Who Is Your God/Goddess?

[NebtAnhai]

And why do they call to you? How did you find out about them?

[Emy]

I don't feel particulary drawn to just one goddess, different goddesses call me at different times I think, although some more often then others... I can't explain how I new or when I first found out about them, its like they've always been there. Another funny thing is that sometimes I don't know which goddess it is that is calling me, so often I just refer to them as mother, maiden and crone, cause in some strange way I always seem to know that much at least... :)

B*B

[NebtAnhai]

I'm glad you say that, because I don't think I have ever had just one Goddess call to me either, as a matter of fact, I have women in history call to me more often than a goddess. I normally call her Lady or universe...:)

[Valnorran]

Being of Celtic descent, I think of the Goddess as Danu, the All-Mother. Gods are a bit trickier. I find that no matter how much I might admire certain male figures, I simply cannot bow down to them. I'm not sure why I'm like that. I speculate it is due to my father dying when I was very young (in fact, I don't even remember him) and being raised by my mother. Submitting to a woman makes perfect sense to me. Submitting to a man, however, is an utterly alien concept to me. I tried visualizing God as an animal, for there are many that I love and admire, but that didn't work either. I ran into difficulty with that because I'm capable of destroying any animal I can think of. I wouldn't, but theoretically, I could. Makes it difficult for me to see it as my Lord. Then I fell back on a lifelong obsession of mine - dragons. From my earliest days that I can recall I've loved and admired dragons as creatures of vast power, knowledge, and wisdom, so I view my Lord as a great, regal dragon.

[golddust]

Brigid usually, i sometimes approach her alone, tho she sometimes comes with the dagda or angus og, theres alot of love when that happens, fatherly or friendly love
my friend laughed his head off when i told him my patron was a virgin0 oh well

[Pan]

I'm about the complete opposite of Valnorran. It seems odd to me, bowing down to a Goddess.. but I do. Airmed (Airmid) calls to me.. really Earth Mother in general, but the herb aspect more than anything else.

As for the God.. Pan.. hence my name. ;) I think it's the joviality he shows.. the utter love for life that calls to me.. because I rarely act like that. Airmed is the strict person in my life, while Pan tells me when to have fun. :D

I've been looking into different Gods and Goddesses, but haven't found any that really speak to me as these two have.

As for not being able to bow to a Goddess.. I guess that's because I've always felt rather rebellious to my mother moreso than my dad. My father was in the navy and wasn't around much.. but I don't know why it's so much easier for me to be comfortable with the God rather than the Goddess. Even when first starting out from Christianity.. it was always easier for me to talk to the God rather than the Goddess... my mother has never really been a positive influence in my life. I'm getting over it, though. ;) In time I'll be much better.

[Azure]

Generally speaking, Brid and Lugh.

[cherrywind]

Also being of Celtic descent I was always heavily drawn to the Celtic gods and goddesses. Kerridwen always had a strong influence on me. She has always been a symbol of great strength for me personally.

[Sora]

I'm drawn to Kali. She took me in and hasn't yet let me go.

[Teshuva]

I've always been fascinated by Bast and have often prayed to her at times when I want protection for my loved ones.
I'm looking forward someday to finding out why I have always loved this particular Goddess since she is the only Egyptian deity that I feel so comfortable with.When I was only about 7 or 8,my mom took me to the local museum to see a special exhibit of Egyptian artifacts.I remember seeing a Bast statuette and just staring and feeling overwhelmed with love for this graceful and lovely being.... the other Gods and Goddesses at the exhibit interested me but Bast is the one I kept wandering back to....
It's funny because I remember "talking/praying to her after I went home and drawing numerous pictures of her and so forth.
I was raised in a strongly Judeo/Christian home and even sent to parochial schools and so forth but my fond feelings for her never waned.
As far as a masculine deity goes,I often call on Thor when I need to face a situation with self confidence or when I must be assertive or confrontational...well, I've babbled long enough.

[Run_With_Wolvez]

Myself, I've been drawn towards two different Pantheons.. Native American and Egyptian. Yes, it seems odd, yet I feel comfortable with both of them. I can't have one and not the other. I don't have a specific Goddess from the Native American pantheon, but I feel extremely comfortable with Isis from the Egyptian side. I know she's the "main" Goddess that people usually hear about when looking into Egyptian god/desses and such forth, but I can see why, she just has an impact on me, her story is amazing and I just can't seem to stop looking for more and more information about her. I'm still studying the Native American pantheons to see what's really going on...

[ditto]

My beloved Isis... It took me a long time untill I heard her call and she had to shove her way in. I am so glad she did. My life is so much nicer now.

[Grey]

I was wondering how does one go about finding a god???

[Twilight Garden]

Originally posted by Sora
I'm drawn to Kali. She took me in and hasn't yet let me go. Same with me and Hekate. ;)

[Mnemosyne]

Grey, does a particular pantheon appeal to you? The Greek gods and goddesses have been a part of my life for ages. Hence, that explains why I feel a connection to the goddess, Athena right now.

[Grey]

yes actually the norse gods. ( Odin, Thor, Ostara, Uller etc)
Ive always like them as far as I can remeber there existance but how does this help me?? Should I meditate on them or something??

[*~*Chary*~*]

I've always been fascinated by Bast and have often prayed to her at times when I want protection for my loved ones.
I'm looking forward someday to finding out why I have always loved this particular Goddess since she is the only Egyptian deity that I feel so comfortable with.When I was only about 7 or 8,my mom took me to the local museum to see a special exhibit of Egyptian artifacts.I remember seeing a Bast statuette and just staring and feeling overwhelmed with love for this graceful and lovely being.... the other Gods and Goddesses at the exhibit interested me but Bast is the one I kept wandering back to....
It's funny because I remember "talking/praying to her after I went home and drawing numerous pictures of her and so forth.
I was raised in a strongly Judeo/Christian home and even sent to parochial schools and so forth but my fond feelings for her never waned.

my god hun are u sure were not related

[Teshuva]

( smiles ) perhaps we are. Who is your Goddess of choice? Since you used the word "god" I'm presuming you meant Thor. I'm not trying to get into a big theological discussion here.... I'm just NOSY!!! ( I really love this online community by the way )

[Grey]

Actually I don't know any godesses really so that could be my problem..... as for gods if its a multiple sex pronoun you always use the male form ;-( sorry for the mix-up


do you know anywhere I could find more out about the goddesses???

[Mnemosyne]

Grey, there are some really powerful Norse goddesses. My favorite is Freyja. She is the goddess of fertility, love, beauty, and even death. She was also known for her magical powers. What can't this goddess do?

There is also Odin's wife, Frigg. She is the very clever, faithful mother goddess. (We all like Frigg. After all, one of our favorite days of the week is named after her, Friday or "Frigg's day.")

Like Frigg, Sigyn is another faithful goddess. She was married to Loki. Even though Loki had some flaws, Sigyn stood by him.

Another important Norse goddess is Sif. She reminds me a lot of the Greek goddess Demeter. She is the goddess of the harvest.

Hope some of this information helps you learn more about the Norse goddesses.

[Teshuva]

Go to askjeeves.com and type in "mythology" or "goddess" and I'm sure you'll get lots of info on goddesses..... i also love the comp reference system at my local library. I especially like mythology books for kids.They're concise and fun and usually a good,fast read.In fact,when I have a question about anything,I go searching for a child's book about it(blush)..... good luck!!!

[Mnemosyne]

I have learned so much about mythology from children's books too! I teach sixth grade social studies. A main part of the curriculum is to teach the students about the Greeks. The students really like to learn about the Greek gods. To get them more interested in the subject, I read them myths and show them pictures (appropriate ones) of the gods. They students get so interested in the subject that want to learn about gods from other lands, particularly Norse gods. I see nothing wrong about reading stories from children's books. You're right; they are informative and written in an entertaining way.

[Teshuva]

Sounds like social studies class has gotten to be alot more fun than when I was a kid!!!
What a neat idea to spice up a subject that usually could be pretty dry...:mad: MY social studies teachers never incorporated mythology,and I know my daughter( just finished sixth grade) didn't have that in her social studies either...... although I recall her bringing home work regarding Egyptian culture... which she loved and wrote little heiroglyphic notes to friends for days.:p
You sound like a pretty cool teacher!!!:cool:

[Grey]

Thanxs... If any of you know a good site that would be nice too.

[Raynewitch]

Generally speaking Hathor...though Lilith has been at the forefront of my mind lately :)

Gods....Im yet to have a really strong connection with anyone in particular......probably Pan at this point in time.

[Mnemosyne]

Originally posted by Grey
Thanxs... If any of you know a good site that would be nice too.

Grey, this site briefly discusses the main Norse gods and goddesses. I kind of liked that the author connects the gods and goddesses to astrology. For example, the Leo is associated with Thor. (I don't think that some followers of the Norse gods and goddesses would be happy with the comparisons; however, I found it interesting.) http://www.wizardrealm.com/norse/gods.html


Here is another site.
http://www.geocities.com/fullmoonmagic_deities/norse.html

I like this site, because it shows the family tree of the gods and goddesses.
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/viking_family_tree.html

Merry Meet, Raynewitch. Many people here feel a connection to Hathor. You can discuss here on the Cow Goddess thread and the Goddesses of Love thread too. Are you looking for excitement at the moment that you are feeling a strong connection to Pan? :D

[Mithrea]

No matter how much research I do and what pantheons I study, I always come back to two:

Hecate

and

Athena

[Mnemosyne]

Me too, Mithrea. I love to learn about the gods and goddesses from regions all around the world. However, I always come back to the Greek pantheon. I feel a deep connection with those dieties. I think you just "know" what path to choose, because it feels right.

[Clover]

When I first began my journey in Paganism, Lillith immediately took me in. I have been Hers ever since (like I have a choice when Lillith calls!!!). I do not work with Her too often, but I know She is there for me.

The Goddess I work with most is Hel. I have found Her to be most loving and warm despite Her reputation as a cold Crone. (Her walls are made of sleet!!). She ALWAYS shows me the truth, even when I do not want any part of hearing it! She is like the grandmother who will thwap you in the head to get Her point across, and then hold you in Her arms when comfort is needed.

I also am most fond of Aphrodite. There are many times I have worked with Her when self-esteem issues were apparent.

And last, but certainly not least, being an artist and poet, I am drawn to Brigid and Sarasvati. They are AWESOME to work with and I have found greater security and esteem in my work with them.

[Mnemosyne]

Interesting mix of dieties, Clover. I liked your explaination of why you work with Hel- stern, yet comforting.
How did you get to know these dieties? I only ask since you work with dieties from various pantheons. I can see that these various dieties would give some balance to your life.

[Twilight Garden]

Originally posted by Mithrea
No matter how much research I do and what pantheons I study, I always come back to two:

Hecate

and

Athena :lol: Funny because when I first discovered the path I worked primarily with Athene for a few years. Then Athene sorta led me to Hekate and I've been with Hekate ever since.

[GoddessViviane]

I have found I'm drawn to one god inparticular. He would be Posideon. I am very found of water. I sail, surf and swim for much of my summer and other wise...If in bad weather or such, i pray to him, and he helps. For Goddesses...I'm not sure. I love them all. :) I tend to call them as one sometimes..sorta like the combined spirits of the goddesses. *same w. the gods*
~Cyneburghleah

[Mnemosyne]

LunarMist, so many people here are drawn to Hecate. I can see why someone with the name "lunar" would feel a connection to Hecate. When I picture her at night, I always see a moon in the backgroung. Perhaps that is just me.

After reading that your location is a small home near the sea, I figured that Poseidon would be your god of choice, GoddessViviane. I know that it is definitely not true for all, but I think that your hobbies and environment play a part in choosing your pantheon, or your pantheon plays a part in your hobbies and environment. For example, I live in a warm, Meditteranean type climate, so perhaps that is the reason why I feel close to the gods and goddesses who lived in a similar climate, the Greek gods and goddesses. Also, I have real zeal for leaning new things, particulary in the arts. I feel that the Muses have blessed me with this interest.

[Raynewitch]

Originally posted by Mnemosyne
Merry Meet, Raynewitch. Many people here feel a connection to Hathor. You can discuss here on the Cow Goddess thread and the Goddesses of Love thread too. Are you looking for excitement at the moment that you are feeling a strong connection to Pan? :D

Hi Mnemosyne :)

Will look into those threads :) Thanks.

As for Pan...who knows :rolleyes: maybe its the whole wild and free thing that appeals to me :smoke:

[Mnemosyne]

Exactly! I can see how you would see Pan as wild and free. That's a nice way to put it. Because I worry a bit, I feel that I should focus more on Pan. Perhaps he will help me relax. For the links on Hathor, I think that she was also discussed on an Egyptian diety thread.

