Hellenism

[hollow coyote]

I think (from what Ive seen on tt) that some people like shower or wash their hands before doing or giving smth for their deities, idk if thats like necessary (I dont do it 😭)

[ornate tree]

the only reason i would think you would need to is miasma and Lyma but miasma is only like grievous unholy acts like ||murder|| and lyma only really happens through like funerals, contact with the ||dead||, childbirth etc.

not from just like existing

which is why im confused

[hollow coyote]

Ooohhhh, I see on tt that is like, for everything 😭 like if youre sweaty, you gotta wash before talking to the deities

[ornate tree]

unless this is referencing the "Pillars of Hellenismos" which arent historically accurate and were made by a homophobe 💀

[hollow coyote]

😭

Maybe, I see that a lot on tt 😭

[ornate tree]

no yeah i do too & from my understanding ik Khernips were used for cleansings and i can see how some might personally not want to like smell like a gym when they pray but like as someone that is disabled ngl the concept that i have to wash my body before saying hello to my gods is a bit 😬

[visual sequoia]

uhm cleansing is usually something that’s mandatory but there are many ways to cleanse yourself that doesn’t require a shower. washing your hands is fine. breathing in and out to meditate to cleanse yourself spiritually is okay, using diffusers is fine, etc. there are many ways to cleanse yourself but it’s because our mortal being cannot interfere with their divine self

[visual sequoia]

it’s good for greek deities. but there are many ways to cleanse yourself that don’t include washing yourself with water

[ornate tree]

yeah issue is i cant always do any of those

im disabled, mentally ill and have neurological disorders

[visual sequoia]

there are still many ways to do it that can help people with mental issues.. even hand sanitizer works fine ^^

if you have issues with anything i can look up ways in my notes /g

[ornate tree]

so your saying that if i dont do this im worshiping my gods incorrectly? despite never having issues without it before?

/nm /genq

like im not going up to my gods after rolling in a dumpster

but

[visual sequoia]

this is what i have

[ornate tree]

yeah im not aquiring miasma by just living tho. thats what it says

[visual sequoia]

i don’t think what you’re doing is inherently disrespectful but im just saying it’s good to be in a cleaned spiritual state before approaching a divine presence

[ornate tree]

Miasma and lyma are often confused and conflated! But miasma is only really incurred through egregious acts committed against the natural order.

For example, tw for a lot ||murder||, ||sexual assault||, ||incest||, desecration of the sacred and violence.

[visual sequoia]

“While it is mostly conceived or as spiritual pollution resulting from physical actions or states, there is evidence that'an impure mind was also considered problematic, and that worshippers were expected to "think religiously correct thoughts" when approaching the divine.”

[ornate tree]

okay but none of that is simply existing

which is what im stating

[visual sequoia]

“…resulting from physical actions or states…”

doing human things basically

[ornate tree]

and those physical actions are listed above

[ornate tree]

.

[visual sequoia]

that’s for priests not worshippers

[ornate tree]

yeah and worshipers dont just have miasma

[wooden echo]

through my research, i will note, that i've found lyma is gained through everyday life (hence why many in helpol veil), miasma is through those acts, and agos is divine anger and such /info

they're not the same as they have differences

[ornate tree]

miasma is egregious acts

[wooden echo]

yes that's what i said

[ornate tree]

i wasnt talking to you hael/nm

[wooden echo]

ohh i see

sorry

[ornate tree]

Lyma is mostly incurred through the following:

Childbirth

Contact with the dead

Funerals

which is what i said in the first place

and nsfw stuff we cant mention here 🙏

[wooden echo]

that's miasma not lyma /info 😓

[ornate tree]

no thats lyma not maisma

maisma is the egregious acts

lyma is the other

bc if childbirth is an egregious act in the view of the gods idk that this is even a religion worth touching ngl

[visual sequoia]

“Miasma (Latin: Pollutio): The state of ritual impurity. Miasma is a spiritual pollution and subtle energy that can be described as the lingering aura of uncleanliness that various things and actions within the material realm…”

[wooden echo]

lyma is gained through everyday life, not something to be ashamed about since it's natural. Miasma is through acts like those and other violent ones, agos is divine anger and such which is very hard to get /info (this is all from my research and others)

[visual sequoia]

^hellenicfaith.com

[ornate tree]

we have that exact link and i have it open rn

[visual sequoia]

yeah we aren’t denying that /g
just stating you can attain spiritual impurity with being a human

being a human isn’t the same as being divine
which is why it is good to spiritually cleanse yourself before approaching the divine

[ornate tree]

alr ill end that convo here then since it seems im wrong and not willing to really argue about whats considered clean any longer! /gen

also /nm just not something im really willing to talk about anymore

[visual sequoia]

it’s okay! you can also check feltheblithe’s video abt it

[wooden echo]

[ornate tree]

i think im okay for now but thanks for the suggestion /gen
i may look into it later tho

[wheat lake]

that’s what i thought esp since some of the miasma stuff is outdated (in regards to menstruation) and some of those customs were literally bc people had poor hygiene back then and it was a way of encouraging general cleanliness

[wheat lake]

same! i’ve started like just rinsing my hands with a bottle of water bc i fear my hands are always covered in paint but a full body cleanse to light incense is definitely interesting to me

[ornate tree]

ah like i mentioned im not really willing to have the convo anymore but i respect the view points! /gen

[wheat lake]

i’ve had no problem w not doing the whole thing so far so i don’t get it but i respect it

[wheat lake]

apologies i haven’t read everything yet so im sorry if dredged it up again however i agree with your view! /gen

[ornate tree]

nope your okay /gen

[hollow coyote]

Athena's malta tab collection may be getting a bit big 😭 😭 😭

[visual sequoia]

I say you put them in a little container or a baggie

[limber parcel]

This is stunning

[ornate tree]

WOWOWOWOWOW

posideon was like Yeah we love the moon and what

[wheat lake]

WOAHHH

[gritty mason]

Guys I just made the dopest hermes beads but I can't share them yet

[wooden echo]

ooooo

[gritty mason]

Gold, white, and green themed

[hollow coyote]

Yall, I found the greates thing for Tykhe

It has dice inside so double win

[ornate tree]

omg big dice

[hollow coyote]

It has five little dice inside

https://tenor.com/view/chaosteam-chaos-fox-renard-fire-gif-12542648581182039993

[ornate tree]

omg

[gritty mason]

What should add to these for Artemis? Thinking a dark blue

[ornate tree]

ooo a dark blue or a dark green (help with the "hunt" vibes?)

