Connecting with Deities for Beginners
First: religious or spiritual belief is entirely optional in witchcraft. Your own divinity and power to manifest does not reduce because you’re not throwing food at your altar for a “patron deity” every week. In fact, patron deities are a lot rarer than tumblr might have you believe. Allow this process to be what it is - a process. Allow time to discover your spiritual home. There’s no rush. You’ve lived lifetimes and you will live more.
If you feel called toward connecting with deity, here’s my advice: write. Writing forces you to slow your thinking down and truly consider your ideas, thoughts, and desires. Writing pieces of yourself down puts them into the universe.
Take these ideas into a journal that you’ve chosen with an intention to be a place for spiritual work. It can be a Book of Shadows or something else. Try these prompts - if you don’t know the answers to these questions, it’s an opportunity to dive into yourself!
1. Numbers: Are there numbers you’ve felt drawn to? Do you have any lucky numbers? Do things always work out the first time you try them, or does it seem to always take three - or seven? Do your relationships with others come in twos or fives? Does your birthday mean anything to you? What about your birth time, or place? If there’s a number you feel at home with, explore it! What deities are related to it? What direction? In my case, 3 is incredibly powerful in all aspects of my life. I’ve found Vishnu and Auset to be my focal points and recognize 3 in them. Vishnu has had 9 incarnations (3x3) and Auset recovered Ausar from the dead to become pregnant and give birth to their child.
2. Animals: Yes, everyone has an opinion about cats or dogs. But maybe you find yourself watching spiders closely rather than jumping away, or the finches in your yard carry weight when you see them. Maybe you found yourself getting a dragonfly tattoo out of nowhere, or there’s something about the octopus that gets your heart swelling with intrigue. Write these down. Check the World Wildlife Foundations adoptable endangered species. Which would you choose? What element or directions do you associate these animals with? Which ones do you want to experiment calling upon?
3. Music: I don’t mean the radio. Think about the music you go to when you’re emotionally well; not full of happiness, not in a valley of sadness or pain. What do you like to study to, meditate to? What songs come on when you’re out at restaurants? Is there a song that just pops up at the strangest or most needed of times? Look at the words, the genre, the meaning of these songs or these types of music. If you’re into soundscapes, seek out elemental or nature deities. If you like hip-hop, seek out deities who are playful or assertive. Classical could lead you to deities of balance or justice. Try making music, just with your hands on the table. What rhythms do you find yourself producing? What’s your vibration?
4. Joyous Moments: What makes you happy? Maybe bath bombs aren’t your thing, but tea in the morning is. Do you like being surrounded by friends, family, or strangers? Write down the moments of your life where you felt the most blissful. Write down what moments you want to collect before this life has ended. What deities reflect similar habits or goals? If you want to backpack along the Ganges or in Europe, think about deities of travel and movement. If you want to build a family, look at Mother Goddesses.
5. Weirdnesses: This might be the most important and will require slowly opening your inner eye. Look! For! Weirdness! These are not coincidences, these are communications. Track your moods, your feelings, your interactions. Did a friend mention a film or historical figure that’s been in the back of your mind lately? Did that license plate you read have the initials of someone you care about? What imagery or feelings keep appearing in your dreams? Do you keep finding pennies everywhere you go? If you’re not experiencing weirdnesses in your life, throw yourself into a new situation, new people, hobby, or activity. Breaking routine is an excellent way to invite the universe to have a hand in authoring your day.
These are simple journaling activities to help you place yourself in the greater world we occupy. Spiritual journeys are deep, personal, and a long-term commitment. Don’t choose a deity just because they’re popular, or you feel like you need one.
Spirit guides are already here, waiting for you to listen. The more you reflect on the inner workings of your mind and heart, the more you’re saying YES to magic and saying YES to ascension.
