What Deity Do You Work With?

"The Earth began to bellow, trees to dance
and howling dogs in glimmering light advance
Ere Hekate came."
~The Aeneid, book VL. Virgil.

Name                                  Culture                        Influence                        
Aakuluuujjusi                        Inuit                           Creation                       
Abuk                                    African                        Women, Gardens                        
Aeval                                   Celtic                          Sexuality                        
Aglaea                                 Greek                          Splendor                        
Anahita                                Middle East                  Rain                        
Anna Perenna                        Roman                        Renewal                        
Aphrodite                              Greek                         Romance, Love, Beauty                        
Arianrhod                              Celtic                         Stars, Moon                        
Artemis                                 Greek                         Hunt, Wilderness                        
Astarte                                 Babylonian                  Fertility, War                        
Athena                                 Greek                         Wisdom, Battle                        
Atropos                                Greek                         Death                        
Audumla                               Norse                         Bounty                        
Aurora                                  Roman                        Dawn, Renewal                        
Baba Yaga                            Slavic                          Life, Death                        
Bast                                     Egyptian                     Sensuality                        
Befanan                                Italian                        Children, Goodwill                        
Benzaiten                             Japan                          Music, Fine Arts                        
Blodeuwedd                          Celtic                          New Beginnings                        
Bona Dea                             Roman                         Virgins, Fertility                        
Branwen                              Celtic                           Beauty, Love                        
Brigid                                  Celtic                           Inspiration, Healing                        
Buffalo Woman                     North American             Changes, Divination                        
Butterfly Maiden                    North American             Transformation, Joy                        
Caer Ibormeith                      Celtic                           Love, Transformation                        
Calliope                               Greek                           Epic, Heroic Poetry                        
Carmina                               Astarte                        Justice, Enchantments                        
Ceres                                  Roman                         Protection, children
Cerridwen                            Celtic                           Knowledge, Wisdom                        
Chantico                              Aztec                           Home, Hearth                        
Circe                                   Greek                           Magick, Witchcraft                        
Clio                                     Greek                          History                        
Clotho                                 Greek                          Conception, Fertility                        
Corn Mother                         North American              Harvest, Nutrition                        
Coventina                            Celtic river Goddess        renewal, abundance, new beginnings,
Cybele                                Greek                           Nature, Fertility   
Danu                                  Celtic                            Mother, land, sea and stars                   
Diana                                 Roman                          Moon, the hunt, and chastity                     
Demeter                             Greek                            Harvest, Motherhood                        
Doris                                  Greek                            Ocean, Sea                        
Enekpe                               African                           Family, Home, Destiny                        
Epona                                 Celtic                            Horses, Fertility
Erato                                  Greek                            Love, Erotic Poetry
Erzulie                                African                           Love, Fertility
Euphrosyne                         Greek                             Mirth
Euterpe                              Greek                             Joy, Pleasure, Flutes
Eve                                    Christian                        Love, Courage, Mother
Flora                                  Roman                           Flowers, Spring
Fortuna                              Roman                           Fortune, Luck
Freya                                 Norse                             Love, Beauty, Sex
Frigg                                  Norse                             Fertility, Motherhood
Gaia                                   Greek                            Creation, Earth
Gnowee                              Australian                       Solar
Hathor                                Egyptian                        Love, Beauty, Music
Hekate                                Greek                            Transformation, Death
Hel                                     Norse                            Death
Hera                                   Greek                            Love, Marriage
Hestia                                 Greek                           Hearth, Home
His Wang Mu                        China                           Mother of the West
Hygeia                                Greek                           Good Health
Inanna                                Sumerian                      Creation, Love, War
Inaras                                 Haitian                        Mother Goddess
Inari                                   Japan                           Food
Ishtar                                 Babylonian                    Sex, Independence
Isis                                    Egyptian                       Creation, Magick
Ix Chel                               Mayan                           Moon, Creativity
Ix Chup                              Mayan                           Wind, Rain
Joan of Arc (St)                   French                          Justice, Women
Juno                                  Roman                         Marriage
Ka-Ata-Killa                        Incan                           Moon
Kali                                   Hindu                           fierce goddess of death, protection
Lachesis                             Greek                           Length of Life, Birth
Laka                                  Hawaiian                      Hula, Forest
Lakshmi                             Hindu                           Prosperity, Generosity
Lilith                                 Sumerian                      Passion, Independence
Lofn                                  Norse                           Fertility, Prosperity
Luna                                 Roman                          Moon
Ma'at                                Egyptian                        Truth, Order, Balance
Macha                               Irish                             War goddess, protector or witches
Maia                                 Greek                            Spring
Mama Coca                        Incan                            Health, Joy, Fertility                        
Mami Wata                        African                          Floods, Creation                        
Martha (St)                        Christianity                    Hospitality                        
Mary Magdalene (St)           Christianity                    Healing, Sexuality                        
Mawu                                Africa                           Creation                        
Mazu                                China                            The Sea                        
Medusa                             Greek                            Destruction, Sexuality                        
Melpomene                        Greek                            Tragedy (Theater)                        
Minerva                             Roman                          Wisdom and Cunning
Mokosh                             Russian                         Spinning, Weaving                        
Morrigan                           Celtic                            Death, Life, War                        
Nang Kwak                        Thai                             Prosperity, Luck                        
Nimba                              Africa                            Fertility                        
Nokomis                           North American              Earth Mother                        
Nott                                 Norse                           Night                        
Nut                                  Egyptian                       The Sky                        
Oshun                              African                          Creativity, Art, Ocean                        
P'an Chin-lien                    China                            Sexuality                        
Pele                                 Hawaiian                       Volcanoes, Fire                        
Persephone                       Greek                           Springtime, Daughters                        
Polyhymnia                       Greek                            Hymns, Meditation                        
Psyche                             Greek                            Personal Transformation                        
Qadesh                            Egyptian                        Sexuality, Ecstasy                        
Quan Yin                          China                            Beauty, Kindness
Rhiannon                          Celtic                            Inspiration, Moon
Saint Barbara                    Christianity                    Safety, Fire, War
Saint Elizabeth                  Christianity                    Charity
Saint Monica                     Christianity                     Recovery, Families
Sedna                              Inuit                              Sea Creatures, Oceans
Seiobo                             China                             Mother of All
Selene                             Greek                             Moon
Selket                              Egyptian                         Magick, Underworld
Shakti                              Hindu                             Sexuality, Life
Skadi                               Norse                             Winter, Hunt,
Somilge                           Philippine                       Witchcraft                                                
Sophia                            Gnosticism                      Mother God, Wisdom
Spider Woman                 American                          Creation
Sunna                             Norse                              Sun, Summer
Taueret                           Egyptian                          Motherhood
Tefnut                             Egyptian                          Moisture, Dryness
Tekakwitha  (st)               Christianity                       Nature
Terpsichore                      Greek                              Dance, Chorus
Thalia                             Greek                              Comedy (theater)
Thalia (Grace)                  Greek                              Good Ch
Trivia                              Roman                         Crossroads, and the harvest moon
Vesta                              Roman                            Hearth and Home
Virgin Mary                      Christianity                       All Things
Yemaya                          African                             New Year, Ocean
Goddess Hekate
by Robin M. Weare
Goddess Sophia
by Pamela Matthews
Goddess Vesta
Goddess Isis
Goddess Athena
The Roman God Janus