[gritty mason]

I fear the green would pull it more dionysus

But i do have some dark Sodalite left

[ornate tree]

oh fair!

oh a brown could also work if you have like deep brown beads?

offset the warm tones of the off white beads and still tie in earthy tones

[gritty mason]

Okay there we go!!!

[ornate tree]

oooo yessss

[safe sequoia]

could anyone who works w both Aphrodite and Artemis give us some advice? im ngl im struggling rn a bit

it's just silly stuff like questions abt altars

[torn egret]

I work with just Aphrodite! we also have resources in #1114061252247945320 and some in https://discord.com/channels/599776551306788874/1114061636744007720

[ornate tree]

whats up? i have had working relationships with them both!

[safe sequoia]

its a really silly question and maybe i shouldn't be asking this at all here, but since we switched hosts recently our mind has been all over the place trying to balance everything so i apologize in advance
SO, in case of altars, if i wish to worship them both as my main deities - do i need to keep their spaces separated ? i really want to worship lady Artemis, but unfortunately i dont know if i have enough space yet to do separate altars

[ornate tree]

short answer: nah not unless you want that

longer answer: you dont really need separate spaces as historically people that practiced hellenismos tended to worship the entire pantheon and not just individual deities so shared altars were fairly common.
the idea i think of completely separated altars/sacred spaces tends to be built on devotee spaces or temples but like your not creating a temple you are creating a space in your home to honor them.

If you want to know if they would be okay with it you can always ask them but as someone that lives in my family home in a single bedroom with 14+ gods and altars, some of them just have to share as thats all i can do and they understand that

[safe sequoia]

i see !! tysm ^^

[last canopy]

so i have worked and worshipped deities before and devoted myself to deities before but I always wanted to get into worshipping and praying to Lord Hades but never did - to everyone who worked with / works with / worships / devotes themselves to Hades : how has your worship been? your experiences?

^ plus i guess im just nervous since its been a while since I've gotten back to being in a worship situation with a deity again after I lost connection with my spirituality haha

[ornate tree]

for me: hes like an old man that is your coworker but like chill like a cool grandpa that was really into rock n roll back in the day?

He was the first deity that ever reached out to me when I was first starting deity work! i had a very solid relationship with him for about 2 years, and then I slowly started seeing him pull back. And while he was doing that, I was also starting to get into worshiping other entites (aphrodite and lucifer) i had asked if this meant that it was a sort of end to our working relationship and he gave an indication that was "yes, we're gonna be parting ways from here on out."
So I packed up his altar, and I put his things away. then about thirteen months later i started thinking about him in the way that I would before, and i kept finding things to put on his altar as well as taking his things out of storage and sort of like wanting to connect with them more. which to me was like, really weird cuz? I'd never done that before, so I pulled the cards out asked and yup it was him!

pretty much he wanted to be sure that I had the proper time and energy to be able to expand my practice with the deities that were entering my life and stepped back from our practice in order for that to happen.

It's one of the most profounding things that i've had happened to me in my practice, and it's just solidified the idea that I always want him on my team, because he understands me to an extent that i appreciate.

WOW THATS A LOT SORRY

[last canopy]

YOOO THANK YOU FOR THIS

AHH im really scared but im also excited to worship him, i usually dont reach out to deities anymore like i used to so this is like a big step for me

[cedar radish]

the description of like older coworker chill grandpa into rock and roll made me imagine a older man on a motorcycle blasting rock n roll (silly)

[last canopy]

LOOL

[ornate tree]

i hope you have just as amazing of experience as I did. I know that he tends to be a very father figure type person for a lot of folks

I don't personally assign parental roles to my deities for my own comfortability, but I can see how he would reflect that way for a lot of

[last canopy]

thank you so much oli :(( yes i hope this goes well!! i want to do everything properly this time because last time i rushed everything and didn't devote time or anything to my deities and that made me feel horrid

[cedar radish]

liek this

[last canopy]

HSAJHAHA

[ornate tree]

see yes but also kinda no wait lemme find

Okay, it's like this, but like more old man, I hope that makes sense

Like just an older steven tyler 😭 😭

and like i mean like vibes not 100% exactly but
If i'm being completely honest, he reminds me of my grandpa, and my grandpa is like pretty much steven tyler, just older, shorter hair and less accessories 😅

[golden moth]

Does anyone have any experience with Poseidon?

[ornate tree]

I used to be like super obsessed with him because I wanted to be percy jackson's sibling 😔😔😔

but i dont personally work w him

[golden moth]

[last canopy]

Me TOO

[ornate tree]

my name was Percilla (like percy) and i was also half mer-person 😔

[last canopy]

I went by perseus for the LONGEST time

[wheat lake]

Have y’all got any tips for moving altars/is there anything I need to know in regards to moving Hellenic ones?

My boxes are here so my Persephone and Dionysus altar are either gonna be packed last or first depending on how I closet it

[ashen fable]

I took a longggggggggg(like 3 months) break from worshipping and now I'm so nervous to get back😭

[fluid solar]

I'm sure the Theoi will welcome u back with open arms if you do so with sincerity and respect !! /gen i also took a long break (like all year lol) to sort some personal stuff out and Ive returned without issue

[ashen fable]

I'm in Greece rn and made the grand mistake of buying 5 of those small statues(Apollon, Athena, Hestia, Hera and Zeus). My weak ass Barely carried them all home my arms are SHAKING.

