Kinacogohan

So, first of all, I’d suggest at least looking over the companion post to this, How to Read the Deity Communication Spread. A lot of the same ideas and concepts I mentioned there are going to apply here as well.

Secondly, if you’re not sure what I’m talking about – check out the Deity Identification Spread!

The purpose of this spread is to build a profile of information about a deity so that you can discover or narrow down their identity. It won’t always hand you the answer on a platter! But as I said before, and will say numerous times again in the future, the act of taking that information and searching for the answer is often part of the process of working with deities and spirits.

Another purpose for this spread is to verify the identity of a deity that you’re dealing with. It’s actually quite useful for this one, and quite a bit easier, because you’re going to have a better idea of what you’re looking for already.

(Also, just for funsies, if you’re a writer or someone else who finds themselves needing to do some world building, it’s great for generating up fictional deities as well)

Overall Advice

As always, God stuff is weird. It won’t always be easy, but this spread should point you to the signs along the way to figure it out, even if it doesn’t hand you the answer.

Be willing to think creatively. The “answer” may come from the card meaning or imagery, but it could also be a pun on the name or number, or something that is whispered to you when the card is turned over – see above: God stuff is weird.

Remember: you may have to do the leg work on this. The cards should ultimately give you symbols and signs to look out for – so be looking out! See what deities you find that are connected to your answers. Search the myths and lore. See how and where they fit.

Like I said in the post about the Communication Spread, it’s okay to draw more cards for various positions, perhaps even more so in this spread. (You can uh….draw multiple cards for positions on any spread?? by the way?? Just throwing that out there)

Even if you don’t discover the identity of the deity, you’re going to get some useful information in terms of allowing you to reach out to them – clues about their nature, information on their symbols and associations. The closer you get, the more answers may be revealed.

CARD ONE: The Deity

Like in the Communication Spread, this card sums the deity up, typically giving you the particular aspect that is appearing to you.This card should give you hints on where to start looking for the deity’s identity – their name, personality, their appearance. 

Relate this card to the other cards to start building an image of the deity.

CARD TWO: Quality/Trait (”Negative”)

As I say in the spread, I usually interpret this trait as being something “negative” – note, by the way, that you may not get a straight answer here if the deity doesn’t have any overtly negative traits or if you personally won’t perceive or experience those traits.

The “negative” trait may be something they’re classically associated with – jealous, impulsive, potentially cruel. But it may be something you personally may not like – associations that make you uncomfortable or challenge you.

I think it can be hard for people to confront this card because it can be scary. If you get an answer here you don’t like, maybe you don’t want to know the answer after all. If that’s going to be an issue for you, enough that you can’t get over it, then eh, maybe don’t specify this to be something negative. But I think it’s worth it to know and it can be very illuminating.

CARD THREE: Quality/Trait (”Positive”)

This card is the same as above, but with a more positive slant. So these may be things that are aspects they’re known for, such as beauty, generosity, wisdom, or things that you’ll appreciate and be supported by.

This card can be confusing when the positive trait comes up as a negative card, so firstly, let me suggest reading what I said about negative cards in How to Read the Deity Communication Spread.

But overall, consider that a negative card may:

Be expressing a positive aspect of itself – The Tower as liberation, the Five of Pentacles as a light for the lost.

Represent something symbolic – the Ten of Swords may be someone who is known for stepping out of their physical body or granting that ability to those who worship them. The Ten of Wands may be someone who is known to take on many burdens or many followers.

…may just be negative? You might not have a good time with every deity. It happens.

CARD FOUR: Ruling/Power

This card should point you to the deity’s domain, if you will. The cards can be a bit cheeky here, so be prepared for that. The Lovers may indicate a love goddess – but it may also come up for a crossroads deity. 

You should be willing to have a dialogue with your cards here. Pull more than one if you need to, but don’t be afraid to actually give a think to what you draw here – and for all of the cards, to be honest…

Contemplation and comparison to the other cards should help you out here.

CARD FIVE: Symbol/Association

This can be straightforward or not, so good luck!

Again, sometimes the answer is in the imagery – a lightning bolt on The Tower, there might be a dolphin on your Knight of Cups, or maybe it will be in the name or meaning. The search for the answer can be part of the work you’re supposed to be doing, remember? 

