everett-the-mage:

A collaborative project by @everett-the-mage, @redrokingpunkwitch and @the-tasseomancy-faerie​ for Raiders of the Lost Altar, a server for magic practitioners.

Picking a pantheon and/or deity

Welcome to the wild world of deity worship! You’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed at the prospect or perhaps you’re not really sure where to begin. Don’t worry – most of us have been there. We’ll help guide you through the process! 

Explore your options 

First and foremost: do your research and make informed decisions. 

Read stories from multiple pantheons: embrace anything and everything, especially topics of interest to you. Speak to other devotees and see what they have to say about their deities, worship practices, and the pantheon as a whole. Read up on origin stories and mythology related to your own worldview, practices and interests. If something really resonates with you, keep going with your research and feel free to reach out. 

A lot of people start with a pantheon they’re familiar with, or one they know they have ties to in their ancestry (exclusive of initiation-based and closed cultures). For example, if you know where your family is from (i.e. Ireland), you could begin with the Irish Celtic pantheon. 

If there’s a deity that you’re curious about, feel free to reach out to them and ask if they’d be willing to work with you. If the deity declines, respect that. If they accept, establish what kind of relationship you’d like to have with them. Similarly, if a deity reaches out to you and you do not wish to work with them, decline their offer respectfully.

There are cultures that are initiation-based and closed to outsiders – and you cannot be a part of them unless you go through the proper channels to be initiated, are reclaiming recent ancestry with the guidance of someone within the culture, or, in the case of many closed cultures, are already a member of them. If a member of that culture says that it’s closed, respect that and move on. Please do not argue with them.

How to Research 

There are many methods of research available to you folks – especially with the internet! Here are some ideas for sources: 

• Books. Books are really, really great resources but please do research on the author first. There are far too many authors that publish and push forward misinformation as fact, encourage cultural appropriation, and feed the general ignorant public a bunch of watered-down bullshit because it’s easier to digest. (e.g. hyper-Christianized versions of folk tales, deities) 
• Media. Technology is an extraordinary tool – use it to your advantage! There are phenomenal open source organizations that supply copyright-expired texts and publications, such as Project Gutenberg and Sacred-Texts. Check out documentaries, encyclopaedias, historical documents and more! 
• Some folks frequent tumblr and it can be a great place to start. But please do follow-up with any information and check sources. The last thing you want is to believe something to be factual information when it isn’t. 

Common Misconceptions 

It’s okay to try out a few different pantheons and deities before making a decision. Sometimes we think one pantheon or deity fits with us and then we realize later on that there isn’t really a connection there. That’s okay! Resume your research and try again. 

Please ignore the gatekeepers that imply that legitimate worshipers receive a divine message. Some people get them, some people don’t. They’re not a requirement for your practice.

Also, feel free to use a method of divination to help narrow down your search for a pantheon if you feel overwhelmed. If you practice meditation, prayer or rituals, feel free to ask for a sign. Some folks have dreams lead them to their practice. It’s your journey – so do what feels right.

If you think a deity from an initiation-based or closed culture is reaching out to you (and you’re not a member of that culture), respectfully decline or find someone within that culture and have them assist you. Quite frankly, closed cultures require a special connection to the culture itself – if you don’t have that, you can’t address the entities within it.

Working with deities

Establishing a relationship 

Each individual’s relationship with a deity is unique. Some practitioners believe that all higher-beings should be treated with the utmost respect. Some people have a much more easy-going friendship dynamic with the deities they work with. Do what works for you. 

When starting out with a deity, it’s important to establish what kind of relationship you want – establish your boundaries. Are you the type of person who wants to have a regimented schedule of when to give offerings, or are you more of the laidback “here’s a piece of cake, my friend” type? Talk about what you’re hoping to get out of the relationship and discuss what your shared interests are and how you can learn from one another. Talk about your fears, too. Be honest with them and yourself. Deities are pretty reasonable folks and respect communication. 

It’s also totally cool to work with deities from multiple pantheons – don’t be afraid to branch out and talk to a few different ones once you’re comfortable with it!

