:offering_bowl: WITCH CHALLENGE - Who's Your Deity?

[BryWisteria]

Merry meet!

Thank you once again to all those who joined in for the previous Witchy Challenge - Your Favorite Magick

After welcoming the new year with the coven’s most beloved magick, it’s time to look up - or in. For this challenge, we’re doing a divine show and tell. It’s time to talk about deities

Who’s Your Deity?

Exploring the divine influences in your practice

From Gods and Goddesses to spiritual guides, natural forces to the Universe as a whole - there are many divine presences that a witch can honor in their practice. Some witches are monotheistic while others worship entire pantheons. Other witches are animistic or worship nature. When it comes to your practice, the only right answers are those that work for you

Whatever divine influences you work with in your practice, this is your chance to honor them with a spotlight. Doing so not only spreads wisdom with fellow witches, it may even help those still searching find their deity

Let’s talk deities!

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This challenge is for sharing about your deity(ies) - how you choose to take on this theme is up to you.

So are you ready? Because it’s…

CHALLENGE TIME!

Spells8: Celebrating Imbolc: Altar for the Goddess and God

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Your Divine Guides

This challenge is all about the deities and divine influences you honor in your practice - as always, feel free to explore the theme in a way that aligns with you and your unique practice.

Still not sure where to begin? To help you get started, here are a few suggested spells and other ways in which a witch might approach this challenge.

Please make sure you are logged into your Spells8 Account so you can view all of the resources shared!

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Deity Show and Tell

Who do you work with in your practice? Consider sharing about your deities or spirit guides for this challenge. You might also share about your story - how did you connect with Them? and what about this deity calls to you?

(Note: There are a VAST amount of deity resources around Spells8 - if you want to learn about a specific deity, use the search tool to quickly find relevant content. For general deity topics, browse the deities tag)

Deities in the Greek Pantheon

Deities in the Roman Pantheon

Deities in the Egyptian Pantheon

Deities in the Celtic Pantheon

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Deities of Winter: Spirits of Ice and Snow

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How Do You Work With Your Deity?

Do you call upon Them in spells and rituals? Maybe you leave offerings, or like to dedicate works of art in Their name. For this challenge, feel free to share about how you work with and honor your deity.

Deity Worship: How to Honor Pagan Gods and Goddesses

Create a Deity Altar: Prayer and Offerings at Home

Deity Offering Spell Pouch

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It’s Okay to Be Creative!

The suggestions above are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity. If you feel called to explore the challenge theme in another way, you are welcome to do so.

Spells8: How to Make Triple Goddess Incense

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How to Join the Challenge

In order for your entry to be counted, all you have to do is write/share about your experience and label it as your challenge entry. There is a lot of chatting here (which is awesome- chatting and discussion are very welcome!) so please clearly write that it is your entry so I know to count it!

Where Do I Share My Entry?

Click here to learn where to share your challenge entry

You are welcome to post it right here- just click “reply” to this post and write your experience in the text box that pops up!

Alternatively, you could create a new post in the forum (this is good for when you have a lot to share and/or would like to discuss aspects of your entry not related to the current theme)

Note : If you do choose to create a new thread, please add the “challenge-entry” tag and/or add a hyperlink back to this post so that it can be easily found- thank you!

Click here for a note for our lovely lurkers

Everyone is welcome to join the challenge. For those who would like the challenge prizes, please know that you will need to share your experience if you want to receive a prize and a public shout-out.

Don’t feel comfortable sharing? No fear! For lurkers and those who are shy, it is absolutely okay to follow along with the challenge on the sidelines. At the end of the day, these challenges are here to help you help yourself by expanding and enhancing your personal magickal practice. I hope they can be helpful for you!

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Deadline

This challenge will close in 13 DAYS

To join in, please share your experience by:

Tuesday, January 28 at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
2025-01-28T12:00:00Z

(Note that the time zone is ET- if you don’t see your time displayed above, you can use this time zone calculator to check for your time zone!)

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Prizes

For their efforts, all participants will receive a special shout-out and a small prize!

Acknowledgments will be given in a Props and Presents Post that will appear in the forums the day the challenge closes.

After the challenge closes, you are still very welcome to post but please be aware that no additional prizes will be given. This discussion will remain open for about a week after the challenge finishes.

Spells8: The Goddess Hecate

A warm reminder that the challenges are designed to be very open- everyone is encouraged to participate in a way that honors and reflects their unique practice

If you have any doubts about if something is acceptable to post or say, please double-check with the Forum FAQ and/or reach out to your friendly Moderator Team.

