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Author Topic: Personal Pantheons  (Read 4058 times)

Goddess_Ashtara

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Personal Pantheons
« on: July 31, 2018, 05:50:07 am »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

There are reasons for this.  I would like to know how the gods of your spiritual-religious system are experienced through you, personally.  Maybe we are very different, you and I, in the gods we embrace.  Maybe we are not so different.  Maybe we use different words or names for the same thing.  Maybe not.

So, as awesome or terrible or crazy as it sounds, I welcome your responses.  If there are too many gods to mention, tell me about those you are most involved with.  You may include other divine beings such as “demons” or “angels”, even if you do not view them as gods.  Any gods or godlike beings above or below or within, or wherever, I would like you to convey for me the gods of your pantheons as you have experienced them.  I will do the same. 





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Goddess_Ashtara

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2018, 06:11:40 am »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

These are the seven gods I experience far more than others.

In my pantheon there is a supreme God, who is worshipped above all others.  This God is the cosmic face of divine Order over primordial Chaos, and the ultimate embodiment of destruction and creation.  This supreme God inspires to follow one’s greatest dreams no matter what the course, to follow whatever one’s heart cries out for the most as long as the connection to the divine remains strong.

Then, there is a tetramorph of deities who embody the most prominant aspects of my own human Nature, those areas which I as an individual experience and utilize the most and which I also seek to grow in and develop most and evolve.  It is these four deities I feel most connected with.  It is like they create a storm chariot around my soul accompanying it through its destiny.  In worshipping them I worship myself, and most of all, I am worshipping the supreme God.   

One, an archdemonic angel goddess inspiring passion, war, love, wisdom, athletics, victory in battle and willpower.   

Two, an archdemon goddess inspiring passion, pleasure, excitement, euphoria, adventure, vengeance, and wrath.

Three, an archangelic demon god inspiring ambition, knowledge, wisdom, power, freedom and enlightenment.

Four, an archangelic god inspiring compassion, justice, protection, redemption, salvation, and holy war. 

That summarizes the tetramorph.

Then there is another god.  The greatest of all divine beings under the supreme God, depicted as a seven headed dragon with twelve wings and thirteen halos.   A sinister, numinous current flowing through the individual and collective subconscious of all intelligent life encompassing certain aspects of their inner nature, acting as the inclination to engage in the forbidden, the chaotic, the criminal, and malevolent aspects of who we are and who we choose to be.

Then there is the universe itself, worshipped symbolically as the remnants of an ancient primordial goddess who is also experienced through storms, the ocean, and the imagination... the primordial waters of our own minds through which so many things emerge and take form.  The cosmos around us and the cosmos within.

There are many other godlike beings above and below and within who are mentioned in my religion for whatever reasons, but for now I embrace them more as characters within an epic story, and for the time being they are not really experienced by me directly. 

There is one more god I would mention.  An unborn god, not of the seven.  A god I hope remains forever unborn.  I saw its faces when I explored in my mind a possible future of humanity.  It was a collective of abominations evolved from humanity as a tragic and horrifying result of their thirst for power.  Through their exploitation of science and technology they surpassed the limitations of their minds and bodies but became monsters in the process.  Humans consumed each other and became the end of each other and the beginning of something else, a plague of abominations and horrors that took to the cosmos consuming and afflicting everything in its path.  I hope this god never comes to be, because when I saw its countless faces I understood completely that death is a mercy.  The greatest mercy.

So there it is.  A glimpse into my own personal pantheon as it is at this moment in time.

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2018, 09:00:09 am »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

There are reasons for this.  I would like to know how the gods of your spiritual-religious system are experienced through you, personally.  Maybe we are very different, you and I, in the gods we embrace.  Maybe we are not so different.  Maybe we use different words or names for the same thing.  Maybe not.

So, as awesome or terrible or crazy as it sounds, I welcome your responses.  If there are too many gods to mention, tell me about those you are most involved with.  You may include other divine beings such as “demons” or “angels”, even if you do not view them as gods.  Any gods or godlike beings above or below or within, or wherever, I would like you to convey for me the gods of your pantheons as you have experienced them.  I will do the same.

Okay. I'll play.

My emphasis here is on personalities as I have experienced them. I can't say that I have had any kind of vision or similar where I have seen any of them in non-human form, with the exception of one dream about a centauress with multiple teats and another, back about fifty years or more, where I believe I saw my Girlfriend as Astro Girl. Otherwise my experiences, both in this world and in dreams, have been strictly as humans or human-like. And Christian theology is well-known, so I'm not going to emphasize omnipotence, etc. In my current view such is in the process of developing to the point of ultimate perfection, and each of these personalities may be responding to me from a different point in this process. However, I also believe that the point of perfection is ultimately reached, and from that point is able to reach back and shape all interactions along the way. It All Rolls Together.