[Earthcup]

Artemis has been with me a long time, even when I was Christian. Hephaestus just popped in one day and has been a wonderful friend and teacher.

Manannaan Mac Lir pops in every now and then, he's not a patron of mine but I suspect an ancestor has asked him to keep an eye on me. Merlin pops in every now and then with advice or riddles, I think it's mostly an ancestry thing here too because I identify more with the Greek dieties. Pan, Hermes, Hera, Athena and Aphrodite are also dieties I'm freindly with but do not consider my patron/matrons.

[FireBird]

Bast has come to me since I was a child. My male Deity didn't come to me until I was in my 30"s. He is Thor. I am mostly Celtic so how I got these are beyond me.. But they are the ones I work with.
http://firebird63.bravepages.com/herbalremedies.html

[Mnemosyne]

Firebird, I would assume that you are drawn to Thor and Bast, since they are both very powerful dieties- even though they come from different pantheons. For ages, I have been drawn to the Greek pantheon; however, the more that I think about the power of the gods and goddesses, the more I realize that there are very special dieties outside of the Greek pantheon.

[PeleRising]

As i am relatively new to my path.. I hadnt chosen a God or Goddess yet...but the weirdest thing has happened to me. Or maybe im imagining it or making it more than it is and I am a little weirded out...

About 5 years or so ago... my brother-in-law journeyed for me and discovered one of my spirit guides was a horse... not just any horse... but a mare with a foal. (this is complicated sorry!)

About 9 months or so ago... I did a visualization to find out for myself what one of my spirit guides was. What i saw was a woman... in a flowing white gown... who turned into a bird of prey... a red tailed hawk. but she sort of threw herself at me almost as if asking what took so long... (that was the feeling i got anyways)

then about a month ago... i was reading another thread about craft names here at MW... and a method called gematria was discussed. Later i looked gematria up on the net... and using my name it assigned a numeric value.. then offered several examples of what you could use. One of the choices was Rhiannon... ( as Stevie Nicks is one of my fav singers and i love the song Rhiannon..) i chose that name.

Then a few weeks later i was in a book store and i picked up a book of Gods and Goddesses... and i flipped to the Celtic section as i have always been fascinated with Celtic stuff. The page i flipped to talked about Rhiannon.

Tonight... i was browsing the net... and i decided to look up Rhiannon. I have read all about her... how she was married to a man named Pwyll ( my hubbys name is Paul in real life).... some of the things she stands for... i definitely need help with ( like asking for stuff if you need it... i have a hard time with that) she is affiliated with horses and birds... but the thing that really un-nerved me was the last webpage i went to... there was a pic of Rhiannon ... and on one side of her is a horse and the other a foal... and... one of the other names for Rhiannon... according to this web page is Regina... and believe it or not... that is my name.

So here i am rather freaked but in a kind of cool way.... we are talking goosebumps ok? this is the first time anything like this has ever happened to me... :D

[NebtAnhai]

Sorry, I have been out of the loop for a bit, as for me I really have no preference as I see them as one presence. No I am not Christian. but believe that a name is just a name. You call on the name of the aspect you want. It is almost like a symbol to what you want done. Blessed Be All and thank you again for all of your posts!

[Maia]

ok i'm gonna chuck my 0.02 in here, even if i'm a little behind the times...

right at this moment, i'm grovelling to Hera (loooong story) and i feel that some kind of bond will ultimately come from this; i see her, as it stands, as a mother figure - who currently isn't best pleased with her child (oh dear). lots of offerings and prayer to follow, methinks...

i'm greatly drawn to Aphrodite, if only because i can be wat some people term 'shallow' and have a total love-affair going on with myself and my romantic life; She's helped me A LOT and as i've learned about Her depth (as opposed to "oh, Aphrodite, love goddess, next") i've learned a little about my own also.

i also have a great respect for Athena - long story short, she dragged me kicking and screaming thru my GCSEs and to this day i believe my results sheet was Divinely written, because i did NOT in any way deserve the grades i got. i'll also never forget how She calmed one of my friends before our history GCSE...i was carrying a little pouch of crystals and an image of an owl, and i set them down with my friend and i was just like...breathe. she did and she aced the exam, instead of having the breakdown she was well on her way to earlier. said friend still reminds me of this every so often, and it makes me feel special, in a 'basking in reflected glory' kinda way lol.

finally (before the rambling overtakes me completely) i'm trying to learn about Apollo. He's been calling and I'm working out how best to answer.

i'll keep y'all posted ;)

eudaimonia!
maia xxx

[ChelleOfShadows]

Well, as I am sure I have told almost everyone, I was led to my element first which is earth, the first Goddess I gave thanks to was Selu - she is the cherokee Goddess of corn or harvest. Then came Ocasta the cherokee God of witches and shamans. Along with those from the Irish side I was drawn to Cailleach - Earth and Cessair - witches. As I grew older and was able to research the whole thing I meditate and pray to many, Hera - Anu - Isis for the support and for advice as a child to a mother. I have added Gaia as on to whom I regularly give thanks and Hecate when I give thanks for my magick is right there with Ocasta and Cessair, as well as Adsagsona. I have never prayed to any Gods other than Ocasta or the God of all. Another Goddess I ask of is Iris, the peacemaker, to bring peace and harmony into my life and my home.

[Mnemosyne]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Maia
[B]ok i'm gonna chuck my 0.02 in here, even if i'm a little behind the times...



i also have a great respect for Athena - long story short, she dragged me kicking and screaming thru my GCSEs and to this day i believe my results sheet was Divinely written, because i did NOT in any way deserve the grades i got. i'll also never forget how She calmed one of my friends before our history GCSE...i was carrying a little pouch of crystals and an image of an owl, and i set them down with my friend and i was just like...breathe. she did and she aced the exam, instead of having the breakdown she was well on her way to earlier. said friend still reminds me of this every so often, and it makes me feel special, in a 'basking in reflected glory' kinda way lol.



I also have a great respect for Athena. For some reason, she really calms my nerves during stressful times. That's a good idea about carrying a pouch of crystals and an image of an owl. What kind of crystals do you associate with Athena? Also, I guess you can use an olive branch when working with Athena.

[NightRose]

I'm usually drawn to Posidon and Artemis. Oh, and this Goddess that I've been reading up on lately, her name is Mari (also goes by Miriam & Mariamne).

[ShadowStorm]

to me the lord and lady are just that. The are the embodiement of parental and godly love.

The different gods and goddesses by all their differrent names are just different personas that the lord and lady adopt so as to make themselves more approachable to humankind....if that makes sense.

Each different goddess, for example, has various traits that stand out. These different traits are part of the make up of the lady.

[Morgandria]

I was chosen by The Morrigan many years ago, and I still walk as her child. I also work closely with Cerrounos, in his aspect as Herne the Hunter.

-M.

[Asherah]

I am drawn to Asherah and El

[WhiteCat]

for me it is the goddess Arianrhod. I am of welsh backgroound so I tend to feel pulled towards the welsh deities.

[phoenixsong]

I seem to be drawn to both Freyja, and Aphrodite. I've always been interested in Aphrodite - not sure why, but she's always seemed really fascinating. Then Freyja began calling me, as did other Norse deities, and I thought maybe I was meant to worship the Norse pantheon. But when I set up my Freyja altar, I found that both she and Aphrodite there. Not sure if I'm putting that right... I'm still confused. :)

Also, not really sure why love goddesses would have any interest in me - not like I have much of a love life - though maybe that's why.

[widukind]

I've always been drawn to both the Celtic and the Norse pantheon. Loki really appeals to me, although I've never worked with him, and in the Irish pantheon I'm closely connected to the Morrigan. I don't know why, but perhaps it's the war aspect that intrigues me. Not war in the actual sense, but also in the figurative senses of struggling to achieve something. Come to think of it, a while back I kept getting strong images whenever I was in a situation that had even a remote chance of ending up fatal for me. Say I crossed the road. I'd get these really vivid visions of a car coming up and running over me, complete with blood and gore. It was certainly an... interesting experience, as it kept on happening for a long period, a two weeks to a month, I don't remember exactly. Since that experience, I have totally lost my fear of death, but my fascination with people who are terrified of dying has only grown. Perhaps that's the link? War <=> death?

A sea god for example would definately not be the right thing for me though, I love the water, but every time I swim in the sea and the place I'm swimming is deeper than 60 ft, I get this overwhelming feeling that I'm falling.

[TaysatWesir]

Originally posted by NebtAnhai
And why do they call to you? How did you find out about them?

I discovered Maihes through a good friend of mine. He is an obscure lion headed Netjer his uniqueness calls to me.

[Ryhla]

Merry Meet all...

I really don't have any patron deities save 2...Freyja. It really hasn't been too long now since I realized that the path I walk is one I've been on all my life it seems. But as for choosing Freyja...it just sort of hit me. I was sitting thinking over a problem and just kind of out of the blue I asked her to give me some direction in the matter. It was more of her choosing me. Since then I've done some research on the norse gods...and the more I've learned about Freyja, the more I connect with her. Bast is another I am drawn to. Since a child, ancient Egypt has always facinated me. I've always liked cats. One night while one of the cats slept on my bed, I felt Bast's presence. I have always felt with the cats around she is watching and protecting me.

[Mnemosyne]

MM, Rhyla and Nef! :sunny:

Nef, many people are into Egyptian deities here, so you should feel right at home. :D

Rhyla, Bast and Freyja are an interesting mix. Did you know that Freyja is associated with also? Yeah, she drives a chariot pulled by cats. I am like you. The more that I have learned about Freyja, the more I have connected with her. She is so powerful.

[Ryhla]

Yes I did know about cats being connected to Freyja. A friend of mine has a book on herbalology and the deities. Freyja (in the book) is also associated with healing. I do home health care for a living. So there too is a connection with her.

[Kuzui]

Hey all...I'm a newbie, and I had a question (if you don't mind...) In all the books and websites I read, there is reference to the Gods and Goddesses, and how Wiccans will "choose" one or more...but how do I learn more about these Deities? I have (as of yet) found no information to tell me anything about them...help please?

[Mnemosyne]

MM, Kuzui! :wave:

If you have any specific questions about the deities, you can ask them in this forum. Everyone here learns from questions. So if you have a question, just ask. People here are sure to help you out. There are some threads here on how people have formed a connection to the gods and goddesses.

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18585

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18624

Hopefully, these threads will help.

:)

[anakin]

I have been chosen by Ares just recently, and it seemed odd to me to have the God of War for me, basically because I am a very calm and not violent person, but mostly I have become a scout for Him and I feel complete now, even more when I know that He is watching me

Anakin

[Grey]

ITs not exactly your choice... Often times it seems that people
feel drawn to a particular god. something just clicks ya know? and if your drawn to an opposite like anakin their thats not suprising as it might seem. In that case they amek you.... whole their the yin for yang the body for your soul or whatever.

but then again sometimes people are drawn towards similar deites to their personalitys so hey just look around.

[athena_xoxo]

i tend to call upon aphrodites a lot...i have always been facinated by her for some reason...even though she was jealous and spiteful...she answers me when i call her...i'm also drawn to athena...that's how i got my mystical name...several people told me that i should name myself athena because i'm a lot like her...

[Mnemosyne]

Me too! I feel like I have a lot in common with Athena. She has so many great attributes. Hhhmm, but sometimes, I don't feel like I have a lot in common with her, so I call on her for guidance. I don't really feel a connection with Aphrodite. Perhaps she could help me with my love life.

[Jax]

Cernunnos and Ix Chel

[Jax]

I'm a newbie and forgot to introduce myself!

Cernunnos and Ix Chel both 'satisfy' certain parts of my heritage/blood lines as my ancesters are from here (UK/Canterbury, Kent.), Mexico, Ireland, and one line even being Romany! As with most of you, I didn't choose them, they called to me!

MM!
)0(

[Mnemosyne]

MM, Jax! :sunny: That's an interesting mix of deities. I too like Cernunnos. I don't know about Ix though. What's this deity like? Perhaps you can teach us about Ix. :) It's fascinating how our heritage plays a part in our choices for gods and goddesses. There is thread here about heritage and deities that you might find informative.

BB

[Jax]

http://www.blueroebuck.com/Goddess/ix_chel.htm

Hi! Hope this helps??!! Ix is like most Goddesses, She doesn't represent just one thing but has lots of attributes. But, She is known as the Rainbow Goddess amongst other things! Also She is mostly connected with the phases of the Moon and sexuality (in all forms) along with Female Rites of Passage.

