Listen to the words of the Great Father who was of old called amongst men Osiris, Zeus, Thor, Pan, Cernunnos, Herne, Lugh and by many other names:
My law is harmony with all things. Mine is the secret that opens the gates of life and mine is the dish of salt of the earth that is the body of Cernunnos that is the eternal cycle of rebirth. I give knowledge of life everlasting and beyond death I give promise of regeneration and renewal. I am the sacrifice, the Father of all things, and my protection blankets the earth.
Hear the words of the Dancing God, the music of whose laughter stirs the winds, whose voice calls the seasons:
I who am the Lord of the Hunt, and the Power of Light, sun among the clouds and the secret of the flame, I call upon you to rise and come unto me. For I am the flesh of the earth and all its beings. Through me all things must die and with me are reborn. Let my worship be in the body that sings, for behold, all acts of willing sacrifice are my rituals. Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness, joy and peace, awe and longing withing you. For these too are part of the mysteries found within yourself; withing me all beginnings have endings, and all endings have beginnings.
(2nd version)
Listen to the Words of the Horned God,
Who was of old called among men:
Adonis, Tammuz, Dianus, Herne,
Bran, Beli, Lugh, Gwyn,
Dionysus, Osiris, Cernunnos, Pan,
And by many other Names.
O Secret of Secrets,
That art hidden in the being of all that lives,
Not Thee do we adore,
For That which adoreth is also Thou.
Thou art That, and That am I.
I am the Flame that burns in the heart of every being,
And in the core of every Star.
I am Life, and the Giver of Life,
Yet therefore is the Knowledge of Me
The Knowledge of Death and Resurrection.
I am alone, the Lord within ourselves,
Whose Name is Mystery of Mysteries.
I am the Horned God.
I am the Lord of the Universe,
The Father of all living,
The All-Devourer and the All-Begetter.
I am He Whose Seed lies strewn
As glittering Gems across velvet darkness
Within the Womb of the Mother.
I am the Lord of the Shadows
In the darkness of the Underworld,
For I am the Midnight Sun.
I am the Light of the Stars,
And the Spark of the Spirit Eternal,
For I am the God Within.
I am the Horned Leader of the Hosts of Air,
The Leader of the Wild Hunt,
The Judge of Gods and of Men.
I am the Hidden God,
Who ever yet remains,
For I dwell within the secret seed.
I am the seed of grain,
I am the seed of flesh,
I am the Seed of the Stars.
I am the Lord of the Heights,
I am the Lord of the Depths,
God of forest, of flock, and of field.
I am the Hunter and Hunted,
I am the wolf and the Shepherd,
I am the vine and the grain.
I am a Guiding Star above you,
I am a bright Flame before you,
I am a smooth Path beneath you.
I am the Light of Life.
I am the Flame of Love.
I am the Horned God!
(3rd version)
I am the fire within your heart, the yearning hunger within your soul. I am the Horned God, the hunter of beasts and pursuer of the fare of knowledge. I take up the sacred quest and see it to the end. I, who stands within the darkness of light, am He who you call death. But I am also the spark of life, the joy of existence, the mirth in laughter, the shine across thine eyes. I am the consort, mate, and son of She whom we adore. I am the fruit upon the trees, the grain at harvest, He who offers himself up so others may live. I am He who leads you home. Strength and flame, heart and humor, life and death, these are my gifts unto thee. Call upon me in the forest wild and on the hilltop bare and seek me in darkness bright. I am He who has been called Pan, Herne, Dianus, Osiris, Apollo, Lugh, Dionysus, and by many other names: and I call to thee. Come, dance and sing with the Lord of the Winds; come, laugh and love with the SunKing, for these are my worship. On gliding night wings it is I who lay you at the Mothers feet to be reborn and return again. I too lay within her womb, planted in summer seed to live on after my wintery death. I am the untamed wind, the raging river, the ocean crashing on the rocks, the fury of the storm and the passion in your heart. Seek me with courage or you will be swept away in your seeking.
Seek me with pride and humility, but seek me best of all with love and strength for this is my path. Walk it with purpose and dance boldly. Hear my call on long nights and we shall stand together as one.
