Deities12:18 Apr 19 2011
Times Read: 477
A Special Thanks to Lady Black Rose for her contribution to this profile's journal...:) You are the best sissy...^_^
CELTIC DEITIES
The Celtic Heirarchy
Legend states that Ireland was settled by a series of invaders. The first were the Tuatha de Danaan, the people of the goddess Danu. They fled following later invasions, and then returned to conquer again. They were finallydefeated by the Milesians and then intermarried with them. The majority of Celtic deities descend from the Tuatha de Danaan.
Triple Goddesses: The number three was important in Celtic beliefs. As a result, some of their goddesses are triads.
Brighid
Brighid is probably the most prominent of all the celtic deities today. In ancient times, she was worshipped throughout the celtic lands, even after they were conquered by the Romans. She is known as St Brigit in Christian lore. The monastery at kildare kept a perpetual fire burning in her honour for centuries. As a Celtic goddess, Brighid, and they are considered to be sisters. One sister is the patrones of culture, fertility and healing. The second is the patroness of poetry, inspiration, divination and bardic lore. The third sister is the patroness of fire and smithcraft.
The Morrigan.
The Morrigan is a triple goddess; the names vary, according to different traditions. Her different aspects are associated with crows and ravens, and panic or frenzy. As a triad, they are considered war and death goddesses, but also goddesses of fertility. A Celtic myth describes the Samhain (31 October) night when she mated with the Daghdha while straddling the banks of the River Unius and washing bloody corpses and the armour of those fated to die in an upcoming battle.
Celtic Gods
Manannan Mac Lir
Manannan Mac Lir is one of the earliest Celtic gods, considered older than the Tuatha de Danaan. He is the god of sea, specifically the sea around the Isle of Man off the norhtwest coast of England, and rules the weather. He is also associated with reincarnation. He is the foster father of the god Lugh.
The Daghadha
The Daghdha is considered the father of the Irish gods and one of three kings of Tuatha de Danaan. His name is usually translated as 'the good god'. The druids considered him the god of wisdom, a sky god and an earth god. He carries a club and possesses a cauldron of perpetual nourishment. He is the father of Brighid, Ogma and Aengus.
Lugh
Lugh is the god of light and skills. Some myths say that hecame from across the sea, while others say he is the son of the Daghdha. He is the keeper of a great spear and was a god of many skills. He is the second great king of the Tuatha de Danaan, and granted his men magical skill in battle. His Primary festival is the harvest celebration of Lughnasadh, which falls on 1st August.
Ogma
Ogma is the god of the word. He guides the dead, but also has the power to bind men with his words. He is the fatherof the Celtic alphabet not typically used for everyday communication. He is associated with the god Ogmios, who is Gaulish god of eloquence and poetry.
Aengus
Aengus is a son the Daghdha and the god of unrequited love. He is also associated with funnerary rites. As a trickster god, he is known for his wit and charm.
Cernunnos
Cernunnos is a horned god of Gaulish origin. He wears the antlers of a stag and is a god of fertility and animals. He is a guardian of the otherworld, and is associated with prosperity. He is also connected with the god Herne, who is a god of hunting.
TEUTONIC DEITIES
The Teutonic gods are a combination of both Germanic and Norse gods. The majority of Witches working with these gods consider them to be Norse deities. Most of their lore is found in two 13th-century Icelandic documents known as the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. They continue to be worshipped in Iceland as well as by modern Pagans known as Asatruar.
Gods and Goddesses of the Vanir.
The deities if the Vanir are more feminine and associated with the home and family. They include:
Freya
Freya is the goddess of fertility, sex and love. She is the daughter of Njord and the wife/sister of Frey. She is also associated with seers and divination. Some myths co-mingle her with Frigga.
Frey
Frey is a rare fertility god, and a god of marriage. He is also a god of the earth, peace and the king of the dwarves. He possesses a magic ship that can hold all the Teutonic gods.
Njord
Njord is both a giant and a god of the sea, wind and storms. As ruler Vanir, he is associated with wealth, the weather and the harvest. He and Frey live among the Aesir as part of a peace treaty between the two groups.
Gods and Goddesses of the Aesir
The deities of the Aesir are more masculineand associated with manly pusuits. Where there are two names, the first is from Norse mythology and the second from Germanic mythology.
