When interacting with other pagans and polytheists, I've noticed that we all have slightly different definitions of our relationships with the Gods. Some prefer the term "deity work," and others prefer to use the term "worship." There's also the slightly less mentioned third category: "devotion."
As an omnist I believe in all Gods and divinities, and my belief in them is rooted in their original cultural contexts. As such, my relationships with the Gods differ slightly between pantheons; the nature of my relationships also differs between individual members of pantheons. As I previously mentioned, the three categories of acknowledging the divine that I see mentioned the most frequently are worship, working, and devotional relationships. I see these three words less as distinct categorizations and more as points on a fairly fluid spectrum.
First, there's "worship." I personally define worship as simply honoring the Gods. I like to think of worship as the far left point of the worship-work-devotion spectrum. This type of relationship can include prayer, offerings, devotional acts, and time spent in the presence of the Gods. Worship, in my opinion, has no other goal than spending time honoring the Gods and being in their presence.
I have a 'worship' aligned relationship with several Gods, including Thor. In my relationship with Thor, I frequently give offerings to him and do devotional acts to honor him. I do not have any goals to achieve within my relationship with him; I simply aim to venerate him and give my thanks for his presence in my life. I don't work on any magical or occult 'assignments' (for lack of a better word) with him, but I do call upon him on occasion for comfort or strength. My relationship with Thor is rooted in my adoration and gratitude to him. Worship usually takes up the least amount of my time and energy, and thus I have more room for it in my religious practice. I can usually fit several acts of worship into a single day, and may even honor multiple Gods throughout the day.
I consider deity "work" to be the next 'step up' from worship. A working relationship with the divine takes all aspects of worship and adds on certain 'assignments.' These assignments can be anything from learning new occult and magical skills to enacting healthier habits in your mundane life. The deity may ask you to do these assignments in order to further your knowledge of your craft or to help you to live a thriving personal life.
I have a 'working' aligned relationship with An Morrígan. In my relationship with An Morrígan, I have specific time set aside each week to complete certain tasks she has requested of me. The tasks given to me by the Morrígan are usually related to shadow work or self-reflection. I usually do shadow work by journaling or writing poetry, so I set aside time dedicated to this pursuit in her honor. I also do weekly divination readings with her to check in on my progress and to determine what she would next like me to work on. I also have a working relationship with Freyja. With Freyja, I also have a day set aside for the work she has given me. For Freyja I usually perform acts of self-care, do glamour magic, and strive to improve my self-confidence and self-assurance. Other examples of 'assignment' topics given to me by deities have included research into the occult and polytheism, spellwork and rituals, adapting habits of better self-care, and creative projects. Every endeavor that I dedicate myself to in my working relationships with the divine has served to help me either further my magical practice or to create a healthier mindset and life for myself. Working relationships tend to be more time consuming or draining, so I try to limit the amount of work that I do on a given day.
Lastly, there are devotional relationships. I think of devotional relationships as the far right side of the worship-work-devotion spectrum. Devotional relationships include all aspects of worship and work and take it one step further. Devotional relationships, to me, include an aspect of dedication and added responsibility. The word 'devotion' carries an element of commitment and is not to be taken lightly. Relationships rooted in devotion are often maintained over a lengthy course of time and can be extremely time and energy consuming. For me, devotional relationships take priority over working and worship-aligned relationships because I have consented to dedicate myself to those Gods and to acknowledge them as patrons.
At this point I have devotional relationships with three deities (Apollo, Lucifer, and Diana) but my primary devotional relationship is with Apollo. I have been actively working with Apollo for about two years at the time of writing this, and have been studying to become his priestess for about one year. My relationship with Apollo is the single most important relationship that I maintain, and is also the most involved. I have a daily worship routine with him and usually take a few minutes a day at minimum to engage in the different assignments he gives me. My relationship with Apollo is daily and constant. There are few periods of stagnancy and fewer days when I don't honor him in some form. My relationships with Lucifer and Diana are very similar, but tend to be less intense than my relationship with Apollo. I have been working with Lucifer for over a year now, and with Diana for about six months. I usually work with Lucifer and Diana a few times a week. My devotional relationships also tend to be influenced by my ancestral practice. Apollo, Lucifer, and Diana were very important to my ancestors, and I recognize them as such. My devotion to them is at the forefront of my practice and I spend the most of my time and energy with them.
Worship, work, and devotion can hold some overlap. My relationship with Freyja, for instance, is working-oriented but borders on devotional. I dedicate a great deal of time to working with her, but she has been around for a much shorter time period than I personally define devotional relationships to require; perhaps with time my relationship with her will progress to devotion.
I would like to end on the note that these are my personal definitions of worship, working, and devotional relationships. My writing reflects my own thoughts and my own practice and nothing more.
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