Celtic/Wiccan Gods/Goddesses--archetypical concepts or really physical presences? S22

Are Gods archetypical concepts or really physical presences?

I did not write this, but came across it as I was doing some research. It reminded me of a question that Pixie posted last week and I thought this was a pretty good explaination, so I decided to post it.

Within the Celtic belief system, we first of all believe in a Supreme, or Ultimate Deity. This Being encompasses everything, permeates everything, and basically IS everything. But IT is so far beyond the comprehension of human kind, that we simply cannot understand IT. Much like tryingto contemplate the vastness of the Universe, our minds cannot concieve the concepts and distances involved. In looking around us, it becomes apparent that everything has it's opposite; Creation - Destruction, Light - Dark, Positive - Negative, Birth - Death, Male - Female, and so on. Because of this, we perceive two aspects of Being. And as in Nature, it takes both male and female energies to create. Thus to our perception, the Supreme Being is divided into two parts, one Male - positive, light, and aggressive nature, and one Female - negative, dark, passive nature. (Sorry ladies, I did not come up with these ideas and concepts, the Ancients did.) We humans can understand the Moon, the Sun, and the Solar System to one degree or another. Some may even be able to contemplate a Galaxy. But none of us can fully contemplate the Universe. So we have to reduce things to forms that we can understand. And since we cannot contemplate the Supreme Being, we do not think that IT can contemplate us either. Even the separation of the Ultimate Deity into two aspects is beyond the capacity of most of us, so we appeal to lesser deities as concepts that we can understand. Mankind created his gods in his own image. Now thats a switch isn't it? People imbued these ancient deities with human form and characteristics, with human emotions and weaknesses, as well as supernatural strength and abilities. Through the ages, the worship of these Gods and Goddesses has built up a considerable amount of power associated with the NAME of the deity. These deities are like huge resevoirs of power that can be tapped into, and the energies can be used in accordance with the NATURE and ASPECTS of THAT deity. The Gods are concepts, but they also possess form and are real beings because mankind gave them that form and a specific nature. You can actually call the physical presence of a God or Goddess to manifest in physical form OUTSIDE the circle, and you can sit and speak with them just as you would any physical person. In most cases, they take the same physical form that you would expect them to have as according to mythology. So we recognize that the Gods and Goddesses are BOTH archetypical concepts, and physical beings. Physical in the sense of being one and at the same time Astral Beings, and Physical Presences, and/or Entities. And once you stand face to face with God, you will never be the same again.

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