Post by Jess on Jan 24, 2015 12:27:06 GMT -6
It'll be best to start this brief article with a disclaimer:
It is okay to not have a godphone!
If you cannot hear or communicate with gods or spirits, that does not mean that you are broken, lazy, or just not trying hard enough. The vast majority of human beings on this planet will never experience direct gnosis, and that's okay! That does not make you a less valuable polytheist or devotee. That doesn't mean that the community will exclude you, or think you're weird! Godphones are just one of many potential aspects of devotion or worship, and there are many other ways to share your life with the gods, from ritual to sacrifice to prayer. Don't feel bad about yourself!
Now, this said, let's start the FAQ.
Q: What is a "godphone"?
A: "Godphone" is a shorthand word used to indicate the experience of having some sort of direct contact with the gods. It doesn't mean that the contact works like a phone, however. This particular "phone" probably won't work perfectly all the time, if at all. It might be more like a radio, where you can hear the gods but they can't hear or don't respond to you. It might be more like a walkie-talkie, where you've only got one fuzzy connection and not just anyone can dial you up. It might be a phone with really, really bad reception, or a phone that you lose for months at a time, or a phone without network coverage. The metaphor is endless, really.
Q: So how does a godphone work?
A: In many ways! Some people hear literal voices, or have conversations with gods, in the astral or otherwise. But it's more likely that "godphone" is simply a convenient label for a complex process that doesn't quite work like a conversation. "I was in the supermarket, and got a sudden out-of-place urge to visit the grocery aisle and buy a cabbage for an offering:" feelings that have a bit of significance weighing them down in your mind. Or, "My intuition tells me that [god] wants me to pray every morning:" a simple nudge of intuition. Again, the ways that a godphone can work are many. To continue this increasingly elaborate metaphor, some people have got Nokias, some Motorolas, some iPhones. They all perform essentially the same task: direct communication with the gods (or spirits).
Q: Why do I/don't I have a godphone?
A: That's actually a pretty hard question to answer, and I can't answer it definitively for myself, let alone others, let alone for everyone who reads this forum post in one fell sweep. But there are some theories. Some people might just be more inclined toward it than others, or more in-tune with the realm beyond the physical (astral, Otherworld, whatever your practice happens to call it). Still others might have had it given to them by gods or spirits, especially if you're "spirit-bothered." Maybe it runs in the family, or is common to people with experiences similar to those you might have had. Or maybe it's just a wild coincidence. There's no way of telling, really.
Q: I have a godphone, but I want it to work better.
A: It might not ever work better than it does now, and that's okay! However, if you want to try to make it more clear or easier, you can always practice. The typical clear-your-mind meditation can be helpful, because it helps you identify which thoughts are yours and which are foreign. You might practice using your intuition, or astral projection, or whatever makes your godphone tic. Though there's no guarantee it'll improve, but practice never hurts.
Q: I don't have a godphone, but I want to develop one.
A: You might not ever develop one, and that's okay! As above, you can always try the typical meditation/trance/projection methods, especially within the constraints of your practice (i.e., seidr in a Germanic-based practice).
Q: Why isn't my godphone working right now?
A: Sometimes godphones work and sometimes they don't. Sometimes they work for days on end, then immediately stop. Sometimes you've got a godphone for years, and then you lose it. Sometimes you get sick and the gods decide you need a break. There may not be a reason.
Q: What does this mean for my practice?
A: It doesn't have to mean anything. Or it can be what your practice hinges on. Only you decide what this means for your practice, and no one else.
Q: If I don't have a godphone, how else can I get in touch with the divine?
A: Many ways, divination for one, from tarot to casting objects to natural omens. You can also pray or conduct rituals, or partake in the polytheist community. You can try to find divine inspiration in your work, art, music, or writing. You can devote time through worship or volunteer work or charity, or however devotees of your practice typically spend their time in the name of the gods. There are infinite ways to worship your gods and none of them are wrong.
Here are some external links, if you want some additional thoughts on the subject:
It is okay to not have a godphone!
