Goddess and God - How do you tell which one is yours?

[Keliso Moon]

Well.. I've been wondering this. How do you know which Goddess and God is yours? The one that you praise and look up to? I seem to be blind because my parents are Christians and really don't want me to look upon this Religion, but I choose it anyways. I love Wicca and Paganism but I can't seem to see who my Goddess is. I know my God is Apollo, and whenever I said his name, it's like a flame in my heart that melts me. I've tried doing that with other Goddess names and nothing seems to work. Can someone tell me how they found theirs? Also, can you praise a virgin Goddess without being one? (Just wondering).  

[Cranium Squirrel]

I hate to be the one to do this, but if you're trying to shoehorn other deities into the jobs of God and Goddess, you're not practicing Wicca. And not all pagans require a patron or matron deity at all - not everyone has one or the other, or in my case, either.

What sources have you been using for your study thus far, if you don't mind my asking? 3nodding  

[Keliso Moon]

Byaggha

I hate to be the one to do this, but if you're trying to shoehorn other deities into the jobs of God and Goddess, you're not practicing Wicca. And not all pagans require a patron or matron deity at all - not everyone has one or the other, or in my case, either.

What sources have you been using for your study thus far, if you don't mind my asking? 3nodding

I have a Scott Cunningham book. I'm sorry, I didn't know that was offensive o.o  

[Cranium Squirrel]

Keliso Moon

I have a Scott Cunningham book.

Cunningham...hm. Fellow guildies, please jog my aging memory. Is he the one that misuses the name Wicca for his particular brand of witchcraft?

If he is that one, I think the trad he's actually formed is called Standing Stone, and it's not Wicca. Still a valid trad, but not the same thing at all - Wicca's a specific lineaged, initiatory, oathbound faith. It doesn't come from books, it comes from other members of the priesthood.

The general problem with most mass-marketed books about 'wicca' is that they aren't. You've often gotta do serious digging to find some good resources.

Quote:

I'm sorry, I didn't know that was offensive o.o

None taken by me, but it might be to the Goddess and God - the Wicca deities are two specific ones, you get to meet their names when you get initiated, I believe. 3nodding  

[Keliso Moon]

So what do you suggest? Forget everything I know from him? That's how I started, but I guess I'm doing it the wrong way? *sighs* Sorry, I guess I really wanted to know because my friend knows whos hers is but I don't..  

[Cranium Squirrel]

Keliso Moon

So what do you suggest? Forget everything I know from him? That's how I started, but I guess I'm doing it the wrong way? *sighs*

Depends entirely on you, really. Do you want to pick up a specific Pagan path? Devote to a specific pantheon or deities? Continue eclectic (which has nothing wrong with it, really, if it's done with proper respect and scholarship)?

Quote:

Sorry, I guess I really wanted to know because my friend knows whos hers is but I don't..

Who'd your friend find? And how does she know it was them?  

[Keliso Moon]

I would like to devote myself to a specific deity. I don't know what ecletic is, sorry. I really just want to be with the earth but be with the Goddess and God too.  

[Cranium Squirrel]

Okay, so you want to dedicate to a pair of deities, male and female. Not exactly my forte, being as I lack gods altogether, but this is what I gather from conversation with other folks around here.

Have you considered checking within the same pantheon, at least? Known deity pairings? Because I know for sure some pantheons and deities probably aren't going to like being forced into a pairing with each other - especially not if you're using it in a 'they're married through a ritual whereby he taught her to love him' sort of way, which this sounds like. At least, if you're drawing from proper Wiccan lore, it will be.

Or have you considered that perhaps you only have one, and should look into him more? Some people don't get more than one calling. Some people don't get any.

Either way, though, I'd recommend really getting to know said deities thoroughly - worshiping certain deities incorrectly can be considered insulting by them, so I have been told, and that means that forcing them into this kind of context without knowing if they even accept it might be a bad plan. Last thing I'd want to do was insult deity - good way to get yourself in a heap of trouble. Research. And use quality sources for it - there's some great ones listed in the stickies around here.  

[Keliso Moon]

Wow, that's cool.. Hmm.. I'll have to do some research. I really like Apollo, and some people worship Apollo and Artemis, but I'd feel bad if I had sex with my fiance. Artemis is a virgin Goddess, and if I did that, would I be hurting her and myself? Or maybe should I just stick to worshiping the God? Even though, I've never heard of someone doing that..  

[AniMajor]

Keliso Moon

Wow, that's cool.. Hmm.. I'll have to do some research. I really like Apollo, and some people worship Apollo and Artemis, but I'd feel bad if I had sex with my fiance. Artemis is a virgin Goddess, and if I did that, would I be hurting her and myself? Or maybe should I just stick to worshiping the God? Even though, I've never heard of someone doing that..

Wouldn't it make sense to try and get to know other gods in the same pantheon as Apollo? You don't have to force two gods into a duality, and it doesn't make too much sense to ignore the rest of the pantheon just to favor two gods.  

[maenad nuri]

Question: Why mythology are you following here. Are you trying to combine Greek mythos with standard neopaganism "wheel of the year" stuff?.  

[Keliso Moon]

I don't know o.o I'm just reading this Scott Cunnigham book.. Sorry people. I'm really new at all this.. What is a pantheon of Apollo? I've never heard of that.  

[maenad nuri]

Keliso Moon

I don't know o.o I'm just reading this Scott Cunnigham book.. Sorry people. I'm really new at all this.. What is a pantheon of Apollo? I've never heard of that.

Pantheon is the (more or less) cultural grouping of the gods. Apollo is Greek -- and Greek mythology is vastly different than the sort presented in a Cunnigham book.

It's okay to be new -- it's also okay to not have a "Goddess and God". I'd recommend to read widely, focusing at first on mythology and see what happens. If something sticks with you, go looking more into that culture/religion. And if it is an open one (like the Greek one) look at how they practice, and see if its something that suits you.

As for the difference between Greek mythology and "neopagan" standard. In a lot of Neopagan mythology, the Goddess and God are not just lovers, but Mother/Son. You brought up Artemis and Apollo as a possible goddess and god. Based on Greek Mythology, this would be abhorrent to Artemis. She's more than willing to help in childbirth, but wouldn't be caught giving birth. Not to mention the sex thing.

And lots of people worships gods. Some just worship goddesses. Some work within one pantheon, others several. Some have patrons, others don't. None of these are inherently better than the other

In otherwords, research is good. Don't get caught up so fast in what one book says. Read more. Search more. What attracts you to the wide world of paganism? What draws you to Apollo?  

[CilverCyanide]

I've also been curious about worshipping virgin/chaste deities. I'm right now exploring different pantheons and deities and I've always wondered if someone who's very sexual (like myself) would be able to properly worship and honor a deity who is chaste. Is that possible?  

[Ashley the Bee]

CilverCyanide

I've also been curious about worshipping virgin/chaste deities. I'm right now exploring different pantheons and deities and I've always wondered if someone who's very sexual (like myself) would be able to properly worship and honor a deity who is chaste. Is that possible?

Just thinking out loud, I can't see why a sexual person could not worship a chaste deity?

A male can worship male or female deities. A gay individual could worship a deity in a straight relationship. So... why wouldn't it work?

I just imagine that if the deity were into chastity that offering an all night session of carnal love for worship probably wouldn't be their cup of tea.