Connecting With Cernunnos?

[chris_pagan]

Hey there! It's nice to be back, I've been away traveling for a bit. I've been thinking quite a lot as well, and so I return with this question in mind. I've been reading a lot about Celtic deities, beliefs, and world views and found a strange, almost overbearing pulling towards Cernunnos. Unfortunately, I can't find anything on him! From what I've read, he's a figure that is cloaked in mystery- we know he was a deity that was honored in some society or societies, but there aren't any surviving myths or poems or anything. The only thing I can find on him right now is Wicca related, which is not what I'm looking for.

I've done some meditation and a few small rituals (I'm in a complicated spot and unable to do much because of my family), but other than that, I haven't really found a strong link to gather some information about him. I did, however, find an interesting post from a Gaulish Reconstructionist on tumblr. I'm usually pretty weary about finding information there, but this guy seems to have done his research well and includes some info about his UPG to be taken with a grain of salt. I'll include the link to it at the bottom.

This attraction to Cernunnos isn't something I want to ignore because it feels so strong, but I'm really unsure how to get to know about him information wise. Does anyone have any articles or books to recommend on Cernunnos?

Some other questions as food for thought-
Do you think Cernunnos is valid as a deity to be included in reconstructionist systems such as CR due to the fact that there's little to no historical record of him?
Cernunnos seems to be extremely popular in Wicca- do you think that this may have "muddied" the information that's floating around Cernunnos, making it difficult to find something historical on him? That isn't to say anything bad about Wicca at all, it's just a point I'm bringing up to as something to stir conversation and think about.

Thanks everyone, have a great day!

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Connecting With Cernunnos?

I've never been able to connect to him. I suppose in part because I have doubts at the truthfulness of his being a god. That derived from only two known Celtic examples I am aware of that even portray what might be a horned man. The closest I have ever come I think is through the imagery of Herne the Hunter and some aspects of Hermes with a sprinkling of Greenman lore and Brownman lore from England I think it was. With just a smidgen of Odin and his wild hunt aspect thrown in.

I wish you luck

[Dez]

Re: Connecting With Cernunnos?

I haven't ever had a strong pull to any of the Celtic deities, which surprised me, because that was something I anticipated. I think, though, if we stuck around and waited for only the really proven deities, we would lose a lot of the richness and nuance possible. It seems like Cernunnos speaks to a LOT of people for only belonging to a few images.

[thalassa]

Re: Connecting With Cernunnos?

I haven't ever had a strong pull to any of the Celtic deities, which surprised me, because that was something I anticipated. I think, though, if we stuck around and waited for only the really proven deities, we would lose a lot of the richness and nuance possible. It seems like Cernunnos speaks to a LOT of people for only belonging to a few images.

Ditto this...

Also, I think how accurate information is about the historical context of a deity has absolutely and utterly nothing to do with the validity of the worship of that deity or the experiences that the practitioner has. Basically, whether or not a god is "real" doesn't impact how "real" the religious experience of that god is.

I'm pretty sure that most of the "historical information" we have about ancient cultures (particulary those without a written record) that we have is incomplete, filled with conjecture, and riddled with giant gaps. I say that because I know it is true on a smaller scale about the fossil record, and biology gets *way* more funding than anthropology and archaeology--societies of people are tons more complicated and nuanced in terms of behavior and motivation and their internal monologe and motivation than dinosaurs and Precambrian whatnot. Time only preserves a smattering of that which is preservable. Worship doesn't keep. The gods don't make good fossils. Ideas erode when the people that have them die, and when the people that came after them change their ideas.

I think that it doesn't matter whether or not Cernunnos (or any deity) was worshipped by the ancient Celts (or ancient whomever). We don't know if the gods really exist--we have opinions on whether they exist or not. Even assuming that they do exist, we certainly don't know where they come from or how they arose or formed or whatever. Heck, we can't even agree if there are one, two, or two million of them. The human experience of deity is infinite....or at least as vast and varied of every single person that has ever walked upon this Earth. Why choose any god to worship? I can't see any reason that some guy 100 or 1,000 or 10,000 years ago's experience of the divine is any more accurate or valid for being old. Appeal to antiquity (or appeal to tradition) is a logical fallacy.

