Im. Still looking for a stag/buck deer skull with antlers intact to make a stang. For any not familiar with stangs, here is something I cobbled together from various sources for my site called Cernosia, at Cernosia.webs How To Make A Stang A stang is a wooden pole which is used to represent the male power in a circle and the presence of the god. It is the standard pole of the Horned God of the Wooded Wild, Cernunnos. There are 3 different types of stangs. The first type of stang is a large wooden branch that is forked at the upper end so that it resembles a two-pronged trident. The two prongs represent the Horned One’s outspread antlers. [Source: This image was found online at cornishwitchcraft.co.uk/images-tools.html] The second type of stang uses a straight staff to which antlers, horns, or even the entire skull of a horned animal are affixed, the horns or antlers providing the Y shaped fork at the top. [Source: This image was found online at: winterspells/school/magical-tools-of-the-faery-witches/] The third type of stang is called a scarecrow stang. In this form, the stang is a wooden cross with the skull of some horned animal (ie cow, deer) at the top, wearing a white linen shirt. [Source: This image was found online at deanjones.tripod/cernnunos.html] All three types are usually tipped in metal at the lower end. Any of these types of stang will work just fine. The stang has different meanings for different traditions, and its purposes are many and varied. It can be placed upright in the ground on the outside of the sacred space in the North where it acts as a guardian for the entrance to the circle and as a central focal point for the God and for magickal activities. It can also be used in conjuction with, or in place of the altar, serving as a portable altar on a stick. It can be used in place of the staff in ritual. It can be useful as a simple walking stick when out in the woods collecting sacred woods and herbs. It also has its own certain physical protective qualities. Early versions were used to mark ley lines, as boundary markers, and as tools to survey the surrounding countryside. The name Stang comes from the Old Norse word stong and the Middle English stange meaning pole. Selecting the Wood: Different traditions recommend different woods for making a stang, most commonly ash. For Cernosians, however, oak would be most preferable. The Stang should be made from a sturdy piece of wood. Its length should be determined by its purpose. If you want your stang to be a permanent fixture in your sacred area, choose a large piece, 6 or more feet in length. If you intend to use it as a staff and/or walking stick, 4 to 6 feet would be a good length. You may also make a small wand-sized stang if you like, which would be around 1 foot in length. It is best if the wood for the stang is harvested yourself. Preparing the Wood: Begin by removing the bark from your stang and sanding it. Then protect the wood. Dont use varnish for this. Use a special blend of beeswax, mandrake, belladonna and yew. Add a few drops of your blood to the mix to enliven the stang. The Stang can be kept plain or carved with symbols personal to the user and/or symbols of the Horned One. Shodding: Many traditions say that the stang must be shod with iron. This is accomplished either by driving an iron nail (or clout) up into the bottom end of it, or by getting a capped iron shoe which fits over the base of the stang. The purpose is to hold the magical charge within the stang once it is consecrated. The theory behind this comes from an old superstition that magical power cannot pass through iron. By shodding the Stang in this way the power within it cannot run into the earth, but remains in the body of the Stang making it a highly charged magical tool. Over time it will become even more powerful through use. Raising the Stang: Now you need to find a way to make your stang stand up. The type of fixture you use will depend on several factors. Will your stang be very large? Or smaller? Will it be a permanent fixture? Or should it be mobile? If it is to be a permanent outdoor fixture, then simply dig a hole and plant it securely in the ground. If it will be mobile, you must exercise more caution to ensure that it wont fall over. A Yule tree stand works well depending on the width of the stang. You can also try a large vase or pot filled with dirt, sand or kitty litter. This may or may not be practical though, since a pot filled with dirt may be too heavy to drag about. Dressing The Stang: The Stang is usually decorated, or dressed, for each of the 8 Sabbats. At these times it is dressed appropriately with symbols relative to the particular Sabbat or other ritual that will be performed and is used as a focus for the celebration at hand. Garlands are hung on the stang for the major rites. String dried flowers, leaves, cinnamon sticks, and seashells, and hang the garlands from the branches. It may also be decorated with fur, feathers, bones, skulls, crystals or other objects. Hang ornaments representing the Horned One as well. It is also common, in some Traditions, to place crossed arrows on the shaft to represent the compass. A candle is placed between the horns of the stang. It is also traditional to hang an animal mask or skull on the shaft of the stang. With a lighted candle between the prongs of the fork head. With an animal mask or skull below them, the stang more clearly recalls the memory of the Horned God. If done nicely, it will look more like a decorative element than an altar. At the foot of the stang can be placed a small table on which the cakes are set on a platter used only for ritual purposes. Often the libations of food and wine are left at the foot of the Stang with the wine being poured down the shaft of the Stang. Final Notes: It is very good if you can sense the spirit within your stang. This is an important connection. This will help you in bonding with it. To be fully effective, it should be as if the stang actually becomes a part of you.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 22:28:36 +0000
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