Diana Goddess of the Hunt
What is the goddess? Is she one or is she many? Is she nature and its great cycle of birth, life and death? Or is she
and more. She is the source of life, the source of consciousness itself.

When addressing the terms polytheistic and monotheistic Starhawk wrote,"It's like asking "Is water one or many?"
The only possible answer is "Huh? Hey, it's wonderful, miraculous, life giving, vital stuff that we need to honor and
respect and conserve and not pollute, that's the point...Goddess tradition of today, in all their forms and nuances...
are vast, diverse, and constantly evolving."

When I first began circle work, I was hesitant to call on any but the Great Goddess Sophia, Spirit, source of all my
power. Then in one of my very first meditations to meet my spirit guides, I found myself in a beautiful temple built
up on the edge of a cliff and there I met Diana, Isis and Athena. They proved to be powerful energies in my life and
in my practise. Later as my magick became a part of my everyday life, Vesta took a leading role. But now, as I begin
a new cycle and I find myself at a point of great change, a crossroad in my life, Hekate and Janus have found their
way into my circle.

Meditation to Find Your Patron Deity
Visualize the infinite creative energy of the Universe drawing to you. It gathers and swirls around you, like a gentle
whirlpool moving all around your body. Its cool light softly encompasses you like a great cocoon. You feel lighter
and more relaxed as the loving energy nurtures and revitalizes the energy of your aura. You breathe deep and with
each breath you become more relaxed. The top of head and your ears and eye brows relax. As you take another
breath your jaw softens and you open your mouth and let it relax. Then your shoulders and arms and hands relax.
You take a deep breath that send relaxation into the ends of your fingers and down your back as your chest, belly
and hips relax. Another deep breath allows your legs and ankles and feet to relax until you are light and feel like
you are floating.  

