The Horned God of the Witches

by Jason Mankey

Due to his rather threatening appearance, the Krampus eventually became known as the Christmas Devil (or Demon). This idea has been reinforced by much of the art surrounding the Krampus over the last 140 years. Vintage postcards often feature the Krampus with red skin (or fur) and looking very much like the Christian Devil. He’s even depicted with a pitchfork on some occasions. This is a relatively recent development and doesn’t reflect how he was traditionally depicted.

  Though originally a figure concerned mostly with children, the Krampus began to be featured as the “id” of Christmas in the early twentieth century. Postcards at the turn of the century often show him in the company of housewives, with many of the women looking at him with adoration and perhaps lust. In addition to his horns and cloven hooves, the Krampus is known for his long tongue, which could be part of his appeal.

  There’s a blurry line between figures from folklore such as the Krampus and gods who are known to us through mythology and archaeological remains, but in my own practice I honor the Krampus as a very real figure. He’s the naughty side of the holiday season, the mayhem that makes New Year’s Eve or the office Christmas party just a little more fun and sensual than it might otherwise be. The Krampus also helps us connect to what Yuletide used to be: a season for parties, frolicking, fun, and most often heavy drinking and gluttonous eating.

  When my coven’s Yule rituals are just a little too serious for my own taste, I invoke the Krampus to lighten them up. The Krampus is an extremely confident figure; I think one would have to be in order to wave chains in the faces of strangers while in their homes. Because of that, when I find myself in awkward or unwelcoming social situations during the holidays, I invoke the Krampus. The Christmas Devil always gives me the energy and confidence to get through whatever social obligation I find myself obliged to undertake.

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  171. Wray and Mobley, The Birth of Satan, 109.

  172. Wray and Mobley, The Birth of Satan, 109 and 110.

  173. Pagels, The Origin of Satan.

  174. Leland, Aradia, 1.

  175. Oates, Tubelo’s Green Fire, 18. Both quotes are taken from this book.

  176. Oates, Tubelo’s Green Fire, 44.

  177. Mankey, Transformative Witchcraft, 66.

  178. I spend a lot more time talking about the power of dancing as a way to raise energy in Transformative Witchcraft.

  179. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, s.v. “initiate,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initiate.

  180. I feel pretty comfortable stating this, because all three of those were a part of my initiation into Gardnerian Witchcraft. Not surprisingly, I spend a lot of time discussing initiations in my book Transformative Witchcraft.

  181. Stavish, Freemasonry, 130.

  182. Stavish, Freemasonry, 130.

  183. Stavish, Freemasonry, 131–132.

  184. Parfrey and Heimbichner, Ritual America, 73.

  185. Pike, Morals and Dogma, 102.

  186. Hutton, The Triumph of the Moon, 63.

  187. Mankey, Transformative Witchcraft, 143.

  188. Mankey, Transformative Witchcraft, 144.

  189. Murray, The God of the Witches, 28.

  190. Murray, The God of the Witches, 30.

  191. Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, 31.

  192. Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, 32.

  193. Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, 32.

  194. Link, The Devil, 45.

  195. Pierre Boaistuau, in his Histoires prodigieuses, depicts a very hairy near-Pan in 1597, but it’s far more goat-man than any classical depiction of the god. This is the most Pan-like Devil image that overlaps with the Witch Trials.

  196. Link, The Devil, 55.

  197. Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, 32.

  198. Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, 29.

  199. Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, 61.

  200. Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, 61.

  201. Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, 61.

  202. Online Etymology Dictionary, s.v. “goblin,” https://www.etymonline.com/word/goblin; s.v. “hogoblin,” https://www.etymonline.com/word/hobgoblin.

  203. Robin Good-Fellow: His Mad Prankes and Merry Jests. 2nd edition printed in London by Thomas Cotes in 1639. https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/robin-goodfellow-his-mad-pranks-and-merry-jests-1639.

  204. Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, 17.

  205. Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, 16.

  206. Bowler, Santa Claus, 24.

  207. Over time, the Christkind morphed from the baby Jesus into an angelic-looking young woman. It’s just hard to find babies capable of portraying holiday characters. I write more about the Christkind in my 2020 book Llewellyn’s Little Book of Yule.

  208. Bowler, The World Encyclopedia of Christmas, “Belsnickel” entry.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The Light of Lucifer Ritual

  The only thing we have to fear when working with Lucifer is the truth. Lucifer is the great illuminator: he brings to light our wants, needs, desires, foibles, and inadequacies. If you want to get to the heart of a matter, Lucifer is a fine god to call upon. If finding out your heart’s true desire brings with it a sense of dread, then you might find yourself a bit dismayed with what he has to tell you.

