Patron Deities?

[feranaja]

How many here consider themsleves to have a Patron deity of some sort?

Back when I was training in Wicca, this was a sort of popular notion. It was always hard for me to define myself as a Priestess of only one; with my Jungian background, as I see aspects of so many within myself. But sometiems there truly are special relationships that emerge, and I find it easier to relate to some of the gods, more so than others. This, imho, can and probably should change over time...what's your take on this idea? Do you have a patron deity? Or is your relationship to the gods fluid and subject to change?

My own major affinities are to Aphrodite and to Artemis, a situation that creates a powerful inner tension and sometimes, a conflict. I've learned to give each of them their head when they really seem to be speaking to me. I'm also working on a temple which will be dedicated to Yset (the goddess, not the Hoochie, lol) and am feeling a number of internal shifts, whihc may mean I've resolved the conflict now and can move on.

What about you? Do you have a patron deity or special allegiance to a pantheon or an individual god?
fera

[fr.novumorganum]

I don't agree completely with the term, but the two god-forms I have worked with most closely are thoth and nuit.

[Aodh]

Well, as I mentioned in another thread, my dedication seems to vacillate between Loki and Apollo. Now, to not make myself look like a complete idiot, let me explain how I came by both of them.

Early in my youth around the age of 6 or 7 (It was actually a very good age for me) I started to have interactionw ith an entity which claimed to be my father, which also led to a strong affinity in me with fire both physically and in the esoteric/Hermetic sense. Out of this, I eventually recieved the name Logi. When I was 12, I started to research things including Norse Reconstructionism. Eventually I came across Loki, a fire-related being who may have evolved from another god named Logi.

Loki's attributes were very attractive to me and I embarked on communication and such with him. I had several strong experiences with Loki that led to me continuing interaction with him even now. (As well as with the Norse pantheon)

---

Apollo, I more or less found by accident when I was searching for info on gods associated with falcons, since from a young age I had an affinity for them and they seem to show up whenever I'm experiencing turmoil or such in my life. Somehow, due to Solar associations, I became engrossed in Apollo and his mythos. Eventually when I decided that I wanted to try a more "moral" life (two years ago) I decided the transition from Loki and trickery and the Norse pantheon to Apollo and truth and the Greek pantheon would be a good way to mark the start of this. Many deep experiences with him and the Greek pantheon came from this.

In the end, I've come out with a very dualistic life with focus on Truth vs. Trickery and the archetype of the Harmful Healer vs. the Healing Harmer.

[Talkingfox]

My relationships with god-forms has always been fluid depending on where I am in my life.

Currently it's Loki and Angorboda. You think it's because I'm surrounded by glaciers and volcanos or something????:laugh:

[feranaja]

Good point, TF - I recall when I lived in Nova Scotia - we had a large 100 year old house in a remote spot, right on the ocean - the connection I had to the elements was much different from what I experience here in these rugged forested hills. Lately I wander around outside and feel an intangible, unnamed presence, something ancestral and yet pre-dating human presence. I love just opening to this spirit and not having to name it; the " correspondences" are everything around me, every tree, animal, plant and stone...


The ocean was not at all venusian for me, it was so impersonal, but I loved it... I often think of settling near Cape Breton, when I finally do settle that is. So I suppose I dont so much as have a patron anymore as a set of ideas that can be shaped and re-named according to circumstance..but as Nuhad points out, mine are always female, for better or worse, I have never felt a connection to the male image (deity that is).

I often feel like I just want to create my own deity, as in the specific face of the Feminine that is unique to my life, and this point in it..

You live in a spectacular part of the world TF - I think I'd never want to leave if I were you.
fera

[Talkingfox]

Yeah it's gorgeous here, but harsh. The social and artistic situation is the pits.

I Do find myself drawn back here time and again. The sheer magnitude of the landscape is what keeps me sane.

To paraphrase a friend of mine : Anchorage is a cheap rhinestone in a beautiful setting......

[feranaja]

hhmm..you know I think a nice visit would do me just fine - I am really getting tired of all this snow and cold...

[Naomi]

Well when I was growing up my animal was the fox. Later on I found out that Coyote was usually considered to be fox's mentor and fox always followed in his footsteps and helped bring him back to life when he died.

Iktomi (a spider god, but not the only spider god) is often seen in stories as Coyote's best buddy or even a brother. They are both getting into mischief.

Sometimes in 2002 I began studying under Iktomi. I had accessed something that was bigger than my waking state and I was learning all sorts of stuff connected with Iktomi. So I went with that.

