The Gods of your Land!

[wind]

Some people say the gods chose you! But then others choose there own pantheon.

In my own practice I am all about connecting and relating with the land of my area. By conencting with the spirits of the area I live in, and also the seasons etc. Such as somone in California cannot relate to someone in Canada because the spirits and weather conditions are totally different! So since I am all about connecting to the spirits of the land, I also wonder about the gods and goddes'es of the land

I cannot relate to an Egyptian deity since I live in Canada, Ontario. I would relate more to a deity of the country I live in. I could look into indigenous cultures seeing as how though the first nations people were here before we came!

My question is, how does one find a pantheon of deities to where they live. I do think everyone can relate to the deity of, mother earth because we all live on her!

I am already about to connect with the spirits of my local forest, my yard, and my city I live in! But I would also like to connect with the deities of my country/land. Also it goes back to you don't choose your deities they choose you. However I just cannot relate to a deity who's domain is in Egypt or in Europe etc. Thanks and blessings!

[Caelia]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

Depends. While I disagree with the idea someone can't connect to gods of another land, I get what you're trying to say. You feel it's about the culture tied to the gods.

I feel the solution is to look at values or to look at the gods as archetypes. Heck, the names of gods themselves usually reference an aspect of Them, Sekhmet as a great example since Her name means "powerful one".

[Sarkana night]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

Tsk, tsk,... I totally disagree with that idea too.

[Corvus]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

I completely disagree with this

[Gardenia]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

I agree that this is not a universal issue, there are many who can connect to deities from other lands for all sorts of reasons - be it because they feel they have an ancestral tie, or because there are many deities who have qualities which cross cultural borders. Deities traveled in the ancient world, with their people, or fro culture to culture, so it's not unheard of.

That said, if it's not working for you, nothing wrong with wanting to look local. It's pretty easy to do, you just need to figure out who was living there originally/if there were more than one group. Then do some research into their mythology, and be sure to approach respectfully, especially since a lot of the cultures in this area of the world have been treated pretty poorly.

[Jembru]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

I get a lot from connecting with local deities, but I don't at all feel that it is better for everyone. Some of my gods seem to have travelled to England from other parts of Europe, and others were adopted by the Romans, or blended with their own deities. So I don't feel a god is attached to an area as such. When I worshipped Isis, I met her in the local area. I held a similar view of her as the Farrers documented in their book about Goddesses when they spoke of Isis veiled and Isis unveiled. So for me, it mattered not that I used an Egyptian name for my goddess. All that mattered was I had a name and a concept of deity that worked for me.

You also asked how I found a local pantheon? Well, I'm on my mobile, but if I had my netbook, I could copy and paste a chunk of my blog entry on how I found Brigantia. The short answer is that the Romans very handily left a bunch of inscriptions to the local gods they absorbed while they were here.

I've also had the experience of local deities rejecting me though. When I was in Japan I was captivated by Shinto and the cool stone kami dotted about the land. I tried to reach out and work with these local gods but I felt nothing. I can't explain but I just know when I am in tune with a deity. It could all be in my mind, but if so, my mind decided Shinto wasn't for me, because I felt nothing. In fact, no, it wasn't nothing, it really felt like a rejection. Like, 'leave us alone'.

Everyone's experience of deity is different and it's a bit unfair to claim that one way of doing things is better or more natural than another.

[wind]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

thanks every one It was just a thought I just wanted to see what people would think, and if this idea would work... but I thought about it today and said, why should it matter of what culture it is in... so I decided ill just look at deities in other cultures

[Jembru]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

thanks every one It was just a thought I just wanted to see what people would think, and if this idea would work... but I thought about it today and said, why should it matter of what culture it is in... so I decided ill just look at deities in other cultures

Can't you do both? I'm finding that although I began my search locally, I've been led to parallels in other parts of the world. So while my deities are local, I've also been moved to look into aspects of Hinduism and although the deities rejected me, I have used some ideas from Shinto to understand how the locals may have conceptualised the idea of faeries and local spirits. Shinto and more so Buddhist ideas are also helping me to understand ancestor worship, which was huge for my ancestors but I have found it somewhat missing, or dumbed down in modern pagan literature. Even groups claiming to be Celtic this or Celtic that, don't always place much emphasis on ancestors. Although I can't see myself borring this, I love the Chinese custom of burning paper replicas of things for their loved ones to use on the otherside. Things like that just help me to understand how the local Celts might have felt about their departed too.