Bright Blessings!
)0(

[Gwion]

but the aspects that are most vibrant in my soul are Eris, Bast, Hephaestus, Cernunnos and Hanuman.

Eris influences almost every aspect of my life.

Bast holds my heart, my connection to animals, and my ten cats.

Hephaestus influences my solitude, my craftsmanship, and my sorrow.

Cernunnos is my dark sexuality, my warrior spirit, my love of wilderness, and my role as defender of women.

Hanuman influences my compassion, mercy, my desire to serve and my devotion to the Goddess.

[Amber Ravenstar]

Even before I "discovered" paganism, I was drawn to Hecate. Once I made the switch, it was as if she had been waiting for me. She is in my dreams and my soul often.

I have also had other goddesses show up when I needed to learn something from them. Pele taught me a great deal about controlling my temper (think lava flow!) and how to laugh at myself. Lilith taught me that sometimes it's okay, and important even, to be a b*tch. Vesta and I worked together a lot when I was looking for and buying a house. (She's got an altar in the kitchen as a way of saying thanks that I got the house.)

Bast is always with me. I have a bunch of cats, so she's a part of the house! (I have a little altar for the kitties to go to and worship. They run to Her whenever they've been naughty.)

I find that Gods show up in my life less often than Goddesses. I usually have to seek out the Gods. Being an RN, I have a warm spot for Asclepius. And nobody protects like Papa Odin! ;)

I find it interesting that, although I am of predominantly Celtic background, I am not much drawn to Celtic deities, although I have done some work with Danu. My soul seems to wander from pantheon to pantheon, and feels at home wherever it winds up!

[Shadowulfe]

Cernunnos and Kerridwen...I have always been drawn the the Celtic Pantheon( my heritage). But, i didn't choose them; they chose me. Pretty Much had to hit me with a "silly stick" to get me to see them. Since they have been my patrons, my life has done a complete 180 turnaround for the better!

Peace, Love, and all those warm fuzzy feelings,
Shadowulfe

[TYPEC80]

Originally posted by Valnorran
Being of Celtic descent, I think of the Goddess as Danu, the All-Mother. Gods are a bit trickier. I find that no matter how much I might admire certain male figures, I simply cannot bow down to them. I'm not sure why I'm like that. I speculate it is due to my father dying when I was very young (in fact, I don't even remember him) and being raised by my mother. Submitting to a woman makes perfect sense to me. Submitting to a man, however, is an utterly alien concept to me. I tried visualizing God as an animal, for there are many that I love and admire, but that didn't work either. I ran into difficulty with that because I'm capable of destroying any animal I can think of. I wouldn't, but theoretically, I could. Makes it difficult for me to see it as my Lord. Then I fell back on a lifelong obsession of mine - dragons. From my earliest days that I can recall I've loved and admired dragons as creatures of vast power, knowledge, and wisdom, so I view my Lord as a great, regal dragon. Thank you for sharing this. Remember faith is not ment to force you to "bow down" to any particular God, we pray to our Goddess and Gods out of love and respect. Let no one force you to do something you feel goes against your will, this is when a religion becomes a cult. What ever you do, do it with love in your hart and it cant go wrong - I would like to leave you with a quote form another site " All began in love; all seeks to return to love. Love is the law, the teacher of wisdom and the great revealer of mysteries.
Starhawk"

Gentel Breezes

Stephen

[bluecat]

I am one of those Pagan Folk who do not have a God or A Goddess. I see the Universe as a living being which we are all a part. However, I do see the primary life force of the Universe to be female; that is about as close as I come to having a "Goddess."

Blue

[Writer_Waif]

I don't have any specific God or Goddess yet.
Right now all I do is refer to them as The Creator.
Although I am leaning towards the Celtic dieties.
:sunny:

SilverMoon Dragon

[Veli]

Originally posted by Grey
yes actually the norse gods. ( Odin, Thor, Ostara, Uller etc)
Ive always like them as far as I can remeber there existance but how does this help me?? Should I meditate on them or something??

You should read the poetic eddas and the prose eddas if you would like to read more on the teutonic pantheon. If you would like to read them translated into English, go to www.northvegr.org/main.html Their resource areas are terrific. Go to the section titled N. European Studies and fumble around. You'll eventually come across everything you could possibly want to know. By the way, my favorite god is Tyr, and my favorite goddess is Freya.

[Gwion]

Perhaps I need to take a closer look at this guy. It may be that in my fluffy-bunny rush to be inclusive and non-judgemental, I haven't really seen Loki's worst traits. In my mind, I imagined that, like Kali or Shiva, though he had a destructive side, he played an important role in the balance of things. I have some reading to do...

[Veli]

You are very right, he does create a balance of sorts. He's not an all-inclusive evil, but he's not a God in the strict sense, and he's not someone you should appeal to without much reserve. Besides, I can't think of anything he could truly aid you with. Just my .02 cents worth.

[Grey]

Loki is well a little off. he creates alot of problems for the gods and solves some of their worst problems. Without him odin would be spearless and thor would have no hammer but in the end he and his kindred will kill them in ragnarok so....? yah hes actually not a god but a giant he just is usually in connection with the aesur because of a blood oath with odin.

He does some freaky stuff but its always interesting. if you deal with him becareful.

[catlin]

My main Goddesses are Morrigu, Kali, Maat, Bastet and Isis. As for the God, it's the Horned One.

[Saiya]

I'm most definitely an eclectic, meaning I work with lotza dieties from many different religions. Recently I've been working with Athena a lot, cuz I definitely need protection with some of the people I have hating me now.. anyway, yeah, so there's my reply.

[Perseph0ne]

Isis and of Samhain, Bastet.

[Tala17]

???How do you know when you've found them or they've found you?
will they talk to you or try to contact you in some way. i have been talked to in my dreams by a woman, could this be her?

Tala-

[Sovaan]

Wow, this discussion has been going on for a while.

Up until a couple of months ago, most pagans I knew tended to worship a generic Goddess (usually either the Triple Goddess or the Great Mother) and a generic God (usually the Horned Hunter or the Lord of the Sun, sometimes the Green Man).

Recently, I've been meeting lots of pagans who either work with a very particular pantheon, or with a small group of god/desses from different traditions that form a sort of personal pantheon. A few of the pagans I've met lately will refer to themselves as a "Child of Diana" or a "Child of Herne" for example, working almost exclusively with a particular deity, or a pair of deities (usually a goddess and a god).

I've been working with the generic God/Goddess pair for over a decade, but the truth is, I've always wanted to get to know the deities on a more personal and less abstract level--to get to know them in some of their named aspects. Everyone I've been speaking to lately tells me that its not really a matter of choosing a deity that you want to work with, but more a matter of a particular deity choosing you--and that you'll know it when it happens.

Being chosen by a particular deity is a rather heavy responsibility. Some deities have taboos, so you may have to give something up, like a favorite food. Some deities favor marriage and don't take kindly to pre-marital sex. Other deities will say to you, "you need to loosen up--go get laid" and will throw you at the next cute guy or girl that walks on by. Me, my goddess likes mint. I hate mint. I don't even like my toothpaste minty. But now I'm drinking mint tea for her. Ugh. But I do feel like I'm growing closer to her.

The point is that any god you work with is going to demand that you make sacrifices. Offerings on your altar are OK as far as they go, but ultimately the sacrifice you need to make is a part of yourself. Like Odin hanging from the tree, you need to give up something valuable in order to gain something even more precious.

Once you figure out who has called you, it's helpful to learn as much as you can about that particular god/dess, but you have to realize that we may not have accurate or fully detailed records about how that god/dess was worshipped in the past. That's OK, though, they aren't stuck in the past. They are at once timeless and yet very much here with us in the 21st century--they've changed as the world has changed (and vice-versa).

Do be careful about working with deities from an unbroken and ongoing religious tradition such as Voodoo, Hinduism, or a Native American religion. We can't honor the Greek gods in exactly the same way as the ancient Greeks, because we don't know exactly what they did back then. But Hinduism is the oldest major religion in the world and has an unbroken tradtion that is thousands of years old. If you're going to work with a Hindu deity, you should read the relevant scriptures, learn the appropriate prayers, perform the appropriate rituals, and celebrate the holidays for that deity. If you want to work with a Navajo deity, ideally you should visit a reservation, spend time with Navajo people, learn their traditions and language, and get involved in their struggles for economic and social justice. Whatever you do, don't appropriate (i.e., "steal") a god from another culture and then alter the character and personality of that god for your own purposes. Doing so is bound to have repurcussions.

I'll stop lecturing now. Sorry.

Anyway, I hope this was helpful.

--Sovaan

[Gwion]

I don't really worship any particular God or Goddess so much as embody and manifest them through myself. There's an advantage to being born with Original Divinity instead of Original Sin. But I would say Bast and Cernunnos shine the brightest in me.

[Mnemosyne]

You made some really good points, Sovaan. I agree with you you when you write that one must have to sacrifice something in order to gain something very precious.

If you have read the threads in this forum, you will see that people have all different types of paths. Some people follow a particular pantheon while others honor a generic god or goddess. True, people can also put a touch of individuality to their spirituality by choosing to honor god/desses from various pantheons. Whatever feels right. I don't believe that there are set rules on selecting a goddess. For example, I believe that you can choose a deity outside of your own culture. People have done that throughout history. For example, most cultures borrowed from pantheons throughout the world and altered the gods and goddesses to fit their own needs. The most obvious culture: the Romans. The Romans heavily borrowed from the Greek pantheon.

[Cait]

I'm quite heavily influenced by the ancient Roman religion - I like the concept of "numen", and I can see where that fits in witht he generic God/Goddess that many pagans follow. However, I also feel a particular connection with Minerva... Since she appeared in my life a few months ago, I've quit my job and gone back to college, which I hope and believe is something that she wanted me to do, and has been pushing me towards... it would make sense, I suppose, since she is strongly connected with learning and knowledge.

I also feel some connection with other Roman deities, in particular Vesta, Pomona and Aesculapius.

[Mnemosyne]

Cait, I think that Minerva would approve of you going back to school, since she is the goddess of wisdom after all. Like you, I really like the Graeco Roman pantheon. Usually, I go by the Greek names though. However, there are some ideas and deities that have a good equivalent in the Greek pantheon. For example, I like the Roman goddess Flora; however, I cannot find a Greek counterpart for her.

[Flar's Freyja]

Hmmm.....it seems that I have a new patron knocking at the door of my soul. I've been listening to an old Wendy Rule tape in the car, and she has a beautiful, upbeat song to the goddess Selene. According to the lyrics, Selene gives refuge when we are betrayed by friends and people are really hard to deal with. She is the patron goddess of the friend who gave me the tape, and knowing him as well as I do, I understand why he is drawn to Her. I'm needing these qualities in my own life right now. I'll be doing more research on her.

[Mnemosyne]

Isn't it weird how new gods and goddesses sometimes knock on our doors?

Freyja, I hope that you share your findings about Selene with us. I find the goddess to be kind of complex. I know that people ask her for help when the have a problem. Supposedly, she is suppose to give some rational advice on what to do. Being a moon goddess, I don't see it fitting to call on her for rational advice. Well, hopefully, everything is going well in your life, Freyja, and you are finding strength in Selene.

[Flar's Freyja]

:lol: Looks like it's going to take a while, a search keeps bringing up the same information. But I did find the lyrics to the song:

http://www.wendyrule.com/ZeroLyricsSeline.html

I'm doing A LOT of driving. Flar lives 60 miles from me, and most of the ride is a rural road. When I listen to these lyrics, I feel so comforted, as if the Goddess is wrapping me in her arms and I'm finding refuge from stress by cuddling up in her lap. I also feel empowered, knowing in my soul that no matter what's going on, no matter how screwed up people are, She is with me and She is on my side :)

[Akarhu Tesenisis]

hey all,
i haven't really been called to a particular deity yet, but i haven't really done much ritual (not that that's essential, so i've heard.) i've been researching a lot. i've always been drawn to egypt, even though my family have a welsh english heritage. i'm particularly drawn to Isis, Osiris, Thoth, Bast, occasionally Horus and Maat. if that sounds too 'typical', oh well. i've also been drawn to Sekhmet lately, i've been drawn to read up on her.

Well, that's it,

Blessed be.
Akarhu Tesenisis

[tainted echoes]

artemis. little funny, maybe, but albeit the fact i usually dont believe, all day today i keep wanting to..i dont know...

stupid connection (omit the stupid) is so strong today.