Then I learned Inari, the Japanese god of rice is flanked by two fox, and an alternate form of Inari is a spider.

So yes I consider my patron to be Iktomi and also Inari....because Inari has two traits, one of Iktomi the trickster (she takes the form of a spider in Japanese mythology, when she/he punishes people) and one of Spider Woman the provider...but it's more like in a 'mindset' I don't think they fund my existence. ^_^

[Radiant Star]

I seem to have had the most dealings with the Egyptian pantheon. I was first introduced to it by my daughter who took a course in Egyptology and took me as a guest on the college trip to France to visit the Louvre. I wasn't that interested at that point, it was later that I did some rituals involving some of the Gods and Goddesses and found them easy to work with at the time; sort of started from there really and I wound up taking to Anubis so much, he just seemed to keep appearing every where I went in some form or other.

[Zaii]

My main man:

http://i18.tinypic.com/2lvkakh.jpg

[Naomi]

Tyler Durden is great, he was such an inspiration. I used his idea for several world domination projects. I lent that movie out to everyone I knew. It's hard for people to swallow Fight Club. My favorite scene was the liposuction clinic dumpster scene. Hahaha omg that movie was so inspiriing!

Actually it is almost like a modern coyote-iktomi fairytale....

[Zaii]

What does world domination have to do with it?

[Nalyd Khezr Bey]

How many here consider themsleves to have a Patron deity of some sort?

Back when I was training in Wicca, this was a sort of popular notion. It was always hard for me to define myself as a Priestess of only one; with my Jungian background, as I see aspects of so many within myself. But sometiems there truly are special relationships that emerge, and I find it easier to relate to some of the gods, more so than others. This, imho, can and probably should change over time...what's your take on this idea? Do you have a patron deity? Or is your relationship to the gods fluid and subject to change?
I feel that my relationship to the gods is fluid and subject to change at any given moment much like my moods. In agreement with your general point though I do think certain affinities can develop. For me there has always been a rather strong presence of Mnemosyne but I can't remember why.:)

[m1thr0s]

I feel that my relationship to the gods is fluid and subject to change at any given moment much like my moods.Seriously. And perhaps even more than moods, a lot depends on where my path happens to take me from moment to moment...I am still in a general modality of studying Ningishzidda but this is indicative of where my work is at right at this moment in time...a month from now I may be off on some completely different tangent. None of these are random or incidental...it's all a carefully woven tapestry that takes on certain threads at certain times and also moves on as needed...

m1thr0s

[Naomi]

What does world domination have to do with it?

Controlling the world: to take the primary power away from the administrators of entropy, mammon and industry and redirect it into the administrators of freedom, bravery and happiness.

[Zaii]

Controlling the world: to take the primary power away from the administrators of entropy, mammon and industry and redirect it into the administrators of freedom, bravery and happiness.

To me the message propagated in fight club (if there can be said to be any clear message, as you have to admit the film and book are remarkably ballsy in their ambiguity) was an absence of administrators altogether, to take your life into your own hands, and trust yourself to handle anything.

[Nalyd Khezr Bey]

Seriously.

m1thr0s

Other than the last five words of my post I was being sirius.:)

[Naomi]

To me the message propagated in fight club (if there can be said to be any clear message, as you have to admit the film and book are remarkably ballsy in their ambiguity) was an absence of administrators altogether, to take your life into your own hands, and trust yourself to handle anything.

And when you get there what will you be handling?

We will for a long time be administrated life by the sun's rays...there is no way for our bodies to survive the sun's death, which is why many civilizations worshipped the sun. Even with high technology, when we move into space, we will still be reliant on engineers and the ships and the tender mercies of the galaxy itself...

Who knows what other administrators lurk unseen and unknown in hidden parts of the universe and the internet....:tnerd:

[Okazaki Castle]

The Goddess Venus is my patron deity, she should look after me, but has been very slack in that respect lately, fetching very few exceptionally pretty young women to my boudoir. She tells me to be patient and that much is coming. She made me work first for it, which I objected to hugely, because she herself is very lazy whenever she can get away with it, as I like to be also.

Beyond that, I have what I view as friends. I am only willing to worship Goddesses, not Gods. I am willing to have Gods as friends, but not as patrons. Gods are cool and, like demons, make for better conversational partners than most humans and even most Vampyres. Most people don't believe in Vampyres but most people (in the world) do believe in God of some sort. I have my own beliefs and experience I s'pose, as do all...

