What do you think the difference between a spirit and a deity is (if there is one)?
Hi, thanks for the question! There definitely is one, but in my experience, it's neither an easy nor reliable distinction to make in every case.
For one, there is a lot of relativity: these are English words; other cultures and languages may have more specific and varied terms. And indeed "spirit" in English is very vague. And for another, many stories show us examples of individual spirits or mortals becoming divine somehow.
In my experience, there's a tangible difference in the way a divinity feels. This shouldn't be the main factor to distinguish deities from other beings, but I have noticed it, somewhat by accident. With deities there's a sense of vastness, like when I pray to them I am peering into another place. There's a multiplicity, like they are (or are in) myriad things and places at once. There's also a distance, not in terms of space but in terms of disposition or attitude maybe. As if they are seated, listening, smiling, not exactly reacting.
Spirits that I might categorize as daimones, sub-lunar beings, or similar entities often seem a little bit more solid, less expansive. They can certainly still be expansive, but there's a sense of a singular being that is in the room with you, rather than a sense of peering off into flashes of the cosmos. They tend to appreciate offerings in some ways similar to deities (the gesture, the dedication, the honor) but many kinds of spirits actually want the substance of offerings in a way that's more akin to human 'eating' than with deities. They also tend to be slightly more relatable or happy to meet you on a more egalitarian playing field.
Not only are these points subjective and insufficient, there are also important exceptions to them. For example, when I pray to my ancestors I get a similar sense of peering in somewhere else, and of vastness. When I pray to Hekate, I usually sense a more spirit-like presence or absence, solidity, and conversationalism.
Even within modern and modern-anglophone traditions, there are gray areas of this distinction that are (and should be) debated. Angels, for example - whether Christian or otherwise - could be considered a form of emanation from a divinity. They carry, embody, and concern themselves with the will of the divine/of divinities. Whether they even have free will is debated. Similarly, other more autonomous daimones can also wear divine authority like an emissary would.
Spirits can be vast and gods can be niche, but there are still noteworthy distinctions in their authority. Gods hold a greater authority in general, and spirits usually either answer to them or actively serve them in some capacity. Just like with human leaders, though, their authority can be hard to get in minor matters, and you'll have a hard time ensuring their investment in your concerns and will find them harder to access; unless of course you know them or know someone who knows them well. Therefore, other forms of spirits (and in this case especially human dead) are generally a little more invested and a little more accessible. But this is a great time to reiterate how intensely generalized I am being. Most of these points could be acutely refuted, and rightfully so. But I hope they painted a picture of what my experiences have given to me, grains of salt included.
Thanks again for your question!
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"...The Muses are not the only pagan divinities who preserved their influence over mankind in modern times; for every age has its sirens, and every siren her votaries; when beauty and talents, both powerful in themselves, are united, they become still more attractive." From Wonder of the World!! Fairburn's Account of the Mermaid (1822).
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“Idevama huva Ides, ɔq’a la aɕav kasɔq’. Akxɔ, ɔqna vilame faifet kasɔq’. Hosute Faīti ath um aɕatɬ t’ama, e ax chabe, ma alguwa, id’ɔq, diheka ɔqatɬo um kasɔq’. Ɔqatuvatɬ um diheka apatānqa.”
E Farāhi tāk’a me, “akxɔ, idevama Ides ɕenatɬi huva, ta la um k’ɔnaɕed. ɔq’a la diheka aɕav kasɔq’ me, e an xe diheka ekanem um kasɔq’, ma id’ɔq, ebiya ɬɔq hm kasɔq’ akā faifet danɔq’a e ath um la aɕatɬ t’ama. Mu hiel, ta um la ko t’ami kais ɔqatɬo faifet. Akxɔ, ɔq’a la kasɔq’, xe um apatā hunugura xe kɔseanan me, um tɬothuki.”
E udu ihaku me kɔseanan me idevama ɕenatɬi huva koam me, e amena ox atavāga t’ɔq me, ox t’ɔq me, “mu Farāhi vanātɬi huva, ko tɬothuki chanatɬa. ɔqna, id’ɔq kais ɔqatɬo faifet ta la um amene ko k’inɔq ve t’ami, ma tihiti ikata ath um k’inɔq thexa amena ɔqatɬo faifet la alat, weve um la amene k’inɔq ve giɔq.”
E, udu ufatɬi ku’uxen, dusidla ɕenatɬi huva [pos] enyuku ox donaix me e poet oxe mavide dehahini ihva me. Wemeɕa dehahini ihva me, tifina e ikata tsek’e, e ihenawo uptica tha Farāhi [pos] ɔqatɬiv beɕa axe enyuku tiyavī me idafana.
“Ukudin tsaka um bāxi. Ta olala tsaka la bāxi e eyut k’inɔq ivex kais ɔqatɬo faifet. Ath mu dehahini xe kasɔq’, thexa um xe kasɔq’.”
