Horns of Power: Manifestations of the Horned God

by Sorita d'Este (Editor)

The raw, ancient and primordial force symbolised by horns has long had associations with mystery, magick and power. Our ancestors often envisaged their gods as anthropomorphic beings who encapsulated this wild essence. Today the gods of the bull, the ram, the goat and the stag still hold tremendous power and are invoked at rituals by a new priesthood who continue to seek the wildness of nature and the inspiration that it holds. These deities transcend the safe and known boundaries of human structure, sometimes even luring us across the threshold of the known into the unknown worlds beyond. This unique anthology brings together the work of more than twenty people, including that of dedicated scholars and modern day mystics. Through their written and artistic contributions they illustrate some of the many manifestations of the Horned God. A true cornucopia of both insightful and well researched essays takes us from the well known Celtic Cernunnos and the legend of Herne the Hunter, to the goat-footed Greek Pan, the lesser known Slavic Veles and Egyptian Khnum. Horned serpents, unicorns, the tale of the Battle of the Bulls in the Irish Táin Bó Cúailnge, the Welsh Gwyn Ap Nudd and the faery Puck are all also considered. Then a wild hunt as we journey with the mystics who share their own experiences of the gods of the wildwood and untamed beasts. Each story is as different as the person who experienced it - and each illustrating in its own unique way a Horned God who is wild, unpredictable, loving - and at heart a trickster. For those who wish to dare a bit more than others, visionary meditation journeys to explore the mysteries of Cernunnos and Gwyn Ap Nudd are included. Horns of power would of course be nothing without the horns of beauty of the feminine divine, and in the final section of this anthology the reader is presented with works exploring horned goddesses, such as the lunar horned Hekate, Selene and Artemis and the antlered Elen. Whether through the mysteries of their existence, the vast scope of their influence or the endurance of their survival through to the modern day, each contribution provides a window into the wonders and mystery of the enduring magick of the horned gods.

Genres: Paganism, Mythology, Witchcraft, Religion, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Reference

204 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2008

About the author

Sorita d’Este is an author, researcher and priestess who has devoted her life to the Mysteries. She is the author of around 20 books exploring subjects related to the practice and history of magic, mythology, religion, folklore and witchcraft. Her previous books include titles such as Hekate Liminal Rites, Practical Elemental Magick, Visions of the Cailleach, Wicca: Magickal Beginnings and The Isles of the Many Gods. Her latest release is Circle For Hekate: Vol I. She lives on a hill in Glastonbury (Somerset, UK) from where she works as a publisher and writer. She is frequently distracted from her work by her love of gardening, exciting visitors and the promise of interesting esoteric knowledge.

Reviews

[Aisha Oaktree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to be a Christian (shocker I know), when I left I sought the Craft because there was a Divine Feminine, something totally missing in the patriarchal traditions. Like many of those who are refugees from the heavy handed and jealous God; I found it hard to look to the Divine Masculine the way I embraced the Divine Feminine, and for that reason I found it especially hard to reconcile or even work with the male energies within the Craft. Obviously knowing this the God stepped back and allowed me to grow in my understanding of myself and my faith in the Goddess before stepping back into my life.

As I have grown in the Craft I noticed that the God has taken on a stronger role in my life. One of my Patrons who came looking for me was Anubis, of the Kemetic tradition. Since the Kemetic tradition is based mostly on academic research and the left over tales, legends, myths, rituals and actually written texts of Egypt, there is plenty of information on which to base my practice on. I am also heavily influenced by the Celtic traditions, and was fascinated by Herne, here however there wasn't as much.
When I realized I was comfortable working with the male energy I went seeking to understand the Horned God and discovered that unlike the deluge of books dedicated to the Goddess in all her guises, and traditions very few were written on the God. The few that were written were directed at men in the craft. That left me with very little to fall back on or to even guide me in my workings with Him.

I recently was told about this book being offered by amazon for kindle for free and i went ahead and downloaded it. It sat on my pc for a few weeks until I got an android phone and downloaded the kindle app there. That was probably one of my better decisions.

This books is amazing. I read and fell in love with the poetry, the well researched and referenced articles,the amazing artwork. This book is so good I'm purchasing a physical copy to have as reference for myself. In a Craft that discusses balance this book is a well needed tome that speaks to balance; giving the God his due as much as the Goddess has.

Each author did their level best not just to give the academic knowledge of the article but their personal stories as well. Those that could not empirically prove thier points academically made sure to note that even though there is no 'known' proof having worked with the God themselves they can share this information. Each author let the love of the God and all he meant and does mean to their tradition shine through.

From discussion of known Gods and their connections to the different kinds of horns of power to the little known Gods and their own manifestations. There were even articles that dealt with the Goddesses who had Horns of Power as well. The God was discussed in such a way as to make him real and accessible to any who wished to meet him. There are even meditations on how to meet and walk with certain Gods.