I also believe that some gods, and some demons, are physically incarnated in human, or sometimes humanish-looking at least, bodies on Earth at this time, plus in the past also. Few of these persons look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, and some are even close-to disabled. Especially of note in this regards is Yoshio Kodama, who is now dead, even though he is/was an immortal God (imo). He was in some ways nasty, but, *shrugs* were the Kaberoi 'nice people'? In terms of the sum total effects of his actions, these can be considered positive, if one counts the post-war Japanese economic revival, which was primarily financed by the gold etc he stole from China during WW2. Japanese think differently to westerners and are often misunderstood. After all, the USA only entered WW2, thus leading to the defeat of the Nazis, because of the Japanese. It is for reasons such as these that I like to hang out with and discuss matters with people normally considered reprehensible by the average westerner, in their typically judgmental ways. I learn things that way, for example about the concept of Blamelessness and the principle of 'Harmonize and Pass thru'. Hanging out with ordinary people who view themselves as human is usually boring for me, at least in terms of conversation, unless I'm just listening to the sound of their voice and admiring their pretty breasts or smtg. Interesting people to me are rare, hence my active occult/religious life...

all the best,
Oazaki.

[Ratatosk]

Seriously. And perhaps even more than moods, a lot depends on where my path happens to take me from moment to moment...I am still in a general modality of studying Ningishzidda but this is indicative of where my work is at right at this moment in time...a month from now I may be off on some completely different tangent. None of these are random or incidental...it's all a carefully woven tapestry that takes on certain threads at certain times and also moves on as needed...

m1thr0s

I don't really consider myself as having any kind of patron deities. Being primarily auto-theistic I tend work with (as peers, if you will) other deities when the need arises, and then it is the Norse deities, if not working with wights or other 'natural forces'. As far as I am concerned, there are no better traveling companions when traipsing other planes than Loki and Thor. But they are like kin to me, so it just follows.

[Ci Celli Ddu]

I don't really consider myself as having any kind of patron deities. Being primarily auto-theistic I tend work with (as peers, if you will) other deities when the need arises...

Same here. Unless I'm playing D&D of course.

[MythMath]

Been missing your posts, hound... :yes:

[Ci Celli Ddu]

In the words of Governer Schwarzenegger....I'll Be Back :)

[Kuroyagi]

I have many to who Im closer. One I like is Yemaya from the Yoruba and Santeria systems. In one she is considered as the mother of life in the other even the mother of all creation. Shes associated with the Ocean and lakes and water, the number 7, luxury and splendour are close to her, her colours are white and blue (I like all nations with those colours in their flags, like Scotland and Greece), and importantly: she is very forgiving and magnanimously like the Sea, but like the sea she forgets nothing.
Children of Yemeya are very strong, severe and willful. They are serious and maternal (even in the men). Family minded and protective over the young. Her children may be very forgiving but never forget the offense. They are also very fond of luxuries and the finer things in life.
http://www.spiralgirl.com/lifeforce.html (fits me perfectly, especially the "seriousness"- :p)

[Naomi]

Cool Kuroyagi, I really didn't know that about you.

Yemaya reminds me of Tiamat.

When I first got on the internet, I was about 15 or so, I went around looking for texts on magick. I had been searching for a real book on real magick since I was seven or eight - it's a pity libraries carry 300 versions of the bible but nothing by Crowley, Hermes or Bardon. (Seriously, what kind of shrine to Thoth excludes the Emerald Tablet?!)

So I took advantage of my newfound freedom afforded me by Iktomi's web by searching for magickal websites. I did happen upon one site which I didn't understand but I was really intrigued - I think now that it was perhaps some Hermetic work or perhaps the Necronomicon. I didn't favorite it and was not able to find it again.

There was another website that I did favorite, and I visited it almost three times a week for a year. It was a algae green page with a picture of some fish lady (like the original Starbucks lady) and there was a poem about Tiamat. I've never been able to find the poem again, but basically it said (without the trappings of elaborate verse):

"I'm the Dragon Queen, I rule, I own everything, including all the gems of the earth. Worship me and I'll rock your world." lol ^_^

I said "WOW COOL!" (teenagers are idiots but at least they still have connection to young energy - they have a chance of holding onto it then)

After this I began recieving dragon jewelry as gifts from people around me and I really think this may have triggered some sort of connection there.

Then, when I was about 7 I also recall often meditating on being inside of a cosmic egg within a huge water creature. at the time - I thought it was a whale but it could have been anything. Kind of a profound meditation for a 7 year old. I often wonder what my son David meditates on that he doesn't tell adults. (He was born in the year of the gold dragon 2000) I should ask him.

