Perceiving Deity
by Linda Kay Wilson

God. Goddess. Deity. The Divine. The One. The All. The Is. No matter what they, he, she, it is called they have one thing in common.

They are, in some form or other, a part of every religion. Without deities, there would be no religion of any kind, for worship is at the heart of any religion.

There is an old folktale of the five blind men who wanted to "see" an elephant. So, they were taken to one. One man felt the leg of the beast, and concluded that an elephant was big and round and tall, like a tree. Another felt the tail, and proclaimed that the elephant was like a rope. Another was guided up a ladder where he felt the elephant's side, and declared that the beast was like a giant, living wall. One man was led to another ladder, from which he felt the elephants ear. "OH!" He exclaimed, "The elephant is like a monstrous bat, with just one leathery wing larger than half my body!" And the fifth , upon feeling the elephants trunk, decided that the elephant was a giant snake.

This is the way it is with Deity. Everyone possesses his or her perception of the Goddess and God. We built these up through life experiences, childhood teachings, and interactions with Them as well as through research. Such experiences will, naturally, form the basis of your conception of Deity. Research will also provide assistance.

How do you, personally, define the Deity of your tradition? If they have been like astral fairy godparents, or all-powerful but ethereal beings, it is time to mentally give them form, bring them into focus. It's important to firm your conceptions of the Goddess and God. The nature of your tradition's Deities is of great importance, as we'll see.

One thing that is virtually universal in Paganism is the recognition of both the Goddess and God. Some, however, feel more "connected" with the female aspect of Deity. Others with the male. Different strokes for different folks. Neither are wrong. Both are right. Whichever you feel most comfortable with, is the aspect you will most often interact with.

So, get out your notebook. Go to the library. Talk with your friends, if you feel so moved to. Explore the different aspects of the Divine. Write down your impressions. Decide which of these you feel most in tuned with. Get to know the aspect of the Deity that will become the focal point of your tradition.

Learn their names. They may choose to reveal themselves to you as a long-known and recognized aspect. Diana. Bridgid. Zeus. Loki. Yahweh. (Hey! Just cause that's the "new kid on the block" doesn't make him invalid!) Thor. Or, they may choose to come to you as another name. Retique. Carducot Whatever. Your relationship with the Deity is as personal as the name they reveal themselves to you.