When you look throughout history, in religions, in cultures, in mythologies, in government structures, and so forth, we can see patterns, the templates that appear to build their foundations. It is in these patterns where we can see the core templates that repeat across what appear to be vastly different people, cultures, and organizations of people, yet underneath, they share more than they diverge.
We are going to start by tackling core patterns of Deities or Guides. No matter what word you choose to define them, in essence they are energy patterns, just as we are an energy pattern. Some are smaller, because they represent a very specific aspect of a larger or core pattern. Larger ones can represent multiple aspects, either of a complex pattern or connections to multiple complex patterns. Then there are core patterns. These are like source patterns, the point where all the patterns connect or sit upon. The Russian dolls are a good visual for this idea. Each one is their own pattern, in their own right, with their own power. Each one is also connected to something larger than itself. They all come together, one fitting inside the next until they are all one whole.
Pantheons work in a similar fashion. Each deity of a pantheon is their own pattern, with their own power and domains. When they combine though, they become a core pattern.There is usually a supreme or head god and/ or Goddess of every pantheon. They would be the largest doll who holds all the others. They hold the balance of all the smaller patterns and may be why they are viewed as the leader for the group. This is seen across every religion, whether they call them gods, elements, or any other name. Pantheons can be made of deity but also can take the form of an ecosystem such as in earth based traditions like animism. Their names came from the people who worshipped them or a given name if they were once a living being on this plane. Their form can be more human in nature, an element such as a storm, an animal, an emotion or more complex idea like rebirth.
How we perceive that pattern can vary across cultures and time, yet the core pattern remains the same. The center core pattern appears to be represented by a tirad, a triple force, a trinity, a representation of three. The earliest forms of the triple concept goes back to the 15th century BC and possibly even earlier than that in more abstract ways. The meanings have various names applied to it: maiden, mother and crone – youth, elder, ascended – son, father, spirit – thought, experience, wisdom – word, action, result – birth, life, death. The most basic meaning and break down I feel is body, mind, soul. The body represents the physical self, the ability to experience the physical plane. The mind represents our personal soul. What allows us to interpret, feel, and choose our actions and thoughts. The third is our divine soul in the sense of the collective soul, connection to the various patterns, the web of energy we are all a part of, knowledge, access, keeper of balance between body and mind.
This concept is not new but the oldest in my eyes, as it directly speaks to how humans see and understand their place in the world. We recognize ourselves as an individual being with physical form. Then we realize we are able to think and make choices. Then we realize we are a part of a family or community of people. Each one is linked by bonds that can not be separated, and each one can have deep effects on the others.
I feel this correlation makes it easier to understand the connections we see in various pantheons no matter how time or land divides them. Let’s begin by looking at Death Goddesses and Gods. When you look at them all as a group you will see similarities and revolve around the pattern of death and rebirth (note that rebirth can be in another plane, back to this one, or any number of constructs). Symbols used for them, aspects like care of the dead or dying – the fear of the unknown or change, and representations of them can look very similar. This is developed because of the things humans associated with the aspect of death and rebirth. Some of it is passed between cultures due to people integrating or traveling, others may speak to collective consciousness and universal perspective of humanity.
I believe that each of these deities or guides are a part of the Death/ Rebirth pattern. They have been given specific names, faces, and aspects by the people who worshipped them. They are a way to connect with the larger pattern of Death and Rebirth and can serve as a guide for us as we gain knowledge and understanding of the core pattern. I don’t think it really matters which deity or construct we connect to as far as growth is concerned. What does matter is finding the right guide for us, one we can connect to, one that feels right for us. Some may be guides just for one aspect we need to grow. Some may be a guide that is with us for our entire journey. Some may be from different pantheons, while others may pull all from one.
The ending point is this, these patterns are guides for us. They can give us knowledge and better understanding of ourselves and the world around us. If we form deep connections we can draw from their energy as they draw from ours. There should be no competition here as to whose is better or more powerful. There is no ownership of these patterns or restrictions to connecting to them beyond the restrictions we place ourselves. What reaches out for us as a guide and what we personally connect to is all that matters. This is your connection and your experience. How that guide takes shape, what you associate with them, what name you call them, how you experience them is all built by the connection you make with them, and as long as you are listening it is no one’s place to diminish that connection.
The above statements however do not replace understanding who or what that pattern means or meant to those who came before us. Part of connecting comes from learning and understanding. If you are connecting to a pattern of rain, you have to study and understand the science of rain, how it interacts with the world, what rules nature has placed upon it. By understanding all this, you will be able to see how you can work with, manipulate, or weave that energy for a desired result. Through understanding and a strong connection, your ability to create those changes is built.
The same applies to a God or Goddess. To build the start of the connection we need to learn how others saw them. We need to learn about the culture they arose from, how the people lived, their history and mythology, in order to understand why they saw them as they did. By learning we are creating the start of connection. As we listen to them, as we connect directly to them, we strengthen that bond, and our personal vision of them is built. A solid connection that produces a shared energy, and the ability to create change with it.
I wonder if more people viewed these concepts in this manner, would we have so much division? I am bound to The Morrigan who is my guide through the life – death – rebirth pattern. I have a friend who is binding to Hecate, also a guide through the life – death – rebirth pattern. We have so much to share with each other because we are dealing with the same core pattern. We also gain different perspectives, inspirations, and points to look at deeper because the guides are different. It allows us to grow more as individuals and exposure to concepts we may not have encountered or considered before. At the core, we are on a similar journey, and it’s only the path we choose, to reach the same end, that separates us.
This is just the start to this series, so if you found it interesting keep an eye out for the others.
Until next time, keep walking your own path.