And for those new to challenges- welcome! Know that the goal of these activities is to help you further diversify and strengthen your abilities and to bring together the Spells8 forum family to inspire and support one another in creative ways

Spells8: Altar for the Goddess Gaia

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Goddess or God or Spiritual Guide
Always in reach and close at your side
They protect you on your magickal quest
By Their hand, you’re divinely blessed

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Blessed Be!

[tracyS]

Oooh oooh can I talk about Loki - again!

Lol, no I’m going to be good - I think I’m going to share about some of the lesser loved Norse gods that have got my attention

[AIRAM]

invitation
Hail mother hekate’ daughter of the Arcane , daughter of Darkness she whom bleeds the crimson skies and floods the wicked nights with rebirth and flight daughter of Nyx give thine fruits a celestic kiss
Hail mother of ages young and olde
Hail mother of sages strong and bold
May my cup never runneth cold
May it forevermore be saffron and gold

Art by David DeFigueredo

[Artemisia]

Challenge Entry - Who’s Your Deity?

I’m hesitant to say that my practice has evolved over the past year as I don’t quite feel that describes what is happening. It’s more that I’m realizing labels or boxes that I’ve used in the past were inaccurate and I’m only now classifying things properly.

My first introduction to the divine was my catholic upbringing. I went to church and CCD, attended catholic school for several years, and was confirmed in the faith. There were many parts of it that I enjoyed and connected to. However, I drifted away the church while I was in college.

It wasn’t until I was in my early 20s that I felt a connection to something else, started exploring Wicca, left Wicca, and eventually connected and worked with several deities.

I have written before about my connection and work with

Artemis, Hekate and Selene

Connection to Artemis
Artemis Tarot Spread
Artemis and my magickal name
Artemis - Full moon consecration
Selene
Hekate connections here and here
Hekate, Selene, Artemis connections

Through all of this, heck, through my whole life, my deepest connection has been to nature. I am drawn to the beauty of birds, fascinated with butterflies and moths, toiled happily in vegetable and flower gardens, and found peace walking through the forests and over mountains. Inspired and educated by a fellow coven member, I’ve looked more into a bioregional practice. I’ve been learning to work with local land spirits and finding my plant and animal spirit familiars. I have taken herbalism courses and continue my studies. My practice has become a mix of green, forest, and hedge magick.

I feel that my practice has become less deity-focused, which isn’t to say that I don’t work with one of my deities when it is needed. It’s helpful for me to have a focal point when I do spells or rituals or rather - to have a name and a deity in mind to petition.

I do sometimes wonder if even 30 years ago the call I heard was from the land or nature itself. Perhaps to make it make sense to me, I had to attach that to a name. Maybe but I don’t think it was the wrong path to take.

So does this mean I don’t have or work with a deity? No. I do still ask for Selene’s blessing, Hekate’s protection, and Artemis’ guidance. They are a part of my practice and will continue to be. They assist in different aspects of my life and my craft as I continue to strengthen my bonds with my local land spirits.

[AIRAM]

wonderful images my sister @Artemisia !
as I read your journey through the church it was like I was seeing my own…
nature the earth the sky I think are the greatest powers …
full of magical entities …

[tracyS]

Challenge Entry

Who’s my deity? Loki. I’ve written about him alot in this forum - key the word Loki in the search and most of it will come up So he doesn’t get the spotlight tonight (sorry still love ya - I know you’re reading this Loki ).

I’m going to answer the question:
How do I work with this deity? How to answer this without talking about him, well by telling the tale of the wonders he’s introduced me to.

Through Loki, what started as a one to one relationship has turned into a family. I never set out to be a Norse Witch, I never set out to work with the gods, or be possessed by runes but here I am.

Through Loki I met the Runes, and one by one, the Runes have introduced me to the gods behind them.

First it was and Odin. We have an interesting relationship Odin and I, he thinks me a fool but with the potential to learn so he tolerates me and is patient despite my continueos efforts to ignore his advice (my deity is Loki after all ). So Odin is my tutor of the runes.

Then I met and Thor, he rains on me, no joke - I can drive through Bristol and there’s not a rain cloud in the sky and I get to my little cottage and bam, a rain cloud over me and my neighbour but I’ve over time made an effort to get to know this great god with such a big reputation, and found him to be warm, kind, protective with a great sense of humour. We are currently working on a project together.

Now, the rune and the goddess Hel. So what is she like, so many stories but I’ve found her persistent. I’ve had several visions from her and as with Odin, it didn’t click ( I can feel Loki rolling his eyes ) until I had the same vision with my tutor who said, “Tracy this is Hel!!!”. A goddess who deeply cares about the state of the earth, and mankind and has reached out to help heal people on the inside so they can heal the outside. A side of Hel I didn’t know about.

