Choosing a pantheon

[wind]

Hello

okay so I did a post today talking about deities of the land and how I couldn't relate to deities from other cultures, but then I thought why does it matter what culture it is from? So I decided to be open to all deities from all cultures... I had this idea that I would find it easier to connect with deities of my country, but what I really found out was is that I was interested in the country in my land, not that I couldn't relate to other deity cultures.

My question is how do/did you find a pantheon. I find it intersting on others stories on how they found there deities and pantheon? I have found that within my practice the deities that come to me are usually from egptian background or greek!!! And when you found your pantheon how did you go about researching that culture? Did you go to the library? the reason I'm asking is, I find it interesting on others stories like said above xD

The deities that I am intersted in in the past and present are, Hecate, Athena, Bast, Thoth, Aphrodite, and one not from Greek or egptian, The Green Man... and also ganesh LOL omfg...

So basically my question is how did you choose a pantheon? and when you choose your pantheon how did you choose your deity? (maybe by a ritual etc)

[ConnollyCelt]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I started off as Celtic, found out that I didn't like it so much and decided to go Norse instead. Something just clicked, and I've been a Heathen ever since.

After that I searched the internet, downloaded an ebook and went to the library. To be a pagan you need to know about myth, rituals, history and all that jazz. Unless you are educated then you are groping in the dark.

Choosing a pantheon is not important in my opinion. Just do what you're interested in and everything will stem from that. Don't shove yourself in a box. So go the library, read about gods and goddesses and see which ones speak to you the most

[Raphaeline]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I don't buy my gods wholesale... so to speak. (And I don't mean that to sound offensive to recons or polytheists that DO worship gods all of one pantheon.) I have never been able to really click with a single pantheon; the gods I worship come from several. I have a relationship with Dionysos, and to a lesser extent to Hermes and Hestia, but I don't feel much for the rest of the Hellenic gods. I worship Ganesha and Parvati, and though I feel closer to the Hindu pantheon, I only have shrines for those two, only work with them. Polytheists, historically speaking, weren't too concerned with remaining within the realm of a single pantheon, either - who was it that thanked one god for introducing him to the "god Jesus"? Polytheism doesn't limit you to a certain set of gods at a time.

[Gardenia]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

So basically my question is how did you choose a pantheon? and when you choose your pantheon how did you choose your deity? (maybe by a ritual etc)

For very many years I only worshiped and worked with the Egyptian pantheon. It was not so much by choice, but more because they were the only deities that I ever felt any sort of response from. The first deity that ever sort of 'spoke' to me was Horus (the younger) - I didn't seek him out, he just... showed up. It's a hard feeling to explain, but it's a bit like I just knew he was there. Through him I began to know other Egyptian deities in more minor ways - and some would go on to take bigger parts in my spirituality. Like Horus some seemed to come to me, but some I also choose work with/worship for specific reasons.

Like I said, that was over the course of several years. (Through starting as a Wiccan, slowly becoming an Egyptian reconstructionist, and leaving that into the beginning years of being a hedgewitch.) Then a few years ago I started to feel called to Artemis (again, that hard to explain feeling of just knowing). Didn't know what to make of that at all. Frankly I actually tried ignoring it for almost a year. Didn't work, which I guess isn't much of a surprise... Every other deity I was actively worshiping stepped way back, she stepped forward. She has been at the front since then. (Sometimes it feels like she had been looking in now and then for a while, just waiting until I reached a certain point on my path...) However, I do not really have an interest in other Greek deities (except for Hekate, which is more an academic interest than spiritual at this point), although I have been studying them, as well as the culture, their religion, to better know Artemis. Interestingly it would also seem she opened the way to a more eclectic approach to deities, as now I find myself communing with a few deities from other pantheons (proto-Indo-European, Celtic...) - but always knowing that she comes first.

Lots of people stick to one pantheon, lots of people are more eclectic. Having been on both sides, each has it's pros and cons, but in the end you have to go with what works for you. Also, while I'm not one who believes that a deity must always come to you, I do think there are times when it's best to just send out a general call, spend more time listening, and see if there's not someone there already. It's not for everyone, but sometimes I think it can be helpful if you're just not sure at all what direction you should be heading in.

And when you found your pantheon how did you go about researching that culture? Did you go to the library?

Basically, yeah. Lots of time at the library, and buying lots of used books, and lots of internet searches. First I go look to the actual historical stuff, scholarly books/sites rather than pagan/occult ones. In my case I had deities to start with rather than the whole pantheon, so I would begin by looking at the myths of that particular deity, their stories, symbols, associations, titles, holidays, prayers to them, etc. Look at historical artwork. Then branch out a bit more, look at the deities they're close to. See how their culture worshiped them, learned more about the culture in general to understand the filter that all this historical information comes from, even looking at the language a bit can bring a lot of understanding. Then start adding in modern sources, to see how different people view the deity, see how they worship, see their artwork, poems, rituals, prayers, and so on. (Of course there is also my own meditation/prayer, etc. through this.)

[ForeverRanger91]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I looked deep within myself. I followed what my heart was saying and after a little research, it just felt right. With the internet, it makes it easier to look up stuff.

[Jembru]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I don't have a pantheon, but my goddess came and dragged me back kicking and screaming when I tried atheism for a while. It was return to religion, or suicide.. I was THAT depressed as an atheist. I'm still trying to get my head around my new spirituality, but I'm not bothered if I die not knowing the Truth, I'm just thankful I have something, anything, to take the sting out of life while I am here.