  For this ritual you’ll need four things: a deck of tarot cards, a candle, a glass of wine (or other beverage to leave as an offering), and a question you seek an answer to. I also think it works better in dark or dim light (which might require an extra candle or two). This rite can be done as a full ritual with a circle casting and quarter calling, or it can simply be done in a quiet place where no one will bother or interrupt you. Although a lot of Witches are comfortable reading tarot at parties and other social gatherings, this tarot reading does not lend itself to that.

  The question you ask can be about anything, but tarot rarely offers overly specific answers. You most likely aren’t going to get the name of your next lover out of this exercise, nor will it end with the knowledge of a precise date when something will happen. If you are new to tarot, there are many books out there that can help you with the meanings of the cards; however, the interpretation that matters most is your own. As you do this exercise, trust your own intuition and that of Lucifer. That’s what he’s there for: to help guide you and offer wisdom.

  I’ve written this ritual for one person, but it can easily be done for or with someone. Be warned, though, that you should probably inform anyone with whom you might perform this rite that you’ll be calling on Lucifer. Even some of the most open-minded Witches I know have negative reactions where they hear that name!

  The Ritual

  Set up your working area as you see fit. Create a magickal container, if you wish, and if you’ve chosen to do this ritual in a darkened space, make sure there are enough lit candles around so that you can see clearly. Usually two large pillar candles safely lit on your reading table or altar will do the trick, but make sure you are set up properly before beginning the actual tarot reading.

  Begin by calling Lucifer to help guide you through your reading. I like to try and light my candle for Lucifer as I’m calling him, but do what works best for you (and will reduce any chance that you’ll light something on fire). When your candle is lit, envision its glow as the clear light of Lucifer coming to your aid. Say:

  Lucifer, I call to you this night to aid me in my work. Day Star, illuminate the path that I should take going forward. Clear away the shadows so that all may be clear before me. May yo
ur wisdom guide me and help me to understand the obstacles that may be in my way. Allow me to look in the past, present, and future so that I may best determine a path of action. Great Lucifer, Shining One, be with me in this space. So mote it be!

  Once Lucifer has been called and his candle lit, shuffle your deck of tarot cards. As you shuffle the deck in your hands, contemplate the question that you wish to ask. Form that question clearly in your mind, and let it travel down your body, through your shoulders and arms, into your hands, and into the cards. Infuse the cards with your energy (and if you do this exercise for someone else, let them shuffle the cards and do the same thing), and while you are holding the cards in your hands, say Lucifer’s name again out loud, asking him for guidance.

  As I contemplate my question and shuffle the cards, I often chant the following mantra:

  O Day Star, aid me this night,

  Lucifer, show me what is right.

  Let my work be blessed by your sight,

  As I bring my truth out into the light!

  When you feel that the cards are sufficiently shuffled, spread them out in a big messy pile in front of you (facedown) and pull out four cards. As you pull out the cards, ask Lucifer to help guide your hand:

  Bright One, steady my hand as I draw these cards. Let my intuition guide me down the proper path so that all may be illuminated before me. I pull the first card for the past so that I might see how I’ve come to this place. The second card will show me what stands in my way: what satan (obstacle) must I overcome? The third card for my will and what it is inside of me that will get me through this journey. And finally the fourth card, that I might see what lies before me.

  While you are asking Lucifer to guide your hand, draw and place your four cards in front of you, facedown. Resist the urge to look at your cards all at once; instead, they will be turned over one by one. Each of the four cards represents a part of the journey before you. The first card is the past, how you came to have the question you are now posing to Lucifer and the tarot. The second card will show you what difficulties lie ahead. These can be external or internal problems. Sometimes we are our own biggest hurdle. The third card will show you what you have to defeat those obstacles. What will assist you might come from others or from yourself. Every query is different. And finally, the last card represents a probable outcome.

  Place your dominant hand just above your first card, and keep it there for a few moments. Do you feel the energy coming up from the card? Once you’ve felt the card’s energy reach your hand, state your question out loud once more, clearly and succinctly. When you are done speaking, ask Lucifer for his guidance once more:

  With this card, I look into the past.

  Lucifer, guide this Witch in their Craft!

  Flip the card over and study it. What is it saying to you? Is there a message there about what has brought you to this point in your life? Study it closely to see if it hints at other people who might be involved. Is that a family in the background? A house that might belong to someone you know? Let your mind drift, and trust in Lucifer’s guidance to interpret the card.

  Place your hand above the second card and feel its energy. Before turning it over, say:

  What is this that blocks my path?

  O Lucifer, what must I now dispatch?

  Examine the card for signs of the obstacles that lie in your way. Take notice of any people on the card. Again, could they be someone you know, or perhaps something inside of yourself? If you are unsure of the answer in your card, hold it up to Lucifer’s light and ask him for assistance.

  Place your hand over the third card and ask the Day Star once again for assistance:

  The Witch overcomes all that is in their way.

  Lucifer, what do I have to make the assay?

