What makes this book different from those teaching girls how to be witches, is that it looks at things very much from an adolescent male's point of view, with more emphasis on going out and doing stuff than on staying home and brewing herbal remedies. I would definitely recommend The Way of the Horned God as a great book to give a teenage boy who wanted to learn more about paganism. It is well written and explains often quite complex subjects in a clear and succinct way. It offers useful suggestions to help an adolescent explore their own spiritual path and develop their own relationship with the pagan gods and with nature. ~ Lucya Szachnowski, www.badwitch.co.uk

This book is aimed at the young male Pagan (or Pagan wannabe) who is still living at home with his parents and, as such, is a very low-key, non-ceremonial approach. It won’t suit everyone, but it is a book which has been needed for quite a while. It deals with the young man growing up in a modern urban environment. ~ Mike Gleason

I think it is important to mention that I started my path in Wicca when I was a young teenager, and now I am a parent of a teenage boy. I feel this book is a must have for every parent of a teenager that is venturing into paganism, and for the teen starting their path. This book will give any pagan a strong base to build their path on. I have seen some writers that produce books just to get a buck, It is NOT the case with this book, Dancing Rabbit gives very sound advice and guidance to the young teen starting their path and covers things that every young pagan goes through and will have to face. This is a book NEEDED to be done, and I am glad Dancing Rabbit did it. ~ Steve G., Pagan father

Dancing Rabbit has done an incredible job with the underappreciated Way of the Horned God, one of the few books that speaks to the pagan male, and the only one that specifically covers the challenges and issues faced by young men. My initial fear was that the book would take a philosophical approach, without practical knowlege, but this is anything but the case. Beyond being merely a religious tract, Dancing Rabbit's work addresses the issues of growing up male, dealing with puberty, schoolwork, unsupportive parents, trying to connect with nature, and initiation and manhood rituals (something our society has lost, consequently leaving boys to engage in dangerous behavior to try and prove their manhood, like drinking, drug use, etc). This is something I wish I could have had in my teen years, and something I'd want my son to have. ~ S. C. Rowand

As an extremely feminist belief system, Wicca tends to appeal largely to women, with most books and media about Wicca either gender neutral or appealing to the fairer sex. That’s why works directed at males, especially young males, are rare, and good works (that is, non-derivative, with something to actually say) even more so. Dancing Rabbit’s Way of the Horned God fits into the very rare category. Far from being another Wicca FAQ/philosophical discussion (and we have plenty of those), the work provides a thoughtful take on the pagan male’s journey to adulthood. Included are rituals for spiritual growth and development, practical advice for dealing with puberty, schoolwork, unsupportive parents, and ways to connect with nature. The author notes how rites of passage, especially for males, have been discarded or made so mundane as to be almost meaningless (getting a driver’s licence, graduation ceremonies, etc), leaving adolescents to prove their manhood to their peers by engaging in drugs, sex and violence, something the book seeks to correct. At no time does the material come off as preachy, and instead provides an active guideline for living as a Pagan, rather than a stale helping of passive theology. Even as a 26-year old, I came away with new ways to incorporate my path into my daily life. This is a book that’s long overdue, and something I would recommend to any Pagan male. ~ The Witches Dance-Blog, http://luckyhandroot.wordpress.com/

I do really like this book, and would recommend it to anyone with a young lad searching amongst the ‘wannabe witches’ books in the mind, body and spirit section of the local book store, or indeed if you are the boy searching amongst those suspiciously pink tomes. It is, as it purports to be, a guide to young men seeking a natural spirituality. The wording is simple, the rituals simplistic, and the intentions basic, which is as it should be. There’s little here for the older established pagan, although even then there may be simplifications that one would find useful in conversations with folk of other religions. It’s a toolkit, a word horde and a pointer toward greater understandings. ~ bish, The Druid Network

The Way of the Horned God is Awesome! 04 Aug 2010 As a practising pagan male, I found this book to be absolutely brilliant. Reading The Way of the Horned God makes me wish that it had been written 15 years ago. Even though the information published within appears to be written for the young man, just starting out on the path of Paganism. There is a great deal of content that also applies to the more experienced practitioner. With simple rituals for the beginner and in-depth explanations of the mechanics of said rituals makes for an easy to understand text that captures the true essensce of what it means to tread the path of paganism as a son of The Horned God. As it also covers the scantilly touched topic of paganism from a male perspective makes it (in my humble opinion) a must have for any male pagan, regardless of age. Horns raised to Dancing Rabbit on a job well done. ~ Aonarach, Boomerang.com

The Way of the Horned God by Dancing Rabbit is a book geared towards young men who are seeking a Pagan path.  There's an obvious lack of books for teen boys out there, and The Way of the Horned God fills the gap quite nicely.

