Disclaimer: I'm not telling you how to 'correctly' practice your religion. This post is meant to make you think about whether the way you currently practice is based on a conscious choice or an unconscious bias. You are the only person who gets to decide what you believe in and how you live your life.
I will use norse polytheism as an example in this post, but it applies to other religions as well.
Polytheistic online spaces are becoming more and more monotheistic.
We have many Gods and Goddesses. We have the Landvættir (spirits of the land), Elves and Dwarfs and many more beings in our mythology. Yet, the vast majority of people who have accounts dedicated to norse paganism, mainly post about one, rarely more than 5 of them.
Loki, Odin, Thor, Freyja, Fenrir.
Those are the top contenders.
I believe it has to do with the fact that most of us grew up in a monotheistic society. Even if your family isn't religious, I'm sure you've learned about christianity/islam/judaism through the people around you. There are churches/mosques/synagogues in your town, created to honor one god.
The holidays the people celebrate are centered around one god.
Politicians, movies, friends and neighbors, they all talk about their relationship with one god.
We simply never learned how polytheism can look in practice.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that monotheism is somehow bad or worse than polytheism. We should all live alongside and learn from each other. What I am saying is, most of us don't have any idea how to focus on all these beings at once. It seems impossible to have a relationship with all of them. How much time would you have to spend on praying and preparing offerings? How long would it take to have a conversation with each of them at least once a week?
The answer is: too long. That's why this is not what you should be doing, if you're not trying to burn yourself out.
A little effort in relevant situations is enough.
- Why should I change anything if it's working for me?
Because each God and Spirit has their place and specialty.
Would you ask your dentist to fix your broken leg? Or a cook if they can remodel your house?
They are very capable at a certain thing, and maybe your house wouldn't look awful after the remodeling, but don't you think a construction worker and an interior decorator would've done a better job?
I think it's important to let each of them do what they're best at.
A little goes a long way.
Ask Iðunn for help, if you feel like there's no life left in you.
Thank Njöðr for the warm spring breeze.
Be good to a stray cat in honor of Freyja.
Leave a handmade flower crown or a bit of fruit outside for the spirits of the land.
Give the dwarfs a coin in exchange for some help with a crafting project.
Read stories from mythology or listen to them as an audiobook. Familiarize yourself with what each of those beings stand for, what they are associated with and what they like.
You will never find a perfect balance between all of them, and it's natural to have a closer relationship with some Gods/Spirits than others. But still, it is absolutely worth getting out of your comfort zone.
That is all from me for now. Good luck and happy worshipping! <3
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