I was recently introduced to the idea of deities (and other spirits/ancestors) as people in your phonebook (as opposed to the 'archetypal master of their sphere of influence' in the traditional sense). And I think this is a super useful way to approach deity work, especially when you aren't sure who to call on.
I think a big part of why this mindset works for me is that I don't really fall into the traditional model of witchcraft. I'm not doing a bunch of spells and invoking deities to do the work for me. I tend to think of that as a more historical view of magic, where the petitioner (me) makes offerings (the bits of the spell), and asks/compels a spirit/deity/ancestor to go out and do the work for me. And honestly I feel like that is becoming somewhat of an outdated model.
For me, it's more like I'm trying to do a thing but I might want some help or advice, so I'll call on a deity sort of like for moral support. I've talked before about how my relationship with deities and spirits is much more conversational. I often think of them in similar categories as I might people, so some are best friends, some are like family (related but not necessarily close), some are casual acquaintances. My interactions with them are definitely flavored by how I relate to them.
And I'll admit, sometimes it's hard to figure out which deity (or spirit) might best fit an issue I'm working on. If I'm having health issues, there are plenty of healing and health deities, but who do I turn to when I'm frustrated by the failings of the internet? Now, I do also believe that the beings I work with are 'living' beings, in the sense that they aren't stuck in their prime time...they are not only aware of the modern world, but embrace it (or not...because of course some people choose to live in the past hehe). So a crafting or smith deity might work for modern tech, but a communication deity might also fit the bill.
What I love about the phonebook mentality is that sometimes you don't want a 'master of the craft' to work with. Sometimes you just want a friend to talk to, or maybe a neutral party. Let's say I was having an issue with my cat. Who might I call about it? Well I could definitely call a vet, but I could also call a friend who has cats. If we turn that thought into a witchy one, I could call on the spirit of cat, a deity who is directly connected to cats or even a deity who maybe has some interaction with cats (but isn't traditionally thought of as a cat deity).
Where I think this concept really shines is when thinking about deities themselves. I never really liked the whole 'list of correspondences' for deities, where you get a list of words that they are linked to. Me, I'm all about the stories. I want to feel like I know them, as people, and then the idea of who to call on makes more organic sense to me.
As a sub-thought on the topic, sometimes it makes more sense to call on a deity that might be a looser fit, but who you might have a better relationship with. If I'm struggling to keep my house tidy and wanting to do some work to help me in that realm, I could definitely call on one of the hearth and home deities...but let's say I don't really work with any of them regularly. Instead, I might call on a more familiar deity (because everyone lives somewhere...right?) and use the familiarity of our relationship to help me....much like I might gripe to a friend for some encouragement instead of hiring a professional house cleaner.
I feel like a lot of modern day practice has evolved, but this is one of those things that we don't really talk about that much. Sure the debate about what deities are exists (are they mystical beings who used to walk the world physically, are they mental archetypes, are they thought forms...), but rarely do I see it followed up on: how does this effect how we work with them?
The fact that we have exposure to deities from all over the world...and all throughout history, means we may have to rethink how we relate to and work with them. Our ancestors had limited exposure, they had their deities, and sometimes knew of the deities of the people near them. But their interaction with their deities was different (I feel) that our interaction with them today (especially based on our understanding of the world around us), and that necessitates a new way of working.
So, if you are struggling with who to call, when you are planing a working, perhaps thinking of it less as invoking a deity and more like phoning a friend (or calling a pro in) will help you find the right fit. Who knows, before long you may find yourself creating a whole new phone book...for deities and other spirits who you work with.
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