Socrates: Beloved Pan, and all ye other Gods who haunt this place, give me beauty in the inward soul; and may the outward and inward man be at one.
Plato, Phaedrus, 279B
Pan is a wonderfully complex deity. Known as the King of Nature and Shepherd of goats, he works with the primal energies that are within us. He has been distorted by some into just being a sex god or into the “Devil”. So it may come as a surprise as to some that he is very much associated with healing. Pan’s healing is varied and requires much from us.
One aspect of Pan’s healing comes from the connection with nature outside us. Who has not felt more rested, more at one with themselves when walking through a forest. Connecting with nature, feeling the energy of the world around us. Taking ourselves out of our own minds and connecting with the spirit of the things around us. This is the environment of Pan’s Kingdom. It is the environment of flowing energy. It’s where we meet the nymphs, who take us on that sacred journey of delight and freedom.
Pan’s healing is connected with the primal energy of nature. This comes from a deep connection to the creative energy of the world, and can arise as a sexual energy. The common depiction of Pan with an erect phallus, expresses the connection of primal energy. Often today this is labelled as sexual energy but it is part of the primal creative energy of the universe. It can flow in each of us as part of our deep connection to the universe. It is an expression of the freedom that each of us has to be ourselves. It may be expressed in wildness and full sexual expression but it comes from the place of creation. Connecting with this energy of creation allows us to heal ourselves and release the blockages within. We become again the free flowing river, following our own path, truly empowered.
Pan’s healing is also connected with panic and fear. The increased heart rate of anxiety that comes from facing the unknown power within us. It is here that Pan challenges us. The challenge to go inward to face our fears, to reflect on ourselves and to know our selves deeper. This is a darker healing, not one of light and happiness, but one of going through the fear and learning from it. We may express it as anger, we may run away from it. Pan enables us to get to the point where we see our own fears. Coming to the point of being fully vulnerable to ourselves, and our true deep nature. This isn’t a prettified view, it is one that shows us warts and all. It is the authentic view of our own truth. It is the ultimate in acceptance. There is no judgement only acceptance. Pan’s mirror shows us what we fear in ourselves and connects us back with the primal energies of our humanity.
The party of euphoria afterward Pan’s healing is the true energy for the all night celebration that Pan is known for. The sense of knowing ourselves better and working with the fear and anger within in us.The outward and the inward becoming more at one.
Now how does this connect with shamanism. The root of shamanic work is the journey. So we can journey to Pan, asking for his healing. It is a journey that has fear, anxiety and immense power. The feeling of being spiritually naked before one who can see straight through you, and show you who you really are, raises the pulse in all of us. Working with Deities like Pan shows us how powerful shamanism can be, transforming the inner and outer. May the outward and the inward be at one.
If your are interested in a longer essay on the nature of Pan I would recommend “An essay on Pan” by James Hillman which has been part of the source for my thoughts above.
Love and Blessings