Welcome to Gaia! ::

The Sacred Grove

Back to Guilds

A guild for Pagans of all stripes. Spirituality and religion-focused, celebrating nature and the gods. 

Tags: Paganism, Pagan, witchcraft, Goddess, Wicca 

Reply Extended Discussion & Debate
Divine Feminine, Divine Masculine Goto Page: [] [<] 1 2 3 [>] [»|]

Quick Reply

Enter both words below, separated by a space:

Can't read the text? Click here

Submit

TheyCallMeJustiursa

Witty Sex Symbol

PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:38 am


Well from my reading, albeit little, I view the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine in terms of, I am guessing, Neo-Wiccan with a smidge of Taosim thrown in. For me there are differences and though by no means the Gods and Goddesses must fit my silly mortal organization. That being said I know for certain that I connect to a God and a Goddess, of the kind found in Wicca but I am learning that I am not Wiccan, nor really certain I want to be so I dont know what to do with that.
PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:54 pm


PersianPapiiChulo
Well from my reading, albeit little, I view the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine in terms of, I am guessing, Neo-Wiccan with a smidge of Taosim thrown in. For me there are differences and though by no means the Gods and Goddesses must fit my silly mortal organization. That being said I know for certain that I connect to a God and a Goddess, of the kind found in Wicca but I am learning that I am not Wiccan, nor really certain I want to be so I dont know what to do with that.


Have you studied the various pantheons and/or other Pagan religions/paths out there to see if there is something else that resonates with you?

What exactly are the qualities of the God and Goddess that you feel connected to? And what makes you think that they are "of the kind found in Wicca"?

ncsweet


Scorpy-Sue

Distinct Conversationalist

6,150 Points
  • Risky Lifestyle 100
  • Forum Sophomore 300
  • Person of Interest 200
PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:33 pm


CalledTheRaven
Except, I know quite a few men who are incredibly intuitive and likely to act on those intuitions. I also know a number of women who wouldn't. It's a cultural construct. We are taught that this is masculine and this is feminine and so we look for it to be so. When we do that, we find what we were expecting to find. Or we are taught that men do this and women do that so we act as we have been taught is appropriate for our gender because that's what we're supposed to do, even if it's not our natural inclination.
I love this post.

I tend to identify with the more socially acceptable form of masculinity, and thus, I identify with warrior deities most often. I respect the "feminine" deities, certainly, but I tend to gravitate towards myths of heroic daring or strong-arm persuasion. I do, however, tend to ask the mother-figure of my pantheon for advice more often than the others. I've always loved the idea of a strong, loving mother (not that my mother isn't), so I go to that for help rather than show weakness to the masculine deity. So, when I need advice, I go to Mom, and when I need a backbone, I go to the dudes.
PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:36 pm


ncsweet
PersianPapiiChulo
Well from my reading, albeit little, I view the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine in terms of, I am guessing, Neo-Wiccan with a smidge of Taosim thrown in. For me there are differences and though by no means the Gods and Goddesses must fit my silly mortal organization. That being said I know for certain that I connect to a God and a Goddess, of the kind found in Wicca but I am learning that I am not Wiccan, nor really certain I want to be so I dont know what to do with that.


Have you studied the various pantheons and/or other Pagan religions/paths out there to see if there is something else that resonates with you?

What exactly are the qualities of the God and Goddess that you feel connected to? And what makes you think that they are "of the kind found in Wicca"?


Hmm. Please bear with me as I try to explain. I have a helluva time explaining myself in words. Poetry sure, straight language I fail at. I know from a purely mythological viewpoint something about pretty much everything. As for other Paths thats why I am here. To learn and study so I can find the right Path.

I connect to the cycles of the Moon, the Maiden-Mother-Crone cycle, the gentle strength and protectiveness and wisdom I feel that would be there. And honestly..I connect to her being feminine. For some reason, as a guy, its important to me that my Goddesses have some femininity. Now I am not saying a badass warrior Goddess is not cool, they are very cool, but I need to be able imagine them to having a softer caring side. As typically angry frustrated guy, that appeals to me.

As for the God, I connect to the strength and ferocity of the Sun beating down on my back, especially here in Florida, his strength and virility, his role as a Protector and escort to the Goddess. That really resonates with me as I have a very kinda old-school view on how a man should treat a girl. He should be a gentleman, polite, kind, understanding...and able to please his woman. So a strong, virile, guy who protects his woman and serves her appeals to me.

That make sense?

TheyCallMeJustiursa

Witty Sex Symbol


Sanguina Cruenta
Captain

Eloquent Bloodsucker

PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:51 am


PersianPapiiChulo
As for the God, I connect to the strength and ferocity of the Sun beating down on my back, especially here in Florida, his strength and virility, his role as a Protector and escort to the Goddess. That really resonates with me as I have a very kinda old-school view on how a man should treat a girl. He should be a gentleman, polite, kind, understanding...and able to please his woman. So a strong, virile, guy who protects his woman and serves her appeals to me.


