Remembering the Host, Now With Definition Thingie

[Fiddlers Green]

An inquiry to those who are worshipers of divinities not native to the land they live in:
Do you offering any prayers or thanks to the native gods of the land hosting you and your foreign gods?

To me, it would seem very important to at least try to give respects to the Dei Loci (Locational Gods) of your region, especially if you are worshipping gods who are not native to the area. It's a matter of respect.

To use a metaphor.
When you visit another person's home, and decide to build a pillow fort, you then invite your friends (or in this case, gods) over to play. Wouldn't it be important to at least make the recognition that the home that is so graciously hosting your pillow fort is already owned? Mayhaps ask permission from the home owner, or at least, give them propper guest courtesies as they are letting you bring even more people over to play with their pillows?

Edit: So, to clarify what a Dei Loci is...
It's like a really expansive Genus Loci.

Quote:

But Erich, if they don't know what a Dei Loci is, they probably don't know what a Genus Loci is either. stare

Oh yeah... sweatdrop

Dei Loci are locational gods.
They are the entities that are responsible for the region, it's landmarks, and the geomantic webs running thru it. One might consider them management for local spirits, if one were to be very vulgar in their explanation. They are gods that are tied to a specific location. Furthermore, for whatever reason, they have a vested interest in that region. They are as much the god of a place as they are a god at a place. Dei Loci may or may not care about who wanders thru, that is a personal matter. They may or may not have been revered by the people that dwelt there before. In fact, one of the most prominent features that makes a God (Dei) a Dei Loci is that they are more tied to a geographical location or landmark than anything else. They are the gods of the forrest or the plains, not the gods of the people who dwell there any more than they are the gods of the squirrels that dwell there, that is to say, incidentally. If they are more attached to an ethnic group, buffalo herd, or flock of geese, than their location, they Are Not Dei Loci.

Now, I'll accept arguement on the point, but my stance is that anyone who claims exclusive rights with a Dei Loci who no longer dwells in that god's regio is talking from their forth point of contact, and their words should be treated with the same gravity as anything else discharged from such an orifice. either mistaken as to what their god actually is, or has a very creative idea of regional divinities.  

[patch99329]

I do give honour to local divinities. I think it's very important and it's one of the only problems I actually have with worshipping none-native gods.

Without actually going to look, I think I aleready put the section about this up on my pathways?

I share my space with these beings, it's polite!  

[Wrath of Ezekiel]

If I'm getting what you're saying...

Wouldn't it be illogical for most of North America, since the deities of Native American religions are mostly closed culture deities?

Or could it be within the home if the rest of your family worships a different religion? Because the Kemetic deities have always been welcomed in my home, and I don't sense any apparent tension between them and the Hindu deities that are with my family's (and my other paradigm's) religion.  

[patch99329]

SpaceTerminal Destiny

If I'm getting what you're saying...

Wouldn't it be illogical for most of North America, since the deities of Native American religions are mostly closed culture deities?

They wouldn't have to be be named deities necessarily. What about the deities/spirits that inhabit certain places?  

[PurpleDragonsGems]

If I knew more about them I probably would. Its almost a pitty I don't live in New England, I know more about the spirits the Abenaki acknowledged and worshipped then I do any in Florida.  

[Recursive Paradox]

I offer the kind of respect that I would to any other being to the local gods. I don't tread on them and I ask that they don't tread on me.

But offering thanks/prayers or things similar to worship is something I do not do, as those things are not viable in my path.

I will sometimes inquire about channeling in native territory of other beings. The Adirondack Mountains have a few things there that I stay careful and respectful of because of how godawfully old they are. I probably should check with localized religions and the beings associated with them so I avoid treading on toes as best as possible.

It wouldn't do to have an antagonistic relationship with beings who occupy the space I occupy.  

[scorplett]

I am somewhat in the unenviable position of being a member of two religious traditions if you will.
One is that which is native to where I am, which in some regards might be considered beneficial to my second practice.
The second is one which worships deities not of the local area, or in any way related.

The problem I face is not so much in respecting the local Gods, that's a given, but in practicing the orthopraxy of Wicca while not offending either the native lot or the adoptive lot.

