There certainly is a trend within the Neo-Pagan movement these days for people to devote themselves to one particular patron deity. Some see this as a good thing, a return to the "old days" when there were priests devoted to a particular god or goddess. Others disagree and feel it can be dangerous and that it lacks balance. As for myself, I have decided that it really comes down to each to their own, and I also suggest a third path. That we are not limited to devoting ourselves to just one deity, nor are we required to honor all deities. I feel that the best path, at least for me, is one of balance. That each deity in a pantheon has lessons to teach, and that the seeker of spiritual truth must devote time and energy to each in turn. I am finding in my journey upon this pagan path that deities seem to flow into my life and out again. When I first stepped back on the pagan path in 2005, it was Cernunnos who was seemingly the main divine influence of my life, though there were others as well. My time with him taught me many things about sex, nature, hunting, joy, and festivals. Taught me things about myself that I would not have learned any other way. In time he seemed to slip out of my life and I found myself learning from Lugh for several years now. I have studied his stories and even heard him speak to me once. I have learned about leadership and skill. I have learned about achieving excellence. Again I have learned about myself and who I am. I thought that I would be working with Lugh forever. I thought that this was going to be my patron till the end of time. Yet he too seems to have slipped into the background, and now I find myself standing before Brighid hearing her call. So it is that I have chosen to dedicate myself to working with her, studying her myths, and learning what I can from her about myself and the cosmos around me...for a year and a day. At that time I will reevaluate if I want to and need to continue the partnership or if I will move onto studying and working with another deity.
So what have I noticed so far? Well for one I find myself being more easily moved emotionally then I have ever been in the past. I find myself being more compassionate and patient with those around me. I also have started to have inspirations for poems come to me, and strongly enough to bring me to tears. None of those poems have made it out of my head yet, but I suspect they may soon. I also plan to seek formal admittance to ADF's special interest group devoted to Brighid, perhaps I will do some flame keeping of my own.
No longer do I assume that though Brighid is the immediate divine "go to" in my life, that she will always be there. I will not make grandiose claims that she has "claimed" me as her own or any such thing. Only that she is here now, and has many many lessons to teach me about the anvil, the flame, and the well.
