Finding your Patron God or Matron Goddess
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Most Druids select at least one Patron God or Matron Goddess (or it may be more appropriate to say that a God or Goddess select you). Doing so calls the archetypal energy of this God(dess) into your life. If you have not felt the call of a particular deity in your life, you may choose to seek one by following this format:
- Petition: Read over the list of Celtic Gods and Goddesses found in the next section. Does one seem to call to you? Maybe the Celtic Pantheon does not appeal to you. Is there a God or Goddess from another Pantheon that resonates with you? Select one, and make a petition to this God or Goddess. To petition them, first go to your own sacred space and ritually purify yourself. Next, ground and center, and make an offering to your chosen deity. After making your offering, speak an invocation to the God or Goddess, asking them to come to you and give you their blessings.
- Vigil: Once you have made your petition, prepare to wait in vigil in your sacred space until you are given a sign of acceptance from your Chosen One. This message could come in the form of some sort of sign, such as an animal appearing, or leaves blowing in the wind, or a shooting star, or anything that would have specific significance to you. It could just come as a feeling within your spirit. Ultimately the meaning must come from deep within you. You will know it when it arrives.
- Omens: When omens come, they should be omens of special significance to you. For example, the Mórrígan speaks to me through ravens. When I see a raven, I know I should pay attention. But if ravens held no special significance for me, I wouldn’t expect to see an omen in the flight of a raven. Look at it this way…if you spoke Latin, and had a friend who didn’t speak Latin, would you send your friend a message in Latin? What would be the point? Likewise, omens come in forms that have special significance to you. They should be in your “language.”
- Interpretation: Sometimes you may be confused or unclear on the messages you receive. In such a case, you may always clarify the messages by consulting your ogham fews. Use the guide to interpreting the ogham fews from the Earth Path section.
Ultimately, when you are chosen by a God or a Goddess, you will know. It’s like being in love for the first time. Nobody can describe the experience to you, but you’ll know it when you see it. If you have tried the procedure above and you still haven’t gotten an answer, perhaps your own God or Goddess is waiting for you to open yourself. To do this, meditate on being open to any and all messages you may receive from any God or Goddess who calls to you. In this way the Gods are choosing you rather than you choosing them.
Explore the Gods and Goddesses by clicking on a link below.