eclectomaniacrow

[eclectomaniacrow]

introduction ! ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ꒰ about me ꒱

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₊ ⊹ hello and welcome to my blog! my name is katiana, kat for short. i'm a minor who uses any pronouns but her! i have a lot of interests, such as httyd, b99, and music! i love the cure and mitski, and i consider myself goth despite not dressing it at all lol!

₊ ⊹ i naturally still have a lot to learn about myself, the paths i pursue and the paths i do not pursue!

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ꒰ about my blog and practice ꒱

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₊ ⊹ i'm devoted to aphrodite, and this blog is for her! i worship other deities, such as artemis, selene, apollon, dionysus and athena! i am in no way an educator, i'm here to give ideas that i use in my own practice <3

₊ ⊹ i've been practising since last october (october 2024) and i prefer not to use labels on myself, so i prefer not to call myself a hellenic polytheist/pagan (although i still use the tags for it), especially now that i'm becoming interested in another pantheon (the irish pantheon specifically!)

₊ ⊹ i hope this blog may prove useful to some people as inspiration!!! not as an education source lol!

₊ ⊹ i might shitpost, or go inactive for periods of time because i don't get ideas of what to post often.

₊ ⊹ okay, i think that's it!! my asks are open, and i really want mutuals/friends here <3

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[eclectomaniacrow]

I love having altars so much <33

Having a very physical reminder of my deities is so nice, especially since they're all so close to me. I love leaving offerings; I love doing devotional acts; I just love looking at my altars

They're small but, so, so incredibly special to me <3

[eclectomaniacrow]

Hey…hey, guys?

Those little herb pouches you get from your local occult store? The ones in the ziplock bags with only the herb name printed on it?

Stop using those in teas. They are not food-grade.

Please please please find a local herbarium instead.

[eclectomaniacrow]

TAROT TRICKS: How to Avoid Blanking When Reading

To truly master tarot, you have to put in the time to learn the cards’ traditional and evolved meanings. You cannot rely on your intuition alone. That would be cheating. But, when you are a total beginner, your intuition could somehow be your tutor.

1) Use common sense.

Read the room, so to speak. Observe the mood of the card or the spread. Look at the facial expressions. The colors. The setting. The atmosphere.

This way, if the question is, “Does he love me?” and you get the Nine of Swords, you do not have to remember that card’s meanings.

You only have to look at the card and see that the figure in it is stressed, not happy. The color of it is black – a shade of negativity. The background has a bunch of swords hanging on someone’s head, like a threat.

Does this card look like someone who is in love? Not at all. You have your answer.

2) Refer to the name.

The Major Arcana is a cheat sheet in itself. The cards’ names contain their meanings.

What is a magician? Someone who can do magic. Therefore, in most cases, The Magician means having magic in your life, such as a wish come true or a last-minute miracle. Anything wonderful.

Who is the devil? Someone bad and evil. Therefore, The Devil is usually someone who has sinister plans. You are being warned against a toxic person, a dangerous situation, or self-sabotage.

When it comes to the Minor Arcana, all you have to do is remember what each suit means. Wands are passion. Cups are emotions. Swords are thoughts. Pentacles are foundations. When looking at a card, replace the suit names with the above. Suddenly, the Ten of Pentacles becomes the Ten of Foundations. That is, someone incredibly stable.

3) Form a sentence.

Remember this basic sentence structure: Subject-verb-object. Jason drank juice. Andy bought books. Stefan punishes bullies. Read spreads as such. Below is a nine-card spread read from top to bottom.

Queen of Pentacles + The Star + Two of Cups. “A woman (subject) wishes (verb) for love (object).”

The Empress + Six of Cups + The Lovers. “She (subject) will receive (verb) it (object).”

Knight of Wands + Six of Pentacles + Ace of Cups. “A Fire sign (subject) will give (verb) it (object).”

This way, you do not need to spend ages on interpreting one card. Instead, you are allowing them to interact and give you one coherent message.

4) Turn to basic math.

If you do not know anything yet about tarot numerology, remember your lessons in kindergarten. The bigger the number, the better. Would you rather have five chocolate bars or ten?

It is the same with tarot. Bigger often means better. The Nine of Cups is the card of satisfaction. But satisfaction fades. The Ten of Cups is the card of fulfilment. Something full takes longer to be drained.