  This card should show you what powers you have to draw upon as you proceed toward your outcome. As Witches, those powers are often internal, both our strong will and our magickal abilities. But there are others out there who might assist us. A Witch who has allies is never truly alone. There are always spirits, gods, fairy folk, and friends all willing to assist from time to time.

  And finally place your hand above the fourth card and feel its energy. By now the energy radiating from the cards should be a steady throb or pulse. As the energies of the cards radiate upward, they should feel stronger and more pronounced. When they are at their peak, say the following words and then flip your final card over:

  Now is the time I ask thee for your sacred sight.

  Lucifer, illuminate the future with your shining light!

  This last card should illustrate what might yet come. The card might tell you that the time is not right for whatever it is you seek, or that your quest will end in heartbreak. The cards are not all-seeing or all-knowing, but they do provide insight into what might come to us. Travel down the road shown by your card, but also look for other pathways. Your card might suggest many different outcomes.

  When you are satisfied with your reading, thank Lucifer for his assistance:

  Day Star, shining bright, I thank you for your guidance this night! May the lessons learned here illuminate the road ahead and help me to make the best decisions and arrive at the best outcome. Shining One, great Lucifer, I thank thee!

  Blow out the candle you’ve lit for Lucifer, along with any others. Take your wine glass and pour its contents outside as a libation to thank Lucifer for his assistance.

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  Chapter Fourteen

  The Horned God of Death

  On one unseasonably warm Samhain night in Michigan, I came face-to-face with the Horned God as the Lord of Death and Resurrection. A friend had asked me to play a humorous role in her Samhain ritual that year, but I declined and asked for something else. After a few moments of thinking, she asked if I would be interested in opening the gate between this world and the next and acting as the god of death’s representative here on earth. That all felt like a giant step forward in the look for “something serious during ritual” department, and I replied in the affirmative.

  Our ritual that evening took place in a small clearing deep in the woods, where the moon shined brightly overhead. We began the ritual in our usual way, calling the quarters, casting the circle, and calling on the gods. While our ritual container was being set up, I reached out for Pan, the primary deity I worked with at the time, only to find him uncharacteristically absent. His silence frightened me, as I really needed him with me for this particular operation.

  When it came time for my role in the ritual, I opened by tentatively reading my lines, a mix of apprehension and uncertainty in my voice. “On this Samhain night, I open up the gates of death, the entryway into the realm of spirit …” As the words spilled out of me, I felt a steadying hand on my right shoulder. That touch filled me with strength, and as my voice steadied, I felt a quiet and powerful confidence engulf me.

  The hand on my shoulder guided my every action, and suddenly I could feel the spirits of my group’s beloved dead all around us. I hesitated for a moment before looking over my shoulder to see the deity who was standing next to me. I was surprised to see it was Cernunnos. His face was slightly obscured to my eyes, but there was no hiding the stag’s antlers on the top of his head or the torc around his neck. As the ritual continued, I proceeded to interact with every participant in the circle, with Cernunnos telling me what to say as he led the dead back to the living.

  When the ritual was over, I felt contented, but I wasn’t exactly sure why. After the god revealed himself to me, I remember very little about the rest of the night; all that I was left with was a feeling that everything had gone well. That night I met with Cernunnos again in my dreams. He urged me join him on his nighttime hunt and race through the forest with him.

  The following year at a different Samhain ritual, I was asked again to open a portal between the worlds. When my time to lead ritual began, I felt Cernunnos’s ha
nd once more upon my shoulder, with him guiding me through what needed to be done, and we’ve shared this moment together nearly every Samhain since. Cernunnos as the god of death is as familiar to me as the sun on a summer’s day, and yet many Witches I talk to are confused by this.

  Witchcraft has placed an overwhelming emphasis on the Horned God as the god of wild spaces and the natural world, so much so that his role in death often gets overlooked. From a very young age, we are taught to fear death and that anything having to do with death is most likely negative. But a Witch knows death is not only inevitable but is a part of the natural order. There is no new life without death, and both life and death are necessary for the world to function effectively.

  Death and the Horned One

  Cernunnos has links to death as a god of hunting. Several well-known Horned God–adjacent deities also have connections to the afterlife. Hermes (father of Pan) guided mortal souls to the realm of the dead, as did Faunus, the Roman equivalent of Pan. Dionysus (often depicted as a bull) actually ruled over the land of death in the cosmology of the Orphics, a Greek mystery tradition. But despite these links between horned gods and the realm of death, the Horned One’s role beyond the grave is often neglected.

  That oversight is especially surprising since the Horned God has been associated with death since the publication of the first book on Modern Witchcraft back in 1954. Gerald Gardner’s Witchcraft Today is not particularly useful to most Witches today, but it was the first book to ever include information on what would become known as Wicca (Gardner uses the term Wica in his book, and even then only four times), and mostly contains a lot of inaccurate and fanciful Witch history. However, there are a few brief ritual interludes in the book, and in those isolated moments, its contents not only feel familiar, but shine.