Attn: Pagans/Wiccans/Other Magic practitioners.?

Question

Do you have to choose a specific pantheon to worship?

like:

Celtic
Egyptian
Faery
Greek
Hindu
Norse
Roman
Welsh

or can you just be open to all of them becuase i want to remain open to all the possiblitys and not be bound to one =-].

reason for asking: 10 month studying wiccan who hasnt took enough time to study Gods/Goddess.

Answer 1

Yes, you can be open to all of them. Be awear that a lot of Asatruars (those that follow the Germanic/ Norse religion of Asatru) get very insulted when non-Asatruars worship our gods, along with others from other religions. This especially goes for Wiccans, who a lot of Asatruars dislike to begin with.

porch_monkey_paradigm, you have been reported.

Answer 2

I wish, I would prefer that Wiccans make up their own names for the God-and-Goddess rather than "working with" the Gods and Goddesses worshiped in Hellenismos, Asatru and other polytheistic religions.

I honor the Greek pantheon because I am a Neo-Hellenic Pagan. However, I am not limited to the Greek pantheon because I believe that all Gods are real, valid, true, living, beings.

The Greek Pantheon was actually several Pantheons. Greece was not united. Each city state had its own Patrons and there were Place Gods as well and even those populouses that worshipped the same Gods did so in a different way. The Celtic Gods are this way even moreso. Gods were very specific to place and clan.

I do believe it is important to honor the Gods in the way that they prefer. Greek Gods are not worshipped in the same way as Celtic Gods, and certainly not in the same way as the Wiccan God-and-Goddess, although they can be communicated with in a certain way. The Gods will tell you what they want if you listen to THEM. Not Silver Ravenwolf.

Mixing is okay, but you have to do it properly. You have to listen to the Gods and find out if they are amenable to it. I once received a valuable lesson from Eos and Morrigan- their choice to team up that day, not mine. Two completely different pantheons. I wouldn't dream of calling them at the same time though. That's their shot to call. Many people decide "all Gods are one God" and just call Gods up willy nilly. I find that very disresectful. That is not indicative or religion but a Chaos Magick technique, which is all well and good, but if you're going to be a Chaos Magickian, admit it and stop pretending it's religion you're playing at.

Answer 3

Take the time to study some mythology. Really read and dive into the legends of the Gods and Goddesses. But I suggest learning only one pantheon at a time. Studying too many cultures and too many deities at one time can make your head spin, and confusion isn't a good thing in a magickal circle. If you have a need to "remain open," then don't shut down the other pantheons - just study one pantheon at a time to eliminate confusion. I would suggest beginning with the pantheon of your ancestral heritage. If you're of a Greek lineage, then go for Greek gods and goddesses. If you're family is Welsh, go with Welsh gods and goddesses.

Here's the thing though: study very carefully.

For example: Some older texts divide the Celts into three groups/tribes/nations, even though there are generally considered to be seven now (Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Spain, Brittany and Ireland). The point is, be careful about the deities that are considered Celtic - they probably won't be too happy about being invited to a circle with a Roman deity, considering their history together.

But that doesn't just go for those two pantheons. Other groups often fought throughout history, and their deities wouldn't enjoy being in circle with deities that they once had wars with. So certainly be careful.

Incidentally, its also very rude to certain cultures to mix and match pantheons. It would not be good form to invite the Hindu Kwan Yin, the Greek Hestia, the Gaulish Berecyntia and the Hopi Corn Maiden all to the same circle. In like manner, it would be rude to invite Cernunnos, Mars, Zeus and Krishna to the same circle.

Answer 4

I am an Asatruar, I only worship the Norse Gods and Goddesses Although I believe other deities exist, I do not worship them. My religion isn't really an eclectic spiritual movement, its reconsructionalist by nature. I do not believe my Gods and Goddesses to be merely aspects of one greater deity or mere archetypes, and therefore do not believe the Gods are interchangeable.

I believe that spiritual traditions of ALL authentic religious paths should be held sacred and not a thing to be treated lightly; mixing and matching from different religions and pantheons without any regard for the cultures they come from will make your path come across as a parody, a desecration and a profanity. If you decide to follow a particular deity it would be a good idea to study as much about them as you can, about the culture they come from, and how they were honored in the past.

How did I decide which pantheon to follow? My ancestors were Scandinavian so I feel it was in my genes & I felt as if the Norse Gods had been calling me all along. I studied up a a few different religions before I finally found the right path for me. You just have to go with what is in your heart, what you feel is right. Good Luck.

