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ARES CHTHONIOS, DEFENDER OF LAND

[IMG ID: A photograph of a dark, smoky landscape that turns the sun a brightly-dim red hue. The background is obscured by the ash, with tall trees in the distance. In the foreground is a single house, the blue hidden by the dark ash, with tall oak trees to the right accompanied by a visible large SUV. The scene is dark and dreary].

I HAVE HAD A HARVEST OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE TOPIC OF DIVINE ARES, especially as of late, and I have begun to find a deeper appreciation for the theos. Beyond what many hellenic pagans have said, of him using rage for justice and an aspect of revolution, in my personal research I found another related Ares: the Ares of Ge, the land defender, close to the Erinys and fertility goddesses, and who casts his dice based upon holy Dike’s will. Ares was a popular deity in antiquity, worshipped across the ancient world, especially in Asia Minor with his likely syncretism with a local deity and Iliac connections. I will begin to follow a journey with Ares to understand him as more than war and slaughter, similar to my endlessly loving dea Bellona, and thus I have found Ares Chthonios.

This will be a general survey of his historical cult and my understanding of it based upon my own actions in activism, land sovereignty, and also my understandings from the devotion to the war, retribution, and revolution goddess Bellona. I will interlude my personal interpretations, but I hope these are clear, and I urge those interested to see my bibliography to understand more about Ares in a less frenzied context.

ARES, DEFENDER OF LAND

A strong function of war in antiquity was the defence of land. War often meant the burning of crops and homes, the raping of women, slaughter of children, destruction of hearths, and sometimes even the destruction of sacred groves of the gods. Sanctuaries could also be raided and plundered, such as the case in Rome, and their goods appropriated for other deities and personal use. Another aspect of war was civil control, as states did not desire rebellion. For this we begin to see the binding of gods, Ares, but also Dionysos. The ancient world did not have the food security that we do—and imagining life without more readily stable food, defending land becomes not only a necessity, but an ethical move. Siege spells death through Limos. Without land, you cannot access the hearth of Hestia, nor is there security from enslavement by other poli in antiquity.

Ares’ less war-bound primary functions lie in this defence of land. He was widely worshipped, with some facets of this worship were for the purpose of defending the homeland.

He is described as a personification of the yeoman-hoplite, who was also likely a farmer that arose to defend his homeland and farm in times of war. Cultic evidence suggests that he was also often paired with fertility goddesses, such as Despoina, Chthonia, the Anatolian Mother Kybele, and of course Aphrodite. He lacks the direct agricultural association of Mars, but he possesses the inherent relation to the chora: thus placed in the city’s sacred groves.

Us modern people concerned with justice tend towards movements such as land back and decolonialism. Xenia does not permit us to be bad to foreigners and xenophobia is a pillar of modern bigotry. Ares’ power may be used to brandish the spear in the defence of land—especially in these ages of growing oligarchies and fascism, the defense of land and home becomes ever more important. His passion and rage lend well to an activist from giving up, giving us strength to continue on. Instead of empowering doom, we may pray for Ares’ courage in the fights present and cultural wars to come just as the homeric hymnal asks for his courage and manliness to investigate the worshipper.

ARES, OF THE GROVE

Worship of Ares is also often found in sacred groves. As a defender of chora, it is internal sense to place him within nature. His shrines were also found in the countryside in the network of interpolis social and spatial focal politics. His association with the Earth is enough to call him one of the theoi chthonoi and more for than just bloodshed. As Cults and Sanctuaries of Ares and Enualios summarises:

Ares, it would seem, was believed to stand guard over the agricultural land of the polls and served the divine patron of its human protectors as well. When enemies threatened, it was Ares who guided the warriors of the polls in their attempt to pay back their enemy. Thus the mythology of Ares, in which he is almost always opposes the aggressor and is often roused to action by an attack against his children,reflects the essentially parochial and reactive nature of a god intent on the defense of the land under his protection (Gonzales, pg 61).

As a defender of land, he is keen to strike against those that threaten his children: he attempts to avenge Askalaphos in the Iliad, he fights Herakles for the body of his son Kyknos, he avenges the death of the Drakon Ismenios by transforming Kadmos and Harmonia, and he avenges the rape of his daughter Alkippe. Ares is a god of protection in his own right.

Another remark is that Ares is connected to drakons, symbols of the protection alongside chthonic earth, and groves as a whole. He fathers a drakon and snakes are commonly associated with him, his sacred grove that contains the fleece also contained a drakon. Another remark from the book on his binding to the land states;

The oracle from Pamphylian Syedra, once again, most clearly articulates the associations between, Ares, Dike, and the well being of the polis and its chora. Physically bound to the city and its land, the power of Ares would function both as an avenging protector and guarantor of prosperity: “thus will he become a peaceful god for you, once he has driven the enemy horde far from your land, and he will give rise to prosperity much prayed for..” (Gonzales, 62.)

This oracle will be revisited later, but there is a clear line of Ares and protection of the land.

ARES, OF THE PEOPLE

Defending land is equally the defence of people. Undoubtedly there were ancient Greek warriors that would fight to return home, such as Odysseus, and countless unnamed people. Particularly in the context of Iliac Ares, arete is positioned in war as related to material goods and the sadness women and people express at warriors dying relates to their failure as a warrior; their failure becoming agathos. An agathos brings dishonor and shame as he is not able to defend his home, often leaving women and children in distress (Mary, 4). In Iliac poetry, when a warrior lives, he is then chosen by Ares to uphold his Arete. When it comes to Iliac Ares, it makes me wonder about the portrayal of Ares in relation to this—Ares’ humiliation in the Iliad could be related to this idea of failing Arete.

