How did you meet the deities with Whom you work?

[WebenBanu]

I'm interested in hearing the story of how people met the specific deities/manifestations of deity with Whom they work most closely. Where did you find Them? Were there any obstacles to overcome in developing a relationship? What sorts of roles do They play in your life now?

When I started seriously looking into spiritual systems I was first drawn to Wicca. I just knew that I wanted to worship Bast- probably at the time because cats expressed so well the feeling of mystery, contentment, and majesty which I associated with spirituality. Bast is still one of the most important figures in my shrine, and I feel that She resonates very closely with my own spirit. I scrounged about for a while looking for a god figure, and landed on Pan. My understanding of deity spread across the Egyptian and Hellenic pantheon, and along a Wiccan framework for a while.

I had a really hard time contacting Bast, at first. Now I think it's because I didn't really know very much about Her and I was trying to fit Her into the role of a lunar/Earth goddess when She's actually more solar^_^', but at the time I thought that She was being cold to me because I'd been Christian for a while and hadn't really learned how to connect with the feminine aspect of the Divine. Pan, on the other hand, was loads of fun.

Then Bast started introducing me to other Egyptian gods (called ntjrw in the ancient Egyptian language)- Djhwty was the first one, She introduced Him to me through a vision of a papyrus painting where a cat was hunting an ibis. It took me a while to figure out, and until I did that image was stuck in my brain kind of like one of those annoying songs that get stuck in your head sometimes. Once I figured it out, though, it passed and I started to learn more about this ibis-headed god of Wisdom and Writing. I used to pray to Him before study sessions and major tests in college- He saw me through some difficult finals. After I met Djhwty, my Greek deities began to dwindle and gradually leave the circle.

Anpw turned up next, through a gifted statue. At first I had a hard time getting to know Him because He was mainly associated with the dead- of whom I was very afraid. This was difficult because I try to perform devotional duties for each of the gods Whom I claim to worship, to help establish a real relationship and avoid getting stuck in a "lip-service only" spirituality. I took up guardianship and care of a local cemetery in His honor, though, and through a series of dream/nightmare interactions with the guardian spirit of that graveyard (whom I sometimes suspect of being Anpw Himself in disguise), I overcame that fear. Anpw is also a Patron of orphans, and so when I moved away from my family for the first time and started feeling really lonely and bewildered about being on my own, I made a deal with Anpw. He's an orphan Himself, which is why He's the Patron of orphans. I told Him that I would be His little sister if He'd be my big brother, and then neither one of us would have to be alone. He listened to me seriously, and has been there for me like a brother ever since then- He's really very sweet.

The next god to make a lasting impression on my shrine was Amn- one of my teachers did a divination and told me that He was a Beloved of mine. I don't really know what sort of divination protocol she used, but I figured that looking into another god is seldom a bad thing- it only gives you more options. Amn's been a bit enigmatic- He's taught me to respect people for their worth in general, as gods' creation and His beloved children, and He's extended His protection to me. Other than that, He seems to be mostly silent.

Then came Skhmt- by this point I'd realized that my gradual interest in reconstructing culturally appropriate forms of worship had replaced my usual framework of Wiccan rituals, and I had to make an embarrassed admission that I'd left the realm of Wicca. I say "embarrassed" because I'd vehemently denied to anyone that I would ever leave, and I loved my time in Wicca- I still have fond memories. But I get a lot out of following a reconstructionist path, too, so I went ahead and embraced the change. My fateful meeting with Skhmt was in a traditional Kemetic venue called "saq," which is the ritual possession of a priest by the deity. Wiccans have something similar in the Calling Down of the Moon. In saq, Skhmt called me to Her service, where I have been ever since. She's really strict, though, and at first I was so afraid of not knowing what sorts of offerings to make or how to act in Her presence. But She's really helped me to develop in the areas of healing, and now I dedicate my career and my study of Reiki to Her.

Other ntjrw come and go, and some of Them even stick around for a while, but these are the major gods Whom I worship.  

[Jameta]

Very interesting tale. 3nodding

Me...? Well, I've known my own figures for years; I've just changed my perspective on them.  

[FireonYce]

Most everything That started with me started through Dreams. I couldn't explain them and one day I went to a forum and started asking questions. Many other pagans on that forum had told me that A few other people they knew were having similar dreams. Somehow I feel like It was divine intervention. I've never seen a face to the divine. I just now feel it. Its like when your hair stands on end. But its all warm and fuzzy. blaugh  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

I tend to work with two main deities. For some odd reason, I've found myself called to the Morrigan, from Celtic mythology. The Goddess of war, death and sexuality. Not exactly qualities that I exactly commune with. And yet, we get along well. It's very interesting communing with one of the triple-aspect deities. The Maiden aspect, Nemain, is just fun to be around. I've actually ended up arguing with her, and had an insult match. The Mother aspect, Macha, I have not not spoken to as much. The Crone aspect, Bahb strangely reminds me of my grade 11 English teacher. A great woman -when you're on her good side.

The deity that I'm not surprised to have met is Thoth, the Ibis headed god that you mentioned. We don't talk that much, but he's very nice and we get along well.  

[WebenBanu]

Nihilistic Seraph

The Maiden aspect, Nemain, is just fun to be around. I've actually ended up arguing with her, and had an insult match.

Whenever Stkh shows up I usually end up getting into an argument with Him, though I stop short of insults.^_^ I think He enjoys it. Looks like you have an interesting balance with your deities- War and Law.  

