#Godspousing

[bookwyrmbran]

content warnings, I suppose, for dubious quantities of upg/philosphy/poetry/sap/gods of too many names

people ask me sometimes why all the names, why Odin rarely gets trotted out, a few dozen other heiti more likely, why I use them, what's the effect, and given that I get both rambly and affectionate when sick....

the Old Man and His names -- I figure He collects them, He loves them, I think maybe He needs them, something to do with masks and faces and shifting experiences of That-Which-Is and the way no relationship between any two people is ever quite the same as any other, the irreducible nature of existence -- I think sometimes He uses the names to remind Himself which context He's in, sometimes wants/needs/appreciates the people around Him using different names to remind Him of which context they're setting Him in (or asking for, or assuming, or needing)

sometimes that context is the rage and fury and wild shrieking wind! sometimes it's the cold lonely stillness of noose and dangling; sometimes it's ravenous, a devouring hunter; sometimes it's a tester and guarantor of hospitality; sometimes it's a wise advice-giver; sometimes it's a queer ecstatic dance and drums; sometimes it's a healer, or a lover, or a granter of wishes, or a calm skilled hand to soothe a panic attack, sometimes it's inspiration --

and I think that sometimes maybe He's not sure which He's to wear, or which belongs, and maybe sometimes needs reminded that some of those are in fact still His -- still beloved, still welcome, still wished-for, still turned to as calmer and healer -- and also sometimes appreciates when someone recognizes the face He's wearing and calls Him by it; and also to some extent relies on others to give Him access points into existence/experience by giving Him more names and thus more points from which to interact with That-Which-Is

and for me -- the more I recognize of His names, the more I know Him, and also the more likely I am to recognize when He comes to me in a particular way that I might not otherwise have context for, and also the more likely I am to trust that it is Him and not my mind playing tricks on me; and also it gives me ways to tell Him I recognize Him, and ways to ask for what I need, and to express particular emotions, and to acknowledge the aspects I'm not comfortable with some or all of the time, and to remind myself how He's interacted, what He has been and is to me

so I call Him by a variety of names; most of them already His, some of them personal appellations, all of them processed through my own experience and understanding (because a name is a collection of syllables but it can also carry weight and meaning, and when I call Him Sviđrir I do not just mean Soother, I mean You Who catch and calm me when anxiety and fear and distress, when I call Him Bruni I mean more than Brown Bear, I mean Old Bear enormous and terrible as the sky Who swallows me whole and unmakes me and gives me shelter, when I call Him Uđr -- to call someone Beloved is always intimate, always personal, is it not?

the naming is a game, it's a request, it's acknowledgment, it's a love-language, it's a history (His and mine and the relationship between us), it's a reassurance, it's a gift for Him of stepping further into Being, further into my own subjective experience; sometimes it's a challenge or a demand or a warning, and no less personal for it

and I give Him names from the relationship between us, and my understanding of Him, and of Who He is to me, and I call Him Breath-Gifter and Breath-Taker and Husband and Old Perv and my Death and Breath and Tenderness Sharper than a Knife and others, and He loves it (from me at least, I speak only for myself here), and calls me, too, by various names, a gift in return, and if sometimes piercing no less loving for it, always offering another way for me to understand myself from His experience --

[leannan-sithe]

I will be writing a review soon

but for the love of all things, do not buy the Spirit Marriage book by Megan Rose

It is bad and gets genuinely awful in subtle, twisted ways that might trick people into ableism, s*xism, even racism and Overtly antisemitism

it sounds good until it really isn't

[lilmisssmilez]

My notes on godspousing

THESE ARE JUST NOTES ON WHAT I HAVE FOUND

Has history of high magic

An example of godspousal are nuns (Nuns are known as Brides of Christ.)

Christian/Catholic scriptures states God is married to all his children ( Jeremiah 3:14)

Practiced a lot by Priests/Priestess's

Hieros Gamos ( S*x between mortals and gods)

Very popular in Mesopotamia, Greece, India, And Egypt

Can also be known as oath-ed but this is more of an "adoption" (Familiar ties)

Stronger connection to Deities. You devote yourself to them

Saint Theresa is also an example of godspousing ( Ecstasy of Saint Teresa)

In modern occult circles its known as the Great Rite, or sacred marriage

spousals can be : Romantic, S*xual, Platonic, Familial , Working, Devotional

in ancient times there were temples dedicated to being intimate with the gods

Maenads preform sacred acts to wed themselves to Dionysus

Christianity has demonized it by calling it "unholy" causing modern practitioners get an "ick" about it forgetting its an ancient practice

[sparkle-sauce]

I did a deity conformation reading and tried to trick what I thought could be a trickster but it was infact the trickster I was looking for and they clowned me through the cards so hard

[paganpillar]

Apollo

My brilliant and gilded Sun, thank you for blessing my devotional art with your divine radiance.

Please continue to brighten my life with your presence and stay by my side forever and always. With all my love.

