How do you tell

[Macreno]

How do you tell if a god/goddess contacts you... what do you feel/see

[Agaliha]

That's a hard thing to answer because it is so indivudual.

For me: dreams, intuition, sudden thoughts/ideas/inspirations, poems, seeing a certian animal or symbol or object, feelings, odd coinsidences, visions in meditations/relaxations...on and on and on.

The best thing for you to do to get an idea is to go to the Gods and Goddesses forum and poke around. Just pagan/New Pagans have quite a few threads about visions of Gods and Goddesses and such. There are just so any mentions....

Here is one of mine, about the Morrigan: Morrigan or just coincidence?! (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=102644&highlight=morrigan)
Post 6 is an example of a direct message.

It really depends on the Diety, the person and the situation.
Sometimes you don't really know.
Like with another example of mine: African Woman/Goddess....any ideas? (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=109255&highlight=yemaya)
I still don't know what that was about.

In the end no one can tell you if what you experieced was a God or Goddess--- it's up to you to decide.

[Avanti]

It differs with various people. I know everyone has trouble figuring out the signs. Mine came to me in a dream, I woke up murmering her name...so yeah that was quite obvious. Took alot of researching though for me to be convinced that it was her, and that what she represented is relevant to me.

Maybe you see signs in things they represent, animals objects that all of a sudden pops up everywhere and tries to get you to notice them. But those are harder to interpret, as it could be a coincidence. Unless it were very very obvious.

[brymble]

well for me the call of the goddess manifested at a very early age as an intense artistic interest in artemis/diana. right up through high school i struggled to portray her visually and in poetry. when i got into college and discovered a religion that gave me "permission" to embrace her, i was finally able to get the drawing right. i think it was a question of allowing myself to understand her in the right way.

[StarCraftLia]

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[semi]

I agree, it tends to be very different from contacts with (for lack of better terms right now) lesser beings. For example, I needed to get in touch with spider energy once so I journeyed to find Spider. What I found, or what found me, was Grandmother Spider. The massive power and energy from this extremely bad-ass old girl was humbling. It was clearly different from contacting any other sort of spider-being. As you gain experience with these things you'll be able to discern the magnitude of the being you're facing. The strength of the encounter may vary, but there is a definite difference when in the presence of divine beings.

[RainInanna]

Unlike some of the folks who have responded, I usually cannot be totally sure it is the Divine that is contacting me. Usually it's just intuition or a sudden flash of insight, or like the wiser part of me is speaking inside my head. Almost like my conscience.

Some people consider that voice to be your "higher self" - the part inside of you that is directly connected with god and is most sacred.

[Macreno]

I agree, it tends to be very different from contacts with (for lack of better terms right now) lesser beings. For example, I needed to get in touch with spider energy once so I journeyed to find Spider. What I found, or what found me, was Grandmother Spider. The massive power and energy from this extremely bad-ass old girl was humbling. It was clearly different from contacting any other sort of spider-being. As you gain experience with these things you'll be able to discern the magnitude of the being you're facing. The strength of the encounter may vary, but there is a definite difference when in the presence of divine beings.

Well... what does being contacted by a 'lesser being' feel like?

[aluokaloo]

depends on the deity. Like with Poseidon, I didn't see Him persay, but I had dreams of the ocean, particularly dolphins, and even Atlantis.I also saw His signs everywhere, a special on Atlantis, seashells, dolphin themes in unexpected places, an unexpected yet delightful trip to sea world. You just have to be attuned. I see and hear my Gods in dreams, and deep meditations, sometimes just because. Some deities will be more subtle others completely blatant. It just depends on the deity.

[Agaliha]

depends on the deity. Like with Poseidon, I didn't see Him persay, but I had dreams of the ocean, particularly dolphins, and even Atlantis.I also saw His signs everywhere, a special on Atlantis, seashells, dolphin themes in unexpected places, an unexpected yet delightful trip to sea world. You just have to be attuned. I see and hear my Gods in dreams, and deep meditations, sometimes just because. Some deities will be more subtle others completely blatant. It just depends on the deity.

Maybe the dolphin is a animal guide or totem as well for you :)
The same thing happened with me and GrandMother Spider and the spider.

How you described Poseidon, is how many things happen to me (not always Diety related either)....a long string of connected and coincidental things that led me to believe they're not coinsidences.

I just pay attention! :)

[semi]

Macreno, for me the feeling is just a shifting of awareness. It's like you're moving through normal life, experiencing normal things, blah blah blah, then...ooh, that was different. It's difficult to define. It's an experience that has a different quality than a standard usual every-day experience. It just feels different. Sometimes it's so subtle that it's hard to tell if something different happened or not. Other times you'll be in awe of what has happened. But you'll experience it, just have patience. Experiencing something like this seems like a goal, but it's the path that leads to that goal that really matters. The contact with deity is not important. The knowledge and experience gained while chasing this goal is what really matters. Not trying to be enigmatic, it's just my perspective of things.

[Wiccamagikal]

Very Interesting!
What do you all think about God/Goddess Meditation. I tried it in the past, however for some odd reason just could NOT keep my thoughts in order, and sort of got freaked out because nothing at all seemed like it was there...(lack of words) Do you think I should just wait until a sign comes up out of nowhere, or try the meditation again? I know its a difficult question to answer, but...you dont have to! lol
- Still have not found my deity...its so weird..Like I know I want to praise an individual deity, as well as mother earth/green man...but..im having such a difficult time doing so.
Blessed Be,
Wiccamagikal