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Author Topic: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods  (Read 4109 times)

Vixen

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Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« on: October 26, 2016, 07:18:08 am »
Does that happen often? That people get called to Gods and the person in question is mistaken about who is calling them?
I have been on my pagan path for a couple of months now and I had been very sure that it was Cernunnos calling for me. The wilderness, the oaks, the hunt, the rut, the strong masculine presence. I have been visited by crows as well. In the beginning I though the Morrigan was reaching out for me too, but I've never been able to identify with Her. So I though maybe she collaborated with Cernunnos to draw my attention and then withdraw once I was hooked. But lately I'm not so sure anymore.
Yes, I have a shrine at home or Cernunnos. I make offerings and prayers to Him and I have a feeling that I'm being answered. I'm just not sure anymore its Him.

I have been reading up on the history of the lands I grew up in. I'm from the south of the Netherlands, a region inhabited by Franks. Frankisch mythology is closely related to the Norse mythology. I have been reading up on their religions and reaching Odin/Wodan/the Allfather something resonated. The ravens/crows, the wolves (my dogs are a very important part in my life), the wild hunt, there's so many parallels.
Could I have been mistaken all this time? And how do I figure this out?

I'm delving deeper into His mythology now. Finding out as much about Him as I can. But it has me troubled. I was very happy with Cernunnos. He is a deity I can relate to and feel comfortable with. I have never been drawn to Norse mythology before.

Sorry for the long post, I just had to rant. :o
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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2016, 06:20:45 pm »
Quote from: Vixen;198074

Could I have been mistaken all this time? And how do I figure this out?


I have a sort of similar story from a while back. I primarily honor Set, but I also honor Sokar. There was a brief period when I was unsure whether it was Sokar or Osiris who who I was sensing; they both have associations with death and fertility, and the latter would make more sense in the context of Egyptian mythology ... but I kept getting this strong impression of "Nope, definitely Sokar" (and nuts to my 'logic'). It wasn't until much later that I learned why he was interested in me.

Advice: ask this being who he is, using whatever means of divination/meditation/prayer that work well for you.
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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2016, 02:33:17 am »
Quote from: Vixen;198074
Could I have been mistaken all this time? And how do I figure this out?

 
Well, there's two opposing things I'll say from my experience with Odin:

Would he let you think he was Cernunnos if that made you more comfortable to start with? Absolutely.

Would he show up when it was convenient and pretend he'd been there under another name the whole time? Probably also yes.

Odin is a sneaky grabby-hands. I'd say you can do both "hey Cernunnos, was that you? I liked that, if it was you." and "hey Odin if you're poking me I'm willing to listen" if you're okay with both. The answer may be complicated. Feel free to ask for signs of clarification. Good luck.
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Dusk

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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2016, 11:48:45 pm »
Quote from: Jack;198142
Well, there's two opposing things I'll say from my experience with Odin:

Would he let you think he was Cernunnos if that made you more comfortable to start with? Absolutely.

Would he show up when it was convenient and pretend he'd been there under another name the whole time? Probably also yes.

Odin is a sneaky grabby-hands. I'd say you can do both "hey Cernunnos, was that you? I liked that, if it was you." and "hey Odin if you're poking me I'm willing to listen" if you're okay with both. The answer may be complicated. Feel free to ask for signs of clarification. Good luck.

 
This is incredibly similar to my own experience with Odin. Odin is very good at wearing different faces when it suits Him and doesn't seem to mind being sneaky or even deceptive if He feels it's necessary.

When I was trying to figure out if Odin was the one approaching me, I made an offering and asked some questions, and I got a strong feeling that I made the right identification. So that might be a good route for you to take.
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Vixen

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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2016, 05:07:30 am »
Quote from: Sefiru;198111

Advice: ask this being who he is, using whatever means of divination/meditation/prayer that work well for you.

 
Quote from: Jack;198142

Would he let you think he was Cernunnos if that made you more comfortable to start with? Absolutely.

 
Quote from: Dusk;198177
Odin is very good at wearing different faces when it suits Him and doesn't seem to mind being sneaky or even deceptive if He feels it's necessary.
 


Thanks guys. This has helped me loads. The cunning and devious side I have been picking up in this deity does fit better with Odin compared to Cernunnos. So does the feeling of a protective fatherlike figure.  
I am now aiming my prayers towards both and see where this gets me. I really liked the idea of it being Cernunnos, as its a deity I would love to work with. I must say I'd be a bit miffed if it wasn't really him. :o
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Eevee

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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2016, 03:08:10 am »
Quote from: Vixen;198074

Sorry for the long post, I just had to rant. :o


My explanation is going to be a bit different and not so pagan. Many Central/Northern European mythologies are very... almost too similar.
EG: The Slavic main-god "Parom" (in my native language. Better known as "Perun" in Russian) is essentially Thor.
He's the god of thunder. He has a fiery temper, copper beard, chariot drawn by goats even an axe which returns to his hand when he throws it.
It makes sense to think the same gods watch over different parts of Europe under different names. (which makes SO much sense in relation to a dream I had where I died, and a red bearded man started speaking to me in Slovakian about my heritage)
I've been to both Norway and Slovakia (where my family are from) and the similarities in things like folklore are very, very noticeable.
Though, I dont know much about Celts - their gods seem to be viewed in the same sort of light as the Norse, and the UK is VERY Viking influenced.  
So perhaps this god which you work with is actually the same god, using a different stage name.
I imagine gods dont work like humans in that they're one individual entity that can only be in one place at one time.
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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2016, 12:59:09 pm »
Quote from: Eevee;198563
My explanation is going to be a bit different and not so pagan.