In this context of ancient society, Ares is enjoyed by common people who take an active role in the pursuits of war. He was invoked by the state for purposes of defending it, much as Apollon was used for colonialism and in war. Ares as the causal force of war, the dangerous slayer, also rallies people to join in union for the fight,

Plutarch quotes Archilochus, a poet from Paros, also active in the seventh century, as describing the beginning of the close combat within a battle as Ares bringing together the press of battle on the plain. This idea also appears in a mid-fifth century inscription from Samos, in which Ares is described as having brought together the ships of the Greeks and the Medes in battle. Alcaeus’ Ares is the cause of war, and Archilochus’ Ares brings armies together in the conflict which, as other poets tell us, is Ares’ domain (Millington, 113).

Another small note from Pindar is him positioning Zeus, god of the polis and the people, as an ally to Ares. The Iliad employs an adversarial relationship between them, but Zeus is also a noted war god—elsewhere it is remarked that Apollon’s lyre tames the spear of Ares and the thunderbolt of Zeus. War and the Warrior: Functions of Ares in Literature and Cult describes the friendlier relationship of Zeus and Ares as,

In his first Pythian Ode, Pindar describes Ares and Zeus as an allied pair,contrasted with Typhon and the forces of chaos, implying that Ares is integrated into, rather than an enemy of the city and civilization (Millington, 128).

Thus Ares may be compositied with the other theoi as a defender of people. And looking at his name in epithets of other gods—Athena Areia, Aphrodite Areia, Zeus Areios—he is not constantly of strife, but rather comes into unity with the other gods. His association with the Erinyes only puts this as more explicit, as he avenges the blood oath—giving power to the appropriate parties in the Oresteia to avenge the blood-curse. Just as he is mentioned with Dike, the Homeric hymn pairs him as an “aid to Themis” and “ally of mortals” (Rayor, 99).

ARES BEYOND STATELY VALUES

I do critique any reconstructionist that is going to say “chain Ares”, which while in the modern period refers to limiting or constructing, in the ancient world it was to chain Ares’ power to your homeland in particular. It was to ensure his power, by Hermes, would be favoured and stay on your side. Ares’ worship may be further stood in antiquity through this—the Homeric hymn asks to “quell the rebellious”, which for a state would be a primary function of Ares as he could bring civil strife. From a critical perspective, Ares’ worship in this capacity I believe traces back to a rebellious nature—this is a god that can easily bring civil war and revolution, thus he is worshipped to appease this nature and thus secure stability. Then, equally, as a god that brings bloodlust and rage, he also brings peace and the restraint of bloody desires. A function of worship for many in the ancient world is aversion. The same hymnal remarks on Ares to bring courage, not fear, and to tame bloody desires.

Considering the need to chain and appease Ares, this to my personal understanding shows a deity deeply concerned with the state in a negative manner to said state. He is a vengeance deity, associated with blood-curses, found in actions such us Klytiemennstra’s revenge. Taking a note from my own dea, my understanding of Ares is that he operates as a vengeance god who contests the state on the basis of state injustice. The gods are far more progressive than ancient Greek society was—considering slavery, misogyny, and strife, I find it of no surprise a god of defending land and vengeance would be such a contrarian force.

I also think of Harmonia, his daughter. A god who was entirely hate and terror would not father the personification of musical and societal harmony. Many of Ares’ children function in harmonic rather than wholly negative roles—even if Eros is sweet and bitter.

BELLONA, ARES, AND REVOLUTION

Bellona is the roman warrior and hero of excellence, she holds virtue, victory, and retribution in her hands. Rome before the empire understood war as an act of revenge—Rome tried to create and self-justify expansion as a revenge and divine retribution. She essentially acts as a fury. But this retribution and balancing of the scales could turn inwards, and thus, Rome was in tension with her to stay of moral righteousness, lest she bring down her whip upon the city and strike up civil war. Her methods are bloody and furious, deeply caring about wrongs committed, and very rewarding to the righteous and good that follow.

I see my dea as a goddess of justice, as retribution for wrong that is done is often a key component of justice. Compared to Justicia, who was used for imperial propaganda, Bellona became sidelined in the times of the empire but her popularity did not wane. In this I see a homoplasy between these two gods: Ares’ masculinity would naturally contribute to his more stately portrayal than Bellona, but he is in enough tension with the polis to require a binding by Dike and Hermes from anxious polis religions. And as he is guided by Dike, justice herself, he must often have very good reason to be a volatile causal force.

Less on my interpretative notes, this quote gives an idea to modernised Ares worship:

Pamphylians of Syedra, who inhabit a rich land of mixed men in shared fields, plant a statue of bloody, man-slaying Ares in the middle of the city and beside (him) perform sacrifices as you bind him with the iron bonds of Hermes, and on the other side let Justice administer the law and judge him; let him resemble a suppliant. Thus will he become a peaceful deity for you, once he has driven the enemy horde far from your country, and he will give rise to prosperity much prayed for. And you, at the same time, take great pain, either chasing them or placing them in unbreakable bonds, and do not, out of fear of the pirates, pay their terrible penalty. For thus will you escape from all degradation (Gonzales, 2010, 280).

Ares here is directly connected to prosperity and defense of people. And most of all, he can be peaceful. One of Ares’ essential traits is his endless bloodlust and rage, which when guided by justice, gives rise to holy revolution and the passionate urge to do good. He as the gods of these things also gives my senses a modern interpretation of a passage in the homeric hymnal:

Mighty Ares, gold-helmed chariot master, shield-bearer, bronze-armored city guard, strong-willed, strong-armed, untiring spear strength, defense of Olympos, father of Victory in war, aid to Themis, tyrant to enemies, leader of righteous men, wielding manhood’s scepter, your red orb whirling among the seven paths of the planets through the ether where your fiery stallions bear you above the third orbit (Rayor, 99).

