Eclecticism vs. Empowerment
By Jay Barrymore
Many Pagans and Magickal practitioners are eclectic, meaning that they draw ritual material and inspiration from many different sources. Many Pagans and Witches swear by eclecticism, believing it to be the best way to operate.
An individual or group can be eclectic in several different ways. They can borrow spells and rituals from covens or groups of another tradition, or they can adopt material from an entirely different religion. Another aspect of eclecticism involves the invocation of various gods from the many different pantheons. This latter element is the main focus of this article.
My group and tradition draws from the Celtic culture for its inspiration and influence, but we can be considered eclectic since we've adopted rituals and spells from other traditions of the Wicca, and from other sources. Many systems have elements that are adaptable and can be used in combination with each other; though some alteration may be necessary to maintain the integrity of the tradition to which the new material is being added. The one place where I feel that eclecticism may not be beneficial is the practice of intermixing the gods of various pantheons during an invocation.
Many Pagans and Witches are eclectic in their approach to contacting the gods. Many of these people will swear by their practices and are very happy with their results. It is my proposal however, that the supplicant will be more powerful and fruitful by narrowing their horizon to one pantheon and only associating with the gods who are a part of it. Many Pagans will scoff at this idea, believing it to be an undesirable self-restraint that will limit their abilities. To illustrate how this is not necessarily true, consider the analogy of a laser beam and a flashlight. A laser beam is a highly intense, narrow beam of light that can accomplish many wonders: It can be used in surgery, to measure astronomical distances, to cut holes in steel and optics, among other examples. A flashlight may be is indispensable for providing light in a dark area or for signaling, but beyond that its usefulness is limited. The beam of light is too broad.
By narrowing your attention to one single pantheon, and associating with the deities that belong to it, an individual will be able to accomplish things more easily, quickly and effectively. The person will develop a closer rapport with the gods of a single mythos, and the gods will have a common tie among themselves.
I'm sure that an invocation that addresses the Irish Lugh and the Egyptian Isis will have some success, but not as much as if the supplicant invoked Lugh with an Irish goddess or Isis with an Egyptian god. Each pantheon has a membership of gods that are adept in everything. Saying that only a certain deity (regardless of tradition or culture) is the right one to invoke during a specific working is not correct. Through study and research, one will find that each pantheon has its equivalent deity whom one can call upon for a specific reason.
Another thing to keep in mind is the compatibility of the gods you are invoking together. Not only does this apply to deities of differing pantheons, but also to gods of a single pantheon! Some unhappy consequences may result should the supplicant invoke a god and goddess that may be traditionally opposed to each other.
For instance, in the Welsh tradition, the family of the gods Pwyll and Rhiannon are at odds with the Children of Don. These two houses are hostile; therefore, it would be imprudent to invoke Rhiannon with Gwydion, or any other combination of these two families. The same holds true for gods in other pantheons.
The gods, being of a slightly higher evolved status than ourselves, may overlook such a blunder and work together in such an instance. But we should attempt to be considerate and do the proper research into their backgrounds before invoking them. We have an obligation to conduct ourselves carefully, and with respect, to the powers above us.
All the gods are one God, and all the goddesses are one Goddess; but when working with them in their lower aspects where each god has a specific function and personality (which is how most Pagans come into contact with them), it's important to follow proper etiquette.
Choosing the Right Gods
Should an individual be receptive to change in relation to their devotions, what's the next step? Many of us cherish our deities and hold tight to them for strength and power, and wouldn't consider changing our affiliations with them. But many Pagans have adopted the gods that were worshipped by their parent organization or teacher. It's possible that these deities are really not the ones an individual may need to be in association with during this incarnation.
Upon leaving our Mother Coven, my wife and I honored a particular god and goddess. This god and goddess are different from the ones we now hold central to our being. Through a period that lasted several years, we came to realize that we need to change our deity focus. This knowledge came through many sources, among them, dreams, meditations, conscious thought and intuition. In the end, we discovered that the gods we now hold in high honor actually chose us!
It was hard to let go of the deities we had learned to accept as ours, but we knew this was something we had to do. Since then, our relationship with our new gods has been like a homecoming. These deities were gods that we held in high esteem during past lives. They have empowered us more fully in respects to who we are and what we need to accomplish during this life. We found that we have returned to where we belong and now must proceed with choices that we failed to make in previous times.
I believe that some Pagans (not all) need to undergo this experience to find their niche. (This is now touching on the subjects of Monads and Karma.) It's possible that some do not wish to undertake this now; that's their right. However, this situation is not going to disappear, and eventually they will have to be face it for evolution to proceed.
Many people are content to dabble in magick and be nothing more than hearth witches. The real purpose of magick, from the simplest prosperity spell to the most complicated magician's operation, is to obtain knowledge of the God and Goddess and to become one with them. Any deviation from this goal tends to be materially selfish and short-lived.
Those who wish to evolve must start with the gods they will intimately associate with. This is a highly personal matter, and each must find their own answers. Some people may feel at home with the Olympians, others with the Norse. My experience has shown that by plugging into a specific pantheon, a person can accomplish much, quickly. This isn't to say that during upcoming lifetimes a person will not associate with another religion or tradition, but if a one wants to help oneself advance to the next level of existence, this is one of the best ways.
Some day, we will be where the gods are now, and they in turn will continue to evolve. Why not try to make the process shorter and more direct? Though others may not ascribe to this view, I wish everyone success in whatever form they pursue their endeavors toward The Great Work! | 
