Often when people come to paganism they want to know who they should venerate as their god and goddess. This is a question that doesn’t have to be answered right away; however, if you want to know how to find your god and goddess we will do our best to help you here.

First, How Does Working With a God or Goddess Help Us?

If you’ve come to the pagan path and aren’t interested in working directly with deities, that’s okay. You can wait or make your own way on this path. There’s no right or wrong in paganism, at least not in our opinion. BUT if you’d like to work with a god or goddess, you will surely find it beneficial. First, your god or goddess will be a guide. They will likely teach you a thing or two about your spiritual path and/or your life choices. In addition, they will typically provide healing and protective energies when you are in need and ask. But don’t think about it as what they can do for you, think about what you can do for them. It’s just like any relationship, there’s give and take. Reciprocation and respect is key.

Steps to Finding Your God or Goddess

1. Think About What You’re Drawn To

If you want to know how to find your god and goddess, the first thing you should ask yourself is what am I drawn to? As a child were you interested in Ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, or India? Perhaps you had an affinity for the ancient Celtic culture. Often we are drawn to an ancient culture because we’ve lived past lives there or our ancestors were from there. Whatever the reason, it’s wise to do further research and potentially find your god and goddess this way.

2. Who Were Your Ancestors?

The next thing to ask yourself is where are your ancestors from? If you know for sure they were from Nigeria, then look up the different deities (gods) originating in Nigeria. Diving into your ancestors’ beliefs and gods is enlightening and will help you find your god and goddess. This is just one example. If you know your ancestors were Irish or English, research the ancient Celtic and Anglo-Saxon gods from those countries. I promise you’ll be able to find a pantheon connected to your ancestors. And those gods will be extremely grateful when you reach out to them.

But I don’t know who my ancestors were…

Quite a few people, unfortunately, don’t have any idea who their ancestors were. If you aren’t sure, ask a relative. Start by asking the oldest person in your family – a grandparent, great aunt, or your parents. They may have a general idea of where your ancestors come from. Even if they don’t know exactly and you get an answer like “I don’t know, somewhere in Europe. I think Germany.” This is a great place to start. Look into the Germanic gods and goddesses and also the Celtic Gallic and Gallo-Roman gods and goddesses.

But I was adopted / I don’t talk to my family…

If you know literally nothing of your ancestors and heritage, and you have a little money to spend or a birthday coming up, ask for or buy yourself a DNA kit. Ancestry and 23andme.com offer inexpensive DNA tests that will tell your ethnicity. Take the results and apply them to this question. Now you have an idea who your ancestors were or at least where they were from. Then look into those gods and goddesses. This also helps for people who were adopted and know nothing about their biological parents and family.

3. Recurring Symbols & Patterns

When you come home to paganism and want to know how to find your god and goddess, there are usually signs right in front of you. You just might not see them. Pay attention to recurring symbols or signs all around you. For instance, maybe there’s been an overabundance of crows or ravens everywhere you go. The crow is directly linked to the Irish Celtic goddess The Morrigan. Ravens are associated with the Celtic god Bran and the Norse god Odin. Maybe the Egyptian Sphinx is popping up everywhere – now is the time to look into the Egyptian pantheon of gods and goddesses.

The gods will use whatever means necessary to get your attention, including: animals, insects, plants, random conversations, symbols on TV, radio, online, etc. This is about learning to be observant and noticing things most people don’t. Get out of auto-pilot mode and start living life – observing and taking in your surroundings. This is all a part of walking the path of a pagan. You will begin to see your spiritual path is real and tangible.

Is It Okay to Mix Pantheons?

Some people say they have a god and a goddess from different pantheons coming to them. They may wonder if this is okay and whether or not this would make the gods angry. Truly it’s up to you to decide. However, if you ask my opinion, I believe the gods don’t care who you work with, as long as you show each of them reverence. If you are working with Bast from the Egyptian pantheon and want to work with Odin from the Germanic pantheon, I don’t see anything wrong with it.

Separate Altars and Ritual

If you feel uncomfortable with it, perhaps separate their altars or work with them separately. Don’t give them the same offerings. On a separate note, if you have two gods from the same pantheon that bump heads, it’s probably best to also keep them separate. For instance, Osiris and Set are both Egyptian gods; however, mythology says Set killed Osiris and threw the pieces of his body into the Nile River. So it might be wise to keep their altars and workings completely separate.

Read More About Gods & Goddesses:

• The Basics on Offerings to the Gods
• Wolf Gods and Goddesses
• How to Start Working With a Goddess or God