Father: Not loud or bombastic, although quite capable of being firm and decisive when required. But, in normal interactions, rather quiet and even somewhat shy. The kind of personality who could happily spend days in his workshop crafting a ship in a bottle or a lifelike model railroad. If he were living on earth as a human, he would most likely work as a systems engineer. Very concerned about his children...concerned enough about this one, personally, to show up downtown driving a Ford LTD when two men were assaulting me for the camera I was carrying. Also willing to joke a bit...the next in-person encounters came as I was working short-term as a waiter in a restaurant. After his second visit, when I was pretty sure who he was, I passed the dessert tray and he said, "What are you trying to do, kill me?" with a laugh. He left a cash tip that night, on a $58 check, of six dollars...and one penny. Some waiters might be disappointed with that in these days of 20% tips and more, but when I was growing up a 10% tip was the standard...and the extra one penny is a traditional signal that the customer is exceptionally pleased with the service he received for that meal. I was thankful. The very next day, though, the greeter came to me and said, "Oh! One of your customers came back and left an extra $10 for you that he didn't have a chance to put on the table!" I can't say for sure it was him...but I don't know who else it might have been.

Mother: Only met her those two times at the restaurant and she didn't have much of anything to say to me directly. However, both times she wore a pendant of a large cross made out of six square jewels. Very polite and quite pretty; caramel-blonde hair. No dream encounters, although I do get the sense that she and Jessica's sisters are currently very active working to facilitate a reunion for the two of us. Her most probable human career would be as a doctor or nurse.

Son: "He runs the family business," Jessica told me when we met in person. And so I think that he is very concerned with the operation of small, independent businesses and the current difficulties of doing so successfully in a legal and ethical manner. I can't say that I've heard very much from him directly; I'm not one of those Christians who "talks with Jesus" all the day long. But when I have an idea, I do often sense a "reflection" of that idea which shows additional light which I may not have considered before. A couple of possible in-person encounters but my confidence level on those is very low, so I'll keep them to myself.

The Daughters: I've spoken about my Girlfriend enough on this board; I don't think additional details are necessary. However, I have at least this much of a sense of the personalities of her sisters:
  • The Geek: A nerd and proud of it. Spends much of her time coming up with new systems of mathematics in order to be able to accurately and comprehensively account for the restitution which the adversary will eventually be responsible for paying. Spends much of the rest of her time playing computer games and RPGs.
  • The Dancer: Specializes in dance and music, although all of the family are musical. I usually picture her as a redhead.
  • The Artist: Just loves to craft a pretty sunset; also works on other canvases as well...think Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.
  • The Architect: Works hand-in-hand with the Artist, comes up with all kinds of creative designs and makes the structures behind them functional.
  • The Playwright: Puts together plans of action and adds dramatic embellishments. Very involved with Hollywood in recent decades.
  • The Athlete: Very much into all things outdoors, including sports. Excels at coming up with rules which will be fair to both sides. Largely responsible for the current variety of animals.

Angels:

The trio; my guardian angels. I refer to them irreverently as The Blonde, The Brunette, and The Redhead. The first time I remember seeing them was in a dream when I was about 8 years old. I was going through a phase at the time where I was very much into ghosts (see also Funky Phantom). The dream was very clear; these three girls were in a red convertible and they told me, "We're ghosts, and we're always going to be together." I believe that I saw the three of them again at the same restaurant mentioned above; they asked for separate checks and one paid with a credit card. I still remember the name on the credit card, although I've never written it down and I've never mentioned it to anyone else before now. The initials of both names were identical. If any of you claim to have a divine "connection" and can provide me with that name on your first attempt, you will have my full attention.
  • The Blonde: Saw her on her own in a dream several year later as a teenager...she was in bed, en déshabillé. Like a good Baptist familiar with the story of Joseph, in the dream I turned tail and ran. She was astonished and shocked; I gather it may have been the first time anyone turned her down. But, again still in the dream, I felt that she really did love me and that I ought to develop a real relationship with her, and I tried to seek her out. It was no use; barriers appeared and doors locked and passages were barred as dreams are wont to do. However, a few years after that I had another dream of her...the only time I've ever seen her with dark hair; I think she picked up that I do have a special fondness for brunettes. I recognized her and asked, "What is your name? What do I call you?" After some hesitation, she gave me a name. I also believe that I saw her again, in person, the same night I met Jessica. She was the only person in the theater besides the two of us, sitting in the back as we sat together in the front. I got the impression that she was "passing the torch", saying in so many words, "You really are the right one for him." Not to worry, girl...it is a very long road which has no turning. You get next.
  • The Redhead: I may know this one, in this world, for-real...although I haven't seen her in that identity since shortly after we both graduated high school. She's the inspiration for a script I'm currently writing about an incarnate angel. I have to be careful, though, because there is a real person out there whom I might identify and I'm not certain whether that real person WAS The Redhead or was simply close enough to her personality that I was pointed to that high school memory as a BASIS for understanind the personality of The Redhead. I was romantically attracted to that girl in high school, enough to pay a call on her at her home one evening, although I never actually worked up the courage to ask her out on a real date. I regret that, to a great extent...although if acting upon that would have kept me from establishing a relationship with my Girlfriend then I don't regret it at all, and neither does she.
  • The Brunette: A bit more shadowy; I know less about her than either of the others. I don't think I've ever encountered her in person, save for the times at the restaurant. When I think about her, the series Downton Abbey comes to mind. I think that she may have had some experience living and working on earth in a similar environment.