While quelling rebellion, it is stated that he also leads the righteous. For a personal interpretation, I can easily see it as such: rebellious men are quelled, but righteous men are led, and oftentimes the revolutionary is a person aspiring for right societal change—the feminist argues against the coil and chains of sexism, the indigenous revolutionary against colonialism, and many such examples. I would never shame the rightful anger of a revolutionary. And this is another aspect of Ares I see: his anger and bloodlust may be channelled for the purpose of societal equity-health and stability. Tyrants in ancient Greece were not initially viewed poorly, but after the ancient Greco-Persian war, tyrants became viewed as an enemy of people and democracy. Ares’ hymn thus describes a stance against tyranny, requiring no imagination for the modern day.

ENDING NOTES

This post is both a survey and a modern look at the evidence. I urge everyone interested to read Cults and Sanctuaries of Ares and Enyalios: A Survey of the Literary, Epigraphic, and Archaeological Evidence to gain a better understanding of him and to develop the historical literacy on Ares. And for Ares’ darker associations, there are plenty of other texts expressing the rightful pessimism on war. As a fragment of Archilochus says, Ares is “common” to all people, and war affects us all. But this side of Ares does not have to be the one that people still know him for—he is like my dea in this, still bloodshed and slaughter, but he is also a defender and protector. Just as Dionysos drives people mad and Apollon kills through plague, Ares embodies the dualities and complexities of the conflict. I find it depressing that Ares has not been uncoupled or understood in his darker aspects compared to Athena or Apollon. Several are quick to pick away Athena’s war aspects as a vintage value, even her historical misogyny, but not Ares. This I find to be a shame.

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References

Gonzales, M. P. (2004). Cults and sanctuaries of Ares and Enyalios: A Survey of the Literary, Epigraphic, and Archaeological Evidence.

Gonzales, M. (2010). The oracle and cult of ares in Asia minor. DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals). https://doaj.org/article/e9173c9623d24726bc11a08093a1df74

Lewis, & Sian. (2025, March 10). Tyranny | Meaning & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/tyranny/Greek-tyrants

Meghan Poplacean, D. (2017). The Business of Butchery Bellona and War, Society and Religion from Republic to Empire. The Department of History and Classical Studies McGill University, Montréal. https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/theses/b8515q959

Millington, A. (2014). War and the Warrior: Functions of Ares in Literature and Cult. In Doctoral thesis, UCL (University College London). https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1427880/

Scott, M. (1979). PITY AND PATHOS IN HOMER. Acta Classica, 22, 1–14. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24591563

Serrati, J. (2022). Gender and the Ritual Lament: Women as the Arbiters of Aretē and Virtus, 2022. Ageless Aretē: Essays From the 6th Interdisciplinary Symposium on the Hellenic Heritage of Sicily and Southern Italy.

#ares deity #ares worship #helpol #hellenic polytheism

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leoizz · 1 month ago

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The forgotten ones: on honouring obscure gods

I adore obscure gods. The only issue with loving obscure gods is that they are obscure; not much information is available. Some gods have entire cultus that span across the ancient world with an abundance of information. Others, however, are sometimes only mentioned in an epic a few times or are only found in rare archaeological records. Honouring an obscure god can mean a lot of devotional work to honour them fully.

Experience will be the guiding factor. After worshipping obscure gods for a while, it’s become easier for me to honour them properly. Trust that moving time will teach you what you need — you can do it. Now, here are my tips for honouring obscure deities.

Obtain every scrap of information

Every detail matters. There is bound to be something to help you understand this obscure deity. Whether that’s directly seeing the artifacts that are recorded, reading academic interpretations, seeing them in texts, etc. Analysing their depictions in art will be especially useful, as that is how that deity was envisioned and worshipped.

When it comes to very contradictory interpretations by scholars, it may be helpful to make your own or apply UPG to come to your conclusion.

Study the world that worshipped them

The ancient world was very different and similar to our own. All events need to be put in context. The ways a god is worshipped may change, evolve, or be removed entirely. Or perhaps they just appeared in a particular period, never to be worshiped until the modern day. I recommend this book series, the Routledge Worlds series, which covers the world — ancient or modern — across the expanses.

However, always remember to keep the evidence in the context of the times. Callimachus’ hymns will not be the same as Homeros, for example. They are removed by hundreds of years and long-lost contexts. The date, location, historical events — all of it must be kept in mind when analysing data.

Use general/typical offerings when beginning

A big hurdle in worship is knowing what to offer. An easy way to avoid this is to give “general” offerings. In helpol, this can be wine, for example. Water is a very versatile choice too. Each religion will have its particular codes and rules, so knowing these rules and applying them to the obscure deity you are trying to worship will help. However, most of all, you will eventually gain the UPG you need to know what to offer.

If possible, see what the worshippers offered historically. A great way to find out what to offer is to find what they were offered in the past. You will likely find this information in the papers about the deity. Zoological and archaeological records may contain trace details of food and other devotional gifts.

Take note of all UPG

Every scrap of UPG will be helpful. Others may present upg around a similar figure, or you may develop a strong SPG. These personal tidbits of gnosis will make up a large majority of your worship. Keep the knowledge somewhere where you will keep track of it — a blog, a notebook, etc. It would be a poor choice to let the UPG be forgotten (though if you forget, that is alright — forgetting is natural and not your fault. Do not blame yourself). This tip also applies to SPG, especially if it comes from outside groups or people.