Oh but they gave me a free Hermes, Demeter and Hestia magnets

[ornate tree]

RIP 😭

[tranquil bronze]

i made lord apollo a photocard style portrait and decorated the toploader

peep his altar

[ornate tree]

CUTE! omg this is so funny " who's that k pop idol in your top loader? No one, it's my gods" 😭

[tranquil bronze]

i have one of lady aphrodite as well hahahahahaha

[fickle jolt]

Hey, erm, I wasn't exactly planning on asking- But can someone give me a few tips on how to discretely worship the Gods? I don't have a lot of things to work with and my parents are strictly Christian. I'd really appreciate the help though.

[ornate tree]

kachow

oh hi lys

[shell musk]

you should check out #1114059754709450753 !!

oh hi

[ornate tree]

🧠

[fickle jolt]

Tysm!! 😄

[vestal mountain]

so i’m thinking of getting into hellenism but i don’t really know what it’s all about what the deity’s in hellenism actually mean could someone possibly help me like apollo

[ornate tree]

could you explain a bit by what you mean when you say "what the deities in hellenism acutually mean?"

[slow pendant]

I work with Apollo but i would also need some clarification on what you mean with that as well

[vestal mountain]

like i what do they represent cause i know some represent something in nature

or that’s what i have been told

[slow pendant]

Do you mean their aspects/associations?

https://screeching-0wl.tumblr.com/post/666941891730915328/a-guide-to-worship-of-apollo-cheat-sheets
^this is a good cheat sheet about Apollo, he is the god of the sun but also has alot more associations than this.

Theres also Theoi which has a good intro on the gods, here's Apollo's section: https://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Apollon.html

Also this server has some good resources on the Hellenic gods including Apollo:
#1114061252247945320 message
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AWDfj-u3IiciY3sDejG0xc_rYVfExJsfV9L4-9ACXuw/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.r1xgbxdc0b44 (server resource doc on him)

They have alot of epithets depending on what aspect you are calling on. For example Apollo has many, including ones associated with music, healing, the arts, prophecy, etc

I just recommend reading more in these sources to get an intro overview on him.

[slow pendant]

just pinging so you see the resources above

[vestal mountain]

thank you!

[slow pendant]

Of course hope it helps!

[river ember]

it’s so silly to me that some people can call my religion like that evil or something but im just doing a little dancey dance to my fav music to honor Dionysus

like cmon dude

[tranquil bronze]

quick question abt prayer positions,, when praying to queen persephone, does the position differ for when she's in the underworld and vice versa? im planning on praying and honouring her to mark the beginning of spring where im from

and im not sure if im supposed to be facing down or up since usually i see ppl praying to her face down?

[ornate tree]

hm ngl i dont take position into account for most deities. im not sure its something that was done or distinguished historically, since there isnt much that was agreed upon across the board when it comes to hellenism

[unreal wren]

i have… what might be a silly question. ive been slowly going down the path of figuring out which figures i feel connected with /called to etc and im not there yet but im curious.. how does one deal with/handle if their diety has done /is associated with things that morally bother you? i may be wording this poorly. specifically, ive always had a strong connection to orion, but i have a hard time with knowing the merope myths and am not sure if i would need to do anything to address that issue if i became a follower or if it is standard practice to ignore / avoid mythos that contradicts morals?

(im also very new to looking into hero worship, i know its a bit different, but my question extends to issues with mythos relating to gods as well)

[ornate tree]

So this comes down to in part myth literalism. You arent supposed to take their myths as 100% fact but view them as lessons that people learn from.

Zeus is depicted as a serial cheater and has a corrupt use of power, bc Kings while powerful and strong are also often corrupt beings. Aphrodite is depicted as both pretty and harsh bc love is something that brings joy but in part also brings war. The "lesson" that Orion's myth tells in part is one of respecting the will of the father and that use of that kind of force against women can cause serious and horrible outcomes.

So take the myth not as literal but more so: these heros and gods are used to tell stories that are understandable to those that are practicing within the religion

[unreal wren]

that makes a lot of sense! thank you so much 🙏 i feel a bit better now

[ornate tree]

they can and do exist outside of them

no yeah and that makes sense to feel weary!

[inland karma]

So quick question, what’s y’all’s form of divination? If y’all do divination ofc 🙂 my personal form is pendulums, but I’m really interested in hearing of others methods!

Just realized there’s a divination area 🤦‍♀️

Nvm!!

[wheat lake]

For myself tarot and when working with Dionysus: dice, tarot and cartomancy then Persephone has only been a dream- I haven’t really developed a divination method with her but I have a feeling it would be dreams after offerings as the most consistent method! I hope that helps

[wheat lake]

Yeah but if you have divination questions in relation to Hellenism here can’t hurt!

[slow pendant]

i personally do these forms of divination right now: tarot, oracle cards, runes, greek letter divination (still learning this form but have been interested in it for a while), scrying with wax and water. i have a coin for yes/no divination but i dont prefer this form, same with pendulums, i have one but i dont normally use them since i just dont have a connection with them like i do with other forms. Additionally, I have a charms casting set that i created but i havent had the proper time to sit down with the set and all so its very rare that i use this form tho i do like how it challenges my intuition as it has alot less structure than other forms of divination and also highly personal and customizable too

[golden moth]

I do pendulum, tarot, oracle, libanomancy, and i'm starting to learn bone throwing

Oh I also sometimes do dice

[inland karma]

Thank you all!!

[trim ermine]

What kind would you recommend for the fates?

[wheat lake]

In reference to what?

[trim ermine]

Nevermind I got the answer I was looking for

Now quick question, if a deity is hypothetically watching you, how would you know

Like without a doubt

[wheat lake]

Hm probably by divining? But I’m raised Christian so I kinda subscribe to the whole “they’re always watching in some way” I see it more as they’re always watching but their focus might not be tunnelled on you in that moment - hence their ability to not know everything and why you need to build familiarity and a relationship!

[trim ermine]

Okay, well what if like, the 3 goddesses that can literally have me ||die|| right now are watching me, and it's not a good thing

How do you know

What if I'm Noah but gods like "close your eyes and see fire, boom that's your hint"

[wheat lake]

Slightly off topic but you please edit your messages to spoiler mentions of ||death|| and tw in regards to ||existential threats|| and apply that forward in continuation with Rule 10: Content Warnings

[trim ermine]

Okay

[wheat lake]

If I’m being honest I don’t really understand? Would they not watch everyone not just you as that’s their domain? /gen

[trim ermine]

I mean no because the 3 sisters share 1 eye but other than that maybe

They take turns being able to see

[zealous jungle]

hi, i’m still a little confused unfortunately 💔 are you wondering how to figure out whether or not you’re being watched by this deity?

