What is a Patron?

I thought I'd be nice and share with you all my ideas on Patrons before I introduced you to my darlings. Isn't that sweet of me?

The concept of patron deities is not unique to Wicca or Paganism, but neither is it a universal concept. Generally, most Wiccan traditions hold to Dion Fortune’s dictum that “All gods are one God, and all goddesses are one Goddess, and there is one Initiator.” The term initiator is used to refer to what is usually called the Source, or the Universal Deity; the One that came before all others before the universe formed. Many choose to end this statement with the simpler “… and these two are One.” In the end it gives us the same concept: one unitary divinity, which is perceived as having a masculine and feminine polarity, which in turn are seen as having many different aspects – all the gods and goddesses of mythology.

Now, I'm not a big believer in all deities mashing down into one masculine and one feminine. I do believe in archetypes but my personal belief is that Deity started as the Androgyne, which split into male and female and became the distinct forms and faces that we work with today. Because of this, I can call upon the generalized 'God and Goddess' or choose a specific name to invoke. Ultimately, it is up to each practitioner to decide how they feel about that idea. Many of us can't wrap our mortal brains around the idea of One being Many and Many being One. There can be a kind of poetic symmetry that lends itself to simplifying God and Goddess down to one supreme Creative Force. However, there are also many who would argue the opposing point. When you work with Deity one on one, you'll come to form your own opinion.

With the ultimate, often nameless and formless Universal Deity it is difficult, if not impossible to form a personal relationship. That is why we have so many different forms of Personal Deity, so that people can make a personal and emotional connection with deity. We need that individual bond in order to have faith in our religion and Personal Deity portrays aspects of Deity in terms that are easy for us to understand. They have defined limits and personalities. Now, to totally contradict that, even with a form and face it is impossible to pinpoint deity. They will always have facets that we are unaware of and constantly discovering. That is one of the mysteries of God/dess.

The idea that each individual should serve primarily one deity is found in many ancient cultures. Specifically, it has a Graeco-Roman base, with parallels in Egypt and Japan where each nome, province, or prefecture had its own primary deity and mythos. It was less prevalent in Norse and Celtic cultures, but similar ideas did exist there. Judging from the surviving tales of those cultures, one might have a close relationship with one deity, while continuing to serve the main Deity in the pantheon. However, modern pagans tend to work with (or even serve) a handful of deities, never placing one in a position of prominence over the others.

For the most part, Patrons provide a way of reducing the often confusing jumble of gods from different pantheons down to a manageable few. They also provide a spiritual anchor and set the tone for much of our spiritual development. Our patrons often push us in the direction we need to go, even when we aren’t even sure what we’re looking for. For beginners it is often recommended that they stick with the gods of a single culture, and to refrain from mixing and matching. Start with gods of your heritage; find the part of your background that calls to you the most to begin your research. As you begin to understand how the gods affect your life, branch out and see what other civilization’s deities call to you.

So then, the Personal Deity that a person works best with and interacts with the most is their Patron. For most people the relationship with their Patron is intense and highly emotional, but that is not always the case. Don't feel constrained by what others feel with their Patron, let your relationship with your God develop as it will. I try to look for their influence in both magical and mundane ways. Look for dreams, visions, and signs from your Patron, only you can learn to decipher the myriad ways that S/He will talk to you.

Patrons can also act as inspiration and as an example, helping the devotee to develop the qualities that the Patron personifies. Having a certain Patron may evoke qualities that you are in need of, or perhaps they will magnify traits that you already have in abundance. Patrons can also act as a buffer or dampening agent on qualities that you need to work at minimizing. Whatever the need your Patron will fulfill it.

I have a very easy going manner with two of the Deities that I call Patrons. I know that I may sometimes be seen as being disrespectful to them, but I know my limits and boundaries. I tend to deal with them as if they were members of my family; they get the good, the bad, and the flippant parts of me just as my blood relatives do. I hear their voices in the small, still area inside my heart and I also hear their laughter as I realize what I should have been doing all along.

You may have noticed that I haven't said much on my third Patron. That's because I'm terrified to be anything but polite to her. I haven't developed an easy, friendly relationship with her... yet. I remember when I gained Lucifer as a patron, I was pretty nervous with him as well. Once I've had time to learn the Morrighan's moods and tempers I'm sure that some of my trepidation will wear off.

Click on one of the links below to find out more in depth details about my patrons.

My Patrons

Inari

Lucifer

The Morrighan