Hi Munchi,
Most early civilizations were polytheistic, which means they worshipped more than one deity. Examples of polytheistic cultures are ancient Egypt and ancient Greece. Deities were seen as active in the everyday lives of the people, reflected in the Sun, the Moon, the Sky, the Earth, etc. Each deity was seen as having particular power over something specific, such as goddess of childbirth or god of writing. Wiccans today acknowledge these concepts of deity and accept all pantheons.
Wiccans accept a duality of deity, worshipping both a male and a female aspect. Although the Goddess is often given more attention and importance, this is probably simple a backlash against the centuries of male-dominated religion. Wicca focuses on balance, both internally and externally. This means that deity is both male and female. How deity is conceived of differs from Wiccan to Wiccan. To many, the God and the Goddess are literal, cognizant beings which exist in the Universe and everything within it. To others, they are representative of the duality present within Nature are simply two aspects of Universal divinity that pervades everything. Deity is expressed differently to everyone, and how you perceive it is how you should worship it.
The Goddess is most often described as the Triple Goddess: The Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The Maiden corresponds to the waxing Moon, beginnings, and youth. The Mother corresponds to the full Moon, motherhood, fertility, and the cycle of life. The Crone corresponds to the waning Moon, endings, wisdom, and death. The God is associated with the Sun, and his life cycles throughout the year as the Sun does. He is born at Yule, the shortest day of the year, and grows to maturity, joining with the Goddess at Beltane, a time of love and fertility. At Midsummer he and the Goddess reign together, side by side, after which the Sun and the God begin to wane. The God grows old and dies, only to be reborn again at Yule. Sometimes the Goddess is seen as aging along with the God, sometimes she is seen as pregnant, her stomach growing as the year wanes.
Many Wiccans choose to work with the pantheon of a particular culture, or even with particular deities within a pantheon, claiming them as patron deities. A patron deity is one that a Wiccan works with exclusively or most often.
Not every Wiccan has a patron deity; those who do often describe finding one as a deity choosing them, rather than the other way around. Working with and communing with deity is a way for the Wiccan to communicate with divinity. Deity can teach us about ourselves and help us grow spiritually. The God and the Goddess are central to Wicca, and they are involved in all Sabbats and Esbats.
For information on specific deities and pantheons, I recommend visiting Encyclopedia Mythica. (it is on the sidebar under "Wisdom Suite"
Try This:
Spend a day or an afternoon in a Natural setting a forest, a river, a lake, the ocean, a mountain, the desert, or even a local park. Spend some time exploring and getting to know the place you have chosen. Walk around and make note of what kinds of plants grow here. Sit quietly and observe your surroundings. Observe the animals and insects that live in this environment and how they behave. Feel the Earth underneath your body and the wind against your skin. Think about the vastness of the Sky above you and the brightness and warmth of the Sun. If there are any clouds, consider how they move across the Sky by the power of the wind, high above the Earth. The Earth beneath you is the Goddess. She is strong and fertile. Her secrets are reflected in the depth of Water. She supports you and all the other creatures that live here. The Sky above you is the God. He provides warmth and light, and impregnates the Earth with His rain. His strength, power, and passion are that of the wind, the rain, and the flaming Sun. Spend some time experiencing deity in this place and time that has been given to you.
Blessings Bright and Dark,
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