(4th version)
Listen to the words of the Great Father, who, of old, was called Osiris, Adonis, Zues, Thor, Pan, Herne, Lugh, and by many other names:
Whenever you seek haven in the Spirit, most notably on the Eight Sacred Days of the Wheel, you shall assemble in some secret place and honor the Spirit of Me, Who is the King of All the Wise. Put aside the binding laws of culture, and like those of hoof and horn, thorn and tree, run naked and wild. Sing, dance, make music and love, all in My presence, for Mine is rapture of the mind, Mine also is delight in the Now. My Law is Harmony with all things. Mine is the secret that opens the gates of life, Mine is the Staff of Life, that which is the Tree of Odin, and the Pole of May. I give the knowledge of life everlasting, and beyond death, I give the promise of regeneration and renewal. I am the Sacrifice, the Father of All Things, My Protection blankets My Lady's Body, the Earth.
Hear the words of the Horned God, whose music stirs the astral winds, whose voice calls up the Seasons:
I, Who am the Sun which warms the body of the Earth, the Bounty that sustains your bodies, the Lord of the Hunt, the Power of the Light, and the Secret of the Flame of Life, call upon your bodies to arise and come unto Me. For I am the generosity fo the earth and flesh of all its inhabitants. In Me all things must die, with Me all will be reborn. Let My worship be in the mind that meditates, for all acts of thought and energy are My rituals. Let there be Magnificence and Mastery, Capabaility and Tenderness, Glory and Humbleness, Merriment and Wonder within you. For these, too, are part of the Mysteries found within yourself. In truly knowing Me, you must recognize that in Me all beginnings end, and all endings begin again.
(5th version)
Charge of the Dancing God
Hear the words of the Dancing God, the music of whose laughter stirs the wind, whose voice calls the seasons.
I who am the Lord of the Hunt, and the power of the Light, sun among the clounds, and the secret of the flame.
I call upon your bodies to arise and come to me.
For I am the flesh of the earth and all its beings.
Thru me all things must die and with me are reborn.
Let my worship be in the body that sings, for behold all acts of willing sacrifice are my rituals.
Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness, joy and peace, awe and longing within you.
For these too are part of the mysteries found within yourself, within me, all beginnings have endings, and all endings have beginnings.
(6th version)
Listen to the words of the Great Father, who of old was called Osiris, Adonis, Zeus, Thor, Pan, Cernunnos, Herne, Lugh, and by many other names.
My law is harmony with all things.
Mine is the secret that opens the gate of life, and mine is the dish of salt of the earth, that is the body of cernunnos, that is the eternal circle of rebirth.
I give the knowledge of life everlasting, and beyond death, I give the promise of regeneration and renewal.
I am the sacrifice, the father of all things, and my protection blankets the earth.
Listen to the words of the God, who is son,brother, lover, and consort of the lady:
I am the fleet deer in the forest, I am the beach which receives the waves. I am the sun which warms the earth. I am the Lord of the Spiral Dance of Life, Death and Rebirth, the gentle Reaper, the Winter Stag and the Spring fawn. All things are of me, for I am of the Goddess, opposite, yet not opposing.
I bring forth from the womb that is a tomb, for I am the seed which fertilizes.I am abundant life, for I am the grain that grows and I am death, the harvest in the fall. And I am rebirth after darkness, for I am the seed that springs forth anew.
I am fertility, the spreader of life, and I am the Lord of Death which adds value to life.
I am the Guardian of the Gate between life and death. I am the King of the Underworld, where no living being may venture, but I am also the king of rebirth, turning the tomb into a womb.
I bring love and strength, peace and passion, hope and joy, for I am the gentle lover in the night.
All that comes from the Great Mother, the Divine Star Goddess, who is mother of us all
(7th version)
Charge of the Horned God
Listen to the words of the Horned god, the guardian of all things wild and free, and keeper of the Gates of Death, whose call all must answer.
I am the fire within your heart... the yearning of your soul, I am the Hunter of knowledge, and the Seeker of the Holy uest. I who stand in the darkness of light, I am He whom you have called Death. I am the Consort and Mate of Her we adore, call forth to thee.
Heed my call beloved ones, come unto me and learn the secrets of death and peace. I am the corn at harvest, and the fruit on the trees. I am He who leads you home. Scourge and Flame, Blade and Blood, these are mine and gifts to thee.