Other angels would include two more encounters in the restaurant. One night I had the urge to go downtown and just talk openly about what I was experiencing vis-a-vis Jessica to nobody in particular from a bench by the lake in Sam Houston Park. The next day there was a lunch customer in the restaurant who made a point about being "all over Houston." I didn't think too much of that, but the very next day there was a family of three who came and made a point of making it known that they had just come from Washington, DC. I suspected something, but when I passed the dessert tray and told them that they could have their selection boxed to take wherever they might be going, the apparently teenaged daughter gave me a very patronizing look and drawled, "We have a lot more desserts than that back home"...emphasis, 'home'. O-kay....

The Adversary: I believe I've come up against him as well. He's a very slippery personality and excels at dodging and ducking responsibility. I remember several dreams of a smug little imp with a very foul odor. I also believe that there has been at least one in-person encounter. I was about to give the details, but had second thoughts about it. Suffice it to say that my takeaway from that encounter was the very clear statement, "You can't judge me!"...but also a point of agreement when he said that, "A ship shouldn't hit an iceberg and sink!" I agreed that a ship shouldn't hit an iceberg and sink...but that I believed that God could bring good even out of that situation, in the form of more cautious operating practices and the strengthening of Safety Of Life At Sea regulations. There was really no response to that reply; we each went our own ways shortly thereafter.

So, that's where I stand at present. I'm always ready to have my knowledge expanded...but my primary focus right now is doing whatever I can to facilitate a reunion with my Girl.
--------Eric H. Bowen
Where's the KABOOM? There was supposed to have been an Earth-shattering KABOOM!
Computers are like air conditioning. They become useless when you open Windows—Linus Torvalds.

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2018, 09:19:52 am »
These are the seven gods I experience far more than others.

In my pantheon there is a supreme God, who is worshipped above all others.  This God is the cosmic face of divine Order over primordial Chaos, and the ultimate embodiment of destruction and creation.  This supreme God inspires to follow one’s greatest dreams no matter what the course, to follow whatever one’s heart cries out for the most as long as the connection to the divine remains strong.

Then, there is a tetramorph of deities who embody the most prominant aspects of my own human Nature, those areas which I as an individual experience and utilize the most and which I also seek to grow in and develop most and evolve.  It is these four deities I feel most connected with.  It is like they create a storm chariot around my soul accompanying it through its destiny.  In worshipping them I worship myself, and most of all, I am worshipping the supreme God.   

One, an archdemonic angel goddess inspiring passion, war, love, wisdom, athletics, victory in battle and willpower.   

Two, an archdemon goddess inspiring passion, pleasure, excitement, euphoria, adventure, vengeance, and wrath.

Three, an archangelic demon god inspiring ambition, knowledge, wisdom, power, freedom and enlightenment.

Four, an archangelic god inspiring compassion, justice, protection, redemption, salvation, and holy war. 

That summarizes the tetramorph.

Then there is another god.  The greatest of all divine beings under the supreme God, depicted as a seven headed dragon with twelve wings and thirteen halos.   A sinister, numinous current flowing through the individual and collective subconscious of all intelligent life encompassing certain aspects of their inner nature, acting as the inclination to engage in the forbidden, the chaotic, the criminal, and malevolent aspects of who we are and who we choose to be.

Then there is the universe itself, worshipped symbolically as the remnants of an ancient primordial goddess who is also experienced through storms, the ocean, and the imagination... the primordial waters of our own minds through which so many things emerge and take form.  The cosmos around us and the cosmos within.