But anyways K...do you think yemaya and tiamat may be sisters or what?

[Kuroyagi]

Then, when I was about 7 I also recall often meditating on being inside of a cosmic egg within a huge water creature. at the time - I thought it was a whale but it could have been anything.
I could be wrong but I think that this may be the age where the trickster awakens in the child. in my interpretation a whale or other large creature is actually a means of transportation for the young trickster. while he travels in it s/hes untouchable, like in the uterus or cosmic egg (that is the world to him- thats why hes immortal). Like Jona and the whale or Sun wu kung and the golden cloud hes riding on, this creature takes him from one place to the other but not ina directed way but he gets thrown around here and there and basically doesnt care as long as he gets anywhere.

Those are interesting thoughts, they could be sisters, but if its the case then tiamat is the older one, shes of course more dark and chaotic than the yemaya and also Benten and her folks who are more queen-like (in a human conception of it) and either severe at times or bright and giving (houfu- "bestowing" of nourishment and riches), depending on situation. chaos is not severe shes just nasty lol and I guess that fewer human beings can relate to her but maybe not so on this board. :laugh:

But basically I can only guess, maybe many others here who are more into snakes can clear some of it up, maybe we should make a thread about various snake folk like naga and all other primal kings like the Athenians or Chinese cultural heroes. All I can say is that I think that there are those two paradigms in this streak- one is more "snake" in the narrow sense the other is more noble or dragon-like, it is "jeweled" Im told just now, whatever this means, maybe that its more creative and the other more destructive; it also could be that dragon is a form constitutive to both- i.e. ruling/responsible for both....but all this is specualtion, maybe you know more about it than me.

[Naomi]

No I don't Kuroyagi, it's all very interesting to me. Snakes have pretty much eluded me all of my life, I base myself out of Lakota (native american) mythology because of my genes - seemed like a good idea at the time, and it served well as a foundation for more international practices such as chod and ceremonial magick.

Snakes arn't approached in Lakota lore at all though, so I just know their anatomy and lots of herpetology facts.

But when I was 7-9ish, at the Seattle zoo, I was having a really strange day, it seemed like all of the animals were reacting to me, I've never seen anything like it since. One was in the snake house, I was looking at this king cobra and it reared up and spread its hood to me while I was just standing there doing nothing...no one else around either to see it.

and then a few years ago I had the sparkling white snake vision....

probably nothing....

[Kuroyagi]

then maybe two things are of interest.

one model is grofs perinatal matrices- that describes various myths in relation to the development of the unborn human being: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Grof (there was a good article about it somewhere..I'll look for it) for now: http://www.meridian.org.uk/_PDFs/Perinatal%20Matrices.pdf (http://www.meridian.org.uk/_PDFs/Perinatal%20Matrices.pdf)

and then another one I cant find a link for but that is propagated by swiss based scientist norbert bishof: namely various archetypal/mythological charcater types in relation to a child's development/&child psychology whereby the ~7/8-13 yr old is referred to the trickster stage and that is then (in puberty) followed by the heroes stage: one example that comes to mind is Susanowo who is a trickster but who shows signs of turning into the hero. (story of the skinned horse and then he even defends amaterasu etc.).

cf. also harry potter of course. ;)

[Kuroyagi]

heres maybe a better article: http://www.mimbres.com/holp/holpath/BPMs.htm

but you dont have to take it literal, if you know what I mean. just as the scientists dont take the magicians and poets and artists literal, its just an alternative view and suggestion...

[Naomi]

Fascinating article Kuroyagi. Rather deep though, don't know if I'll have time to read the entire thing soon at the moment, I think I'll just skim what I need off the top.

- Thanks, it's useful to me.

xox

Edit;

Oh you replied already, ok I will check that one out.

[Naomi]

Ah now that is interesting stuff. (much better link thanks) This warrants a new thread though, as I'm about to go off on a tangent now. You always know just what I need to read don't you? :P

[MatthewK]

Damarutu and Inannak are my guides, and have often encouraged me to pursue also the wisdom of Enkig. I didn't realize at first how much the seemingly opposed forces (Marduk and Inanna as most know them) support a balance of my chaotic nature that seems to find its ultimate expression and realization through Enkig, but looking back on how they've guided me at times it makes sense. I never made a conscious choice to follow any particular gods, it seems instead things sort of just... lined up a certain way. And then I realized "So this is what it is to call a god or goddess a patron deity." Hah.