I’ve met the rune Tyr God of justice and war yes - but he’s also a god that can help resolve conflict and find a peaceful way out of a situation. He’s a god who can help you feel a sense of balance in a chaotic world.

I’ve today met and Fenrir showed up. Surprised? Yes but not really, Fenrir is known for taking you on a journey deep into your soul. Not sure where we’re going but I’ll trust this wolf

There will be more, that’s how the runes work.

So who is my deity? Loki is absolutely but he introduced me to the runes, and it is said between every witch and god - there is a rune.

And those runes are, one by one introducing me to a whole range of gods/goddesses. Where they take me, I do not know, but I do know it’s going to be one hell of a ride.

Skoll

[CelestiaMoon]

Challenge entry

@AIRAM

invitation
Hail mother hekate’ daughter of the Arcane , daughter of Darkness she whom bleeds the crimson skies and floods the wicked nights with rebirth and flight daughter of Nyx give thine fruits a celestic kiss
Hail mother of ages young and olde
Hail mother of sages strong and bold
May my cup never runneth cold
May it forevermore be saffron and gold

That is so beautiful my sister
It brought me back to the love for Lilith I’ve been showing in this thread, I’m now rereading it and revisiting all the memories… It’s been too long, and I’ve been feeling kinda lost… I did this spontaneous rededication of myself to her with a red candle, a cup of cranberry and cinnamon tea, and a drop of my

Lilith, my mother
Bring me to life again
Lilith, my lover
Awaken my blood
Lilith, my sister
Show me my path

The path that you’ve shaped for me
To be the instrument of your will
My goddess.
Please accept this offering
Of my body, blood and life.

Renich viasa avage lillith lirach

[CelestiaMoon]

I got some surprising feelings out of this… this is no longer who I am. Things like sex no longer feel all that important or satisfying to me. Some people have left my life, because I’m no longer a vibrational match for them. The same might hold true for Lilith, but I’m not sure yet. I can’t cling to the past, I must be moving forward, wherever it might be. This is kind of scary, but necessary part of life.

[tracyS]

@CelestiaMoon

must be moving forward, wherever it might be. This is kind of scary, but necessary part of life.

I asked the gods for a rune for you and pulled
A complicated rune but does point towards allowing time for space, growth and a time for oneself - it’s a good rune to use to transform any energy through you into something more needed right now.

Hope you find what you’re looking for.

[CelestiaMoon]

Thank you my friend It feels like I’m right in the middle of a big transformation, having to leave things that don’t work anymore behind, but not yet seeing what’s on the other side. I don’t know much about runes, but I could try looking into and meditating on that one

[tracyS]

If you want to peer into this rune you could try this meditation

Rune Portals

Something/someone wonderful maybe trying to connect.

I shouldn’t be up this late/early, it’s 2:20 am and I’m full of cold and drinking a hideous “witches brew”

[CelestiaMoon]

It’s way too late in the night for me too, I don’t think I should be getting into anything too complex tonight Maybe tomorrow night though I love the idea of possibly meeting someone who wants to connect

Wishing you speedy recovery Or comfy bed rest, sometimes that’s what our bodies really want, and come up with all kinds of weirdness

[teri4]

My experience with deities has been when writing my own spells. I have researched which deity I need to call upon and incorporated them into my spells correctly. I am still learning about some of them so I am very careful about who I invoke. Blessed be.

[MeganB]

Hmm… This challenge might be, well, challenging for me! My practice and work with deities has changed so much over the last few years that I’m not sure what I’ll even talk about I guess we’ll find out together!

[AIRAM]

I am glad that the hymn of the Goddess Hecate helped you, my dear sister.

[jayne]

Challenge Entry: Who’s Your Deity?

I’ve only been practicing since November, so I have to say that I have not yet worked with any specific deity.

Like Artemisia, I have always been drawn to nature. I feel a deep connection with trees, woodlands, meadows and gardens, instilled in me by my father, in England.

As sad and wild as our Texas backyard looks right now, in the middle of winter, it was planned as a wildlife habitat and still offers a place of refuge for local birds and insects.

Because of my love of nature, I feel myself drawn to Gaia, Mother Earth, and have a small statue of her on my altar but as of yet I have not reached out to her for assistance in my craft.

We also have a Green Man on our garden wall. He’s been there for a couple of years and looks out over the garden. I do talk to him when I’m out there working, and ask him to keep watch over the garden and the wildlife it supports.

