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Living out the Gods and Goddesses by Ishtar
Inside all of us is the potential to connect to a variety of divine archetypes. Desire, discipline and technique are the elements required to initiate the internal deity templates. The potential for gods and goddesses to bestow their divine characteristics exists within all human individuals. The deities are then in a position to prompt us to replay their myths within the context of our own lives.
There is a reason why so many deities, mythical beings and legends are so similar in cultures that are racially and geographically distanced from each other. It is because they tap into the same metaphysical reality. We are all part of the tapestry that constructs the whole web of consciousness. We share so many conceptualisations with the rest of humanity. This is why we perceive archetypes in similar ways. An archetype has symbolic significance, generally understood but hard to define, e.g. mother, hero, or moon. Archetypes can range from the sinner to the saint, God and the Devil. There are hundreds of animate and inanimate objects and concepts that are archetypal. Jung believed that archetypes are stored in the collective unconscious and can be accessed by all. The Collective Unconscious is a concept that suggests that there are ideas or archetypes that exist outside the individual mind. Archetypes are born on the level of the collective soul, but are enacted by individual souls. Archetypes are vital to understand who we are, they are individual expressions of the collective unconscious.
One of the fortunate aspects of these phenomena for pagans is that one has a wide repertoire of gods and goddesses to choose from. From this respect, it seems like a good idea to learn about the myths and identities of gods and goddesses. People who achieve greatness like Gandhi for example, can only do so because they have tapped into the appropriate archetypes in the collective unconscious. Males and females can connect with opposite sex archetypes as we have the spiritual germ of our opposite sex inside of us. Jung called these Anima (the female in a male) and animus (the male in the female).
The power to create reality, to use magic, to make good choices, to use telepathy and telekinesis all comes from the archetypes of magical deities who work through us, who are us because we are one with all creation, metaphysical and physical. They are there to help us if we put our attention on them, understand who they are and allow ourselves to integrate with them.
We can all feel an attraction even to just the name of a deity. Which gods and goddesses that we can connect to are reflected in our yearnings and desires? An analysis of what these are, can be very revealing, but of course, the more one’s knowledge is expanded by the study of deities the more choices and awareness there can be. Many cultures (such as Hindus) believe that deities have a consciousness and the essence of the deity can be connected through statues and images. Hindus believe that the statue gives you its permission for you to look. Possession of a goddess statue /image can with the right intention create a portal for you to receive the information from the icon, in a way that literal information cannot do.
All human beings are attuned to at least one archetype; most people can be attuned to a number of archetypes. We are all hardwired to respond to the power of an archetype - we just need it to be activated. I believe that dance, image, ritual, prayer and meditation, reading about the myths of gods and goddesses are ways to access them. These methods work best together so there are physical and mental components to receiving the information. One way to gain a clue to which gods/goddesses you resonate with is to ask your self - “if I had super human powers what would they be?” See what magical powers deities possess and you will recognise who is resonating with your own individual identity. Activation of the archetype releases their power to replay their mythology through you. God’s and goddesses speak through our desires.
We all have our own heroic mission. We can all become the hero or heroine of our own mythology. Contamination from people during one’s life can prevent connection to these divine beings. It is important to cleanse oneself from the negative input of others, this is not you. Focussing on divine archetypes can re-programme the self. The god /goddesses archetype can usurp negative self-talk in a way that affirmations and positive thinking cannot. Life is more fulfilling when you let these icons or totems enact their drama through you.
You do not have to work hard to know which archetypes you resonate clearly with .You cannot make a mistake of attracting the wrong ones. Sometimes your attraction to a deity(s) is all the evidence you need. Some are more powerful than others, but they make themselves known to you because you are right for each other. If you ask yourself who do I admire and why, you will also gain insight into what god or goddess can be invited into your being. Christians often guide their behaviour by asking - what would Jesus do? You can ask the question of Isis, Demeter, Rhiannon or any spiritual icon who you feel you resonate with. Mythology is the basis of our civilisation. Myths universally share common themes, these themes are heroic and often involve journeys and initiations, which eventually make the individual see the higher qualities of life.
The world’s spirituality is dominated by the male archetype. Monotheistic religions of The Book actively create a hostile feeling towards any female spirituality. The Bible, Torah, and Koran are full of misogynistic references. It is partly in reaction to this that many women have become interested in female spirituality. Looking at Pagan, Buddhist/Hindu deities creates a reality where the female archetype is an object of power and veneration. Early Neolithic societies frequently worshiped a 
female creator often without a male counterpart. All cultures stem from a past that acknowledged the feminine aspect of creation.
Although male archetypes are just as relevant I am interested in the importance for women and men to draw feminine archetypes into their life. A 3-D representation of the Goddess can be an object of focus to look at. The image is constantly putting you in connection to its meaning and energy. Any icon or focus of divine energy can be said to reflect or represent an aspect of the human psyche. Individuals who focus their attention on an archetype will all have a similar universal response. The archetypes are all aspects of reality that actively seek expression if we reach out to them they will help us to integrate with the many.