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  • Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

    So after reading over 30 articles (YES, I counted) on the subject I finally am just at the point of "Paganforum help me", so here I am

    My question is hard to word, but..... how do you establish contact or a connection with a god/the gods? As in, through offerings, a specific ritual, etc? Or through meditation? Or does it depend on the person?

    I admit that for a while I got very frustrated and kind of just fell out of offerings and meditation, which I'm picking back up again now, but since I'm kind of "starting fresh" I really want to go about this the right way this time.

    I've tried making offerings before, but I never felt any connection or acknowledgement, so I'm wondering if maybe I'm doing something wrong?

    Also, if I just need to be patient, than just tell me "Crystal just shut up and wait" and I'll get the picture
    Love me for who I am, not for who you want me to be.

  • #2
    Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

    Personally i'd say it depends upon the individual. Yet not individual in that its one on one but individual in that you can perform standard practices but shift them around a bit. For instance Bastet I always found best to make offerings to her or just sit and talk to her in the middle of the day. When the air is hot, the sun is high and it seems to be burning right into you. It always felt wrong to do anything in the evening for me even though she has become equated to a moon goddess today vice the solar goddess she started out as.

    I get the same thing with regards to Mafdet and Pahket in making offerings and such in the middle of the day. Yet I also find for those two, and even Bastet to a degree, that it works better if I make them close to wild areas. Wild being open fields that border where I live or an area of my yard that I allowed to sort of go wild and overgrown. Then I tend to use water as a primary offering based upon the fact Kemetic life was basically built about the waters of the Nile and its three season cycle, ie floods, planting, harvest / dry period. A bit difficult to hold a three season concept within the framework of a four season environment but it can be done.

    Meditation wise I find for myself I have a sacred space / place in my mind and have a temple space. For me it's a two tiered place where I have an open brazier before each statue. On the left on the lower level are statues of Diana, Artemis and Hekate. On the right hand side lower level are statues to Bastet, Pahket and Mafdet. Between the two areas I have an opening with a single brazier type fixture that fits "Spirit" to me. On the 2nd tier on the left is one I simply call the Huntsman and on the right a statue of Sekor. Then it's not that the male gods are more important or higher just that after my life in the military the gods sort of stepped back and the goddesses have moved to the fore front again.

    I use this area for dedications to them or dedicating myself to them again. To make offerings of things that I may create just for them as individuals or as a group. At times I use it to create and spin desires, spells, etc wrapped within the notion of create in the astral to manifest upon the physical. Other times it's more of a two part process where I make offerings in the physical then remake the offering through the essence of my physical offering. Other times I just sit and talk to them as a group or as individuals.

    So i'd advise to both wait but also try to move your practices about the day to see if any one makes you feel closer to the pantheon or individual entities.
    I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

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    • #3
      Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

      So...IRL I'm a scientist. While I don't work in the field my degree is in, my background is in biology...ans as a result of this background, I think that our experiences of "god" are adaptive, that they are the product of our evolution as a species, and there is a reason that we have them that renders whether or not the gods actually exist as irrelevent. I think that an evolutionary explanation of religious development among humans, coupled with an understanding of developmental variation (even before we get to social and environmental conditioning and individual experiences) goes a long way to explaining why some people experience gods differently (or not at all).

      What are your expectations when it comes to what you feel you should be experiencing? I think that unrealistic expectations are a often the culprit of not feeling connection or acknowlegement. Very rarely is it a matter of "doing it wrong" (though not being patient enough or not "listening" is also sometimes a problem). IMO: Don't start by trying to establish a connection where none exists, start where you already feel connected. Start at the place or with the thing or idea that already gives you that numinous feeling of *mysterium tremendum et fascinans*. Look for gods that are connected to what you are connected to as your starting point.
      “You have never answered but you did not need to. If I stand at the ocean I can hear you with your thousand voices. Sometimes you shout, hilarious laughter that taunts all questions. Other nights you are silent as death, a mirror in which the stars show themselves. Then I think you want to tell me something, but you never do. Of course I know I have written letters to no-one. But what if I find a trident tomorrow?" ~~Letters to Poseidon, Cees Nooteboom

      “We still carry this primal relationship to the Earth within our consciousness, even if we have long forgotten it. It is a primal recognition of the wonder, beauty, and divine nature of the Earth. It is a felt reverence for all that exists. Once we bring this foundational quality into our consciousness, we will be able to respond to our present man-made crisis from a place of balance, in which our actions will be grounded in an attitude of respect for all of life. This is the nature of real sustainability.”
      ~~Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

      "We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes--one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way."
      ~~Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

      "Humans are not rational creatures. Now, logic and rationality are very helpful tools, but there’s also a place for embracing our subjectivity and thinking symbolically. Sometimes what our so-called higher thinking can’t or won’t see, our older, more primitive intuition will." John Beckett

      Pagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
      sigpic

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      • #4
        Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

        I'm not a scientist IRL, I just play one on the internet.

