One place to start is by considering (meditating?) on the many, many names for “god” that have been used through the ages and through the evolution of human beings and their various religions, spiritual practices and insights. Here are a couple of links which provide enormous lists of names:
http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/gods.htm
This one is a long list, actually a list of lists, from a very unusual web source. There are good links here too. Explore and enjoy!
http://ldolphin.org/Names.html
This one is based on names used in the Judeo/Christian Bible; it seems well researched and not too overwhelmingly evangelical.
As an exercise go through some of these lists and pronounce, out loud, the names of gods and goddesses. Can you find commonalities? How would you characterize and categorize these names? How do you feel when you read these names and the descriptions of these deities. Trace names through different cultures. How do these names show up in our 21st century cultures?
And, by the way, this is not a required exercise or “homework”! Our discussion may take an entirely different track on Monday.
Blessings!
Wisdom Connections 