[wind]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

that is very true ! I can look into deities of other cultures but also deities of the land I live in. Maybe my best bet would be to look into native american spirits/deities of canada seeing as how though they were the first people here ty

[Pallas]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

I can see where you're coming from. I'd be lying if I said I never once wondered why I didn't stick with the gods of my heritage. My mother is Celtic and my father Scandinavian. You'd think I'd find comfort in one or both Celtic and Nordic Paganism. But for some reason I have always been drawn to Athena. Not Greek, don't speak it, not married to a Greek not even interested in speaking it or living in Greece. Athena to me is international. She loved Athens and that was her city, but that didn't mean she was incapable of loving those who would one day give birth to descendants from around the world. I'd say it's the same for many religions. Christianity loves Israel, Islam's language is Arabic. That doesn't mean others don't follow it. So don't feel pressure to find other deities.

There are some religions that are nationality and ethnically based. Shinto was mentioned above. I'd have a hard time seeing how any non-Japanese could get into that since it is all about being proud to be Japanese and live in Japan. Not sure about all the different religions of Natives in North and South America. Some of those may be solely ethnically based but it doesn't hurt to give it a shot. But if it gives you meaning then that means those spirits have accepted you. So native, Japanese or whatever, it doesn't hurt to try.

[Jembru]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

There are some religions that are nationality and ethnically based. Shinto was mentioned above. I'd have a hard time seeing how any non-Japanese could get into that since it is all about being proud to be Japanese and live in Japan. Not sure about all the different religions of Natives in North and South America. Some of those may be solely ethnically based but it doesn't hurt to give it a shot. But if it gives you meaning then that means those spirits have accepted you. So native, Japanese or whatever, it doesn't hurt to try.

I dunno, I have crossed paths with a few people who practice Shinto without having ever set foot in Japan. I lived there, and was indeed proud to be there, when I tried to study it. Yet not a single of my Japanese friends considers themselves religious or genuinely believes in any of the Shinto or Buddhist spirits. They just like to wear yukata and look at the pretty lanterns.. fireworks... petals.. (it varies depending on the reason they're not at work on that day..). It wasn't for me, but I imagine the kami are probably pretty lonely these days so should welcome interest from gaijin.

I agree that while there was probably a time when gods belonged specifically to an area and it would be strange to worship them outside of that area, the world is a smaller place now and I see enough people content with gods from all over the place, to conclude that they're open to long-distance relationships.

This is making me desperate to get my teeth into more Brigantia and Bregans blogs. I wish I didn't have so much to do before the New Year.

[Medusa]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

Searching for a deity seems to be like shopping for jeans at the mall.
This idea reeks of 'not real' all over it. Sorry.
I was totally off topic.
I am aware of that.
Smite away.

[Caelia]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

Anyway, the point being that some people are called to gods regardless. The practice may be off limits to some degree, but that's changing. If that still doesn't jive with you there are still some ideas presented in this thread to consider.

[Jembru]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

Searching for a deity seems to be like shopping for jeans at the mall.
This idea reeks of 'not real' all over it. Sorry.
I was totally off topic.
I am aware of that.
Smite away.

It is, what's your point? I choose jeans that suit my shape, are in my budget, compliment my personality and make me feel good. The last part is probably the important point here. Whether or not gods are real, doesn't subtract from the fact that the person sporting their deities feels amazing, has confidence and walkes with that swaggar that says, 'I KNOW I'm sexy babe..' so.. where's the problem?

Also, as a massive weaboo and Japan fan, why didn't shinto work for me? If I could have chosen any path and made it fit, I would definitely have chosen Shinto.. and yet... So I'm not sure it smacks of quite as much 'not real' as you say. There is SOMETHING be it external or internal, that those of us who have beliefs are experiencing. Not believing is a choice too, .and one that works very well for you and your life is no worse for not believing. But ya know, not everyone can fit into your jeans...

[westwoden]

Re: The Gods of your Land!

A lot of the concepts or archetypes for the Gods are the same, just with different names.

ie: a kid in Bangladesh thinking of a pond spirit that looks after him would be the same for a kid in Scotland.

but different names would be given.

These Gods would be like cousins or just the same but in two places at the same time.