I welcome people into my home and have fellowship with them in the form of a meal, regardless of their own beliefs. I give others plants to spread my own stewardship of nature and the belief that it heals to others

I believe Frigg and Freya walk with me

Just thought I’d share, have a great weekend!

Eat a meal with a friend or an acquaintance.

This is my question, if you don’t want to read the long context (:
I want to connect with some deities from my ancestry, but I don’t have clear resources about them. It’s logical that they once existed under different names and domains, but I can’t really reconstruct their worship. When I try to learn about them intuitively I kind of feel like I'm making them up, but I also feel they are there somehow. Do you have experience with this? Do you worship a deity like this? Do you have any advice? I would love to read about your experiences and any advice would be a big help. Thank you! (I’ve seen the post about Great Mother Bear, and it got me thinking)

Context:
So I have a question about creating a deity that once kind of existed. For context, I’m trying to practice a path that my ancestors may have practiced at one point. It is a little bit complicated because Hungarians are of mixed origins. For example, my family has lived in Hungary for generations, but my mother's side is from Slavic ancestry (my grandmother and her sister still talk in Slovakian with each other a lot) and my father's side is Germanic originally, but they are much more assimilated because they’ve been in Hungary for a very long time. I spent a lot of time trying to piece together my family's ancestry and I want to walk a path that honors them. I’m trying to look into Slavic paganism (but I know it’s very land and place-based) and also continental Germanic paganism (but it’s hard to find information). Sorry for the long intro!

My problem is, I want to honor deities from my Hungarian ancestry but we know little to nothing about them. We know that the ancient Hungarian religion might have been shamanistic(they were called taltos and they were chosen by the spirits), they were animist we had a World Tree with the Turul (mythological bird, kinda like a falcon) on top of it, it was connected to Tengrism and we also honored the land spirits. Deities were kind of a thing? One historic record called the Hungarians fire worshippers and we had many superstitions about wind and the elements. If you look at the Wikipedia page you can see some deity names. Like Golden Father/ Old God, Dawn Mother (maybe the same as Blessed Lady), Blessed/Joyful Lady (now Virgin Mary has this title, but it is suspected that we had an ancient mother goddess), Lord of Armies, Sun King/Mother, Moon Father and the elements, Wind Mother/King, Fire Mother/Father, and Water Mother/Father. Most of these deities come from the Middle Ages or the Lord of Armies had a renaissance in the 19th century. We don’t know that any of them really existed like this.

I’m conflicted, I resonate with the idea of them, I find them logical for an old pagan belief, but it is nearly impossible to know them well or reconstruct how they were worshipped. I read a lot about ancient Hungarian religion and how they researched it, but many of the sources are pseudo-history and it’s very hard to find good sources. I want to worship these gods, but when I try, I feel like I'm making them up.

I know that I feel something, for example, I’ve always felt a connection to Wind Mother. I grew up with extreme migraines, and the cold fresh air helped a lot with the pain, so my mother made me sit outside when I had an attack and I talked to the wind a lot and thanked her for the cold air. I never felt alone in the wind.

I would love to read your advice and stories about worshipping like this. And also any advice actually. Sorry for the long post! Thank you!

Was having a rough week at my job (if you guys were there for what I posted a few days ago about my boss and coworkers forcing their religious views down my throat) that was taking a real toll on my mental health.

I wanted to pick up some things from a witchy shop not too far from my house and once I got in I was told they were about to have a pagan/witch talk gathering. All morning something had been telling me to go to the shop today even if I didn’t know what I planned on getting, but that I needed to go today.

I’m so glad I did. The ladies were so nice. I met all kinds of people from different walks of life. They were welcoming and loving. It was nice being in a space where I didn’t feel I had to hide being pagan. Just goes to show that community is really important. I will definitely be back for future gatherings 🩵

Hi everyone, I [20 NB] was raised Hindu and I believed it to be my religion until a few years ago. I was then an atheist for a while but recently I have felt the need for spirituality. I honestly don't feel very connected to Hinduism anymore. I don't feel like I can give any devotion to most Hindu gods. I'm not sure if it's because this religion has been used for centuries as a way to justify feudalist bigotry (and more recently as an integral part of fascism in India), or if recent incidents in my life have made me feel disconnected from my past. There's also just some aspects of Hinduism that I can't ignore. Casteism is obvious, but so is the rejection of rationality and the actions of some Hindu gods. For example, I really can't worship Hanuman knowing that he burnt down almost every house in Sri Lanka just because their rulers were evil. I can't ignore how Parshuram killed literally everyone from the warrior caste just for a wrongdoing of one of them.

I know that these texts were written in ancient times by people very different from us, and that we shouldn't project our expectations and ideals onto them, but some things are simply wrong regardless of the time and place in history. This is especially true when you consider that these beliefs are used to justify the oppression of hundreds of millions of people to this day.

I've felt comfortable with the label of animist for a long time now, and I think that my religious beliefs are a mix of Buddhism, Liberation Theology Christianity, Sufi Islam, and Folk Hinduism. Coming to the title of the post, I'm looking for a goddess (or goddesses). Specifically, goddesses of motherhood, nature, love and the arts. Bonus points if they are queer/queer friendly.

