dreaming-of-days-to-come

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

I got a vintage pharmacy knife and think I'm going to dedicate it to Hermes (because that's not the rod of Asklepios on it, that's for sure)!

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

I got some fennel seeds as incense for Dionysus and bay laurel leaves for Apollo/making khernips from an apothecary and it wouldn't have cost much but they gave them to me for free and said "I trust you'll use them well". I'm crying, I'm so happy!

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

I have made a tiny komboloi to use while praying, this is the card I use as reference while I pray:

An example of my prayer, accounting for devotional days with Friday for this example, is as follows:

(Starting and ending with the large pink bead, count the beads by name)

"Thank you, firstly, to Hestia

To Ares

To Artemis

To Aphrodite, Lady of this day

To Apollo

To Athena

To Dionysus

To Demeter

To Hera

To Hermes

To Hephaestus

To Poseidon

To Zeus

And to Hestia once more"

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

Devotional days (my way of doing them)

(obviously I don't always do everything listed, I do what I can and know that personal best is all that is asked of me)

_____________

Sunday: Apollo

•wake up and dedicate meds to Him

•pray

•wear devotional necklace

•put on scent that reminds me of Him

•light up wax burner and use devotional scent

•listen to playlist

•write letter

•do other devotional activities like: sing, dance, write poetry, tell the truth, help others, spend time in the sun, read about Him, add to digital altar, etc.

_____________

Monday: Hestia (usually people devote this day to Artemis, but since She's also a virgin Goddess I figured it'd be fine) (I consider Mondays to be the actual start of the week, so She gets the first day)

•wake up and dedicate meds to Her

•pray

•veil

•put on scent that reminds me of Her

•light up wax burner and use devotional scent

•listen to playlist

•dedicate my meals to Her

•write letter

•do other devotional activities like: cleaning, cooking, personal hygiene, spending time with family, lighting candles, read about Her, add to digital altar, etc.

_____________

Tuesday: Athena (I've seen that this day is usually for Ares, Athena is also associated with war so I rationalize that this arrangement would also be alright)

•wake up and dedicate meds to Her

•pray

•wear devotional necklace

•put on scent that reminds me of Her

•light up wax burner and use devotional scent

•listen to playlist

•write letter

•do other devotional activities like: study, stand up for myself, weave, advocate for others, plan things out, read about Her, add to digital altar, etc.

_____________

Wednesday: Hermes

•wake up and dedicate meds to Him

•pray

•wear devotional necklace

•put on scent that reminds me of Him

•light up wax burner and use devotional scent

•listen to playlist

•write letter

•do other devotional activities like: learn Greek, travel, engage in commerce (I like to support small busineses), be humorous, work out, talk with loved ones, read about Him, add to digital altar, etc.

_____________

Thursday : Ancestors (this is my rest day or my day I devote to my family)

•wake up and dedicate meds to Them

•pray

•wear clothing items/jewelry that remind me of Them

•light up wax burner and use devotional scent

•write letters

•do other activities like: learn Their languages, read traditional stories, learn family stories, research places they lived and occupations They had, sing songs, eat well, personal hygiene, talk with loved ones, love my life that they ensured I could have, etc.

_____________

Friday: Aphrodite

•wake up and dedicate meds to Her

•pray

•wear devotional necklace and veil

•wear scent that reminds me of Her (technically all my perfumes are dedicated to Her, everyone else has at least partial ownership over my lotions and oils)

•light up wax burner and use devotional scent

•listen to playlist

•write letter

•do other devotional activities like: personal hygiene and self care, dress up fancy, communicate with loved ones, go outside if possible and engage with nature, think of happy memories, read about Her, add to digital altar, etc.

_____________

Saturday: Dionysus (Kronos is usually worshipped on Saturday, but Dionysus is also an agricultural God so I feel comfortable with substituting the two of Them)

•wake up and dedicate meds to Him

•pray

•wear devotional necklace

•put on scent that reminds me of Him

•light up wax burner and use devotional scent

•listen to playlist

•write letter

•do other devotional activities like: feast, drink grape juice, go to a celebration, garden, read about Him, add to digital altar, etc.

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

I've been drawn to Dionysus recently and am devoting Saturdays to Him because of that. I also made a devotional music playlist to listen to, a Pinterest board to add to, and got a necklace to wear on that day. Also made a card if anyone wants to see it

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

I've been writing little notes in metallic pen on nice paper to the Theoi; one-time prayers get a wax seal so no one else can read them, while frequent prayers get addressed to the intended Recipient but are left unsealed so I can read them. Some are in English (cursive so they're fancy) and the others are in Greek which I've been practicing learning to read (no one else in my home can read it so it helps keep things private anyway, but it also helps me feel more connected as I work with Them)

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

Lately I've been dedicating certain perfumes/lotions I wear to the Deities I work with that remind me of Them. On the days I dedicate to Them I wear those and it helps me keep Them in mind. I wash my hands, face, and crown of my head with khernips first, just to make it clear I am making an offering. The perfume can be anything from Attar (frankincense and myrrh) to body spray (strawberries or fruit ones) to lotion (pomegranate), (anything in parentheses indicates my personal favorites to use, they are not a requirement for everyone of course).

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

Cards so far (still working on Lady Hestia's)

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

There are times I question the strength of my faith in Lady Athena, but I have to remember that She has done so much for me. My internship involving weaving, Her doing. My academic success, thanks to Her. My opportunities with the local community doing art, Her blessings unto me. The protests I go to and return from safely, Her protection. Me being able to pick my battles instead of getting consumed by rage like I once was, all because of Her.