Study Syncretisms

The process of syncretism can reveal a lot about a deity’s character. Particularly in regards to who they are syncretised with. Historical syncretisms made sense to those worshipping the god, so what did they know what we do not? Knowledge can be gathered via historical syncretism and why it occurred.

Historical syncretism could also lead to you reconstructing that very syncretism. It all depends upon you and your lovely path.

Identify who they were worshipped with and why

Another clue is who a deity is worshipped with. Was the god worshipped with a spouse, their child, a sibling, or because of a shared domain/association? It all depends upon context and sometimes interpretation. When reconstructing worship, continuing that shared worship may be an excellent option to honour this obscure deity.

Try to identify associations

Deity information lists often include their associations. They show what the deity likes, wear, etc. Associations are helpful to know when seeking to honour a god. Finding these associations can help you develop worship and altars. Common associations are weapons and accessories - they can be seen in art and sometimes cultus. You will most likely find a deity’s associations in art, epithets if they have them, and offerings.

Ask the deity themself

Who is better to ask how to worship the deity than the deity in question? Communication is key. You could even pray for more information to come your way about them. Devotional work is ultimately about the god in question, so definitely make sure to ask them and see if they reply.

I hope my tips from my experience can help you build your worship. As you learn and grow, you will honour the obscure deity or deities you are researching. From personal experience, I can tell you it is well worth it.

TLDR; worshipping obscure gods is beautiful but can be difficult. My tips to help you develop a praxis are: obtain every scrap of information, study the world that worshipped them, use general/typical offerings when beginning, take note of all upg, try to identify associations, and ask the deity themself.

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#helpol #hellenic polytheism #deity worship

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leoizz · 1 month ago

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The tribes of Tumblr appeared to worship Apollo as their primary patron deity, most often under the epithet Apollo Spairahemon ("Apollo the Ball-Thrower") as a god of prophecy and sport. His name was typically invoked to celebrate a user blessed with uncommon prescience. Moments of prophecy were considered highly sacred and were often recorded, and such texts are sometimes accompanied by an artistic depiction of the god — either his traditional masculine image or, unusually, in the form of a young woman, which appears to have been an earlier style before a conservative shift toward more conventional iconography — preparing to cast a round rubber ball that our scholars believe was used in the sport known as "dodge ball". Much as other cults regarded his arrows as bringers of disease and health, this community believed that being struck by this ball would bestow prophetic visions.

Some icons are reproduced below:

An earlier depiction (c. 2020) of Apollo as a girl clad in a simple tunic and playing with other children. Figures are smiling and the image is brightly colored, indicating a celebratory outlook toward knowledge of the future.

A later piece (c. 2022) that resembles the traditional appearance of Apollo. References to childhood and play are omitted, and the god carries a more frightening aspect; perhaps this icon represented grim omens rather than good tidings.

#apollo deity #apollon deity #lowkey hilarious

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leoizz · 1 month ago

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Sick and tired of this being constantly thrown around to shame people but say it with me now

MIASMA 👏 IS 👏 NOT 👏 THE 👏 HELPOL 👏 EQUIVALENT 👏 OF 👏 SIN 👏

Miasma is a word used to describe rape, murder, evil things we should not do.

Sin is a violation of the Christian god's will.

Sin is not inherently evil because you are born with it and you can be saved. Miasma is inherently evil because it is the religious equivalent of crimes.

I say inherently because yes, some sin is evil, but not all sin is. To say “all” of something, whether in theology or history, is a big big BIG error unless it is quite literally 100%. People seem to have forgotten that too.

Most importantly, a lot of the religious historians we have are Christian and they put their Christian viewpoint on everything. That is why it's so important not to take everything in a resource super literally and to cross reference your sources.

Miasma is not "sin" because you can't compare two concepts that existed centuries apart from each other that may, to your modern eye in a world where christianity is the norm, look similar.

Stop spreading misinformation under the guise of miasma. Most importantly, stop sending asks to tumblr blogs to do your research for you. Google scholar is free. Internet archive is free. Got a question? Research it! Having trouble? Ask people for help! There's nothing wrong with asking someone's opinion on something but to take that person's opinion as law thereafter? Are we forgetting that we're sharing opinions and not facts and that facts need to have sources listed at the end?

The decline of research in pagan spaces and the steady rise of blindly believing what your favourite tumblr blog says is a dangerous fuel to the anti-intellectualism fire that's been burning for a few years now. I'll end this by saying that this post is not targeted, but if you feel targeted, then I think you have a bit of self reflection to do.

#helpol #miasma

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leoizz · 1 month ago

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Types of Trancework & The Mysteries

(Pictured: Kore & Demeter with initiate.) This is going to be a long one.

Being a dance ethnologist, I have focused a lot on the practical techniques for trancework utilized by Mediterranean peoples past and present. If I had come from a classics background first and did not have a solid background in dance history and methodology I think the outcome of my work would be expressed very differently. A lot of the folks who read this blog do have some kind of background in classical Hellenic studies and are also interested in how to utilize this stuff in the context of the Mystery Religions of the ancient Med. If you are one of those people, this post is for you. Happy reading, friends, and feel free to ask questions if you have them. A Quick Overview of the Types of Trancework I break the different types of trancework used in the Med down into 4 categories based on the methods used and the purpose of the trance. This is specifically something you would get from looking at it from a practical perspective--How do we do it? What does it take? What is it for? 1. Basic Trance--For joy, celebration, experimentation, work, sleep, pain management, and things that are not specifically spiritual. 2. Catalyst Trance--Shapeshifting, heroic embodiment, bilocation, and things that might be described as magical workings. A lot of the things this is used for relate directly to archaic folk religion. 3. Spiritwork--Any type of trance that involves interacting with spirits other than your own but are not gods. Death spirits, nature spirits, and wind spirits being the big 3. 4. Euphoric Trance--Deity bridalwork, prophecy, coming into the presence of divinity. Each type of trance builds on the skills and cognitive developments supported by the previous category. I have done a full blog post on some of these categories so if you would like to explore deeper definitions for those, follow the links.

