growing-shade

[growing-shade]

Hermes Enagonius 🎲

(of the games)

E-offering for Lord Hermes☤

[growing-shade]

In ancient Greek religion, an empty throne often signified the possible presence of a god, even in the absence of an image or statue. These thrones were placed during rituals and festivals, such as Theophania at Delphi, as a sign that a deity might arrive.

At times, they were reserved for gods beyond the local pantheon. In intercultural sanctuaries like Delos or Piraeus, divine visitors from other cultures were honoured with these sacred seats. Foreign deities, such as Isis (Auset), were welcomed through processions and offerings. Their presence was acknowledged by the throne left waiting.

This practice was deeply tied to the Greek value of xenia, or sacred hospitality. Welcoming the unknown god mirrored the ethical imperative to welcome the stranger. The Greeks didn't always know who would come, but they made room nonetheless. The empty throne stood as a symbol of respect, openness, and readiness.

For modern Hellenic Polytheists, this symbolism carries real ethical weight. Xenia is not optional; it’s a central religious duty. Refugees, migrants, strangers, and newcomers deserve the same care once offered to unknown gods.

As a divine law protected by Zeus Xenios, xenia calls us to wait with hope, to receive with kindness, and to respond with generosity. The empty throne is a reminder that hospitality is a virtue, custom, and sacred practice in the religion of Hellenic Polytheism.

Hail the deathless gods; Hail Zeus Xenios

My 2min 20s video on this topic Instagram, TikTok, YouTube

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i’m so grateful to hermes for helping me with my job. i’ve given him a couple water libations but i really wish i could make him an altar. i never get the really good delivery orders like the ones i get when i ask for his help. and he keeps me safe driving, and all my interactions go smoothly. praise hermes 💕

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This might be controversial, which I try to avoid on this account, but I was thinking.

I feel like people who work in the mental health field Don't take spirituality or religion as seriously as they should. I feel like they're quick to write off any sort of belief system other than the abrahamic religions as simply a byproduct of mental illness, or they write them off as a mental illness themselves.

In training one of the first things that we are taught is that we have to respect people's beliefs and we have to treat them in a way that honors and respects their beliefs, we shouldn't treat them as less than or invalid just because their religion isn't Mainstream, however I feel like way too many people in the field don't honor this rule.

People Who are religious are religious for a reason, they've had experiences that have led them to believe that the gods of their choice are real. Most pagans believe in things like clairsenses and trance work and spiritual dreams and all kinds of things like that. But I feel like a lot of people in the mental health field are really quick to write off basic aspects of different religions as simply mental illness symptoms. Oh you believe that you can communicate with the gods? You believe that you can hear them? Auditory hallucination and schizophrenia. Like no girl, auditory hallucinations and schizophrenia look very different from what people actually experience when they believe they have Claire audience.

As someone who actually has experienced auditory hallucinations and who is religious, trust that auditory hallucinations versus communing with deities is very very different. And people don't need to be shamed or told they're crazy, they need to be given the proper sources to practice discernment.

Like yes, schizophrenia and psychosis and paranoia and religious trauma and things like that are very real and should very much be taken seriously, but I feel like science and the mental health field brush aside spirituality way too easily despite the fact that it has been essential to human civilizations for as far back as we can find. Like sure, we can't prove any religion with science yet, it is up to personal experience but the fact is it's something that is so important to so many people and it's just completely blown off in any research or any professional settings or therapy sessions. And that's really just doing a disservice to people, especially if you're calling them crazy just because they have a religion that isn't mainstream.

I don't know it's just something that I've noticed, and again we're trained to respect differing beliefs and religions and not treat our clients any differently just because their religion may not be in alignment with ours or as popular as other religions, but I really feel like a lot of people in the field are way too happy to just call any religious experience some form of mental illness and that's incredibly harmful because not only is it invalidating people and doing exactly what we're told not to which is treating them like shit, but it's also watering down the actual mental illnesses.