Answer 5

Technically, you don't have to chose any tradition. You can create a practice that encompasses your own belief system.

One thing to keep in mind - a lot of traditions see this as grocery shoping. Meaning that there are a lot of people out there who just feel like picking and choosing what appeals to them and not really addressing anything significant. Not really growing in their faith, just doing what is easy. What is happy and go lucky and never addresses the darker aspects of life.

If you want to practice only magic - you don't need a traditional system. At least in the ways it is understood. Some claim that you don't need any belief in the Divine, that you can be an atheist and still practice magic.

Wiccans only have the God and Goddess - who are the two halves of the All. Pagans generally have a specific pantehon because their practices are linked more to a culture.

If I were you - I would stop studying Wiccan beliefs and get to know the Divine personally, if that is what you want to do. The Divine is always ready to know you, to be with you, to love you. God is always there. Get to know the Divine before diving deeper into your studies.

*edit*

One thing to keep in mind - mixing pantheons isn't a good idea. For one thing it's rude. Each deity in a pantheon is tied to a specific culture. Imagine inviting an Egyptian, a Roman, a Greek, a Hindu and a Japanese deitiy all into one room. Think of the cross in cultures and the even the inbred hostilities between each. Mixing and matching patheons is even more volatile. And to mess them all together without regard for culture is, again, just plain rude.

Answer 6

Worship is one thing. "Working with" is quite another. As a Wiccan, you are free to work with any and all pantheons. Consequently, when one is not sure with whom one should be working with, the usual address for the God and the Goddess is,

She who is known by many names. And...

He who is known by many names.

The advice you have been given by others here, at least the ones that I have read, is good. If I were you, I would take some time and study the pantheons. Where to start?

Have a look at your personal genetic ancestry. If your bloodline is more predominantly from the British Isles, start with the Celtic or Druid pantheons. You might find that it resonates better with you than any other pantheon. Same thing if you are African American. Look to the African and Caribbean pantheons. See what I'm getting at? Depending on your personal bloodline, that's where you should begin.

Answer 7

You can work across pantheons -- many Wiccans do, at least the solitary ones (coven-bound Wiccans tend to have God and Goddess names and aspects that are passed down within the lineage).

However, since I personally find that having an intimate knowledge of the Deities you honor helps in working with them, I concentrate on a limited number of Deities. (In my case: Brigid, the Morrigan, Bast, Herne, and Apollo.)

It's all right to experiment when you're first starting out (or even later) -- just be sure to do as much research as you can on a Deity before you call upon Them. It's only common courtesy to know exactly who you are inviting into the circle. :-) It also avoids pairing a God and Goddess, for example, who might rub each other the wrong way or simply be unsuited to each other's temperment or field of influence.

If you're just starting out, I usually advise people to work with the Goddess and the God as broad archetypes unless they feel strongly and specifically called to a particular Deity or a particular pantheon. Working with Them as the Great Mother and the Horned God can be a useful place to start.

I also recommend the following two books: "The Witches Goddess" and "The Witches' God", by Janet and Stewart Farrar.

http://www.amazon.com/Witches-Goddess-Feminine-Principle-Divinity/dp/0919345913

http://www.amazon.com/Witches-God-Lord-Dance/dp/0919345476/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/105-3515522-2009200

They are excellent reference books and contain rituals to attune you several basic Deity aspects.

Good luck! :-)

Answer 8

It is not nessiscary to worship only one pantheon of divinities. Actually, there are many people who practice magick who just call upon the universal energy, life force...ect. I'd reccomend keeping your options open for now and calling on whatver divinities feel right, or could give the most help to your situation. And at a later point, if you decide to devote yourself to one particular pantheon, then by all means do it.

Answer 9

Be open to all possibilites. Work with different ones, and see what works for you. Get books in the library on different pantheons/gods/goddesses, to learn what each of them are about. Eventually you will see whom you like to work with best. You may even luck out, and they'll choose you.

Goodluck! BB

Answer 10

It depends upon the particular religion that you're following. For example, I'd expect a Celtic Reconstructionist to, well, follow one of the Celtic pantheons. ;)

There's no requirement to choose a specific solely to be a Pagan, but there might be once you start to drill down to the religion/tradition level.

Answer 11

If you're eclectic, you just apply yourself to whatever system works best. But yeah, there are Wiccans that choose a specific pantheon to worship.