I’m currently working through the Green Witch course here on Spells 8, and learning all I can about herbs and their uses. I’m planning to plant a Witch’s herb garden in the spring.

[Mystique]

Challenge Entry

I don’t use just one deity. I don’t have a special altar set up for a single deity. When I’m getting ready to cast a spell I meditate on who would be the best deity to assist in it. I then ask for their guidance and help for this spell. When completed, I leave an offering suitable tho that deity and thank them for their assistance.

[Cosmic_Curiosity]

CHALLENGE ENTRY

Almighty Asar,
Ruler of the underworld.
Guider of souls,
and bringer of new life.
Foremost of Westerners.
I honour your eternal mystery.
May your power and wisdom,
guide me each and every day

This the prayer that I offer to Asar (Osiris) after awakening his spirit by removing the shroud from his statue on my altar and anointing it with oil. Why? Because as the God who brings fertility and growth, I see him all around me as I go about my day:

He is Asar and is part of my daily life.
He is the sunlight that signals a new day.
He is the bare trees in my garden,
and the buds now appearing on them.
He is the bulbs piercing through the surface,
and the soil that clings to my hands.
He is the flames on the candles I light each day,
guiding my steps and illuminating my path.
He is the scent of the freshly cut flowers,
sitting on my altar as a gift.
He is the sweet, mouth watering fruits,
that dwell in my fruit bowl,
and the fresh herbs on my window sill.
He is the mighty Orion constellation,
returning each night to watch over me.
He is the sun setting behind the trees,
signalling the end of another day.
He is Asar and is part of my daily life.

Asar brings endings and new beginnings. He nourishes, he guides and he helps me to grow.

Blessed Be

Alan

[Nikki-Phoenix]

Challenge Entry

I feel like I’m still brand-new here, so I tend to read and love everything, but I felt drawn to this thread so here are my experiences…

I’m going through a transformation at the moment, trying to adapt and adjust the best way I can, and this includes relationships with deities.

I had so many questions, like why on earth would a deity contact me, how would I know it’s them… not to mention the other side, I hope I don’t let them down, what’s the punishment for making a god mad… and of course, I’ve mentioned my struggles with offerings before. It’s not that I have any issue giving offerings because I don’t, it’s just seems so, well, strange… okay, imagine you went to someone’s house and knocked on the door. They open the door, you sincerely thank them for helping you with something… then you take a flower from their garden and give it to them. Do you see where I’m coming from - it seems strange to offer something to a deity, because they’re a deity; everything is theirs anyway, like everything in the world lol. I have a deity pouch for each one, which I use in prayers, and I try to give offerings like poems, songs, devotion, helping others and trying to grow things… I’m trying to offer things which they don’t already have, if that makes sense.

Anyway, I’ve been focused on deities this past week, specifically figuring out who was contacting me… the answers showed that Gaia and Isis are my guides, although I’m not entirely certain it’s just them, but that’s another thread. I’ve felt a strange pull in the past few days towards Diana, except I dont think she’s my guide, I think she’s Kiana’s… also another thread lol, but I may start offering prayers on K’s behalf.

I feel Gaia in the breeze, like a warm blanket, gently guiding me in the right direction, whereas Isis is more in my face, she doesn’t do subtle which I also love lol. I have to say, even though I’m still struggling with all this from a former Christian perspective, it’s comforting to finally know who’s been with me for all these years.

x Blessed Be x

[CelestiaMoon]

@tracyS

I asked the gods for a rune for you and pulled

Now this is interesting, I realized it isn’t the first time coming across that rune for me!

Mystery symbol

I saw this symbol during my tea meditation, does anyone recognize it? [symbol]

Also I found that it’s the rune number 22, a powerful Master number in numerology, and my destiny number, which resonated with me quite a bit when I got it

Numerology: Building Your Core Number Report - Part 3

I love, love, love how these numbers turned out for me, so satisfying My first name: Destiny Number My second name (Celestia): Destiny Number My last name: Destiny Number My first and last names together: My full name: Destiny Number

Revisiting it, this especially stood out

The risks with the grand plans may be too much for you and you may prefer to be more practical in your endeavors as per expression number 4 (22 reduces to 4). This can lead to frustration because you feel called to greater things but can’t quite seem to get there

The frustration is real…

You are headstrong and driven. However, this brings a risk of becoming too domineering to the point of losing the support of others. Remember that your goal is to create, not to destroy.

I have a pretty spicy emotional and mental landscape, and that’s made connection with similar spicy deities such as Lilith, Kali and Shiva work out well It feels that something is shifting however, I’m being called to be more patient and nurturing Exploring this side more, maybe some new deity connections will be made…