*Also check out: Training for Trancework

(There are a lot of ways to break down trancework--which is helpful if you want to puzzle out the different methods in use and what they are used to do. You could have a completely separate category for every purpose if you wanted to. It really only affects how you think about trancework. I use these 4 to give us some common understanding so we can build from there but if it helps to think of it differently then go for it.)

(Image: Sailor pulling rope. Sea shanties are excellent examples of basic trance in action.)

Understanding Basic Trancework

Just about everyone in the ancient world would have understood and participated in basic trancework from infancy until death. It would have been something they were very familiar with even if they didn't put words to it. This is because trance is and was everywhere in daily life. Lullabies are trance. Work songs that are used to time things and coordinate movements are also trance. Prior to industrialization it was just how things got done. -Sing a song that lasts X length of time while kneading dough to make bread. It is and was a popular method for detemining how long it takes to complete a task. -Songs are used to keep a working rhythm for weaving, especially works that take multiple people like weaving cords of rope. -Threshing and harvesting songs keep people working long hours under hard conditions to reduce exhaustion. -Rope handling and rowing songs are used by sailors to coordinate feats of strength that have periods of muscular rest and tension.

Humans are musical creatures. We have done a lot with those skills. Bluring the lines between secular and sacred in daily life.

(Image: Kallikantzeroi. Boogeties associated with winter mischief. These roles were actually played by people as shapeshifted humans terrorizing anyone who went out at night.)

Understanding Catalyst Trancework

Catalyst trancework involves utilizing a fuel source to power the trance effects. This allows the trance to go on longer without being laced to a type of labor. Without having a job to repeatedly perform and get lost in, entheogens and powerful emotions can be used to keep it going for long periods of time. There is also a fuzziness to the mind that occurs during catalyst trance that does not feel the same as the wandering mind more commonly found in basic trance. You are more likely to have an active imagining mind while engaging in basic trancework and a bit more of an empty head caught in current sensory experiences with a catalyst trance. (More likely but this is not a hard and fast rule--humans come in a lot of varieties so it is hard to generalize about experiences.)

In the context of the Mystery religions, catalyst trancework is not done by everybody. Anybody can get drunk and trance but that is an entirely different thing than the coordinated and specific efforts that go into a mystery tradition. Catalyst trancework is used in Mysteries that involve heroic embodiment--becoming a hero and engaging with a ritual play that involves what some might describe as sympathetic magic. All of the traditions described in my blog post titled, "Ancient Agricultural Rites Hiding in Plain Sight" are examples of heroic embodiment and catalyst trance. Catalyst trancework is strongly tied to heroic carnival traditions like Anthesteria and Quirinalia. Anything that involves an appearance from the entourage/ thiasos.

Regalia for this often involves masks and dressing up as named characters (every region has their own names). And the whole thing is fueled by whatever the local favored alcohol is--and there is a lot of variety. The fact that it is local is important to carnival traditions. It isn't just a matter of opening any ol' bottle of something, it is opening the locally produced something that honors the spirits of the area you are in.

The difference between heroic embodiment and shapeshifting is rather skin deep. Shapeshifting is the embodiment of animals and wild spirits while heroic embodiment involves taking on the mantle of hero, being the hero. Shapeshifters are frequently (but not always) cast as boogeties, monsters, and spirits of death. Heroes are the ones that ritually fight them in dance battles that may or may not involve trading actual blows. Their objective is to battle it out in rituals of sympathetic magic where life triumphs over death.

Catalyst trancework can also describe the act of drunken trancing without any purpose. So, it does not refer strictly to any Mystery religion but it is one technique among many that was and is utilized in some mystery traditions. More on that later.

(Image: A wind spirit. The personification of passion (in the illness sense, not in merely feeling an emotion). These bodiless beings like to take possession of human bodies so that they can experience their preferred physical sensations but the byproduct of that is a troubled mind for the human host--aka the Bride.)

Understanding Spiritwork

This is a category that has the least amount of written material out there about it but it is the one I have studied in living traditions most extensively. Spiritwork can be divided into possession or communication based. To an outside eye, possession and heroic embodiment look very similar. Both involve the use of regalia and can involve the entranced interacting with named spirits. The differences appear on closer examination. For one thing, it is usually done without mind altering substances. No alcohol or emphasis on emotional connection to the music to kick things off. And secondly, possession is thought of as a spirit marriage between a human and their possessing spirit. There can also be more than one possessing spirit at any given time hovering over the Bride. For heroic embodiment and shapeshifting, there is only one role per person at a time. Also a Bridal relationship is permanent while heroic embodiement and shapeshifting are often temporary--usually lasting a period of about 9 years (unless it is a hereditary tradition, this can change from region to region).

Possession is always permanent from a reconstructionist standpoint. Exorcism (as a ritual and thoughtform) did not enter the equation until somewhere around the 1st century CE. So, there are living traditions of exorcism in the Med but they tend to relate to monotheistic concepts about the hierarchy of the spiritworld. Excorcism is being defined here as a removal of a spirit who has attempted to form a Bridal relationship with a human. Spiritwork can encompass rituals of exorcism, I just don't do it because the recitivism rate makes the point nearly moot. (It is ridiculous, something like 97% of exorcisms relapse within the first year.) Ancient peoples knew this and understood it but a lot of people really, really wanted a quick and easy fix to this problem so there was a ripe market for anyone offering exorcism services.

