The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

What do you do when your Gods do not speak?

I don't hear my gods speak to me, and I think you'll find that more often than not when it comes to people on this board. As I've said before, in various areas, when I am communicating with netjer then it is usually via impressions, emotions, or ideas that are not something that have come from me but from "outside" of myself.

I cannot meditate for the life of me. This is something that I've always had issues with and it's possible, this is why I go through longer or harsher periods of quiet from my gods. I don't believe that that is the case, but I can't leave anything out.

When my gods are quiet, I continue to do what I know they want from me. In regards to Sekhmet, that means that I continue to give her daily offerings and awaken her statue as I learned from Eternal Egypt (by Richard Reidy, in case you are unaware of the book/interested). In regards to Hetharu, I find it far more difficult to continue with the tasks she has set out for me, but this is due to my own personal issues with our relationship as opposed to anything else. It's part of the package and something that I must work on, simple as that.

What do you do when your Gods do not speak?

I do the same rituals I do when they do "speak" to me.  Like others, I get
a sense of energies or mental impressions, not literal voices.   When
these things happen, though, I try not to immediately jump to the conclusion
that they come from the Gods.  I've seen people go in odd directions when they do this, and have some seriously WTF UPG.  Unfortunately, sometimes random head noise is just that.  It was a humbling experience, for me, when I recognized this.  

During my rituals, I practice meditation to focus my mind and visualize my Gods. I was concerned when I tried to visualize Bast as a housecat coming to me, and all I saw in my mind's eye was a panther. (Pleasant surprise, as I knew not She appeared this way but further research verified that She does).

There are a number of cat-formed Goddesses.  Have you considered Mafdet, for example?  I think some people (particularly new people) assume that all Gods with a cat-like theophany are Bast, or Sekhmet.  It's understandable, given the fact they are so well-known.  

You might want to read "the cat in ancient Egypt" by Jaromir Malek, for more info.  

She calmly circled me, looked me in the eye and after She had finished Her round, left the way She came. I do not know whether it was Bast, or another deity. Or something.. bad.

If you're not sure whether this entity is good, or bad, be careful.  Err on the side of caution.  Don't open yourself up to energies if you don't know what they are.

I asked the creature:
"Please state your name,"
"Is your Name Bast,"
"Are you Sekhmet," and
"Is your purpose here for harm/benefit".
All of these questions I received no answer. No indication of an answer.

Maybe She doesn't want to give you her name, at this time.  I'd advise against setting too many expectations.  To be blunt:  The Gods give us their names when...and if...they feel like it.  

On another recent, vivid occurrence, I had a brief moment where Yinepu appeared to me. Arms folded and appearing in a way I had NEVER seen Him before, I asked if He was Yinepu. He gave a slight nod, and looked into the horizon of (for lack of better terminology) the place I imagine myself when I meditate, and as I looked where He looked He disappeared.

Any other time I've been approached by a God(dess), I have not heard them speak. I have not felt them speak. I have never been given the words of a God, as many people on this board seem to have experienced. The most I've gotten is eye contact, and sometimes a nod.

This board is full of people who have experienced Divine contact, so there is a lot of emphasis on that.  Perhaps too much.  It's easy for people to forget that divine communication is a rare thing.  Even among most people who are God-bothered, it is a rare thing.  I think the Gods sometimes "speak" to us to let us know that they exist.  Then, they back off.  

Of course, I understand to keep with my rituals. I will not be giving up on them, nor my Divine. Even if They never speak to me, to be in Their presence and honor Them is enough for me.

 
I agree!  I go through dry spells where I do not feel the Gods' presence.  It's been worth it, for me, to carry on with ritual.  I know that I'm still serving the Gods and upholding Ma'at, even though I don't always get "feedback."

How do you hear your Divine? How do you better communicate with them?
What do you do when your Gods do not speak?

I have never heard a god speak once in my life, and I have never felt an explicit presence--as in, I've never felt a presence that was meant specifically for me to acknowledge it--nor do I specifically "work" with any deities. Whatever ritual I do mostly consists of grounding and centering kinds of things (I usually do an hour of this every night) rather than worship. I do leave the door open for things, but more in the way of "if you can receive this, then this is for you", because if I am making any sort of connection, then I cannot currently claim to know who I'm connecting to. I'm also still learning on what the connection between god and mortal was in the worldview I'm looking to adopt, so everything that I'm doing right now is tentative.

