As to your Point 2, Causticus: of course it's possible to worship Gods without relying heavily on the ancient mythologies associated with them. At the same time, the old stories can form a useful doorway to getting to know them on a personal level, and building your relationship with them from there. It's possible to sift through the old myths and find a few that resonate with you--many of them can be poetically and symbolically beautiful.
From my own religion: how about the "creation" (or really "transformation") of the first human couple from trees? The trees given gifts of the Gods and transformed. It offers a lovely image of the kinship between humans and nature, and the value of the Gods' gifts: the sacred breath of life, divine inspiration that bridges between humans and the Deities, and the human form with its shining beauty, its speech and human behavior and action, and the warm flush of life that enlivens it all. Meditating on this can offer common ground between us and the Deities who gave these gifts (Odin and his brothers / companions) as a basis for growing a deeper relationship with them, as Jeff Russell put it so well in his post.
There are countless such examples in all the Pagan traditions, and other religions as well. One doesn't need to focus on the distasteful imagery; all these stories are products of their times--some can bear the test of time and still confer wisdom; others do not, or only do so by counter-example or by deep, symbolic analysis of the myths.
On your Point 3: it's entirely up to you, of course, but that is what many people in many religions do: create their own prayers and devotional customs, their own symbols and practices, which may rely to a greater or a much lesser degree on older traditions. No matter how old a religion or mythology is, *someone* came up with the original stories and practices. No reason we can't, or shouldn't, do this again: in our own time, and for our own times and places in this world today. They're still here--the Deities--and still interested in genuine and sincere interactions with us in today's world. They wait for each of us to find a language or symbology that works for us, and they will meet us there.
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branchandroot
Polytheism
Date: 2024-02-27 02:30 am (UTC)From my own religion: how about the "creation" (or really "transformation") of the first human couple from trees? The trees given gifts of the Gods and transformed. It offers a lovely image of the kinship between humans and nature, and the value of the Gods' gifts: the sacred breath of life, divine inspiration that bridges between humans and the Deities, and the human form with its shining beauty, its speech and human behavior and action, and the warm flush of life that enlivens it all. Meditating on this can offer common ground between us and the Deities who gave these gifts (Odin and his brothers / companions) as a basis for growing a deeper relationship with them, as Jeff Russell put it so well in his post.
There are countless such examples in all the Pagan traditions, and other religions as well. One doesn't need to focus on the distasteful imagery; all these stories are products of their times--some can bear the test of time and still confer wisdom; others do not, or only do so by counter-example or by deep, symbolic analysis of the myths.
On your Point 3: it's entirely up to you, of course, but that is what many people in many religions do: create their own prayers and devotional customs, their own symbols and practices, which may rely to a greater or a much lesser degree on older traditions. No matter how old a religion or mythology is, *someone* came up with the original stories and practices. No reason we can't, or shouldn't, do this again: in our own time, and for our own times and places in this world today. They're still here--the Deities--and still interested in genuine and sincere interactions with us in today's world. They wait for each of us to find a language or symbology that works for us, and they will meet us there.
Winifred Hodge Rose