[Starlock]

I'm largely still working on the whole deity thing... it's not something I've fallen into, unlike everything else Pagan. I'm more of a general Pantheist/Animist than Polytheist, so that makes it a bit more difficult. 'Course it's also difficult when you don't have enough people in your life encouraging the path you've chosen and providing some guidance. sweatdrop I have encountered deity, though, but I know not its true name. Perhaps later it'll be revealed to me, who knows?  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

I see the divine as being infinite, and having an infinite number of faces. Maybe the one you saw does not have a name yet. A friend of mine came across a deity in a vision, and simply called her "she who dances"  

[The Bookwyrm]

It's hard to say what deities I work with and what role they play in my life, mostly because I don't often have any that I work with exclusively. Who I work with often depends on what it is I'm trying to accomplish. But I do often work with Bast; something in our energies has always just seemed to click, and we've gotten on well together since the beginning. I often invoke her for protection, on very long walks home after dark. So far, it's been absolutely fabulous, and I can sense the strength, sureity and confidence beside me as I walk. I often think I can catch an extra shdow out of the corner of my eyes, but when I turn to look, it's gone.

I also work a great deal with Apollo. I aboslutely love the summer, and my sun tanning time (hence my self appointed title of Shameless Sun Worshipper, which applies on a few levels wink ), but I enjoy him far more for divination purposes. I've been doing Tarot and palmistry for many years now, and my inuition/quality in my readings has improved a thousand times over since I started to work with him.

I work a lot with Celtic pantheons, since that is where roots lie (I'm Irish, and absoultely deterimined to "go home", as it were, to Ireland, even for a visit). It made sense to me, and I was drawn to the mythology.

I think my most unique experience was when I consecrated my crystal ball, however. I had invoked Odin, and it was my first time working with any Norse/Scandinavian diety. Afterwards, I made my first scrying attempt and at first the ball seemed like a moon being covered slowly by cloud, bu then, unmistakeably, the darkness gathered to the center of the ball and there was an eye looking up into both of mine. The eye faded, the ball seemed to go dark, and that's when I started to see faint images. The ball is still dedicated to Odin, even though I haven't used it much. 3nodding  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

WebenBanu

Nihilistic Seraph

The Maiden aspect, Nemain, is just fun to be around. I've actually ended up arguing with her, and had an insult match.

Whenever Stkh shows up I usually end up getting into an argument with Him, though I stop short of insults.^_^ I think He enjoys it. Looks like you have an interesting balance with your deities- War and Law.

It went kind of like this.
Me- *Speech relating to a certain aggravating situation*
Nemain- *Arrogant speech*
Me- Damn you, just stay away from him
Nemain- *smug* We'll see
Me- You can be a real b***h sometimes, you know that right?
*silence*
Me- *cringes and expects a lighting bolt* Oh s**t, I just called the Goddess a b***h
Nemain- *laughs and runs off*

And the rest is history.
War and Law? Hmm, a never thought of that. Thanks 3nodding  

[Rose Mystica]

Well, I've read about Artemis since I was little in school. She's always fascinated me, and She was immediately the first one to come to mind when I became interested in Paganism. So I sought Her out--hanging out in the woods more often, meditating while staring at the moon, and all that. She was just the kind of Goddess I needed--uninhibited, wild, but all the same a gentle one to those who paid Her respect. I needed to sever the ties with my old, extremely meek, mousy personality. Artemis' guidance helped me to do that. I saw Her in dreams and whenever I just started at the moon too long (I have a tendency to stare at things a lot).

Athena has a bit odder a story. I was certainly aware of Her presence before, but I just started paying a lot of attention to Her a few weeks ago. I needed wise guidance, and there She was in a dream, offering Her advice on my situation. It was Her that gave me the courage to change things in my dreary life. 3nodding And for that, I'm eternally grateful.

There are many other Goddesses I'm interested in, but have yet to meet--but here's hoping they'd like to meet me, too! whee  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

What about Gods? xp  

[Archangel Calyphrael]

.. Well.. I trotted right up and spoke to Them.

Does it really have to be all that complicated?  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Embyr Arrikanez

.. Well.. I trotted right up and spoke to Them.

Does it really have to be all that complicated?

For people newly-come to this world, it tends to be.  

[Jameta]

Nihilistic Seraph

Embyr Arrikanez

.. Well.. I trotted right up and spoke to Them.

Does it really have to be all that complicated?

For people newly-come to this world, it tends to be.

I really haven't contacted anyone/anything or been contacted yet. sweatdrop The oddest experiences I've had is through dreams, where I've actually heard and seen words. I also see many creatures that I try to draw as often as possible (although I'd rather forget the one I met last night), and I may have met my grandmother or great grandmother, those truly experienced in the Craft and other matters.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Jameta

Nihilistic Seraph

Embyr Arrikanez

.. Well.. I trotted right up and spoke to Them.

Does it really have to be all that complicated?

For people newly-come to this world, it tends to be.

I really haven't contacted anyone/anything or been contacted yet. sweatdrop The oddest experiences I've had is through dreams, where I've actually heard and seen words. I also see many creatures that I try to draw as often as possible (although I'd rather forget the one I met last night), and I may have met my grandmother or great grandmother, those truly experienced in the Craft and other matters.

You should go. It's a very interesting/nice experience.