I remember spending a year or so anxious and worried about whether or not any gods would speak to or contact me, but I'm getting over that and learning that it's okay to have something more resembling a one-way relationship... because in the end, it really isn't. You're still learning and taking away positive things from acknowledgement, even if you're not directly acknowledged back in the way that you want.

This path I'm trying to hammer out might not even work out for me in the end, but it's been such a positive learning and growing experience that there is no way that I could look back on it and see it as anything short of a blessing.

You might appreciate Juniperberry's post in the Divine Communication thread, as well.

I do the same rituals I do when they do "speak" to me.  Like others, I get a sense of energies or mental impressions, not literal voices.

I've gotten that a little, a sort of, "We appreciate the gestures" sort of feeling. Kinda a good fuzzy feeling.

There are a number of cat-formed Goddesses.  
...
You might want to read "the cat in ancient Egypt" by Jaromir Malek, for more info.  

I shall do this, thank you for the recommendation! I feel partially as though I were a cat in a past life- I really do! My partner feels the same way, and sometimes treats me as he would a cat.. Some would see it as a degrading act, I feel like a spoiled little girl. Scratch behind the jaw, petting, being up in his business... :3 (And he wouldn't do it if I didn't LOVE it; no abuse, don't worry! xD [Some people take it the wrong way])

If you're not sure whether this entity is good, or bad, be careful.  Err on the side of caution.  Don't open yourself up to energies if you don't know what they are.

I've been told that only on rare occasions- if ever- can a bringer of harm can claim to be a Deity. That's why I ask. If I don't get an answer for sure, then I don't allow that being to interact with me. I was questioning him/her/it when it decided to leave, anyway... <.<;; I try to make energies identify themselves.

This board is full of people who have experienced Divine contact, so there is a lot of emphasis on that.  Perhaps too much.  It's easy for people to forget that divine communication is a rare thing.  Even among most people who are God-bothered, it is a rare thing.  I think the Gods sometimes "speak" to us to let us know that they exist.  Then, they back off.  

This is comforting. Greatly so.

It really depends. Sometimes the divine comes to me in an emotion, speech, a vision... a breeze. Gods are vast, and they come as they please. I imagine they choose whatever form will come across to you the easiest. Usually Set straight up talks to me. Osiris is far more subtle. He often shows up in emotions or visions.
...
You keep going.

Enlightening, also comforting. And I shall keep going. I plan to always. (At least until I'm pushed in another direction, should that day come.)

I have never heard a god speak once in my life, and I have never felt an explicit presence-
...
This path I'm trying to hammer out might not even work out for me in the end, but it's been such a positive learning and growing experience that there is no way that I could look back on it and see it as anything short of a blessing.

You might appreciate Juniperberry's post in the Divine Communication thread, as well.

Thank you!! I very much enjoyed that!

It really comes from gut instinct. Both of my goddesses have set me up with tasks.
...
It came more as an Ah-HA moment than anything else. A kind of, "OH, yeah. She probably would like to see that done, huh?"

Does that help?

It does help. I've been trying to avoid Bast, simply because I.. erm.. Let's not talk about that. I stopped feeling Her energy, or even comfortable speaking Her Name at my altar for a while. ._.;; But as I was preparing for a ritual one night, a sudden thought of her popped into my head, and I had that kind of gut-feeling that, "She wants some attention! ...And Coke?" On top of that, I had a gnawing at the back of my head to ask for permission to take a Coke (it was my gift to my partner for the winter season) even though I don't need to ask for permission to take Cokes. Normally, I'd just take one and it'd go unnoticed. Shared food and all. Had a feeling of dread or.. like.. GUILT, holding the Coke in my hand until I asked him for permission to take it. As if I was getting that look form my cat. O_o You know the look. I was kinda scared to leave the room until I did.
...That kind of feeling is normal?! Ooooh, boy... xD

How do you hear your Divine? How do you better communicate with them?
What do you do when your Gods do not speak?

 
This depends upon the deity in question.  Some gods speak.  Some communicate through images, emotions or words that are perceived in the mind and the person knows that this information is not from the human him/herself.  

Aset communicates to me through dreams, emotions, images, or words in my head.  I also channel poetry for Her.

What do you do when your Gods do not speak?

 
I do think it's important to keep in mind that the default state of people is to not have direct divine communication.  Thus, what one does when the gods do not speak is keep on with life.