I don't wear much jewelry.  Generally only my silver scarab earrings and my wedding ring.  But this morning I decided to put on my little gold Star of David necklace.  As I put it on, I thought about how it's traveled my spiritual journey with me, from religious Reform Judaism to.........wherever it is I am now. 
Once upon a time, it was a treasured symbol of my Jewishness.  Then, it became a symbol of God up in heaven reaching down to me, as I reached up to God from my earthly state (this was long before The DaVinci Code was published).  More recently, I veiwed it to symbolize the eternal qualities of God being offered me, as I, in my puny mortal state sought after them. 
But, this morning, I, again, saw it differently.  Instead of division and separateness between the two triangles, I saw entanglement and a meshing of the divine and the mortal.  God no longer felt "above" me in either physical location or attribute; but beside me, as a teaching companion who takes joy in my discoveries of growth toward........?  Knowing toward what doesn't seem important for now. 
Then, later in the day, as I pondered this new way of relating to my God, I began to wonder how all of you relate to your Gods?  You are all so unique and your visions of deity so different from what I have known to this point in my life.  It is actually quite exciting for me to read your posts.  But I don't have a good grasp of how you all relate to your Gods. 
Seems many of you have been posting here for quite a while.  Maybe you've spoken about this in another thread.  One of you can always point me in that direction if you'd rather not rehash an old subject.  But if you care to, I would very much like to hear how you relate to your Gods.  Up, down, all around, inside, beside, physical, spirit, equal, glorious, demanding, caring, involved, knowable, unknowable?  And anything else I didn't include.
Thanks!

~Cyndi

Yes, Chiyo, what you've said makes sense.  Thank you.
I believed that Buddhists did not incorporate the Divine into their religion.  In fact, I thought Buddhism was more of a philosophy than a religion encompassing the concept of God or the Divine.  Based upon what you've said here, I think I have been incorrect in my belief.  Do I understand you correctly?
At various times in my life, I have been quite involved in forms of yoga, so completely get the idea of our breath being sacred.

Something else I learned from your post is that there is a difference between "pantheism," and "panentheism."  I thought you had made a typo until I googled the word.  This is exactly the stuff I'm looking to learn.  Thanks!

I hope others will post about their relationships with their Gods.

I am also Wiccan. I stand pretty much in line with Gilly. The differences are really so minute as to be not worth talking about.

I have a relationship with my Gods that is personal and intimate. I met them sitting under a big ole' cottonwood tree that sits on this farm of mine. The farm has been in the family since 1836. I don't say that as a brag but because it really is important. This 170 acres is in my blood and in my bones. I certainly ate a lot of it as I was growing up!

My Gods are not from the pantheons that many people would recognize. They aren't in any pantheon at all. They are the little Gods of this land that I am so tied to. They have never told me their names. I don't know if that's because I wouldn't understand the names or if, as I suspect, they are so ancient they just don't have names. That is not a brag either. I really think they have been here, in this little place, for a very, very long time. When I speak with them that is the feeling I get.

I have a relationship that is one of friendship, guidance, mentorship, love on both sides and that ole' clue-by-four when I need it. They don't ask for my worship or my reverence. I give it freely. They have never let me down. There is respect there and trust. On both sides.

I also see every single speck of this universe as being Divine. I can never be apart of Divinity. I am Divinity and Divinity is me.

I hope my rambling helps.

itty wrote:

I am also Wiccan. I stand pretty much in line with Gilly. The differences are really so minute as to be not worth talking about.

I have a relationship with my Gods that is personal and intimate. I met them sitting under a big ole' cottonwood tree that sits on this farm of mine. The farm has been in the family since 1836. I don't say that as a brag but because it really is important. This 170 acres is in my blood and in my bones. I certainly ate a lot of it as I was growing up!

My Gods are not from the pantheons that many people would recognize. They aren't in any pantheon at all. They are the little Gods of this land that I am so tied to. They have never told me their names. I don't know if that's because I wouldn't understand the names or if, as I suspect, they are so ancient they just don't have names. That is not a brag either. I really think they have been here, in this little place, for a very, very long time. When I speak with them that is the feeling I get.

I have a relationship that is one of friendship, guidance, mentorship, love on both sides and that ole' clue-by-four when I need it. They don't ask for my worship or my reverence. I give it freely. They have never let me down. There is respect there and trust. On both sides.

I also see every single speck of this universe as being Divine. I can never be apart of Divinity. I am Divinity and Divinity is me.

I hope my rambling helps.

I think that itty speaks well for me here.  Except for the bit about the farm.  I don't have a family farm.  ;)

[QUOTE=Chiyo;940731]No Buddhist believes in a First Cause or Creator, because we all believe in Dependent Origination. But having said that, Buddhism is a wide and diverse religion, with differing Traditions. Some Buddhists believe in Deity, others believe in Deities and still others are atheist. Since our religion/philosophy does not revolve around any kind of particular belief in the divine, each position is acceptable.

LINK

LINK[/QUOTE]

Chiyo, just after I posted back to you, I received an email from a friend who told me about classes in Tibetan Buddhism being offered in my town.  How about that!  There was a link in her email, and I spent quite a bit of time looking through the site.  Then, I read your reply post and followed your links.  Think I now have a better idea how you relate to the Divine.  Really liked your first link.  The metaphor of waves within an ocean was great.  Very visual.  It was, however, difficult to understand the info contained in the second link.  Know I'm missing something important......     


gillyflower, itty, and sacrificalgoddess: your posts were filled with feelings of intimate association with your Gods.  It was warm reading.  :) 
Never have considered things like plastic cups as part of the Divine, so I'm going to have to think on that one a little more.  gillyflower, will you tell me how this is so? 
And, itty, will you elaborate upon the "little Gods?"  Is there ranking within your Gods?  Or are the little Gods more reticent?