There are many other godlike beings above and below and within who are mentioned in my religion for whatever reasons, but for now I embrace them more as characters within an epic story, and for the time being they are not really experienced by me directly. 

There is one more god I would mention.  An unborn god, not of the seven.  A god I hope remains forever unborn.  I saw its faces when I explored in my mind a possible future of humanity.  It was a collective of abominations evolved from humanity as a tragic and horrifying result of their thirst for power.  Through their exploitation of science and technology they surpassed the limitations of their minds and bodies but became monsters in the process.  Humans consumed each other and became the end of each other and the beginning of something else, a plague of abominations and horrors that took to the cosmos consuming and afflicting everything in its path.  I hope this god never comes to be, because when I saw its countless faces I understood completely that death is a mercy.  The greatest mercy.

So there it is.  A glimpse into my own personal pantheon as it is at this moment in time.

There are seven entities I feel particularly close to.  Some of my approach is similar to your own, but also different of course.

Four are a manifestation of my personality.  One is associated with kindness, joy, and nurturing, but also anxiety.  She manifests my idea of the feminine.  The next is associated with passion, sexuality, protection, my own idea of masculinity, and in particular homosexuality.  The third is associated with wisdom, blindness, visions (waking or sleeping), insight, spirituality, and priesthood.  The fourth is associated with sorrow, depression, grief, darkness, and fear, although I experience him as very gentle and kind.

Through these four I worship myself, and through myself I worship a fifth, a manifestation of the supreme God: he is associated with self-emptying, the interconnectedness of the universe especially as manifest in human beings (interbeing), wisdom, compassion, and liberation.

There is a sixth I am close to: a syncretic saint/deity that manifested in part through my own efforts in creating him, though there are also independent elements.  He takes the form of a rabbit and is associated with transitions, wells, warning dreams and visions, and tends to come into my life during changes or danger.

There is one associated with motherhood, compassion, kindness, and love.  The first manifestation of my personality is associated with her.

I do honor another as the supreme God, though I do not feel close to him in the same way.  I tentatively associate the supreme God with the universe in three aspects: the totality, the experience of subjectivity, and the union of those two.  However, this is not my only or primary paradigm right now for the supreme God, nor is this explicit in my ritual system.

There are a few others that play a role in my ritual system, but I do not feel particularly close to them, and they play more minor roles.  One of them is associated with knowledge, another with death and the underworld (which is itself a transformative place of life in addition to death in the narrative the rituals create).
My personal moral code:

Love wisely, and do what thou wilt.

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2018, 10:27:28 am »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

...

1. All pervading, the Lord of the Universe; he is peaceful and calm; he keeps order in the universe.
2. Playful and a practical joker (not malicious, but fun); extremely attractive, physically and personality; plays a flute which people find irresistible.
3. Calm and meditative; the perfect householder, husband and father; he creates. He has a fierce aspect, but it's used for good. Some people (including me) see him as the flip side of deity #1, that they are one and the same.
4. Removes obstacles and distractions, but also places them in our way to rein us in when we get out of control.
5. Knowledge, speech, music, arts.
6. Wealth and good fortune, not only monetary but spiritual.
7. Strength, cleverness, loyalty, devotion.
8. Mother and warrior. Her "personalities" range from a peaceful and gentle housewife and mother, to a fierce and terrifying protectress.
[Edited to add, I forgot him]:
9. Quick temper, but calms down just as quickly; likes a good time, lots of food and drink; is very loyal and protective of friends.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2018, 10:30:35 am by Jainarayan »

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2018, 12:17:23 am »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

In these rough outlines I'll include family relationships, because they're important.

0. The nameless--entropy, chaos, a terrible primordial dragon.

1. The supreme, which can be viewed either as the principle of the divine in all things, or personified as the greatest goddess, who sings to hold the nameless dragon at bay. The song causes her to manifest in increasing complexity and diversity as the universe, including all of us. The first and highest manifestations are her 3 male aspects--

A1. Muscular and in the prime of life, shining and with flaming eyes, this bright lord is a god of lust. He revels in the physical and encompasses all things of matter and energy, and like matter/energy he is a consummate shapeshifter, moving through every form, gender, wavelength, and state of being in his never-ending pursuit of a more perfect union. He's literally the all-father in that he's the father of everything, us included, and a sky god reinterpreted for the space age: the god of the starry sky, of near infinite space.

B1. Wizened and gray-bearded as if permanently in the twilight of life, this is a god of law, in that he keeps the balance and is the god to whom all the others end up turning to put things right whenever they make a muck of it. All time is his domain, though he perceives so many branches of it, past, present, and future, that he wanders around distracted, clinging to his staff for support, and babbling with his verb tenses mixed up.