We are utterly alone and completely bound

Outside a temple of ancient times

Surrounded by flowers of different kinds

[theoi-crow]

Trigger warning: child abuse mention

If you're a Godspouse please tag your posts!

Especially for the people who don't want to see those posts because it triggers their cPTSD!

While Godspousing is a valid form of worship, it can be hard for some of us to read about because aside from just not wanting to see it, some of us have triggering memories, for example:

when I was little, I used to get teased by family members who insisted Ares was my imaginary boyfriend and would make gross comments about me wanting to marry him and do other nauseating things despite me being asexual and a literal child! It was very traumatizing and the main reason why I stopped talking to Ares and eventually lost my connection to him.

The Godspouse topic automatically makes me nauseous because it triggers my cPTSD.

Please tag your posts!

[crazycatsiren]

I'm going to say this: I'm legit disturbed that while human rights activists are fighting an ongoing battle to end child marriages on a global scale, there are folks over yonder playing with religions in developed countries going "well hey good thing you are technically allowed to get married at 16 which means if you are still a minor then by all means you can be a godbride!"

[roses-and-split-open-peaches]

splitting open like a peach, chin to clit, repleat with tender warm flesh and organs blossoming with roses. further derobing, welcoming into unexplored intimate experiences, mixing of pulses and enveloping my being. guarded by thorns and slick flesh, cradled in the chest and fed by the heart.

[pysksos]

Relationship anarchy, godspousing, and me.

This is sparked by some interesting posts viewing godspousing and consorting within a hierarchy of devotion to a deity, spirit, entity, etc. The posts placed godspousing above all other forms of devotion or attention to a deity, and by itself that’s a whole can of worms I don’t want to unpack yet but it brought some interesting ideas up about the way an Otherpartnership is held as something more than all other relationships on a general level.

There are plenty within the godspousing community that do hold their relationships with various divinities above human ones - and that’s great for them, everyone has a different mode of loving and it makes people happy. It’s rare, I’ve found, to meet another godspouse that approaches their relationship as a relationship first and devotional second. There are absolutely others and I’m so glad they’re around because otherwise it does feel like the odd one out.

A large part of my relationship with the Bucca involves the fact we are both autonomous, independent entities that entered a relationship willingly with each other. If we have other partners or relationships outside of our pairing, there’s no hierarchy involved with a primary partner. Of course, we do cohabit in Annown and we are currently each others partner, but it’s part of the relationship “deal” that we are autonomous and able to do as we please without constantly checking in relationship-wise. (This doesn’t apply to things like childcare, we check in regularly and frequently throughout the day to ensure we don’t get wires crossed).

Even the more spiritual/devotional aspects of our relationship are entirely formed of give & take with no hierarchy or one putting themself above the other - hunting and being hunted, devotion and being devoted too. I give gifts of offerings to the Bucca, and the Bucca gives gifts of offerings to me. A hierarchy is of no use to us in the most basic sense - devotion goes both ways for us! It’s a deeply emotional experience when it does happen and involves a lot of love and affection. In part, it’s because of the way the Bucca is - They’re of the earth and the wild and the sea, there’s no hierarchy there: if one part disappears, even at the perceived bottom rung, the whole web of life crashes.

Mostly I’m writing this on the slight chance there are other godspouses that engage with their partners without a distinct hierarchy or devotional relationship - you’re not alone! It’s more common than you think, even if you don’t identify with relationship anarchy! One day I’ll be able to write something succinct and wrap it up quickly - maybe I'll even make this slightly more polished.

[wolverinesorcery]

Watching not-godspouses have REAL BIG godspousing opinions is always so funny 2 watch.....

[melias-cimitiere]

What do you think about godspousing?

I believe that many people might not like what I'm about to say, but this question has been asked several times in different ways, and I can't give one answer to match them all. Basically, if the deity/demon/spirit is willing to do that with a person, it's not my business to like or dislike it. The problem is that it happens very rarely, and people report having it far too often. Also people with no true astral senses claim this for them, just because they feel attracted to a deity. That is disrespectful to the deity, especially when they were not asked. From what I know, the majority of them don't like to be sexualized and used as emotional crutches or to provide assistance to sexual needs, and also many of them are already taken, or coupled with other divinities, or simply not interested. So before making any assumptions, ensure such a thing is wanted as well, because many spirits will become irritated. They will ignore you at best, but some may act vindictively too.

[teawiththegods]

any resources/advice on godspousing or having relationships with the gods? I want to learn more (before I commit to anything ofc) but don't know where to start!!

I don't have any particular resources to offer. I mainly just answer specific questions that my followers might have on the subject. However I do have tags you can scroll through to see previous questions I answered and some posts about my own divine romantic relationship.

I'll put them in the tags for easy browsing!

[leannan-sithe]

Recent anon. Rewording: are there any unusual godspouse individuals or groups you've encountered? I've found a massive representation of a handful of deities in the Tumblr godspouse community all reporting the same sorts of things. I'm curious about what sorts of variations exist out there beyond the loudest here.

