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| Author: Posted: Sep. 8, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 7,013,357 |
Question of the Week: 39 - 4/30/2001 Who Are Your Gods? Who are your Gods/Old Ones/Ancestors? Did you choose Them or did They choose you? Do you believe/perceive Them as merely evolved Beings-or are They indeed the all-powerful Masters of the Universe? Do you believe/perceive that Gods/Goddesses/Ancestors/Old Ones are extensions of your higher self, separate and distinct Beings of personality or 'all Gods and Goddesses are One'? In your times of need, do you believe that They can overturn the Laws of Karma/The Fates/The Norns for you? Why do you suppose that some prayers/pleas/invocations are seemingly ignored while others may be answered? Do you feel that the Gods/Ancestors/Old Ones may sometimes 'use' you to accomplish some greater plan than you may be humanly aware of? How do you feel about that? What has been your most powerful, meaningful or life-altering encounter with Them? |
| Reponses: There are 55 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| Truth Is One, And The Sages Call It By Different Names." Thus... | May 1st. at 2:52:37 pm EDT |
| John (New Naumkeag) | Age: 33 - Email |
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"Truth is One, and the sages call It by different Names." Thus teaches the Rig Veda (Hindu, i.e. pagan, scripture), and that is what I believe. The rest --the vast rest-- is the commentary, experiences, etc. of the sages about Truth. Blessed Beltaine / Blessed Samhain. --John |
| The Gods/goddesses That I Have Felt The Strongest Connection With Are... | May 1st. at 4:22:09 pm EDT |
| Kaldor Kallindre (Springfield, Tennessee US) | Age: 21 - Email |
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The Gods/Goddesses that I have felt the strongest connection with are the strong Norse Gods/Goddesses: Thor, Odin, Sif, and Freyja. They are the directing forces in my life. They teach me to be as a mother wolf protecting her family. Families are very important, and I am lucky to have been given one to take care of. When I ask for something from Them, which is rare, it is usually worked hard for, and then the acheivement is attributed to my hard work, rather than Their intervention... usually by my family. They all seem to feel that the only deity that has ANY power over this world is their own, and that all other forms of divinity are evil incarnations of Satan. woo - hoo.The things I'm used to here in the southern bible belt. All of my prayers are answered at some time or other, of this I'm sure. Once when I was just sitting in the woods behind my mother's house, I felt and heard someone behind me. I would stop whatever I was doing and look around and see nothing and nobody. I called up a protective circle, and began to meditate, and saw that it was none other than Thor Himself walking in the woods behind me. I asked Him why he was there, and got only this, "Just checking on an investment.." I could get no further information from Him. I just took it at face value, smiled and thanked him, and went on with my day. In time, I searched and looked and finally settled on Thor, Sif, Odin, and Freyja as my Gods and Goddesses. They have guided me and protected me on my journey through this life. I can only hope their enjoyable company will be there for my next lives :) |
| This Is Just My View - I Don't Believe It Is "right" For... | May 1st. at 6:53:12 pm EDT |
| Iko (Chicago, Illinois US) | Age: 37 - Email |
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This is just my view - I don't believe it is "right" for anybody but me. I respect all others views of the Divine, as I hope mine are respected. We are all but drops of water in the vast ocean of being. The Divine holds the ocean, is the ocean and is the dark limitless abyss that surrounds the ocean. The Divine is in me, in you, in everything and at the same time is separate. We all come from the Divine, and we all return to the Divine. The Divine exists without us; we could not exist without the Divine. Just as we have been told the flapping of a butterfly's wings on the African continent can start the breeze that turns into a hurricane thousands of miles away that slams into the North American coast, the actions of one drop - your actions, my actions - in the ocean can effect all others and all outcomes. This is karma. All is connected. There is no predetermination of events, but there is always a price for any choice. And there always is choice. We can contact the Divine, as it resides in each of us and in everything around us. The mental images I have of the Goddess and God are just attempts my brain makes to grasp the ungraspable, the attributes I give to them are just attempts my mind makes to give limits to the limitless. Yet I do give the divine attributes, and do feel more connected to certain portrayals of Gods and Goddesses than to others. There are moments of clarity, moments of perception, moments when the "veils lift" at which time we can peek into what is not "real" on this our physical plain - and can look into but a fraction of an inch of the limitlessness of the Divine. This has happened to on rare occasions throughout my life. These are tremendously personal and profound experiences, each has been life altering. I have no idea why they happened when they happened other than to say I was ready to see something I had not seen before. I do not think the Divine decided when this time was to be, I think I reached a point where I was (subconsciously) open to the possibility of a different perspective and when I was ready I saw it. Again, these are just my views - I would not ask anyone else to accept or embrace them. |