I broke out the knucklebones (D6 dice, ignoring the ones out of the five I roll that land on 2 or 5 and adding up the rest) I got the grand total of 11, Lambda, answering my question of "why do I not see much of you in my life" with "something that seems bad may actually be good, and not all that glitters is gold". Basically, take caution with jumping in so fast with Lady Aphrodite (I'll keep that in mind, after all it's never a good idea to ignore the wisdom of Lady Athena) and that She has Her reasons for not being so involved all the time.

Thank you Lady Athena for Your wisdom, I'll take heed of it. I'll try to keep my life in balance instead of jumping straight into total devotion with any of the Theoi.

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

Had another dream, this time it was one of the Side-Quests ones.

I was assigned by my family to hunt for a car for me to use, but it was smaller like a child's play car. On the way my teeth began to wiggle, but I met a man with nondescript features (which is unusual, I normally dream in extreme detail, it was almost like He was phasing in and out, like the Flash) except for dark curls and some kind of uniform, who came along to help me with my journey. Or rather, He invited himself along, and I did a lot of the manual work. His company was appreciated though, and He would communicate for me to store employees while my teeth wiggled so much I was scared to open my mouth.

I woke up and researched a bit, Lord Hermes has the poetic epithet of Masterios, of Searchers. He's also associated with travel, commerce, communication, and the (plot-twist) theft we ended up pulling at the end of the dream.

Before I fell asleep I'd asked for a sign from Him to confirm what kind of epithet would best suit Him, and of Searchers seems to fit the best. After all, it can apply to so much: searching for an object, a person, the right thing to say, an adventure, belonging... I feel drawn to it which is I guess what matters most.

I've been making devotional cards for the Deities I work with, and added to His the epithet and dream context. So far I've finished His and Lady Aphrodite's. If anyone is interested in seeing the cards I'll post them (they're nothing fancy, just written with a calligraphy pen on sketchbook paper, but deeply personal).

[dreaming-of-days-to-come]

I had a dream the other night. Usually they stress me out if I remember them at all and I wake up in a cold sweat, but this was one of the different ones.

I was in my childhood room surrounded by dolls and I felt like a child again, and the most beautiful voice whispered in my right ear, especially when I would plug it closed I could somehow hear it better. I recognized the voice as Lady Aphrodite, who has appeared in my dreams before in many forms, usually with a veil over Her hair (I think the version of the Goddess that approaches me is Lady Aphrodite Ourania for that reason) and adorned in pearls but with different hair and skin colors and textures, but I've always been able to tell when it's Her. We conversed a while about what makes us feel beautiful, and She told me "when you wear your shells and copper, think of Me" (those are my favorite jewelry to wear for formal occasions, it makes me feel like more than myself). I also asked if She wanted me to veil (I'd made a head covering earlier that same night) and She said "yes, it would make me so happy." I also envisioned the precious stone Lapis Lazuli.

I woke up refreshed for once, and researched a bit, only to discover that all of the things I envisioned and heard are in fact associated with Her historically. Even the whispering is an epithet of Hers: Psythyristes is the one I've most often seen, or I've seen one instance of it being written as Psytiros.

So I'm wearing that hair covering now and have been every day since that dream. Since then I've been blessed with personal life achievements, have had the courage to reach out to old friends, and might even start dating again.

Of the Gods I feel a connection to, She's the only one who has visited me in my dreams so frequently (Lady Athena has visited once that I am aware of, otherwise She and Lord Hermes send me dreams that challenge me physically and mentally, testing me, and I wake up exhausted), and She sends me ones that feel healing and familiar.

The first dream I had that She was in, we were both in a bookstore I frequent and She had shoulder length blonde curls and a white lace veil over Her hair. She was dressed in pastels. I told Her to Her face that she looked like a devotee to Aphrodite and She looked at me for a second, almost confused. When I woke up I realized who it was and almost facepalmed.

The other one I had where She was present, She had dark hair, and was dressed in deep purple. I think we were in my old school's auditorium, She was standing on the stage, looking over me. She said nothing, but I just knew it was Her. The stage is a very important place for me, it always has felt like home since I grew up a performer. I woke up well rested from that one too.

These have all happened over the course of the past few months, I remember when I first got a feeling that I should consider worshipping Her, and I could nearly hear a disappointed voice in my head that She wanted to be first Patroness (I was already worshipping Lady Athena for a couple years). I've never felt so connected before, though.

With Lady Athena She's always turned up in my gut feelings about trouble, my inspiration to weave, moments of epiphanies with classwork, and dreams where I go on a million sidequests and have to deduce things.

Lord Hermes is in my sense of humor and love for the stars, communicating clearly, my Jack of all trades nature, my wanderlust, and dreams where I have to be athletic for a change (I kid you not, He sets up literal obstacle courses that I have to try my hand at over and over again).

Lord Apollo watches over my health and influences me to sing and write, and I'm also a twin so I feel Him around whenever I need my built-in best friend's help or need to help them.

Lady Hestia is in every batch of Khernips I make, every candle I light, every wax burner I activate, every time I flip on the switch for the fireplace, every meal I make, every prayer goes first through Her.

I have felt connection before, but never so present as with Lady Aphrodite, never before have I felt so close with who I dedicate myself to. It makes me wonder if She should be my primary Patroness, if worship is fluid and sometimes different Gods help out for certain circumstances more than others.

I'm just thinking out loud, I guess.