I'm not saying that everyone in the mental health field needs to convert and be religious or whatever, but they need to accept that spirituality has been a backbone for humankind for a long long time, whether you believe in it or not the fact is it is essential to a lot of people and if you're working with people mentally that's something you can't just brush off.

It's just something that I've noticed and thought about a few times and it really irks me. Because it really does seem like anything other than the abrahamic religions gets written off as a mental illness symptom and that's just not right and it doesn't help anybody. There needs to be more effort made to understand the difference between religion and spirituality versus actual mental illness.

[growing-shade]

Hey, it may be looking a little bleak out there and you may need your gods to be with you now more than ever.

If you are coming from a place where being open about worshipping your gods is frowned upon or outright dangerous, but you need to say their names out loud to feel like they're around, here's a survival tip:

Tell everyone around you, you're a huge fan of Greek mythology.

Greek mythology content is everywhere right now!

There's video games like Hades and Fenyx Rising, movies like Disney's Hercules, so many shows and cartoons like Kaos and Blood of Zeus, Percy Jackson and let's not forget the Broadway musical: Hadestown! Plus a lot of neo classical paintings and their statues are everywhere!

Be obnoxious about your love for them every time you need your god to be mentioned in order to bring you comfort, and if they get mad because you won't stop talking about your gods just insist you are obsessed with Greek mythology right now, which is totally believable because their content is everywhere! You can even surround yourself with their content if it'll help you feel safer.

It's okay if you can't give them the kind of altar you wish to give them right now because you literally can't! I grew up in a very religious household so my altar was in a sketchbook! You can grab the media version of your favorite god and wear them on a shirt. If they ask you to say grace at the dinner table and you have to verbally pray to a god you don't believe in just mentally tell your god anything you say about that god is dedicated to them. If you have to go to a religious building remember that the Romans conflated their Roman gods with Christian figures all the time so the figures you're looking at are a mishmash of a bunch of gods mixed together. So, while you're in that building go ahead and pray to your gods the whole time you're there. Even if it's not a Christian building because no one can hear your thoughts or police them, go ahead and meditate with your gods whenever you enter a religious building.

The gods won't be offended, this is how their old devotees used to do it during the dark ages and medieval period since not going to church was punishable by death. They also claimed to be really into Greek mythology and praised the Christian God while secretly praying to the Greek gods.

Your gods won't think it's rude.

They've had devotees in the past who have had to hide, and there are Greek people living in modern Greece today who still have to hide their worship of them so they get it.

And don't worry about the more uptight worshippers who judge others for things that have nothing to do with them and get especially angry about treating the Greek gods like it's a fandom. Your form of worship is between you and your gods and this is a survival tactic that's been used for hundreds to thousands of years. This is a tactic that was literally the difference between life or death. This is why the gods don't care if you publicly treat them like characters or like Greek mythology is a fandom. You're not the first devotee who has had to do this and unfortunately, you won't be the last.

On the flip side, no one around you will think you're weird for saying you're really into Greek mythology because look around you, they are all over the place! Greek mythology content is EVERYWHERE:

Let that work in your favor.

[growing-shade]

“What is the difference between Orphic and Homeric Hymns?”

The Orphic and Homeric hymns are both significant in the context of ancient Greek literature and religion, but they differ in origin, purpose, and style.

1. Origin and Tradition:

- Homeric Hymns: These hymns are attributed to Homer, though they were likely composed by various poets in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE. They are part of the broader tradition of epic poetry and are generally seen as a way to honor the gods through narrative and invocation.

- Orphic Hymns: These hymns are tied to the Orphic tradition, which is associated with the mythical figure Orpheus. The Orphic hymns date from later periods (around the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE) and reflect a more esoteric and philosophical approach to religion.

2. Content and Themes:

- Homeric Hymns: Each hymn typically praises a specific deity, recounting myths or stories related to their attributes, powers, and deeds. They often serve a liturgical purpose, meant to invoke the favour of the gods.

- Orphic Hymns: These often incorporate themes of mysticism, cosmology, and the soul's journey. They focus more on personal religious experience and metaphysical concepts, such as the nature of the divine and the afterlife.