[wheat lake]

Understood, would they not see everyone when they take turns? So is it possible that it could be less that the deity is targeting you specifically and more that you might be aware of them watching you as they watch everyone?

[trim ermine]

Yes

[trim ermine]

Then why would I know that they're watching me but I can't with anyone else

[wheat lake]

Could you expand on what you mean by this please?

[trim ermine]

If every deity sees everything, and that's why I can tell the Moirai are watching, then why can't I sense Poseidon or Zeus watching me

[wheat lake]

I think I would refer to my above statement about tunnelling with that? Also it could be entirely possible that this isn’t something awful but a starting point to build a deeper relationship with them if you want to?

[trim ermine]

Ig I can try that

[zealous jungle]

couldn’t it also be a thing of them purposefully making themselves known?

[trim ermine]

I don't know why they would care to reveal themselves

[wheat lake]

Possibly, it could symbolise that they’re watching over you in a positive light

[trim ermine]

But I think the Moirai extended my life in some way, because I fainted in the bathroom, and I'm still here

And the door was locked

[zealous jungle]

well, like mercury mentioned, it could symbolize a want for a deeper relationship

[trim ermine]

I should NOT have lived there

So if that was you fates, thank you

[mellow narwhal]

Sorry what was the initial question?

[pastel ledge]

Iirc the moirai also have deep connections to Zeus as hes the only one mythologically speaking that can sway them when it comes to fate. I would look into that or gods associated with the moirai too like
Also though, having a near death experience is intense and it could have been imagery that particularly stuck with you in that moment, or even being reminded of your own mortality in that moment. Theres no way to definitively know if specific gods are watching you and what specific images and feelings can mean can vary wildly from person to person.
iirc the fates are borderline omnipresent, but theres also a lot of nuance to them and their unique abilities so Id look into it more.

[trail plinth]

I'm a relatively new helpol, I left christianity where the focus religiously is really on where you go when you die, and I'm kinda wondering what helpols believe about the afterlife? Is it up to our interpretation/personal beliefs about the afterlife, or whats said in the myths, since I know a lot of helpols consider the myths to be metaphorical? Because I cant find anything rlly talking about it and I was wondering (sorry if i worded it weird)

[lavish flame]

Using my own knowledge plus just looked it up, you go to the underworld where within there it's decided if you go to Tartarus (bad evil), Asphodel Meadows/Fields (which seems to be an equivalent to purgatory or just the place for ppl who didn't do anything too evil or too heroic), or Elysium (cool party place)

But in the Illiad and the Odyssey everyone goes to the same underworld regardless so I would say it's up to your own opinion

[ornate tree]

LMAO

[ocean coral]

Zeus canon furry

[fresh oracle]

sobs???!?!?

[gritty mason]

I am LIVING for these and I have an urge to make something for Athene with them,,,

[wheat lake]

YOOO THIS IS SO COOL

[open mesa]

thats sick am new to all this and just started a dionysus alter and am not sure how to give offering to the gods i usuly just put on the alter and say that its for them

[ornate tree]

tbh thats pretty much how you do it!

[open mesa]

ok nice to know am not alowed to have candles so

[ornate tree]

ah yeah! you could get electric candles in place if thats an option

[trail plinth]

get those little electric tealight candles, you get get them from the dollar store and the batteries actually survive shockingly long for something so small

[ornate tree]

If you're only going to view your prayers as transactional in that you ask for something and then get something in return, purely because you've prayed

That can be a very difficult experience because worship of the gods shouldn't be inherently transactional.

If all you want is to work with them, that's one thing. But if you're hoping for a sense of connection or a relationship with them, you have to be willing to understand that not all of your prayers are going to go answered and at times none of them will.

The only way that you can really know whether or not you are disappointing them is by asking them directly.

But it's often going to be the case that it's not because you're disappointing them, but it's because you're setting expectations high and then they're not being fulfilled in a way that you want them to be.

[zealous jungle]

then is it a matter of it not happening straight away?

[ornate tree]

But if you're praying for things, and you're hoping that that's something that you get answers from in terms of getting something that is transactional.

The whole basis of your worship is that you receive something, that's a transactional relationship.

Okay, well then the question is, as Millie asked, is it a matter of it not happening straight away, or within a time frame that you think is adequate.?

So i'm gonna be completely real. i get that.I a hundred percent understand where you were coming from.And what this feeling is like.

But it seems like what you need is a therapist and specifically to speak with a counselor of some sorts to better help you navigate this kind of issue.

Because otherwise you will crash and burn out and no longer want to be in school.

Turning to gods, magic and spirituality can be fulfilling for some people when handling issues like this. But if it's causing you more stress on top of the stress from school, which it clearly looks like it's going to be because you're not getting the answers that you're hoping for, then, you need to strictly turn to mundane help because magic can't fix issues like medical depression.

And based on the other messages that you're sending in the beginners chat, it seems like you're going the route of burning yourself out on both ends instead of stopping and focusing on one end.

Then, you need to continue to speak with them about this.

Because adding stress to your already stressful life through things like non working magic and no answers from your spiritual team isn't going to help you long term.

If you disagree, that's entirely fine. and i'm genuinely wishing you the best on all fronts. but this seems like a very stressful issue for you, that is going to continue to add stress.

Cuz things aren't working and you're not getting answers and it's getting frustrating and if you become frustrated with your own practice can end up hating this and no longer wanting to work within it

If this isn't something that you want any more of my advice for I'll go ahead and end the my part of the conversation here (and the other channel)

As I mentioned, i'm wishing you the best of luck on all fronts and we do have #🐚hotlines if needed.