When it comes to negative cards, the same is still true, except “better” becomes “worse”. The Nine of Swords is ridden with anxiety. But the Ten of Swords is reeking of death. Anxiety can get better, but death is final.

This even applies to the Major Arcana. But for that to make sense, you will need a deeper understanding of The Fool’s Journey – how the cards, even the negative ones, progress in wisdom and maturity.

5) Zero in on a detail.

When you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of cards and their meanings, focus on just one detail to get rid of your confusion.

If the question is, “How will my finances be for 2022?” and you pull the Queen of Wands, focus on the throne, for example.

Do poor people sit on thrones? No. Only royals do. Royals are rich. They own jewels, land and castles. Therefore, the querent’s finances in 2022 are looking positive.

Direct your thoughts towards one object within a card, and start speaking about what that object generally represents. Simply voice out your thoughts, and you will arrive at the message.

[eclectomaniacrow]

pagans, i'm curious: what religion did you grow up in? how did you come to find paganism as something that fit you?

[eclectomaniacrow]

☤ For Hermes & Peitho ⚚

( based on Frank Dicksee's painting of Romeo & Juliet )

Made a painting for Lord Hermes & his wife Lady Peitho ( the goddess of Persuasion & Seduction , daughter of Ate ) , I've been thinking about them quite a bit lately and I wanted to give them something in return of sorts .

( Also sidenote I know the greenery looks really bad and the clothing folds are most likely very inaccurate but I tried and I hope that they like it :'] I did a good job with the wing I think )

( me & the five other people who know Lady Peitho are cheering rn /j/lh )

[eclectomaniacrow]

So...something happened...and it made me love and adore Lady Aphrodite even more cuz my lady is always throwing signs at me...

Well I shall not delve into personal topic much. I'll just say that my relationship with my partner is a bit complex cuz it's LDR...(no i don't have trust issues with him...I'm just worried about him not ending up ded lol...).

Yesterday as i was making my libations...very very sadly my lady's libation cup broke into pieces as i was washing it. At that moment idk what the meaning could be or if i should treat it as a mere coincidence. However last night...I TERRIBLY missed him and was weeping my eyes out cuz ...ofc I love my shayla and miss him everyday...unfortunately time zone and everything limits the time we spend with each other....and it pains me when I miss him...

So my interpretation of the cup breaking is that my lady was probably hinting at this nasty 3am session....

But let's not stop here...what's more...I strongly felt Lord Apollo's presence as if He was trying to soothe me; being there for me...yk the kind where He'd run His hand through the tangled mess of your hair while slowly untangling the braids...that kind...

I simply ADORE my Gods and feel so happy they're always present to help us through the tough times....I absolutely LOVE it when the Gods treat us as if the most precious beings to them. And ...it's like they're always present and caring for us and watching over us...The GODS don't reside in heaven....they're very much present around us and are deeply intertwined with their cherished devotees. Moments like these and I'm just more drawn to worshipping them.

[eclectomaniacrow]

💫 18+ Witchcraft Discord Server 💫

For all Witches/Pagans/Occultists, I would love to invite you to join our server, Witchcraft and More! We welcome anyone who is interested in the occult, new and advanced practitioners! Here's some of the channels we offer for everyone to chat and share their craft!

We are easy-going, post whenever you feel inspired server. This is a space where anyone can share their craft, find a community, or when needing advice in the everyday world! Our server is mainly of Spirit Worship/Work practitioners, witches from all practices, and our lovely allies who just want to support us! If interested, here's a lovely invite link for you! 🌞

credit for dividers: @sweetmelodygraphics

[eclectomaniacrow]

I mean obviously I think it's bullshit, but the notion that people do witchcraft because they're mentally ill is just crazy to me.

I stop doing witchcraft when I'm at my worst. You think when I can barely get out of bed I'm getting up and doing a full ooga booga ritual?

Get out of here

[eclectomaniacrow]

[eclectomaniacrow]

Oh Lovely Persephone 🥺 how I love you so

[eclectomaniacrow]

Probably some of the smallest details I’ve had to paint so far- it’s a little sloppy but I’m proud of it :3

Persephone’s altar shall be decorated with so many pretty trinkets!

putting the before under the cut because I think that’d be fun

Hello! Can’t send asks from my side blog but my witchy blog is Eclectomaniacrow- and I had a very random question :3

So, I got some toy figurines of animals and insects because I thought it would be fun to practice painting on them and then use them as offerings and decor for my altars. I have this butterfly that I want to give to Mrs. Persephone, but I’ve been going back and forth on how I want to paint it for the last few days.

I need some council lol- what kind of butterfly do you think I should paint? No pressure! I just can’t make up my mind

Hiya Crow! The Colorado Hairstreak (or hypaurotis crysalus). Purple and pretty. Idk, I just feel like Persephone would love it

hope that helps lmao @eclectomaniacrow

[eclectomaniacrow]

IN A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD OF MY LIFE…

[eclectomaniacrow]

reminder: there’s no expiration date on getting over something. you don’t have to have moved on after a certain point.

[eclectomaniacrow]

Hello! Can’t send asks from my side blog but my witchy blog is Eclectomaniacrow- and I had a very random question :3

So, I got some toy figurines of animals and insects because I thought it would be fun to practice painting on them and then use them as offerings and decor for my altars. I have this butterfly that I want to give to Mrs. Persephone, but I’ve been going back and forth on how I want to paint it for the last few days.

I need some council lol- what kind of butterfly do you think I should paint? No pressure! I just can’t make up my mind

Hiya Crow! The Colorado Hairstreak (or hypaurotis crysalus). Purple and pretty. Idk, I just feel like Persephone would love it

hope that helps lmao @eclectomaniacrow

[eclectomaniacrow]

Greek Mythology Sources

Interest in greek mythology rises anew with the new number of retellings and adaptions...and misconceptions all around...

Claims like "that never happened" or "that's the roman version" are around a lot...but even if you wanted to learn more, where would you even start looking? Where do you begin your research for your next fic, or next discussion? Well...That's for you!

Here's a list of source names, links to access them, maps, family trees & more

Where to access the texts:

ToposText

Database, interlinks all names and places, has almost all sources translated, can find all name mentions of place or character in the sources, has a map with the places

Perseus Collection Greek and Roman Materials (and Scaife Viewer)

Digital Library, nearly all main greek and roman sources, including OG language text and dictionary for those languages (is instable at times, try coming back a few hours/days later and it should be up again)

Theoi Greek Mythology

Database, has summary posts for individual heroes, creatures, gods and events, as well as many translations, has a search function

List of Ancient Sources

Homer's Iliad (8th BC)

Homer's Odyssey (8th BC)

Epic Cycle (and Theban Cycle) fragments (8-6th BC)

Homeric Hymns (7th BC)

Orphic Hymns (2nd BC/2nd AD)

Quintus Smyrnaeus’s Posthomerica (3rd AD)

Tryphiodorus’s Taking of Ilium (3rd AD)

Apollonius Rhodius’ Argonautica (3rd BC)

Nonnus’ Dionysiaca (5th AD)

Hesiod’s Theogony, Works and Days, Catalogue of Women (8th BC)

Statius’s Thebaid, Achilleid (1st AD)

(More under cut)

Virgil’s Aeneid (1st BC)

Valerius Flaccus’s Argonautica (1st AD)

Colluthus’s Taking of Helen (6th AD)

Pindar’s Odes (5th BC)

Plays by Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides (5th BC)

Fragments of lyric poets (8th-6th BC)

Athenaeus’s Deipnoshists (2nd AD)

Lycophron’s Alexandra (3rd BC)

Pausanias’s Description of Greece (2nd AD)

Strabo’s Geography (1st AD)

Scholia on Homer (~ 5th BC - 11th AD)

Scholia on Pindar  (2nd AD?)

Scholia on Sophocles, on Euripides (1st BC-15th AD)

Maurus Servius Honoratus’ Commentaries on the Aeneid (5th AD)

Corpus Aristotelicum (4th BC)

Fragments of Hellanicus’s works (5th BC)

Diodorus Siculus’s Bibliotheca Historica (1st AD)

Herodotus’s Histories (5th BC)

Dionysius Halicarnassius’s Roman Antiquities (1st BC)

Plutarch’s Quaestiones Graecae (1st AD)

Eustathius’s commentaries on Homer (12th AD)

Apollodorus’ Bibliotheca, Epitome (2nd AD)

Hyginus’s Fabulae (2nd AD)

Ovid’s Works (1st AD)

Antoninus Liberalis’s Metamorphoses (2nd AD)

Conon’s Narrations (1st AD)

Dictys Cretensis (4th AD)

Dares Phrygius (5th AD)

Malalas’s Chronography (6th AD)

St.Jerome’s Chronicon (4th AD)

Eusebius’s Chronography (5th AD)

Philostratus the Athenian’s Heroicus (3rd AD)

Seneca Plays (1st AD)

Suda (10th AD)

Tzetzes (12th AD)

Duris of Same (4th BC)

Ptolemy Hephaestion (2nd AD)

More Sources:

WordHoard

(Software/Java Document for Scholia on Homer, commentary on the Odyssey & Iliad)

About This Book – Euripides Scholia: Scholia on Orestes 501–1100

Scholia on Euripides

LacusCurtius • A Gateway to Ancient Rome

Roman Sources and History

https://web.archive.org/web/20050625081727/http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Hesiod/iliad.html

Little Iliad Fragments

Most of these places have older translations for the epics, poems and hymns (with older language), places like Poetry In Translation and https://www.gutenberg.org often have newer translations available for free, though…with a bit of digging most translations even recent ones can be found online :)

Comparing several translations is also good if you want to make any arguments about what a text says without being able to read the text in the original language, does the text really say that or is it just this translation?

It also doesn't hurt to research a little about the author of a work as well to get context for which time and sociopolitical and personal situation they were writing in (it helps to do a quick search into the history of ancient greece too, i.e. epic writers writing during the 7th century BC had different agendas than playwrights of the 5th century during the persian wars, athenians during the conflicts with sparta, or later hellenistic writers after Alexander the Great)

Wikipedia: CAN be used, it's a good starting point, but check the sources cited as much as you can, rather than believing what the page itself says

Links to Maps

Ancient Greece Maps – Ancient Greece: Φώς & Λέξη

User:MaryroseB54 - Wikimedia Commons

Cyowari - Professional, Digital Artist | DeviantArt

Some of the Realms of Greece in the Heroic Age by Yaulendur on DeviantArt

Late Bronze Age Mediterranean Trade, c. 1400-1200 BCE: Empires, Merchants, and Maritime Routes of the Ancient World - World History Encyclopedia

Translators:

Translate to Ancient Greek Online

https://logeion.uchicago.edu

Wiktionary

Ancient Art 

Resources

Harvard Art Museums

Family Tree: 

(Compiled by a friend, not exhaustive) - Note that there are often various different versions of lineage for many characters, so this only represents ONE of many possibilities)

Family Echo

Books

Oxford classical dictionary.pdf

Brief History Of Ancient Greece.pdf

168679208-Ancient-Greece.pdf

Complete Greek Drama

The Ancient Epic Cycle and it's ancient reception A companion.pdf

Final Note

These things should not be gatekept, its time to share them freely

I wish I could offer even more sources via academic books and papers but I fear this would exceed my abilities considering the vastness of the topic of Greek Mythology! But this is a starting point :D Have fun! 

Google Scholar has a lot of secondary sources (scholia commentary & theories), books about history, society, politics, flora & fauna, religion, culture, etc. of the time both of history and mythical history…if you have a friend in academia with university access (if you don’t have it yourself) you can ask them to check if they have access to the papers/books otherwise hidden behind insane paywalls, because a LOT of them are available as pdfs!

I also wish I had more visual/audio sources but this is smth I cant change :") I'm sure there's some good videos on youtube out there...somewhere x)

Feel free to contact me if you have more sources you want to add or any links don't work

Here is the Post as DOCs to share outside of tumblr

[eclectomaniacrow]

am I a bad person for not having the motivation to make offerings? /genq

(I’m pretty sure I’m not, but the anxiety is telling me I am)

Not unless the entire HelPol community is too. So no, not at all! it happens and so so many people (myself included) get that feeling of "if I'm not doing it, I'm not being good anymore". But you are good and you are enough and anyone who says otherwise is getting a disapproving look from me. You're still good, with or without energy, with or without motivation, and with or with success. You're still good