You're aware, are you, that the God of Wicca whipped his Goddess to make her love him? You may want to reread the Legend of the Descent of the Goddess if you'd forgotten wink

Though you should be aware, goddesses generally are not shrinking violets. The sweetest and most withdrawn I've personally met so far certainly has a fierce protector - but he's also the god of his pantheon most associated with a-playing at being a woman.

You should also keep in mind that there are women in this guild, women who might well consider kicking a man repeatedly in the head for looking at her funny a very feminine response. I am among them. A woman with wicked PMS is a womanly woman indeed (it's hard to be masculine when you're oozing blood out your v****a).
PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 6:43 am


Sanguina Cruenta
PersianPapiiChulo
As for the God, I connect to the strength and ferocity of the Sun beating down on my back, especially here in Florida, his strength and virility, his role as a Protector and escort to the Goddess. That really resonates with me as I have a very kinda old-school view on how a man should treat a girl. He should be a gentleman, polite, kind, understanding...and able to please his woman. So a strong, virile, guy who protects his woman and serves her appeals to me.


You're aware, are you, that the God of Wicca whipped his Goddess to make her love him? You may want to reread the Legend of the Descent of the Goddess if you'd forgotten wink

Though you should be aware, goddesses generally are not shrinking violets. The sweetest and most withdrawn I've personally met so far certainly has a fierce protector - but he's also the god of his pantheon most associated with a-playing at being a woman.

You should also keep in mind that there are women in this guild, women who might well consider kicking a man repeatedly in the head for looking at her funny a very feminine response. I am among them. A woman with wicked PMS is a womanly woman indeed (it's hard to be masculine when you're oozing blood out your v****a).

I had not known that about the God. See this is why I say I am still learning. I have so much to learn! IN that case I cant really resonate with that.. that to me is a highly despicable crime.

TheyCallMeJustiursa

Witty Sex Symbol


CalledTheRaven
Crew

Dapper Lunatic

PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:23 pm


Afro-Dawg
CalledTheRaven
Except, I know quite a few men who are incredibly intuitive and likely to act on those intuitions. I also know a number of women who wouldn't. It's a cultural construct. We are taught that this is masculine and this is feminine and so we look for it to be so. When we do that, we find what we were expecting to find. Or we are taught that men do this and women do that so we act as we have been taught is appropriate for our gender because that's what we're supposed to do, even if it's not our natural inclination.
I love this post.

I tend to identify with the more socially acceptable form of masculinity, and thus, I identify with warrior deities most often. I respect the "feminine" deities, certainly, but I tend to gravitate towards myths of heroic daring or strong-arm persuasion. I do, however, tend to ask the mother-figure of my pantheon for advice more often than the others. I've always loved the idea of a strong, loving mother (not that my mother isn't), so I go to that for help rather than show weakness to the masculine deity. So, when I need advice, I go to Mom, and when I need a backbone, I go to the dudes.
Why thank you. And I so understand the tendancy to associate with the kick-butt deities. That's one of the great things about Freyja. She rides to war and also claims half of the slain for herself. They don't all go to Odinn's hall.

I understand where you're comming from with the rest of it too but I go about things a little differently. I can generally get both a backbone, and advice from pretty much al of my Gods. Who I specifically go to depends on what kind of advice I'm looking for. I don't actually ask them for comfort often, though when I do, I don't consider it weakness to do so.
PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:59 pm


My gods have genders, some more than others, the two I work with most are fertility gods, among other things, and they in some extent, are their genders, although not in as arbitrarily defined a way as human society might define them. I feel connected with both of them, but in spite of the fact that I identify as "mostly female" and I have spent many years trying to get out of that painful fully male body (painful for me, that is), I feel I have a better relationship with the horned god. If that fact is not a testament to the individuality and uniqueness of the gods and an affirmation of faith being something that is both a part of me and a part of the universe and not some accident picked up through culture, I don't know what is 3nodding

Adalyna


blindfaith^_^

7,200 Points
  • Popular Thread 100
  • Brandisher 100
  • Tycoon 200
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 7:38 am


I don't currently focus or use the divine feminine of masculine within my practice and generally I think static gender roles are sexist and counter productive. That said, it took me a very long time to come to this conclusion and I still have to be vigilant in regards to gender divides and thought processes.

To be fair though, the divine feminine and masculine were key in bringing me to this conclusion. When I broke from Catholicism the "divine feminine" definitely was a strong pull on me that kind of dragged my faith search into paganism. For years I had no problem working with just the feminine aspect because I'd spent so long focusing on the masculine aspect in divinity and in my life I was reminded every day of the power of the male presence. I didn't need time in my practice to reconnect with that. Over time I kind of realized that all good qualities ever were things I considered to be part of the divine feminine I mean not just intuition and but aggression, assertive qualities as well as hospitality, generosity and so on. I realized that I was aligning gender roles with my biological sex and insisting that all of the qualities were things I had a right to and wanted to incorporate. Basically that since I'm a woman and I am these things that they are divinely feminine. Heck I was attributing negative aspects to the divine feminine too.