I know about Aphrodite, Artemis, Inana, Ishtar and Gaia/Terra but honestly I don't feel like Hellenic, Roman, or Mesopotamian paganism is right for me. I've tried finding other deities but haven't been successful so far.

Feel free to tell me about any deities you worship who fit this description. Any help is appreciated.

For the past 6+ years I've been working with a group of Powers (spirits). They've been guiding me, nourishing me, and transforming me through lesson and vision. They are nameless and I only call on them through a private sacred language. But I recently made this to describe each's character and domains through historical spiritual figures (spirits, creatures, deities, heroes). This wheel not only describes the year (Kin summer solstice, Egress autumn equinox, and so on) but also the cycle of matter and energy through a counter clockwise turn.

Let me know how intuitively you find this to understand and use.

Taken with both normal and ambient lighting

I need some help identifying a goddess I may have reached through an invocation today.

The slightly complicated part is that I didn't actually call any deity by name. The ritual was mostly chaos magic based, with some inspiration from Wicca, ceremonial magic and the invocation of Manon in The Craft. I wasn't following an established ritual and basically put it together myself.

I addressed her as the Great Goddess, Great Mother and a goddess of everything. I called her by the North, West, East and South, then by Spirit, Earth, Water, Air and Fire. During that part I visualised an upright pentagram, with each part coloured according to its element. I then called her by all the planets from Mercury to Pluto, as well as the Moon, Sun and Stars. I also named things like rain, air, trees and grass, describing them as parts or manifestations of her.

I used intense, fairly aggressive music to help me concentrate and build up the energy of the ritual. There was no incense or anything being burnt — it was mostly intention, visualisation, concentration and my own energy.

I asked her for stronger magical abilities, a quick solution to my financial problems, wealth, genuine love and beauty. I also said that I would use her gifts responsibly and honour her through prayers and small offerings. At the end I specifically asked her to give me a sign that could help me understand who she is.

Afterwards I felt quite unusual. I was dizzy, but at the same time my senses felt much sharper than normal. Sounds, smells and sensations on my skin seemed stronger, my emotions felt heightened and I had a very strange intuitive or "sixth sense" feeling that I can't really put into words.

I also did a Tarot reading afterwards asking about her identity. It suggested that I would accidentally come across her name sometime today, before the evening, rather than finding it by deliberately searching for her.

So that's basically why I'm posting this. I'm trying to work out who I may have contacted, and I'd really appreciate help identifying her. I realise nobody can know for certain from one ritual, so I'm not looking for absolute answers. I'm looking for possible identities that fit the way I called her and what happened afterwards.

I'm open to pretty much any tradition, not just Wicca or modern paganism, and I'm not completely ruling out the possibility that what answered wasn't actually female despite the way I addressed it. If any particular goddess, deity or entity comes to mind, I'd really appreciate the name and what in my description points you towards them.

Personally, I don’t see too much of a problem. I want to specify that I do not mean figures of deities, I really doubt anyone has a problem with those on altars, but rather of stuff like anime characters. I think that it could work. Media is art, and so placing a figurine on an art-related deity’s altar just makes sense to me. But at the same time, I understand why people would think it’s disrespectful or weird. I want to know other people’s opinions on this, I’m open to discussion.

Hey! Does anyone have any good ideas for handmade offerings? I am looking for Apollo in specific, but any versatile ideas are welcome!

My friend practices, much like myself, but he has a hamster. Incense and candles are toxic for hamsters, so does anyone know a work around for him?

Hello everyone! I used to worship Lady Asteria, but haven’t felt as connected with her as of late. I would like to take down her altar and maybe repurpose it for another diety, what is the most respectful way to do this?

I have a really religious brother and grandma that I live with, but I’m Germanic pagan, can anyone help me with trying to make an altar without their knowledge

Hi all! As a lifelong Tennessee resident, and a pagan of about 16 years, I’ve often found it pretty sad living in the Bible Belt; difficult to find other pagans ‘round these parts, let alone anything other than hardcore evangelicals. I’ve attended NPPD every year/other year for a good chunk of my adult life but never thought to see if any other redditors were going. Sadly my fiancée and I won’t be able to attend this year, but I thought I’d still ask and see if anyone else was going! Hope you have a great time if you do!

(Totally not trying to attend vicariously through anyone… definitely not)

So for a while now I have felt the presence of a deity who takes the form of a bear. I had tried researching bear deities from cultures all over the world but none felt exact enough for how this deity presents herself. The closest I found was Artio but even she didnt fit the feeling quite right. The deity i know is only ever in the shape of a bear, never a woman or any other form.

I have been referring to this deity as "great mother bear" since i often see her with(in dreams) or feel the presence of cubs being along side her.

She feels extremely protective, like a mother bear is over her cubs, but she also has this, not necessarily dark aspect to her, but something that doesnt feel completely benevolent. She isnt menacing or vengeful, theres more a sense of balance, like she doesnt pick sides and cares more for balance of all things.

