{"id":110,"date":"2020-11-29T13:40:50","date_gmt":"2020-11-29T13:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leewjohnson.com\/meadows\/?page_id=110"},"modified":"2020-11-30T12:35:37","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T12:35:37","slug":"the-hidden-rites","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/leewjohnson.com\/meadows\/the-godstane\/the-hidden-rites\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hidden Rites"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Robin Says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe oldest People followed the ways of the Horned One, adoring him as the true god. In times before now, the Magister was always his human representative on earth, and he presided over the cuveen as a God. Now, The Stang is usually the adored symbol of the God, except in certain rare instances. But none in these parts even remember a time when a Man was used as the living representative of the Master. I wear the horns and talk to him in twilyte sleep, and I dance the Fith-Fath as a horned beast, but never have I presided as a God myself. But never forget, we are all of us gods, deep inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The old method of making a Compass-Round sacred to the Horned One was simple\u2026The People would draw the boundary by walking in procession thrice about a secret clearing or a sacred place\u2026ideally this was done around a Tree or an erect Godstane. Today, we sometimes place the Stang in the center. Then the Magister or (usually) the Dame bowed four times to the four kingdoms, and to the Stane, and then circled it several times praying. At one point, she suddenly stopped with her back to it, and looked at it over her shoulder, and thrust her left foot out at it. Everyone then danced wraingates around it, chanting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hene! Hou!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hene-an Bays Stane Hou
Dev Arcios, Dev Arcios,
Pare-rit Bil Kulos
Paterhim! Paterhel!
Hene! Hou!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They danced and chanted it many times. None of us know what it means\u2026anymore. But it is a powerful invocation of the Horned Master.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the Magister was still held in reverence as a God-man, he was sometimes the center of rites, and he wore the horns, and a candle was sometimes affixed between his horns. He thus represented the source of the light, and all the worshippers lit their own flames from his horns. Today, we sometimes place
candles between the horns of our Stangs. I can remember stories told of times when the people would come in droves, carrying their children, and bow before the Horned One, crying out \u201cHis Blood be upon us and our children!\u201d\u2026and the Horned Man would scatter red Ale upon them, and they shared in a communal feast of dark bread. He was the Horned One that the gatherings danced around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I remember a prayer, only known by the very Old People, that I was taught. It went:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAntlered One,
My God and my Master
I seek you in the morning
My God and my Master
I seek you in the Night
I give thee my mind
I give thee my will
I give thee my wish
My spirit eternal and my body
And all in-between.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were also told that, when we needed courage, to face an adversary, we could chant:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI shall go in the name of Christonday,
I shall go as a Stag, as a Horse
I shall go as a cunning Snake,
I shall go with the antlers as my crown
None are stronger than I!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Witch-people also used to anoint themselves in the name of the Horned One; calling him their God and Master\u2026they said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEman Hetan! I am of thee, an\u2019 thou art mine\u2026Have I nothing that is not thine!
See me here anointing myself devil and spirit\u2026That I may some day be great like thee\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I still anoint myself thusly\u2026old habits die hard, I suppose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In these woods, even now, young men are inducted into the faith of the Horned Master with rites of \u201chorning\u201d. At a holy place to the Horned One, or at the Godstane, they place the young man in the center, and put horns upon his head. All the men there raise full cups and horns of mead or ale, and the Magister invokes the presence of the Horned One. He then says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSwift is the Hare, Cunning is the Fox,
Why should not this little calf grow to be an ox?
To get his own, living amongst briars and thorns,
And die like his daddy with a big pair of horns!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They all drink and then pour the remainder over the boy\u2019s head. The rite leader then gets a full cup and touches it between the horns of the boy, and gives it to him to drink.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robin seems to be thinking for a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looks at you and says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe God of the Witches can control the movements of all animals and beasts, and he can change the weather at whim. If you ever need to know something, he will answer your questions through the voice of nature. This is called augury, and the ancients knew its secrets well. Watch\u2026listen closely\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you ever must know something, anything, come to the forest, or go to some place that has trees and animals. Calm yourself, or fall into a light twilight sleep. Then, brood upon your question for a few moments, and give a silent invocation to Robin himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, when you are ready, say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Robin, Dark Master, Show me thy Will\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then look in one place, one place or direction only. Steadily look, do not turn away. Wait for an animal or an insect or something to cross your field of vision. If it is moving to the left, the answer is \u201cno\u201d to the right, the answer is more \u201cyes\u201d. An animal that moves towards you is a positive sign, while one that runs or turns away is negative. A wind that suddenly blows, will answer you depending on what direction it blows. A sudden bird call or animal noise will likewise answer you, depending on which direction it comes from. The key is to watch and wait, and listen and feel!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certain animals are sacred to certain spirits. Learn the lore, Learn what different animals mean. You already know what an animal \u201cmeans\u201d, just by knowing its nature. A butterfly is a being of change. A moth is a liberated soul. A stag, the God himself. The Owl, Fate, and so forth. Learn augury. Learn to hear the voice of nature\u2026every motion and action happening around you is connected to every other one, from a rain storm to a petal falling off of a flower, from an owl\u2019s hoot to a drop of water colliding with a rock in a stream. Let yourself enter the deep awareness of the web of connected events. You may see then that the movement of animals is actually a message\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to the Godstane<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Robin Says: \u201cThe oldest People followed the ways of the Horned One, adoring him as the true god. 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