Deities

[Morgandria]

Sanguina Cruenta

Perhaps some introspection is in order, if you feel uncomfortable with the way your gods prefer to be worshipped?

I did not know another name for Aset was Mary. It does not seem Egyptian. Is it a foreign name for her?

Bear in mind this is coming out of my memory only, and I'd have to dig up some sources, since it's been at least a decade since I even thought about this.

Aset's cult wasn't accepted into Roman religion until during the Empire. A temple to Aset was decreed to be built after Julius Caesar's assasination, but it was blocked pretty firmly by Octavian, who did not like Cleopatra, or anything to do with her native religion. He instead wanted Romans to remain true to what he considered the proper gods of Rome. Egypt, of course, later became a Roman possession anyway, when he defeated Antony and Cleopatra in 30 BC. He, and several emperors after him, blocked the spread of 'Eastern' religions like Isis into Rome for quite some time. Up until this point, the only 'eastern' religion properly part of the Roman religion was Cybele, as Magna Mater - but she had been co-opted in 203 BC, long before Octavian. Aset had devotees in Rome, and had for many years, but the cult was officially surpressed, and considered dangerous - it was completely underground.

Caligula officially accepted Aset into the Roman religion. She was considered to be an aspect of Magna Mater, 'Isis of the Ten Thousand Names'. After this point, there were temples to her built, and the later emperors were often portrayed making offerings to her. Her worship spread all over the Roman world. So you had a small part of Egypt spread all over the Roman empire, and Egyptians became fairly Romanized themselves.

There's a chain of history with the Egyptians of seeing their deities hybridized or assimilated into other cultures' religious pantheons; I find it easy to see how they'd get told that this god, was actually really this other god, and they'd shrug, hyphenate a name and get on with life.

I'm sure it holds the same for the spread of Christianity across the Roman world and beyond. When Christianity was very young, and was beginning to spread in Egypt, I guess the Egyptians took to Mary fairly fast. She is a divine mother, the same as Aset was to Heru, and smart priests in Egypt took to blessing the fleets of fishing ships in Mary's name, the same Aset's priests had done. So I think it was just another assimilation.

For what it's worth, I get a pretty good Aset 'vibe' off of Mary myself, and the few occasions I've had to be sitting in a Catholic church I usually work my way over to the Mary shrine and light a candle. She has yet to get upset, or make me feel unwelcome.  

[TheStarlessSkye]

Well, I know so far that Pan is a patron deity of mine. Since, I met a Witch, a few weeks ago, and there was a statue of him above her altar. I felt a calling, so that night I decided to meditate on it and I found he was a patron deity of mine.

The only thing I can link with him is the love of music. That's the one thing me and Pan have in common. I have a book called "Mythology", it's about ancient Greece. There isn't much on Pan, though. Just says he was half goat and played the Pan Pipes, and the word "panic", is from his name.

I feel a calling from a certain sea god, or someone related to the sea. Since, I meditated, and (in my head or conscious state) I was in a serene place. A water fall surrounded by wilderness. I was staring into the water, and a man, bearded, and strong, was glaring at me. I felt a calling to go into the water.

I know Poseidon/Neptune have a beard. He was wearing a toga I think. Could anyone name some sea gods or give me a link to a site where I can read about them?  

[HorsesOfTheNight]

Do you believe that is was Poseidon or do you believe it was Neptune "calling" you? Also, were there any symbols in your mediatation that could give you any clues to who it was?

I think you are still being impatient. Like San and Morg have said, it can take years for a certain deity to "call" you. Try and be more patient. This process is not going to happen over night.

I think San gave this to you already but here is a good website for Greek deities.
http://www.theoi.com/  

[TheStarlessSkye]

HorsesOfTheNight

Do you believe that is was Poseidon or do you believe it was Neptune "calling" you? Also, were there any symbols in your mediatation that could give you any clues to who it was?

I think you are still being impatient. Like San and Morg have said, it can take years for a certain deity to "call" you. Try and be more patient. This process is not going to happen over night.

I think San gave this to you already but here is a good website for Greek deities.
http://www.theoi.com/

Yeah I looked on there. I didn't notice any symbols. He wasn't holding a trident or any type of staff or object.

When I meditated, it was for relaxing and I wanted to clear my head. Since there was a little bit of a slip up with my parents. I wasn't expecting to see a man in the water when I meditated. It just came up.

I don't think the man I saw is a Greek or Roman deity. It could have been my totem animal changing form. It's a lion which changed into a dolphin. I don't know why it does that.

Maybe I should just leave it until I meditate again. If it comes up, I'll look more into it.

Also, I think it was more of a sash than a toga. Come to think of it, he was quite youthful, light bearded with long hair. It could be a sign from my past life.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Or maybe it was nothing at all.

The fact that your "totem animal" morphed from one to the other is a suggestion, to me, that it isn't actually a "totem animal". There's no reason for it to change form.

I'm also concerned that you adopted a patron relationship so early into your practise.  

[TheStarlessSkye]

Sanguina Cruenta

Or maybe it was nothing at all.

The fact that your "totem animal" morphed from one to the other is a suggestion, to me, that it isn't actually a "totem animal". There's no reason for it to change form.

I'm also concerned that you adopted a patron relationship so early into your practise.

Yeah. I'll let it come. I won't rush it.

I could have more than one animal? I don't know. I could do.

Well, I felt a calling from Pan at the time, and still do. I meditated on it when I found out, and asked my Pendulum. It said yes.

Are early patron relationships uncommon, or a bad thing?

I don't know how it happened early. It just... happened.  

