God Pan is Everywhere
This post contains adult themes.
Summary of Contents: Pan in Mythology | Arrival and Appearance | Pan Plays a Tune | Some Truths About Pan | God of Love and Passion | On How it Is
Festival day - 19 November.
Pan in Mythology
God Pan is listed as the son of Hermes, his mother in some sources daughter of King Dryops whose fine flocks of goats Hermes watched over.
Another old story told of how Hermes took the form of a goat for his union with Penelope, and that is how Pan came by his goat-legs and horns.
The Romans knew his name too, and it was during the time of their Empire, in the reign of Tiberius, some forty years or so after the birth of Christ, Thamus the captain of a ship on route home to Rome, passed the Isle of Paxi and heard a voice call across the water instructing him to tell the emperor, “The great god Pan is dead.”
Probably not the world's first case of premature e.........n.
Goddesses Gods and You
What kind of Heaven do you expect. Soft fluffy paradise of eternity, or oblivion of nothingness? Out-of-body survival expert Margo Williams discovered a surprisingly simple system of management and afterlife recycling.
There are many goddesses and gods in the community. Speaking their name aloud evidently sends a signal; creates a link to wherever they are at any given moment. If it works for you as it worked for Margo, and they respond, be respectful but be yourself. Honesty and thoughtfulness are appreciated.
Sacrifice nothing but your time. Most of them seemed approachable and appreciated being remembered.
The ancient temples that still can be found in some places, although mostly broken, are huge monumental structures; impressive sacred spaces, their scale designed to impress, to be worthy of divine visitation.
However, it is not the size and splendour of any sacred space but the sincerity of the person seeking contact.
Anywhere can be a temple.
"Is Pan a dangerous God?" Nick Hammond asked out-of-body survivalist Margo Williams.
Pan's Arrival and Appearance
"Only if you are cruel to animals and the vulnerable.
Bang! an explosion sounded, emerald light fireworks fizzed in the air. Something big and strange leaped into the room.
Male-bodied from the waist up. Loins and legs brown-furred as an animal, feet were animal hooves. Dark mischievous eyes stared hard down at me.
"Homage has been paid to me, and I come. Wine has been drunk."
I noticed two small horns on his dark head.
"Do you fear me?"
Even with the elfin face he was frightening. I didn’t answer.
His dark eyes were unreadable. I noticed he held a set of reed pipes in his hand. Pan saw my interest and raised them to his lips.
"It is as well you fear me. Those who hear my pipes, I possess their souls," he said lustily. "Come closer and hear them."
I stepped back, put my fingers in my ears. That made him laugh.
"Wise." He lowered the pipes, Pan grinned, grabbed hold of my wrist and pulled.
Pan Plays a Tune
A forest clearing was where we arrived.
Lush grass and daisies. Sun bright and warm, insect buzz, smell of trees. Pan squatted on the ground and motioned me to sit beside him, then tootled a few notes. I forgot to poke fingers in my ears.
"You should not show fear. It is a sign of weakness." He played more of the tune and I began to relax.
The music sounded soulful as Ceto’s siren song but it was different, earthy. The perfect soundtrack for where we were. A forest glade, warm sunlight through the trees cast patterns on fallen leaves and bright faced daisies.
And that music! The melody shifted key but truly it had hold of my soul.
I felt disappointment when he stopped even for a moment to talk.
"You dance," he gestured. "So dance to my pipes."
So I did. Got up and danced, simply couldn’t help myself.
It was all I wanted to do right then, ever. The notes came quicker; he played faster, so fast I had trouble keeping up but couldn’t stop.
Felt the ground heat beneath my feet from the speed of my steps, smoke even started to rise. I thought it was about to catch fire.
As the final note faded, I didn’t want it to end but couldn’t go on. Pan smiled, leerily as I sat in a heap, exhausted, rubbing my feet, expecting them to feel hot and sore but they didn’t.
"Stay with me. You will be quite happy," he said.
"No," I replied.
He began to play, this time a soft dreamy tune. The sweet music took hold of me, I just wanted to lay back and relax. The sound was inside me, as if it possessed my whole body; I swayed.
"If you stay you could dance all the time." The tempo increased.
I felt the overwhelming urge again to get up and dance.
"I fear I might tire," was all I could say. It was true.
"Not with Pan."
I stood to dance. I needed to dance.
"No," he said, suddenly. The music stopped. "I will not take you."
Some Truths About Pan
Pan didn’t ever tell me where he came from and to whom he is related though he did introduce me to some of his own children.
And I did get some idea of how I might have spent my time had he kept me with him, when next he showed up four weeks later.
"I thank you for honouring me on this happy, happy day." Again he arrived in an explosion of emerald light, leaping into the room.