| The Great Goddess. She's Been With Me All Through Life, I Just... | May 1st. at 7:27:33 pm EDT |
| Dan (Jackson, Michigan US) | Age: 16 |
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The Great Goddess. She's been with me all through life, I just didn't call her the Goddess, or Lady, untill recentely. Whether she's in one or another form that she sees fit, to me it does not matter, all that matters is that she is extremely important in my life. In all reality, I know that all Gods are One, and all Goddesses One, yet I choose to see that One as the Lady. She can be seen in thousands of different forms, millions of differeant species, and both sexes. It all depends on the eye of the beholder. |
| Mine Are The Greek Gods And Goddess I.e. Zeus, Athena, And Hestia... | May 1st. at 8:25:24 pm EDT |
| John (Sparrowbush, New York US) | Age: 14 - Email |
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Mine are the Greek Gods and Goddess i.e. Zeus, Athena, and Hestia etc. Ever since I was little I read stories about them from different books. Basically when I just saw a Library book on the floor in the back of the Library where nobody goes (I still don't know why I was in that spot) and I just started reading. Then a couple years later I heard about Wicca and it just clicked. So in a mystical way I guess they chose me. |
| My Pair Is Inari, The Shinto God Of Rice, And Therefore Wealth... | May 1st. at 11:31:14 pm EDT |
| Amanda (Providence, Rhode Island US) | Age: 21 - Email |
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My pair is Inari, the Shinto god of rice, and therefore wealth; and Athena, Roman goddess of wisdom, arts, justice, and skill. Athena speaks to me of all the things I should be, and I try hard to model myself after Her. Strong, but wise. Inari's messengers are the kitsune, or fox spirits in Japan... I identify strongly with them, so I feel like I serve Inari in that way. I don't know if I've exactly been chosen by Them, so that probably means I haven't. Either way, though, I serve Them faithfully, and I feel as if They watch over me. In my opinion, They can change the course of events that seem beyond all control, and I think They would do so if I sorely needed it and there was no other way out. Otherwise, I believe the gods would prefer to not have to spoon feed us, and that we should find our own solutions, turning only to Them for help when there is nothing else to do. |
| I Once Read Somewhere That The Great Divine Forces Are Limitless In... | May 2nd. at 1:56:21 am EDT |
| Nick (Shakopee, Minnesota US) | Age: 20 - Email |
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I once read somewhere that the great divine forces are limitless in all aspects. There are no oposites or duallities to the divine else there would be limits set upon the divine. Since the human mind sees everything in oposites (black, white; up, down; male, female; ect.) something of this magnatude is beond human comprehention. So inorder to compensate for our mind's lack of scope, we have to put these limitations upon the divine to help us understand it better. This is why many pagans worship both a God and a Goddess. It is very difficult to explain to anyone how something can be both masculin and femmenin but at the same time be niether. This is also why many Christians believe in both god and the devil. Try to explain to them that God is both good and evil, yet neither too. This all is someone elses theory written in my own words. I can't remember where I read it but it stuck in my head cause it made sence to me. It helped me to understand how all religions can be right when they say that the God/dess that they worship is THE God/dess. It's just that they call their God/dess by a different name. The form of the divine that I worship depends on the ceremony, problem, or whatever else I may need. If I can place a name of a god to the problem than I refer to that name. Otherwise I just don't use a name and refer to him/her as god/dess. I don't actualy believe that the divine forces actualy awnser prayers, but it is us that awnser our own prayers at a subconcious level. Well since I see the divine as nature, and we are a part of nature, I guess that in a since it is the divine that awnsers us but more importantly it is that piece of divine that is inside of us. Many of you may understand what I'm saying wile others may be totaly confused. Don't worry. All this stuff blows my mind away just trying to comprehend it all. I'm not even gonna try to say that I understand everything that falls under this theory. Like it says above, The divine is beyond human comprehention. PS... I would love to give creddit to the person who thought up this theory but I don't have a name to give. I can't even remember where I heard it from. If anyone can tell me who it was or what book to find it in than please let me know. I would love to read more about it but I haven't stumbled across it again yet. bright blessings, Nick (self proclaimed fluffy bunny pagan) |
| Who Are My Gods/ancestors? The Primary Spirits With Whom I Associate... | May 2nd. at 2:20:12 am EDT |
| the ShadowDancer (Tucson, Arizona US) | Age: 47 - Email |
