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Communicating With the Deities
- Thread starter Draupadi
- Start date
Looks like they could be the sme thing..... https://www.google.ca/search?q=evok...hannel=sb&gfe_rd=cr&ei=RtrGU__qHoaV8QetqYGgDw
Draupadi
Active Member
Nope. I think there is a difference. I got curious about seeing that Mystic guy got to communicate with Shiva. I think it would be nice to call upon Aphrodite Herself and see whether a supernatural being will be my friend
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Sees
Dragonslayer
Most basic would be to focus on the name of the God/Goddess and one or more things typically associated and anything that comes to mind, add an offering of what you feel is best or something traditional in gesture of communication and respect, etc.
Speak, view, feel what connections are made, what bubbles up in your mind or heart, and don't imagine a rush for any results or answers.
Speak, view, feel what connections are made, what bubbles up in your mind or heart, and don't imagine a rush for any results or answers.
CynthiaCypher
Well-Known Member
In one you are summoning the presence of the deities, for instance in Gnostic Catholic Eucharist, we call forth the Presence of Christ to inhabit us with the ritual. To invoke is to call upon the deities, not necessarily their presence but to have them hear you. Evoke is to call forth or invite in, invoke is to call upon.
Nope. I think there is a difference. I got curious about seeing that Mystic guy got to communicate with Shiva. I think it would be nice to call upon Aphrodite Herself and see whether a supernatural being will be my friend
If she exists, and could be beckoned.
That's essentially the essence of what Hindus call a puja. Beckoning. I do puja for Ganesha every morning, and at least I believe He comes by. If I didn't I guess I woud stop doing the daily puja.
Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
Invocation is calling within (sort of like possession), evocation is calling without (think the typical demon in a pentagram summoning).
Magic works by gathering things that resonate with the result then willing the result to occur. For a god or goddess you would gather incense, colors, objects, and music that you feel resonate with your deity of choice. Drawing sigils/veves/mandalas and intoning mantras or prayers also help.
Researching a deity and the workings of other occultists and believers can help develop better links and understandings of your chosen deity.
Gjallahorn pretty much nailed the traditional distinction between evocation and invocation in the context of occultism. However, I'd like to point out something very important here. Both evocation and invocation are typically understood as commanding, or ordering something about with forceful intent. Although occultists seem to be comfortable using gods like they were mere tools and playthings - which is what invoking and evoking do - doing this is considered highly inappropriate to those who worship and respect these deities (and could get you on that deity's $#@% list). If you're looking to cultivate respectful relationships with the gods, you don't want to take the occultist approach. What is instead suggested is inviting deities to be present with you in a meditation or ritual.
Also, I don't really know where to point you for web resources without knowing the specific gods you might be looking at. It makes a huge difference, but I will say that by and large it is a much better idea to scope out properly referenced literature.
CynthiaCypher
Well-Known Member
You pray.
Draupadi
Active Member
^Sorry to be so cynic Cypher. No offence to you. But my God didn't even answer my prayers and a Deity will appear if I just pray? There is a reason why I am treading the path of the occult. The normal worship doesn't work for me. Besides I don't want to worship Aphrodite, just call her.
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CynthiaCypher
Well-Known Member
You pray to what the deity represents. Since Aphrodite is a goddess of beauty, you pray to Beauty.
CynthiaCypher
Well-Known Member
Let passion be your guide.
In that case, it does depend somewhat on what sort of path you're wanting to follow. But in all cases, I find it a good idea to familiarize yourself with a deity. Probably the best resource on the web for Hellenic mythos is Theoi.com. There, you can find several detailed pages about Aphrodite specifically, all cited with proper referencing to texts of the era. There may be some details on that page regarding the traditional offerings made to the goddess, but you'd have to look.
In terms of communing with deities, I would start with the foundation: learn meditation. Learning how to reach a state of focused attention is very important for communing. There are many, many methods of meditation out there to learn and plenty of resources online you can find easily (though some are better than others). Really, the general idea is to get in a frame of mind appropriate for communication. It doesn't have to be a "serious" meditation. Once I'm in a good state of mind, I might light some appropriate incense or have an offering ready as a gift. If you're interested in historicity, there were specific types of incense or libations that were offered to Aphrodite. If you do a web search for "Hellenismos" you'll find some resources about traditional practices with the Greek gods. Alternatively, you can just use what you've learned about the deity through your research to construct something that feels appropriate and comes from the heart. For example, I've burned HEM rose incense for Aprhodite before.
One general thing that I think is important about doing this kind of work is to be open to new experiences and be careful about labeling things too quickly. It's also important to trust yourself. People will often ask "is this real?" or "did I really communicate with that deity?" Be in a place in life where you can trust your own judgement. This stuff is about cultivating meaning and purpose in your own life in a way that is positive and beneficial; if that's not happening I tend to recommend different strategies or putting a project on hold. There's probably a ton more I could say regarding these things, but I think that's enough of a text wall for now.