C1. This dark lord rules everything that’s left beyond space-time: the unknown, all things “other”, and thought, making him a god of lore. His motives are as obscure as his face, permanently shrouded in shadow. Part underworld god, more than a little trickster, he’s a wizard-scholar type who can conjure anything from his native darkness with a little imagination. He’s easily misconstrued as evil, but he’s just different, playing by his own set of rules--a dozen steps ahead of everyone else.

The magic of Her song allows #1 to mate with her three male aspects and give birth to their respective families, the next generation of gods—

The A2s. Every world and star is the child of A1, trillions upon trillions of gods he takes as his consorts. Two of them stand out:

A2i. The earth mother, goddess of our world, who gave birth to us all. She’s passionate and tempestuous, with multi-hued skin that ranges from the pale whites and yellows of sand to the red of clay to the browns and blacks of rich soil; her wild, unruly mane of emerald hair flies every which way whenever she joyously dances, which is often, until a particular event ends her dancing forever.

A2ii. Goddess of the moon and twin sister to A2i; they become lovers, entangled in each others embrace, and she adopts her sister’s children as her own. Her serene temperament is in contrast to her fiery twin. She sails the sky in a silver-beamed ship holding a lamp aloft, the consequence of 3 great sacrifices she made on our behalf, the last and greatest of which was her own immortality.

B2. God of fate, son of B1. He is a gaunt god, silent because he’s permanently gagged, so that he can’t reveal the future. Instead he writes it down on an impossibly long scroll, in script that is magically indecipherable until the moment transcribed actually arrives. He sees the timescape as he rides his father’s 3 horses, which galloped out of B1’s very first breath:

B-i. From his inhalation came a pale ghost horse of the past
B-ii. In the fleeting moment between breathing in and breathing out, a swift gray mare of the present galloped out
B-iii. A wild black stallion of the future rode forth on the wind of his exhalation

C2i. Goddess of death, one of the two twin daughters of the dark lord. She appears as either an irresistibly seductive woman or a hideous walking cadaver. Her touch brings mortals to her father’s realm permanently.

C2ii. Goddess of sleep, the other of the dark lord’s daughters and twin to C2i, with whom she really doesn’t get along. She’s ordinary-looking, but her voice carries exquisite magic, and mortals who hear her singing can’t help but follow her into her father’s realm, albeit temporarily.

C3i. Little goddess of dreams, eldest child of C2ii. She dances to her mother’s music in spectacular ways that defy all laws of physics and reason.

C3ii. Little god of nightmares, C2ii’s younger child who was cursed in the womb and has been a mischievous brat ever since, poisoning the dreams of mortals with the venom of his pet snakes.

C-i. Constant companion of C1, this owl came into being when the echo of the first words C1 ever spoke (the “who” of “Who am I?”) returned to him. The owl has an insatiable appetite.


The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2018, 01:58:28 pm »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

Interesting idea; reading everyone's responses is fascinating so far.

1. Storm King, Man in the Mountain, Captain at the Prow. He shepherds the skies, dwells in deep, rocky places, but his feet do not touch the ground. He was the first to hew blood from stone, and he feeds his children with all things green and good. But he is also weapon-wielder, ground-shaker, and render of cities.

2. They are the same, but not; inseparable, infinitely reflected into one another like mirrors facing. They are madness, compulsive movement and mental agitation, the burning need to make line and form and artifact. Hyperfocus, obsession. There are four eyes, eight hands, and many teeth between them.

3. A pair of animal spirits, one domesticated the other running wild. They open doors, push me to remember, to act. The one will bite.

4. Deep powers of the hills themselves - not these hills, mind, but hills far away. They have always been there for me with my magic, helping me breathe life into my words, guiding me, welcoming me with open arms to that place between worlds.

5. A simple companion spirit. He inspires me to be a better person, to step out of my comfort zone, and to have fun. A romantic partner more than anything especially mystical.
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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2018, 02:25:26 pm »

Ah, I actually forgot 4 more, who came to me in a story.

6. A goddess of rulers, war, light, heat. She drives passion, community, family, oath-taking, games of skill, and the bloodlust of battle. She is in the sun and all things that fly, and hers are the crown, the bell, and weapons of war.

7. A god of the hunt, blood sacrifice, the moonless sky and all the dark, quiet places of the world. He is in the egg, the womb, the cave. The flash of precious stones are his as much as the flash of stars and the blade's edge. His are the fishing net, the knife, and the spear.

