the wild, and God of the domestic. He is a representation of the untamed aspects of life, in humans and animals. Pan is the type of God that promotes excitement, pleasure, and simple enjoyment. He is characterized for his lust, for he is always seen chasing down nymphs and other things involving physical love. As a player of the panpipes, he is God of rustic music as well, matching Apollo himself in contest. In other words, he's one of those guys who can party as hard as Dionysus. Through the woods, Pan is the protector of his children. He provokes fear upon his enemies, and shows he will respect you only if you respect him. Pan represents the material aspects of life, and knows the all things related to the earth and her inhabitants. Those who wish to deal with nature can call for his aid, and those who wish for his help in matters of music can call him forth. Pan doesn't discriminate and doesn't shy away from those who need him. When in need of merriment, Pan is there to cheer up. However, Pan does have a dark side. When he guards, he guards without mercy, and when you show disrespect, he will show his anger. I'm sure you know where the word 'panic' came from. This side of Pan isn't his biggest attribute in the modern world, so he's seen as his lighter side by many. Pan enjoys offerings of honey and milk, and playing music on his behalf is always a good when catching his attention. Sexual images or actions also entice the God, and lust is something that he embraces. The spring is his preferred season, and bright, hot colors are attributed to him. In my experiences with Pan, he always encourages me to step out of my comfort zone, some of those times against my better judgement. Despite this, he has shown me many times his wisdom and does guide me in times I can't rely on anyone else. Since I play a violin, I have prayed to Pan to help me in my practices and lessons. I still play horribly, but he helps me pass through my class XD
He teaches me to never let bad situations keep me down, and to take enjoyment out of the little things that the day provides. This is obviously not the biggest source out there providing sufficient information discussing the Horned God as Pan. If any of you have more information regarding the Lord of Greece, feel free to add on. I strongly recommend to anyone interested to look into the myths that speak of Pan. Especially the one that states Pan's 'death', since it sort of intrigues my mind and it might be fun to look into it.
As soon as I can, I'll post of the Horned God of the Gauls and of Britain. Cernunnos...

I'd be interested in learning more as you can! :)

Cernunnos the Guide
The Lord of Beasts has taken many forms, but his most enigmatic is his guise as the Antlered God of the Gauls. The fact his image is scattered throughout places like Italy, France, and Britain. We can only make guesses about his stories and worship, but the symbolism he bears gives us an idea. Holding a pouch of coins, he is the lord and God of prosperity, bringing riches and fortune. Holding the torc, he is master of war and a king with high status. Holding the ram-horned snakes, he rules over the Underworld, and allows access to the spirits and powers of the dead. He was considered a God equivalent to Pluto, Hades, but Cernunnos holds position over fertility as well, sometimes depicted with an upright phallus. He is depicted with antlers, surrounded by grazing animals, showing him as God of Beasts. See any resemblances with him and Pan? He is what I call a guiding, or 'transitional' God, for he has a grip on this world and the Otherworld. He guides the departed to the Afterlife, giving him a trait with Hermes. It is as Cernunnos that the Horned God takes the role of giver and taker of life. In my workings with Cernunnos, he has a rather 'no nonsense' character, but does enjoy showing his sense of humor on occasions. Like Pan, he revels in pleasure, but for the most part, shows he takes his spheres of responsibility very seriously. He makes me acknowledge that even though I should live life, I must learn that one day death will take me and my loved ones, and that I shall not blame him or His work, but simply remember what was, and hope for what's next. Simply giving time of devotion and honor to him through prayer has proven to please him, but food of any kind can do for him. A bit of money offered to him does the job to. Cernunnos is seen as hunter and hunted, predator and prey. He will present moments of "do this to prove your bravery", or "you really need this, show me you deserve it". Though, he has that side that shows he does hold a good bond with his children. I have felt his encouragement in times of severe importance, and counsels for my worries and shames. He teaches secrets to those who are willing to hear, and shows the path of the Fae, to those ready to make that journey. This is what hasn't been forgotten in his latest home in Britain. Where the Church failed to eradicate Cernunnos, they turned him into a demoted ghost prowling the forests. Herne the Hunter, leader of the Wild Hunt, has been feared as an evil spirit, taking away the sinners to their early demise. He turned into Old Horny, they viewed him as Gynn Ap Nudd, and later, he became the name we all know now, the Devil. Now King of the Wicked, King of the Witches, he is forgotten for what he was for a long time from the general public, but there were those few that kept his worship alive. While this was a basic overview of Cernunnos, I'll have to move on to the next few glimpses of the Old God. Old Horny, the true God of the Witches...

Thought I might post/share this "poem" I made for Cernunnos.

Hunter and Hunted

Wolf and Deer

Master of the Wilds

Prey turned Predator

Predator turned Prey

With His teeth He smiles

His jaws beckoning one to stray

Too close

With His antlers He warns

Glistening in the moonlight

Daring

To give up the fight is to die

To refuse to fight is to die

To fight is to live

To be is to live

True freedom is to know you are Prey

True freedom is to know you are Predator

True freedom is to know you.

The poem is very lovely! Really captured the essence of what life is about.

Thank you, I thought so too. I find that Cernunnos mainly teaches me about life and what it really means to be alive and living.

Old Horny
It is clear the Inquisition of European "witches" took the lives of many people disliked by their neighbors, or society in general. Many of the people, most of them women, were accused of being witches, heretics, and enemies of the church when it was never the case at all. Paranoia, fear, and/or jealousy played up to much of the accusations. However, there were still those few that provided evidence of the real witchcraft of those times. Figures like Isobel Gowdie gave testimonies of the Devil himself giving her power. Now, we must take every testimony of these times with a pinch of salt, but the idea of the Devil as the King of Witches is something that could have been abundant in many parts, and so has brought forth many traditions and practices calling him as teacher and father. Names like Bucca, and Ole Puck referred to a fairylike creature who aided the witch in her craft. The creatures can be viewed more as weather or sea spirits, but still were considered powerful to the point of being godlike. These can be viewed as the names of the Horned God once again. The Devil himself is a representation of all that is untamed, feared, and free. Presented as an idea rather than an actual entity now a days, he is all the desire, knowledge, and power society strives to extinguish. This dark persona makes the domestic soul cringe, and his presence signals the reversal of all that is acceptable and safe. When seen as a deity, an entity, he bestows knowledge and power over certain things. He will take care of his own if and when they treat him right. In a more fearsome aspect, he is host of the Wild Hunt, chasing down any and all who cross his path. The Woodwise, Fae Folk, or demons accompany him in his hunt, or the Mighty Dead. The Lord of the Hunt has been referred to as Herne in some parts, or even Woden/Odin. Upon the Hunt, the Wild Host rides across the sky, in the woods, or through the roads at night, taking with them all who fall to their sight. Considering the different aspects talked about in this one, I will start writing about certain spells and rituals that call forth the powers and presence of the Horned Lord later on...