Bonding with Deities 

Each individual bonds with their deities in unique ways, so feel free to explore a variety of different options. Also, be aware that you do not have to adhere to the documented sources in terms of worship and associations. If Dionysus told you that he likes maroon lipstick and jamming out to Time Warp, that’s cool – it works for you! It falls under Unverified Personal Gnosis (UPG). It’s completely valid. 

Here are some examples of bonding with your deities: 

• Read up on their origin stories, study psalms and hymns, discover stories and poetry and take notes on it all. 
• Leave small offerings, such as crystals, natural energies (rain, storm, sun, moon, etc.), food or beverages.
• Make a devotional item for them (e.g. knit a scarf for The Morrigan). 
• Leave things at their altar that made you think of them. 
• Make a playlist of songs for them and play it whenever you’re thinking of them. Sing along to the songs, feel the energy of them, and dedicate it all to the deity of choice.
• Have a devotional journal specifically for them and store all of the things you’ve learned about them within it.
• Meditate and talk with them. Ask them about their day. Tell them about yours. 
• Do things in their honour. Working out? Pick your favourite war deity to dedicate your sweat and training to. Cooking dinner? Deities of house, home, fire and the like would appreciate that action. Even singing your favourite song could be a dedication to a deity of music. 

Dos and Don’ts

Do: 

• Be respectful when approaching a deity for the first time, especially if you do not have an established relationship with them. 
• Spend quality time with your deities.
• Celebrate your triumphs and successes with them.
• Ask for guidance from time to time, if necessary.

Don’t: 

• Reach out to initiation-based and closed culture deities unless you’re a member of them. No, past lives in that culture do not count. If you’re not currently a member and have not gone through the proper procedures to become a member, then you need to either properly pursue that path (initiation-based) or back off (closed cultures).

• Further, most closed culture deities and higher beings are not accessible to those that do not have a direct blood or spiritual connection with them (i.e. Indigenous).

• Use deities as your personal fortune tellers. 
• Assume that whatever the deity “specializes” in is all they can/want to talk about.

Things to Remember

• Not everyone views deities the same way.
• Not everyone worships their deities. 
• Many folks don’t view deities as perfect or omniscient.
• Not everyone has the same opinion or relationship with a deity.
• Not everyone views their deities as parents or family members.
• Some folks may have negative experiences with certain deities and that is okay. Don’t let it affect your relationship with your deities but also do not interfere with theirs.
• Some people are married to a deity (godspousing). Please do not disrespect things that you do not understand – instead, ask questions if you are curious!
• Not everyone believes that deities are 100% honest or into fulfilling your needs and wants. Some of them lie. Some of them have their own end-goal. Some of them will screw you over.
• People are allowed to avoid certain deities if they want to. 
• Not all deities like humans. In fact, some of them fucking hate them.
• Don’t project your views of deities onto other people and do not condemn them for disagreeing with you either.
• Deities that have pop culture counterparts are not the same as their pop culture counterparts. Just because you saw Thor in a movie does not mean that’s how he actually acts or holds those opinions. 

An important aside

It’s perfectly fine to learn about and educate yourself on initiation-based and closed cultures, especially if you’re getting the information from reputable sources and members of that culture. You can even participate in their customs if a member of that culture personally invites you or grants you the permission to do so. You can appreciate cultures by learning about and respecting them. 

It’s another thing entirely when you claim them as your own. In many instances, the reality is that there is very little legitimate documentation on initiation-based and closed cultures simply because people often misinterpret it and spread that information like wildfire. I’ve seen it first-hand with my own closed culture tribe. Claiming to be doing closed practices and/or working with closed deities is not only often impossible (because of the lack of spiritual or blood link) but is very hurtful to actual members of those tribes. 

I (everett-the-mage) can’t speak for anyone else, of course, but whenever I try to correct or speak out against those who are appropriating my culture, I’m spoken over by non-members who think they know what the truth is. And while I understand that they have good intentions, it’s still very discouraging and hurtful – especially when folks are spreading false information.

I guess, in the end, if you’re genuinely interested in learning about an initiation-based or closed culture, I ask that you please approach an actual member of that culture and explain your intentions. More often than not, we’re happy to teach you about our customs. We just don’t want bullshit spread to the masses.

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Image Credits

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Photo by Artem Bali on Unsplash

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Photo by Adrian Moran on Unsplash