[Moon Daughter]

Greetings, everyone! i'm new here, and i'm glad that my first post here will be dedicated to Her who has always been with me.
To me, She is simply the Moon.
ever since i can remember ( and from what my mother told me), i'd always stand against the window as a child, look at the Moon for a long long time and call Her 'Mother'. needless to say, She is still my Mother. She is the One who knows all about me, way more than i do myself.
a few years ago, had a dream in which i was approached by this beautiful woman who, after asking me series of questions, offered to teach me. She introduced herself as Freya ( !!!!!!!). then, i still did not anything about it, but, having had some strange dreams before, i went to do a research about the Freya character. ... since then, i've pledged myself to Freya.
but Moon remains my Mother always.
in fact, at times they are One.

[Mnemosyne]

Originally posted by Moon Daughter
since then, i've pledged myself to Freya.
but Moon remains my Mother always.
in fact, at times they are One.

Hi Moon Daughter! Glad to see you posting here. :) Do you think that Freyja is associated with the moon? I think that she has some connection to the moon. Hhhmmm. Your post kind of reminded me of something that the member Freyja would write. She writes about Freyja and the moon goddesses, Selene and Hecate. Do you honor a particular moon goddess or just a general moon goddess?

[Moon Daughter]

To me, the Moon Herself is a Goddess. She is the Mother, and She has no name other than Moon or Mother ( if those can be considered names). I definitely associate Freya with the Moon. not quite sure why, but i guess ever since She came to me in my dream, She's been connected to my Mother.
i would honor any Goddess linked to the Moon. but, in particular, i honor Freya.
I've worked with Hecate on specific occasions in the past, and at times i invoke certain Slavic Moon Goddesses.

[Iris Moon]

I had an amazing vision once of the Horned God, and he told me his name was Kairnunoh, which I realised afterwards was the Celtic Cernunnos. I've always been drawn to him and it seems he is protective of me even when I fear him.

As for the Goddess, I'm still searching for her but she is definately there, when I gaze at the full moon or I hear running water. I think I identify with Danu as a mother Goddess.

[Heaven Leigh Isis]

My goddess is Isis and my god would probably be Osiris.
This is who I invision them to be anyway.

[Flaire-FireStar]

Expanding my horizons.....

:) I've always been drawn to the Greco-Roman dieties... In perticular Zeus, Hermes and Atlas (I know Atlas was a Titan, but he fasinates me to no end). As for Goddesses, few have taken my attention as much as the Gods have, however, in these little quiz-things I've been taking recently, Diana has come up in quite a few. The only Goddess that really strikes me is Artemis.

Anyway...I'm rambling. :)

[Mnemosyne]

Originally posted by Flaire
Expanding my horizons.....

:) I've always been drawn to the Greco-Roman dieties... In perticular Zeus, Hermes and Atlas (I know Atlas was a Titan, but he fasinates me to no end). As for Goddesses, few have taken my attention as much as the Gods have, however, in these little quiz-things I've been taking recently, Diana has come up in quite a few. The only Goddess that really strikes me is Artemis.

Anyway...I'm rambling. :)

Wow! Flaire found her way to the God and Goddess section. Welcome! :)

I really don't know too much about Atlas. I have to learn more about him to see if he is fascinating.
Did you take those what goddess are you quizes on ivillage? I can see why you come up to have Diana as your goddess on those quizes if you are drawn to Artemis. After all, Diana is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Artemis.

[Flaire-FireStar]

:lol: I think I can honestly say I've posted in every forum now.. :bigredgri

Actually, I've been a bit out of touch lately...Need to get back to reading all about my mythology. :)

Here (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/atlas.html) is the bit on Atlas from pantheon.org....Of course, I've read a few pieces on him from books irl as well, I can't really put it all together at the moment.. :ahhhh:


Did you take those what goddess are you quizes on ivillage?

I don't think so. ivillage doesn't sound familiar to me...It was one of those sites with a ton of quizzes on them (maybe thespark.com?)....


After all, Diana is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Artemis.

Aah....:) That would explain it then.... I was thinking Celene (Selene??) was the equivalent. I'm just getting myself mixed up now..

[Mnemosyne]

Thanks for the bit on Atlas. I haven't read about him in ages.
I'll have to check out that quiz site. I love to take online quizes. :)

I can see why you got Selene confused with Artemis. Both goddesses are associated with the moon.

[Flaire-FireStar]

No problem. :) I'll have to find the other one I took, because they're not the same. :huh:


I can see why you got Selene confused with Artemis. Both goddesses are associated with the moon.

Aha.......I thought so.

[Matt]

I have never thought of any one god or goddess calling to me or even really thought of them i find it hard to believe that theres some all mighty divine being controlling me and my destiney i do however believe in the energy of universe and how it can help or harm us!

[Mnemosyne]

Welcome and MM, Telling Windglimmer! :)

Interesting philosophy. Personally, I believe in powerful deities. I find solace in them when I must face specific issues. Since my deities have distinct roles, I can turn to them when needing assistance in that particular area. Like you, I believe that there is energy around us that can help or hurt us. So you don't believe that this energy, whether it be positive or negative, is controlled by a divine being?

[Earth Walker]

The Goddess Bast.....of Cats & Lesbians

http://gifanimados.tiendapc.com/mujeres/diosas/shaman.gif

[Carickah]

Greetings and MM, all.

I, like many here, am a newcomer to this board. I have seen a lot of Egyptian, Celtic, Norse and Greek with a smattering of Native American and some who do not put a name to the forces they work with.

For myself, the Finnish Goddess Meilikki has spoken to my heart and yet she remains elusive for me as well. I do not have such a strong call to any God. Hearn, Tapio and some I have yet to fully recognize have graced me with their presence and power from time to time, though.



K

[Sylv]

Well, if you've read my posts about DIY myths, you know that I have quite a few very personal gods and goddesses, whom I love dearly. Wouldn't so much call them patrons/matrons as my pantheon. There are 14, lol.

[fire_Raven]

God and Goddess... My Goddess is Artemis, the goddess of the moon, the Silver goddess, the Virgin goddess, The hunteress, all the fun stuff that i always pictured as the atributes of the goddess
My God, being her Twin brother Apollo, literature, light, healh, and all that.

and as for the horned god, i always pictures him with Antlers... not horns... for some reason i always pictured him as the spirit of the forest, and he tends to have antlers in my dreams... just a thought...
Blessed Be
-Raven

[Grey]

Yes hes often depicted that way... thats how Ive always seen him myself....

However due to the name "horned" it really set the christians off oh so long ago... cause well satan has goat horns and cloven feet etc.... kinda llike pan in apearrance really.

[fire_Raven]

hmm... i've never thought about it that way... i personally beleive the Christian's Created Satan to keep their adults in line... perhapse one just didn't like pan, and decided to forum the devil out of him... possibly...
~Brightest Blessings~
-Raven

[Mnemosyne]

You guys brought up good points about the Horned God. Some call the horned god Cerrunos or Pan. These fun horned gods represent vitality, sexuality, and the hunt. The Church did not want people to honor these gods, so it made the gods to have similar charcteristics of the devil.

[NebtAnhai]

Originally posted by Mystique
The Goddess Bast.....of Cats & Lesbians

Actually, I have heard that Bast is not the Goddess of Cat's and Lesbians, but much like the Goddess Venus or Aphrodite.
There is a great site about it I think you might like.

It is:
http://www.per-bast.org/bast/essay/

Blessings!

[BloodCrow]

I would have to say Ishtar is definitely my Goddess. Since she is the Goddess of love and fertility, i feel i can go to her with anything and be comforted.

[IsisErin]

Artemis is my goddess. I don't have a particular god, that's not part of my path.

Isis

[Blueowl]

the goddess I am most drawn too is actually someone I just discovered whenI recived my Llewellyn's 2003 Almanac. I have always loved the OWl for some reason growing up, but never really acknowledged her until 1999. I had this amazing dream that a beautiful white owl with black spots flew up to my fire escape (her voice was feminine) and we had this discussion...what we talked about I have no idea...it was a very turmultuous time of my life at that point, and she really put me at ease in so far as I knew after that dream I did in fact make the right decisions and was on a path that would be ok. I have never forgotton that dream and have always kept it in the back of my mind. Then a couple years later, I was with a man that I had some kind of strong past life connection with and we were really messed up one night and he was driving back to his house on this back road and a big brown owl not only swooped once (from right to left) but she flew back pst the windshield again (left - right), and I heard this feminine voice in my head say just sit back and listen...so I did for the rest of the evening and shortly thereafter I decided to move myself again this time across country by myself with my dog and 2 cats...I jsut knew I needed to go for some reason...so the goddess that is closest to my heart at this point in my life is Lilith who is the Divine Lady Owl..because any of the times I had made or was making alife altering follow the path decision she made an appearance and put me at ease...I personally have very strong ties for some reason to the Celtic side of things, alot of which is family history but because my ancestory is so diverse, its hard to really pin down the whole reason why I am so drawn to it!
Wow that was alot of typing! Please excuse any misspells! lol

[Flar's Freyja]

I recently read that Athena is also associated with the owl. There's a very good piece on her and Lilith in a book I haven't been able to shut up about, A Goddess Is a Girl's Best Friend by Laurie Sue Brockway. I found it by accident and it's been just what I needed right now.

One of these days I'll get around to posting a thread about it in the Books forum :rolleyes:

[Mnemosyne]

Yeah, you are right, Freyja. Athena is associated with the owl. I can see the connection. The owl is known for being wise, and Athena is a goddess of wisdom. I know that you are drawn to the Celtic pantheon, Blueowl, but you might want to check out Athena too.

[Blueowl]

Thank you for the info on Athena...any goddess associated with the owl is good for me....I will check out that story on Athena in one of Celtic / Greek Mythology books. Thanks for the tip! Lilith crossed my path first you see!!!!:D

But when I read that piece on Lilith..it all made sense to me with the dreams I had been having and the little occurences...the other thing that was kewl is that Lilith not only is she associated with seduction and temptress of the night so to speak, but she also is associated with wisdom, renewal equality feminine power and independence...hence why Lilith sparked off more with me then Athen a did...during the time of lilith appearing to me..it was all about renewal and independence that I was seeking and accomplishing toat that point of my life! :cool:

[Bethra]

I have always found the idear of a single divine very difficult to recognise and this was why I couldn't assocciate with some of the more main stream religions. I do belive that life reflects the devine and since on our planet most of life consists of the two sexes then as a reflection of the devine the devine would probably be one male and one female. I favour neather devine above the other but call on one or the other depending on the sabbat, ritual or magic I wish to perform. I visualise the devine not as a being as such but as colour and energy. Both sexes of the devine have many different enbodiments and I call different enbodiments for different things. Sometimes the female devine is the moon sometimes she is the earth other times she is the maiden, mother and crone. Like wise the male devine has many different images like the sun and the green man and the horned god.

I have found that to create effective magic it is best not to pidgon hole the devine into a single identitey as some froms may not be best suited to the magic or ritual you are performing. Paganisum teaches us to develope an open mind and as such we should have a wide view of our idols. The devine are not always good but equaley they are not always bad for life reflects this. I have found that the wiccan code is often misleading in this respect, demanding that you "do as thou wilt an it harmeth none". I belive the devine ask us to think more about how we would like to be treated and to reflect that in our magic. You get back what you put in.

In summery I recognise no one identitey of the devine but worship the devine in it's many different aspects.

[redheadwitch]

i have always been interested in Egyptian history, art, relics, tombs, gods.
so Isis calling me isn't a surprise to me at all.

but then Artemis and Hecate became very prominent to me. this hasn't been for long, really have only felt these were my big "triple goddess" this last year.

but i find it odd...even though i have always been drawn to and interested in Greek mythology, i sense more of a connection and more memories of Egyptian pantheons and even Celtic.

but what can i say: Artemis, Isis, and Hecate it is.

I don't really have any gods i feel close to yet, but I consider Raven and Crow to be in this category, as their influence on my life is so great i feel compelled to put them in the deity category

[Blueowl]

On a more open minded note (after rereading my posts on this subject), I look forward to any god or goddess that approaches me and helps me feel the brick falling on my head a little more noticable..sometimes us humans can get so caught up in a moment that we lose sight of the whole picture and how to proceed with a solution...and that little something extra that occurs when we need it the most is a blessing I am thankful for anytime it happens. ( whether feminine or masculine) The whole point of my owl story and why I identify with her is an answer to a question I had along the path of my life. :thumbsup: :boing: :smoke: :shift:

[Mnemosyne]

You're quite wise, BlueOwl. People do get caught up in so many every day affairs that they don't take time to look at the details all around. I think that finding peace with a god or goddess will bring us more inner peace. Like you said, it's good to be open-minded. A god or goddess might be trying to enter your life in order to give you some extra guidance.

