A Good God is Hard to Find
I recently recognized I have always been a pagan, worshipping nature since childhood. Now that I am out of the broom closet so to speak, I have been searching for altar tools and something to represent both a female and male deity. The female deity was easy. There are so many to choose from with their gentle spirits and compassion. These are things I understand. Having been raised in the Deep South and having two older sisters, I understand the female mind. Gentle on the outside sometimes deadly on the inside especially if you mess with their family. But, in general the male mind always eluded me. I never understood their violence and competitive spirit. I also found this to be true during my search over the last few months for a male deity. The search is on for the right male deity for me.
Let’s start with Cronos. First of all, there are five different spellings but I got past that and marched onward. Cronos was worried about his children taking over his domain so he ate them. Okay, that was a big turn off for me. Though I have two children who infuriate me sometimes, I never wanted to cook them for dinner. Zeus was my next research subject. He followed suit like his father. I guess he had a poor role model. I proceeded to the Romans but found more of the same jealousy, violence and cannibalism. I have yet to find the deity I seek.
So I expanded beyond the Greeks and Romans and proceeded to search the Norse gods. I have always loved the Vikings related in childhood stories. After extensive searching, I found Dagda. He is called the “good god” not because of his good nature but more his expert skills. He was supposedly good at everything. Here is an interesting and rare deity. He likes his food and he cooks. Okay, this sounds good so I research deeper on this god. He carries a club that can kill nine men with a single blow but can restore life with the handle if he changes his mind. His appearance is rough. He is hairy, wild, and loves the ladies. Not greatly desirable but I lived through the sixties and he’s just like a giant hippie dude. He is someone I could party with but he has not enough substance. I feel I am getting closer to the end of my quest.
I broaden my search to a god connected to the ocean since that is where I feel most peaceful. There are many male deities of the water. My research led me to Mimir, the Norse deity of the sea. Now this is a god I can look to for enlightenment. He embodies the power of the four elements and is also associated with Yggdrasil (the World Tree). He represents wisdom and we all seek wisdom and truth. He can be found at the sacred well at the foot of the World Tree. This choice best matches my heart.
This led me to my ultimate quest, which was not just a male deity to adorn my altar but one that was connected to universal truth. I pursue the wisdom to recognize that not all questions will be answered immediately or perhaps in a way I will understand. So for now, Mimir will be represented upon my altar and I will continue on my lifelong path to comprehend this world around me. I hope his wisdom will lead me to be a better human, valuing all that the universe has to offer whether it is male or female in nature. It is, after all, about the balance.
Selkie
