Wicca recognizes the gender polarity of universal energy. The terms “God” and “Goddess” are used to reflect these two aspects. The Goddess if usually given more emphasis, and sometimes the God is left out altogether (such as in the Dianic tradition), but I think this is partially (or wholly) due to two things: a backlash against the dominant patriarchal religion (Christianity), and the overwhelming number of female witches. However, this unequal approach does not resonate with me. I am a woman, and for this reason I may have more of an affinity for female energy and identify with it more readily, but this is no reason to discount or downplay male energy. I recognize the gender division as symbolic only, and don’t consider energy itself to have any particular sexual quality, although it may express one gender more than another at any given time. To me, the God and Goddess are simply conventionalities that I use to describe Universal energy, which as a whole may be difficult to deal with. For this reason, I don’t always feel that it’s necessary to make this distinction, but sometimes it can be helpful.

    For example, performing a spell to get pregnant would ideally work with both the God and the Goddess, since male and female are required for pregnancy. A spell to reduce the effects of PMS would work with the Goddess, and a spell to overcome erectile dysfunction would work with the God. Conversely, a spell to increase spiritual fulfillment would have no inherent gender associations, and therefore dividing the Universal energy would not necessarily make the spell easier or more effective.

    Each deity is divided into multiple aspects, or archetypes, that reflect their different characteristics and associations. For the Goddess, these are the maiden, mother, and crone. For the God, they are the Oak King (Yule to Midsummer) and the Holly King (Midsummer to Yule). However, the God can also have three aspects, as the Goddess traditionally does: youth, father, and sage. The God and Goddess are seen as either mother and son or lovers, depending on the time of year, but each of these relationships is symbolic, not literal.

    The Goddess is associated with the moon, so her archetypes correspond to the phases of the moon (maiden: new/waxing, mother: full, crone: waning). The God is associated with the sun, so his two aspects correspond to the pattern of day length (Oak King: increasing, Holly King decreasing). The God and Goddess are also associated with the wheel of the year (maiden: spring, mother: summer, crone: fall/winter; youth: spring, father: summer, sage: autumn/winter). In the winter (specifically, at Yule), the Goddess is the mother of the God and gives birth to him; in the spring, they are young and growing into adulthood; in the summer they become lovers and inspire the fertility of nature; in autumn they become elders, approaching death as nature declines and daytime becomes shorter.

    It is important to understand that these are not intended to be considered as different deities. They are simply different aspects of the same energy. Men and women play very different roles at different stages in life, and by differentiating between these within the deity, we allow for a greater level of identification with deity. The concept is often referred to as a diamond: cut diamonds have many facets, and by looking at each you can discern different characteristics of the diamond, but the diamond itself doesn’t change regardless of how you look at it.

    Initially, I had a very difficult time coming to terms with deity. I came from a Baptist Christian background and had spent the first 17 years of my life worshipping an all-powerful, all-knowing, omni-present God that I never actually connected with. Many years of feeling isolated and solitary within my religion, without contact with deity, cultivated a sense of independence and, eventually, culminated in a disbelief in deity altogether. As my interest in witchcraft grew, I learned about the Goddess and her role in Wicca. I was put off by the idea of trading in my almighty male God for an almighty female Goddess. I attempted to practice witchcraft without involving deity, and although it was exciting to be trying something new, I never quite felt like I was getting the “whole picture.” Bad things happened a couple of times while I was “experimenting,” and without a basis of connection with deity (universal or within myself), I became frightened and avoided those practices in the future. But as I learned more, I discovered that there is actually a complete balance between the male and female powers, and that modern Wiccans simply stress the female because that is how they practice. It is not how I practice, though. Part of the wonder of Wicca is the individuality of the religion – even if there was something that every other witch in the world did, you don’t have to if it doesn’t resonate with you.

    So, these are my concepts of deity: I consider the God and the Goddess to be divisions designed to simplify working with Universal energy. No one is more or less important than the other. Gods and Goddesses are not literal, but are otherwise very real – their characteristics, personalities, abilities, gifts, and insights exist and are encompassed within Universal energy, which cannot be limited or deficient. Universal energy contains all possibilities of past, present, and future, and therefore all deities that have been, are, or will be worshipped can be identified within it. If and when I find an aspect of Universal energy that I resonate with, I may adopt it as a patron deity, recognizing that it is that deity’s characteristics and personalities that I identify with and can learn from, but that the pantheon is not limited to this archetype. I recognize the triple Goddess and dual God as they symbolize the wheel of the year and the cycles of life, but do not worship them as being literal. However, when addressing deity, I speak to them as a divine consciousness and respect their personalities and associations, in order to tune into their particular energies.

    I hope this helps you as you come to understand your own concept of deity.