[Blueowl]

Now if I could jsut take my own damn advice I may be able to get rid of this unrest I have!! Or at least find peace with it!!! :)

[Josh]

Hello all, Im quite new here, anyways:

Im of the darker sort, not to be intended as black magician, or anything thats further down towards that path, but i do swing towards that path now and then, the god/s and goddess/s that i would invoke is towards egyptian but not all of them, would be maybe Set, at times, and also Hadit, sometimes if I need it I will invoke Chemosh.

[RavenOak]

I saw Lady Cerridwen in a vision, she was standing in between crystal pillars and she showed me my life in the cauldron. I honor her in the evening and in the morning I thank Father Herne who has spoken to me in the leaves of a old oak tree at a park not to far from my home. I see visions and am open to the spiritual realm. Each of them make my life full and complete, but I didn't chose them they chose me after my 1st year initiation. That was a while ago.
Blessings.

[AmbivalentMirage]

Being Jewish and all... ;)

I relate to the Divine of the Torah! My god is the Father G-d (Abba), and my "goddess" is the Divine Mother (Ruach Kadesh). ^.^ And of course, joined, they form Elohim, the masculine and feminine Deity. :)

[bluewindsong]

I strongly identify with the Earth mother goddess aspect, and feel a strong affinity with prehistoric mother figures such as venus of willendorf/laussel. Also a tree of life goddess. Do they have names? probably many, though i don't call them by any specific name, those aspects are strongest for me.
In addition, Artemis, goddeso f wildness, the hunt, the moon and women...

Sister moon is always on my side...

blessings!
bluewindsong

[Mnemosyne]

Originally posted by bluewindsong
I strongly identify with the Earth mother goddess aspect, and feel a strong affinity with prehistoric mother figures such as venus of willendorf/laussel. Also a tree of life goddess. Do they have names? probably many, though i don't call them by any specific name, those aspects are strongest for me.
In addition, Artemis, goddeso f wildness, the hunt, the moon and

I like the general Earth mother goddess as well. Have you ever read up on Cybele, the Mother Goddess. She is from the Turkish region. I think that you would like reading on her. :)

For a tree of life goddess, the Mother Goddess is often associated with that title. Thus, she does not need a specific name. Or are you thinking of goddesses associated with trees? When I think of tree spirits, I think of the Dryads. In Greece, the Dryads are the female tree spirits. I found this site solely dedicated to tree mythos. You might like it. It has a few tree of life myths from various cultures. Also, you can read up on other deities associated with trees.

http://hometown.aol.com/birchfire/TreesTrTy.html

[dhardas]

The Hindu God & Goddess of Enlightenment, Kalki & Padmavathi

Here is a Sanskrit Chant that evokes them, purifies surrounding area and activated crown chakra:

Om
Sat Chit Ananda
Parabrahma Purushothama Paramathma
Sri Bhagavathi Padmavathi Sametha
Sri Kalki Bhagavavathe Namaha

Pictures: http://kalkiavatar.tripod.com

[Mnemosyne]

Welcome, dhardas! :sunny: I would love to learn more about the Hindu pantheon. I just started reading about it about 9 months ago. Hey, do you, by chance, know anything about the goddess of ceremony, Aksara? There is a question on here in this thread. Maybe you can help answer the question or help us learn more about the Hindu pantheon. :)

[Tranquility]

I feel connected to the Aesir and vanir deities, becaues my first vision was with the rune Fehu, which is connected with the Aesir deities, which are connected with ( just a few ) freya, thor, odin, since the Aesir were much more warlike and the Vanir were more close to the earth this is why i feel a great connection, i am very close to the earth and its beings, and i can be very warlike if needed to defened it, or to defend others

[Iris]

I think I tend to be drawn toward male energy more than female. This has, in fact, been the case all my life, since I was brought up by my Dad. My two elder brothers lived with us at the time too, so even in everyday life I am more comfortable with men.

The deity I feel most drawn to is that of Lugh. I've never found the Greek, Roman of Egyptian pantheons inspire me quite the way the Celtic one does. Perhaps this is because I believe myself to be of Celtic origin. Anyway, getting off track here.

A while back I did a guided meditation to try and meet with a God or Goddess, since I hadn't really been drawn to a particular deity yet, and it happened to be Lugh. It wasn't like I expected it to be...it was a very friendly, relaxed sort of meeting - like talking with an old friend! I had expected to be scared, in awe...but it was nothing of the sort.

I haven't really found 'my' Goddess yet, but that might take a while - I've never really been comfortable with other females. I admire Brighid, however, and by contrast the Scottish Goddess Scathach who is a Goddess of war and battle!

Odd combination. *shrug* :D

[Writer_Waif]

Since the beginning of the year I have begun a serious search for the dieties I feel 'closest' to, I also have begun shamanic journeywork and met one of my totems which is leading me towards celtic or gaelic dieties. I would appreciate any help anyone can give me.

Specifically those dieties that deal with owls and owl medicine.

thank you.

[Iris]

Originally posted by SilverMoonDragon

Since the beginning of the year I have begun a serious search for the dieties I feel 'closest' to, I also have begun shamanic journeywork and met one of my totems which is leading me towards celtic or gaelic dieties. I would appreciate any help anyone can give me.

Specifically those dieties that deal with owls and owl medicine.

thank you.

Ooh...maybe Blodeuwedd? She is a maiden Goddess, from the Welsh branch of Celtic mythology. Myth says she was turned into an owl as a punishment for committing adultery. (She also plotted to kill her husband...lol) Anyway, Owls are sacred to her for obvious reasons (!) and she is also associated with the moon and wisdom, and helping things grow.

If I think of anyone else I'll let you know.

[Theres]

i'm not sure that we actually have much choice in which deities enter our lives.
we can certainly explore various aspects, and some will resonate with us higher than others. this is how it was between myself and the Goddess (Diana) for a number of years.
but a true calling, i think, is just that.

i have had a strong connection with Cernunnos for as long as i have accepted the idea of a deity at all. this was a natural connection for me, i think. this virtually unknown and all but nameless God was easier to understand through my previous aversion to the male aspect (Jehovahphobia?).

but i definitely had no idea years ago that i would be dedicating myself to Hekate at this point in my life. that was absolutely in the realm of a 'calling', and one that, try as i might, i was not able to ignore.
go figure!

[MysticKnight]

I haven't drawn or call by any god or goddess yet! But I hope it will happen soon...

[Writer_Waif]

Originally posted by Iris

Ooh...maybe Blodeuwedd? She is a maiden Goddess, from the Welsh branch of Celtic mythology. Myth says she was turned into an owl as a punishment for committing adultery. (She also plotted to kill her husband...lol) Anyway, Owls are sacred to her for obvious reasons (!) and she is also associated with the moon and wisdom, and helping things grow.

If I think of anyone else I'll let you know.

Thank you, I have begun a study of the different Celtic dieties and will let you know what I discover and decide.

SilverMoon Dragon

[Writer_Waif]

Originally posted by Greenman

i'm not sure that we actually have much choice in which deities enter our lives.
we can certainly explore various aspects, and some will resonate with us higher than others. this is how it was between myself and the Goddess (Diana) for a number of years.
but a true calling, i think, is just that.

i have had a strong connection with Cernunnos for as long as i have accepted the idea of a deity at all. this was a natural connection for me, i think. this virtually unknown and all but nameless God was easier to understand through my previous aversion to the male aspect (Jehovahphobia?).

but i definitely had no idea years ago that i would be dedicating myself to Hekate at this point in my life. that was absolutely in the realm of a 'calling', and one that, try as i might, i was not able to ignore.
go figure!

I realize that we don't have a choice about which dieties come into our lives but I do feel that we should follow our hearts in our studies.

SilverMoon Dragon

[Theres]

Originally posted by SilverMoonDragon
I realize that we don't have a choice about which dieties come into our lives but I do feel that we should follow our hearts in our studies.

agreed, absolutely.

[Writer_Waif]

Originally posted by Greenman

agreed, absolutely.


I have always felt a closeness to the celtic traditions and so feel that .. that should be the starting point of my journey.

SilverMoon Dragon

[Theres]

yeah, that was my focus too, way back when.
but oddly enough, that's not where the 'calling' came from.

[Writer_Waif]

Originally posted by Greenman

yeah, that was my focus too, way back when.
but oddly enough, that's not where the 'calling' came from.

That's great, I can't wait to see where my journey takes me

SilverMoon Dragon

[stevie]

My main God and Goddess are Thor and Sif. Thor choose me. When I think of old Gods he come to mind first. I don't know why. I knew I liked him before I knew much about him. I was born during a Thunder Storm so that meight be a connection. I choose Sif because she is married to Thor.

[ShadowSwift]

I've always been drawn to the Norse pantheon.

Of late, Skadi and Loki have started smacking me in the head every once in a while. I think they think I need to quit being a coward and make some much needed changes about some icky on-going situations.

I thought I'd have something more profound to add, but I don't. That's me -- not adding a single stinking thing to conversations one post at a time! Go me!

[Mnemosyne]

Hi Shadow Swift! Welcome! Don't worry, you always add to the conversation. I love learning about you guys. If you are interested in the Loki, you should check out an entire thread devoted to the mischeivous god in this forum.

[Writer_Waif]

Are there websites where I can read up on the Celtic Dieties?

SilverMoon Dragon

[Theres]

http://www.mythome.org/celtic.html

http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/deities.html

http://www.paralumun.com/celticgod.htm

http://www.celticpagan.com/celt/deities.htm

http://user.sezampro.yu/~babbage/Celtic.html

http://ads.x10.com/yahoo6/darcie.htm

http://www.gallica.co.uk/celts/gods.htm

http://www.paralumun.com/celticgodone.htm


enough? there's plenty more!

[Writer_Waif]

Originally posted by Greenman

enough? there's plenty more!

Thank you very much for these

SilverMoon Dragon

[Evenstar]

I have pledged my devotion to the to the Goddess and all of her aspects, but i feel that of all the Goddess's forms the Morrighan has guided and taught me the most. Sometimes i feel that She is misunderstood. She is the Goddess of darkness and the herald of death, but she is rarely painted as anything else but a terrible war Goddess. Darkness is not evil, but only the opposite of light and necessary for balance. True, in the darkness our eyes are blind, but only then can we begin to see with our hearts and spirits. Only then is true knowledge attained. It is in the darkness that She bestows the gift of knowledge from her cauldron of wisdom and reveals Her greatest Mysteries and Magicks. Only through darkness does one understand and appreciate the light.
And although She may appear as a Goddess of war and destruction, I say again these are not necessarily negative. On a spiritual level, She helps us to destroy that which is old and unwanted within us. We fight wars wiithin our spirits and minds every day and in these wars She can be ones greatest ally. In the physical world natural disasters are necessary to maintain balance. For example, forest fires are needed to burn the old trees to ash which nourishes the soil for future growth. Only through the destruction of the old can new life begin.
Even when She appears as the Death Crone there is no reason to fear. Death comes to us all and i do not dread the day when she comes to take me to the Summerland. Death is a part of life and only when we die can we be reborn again and live life anew.
This is why i have chosen her as my patron Goddess.

[Ice violets]

I don't have a particular god or goddess, but I sometimes devote my respects and pray to a particular deity on certain times, depending on how I feel. I'm usually drawn to goddesses of animals and agriculture.

[smoldering_temptress]

These are my main 3, although I do not deny the help of others....


*Bast-(egyptian)....goddess of cats, sex, femininity, family, etc.


*Persephone-(greek)....goddess of overcoming struggles/hard times


*Arianrhod- (Celtic....im almost full-Irish, yo! ;p)....Arianrhod's name means 'silver circle'. This major Welsh Goddess is the Goddess of reincarnation, the Wheel of the Year, the full moon, fertility, an da primal figure of female power. ,Arianrhod can be invoked to help females find their own feminine power. She can also assist you with spirit contact, sex and fertility magick, and past-life knowledge. Because her myths are linked with jumping the broom, an event which is part of Pagan marriage, she can be called upon to bless Handfasting rites.



:) woot!

[AstralEyes]

My mother Nox. I can't explain why, except maybe that she's a bit of a forgotten, just like me ;) That and I'm tired of being blinded by the light.

[Psyche Ague]

My Goddess is the Mother Gaia.

