How do you communicate with your Gods\Godesses? [Advice Needed]

[Rabbit Heart]

Do you talk out loud to them? in your head? Write them a letter? How do you communicate with them?

I'm hoping not to sound like an ignorant noob here [although I am, hehe. :weirdsmil] but I really want to communicate somehow with the Gods. I want them to let me know they are there, or that they hear me. I really want a relationship with them but in the back of my mind there is a bit of doubt telling me that I'm fooling myself into delusion [although I never had a problem believing in the existence of one god or some greater power, go figure.]

What is the 'right' way to communicate with the gods? Will they hear you if you talk to them in your head [thought form], or do you have to talk out loud? I also know they might not choose to communicate with me no matter what I do, but I hope that's not the case!

Sorry for the questions, I'm just a confused noobie. :hahugh:

[StarlitNox]

PM sent :D

[Avalanche]

I don't think there's necessarily a right or wrong way to talk to them. Maybe some have preferences. But talking out loud works best for me, although I will do it in my head if there's people around who I don't want to explain things to. It's more about getting in the right mindset for me in order to really feel like I'm doing it "right." For instance, when I first wake up in the morning, I just don't feel that's a good time to talk to my god. It just doesn't feel right. Now, when I'm driving down the freeway at 70+ miles per hour, that always feels like a good time. To talk to my god, that is.

I also apparently have done "written communication" too. I have a short prayer to Thor written on one of my hockey sticks and someone said that anytime I use that stick, it's like praying to Thor, even without me saying anything. Not sure I really agree with that, but if that's how someone feels about it, that's cool. Maybe I am. Of course, I do pray to Thor when I'm playing hockey anyway, either out loud or in my head, so maybe it sounds like the whole team is saying, "Hail Thor!"

[~Runa~]

You should communicate to your gods in a way that you feel comfortable with.

[Heliotrope]

I sing to them! Singing brings fresh air into the lungs and melody is "harmonic connection between all living things" (haha, I steals a movie quotes). I will pray with water, cleansing hands and face and marking the third eye (I do this when I need a quick moment of calm during a busy day) and I pray with incense smoke (I want to move to sage smudging, but that's a little farther down the line).

I know that Green Man and Gaia both can hear me, no matter if I think it or sing it, because we all are apart of the Universe. If I do have doubts (and those happen!) I'll perform that water ablution, to remind me that all elements are real and powerful, and that they come from the loving, flowing earth, who is She, who mates with Him. Remembering the way we all connect is very spiritual for me, and it helps strengthen my faith.

I hope that you find a way to communicate to your deities, OP, and that you find faith and reassurance. Every person prays differently--don't be afraid to try out new techniques!

[Woden's Spear]

I don't think there's necessarily a right or wrong way to talk to them. Maybe some have preferences. But talking out loud works best for me, although I will do it in my head if there's people around who I don't want to explain things to. It's more about getting in the right mindset for me in order to really feel like I'm doing it "right." For instance, when I first wake up in the morning, I just don't feel that's a good time to talk to my god. It just doesn't feel right. Now, when I'm driving down the freeway at 70+ miles per hour, that always feels like a good time. To talk to my god, that is.

I also apparently have done "written communication" too. I have a short prayer to Thor written on one of my hockey sticks and someone said that anytime I use that stick, it's like praying to Thor, even without me saying anything. Not sure I really agree with that, but if that's how someone feels about it, that's cool. Maybe I am. Of course, I do pray to Thor when I'm playing hockey anyway, either out loud or in my head, so maybe it sounds like the whole team is saying, "Hail Thor!"

I know of people who frown greatly on invoking the Gods and Goddesses for matters of small importance, like sports games as in your example, games of chance, or even video games. This extends to invoking the Deities for small life problems.

Like Diamond Jim Brady, I say pshaw to them! Calling on the Gods and Goddesses only for large issues, or when you're in dire straits, comes across as entirely insincere. It reeks of having a relationship just so that you can have bigger, stronger relatives to bail you out when you're in trouble. If they're in your life, then they're with you no matter the issue, small or large.