[zealous jungle]

correct me if i’m wrong, but it sounds more of a clarity issue that you may need to address when turning to spirituality

[ornate tree]

And I completely get where you're coming from, but throwing things like spirituality and religion to a wall to hope that it will help pull you out of the slump that you're in and constantly getting negative answers seems like it's not working for you.

Which is why i'm saying that this might not be something that will work for you in the short term.

You're having negative interactions with this space through both your magic and your worship, to the point where you think that you are disappointing your gods because you aren't getting the answers that you are hoping for.

I'm not saying that you're being irresponsible by turning to spirituality, i'm stating that spirituality may not be the gateway that you are hoping it is because it's only going to be adding more stress.

[zealous jungle]

you mention that you’re not entirely sure where you need to be so you’re just throwing things at the wall. it sounds like uncertainty

[ornate tree]

In what aspects are you feeling that it's lonely and terrible?

Is it possible that this is lingering from any sort of religious trauma that you may have endured previously? ( an example being a part of a church before, and now no longer having that sense of community )

[zealous jungle]

your feelings are incredibly valid. from what i’m understanding, it sounds like there’s a disconnect between you and your religion. your faith shouldn’t be something you have to prove is good for yourself, it’ll just feel superficial in a way (if that makes sense)

[ornate tree]

Then, it may be that you need to take a step back?

Reevaluate what you want out of your practice and decide if right now, this specific path is working for you. because if it's not, there is no requirement that you have to keep going and if you feel like it's not giving you what it is that you're looking for it's okay to put it down.

This isn't saying that you are giving up on trying but just that you're stepping back for a little bit and reevaluating both your needs and your wants from your practice.

Like millie said, and as i've mentioned, it shouldn't be something that you have to continue to stress yourself out about in order to achieve a significant practice.

And also, if i'm going to be completely honest, a lot of people exaggerate the experiences that they have with their gods and their deities.

I'm not saying that they are all completely liars, but I don't actively speak to any of my gods like one on one conversations, i speak almost entirely through tools.

So when I say "speak to gods" i mean pull out a card.

can rhat card be influenced by my personal bias. Yeah totally.

I've completely and entirely acknowledged that none of this might be real and I just might be making it up in my head, which is completely fine.

[zealous jungle]

it’s understandable to want to find yourself through religion but forcing it upon yourself to the point where you’re on the brink of burn out is doing more harm. like oli said, even if you don’t know what you want right now, taking a step back from your practice might provide more clarity than you can expect now that you’re solely focusing on figuring these issues out

[ornate tree]

I'm not necessarily sure that i can say anything else that will help so this might be my final message ( it's also, like twelve a m and I have to be awake in like three hours ):

Throwing all of your eggs at a wall and hoping something sticks is not a good idea, because eventually you will run out of eggs, and if nothing has stuck, then you're kind of left in the same spot that you started in.

I think, what this space as a server can provide you with may not be what you are hoping for, and if it's not, i'm very sorry and i'm wishing you the absolute best on whatever path you decide to go down.
Even if you stop the practice bits, we as a community may be something that interests you still.

We as a community can only do so much to help provide you with resources and clarity, but ultimately, your practice is yours not ours, so only you can really decide if it is or isn't working.

There's nothing to apologize for!

I'm not trying to say that you can't talk about your experiences just that I may not be the person that will adequately be able to help you

You're going through a hard time right now and that's entirely understandable!

As a mod, if I felt like it crossed a line, I definitely would have put a stop to it but I don't think that you did anything here that warrants that.

[austere shore]

i've read that when praying to ouranic gods you have to be standing up but ive also read other sources saying you could kneel. the altar i was gonna place is on our tv stand which is quite low, having to kneel to be in eye level. so is kneeling allowed for praying to ouranic gods ??

[zealous jungle]

kneeling is okay! i’ve seen other worshippers kneel as they hold their hands palm upwards for ouranic deities

[shell musk]

you can pray however you want to /gen

[trail plinth]

I was thinking about Athena while in the shower and when I got out I found a spider in the bathroom 😭 I hate spiders but hi to athena I guess??

[lavish flame]

I just remembered i finished an essay today I think Athena would be proud so imma watch domesticated owl videos

Oh and I made a joke about giving an offering to Artemis cus my classmates were making me hangry and my classmate goes "with how this hunting season is going, I fucking might!"

[trail plinth]

Very big mood tbh I should be watching more domesticated owl videos for her

[torpid iris]

As a devotee of Athena , spiders don’t usually resonate with Athena. It’s mostly Owls.

[ornate tree]

It is important to note that different people have different associations with gods of various means!

Spiders are known through her and her lore, so it is common to associate them with her!

[torpid iris]

I guess that’s true. I do remember the few times she turned into a spider is when she would get angry so that def could be an association

[ornate tree]

And she's known for the arachne myth, which she turned another person into one

[torpid iris]

That’s right she did . I forgot she did 💀

[slow pendant]

Outside of that myth (but also something brought up in the myth), Athena is also known for crafts and weaving/she has epithets for that (one being E′RGANE). This is also very spider like in nature as spiders weave webs so that can be an association with her outside of upg associations or Arachne myth

[finite merlin]

MYTH

oh

[haughty hearth]

Hi myth lol

[shut oriole]

I just looked and it's been a year since I showed hermes prayer beads but I finally got aphrodites done! It kinda makes me wanna make like a matching necklace...

Flash cause the lighting it awful </3

[ornate tree]

AHHH pretty!

[shut oriole]

Tyyyy, it's vastly different from last one but I love the beads

[trail plinth]

Different isnt always bad, the patterns differing will help you remember the prayers better 🙂 it IS very pretty though

[austere shore]

finally cleaned and reorganized my altar for lord apollo and lady athena. lord apollo seemed to accept the repositioning of his altar but i spent almost an hour reorganizing lady athena's since she doesn't seem to like it 😭

all's well now though, they both seem to be satisfied with their new altar placements

[ocean coral]

hooray

[haughty hearth]

Anyone got resources for dice games (or similar) from ancient greece?

