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Author Topic: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)  (Read 3865 times)

Scales

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Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« on: November 18, 2014, 11:06:54 pm »
The short of it is that I keep pets and I'd like to ask a deity to work with me in maintaining their health.

The long of it is that I've had a couple vet trips this year, a big move, and I'm not feeling super confident even though I know logically that I've got everything matching or better than the 'ideal condition' for each pet, and I'd like a bit of well, help. The deities I regularly work with do, but it's not their forte, so to speak, and longterm work in that niche isn't going to be ideal. I'd also like to build a relationship so that the occasional more heavy or specific petitioning was not out of place.

Specifically, I have rodents and reptiles, and should I find one I feel a bit of a pull to working with a snake deity, though I'm not aware of any other than general nagas. I don't work with any specific pantheon.

To be very clear, all mundane things are covered, everyone has food, water, shelter, health care, cleanliness, etc.

Familiars/Livestock is mainly to cast a wider net, they are less ideal, but at the same time I think that since what animals people keep for what reason has evolved, at least some of these deities will be willing to work on a wider purpose than their label, and in any case, suggestions will give me a jumping point.

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2014, 09:04:57 am »
Quote from: Scales;165750
The short of it is that I keep pets and I'd like to ask a deity to work with me in maintaining their health.

 
Shiva is known as Pashupati, Lord of Animals. There are many prayers to Shiva, this is just a sample.

Scales

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2014, 03:05:24 pm »
Quote from: Gunnar Thorbjorn;165758
Shiva is known as Pashupati, Lord of Animals. There are many prayers to Shiva, this is just a sample.

 
Thank you, I am less familiar with Hinduism and its deities than I would like to be (which is a little silly of me, since I know there are at least some of the things I'm looking for).

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2014, 03:46:23 pm »
Quote from: Scales;165765
Thank you, I am less familiar with Hinduism and its deities than I would like to be (which is a little silly of me, since I know there are at least some of the things I'm looking for).

 
You're welcome. Btw, in all the iconography of Shiva, you will see there is a snake coiled around him.

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2014, 10:18:18 am »
Quote from: Scales;165750
The short of it is that I keep pets and I'd like to ask a deity to work with me in maintaining their health.

The long of it is that I've had a couple vet trips this year, a big move, and I'm not feeling super confident even though I know logically that I've got everything matching or better than the 'ideal condition' for each pet, and I'd like a bit of well, help. The deities I regularly work with do, but it's not their forte, so to speak, and longterm work in that niche isn't going to be ideal. I'd also like to build a relationship so that the occasional more heavy or specific petitioning was not out of place.

Specifically, I have rodents and reptiles, and should I find one I feel a bit of a pull to working with a snake deity, though I'm not aware of any other than general nagas. I don't work with any specific pantheon.

To be very clear, all mundane things are covered, everyone has food, water, shelter, health care, cleanliness, etc.

Familiars/Livestock is mainly to cast a wider net, they are less ideal, but at the same time I think that since what animals people keep for what reason has evolved, at least some of these deities will be willing to work on a wider purpose than their label, and in any case, suggestions will give me a jumping point.


How about gods that are actually animals?

That's what I believe the Vanir in Norse myth are, born from Audhumla the primordial cow. For example (and among other things),  Freyr is the Great Boar, Freyja the Great Sow, and so in your shoes I'd petition the Great Spirit of my pets.
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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2014, 04:03:50 pm »
Quote from: Scales;165750
The short of it is that I keep pets and I'd like to ask a deity to work with me in maintaining their health.

 
There are Buddhist and Hindu snake deities. Benzaiten (Japanese Sarasvati) is heavily associated with dragons and snakes (the two creatures are more or less interchangeable in Japanese lore) Most Indian snake deities, however, are specifically associated with protecting humans against snakebite. You might want to look into the Indian Goddess Manasa, though. She's a regional deity, but reasonably well known.

I'd also suggest picking up a St. Francis statue for your garden. St.Frank is a very lovely fellow, famously the patron saint of animals. He was the only figure from Catholicism that actually answered my prayers when I petitioned him! I prayed to him a great deal for my cats, and he came through every time.