Odin/Woden
Odin/Woden is associated with war, victory, wisdom and poetry. The word Wednesday is based on his name. He is the god of the Aesir who hung from the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days to receive the runes and rode Sleipnir an eight-legged horse that could ride to the underworld.
Loki
Loki a trickster god, is neither Aesir nor Vanir. He switches allegiance between the two to suit his own ends. He is associated with chaos. He is a thief who steals from the gods, but also occasionally rescues them from harm.
Tyr/Twi
Tyr/Twi is the god of battle, the law and the sky. He is a son of Odin and Frigga, and a brother to Balder. The word Tuesday derives from the name of this god of the Aesir.
Frigga
Frigga, wife of Odin, is the goddess of the clouds and the queen of heaven. She is also associated with love and fertility. Friday is named after her.
Thor/Thunar
Thor/ Thunar is the god of thunder, and Thursday is named after him. He is also the god of the sky and the household, and a protector of man. He is often associated with fertility. He is known for his great hammer, called Mjollnir, that never misses its target, but also possesses a great axe. Like the other gods of Aesir, his father is Odin. A giantess named Jord was his mother, not Odins wife, Frigga.
Balder
Balder, a son of Odin and Frigga, is a god of the sun and of innocence. He is called the 'good god' or the 'shining one'. According to the myths, he was tricked by Loki and died. He lives in the underworld and is forbidden to return from the there until after Ragnorak, the Norse version of the apocalypse.
EGYPTIAN DEITIES
Aside from the Greek and the Roman gods, the Egyptian gods are probably the most researched and catalogued of all the pantheons. They also have an extensive following among modern Witches. Although their religious system was different from anything known today, their gods are still relevant to the concerns of Witches and are known to assist with modern spells.
Personification of the Gods.
The gods of most pantheons were depicted in human form. The Egyptian gods were usually depicted with human legs and an animal head. Animals were highly venerated in Egypt, and highly venerated in Egypt, and each god is associated with an animal in addition to his or her other qualities. Although the animals themselves were not devine, they were connected to the devine.
The Egyptian Pantheon
The Egyptian Pantheon is not as highly ordered as most other pantheons. Many of the gods are part of a cycle, rather than connected through parentage and marriage. Although the pharohs were considered gods, modern Witches do not worship the pharoahs; instead, we work with the primary deities.
Egyptian Goddesses
Isis
Isis is the mother goddess and the consort of Osiris. She is also his sister, and the sister of Set. Isis is usually depicted in human form wearing a crown shaped like a throne, or a sun disc surrounded by cow horns. She was said to protect the gods of Egypt as children, as wellas wives and mothers. Goddess of Life Isis is sometimes depicted with wings, which she breathes life back into them for the afterlife.
Nut
Nut is the creator goddess and the mother of Osiris, Isis and Set. She is usually depicted as a cow hanging in the heavens. She is sometimes shown with the head of a cat.
Hathor
Hathor is both a mother goddess and a goddess of love and sexuality. She is usually depicted as a cow or as a woman wearing a sun disc surrounded by cow horns. She is associated with the sky and snakes. Her father is the sun god Ra. She was the mother of the pharaohs.
Egyptian Gods
Anubis
Anubis God of the Afterlife is the funerary god of the Egyptian pantheon. In their culture, death was seen as a transition rather than an end. He stands next to the scale that weighs the heart to determine whether the desceased should be blessed or damned. He may be the son of Ra, Osiris or Set. He is associated with jackals and usually depicted as a man with a jackals head or a dogs head.
Osiris
Osiris is considered tobe the first king of Egypt,and is a god of the underworld, the lawand harvest. He is probably god of the pantheon. He was murdered by his brother Set and thrown into the Nile. Isis found his body and breathed life back into him; she thenconcieved Horus with his semen. Set then cut his body into 14 pieces and scattered them throughout Egypt. Isis again found his parts and buried them. He is one of the few gods depicted in human form, and usually hold a crook and flail. He is usually depicted in mummy form.
Set
Setis the opposite of Osiris. Rather than noble, he is the god of the violent sea, evil and darkness. He is usually depicted with the head of an aardvark. Several pharoahs proclaimed themselves to serve under Set rather thanthe traditional Horus.
Horus
Horus is the sky god who inhabits the body of the living pharoah. He is usually depicted as a man with a falcon's head. His symbol is the eye of Horus. He is also connected tot he sun.
Ra
Ra is the sun god and a creator god. He has no father or mother, but created himself. He is also a god of the underworld. He is often depicted with a ram's head. He is also associated with cobras.