Back when I was actively practicing martial arts(before the dreadful ECONOMIC CRUNCH that closed the school I went to down), I had runes and the names of the necessary Gods and Goddesses upon my equipment. I raised their strength when I was competing in the ring.

I've got a beautiful bindrune as my personal logo in Black Ops. It confers victory and clarity to my teammates and myself, while confusing and frightening my opponents.

[IanCorrigan]

I communicate most directly with the Gods by speaking with them in words. This can be aloud, if I'm in ritual or other more formal situation, or silently in my mind in public places. Even when speaking in my mind I do my best to use clear words and whole sentences, not simply trying to convey some impression wordlessly. It's not so much that i don't think the Gods can figure out what I mean, rather that I don't think people know what they/we mean unless we can put it plainly into words. Putting things into words makes ua ll more clear and careful, and that's good.

One thing I'd recommend is the making of direct offerings to the Gods. This can be as simple as burning a little incense to them or pouring some clean water on the ground. It can also be more complex, such as setting a symbolic meal for them or giving silver or stones into water. One thing we can be certain of from ancient and traditional polytheism is that offerings were a key part of dealing with the Gods and spirits. When I moved from Wiccan-style ceremonial invocation without offerings to more traditional spoken invocation with offerings I found a great improvement in the direct nature of my relationship with them.

[Silverwing]

I communicate most directly with the Gods by speaking with them in words. This can be aloud, if I'm in ritual or other more formal situation, or silently in my mind in public places. Even when speaking in my mind I do my best to use clear words and whole sentences, not simply trying to convey some impression wordlessly. It's not so much that i don't think the Gods can figure out what I mean, rather that I don't think people know what they/we mean unless we can put it plainly into words. Putting things into words makes ua ll more clear and careful, and that's good.

One thing I'd recommend is the making of direct offerings to the Gods. This can be as simple as burning a little incense to them or pouring some clean water on the ground. It can also be more complex, such as setting a symbolic meal for them or giving silver or stones into water. One thing we can be certain of from ancient and traditional polytheism is that offerings were a key part of dealing with the Gods and spirits. When I moved from Wiccan-style ceremonial invocation without offerings to more traditional spoken invocation with offerings I found a great improvement in the direct nature of my relationship with them.

I definitely agree with this. Personally, I speak to the gods most often in my head throughout the day, but I make sure to offer them sacrifices every now and then (and always when asking for help with something major). Generally it's a tealight candle dedicated to them along with a stick of incense, but I've also offered my own tears and some drops of blood a couple times after breaking down sobbing in front of my altar from stress and desperation. I see it similar to giving a gift to a dear friend - it shows that you appreciate them and are thinking about them, which (in my experience) leads to a better, stronger relationship.

[Rabbit Heart]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate it.

Maybe I'm over thinking things a little and being a bit impatient. I read over a few old threads where people talked about not having contact with the Gods for a few years after becoming Pagan, so I feel a bit silly that I expected it to come so fast. :bigredblu

One thing I'm going to try to do as soon as possible is to give an offering to the Gods like a few of you mentioned. The giving a gift to a dear friend thing made sense to me.

Thanks again guys!

[sol_mas]

Hello,

Great question. You should get many different answers; relationships with the Divine are very personal. Like others have listed, I talk, pray and give offerings. When inspiration strikes me, I write poems and prayers to Her. When the connection seems 'quiet' the things I've written rekindle that connection, reminding me of what She's done for me.

Try to take the time to find what ways are comfortable for you.

-sm

[AngelinaDraconis]

I generally communicate through meditation, sometimes I can hear her as a voice in the back of my head very distinctive from my own. When meditating though I usually communicate with her through visualization and spoken word. I'm constantly talking with them though, if it's not outloud it is through my own thoughts and feelings.

I would love to someday meet with them on the astral plane or through dreams, but I haven't quite gotten there yet... I'm hoping I'll be able to soon!