I have read on hear alot about peoples connection to gods and their use in ritual and magic and how they apear to them. I like how some here have such a close relationship with their gods and see them as family and friends. what i want to ask is how do you invoke or conect to your gods? what ways do you comunicate to them?

i have had some good experiances with the gods i have worked with but lately im feeling very distent from them any body got any ideas as to why? guess im wandering if im doing something wrong?!

Blimey. Um, it's really hard to explain. I usually have to go off and meet them, if you get my meaning? That said, Mr D can usually be reached just by thinking about him.

I go through long periods when I really feel like I'm just going through the motions and, as I said in another post (can't remember where !) I begin to question my path and wonder if I've made it all up

I have never experienced the direct contact and communication a lot of folk describe. For me it is a subtle feeling, or maybe a kind of sign or coincidence, or a feeling like I'm seeing a situation from a completely different perspective all of a sudden and it becomes clear what I'm supposed to be doing (sorry if this is all vague, but it's hard to describe). Sometimes it's a buzzing and a joyous huge energy that I can barely contain. I've tried to strengthen these feelings with meditations, attempts at lucid dreaming and Rune readings with limited success.

this is the same for me, its all very vague and subtle feelings or little natural occurrence's that i see that seem more than just natural occurrence's. im trying to work at connecting more to gods. i guess i dont do enough ritual work as i used to so that could probably be part of the distanceness .

any body ellse got any ideas?

There are rituals which can be done to enable contact, but generally simply "being" and conversing with them works well.

I'm with Tas on this one. I would never try to order them around (which is how summoning appears to me). I'm just available if they want to talk, or send a message. Sometimes one of them comes along with something that results in a real high, and other times it can simply be a 'feeling' that something needs to be done.

The latest was "CLEAN THE HOUSE!" I guess they got fed up with a dusty altar.

I just talk to my PTB's and ancestors. I don't do invoking, summoning or stirring, because I think its plain rude.

They talk back via, dreams, nudges or directly demanding things like, I want new statuary, my arms fallen off, when are you going to buy me a new statue, don't you love me anymore, if you loved me you'd buy new statuary. It's not like I ask much from you, and I do SO much for you... *ahem Hebe's not a happy Goddess at the mo, as if you can't tell*

When I do circle work or meditation I ask them very nicely to join me. Usually they do, though interestingly the other week we had a visitor to circle, and none of my PTB's showed up, the altar candles that we light to welcome them, utterly refused to stay ignited, which makes me inclined to believe that they weren't enamoured with our guest.

Outside of circle/meditation work, I always find just being out in nature is the fastest way to connect. I live by the sea and often just sit on the beach at dusk and you've got all the elements and all the divine that you could shake a stick at.

Also particular acts of 'service', youth work, litter picking, even *cough* bumping uglies with Mr Q, make me feel connected to my PTB's.

Q

PTBs????????

Hehehe at least I spelt it right this time (unlike the ask Pomona a question thread).

PTB's shorthand for Powers That Be, just my lil pet name for Deity.

Q

It is very courageous of you to admit this, as alot of people sort of shy away from admitting when they don't feel anything... almost as if they think there is something lacking in them for not being 100% 'in the zone'.

I go through phases too, and I think this is healthy... if I didn't occasionally not feel them, I'd be living on cloud cuckoo land! But if I am going through a phase, and still need to contact them, then I'll do what I have to to call them... usually it works... a small glass of rum and some pretty candles always helps...

I'm very definitely with Tas and Moonhunter on this one, you don't summon the Norse gods, you invite them, summoning them is either likely to get no response or a respnse that you don't want, it's like banishing Loki, you just don't do it, unless you want him to pay very particular attention to your life and what fun he can have with it.

Storm Raven

I would not summon or invoke my gods in a fit. I have no ritual that they would be remotely interested in and they would tell me to get stuffed if i tried to use them to do magic. They're gods, not family or friends or helpful elves - I think sometimes my world view is very odd but I can't see gods as being interested in the minutiae of my life.

Banishing Loki?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Ye Gods, you'd have to be suicidal to risk that one.

Well, at the moment I don't have any specific deities that I work with but it seems some are trying to get my attention. I've been receiving images in dreams/meditations, nudged towards certain books so hopefully it will become clearer.

Interestingly, the information I've uncovered so far is leading me in directions I never imagined I'd go in.

Nearly as suicidally stupid as invoking Sekhmet to keep Loki out and telling the partner of one your intended guests that to tell them that they aren't allowed invoke Loki for at least twenty four hours prior to them going to their house.

Storm Raven

Heh, I once came across someone who claimed Sekhmet was a cosy mother figure really, and much maligned.

As for not invoking Loki - you mean he waits to be invited? Ye Gods - I've been doing something wrong these past few years.

Yeah, that's exactly how my Diety came to me but mines was more specific.
I really don't decide or have a choice when it comes to 'seeing' them in dreams etc it just happens. And I don't 'invoke' but ask nicely . One came and went once and some stay longer.

Sekhmet a cosy mother figure, about as much as Eris/Discordia or The Morrigan.

Loki turns up where and when he feels like doing so, if you invite him, he might just be better behaved than if you don't, not that he likes the attention and being in the limelight, being a shy and retiring sort really.

Storm Raven

Heh. Moth to a flame so long as it's (1) amusing, (2) has style or (3) it's caught his attention for all the wrong reasons.

The gods preserve me from (3)!