The physical beingness of deities.

[anise]

I'm curious as to how everybody actually perceives the deities (whichever you believe in, this isn't a question of that). Whomever you do believe in, what are they to you? Are they physical beings on the astral plane? Are there physical incarnations of them on this world? Are they nothing but energy?

I guess I'm just curious because I've never had a good conversation about this with anybody.

[Mindflayer]

I tend to personify them...kinda


I see them as energy that exists everywhere at once, but I also see them as "physical" beings that exist on a level outside our plane of reality

[TYRRHENUS]

Hey anise.
I believe the Gods are very much physical. They can touch us.
I also believe that through meditation and invocation that one can touch the Gods, but if they don't like it, watch out!I believe some Gods are the collective will, experience and emotions of intelligent beings.While others are as old as time.I do not believe that there is only one God.I also believe that MOST people have a God (within them).The soul is actually an unworshipped God.

My references to ancient Roman sources are almost a chiché, but my best reference would be Cicero's The Nature of the Gods. In this, Cicero debates the Epicurean, Stoic and Academic schools, as well as comparisons of the belief systems of many peoples in the ancient Mediterranean... Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, etc. (If you're into that.)

[Rain Gnosis]

I believe Gods are archetypal links to collective or individual unconscious.

[Theres]

i too personify the Gods, mostly as a conventional point of reference for us mere humans.
but i don't think they are in the astral plane... much higher in fact.

and i am not one of those who believes that all Gods are one God.

[Angel,too]

I believe the Gods are very much physical. They can touch us.
I also believe that through meditation and invocation that one can touch the Gods, but if they don't like it, watch out!
I believe some Gods are the collective will, experience and emotions of intelligent beings.
While others are as old as time.
I do not believe that there is only one God.
I also believe that MOST people have a God (within them).
The soul is actually an unworshipped God.
Tyrrhenus...this is wonderful! You really have a handle on what you believe. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Anise...

My beliefs are constantly changing and evolving, especially with regard to spiritual matters. So what I believe today may be much different tomorrow. But for right now...

I believe that there are as many different kinds of gods as there are different kinds of people (and by people I mean all sentient beings of this and other worlds). Some of them may be pure energy while others are very much like ourselves...to where you wouldn't recognize them as being any different than you or me if you saw them walking down the street. Some are shape- and/or dimension-shifters and can exist on more than one plane and/or travel between planes. I do tend to believe in god as a collective. Sometimes in prayer, it's easier for me to envision ONE made up of many (kind of borgish) than to try to focus on numerous different entities for various aspects.

Since I haven't ever really put any of this stuff down in writing before, it probably sounds very disjointed. But thanks for making me attempt to put it all into words. I'm going to think on this some more.

Peace,
Angel :halohead:

[Ben Trismegistus]

I'm with Rain on this one.

I don't believe that the gods have physical forms, not like we do, with lymphatic systems and bones and muscles 'n' stuff. I think that any form a deity would have would be pure energy -- part of "The Force", if you will.

[Tammy Sullivan]

I'm with Rain as well but tend to agree with TYRRHENUS about the soul being an unworshipped God....well actually I tend to agree with them both in some ways....

[SylverStar]

Hmm well I always explain them as ideas that help us connect certain aspects together and used as a focusing point. I don't personify them in anyway. I do consider we as people as godlike though. I believe that we ultimately control everything with willpower. So therefor you can say I believe god is within each of us. We are every god and goddess because they are essentially are creations.

[anise]

Some interesting replies! I love to hear how different people view deities in different ways.

Me, I'm just starting to get a semi-firm on handle on how I view the deities. In the very most basic sense, I believe that deities are simply a personification of a certain energy. For example, there is not sentient physical god of agriculture (let's say), but all the energies combined can be communicated with and personified just to hold together the idea of the combined energies.

If that made sense... like I said, I'm just starting to grasp a firm belief ;).

[anise]

Some interesting replies! I love to hear how different people view deities in different ways.

Me, I'm just starting to get a semi-firm on handle on how I view the deities. In the very most basic sense, I believe that deities are simply a personification of a certain energy. For example, there is not sentient physical god of agriculture (let's say), but all the energies combined can be communicated with and personified just to hold together the idea of the combined energies.

If that made sense... like I said, I'm just starting to grasp a firm belief ;).

[Armitage]

Frown what I've seen, they can condense the Universal energies they are into forms we can understand, even perceive. I've had a few occasions when I ran into people at work, customers who looked EXACTLY like how I saw certain deities, and even at my most skeptical it comes down to Synchronicity. Fun stuff. :hehehehe:

[Rain Gnosis]

Interesting thought, Armitage. I always wonder if ether/akasha/energy/spirit/etc. manifests that way of it's own volition or because of our perceptions. For instance, do we see God in the moon because God is literally there, or because the moon is Divine? KWIM?