"All days should be happy, but some more so than others." He tootled a note and grinned. "Come."
We arrived in the clearing in the forest. Pan lowered himself to sit cross-legged on the grass. "Dance for me."
The magic music began. It was such sweet sensual music. I swayed to its movement, letting the dance take my body. We were not alone.
This time there were other people half-hidden in the soft grassy gaps between the trees; couples making love. Others were not-so hidden. Not all were young couples, some looked much older.
I didn’t care they were there, I just danced and never had so much fun dancing. The love-makers made their own noises, adding their spirited chorus to the tune until eventually Pan slowed; the dance came to an end. I giggled.
"Mortals have heard of me. Some do not believe I exist but by some I am regarded to be bad." He rested his pipes, much to my dismay.
"This is not so. I take love with me wherever I go." He gestured to the amorous activities happening behind us. "Is this so wrong?"
I didn’t answer. I was still giggling with the fun of it all.
"There is naughtiness in me, and there is much good," he continued. "Many mortals are only half alive. They do not believe as they should, and do not live as they should."
The amorous activity happening in the bushes climaxed here and there.
Pan grinned. "I rejuvenate those who think they are too old to be happy. Through my influence lovers’ quarrels are healed. I have been misjudged by those who have no time for any of us."
He gestured, dismissively. "Oh foolish mortals who would denounce me as sin, who refuse to accept that I am a God, and not evil."
God of Love and Passion
Pan shrugged like a God blessed with a pair of horns and the legs of a goat.
"Some think I am the son of Satan. Oh so many names." He tootled a few notes that set off more lovers’ arousement and it restored the smile to his face.
"I have never harmed any mortal who did not deserve to be harmed. To any who ill-treat animals, I curse and vent my spite on them. To others I bring a feeling of love and happiness."
Seductive notes tootled through the air. "I am a God of love and passion; sometimes lust but never, never evil."
The surrounding woodland really was busy with couples sprawled and amorous, kissing and fondling. I watched, and yet also took part in their activity. It was a strange sensation of the simultaneous, to be sure but I was very happy to be there.
Pan played, to everyone’s delight.
Slow and dreamy it started, sensuous and sweet, then more lively. The loving couples responded in their own ways, not that they seemed to need much encouragement.
Although there and to some degree voyeurs, I felt it was a good thing to see. And anyway, they were everywhere so what was I supposed to do?
Pan did not seem concerned about privacy, more than he offered them.
He shared his opinions when he paused between piping. "I am mischievous," he continued. "Yet if I see a mortal being unfaithful I push him or her back to where they should be. Yes, I can be serious."
His music played faster, everyone responded. It was the song of what Pan does and doesn’t do.
"I help old mortals feel young and enjoy themselves. And encourage young mortals to grow up to have a sense of responsibility." He watched me, his dark eyes twinkled as he gestured with the pipes. "Dance, it will do you good."
He rose and skipped around the forest clearing. Even the flowers seemed alive, their petals swayed in time to his music; leaves were dancers’ arms, moving up and down. "Nature enjoys my music." Truly the world was in time to his tune.
He urged the lovers who peeped out from their cover. "Enjoy every moment."
Eventually I collapsed on the ground, panting and laughing.
How it is With Pan
That was how it was with Pan: simple, loving and caring. He also liked blackberries.
When next he responded to our invitation he took me to a great spreading oak tree to share some moments’ conversation while he gorged on bushes cluster-full of the dark fruit.
As usual he was in talkative mood, happy to offer his good natured self-opinion.
"I should be worshipped because I am one of the happiest and most powerful of Gods. I bring love and happiness to all those who deserve it." He munched a while; it rained a little but blue sky partings in the cloud were filled with warm rays.
"There were not many temples for me in the past, as many of the ancients feared me," he conceded and turned with a handful of ripe fruit ready in his palm, offering them to me.
‘There certainly is no need to fear me. I can be mischievous and I enjoy it. And I can be hard if necessary, full of mischief for those who cause trouble,’ he added before munching some more.
"I am a great God, full of energy, full of love for those that deserve it." Thoughtful, he munched more; as did I. The berries tasted sweet and juicy, as if in perfect flush of luscious ripeness.
Pan raised a berry-juice dripping hand in blessing. "You have my love, and my thanks for treating me as a God and not as an evil one. You have my very loving blessings. More dancing!’ he announced with a series of notes.
Instinctively my body responded. Pan grinned, naughtily. "To you I give the gift of in time knowing how I fit into the great plan." He gestured huge and wide. "I am everywhere."
He didn’t ever tell me how he fits into the great plan.
Maybe it is obvious.
Thank you for your company on this short introduction to god Pan. If you would like to know more about Margo Williams' experiences and suggestions for how to survive in the hereafter, read this book. Now available from Amazon.