[FaerySong]

My goddess is Brigid

[RubyRose]

Ah ... they are definitely Celtic ... learning towards Welsh ... at the moment I seem to be drawn towards Cerridwen ... as for a God ... I'm not overly sure ... maybe Taliesin ... although on a whole I think I'm more comfortable with Goddess/es only ...

[motherwisdom]

Greetings to all

I study the art of Stregheria (Italian Witchcraft) and follow the teachings and callings of the Goddess Aradia. She is the daugther of Diana the Huntress. Aradia is also said to be the Queen of the Witches. She gives her potection and love.

Blessings

MotherWisdom

[LdyWolfPrints]

Originally posted by NebtAnhai

And why do they call to you? How did you find out about them?

My patroness is the goddess Diana. It took me a long time after I began my journey to realize that it was her speaking to me. I read everything I could about her, searched every mythology book regarding her.

She is the goddess of the wilds, of the hunt and of the woods. She never fails me when I need her most, and recently I have discovered more about myself from my intense study of her.

[Tranquility]

I think that mine may be Cernunnos or The Dagda... I can't give you a concrete reason but i am truly attracted to both, especially Cernunnos, since i guess you could say i have the same motives. I want to live with nature, and be a protector of it, sort of like cernunnos, or green man.

[Nightwind2]

You know, I've tried broaching this subject (of gods and goddesses)on a couple message boards and got almost zero responses, and today I find this place. I love it!

When studying greek mythology as a child I was always drawn to Athena. However, as a pagan I've stuck exclusively to the Celtic Pantheon. Maybe it's because of ancestry, but I was never raised with a particular connection to the Celtic lands.

I found my God first - Herne the Hunter, or Cernunnos. I consider them one and the same - but Herne is British and I'm a huge anglophile. I wish I could find more historic info on Herne.

A pagan friend was taught an interesting theory on how women tend to "pick" deities. If they got into Paganism young, they tend to side with the God more, maybe because that is more familiar because we're usually raised Judeo-Christian.

Once you're out in the world (which might not be until after college) is when you find your Goddess, and women gravitate toward powerful independant figures often associated with sexuality.

My Goddess is the Morrigan, a figure which fits to a tea what my friend described. I think of her as boiling rage too, and she fits my temperment. I ask for her to more positively channel it.

I lost touch with Herne for a long time. Then, a few months ago, he came back. Has anyone else ever associated him with knowledge or creativity? Because he gave me a solid kick to the butt to start writing again.

Herne I chose. He was familiar. it sounds silly, but the first place I heard of him was the show Robin of Sherwood, and the image has always stayed. But the Morrigan chose me - kicked me in the butt, slapped me around, helped me get my life in order. She is the one I identify with, while Herne is still a figure beside me, more of a friend than a part of myself.

[Erincelt]

I don't tend to use specific deity names, and simply refer to my gods as Eternal Ones or as Eternal Father and Eternal Mother when I'm feeling particular. :)

However, of late I've been feeling a pull toward the Egyptian pantheon, a set I've never had any interest in until I started using more Hermetic style in my magical practices. I tend to mix my magic with my religion a bit, and so I've ended up using Anubis... excuse me, Yinepu, as my God a good deal lately, and Bast as my Goddess, though the latter is more tentative. As my magical workings tend to be extremely nocturnal -- hence my intense pleasure at Konstantinos' latest releases -- Yinepu has been very helpful. In fact, I found Konstantinos using him repeated as an example deity in his writing. Conveniant, that. :)

My own views regarding the divine are constantly subject to change, but always boil down to a few simple things that I decided at no particular time but have adhered to.

God is twofold and polar. Aka, there is a God and a Goddess, fully entwined. All else emenates therefrom.

Well... that's about it. :D

[Nightwind2]

I'm really surprised by how many responses of "Bast" there has been on this thread - more popular than any other deity (I've actually got a tally sheet going)

Does anyone find that odd or do you think that's a fair representation of what people are following, or do you think we've got an unusual number of Bast followers here?

[Autumn Sidhe]

Wow, there really is alot of Bast in the thread!

Myself, I really don't have a specific Goddess or God, though it's obvious from my name that I have a fondness for Ceridwen. I like what she stands for and I think the name is beautiful, which is why I chose Carridwynn as my craft name. But when it comes to working with deity, I simply say "Goddess and God" or "Lord and Lady" and do not work with specific ones.

Blessings,
Carridwynn

[Theres]

Nightwind, why don't you post your tally?

[MysticFire]

I have been drawn to the Goddess Isis for quite some time now. She called to me when I was only seven years old, but I have had others call to me as such as Artemis,Diana; I can't think of any other names right now. I have seen images of the Goddesses in my dreams and daydreams. I had a dream a couple of months(years) ago about the Triple Goddess. It touched me and I haven't been able to forget it. Its kind of long so I am not going to post it. :) :)
Blessed Be,
MysticFire


________________________
"Hope is like the sun, which as we walk towards it, casts a shadow of our burdens behind us."Anonymous
"Steeping my life in beauty brings color to my days and a song to my heart." Thomas Kinkade
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt

[Nightwind2]

For the tallies I took here, I counted any god or goddess that someone said that they worked with - it does not have to be their "primary" deity. No one listed more than a few names, so I thought it reasonable to count them all.

Combining it with some other searching that I've done around the net, I have a total of 191 votes on gods and 287 votes on goddesses.

Also note that I've been trying to focus on Wiccan beliefs. I know that a lot of you aren't Wiccan, but my other sources have all been Wiccan.

Correlating Greek and Roman gods are counted together i.e. Mercury votes would go under Hermes.

Inanna, Ishtar, and Astarte have been counted together.

It's a long list. I'll give ya the top ones (according to total numbers). The first number is what I've counted here. The second number is the total I've gotten for them.

Gods:

Cernunnos 8 15 <--the only one with more than 3 votes here)
Pan 3 13
Apollo 2 10
Thor 3 9
Dionysos 0 8
Hermes 2 8
Osiris 2 8
Odin 1 7
Poseidon 2 7
Herne 2 6 <--I'm tempted to lump him in with Cernunnos
Horus 1 6


Goddesses:

Diana 11 24
Isis 9 22
Bast 13 20
Hecate 7 20
Bridgid 5 17
Athena 8 16
Demeter 0 16 <--not quite sure yet what to make of that
Cerridwen 4 14
Venus 5 14
Ishtar 2 11 <--this includes the vote for Asherah
The Morrigan 4 11
Freya 3 10
Lilith 5 9
Hera 3 8
Kali 2 8
Persephone 1 8

[Autumn Sidhe]

That's really interesting, thanks for posting your totals! Kinda nice to see just how many people work with different God's and Goddesses. :)

[Theres]

yes, interesting numbers... thak you.
i'm surprised by the Hekate totals. they're higher than i would have imagined, lilith too.
and Persephone is very low.

and i too think that Herne and Cernunnos should be combined.

[~ Monk ~]

For the past couple of weeks I've been feeling a pull towards one - Spirit. Not a God or Goddess but the source of both. This is interesting for me because I've always leaned towards a polar view of diety - but it's consistant with the flow my life has taken of late. I don't see this as a change of view - I think it's a widening of the one I currently have. But we shall see...:D

[X-Ray Witch]

I usually picture the goddess as a generalized Maiden/Mother/Crone (depending on which aspect I'm working with). But I find myself praying to Kwan Yin more and more- maybe it has to do with her name (She who Listens/ She who hears the sorrows of the world). She does listen, and she answers too!

[Zerofactor]

Being a newbie myself... I'm still searching for my gods/goddesses, but the ones that have appealed to me most so far are Hecate and Artemis. I'm not really looking for the "male figure" as a god, I sorta feel the same about that subject, it just feels more natural for me to give in to a woman. If anyone could provide me with some extended information about these two goddesses I'd be grateful, because from what I've found, I've only came up with small essays that gave some good info, but left me wanting more.

[Xander67]

HAthor!!

[Ahautenites]

Setekh.

Hmmm. Sharp temper, impetuosity, a sometimes cruel sense of humor, a general loathing of most people, anti-social behavior, and a fierce desire for independence. Gee are we talking about Him or *me*? :p

[Nightwind2]

Originally posted by Zerofactor
If anyone could provide me with some extended information about these two goddesses I'd be grateful, because from what I've found, I've only came up with small essays that gave some good info, but left me wanting more.

http://www.hecate.org

[Theres]

this is one of my favorite sites...
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/MysticalArts/Hekate.htm

here's some more...
http://isxios.home.mindspring.com/hecate.htm

http://www.theoi.com/Ouranos/Hekate.html


and this one is a bit hokey, but kinda fun...
http://www.pacificnet.net/~spectre/Temple/docks.html

there are many, many more sites out there, but most of them are pretty limited, or just down right inaccurate.
i would suggest you avoid any sites that start out by calling Her "The Goddess of Witches" or "Queen of Ghosts".
those attributes are generally not from the ancient Greeks, but rather from Roman times and later, when She had pretty much been degraded to little more than a chthonic deity. this is probably the least accurate depiction of Hekate, and yet unfortunately the most common.

[Zerofactor]

Those are some great links. Thanks! :D

[WereWarrior]

My God and goddess tend to lean toward the Greek pantheon. mostly Athena And Helieos. But the other gods have spoken to me as well.

[Haruka2077]

Being a Gemini, ya know I can't have just one... In fact I have three Gods and Goddesses that I feel closely connected to:

Of the Goddesses, Hathor, Athena and Macha
Of the Gods, Ptah, Apollo and Dionysus

Although to be honest, my knowledge of the Gods is a little underdeveloped since until recently I was a Dianic.

[Rainx]

Originally posted by NeferSesemet
Sharp temper, impetuosity, a sometimes cruel sense of humor, a general loathing of most people, anti-social behavior, and a fierce desire for independence.

Hm maybe that's who's been at my shoulder. It sure fits me too :D

[She-Arna]

I follow a Celtic pantheon, mainly Brighid, but also Cernunnos and Lugh likes to pop in every so often as well. There is someone else too, who I think is an Angel.

[Mdme Morella]

I have been listening and waiting to be called by my deity, and think that they may be calling me.. but hopefully someone here can help shed some light.

Ive been mainly doing work with celtic based practices, but changing them to what feels right with me.

The main reason that i think i may be being called is that a few months ago, a friend of mine moved, and i made her a jelly jar (to make her house smell good, and bring good fortune and blessing to it) infused with some herbs that I had, attempted to grow. I made the jar with the few remaining leaves that were left that hadnt fallen off, or completley withered.

Since that time, when I felt something click when I made the jar, my new set of herbs that my mother brought to me because I just moved, (which were all but dead when she brought them) are taking off and growing so fast that I can barely keep up with them!! I have dreams of sitting in a garden completley of herbs, and can smell them in my dreams. Even my signifigant other has commented on how different it is.
I find myself day dreaming about them and how bautiful they are.
The cat doesnt bother them, rather sits with them and sleeps near them.

I even feel a little "spark" when i touch them to water them or to use them for something.

Any advice or ideas would be greatly welcomed!

[She-Arna]

Hmm, I wish I could offer you some more advice other than it does sound an interesting phenomena. Why don't you look up deites associated with gardening, particularly herbs?

[Tranquility]

Mainly i have been seeing Cernunnos and Dagda in visions, or representations, but lately i have been seeing Danu, or Dana, who is considered to be the mother goddess of the druids.. which is the path i mainly follow.. i suppose that is a calling?

[She-Arna]

Originally posted by Tranquility

Mainly i have been seeing Cernunnos and Dagda in visions, or representations, but lately i have been seeing Danu, or Dana, who is considered to be the mother goddess of the druids.. which is the path i mainly follow.. i suppose that is a calling?

Sounds like a calling to me!! :)

[AJR51594]

I have always gravitated towards Isis although Lilith was the first goddess who really called to me (well, if you want to get technical, I love Mary from my catholic childhood) When I was being initiated to a coven last year, I chose Maat as a patroness. Depending on the activity I will choose a certian goddess. I choose Thoth as a patron at that time. but when I got to the point when I was dedicating myself.. I went back to Isis. I chose Quetzlcoatl as my god. it was VERY had to find a god I didn' thave issues with! Now I am very close to Pan as well. My fiance of five years channels his energy a lot so I am okay with it.

[The Bardic Princess]

Fachea - Celtic goddess of Poetry and Inspiration, patron of the bards, and my Muse. Lovely. :)

[Sapphire Wolf]

I've always leaned towards Athena.

[sabreil]

hi you will not know me i'm sabreil i'm new and only know a little about pagan religion can you help me?!??!

[Rainx]

Sabreil, welcome to the forum. Why not go up to the New Pagans forum and post asking for help? It's a forum just for people like you who need help.

