Wiccans believe that the divine is immanent; a life force existing in all of creation.  To know the divine is to know one’s true self.  The Charge of the Goddess tells us that if we cannot find the answers within ourselves, we will never find it outside of us.  This is because each of us carries of piece of the divine, a spark of creation, within.

Based upon this, a Wiccan knows that the divine is not an unknowable force, hidden from us.  This approach forces us to strive to self-awareness with the realization that any sense of fulfillment must come within us.  To recognize the animus (the male aspects within a female) and anima (the female aspects within a male) that lies hidden within our subconscious self.

Wicca reveres the divine, in both the male and female form.  The worship of female deity is not something new.  Ancient peoples created images of an earth mother from materials of the earth - clay, stone, bone, etc.  While facial features were almost nonexistent, the images were remarkable similar in that they portrayed the earth mother with a large round stomach, thick thighs, and ponderous breast.  Since women were seen as the bearer of children, of life itself, it seems natural that the earliest images made to represent the divine would be female in nature.

The earliest versions of the male divine portray the God as half-man, half-beast or as a man (perhaps a priest) wearing animal skins and horns.  The God was the hunter, the provider of food for the people.

As civilization spread, unfortunately, the worship of more than one God/dess (polytheism) was replaced with a monotheistic belief in a singular divine presence, almost always male.  With the belief in a male God, most monotheistic religions suppressed the woman since only man was in God’s image.  And if woman was inferior, than there was certainly no place for a divine Goddess.

Part of the embracing of Wicca is a rebellion against such dogmatic practices.  Unfortunately, there are some who, in throwing off the yoke of a male monotheistic religion, embrace only the Goddess while ignoring the God.  But this viewpoint fails to take into consideration the forces of balance within creation.

With few exceptions, life is created because of female AND male contributions.  Without one, there would be no life.  Just as we cannot appreciate the light without having the dark to judge it by, there cannot be feminine without masculine divine.  Neither is superior to the other, only different, bringing with each different aspects that, when combined, give rise to life in its entirity.

The Feminine divine is seen in triple form - the innocent and chaste maiden, the sensual and fertile mother, and the all knowing crone.  She is the waxing, full, and waning moon.  She is the waters, the fertile fields, the dark skies above.

The Male divine is also seen in triple form - the enlightenment and joy of youth, the strength and wisdom of maturity, and the sacrifice and renewal of death.  He is the sun, the harvest, and the underworld.

Because we are polytheistic, we revere both a Goddess and a God.  But unlike other major religions, we don’t tell you who they are.  It is an individual choice.  Some worship a specific Goddess and God, while others change the Goddess and God to reflect the changing seasons.  Some worship by pantheon, such as Celtic, Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Sumerian, etc.  Some worship the Lady and Lord as such, without the need for a specific deity.

Who you chose may be based upon your ethnic heritage or upon the Goddesses and Gods of a particular pantheon that interests you.  You may read something one day that calls to you as if that God/dess was saying, "Here I am, come to me."

On another page within this site are links to sites for God/dess/es.  Take time and research for yourself.  Don’t worry if you can’t find deities that "click" immediately.  And don’t chose your deities because your best friend is using this one or that.  Try to chose those that you have an affinity with, that speak to your soul  In the end, these types of choices will be the most meaningful.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t use another deity on some occassions.  The dark Goddesses, while not usually recommended to be worshipped in their entirety on an ongoing basis, are certainly appropriate for worship at Samhain.  And the Oak and Holly Kings are certainly appropriate deities for Yule.

All aspects of the divine are aspects of creation.  By knowing and accepting this, you take your first step in the realization that all Goddesses and Gods are merely mortal reflections of the divine, of the creator.  Who you chose, how you chose, is between you and the creator.

Are you extremely feminine or masculine?  Are you passive or aggressive?  Are you sexual by nature, or sensual?  Do you have a natural affinity towards a specific animal?  Are you drawn to water, or fire?  Are you dark in nature, preferring shadow to light?  All these and more are things to consider.

Homework, then - take time to read about the various Goddesses and Gods.  Look outside of boundaries and into other heritages.  Read a little about the various pantheons.  Look to the aspects of yourself that you like, and those that you’d like to improve and use those as some guidelines in selecting your deities.

And if you don’t find them right away, don’t worry.  The Lady and Lord will find you when the time is right.
 
 

© 2001 Mother