 
I'm unclear about what it was about your answer that was 'not so pagan'?

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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2016, 10:09:22 pm »
Quote from: SunflowerP;198645
I'm unclear about what it was about your answer that was 'not so pagan'?

Sunflower

 
Yeah, I dont even know what I meant by that :confused:
I guess I was coming from a slightly geographic angle?
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Dusk

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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2016, 03:31:27 pm »
Quote from: Eevee;198683
Yeah, I dont even know what I meant by that :confused:
I guess I was coming from a slightly geographic angle?

 
A different theological angle, actually, the way I understand your argument.

Your perspective, that similar gods are (or may be) the same god in different guises, even spread out geographically, is more akin to soft polytheism. Something along the lines of all thunder gods are different faces of one thunder god, although there are varying degrees of soft polytheism, some just seeing some blurred lines and others to the extent that they see all goddesses as aspects of a single goddess.

Hard polytheists would argue, in contrast, that each named god is separate and distinct, and that assuming a Norse and Celtic deity might be essentially the same would be wrong and potentially disrespectful.

Both are valid theological standpoints, and both fall within the realm of Paganism.

However, I don't think there are as many parallels between Odin and Cernunnos as there are in the example you gave between Thor and Parom. They seem very distinct to me despite some similarities in associated symbolism. Though I'm certainly not an expert on Cernunnos and I rather get the feeling He doesn't want me among his followers, anyway.
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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2016, 01:54:25 pm »
Quote from: Dusk;198702
Your perspective, that similar gods are (or may be) the same god in different guises, even spread out geographically, is more akin to soft polytheism. Something along the lines of all thunder gods are different faces of one thunder god, although there are varying degrees of soft polytheism, some just seeing some blurred lines and others to the extent that they see all goddesses as aspects of a single goddess.

Hard polytheists would argue, in contrast, that each named god is separate and distinct, and that assuming a Norse and Celtic deity might be essentially the same would be wrong and potentially disrespectful.

Both are valid theological standpoints, and both fall within the realm of Paganism.

 
And they are also far from the only theological standpoints out there on that thing.

(Personally, I tend to fall on "I think it's more polite to refer to entities with different names as different entities, unless they tell me otherwise"; that's not so much 'hard' or 'soft' polytheism as 'playing it safe' polytheism. ;) )
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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2016, 03:44:53 pm »
Quote from: Vixen;198074
I'm delving deeper into His mythology now. Finding out as much about Him as I can. But it has me troubled. I was very happy with Cernunnos. He is a deity I can relate to and feel comfortable with. I have never been drawn to Norse mythology before.

Sorry for the long post, I just had to rant. :o


Could it be both? It sounds like you have very strong feelings towards Cernunnos, but that you also have very strong feelings for Odin, and that's what got you confused. Is there a reason that it can be only one or the other?

Also, absolutely you can mix up deities. I've done it in the past, and I'm sure I'll do it again. It can be hard to tell who's who when you're working with invisible people, lol. ;)

Quote from: Vixen;198511
I am now aiming my prayers towards both and see where this gets me. I really liked the idea of it being Cernunnos, as its a deity I would love to work with. I must say I'd be a bit miffed if it wasn't really him. :o

 
I think this is the best idea. I'd also expect it to take a while to sort out. In my experience, deities can take a while to make themselves clear, and there's no rushing them into getting figured out.

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Re: Mistaken identity? Mixing up the Gods
« Reply #11 on: November 08, 2016, 03:30:38 am »
Quote from: Darkhawk;198801


(Personally, I tend to fall on "I think it's more polite to refer to entities with different names as different entities, unless they tell me otherwise"; that's not so much 'hard' or 'soft' polytheism as 'playing it safe' polytheism. ;) )

 
I'm somewhere in the middle of hard or soft polytheism. Some Gods are very clear separate entities. Others are so obscure and go by so many names its difficult to tell whether they are all separate or just one and the same. Odin/Woden is a clear defined God to me. Cernunnos is many, he is Herne, he is the Green Man, he is the Winterking.

Quote from: Ian288;198808
Could it be both?  

 
You think that's possible?
Up until now I've only felt one entity, but that might be because that's what I was expecting.

Thank you, your comments all are very helpful.:)
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