        But, like Thalassa, I think we get these feelings for a reason.

        It may be that you are "listening" for the wrong thing. The clouds will not part, a crowned figure will not appear, and there will be no booming voice (like a Monty Python animation)... unless you have gone insane, or are on heavy drugs.

        It will most likely be more like the experiences described in this article.
        Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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        • #5
          Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

          I'd say it depends on the god(s) as well. Lugh came when I asked him to, but Rhiannon just showed up.

          I did do a lot of offerings and meditation and prayers, etc as a matter of course back then, and never really expected anything to come of it. But then they were there for me when I did need them. So maybe it's just a matter of time before they hear you, or you're ready.

          I might mention that I, too, am a scientist IRL, but I can separate my beliefs from my practise. But my personal theories are a bit heavy for this question, though, I think.

          My own personal experience is kind of hard to explain. When Rhiannon came to me, it was as thoughts in my head. In my voice, but thoughts I wouldn't normally have. She spoke in a more commanding and strong tone than I ever use, and I knew instantly that it was her.

          So maybe you have been hearing them, but you didn't know it?
          She is like a cat in the dark and then she is the darkness. ~~(=^._.^)

          I got my war paint on and I'm off to go passive-aggressive all over these socially awkward man-witches.

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          • #6
            Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

            Mm, thank you to everyone who answered
            Honestly, I don't expect anything like that. I was just searching for ANY kind of connection.

            Thalassa, you do make an excellent point. I'm going to try and look into some of the more obscure deities and see if I can find one that connects to my own passions.

            The thing is this. See, the other day I was looking into Therianthropy (please no nasty comments that is none of your business) and the things I read kind of knocked a loose bolt into the right place. See, I'm an anxiety-ridden, I-have-to-know-exactly-what-I'm-doing-and-do-it-right type person. And I kind of realized (something I should have figured out already, but hey, my good grades aside I can be a bit dim sometimes) that I was overthinking everything I did so much I wasn't even paying attention to how I felt.
            Religion, spirituality, all of it is so hard for me because there's no rules, no directions, no certainty, and no one to tell me exactly what I should do. It's different for everyone, and they say you have to trust yourself. I have no faith in my own abilities. I'm constantly second-guessing myself, beating myself up about every conversation I have or everything I do becuase I'm SURE I did it wrong.
            My drama teacher pulled me aside the other day and told me I need to get out of my head and stop worrying. I know he's right.........

            I'm going to try really hard to er, not think I guess. Or at least get out of my head
            Love me for who I am, not for who you want me to be.

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            • #7
              Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

              Some people find it easy to communicate with others, some don't. It's obviously going to be the same when it comes to Gods. I find understanding people hard enough at times, so I don't expect to sense the presence of Gods. As a character in a novel said, "some men you need to hit with a brick, others with a big brick." Last year at Heliogenna, the only time the Sun emerged from the clouds was during the few minutes when I was singing a hymn. That's how obvious a God has to be for me to register them!

              The point of all this waffle is that you may be the sort who just doesn't register the Gods easily. You get a lot of people who post or write about their religious experiences, but they're a minority of the population. How many Christians are like Teresa of Avila? If you don't sense the Gods are there, at least you can be sure that they know you are. No God worth worshiping is going to turn up just because you want her to: leave it to them and be sure that the Gods care about their worshipers, even if they don't keep popping in to say hello.

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              • #8
                Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

                I suppose I will be reiterating much of what has been said here, but I don't think there is a set and exclusive way to hold a dialogue with the gods. We all discover that which work best for each of us.

                Every day, I try to spend some time speaking to or meditating on the concept of one god. I've never exactly heard any clear phrase, but there are concepts, ideas, emotions, and inspiration that I feel. And I don't find it limited to the times when I am actively worshiping. In my everyday goings about, there may be a gust of wind, an act of kindness, ray of sunshine, a duty performed, and it is through these simple things that the gods speak to me as well. I like to believe they are in the whole world around me, and even if they are only in my heart, they are always speaking. But we are all different, and this is merely how I perceive it.