3. Style and Structure:

- Homeric Hymns: They generally follow a narrative structure and employ traditional epic techniques, such as invocation and epithets. The language is grand and formal.

- Orphic Hymns: While also poetic, these hymns tend to use a more lyrical and mystical language, emphasizing philosophical ideas. The structure can be less consistent than that of the Homeric hymns.

While both types of hymns celebrate the gods, the Homeric hymns are more concerned with storytelling and invocation in a traditional epic style, whereas the Orphic hymns delve into mystical and philosophical themes, reflecting a different aspect of religious belief.

If I missed anything or messed anything up please let me know, I am up to hear about your opinions / knowledge on this too ^^

[growing-shade]

Big fan of queen Olof of Saxland

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Before dawn this morning there was a beautiful, intense thunderstorm. As the rain fell, the thunder bellowed, and the lightning crashed I felt cathartic release and realization. I also felt immensely calm and safe.

I felt loving comfort in Thor's presence and, to my surprise, Loki's as well. The rain and thunder felt like Thor, but for some reason today the lightning was all Loki.

I am so grateful to both of them for reminding me that they are with me, and for inspiring me to feel/let out my emotions.

[growing-shade]

Sometimes being pagan means standing in a beautiful grove of old growth trees, in awe and wonder about your own existence among them, feeling in touch with the infinite cosmos.

And sometimes being pagan means leaving out a bowl of Kraft Dinner mac and cheese for an ancient goddess of the snow because a snow storm blew in just in time to delay the two midterms you didn’t study for until the next week.

[growing-shade]

well 🧍‍♀️ as a reminder this blog is NOT a safe space for trump supporters but it IS a safe place for women, queers, trans ppl, people of color, undocumented people, and any marginalized group.

[growing-shade]

Say It with Me

The representations of our gods in Hollywood lack accuracy.

The representations of our gods in Hollywood lack accuracy.

The representations of our gods in Hollywood lack accuracy.

The representations of our gods in Hollywood lack accuracy.

The representations of our gods in Hollywood lack accuracy.

I love watching Tv and media surrounding our Hellenic deities, however, please remember this; Hollywood is always going to fabricate things to make them more "appealing." With that being said, love and care for the Gods and they will love and care for you.

Happy Friday: O, Hail Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, may I win your heart so that you may bless me with love for all of my days.

[growing-shade]

Blessed Summer Solstice everyone🍓☀️🧚‍♀️🦋

Hope you are all feeling joyful and blessed during these sacred days of sabbat 🌞⚘ This was my Litha for today <3 I spent a lot of time sitting in the sun, looking for summer symbols and chilling with my cat and with my chickens ♡ I ate apricots to connect with the solar energy and also had a seasonal salad, pastries, elderflower juice, wild and regular strawberries found in my garden, and also potatoes with pork fillet :D I also made my Litha magick jar and even tho in the beginning I didn’t like it that much, now looking at it I love it🍄🌼 I wanted it to be connected both with the solar energy of the solstice and with the beginning of Cancer season, which is my sun sign 🌳🍓🌸 I also admired my beautiful roses from the garden, tried to relax by meditating and spending time with my loved ones. Also I stayed up late to catch the beautiful Litha sunset and had talks about Greek mythology with my family <3 So I’m really proud of the things I’ve done today, since I haven’t celebrated it in a few years, but this Midsummer was beautiful and gave me the calmness I needed. Tomorrow on the last last I don’t know what I’m gonna do but probably set some intentions at home and start preparing for my bachelor degree exam 🌻🐮 Hope you are all having a beautiful Summer Solstice as well. Be blessed 🌅🌿🌹

[growing-shade]

All about Lord Freyr

I thought about making a post dedicated to Lord Freyr since the summer solstice is coming so I figure why not. Norse paganism we would celebrate Midsummer with maypoles and flowers and games and parties.

