It's getting complicated, Gods and Goddesses

[Kaleesie]

Now, please forgive me if there is another post like this one... However, what I'm feeling is confused about how many Gods you can have.
Here me out. If you don't mind. In Wicca, there is a male and female God. And from what I can tell, most everyone is okay with this. And that is fine.
For a while now, I've been being pulled in a slightly different direction, but don't know if it's against the Wiccan religion.
Let me break it down.

I have found my Goddess, but there are at least(3) more Goddesses that I feel are apart of me. And I have a strong attraction to.
And now I'm reading up on Gods, and some REALLY stick out to me.
(4) in fact.
Now.. If I choose to follow my heart, I might have more than 1 God and Goddess. ...............

This (I think) is not the way of Wicca. (or is there some small print that I'm not seeing?)
And if it isn't, is there a name for what I'm feeling? Is this a different religion? Or a religion at all?
I am a witch. And I follow the Rede, but is there some rule as to how many Gods and Goddesses you can have?
I feel very confused about this.
Does this just make me a witch with Wiccan tendencies? Or just an abnormal Wiccan?

I know I can't be the only one who has ran into this issue....any help with me sorting this out would greatly be appreciated.

Blessed Be
Kaleesie

[Phoenix82]

Sounds to me you're Eclectic Wiccan 

[ThunderWolf]

There is generally only room for one patron god and goddess, but we are free to work with as many as we please. (I'm not Wiccan but got my start that way, hence, "we".) I've even read discussions about "personal pantheons". The general definition for this was the gods and goddesses with whom we have developed personal relationships and are likely to work in ritual. The more detailed part of the discussion involved our personal pantheons being mixtures of world pantheons. (For example, my patrons are Inanna and Dumuzi. But within my personal pantheon are also Isis, Kali and others.)

[Kaleesie]

So I'm not a pariah?

(well, with the exception that I'm crazy and such)

[ThunderWolf]

LOL It would take a lot more than that!

[Kaleesie]

Thank you, Thunder.

I'm just going through some crap, and have only you all, gracious forum family to talk to about this.
Your a good friend.

Blessed be ( or is there some form of being eclectic, that I should end my posts with.....like..
May all my Gods and Goddesses bless you? Lol

Kaleesie

[Seeking Answers]

If there's anything I'm starting to figure out is that when it comes to personal spirituality, labels really don't matter so much.  It's all about what's in your heart.  Perhaps each of those deities has something important to teach you along your spiritual journey.  Spirituality is so much more than the labels we give it.

[Ken Ra]

I have never really understood patron Gods they have sounded too much dungeons and dragons for me. For me there is the Lord and Lady the divine male and female principles who are mostly unknowable. Then there are the aspects who are much easier to know. They are persons larger and greater than we are.  They are also my friends. No one has ever told me that I could only have one friend.

As a priest I signed on to work FOR a principle, That is my boss.  My principle never said that I could not work with other principles or aspects.  What people say is irrelevant where my boss is concerned.

[ThunderWolf]

If there's anything I'm starting to figure out is that when it comes to personal spirituality, labels really don't matter so much.  It's all about what's in your heart.  Perhaps each of those deities has something important to teach you along your spiritual journey.  Spirituality is so much more than the labels we give it.

That's very true. As for having a phrase other than Blessed Be for eclectic Wiccans, you'll find eventually that there are a lot of eclectics. Nothing at all unusual about it. An eclectic is basically just someone who takes what works for them from various traditions rather than just sticking to one. It's also not unusual for someone to be eclectic because they, say, study eastern and/or shamanic or other types of spirituality and incorporate that into their practice.

[Theflyingsorcerer]

Greetings Kaleesie and everyone,

Some Wiccan traditions have just one God and one Goddess; others have a Goddess with three aspects (Maiden, Mother, Crone) each with a different name, and two aspects of the God, the God of the Waxing Year and the God of the Waning Year, or the Holly King and the Oak King, again each with a different name; others have a whole pantheon of Gods and Goddesses.

 Most Eclectics, like myself and, presumably, you, Kaleesie, probably fit into the latter category. It all depends what (and who) you feel comfortable with - or, alternatively, who you feel challenges you. Sometimes you need comfort, and at such times a Mother Goddess such as Demeter is who you need. Sometimes you need challenge and adventure; then you need a wild, wilful Maiden Goddess like Diana. The same with Gods; Pan is wild and unpredictable, Dionysus is ecstatic, Zeus is fatherly. These are Greek and/or Roman, but there are equivalent Gods and Goddesses in other Pantheons.

You won't go far wrong following the advice of Seeking Answers and Thunderwolf.

And, yes, "Blessed Be" is perfectly fine as a salutation, as is "Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet Again." Or even, to take a more contemporary example, "Live Long and Prosper."

One of my favourites is;

Live with Joy. (Assuming Joy wants to live with you.)

But that's just me being snarky.

Blessed Be everyone,

Theflyingsorcerer.   

[Zombinos20]

Well said Sorcerer.

[malewitch42]

I believe that there are many gods and goddesses all of which are very ral but as humans we really doi not have the ability to form a relationship with them all it would be too time consuming and how much love and devotion would they really get if you divided it amongst them all. But as long as u can manage it I do not see any problem with worshipping multiple gods and goddesses do be careful however that some want complete devotion and if u feel a call to others it could get messy

[Kaleesie]

I believe that there are many gods and goddesses all of which are very ral but as humans we really doi not have the ability to form a relationship with them all it would be too time consuming and how much love and devotion would they really get if you divided it amongst them all. But as long as u can manage it I do not see any problem with worshipping multiple gods and goddesses do be careful however that some want complete devotion and if u feel a call to others it could get messy

I only find some Gods and Goddesses intriguing. So devoting to all, its a little much. BUT I do have plenty of time on my hands to carry out what needs to be done with each I choose (or who chooses me :-) (disablities can leave you with time on your hands)

F. Sorcerer, I think you are correct. And  Seeking and Thunder have opened my eyes wider too.

I'm not very new, but having a scattered mind doesn't help when learning this religion. There's no set rules (mostly) and I'm doing this all on my own.
I feel very ignorant asking the question, because it makes me feel I should have already known this, truth be told, I was so wrapped up in Hecate and ritual that I lost sight of other aspects.

Pagans have been around for quite some time, and I am trying to earn all I can. (maybe too much at once).and probably will never know all their is.

And I'm just going to stick with Blessed Be. It suits me just fine!

BB
Kaleesie

[ThunderWolf]

be careful however that some want complete devotion and if u feel a call to others it could get messy

I don't know... That just sounds a bit like a possessive spouse to the point that they're abusively not letting their partner have any outside friendships.

I'm utterly devoted to Inanna, but I have other goddesses I work with as well. The thing is, Inanna is the one I'm devoted to. And if I would get the idea to work with someone who demands I give up my devotion to Inanna to do it, I'm just not going to do it.

I mean, going back to the spousal example, if you were happily married and met someone who insisted that for the two of you to be friends you had to give up your spouse, how would that be messy? You just say "I'm happy with what I've got. Thanks anyway." Then you go on your way.

[Theflyingsorcerer]

do be careful however that some want complete devotion and if u feel a call to others it could get messy

Seems to me that the only Deities that demand complete, exclusive devotion are Yahweh and Allah, and not too many Wiccans have any dealings with those particular Gods. There may be a few obscure, remote tribal Gods that feel the same way, but, again, not too many of us will encounter them. Our good old Pagan deities don't seem to have such inferiority-complex issues.

I wouldn't worry about it.

Theflyingsorcerer.