E ekanem Farāhi kasɔq’ me, e ta axe hiel fetanɔq’ ax t’ɔq me. Ox ax ɬiɔqan me e ta axe e ukudin ax bāxi ivex kais ɔqatɬo faifet.
Translation
Ides, the Judge, the Truth, the Eye, moved from Heɕɔve (the liminal) to Heɕɔq’ in the young night. Faīti, the Moon, the Death, the mother of night, was naught but a faint crescent of silver. She was quiet this night, nearly ready for her rest.
While traveling through Heɕɔq’, Ides saw a woman of divinity — an apatɬi of deep black and blue with flecks of white, gold, blue, and red spattered across her body, and her hair glowing like clouds at night. She reached her skillful hands above, tending to her stars and gently moving those that had fallen out of place.
This apatɬi he knew; Farāhi, the Sky, the Swift, the keeper of secrets. He saw, though, on the apatɬi’s face a somber expression. Ides approached and greeted her warmly.
“Swift Lady Farāhi, the night is lovely, why are you so sorrowful?”
“Watchful Lord Ides, I’m pleased to be in your presence. Oh, the night is pleasant, yes, but the silence is overwhelming. Lady Faīti must part from me to rest, and it’s a necessary thing, but I do confess it’s very lonely. I do miss the company.”
Ides felt sorry for her and decided to keep her company in the quiet night. They talked the night away, and slowly the Sky’s somber expression brightened, but not all the way. This didn’t go unnoticed by the Watchful Truth, so he asked her:
“Swift Lady of the sky, the night is more lively with our talk. Why, then, are you still sad?”
And the Sky responded, “oh, Watchful Lord of Truth, for this I cannot lie to you. To be in your company was wonderful, and I am grateful, but I confess I am still sad because the night grows old and you must leave me. My friend, I will once again be alone when you return to your duties and you—being so busy—cannot visit me each lonely night. Oh, I fear that your company tonight has made me want it more.”
And the Watchful Lord nodded because he knew, and when he spoke again he said to her, “my Lady of the Sky, you need not worry. It’s true I cannot visit you each lonely night, but I can leave a part of me here so when you have your lonely nights you may have something to remind you of me there.”
Then, with a divine blade, the Lord of Sight and Illusion cut his hand and out poured his blood of light. As his blood flowed, he reached up and painted the body of the Sky in silks of vivid green with tinges of pink, red, and blue.
“These silks of light are called the ukudin. You may call upon it and wear it during nights whenever you wish. They are of my blood and thus are of me.”
And Farāhi was grateful, finally saying farewell to her friend. She did as he said and called upon his gift each night she missed him.
Literal Word Order Translation
Ides, the eye, from Heɕɔve to Heshuq in the young night he moved. Faīti, the Night Mother, silver only small she was. This night shy she was and her rest almost ready for.
While in Heɕɔq’ Ides moved, a woman divine [he] saw. Dark black and blue apatɬi she was, and on her body white, gold, blue, and red splatters had, and night clouds her hair was like. Above, her skillful hands moved, her stars tended to, and out of place stars back moved.
This apatɬi he knew - Farāhi, the Swift divine. But on her face sad expression existed he saw.
To her Ides moved and kindly greeted: “Swift divine sky, beautiful night [it] is. Why so sad you appear?”
“Watchful divine Truth; with you good to be. Ah, yes beautiful night [it] is, but Fotuna here is not so overwhelming [it] is. To rest, the moon from me must go, and she needs [to], but regardless, admittedly, very lonely I am. Living things [“company”] I really miss.”
Her he felt sorry for, and in the quiet night with her to remain he decided. Unil the night’s end they talked, and slowly more happy the sky’s face became, but not became completely. This [the] Watchful divine truth saw, so her he asked:
“Swift Sky Woman divine, by means of our talk more exciting night became. So why sad you feel?”
And Farāhi answered, “Ah, watchful Truth Lord divine, to you I can’t lie. With you very nice [it] is, and for it thankful I am, but admittedly, still sad I am by means of old the night becomes and from me you must go. My friend, to me you can’t come each lonely night. Oh, with you to be, it I want more it caused, I fear.”
And by means of he knew caused watchful Lord divine nodded, and when he again spoke, he said, “my Sky Lady divine, not worry [command]. Yes, admittedly each lonely night to you I am unable to come, but to give some from me I am able so when lonely nights you have, here you me are able to have.”
Then, by means of a divine blade, Illusion Lord’s divine hand he cut and out his light blood poured. At the same time the blood flowed, green and a bit of pink, red, and blue silks on the Sky’s body above his hands reached to paint.
“‘Ukudin’ this I call. To yourself this you call and to wear are able in each lonely night. From my blood it is, therefore me it is.”
And grateful the Sky was, and to her friend farewell she said. Him she listened to and to herself ukudin she calls in each lonely night.