For me reading the personal stories made the God come alive like never before. This wasn't just a dry academic tome about the 'how' of the God but a living translation of the 'who' the God is.

I love this book and think it should be included in every witch's bookshelf who wishes to become more well rounded and balanced.

A burn rubber to get this amazing book.
I give it a 5/5 for overall book

[Steve Cran · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my first exposures to the horned God was back in my high school days when I was doing my first magical working. Cernunnos was the deity I invoked. I loved that oil I bought as well. Since then I have been hooked. In modern times not much is known about the horned God or other horned spirits for that matter. Authors David Rankine have compiled an excellent collection of article that not only give the reader a broader view of the horned gods but also they go into appreciable depth.

In Europe among the Gauls there were statues of a horned God with variations in the name Cernunnos. One said Ernunno,Caronos. Some of the inscription were in Latin of Greek.Statues to Cernunnos are found all across Europe stretching all the way to Central Europe. There were even shrines to him found in Northern Italy. The horns represented robustness, virility, assertiveness, power and strength. It also represented royalty. In modern.paganism the horned God is often associated with sun and solar qualities. But look at the horns carefully sometimes they even represent the crescent moon. Horns have a lunar aspect as well. In many pantheon's the lunar gods are masculine.

Anyone familiar with the different forms of Paganism will realize that Cernunnos is not the only horned God. Let us not forget Pan,Aries or Dionysus. When Romans came to Europe they came across other horned deities as well. Cernunnos was at first identified with Mercury.Julios Cesar equated him with Jupiter. The other horned Gods found in.Northern England were conflated with Aries.

Sorita gives a full glossary of Egyptian Horned Gods and Goddesses. David Rankine goes into depth on Pan. Not only gods are discussed but so are those mischievious Puccas and unicorns.

The second part of the book is about personal experiences with the horned God. Authors write about meditations, encounters in the woods and personal anecdotes. The third part deals with horned Goddesses. They too had some power. The most written about are Hekate,Seleneand Artemis. The thee goddesses are thought to be three parts of one godde

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 3 out of 5]

Det är ofta så att yngre religioner inte riktigt har samma kvalitet på sina skrifter som äldre har. Barnsjukdomarna finns liksom kvar, framförallt eftersom man arbetar mer med gnosis och uppenbarelse än välgenomtänkt torr doktrin. Desto mer så när religionen själv uppmuntrar till gnosis som den sannaste formen av gudakontakt. Denna bok är ett exempel på när ett sådant utfall blir lyckat. Författarkvaliten varierar, och ämnena är många, men det är en behaglig bok. OK att den inte är den mest djupa... men dock. Jag lärde mig om hur Táin Bó Cúailnge egentligen är tänkt att tolkas till exempel; och lite om ritualerna kring Khnum. Bara det hade gjort boken läsvärd i sig. Därtill finns det många tokroliga avsnitt i den, och många personliga reflektioner.

[Bad Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

overall, an excellent book with some good information and insight into my favorite topic: the male archetype. i could've done without the PC addition of a goddess section at the end. there's enough material on goddesses out there already, i think we can let the horned one stand on his own. i'd much rather have had more research-based articles in its place.

i didn't think i'd find the personal gnosis section relevant, but the insights of a few of these authors impressed me. two of these essays were frivolous and rather pointless, two were inspiring and insightful, and the others were merely interesting. the technical articles were fascinating and well documented.

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays that is mostly personal anecdotes and musings from Wiccans and "eclectic" Pagans on various manifestations of horned entities with only a few of the writings in this being historical/academic.

2.5 out of 5 stars.

[Keagan Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched. Could've done without the lengthy "experiences" section, but I enjoyed the other sections and gained lots of insight and want to investigate further.

[Frances Billinghurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is often said that despite the seemingly wealth of information avaailable of all aspects of Paganism, there is one area in particular that tends to be overlooked - that of the God, the Divine Masculine. Luckily for us, however, the team at Avalonia Publishing recognised this gap when they produced an anthology of articles and poems back in 2008 entitled “Horns of Power: Manifestations of the Horned God” (edited by Sorita d’Este).

With Marc Potts’s wonderful painting of “Herne” painting glaring out from the cover, this book is truly something special. The series of articles, impregnated with illustrations, photographs and even guided visualisations, are well research and provide the reader with a wealth of information about this rather overlooked aspect within modern Paganism, and in particular Wicca.

Written from both scholarly as well as personal experiences, the articles contained within this book (re)introduce the reader to the Deity our ancestors viewed as encapsulating the wild essence of life and nature. From the better known Celtic Cernunnos, Herne the Hunter of Windsor forest and the Greek goat-footed God Pan, through to lesser known Gods such as the Slavic Veles and Egyptian Khnum, this book offers up something for almost everyone. Also included is an interpretation of the Irish Táin Bó Cúailnge ("Cattle Raid of Cooley”), a look at the faery Puck and horned serpents in general even get a mention.