If you cannot hear or communicate with gods or spirits, that does not mean that you are broken, lazy, or just not trying hard enough. The vast majority of human beings on this planet will never experience direct gnosis, and that's okay! That does not make you a less valuable polytheist or devotee. That doesn't mean that the community will exclude you, or think you're weird! Godphones are just one of many potential aspects of devotion or worship, and there are many other ways to share your life with the gods, from ritual to sacrifice to prayer. Don't feel bad about yourself!
Now, this said, let's start the FAQ.
Q: What is a "godphone"?
A: "Godphone" is a shorthand word used to indicate the experience of having some sort of direct contact with the gods. It doesn't mean that the contact works like a phone, however. This particular "phone" probably won't work perfectly all the time, if at all. It might be more like a radio, where you can hear the gods but they can't hear or don't respond to you. It might be more like a walkie-talkie, where you've only got one fuzzy connection and not just anyone can dial you up. It might be a phone with really, really bad reception, or a phone that you lose for months at a time, or a phone without network coverage. The metaphor is endless, really.
Q: So how does a godphone work?
A: In many ways! Some people hear literal voices, or have conversations with gods, in the astral or otherwise. But it's more likely that "godphone" is simply a convenient label for a complex process that doesn't quite work like a conversation. "I was in the supermarket, and got a sudden out-of-place urge to visit the grocery aisle and buy a cabbage for an offering:" feelings that have a bit of significance weighing them down in your mind. Or, "My intuition tells me that [god] wants me to pray every morning:" a simple nudge of intuition. Again, the ways that a godphone can work are many. To continue this increasingly elaborate metaphor, some people have got Nokias, some Motorolas, some iPhones. They all perform essentially the same task: direct communication with the gods (or spirits).
Q: Why do I/don't I have a godphone?
A: That's actually a pretty hard question to answer, and I can't answer it definitively for myself, let alone others, let alone for everyone who reads this forum post in one fell sweep. But there are some theories. Some people might just be more inclined toward it than others, or more in-tune with the realm beyond the physical (astral, Otherworld, whatever your practice happens to call it). Still others might have had it given to them by gods or spirits, especially if you're "spirit-bothered." Maybe it runs in the family, or is common to people with experiences similar to those you might have had. Or maybe it's just a wild coincidence. There's no way of telling, really.
Q: I have a godphone, but I want it to work better.
A: It might not ever work better than it does now, and that's okay! However, if you want to try to make it more clear or easier, you can always practice. The typical clear-your-mind meditation can be helpful, because it helps you identify which thoughts are yours and which are foreign. You might practice using your intuition, or astral projection, or whatever makes your godphone tic. Though there's no guarantee it'll improve, but practice never hurts.
Q: I don't have a godphone, but I want to develop one.
A: You might not ever develop one, and that's okay! As above, you can always try the typical meditation/trance/projection methods, especially within the constraints of your practice (i.e., seidr in a Germanic-based practice).
Q: Why isn't my godphone working right now?
A: Sometimes godphones work and sometimes they don't. Sometimes they work for days on end, then immediately stop. Sometimes you've got a godphone for years, and then you lose it. Sometimes you get sick and the gods decide you need a break. There may not be a reason.
Q: What does this mean for my practice?
A: It doesn't have to mean anything. Or it can be what your practice hinges on. Only you decide what this means for your practice, and no one else.
Q: If I don't have a godphone, how else can I get in touch with the divine?
A: Many ways, divination for one, from tarot to casting objects to natural omens. You can also pray or conduct rituals, or partake in the polytheist community. You can try to find divine inspiration in your work, art, music, or writing. You can devote time through worship or volunteer work or charity, or however devotees of your practice typically spend their time in the name of the gods. There are infinite ways to worship your gods and none of them are wrong.
Here are some external links, if you want some additional thoughts on the subject:
- What is a godphone?
- Gods and Godphones 101
- Please talk about godphones?
- thetwistedrope godphone tag
- the origin of the word godphone + it's okay not to have one (this article's a little harsh)