My experience with the Saints (and of course, the Virgin, who still drops by occasionally to check on me) has shown me that they are perfectly willing to help non-Christians who are in their "sphere."
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Scales

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2014, 07:00:41 pm »
Quote from: Gunnar Thorbjorn;165767
You're welcome. Btw, in all the iconography of Shiva, you will see there is a snake coiled around him.

 
I've been thinking a lot on Shiva, and it's been going somewhere and nowhere at the same time. Like, I got this big rush last night all of a sudden when reading about him, but at the same time I'm like "hi?" and it doesn't feel even like I'm talking at someone, even without expecting acknowledgement/listening.

Quote from: Juniperberry;165842
How about gods that are actually animals?

That's what I believe the Vanir in Norse myth are, born from Audhumla the primordial cow. For example (and among other things),  Freyr is the Great Boar, Freyja the Great Sow, and so in your shoes I'd petition the Great Spirit of my pets.


I have actually been considering this! Other than specific deities, I've been working on piecing together large overarching spirits (as you say, great spirits), named animal gods, and more abstract concepts and archetypes.

I wish it was as concrete as in both fiction and legends, where I could go see the god of each and speak to it (scary though it would be). Might be a possibility if I was better at trance type things, but I'm not.

Quote from: Redfaery;165860
There are Buddhist and Hindu snake deities. Benzaiten (Japanese Sarasvati) is heavily associated with dragons and snakes (the two creatures are more or less interchangeable in Japanese lore) Most Indian snake deities, however, are specifically associated with protecting humans against snakebite. You might want to look into the Indian Goddess Manasa, though. She's a regional deity, but reasonably well known.

Literally every time you mention Benzaiten by name I go read about her. I am really interested in working with kami (partly for the reasons above, but I have been for much longer than just this couple days), but haven't so much looked into the larger cross cultural gods in Japan.

I've found that, with snake deities, it is difficult not to find ones who weren't legendary villains. I think the snake bite part will probably combine with that.

Quote from: Redfaery;165860
I'd also suggest picking up a St. Francis statue for your garden. St.Frank is a very lovely fellow, famously the patron saint of animals. He was the only figure from Catholicism that actually answered my prayers when I petitioned him! I prayed to him a great deal for my cats, and he came through every time.

My experience with the Saints (and of course, the Virgin, who still drops by occasionally to check on me) has shown me that they are perfectly willing to help non-Christians who are in their "sphere."

 
I'm really interested in that. I don't have a garden really, although I have more of a yard than I have in a long time, but I do have a room for my pets, and such a statue, if I can relate with him well, would probably go well in there, or even inside one of the terrariums.

Thank you both for giving me more to think and read about.

As an aside, I've already said I'm not only looking at snake deities, but another one that would be helpful and is more specific than 'animal' that I haven't found much of on my own would be mice ones- however, I'm not sure they would be interested so much in helping my pets as a whole (what with the snakes and all).

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2014, 02:49:25 am »
Quote from: Scales;165750
The short of it is that I keep pets and I'd like to ask a deity to work with me in maintaining their health.


The snake as a symbol is seen right the way back to some of the earliest expressions of divinity - look at the Minoans for example, they're quite deeply linked to snakes.

From my own practice, Cernunnos is often shown bearing a snake, and is the Lord of animals - maybe He could help?

Jainarayan

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2014, 08:39:06 am »
Quote from: Scales;165868
I've been thinking a lot on Shiva, and it's been going somewhere and nowhere at the same time. Like, I got this big rush last night all of a sudden when reading about him, but at the same time I'm like "hi?" and it doesn't feel even like I'm talking at someone, even without expecting acknowledgement/listening.

Keep in mind that he is also the god of ascetics, yogis, mystics, and paradoxically of householders, as well as being one himself. It's said he spends a lot of time in meditation. So, he's a pretty complex character. I'm not surprised someone might get the feeling you're getting.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2014, 08:39:47 am by Jainarayan »

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2014, 03:08:37 pm »
Quote from: Scales;165868
...

I've found that, with snake deities, it is difficult not to find ones who weren't legendary villains. I think the snake bite part will probably combine with that...