Besides introducing the young reader to the Goddess and the Horned God and explaining the basics of a Wiccan influenced Pagan path, Dancing Rabbit also stressed personal responsibility, personal grown and the passage into manhood.  Caring for yourself and learning life skills are mentioned frequently in the book.  What parent doesn't want to read an author tell a teenage boy " If you don't know how to run the washer, now would be a good time to learn"?

The way of the Horned God would be a great book to pick up (holidays are coming!) if you have a young pagan man in your life.  I suggest reading the book through yourself first (or buy one for yourself so you can read it together) so that you discuss what's in the book together - no Pagan path is one size fits all, and as a Pagan parent, you'll want to share your own traditions and experiences with your son or the young man in your life.

One thing that might cause some controversy is the discussion on hiding the teen's path if their parents are not accepting.  I've heard many similar complaints about Silver Ravenwolf's Teen Witch, which also discusses teens hiding their practices.  Taking responsibility for one's manhood, should probably start with not hiding something as important as your faith from your parents while you're still living in their house.

On another note, this book might have been better served being broken into a series of books, so that more detail could be added.  There's a great section on camping that I can see being a complete Pagan Boy's Guide to Camping - complete with blessing and protection spells for the gear,  details on picking out equipment and some great spell using a compass - I'm sure that Dancing Rabbit probably has this information floating around in his head to share! The information is great, I would have just liked to see more of it.   Maybe there are more to come, though.  I look forward to reading what Dancing Rabbit offers in the future!

 

Well, I put on my skeptic's hat yesterday after work, and began to read your book. I found it hard to put down. I in fact read 132 pages then decided to watch 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' I finished the last 30 today. I think this path is almost the polar opposite of The Abrahamic religions. I am saddened by the wisdom and history they have destroyed.

I could not find a single thing that I disliked about your take on neopaganism. In fact I think it's brilliant. =)

As I see it, Providing that the Rede is first and foremost in all aspects of one's behaviour, following these suggestions would result in creating an individual who is healthy, empathic, responsible, compassionate, and introspective, able to "Know thyself", able to survive, be self sufficient, and who seeks wisdom. And who leaves Mother Earth In a more ordered state than whence they first came.

However I think there is the possibility it could make a person somewhat superstitious of certain things, but not necessarily.

I even approve of the Magick Rituals. Because they are colourful, thoughtful, creative, and seem to be mostly about Improvement. And running through the woods is fun. =)

I can understand the worth of going through the motions of the ritual, and transforming your hopes and aspirations into physical objects. Empowering them, and ultimately nurturing or destroying them could really help to solidify an idea, a thought process, or one's behaviour towards a goal.

I think such an individual could only benefit society.

 

It can be tough if you are a teenager who wants to learn about paganism; it’s hard to find a group to accept you, so much of your learning will come from the Internet and books. It’s twice as tough for young men, because so few books are written for them. The Way of the Horned God: A Young Man's Guide to Modern Paganism by Dancing Rabbit helps fix that balance.

Written by a Pagan school teacher, The Way of the Horned God is aimed at parents as well as young men who are serious about pagan spirituality. It looks at things very much from an adolescent male's point of view, with more emphasis on going out and doing stuff than on staying home. Following the way of the Horned God means learning about nature and experiencing the sacred within the natural landscape. The book recommends such things as going for hikes into the countryside and camping out under the stars.

The book includes exercises, visualizations and meditations to help experience sacred aspects of nature in the mundane world. There are also examples of rituals to celebrate the cycle of the year, to honor the ancestors and to understand how pagans perceive the gods and goddesses associated with the seasons, the sun and the moon, and the land There are also examples of rites of passage including symbolic gestures to represent giving up certain aspects of childhood and accepting the growing responsibilities of becoming an adult. From cleaning your room to taking responsibility of chores and finding mentors in life Dancing Rabbit does an excellent job of maneuvering between "how to" and "must do"

Sex is, of course, a subject much on young men's minds and it was (refreshingly) dealt with here in a way that is frank and sensible, pointing out that the concept of "an it harm none, do what thou will" means being responsible. The point is made that sexuality is sacred and therefore to be respected and there is nothing wrong with masturbation.