This thread is kinda about gods and goddesses so probably it's better to go post in New Pagans.

[Monarch]

Kali! Actually when I was just starting out, and not sure of what I was doing...Kali came to me. I was sorta apprehensive about what I wanted from this whole religion. So, Kali pretty much bumped into me spiritually and let me know that she was gonna take care of me if I wanted to take care of myself. I felt safe with her, so I embraced her with all I had. Then I found out that she wasn't the only one.

I'm still finding them, and they float somewhat, but Kali is with me always, mostly because she's the one I started out with.

[Ojuice5001]

The Roman goddess Postverta. She's the goddess of the past. Most people haven't heard of her, since she's a minor goddess, but she and I have a special relationship. Most trends in my life can be traced to Postverta's influence.

[Dark_Xen]

Mine's Hades, but Venus seems to be tying to get my attention :)

[ScotiaMarina]

Well, Scotia, of course! (She is the deity whom Scotland was named for.) I feel she was the best representation of my own personal traits (naughty, but nice!) . . .

[Rahul]

Agni, Saraswati
Varuna, Prthivi
Aditi, Parjanya.....

[RedCelt]

I have been reading up on Gods and Goddesses trying to figure out which way to go. I have always been amazingly drawn to the Celtic traditions. I've been to Scotland twice in the past 4 years, and all I wanted to do was to go and lose myself in the Highlands, and I ended up crying when I left. I had heard about the Morrighan before, but it never really caught me before. To the several people who have talked about the Morrighan, how did she call you? Was it a dream or what? Or is it always different? I spent this past week in Palm Desert,CA and while I was there, I read a little something on the Morrighan in one of my books, and suddenly it felt like something just sparked. I read that one of her forms was the Crow, and a couple days after I read it, my husband and my in-laws and myself had taken a tram up to the top of anearby mountain to visit a national park/nature reserve at the top. Just before we left I heard the cawing of a crow, and when we got back to the bottom of the mountain on the tram, a HUGE crow landed literally right in front of me on the deck railing. I was almost frozen for a couple minutes until the tram operator told me I had to move away from the tram area. I have been hearing crows ever since! I need to find out more about the Morrighan! Does anybody have any links they can suggest to find out more about her?!!

[Nightwind2]

Afraid I've never had any sort of dramatic revelation. The Morrigan just sort of "clicked" with me, which i realise is a really unhelpful description. I just didn't feel any connection as I read about other goddesses.

I had a list of links referred to me. I'll see if I can dig them up when I'm home tonight.

[RedCelt]

Thank you so much Nightwind!!!!

[Initiate Steamcircle]

Um, that's a hard one. I kinda have Athena, or just a the basic deity for my goddess, as for god, I kind of see the Green Man as my main guise that he takes. It seems to change with whatever the ritual is.

[SylverStar]

I'm really partial to the Greek pantheon. I guess it's because It's the first mythology I learned and the one I know the best. Plus the Greeks in general just appeal to me. The way they lived, where they lived, views, ect. My Goddess is Artemis and my God Apollo. The moon has always been my favorite celestial body and I feel so at home in moonlight. Also I love animals especially wild ones, and Artemis just seems the most intune with me. Apollo is my God because I'm in Theatre and he is always the one I need the most, plus he's Artemis's twin brother.

[argento_occhi]

Em hotep all, i decided that my original post here was a bit outdated, so instead, i'll post something i wrote a couple of nights ago on the sur of the moment. Please excuse it's length, i'll try to cut it down if i can...

I was raised Christian, and remained so until I was about 14 or 15. We moved house when I was about 11 or 12, at the end of year 6. We started going to another church, and it was ok, but it got bored, and felt nothing when I was there. I eventually stopped going to church, and slept in Sunday morning to avoid going. Eventually my parents just left me to sleep, and I didn’t go. I was always fascinated with ancient Egypt, though only from an archaeological point of view. I was 16 when my Pagan friend Tabitha (her actual name, I kid you not) suggested I take my love of ancient Egypt one step further by making it my religion. At that time, I was open to pretty much anything. She told me about Wicca. I started researching, and bought some books on Wicca. I bought other books on Egypt. I started serving Aset (Isis), Ausir (Osiris), Heru (Horus), Bast, Djehuti (Thoth), and Ma’at personified as a Goddess. About a year ago, I ditched Wicca for Kemetic practices. I stopped casting circles and invoking the elements. I wanted to worship the netjeru as the Egyptians had worshipped Them. As I learned about the religion and the netjeru (deities), I became drawn to Aset and Djehuti in particular. It took me ages to hear Sobek’s call.

I’ve always loved dinosaurs and crocodiles for as long as I can remember. Even today I have a 50 cm long wooden velociraptor skeleton hanging above the head of my bed, and an 80 cm high inflatable T-Rex, quaintly called Terry II (named after my first inflatable T-Rex , Terry, who got a hole in his foot and ‘died’, so to speak.). I went to the Perth zoo one day with my family, and went straight to this 4m long male crocodile, without knowing before hand where he was. I knew I had to find him, though. He was a majestic creature. I thought he was the most beautiful crocodile I’d ever seen. He was just floating in the water, his nostrils at the surface, his back legs and tail touching the bottom of the enclosure. He just sank down to lie on the floor, stayed there a while, and then rose again to have his nostrils at the surface. His eyes were calm and peaceful, and he seemed to smile at me. I looked at this croc and thought, ‘there’s something special about this croc.’. His eyes spoke to me in a way I never understood at the time, but I felt this was more than just a crocodile. It was a special moment for me. I knew instinctively that there was something special about this crocodile. At the time, I wouldn’t have said divine, but looking back, it’s the right word. I felt that we were one being, part of each other. He never spoke to me, but it was as if there were unspoken words being said, rather than us actually speaking. I felt peaceful. He was speaking to my heart, not my mind. It was only months later that I read the name Sobek, and saw an image of him as a crocodile-headed netjer (god). It all became clear, and I heard Sobek calling me. I had never thought of Sobek. But I couldn’t doubt what had happened that day. Not that I told anyone. I feel Him by my right side as a crocodile, protecting me against harm. I feel calm and safe when I think about Him.

I wasn’t pagan then. I am now. I call myself Kemetic pagan, though others have other names for it. I have looked at Kemetic Orthodoxy, but it seems too strict in its rituals for me. I serve and worship netjeru in my own way. Some would call me recon (as in reconstructionist) Kemetic, or just Kemetic. Kemetic pagan suits me, and fits like we were made for each other.

I’ve always felt drawn to Aset, but it’s only recently that I’ve become aware of the other aspects of Her. Yes, She is a mother, but She is also a woman, and a leader. Of sorts. She is intelligent and cunning, loyal beyond doubt to Ausir, and protective of her child Heru-sa-Aset (Heru son of Aset, as opposed to other forms of Heru). She is also a woman, and I always see Her as a very sexual woman, passionate about Her love, Ausir, and willing to sacrifice everything for him. Yes, after His death, Aset is grieving, but before that, They were happy and loving and passionate. I see both sides of her, and although She is a mother, and warm and loving when you need it, She’s quite happy to let you know when you’ve stuffed up. That’s how much She cares about you. I don’t feel as close to Her as I feel to Djehuti and Sobek, but close enough to feel her near me. For me, the netjeru are not just confined to statues or priests, They are real, and with us all the time.

Djehuti was a natural choice for me. I am studying science, and have always loved it. I love languages, and have dictionaries of Japanese, German (x 2), Italian (x 3 + a textbook), Egyptian hieroglyphs, Latin, Egyptian Arabic, a French-English dictionary published in France, and probably a few more hiding around my room. I love calligraphy, especially with a dip pen. In my opinion, you’re not a real calligrapher unless you can calligraphy something and get your hands covered in ink in the process. Cartridge pens, while less messy, I have found to be less reliable. I am yet to find the perfect quill, but my bamboo pen is fabulous. I also write stories, something I have been doing since I was 12. I instinctively feel him with me, standing behind me near my left shoulder. He guides me on the dreamtrails (read the Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody if you don’t know what they are) and I feel He is encouraging me to write this down. The reason will become clearer later on, hopefully. For now, I hope I can get my room cleaned up before mum goes off at me for not cleaning it in 3-4 weeks.

there, much better, and more truthful.
bright blessings
argento_occhi

[Ravensong]

Well. A couple of years ago Raven called to me and I have considered myself his child ever since.
The raven is not a part of any specific pantheon (I have noticed that many members seem linked to a specific mythos, it's different for me). Rather, he appears in many different mythologies like the norse and some northern american. Raven is linked to the element of air/wind, the sun and... death/war (although I consider him more of a guide for the souls of the dead, than an actual war-god).
Odin the allfather, head of the norse pantheon, is served by two ravens Hugin and Munin. They act as his eyes in the world by day and return by evening to report to Odin.
In northern american mythology the raven is frequently depicted as a trickster although there exist stories of how the raven helped humankind, for example by providing them fresh water.
At first I wondered why raven called on me, but the more I learn about him, the better I see the resemblance.
As for goddeses, the most important to me is the great mother, the creator of all there is and will be.

[Eos of the Eons]

Would Gaia be considered a God if I had to pick one? :fpraiseyo

[AutumnRose_43725]

The Greek pantheon is the one I've always been closest to.....Their stories and myths were the ones I read over and over again during my childhood :-) For me, Artemis is The Maiden, Aphrodite is The Mother, and Hecate is The Crone, but Athena is the one that patrons me. The Gods I work with the most are Apollo and Pan, although I recognize that at different stages in my life I've been guided by others (Persephone during a particularly "dark" time, Demeter while my children were young, Dionysious during a "wild" stage) Does this make sense to anyone?

[MoonAnu]

Recently I've felt a very strong connection with the all-mother Danu (Anu/Don), and Arianrhod, Danu's celestial daughter. Can you tell I have a fascination with the Tuatha? ;) However when I first became interested in paganism in general, I was immediately drawn to Rhiannon. I have since felt more of a connection with Welsh/Celtic Goddesses. I've never really felt a connection with any "Gods" in particular, and I look forward to seeing if this changes in the distant future.

[Theres]

...For me, Artemis is The Maiden, Aphrodite is The Mother, and Hecate is The Crone, but Athena is the one that patrons me.

and yet Hekate was NEVER depicted as 'old' in Greek art or literature. that association came much later, in later Roman times.
and Aphrodite (Goddess of Love and Pleasure) makes an interesting 'Mother' , i think! i usually associate Hera in this role.

however, the entire Maiden/Mother/Crone concept was foreign to the ancient Greeks.
but from a modern Wiccan point of view, hey... why not?

[Aldrick]

<i>and yet Hekate was NEVER depicted as 'old' in Greek art or literature. that association came much later, in later Roman times.
and Aphrodite (Goddess of Love and Pleasure) makes an interesting 'Mother' , i think! i usually associate Hera in this role</i>

Hekate however usually is percieved as the crone, and where I would usually agree with you about Hera I would personally place Hera under the Crone (as a second to Hekate) Aphrodite as a Maiden more-so then Mother however Artemis was probably an even better choice, a virgin one never to marry. Aphrodite would be a fine mother choise, Greenman you act as-if Aphrodite has never had the experiance of mothering a child. Lol

As for the question of this thread. Probably The Dagda or The Trinity (by that I mean Anu/Danu/Dana) (or Anu/Badb/Macha) the elimental Kings I prefer to lean towards are Djinn and Fafnir

[Theres]

Hekate however usually is percieved as the crone, and where I would usually agree with you about Hera I would personally place Hera under the Crone (as a second to Hekate) Aphrodite as a Maiden more-so then Mother however Artemis was probably an even better choice, a virgin one never to marry. Aphrodite would be a fine mother choise, Greenman you act as-if Aphrodite has never had the experiance of mothering a child. Lol

lol!
no, i didn't mean to suggest that. however, 'archetypically' She is not usually depicted in this way.

as far as Hekate being the Crone in the ancient Greek pantheon (which was the reference), it just wasn't so. Hesiod even mentions Her youthful appearance in the Theogony (one of the only ancient Greek texts that actually mention Her by name).

[Aldrick]

Touche. I guess it's just that Hekate was depicted as wise and knowledgable... modern time that usually (unfortunatly) comes with the assumption of old age.

[Theres]

yes, and an unfortunate assumption it is too (i'm here to tell ya - lol!).

of course, there IS some background for Her fulfilling this role in modern Wicca, just not from the Greeks.