Geb
Geb is another creator god, the husband/brother of Nut and father of Osiris, Isis and Set. He is the god of the earth and of healing. He is said to have laid the egg from which the world sprang. He often appears in crocodile form.
Greek and Roman Deities
In addition to the surviving Classical literature, themyths and the legends of the Greek and Roman deities were revived in Renaissance, Neoclassical and Romantic literature. Originally, the two pantheons were separate. However, Romans gradually assimilated the myths and associations of the Greek gods into their Latin gods, who had few myths surrounding them.
GREEK PANTHEON
The 12 universal gods of the greek pantheon were known as the Olympians. Most of them lived on Mount Olympus, But were known to meddle in human affairs. The Olypians descended from the original gods, known as the Titans, who were overthrown by their children.
ROMAN PANTHEON
The Roman pantheon consists of two types of gods: primary deities and lares, or household spirits. The primary deities were remote from daily human life and usually required the intercession of a priest.
Greek and Roman Goddesses
Juno and Hera
Juno and Hera are the goddesses of marriage, women, fertility and family. They are married to Jupiter and Zeus, although Hera is also Zeus's sister. They are the mothers of Mars and Ares, and are associated with peacocks.
Minerva and Athena
Minerva and Athena arethe goddesses of warfare, wisdom, and arts and crafts. Athena sprang fully formedand wearing armour from the head of Zeus. That portion of the legend was also later assimilated to Minerva. They are associated with owls.
Diana and Artemis
Diana and Artemis are the virgin goddesses of the hunt and the moon. They are associated with the bow and deer. Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and twin sister of Apollo.
Demeter
Demeter is the Greek goddess the harvest and fertility. Her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped by Hades, the lord of the underworld. Winter occurs during the three months of the year when Persophone lives in the underworld.
Venus and Aphrodite
Venus and Aphrodite are the goddesses of love, beauty and sexuality. Aphrodite was married to the blacksmith god Hephaesus, but had an affair with Ares. Ares and Aphrodite are the parents of Eros, the god of love and lust. Venus and Aprodite are both associated with doves, were born from the foam of the sea.
Greek and Roman Gods
Jupiter and Zeus
Jupiter and Zeus are the kings of their respective pantheons. They are associated with thunder and the sky, and are brothers to Neptune and Poseidon, the sea gods. They are married to Juno and Hera. Zeus is the fatherof Artemis, Ares, Apollo, Athena, Hermes and, in some reports Dionysus. Jupiter is the father of their Roman counterparts.
Mars and Ares
Mars and Ares are the gods of war and murder. They are associated with dogs and spears, and are the sons of Jupiter and Zeus. Ares is the father of Eros with Aphrodite.
Neptune and Poseidon
Neptuen and Poseidon are the gods of the sea and horses. They carry tridnets and are associated with bulls.
Bacchus and Dionysus
Bacchus and Dionysus are the very popular gods of wine and revelry. Major festivals were held in their honour. Some legends report that Dionysus is the son of Demeter and Zeus. Bacchus is the son of Jupiter. They are associated with the phallus, but are not fertility gods.
Mercury and Hermes
Mercury and Hermes are the fleet-footed messenger gods. They are associated with communication, commerce and travel. Hermes is something of a trickster god, and also plays a role in leading the dead to the underworld. He is associated with winged boots, and invented the lyre. Hermes is son of Zeus, and Mercury is the son of Jupiter. Mercury is also associated with the wind. The wand of Hermes known as the Caduceus, the wand represents balance,heaven, earth, male, female, light, dark, good and evil.
Note Where there are two names, the first is from Roman myhtology and the second from Greek mythology.
CHINESE DEITIES
The Chinese gods worshipped by modern Witches are ancient deities modified by the legends of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. The majority of the early gods were associated with nature, while later gods were associated with general concepts. The Chinese system is different from most Western systems, but certain gods are very relatable to Western minds.
The Chinese Pantheon
The Chinese do not have a fixed pantheon. Instead, different mythologies place different gods at the top. Those described here are some of the more prominent.
The Eight Immortals
These Taoist deities were born human but became gods. They represent various aspects of life:
Cao Guojiu
Cao Guojiu possesses a jade tablet that can cleanse the enviroment.
Han Xiangzi
Han Xiangzi a philosopher, is associated with a life-giving flute.
He Xiangu
He Xiangu the oly goddess of the eight, is associated with health.