It's often a fine line and I have worked hard to develop an understanding and a mutual respect between myself and the two sets of Gods.

All that said, in my native practices, before working with Deity, there are other things that demand attention first, those are genius loci moreso than Dei Loci as my native practices are with Dei Loci.

This triple balancing act can be tricky at times, but paying each in kind pays well for all concerned!  

[maenad nuri]

There's a lovely nymph in the trees on the Quad at ISU, I swear. I leave her offerings from time to time.  

[Fiddlers Green]

SpaceTerminal Destiny

If I'm getting what you're saying...

Wouldn't it be illogical for most of North America, since the deities of Native American religions are mostly closed culture deities?

Or could it be within the home if the rest of your family worships a different religion? Because the Kemetic deities have always been welcomed in my home, and I don't sense any apparent tension between them and the Hindu deities that are with my family's (and my other paradigm's) religion.

I'm talking the gods of a geographical location.
Also, keep in mind, not all closed cultures have exclusive rights with their gods.
In fact, other than Shinto, I'm not aware of any animistic religions that are claiming monopolies, and calling Shinto animistic is a massive stretch. There are animistic elements, but they have plenty of gods that are not tied to locality.

Scorplett, I envy you not.

Recursive Paradox, there are some entities out there that don't particularly care for humans, or specific types of humans, others may not think much of us, tread with care.

Now, to answer the question that seems to be asked, what is a Dei Loci, as there are several responses of that nature in the poll...
a Dei Loci is a locational god.
A god that is defined by it's relationship to a geographical area more than any other manifestation we can comprehend.
should I add a bit on this in the first post?  

[too2sweet]

Maybe if you could expand on it a bit, especially (sort of what STD was getting at, I think) for those of us that live in areas that don't necessarily have any history (that we are aware of) of Local Deities.

I tend to leave offerings out by "the tree", but for the most part (other than when I have a specific purpose) they are just sort of general offerings to whatever spirits/wights may be around.  

[TeaDidikai]

I'm in a bit of an odd position. My gods have no land of their own. Other people's (god or otherwise) traditions are often prohibited for concern of mokado.

I give a certain amount of reverence and I do what I can to avoid violating any local cultural taboos. But short of that and the occasional offering, I cannot do more.  

[EternalHearts]

I will leave offerings to the local nymphai, but don't seek to honor any of the gods that the Natives may have worshiped--They are not Hellenic, so I feel it would be disrespectful to try to give Them specific cultus in a Hellenic format. I do however include Them when I honor "all the Theoi and Spirits" out of respect.  

[TatteredAngel]

Like most of my practice, it's largely informal (sidebar: I think more and more that if I were going to get fancier with naming what I do, it would have to be something like Totally Informal Tomfoolery), but I definitely give a nod to the locals. Most of them are part of closed Native traditions, and that's fine, though as I've said before, I'm pretty sure Coyote doesn't care too much about the lineage of who he pokes at, so he gets special consideration.

My family leaves crop offerings out for whoever is in the vicinity, too. Basically, it's not specific prayer or worship, but general politeness.  

[CuAnnan]

TeaDidikai

I'm in a bit of an odd position. My gods have no land of their own. Other people's (god or otherwise) traditions are often prohibited for concern of mokado.

I give a certain amount of reverence and I do what I can to avoid violating any local cultural taboos. But short of that and the occasional offering, I cannot do more.

If you were living in Ireland, that would be all that is expected.
I cannot comment on the Dei Loci in your neck of the woods, though.  

[TeaDidikai]

CuAnnan

TeaDidikai

I'm in a bit of an odd position. My gods have no land of their own. Other people's (god or otherwise) traditions are often prohibited for concern of mokado.

I give a certain amount of reverence and I do what I can to avoid violating any local cultural taboos. But short of that and the occasional offering, I cannot do more.

If you were living in Ireland, that would be all that is expected.
I cannot comment on the Dei Loci in your neck of the woods, though.

So far so good.

I find myself habitually less concerned about deities and more concerned about otherlings when traveling abroad anyway.