[indigo rain]

i work exclusively with the egyptian pantheon, though when i first started out in wicca, i had big plans to get to know all the mythology i could, all the pantheons i could. i wanted to do plenty of research before i settled in and chose. but as soon as i got to the egyptian pantheon, i just kind of felt content to stay there, like that was the pantheon i was supposed to be working with. their myths and stories make more sense to me and are more applicable to my beliefs than that of any other pantheon. as for my patrons, they are horus and sekhmet. i was always drawn to dark goddesses, but kali and hecate were always too dark for me. sekhmet, as soon as i found her, seemed like an ideal balance. she's cruel at times, true, she's a wrathful destroyer, but i also see her as a bringer of justice, and a goddess of transformation, as she destroys one thing she makes room for new growth. i connect her with water because of this, the way the nile flooded and destroyed all in its path but also gave fertility to egypt in doing so. i also connect her with storms and hurricanes, any destructive force really, and when i ask for a sign from her i always seem to get it in the form of a storm. on the morning after my dedication to her, during which i asked for a sign of her acceptance and immediately thereafter thought of rain, it rained. as for horus, i see him as possessing the characteristics i need to develop, as opposed to sekhmet, whose personality traits are more like my own. i see him as the rising sun. horus is bright, healing, youthful, strong, with a generally sunny disposition, though he is fiercely loyal and willing to fight to bring about justice, as with his feud with seth. he's what i aspire to.

blessings~indi

[sianand_flidais]

I am generally involved with the celtic pantheon, but anyone who takes a friendly interest is welcome. those I work with most often are as follows:
Godesses: Epona, Brigid, kerridwen, Athena and Bast, and most recently Flidais
Gods: Mannanan, Loki and Herne

[Kaylara]

My matron is Athena. I work with Greek deities mostly, but I do have some workings within other pantheons...

[Fluffy]

God: Diancecht.

Wow...I should probably explain it also...

Well, the healing aspect of Diancecht kinda draws me to him, mostly because of my foot and it's broken-ness.

[gillian_greenleaf]

I am most comfortable with the celtic pantheon. One of my difficulties, however, is that I feel pretty presumptuous trying to define the goddess by any single name. She is the divine, and although I am drawn to Brigid, Cerridwen and Arianrhod, I don't want to limit her to any single manifestation. Does that make sense?

[PEBBLES]

And why do they call to you? How did you find out about them?


I'm drawn to Gaia & Hestia but Oya has made the strongest impact on me. I feel like she was always with me, even before I knew her name. I was researching information on different Goddesses and Oya's story is just so amazing to me. One of her attributes is Goddess of the Wind & ever since I was a little girl I loved the wind. Whenever I felt like praying I wanted to go outside and be with the wind. No matter how bad I felt, being outside on a windy day made me feel so at peace.

[Kitari]

I work with a real mixture :P

Personally I associate with Artemis/Diana/Skadi goddesses of the hunt, as much as I love the Mother goddesses I can't feel them inside me the way I feel the wild and free ones.

The Goddess who is most prominent in my life is Gaia, who is to me the spirit of the planet. She's the one I talk to and sing to, but I don't ask her help in magic all that often.

I'm also very attracted to the Shinto dieties, Inari, who is god and goddess, Kannon the merciful.

I prefer the 'wise old men' gods, over the hunter/war ones. Whether this is a stereotype I've picked up fom praying to Ya'weh for the first half of my life I don't know.

Funny that, opposed to the general stereotype MotherGoddess/HunterGod I have a wild hunter goddess and a nuturing wise old god. :P

[Sylv]

Kitari, do you incorporate aspects of Shintoism into your path or just have the gods? I'm curious because I read this interesting book called A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine (can't remember the author) and became enchanted with Shintoism. It seems like such a wonderful religion. :)

[safire]

I haven't had much time to find out which ones it represents, as I'm a :RuNew: , but I often feel stronger in the moonlight. It's like I draw power from the moon.
L+L,
*Safire*

[Equinox]

Hi-

Fun to hear what eveyone thinks! I see the gods as archetypes, and my favorite is Prometheus- to enlighten ( :lol: ) humanity is well worth the personal avian torture meted out.


Blessings-

Equinox

[Equinox]

Plus, how many gods have an element named after them?!

Ok, the devil does, but not many others.

-Jon

[BelleMorte]

I follow my lady of the hunt, Diana most primarily, though I have a passing aquaintance with Bastet and Epona too.

[Kitari]

Sylv, from what I know Shinto is a beautiful religion, and I would love to incorporate more of it into my practise. However all I know of it has been gleaned from myths and stories, which is not really enough to give me a good understanding of its ways.

Apart from having a relationship with the Dieties, I keep a small shrine and often offer food and drink at it, but thats really the extent to which I practise it. If you know of any good books or resources I'd love to get their names off you, as I'm very interested in looking further into this path :)

Kitari

[menolly]

I myself follow Zemyna and Manawydan, but also have affinities for Rhiannon, Mananan and Cerrunos...

[SolaghStagh]

I go with Frigga, I see her in my dreams and I can feel her around me and i kind of feel her responses.
I also see The Norns in my dreams and Thor is the God with which i connect with . :viking:

[Windflower]

My godess is Arianrhod. When I was researching Celtic mythology she just popped out at me, and everything that I read about her seemed to resonate with me. She hasn't let me down yet when I've needed her help. ^_^

[Rae ShadowWolf]

I don't have a goddess. Mother Earth, Nature. *smiles*

[aefentid]

Freyr is my Patron.I also have relationships with Holda and Idunn.

[CalliopeHellice]

My Matron is Hekate. My Patron is Pan.

Hekate was fairly obvious. Mabon of 2000, She came to me, hair gray and wild, a middle aged woman in long, flowing black robes, with fangs and blood pouring from Her mouth. That was NOT the image I expected to see during a Mabon meditation.

Pan has always just 'been there'. For the brief period of time that I studied the Celtic pantheon, rather than the Greek pantheon I'm more familiar and comfortable with, He just morphed into Cernunnos.

I have an Altar to each of these Deities, as well as a regular Altar (I use that for Sabbats, Esbats and any workings I do). I also have an affinity to the Muses and Apollo.

Strangely enough, I am closely connected to the Virgin Mary. I have a small "shrine" to Her in my room as well.

[Theres]

hi C+!!!

[Ainwyn]

My main goddess is Arianrhod, she just calls me more than some of the other Celtic goddesses and I feel more comfortable working with her than the others.

[CalliopeHellice]

*waves* Hi Gman!

[Brenners]

I don't have a Goddess or God either, just Mother Earth and Father Sky for the time being. I haven't learned enough about the different gods to see who I feel a closer kinship with. I do have a few I like, but not enough to call them my matron and patron.

[RuneWolf]

Anubis and Bast

[serenarian]

Mine are Arianrhod and Bacchus. :D

[Aidron]

I personally have dedicated myself to Hecate and Apollo. Though I work with many deities through various pantheons (and often staying within the greek one, such as dedicating our gardens outside to Demeter), these two have long since captivated me and thus I work closely with them.

[TheeHeks]

I am mostly drawn to Isis and Bast both.

[Drazil]

Hello all, I believe that all Gods are branches of one God but all control a different aspect of the existence. I believe the same for Goddesses. It's almost how the bible says that the father, son, and holy spirit are one being. I believe that most people have one deity that they worship (or 2 depending on your beliefs) and that is the main one for them.
I have one particular Goddess (Freyja) and one particular God ( The Green Man) but when I need to (during a ritual etc.) I call upon other Gods or Goddesses that I feel can help me in a particular situation. That is just my personal beliefs so please don't be offended.

Always a brother, Drazil
Blessed be!
Your perception of your dreams is the reality that you seek.
By: Drazil

[nicolas]

I generally like the earth mother. My magick works around her and I say my prayers to her.

[FeatherGoblinglimmer]

My goddess is Frigg. It has taken me quite a while to find her too. I was researching some goddesses that really called out to me and i kept coming back to her over and over again. I also remembered a vision i had when i was little of a woman who resembles Frigg very very much .

[DixieWitch]

I've always been fascinated by Bast

Bast found me also. Like you, I still don't know why. Maybe one day she will reveal this to me.

I have not yet had a particular God call to me. Maybe it's time to open myself to one.

~~Rowan

[Theres]

I have not yet had a particular God call to me. Maybe it's time to open myself to one.

maybe.
but when the time comes you will know, ready or not!

[jenn]

I also do not have a particular Goddess-God and am waiting although I have been feeling of the late very strongly towards Isis. I usually just call to Her as Earth Mother and have a great love for Her. I see the God very similar to the "Himself" card of the Faery Oracle. Very beautiful and I have had favorable results from Him. I used to read all about the Greek and Roman deities in my parents encyclopedias and always thought that creation could not have possibly sprung from one "almighty" creator. In each there should be a Mother and Father.

[Cobalt Cobra]

I'm generally drawn to Brighid, the Sea Goddess, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, and Pan.

Sounds like a lot ;) hehe but generally I see them as teachers and mentors to be greatly respected and listened to. They are also good for me to go to for comfort. ^^

[Citana]

It's neat seeing everyone's different viewpoints on the deities.
I personally have always been drawn to Venus and Aphrodite. Although they are close to the same, in greek and roman cultures, they have their differences with me. They are not really primary though. My goddess, i guess really has failed to lend me her name, i generally picture her as the aspect of the triple goddess that i feel the closest with in my life phase, although all three have come to me in different times. Bast has been there as well, for i have always had a great affinity with the felines, and have come to realize cats as my spirit animals.
As for the God, i am not so sure. it has taken me a while to get him pinpointed, for he has always been there, just in a much fainter aspect than he is now. I recognize him closest as the great Horned One, but also recognize Apollo, in his sun aspect, and alsothe green man and pan.
As you see, i also agree with many others who have posted, and have been called by many, but the two i hold in highest and greatest reguard remain nameless to me.

[Nyte Wulf]

Anu, Badb, Cerridwen, Danann, Alaisiagae, Frija, Nornir

Mani, Dagda, Heimdall, Tyr

These are but a few

[WingedTigerChild]

I use the names of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses for the most part.

[mysticforest]

also of being celtic descent I have found to favor goddesses, especiallty brigid but also to cerridwen. I don't know why , but for some reason I have a profound interest in morgaine. Each have come to me when I needed them the most. They have not failed me, ever.

[MystIc_WolF]

Personally I've always felt a very close connection to the different faces of the Greenman (Pan, Cernunnos, etc), especially pan, but I've never been able to find anyplace that lists their female counterparts, except for the Green Goddess for the Greenman, but that was only on 1 website. If anyone knows of a good book where I could find said information I would greatly appreciate it.

[Delia_PsychoBatz]

Wow, there's a lot of people here from Celtic decent. Well, one of my friends is really into the Celtic stuff too. But for me I either see the goddess as Gaia, a universal figure or as Mary, a more eathly, humanistic figure. And those are the only symbols I use in the way of deity/super-natural-like.

[Amber Crystal]

The Celtic or egyption gods and goddesses for me! Also the Great Mother Earth. and the God.

[Stardevil]

I do nto have one in particular I do nto have many ..I am not even completely sure..when I started learning I was so pent up on trying to figure out fact from fiction that I am mor einto the historical aspect then the god and goddess aspect..WOW I am way behind

[Silentcrow]

Interesting question. As I sit here and ponder, I ask myself, what do I feel in my heart? Not to be betrayed by my insecurities and hide behind a mask of a God I use as a crutch for weakness,Nor will I be betrayed by my thoughts of what has been told to me in my youth and imbedded in my thoughts from that time on. I view Gods as the teachers in the classroom of life. What class you take Is up to you. What you learn for that teacher makes up your soul,to carry that wisdom ,either good or evil. Am I to place my trust and love into an icon that very well may be nothing more than snakeoil. As for now, I guess I am a man without a God.

[Kalika]

My patron Goddess is Kali... though she is not the only goddess I feel drawn to.

Why... because she is the creator and destroyer of all things... she symbolizes life, as well as time.
I am an empath and healer... so the personalities are a good mix.

Also... part of my magickal name... Kalika- daughter of Kali.

Blessed Be,

Kalika

[Delia_PsychoBatz]

Is Kali a Hawaiian goddess? Even though I'm not hawaiian I still feel drawn to Hawaii and their religion, in a weird sort of way. Perhaps it's because my given name is the same as one of their goddesses?? Anyway, just interested to know.

[Theres]

Is Kali a Hawaiian goddess? Even though I'm not hawaiian I still feel drawn to Hawaii and their religion, in a weird sort of way. Perhaps it's because my given name is the same as one of their goddesses?? Anyway, just interested to know.

no, Kali is Hindu (from India).