One of the many beautiful things about Paganism is that there is no universal “right or wrong” way to practice the religion. Another great thing about Paganism is that it recognizes the divine feminine alongside the divine masculine. Many Pagans, myself included, praise our religion because it recognizes both of these aspects and encourages balance.
Although your choice of tradition under the umbrella of Pagan can be personal and something some people don’t like to share, there are others who love to talk about their tradition or their gods. I enjoy sharing my gods with others, and trying to explain my flavor of Paganism. In talking with others, I have realized that many Pagans have a Goddess (or multiple Goddesses) but they do not have a God that they have a relationship with.
Many people convert to Paganism because it recognizes the Goddess, and they need to be able to honor, recognize, and celebrate this part of themselves. But what happens when we do that to the exclusion of our other half? Many people need a break from the patriarchy of Christianity or other Abrahamic faiths. And that’s okay. But if we are a culture that celebrates and demands balance, how can we walk our talk if we ignore the masculine?
I am probably one of the few people who converted to Paganism and immediately began to work with a God. Ironically enough, it was a God who is often wrongly compared with Jesus. That God was Horus – son of Isis from Ancient Egypt. I do not still have a working relationship with Horus. He was there to facilitate my conversion, helped introduce me to Ancient Egypt and its Gods and Goddesses, and got me on my feet.
I now work with multiple deities from different cultures. Most of them are Goddesses, I will give you that. I have grown to understand the attraction to the Goddess and the reason we need Her in our lives. But I also keep a working relationship with different Gods. Having a divine Father and guide is just as important to me as having a divine Mother.
I wonder if part of our avoidance of the God is due to our experiences with the Christian God. Some people may feel that all Gods are similar to the Christian God. Others may be overwhelmed by the various Gods and the many options. Whether or not we worship the faces of Deity or their archetypal roles, deities usually fit into the 12 archetypes coined by Carl Jung. So does the idea of having a God who is a lover scare us? We are familiar with a God who is both a Creator and Ruler. Many of us have not experienced a God in any other role. And while we may be superficially attracted to the idea of something that is unusual or exotic, it can also be scary deep down, and therefore we avoid it. And in the case of creating a relationship with a deity, it can be nerve-wracking regardless of gender. What if you do it wrong? How do you approach a God who doesn’t conform to any of your previous knowledge or experience? How important is cultivating a relationship with a God?
In the end, those are personal questions you’ll have to reflect on. The answers to them, and many other questions about working with the divine masculine, are individual in nature. I encourage you to work on your relationship with your God, or a God of your choosing. The God has so much to teach us about ourselves, the universe, and even others (especially other men). Walk your talk and embrace the balance.
Although your choice of tradition under the umbrella of Pagan can be personal and something some people don’t like to share, there are others who love to talk about their tradition or their gods. I enjoy sharing my gods with others, and trying to explain my flavor of Paganism. In talking with others, I have realized that many Pagans have a Goddess (or multiple Goddesses) but they do not have a God that they have a relationship with.
Many people convert to Paganism because it recognizes the Goddess, and they need to be able to honor, recognize, and celebrate this part of themselves. But what happens when we do that to the exclusion of our other half? Many people need a break from the patriarchy of Christianity or other Abrahamic faiths. And that’s okay. But if we are a culture that celebrates and demands balance, how can we walk our talk if we ignore the masculine?
I am probably one of the few people who converted to Paganism and immediately began to work with a God. Ironically enough, it was a God who is often wrongly compared with Jesus. That God was Horus – son of Isis from Ancient Egypt. I do not still have a working relationship with Horus. He was there to facilitate my conversion, helped introduce me to Ancient Egypt and its Gods and Goddesses, and got me on my feet.
I now work with multiple deities from different cultures. Most of them are Goddesses, I will give you that. I have grown to understand the attraction to the Goddess and the reason we need Her in our lives. But I also keep a working relationship with different Gods. Having a divine Father and guide is just as important to me as having a divine Mother.
I wonder if part of our avoidance of the God is due to our experiences with the Christian God. Some people may feel that all Gods are similar to the Christian God. Others may be overwhelmed by the various Gods and the many options. Whether or not we worship the faces of Deity or their archetypal roles, deities usually fit into the 12 archetypes coined by Carl Jung. So does the idea of having a God who is a lover scare us? We are familiar with a God who is both a Creator and Ruler. Many of us have not experienced a God in any other role. And while we may be superficially attracted to the idea of something that is unusual or exotic, it can also be scary deep down, and therefore we avoid it. And in the case of creating a relationship with a deity, it can be nerve-wracking regardless of gender. What if you do it wrong? How do you approach a God who doesn’t conform to any of your previous knowledge or experience? How important is cultivating a relationship with a God?
In the end, those are personal questions you’ll have to reflect on. The answers to them, and many other questions about working with the divine masculine, are individual in nature. I encourage you to work on your relationship with your God, or a God of your choosing. The God has so much to teach us about ourselves, the universe, and even others (especially other men). Walk your talk and embrace the balance.
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