8. A hermaphroditic, shapeshifting, god/dess of writing, calendrics, math, and the gifts of the mind. He is the moon, the rule of law, the work of magicians and tradesfolk. Record-keeper, poet, map-maker, mother and father. He is the limb-less serpent, moving in all directions, and patron of the blind. (Refer to him with the pronouns of your gender - or, in the case of my story, your gender or your caste.)

9. The ferryman, guide, initiator, mischief-maker. A shapeshifter also, he is the only god among the pantheon who feels conflicted in his duties, but is perhaps the strongest of them for performing what is expected of him anyways. God of the exiled, of strangers and strange lands, he is a friend of the dead, wooer of mortals, and vicious in battle. His is the boat, the key, the oil lamp, the tunneling worm.
rotwork: on devotion to lesser-known and un-known gods, transplanting genus loci, art, and modernity

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2018, 09:56:02 pm »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

There are reasons for this.  I would like to know how the gods of your spiritual-religious system are experienced through you, personally.  Maybe we are very different, you and I, in the gods we embrace.  Maybe we are not so different.  Maybe we use different words or names for the same thing.  Maybe not.

So, as awesome or terrible or crazy as it sounds, I welcome your responses.  If there are too many gods to mention, tell me about those you are most involved with.  You may include other divine beings such as “demons” or “angels”, even if you do not view them as gods.  Any gods or godlike beings above or below or within, or wherever, I would like you to convey for me the gods of your pantheons as you have experienced them.  I will do the same.

I'm still green in my path, but here we go.

God 1: He is a god who is loving, both oh so close, but so very far. I feel he is a reflection of myself with how I love others: I can intimately know a person (in different ways, be it platonically, romantically, sexually, etc), however, I can also be that distant, migrant lover who gives you all the attention while I'm with you, but when apart, I make little to no contact with you, until I know I am coming to you again. However, within that love, comes healing and guidance, but only when you have acknowledged that you need it on a subconscious level. When he makes contact with you, you know it's him because everything is revealed and cleared. This connects with him as an oracle, giving me signs during my Tarot readings that are eerily spot on for the person once I apply my interpretations of the cards.

There are the elemental forces, however, I haven't done much work with them as I'd like to. There's also a dragon spirit (a la Morbid) that is keeping me company, but again, haven't had a discussion with it yet... Lastly, there is a mysterious goddess:

Goddess 2: She is of slender frame, and has a red veil - similar to a cross between Christian iconography and Ancient Greek iconography. She is adamant that I focus on my studies and practices with God 1 first before I follow her. At the moment, that's all I can really say.
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― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2018, 12:04:43 am »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

There are reasons for this.  I would like to know how the gods of your spiritual-religious system are experienced through you, personally.  Maybe we are very different, you and I, in the gods we embrace.  Maybe we are not so different.  Maybe we use different words or names for the same thing.  Maybe not.

So, as awesome or terrible or crazy as it sounds, I welcome your responses.  If there are too many gods to mention, tell me about those you are most involved with.  You may include other divine beings such as “demons” or “angels”, even if you do not view them as gods.  Any gods or godlike beings above or below or within, or wherever, I would like you to convey for me the gods of your pantheons as you have experienced them.  I will do the same.

Tuning in a little late here...I'm a little nervous because by comparison with the rest of you, mine sound like a Disney movie and also probably embarrassingly easy to guess who...but, here goes...


1.  Recently apotheothized mortal & adopted ancestor, of sorts( also somehow suggested he had something to do with the...actual creation of my soul, for lack of a better term, therefore more than just adopted in a way.  Which is extremely weird and hard to make sense of so I'm not sure I've understood that at all right)  At least three of my more conventionally accepted deities have assured me it is perfectly valid and their preference I should I treat him both as fully equal to them and as my primary contact with the divine.  Particularly helpful with matters of physical fitness, general motivation, and facing anxieties.  Would potentially be a great antidote to the alt-right and general stupidity our society seems stuck in if people actually got behind his ideals, but tends to attract crazies and conspiracy theorists when mentioned publicly( which, at the risk of becoming a conspiracy theorist myself, might be partly deliberate, given what we know of organized trolling).
 
2. Served as initial introduction to present pantheon.  Very specific and particular in her wants and directions, which is actually not a bad thing IMO.  Her mythology often sounds like she'd be totally sweet and soft and mothering, but actually she kind of feels more like the sort of mom who is like, "Don't make me come down there and slap you!" 