One of the most difficult things if you are a teenage pagan can be how to discuss your religion with your parents. I particularly appreciated the practical and enlightened advice given to these young men trying to navigate difficult relationships with their parents—either as a result of the teen’s spiritual choices, or just due to the normal teenager-parent issues that any young man of any path might encounter.

I absolutely recommend The Way of the Horned God for young men who want to learn more about paganism. It offers useful suggestions to help an adolescent explore their own spiritual path and develop their own relationship with the pagan gods and with nature.

~review by Lisa Mc Sherry

 

The Way Of The Horned God" Verdaderamente es un guía para la religión pagana. Es dirigido para adolescentes de trece a dieciséis años, Pero me parace bueno hasta ya señores de este libro se puede sacar una información muy buena de cómo ser un pagano solitario. Tienes muchos aspectos de la madre diosa y el padre dios y el uso de magia. Tiene unos rituales do como un adolescente vuelve su cuarto en espacio sagrado para rituales y hecho magicos. Verdaderamente es un buen libro para todos.

The Way of the Horned God is a true inspiration to serious male teen Pagans. It gets into a little back story of the religion , then the beliefs of Pagans and their practices, and how to talk to your parents. This book is perfect for teens the age of thirteen to seventeen, even though any pagan can get such useful ways of ritual and meditations from this book. It gives a creative perspective of the goddess and a stronger value to the god (which in many wiccan traditions the god has been obscured by the goddess) here he gives him a top billing knowing this is for growing male teens. It teaches also ways of taking care of nature in its rituals. Personally a great book. Really balanced and down to earth. A must for your witch teen or any male really. 

... one of the most refreshing books I've read in a long time. I particularly like the rituals. They are easy to follow and not too deep for a beginner plus they give a hint of more in depth rituals that can be done as the boy progresses down his chosen path. ~ William Kunkle, Pagan father, priest, SCA fighter

The Way of the Horned God is a truly amazing book. It is full of quotes and insights from several male teenage Pagans, taking the book to a level reached by no Pagan book I have ever read before! ~ Fire Eagle, former teen columnist for PaganPages.org

The Way of the Horned God by Dancing Rabbit is both original and informative. When I first started on my Pagan path it was wonderfully easy to find information about the Goddess and Goddess-based rituals and prayers, however, finding anything about the Horned god was much more difficult. There were also many books for teenage girls practicing Paganism but again there was a lack of materials for the teenage boy. The Way of the Horned God solved this problem for me by providing me with tons of great information about the masculine side of the universe. The explanations are excellent and detailed. I was especially surprised by the section of the book detailing parental issues. Another topic many other books lack. Having this book when first starting my path would have given me a great basis for practicing this exciting religion. When I first started I was blindly scanning through webpages and books. The Way of the Horned God, however, would no doubt have provided a lot of reliable information. This book would be a great guide for those just starting out and I'm just as sure that this book would also help a more experienced practitioner add something new to his practice. ~ Hevszel, teenage Pagan and YouTube channel host

Reading ‘Dancing Rabbit’s’ ‘The way of the Horned God’ is a true pleasure. So many books today overlook the large amount of men within modern Paganism, leaving many male practitioners questioning their place within the Pagan world. Dancing Rabbit approaches this issue sensitively yet with conviction and provides wonderful information and instructions within a ‘user friendly manner’. The work is written in such a way that it can be read by anyone, Pagan or not. This makes it an ideal book for the young Pagan to introduce his faith to family and friends perhaps. It approaches the idea of modern Paganism from many different practical and philosophical stances, including, the more practical side of Paganism in relation with tools and holidays, meditations and activities, yet also philosophically approaching what it means to be a ‘man’ from within a modern Pagan context. The book could be approached by an inquisitive beginning Pagan, or by a well experienced Pagan who may be looking to expand their practice. There is also no reason why this book could not be used by people from outside the Pagan community in an attempt to understand the gender roles in modern Paganism. After covering a wide range of topics including, the idea of deity as ‘God and Goddess’, ‘ethical guidelines’ and even the ‘passage into manhood’, Dancing Rabbit then provides a list of further reading for the reader to move on to, expanding their practice even further and providing valuable opportunities to educate themselves even more on the value of men within Paganism. This very unique book would be an ideal purchase for the modern Pagan male, wishing to investigate his own place within an ever-growing and ever-changing Pagan world. ~ Stuart Michael Tucker