When I sit and think about how my deities came into my life, I honestly draw a blank. Haven't they always worked with me? Haven't I always been a sorceress?
As much as I'd love to sprawl on a red velvet couch and proclaim that I have always known of my gifts, always worked with deities and made magick. I had no idea what any of it was until I was 18 and overly enthusiastic about meeting a woman with tarot cards. It was another year or so before I realised that deities were waiting for me to step into my power and work with them. There were signs, and hindsight makes everything clearer, but there were signs for a very long time of just who and what awaited me when I was ready to listen.
Listening is the most important part of working with deities. You must be ready to listen for their call and know how to differentiate it from the rest of the noise of the world. Sometimes signs will help point you in the right direction, you just need to remember to get out of your own way and see them. A recurring image in your mind, a mention of the same pantheon several times in several varied situations, a draw to a particular area of magick; these are all ways deities guide us to work with them. Other times deities make themselves known loud and clear. It's our responsibility to step into that power and embrace them.
Each deity can bring new things into your life, a new perspective, a new appreciation, a new form of practice to your craft. Sometimes deities come and go as we need them. Stepping forward to help us through a battle and then receding into the background to let others help us heal. This is normal, we shift and change in our power all the time. Each deity is helping us strive toward our highest potential and that ultimate sense of self.
So you've listened, you've realised you were always interested in and searching for this deity, you've invited them into your life and into your magick. How do you know if they've accepted your offer?
I can only describe it as intense knowing of self. It feels as though you have become the most powerful version of yourself and finally come "home". This feeling is what makes the call of deities unquestionable. You might suddenly realise that they were with you all along. I remember realising that Hades had stood by me every night as I slept, he had always been there with me. And he will always be there with me.
As yours will with you. Sometimes we lose touch, we fall out of contact just as we do with friends. What's important is to always pick it back up. They will be waiting for you and it's your responsibility to find them again. It is your responsibility to work with them, to devote or worship them in exchange for their gifts.
For information and tips of devotion and worship I recommend researching the traditional devotional acts of worshippers of your deity. Build them a sacred space, talk to them throughout your day, thank them for their blessings and aid. For me a lot of my devotion in the beginning was simple conversations with my gods. I talked to them like old friends. Hades would ride the train with me and we would talk about my day or my dreams. I began seeking and wearing black stones as a sign of devotion. My shielding changed from a simple auric filter to a deep black cloak he had gifted me. I carved out time to meditate into a space and commune with him. I bought a deck of oracle cards based in the Greek pantheon simply so I could remove his cards and display them on my altar. All of these are small signs of my devotion and good beginning steps. I'll try and get another blog post about this written next, but these are good ways to at least show your gratitude for them.
Working with my deities has been a life altering experience. Every time I feel we've reached the limits something new opens up to me.
Sit quietly and listen, perhaps your deities are calling you.