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                • #9
                  Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

                  Originally posted by CrystalJackal View Post
                  So after reading over 30 articles (YES, I counted) on the subject I finally am just at the point of "Paganforum help me", so here I am

                  My question is hard to word, but..... how do you establish contact or a connection with a god/the gods? As in, through offerings, a specific ritual, etc? Or through meditation? Or does it depend on the person?

                  I admit that for a while I got very frustrated and kind of just fell out of offerings and meditation, which I'm picking back up again now, but since I'm kind of "starting fresh" I really want to go about this the right way this time.

                  I've tried making offerings before, but I never felt any connection or acknowledgement, so I'm wondering if maybe I'm doing something wrong?

                  Also, if I just need to be patient, than just tell me "Crystal just shut up and wait" and I'll get the picture
                  Meditation has always worked best for me when making that initial connection. Something to keep in mind though is just because you think a God/dess is perfect for you and you want to make a connection with them doesn't necessarily mean they'll feel the same way.

                  When I was first starting out, I did all kinds of research to find the perfect Goddess for me to start off with. I decided Artemis was the answer and was perfect for me. I've always been a bit of a tomboy and I was very slow to develop in the love interest department (I didn't understand why so many of my peers were so obsessed with dating and romance, though I've since caught up ).

                  I was sure that Artemis was perfect for me.

                  When I meditated and managed to contact her for the first time, I found out that she didn't agree. She told me that there was a Goddess better suited for me and that she was actually my patron. Athena then stepped forward and I've had the strongest connection with her ever since.

                  It was weird because I thought Athena was too smart and wise for me as I can be a bit silly and flighty at times, so I had originally rejected her as a possibility. I've since come to realize that because of my love of art and literature, she's perfect for me And I think she didn't really care when I eventually lost my virginity but I feel like it would have been more of an issue with Artemis, though I could be wrong about that.

                  Also, the way I understand it, deities talk to us through our imagination, so expecting to hear an outside voice isn't realistic, at least, in my experience. You have to allow yourself to freely dream when meditating and see what happens; don't try to control your imagination. To hear God/desses, you have to allow them to enter and take control; or at least, that's the way it works for me

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                  • #10
                    Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

                    Originally posted by SleepingCompass View Post
                    Meditation has always worked best for me when making that initial connection. Something to keep in mind though is just because you think a God/dess is perfect for you and you want to make a connection with them doesn't necessarily mean they'll feel the same way.

                    When I was first starting out, I did all kinds of research to find the perfect Goddess for me to start off with. I decided Artemis was the answer and was perfect for me. I've always been a bit of a tomboy and I was very slow to develop in the love interest department (I didn't understand why so many of my peers were so obsessed with dating and romance, though I've since caught up ).

                    I was sure that Artemis was perfect for me.

                    When I meditated and managed to contact her for the first time, I found out that she didn't agree. She told me that there was a Goddess better suited for me and that she was actually my patron. Athena then stepped forward and I've had the strongest connection with her ever since.

                    It was weird because I thought Athena was too smart and wise for me as I can be a bit silly and flighty at times, so I had originally rejected her as a possibility. I've since come to realize that because of my love of art and literature, she's perfect for me And I think she didn't really care when I eventually lost my virginity but I feel like it would have been more of an issue with Artemis, though I could be wrong about that.

                    Also, the way I understand it, deities talk to us through our imagination, so expecting to hear an outside voice isn't realistic, at least, in my experience. You have to allow yourself to freely dream when meditating and see what happens; don't try to control your imagination. To hear God/desses, you have to allow them to enter and take control; or at least, that's the way it works for me
                    Oh wow this explains it really well to my screwy autistic brain

                    No but seriously this makes a lot of sense and it really helped me to understand, so thank you so much.
                    Love me for who I am, not for who you want me to be.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

                      Originally posted by CrystalJackal View Post
                      Oh wow this explains it really well to my screwy autistic brain

                      No but seriously this makes a lot of sense and it really helped me to understand, so thank you so much.
                      Glad I could help

