/əˈklektik/
adjective
1. deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.
2. denoting or belonging to a class of ancient philosophers who did not belong to or found any recognized school of thought but selected doctrines from various schools of thought.
noun
a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.
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Being an eclectic pagan, my spirituality does not follow one specific pagan path. Rather, my spirituality pulls from a multitude of paths. I keep what resonates with me, and let go of what does not. Thus, the deities I work with, also derive from different pantheons. Below is a list of the deities I personally work with:
Logos
My interpretation of Logo can generally be summed up as the "left brain." Logos' domain is over reason, logic, analytics, and mathematics. To have a close relationship with Logos is to operate with predominantly the left side of the brain. Followers tend to use logic and reason with decision making. They follow their mind rather than heart, and strive in factual based knowledge like science and mathematics.
When I picture Logos, I do not picture a humanoid being. Instead, I think of that green computer coding, similar to what is pictured here. I do sense a masculine energy with Logos, but as Logo's is not a being, gender subjective.
Logos does not derive from a specific pagan path, but rather from Aristotle's Modes of Persuasion. Thus, Logo goes hand-in-hand with the mate, Pathos.
Pathos
Pathos is the opposite of Logos. Pathos' domain is over nature, creativity, the senses, inspiration, art, and the general "right brain." To have a close relationship with Pathos is to opposite with predominantly the right side of the brain. Followers tend to follow their heart, be empathic, feel emotions harder than normal.
Similar to Logos, Pathos is derived from Aristotle's Modes of Persuasion. In the same way, I do not imagine a humanoid entity when I imagine Pathos. Rather, I think of fire, color, paints smeared on canvas. Being the opposite of Logos, I sense feminine energy, but again, gender is suggestive.
Achilles
Achilles started calling to me in 2015. At the time, I felt it was odd. I wasn't well versed in Greek Mythology, and I'm still not. Though I could sense him tugging at me. He was the first deity to actually reach out to me instead of allowing me to discover them.
His official temple is located on the island Leuce, (in the Black Sea, off the coast of Romania and Ukraine) and there was once a tumulus on the island that could have been a final resting place for him as well as other war heroes of the times, but the tumulus is no longer visible. The island is now covered in forests and wild animals. Outside of the ruins of a temple that was discovered in 1823, there is no other architecture to the island, and it otherwise sits untouched by modern humans. Praise and offerings to both Achilles and Patroclus - his dear friend - can be found in the temple. More about Leuce and the temple can be found in the Periplus of the Euxine Sea by Arrian.
Hecate
Hecate came to me gradually, over the course of the entirety of my pagan path. I knew vaguely of her in the early years of my pagan path,
She seems to be fairly well known by most pagans, despite her having roots in Greek Mythology - though she may have roots in Ancient Egypt, and in Ancient Caria/Anatolia. As I struggle with a lot of the modern pagan culture/community, as it tends to be more of a trend than serious spiritual devotion, I do find it interesting that even among trend-based pagans, Hecate is widely well known. I also find it interesting that Hecate's followers seem to be mostly in Ancient Greek times, and modern times, with very little to know followers in between.
Most commonly seen as the three-formed or triple-bodied woman, Hecate is usually associated in modern pagan practices as the Mother, Maiden, and Crone. However, she is also associated with the Earth, Sea, and Sky. She's also known by the name Trivia - traveling three ways - and thus associated with borders like city walls, doorways, crossroads, and multiple dimensions, with a focus on the "in-between" parts of travel instead of destinations.
The description of her widely varies over time, and has included everything from a woman with three forms, to one form with three heads, to a woman's form with three animal heads. When I think of Hecate, I think of her in Crone form, having completed the phases of Maiden and Mother, and existing within the middle of Crone-hood, with wisdom, patience, understanding, and fulfillment.
Medusa
Medusa and I have become quite close over the past year or so, and it could be questioned as to who found who first. When her statue was installed in New York in 2020, it was in honor of the #metoo movement; a movement I hold very dear to my heart.
For a long time, the story of Medusa has been patriarchally misconstrued. The story was that Medusa disrespected Athena, by believing she was more beautiful, and thus Athena cursed her with snakes for hair, and the ability to turn people to stone with just one look. Her demise came when Perseus used reflections to behead her. That's how the story was told.
But what is told isn't always what is true. In reality, Medusa was raped by Poseidon, in a temple for Athena. Hearing Medusa's cries as she grieved over what had happened, Athena came to her. She blessed the gorgon with monstrous looks, to ward off any other man who though he could do the same, and gave her the ability to turn them to stone if they still dared to try to hurt her. Athena provided her with a means of self defense. Medusa kept herself in solitude, lost in her trauma. Many men heard of this "monstrous gorgon" and sought to kill her for their own fame, and many failed. Medusa was a victim, who sought to be left alone and wished only to never be hurt again. That was always the story.
Like in our modern culture, victim blaming is all too common. And when we, the survivors, wish only to be left alone in our pain and grief, we are ridiculed with "what were you wearing" and "were you drinking" and "boys will be boys" and "guys can't be raped" and "you were asking for it." and the disgusting rape jokes. Knock knock. Who is it? Rape joke. Rape joke who? Rape joke who's not fucking funny. The #metoo movement came to life, with the image of Medusa, holding Perseus' severed head, leading the way.
Since the statue's resurrection, I have not been able to get Medusa out of my head. She has been insistent that I pay attention. I am. Because I know what it's like to be an ignored victim, ridiculed and left as just another statistic. I'm listening mother Medusa, I hear your crying, as you hear mine. (To read more: click here.)
Sleipnir
Most recently, I've been visited by Sleipner, the eight-legged horse of Odin, with runes carved in his teeth. He is the child of Loki, and visited me in a dream that I described here. He also appears in Icelandic folklore. He is depicted in art that dating back to the eighth century, but the first writings of him did not occur until the thirteenth century.
With runes carved in his teeth, he tends to be associated with divination and prophecy. Legend states that he was the only animal who could willingly visit Hel, and that he traveled across multiple realms, beyond just this physical one. Thus he is associated with travel, journey, adventure, and even transcendence.
He is associated with both Earth and Air elements, and thus the colors green, brown, and yellow. Due to his relationship to Odin, he also adopts the element Fire and color red. He is usually depicted as a grey horse, due to his relationship with the trickster Loki. In modern times, he is also associated with shamanism and its practices, and is believed to be the creator of the glacial canyon Ásbyrgi, and its forests. To this day, the name "Sleipnir" is a common name for ships in Northern Europe, and a statue of him was erected in 1998 in Wednesbury England.
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Some other deities that I have called upon for blessings and aid include:
- Stheno - Greek gorgon and eldest sister to Medusa
- Euryale - Greek gorgon and second eldest sister to Medusa
- Freya - Norse goddess of love, lust, battle, and magic
- Circe - Greek sorceress, daughter of the sun god Helios
- Morrigan - Irish goddess of war
- Melinoe - Greek underworld nymph, known as the bringer of nightmares and madness
- Morgan le Fae - Arthurian enchantress with ties to the fae realm
- Hestia - Greek goddess of hearth and home
- Sekhmet - Egyptian goddess of war, associated with disease, healing, and medicine
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