I write everything down. Then we take it all out into the woods in a marked off area and bury it. The next group is the archeology team that discovers the ancient civilization and puts together the information. They dig up the pieces, using screens to find the smaller items, arrowheads, beads, shells, and icons. Then they have to decide the nature of the pieces. They assign meanings to the pictograms, and attempt to decipher the stories. They decide which piece was used for what purpose. Is this a begging bowl or a cooking pot? Who did it belong to, a priestess, a king, or perhaps a peasant who happened to be a pretty good potter?

Finally we bring both groups together and compare notes. The kids learn that archeology is an inexact science. What is more important, they learn about myth making and story telling. I find the most interesting aspect of this activity is how closely the stories coincide. Some are way off, but a surprising number of choices are the same.

Choosing Deites and Pantheons

Personally, I mix and match pantheons and I use any deity that serves my purposes. I don't think in terms of Deites rewarding and punishing me, but in consequences of my actions and of life’s surprises.

I can draw upon a specific talent or energy embodied in any archetype. Rather than taking something from outside myself, I find the source within and expand it. As a result, I only interact with Deites with whom I can identify.

For instance, I have found that using Grandmother Spider and Grandmother Snake when I hike has kept my groups from ever encountering a snake or being bitten by small flying and creeping things -- oh, except for gnats and mosquitoes. They bite out of hunger not fear, and pay absolutely no attention to my will or Grandmother Spider.