Part Four - We All Come from the Goddess…

Or do we?

There are many faiths that retain creationism as part of their beliefs. Pagans are no different. The one thing that separates us from mainstream religions is the polarity of the divine.

Most Pagans see the divine universe as male and female - God and Goddess. Some see the universe as many separate gods and goddesses. But are there actual beings that serve as deity? Or are we making this up as we go along?

Some believe that if a deity exists, then we have created it from our own energies and the energies of the universe. In this case, especially after two-thousand years of enforcement, then the devil himself may actually be a real being. One of our presidents said it best, “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.” This lends itself to the argument, doesn’t it ? If you have anxiety over falling off a cliff, then you could very well make yourself careless and falling can become a reality. Also…ever heard the phrase…”be careful what you wish for…”?

It can be the same with gods and goddesses. If you fear reprimand from a higher source, then it will come to pass because your emotions and thoughts are so focused on the problem at hand, that it becomes easier for a spiritual influence to influence the outcome, in addition to your own will.

Does this mean that we have the will and power to “create” the gods? I don’t believe so. In fact, I believe that even though we can control certain aspects of our daily lives and environment, the gods have the ultimate control in fate, justice, life, death and rebirth. Granted we can take life ourselves, but that is not the same context as what the gods’ part in death means. It is for the purpose of rebirth of the soul, whereas humans that take the life of another have no regard for the victim’s well-being.

Are the gods creators of the known universe? Did the gods have anything to do with evolution? Hmmmm….. (time to get out the aspirin!)

What I believe, and a few others I have met, is that here is a “Great Spirit”, or “One” that encompasses everything we see, hear and touch which includes ourselves. The divine spark is in each and every one of us and everything. And it follows logically that there too is a divine influence in creation. The Universe continues to expand because it too is learning and growing from us. The seed of life was born of the divine, in whichever form you wish to think. From this sprang the evolutionary forces that became what you are used to seeing today.

From this beginning, the Great Spirit became aware of Itself and the male and female aspects were born. From them, the Lord and Lady, life too became polarized and flourished. There is in most situations, life and death, rebirth and life, dark and light, “good” and “evil”, day and night….male and female.

Look around you. Where does this fit in? It takes two polarized forms to create a new life, or single entity. What of the plants, you say? It takes the seed from the plant to bury itself deep in the womb of Mother Earth to become a new life. It takes the ever-working honey bee to pollinate the flowers and help “fertilize” the seed. Even the stones that decorate the face of Mother Earth were once a part of Her. They could even be referred to as Her children!

When we search for our spirituality, we are touching a part of ourselves that is as old as the Universe. When we ask of the divine for assistance, we are asking ourselves to reach out and touch our will - the spark, to receive our answers. In spellwork or prayer, we open the channels to the energies that already exist within us. This is a part of who we are, who the Great Spirit is. Memories of past lives, or deja-vu haunts us because we carry the cells and knowledge of our ancestors and their ancestors which harken to the very beginning.

Yes, we can create gods….only because it is a part of the greater All. But the aspects of the All have always been there. The gods of the ancients who were already ancient were born of necessity, not thoughts. The renewal of the ancient ways has merely awakened what already was. In this way, I guess we have “re-created” them through our own will…and love.