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WHO ARE MY GODS/ANCESTORS? The primary spirits with whom I associate myself certainly have been called Gods/Goddesses over time. They are seven in number. Old testament type Hebrews called them Elohim, and one of their number became EL, the old testament "GOD". Prior to that (by 1000's of years) proto-hindu shamans thought that they lived on top of a sacred mountain to the north of India. Prior to that Siberian shamans associated them with the seven stars in Ursa Major. To me they are agents of a greater Unity, responsible for certain matters on and around this planet-- humanity, in particular. My realtionship to them is that of student to teacher-- I learn from them, they require certain tasks of me in this middle world. (My ancestors are a different matter entirely, though my association is similar). INITIALLY, they chose me, but it is my responsibility to seek them out. They are pretty busy, and I doubt that I have ever had the attention of all 7 at once. They are DISTINCT BEINGS for sure, however not exactly distinct personalities. (It seems presumptous to assume that beings of pure spirit manifest in such mundane psychological typologies as personalities). They do differ as to what tasks they are responsible for. Some are male, some female. THE FATES/NORNS/WEIRDS refer generally to our destiny in THIS LIFETIME. That destiny can certainly be altered by adhering to a spiritual path, following a particular "God/Goddess", etc. It is exceedingly rare, however, that they will do it for you, generally it must be a choice made and followed by your own free will. Random events are part of the variance (Chaos!) of fate, this cannot be emphasised enough. (Is it real or is it Memorex, only your hairdresser knows for sure!!) KARMA has to do with how soon you will reach the ULTIMATE DESTINY of you soul-- a matter strictly between you and your higher self. This is not really the domain of the "Gods/Goddesses", unless you bring it to them. PRAYER works, but not outside the bounds of Destiny. INVOCATION is outside the bounds of my personal practices, so I won't comment. YES, I AM AWARE that the spirits use me. It is fine with me, I am glad to be of service to the greater good of humanity. By my free choice, I am a servant of the "Light", though I am well acquainted with the "Dark". My life was transformed 20 years ago from one of complete hedonistic pursuit, selfishness, and despair to one of spiritual awareness, service, and hope. I am not complaining. |
| I Read A Lot Of Books About Greek And Egyptain Mythology When... | May 2nd. at 4:45:18 am EDT |
| Alanna (Rockingham, Western Australia AU) | Age: 22 |
|
I read a lot of books about Greek and Egyptain mythology when I was younger, and once or twice I can remeber praying to Athena and Maa't. Then on holiday in Queensland I was given a book on the Celts. My favourite part was on their religion. It made the biggest impression of my 8 year old life. When I got older, all these gods and goddess's made more sence then being a Christain did. So I began with Hecate, Athena, Isis, Maa't and The Morrigan. I see Them as an distant, yet here with me beings. Their biggest impact was when I was 13. It was Samhain, and I was depressed as anything. I heard a soft, gentle voice, but like the winds rolling through the tops of the trees. They (i'm not sure who) spoke to me, and told me the answer was in my heart. It was and still is, and I am more happier whenever I think of that moment, then I ever have been |
| My Goddess Is Sekhmet. She Chose Me. She Is My Mother. Krishna... | May 2nd. at 7:31:48 am EDT |
| Shepsut (columbus, Ohio US) | Age: 30 |
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my Goddess is Sekhmet. she chose me. she is my mother. Krishna is my God. He also chose me. |
| I Don't Know If I Chose My Gods Or If They Chose... | May 2nd. at 1:45:20 pm EDT |
| suzin roberts (dundee, England UK) | Age: 14 - Email |
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I don't know if I chose my gods or if they chose me, I've always been to drawn to certain ones. Aradia is my goddess and Pan my god. I do go to other deities but these are my main ones. I don't know why and I guess I never will but I have a feeling that they somehow chose me. |
| My Gods/goddesses For The Most Part Have Chosen Me And In... | May 2nd. at 6:41:36 pm EDT |
| Bridget Blackwater (Santa Barbara, California US) | Age: 22 |
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My Gods/Goddesses for the most part have chosen me and in oddly demanding ways as well. To me, they are guides, companions and teachers. For instance, Rhiannon, when she comes to call, likes to almost literally knock me around with her chosen method, and I end up with very real bruises in the morning. She also guides me through the "otherworld", because there I have no "eyes" if you will. Other goddesses come in touch with me as well, Kwan Yin and Brigid are both mothering type goddesses, and come to me when I need them the most. I don't believe anything can turn over Karma or the Fates, what will happen will happen. The believe strongly that higher powers know us well enough to know what we truly desire and what is spur of the moment. In general, my experiance with the higher powers have a tendancy to be more enlightening that frightening, and more relaxed than formal. This echoes the way I practice my rituals, and the way I hold my values to me. I believe we are all here for some purpose, we just don't always know where, when and what it will be. |
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