Wadjet, an Egyptian goddess often depicted as a cobra, was the patron of the Nile Delta and protector of all Lower Egypt.  She is one of the Two Ladies (along with Nekhbet, a vulture goddess) who represented a united Egypt.  

Interestingly enough, the Going Forth of Wadjet was celebrated on what now equates (roughly) to December 25th.  I say roughly because, well, Ancient Egyptian calendar is not an exact science.

*waits for laughter from certain people*

Quote
As an aside, I've already said I'm not only looking at snake deities, but another one that would be helpful and is more specific than 'animal' that I haven't found much of on my own would be mice ones- however, I'm not sure they would be interested so much in helping my pets as a whole (what with the snakes and all).

 
Ganesha was already mentioned.  There also may be a connection between Apollo and mice as Apollo Smintheus, but I'm having a difficult time determining whether that's due to the name or due to Apollo's plague associations.  Maybe someone who worships him could tell you more; I don't worship any Hellenic deities, and what I know about them is limited to Bullfinch.
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Scales

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2014, 04:45:58 pm »
Thanks to everyone for helping this thread be so active. When I'm in the right headspace for it, I have a deity question for another thread, and this is making me feel like it's worth asking about, at least as far as getting pointed at some things.

Quote from: Gunnar Thorbjorn;165879
Keep in mind that he is also the god of ascetics, yogis, mystics, and paradoxically of householders, as well as being one himself. It's said he spends a lot of time in meditation. So, he's a pretty complex character. I'm not surprised someone might get the feeling you're getting.

 
That's what I've been getting from what I read. I'm also a bit shy about stepping toward Hinduism (or at least Hindu deities), although that's not stopping me from learning from the privacy of my own home.

Quote from: veggiewolf;166047
Wadjet, an Egyptian goddess often depicted as a cobra, was the patron of the Nile Delta and protector of all Lower Egypt.  She is one of the Two Ladies (along with Nekhbet, a vulture goddess) who represented a united Egypt.  

Interestingly enough, the Going Forth of Wadjet was celebrated on what now equates (roughly) to December 25th.  I say roughly because, well, Ancient Egyptian calendar is not an exact science.

*waits for laughter from certain people*

I knew aobut Wadjet when I was having snake dreams and thus reading up like a year ago, but somehow I forgot about her. Thanks for reminding me! I used to work with Sekhmet, and they have a bit of a connection, which pleases me a bit.

Quote from: veggiewolf;166047
Ganesha was already mentioned.  There also may be a connection between Apollo and mice as Apollo Smintheus, but I'm having a difficult time determining whether that's due to the name or due to Apollo's plague associations.  Maybe someone who worships him could tell you more; I don't worship any Hellenic deities, and what I know about them is limited to Bullfinch.

 
And thank you again! I'll read up on it and maybe see if I know anyone (or if they chime in here).

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2014, 07:42:58 pm »
Quote from: Scales;166053

That's what I've been getting from what I read. I'm also a bit shy about stepping toward Hinduism (or at least Hindu deities), although that's not stopping me from learning from the privacy of my own home.

 
If I can give you one bit of advice, and this comes from hard experience... take what people on the internet say with a grain of salt about Hindu practice and beliefs (including me lol). That is, I got so much conflicting advice and actual injunctions (must do, must not do, can do, cannot do :rolleye::) it drove me to distraction ... follow your own feelings. ;)

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2014, 09:02:33 pm »
Quote from: Gunnar Thorbjorn;166061
If I can give you one bit of advice, and this comes from hard experience... take what people on the internet say with a grain of salt about Hindu practice and beliefs (including me lol). That is, I got so much conflicting advice and actual injunctions (must do, must not do, can do, cannot do :rolleye::) it drove me to distraction ... follow your own feelings. ;)

 
Thanks :) I've been trying read with a critical eye while still absorbing all I can.

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Re: Deities for Pets(/Familiars/Livestock)
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2014, 11:58:11 am »
Quote from: Scales;166066
Thanks :) I've been trying read with a critical eye while still absorbing all I can.

 
What about Sekhmet? She is not an animal diety but she is a goddess of healing. I could see her receptive of an offering for your pets health.

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