But what you’re looking for here are symbols, animals, places, concepts, or whatever else you can strongly link to a deity – which you can use not only to identify that deity, but to reach out to them. 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I really can’t stress this enough – even if you don’t get the answer directly, you’re going to get clues to follow along the path and you’re going to get keys to help bring you closer to that deity. 

If you follow those signs and if you use those keys, you will be able to build a bridge of communication and build a relationship that is going to bring you closer to the answer of identity.

This is especially useful for lesser known deities or deities whose names have been lost to time! 

But ultimately you need to be willing to sit with these answers and explore them, especially if a straightforward identity isn’t presented to you. Sometimes the answer is something that unfolds over time rather than something that hits you straight in the face right away. Maybe you can eliminate some names along the way!

Like I said in the closing thoughts on the communication spread breakdown:

“One of the reasons this spread can be difficult is that deities are difficult. Discovering who they are and what they want from you is sometimes part of the whole challenge or bonding process, and the quest to find those answers is often as useful and important as actually accomplishing anything they’re going to ask from you.

Lumiel/Lumial/Lumael is a highly complex figure within certain Traditional Craft currents, especially the Cultus Sabbati. If one obtains a copy of The Book of Fallen Angels by Michael Howard, therein is a ritual known as The Lover’s Call to the Angel of Witchblood and was written by Andrew Chumbley, and in that ritual he further elucidates the Mysteries of Lumial as follows:  “Myself to myself I offer, this Holy Rite to begin. By Lightning-bolt, by Flaming Torch, by the Serpent’s Fire within: Let all that I have attained in eternity be manifest in the Present Moment of I: Absolute. O’ Azra-Lumial! Angelick Soul of the Master Cain! Initiator of the Draconist Mystery, Opener of the Gates to the Crooked Path! Hear my call, for I entreat Thee! The vessel of the Heart is opened unto Thee! Behold I stand alone in Void, within the Empty Circle of the Royal Arte; My Lover’s Call goeth forth to Thee, O’ Angel of the Peacock-quill! The Lamp of the Hermit awaits the Flame of Thy Presence: My Heart awaits the Adamantine Light of Thy initiation! O’ Az’ra-Lumial! Solely Manifest of the Eleven Elder Gods, Thou are XON: Light from all Nullity revealed unto Man. Thou art the Begetter of the Four Sovereign Watchers and The Sixteen Faithful Gods. As Man thou art born – fire amidst clay – from their wiseblood and cunning seed; Self-from self, eight times Thou art begotten on the Wheel of The Year and a Day. O’ Az’ra-Lumial, descend as Flesh, the Living Word; The One of Light, seven times adorned in the rainbow’s promise! O’ Az’ra-Lumiel, arise as Gnosis, the Mind of Heaven: The Great Dragon, seven-headed, crowned and victorious!”

The page images are taken from The Pillars of Tubal Cain by Michael Howard and Nigel Aldcroft Jackson and is an indispensable tome for any doing work in traditional currents. Also, the image of Lumael was drawn by Nigel Aldcroft Jackson and was taken from the same book. The excerpt of The Lover’s Call to the Angel of Witchblood is taken from The Book of Fallen Angels, again, by Michael Howard. 

With Spring our worst enemy comes back to invade our homes. This is a powerful ritual that serves as non-phyisical protection - in addition to all kind of weaponry and mosquito-mass-destruction methods you may have. The Ritual

Touching the forehead, say “From Head.”

Touching the breast and down to your feet, say “To Feet.”

Touching the right shoulder, say “From Right.”

Touching the left shoulder, say “To Left.”

Clasping the hands upon the breast, say “I shall be protected from their blood fest.“

Turning to the East, make a pentagram (that of Earth) with the proper spray (RAID). Say (i.e. vibrate) “RAID” (Raaaaiiiddd).

Turning to the South, the same, but say “BAYGON” (Baaaygooon).

Turning to the West, the same, but say “MORTEIN” (Morteeeeein).

Turning to the North, the same, but say “AUTAN” (Auuutaaan).

Extending the arms in the form of a cross say:

“Before me the Bug-Zapper;

Behind me the Citronella;

On my right hand Garlic;

On my left hand Chives;

For about me is the mosquito net,

And on my skin lays the bloodsucker sacred repelent.”