Just saw this quote on Twitter….

A vision could put you on a path you don’t want to follow.

— Thomas Yellowtail

…and it started me thinking about how the Gods can sometimes call to someone that does not want Them in their life.

That sounds strange, doesn’t it? Someone not wanting a God or Goddess to be in their life. But it can be true. For instance, there was a time period where I thought The Morrigan was calling me into Her service. I have a healthy respect – at a great distance – of The Morrigan, but I have no desire to be in Her service. Even as a loaner from Crow or Coyote. My feeling is that I would not be a good fit to serving Her requests and needs. Thankfully, I misinterpreted what I was experiencing, and it turned out not to be Her. But what if it had been?

Since that misinterpreted period of time, I have wondered what I would have done if my interpretation had been correct. Would I have tried to ignore Her summons? Perhaps, I would have denied Her outright. or maybe, I would have agreed to serve Her. Would I have tried to negotiate better terms? There are downfalls to every single one of these scenarios.

Ignoring one of the Gods tends to not have fairly good results. If They were super insistent on working with you, their summons would probably be increasingly more obvious. Sort of like being whacked upside the head with an ax handle. The Gods can definitely do subtle, but when They really want your attention, it can get downright mean and nasty. Sometimes, ignoring Them can be taken as a means of disrespect towards Them, and then the party starts. In my personal experience, when asked to respond – respond. Even if its just with an “I don’t know” statement. In most cases, anything is better than silence.

Many folks might think that saying “no” to the Gods is a bad thing. That is not necessarily the case. Much of that has to do with the manner in which you do it. Saying “no thank you” will tend to be taken a bit more favorable than “fuck off, I’m not interested.” The Gods, much like most humans, will respond far more favorably to manners than outright flippant behavior. There is always the chance that you still get told that “no” is not an appropriate answer. You might have to be more insistent on your desire not to accept…but sometimes the Gods will just want and take what They want without regard.

Then there’s the concept of negotiation. Much like human beings, the Gods can be bargained with. Do so very carefully. Bargains, agreements, contracts – all of these are iron-clad concepts that you are placing yourself in. if you were President Donald Trump, you might call these quid pro quo moments. I give You my service, in return, You provide me with this Knowledge. Be completely certain of the terms you are asking, and certainly be aware of the terms that are returned. These types of situations should never be taken lightly.

And what if you don’t hear the Gods? What if you want an arrangement with a specific God or Goddess? Do what you can to attract Them. Do personal rituals dedicated to Them, show Them that you want to work with Them or on Their behalf. And be patient. The Gods work in Their own concept of time. But also, be aware that when you signal such willingness, you may attract the attention of another God or Goddess that you never thought about working with before. After all, you’re setting out a beacon of attraction – sometimes you can attract something other than what you set out for. In that case, be open-minded. But if it is still not what you are seeking…you can still say no. Just remember, that can sometimes have unintended consequences. Be mindful of what you are saying.

Now, with all that said, I realize that a lot of this sounds like the Gods are akin to lawyers. With a heavy eye towards contractual agreements, wording, and the such – you would swear that the Gods spend all Their time looking for “gotcha!” scenarios to exploit. Well, the large majority of the Gods don’t. But like any environment, there are predators (your definition of what is or is not a predator will vary widely from those of others). So be aware.

Relationships with the Gods take many forms, and each are unique from everyone else’s – just like each relationship you have with other human beings. Those relationships can be fulfilling, rewarding, and even intimately passionate (not meant to be taken in a sexual connotation). Some can be difficult, confusing, and even heart-rending. These relationships can run the entire gauntlet of emotions. Or not even have any emotional capacity attached to them. But each will be unique to the individual and the God or Goddess they are working with. As it should be.

And for those who cannot seem to reach far enough to grab the attention of the Gods. Keep trying. Keep being yourself. And be patient. It will happen when it happens. Be ready for anything.