Call upon me in the forest wild, and on hilltop bare, and seek me in the darkness bright. I who have been called: Pan, Herne< Osiris and Hades, Speak to thee in mysearch.
Come dance and sing, come live and smile, for behold: this is my worship.
You are my children, and I am thy Father. On swift night wings, it is I who lay you at the Mother's feet to be reborn and to return again.Thou who thinks to seek me, know that I am the untamed wind, the fury of storm, and passion in your soul. Seek me with pride and humility, but seek me best with love and strength. For this is my path, and I love not the weak and fearful. Hear my call on long winter nights, and we shall stand together guarding Her Earth as She sleeps.
(8th version)
Charge of the Wild God
I am the strength of the rock at thy back, the roots of the tree that anchor the earth, and the deepest of tides in the black depths of the ocean. I am the Hunter and the Sacred Prey, the warmth of the sun in the swelling grapes, and the call of the road that leads over the hill.
I give you, my creatures, the fire of love, the power of the wind on your face, shelter from the darkest storm. You are dear to me, and I instil in you my power... The power of peace hard earned, the power of vision and magical sight, and the spark of elemental fire, which is the primal light in the darkest depth of night and the lingering tendrils od dreams, I charge thee; and by the beauty of your own creation, I charge thee;
Follow your heart and your instinct, wherever thy lead you. The wealth of the heart will guide you where the cold edge of logic cannot take you.
Take joy in the powers of your bodies. The form your body takes is uniue in the universe, and is chief among your tools.
Lastly, always remember the path you have left behind you. Learn to take your power from the foolish things you have wrought, as well as the good you have done for others, and for your world. You can never usurp another's power, and yours is the well upon which you must rely.
I am with you always, just over your shoulder, running with you through the tall grasses and forests that surrounding you. I possess you and I am your Sacred Prey. I am the Lord of Death, and when you have come to the end of your life on this world, I will be there; to take you between the worlds, to offer you peace and rest. Look upon my face; Know me. i am the spirit of the wild things, but you too, are wild in your souls, and we are forever intertwined.
(9th version)
Hark unto me: for I am He who has existed throughout all time. I was there from the beginning; it was my potency that charged the fertility of the Great Mother and created life from her empty womb.
Myself it is in the winds that sweep the worlds; myself it is in the flames that give warmth and light to all beings. I am he who provides: the Green Man of field and forest fruitfulness; the lust of the bull that engenders life upon the cow; the strength of the boar that engenders life upon the sacred sow of Ceriddwen; the speed of the stag running free in the forest that no hunter can bring down save he who speaks the sacred words to call unto the spirit of the fleeing stag.
I am Lord of the Dance; he who swirls through the starry universe with the world at his heels. I am he who dances on mountain and plain and hearth, and he who captures all things in his dance.
And I am also Kernnun the Dark Hunter; he with visage as dark as void and armor bright with flame. My name is Lord of the Hunt; my prey those souls who needs must die and descend into the dark, chthonic depths of my bowel. For I bring life but death also; I am he at the gateway of the worlds, and to me shalt thou come in the end, thou who art my child and my prey.
(10th version)
Charge of the Dark God
Listen to the words of the Dark God, who was of old called Fakchos, Donn, Anubis, Hades, Setesh, Hoder, and by many other names.
I am the shadow in the bright day; I am the reminder of mortality at the height of living. I am the neverending veil of Night where the Star Goddess dances. I am the Death that may be so that Life may continue, for behold, Life is immortal because the living must die.
I am the strength that protects, that limits; I am the power that says No, and NO further, and That Is Enough. I am the things that cannot be spoken of, and I am the Laughter at the edge of Death.
Come with me into the warm enfolding dark; feel my caresses in the hands, in the mouth, in the body of one you love, and be transformed.
Gather in the moonless night and speak in unknown tongues; the Dark Mother and I will listen. Sing to us and cry out, and the Power will be yours to wield.
Blow me a kiss when the sky is dark, and I will smile, but no kiss return; for my kiss is the final one for all mortal flesh.
Book of Shadows © 2001, Dana (Huntress of the Dark)