You take another deep breath, and as you breathe, you visualize stepping into a forest path. You are walking into
the woods. Notice the branches you step over, the feel of the earth under your feet, the coolness of a gentle breeze
as it stirs your hair and caresses you cheek…

Hear the birds call…

The path leads deeper into the woods and you follow as the trees grow close overhead. You follow the path until
you cross a dry stream bed. Carefully pick your way to the other bank where you climb up the other side.

Here the path turns to stone as it continues up the other side and you begin the gentle climb following along as it
gets even steeper. You observe as you walk that the path you are walking is now a stone staircase etched into the
face of a mountain and you begin to climb and as you look ahead, you see how the gray rock is cut away to make
the hike to the top safe and easy.

You climb until you come to the top where you find a beautiful, open-air, temple carved into the stone. Great stone
pillar support a massive ceiling. You notice an altar covered with candles. You watch as the flames of the candles
dance in the breeze. You step into the temple and notice the pleasant scent of roses surround you, lifting your
spirits and you smile as you draw closer to the altar. One candle in the center is not yet lit. You pick up a long
match, light it from the candle nearest you and light it. Your spirit quiets as you whisper a prayer to meet your
guide.

A soft sound behind you draws your attention and you turn to see a shimmering light. The light takes on a form and
there before you stands your guardian.

Notice their face, their expression. What is their name?

Who Will You Work With?
Establishing a patron deity in your practice does not mean that you are limiting yourself to honoring only them. By
learning about other deities you gain the ability to call on a specific deity for a specific need. And as we grow our
patrons may change.

A list of practical deities:

Gaia is the Greek Mother Earth. She is a fertile life-giving deity whom nurtures all of life on Earth.

Sophia is the goddess of Wisdom She is the creative power that formed the cosmos out of original chaos. She is the
source of all our power.

Bast or the great Egyptian Cat Goddess is known as the protector of women and children. She is often depicted as a
cat or as a woman with the head of a cat or lion. Bast is associated with house and home, fertility, healing and
protection.

Diana is the moon goddess. She is a protector of women and  children. She is called the "Mother of All Creatures" in
her nurturing aspect.  Her aspect as huntress stems from Neolithic times when her priestesses sacrificed any
invaders to their shores. In Roman myth, as Diana, she was "Queen of Heaven" and was worshipped as a triple
Goddess (Lunar Virgin, Mother of Creatures, and Huntress).

The Goddess
Isis originated in Egypt and has inscribed on Her temple in Sais, "I, Isis, am all that has been, that is
or shall be; no mortal man hath ever me unveiled." Isis is the mother goddess of Egypt. She is a powerful sorceress
and patron to both families and magicians. This great  Isis is the feminine archetype for creation - the goddess of
fertility and motherhood. She has gone by many names and played many roles in history and mythology - as
goddess and female creator.

Vesta is the goddess of the hearth and home. She is a Goddess of Fire. "Vesta" means simply "hearth", and comes
from the same root meaning "to shine" as the Greek "Hestia", with whom She was identified. She is considered the
founder of the family and the state and the one who maintains public reverence for the gods.

Athena goddess of wisdom. She is a Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War. Athena is an armed warrior goddess, and
appears in Greek mythology as a helper of many heroes. She is often accompanied by an owl.
.
Hekate is the Greek Goddess of Magic. She is also the goddess of the crossroad. The Ancient Greeks would erect
statues (hecataea) of Hekate Trevia ('Hekate of the Three Ways') at crossroads in Her honor. Here travelers could
ask for protection on their journeys.
She is guardian of doorways, She watches over birth and death, and She guides the initiate who dares to pass
between the worlds. Liminal spaces, the transitional state from one fixed point to another, are fearful to most
people but Hekate can guide us through the most difficult and traumatic changes we can know: birth, initiation and
death. We can call upon her protective powers when crossing into new territories or worlds.
As the Goddess of the Underworld, guardian of the crossroads, nightly Hekate appears in sacred places where three
roads meet. She rules over the souls of the dead and instructs mortals in the art of magic, sorcery and witchcraft.
Statuettes of her were placed outside houses or at the crossroads and were consulted as oracles. Once a month,
during the new moon, offerings were made to her to placate the goddess of the underworld but also the ghosts of
the restless. These offerings were called 'Hekate's banquets' or 'Hekate's suppers'.
Her triple shape often is associated with the phases of the moon. The triple shape also is associated with Selene,
Persephone and Artemis, i.e. moon, lower world and earth.

