Working with a Deity - Finding Each Other

One of my favourite deities that I've worked with is Anubis or Anpu. He is an Egyptian deity of the underworld. He's the god of funeral practices and care of the dead, which then extends into guiding the dead and aiding in the ultimate judgement process. He's depicted as what is widely considered a jackal, but is sometimes thought to be a separate but similar animal that is considered an "Anubis Animal" due to its distinctions from the god Set/Seth. He was the first deity that I worked with, and while he is not one of my patrons/matrons, I still work with him from time to time. I primarily spent time working with him through high school and am fond of the time that we've spent together. I thought that I couldn't work with him, as I am not of Egyptian decent, and I didn't know what I was doing. He is one that I reached out to though. I started with a candle and a custom herb blend that I stored in a box from the dollar store that I painted gold. Right from the start he's been a very nurturing and patient. To communicate with him I focused primarily on candle flame divination - he was not a fan of pendulum or tarot methods. Anubis was the one who introduced me to hedge craft and trances, which has stuck since then. 

All this to say, Anubis has been vital to my development as a witch. Here is how I reached out to him - it may not work for you the same way, but it could be a start. I first created the makeshift altar in order to provide him space and energy. I then began asking if he was open to talking to me, and then asked how he would like for me to address him. I did this through first running through various epithets and honorifics. After this I spent a couple weeks asking him questions about if he wanted to work together, how the relationship would work, etc. If you want to speak to a deity, always ask them for permission first - do not assume that they aren't busy. There's also the notion that "what you are seeking is what's causing you to seek", so there is never any harm in asking - just know what you are asking for.

My matron deity, on the other hand, is one who found me. I had a similar get to know you process with Lady Tisiphone, but it was a little more straight forward as she prefers pendulum communication. It started when I felt a female presence, especially with the new pendulum that later became for her exclusive use. I also started getting drawn to her imagery - snakes especially. I essentially tried to put together all of the clues I was getting in dreams and waking life with the vague answers I was getting through the pendulum. Here are some of the questions I asked:

• Are you a deity?
• Are you fae?
• Are you part of a recognized pantheon?
• Are you traditionally Greek/Roman/Egyptian/Norse/Mesopotamian/etc.?
• Are you traditionally associated with the heavens/underworld/earth?

I then went into research to figure out possible deities that matched. I came back with a short list of names. Deities do not enjoy being mistaken for another, so I try to take as short of a list as possible. Through this I learned that it was, as she prefers to be called, Lady Tisiphone, a Greek Goddess who is one of the Furies. I'll make a separate post all about her at a later time. But now that I knew who she was, I was able to research as much as I could about her - her myths, her sacred days, her symbols. Unfortunately, as a lesser known deity and part of a triad, there was not a lot of information on her and how she and her sisters were worshipped as a group or individuals. This means I started asking for her approval on altar items and items I wear in order to carry her with me. 

And so, if you want to do deity work, be careful and do your research. Always be respectful and accept whatever their answers may be. If you think one may be reaching out to you, don't be afraid to - responsibly - reach back. Look for symbols and get a tool you are comfortable working with, and don't be afraid to ask for the opinions of others. Keep in mind that there are hundreds of thousands of deities, and so be open.