Welcome to the second in my year long series of beginner Pagan topics. You can read the first entry in the series here.
Communication between a person and a deity has been dubbed the “God phone” within neo-pagan circles today. Don’t take this literally. Gods are known to communicate in ways more subtle than talking with someone on the phone. Its easy to think if you don’t turn around when performing a ritual and see an infinitely beautiful person wearing a period costume and giving instructions to succeed in life somehow your efforts aren’t appreciated. Or the Godphone involves a booming voice in your head. Those are both inaccurate to say the least.
While esoteric experiences are intense, they are too much for anyone to experience on a day to day basis and hope to be able to maintain a mundane life. Unfortunately, modern life doesn’t have a system to take care of the mundane details of existence so the spiritual worker can only focus on the spiritual outside of a monastery, and we don’t have a pagan equivalent (yet). While there might a strong call to action so to speak, regular brushes are far more subtle and common. Also, a call may not always be answered by the intended recipient.
With All Things, Discernment is Key
To briefly define discernment: it is being able to tell the difference between wishful thinking, your own deepest fears haunting you, and what is really coming from outside of you. Once you have eliminated all other possibilities and squarely place the “something outside” category, it is confirming who it is. Gods don’t always give their names, and there are plenty of other beings out there beside gods. Discernment requires taking a step back and analyzing what it all means, and if it makes sense in the context.
If you have done your research on a god, having an idea of what is expected will aid your discernment. A mother goddess isn’t going to support cruelty, a god of the wild isn’t going to want you to litter, a goddess known for protecting the marginalized isn’t going to want you to be cruel to those you have power over. Gods are complex, and most have different aspects, but there still should be some broad generalities you can apply.
What do you if you have been reaching out to a deity, and you’re not sure if this weird desire to get chocolate for their altar comes from you or them? If it is what you normally buy, it is probably you. If it’s a specific shape or flavor associated with your divine correspondence, it might be more.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, or get verification from a third party. A god that gets upset when being asked to clarify or being questioned is not a god worth worshiping. I will be doing a blog post on divination, but a skilled and professional diviner is good place to confirm the message you are getting and/or you are talking who you think you are talking to. Speaking with someone who has nothing at stake about your experience is a good place to go.
I will give a rule of thumb I have learned: if the experience makes too much sense, it is probably from you. Meditating on something and connecting to something deep always left a “what the” feeling. If you have to puzzle the words said or images seen and discover multiple meanings, or a meaning you had to ponder to come to, it is more likely to be genuine.
Gods are rarely concerned with stroking your ego. Some are nicer than others, and I would venture they do want us to feel good about ourselves, but it is a long way from saying “don’t be so hard on yourself” to “you are the greatest person ever!”.
Discernment requires knowing yourself. Keeping a journal is vital while exploring the Pagan path. Write down all of your experiences, even if you feel embarrassed or silly. Think of the Godphone as a skill that needs to be cultivated, like art or music. Some people come to it easily, some have to really work at it, but most people can at least draw a square house if pressed. A journal will also be useful to return to and notice patterns.
So with that being said, how do gods often communicate with us?
Reoccurring dreams or recurring themes/ figures that you don’t have an explanation for. Or symbolism related directly to the mythology you are studying.
Waking dreams or flashes. It is an image or a scene that shows in your mind’s eye that is clear as what is in front of you, even if you know full well you’re really not seeing it with your physical eye.
Unlikely coincidences. Events that fall into the “possible, but really unlikely” category. An animal with a strong connection to the deity in question keeps crossing your path, when it is unusual.
A sudden need to visit a very specific place. A compulsion to offer a specific type of beverage that isn’t your favorite. A shopping trip where there is something that you absolutely have to have—and you’re not sure why.
Gods can have a very distinct voice, and I mean that in more of a writing craft sense. I mean voice as in style and personality of speaking. If the words were written on paper you would know instantly who was speaking.
What emotions did you feel? Was there a sense of peace, knowing, or awe? There is a difference between fear that is awe or facing an unknown and fear that is genuinely thinking something is a threat.
A Quick Journal Exercise
Set a timer. This is a free write exercise. The point is to get your pen moving and keep it moving. I recommend using a pen and paper instead of a computer. It is more tactile, and writing activates a different part of your brain than typing. It can be easier to keep your pen moving. Start small, and work yourself up to more time if you need it.
If you want to analyze an experience (after you journal what actually happened, with no judgement) start with what happened? Then write. You can start with going through the event, but focus more on how you feel. Were you scared? Nervous? Overjoyed? Underwhelmed?
Is there another meaning to the words or images?
Start with a question, not a statement. A statement doesn’t need to be probed or analyzed. A question will prompt your mind to find an answer. The point of this is to keep writing. No stopping. No judgement of what comes out. Just keep going until the time is up. Let your mind make the connections it will.
Don’t be afraid to repeat this exercise, but try to ask a slightly different question. Why was this frightening? Has it happened before?
If you ended up having a conversation with this exercise take it in stride. It will reveal something about you.