Question about Patrons

[Anonymous]

I heard once that the patrons choose the person(something like that)...is this true? Is there a "specific" number of patrons a person can have?? And, how do you know which patron is "for you?"

~Twistedfeather~

[RedRonin]

The term patron can cover a lot of different meanings.

Are you asking in regard to dieties or mentors?

Or donors for that matter..........

[Anonymous]

deities

[Lark]

I heard once that the patrons choose the person(something like that)...is this true? Is there a "specific" number of patrons a person can have?? And, how do you know which patron is "for you?"

I do work with Patron deities.  In fact, in my Trad one of the requirements of students studying for their 1st Degree is to find both a God and a Goddess that they develop a relationship with.  The reason for this is simple...  In Wicca we sometimes find the need to call upon Deities for aid and assistance.  Who is more apt to listen to your request for assistance, a stranger, or someone you have developed a close relationship with.

Sometimes also Deities come to us in a tutelary role.  They are here to teach us a specific lesson.  Once the lesson is learned, they may well move on.

In finding a Patron, I suggest to my students that they try meditation as a way of meeting the Deity that they are to work with.  Or if they want some more guidance, I suggest that they take a look at specific pantheons that attract them and then introduce themselves to the members of that pantheon to see if one of those Deities wishes to take them on.

In answer to the first part of your question...yes, sometimes Patrons come along and thwap you on top of the head and announce that you now belong to them.  For years I had worked within the pantheon of the British Celts.  But this year Sekhmet announced that She and I had some work to do.  And shortly after that Tehuti, Anpu, and Menthu showed up and said I needed to be paying attention to them as well.  It was a complete surprise as I have no ties to the Egyptian culture...but Sekhmet clearly had other ideas.

Personally I think you can have as many Patrons as there are Patrons who want to work with you.  As I said, in my Trad we generally have one God and one Goddess that each Initiate will work with.  But right now I have one Goddess and three Gods.

Patrons teach us things about ourselves and about living.  My first Patron was Cerridwen who came to me when I was new to the Craft and I was going through menopause.  She taught me a great deal about transformation and about accepting my Crone status.  When I had learned the lesson she turned me over to someone else.

I don't think we chose a Patron that is "right" for us.  I think that they look at what lessons we need to learn and then one of them choses us to teach us that lesson.

-Lark-

[Anonymous]

Hmm, that's really interesting. For the past couple of weeks, i have been finding myself praying to Hestia and Bridget without really "meaning" to. Esp. when i'm feeling emotionally unbalanced and feel a sort of "blockage" in my aura or what ever. I also feel a sort of attraction to Hestia because i read something about her that said, Hestia was/is the guardian of the inner most things; gentle yet very powerful...very much like Bridget.

~T.F.~

[TheBriarRose]

How does one pray without meaning to?  You mean as in accidentally pray?

[Anonymous]

I don't really know how to expalin it...i just find myself praying to them without really "thinking".....

[Anonymous]

In my tradion me not only have patrins, but some people, are what are calle d the god/goddess chosen. These people tend to have VERY,VERY stong bonds wuith that god/goddess. It will also also be one of the persons chosen. Notevery one is a chosen, and It does NOT mean that you can't have a close relation with a god/goddess your not their chosen, it just tends to be easiyer. For me, it's Epona. Also, not evey one is any deities chosen, so keep that in mind.

That sounds like me before I discovered Epona. Maybew try to talk to them if you have telepathy gift, give them some complements. Do this BEFORE you start to askk THEM to do thing, and coniture complimenting them. It sound like you maay very well be one of A. Bridet's or B. Hestia's chosen.

[Anonymous]

That would make since. i've been going through a lot of emotional problems lately; depression and stress has caused me many heart related problems, and when ever i think of Hestia and Bridget...i feel comforted and not so "alone." I've been trying to get to know them by their myths and legends, and am planning to do a visualization  i found in a book that seems really easy to do. (to perhaps, start a relationship with them)

~Twistedfeather~

[Blayze]

Hi there,

I have worked with Hestia, but I mostly work with Brigid. They are both godesses of the Hearth but with different aspects.

Brigid is a Goddess of healing as well as poetry, art, blacksmithing and creativity. She is represented by both fire and flame and will not hesitate in testing you with those elements - tempering . She is threefold and if you work with her, you will probably meet her in all of her aspects, this can be very confronting.

If you are interested in how other's relate to and work with their patron deities, I suggest you read "Devoted To You" by Judy Harrow and others. It is a beautiful book, very insightful and inspiring. Reading the section on Brigid had me balling my eyes out (on the train).

Daughters Of The Flame are an international organisation devoted to Brigid. They have some very good information and there is always one priestess guarding the flame somewhere in the world.

Bright blessings
Blayze

[Rowan CedarWolf]

You might want to try doing a contact ritual. The whole meat of this rite is to meet and learn from the deity you wish to contact. Set up your sacred sapce as you would for any ritual (casting circle and calling quarters etc) I would research which ever one you wish to start with very throughly, this will help you set up your meeting. For example if you wanted to meet Osiris, you would set up in your mind (like a meditation) the how, where and why, so for Osiris you may want to see yourself in your mind's eye walking through the papyrus swamps, you come to a bank, you look out over the water, you can see the fishing boats on the water, one of the sailors calls out a greeting to you, you wave respond with wishing them well on their journey and turn to walk back from the water's edge. As you walk through the tall papyrus stalks, you come accross a man. He is tall, wearing royal dressings, in bright, bold beautiful colors. You slowly look up and see his strong muscular chest, and the muscles on his arms, you sense you know who this is and a feeling of intimidation sweeps over you, gradually and with a little dred you raise you head to see his regal face and you know this is the great King Osiris! You drop to you knees to show proper reverence to shuch a God, He reaches out his hand to you gently touches your cheek and tells you to rise, he requires no such demeaning gestures from you. He takes you hand and helps you to your feet. He says to you walk with me and as you walk throuh the papyrus together he asks So what brings you to see me today, my child? How can I help you?
It is here that you would state your request of for example My Lord, I come to you today to ask that you teach me of you. Or what ever it is that you wish to learn or know. When you are done close your space/ritual in your usual fashion.

This is what works for me. I wish you luck on your journey.

[Anonymous]

I also heard that Bridgit can also be connected to water. is this true? What about Hestia...i find her ver soothing........

(Thanks for the ritual out line...i will try it... :wink: )

~Twistedfeather~

[Blayze]

hehehe,

I did mean fire and water not fire and flame. *Sigh*

Yes she is represented by wells and fires.

In rituals that I have dedicated to Brigid I have often used a large bowl of water with a lit candle sitting in the centre to represent the well and the flame. Good for scrying into.

I also find that creating a physical spiral path (e.g. using leaves, branches, ivy etc) to the bowl works very well and enhances the experience. Physical scrying triggers.

Bright blessings'
Blayze

[Anonymous]

but does anybody have any information on Hestia? and "using" her as a patron. or why she would kind of "draw" me to her? :?

[Gryphon]

but does anybody have any information on Hestia? and "using" her as a patron. or why she would kind of "draw" me to her? :?

Just to let you know you don't "use" a Patron. Once you dedicate yourself to a Diety or the Diety figuratively taps you on the shoulder, you "work" for Them. Be very careful who you approach, some Dieties can turn your life upside down in no time flat.

If you want to find out about Hestia, do a google search, visit your local library or bookstore.