Gods and Goddesses in Us?

[Mnemosyne]

Most of the time, I think that the gods and goddesses are always around us and guiding us along. However, for a little while, I have been thinking that there is a bit of a god or goddess in each us. I came to think about this after reading some Renaissance philosophy and looking at my friends' characteristics. I have some friends who have very similar attributes to specific deities. So I was wondering does anyone believe that there is a bit of the gods and goddesses in us? Or do you believe that the gods and goddesses are around us?

[LunarSun]

Both. I think their influence for the around us, and because of their influence - part of them becomes us. :eyebrow:

[MidnightSun]

I believe they are a part of us just as much as we are a part of them. I think they are all around and all inside us.

[Flar's Freyja]

Yes, I do believe that and also that this can change according to our needs. Often, when we connect with a god or goddess and examine their characteristics, we find that they are very similar to where we are in our current growth stage. And I also believe that the stronger the connection, the more like them we become.

[Pan]

I believe Loki and Demeter are a part of me.. Loki is my heart and Demeter is my mind.

In general, the Lord and Lady, I believe, are us.. and we are them. We are their children and thus a part of them.. just as we are a part of our birth parents.

[Armitage]

It probably depends on who you work with a lot, too.
Ever hang around a friend a lot, and start picking up on mannerisms and sayings of theirs, unconsciously? That's what I think it's like, only on a deeper and more subtle level. But yeah, I've noticed this.

[Pan]

I get what you mean, Armitage, and who you are closest with.

I'm closer to the God than the Goddess.. but many are closer to the Goddess than the God. So I think that it depends on who you work with and how closely you work with them.. or feel to them.

[Armitage]

You get who I'm closest with? Heh, clue me in, I've been trying to figure this out for a while. 8O
And I love your little hamster guy. It's freaking adorable.

[Tammy Sullivan]

My take on this:
I relate to the gods/godesses in several ways but have noticed a few key points for me are how they relate to us. example: Mnemosyne=Memory i.e. the instincts we are born with
Ares=war i.e. the passion and violence in our nature

One way to view it is an attempt to define human charecteristics in ancient times. In that way they are part of us.

You could say that you are speaking with yourself to a degree when you invoke a certain deity from this view, calling upon your strength, etc.

[Mnemosyne]

Everyone has offered such fabulous points. :thumbsup: Hhhhmmm, for me, I am a bit confused. The deities whom I am really into have similar qualities to me. For example, I have a great memory; hence, I chose my name to be Mnemosyne. In addition, I am really into the arts, and Mnemosyne is the mother of the Muses who are patron of the arts and sciences. I am confused whether my gods and goddesses have chosen me and blessed me with these characteristics, or whether I have chosen them because we have so much in common. No matter what the answer is to this mystery, I am content with the outcome. :)

[Chibi-Fallon]

Well my take of it is that we each have a God/dess(es) that kinda takes an interest in us. Like I've always been a big fan of Heremes. Most of the time I'm not into the whole Greek thing (I tend to connect more with Celtic Gods and Goddess). But Heremes I've always had a thing for. I'd like to think that he watches out for me, or at least takes amusement from my life. 8O

[Pan]

I feel the same way about Hermes. I picked him as "my god" when I was little.. my bro and sis picked out Hades and Ares respectively. Who knew that those would say so much about our personalities? 8O

Perhaps the Gods know what we'll end up acting like.. and they just pick and choose from there? :huh: Who knows.. and who really wants to!

[Gwion]

"Do not think, "God is in my heart,"
think "I am in the Heart of God."

or

You've heard of Original Sin?
Contemplate Original Divinity.
That you are the Daughter of a Goddess

[Tammy Sullivan]

Originally posted by Gwion
"Do not think, "God is in my heart,"
think "I am in the Heart of God."



Exactly! so ditto

[Mnemosyne]

Originally posted by Gwion
"Do not think, "God is in my heart,"
think "I am in the Heart of God."


Good quote, Gwion! It's so true. I know that many of us are trying to find the god and/or goddess in our life that we don't seem to look for the god or goddess in others. I took the time to see what god or goddess helps guide my friends. Sometimes others help us find that spiritual side that resides in all of us. I would recommend it to you guys. Look at the people around you. Do you think that a specific deity is with them and affecting their lives?

[Tammy Sullivan]

everyone I know are/is fundies.:(

[Mnemosyne]

Originally posted by Greta
everyone I know are/is fundies.:(

Mine too! Even though they are fundies, I still see a touch of the god or goddess in them. They might not see it, but I do. :) Of course, these are my own spiritual beliefs, and I don't impose my beliefs on them.

[Tammy Sullivan]

I have never really seen them any other type way, I just don't share my spirituality or beliefs with them at all. I keep it THAT seperate. I s'pose I could stop being prejudiced against the fundies and give it a go.

