#deity devotion

-Pray to them or just just talk with them and tell them about your day

-Light a candle and say your thanks

-Offer your meal/snack to them or bake/cook with them or for them

-Watch a movie in their honor

-Offer your morning drink to them or make a cup for them

-Assign them a plant and take care of it as a devotion to them

-Listen to music that reminds you of them

-Say good morning/good night

-Thank them for the things you see that you consider beautiful

Details 🌾🌦️

If reciprocity is so important to spiritual relationships, why am I seeing so many people who appear to think their needs, their desires, their thoughts and emotional state, their inner experience of themselves... are the center of the universe?

Now sure, these things are important to an extent. We shouldn't ignore or erase ourselves within our relationships.

But let's not take that to an extreme, where we subconsciously treat gods and spirits as existing only to fill our needs, while ignoring theirs.

What about the feelings of a deity?

The emotions of a spirit?

The inner experiences of the incorporeal?

I don't see much curiosity about this unless a deity or spirit's thoughts or emotions happen to benefit a human somehow like, if a god falls in love with a person. THEN they wanna know all about how that deity feels, in relation to them of course.

But what if we were curious about gods and spirits?

Without always making that about us?

What if we offered the gift of genuinely unselfish interest? Showed care by asking how they experience themselves and other things not related to us specifically?

How about asking questions intended to open up conversations? To know them better?

Like maybe...

"What does this particular myth mean to you? Do you like how it portrays you? Why or why not?

When I said or did [a thing], how did you interpret that? What did you think or feel about it? Why did you respond that way?

If you could have anything you wanted right now, what would it be?" Why do you want it? What does it mean to you?

How are you experiencing the things that matter to you right now? Do your domains require cultivation or some sort of regular attention? If so, how would you describe the effort you put into that? etc, etc

How about showing interest in THEM for a change?

I cannot tell you how many times I have done this and (UPG) some god or spirit has been very surprised that I cared enough to enquire how they felt. Sometimes they also get emotional about it. Then we talk about why they feel that way and get to know each other better.

A few things to consider

In my experience, honest, genuine enquiry can deepen relationships amazingly well if it's accompanied by the following things...

sincerely motivated by a desire to know the god or spirit

not about trying to get something (like attention, interest, responses you like) from spiritual entities, or force them into giving answers they don't feel comfortable with

asked with an open mind, willing to hear responses you might dislike or that might clash with your theology, and respecting the god or spirit's right to have thoughts or feelings different from yours, including the possibility that they don't feel comfortable talking about it right then

offered with the promise of confidentiality if the god or spirit desires it, so the god or spirit knows they can say anything and trust you not to blast their private inner experiences all over the internet without their consent

a regular part of your relationship with that deity or spirit, because showing consistent interest shows you genuinely care and are not just mildly curious

Hopefully that offers some ideas for growing reciprocal connections with deities and spirits, for those who wish to deepen spiritual relationships.