[ornate tree]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knucklebones
https://europe.factsanddetails.com/article/entry-993.html

thats what i could find real quickly

[haughty hearth]

Ty

[safe sequoia]

hey everyone, ive been wanting to make a sweets offering for both lady Selene and lady Aphrodite both seem to enjoy cakes ( or sweets, in lady Aphrodite's case ) and ive settled on a mosaiko dessert that im gonna also gonna use as a sweet to bring to my family on our holiday festivities.. i have yet to ask my mom for the ingredients but ! ive been wondering if it's a good idea to do it

[lavish flame]

Do it!!! Baking is fun and I've never gotten the chance to do it as an actual devotion yet but I want to too lol

[hollow coyote]

Found a way to store all the malta caps given to Athena

https://tenor.com/view/elmowg-elmo-cat-elmeow-fire-cat-evil-cat-gif-16516012309062667418

Muehehehhe

Mother bought it for me cause we watched Avatar so now Athena gets to have her malta caps on a popcorn bucket

[trail plinth]

hey Ive been curious about this; on Hellenion where i use their calendar to see what days the holidays are, some of them are to celebrate greek heroes like thesus, or to worship them alongside a deity. How does that work, since we believe the myths to just be metaphorical stories??

Because I lile celebrating the holidays and I’ve been wondering about that

[ornate tree]

So i'm a bit confused on what you mean?

Why wouldn't you be able to celebrate heroes myths the same way that you celebrate god myths?

[crude narwhal]

Consecrated my bracelet & rosary for Hermes today, I'm really excited to work with both these tools :) (will share an image of them in the new year once levelling is back on)

[trail plinth]

sorry I just saw this I’ve been away with family for awhile and then forgot about this 😭
I know that the myths and how they portray the gods are different than the gods themselves bc the myths are man-made right?? So if the heroes are from thise myths how/why would we be able to do stuff for them??
Sorry if im still being confusing, I don’t have a lot of resources to study so

[ornate tree]

So you would essentially do it the same way that you do with gods.
The only difference is that they are heroes.

Like the same rules would apply you're just working with a different type of being. It would be more like working with spirits rather than working with deities but its essentially the same thing?

i dont know if this is what your talking about though so sorry if its not

this however is what we have on greek hero worship.

As stated in that first post tho: its actually somewhat related to saint worship if your familiar with catholicism at all.

[trail plinth]

Ohh okay that makes sense, I’ll look at those articles

[slender jetty]

Are we allowed to send links in this server?

[lavish flame]

links to what?

[slender jetty]

research websites?

[shell musk]

yep! you can even submit them as resources #📜submissions

[slender jetty]

ok!! tyyy

[woeful wave]

Hi guys! I was kinda wondering if you can still practice Witchcraft while also being a Hellenist?

[shell musk]

yep!

[next narwhal]

Anyone else have experience with Pan? I just want to check notes, since he’s recently made himself present for me

[zealous apex]

I hope your festivities went well and that your dessert came out well

[kindred rivet]

Anybody here know about Epione?

[next narwhal]

The wife of Asclepius?

[kindred rivet]

yes

[next narwhal]

I don’t know much. Why?

[kindred rivet]

I don't know much either, was hoping to learn some and discuss worshipping her

I'm taking mundane measures to manage my pain and health, but worship a few deities to help with that

[obsidian holly]

Hello hello friends
So my gf is pretty sure that Athena is reaching out to them, a lot of the same pattern recognition that happened with me and Hekate. Different types of signs and synchronicities aligning and whatnot.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had personal accounts of working with Athena that theyd be willing to tell me about so I could relay the thoughts onward to them?

[bleak hamlet]

I'm forwarding this from someone else; I personally think so, but I wanna hear your guy's thoughts too /pos/gen :]
"I just read something that said rain is just little kisses from the ocean, and now I'm thinking- Aphrodite is born of the sea.. can I associate the rain as being little kisses from Mother Aphrodite?"

[ornate tree]

Sure! your practice & what you associate with your gods is entirely something that belongs to u and you alone

This is actually something called upg, which is a unverified personal gnosis

And it's something that practitioners use to describe instances that they believe are associated with their gods, but it's not something that would typically be associated with them.

Ie: giving pink flowers to hades bc you think they rep him

[obsidian holly]

I came across upg recently and didnt understand really what it meant. But your description and example helped! Thank you

[gritty mason]

I have been WANTING to make some Poseidon beads and I finally got the request from my penpal

[kindred rivet]

so pretty!

[uncut moth]

I love the large stones on it!

[woeful wave]

thats amazingg!

[kindred rivet]

Anyone willing to share some resources on Hekate?

[ornate tree]

have you looked at the ones in #1114061252247945320 already?

[safe sequoia]

questiion,,, i was talking to my bf abt lady selene, her connections and stuff.. and that reminds me how as the moon herself - she has affinity to milk offerings no ? Because if so ! My history with her might go further than i expected, since as a kid i remember talking to the moon, cup of milk in hand and talking to her...even though i didn't know Who she was at the time and addressed her as Artemis or just "lady moon" from time to time it...felt nice

it's a heavy memory I have, of one night from how lonely I felt...i went to the window - cup of milk in hand, i remember i started to sing and there was also a lot of crying haahhahah

after that, surprisingly...it got better

[brittle sand]

does anyone have tips on being more consistent with hellenism? i enjoy practicing but i struggle to stay consistent, (something ive noticed with almost anything i tried)

[slow cave]

Hmm
Maybe try to wear a jewlery that reminds you of your gods? That way youll think about them more

[cursive granite]

Same. It's a whole thing. :,(

[trail plinth]

Coloring page I did for Lord Dionysus

[wheat lake]

DIONYSUS MENTIONED

[trail plinth]

YOU ANSWERED IMMEIDATELY LMAO

[rapid gazelle]

wait is Hellenism the name for the worship of the Olympians???

[ornate tree]

greek worship yes

[cursive granite]

There are other entities to be worshipped (other deities, spirits, Titans, etc.), but that's part of it. :P /info /neu

[blazing heart]

a bit of a conspiracy, but do u guys ever wonder, since theres no physical evidence of the titans, that their bodies were turned into mountains or valcanos? im still kinda new to this so id love some helpful information !!

