Worshiping Pan (An extremely brief starter kit)
Overview
Pan is the Greek god of the wild, shepherds, flocks, rustic music, and rustic prophecy. He’s often seen as the border between civilization and the untamed wild, depicted as a satyr/faun with horns and goat legs. Companion to nymphs and a member of Dionysos’s entourage, many people worship him for his connection hunting, strong sexuality, madness (letting one’s wild side take over,) and undomesticated nature.
Ways to Connect
Spend time outside, particularly in areas where the nature is unkempt.
Spend time with farm animals, especially ones that can’t be fully domesticated (there’s a reason he’s so strongly associated with goats.)
Dance like nobody is looking
Ecstatic experiences, like parties and other places you can really let loose
Rustic music, especially with flutes
Help the planet, clean up litter
Offerings and reading Pan’s mythos
Altar Decor Ideas
Pressed plants
Goat and sheep iconography
Furs, antlers, and other animal items (ethically sourced is preferable, of course. If they’re hunted see if it was for meat and if every part of the animal is used, if possible.)
Pan pipes
Pictures of landscapes and nature
Other Notes
The Roman version of Pan is Faunus. While they are very similar there are some differences between them, especially in their depiction.
His name is where the word “panic” comes from, using noise to cause chaos against troops in battle or freaking out travelers in his area.
Pan is the son of Hermes and a nymph. Sometimes this nymph has a name, other times not.
A really traditional way of worshiping him involves night-long parties, a lot of dance, and knowing he’s shown up to the party when someone gets “possessed.”
UPG (Unverified Personal Gnosis)
While he can be very serious and even frightening, his normal face-to-face vibe during prayer is more like a weird friendly uncle.
Due to so many myths of him losing love interests or comforting others who have lost love, I consider him to be a god of heartache as well, willing to help those who are hurting.
I associate him with patchouli and pine.
I also associate him with the That’s Not a Deer up in the mountains near here.
If you would like to see this kind of post with other deities, let me know!