Possession is tied to two categories of spirit--nature/wild spirits & wind spirits. Nature spirits are tied to romance and intimacy while wind spirits are tied to mental health. At their core, these traditions are ancient methods for dealing with anxiety, intrusive thougts, obsessions, addictions, and things that make life difficult. That is what these spirits are and the rituals we do with them are methods of keeping them in check. This is why it is expressed as a marriage. By externalizing these things, they can then be isolated and managed where otherwise living with them would be debilitating. It doesn't affect everyone but the harder a life has been, the better the odds of requiring these kinds of rituals to keep life in balance and allow a person to be more functional while also keeping the onus of the blame somewhere else. Because a person will have a harder time healing if they cannot separate these things from the whole of themselves. It is a kindness.

The other kind of spiritwork relates to what we might think of as mediumship. Essentially communicating with spirits, including the spirits of the dead. This is also not considered voluntary as far as I know. The ability to do this is passed down in families, though not genetically. It can ricochet off your aunt who married into the family and land on you. Usually there is some kind of story or reason for this ability to spontaneously appear, it afflicts widows more than anyone else. And I say affliction because this is not exactly thought of as a purely positive thing. Not everything can be defined as good or bad and this is one of those mixed blessing, grey area, cursed with awesome sort of things.

Spiritwork features prominently in the customs associated with Summer Dionysos as well as the goddess Kybele. Dionysos as a god of madness (there is that mental/emotional health connection) and Kybele as a mother of monsters (winds). More on that later.

(Image: Persephone and Demeter in iconic regalia.)

Understanding Euphoric Trancework

Euphoric trancework is a big deal. It takes the most dedication, the most preparation, and the most formality to successfully pull it off. It utilizes skills acquired from all the other categories of trance as well, which means to my eyes that this is not something to rush into before exploring at least some of the other forms of trance first. However, this seems to be the one that a lot of folks make a beeline towards when starting out. Which can really shoot you in the foot if you actually want to experience everything that it can do.

Trancework has physiological and neurological components to it. It is not something that you can just believe whatever you want about and expect to get the same results as someone who picks and follows a specific known path to get there. All trancework makes you feel funny. If you want to feel a little giddy while dancing around and dedicate that to a deity, that's wonderful but it is not what I am talking about here. Euphoric trancework is something very specific and difficult to do on accident.

I break it down into deity Bridalwork, prophetic Bridalwork, and coming into the presence of divinity--just being in close proximity to a deity. It cannot be treated casually if you want to experience these things in a similar way to how these things were experienced in the ancient Med. Deity Bridalwork and Prophetic Bridalwork are extremely similar to each other but they have different ritual objectives.

Deity Bridalwork is essentially making yourself into a horse for a deity. This is a culturally encoded concept that means "your body gets possessed by a god." Pay close attention whenever a sacred legend talks about a deity or daemon being strongly associated with horses, that is often a pretty big clue that they are frequently associated with these types of rituals. Bride is a gender neutral term in this context.

This is done in ecstatic rituals where the deity is expected to be present and presiding. Non ecstatic rituals where the deity is expected to be present and presiding will involve a statue as a substitute for this. Ecstatic rituals are occasions where miracles take place and people get to interact with an embodied deity in the limited ways that would be appropriate--engaging with their prefered rituals tools, foods, colors, scents, drinks, and anything relevant to the current place in the calendar cycle.

Prophetic Bridalwork involves all of that plus the added bonus of receiving a truthful statement about matters beyond human perception. That phrasing is important. If a prophecy is truthful and useful then it is divine. If it is untruthful or not useful (or just gibberish) then it comes from some other source--most likely a daemon. The ability to do this accurately and to be able to spontaneously compose it in verse on the spot provides proof of state. In other words, the proof is in the prophetic pudding.

Coming into the presence of a deity is done without any kind of embodiment. It is merely a matter of singing the right songs and doing the right kind of dances. These are (usually) stately and highly formal. Most of the gods are dignified in their conduct but there are a few yahoos in the pantheon that prefer a bit more crash and chaos. (Looking at the entourage of Dionysos and Kybele here.) This can be done without a lot of messing around with other forms of trance but you should at least be able to reliably get yourself in and out of a basic trance before giving it a go. The goal of this one is just unity, oneness, feeling close to divinity. It has a positive impact on the mind, body, and spirit of the participant and that is enough of a reason to do it.

How this Applies to the Mysteries

I would love to give an overview of each Mystery Religion and be able to say, "X trance category is used in Y Mystery tradition," but (alas) things are a wee bit more complicated than that. The complicating factor is that in some of the more involved Mysteries, like the Eleusinian Mysteries, there are multiple kinds of trance utilized by different people at different times depending on the role being performed--the initiate experience is going to be very different from that of someone who is embodying a deity or a hero. So, it isn't as simple as saying "X category of trance is used for Y Mystery."

Also, the Mysteries are strongly associated with trancework in popular imagination but they are not the only place where it can be found. Trancework is involved to some degree in just about every avenue of traditional worship. Any religious occasion that features music and dancing will feature trancing as a byproduct. It can be fancy stately well-coordinated trancing in a large circle dance that goes on for a long time. Or it can be goofy drunken reveling that goes on for a long time. Holy is holy. We don't discriminate in this house. Both of those examples are of basic trancework done in a religious context because the goal is just to dance with the community, the trancing is a happy byproduct. The trance produced by it is not used to do anything beyond keep that dance going. Context is everyting.