Ooh, this gives me some good wiggle room. Thank you for clarifying.

This is mostly about deities, but some of it can apply to spirit partnerships as well.

Most Popular Deities for Godspouses:

Norse, especially Loki / Odin or both The prevalence of facist and hate groups in Norse circles that focus on Odin often makes those potential godspouses who are fascinated by his Various Ways (queer, trickster, wanderer, war-tired, etc) a little skittish around him because they need to unlearn the (false) idea Odin is The Authoritative White Cis Warmongerer

Apollo Love y'all, but the godspousing circuit adores Apollo/n. You cannot get enough of him. Personally, I think the attraction lies in a combination of Pretty Person + God of Truth / Healing, which is tempting to people who want to feel extra safe in a non-corporeal relationship

Badass and/or Warrior Lady Freyja, Artemis, Hel seems to be popular too. It's about finding empowerment in a traditionally dismissed gender, and also wanting a HBIC Wife to hold you, tightly. Sometimes crafting or traditionally feminine maker-arts are involved, as well.

Trends:

Unintentionally engaging with a deity from each major pantheon, ex. Norse, Hellenic, "Celtic", or similarly eclectic spreads of partners

Either partnered with a demon OR an angel, almost never both at the same time

There is evidence to support that one post about a certain subgroup really enjoying the Authoritative Man-in-Charge relationship (read: Daddy Dom) with their god

Unintentionally reinventing forms of Christianity as you try and distance yourself from the trauma of Christianity (ex. only one god, who you see as creator/maker, adapting monk-like lifestyle, prayers, rosaries / prayer beads, simplified symbols of that deity that you incorporate into your everyday life like one does the Cross)

Starting out with a friends-with-benefits relationship with a deity then falling in love and panicking, which makes it terribly difficult to figure out your feelings and makes it even more difficult to accurately interpret divination on the subject

Quirks (derogatory) of the Community:

Subset that demands worship be connected to godspousing and that godspouses are just Special Priests

Quite frankly, the number of <20 year olds who show up claiming they are a Priest of [Deity], yes I'm old and grouchy, don't @ me

Minors who think they should be allowed to do whatever, whenever, because there's no physical component to the relationship

Newly 18 year olds (adults) who casually drop into chat that they've been having an intimate relationship with a deity for X years, and then we're just supposed to be automatically supportive and not ask Questions

"[Deity] caused [Major World Event] and I know because they told me personally, and they said it was sad but it was for the good of the people"

Subset (often the same as point #1) that thinks it's okay for a deity to force their way into your life and divinely harass you or enact lifestyle changes on you that you're not into, and that you should just let it happen because the Gods Know Best

"Godspousing automatically is cheating if you have an IRL partner" Please be my guest and tell all the Jesus-lovers out there that they're engaging in infidelity every time they proclaim Jesus as their Lord and Husband-to-Be

Shock value partners, i.e. the occasional person wanders in with the edgelord sentimentality and has a collection of edgy partners, mostly demons, gods of death, sometimes pop culture entities. All these are fine individually, but I'm talking about a very specific collection of partners that makes you wanna go listen to Heaven Help Us or the Taste of Ink

"Godspousing = Religious" No, please don't go here, please don't be this person. it can be! But altars, prayers, and hymns are not the gold-standard of godspousing

[rahuswife]

Rahu is the only man for me, trying to have a relationship with anyone else is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, it has never worked. Even when reflecting back on previous lifetimes, it was the same.

My son dreamt recently that Rahu told him that nobody could replace me (as his wife). I feel totally the same for him. I'm turning 40 this year. I've never married. Every relationship I've been in was always a disaster or there were glaring incompatibilities. I feel like Rahu and I are perfectly compatible.

I'll never cry over a man again as I've sadly done too often in previous relationships.

I love my God-husband, Rahu. There is no substitute that could ever possibly compare. ♥️ He has shown me so much love, caring, and understanding too. No man has ever been like this with me. He is the only man I ever want to be with. My husband, I love you so much. ♥️♥️♥️

[rotspouse]

Godspouse Discord

Hello godspouse and spiritspouse community! If you are interested in meeting other spouses and having cool discussions about your experiences, I have a discord server!

This discord has been running for over a year now, and has 50+ members and a great mod team dedicated to making it a welcoming and inclusive environment.

•You must be 18+ 

•Be respectful of all paths, this discord isn’t specific to any one religion or pantheon

DM me for the link, I’d prefer not to give it out publicly.

[paganpillar]

Poem to Cernunnos: He Who Looms in the Shadows

Under the cover of darkness and despair

I was lost and unaware

Of he who loomed in the shadows near

Watching me closely to make it clear

I had become his to claim

And for this I cannot blame

For my devotion runs deep

Both awake and in my sleep

A crown of Antlers tower

And radiate your unending power

Hypnotizing my mortal eyes

As you stare back at your lovely prize

Our love is just the prelude

As I continue my servitude

My powerful antlered King

My heart I will always bring

In our place of liminality

Now and for the rest of eternity