“A” is for Aspecting: Pagan Blog Project

Aspecting deity is similar to possession, but holds a different process: the person aspecting steps back in their being and allows Deity to speak/act through them directly. This is different from full possession in that the person maintains awareness of what the deity is saying and doing through them. In aspecting, it is crucial to outline clear boundaries in what that deity gets to do. Aspecting is most safely done with a trusted partner, and then after some practice with a group. If no partner is available, some limited aspecting can be done in the form of automatic writing.

An issue of Reclaiming Quarterly featured a few articles on the subject of Aspecting and Anchoring, which are all linked from the page below (all of which I recommend for reading):

http://www.reclaimingquarterly.org/86/rq-86-aspect-intro.html

The first time I consciously aspected deity was at a public Samhain ritual, as part of my training with a coven. I was selected to aspect one of the Graeae, and after meditating on the three, identified myself as having the most affinity with Enyo. I find it interesting that of the three, Enyo has her own separate identity as a goddess of war. That Samhain was the last ritual I attended in that coven before embarking on my own separate journey, which sadly did not include ordination with that tradition. I was compelled to return with my husband to Utah, our decision spurred on by a real sense of danger in our living situation (i.e., living in an apartment directly under a crack dealer).

In the ritual, I stood in a circle facing outward with my two sisters, wearing blindfolds to symbolize our blindness. I heard their voices change as they spoke as Deino and Pamphredo. When Enyo came forward within me, I could hear my voice change, become raspy. It was not of my own will, but I allowed it. Through me, Enyo told those present that Horror is a tool to purify your soul. If you face your horrors, your nightmares, they have something to teach you. That they might even want to play with you.

Our horrors are parts of our own consciousness, necessary to give a contrast. They are distorted joys, calling for our attention.

Another aspect experience had by a friend of mine did not go so well. Ironically, in aspecting a goddess of love and pleasure, she gave that deity too much leeway and the goddess took all of it. My friend recalled doing things she would not normally do, dancing in ways she would not normally dance, and drinking too much. I was able to learn from her account before I aspected Enyo that it was important to draw clear boundaries around what I was giving. So I gave my voice, but not my body or my thoughts.

Next Friday, for Part II of this post, I will post some aspected automatic writing that I will do in the coming week. I am not sure who I will be working with, but I am going to attempt contact with Sekhmet, a warrior goddess who I am working with this year; Brighid, a goddess of healing and compassion, who I have come to consider as the patroness of my marriage; and Bel, a Celtic god of light and warmth who I have worked with before but feel I have been neglecting lately.

Do you have experiences with aspecting you would like to share, or questions you would like to put to me or the broader pagan community? I welcome any positive feedback/questions here. Blessed be!