Janus is the Roman God of doors and gateways. He is at the beginning and the end. He is usually depicted with two
faces looking in different directions. With one face, he looks into the past and with the other, into the future.
Hence, Janus is the god of beginnings, of new cycles, of journeys begun and journeys ended. He also oversees
marriages, births and deaths.

Ganesha (Ganesh)  is the first born son of Shiva and Parvati. His title is 'he who has discovered the Divinity within
himself'. He is a benevolent deity known the Destroyer of Obstacles, the Lord of Good Fortune, and he who provides
prosperity and fortune. Ganesh represents the power of kindness, love and beauty.

Here is a list of deities by their region of origin organized alphabetically

List of Goddesses  
Abassi                             Nigerian                         Sun , Culture                        
Agé                                 African                           Wilderness                        
Anansi                             West African                   Moon, Sun, Stars                        
Anu                                 Sumarian                        Sky, Heaven                        
Anubis                             Egyptian                         Death                        
Apollo                              Greek                            Sun, Divination                        
Arawn                              Celtic                             Death , Justice                        
Ares                                 Greek                            War                        
Awonawilona                     South American               Creator                        
Bacabs                             Mayan                           4 Directions                        
Baldur                              Norse                            Innocence, Joy                        
Borvo                               Celtic                            Health, Healing                        
Brahma                            Hindu                            Creation                        
Cernuuos                          Celtic                            Fertility                        
Chikaro                             Japan                           Transportation                        
Chiuta                              African                          Rain, Heavens                        
Chons                               Egyptian                        Moon                        
Coyote                              North American               Trickster                        
Cupid                                Roman                           Love, Sex                        
Daikoku                             Japan                            Agriculture                        
Dagda                                Celtic                          Father God, Wisdom and Skill
Dionysus                           Greek                            Wine, Parties                        
Enki                                   Persia                          Wisdom, Truth                        
Enlil                                  Babylonian                    Wind, Storms                        
Erh-Lang                            China                            Protection                        
Faro                                  West Africa                   Sky, Water, Life                        
Freyr                                 Norse                           Fertility, Harvest                        
Fukurokuju                         Japan                           Fortune, Wisdom                        
Geb                                  Egyptian                       Earth                        
Hades                               Greek                           Underworld                        
Heimdell                            Norse                          Light, Mankind                        
Hermes                            Greek                            Magick and travel and healing
Horus                               Egyptian                       Protecction
Hyperion                           Greek                           Sun, Light                        
Hypnos                             Greek                           Sleep, Dreams                        
Inti                                  Inca                             Sun, Civilization                        
Itzamna                          Mayan                            Agriculture, Peace                        
Jade Emperor                   China                             Heaven, Earth                        
Janus                              Roman                           God of Doorways
Jupiter                             Roman                          Sky                        
Name                              Culture                          Influence
Kane                                Polynesian                     Death
Kwatee                            North American               Transformation
Leza                                Central Africa                 Creation God
Loki                                 Norse                           Trickster, Humor
Lu-Xing                            China                            Prosperity
Lugh                                Celtic                            High King
Mars                                Roman                         Protection, strength and courage(warrior energy)
Mercury                            Roman                          Travel, Messages
Myrddin Wyllt                   Celtic                             Divination
Neptune                          Roman                           Sea, Earthquakes
Odin                               Norse                             Wisdom, Death
Oghma                            Celtic                             Education, Writing
Osiris                              Egyptian                         Underworld
Pan                                 Greek                            Woods,Sheep, Music
Pillan                              North American                Storms, Destruction
Prometheus                     Greek                              Comfort, Fire
Quetzalcoatl                    Aztec                              Sky, Creation
Ra                                  Egyptian                          Sun
Ram                                Hindu                              Courage, Peace
Raven                             North American                  Death, Creativity
Set                                 Egyptian                           Storms, Destruction
Shiva                               Hindu                              Creator, Destroyer
The Great Spirit                 North American                Creation, Nature
The Horned God                 Celtic                             Nature
Thor                                 Norse                             Nature, Thunder
Thoth                               Egyptian                         Science, Wisdom
Tirawa-Atius                      Pawnee                          Creation
Tupan                              South American                Thunder, Creation
Tyr                                   Norse                             Combat, Glory
Viracocha                          Incan                              Sky, Thunder
Vishnu                              Hindu                             Protection
Vulcan                              Roman                            Fire, Forge, Volcano
Wele                                Kenya                             Creator of All
Zeus                                Greek                              Lightning, Thunder, Sky
Zhang-Xian                       China                              Birth, Children
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Here is a list of deities by their region of origin organized alphabetically

List of Gods