Then one day I look up and realized that I'd totally trampled all traditional gender roles and what I valued wasn't feminine or masculine and certainly weren't qualities that were exclusive or dominated by one gender or another. I dropped the genders and moved into respecting the qualities themselves and celebrating them in whatever forms they were found.
PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 4:14 pm


Would it be okay for me to talk about the Loa and gender?

Esiris
Crew

Newbie Sophomore

10,300 Points
  • Member 100
  • Gender Swap 100
  • Popular Thread 100

Sanguina Cruenta
Captain

Eloquent Bloodsucker

PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 4:39 pm


Sure, have at it. I think at this point we've migrated slightly from the original topic to arrive at "deities and gender", but that's fine too 4laugh

I mean, within Heathenry it's a bit funny, because so many of the gods are very masculine. And it's not like they don't have qualities that we might associate with "feminine' or whatever, or do things associated with women *coughOdincough*. It's just that calling the gods "feminine" is an insult xd

.....And then there's Loki.
PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 8:28 am


It can be hard to talk about some of the Loa in terms of Divine Feminine or Divine Masculine- lots of them have a particular sex and are straight- but a few of them are represented as very Bi, sometimes gay/lesbian, trans, agendered and some of them are poly.

Sometimes families of Loa, or facets of certain Loa (like Erzulie) express gender and sex in surprising ways when riding people- so while lots of Loa could be viewed in terms of Divine Feminine or Divine Masculine, because it's not a fertility religion, there's a lot that falls outside of that stuff too.

Esiris
Crew

Newbie Sophomore

10,300 Points
  • Member 100
  • Gender Swap 100
  • Popular Thread 100

Scorpy-Sue

Distinct Conversationalist

6,150 Points
  • Risky Lifestyle 100
  • Forum Sophomore 300
  • Person of Interest 200
PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 10:44 am


CalledTheRaven
Afro-Dawg
CalledTheRaven
Except, I know quite a few men who are incredibly intuitive and likely to act on those intuitions. I also know a number of women who wouldn't. It's a cultural construct. We are taught that this is masculine and this is feminine and so we look for it to be so. When we do that, we find what we were expecting to find. Or we are taught that men do this and women do that so we act as we have been taught is appropriate for our gender because that's what we're supposed to do, even if it's not our natural inclination.
I love this post.

I tend to identify with the more socially acceptable form of masculinity, and thus, I identify with warrior deities most often. I respect the "feminine" deities, certainly, but I tend to gravitate towards myths of heroic daring or strong-arm persuasion. I do, however, tend to ask the mother-figure of my pantheon for advice more often than the others. I've always loved the idea of a strong, loving mother (not that my mother isn't), so I go to that for help rather than show weakness to the masculine deity. So, when I need advice, I go to Mom, and when I need a backbone, I go to the dudes.
Why thank you. And I so understand the tendancy to associate with the kick-butt deities. That's one of the great things about Freyja. She rides to war and also claims half of the slain for herself. They don't all go to Odinn's hall.

I understand where you're comming from with the rest of it too but I go about things a little differently. I can generally get both a backbone, and advice from pretty much al of my Gods. Who I specifically go to depends on what kind of advice I'm looking for. I don't actually ask them for comfort often, though when I do, I don't consider it weakness to do so.

Since I posted here, I've gotten much closer to my pantheon, and now I go to Thor for advice way more often than any other deity. So, there my views have changed.

I like change. I like the fluidity of religion as well as the rigidity.

@Esiris: What are the Loa?
PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 5:25 pm


Afro-Dawg
Since I posted here, I've gotten much closer to my pantheon, and now I go to Thor for advice way more often than any other deity. So, there my views have changed.

I like change. I like the fluidity of religion as well as the rigidity.

@Esiris: What are the Loa?


You like change? Have you gotten to know Loki yet? wink

Sanguina Cruenta
Captain

Eloquent Bloodsucker


Esiris
Crew

Newbie Sophomore

10,300 Points
  • Member 100
  • Gender Swap 100
  • Popular Thread 100
PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 5:30 pm


Afro-Dawg
Esiris: What are the Loa?

Loa are divine spirits in some of the African Diaspora religions.
Reply
Extended Discussion & Debate

Goto Page: [] [<] 1 2 3 [>] [»|]
 
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff
Get GCash
Offers
Get Items
More Items
Where Everyone Hangs Out
Other Community Areas
Virtual Spaces
Fun Stuff
Gaia's Games
Mini-Games
Play with GCash
Play with Platinum