The other thing to keep in mind is that different types of trance would be used in the same type of mystery in different places. As an example here, in the wider pattern of Grain Mysteries, the fellahin of Letopolis would basically all practice ritual heroic embodiment instead of it being just a limited number. Whereas the Arkadian methods would have called for a separation between the duties of pilgrim first timers and old-hat locals, with limited numbers of people performing heroic embodiment with a whole separate ritual selection for who gets to do it/has to do it.

I try to simplify things and show you what to look for so that you can apply those concepts to whatever Mystery or tradition you happen to be studying. It is easier to take a look at a known ritual occasion and just ask yourself, "What kind of trance experience is being described here?" That being said, I'll get into some of the low hanging fruit to give you some examples to start working from on your own.

Dionysian Trancework

Dionysian cults do it ALL. They do not pick a lane. Each method is utilized for something different in the context of Dionysian trancework. Basic trance is utilized during harvesting and in the process of pressing fruits to make wine. Spiritwork is heavily involved in the trancework done for Dionysos in the summer months (like Tarantella). In the cold months (during carnival season) it is almost entirely about heroic embodiment--which is Catalyst trancework and that makes sense because it is when the new booze becomes available. And then there are the Orphic hymns which, to my eyes, are primarily intended for euphoric trancework.

So, if you want to engage with Dionysian trancework, you really can't go wrong. Any category you want will engage with some aspect of it. But if you are looking at your calendar and trying to plan out what kind of ritual you want to participate in: Harvest = Basic Trance Summer = Spiritwork Winter = Catalyst Trance Whenever = Euphoric Trance

If you read in between the lines here you can also imply that the Orphic hymns are suitable for Euphoric trancework--which can be done at any time or at specific points on the calendar that hold some meaning for you or the tradition that you are engaging with. Shapeshifting rituals are most likely to take place during the colder months. Possession rituals happen in the warm months. It helps to structure and pace things a bit. There is a cycle to it.

Grain Mysteries

The Grain Mysteries are not confined to the rites of Eleusis but those are probably the most well known. The Grain Mysteries rely quite heavily on heroic embodiment. It is a major aspect of the ritual process and one of those neat little details that does not get discussed much in classical texts about it. It is extremely prominent in living traditions and folk religion though, so that is where I am coming from with this. There are 4 dates of importance for those who participate in the heroic embodiment dance battles. In the Christian world, they map onto the four embertides--Ash Wednesday, Pentecost, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, & St. Lucy's Day. These correspond to 4 Grain Cycle festivals of the ancient world (I'm going to pick on Rome for this since their dates are fixed and easier to chart):

Quirinalia on February 17th Robigalia on April 25th Consualia Aestiva on August 21st Larentalia on December 23rd

(Not everybody has calculated their calendars in the exact same way over the last 3,000 years so be aware that dates will not line up exactly, which is why I generalize it a little bit.) These are the days when those who have been chosen for a role as a hero or as a boogety will get dressed up and beat the stuffing out of each other in dance battles that go bonk. Those are all catalyst trance rituals.

Drinking kykeon as an initiate would not be catalyst trance unless it is done in such a volume (or recipe) as to produce intoxication. Intoxication is not required to produce a trance but a lot of modern folks with no background in trancework sure like to emphasize it. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. I don't know. To my eyes, it sounds like it was used as deiknumena (a hypnotic trigger that produces an expected dromena/responses). In this case, it sounds like the initiate drinks the kykeon and the mere act of drinking a single sip of it is holy enough to induce feelings of euphoria. Given that the purpose here is to come into the presence of a deity, I would categorize it as a type of Euphoric trance that happens to involve a sip of something (alcoholic or not).

Deity Bridalwork could also be involved here with the Lesser Mysteries in Anthesteria (February-ish) and the Greater Mysteries in Bodromion (Sepember-ish). They function like book ends for Death Season.

I'll have to make a Part II to include some of the fun ones like the rites of Mithras and those of Aset/Isis. This should give you plenty to chew on for a while though. As always, let me know if you have questions.

#trance work #resources

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leoizz · 2 months ago

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Meditating With Your Deities!!

Ever since I thought of this last night, my guys have been hounding me to actually write it

(In a good way. They know I tend to forget things and they seem very excited to see this written out.)

Anyway, this is just how I prefer to do things, as per usual. Purely my own experiences. Even if you do this the exact same way as me, you’ll never see the same thing as me.

Everyone’s relationships are different!!

Now, I’d like to point out that you shouldn’t pressure yourself to do anything exactly the way anyone else does it, including my way. Doing things with my own spin on them was how I got this method.

Alright, with that out of the way, time to finally get started!

At the beginning, I just talked to my gods and tried to imagine them near me. Kind of like trying to mentally reach out and touch their energy (but not really. That’s just what it feels like)

For example, Ares has this really fiery presence. It’s sure and strong and warm and comforting, but also volatile.

(This is actually how I figured out what he feels like.)

You could also imagine them as a color and picture that surrounding you.

The main thing you’re trying to do here is listen. Don’t forget that. It doesn’t need to be fancy or complex or anything.

It’s just you and your gods.

Don’t forget that!!

Pray (or just talk) to them and tell them what you want to do. Address them and tell them you’d like to talk to them, or maybe even ask if they could let you feel their presence if you want.

If you don’t feel them there, don’t worry! I’ve only felt Hermes once, and I’ve known him for nearly a year. Meanwhile, I feel Ares around me quite frequently.

It just depends on the particular bond.

And just because you can’t feel them, that doesn’t mean they’re not there.

Even if you feel like you’re imagining their energy, that’s still a good mental practice! Anything that makes you feel closer to your gods is good!!

Even if you fail miserably (like I did at first) they’ll still love you!!

Anyway, usually I turn on some music, but not always. I’ll just zone out then. I don’t really know how to put the feeling into words besides that. It’s almost like slipping into sleep but not really. The closest word for it is probably “trance”.

