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Masks of Misrule: The Horned God & His Cult in Europe
Introduction by Michael Howard. A unique and detailed study of the Horned God in the traditions of Britain and Europe, concentrating on the natural and mystical facets of this most compelling and enduring of archetypes. With the rituals offered in the book, this volume is a virtual esoteric grimoire of the inner Mysteries.
164 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 26, 2020
My mind has been going in circles as I've pondered, for days, how to review this book. It is a poorly organized and bewildering publication that could be tremendously important for pagans or religious scholars who are looking for information about The Horned God.
"The Knell of Inbetweenness hath been struck,
The Bell of MISRULE soundeth;
Reverberating the Thirteen Angles,
Echoing through the Nine Spheres"
It begins with a foreword by Michael Howard speaking of the scarcity of information about a male god within the existing neo-pagan revival movement. Then, the author, Nigel Jackson, goes into what could almost be called a tirade against established religions and the current neo-pagan movement in a chapter entitled, "In the Sign of the Horns."
"The old time is passed away and the 'age between the ages' is begun: the Aionic Twilight falleth over the world and the day of the cross and the mitre is wholly done with." pg 11
Honestly, that type of tribalism and fear-mongering is a poor look for any type of spiritual movement. Why immediately alienate readers from other spiritual paths who are coming to your materials with an open mind and a willingness to learn?
Despite his initial hostility, Nigel Jackson quickly turns his attention to what he believes are different aspects of a male pagan god, throughout history, and includes various rituals to invoke this ancient being.
As I mentioned earlier, it is a bewildering hodge-podge of material with only the thinnest of connecting threads between. Newcomers to occult matters or pagan practices may lose their way within the quickly shifting time periods, places, names and associated mythologies.
However, I found information in "Chapter Three: Cycles of the Midnight Hunt" and "Chapter Seven: Wudewasa, the Knowledge of the Green Man" that was completely new to me and interesting.
"It was held that when nocturnal thunder broke over the wildwood and the forked lightning-flash clove the darkness and the night-tempest roared and tossed the boughs, that the wild host of Woodwoses came forth in primal panoply, raging through the hoary oaks and pines, their eldritch voices mingling with the storm's tumult." pg 107
The printing of Masks of Misrule is a travesty for any lover of books. The font is irregular and fades, seemingly at random, within the text. The cover is ridiculous and does nothing to convey the seriousness with which the author treats his subject.
But if you set all of these concerns aside, some of the mythology contained within this book is entirely original, at least to me, and could be incredibly useful for seekers who are looking for a new movement within paganism that celebrates the male side of nature.
"The Knell of Inbetweenness hath been struck,
The Bell of MISRULE soundeth;
Reverberating the Thirteen Angles,
Echoing through the Nine Spheres"
It begins with a foreword by Michael Howard speaking of the scarcity of information about a male god within the existing neo-pagan revival movement. Then, the author, Nigel Jackson, goes into what could almost be called a tirade against established religions and the current neo-pagan movement in a chapter entitled, "In the Sign of the Horns."
"The old time is passed away and the 'age between the ages' is begun: the Aionic Twilight falleth over the world and the day of the cross and the mitre is wholly done with." pg 11
Honestly, that type of tribalism and fear-mongering is a poor look for any type of spiritual movement. Why immediately alienate readers from other spiritual paths who are coming to your materials with an open mind and a willingness to learn?
Despite his initial hostility, Nigel Jackson quickly turns his attention to what he believes are different aspects of a male pagan god, throughout history, and includes various rituals to invoke this ancient being.
As I mentioned earlier, it is a bewildering hodge-podge of material with only the thinnest of connecting threads between. Newcomers to occult matters or pagan practices may lose their way within the quickly shifting time periods, places, names and associated mythologies.
However, I found information in "Chapter Three: Cycles of the Midnight Hunt" and "Chapter Seven: Wudewasa, the Knowledge of the Green Man" that was completely new to me and interesting.
"It was held that when nocturnal thunder broke over the wildwood and the forked lightning-flash clove the darkness and the night-tempest roared and tossed the boughs, that the wild host of Woodwoses came forth in primal panoply, raging through the hoary oaks and pines, their eldritch voices mingling with the storm's tumult." pg 107
The printing of Masks of Misrule is a travesty for any lover of books. The font is irregular and fades, seemingly at random, within the text. The cover is ridiculous and does nothing to convey the seriousness with which the author treats his subject.
But if you set all of these concerns aside, some of the mythology contained within this book is entirely original, at least to me, and could be incredibly useful for seekers who are looking for a new movement within paganism that celebrates the male side of nature.
February 9, 2021
Wide-ranging, thoughtful, not too many leaping to assumptions.
Read
July 28, 2011Author Nigel Jackson writes a thorough book about the horned god of Europe and his many facets. The book includes rituals and information on following the horned god that could guide the potential seeker who wishes to follow the spiritual path of the horned god. Of course if you are interested in just the history that is fine too. The book goes beyond the scope of Europe and discusses the Middle Eastern aspects of the horned god. The book covers lots of ground and has excellent information. It's only draw back being no bibliography or foot notes.
The Horned God male counter part to Herodia, Diana and Hekate was worshipped through out Europe under a variety of different names. In Gaul he was called Cernunnos, in Italy and Basque he was called Janus or Janicot. His earliest traces were found in India deep inside a cave. Caves are rather significant to the horned god. It is in caves that the horned god was worshipped by the Shamans and their small group of people who were dressed in stag horns.