Lan Caihe
Lan Caihe may be male, female or both, but is usually a young male. He carries a basket of flowers associated with longevity.
Li Tieguai
Li Tieguai attends to the poor, sick and needy.
Lu Dongbin
Lu Dongbin associated with wisdom and enlightenment, is known to drink and philander.
Zhang Guolao
Zhang Guolao the oldest(in age) of the eight, is associated with health, wine and Qigong (a method of cultivating energy).
Zhong Quan
Zhong Quan, the leader of the eight,has a fan that can revive the dead.
Other Prominent Chinese Deities
Kuan Yin
Kuan Yin is the goddess of mercy and peace, and the protector of women. She is second in importance to the Buddha. According to somelegends, she was once human but is now a goddess. She is associated with the Lotus flower.
The Jade Emperor
The Jade Emperor is the suprem god of all the deities of Buddhism and Taoism. He is god of purity, and the creator who tracks incarnations and rules every aspect of earthly life. In heaven, he is Yu Huang Shang Ti; on earth, he is the Jade Empoeror. He is not directly involved in thelives of people, but rules remotely.
Hsi Wang Mu
his Wang Mu is the goddess of longevity and the underworld. She is one of the oldest Chinese deities. She was once a plague goddess, but was softened under Taoism. She determines the length of life and can grant immortality. Sheis often depicted as a tiger-toothed woman.
Tsao Chun
Tsao Chun is the kitchen and hearth god who is honoured by each household. He is a conduit to the Jade Emperor, because legend states that he travelsto heaven each year to report on the members of the household.
T'ien Hou
T'ien Hou is the queen of heaven and the goddess of oceans and fresh water. She was born human and later elevated to goddesshood. She is second in power to the Jade Emperor. She is also associated with fishing and boats.
Monkey
Monkey (Sun Wukong) is a trickster god. According to legend, he first visited the underworld to tear up his name and prevent his death. He then travelled to heaven. Buddha said that he could rule heaven if he could leap off Buddha's hand. Monkey leapt many miles, believing he had succeeded, only to discover he was still on Buddha's palm.
Note:The spellings used here are approximate-converting Chinese characters into English is not an exact science.
AFRICAN DEITIES
Most of the African godscome to us from Yoruban and Dahomey regions of Nigeria, and are primarily worsipped by the followers of Vodun and Santeria. Some of the gods of the two religions are the same, while others have the same name but different attributes, or a different name for the same attribute. Other regions of Africa have their own ods, but they are not widely consulted outside of Africa.
Olorun
Both Santerians and Voduns believe in a supreme, unreachable god known as Olorun or Oludumare; in Vodun, he is also known as Nana Buluku. Olorun created the other deities – known as orishas in Santeria, and loas in Vodun – to interact with the people for him. There are seven major deities, plus several minor deities that can be called upon when the need arises. Obatala/Obatala is Olorun's representative on earth. Olorun is associated with the colour white and the number 1.
The Major Deities
Obatala/Obatala
Obatala is the lead god associated with fertilty, purity and patience in Santeria. He is associated with white and the number 8. In Vodun, Obatala is also the god of the sky and law.
Eleggua/Legba
Eleggua is the god of the crossroads and fate. He is associated with black, red and the number 3. Legba is a trickster god, a messenger and the god of fate. He also rules the crossroads.
Shango/Chango
Shango/Chango – Both are gods of thunder and lightening. Shango is also connected with justice, dancing and drumming. He is associated with ram's head, red, white and the number 4. Chango is also a warrior god who protects land and wealth.
Yemaya/ Yemonja
Yemaya/Yemonja – Both are mother goddesses and the goddesses of the ocean and water. Both goddesses are associated with cowrie shells. In Santeria, she is associated with blue and the number 7. In Vodun, she is connected to the moon.
Ogun/Ogun
Ogun is the god of iron and war. He is associated with green, black and the number 7. Ogunis the god of iron and steel. He is also associated with growing crops and hunting.
Oshun/ Oshun
Oshun is the goddess of beauty, sensuality, pregnancy and rivers. She is associated with yellow and the number 5. Oshun is the goddess of love, art and sensuality. Both goddesses are primarily honoured by women, but are also connected to healing.
Oya/Orunmila
Oyais the sevnth major deity in Santeria, but only a minor deity in Vodun. In Santeria, Oya is the goddess of storms who lives at the cemetery gates. She is associated with red, yellow, blue, and the number 9. Orunmilais the seventh major vodun deity. He is the god of wisdom, destiny, divination and healing.
How the African Gods Travelled West
African slaves were predominantly taken from the Ashanti, Dahomey and Yoruban tribes of West Africa. The Dahomeans and Yorubans were largely sent to Spanish lands, where they were forcibly converted to Catholicism. The Ashantis were mostly sent to English lands, where the slaveholders saw no need to convert them. Vodun emerged in Haiti, and Santeria in Cuba and Pureto Rico. Both faiths mingle the African gods with Catholic saints.
Tribal Masks
Symbolic masks are orn by dancers during religious ceremonies to help them communicate with the gods.
Note: Where there are two names, the first is the Santerian deity and the second is the Vodun deity. Colour and number associations are primarily Santerian, but some Vodun practitioners have also adopted them.
HINDU DEITIES
The Hindu gods have been worshipped for thousands of years. Hindu mythology is quite extensive and convoluted, consisting of millions of deities with hundreds of names. Most modern Witches choose to work with a few primary gods, usually drawn from the 33 listed in the Vedes. The Vedes are sacred Hindu texts composed around 1000BCE, but not written down until nearly 2,500 years later.
The Brahman and Murtis
The Brahman is the supreme Hindu deity. Ultimately, everything in the universe descends from and is an aspect of the Brahman. The other primary Hindu Deities are the murtis and devas/devis. The murtis are avatars (incarnations) of the Brahman. The devas (gods) and devis (goddesses) are forms of the Brahman, but also deities in their own right. They typically represent aspects of the world or of life. Many of them have dual roles or multiple associations due to the Hindu focus on balance.
The Trimurti
Three gods are considered the most important after the Brahman. Th Trimurti represents the cycle of life on earth. Their symbol os the syllable 'om'.
Brahma
Brahma the creator, who was himself created by the Brahman, is a god of knowledge and prosperity. He carries the Vedas in his hands. His wife is Sarasvati. Brahma is usually depicted with four heads facing the four directions and is associated with the goose.
Vishnu
Vishnu the protector maintains the balance between good and evil in the universe. He has had nine incarnations, or avatars. Krishna was his eighth avatar and Buddha was his ninth. The tenth has not yet arrived. His wife is Lakshmi. He is also a god of love and of the sun.
Shiva
Shiva the destroyer, who is also the god of sex, is represented by the phallus and the boar. His wife is Parvati. Shiva is often depicted in meditation, or as the lord of the dance, dancing upon the demon of ignorance.
Shakti and the Tridevi
Shakti is the supreme mother goddess; the universe rests in her womb. In some forms of Hinduism, Shakti is worshipped as the supreme deity, while in others she represents the creative energy of the Brahman and the female counterparts of the male gods. The three goddesses of the Tridevi – Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Parati – are the wives of the Trimurti gods and also their female shaktis (or avatars).
Sarasvati
Sarasvati, the goddess of wisdom and the arts, is the wife of the creator Brahma, which makes her a mother goddess. And is therefore asociated with powerful water. She is also connected to prosperity and is protector of students.
Lakshmi
Lashmi is an earth goddess and wife os Vishnu. She is also a goddess of prosperity and good fortune. She grants appeals for children, health and success. She is associated with good fishing and good crops; the elephant and the cow are amoung her symbols. She is worshipped at home rather than in temples.
Parvati
Parvati is a mother goddess and the wife of Shiva. Together, they represent the sexual union of male and female. Parvati is sometimes regarded as the supreme representation of Shakti.
Other Prominent Hindu Deities.
Ganesha
Ganesha is an elephant – headed god created by Parvati. He is a god of prosprerity, wisdom and art, as well as wise action. He is called upon to help people overcome obstacles, open a business or travel. He also guards the household.
Kali
Kali is a destoyer goddess, but also connected with rebirth. She is black and has four arms, in which she carries the symbols of life and death. She wears a necklace of skulls and a belt of severed limbs. She was sent to earth to battle demons, but her bloodlust continued until she killed Shiva.
Durga
Durga is a warrior goddess and a death goddess with multiple arms, each holding a weapon. She is also a great beauty, and is associated with lions and tigers. She is a goddess of fertility of the land, and is sometimes revered as a goddess of the family.
COMMENTS
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LadyXblackXRose
17:18 Apr 19 2011
Anytime ~hugs sissy~