The Role of Deity in the Craft
Like many aspects of the Craft, there is no standard mode of belief regarding the role of Deity(s). While Paganism encompasses the full range of belief structures available to humankind, individuals following the Craft will generally fall within two groups: those who believe in a personal deity and those who don't. If this sounds awfully"normal," remember that individuals of the Craft are still a segment of the larger whole of humankind. What is reflected in one will generally be reflected in the other, as well.
Of those whose belief structures do not encompass a personal deity,tribute may or may not be made to an impersonal creator god/dess. For these individuals, the Craft is less about religion and more about a philosophical way of life. For these, the essence of the Craft is rooted in a strong belief in the ability to effect change in one's life through one's own will, without intervention from a higher power.
The flip side of that coin are those in the Craft who do believe in a personal deity. However, even here belief is not homogenous.Pantheism, Polytheism, Humanism, Animism, and Monism, among others, are expressed in the beliefs and actions of these individuals. For them,the Craft is both a philosophical way of living and a spiritual belief system that loosely fits the term "religion."
As a general rule, those following this Path believe in a God and Goddess who represent the masculine and feminine aspects of the universe. Some see these Two as the One made manifest in such a way so as to not exceed our level of comprehension. For others, the God and Goddess are whole and completely separate deities. In both, the Goddess is usually seen as being eternal and constant in Her nature; She is both Destruction and Creation; She who rips away the old to make way for the new. The God is seen as sacrificial in nature; giving up his life force so that Nature can be renewed. Again, these are generalities and not meant to be all-encompassing statements.
An individual following this Path will often call upon deity names which are best known through his own cultural or ancestral context.Thus, someone of Irish descent will feel more closely aligned with the deities of ancient Ireland; someone of English descent with the ancient gods of that land. However, a belief in reincarnation may lead one to the gods of a completely different culture than one's current lineage;as well, one may not feel particularly aligned with any named deities.These latter individuals do not use named addresses, other than referring to them as the God and Goddess or, at the most, as Lord and Lady.
For those of us in the Craft who believe in the Higher Power, we acknowledge the Lord and Lady's touch in everything we see, feel, hear,and taste. We call upon their guidance in our times of need, and rejoice with them in our times of plenty. They permeate every aspect of our lives, for we do not see ourselves as separate from them, but rather we are of them and they are of us. The relationship is all-encompassing as we seek to live in a state of constant awareness of the beauty, depth, and mystery of the Lord and Lady, as reflected in ourselves and the world around us.