Note: it’s best, for me at least, to do this sitting up so I don’t accidentally fall asleep. Which I’ve done,, many times. If you do fall asleep, that’s fine too. Don’t worry about it!

For a few attempts, all I was met with was blackness. But eventually a place popped into my head, either Apollo or Ares’s at first.

(Hermes insists that I call them “meditation stations”. Sometimes I can’t stand him.)

maybe in a different post I’ll describe my places I see, but they’re beautiful and so vivid. And when I say vivid, I mean so vivid that I can just draw it from my head, which I usually can’t do.

TL; DR?

Step one: Find a calm place you feel comfortable in. Either sit or lay down depending on personal preference. You can even stand if it makes you feel better.

Step two: Tell your deity you want to talk to them.

Step three: Zone out, either to music or your own thoughts (preferably about/to the deity you’re trying to reach)

Step four: Make sure you’re focusing on them and their energy. After a few attempts, you might be able to see a place that represents them. If you don’t, don’t worry! Everyone’s relationship is different!!

Step five: Pay attention to any changes in what you see, feel, and even think or hear. But try not to digest any of it until you get the whole message or else you’ll likely lose where you were.

Personally, I use these places to anchor myself while I’m trying to talk to my deities. Focusing on a place makes it where I have to put in less effort to hear my deities usually.

Note: you can also use this as a means of deity identification, now that I think of it! Just make sure you let your mind wander instead of thinking too hard.

Keep in mind this might not work for everyone!!

when in doubt, guided meditations are supposed to be great. You can find them on YouTube or even Spotify, I think. There are even some deity specific ones!

also remember: if a place feels like it just doesn’t fit, let go of it. Don’t force anything.

And if you wanna know about my places for my deities, I have one for Apollon, Ares, Dionysus, Hyacinthus, the Muses, and (occasionally) Hermes.

#deities #helpol

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leoizz · 2 months ago

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practices to bond with your deities

i'm most familiar with Greco-Roman deities so i'll use them for examples, but feel free to ask me about a specific deity! which Greco-Roman deity you should work according to your birth chart indications

communication

say "good morning" / "good night" - this is not only out of respect but developing a habit to include them more and more in day to day life

talk to them - whether you're expressing gratitude, praying, asking for advice, or even just talking to them about your day, this will show you are thinking about them and looking up to them. if you feel uncomfortable or can't talk out loud, a journal works just as well

write to them - speaking or journaling, writing is an art form they will appreciate. make journal entries to them, write them a poem or a song. it doesn't have be a fancy, even just phrases here and there will make a huge difference

document your experiences - after spending time with them, write down how it went. keep track of what they seem to like, what they tell you, even small details that don't seem to stick out because when you go back and look, they might stick out then or you might notice patterns

share your food - giving your deity a small portion of your food each time you eat is a way to communicate your honor and respect to them, and also learn what foods/drinks they enjoy

divination - this is more than just tarot cards! there's other forms of cartomancy, there's dowsing, numerology, etc. i personally use astrology <3

connect with their energy - doing activities that appeal to your deity regularly with strengthen your connection with them. for example, my deities are Diana/Artemis and Luna/Selene, so I spend a lot of time in nature, especially at night under the moonlight

honoring

research them in great detail - to get to know your deity, learn everything there is to know: names and epithets, symbols, attributes (plants trees, stones, animals, planets, week days, etc.) domains, family, popular stories and myths

cook a full meal - you can decide on a meal that is associated with them (like steak for Mars/Ares) but you don't have to, either way just dedicating time and energy to make an entire meal just for them will say a lot

altar - this is probably what you will hear the most, but don't feel heavy pressure. it doesn't have to be huge, fancy, or expensive; you can start out with literally just a candle and some leaves. slowly over time decorate and personalize it to your and your deity's liking

offerings - this is more than just sharing your food with them, it's actually giving something solely to them. have you ever been in the mood for a certain food even though you weren't hungry at all? that might be them hinting that they want it. gifts that you think they'd like or you felt called to get, including crafts you made yourself

share your worship - i want to say this is 100% not a necessity, so don't feel stressed if there is no one you can talk to about your deity work. i have no one to talk to about it, but i share freely on this blog and am trying to make friends online who i can share with! not only is sharing a way to show respect and love for them, but others can give you ideas of devotion and connection

creation/digital

going digital is a great way to worship and connect with your deity, especially if you cannot be open about it

make a playlist - include songs that remind you of them or that you'd think they'd like that involve their domains or stories/myths

art - literally any form of art they will appreciate. music like singing or songwriting, drawing, painting, sculpture, literature like reading books they'd like or writing stories, poems, songs, etc., dancing, theater or acting, or literally anything else. you can get specific, like learning an instrument for Apollo

exploring - exploring areas you think they'd like or just new areas in general. you might find points of interest they'd enjoy (like crossroads for Hecate), or see/hear their sacred animals, or find things that coincide with their stories/attributes/symbols

spending time with them through hobbies - the best way i can describe this is through examples: going to parties/celebrating for Bacchus/Dionysus, cleaning and taking care of your home for Vesta/Hestia, gardening for Ceres/Demeter or Proserpina/Persephone, taking care of the ocean for Neptune/Poseidon, the list goes on and on. anything that involves their domain

pinterest board - kinda self explanatory, making a pinterest board (or a physical picture board/wall if you prefer) with images of your deity and their symbols/attributes.

phone background - setting your phone background as an image or your deity is not only a sign of honor and respect, but will help you develop the habit of thinking of them regularly. can also spark conversation with others without being direct about your worship!

#deities #deity worship

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