Patrons: Your Thoughts?

[Quintessence]

While the idea of patronage isn't common in all Neopagan paths, I'm curious to get a sense of other people's attitudes on this topic.

What do you feel the role is of a patron?
What is your role/duty towards them in return?

Some think that if one wants a patron, one should learn cultural mythologies and choose one that they want to work with. Others think that patrons cannot be chosen, but that they choose you. What are your experiences and thoughts on this?

[Arawn]

A patron god, to me, is just a god that one chooses to primarily follow. A patron god is the one that the person mainly looks to for guidance and help. I don't know what role the god would play. In my experience, the god does whatever he or she wants.

I think you should learn the cultural mythologies of the deity in question, even if they're the ones who choose you. In order to understand a deity and what a deity does, you need to understand the culture in which the deity is from.

I didn't choose my patron god and the other gods that I follow: they chose me. I am still researching and learning more about the culture at hand in order to understand more of the deity and where he (and she) comes from.

[Animus27]

While the idea of patronage isn't common in all Neopagan paths, I'm curious to get a sense of other people's attitudes on this topic.

What do you feel the role is of a patron?
What is your role/duty towards them in return?

Some think that if one wants a patron, one should learn cultural mythologies and choose one that they want to work with. Others think that patrons cannot be chosen, but that they choose you. What are your experiences and thoughts on this?
I have always had trouble understanding the function of a 'patron' relationship. And as I learn more about reconstructed pre-christian religions/cultures, I feel like it's a modern invention in mimicry of Christianity.

Not to say that it's not meaningful for an individual. It's just not really for me. I am far more interested in dealing with my own ancestors, landwights and other beings and ghosts that are closer to home. Rather than a god.

But if a god, by some boon of luck a god initiates a patronage with me. I wouldn't say no in all likelihood. It's just not the focus of my path.

[LadyTerra]

I am legally ordained and I serve the TripleGoddess in her forms as ;

Ostara--the Maiden

Freyja--the Mother (and sometimes Crone)

Hel--the Crone

I honor the Wheel-of-the-Year, all Esbats and Sabbats, perform Rituals concerned with honoring them, helping MotherEarth, helping others, and challenging myself (constantly) with personal path work (as I am very stubborn and given to self-destructive tendencies:redface: ).

Peace and Love on the path of your choice...

Blessed be...

[Quintessence]

I have always had trouble understanding the function of a 'patron' relationship. And as I learn more about reconstructed pre-christian religions/cultures, I feel like it's a modern invention in mimicry of Christianity.

It's sometimes confused me as well, but I haven't heard someone put it quite like this before. It's my understanding that our Pagan ancestors did indeed focus their worship on particular deities, didn't they? In Greece you'd have entire cities who would be under the patronage of a particular deity, for example.

[LadyTerra]

It's sometimes confused me as well, but I haven't heard someone put it quite like this before. It's my understanding that our Pagan ancestors did indeed focus their worship on particular deities, didn't they? In Greece you'd have entire cities who would be under the patronage of a particular deity, for example.


Which was definitely happening long before Christianity made the scene.:wink:

If I may offer a viewpoint from my personal perspective and experience--I serve Them--because through Them I am able to create positive change and make an actual difference. The power comes from Them--through me.

I am a tool. The Magick I perform is more like an intercession--I serve Them and They protect and help me. They make it possible for me to help others in ways that are very tangible--provided those people are willing and able to listen and accept change.

Peace and Love on the path of your choice...

Blessed be...

[Animus27]

It's sometimes confused me as well, but I haven't heard someone put it quite like this before. It's my understanding that our Pagan ancestors did indeed focus their worship on particular deities, didn't they? In Greece you'd have entire cities who would be under the patronage of a particular deity, for example.
This is true. But the idea of having a personal, close relationship with a god doesn't seem to have been a common phenomenon. Most people didn't think of a god as having a personal interest in them, as much as having a concern for the continuation of their temple cult - which was a public activity.

Of course, one can cite evidence for or against personal patronage in ancient Hellenic religion. It's an issue of contention for many modern Hellenic polytheists. :D

[Tanith]

To me, a patron deity is a god or goddess to whom a person might identify with, and choose to focus their worship towards. I think a god could choose the person as much as the person choosing the god (which could, of course, be a god's roundabout way of choosing a person)

However I don't think a person is limited to a single patron, either. I guess if I had to choose I might choose Bastet as my sole patron- because she was the first Goddess to whom I felt a connection; however Selket was the first goddess who gave me a sign of sorts.

I have many patrons. Some might say too many but when you think of exactly how many gods and goddesses are out there- then my seven or eight who I honor in particular pale in comparison. Especially when many pagan paths adhere to the "All Gods are One God" creed, in that all gods are simply many facets of the same divine.

Each of my patrons has a role that they play in my life. Within those patrons I also honor the Lord and Lady (Triple Goddess and Cernunnos, respectively, though I always call her the Lady and he by his name Cernunnos).

[Quintessence]

Perhaps some of the challenge is in how we are defining "deity" and what things are and are not deities. As someone who leans primarily animist/pantheist, everything is deity, so having a personal relationship with a deity is not only possible but completely unavoidable in life. This kind of thinking also made me ask a question I had trouble putting into words the other day, but I think the words will come out now: what significant difference is there (if any) between a patron deity and a spirit guide, particularly if one approaches the divine from the view of "all is god?"

[Tanith]

That is a good thought to put forth, Quin.

To me the Divine is in everything, from nature to animals to spirits. I see everything as part of the great divine, but at different levels. For example, my spirit guides are not gods, but they are powerful and otherworldly, often being messengers between the mortal and the immortal.

Put simply, I can actively communicate with my spirit guides, while I do not actively communicate with my patrons. I listen to the advice of my spirit guides, while I try to live in such a way to please or honor the gods. An example, my snake totem walks with me, beside me, but Bastet watches over me to provide unseen assistance.

I am animist in a way but not totally. Gods tend to take on specific animals as sacred to them, or as their symbol, and so animals have power and knowledge that humans do not have. Animals and nature are the living Divine, their spirits are the communicative Divine, and the gods make up the rest. My totems and guides are a part of me, aspects of my spirituality, but my patrons are gods I choose honor.

There is never a simple one explanation for these kinds of questions.

I hope this was not long-winded of me, as I very often am n_n;;