[ornate tree]

i dont believe the gods in any form genuinely existed on our planet

[blazing heart]

so u believe they exist outside of our planet? /gen

ig thatd make a lot more sense lol

[ornate tree]

no i dont believe they are tangible beings

They exist on a different plane of existence from us

[blazing heart]

ohhh

interesting

[rapid gazelle]

I agree somewhat, I feel like they can transpose themselves to our reality from their Olympus as physical beings

[obtuse mason]

Has anyone else been to temples of their gods spiritually? Just wanna chat abt it tbh

[arctic ether]

Guys my patron goddess is Athena and I drew the aegis as a devotional act..how do I ACTUALLY offer it to her tho?😭

[kindred rivet]

The offering could just be the process of having done the drawing

a devotional act

[arctic ether]

Okok thank youu

[zealous jungle]

guysss there's this super cute toy(? im not entirely sure if it's considered a toy) bow that i wanna gift to lord apollon on his altar but one of the strings brokeee

it's golden colored too i'd feel bad giving it to him and it's broken

[cursive granite]

Something I can think of is using tape covered in golden glitter to fix it?

Like, sticking some glitter to the sticky side and then using it to fix the string.

[gleaming tinsel]

I’m a hellenist

Although sometimes I don’t feel like it because I don’t do enough for the gods or have full on rituals and practices

[ornate tree]

you dont need to doing what you can is enough

[shell musk]

rituals also don’t have to be this intensely complicated thing. leaving an offering out for them every Friday can be a ritual

[gleaming tinsel]

Ok sounds good / gen

[viral edge]

Hermes gave me something I quite appreciate many years ago for nothing in return, and I still have it to this day,
so I want to give him my thanks and gratitude with gifts and other gestures, if any of you have advice, it'd be appreciated
since I want to flatter my good friend Hermes for being as kind as he is, not asking for anything more from him

[shell musk]

From my experience, Hermes is pretty appreciative of most offerings! I’ve given him playing cards, dice, coins, candy, crystals, keychains, bracelets. I used to work with him and I’ve never really had an offering rejected. As for devotional acts, you could travel somewhere, do a game night, donate to a houseless shelter, learn a language, write him a story. Lots of options!

[viral edge]

hm, a letter is a pretty consistent thing I've heard suggested to me, it appears that writing is a good gesture
as for the other offerings, what is the best way to give them to him, and for him to receive them?

[shell musk]

That depends on your own practice/beliefs. I'm more casual in my practice so I'm like "This is for Deity, thank you for what you've done. I'm gonna leave this here for you." But you can definitely be more formal, do like a in depth prayer, invoke his different titles, etc. I have an altar with a designated spot that harbor permanent offerings. But if I'm offering something I wanna use later, I'll leave it for a day or so or until I feel like it's been accepted.

As for perishable food, I just eat in their honor, don't really set it out

[viral edge]

I want to be as grand as I can with my gesture as possible- their gift and the time I unknowingly spent with them was truly one of the kindest things anyone has done for me, so I'll make sure to look into it

is there any particularly good time of year to do this?

[shell musk]

iirc Wednesdays are his designated day but honestly anytime would work

[viral edge]

gonna look for a specific day or time of year, but ty

[fiery cape]

I recently refreshed my altar for Apollo 😄 i took this picture a couple days ago, but yesterday I also got an LED candle (since my apartment complex doesnt allow actual candles) and then today I finally got a mug i can use for libations!!

So I'm about to update it again lmao but yee

[blazing heart]

steals it /j

[queen schooner]

Washed my face and did my haircare for Lord Apollon

[gritty patio]

guys i have a question about when it comes to food offerings. I am a Lady Aphrodite devotee and I'm very much secretive about it so i can't have an open altar (its currently in a little shelf thing and i have boxes hiding it when im not actively using it) and i see a lot of people offering open food and drinks. Does it not attract bugs and stuff? like how does it work?

[shell musk]

Hi friend! Can you please remove the symbols from your name for accessibility? We have members that are blind, low vision, or have visual processing issues who make use of an accessibility tool called a screenreader. Some of these tools have a hard time processing Unicode or "fancy" characters that are not basic punctuation so we ask they be removed from your server name.

As for your question!
Don’t leave it out for that long. Or you can just drink/eat it in their honor

[queen schooner]

Hihi! Random question but are you a devotee, or do you just worship her? The 2 often get mixed up sometimes and I want to make sure!!/nbr/kind
-# if you really are, I heavily apologize for this!

[gritty patio]

I would like to see myself as a devotee. While there are a few days where I can’t dedicate much time to her because of a relatively busy schedule and not exactly being able to be open about it, I try to dedicate as much time to her as possible. I feel like if there was a scale and one side was worshipping and the other was devotion I would land somewhere in the middle but a bit more on the devotion side

[queen schooner]

Give me 2 seconds to find something

[queen schooner]

A devotee is someone who has built a fair bit of kharis with a deity and has been with them for some time. It is placing a deity at the forefront of your practice. Devotees show frequent worship through prayers, offerings, devotional acts, and more. It comes with time and should never be rushed.

Worship is where everyone starts. You introduce yourself, give offerings, pray, do devotional acts, and (optionally) build an altar. You work on building kharis. You can go your entire life worshipping a deity without any further steps taken.

You should only consider yourself a devotee when you are ready. It is often spoken about with said deity through divination to discuss things like:
Are you ready for this? (In both practice, physically, and mentally)
Can you call yourself that gods devotee?

It is simply a reciprocal relationship built through frequent displays of trust and dedication.
You never have to become a devotee, but you shouldnt rush it either.
Pursue this as you'd like! If you want to become an Aphrodite devotee, that is amazing! I know many. Just make sure that you know what youre doing.

-# if anyone who has more experience would like to explain something better, id appreciate it. I feel like my words arent totally wording rn.