[Laurelei]

The soul is actually an unworshipped God.
Hmm, interesting. I believe that new souls are created out of the Spirit just as the Gods and Goddesses are, so I agree on that one. I wonder if the Gods and Goddesses are created all-intelligent and understanding, or did they have to go through thousands of lifetimes in training? Do you think the Old Ones can become Gods/esses?

[TYRRHENUS]

Do you think the Old Ones can become Gods/esses?
Asking me? Yep. So can we. A person's soul is a God. If you or anyone else prays to it, it becomes stronger. :hehehehe:

[Xentor]

I believe God is universe and universe is God. The universe consists of emptiness and energy. Knots of energy can be deities and angels and the likes (but also planets and people). In that view, a deity is someone who has more influence on its surroundings than, for instance, a human.

[Armitage]

Interesting thought, Armitage. I always wonder if ether/akasha/energy/spirit/etc. manifests that way of it's own volition or because of our perceptions. For instance, do we see God in the moon because God is literally there, or because the moon is Divine? KWIM?

*shrugs* Does it matter? Either way, it would end up being filtered through personal perceptions, and someone probably has a third and fourth way to apply to it. I feel there are no coincidences, and if the significance is only applicable to one, then so be it. They'll take some wisdom from the experience, hopefully laced with some common-sense, and learn something or Know something important to them.
And what's 'KWIM'?

[Xentor]

(KWIM? - K.W.I.M.? - "Know what I mean?")

[Aidron]

I have yet to meet anyone with my ideal of god, which pleases me to no end since I love to be original. :lol:

Here is my approach to god, for what it's worth:


I believe that god is neither caring nor cruel. Neither beautiful nor ugly. It simply is. What it exemplifies most is truth, knowledge, and wisdom. It does not presnt us with challenges to be cruel, nor does it help us get out of them to be compassionate. It presents us with challenges to teach us, to instill the wisdom of the universe upon us, and help us see the light of truth. It then presents us with opportunities to solve the challenges we face. We learn as we go and with its help we learn more by each passing day. The goal? To perfect our very being until we no longer need the material world and can simply go on to exist as beings of pure energy and thought, much like how I view god.

It is neither male nor female, man nor divine, but it is all things encompassing. It cares only to help all things seek enlightement and attune to the cosmos in a harmonious way. Man, animal, plant, all things.

I see deities, such as Hecate and Apollo, as aspects of it. To clarify further, think of an oak tree. It has many leaves (okay, unless it's autumn and winter). Each leaf represents one deity or aspect of divinity. One for Hecate, Apollo, Buddha, etc. They all are leaves, yet no two leaves are alike and we can learn a lot from each individual leaf. Perhaps one was ravaged by insects, while another has wilted for some reason. One may be flourishing strongly, despite being on the bottom where no sun ever truly reaches it. Even we, human beings can alter the leaves. We shape and form them. We can help them thrive or tear them from the tree. Think of this as us inventing deities over the ages and discarding some. We always shape and mold god to our own tastes and preferences, much like we would trim this tree to suit our taste for how we wish our yard to look. These leaves, however, only represent a small portion of the actual tree. We label each deity as the leaves, but when melded together to work in harmony, they become the tree.

Leaves may come and go over the seasons, being recycled back into the cosmos (or the surrounding terrain), but the tree is strong and can last many, many years. Eventually we may evolve to a point where we no longer believe in god as a species or need it. Much like a tree when it is no longer nurtured, it will perish.

[aefentid]

I'm a polytheist, I believe the Gods are separate and individual. I also see my Gods as respected elder kin.

[HuntinOwl]

I'm curious as to how everybody actually perceives the deities (whichever you believe in, this isn't a question of that). Whomever you do believe in, what are they to you? Are they physical beings on the astral plane? Are there physical incarnations of them on this world? Are they nothing but energy?

I guess I'm just curious because I've never had a good conversation about this with anybody.

I have read that Odin, Hercules and others were real people and through time has elevated to Deity. There is also talk about how Entities such as trees and sprits of an area has gained strength through worship of a group or tribe or civilization of the area to become a Deity. I don’t believe that the human soul can become a Deity, though we are connected to the divine “ALL” through the spark of life. I think that it is more than that. Like Angel/Entities and Deities they all have the ability to move through plains/realms and dimensions of reality. We only can move from realm/plains and dimensions in our sleep or a altered state of consciousness. We can gain knowledge and put energy in the astral but, we cant get immediate physical change Like a Deity/Entity/Angel.

So how do I perceive Deity, I believe that all the aspects of Deity whether God or Goddess are real. They can but groups as the All or used singularly for the need at hand. They are here for our needs to lend energies to us to use in good or bane. They don’t have any argument for either. There just there to help. Then you have “KARMA”, she show you how it felt when you do some one wrong that did not deserve it.