I also don't think gnosis is any more than marginally better simply because it is shared. Religion is a language, a set of symbols (regardless of how "real" one feels they may be) that is culturally derived and interpreted. Cultures are not static--they evolve because the conditions of a society (and how it interplays with other societys and its environment) evolve. Religion is a part of culture that evolves, and the gods evolve (or at least our intepretation and understanding and interaction with them) evolves because we evolve culturally. The gods aren't static, they aren't still, they aren't unchanging. So to me, Cernunnos exists. He exists because (whether he is historical or new) people believe in him, they worship him, they experience him...whether he actually "exists" (in some sort of literal/physical form) or not. If you want to know more about him, look to the people that do worship him...or better yet, exprience it for yourself. Yes, take that information with a grain of salt; yes, compare it with other practitioners; yes, doubt and question your beliefs and experiences; yes, comapre it to what little is known about him....but don't let something as small as historical context define and restrict your spiritual experiences (as opposed to informing and shaping them).

[Cerdivae Song]

Re: Connecting With Cernunnos?

Hello Chris.
I've felt that same pull for many years! And yes, he is important in Wicca traditions (so it seems, I'm not Wiccan, so this is just from observation). He is the Horned God, the one who mates with the earth.
In the same way, I believe him to mate with the Goddess Danu (the earth) every year, which makes the fertility of spring, and encourages the animals to mate. These are my beliefs, and I am in no way claiming them as true for you. However, Cernunnos was a God I worshiped even before I knew for sure who he was. When I did some research a few years back on deities, I felt a strong pull to his name, even if my eyes barely glimpsed it. He is mentioned very little in Celtic traditions, however, he holds very true to me personally. I feel a deep connection, and a pull to worship him. The same with the Goddess Danu.
Both of the deities I worship have counterparts in Wicca, so I believe this may be why you're having a difficult time finding information.
I am no expert! So please, be cautious. c:

[Amelia-Mary]

Re: Connecting With Cernunnos?

I too feel a connection to Him, this is the information I have for Him, can't remember where I got it from as it is hand written:

"CERNUNNOS
-Celtic God of virility, fertility, life, animals, forrests, and the underworld
-"The Horned God" aand "The Green Man" are used to describe Him
-Born at the winter solstice
-Alternates with the Goddess of the Moon to rule over
=>Life and death
=>Continuing cycle of death
=>Rebirth and reincarnation
-Element of earth
-SAMHAIN
-Bulls, rams, stags, horned serpent (horned animals)"

I tend to feel Him and Danu together when I go to connect with deities, usually where there's earth and water (I'll take a photo of where I go next time and upload it if you like). I would suggest if you want to connect with Him, go to a forrest, or somewhere where there is trees and green and do your 'work' there

Hope this helps in some way

EDIT: Found the link I used!! It might be more helpful than the fragments I took from it: http://www.angelfire.com/wizard/celticdeities/

[chris_pagan]

Re: Connecting With Cernunnos?

Thank you guys! I appreciate the help for sure, and you've all definitely given me a lot to consider

[Rowan Wulfram]

[Louisvillian]

Re: Connecting With Cernunnos?

I venerate Cernunnos most highly, and I am beginning to look into Celtic Reconstructionism to handle my Celtic-related practices. I am starting to really prefer the reconstructionist approach to ancient polytheism, because I value historical accuracy and research so much and those are the values that characterize reconstructionism. Unfortunately, as regards Cernunnos, he is only attested only in fragments; little of which hints to his perceived character and personality, or his role in Celtic society.
My personal experiences with him are coloured by my experiences at the time with Wicca. I have perceived him as a god of the woods and wild, a god of the hunt, and a fertility god primarily. But I've heard from others that he is also a god of death, a psychopomp, and a giver of riches similar to Dis Pater, Mercury, Hermes, or even Hades in Greek and Roman religion. Perhaps the truth is a mixture of these, as the gods are not necessarily bound by the roles we picture them in.