Attributes

Peace

Fertility (especially with men)

Agriculture/Nature

Sunlight

Rain

Prosperity

Harvest

Good weather

Symbols

Summer sword (his sword)

Antlers

Boar

A ship

Sunlight through clouds

Flowers or vegetation

Horses

Offerings

Mead but any alcohol can work like wine

Flowers, flower crowns, flower wreaths

Trees or any kind of vegetation

Vegetables

Horse items (doesn’t have to be real)

Pork

Sun imagery

Fruits

Sweet foods

He is often associated with LGBTQ+ so maybe donating to LGBTQ+ organizations or maybe give rainbows to him as well. It’s modern but quite a few people have associated him with homosexuality especially with gay men. But to clarify Freyr isn’t homosexual he has a female spouse

Greenman imagery or Horned God

Different Names: Freyr, Frey both means “Lord” and Frö, Ing, Ingvi, Yngvi, or Ing Freá it’s said to be an earlier name of Freyr. King of Alfaheim and Prince of Elves or King of Elves.

Runes:

Ing

Fehu

Jera

Tarot:

The Sun

Fool

Wheel of Fortune

Ten of Cups

Ace of Pentacles

King of Pentacles

General Information

Freyr is an interesting god and quite popular in Norse paganism, he is part of the Vanir tribe of gods, twin brother of Freyja, his father is Njord. His wife is called Gerðr or Gerthr and marries her due to quite unfortunate circumstances when he falls in love with her he asks his servant Skírnir to convince Gerðr to marry Freyr, Freyr offers his sword to Skírnir which makes Freyr fight with just a pair of antlers of a stag. Upon being threatened into marrying Freyr by Skírnir Greðr does end up falling in love with Freyr and they have one son named Fjollnir. He rules Alfheimr the realm of the elves as the Lord of the Elves, the Elves are said to bless crops and fields as well. Freyr is considered to be the noblest of Gods rules over rain and sunshine, oversees the prosperity of mankind, and brings good harvests and peace.

Now here’s an interesting thing about Freyr he was worshipped in Sweden in Uppsala where a temple was dedicated to him along with Thor and Odin. But it’s said the dynasty of Swedish royalty started when Freyr being the king of Sweden called the Yngling Kings as Freyr their ancestor. Freyr has a ship that can be folded and put it into his pocket it’s called Skíðblaðnir and his boar named Gullinborsti like how Freya is associated with swine as well as a symbol of fertility kinda how the Greeks saw bulls being associated with male fertility. Horses were considered to link to Freyr maybe as a sign of fertility but Horses are extremely important in agriculture like plowing the fields and transportation, there has been horse sacrifices to Freyr. If you saw the movie “The Northman” it really focuses on Freyr and his role in old Norse society and connections to fertility. One of the rituals being documented was having an wooden idol of Freyr on a chariot along with his priestesses blessing crops for good harvest.

He can be compared to such as Dionysus in some aspects of being an agricultural and nature god and links to male fertility.

[growing-shade]

oh also? An absolutely freaky thing I'm seeing yt leftists do?

STOP TRYING TO TRACK DOWN PROTESTORS THAT DO 'BADASS STUFF'. STOP POSTING ABOUT IT ONLINE.

PEOPLE FUCKING DIE.

AND IT'S USUALLY SOMEONE MELANATED.

THE GOVERNMENT IS WATCHING YOU FUCKING DUMBASS.

y'all are so stuck on egoistic heroism that every time someone does something 'sick' at a protest you wanna turn them in to the next celebrity to have a parasocial relationship with and then they go missing.

Tf is wrong w y'all.

[growing-shade]

Foie Graphics

[growing-shade]

This is your friendly reminder that herbs aren't inherently safe.

Natural doesn't mean Safe.

Lightning is natural. Opium, therefore heroin and opiate drugs are derived from poppies. Cinnamon oil will burn your skin. Lilies are toxic to cats and will cause organ failure. Activated charcoal will neutralize your prescription medications and literally anything else in your system. St. John's Wort will destroy your serotonin production and mess with your happiness threshold if it DOESNT KILL YOU FIRST.

So anyway.

Do some damn good research every time you go to eat, breathe, bring around your pets, bathe in, or smoke something. Be safe please.