[Mnemosyne]

Originally posted by Greta
I have never really seen them any other type way, I just don't share my spirituality or beliefs with them at all. I keep it THAT seperate. I s'pose I could stop being prejudiced against the fundies and give it a go.

Hi Greta! :) I'm not saying that you have share you spirituality or beliefs with your friends at all. I'm saying that if you look at your friends, you might see characteristics of the god/desses in them. For example, let me describe my friend. I know this guy who is always joking around and playing tricks on people. He is a really good communicator, and he loves to play sports. For some reason, I think that he has been touched by Hermes, since Hermes loves to play jokes, invented a few sports, and is the messenger god. My friend may never believe that the god may be a part of his life, but when I look at my friend, I see it.

[xblue420x]

I'm glad I stubbled upon this thread..I havent run into many people that have the same type of question as me. I'm extremely confused about it all.. I can't seem to believe both, that the gods and goddesses are both inside of me or out, but I don't know which to believe. There are times when I have said they are definitly out there, Hecate and Gaia, those are the 2 I most think of. But then for the most part I guess I've always believed that everyone is a god or a goddess, not like Hecate is inside of me, but I am the goddess Stephanie and whatever power or energy any god may have, I have it too. Thats the main thing, energy. Everything in this world is made up of energy. In theory, if we came from the gods and goddesses we believe in, then they have to be a part of us, since they used energy to create us and that energy is inside of us until we die.
Also, a big part of believing that we are all gods and goddesses is that we pray to ourselves. Even if I was to call upon Hecate, I would be talking to myself. That if I was to pray for something to happen, it would happen because my subconcious will make it happen if I wanted it bad enough. Any magic that comes out of me was a part of me and always will be even though it is in a different form now.
But like I said I have no idea really what is possible, the human race could all be gods and goddesses without really knowing it...Christians say that God was human and roamed the earth not knowing it for years before he died right? I guess I go from praying to myself at times, and other times praying to those deities I feel closest to.

[paper majick]

I believe they are a part of us just as much as we are a part of them. I think they are all around and all inside us.

very true. How else woud we know our patron dieties? They pick us, not us them. Well, most of the time,a nyway.

[scaerie faerie]

I think that the legends of deities have been created by humans to explain, understand and represent ourselves, so yeah, I can imagine people seeing their own similarities to them.

[frigga]

Oh, definatly in us!! In my view, we're all made with a bit of divine spark, it's what connects us to everything else, incuding our Gods!

[argento_occhi]

i've come to the realisation that the only difference between a God and a human is that a God can create something from nothing. Humans can only build on what we alreadyhave. We do not possess the power to create something out of thin air. That is reserved for the Gods. immortality is a funny business, because i believe we allhave immortality, just not in the one form. We're not immortal as a human, but we can make our name live on forever and be immortal through other people's memories. It is our soul that is immortal, not our physical bodies. (rereads that bit and thinks, 'oh, how very egyptian.')

that the Gods are within us? possibly, but i believe they are much more than a mortal can fathom. a mortal body cannot possess a God for long. That kind of energy... the two are incompatible. Forme, they are spearate entities, apart from humans. Though we asre essentially the same, in that there is potential in all of us to attain similar power to a God, the Gods themselves are much greater.

[Lara]

I think we all are,knowing it or not,connected to gods and goddesses...

[Peri]

In theory, if we came from the gods and goddesses we believe in, then they have to be a part of us, since they used energy to create us and that energy is inside of us until we die.
Also, a big part of believing that we are all gods and goddesses is that we pray to ourselves. Even if I was to call upon Hecate, I would be talking to myself. That if I was to pray for something to happen, it would happen because my subconcious will make it happen if I wanted it bad enough. Any magic that comes out of me was a part of me and always will be even though it is in a different form now.


I can relate to what you're saying! I have similiar thoughts and questions, too. I, too, feel like when I'm praying I'm in a way praying to myself...Or perhaps to the part of myself that is a part of the deity I'm praying to. Sometimes I think of the Goddess as the collection of bits of energy taken from every living being; we are all a part of her and she is a part of all of us. And when I do pray to my goddesses, I don't pray for specific things, I pray for clarity, understanding of situations I'm struggling with, wisdom to make good decisions, courage to carry them out, etc. It's like praying for the Goddess to work through me or in me, instead of asking her to do things for me.

A couple years ago I was attending a support group that teaches members to "Let go and let God," i.e., relinquish your will so that you can follow God's will instead. Despite the reassurance that we were free to interpret "God" however we wanted, I at first had trouble with the notion that I was supposed to just blindly follow God/some omnipotent deity that I had no right to question. I felt uncomfortable with the idea that I didn't have free will. But I thought about it more, and realized that since I feel that the Goddess is a part of me, what I could strive for was to have my rational, everyday, surface self (what Starhawk refers to as "talking self") relinquish control, and let my deep, intuitive self - the part of me that is (connected to) the Goddess - guide me. For I trust that wisdom and knowing.