[spartacandream]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I don't buy my gods wholesale... so to speak. (And I don't mean that to sound offensive to recons or polytheists that DO worship gods all of one pantheon.) I have never been able to really click with a single pantheon; the gods I worship come from several. I have a relationship with Dionysos, and to a lesser extent to Hermes and Hestia, but I don't feel much for the rest of the Hellenic gods. I worship Ganesha and Parvati, and though I feel closer to the Hindu pantheon, I only have shrines for those two, only work with them. Polytheists, historically speaking, weren't too concerned with remaining within the realm of a single pantheon, either - who was it that thanked one god for introducing him to the "god Jesus"? Polytheism doesn't limit you to a certain set of gods at a time.

I'm the same way. I connect with the Mesopotamian, Canaanite, and Egyptian gods/paths, yet also feel inclined toward Buddhism and Daoism.

[Moirlend]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I've never used a pantheon. I simply pray to the lord and lady and give draw upon the 5 elements. I'm a American with no real ties to my European or Native American roots. The only pantheon that I have ever been drawn too is Mesopotamia, but I think that has more to do with the Nercornomican being one of the first Neo-Paganish books that I read.

[Louisvillian]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

My patron Goddess is traditionally Greek. My patron god is kinda Greek, kinda Celtic, kinda Roman (it's a complicated story).
But overall I connect well with Celtic gods and goddesses; I've never spoken to one or felt their direct presence, but something about them (especially Welsh deities and mythological figures) really appeals to me.

[Willow]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

The entities I recognize now are the only ones that have ever felt "right" to me, and that presence has been there for as long as I can remember. I just didn't always know what it was or what it was called... It took awhile to identify it, but I just knew when I found the right terms.

Since the texts written about the Slavic lore are pretty pricy ($60/book and up), I've been relying on free resources (internet, others who share my perspectives, oral folklore, etc...). It's a little complicated, since there's not a lot known about the Slavic deities beyond a certain point and everything written after that point (we're talking 3-digit eras here) had been destroyed by the Romans. A lot of the information comes from relics, architectural findings, folklore enthusiasts who have accumulated and presented the oral traditions, and then personal experience.

Since there's a pretty frequent crossover between Nordic and Slavic ideas, that can cause problems too because despite popular opinion, there are some very specific and glaring differences between Thor and Perun. Slavic peoples also used runes, but they're not the same as the Futhark, etc.... All those kinds of close-but-not-quite crossovers.

Even more complex is that most of the lore that survives isn't the specific pantheon I recognize, but Russian or Polish. Slovene lore is harder to dig out because Slovenia is a tiny country that wasn't its own country until very very (23 years ago) recently. Naturally, there aren't a lot of books written on Slovenia anything until fairly recently that aren't history books (at least not available on this side of the planet).

But I didn't really choose my path, it sort of dug me out and forced me to walk it. No matter what I did, no matter how boring and mundane I made my life out to be, it always just drags me back into it. Easier not to fight it or reject it, lest it make you ill. :P

[TheOneInTheShadows]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I feel very drawn to the Greek Pantheon, and other random Goddesses but I haven't done anything to worship them. I have even had a few call to me, like I once had a very vivid dream that Pallas Athena was walking with a storm in that background ready to fight, and she called out her own name. I haven't worshipped her, or made an altar to her or anything because, when she called to me I was a diffrent religion. I also have been flashing back, and forth between religions like crazy. So I wasn't sure if she still wanted me as a follower of hers. I still feel drawn to the Greek Pantheon as a general though.

[laoch briste]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I find myself butting into posts like this often. I find when neophytes decide to either abandon an Abrahamic faith, or come from a non-religious background and start asking the great Oracle Google about pagan/heathan/polytheistic paths - whichever you searched for, that you tend to land on blogs and pages of people who have it all together. They have their practices, their liturgy, their gods, and spirits, and pantheons, altars and the like. I feel I was lucky and was raised in my faith - so as I grew my knowledge of the faith and practices grew naturally with me at their own accordant pace.
Someone beginning to reevaluate their spirituality later in the game sees all these people who "have it all together" and you feel left out in a sense. It's not as simple as picking a team and going with it. You're not building a fantasy football team. None of this has to be done all at once. Most "pagan" beliefs systems are extremely personal, and because many physical communities all but died out, or are just now being reconstructed it can be hard. There is much research to be done, and much soul searching. To pick a god or goddess from a pantheon and then press the start button is really working backwards in the process.
What is it from life that you seek? What feels right to you? What feels wrong? Understand the position of those gods in those pantheons. What did they represent. Do you believe them to be single entities, do you believe them to be facets of a larger entity?
Look not just at the spiritual context of these faith systems, but also their anthropological contexts. How did these practices develop among their native practitioners, and to what purpose.
Read, meditate, learn, and when you have stopped looking for that one answer, you will find it in the search of all the others.
You are not alone, and don't have to collect the whole set right away. Take your time, let the universe guide your thoughts, and your heart will fill with the light you've been seeking.

[Oden_son]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

i'm drawn more to specific gods, regardless of pantheon. most of them are celtic and norse and i won't work with roman gods

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

i'm drawn more to specific gods, regardless of pantheon. most of them are celtic and norse and i won't work with roman gods

I'm curious, why no Romans? and does this include gods that were "turned into" Roman gods?

[Ula]

Re: Choosing a pantheon

I found my pantheon while researching Germanic myths. Frau Holda was an immediate interest to me and through her I have established myself in the Northern Tradition. I haven't felt called by any god or goddess outside this group but I wouldn't say I was adverse to it.