Canaanite and Arabian Paganism

[raze111]

Just wondering if any you there have worked with deities or systems found in Canaanite or Arabian polytheistic religions. It seems that Egyptian/Mesopotamian occult/polytheism have been over-glorified compared to the religion of these cultures.

You do have some Canaanite pagan groups like Natib Qadish, which have been growing in recent years however I've yet to find any dedicated to the pantheons of different Arabian cultures.

Examples by region include :

Fertile Crescent ( Canaanite and Phoenician ) : El ( creator) Baal (thunder/rain), Anat (war), Nikkal (fruit), Yam (sea/chaos), Mot (death)

North Arabian ( Nabataean/Thamud arab) :allat ( mother goddess) and allah rain and creator god, dhu-shura - oracle god, and manat - goddess of destiny.

South Arabian : (Sabaean) Almaqah (male moon god), Wadd (love), and Attar (fertility/rain)

You had the Palmyrine gods and goddess which were a mix of arab, canaanite, and greco-roman influence.

It seems that religions of those cultures over time contributed to the concepts and hierarchies of djinn as well.

[Asurendra]

The OTA or the Church of Hermetic Sciences works with a Canannite pantheon.

[Nahemah]

This:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asherah

Also,Levanah and Deities from the Sumerian pantheon,occasionally.

That do?

[kiss_lamia]

i work with Inanna, Ishtar, Ereshkigal and Asushunamir from the sumerian/babylonian pantheon's sometimes

[raze111]

Interesting to hear some responses. What are your reasons for working with them? I'm still struggling many times to work with gods alone since I'm new to paganism.

More so even though i've read alot on the subject of these religions , the lack or limited info with such god and the lack of a true need to contact them daily for what they originally and potentially represent often adds to the struggle although i've been have short attempts to work on this from time to time. Any suggestions?

[Ramscha]

I have worked with Pazuzu a few times, a very interesting experience I really appreciated.

Interesting to hear some responses. What are your reasons for working with them?

Well, what could possibly be reasons for working with gods, demons, archetypes, spirits, etc.?

the lack or limited info with such god and the lack of a true need to contact them daily for what they originally and potentially represent often adds to the struggle although i've been have short attempts to work on this from time to time. Any suggestions?

Try to get information how the early cultures worshipped them, even though level of information is low. Universities which are specialized in this area might be a good adress since scientific papers give a good input of how the cultural and religious practice was performed (not about the being itself, but about its background), if you lack any other sources. I learned a lot from papers at the University of Innsbruck which has an archeology department and from where I got a few papers about the era of the early Habsburg monarchy.

Another way would be to relie on own gnostic experience, to make a reinterpretation of the practice related to your own impressions you get from those deities. They may lack traditional legitimation, but when working with fictional beings, archetypes or beings where you lack information about, this would be a way you should consider.

For some beings there are already reinterpretations which you could also use, depending of course on your own working style and taste.

Of course you can make a synthesis out of those two methodes.

Ramscha

[kiss_lamia]

More so even though i've read alot on the subject of these religions , the lack or limited info with such god and the lack of a true need to contact them daily for what they originally and potentially represent often adds to the struggle although i've been have short attempts to work on this from time to time. Any suggestions?

Try finding historical and university accounts on the religions, some can be found online while others you have to do some book hunting. Its a good place to start, in order to further delevelop your resources. http://www.academia.edu/ try this site it might have a few academic papers on it

[Ramscha]

ry finding historical and university accounts on the religions, some can be found online while others you have to do some book hunting. Its a good place to start, in order to further delevelop your resources. http://www.academia.edu/ try this site it might have a few academic papers on it

Try to get information how the early cultures worshipped them, even though level of information is low. Universities which are specialized in this area might be a good adress since scientific papers give a good input of how the cultural and religious practice was performed (not about the being itself, but about its background), if you lack any other sources. I learned a lot from papers at the University of Innsbruck which has an archeology department and from where I got a few papers about the era of the early Habsburg monarchy.

Great minds think alike it seems [crazy]

[raze111]

Thanks for the responses guys. I've read quite a lot actually on these subjects from original primary sources and I've searched in my university before in this field in the manner mentioned. But I will always give it another try and search more databases and sites for documents and books.

I guess it comes to being more committed and maybe writing things and goals down, visualization, making more of an effort in rituals perhaps to combat this as well.

It seems hard sometimes when working with archetypes that may seems shallow or general and i think its best to explore that concept alone, especially when one feels skeptical or limited. The point to be how to have a create purposeful personal interaction with what you have when you feel limited rather than forcing yourself for the sake of it.

[kiss_lamia]

Great minds think alike it seems [crazy]

Yes my dear cray crayz have to stick together lool

Thanks for the responses guys. I've read quite a lot actually on these subjects from original primary sources and I've searched in my university before in this field in the manner mentioned. But I will always give it another try and search more databases and sites for documents and books.

I guess it comes to being more committed and maybe writing things and goals down, visualization, making more of an effort in rituals perhaps to combat this as well.

It seems hard sometimes when working with archetypes that may seems shallow or general and i think its best to explore that concept alone, especially when one feels skeptical or limited. The point to be how to have a create purposeful personal interaction with what you have when you feel limited rather than forcing yourself for the sake of it.

hmmm well if your looking for more physical books theres a company known as the Folio Society and they have released quite a few books on the ancient eastern civilisations so you might be able to get the babylonians or the hittites books. i know what you mean but it takes time i think once you start doing you research things beging to uncover, also try mixing it up abit maybe work on researching one deity at a time, and take the chance to take it all in maybe doing some meditation on the specific deity and seeing what things you might get when doing it. perhaps you will get colours, feelings, maybe a certain correspondance.