That I may stand strong and proud. And while being outdoors is great, building a shrine creates a regular meeting place thats always there. As you connect, listen to the sound of your heartbeat. Take a moment, close your eyes, and breathe. I knew in my heart that it was Cernunnos, and at subsequent rituals at Samhain hes been there to guide me, and lend me strength. Other left little evidence for much of their history, but later writers preserved the stories of their cultures to the best of their abilities. Carnonos, I call to you. (LogOut/ Visit the Forum to discuss this topic and others! I grew up in a fundamentalist church. He usually wore at least one torc, a neckband that symbolized status in the Celtic world, and sometimes carried a coin purse as well. While the name Cernunnos is rarely attested, the similar images found throughout Europe show that this god was likely worshipped by many Celtic tribes in the Roman period. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); To learn more about the Otherworldly Oracles website Privacy Policy, visit our Privacy Policy page here. The Cernunnos-type antlered figure or horned god, on the Gundestrup Cauldron, on display, at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. Oh Cernunnos, I invoke thee, Lord of the Hunt, By the great mysteries, By the power of your life, death, and resurrection. To the Romans, this proved the validity of their own religion. Take a second to support kitty fields on Patreon! I was told that she had me in mind for some sort of comic relief after what she envisioned as a rather intense working. Cernunnos is a fascinating deity that was obviously important to Celtic and Gaulish societies, so its a shame that there isnt a lot left to demonstrate how he was worshipped in ancient times. Many modern sources refer to Cernunnos as the god of the fest. I see Cernunnos operating as part of a pantheon rather than being the main leader. Connect with the earth below and the heavens above. I pray you to be present with me in this Sacred Space. Cernunnos - Wild God of the Forest. The days tend to stay reasonably warm, and the landscape is an electric blend of colorful leaves, blooming plants, and green grasses. The Horned God enjoys bread, particularly homemade, as well as homemade meals. In his legends, the only link between Conall and the horned god is similarly vague. This is a time of festival for several families gathered together, each bringing food and drink for the potluck feast. You can work with Cernunnos by learning all you can about the people and historical context he came from. Find a nice, peaceful spot. He is a syncretization of multiple horned gods of antiquity and serves as a consort of the Great Goddess. (Its best to use shallow dishes for these, so animals can benefit from the food and water you put down.). It took some digging to figure out who it was. I will walk in the wisdom of the ancestors, What kind of material are you looking for? Instead, he became a hermit living deep in the forest. Even if the torc had more symbolic meaning, this is a clear display of material wealth. But this is what Ive done, and what Ive seen others do that worked for them. Over the years I've told parts of my story with Him ( here, here . You are the man in the trees, the green man of the woods, who brings life to the dawning spring. It is unusual for a god as wide-spread as Cernunnos appears to have been to have no such syncretization. He represents masculine p. Good Luck on your relationship with Cernunnos! Construction of a crypt in 1710 uncovered a number of these pieces, including a column commonly called the Pillar of the Boatmen. It appears the one I have is no longer in production, but similar ones are available. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. With Cernunnos, thats often something to do with appreciating and caring for the natural world. The accompanying figure is a man with stags antlers that have a set of torcs (a kind of necklace or collar made of a stiff metal ring) hanging from them. Originally, as put forth by Gerald Gardner, Wicca was a religion of sex and death and thus he was a perfect choice of patron. Were looking for artwork: drawings and paintings of Cernunnos, or that are evocative of him. There are no "adults" at Fox regardless of ", "Yes, everybody prays. A similar name found in Luxembourg, Deo Ceruninco, is usually thought to refer to the same god. But I hope youll write about your experiences, to help mark the trail for those who come after you. The three known inscriptions that likely refer to the horned god all have slightly different versions of the name. He was there for me all those years ago. Connect with the earth below and the heavens above. Welcome him to your sacred space and into your life a simple prayer is perfect! As you stand at the portal; to The Underworld, reveal yourself to me,Allow me to see with your eyes.Guardian of the Green World, most virile of the gods,Bring forth to me the key to your wisdom and knowledge.Enlighten me with the secrets of life and death. Some pieces have empty spaces on the head that may have once held either real antlers or ones made of precious materials like gold that have since been lost. Cernunnos isnt the only horned god. Wicca without reincarnation? They were valuable animals and, as seen in Irish legends, rulers often showed their power by owning particularly prized cattle. You are the deer in rut, mighty Horned One, I am honored to be his priest, and occasionally, to welcome new people into His service. We are a community dedicated to Him that shares common beliefs, values, calendar, and similar rituals. Many believe that it is not related at all to the world for horn and instead comes from an Irish word meaning victorious or triumphant.. For me, chilly Sunday mornings often meant sleeping in with a paramour, and mid to late October is prime rutting season for Michigans deer population. While some offerings are given in exchange for magical aid, other offerings are given to show ones gratitude. Find your place in the service of Cernunnos. Jason Mankey, Gwion Raven, and John Beckett are the editors and primary writers. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. If necessary, do divination. And to make sure we dont overlook anyone, were issuing this call for submissions. Offerings for Cernunnos include water, wine, mead, ale, and non-edibles like tree branches, acorns, seed pods, flowers, etc. Ive written about Him occasionally so has Jason Mankey. Often they are sitting in a cross-legged position and most either wear torcs on their horns or hold them in their hands. Discover what he meant to them and see how you can apply that knowledge to your own life. The Magick of the Sun Join the Solar Challenge! Cernunnos is depicted as a man with antlers or horns, and he is believed to be an ancient god of fertility, beasts and the wild. Scarlet Ravenswood Pagan YouTube channel (not Wiccan, but a great deal of excellent neo-pagan info), Greybeard Crowfeathers Intro to Wicca YouTube channel, Mandragora Magick-a networking site for pagans, My YouTube Wiccan chants and music playlist, Goddess-guide.com (lots of good info about lots of goddesses), Order of the White Moon classes learning about the Goddess for women, and also has a Goddess gallery with many rituals to particular goddesses, Fellowship of Isis an international organization dedicated to honoring the Divine Feminine, Covenant of Hekate an international organization dedicated to the Goddess Hekate, TOWINT The Old Ways in New Times a great pagan blog. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. I can combine and condense several emails into one simple question: I feel called to Cernunnos how do I get started?. This last year, I was part of a project to develop rituals and practices dedicated to Carnonos (Cernunnos) from a Gaulish perspective. This site is my humble offering to the God and Goddess for what They have blessed me with in Wicca. Ancient gods were often known by epithets that were used to refer to them in place of their common name, often in invocations or because of cultural taboos. Some crystals tied to Cernunnos are: The herbs most often associated with Cernunnos are: If you dont have access to these, you can also work with herbs that are at their peak during deer rutting season (typically autumn). Leave it on his altar and ask for him to charge it with his energy. The wild man deep inside all of us that weve forgotten for far too long. Perform rituals and cast spells that invoke the horned god in the forest to amplify your magicks strength. However, requesting insight to better serve Him is never a bad thing or if you feel that there is a specific message he wishes to give you as you move forward. The Future of the Video Series. As you connect, listen to the sound of your heartbeat. There is, of course, no one right answer. But we will include what scholarly material there is. . Were looking for your original work only. Did He see the potential for a future priest? In ancient Celtic and Gallo-Roman religion, Cernunnos or Carnonos is a god depicted with antlers, seated cross-legged, and is associated with stags, horned serpents, dogs and bulls. Many cultures left rich written records that tell historians about their gods and worship practices in vivid detail. The following is the solitary ritual that I developed for that project. Theres also a very powerful energy at that time of year; an intoxicating mix of death, turning weather, excitement, and sex. Thankful Prayer to Cernunnos. Are There were several Greek gods of time, each with Other wild animals, particularly those who dwell in the forest. You who knows the Ancestral Wisdom Acquire your own torc and dedicate it to Cernunnos. He holds a torc in one hand and a snake in the other. The experience was so real and so true that there was no way I could deny it. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, usually when attempting to create some sort of portal. The Celtic god Cernunnos is famously depicted on the Gundestrup Cauldron. Cernunnos broad, spreading antlers illustrate his virility and power. My only suggestion is to set some fixed schedule so you dont inadvertently go a long time without making them. Another famous depiction is a statue called the Pillar of the Boatman discovered in the foundation of Notre Dame Church. This did far more than help them to better understand the gods of other people. Cernunnos is associated with virility, the forest, wildness, and animals. Some groups, however, left no written evidence of their religions. You who are honored by many, Carnonos, I call to you The size of the gift was proportional to the percieved power and wealth of the wearer. On the Action is Ritual/Ritual is Action page, there is a monthly ritual devoted to Gwydion Ap Don. Cernunnos tells how the Lord of the Animals had his eye on me from a very early age, and describes some of my experiences of him. Cernunnos isnt traditionally associated with crystals, but many modern Pagans enjoy connecting to deities through specific stones. There are no tales of Cernunnos ruling the abode of the dead, and nothing beyond vague connections to water and the hunt linking C to death, but here he was. He holds a torc in one hand, and a ram-horned serpent in the other. Let the incense continue to burn and sit in meditation. Instead, some historians have looked to more subtle similarities to find a possible Irish version of Cernunnos. Pick up the rattle and shake it three times. Submissions and general questions should be sent to gwionraven@comcast.net. Many times its just keep moving. And sometimes He has something significant to say: something I need to contemplate or do or write. We will consider material previously published elsewhere (including on-line) if you still have the publication rights. While Cernunnos is a male deity, he is a God for all genders. Despite the lack of written records about his associations or worship, scholars have been able to deduce some of his functions based on other uses of iconography similar to his. . I've fully devoted myself to his cause and principles. When he's drawn down into our circle during ritual she'd be the one most likely to interact with him. There are no sources that clearly give a Roman equivalent for the horned god or describe him in Latinized terms. Reply. Before starting the ritual, make sure to properly wash and clean yourself. The place where Cernunnos calls his wild children to him. By day you are the sun, by night you ride upon the wild windsFor all things wild and free are in your keeping. Nourisherof the soul Saint Ciaran of Saighir is said to be the first saint born in Ireland and is one of the islands Twelve Apostles. Or you see a man with antlers on his head. Over the last few years, numerous anthologies have been published with devotions to various deities. Each antler had a torc, a gold neck ring that was a symbol of status to the Celts, hanging from it. Guardian of the Green World, most virile . While their word for horn was karnon, the beginning vowel shifted in many words. Dis Pater: Some of the iconography of Cernunnos, such as snakes and dogs, has links to death and the afterlife in many European cultures. One of the most popular post of all time on Under the Ancient Oaks is How Do I Know If A God Is Calling Me? It provides some good general guidance on this question. Make sacred space dedicated to him: an altar with colors of the earth and forest (green, brown), a representation of him (statue or photo), candles, acorns, tree branches, a cauldron, a torc, offering bowls/bottles, green and brown stones, animal figurines or images like the deer, snake, dog, etc.