The final chapter brings a feminine slant to things as a matter of duality and completeness by acknowledging the horned Goddess – from those associated the Moon such as Hekate and Artemis, to even an antlered Goddess by the name of Elen.

With my personal bias that I have towards Sorita and her husband, David Rankine, aside, this book goes a long way in filling a much needed gap and is a definite must for any Pagan bookshelf.

[Michael Furie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It mixes historical evidence with personal experience (and clearly denotes which is which). The book gives a decent overview of horned gods and also includes horned goddesses; a topic that is frequently overlooked.

[Catriona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book!
The Goddess is focused on far too much within Pagan writing & art, & at last here is another gem to help maintain balance.
I highly recommend this gem to anyone!

[Heidi Hanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a ton of information about Horned Gods and Goddesses from cultures worldwide and throughout the world. There is also poetry and a few meditations. The chapters are mostly short and easy enough to read while providing well-documented research. I especially enjoyed the chapter by Stephen Blake as it was more about the Cernunnos I meant to read about, but this is a good book for anyone wanting to know more about these horned gods.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wide variety of both historically researched and unverifies personal gnosis from long spirituak practice comprise this volume. The work challenges many assumptions of current pagan practice while offering in place of the standardized Cernunnos the view of a deeper, wilder, more potent idea of what horned deities have been and may be.

[Lena Nour · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a list of different horned gods that exists, it is not very detailed. I like that there are some horned goddesses included.

[Red Dragon Raccoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview and many stories about horned Gods from many different cultures and traditions

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book!

This, as you may already be aware, is a collection of different people's thoughts, meditations, dreams and meetings with the Horned God. As you read through each story you will travel the world, from Crete to Egypt to the wilds of Wales to London. Each story is as individual as the author and I loved every one of them, although I admit that I read the ones about Egypt and Crete with a mostly detached but isn't this informative kind of air.

The Horned God that I love, the one that has fascinated me all of my life is Cernunnos, the Lord of the Forest and the Wild Animals. For me, one of the best stories in the book was A Quest For Horns by Stephen Blake, and not only because he mentions Robin of Sherwood which still remains a favourite of mine!

Unfortunately, as people begin looking at Paganism to see if it is right for them, they usually tend to favour the Goddess only as they are usually changing from a patriarchal religion. This may work for a while but you need balance, and the Horned God is part of the equation!

If you have any interest in Herne the Hunter, Cernunnos, Pan or Puck then this is the book for you.

Above me and around me he roared and I, like the mouse, curled up, safe, secure and loved by this storm of rage; the emotional and physical pain that had engulfed me fled before his terrible gaze and I fell asleep. The rage of the Horned God is mighty indeed, but the love and blessings he bestows are greater still.

[Andrea]

Read parts of this while doing research on the Celtic god Cernunnos. There's some interesting stuff in here, though keep in mind that there isn't much "scholarship" in terms of Cernunnos because practically nothing is known of his origins in myth. However, for my purposes it was fascinating to see how myths of the horned god have evolved and are still being incorporated into personal mythologies. Clearly this image carries power for a lot of people and remains relevant. My own interest was piqued after having an unbelievably vivid dream that featured Cernunnos. I have since been interested in researching his mythological associations and meanings--bringing myself back to an interest in Celtic myth and stories in general. There are some pieces of value in here though, as others have pointed out, the quality of the articles varies dramatically.

[Carisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a rather nice collection of short stories, anecdotes, and more researched ponderings about the way the Horned God appears in life. This is decidedly NOT a fiction book because all of the pieces are written from the point of view of a believer. The various authors are talking about deeply spiritual and/or religious experiences. That being said, those experiences are well written on the whole and enjoyable.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this was something of a mixed bag. There were a couple of gems among the pieces in here, but by and large it seemed to be written by duotheists or soft polytheists and while there's nothing intrinsically wrong with this it isn't my perspective and so the book was not as useful to me as it might be to someone not coming at it from the perspective of a hard polytheist.

[Shelby Fullington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a fan of books that are a collection of articles. They just don't hold my attention well. I did however like that each article had its own bibliography. That is something that isn't seen very often. The read was mildly interesting even though I had a hard time focusing.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review soon @ thefaeryromanticlibrarian.blogspot.com - and remember, I no longer rate my books.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic info of the various horned deities, and then individual takes by authors on working with those deities. Interesting reading.

[Kecia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Blech.

[Ashleigh Furry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be extremely insightful and it taught me a lot that I was unaware of. I would recommend this book to any one who is interested in horned Gods or Goddesses!

[Rick Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historical inaccuracies and guesswork.