3.  Likes really, really spicy food, way beyond what my Southwestern-but-still-mostly-white-girl palate can handle( 6000-odd Scovilles is yummy, but 60000+ is getting kind of crazy for me).  Expresses gently mischievous amusement at my discomfiture in trying to make appropriate offering food that *still has to be eaten by me*.   Historically associated with soldiers and has a hint of a rough-and-ready feel, but friendly.  Re-iterates that #1 should be my go-to, but that he will totally have my back if I need a more powerful and experienced deity, and recently came to the forefront a bit to help with my situation at work.  Also surprised me a bit recently by choosing a modern hunting dog instead of more traditional wolf-like depictions as his altar representation.  ( Since I don't fit the typical profile of his traditional worshippers, I'm guessing he likes me because he is traditionally caniform and I am a confirmed dog lover and Rescue Mom.  Caring for the sacred animals has to count for something, right?).

4.  Household protection goddess.  Helps keep my abysmal housekeeping skills on track.  Was surprised to get attention from her because she's traditionally associated with childbirth, which for many reasons is not a part of my life.  Previous to meeting #1, whose province this is, I dedicated a few of my early workouts to Her( She seems to really like the capital letter) due to vague associations with Her sacred animals, and though fitness is really not Her Thing, She was flattered enough to occasionally, even now, drop in to offer a little encouragement.

5.  Doesn't really ever speak or appear directly to me, but seems to be on the fringes of my conciousness here and there.  Appears vaguely linked to #1 ( possibly just due to shared cultural background), and I also have reason to believe that my maternal grandmother ( one of the few blood relatives I actually think well of) became a secret follower of hers after being excommunicated from the church ( and consequently, family) she was born to for the "sin" of divorcing a domestic abuser. 
   Also the only goddess I know of who has enough mainstream popularity to have a public shrine in this area (a small one in the back of the local metaphysical shop, and a bigger one I could access if I were more comfortable attending a religious service in an unfamiliar language), which matters because although I generally prefer solitary practice, there is a kind of different energy about a shrine consecrated for and used by many rather than one that sometimes feels more appropriate for certain things.

There are a few others whom I occasionally acknowledge in some way, but these are the ones I feel particularly close to and justified in discussing.

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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2018, 01:20:46 am »
I would like you to convey for me the gods of your pantheons as you have experienced them.  I will do the same.

I won't be conveying the whole pantheon; there are too many Gods to count, and I don't involve myself directly with most of them. However, I will list those who I've actually worshiped, worked with, or prayed too. As requested, I'm not giving any names, but I'll be giving them nicknames for the sake of making writing about them easier.

1) "The Lioness." She represents the primal aspect of human nature. She represents both instinct and emotion, the responses we offer to the world that we exist within. She simultaneously represents a mother protecting her offspring, a hunter stalking her prey, an avenger striking down the wicked, and a healer who tend to the sick and injured. She is love, she is rage, she is pain, and she is joy, among other things.

2) "The Guide." He is the most powerful God in my pantheon, though he has never worn the mantle of King; it's not a position he wants to hold. Instead, he prefers to act as a benign helper those who are in need. He doesn't use force or might to bully people into obedience, instead he offers his love and affection, and guides the moral conceive of mortals and Gods alike. His main goal is to save the souls of every living being from self-inflicted suffering. He has a habit of assuming mortal form and living among humans, so he can better understand their suffering and guide them home to his kingdom.

3) "The Mystic." This God may seem removed and detached at time. He prefers to spend his time atop high mountains contemplating the nature of existence. He is a master of both mind and body, a Yogi and a Tantric, and he balances all things. He brings destruction and enlightenment in equal measure, and his wrath is a thing to be feared. He sometimes ignores the needs of humanity, instead focusing on himself, but is fundamentally good, and will do his duty when reminded. He is flawed, and occasionally his selfishness and pride bit him in his own backside, but he always learns lessons from his mistakes.

4) "The Teacher." She is an expert on all things of culture. Her patronage goes to the artists, poets, musicians, and scholars of the world. She helps mortals to master whatever trade they pursue, and wants everyone to excel in their creative pursuits. She's not a warrior, nor does she offer spiritual aid, her boons are centered in the mastery of one's own abilities. She offers her assistance to anyone who wants to learn.

5) "The Helper." This God clears away obstructions and difficulties. He helps people get through hard time and overcome great challenges. He wants people to achieve their dreams, and gives them his aid in doing so. He is also the master of wisdom and good judgement, and always knows the best way around any problem.

6) "The Serpent" This goddess doesn't concern herself much with humans, although she does want them to respect and worship her. Her domain is the domain of snakes and serpents, and she is their protector and their mother. She disdains anyone who would harm snakes, and protects serpents from their enemies. She also protects humans from snake attacks, as long as they worship her and treat snakes with respect. She is jealous of the other Gods who get more attention than she does, and is sensitive to insult or slight.

