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Author Topic: Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?  (Read 2736 times)

Scales

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Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?
« on: March 28, 2019, 02:42:44 am »
I got thwapped hard a couple weeks ago- got an image and a name, as well as a bunch of VPG (things I never knew before but verified via google) and probably unsurprisingly, UPG.

I'm planning to pursue it, but I'm a little stuck for how to start. Part of me thinks it's silly because we already have a relationship (deity has been around now and then before, but nameless) and the only news is his name and some of the gnosis, but I also feel like I'm not doing enough.

I do know how to research his worship, recon and not, and that sort of thing (this is why I'm not mentioning who in this thread; I'm more interested in person answers than what I should do based on x or y source), so in a more general sense, what did you do to start building more communication and stuff after this sort of realization?

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Re: Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2019, 04:32:51 am »
I got thwapped hard a couple weeks ago- got an image and a name, as well as a bunch of VPG (things I never knew before but verified via google) and probably unsurprisingly, UPG.

I'm planning to pursue it, but I'm a little stuck for how to start. Part of me thinks it's silly because we already have a relationship (deity has been around now and then before, but nameless) and the only news is his name and some of the gnosis, but I also feel like I'm not doing enough.

I do know how to research his worship, recon and not, and that sort of thing (this is why I'm not mentioning who in this thread; I'm more interested in person answers than what I should do based on x or y source), so in a more general sense, what did you do to start building more communication and stuff after this sort of realization?

Well, I set up a small shrine and began making regular offerings, also meditation and just kind of directing mental chatter his way.  Instructions for some of that were included in the thwap for me, but it's also pretty common anyway to start like that, I believe.  I think Jennet here has a FAQ which hopefully she'll post a link to soon, but you might be able to find it looking around at other similar posts.

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Re: Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2019, 05:32:24 am »
I'm planning to pursue it, but I'm a little stuck for how to start.

Well... I got thwapped four days ago, for the first time in my religious* life; so I can empathize with you! I can't really give you any advice thought because I'm still reeling from my own religious experience. I'm not even sure who the power I encountered was - coin toss between a couple of likely suspects, or maybe neither?

It's certainly a shock when something like that comes, proverbially, as a bolt out of the blue. I'm certain you will figure it out with time; otherwise your power wouldn't have thwapped you!


*well, maybe not the first time. I recall getting thwapped as a child by the Judeo-christian god, but that's a whole other can of worms I'm not sure even actually happened.
"The worshippers of the gods go to them; to the manes go the ancestor-worshippers; to the Deities who preside over the elements go their worshippers; My devotees come to Me." ... "Whichever devotee desires to adore whatever such Deity with faith, in all such votaries I make that particular faith unshakable. Endowed with that faith, a votary performs the worship of that particular deity and obtains the fruits thereof, these being granted by Me alone." - Sri Krishna

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Re: Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2019, 08:56:22 am »
I'm planning to pursue it, but I'm a little stuck for how to start. Part of me thinks it's silly because we already have a relationship (deity has been around now and then before, but nameless) and the only news is his name and some of the gnosis, but I also feel like I'm not doing enough.

My basic advice is 'how would you build a relationship with a human being?' - that's going to depend on the nature of the interactions, what's reasonable, etc. (How you make social noises at your boss is different than a friend, is different than, say, a professional you see once or twice a year.) But generally, 'spend time with them' and 'do some stuff they like/appreciate/value' are good starting places.

Some deities like regular offerings of the more ritual kind (water, incense, candles, food, drink). Some would rather you go do stuff they care about. (M'Lady doesn't dislike physical offerings? But she'd frankly much rather have me go librarian at people.)

Anyway, the articles on Seeking that might be helpful: Relationships with deities, Learning about a deity, and Deepening interactions with a deity - the last one's the most relevant to your questions, but the first two set up some parts of it.
Seek Knowledge, Find Wisdom: Research help on esoteric and eclectic topics (consulting and other services)

Seeking: first steps on a Pagan path (advice for seekers and people new to Paganism)

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Re: Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2019, 06:26:00 pm »
Part of me thinks it's silly because we already have a relationship (deity has been around now and then before, but nameless) and the only news is his name and some of the gnosis, but I also feel like I'm not doing enough.

I know that feeling - that's just about what happened with me. As usual Jenett has some great advice; mine would be, pace yourself. 'Wanting to do more' is, I think, pretty common, but be careful not to overextend and burn out.
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Re: Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2019, 04:32:57 pm »
I do know how to research his worship, recon and not, and that sort of thing (this is why I'm not mentioning who in this thread; I'm more interested in person answers than what I should do based on x or y source), so in a more general sense, what did you do to start building more communication and stuff after this sort of realization?

Other people have addressed most of the generalities and other issues here, so I'm going to focus on "communication." From the way you write here, it sounds like that's what's been most lacking for you in the past--you mention research and reconstruction as something you know how to do, after all.

There are a lot of ways you can build channels between yourself and a Power; not all of them will work for everyone who tries them, nor are all of them appropriate for every given spiritual relationship (as Jenett implies at the start of her response). Here are some options:
  • Regular meditation on the god in question (the Patrick Dunn book I mentioned in another thread has a number of relevant exercises).
  • Making regular offerings and/or prayers and taking careful note of what responses you sense.
  • Expanding on the above: keeping a journal of your work with this god and how it progresses may help, as it will allow you to spot patterns in your experiences that may be signs of communication from Powers.
  • In some cases, taking up a divination method that your Power responds to well can be a great help. A particular Tarot deck, dice of some kind, runes or other divinatory symbols...there are a lot of options.
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Scales

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Re: Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2019, 05:35:36 pm »
-
Recently thwapped twins! And yeah, it was definitely a bolt from the blue- I was trying to do a writing exercise, and it was just such sudden contact and also I'd written it all out on paper as it happened without thinking about it.

Ashmire, that's where I've been starting, I was away from home with a makeshift altar and making offerings on it. Now that I'm home, and more organized, and have more options, I'm getting more lost.

Jennet, I am not good at building relationships with new people either, though I am trying to work on that as well (but I do get what you mean about taking different actions with people in different roles). Thank you for the links too.

Sefiru, yeah, I think that's my constant state of being, but especially regarding this.

Eastling, thanks also. A deity specific journal is a good idea, keeping a bunch of specific journals and notebooks is how I keep all my religious and witchcraft things together. And I'm looking into that book, just hoping I can find an affordable hard copy. I'll also try some more divination, I've been doing what I've had to in order to start Quareia but not much for myself in a while.

Eastling

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Re: Got Thwapped - What To Do Next?
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2019, 06:00:55 pm »
And yeah, it was definitely a bolt from the blue- I was trying to do a writing exercise, and it was just such sudden contact and also I'd written it all out on paper as it happened without thinking about it.

...

Eastling, thanks also. A deity specific journal is a good idea, keeping a bunch of specific journals and notebooks is how I keep all my religious and witchcraft things together. And I'm looking into that book, just hoping I can find an affordable hard copy. I'll also try some more divination, I've been doing what I've had to in order to start Quareia but not much for myself in a while.

It sounds like writing is an excellent tool for you when it comes to exploring your spirituality. In that case I might also suggest giving some form of automatic writing a shot--I have had some success with designating or dedicating particular places for this, then getting out a journal and having one kind of handwriting for my contributions and one for a Power's.
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