[HorsesOfTheNight]

Sanguina Cruenta

Or maybe it was nothing at all.

The fact that your "totem animal" morphed from one to the other is a suggestion, to me, that it isn't actually a "totem animal". There's no reason for it to change form.

I'm also concerned that you adopted a patron relationship so early into your practise.

You should have a set path before you have a patron god or goddess, correct San?  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

HorsesOfTheNight

You should have a set path before you have a patron god or goddess, correct San?

I'm not sure quite that, but at the least you should be able to form relationships with deities. Patronage is a heavy thing and not something to be entered into lightly (that is, if you're given the choice). While I think it's possible for it to happen early on, I also think most people don't know what patronage really is or what it might entail and are far too quick to claim it.

Quote:

Well, I felt a calling from Pan at the time, and still do. I meditated on it when I found out, and asked my Pendulum. It said yes.

Getting a calling from a deity in no way indicates that they are your patron. I think you're making assumptions. If Pan is your patron, why are you making such overtures to other deities? Why are you seeking them out? You would have your hands full as it is serving your patron, and at any rate

What do you think patronage means?  

[blindfaith^_^]

I'm sort of concerned by how many deities and totem animals seem to approach you and lay claim to you. It comes off sounding like a vivid imagination or wishful thinking.

I'm not saying that your guides and gods have to stay constant. I've worked with beings and energies where I knew our relationship was temporary we had goals or uses for each other and then went on our way. It just seems strange that you'd meet so many beings at once. If they truly are all beings of some sort and not symbolic of something within your mind, you may want to find a cut off because the demands of so many beings is going to get exhausting. Get some goals and specifics. Who are they, what do they want and what can they offer? Heck, I might turn some away or ask a being who I was more aligned with to help me turn some of those gods and beings away. I mean it sounds like from this thread alone that you have 6 gods/beings you need to honor, work with, worship, and respond too all at once all the time. Two are patrons you thing and two more are your mains, depending on what they require of you that's a lot of work.

If it's imagination then you should look at what these forms represent to you. What do they mean? Is it the form itself or is the implication of being called? What kind of relationship do you expect with your gods/guides/totems? What faith do you pull from?

There's millions of questions here and instead of asking the meaty deep important questions you seem focused on the flash. Yeah meeting divinity is awe inducing. It can make you feel this huge spectrum of things and some of them are wonderful and only found through this kind of meeting and connection creation (in my experience).

But the really big part is creating a working relationship. Learning each other's likes and dislikes, knowing that you've done what you were supposed to do and pleased your divinity is glorious. Knowing when they're having a laugh or joke with you and when they're warning you and when they're testing you is all part of a real deep relationship. There is so much more than meeting the posee or seeking more meet and greets.

My advice: work with your own spirit and will. See where your strengths are and where you're weak. Know what kind of magic and life style you want or need before seeking. Who knows maybe someone will take notice and call you.  

[Gamma Akutabi1228]

Ive heard of Cernnunos and Brigit the most and Dagda and the Morrigan.
I have also seen people use the gods and goddesses they feel closest to use them as the god and goddess, just random, like Lugh and Aeval, etc. They just choose, or the gods choose them  

[oOGarrettOo]

Gamma Akutabi1228

Ive heard of Cernnunos and Brigit the most and Dagda and the Morrigan.
I have also seen people use the gods and goddesses they feel closest to use them as the god and goddess, just random, like Lugh and Aeval, etc. They just choose, or the gods choose them

As has already been expressed, one does not simply use deities as they see fit. This is viewed as disrespectful to the deities in question and would, more than anything, result in some awful or unfortunate things for the "user".

Using random deities that one has no relation to, or no permission to involve, is also considered rude and disrespectful to the deities involved. Especially in a ritual with Wicca leanings. As a wicca-esque ritual generally involves sex between the God and Goddess in question, it's important that one not randomly throw two all powers together and insist their just get on with it for the ritual. I know no deity who would go along with this.

Aoibheal is not a goddess, she is a fairy queen. As such, she cannot be given Goddess status simply for a ritual. I have no doubt it would insult the God she was paired with.  

[Esiris]

Gamma Akutabi1228

Ive heard of Cernnunos and Brigit the most and Dagda and the Morrigan.
I have also seen people use the gods and goddesses they feel closest to use them as the god and goddess, just random, like Lugh and Aeval, etc. They just choose, or the gods choose them

I think Garrett covered the whole "use" thing.

The other thing is- why should people seeking to have a meaningful spiritual experience limit themselves to a god and goddess? Wicca has it's pantheon- two specific gods it works with. Other religions have theirs- people don't try and make every pantheon look like the Romans when they're serious about their Norse Paganism, or try and make their Norse paganism look like the Loa- or something, so why should they try and make their pantheon look like the Wiccan one?  

[Scorpy-Sue]

Sanguina Cruenta

Patronage is a heavy thing and not something to be entered into lightly (that is, if you're given the choice). While I think it's possible for it to happen early on, I also think most people don't know what patronage really is or what it might entail and are far too quick to claim it.

Yeah, I wouldn't say my relationship with Thor is patronage, but I don't really know what to call it.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Afro-Dawg

Sanguina Cruenta

Patronage is a heavy thing and not something to be entered into lightly (that is, if you're given the choice). While I think it's possible for it to happen early on, I also think most people don't know what patronage really is or what it might entail and are far too quick to claim it.

Yeah, I wouldn't say my relationship with Thor is patronage, but I don't really know what to call it.

In Heathenry we have a word, "fulltrui". Means, like, BFF. Fully tru. The concept of patronage changes from culture to culture, and the Germanic version is better described by a word like fulltrui.