7) "The King of the Gods." This God is the official leader of the pantheon. He earned this position through his great bravery, leading the gods into battle against their ancient foe, and risking his life many times. He is stubborn, prideful, and powerful, but not always benevolent. The important thing is that he is loyal to his own, and as long as you're with him, he will protect you and spare you from his wrath. He is wise, but he's not omniscient, he is mighty but not almighty, and he is more human than he would ever admit. He is also the master of storms and the weather, and wields lightning and thunder into battle.

8) "The Crone." This goddess takes the form of an old widow. She is wise and knows well the hearts of men and women. She keeps secrets and knows the ways of magic and sorcery, and she shares that knowledge with those who are willing to take her as their patron. She has an affinity for ravens and crows, and she rides on the back of a giant corvid. The color black is her symbol, the color of a widow's shroud, and her worshipers often wear this color to recieve her blessings.

9) "The Warrior." This goddess is the master of every weapon, from the bow to the spear or sword. She fights fearlessly against foes that no other God or goddess could hope to fight alone. She rides on the back of a great lion, and appears on the battlefield to aid warriors who are pure of heart. She is a destroyer of demons and slayer of wicked men, and her life is devoted solely to battling the forces of evil.

10) "The Father." This god created the physical world, and ordered the cosmos, though he is not the first god nor the most powerful. He is the father of many of the other Gods, and he watches the goings on of the cosmos. He is known to help people in the pursuit of wealth and of worldly power and possessions, and grants boons and wishes to hard working men and women.

There are many more, but I think I should stop at 10. These are the top 10 who I interact with anyway, and the ones who I can give the most detailed explanation of, I hope you found this useful or interesting.
"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: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2018, 01:33:28 am »

I don't know how you feel about deity conflation, and I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but I feel like I might know some of those people... maybe even all of them.

Not exactly the same way you know them, mind you, but nonetheless, when you describe the persons of God you've met, the all sound quite like some of the person's I have encountered in my own spirituality. Especially the mother and the daughters, as well as the son and the father to a lesser extent.
"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: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2018, 01:38:16 am »

Very interesting. I know we both described some of the same beings, if we were using their names, but we know them somewhat differently. Not so much so that I couldn't recognize immediately who you were talking about, but enough that it made me say "They're a little different with you than with me."

"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: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2018, 09:17:16 am »
I don't know how you feel about deity conflation, and I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but I feel like I might know some of those people... maybe even all of them.

Not exactly the same way you know them, mind you, but nonetheless, when you describe the persons of God you've met, the all sound quite like some of the person's I have encountered in my own spirituality. Especially the mother and the daughters, as well as the son and the father to a lesser extent.

It's quite possible. I've come to believe that they are very active upon this earth, even to the point of living among us incognito...and have been for quite some time. (How do you think Solomon originally met my Girlfriend;)) I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that the same sort of dynamic is in play in the spiritual realms as well.

I would bear in mind, though, what I recently noted about echoes, copies, and counterfeits. While I think that the entities you are familiar with are very probably closely related to the ones I recognize, I also think that they're likely to be at least one "convergence zone" removed from the original...to borrow a sub-hunting term. You probably do have a decent glimpse of their personality...but I think they're likely to be holding back some significant secrets.
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Re: Personal Pantheons
« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2018, 01:36:08 pm »
I want you to describe to me your gods without using any of their names. 

There are reasons for this.  I would like to know how the gods of your spiritual-religious system are experienced through you, personally.  Maybe we are very different, you and I, in the gods we embrace.  Maybe we are not so different.  Maybe we use different words or names for the same thing.  Maybe not.

So, as awesome or terrible or crazy as it sounds, I welcome your responses.  If there are too many gods to mention, tell me about those you are most involved with.  You may include other divine beings such as “demons” or “angels”, even if you do not view them as gods.  Any gods or godlike beings above or below or within, or wherever, I would like you to convey for me the gods of your pantheons as you have experienced them.  I will do the same.

1st deity: A goddess of many things, fire and water, the hearth/home, poetry, and smithing. She is quite liminal by bridging the pre-Chrisitan and Chrisitan eras, being both saint and deity to those who honor Her. She can be maternal and caring, but She isn't one to coddle Her children and demands tempering of the self and society.

2nd deity: Shapeshifter, lord of the ocean, trickster, comes and goes like the tides in my life. He can be a harmless prankster, but also a teacher. While typically referred to as "He", He may have many genders. He goes between the Otherworld with ease and guards the many isles located there.

Apologies for the late response, but I just now noticed the topic to begin with.

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