Fear and deity

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Fear and deity

I've never feared the gods, goddesses or God. For me there was no sense of a threat of do this or suffer that though I was taught to respect them. That being from a strictly spiritual and religious point of view.

In some capacities as one who walks a shamanic like influenced pathway there were periods of pain and discomfort used to push me into certain acceptances. Yet it was not fear based but making me accept things. Sort of like learning to ride a bike in that its in your face and you stumble over it and hurt yourself until you accept your supposed to ride it and learn to do so and how to control it. Still painful in the learning process as you fall and get back up but eventually you gain control over it and the pain passes except for when you try something new or realize you can do other things and are pushed to try them.

[Strength]

Re: Fear and deity

Thank you, Gleb! In the spirit of actually doing something about my problem, I've started a list of the different ways that I want to feel and why so that I can focus on those things instead. I've also decided that I'm going to try reaching out to some less intimidating energies for a while.

monsno_leedra: Thanks for sharing! I hope I feel like that someday.

[anunitu]

Re: Fear and deity

I've never feared the gods, goddesses or God. For me there was no sense of a threat of do this or suffer that though I was taught to respect them. That being from a strictly spiritual and religious point of view.

In some capacities as one who walks a shamanic like influenced pathway there were periods of pain and discomfort used to push me into certain acceptances. Yet it was not fear based but making me accept things. Sort of like learning to ride a bike in that its in your face and you stumble over it and hurt yourself until you accept your supposed to ride it and learn to do so and how to control it. Still painful in the learning process as you fall and get back up but eventually you gain control over it and the pain passes except for when you try something new or realize you can do other things and are pushed to try them.

I will go with you on this Monsno,you may adore a god or goddess,but if fear is your motivator,I think you really miss the point of having devotion for them.

[Heka]

Hey there Strength, welcome aboard.

I also have never felt fear in regard to deity. I was not bought up Christian at all, so all that is totally foreign to me, and frankly doesn't make sense. I'm so glad I never had to divorce myself from all that like so many others.

I see the whole fear/respect thing in my fellow teachers sometimes, and while they often have fantastic results with their students, I'd rather get the respect of mine by treating them well, rather than scaring them. Not quite OT but it's what I think of with the whole fear for respect thing lol

Unlike others I have also never felt awe, Having never had an experience with deity. Perhaps thats why I've never felt fear. Perhaps none will come say hello unless I do. I hope not, because then it'll never happen.

As far as offerings, I feel that she doesn't want "things" offered as much as energy and effort. Like, in the past I've made bread to show my gratefulness, but somehow I felt that the bread didn't matter as much as the act of making the bread. Once I was done making it, the offering was pretty much over.

Mostly I wanted to comment on this. This rings true for me. One of our lovely members here is devoted to Skuld and spins to show devotion (and a whole lot of other reasons no doubt). It's from her and the Nortern Tradition worldveiw that I've learn that it is the act of doing that is the key element, not the finished product. I now cross stitch, and devote my energies to whatever deity is hanging around. (mostly the Nornir, not that they've told me theyre getting it lol). I also don't stitch for myself, I mean I don't need shit loads of little pictures in my house, so I stitch, energies go to deity, product goes to a friend or relative etc. Relatively selfless act I suppose. (Until I think that I'm expection reciprocation one day haha, and I only stitch little things because otherwise I get impatient and still like the success of a finished product, but it's not like deity cares that I made something pretty).

Anyway, my two random cents. Enjoy my ramblings

[Strength]

Re: Fear and deity

Thank you for sharing, Heka, and for the welcome! It's so interesting to hear that someone else has had a similar experience with offerings. I've only ever heard about people offering actual things in more formalized ritual, so I kind of thought I was a little off. You mentioned that the Northern Tradition worldview is one of the places you encountered this...attitude (I don't know if that's the word I'm looking for)? If you have the interest, could you elaborate on that a bit? I mean, is this attitude inherent in that tradition? (If I need to ask this question somewhere else, please feel free to let me know.)

[anunitu]

Re: Fear and deity

One thing from myself,when I decide to "follow" a deity,first thing that comes to my mind is "What is in it for me" because every relationship,even with a God,Goddess has to be in its own way reciprocal,and not just be one sided. This is different I think from religious systems where you must plead for things when you "Worship",I see gods,goddess's as kinda business partners,not bosses.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Fear and deity

Thank you for sharing, Heka, and for the welcome! It's so interesting to hear that someone else has had a similar experience with offerings. I've only ever heard about people offering actual things in more formalized ritual, so I kind of thought I was a little off. You mentioned that the Northern Tradition worldview is one of the places you encountered this...attitude (I don't know if that's the word I'm looking for)? If you have the interest, could you elaborate on that a bit? I mean, is this attitude inherent in that tradition? (If I need to ask this question somewhere else, please feel free to let me know.)

Hellenic or Greek practice. Roman also from what I recall, often forms around the notion of right practice versus right method or belief. In one figure its about doing the right things sort of dogmatic, in the other its about believing the right way and doing things from that slant. which is more correct who knows as it is driven by both the practitioner but also by how they view things. Many recon types are right practice while many neo's tend to fall on right belief. Right belief also falling into the personal relationship with deity as a one on one type thing that is not always found in more recon or recon influenced practices. Something which is actually sort of a hold over from the Protestant movement in Christianity which created a more personal approach towards divinity, making it less informal and removed.

[Strength]

Re: Fear and deity

anunitu: That's definitely something worth pointing out. It's hard for me to remember that I have a certain amount of autonomy and responsibility for myself and can actually expect my own needs and wants to be respected, possibly even by the deities I'm working with, rather than just accepting whatever I'm given with no room for my own will. Actually, what I just wrote screams of heresy to me. It's kind of jarring.

monsno_leedra: Thank you for that. It makes sense, of course. The more you follow a tradition, the more boundaries and rules you'll have to define your practice. But actually that's a really interesting way to think about how I want to further my involvement with my religion in general. Do I want to focus on right practice or right belief? Hm.

[Heka]

Thank you for sharing, Heka, and for the welcome! It's so interesting to hear that someone else has had a similar experience with offerings. I've only ever heard about people offering actual things in more formalized ritual, so I kind of thought I was a little off. You mentioned that the Northern Tradition worldview is one of the places you encountered this...attitude (I don't know if that's the word I'm looking for)? If you have the interest, could you elaborate on that a bit? I mean, is this attitude inherent in that tradition? (If I need to ask this question somewhere else, please feel free to let me know.)

We have a whole board for it mate. Go and check out the Heathen board, though Rae'ya is far more qualified than me to answer questions about the tradition. I'm not sure if its a 'thing' or not, I jus ft know it works for me.