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

                        As a shaman, I would advise that apart from being patient, you manage your expectations of how this communication will manifest for you. I find that divinity in creation will often adapt to your own ideals - divinity has always been there; we only need perceive it. These things really can take time (it took me two seasons before I had my first seemingly authentic shamanistic experience), and I would hate for you to have missed out just because you might have been expecting something in particular. Keep an open mind and be receptive to what your gods will throw at you. I personally have never spoken to any god, but I do regularly connect with more animist entities - spirits of plants, trees, animals, entities dwelling in streams, ponds, lakes, that sort of thing. And in all cases, without the help of psychadelic drugs or hallucinogens, it has always been about listening intently to everything. If you have already been doing this, then keep it up. If you would like to try another avenue, I can always recommend a method from my own shamanist tradition that may work for you. Feel free to approach me or ask me anything else here. Happy hunting.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

                          Originally posted by CrystalJackal View Post
                          My question is hard to word, but..... how do you establish contact or a connection with a god/the gods? As in, through offerings, a specific ritual, etc? Or through meditation? Or does it depend on the person?
                          Sometimes it depends on the god(s). Many polytheists do not believe the gods are omnipotent, omniscient or omnipresent. For whatever reason, the god/dess you eventually contact or who contacts you may be busy with something else. Whether the gods are listening or not, I make offerings and go about my ritual business.

                          When I practiced Hinduism, I could not get close to Rama or Krishna, though they are two of the most popular gods, and I very much wanted to. As I was leaving Hinduism I was feeling more of a connection to Shiva and Devi in several of her forms (Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, even Kali). Ironically, now that I'm no longer Hindu I feel them a bit more.

                          Then Thor whacked me upside the head, and grabbed me in a headlock. To some conservative and orthodox Heathens, that is not only UPG (unverified personal gnosis), but bordering on MUS (made up shit). Nevertheless, it's what I feel. Now I occasionally also feel the presence of other Norse deities, on and off. When I don't feel them try to remember that they may be busy with something else. See, I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, which sometimes gets in the way.

                          This article might help a bit http://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbec...tual-path.html

                          Originally posted by CrystalJackal View Post
                          The thing is this. See, the other day I was looking into Therianthropy (please no nasty comments that is none of your business)
                          I don't think anyone thinks less of it or would make any nasty comments. It's found even in Norse mythology. Loki and Odin are masters of it. We have the Berserkers also, albeit it's more of a mental state for them. http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ54707.pdf This is just to point out that it's not that uncommon.
                          śivāya vishnu rūpaya śivaḥ rūpaya vishnave
                          śivasya hridayam viṣṇur viṣṇoscha hridayam śivaḥ

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                          • #14
                            Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

                            Originally posted by Thorbjorn View Post
                            .. I don't think anyone thinks less of it or would make any nasty comments. It's found even in Norse mythology. Loki and Odin are masters of it. We have the Berserkers also, albeit it's more of a mental state for them. http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ54707.pdf This is just to point out that it's not that uncommon.
                            Not sure i'd say they show therianthropy as much as skin walking. Therianthropy tends to be the belief that your soul is in part made up of some animal element. Sort of the animal world aspect of otherkin. So while a shapeshifter / shiftshaper may believe they can assume the form and character of an animal they do not, in my experience, tend to believe their soul is part animal. Yet like power animals it seems all the therianthropes always seem to believe it is some predator that makes up part of their soul as they take animal traits and animorph them. It seems, again to me anyway, that the creature is usually wolf, bear or occasionally some form of feline. Have yet to meet one that claims their animal soul is rabbit for instance.
                            I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

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                            • #15
                              Re: Contacting/Interacting With/ Talking to the Gods?

                              Originally posted by monsno_leedra View Post
                              Yet like power animals it seems all the therianthropes always seem to believe it is some predator that makes up part of their soul as they take animal traits and animorph them. It seems, again to me anyway, that the creature is usually wolf, bear or occasionally some form of feline. Have yet to meet one that claims their animal soul is rabbit for instance.
                              There are many Therians who identify with prey animals. I'm not sure how much you've experienced of that community but I also spent some time looking into therianthropy. In the end, I decided that I am not one, but I met some really interesting and thoughtful people. I even met one lady who identified as part earwig.

                              Anyway, back to the subject--I think it also bears mentioning that we hear a lot about experiences of divine communication or connection because they're more interesting to talk about than all the other times where we just meditated peacefully in shrine. Stories of divine contact get blown out of proportion that way, and folks who hear about these things expect to experience them all the time and think they're failing if they don't. It's actually quite natural to have a quiet day in shrine. Once you get used to the silence, perhaps you'll start to notice more easily the subtle things which mark an experience as something special.
                              With kind regards,
                              Banu

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