Pagans: Who/what do you worship?

Question

Which deities, spirits, etc.?

Answer 1

Well, that depends on the Pagan and what religion they belong to. "Paganism" is an umbrella term that covers a lot of different faiths.

As a Wiccan, I follow the God and the Goddess, either as simply "the God" and "the Goddess" or as particular aspects of those central principles. The aspects I work with most frequently are Brigid (Celtic), the Morrigan (Celtic), Herne (Celtic), and Bast (Egyptian), though lately I've been working with Apollo (Greek) due to health issues.

Other than the God and the Goddess, I worship no spirits... and perhaps "worship" isn't the correct term, at least as Christians employ it. A Wiccan does not approach their Gods on their knees. We stand proudly before Them and honor Them as the gracious Mother and Father of all life. All of nature is Their body, and as such, viewed as sacred (which leads to the Christian misconception that we are "worshipping the creation, not the Creator", when if fact nothing could be further from the truth).

Answer 2

It varies widely. Some Pagans worship no deity. Wiccans (the biggest branch of Paganism) worship a Goddess and a God; we believe that nature echoes the divine in its balance of male/female, light/dark, etc. We believe in manifest deity, that is, that deity is everywhere, all the time, and that we are part of that. Science is beginning to prove this, in a sense, with the realization that we are all just energy. That is truly all we are.

We look at deity differently. We do not cower in fear before our deities; we generally see them as respected helpers. Our deities respect us as well. It is like a true parental relationship, where th parent clearly has more knowledge and experience and power, but is hardly perfect or infallible.

Answer 3

I'm a trad witch. My personal worship has manifest itself since I can remember. Originally, it focused on the moon, on identifing with and calling up the winds and storms, on researching pagan pantheons, ESP, ghost sightings and witch stories in elementary and junior high, and on personal mythology. My rituals were minimal, and involved candles, objects of personal significance incluing an anthame, offerings to the spirits, etc. Even a seance and guided meditations to my fellow tweens, and writing down spells I had read of significance. I was an ambitious child. When I grew up, I realized I had been practicing witchcraft all my life; right down to the familar cat, hat, knife, cape, and other tools. Well, that's useful to know. So my worship had to incorperate all the elements I have always known, plus the maturity of a more focused and studied learning.

I am a strawberry blond decendant of all the British Ilses and respond best to the Celtic imagry. Therefore, my Matron Goddess is of the Celtic pantheon, and suits my birth gifts, inclanations, and talents. I have icons to a few others of different pantheons that I find useful for my work, such as Tara, Laxmi, a Chinese Virgin Warrior image, a black candle in the shape of a pentangle for the Crone, and a Nigerian Fertility statue for the Mother.

Deities don't need worship to survive. We need worship to focus, incorperate the values and skills we wish to remake ourselves in the image we desire, and to devote ourselves to something that seems bigger and more universal. Since we are the Universe, not matter which manifestation of the Universe we choose to see as Deity and therefore worthy of emulating, they are reflections of ourselves.

Answer 4

I worship deities that were once worshiped in Celtic-speaking areas during the Iron Age. The main deities that I worship are Taranis, Lugus, Epona, and Cernunnos. I also honor a local river deity.

Answer 5

I (personally) believe in the existence of all gods - Hindu, Norse, Celtic, Egyptian, etc. They're all there, and they're all equal, while remaining distinctly different.

I view deities similarly to humans. Each of them has their own strong points, and their own faults. Put them together, and they create what I refer to as "the Divine." Together, they are a perfect balance of everything - light and dark, male and female, good and evil, etc. The Divine is not all-good not only because all deities have their faults, but also because balance is necessary to sustain order. Without proper balance, the cosmos falls into chaos.

There are two deity "concepts" that I recognize above all. I call them "the Divine Female" and "the Divine Male." Neither of them are actual deities themselves, but instead are deity concepts, the Divine Feminine being the embodiment of all divine femininity, and the Divine Male being the embodiment of all divine masculinity. I give recognition to these concepts in order to give visualization and recognition to the natural cycle of life at the divine level (birth, death, decay and rebirth). This natural cycle on the divine level is expressed in the Wheel of the Year.

http://www.bewitchingways.com/wicca/year.htm

I would also like to clarify that I don't so much "worship" them as I have a relationship with them. And not in the way that many Christians will say "I have a personal relationship with Jesus." That's a bit different. I have a relationship with the gods I recognize because I work directly with them. We have a give and take relationship: they assist me in my rituals, and I offer them sacrifices in return, often in the form of "cakes and wine" or other assorted ceremonial breadstuffs and beverages, including juice. I am neither a slave nor a servant to any; what use would I be to them? They do not need, require, nor even request recognition, honor or glorification, and that's what makes it so much more gratifying to freely give of it anyway. Gifts of any kind are always more appreciated when they are voluntarily offered rather than asked for.

Answer 6

As I'm an eclectic Pagan, I have a mix of Deities in my pantheon, Hekate, Apollo, Diana, Demeter,Rhea, Cernunnos, Zeus, Athena, Ares, Hades, Loki, Ptah, and many others, but my deities are mainly Thracian/Greek.

Answer 7

I'm Asatru and I worship the Æsir, Vanir (Norse Gods.) and a few other Germanic Gods. I view them as my Elder Kin and I do not bow down in submission. I also honor the spirits of my departed ancestors (the Disir and Alfar) as well as the land-wights (land spirits) such as the Risir.

The Æsir (In alphabetical order): Baldur, Bragi, Forseti, Frigga, Fulla, Gefjon, Gerda, Heimdall, Hoenir, Honir, Idunna, Loki, Nanna, Njord, Mimir, Odin, Sif, Sigyn, Saga, Thor, Tyr, Uller, Vali, Vidar.

The Vanir (In alphabetical order): Freyja, Freyr, Gerda, Kvasir, Lytir, Njord, Nerthus, Odr, Skadi

Other Germanic Gods & Goddesses (In alphabetical order): Aegir, Bor, Bolthorn, Bestla, Buri, Eir, Hella, Hermod, Holda, Jarnsaxa, Jord, Lodurr, Lofn, Magni, Mani, Modi, Mundilfari, The Norns, Ran, Sjofn, Skirnir, Snotra, Sunna, Surtur, Syn, Thjalfi, Thrud, Vili, Ve, Vor, Wayland, Waluburga

Answer 8

The Irish Gaelic pantheon, Manannan the most. Just moved a little while back, so still getting a feel for a local spirits.

Answer 9

I am a Theistic Satanist, I worship myself, and honor the various deities. I use the Greek names, but I know attributions are slightly modified based on culture.

Answer 10

The Quraish Tribe worshipped what they think have been suggested as the daughters of Allah. Their names have been Laat, u.s. and manat The Quraish became a tribe on the time the main religious one and that they have got been the protectors of the kaaba and the idols. Muhammad's(observed) Tribe is Quraysh. i don't understand if that they had a spiritual text cloth