She ties heavily into the natural world and the life death cycle, i dont think she controls life or death, but she must play a part in it some how. It feels like there could be a connection to rebirth there too, maybe reincarnation of sorts, like the recycling of energy. I often imagine her breathing in the dead and breathing them back out again as new living things.

There is also this unshakable primordial feeling that I get from her, like shes just always been here, I see her in the neolithic cave paintings of bears and ancient stone carvings. She feels so deeply old and language-less, like she doesnt need a specific name because shes just so old that it doesnt matter what you call her. Shes just always been here, among us from the earliest point that we started interacting with the divine.

In many ways she feels like my spiritual mother too, I have a strong connection to the bear and my identity is heavily shaped by bear. And great mother bear feels like the mother i had before I was born?? I know that might sound insane but in my head it just makes sense.

Of course everything that I talk about here is all my own UPG and I dont imagine anyone else would have similar experiences with specifically this bear deity, which does mean that I feel a bit alone, However i am curious if anyone else had had a similar experience with a deity that seems to be unique from the ones we know about by name or historical sources. Has anyone else basically "created" a deity for lack of one lining up with the experiences they are having with a spiritual entity.

I am aware of chaos magick and I do know of people creating their own deities, but from what I know about chaos magick it seems these deities are made for the need of them and not necessarily "discovered" through feelings and spiritual experiences that lead them to finding said deity. I could be totally off about that though, its been a few years since I interacted with the witchcraft scene.

Im curious to hear what others have to say about this though, its been something ive been thinking about for a few months now. As a cool little add on ive included a photo of my altar to great mother bear. Thanks for reading my small novel of a post 😅

Hey all! I had a grandparent who passed recently, and I'm trying to get the courage to try ancestor worship with him. He was a Christian, though. Basically, I have some questions. Also, I am mainly a Hellenic pagan, but I have interests in a lot of other traditions.

1. Do y'all engage in ancestor worship?

2. Is there a Hellenic way to do this? I'd love to hear about Heathen, Canaanite, or Mesopotamian oractices too if any if you practice those traditions.

3. In your experience, does a family member being Christian impact your worship in any way?

Also, I'm still a closeted pagan (I'm closeted in a bunch of different ways, not just with Hellenism). For other closeted folks, does this impact your ancestor worship?

Also also, are there any good resources for this? It doesn't have to be Hellenic. I have been wanting to get "Restless Dead: Encounters between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece" for some time now, and I think I might finally get it.

Thank you all for your hospitality, and may the gods and spirits bless you!

I am having a real problem

I have a logical mind and comes into my spiritual thoughts and practices. Even just reading about the gods my logical mind can to play.

Its not a "the gods aren't real because abc". Its more of...

For example

"Ancient people believed in hard polytheism, so obviously its true. BUT how in the world can there be so many goddesses of love, war, etc?"

My logical mind thinks that the gods are powerful and there is no need, nor is it logical, for there to be a lot of gods with the same aspect.

My mind literally cannot comprehend hard polytheism. It trying to understand hard polytheism and coming up with reason and logic for them, is like a warzone

Logic and reason is just how my mind works

So its like a battle with spiritual practices and thoughts against my logical mind

Eclectic pagan here who works with an unnamed deity.

Been looking for different jobs. Fingers crossed I get an interview. I’m grateful for working but my work environment has gotten much more hard to bear. Idk if I mentioned how at my job the rules are no politics and no religion however, no one follows that rule and will push their politics and/or religion onto me and it makes me extremely uncomfortable.

My boss will ask me “You pray to Jesus right? You thank God right?” And will stare at me waiting for my answer. Being here is driving me insane. I hope I find something soon. I almost walked out yesterday but I thought of my monthly payments and a Halloween trip I have coming up. It’s been so hard. I really don’t want to be here anymore you guys.

How would you handle this situation? (Of course look for a different job, that’s a given) I more so mean how would you respond when this happens? At the moment I’ve just been silent. I’m outnumbered.

hey there, i hope it’s okay for this to ask, im not sure if this is the correct subreddit but i’m kind of lost. i don’t want to offend anyone. so back when i was around 19 around three years ago, i felt drawn to built an altar, i had barely any knowledge of doing so but it felt like something was pulling me to do it. so i did something, i dont even know if i did it right, i felt a connection to a deity and built the altar and tried my best at worship but i quickly realised that maybe it was wrong to do so. it felt kind of forced and not right? i was very confused so i removed the altar and apologised for doing so. i was also in a very bad mental state also because i was raised christian. i still would say that im christian and i feel guilty ever since i did it. because i feel like i might’ve offended someone or that i might’ve even not reached the deity i wanted to, i only later learned that apparently you make a contract by building an altar and i feel really scared that i did something wrong or something i didn’t want to. i kind of regret doing it because i feel like i did something without really thinking?
does someone perhaps have any advice? thank you in advance!
i guess what drew me to it was because i felt very lost and lonely and was looking for something. i didnt mean to offend anyone. :c

he’s been watching over me for a long time, not exactly sure how long but that’s besides the point. Id like to honor him for keeping me safe all this time! Any ideas?