[gritty patio]

Yeah i would say i’m relatively close to that point. Maybe not a complete devotee but i feel I’m a bit closer to her than just occasional worship and such. I feel i land somewhere in the middle. I’ve been working with her for around a year now and i know that doesn’t sound like a lot but as someone who often struggles with sticking with something for a while that’s a lot in my mind so i guess i wouldn’t say I’m a devotee but i feel just saying i worship her doesn’t describe my relationship with Aphrodite well either

[queen schooner]

Respectfully, there isnt really an in between. You either are her devotee or you arent

If you haven't discussed things and arent stable in your practice, you shouldnt really consider it until you can stabilize things and are prepared

Also, "working" with a deity is a different thing, too!/nbr/info

You dont have to rush going into this! If you want to become one, think about it. I can send you many more detailed things on what a devotee is and I can even bring in one of my experienced friends.
I love your enthusiasm and I believe in you 💗

[gritty patio]

Yeah, I want to consider myself one but with school, sports, clubs, chores, and since I open switch between my moms and dad’s house there is a lot of times where I’m not able to physically do more acts of devotion but I do what I can. Anytime I do my makeup, hair, pick my outfits, wash my face, etc… it’s always like…dedicated to her mentally so I try my best.

[queen schooner]

As long as you know the difference! In the nicest way possible, I can see that you arent totally at the level of being a devotee yet/nbr

[queen schooner]

I do want to say that being a devotee doesnt have to overtake your life! You dont have to worry about life preventing things. You do what you can as long as that deity is at the front of your practice. Whether that be more offerings or prayers, its how it is able to work for you!
-# also I heavily apologize about my last message it seems backhanded looking back on it 😭 I am SO sorry if that upset you/gen

[fluid solar]

Just throwing in my two cents as a long time Hellenic polytheist (/lh) - I don't particularly subscribe to the idea that devotee is always as..idk, this Big Task that you're being sworn into. Sure it signifies more depth in the relationship between human and god that is true. But in my person experience as well as experience from being around other Hellenic polytheists specifically, it isn't supposed to be scary sounding. The gods will be forgiving (imo) if someone loves them so much they wanna call themselves a devotee bc the meaning and feeling of the word is being devoted to their ideals their whole being. Be sure to treat the bond in a similar lens as friendship in a way - with respect, care, and effort

I went on a ramble, but yeah, just my perspective is all. Above all else, respect the gods and always be excited to learn from/about them

[plucky crystal]

Yes, being a devotee doesn't mean oathsworn, but even being a devotee carries risks! That's why it isn't recommended to beginners

1. Over-identification can blur personal boundaries, leading someone to interpret every emotion or event as divine will.
2. Emotional dependency, burnout from self-imposed obligations, guilt, and spiritual rigidity are common pitfalls. Without grounding and discernment, normal psychological experiences may be mistaken for divine demands.
3. Social isolation and self-neglect can also arise if devotion replaces balance.

In Hellenic thought, moderation (sophrosyne) matters. Gods do not replace personal responsibility. Devotion requires knowing the religion, the deity, and oneself. It is built on steadiness, knowledge, and agency — not on losing oneself in the name of piety

not saying that you can't call yourself a devotee because that is for every person to decide on their own!!

[ornate tree]

id agree w mia.
imo devotees are a personalized experience. what one even considers devotion is based entirely on how they personalized their practice and not everybody subscribes to the exact definitions that are rooted in traditional practice because not everybody is a traditional practitioner.

[fluid solar]

yeee what i said wasn't coming from a place of wanting to disrespect anyone's practice /gen
i just dont think everyone's approach will be the same

[ornate tree]

I'm not saying that it shouldn't be done without consideration, but the fact that its being stated there's no middle ground between a full on devotee and a regular practioner seems a little bit false because of the fact that there is no singluar concept of what a full on devotee even looks like.

[fluid solar]

[ornate tree]

yeah exactly 🙂‍↕️ its a thing that varies from person to person

[fluid solar]

i agree with that

[iron fable]

also note that the practices in hellenic reconstructionism vs revivalism are different and i think that’s where the opinions here differ

emmet and le hfast seem to be coming from a reconstructionist perspective which is amazing (love reconstructionism!!) and oli and mia are from a more revivalist pov it seems (love revivalism too!! love all my hellenic polytheists)

but they are 2 diff schools of thought and neither is “right”

[fluid solar]

yeee revivalism just personally works for my perspective in my practice given that i work with different entities from different origins & practices (example: im a lucifer devotee aside from my hellenic work) i felt like offering my way of seeing things could help form a fuller picture! as cora said, neither is "right" /gen

also as an aside, i may restart with my work with Apollo soon 🥹 it feels like a full circle moment and i am so grateful to him as he was my teacher in the beginnings of my craft

[queen schooner]

Thanks for the input! I apologize if I happened to have misled someone or spread misinfo. I'm not 100% confident in the topic (I can talk about it but I cant go too in depth without checking things)

[ornate tree]

I don't think it's a concept of misleading anyone! moreso just a different perspective of a similar practice

[queen schooner]

Im actually a revivalist, but thats how I was taught about devotion, lol
I didnt know it was a more reconstructionist viewpoint, and im glad to know now that it isnt one thing
-# I might be eclectic with other unmentioned factors, but thats a thought for another time

[iron fable]

you can also totally blend both types of practice in many ways

[fluid solar]

Anyone have experiences they wanna share of working with Circe ? Purely asking bc I wanna hear more about her like personal accounts from people !

[queen schooner]

Hi! This is my doc of research on Lady Oizys for anyone interested in learning about her! This took me AWHILE lmao. I hope to worship her very soon and one day become her devotee and maybe even priest! I want to teach people about her and (hopefully) make her a known name.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PSrEYto-lQ7PyGHeQXgZKbu8AoAvZn4ppKwhZvWr-Sk/edit?usp=sharing

[ornate tree]

if you want we can add to the hellenism and deities resources

[queen schooner]

That'd be awesome! <3

Sorry, should I have sent that in submissions before sending here?/genq

[ornate tree]

nah ur good to send it here

[queen schooner]

okay, thx!

[ornate tree]

solid added in deities and here #1114061252247945320 message in hellenism

[plucky crystal]

Never in my life have I been a reconstructionist but I understand what you mean

[shell musk]

what do you consider yourself /gq

[plucky crystal]

Eclectic

[shell musk]

you can still be eclectic and have views that fit the box of reconstructionist /g