I'm currently looking into further developing my eclectic path, and I know I want to involve Gaia worship in it. I see Gaia as Earth and Earth's spirit. For a while now, I've struggled with the belief in multiple deities. I know I can see them as symbolic facets of the Divine, but I feel like I'd need to have literal belief in them. Polytheism is confusing me. I'm not sure I can appreciate multiple gods and goddesses. I mainly just see Gaia as a huge interest for me. I guess, how can I come in touch with gods and goddesses if I'm struggling with this idea yet want to believe it fully? Please, try not to judge. I'm really struggling here.
There are many combinations and concepts in polytheism.
Like the difference between hard and soft polytheists (of course, there are those that range between those positions).
As generally used, "hard polytheism" refers to a belief system in which the gods are truly separate entities. They are distinct and are not the same being or aspects of the same being. This will likely entail different personalities, spheres of influence, preferences, etc. The Ancient Greek religion was, it would seem, hard polytheist -- Zeus was not Apollo, and all the gods did their own thing, though in community.
"Soft polytheism" refers to a belief system in which the gods are not separate. In soft polytheism, a single deity might be choosing to manifest itself in different ways in order to reveal different things about itself and such like. Hinduism is extremely diverse, but several streams essentially believe that one god is the... true identity of the divine, while other deities are them acting in different roles (or are 'offshoots' of the one deity). Of course, other Hindus are hard polytheists. Essentially, all gods are from one source or god.
Then there are pantheism and animism, which both may go hand in hand with each type of polytheism.
Naturally, visualization, daily veneration, and gnosis are the easiest way to build a connection and confirm a deity and worldview. That is what I'd recommend.
I think that it is hard to get your head around. You should maybe take a look at Monotheism by inclusion. I would recommend looking at "What's in a name: Reflections on God, God's and the Divine" it's free if you type it in on Google.
Just take it one day at a time, at first it's hard to understand, but at some point it will just click for you. Have faith and breathe. Hope this helps,
Blessed Be.
You don't have to believe in polytheism. Dianic Wicca for example focuses on the Goddess only. If you don't believe in a deity, don't force yourself. It's your path after all. Just keep an open mind and respect those that do. If you have connected with one deity, or worship a certain spirit, that's fine.
I prefer Dianic Wicca at this point. I think it suits me a bit better. I was also thinking of trying to look into the stories of goddesses that interest me and find ways to connect them to my life and appreciate them more as symbols or lessons about humanity and the divine.
I get that. I once did a term paper on theism, and found that even those who are Hinduists find it hard to keep track of the numerous deities they have. It's like learning about the thousands of individual kanji for even native Asians whose languages involve it. But what worked for me is one day, I had the idea and notion that perhaps it's all coming from the same thing, paralelled. Things are diverse and we may never know everything, no matter how long we live, merely because the way we've evolved has made us perceive things useful for survival and not much else. We're not advanced enough as a species to understand everything beyond our grasp. But for me I was thinking that all higher powers are one in the same in a way, such as how all humans are one in the same: their humanity and nature and psychology.
So cutting it short, my conclusion was that higher powers represent theirselves so differently and in many different ways so that they can reach and be relatable to anyone and be applicable and relevant. What ever draws you or speaks to you or resonates with you. Just focus on everything Gaia to start with if that is the one that you obsess over, learn everything about the goddess of the earth. Everything about earth energies, about the Goddess herself, the stories involving her, etc and so on. And a lot of thinking, a lot. I usually like to listen to music for those deep thoughts to come to reality, but its a process.
Nothing has spoken to me as far as high beings such as deities, either, so I don't even understand much at all, but spirit guides and other entities have, however. Don't force yourself into it and don't follow blindly, make educated decisions and then you will be happy with what ever you end up believing. And these systems of beliefs do change, so don't think anything is set into stone once you have something to go off of, because that creates people who are scared to venture and find new things, because they feel small once they realize what they thought wasn't the complete picture at first!