The horned god was the one people prayed to because he was in charge of the forest. He dispensed health to the livestock and regulated wealth. People would often leave him offerings of bread an milk to appease him and guruntee their inflow of wealth. The horned god of the forest also had other aspects.One was of sacrifice and the other was of death. He was the escort to the world of the dead.
At the Sabbat of Samhain he would die, his blood shed up on the soil to guaruntee survival and well being of the people. He did it so the people would survive. The Sabbat of Samhain was also a time of Misrule when things wnet in reverse. A tie in between times. It was also during this time that the Horned God became the Lord of the Dead.
As a Lord of the Dead the horned God could be rather frightening. On his wild hunt with baying hounds, geese and white stags would pick up those destined to die. If a human was caught in his way while the wild hunt was on that human risked going insane or dying. WHile as God of the dead he would educate people with his tricks and shennanigans.
During the Yule which in certain parts of Europe was celebrated during December and was the rebirth of the Horned God. This time was total reversal celebrated with servants being waited onby their masters and men dressing up as women. When celebrated as Janus or Janicat consort of Diana the book gives mention of a ritual dacnig around the pole.
As the God is resurrected his bones take on special meaning. Earlier societies would save the bones of the animals they killed anjd color them ochre read. Red the color of blood led to ressurection. THe earlier Shaman had a meditation whe in they imagine demons devouring their flesh down to their bones. The demons were internal.
As a fertility God he wood sometimes take the form of Pan , A greek god who had a ravenous appetite. He also took the form of a woodwose or a Green man and regenerated the vegetation in the forest. Followin the horned God were other Woowoses who were fairy folk some time gren and leafy at other times horned and hairy. They were called Bucwas. THe horned God in England was called Buuca or Puck. THis name has indoeuropean origins.
Middle Eastern theology has fused with the theology of the horned god from Europe. In Jewish traditions a goat was sent off into the desert as a sacrificial offering. Azazel was a rebellious angel falen from heaven. He is described as a goat shaped angel and goes under the name of Iblis in the Arab world. According to the left hand path he is the one who illuminated the intelligence of mankind.
The angels when they fell mated with man kind this mixture gave rise to the ones with witch blood or those from Tubal caine. They were metal worker and magic men. Feared and respected.
The Horned God male counter part to Herodia, Diana and Hekate was worshipped through out Europe under a variety of different names. In Gaul he was called Cernunnos, in Italy and Basque he was called Janus or Janicot. His earliest traces were found in India deep inside a cave. Caves are rather significant to the horned god. It is in caves that the horned god was worshipped by the Shamans and their small group of people who were dressed in stag horns.
The horned god was the one people prayed to because he was in charge of the forest. He dispensed health to the livestock and regulated wealth. People would often leave him offerings of bread an milk to appease him and guruntee their inflow of wealth. The horned god of the forest also had other aspects.One was of sacrifice and the other was of death. He was the escort to the world of the dead.
At the Sabbat of Samhain he would die, his blood shed up on the soil to guaruntee survival and well being of the people. He did it so the people would survive. The Sabbat of Samhain was also a time of Misrule when things wnet in reverse. A tie in between times. It was also during this time that the Horned God became the Lord of the Dead.
As a Lord of the Dead the horned God could be rather frightening. On his wild hunt with baying hounds, geese and white stags would pick up those destined to die. If a human was caught in his way while the wild hunt was on that human risked going insane or dying. WHile as God of the dead he would educate people with his tricks and shennanigans.
During the Yule which in certain parts of Europe was celebrated during December and was the rebirth of the Horned God. This time was total reversal celebrated with servants being waited onby their masters and men dressing up as women. When celebrated as Janus or Janicat consort of Diana the book gives mention of a ritual dacnig around the pole.
As the God is resurrected his bones take on special meaning. Earlier societies would save the bones of the animals they killed anjd color them ochre read. Red the color of blood led to ressurection. THe earlier Shaman had a meditation whe in they imagine demons devouring their flesh down to their bones. The demons were internal.
As a fertility God he wood sometimes take the form of Pan , A greek god who had a ravenous appetite. He also took the form of a woodwose or a Green man and regenerated the vegetation in the forest. Followin the horned God were other Woowoses who were fairy folk some time gren and leafy at other times horned and hairy. They were called Bucwas. THe horned God in England was called Buuca or Puck. THis name has indoeuropean origins.
Middle Eastern theology has fused with the theology of the horned god from Europe. In Jewish traditions a goat was sent off into the desert as a sacrificial offering. Azazel was a rebellious angel falen from heaven. He is described as a goat shaped angel and goes under the name of Iblis in the Arab world. According to the left hand path he is the one who illuminated the intelligence of mankind.
The angels when they fell mated with man kind this mixture gave rise to the ones with witch blood or those from Tubal caine. They were metal worker and magic men. Feared and respected.
October 24, 2016
Like the other Nigel Jackson books that I have read, this one was very informative and thought provoking. I really enjoy his ability to discuss the Craft without watering it down (or fluffing it up) and the wording and imagery in his rituals speaks to me on a deep level. That being said, my only wish is that there was MORE usable information mixed in with the history and philosophy, but it is certainly worth the trouble you may have of tracking it down.
March 27, 2013
Very insightful. How to gain a deeper understanding of Northern European culture from the perspective of its ancient roots. From the bottom up.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews