fireandcreation

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And Pygmalion prayed to Hephaestus, Coppersmith, Renowned Artificer, god of the forge and stonecarving, and prayed that his ivory sculpture may be brought to life.

But Hephaestus, Cunning, Clubfoot, stayed his hand; “I will not allow this,” he said. “To destroy thine handiwork would be contrary to my nature. For great craftsmanship shall last forever, while flesh will falter in time. In stone, she will have beauty that is everlasting, endless and immortal.”

Then Pygmalion prayed to Aprodite and said, “Can you please bring my sculpture to life? Your husband said no,” and lo; Aphrodite had the chance to do something hilarious.

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Pagan altar inspiration pt. 2

Midsummer altar, Mabon altar

Brigid altar, God and Goddess gratitude altar

Pan altar, wiccan Yule altar

Altar to Ishtar, Lammas Altar

Shrine of Hekate, Litha Altar

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I don't think they're supposed to do that

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War Water

War Water (also called Iron Water) is a powerful tool in witchcraft used for protection, hexing, banishing, and warding off enemies. It originates from Hoodoo, Appalachian folk magic, and other mystical traditions.

Uses of War Water:

• Protection – Sprinkle around your home to create a spiritual barrier.

• Banishing – Throw it where unwanted people have walked to remove their influence.

• Cursing – Toss onto an enemy’s property to bring discord and bad luck.

• Warding Off Negativity – Add to floor washes or sprinkle near entrances.

• In Spellwork - Use in rituals for breaking curses, creating wards, or calling upon warrior spirits.

Needed:

• Rusty nails (or iron shavings or railroad spikes)

• Water (preferably storm or river water for extra potency)

• Salt (black salt for cursing, sea salt for protection)

• Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (for aggression and strength)

• Vinegar – Used to sour relationships in cursing spells.

• Mugwort or Rue – For added spiritual power.

Instructions:

Place the rusty nails or iron in a jar. If your nails aren’t rusty, leave them in water for a few weeks to oxidize. Fill the jar with water. Use stormwater for aggressive energy, river water for powerful flow, or tap water if necessary. Add salt and herbs and let it sit for at least a week. The longer it sits, the stronger it becomes. Some witches let it develop for months. Shake or stir when using, the rust, herbs, and salt should be well mixed before application.

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Scratch all the nice things I said about this person, last July they cheated on me with my ex during my debut performance 🙃

I guess Aphrodite sent them as a love lesson and not a love match 🤷🏻‍♀️

Never stay with some who would cheat just because the chemistry is off the charts and you think you'll never find something like that again, you will. I did and I'm faaaaar happier for it

Thank for the new man Miss Aphrodite! He is treating me right❤️

So I met someone on Saturday and they are *school girl siiigh*

It was during a Greek inspired gym party thing so I was wearing my lava rock rosary to connect me to Hephaestus

Said rosary is a rosary from Mt Vesuvius, made from lava rock found there, it has a lil heart shaped locket on it, which I really like because it's a lil connection to Aphrodite which I think is cute, and I took off the of cross and replaced it with an anvil obvs

But after meeting this incredible incredible person who makes me giggle and kick my feet n shit, I remembered not only was I wearing the heart locker lava rock rosary, but I was also wearing a grey hoodie with L'Amour across the front and it had a heart shaped cut out on the back

So now I'm like "Did I.. accidentally pray to Aphrodite alla her husband? Did I ask for a love match then got it???"

Cuz I know exactly how I got on Aphrodite's radar, my best friend is an Aphrodite worshipper and has been in their matchmaker era

The gods are wonderful and weird and I love them

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im extremely devout but nobody can figure out what im worshipping

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prometheus: hot take,

the greek gods: no give that back

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as a crutches user i'd like to shout out to people who use other sorts of disability aids! people who use AFOs, oxygen tanks and concentrators, braces and compression garments, continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps, a white cane, AAC devices, any type of feeding tube, hearing aids, ventilators, a tracheotomy tube, a hoist to transfer, commodes, incontinence pads, adaptive cutlery and kitchenware, rails, braille displays to name a few! there's so many disability aids out there in the word to help people live their lives and i wish for everyone to have access to them whenever they need

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I’m not a classicist, but I suspect one of the reasons so many of the Greek gods are portrayed so unflatteringly was less because they were seen as villains than because they represented their domains.  Of course Zeus sometimes misuses his power, that’s what a king does.  Of course Artemis’s wrath is wild and painful, that’s what nature can be.  Of course Hades snatched away a young girl from her mother’s arms, that’s what death does.  This is one of the reasons callout posts for some gods comparing them negatively to ‘nicer’ gods are kind of missing the point.

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A huntress sculpture in the forest woven from willow branches

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“He spake, and from the anvil rose, a huge, panting bulk, halting the while, but beneath him his slender legs moved nimbly. The bellows he set away from the fire, and gathered all the tools wherewith he wrought into a silver chest; and with a sponge wiped he his face and his two hands withal, and his mighty neck and shaggy breast, and put upon him a tunic, and grasped a stout staff, and went forth halting; but there moved swiftly to support their lord handmaidens wrought of gold in the semblance of living maids. In them is understanding in their hearts, and in them speech and strength, and they know cunning handiwork by gift of the immortal gods.” [ The Illiad, Book 18. Lines 410-421.]

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i sing, i sing, i sing to you —o  skilled hephaestus! o god of the  ever toiling flame, bright of mind & of hands, guide my fingers to be as gilded as your own. glory to thee, who  strung together craft & beauty and behold! created! you who taught us to create! o,  beloved god, give me the wisdom to fashion & shape the world as you do — may my  hands not falter against the great heat of  this world but hold it fast & give form to it. o creator, shaper, ever working artisan, to you, i sing —

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Respect Disabled Gods

I’ve studied a lot, and throughout the myths, there is mention of Lord Hermes about as frequently as Lord Hephaestus. They both appear in almost every myth at least in a small way, which make sense given both of their roles.

However, I see far less people including Lord Hephaestus in their worship.

I rarely see people worship Him at all, and conversely, I see more people honoring far more minor Deities than I see honoring Lord Hephaestus. That’s not my main issue here though.

What I do see most frequently is disrespect towards Lord Hephaestus, often depicting Him as inadequate for Aphrodite (which is ahistorical to the myths), or forgetful (again, unfounded in the myths), or just outright calling Him slurs.

If your ableism is so strong that you would refer to an immortal God by slurs, I strongly encourage you to check yourself, and do some unlearning to address it.

I’ve never once seen people refer to Lady Aphrodite by any of the horrendous, misogynistic language used to describe a woman who has lots of sex, even with Her being the Goddess of sex (and I would also encourage them not to do so, of course) or call any of the virgin Goddesses “prudes” or anything like that. People have so much respect for the other Deities within the pantheon, until it comes to Lord Hephaestus.

I’m not saying you have to worship Lord Hephaestus. I’m just asking for people to consider why they aren’t, at minimum, giving Him the same respect that they do other Deities, especially an Olympian God.

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🔥Io Vulcanalia!☄️

On August 23rd the Romans celebrated the 'Vulcanalia', a festival dedicated to Vulcan. Like his Greek counterpart Hephaestus, Vulcan was a blacksmith who forged the weapons of the gods, but in his Roman form, he was mostly associated with fires, especially destructive ones, and volcanoes 🌋

During the Vulcanalia the Romans worshipped him by creating large bonfires and throwing fish and small animals into the flames, hoping to appease him enough to keep wildfire (common at that time of year) away from their settlements. Almost all temples to Vulcan were initially built outside of cities (eventually cities like Rome expanded around them), for fear that they would be originators of fires if the god was displeased.

I've depicted him in a warm orange and red palette, with his blacksmithing tools, a pilos hat, and flames in the background. I like to think he's the most hench of the gods with all his blacksmithing work, so I gave him a cheeky one-clasp chiton to show off the goods 💪

Prints and Merch [X]

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Lord Hephaestus Devotional Acts and Offerings

Learn about:

Volcanoes

Fire safety

Disability rights

The ADA (and how it could be improved)

Ableism and stigma

Blacksmithing

Forges

Devotional Acts

God of fire & volcanoes:

Woodburning (art form)

Fire scrying

Have a bonfire

Paper mache volcanoes

Burn a candle

(Learn how to) Tend a fire/woodstove/hearth

God of blacksmithing, metalworking, and crafts:

Jewelry making

Wood carving

Wire working

Making chainmail

Leatherworking

Car maintenance 

Have a good toolkit

Welding

Handyman maintenance

Robotics

Repair clothing

Carry a multitool 

Learn a new skill

Glassblowing

Restore an old/damaged object

Build Legos/Lincoln Logs

Watch restoration videos

Code/build a website

Go to science fairs/museums

Invent something

God of/with disabilities:*

Mobility aid maintenance 

Disability advocacy

Plan out your spoons/energy

Customize mobility aids/braces/other aids

Create a medical ID

Have an emergency to-go bag

Make your bed into a comfy place to be

Buy things from people with disabilities’ wishlists (like accessibility items etc.)

Identify how many spoons different activities take and make a list

Offerings

God of fire/volcanoes:

Fire starters/pokers

Burned paper

Burned objects

Blowtorch

Lighters

Fire imagery

Volcanic rocks

Volcano imagery

Firewood

Ashes

Matches

Coal

God of blacksmithing, metalworking, and crafts:

Nails, bolts, screws

Tools/toolbox

Swords/shields/armor (imagery)

Cool metal objects

Anvil imagery

Bronze/copper/brass

Anything you’ve made

Blueprints

Tongs

Bellows

Springs

Spare parts

Batteries

Mementos of handy work you’ve done (like a light bulb you’ve changed)

Chains

Stones/bricks/clay

Laptops/tablets/phones

God of/with disability:

Mobility aids

Painkillers/medicines

“Emergency” foods (like electrolytes or candy bars)

X-ray/MRI images

Medical bracelets

Medical paperwork

Adaptive aids

* While Hephaestus was not traditionally seen as a god of disability, many followers in modern times revere him as one

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🌋 Subtle Hephaestus Worship ⚒️

Creating carvings/sculpturs; wood, soap, soapstone/gemstone, clay, etc.

If you're struggling with a disability, being kind and gentle with yourself; you are doing the best that you can

If struggling with medical conditions, research your treatment options; be well-educated on the subject to know your rights

Keep a picture of him in your wallet

Wear jewelry that reminds you of him

Collecting volcanic rocks

Have a candle that reminds you of him (no altar needed)

Have a donkey or crane stuffed animal

Have imagery of cranes, anvils/metalworking, or fire (cranes would likely be good for a Christian household)

Treating your body kindly; taking care of yourself physically

Support homeless shelters or organizations that assist the disabled

Light a bonfire in his honor; gather with loved ones around it or sit alone in peace

Make your house a home; honor your space, and make it your own

Try new hobbies/activities that allow you to work with your hands, especially creative and inventive endeavors

Learn about technology; try your hand at computers and the like

Support small businesses and artists, especially those that sell handmade items

Learn how to build/craft things, such as bird houses or diorama-like art pieces

Practice self-acceptance; give love to yourself, especially when you're having a difficult time

Take time to meditate alone or simply decompress by yourself for a bit

Drink hot chocolate, tea, or any warm and comforting drink

Making a list of positive things you encounter throughout the day; try doing this each day

Embracing all of your feelings, but allowing them to be felt and released

Practicing patience; a lot of handiwork and craft work will help with this

Spending time with loved ones, especially found family

Playing video games you enjoy

If you have any walking aids or similar, customizing them and making them your own

Having pictures of ancient Greek architecture around, especially the Temple to Hephaestus

Learning a new skill; improving learned skills

Selling your personal art/crafts; taking commissions for your work

Practice independence if it's something you struggle with (I'm not suggesting you isolate)

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May add to this later on! For now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Hephaestus. Take care, y'all; hope this helps someone! ❤️

Link to Subtle Worship Master list

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🏺🔥