khthonic-nymph-grimoire

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

A guide to worship of Erinyes - cheat sheets

Hellenic cheat sheets

If you like my content consider supporting me on: https://ko-fi.com/screeching0wlet

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Any sketch of Hermes with baby Pan? 🥺

There is one 🥺

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Subtle ways to honor Ares 🗡️🩸

- fight against tyranny and oppression in your daily life

- learn to balance anger and joy

- learn to balance hatred and love

- defend those who are under scourge, wether that be online or in person

- learn about the history of war combat

- learn about the Trojan war

- embrace your anger and figure out how to healthily express it

- vote against unnecessary war and battle in your local elections

- visit a battlefield

- visit a war memorial

- embrace your lust

- be respectful and kind to veterans and active duty military members alike

- defend your side of an argument, especially if you know it’s what’s right.

- watch a war film

- learn how to not fall victim to wartime or nationalist propaganda

- take care of your physical body by exercising or lifting weights

- go to the gym or for a run

- embrace your masculine or butch side

- donate to a Palestinian aid or Ukrainian aid fundraiser (or to whatever victimized side of a war or genocide is going on at the time when you are reading this)

- learn how to safely and effectively use a firearm or blade, especially if you are in a country or place that may require you to defend yourself if necessary.

- don’t give up the battles that you personally are facing. Never stop fighting, no matter how hopeless it may seem.

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

my queer rendition of Joseph Kuhn-Régnier's painting "Bacchanal and Panthers"

I really love the original painting, but I wanted to add my own style and make it more modern and Dionysian

//print

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Happy pride month to everyone!

If you're trans/queer, Dionysos is here to protect you.

If you're intersex, Hermaphroditus is keeping you safe.

If you're gay/bisexual, Apollo wants you to keep shining.

If you're lesbian, Aphrodite is guiding you.

If you're aro/ace, Artemis is helping you stand your ground.

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Can you make some doodles of Ariadne and Dionysus with their daughter ?? 🥺

Will never miss a chance to draw this family

Look at how cute Thrysa is 🥹

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Never underestimate Dionysus.. 💜

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Welcome to Underworld Wandrers

A server based of the hellenic underworld.

⭑𓉸 A 16+ Server

⭑𓉸 We welcome people of all paths and experience levels

Whether youre Greek, Norse, Celtic etc or a Beginner or advanced We accept everyone ♡

⭑𓉸 LGBTQ+/POC/Disability friendly

⭑𓉸 Godspousal/Oathsworn friendly (A separate private space for spousal)

⭑𓉸 A variety of channels and spaces

Including separate channels for adults

Separate venting channels

⭑𓉸 Fun bots, Roles and pings (plural, shadow work and selfcare)

⭑𓉸 Various Voice channels

⭑𓉸 A Growing library section filled with resources

⭑𓉸 A section for various educational and art events

⭑𓉸 An active caring mod team that is always planning new things for the server

⭑𓉸 Monthly rituals and gatherings

Transcripts on the ones you've missed and chances to be included

⭑𓉸 Book club

⭑𓉸Places for divination and to market your business

⭑𓉸 Wonderful partners and growing

We hope to see you there ♡

https://discord.gg/bV7Yg2KVP3

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How to pray to the chthonic gods 🪦 🌒

Position

When praying to underworld deities, we should direct our prayers downwards. An example of this is seen in the ninth scroll of the Iliad when Althaea prays to Haides and dread Persephone by kneeling and beating her hands on the ground. Whereas women wore their hair up or covered for ouranic rituals, they wore their hair down in chthonic rituals. The prayer should be murmured.

Offerings

Chthonic Theoi received special nighttime offerings of black animals, unmixed wine and special libations of milk and honey. Animal sacrifice was always done in a holókaustos--a sacrifice where the entire animal was burned and none of the meat was saved for human consumptions.

Homer in the Odyssey writes Circe advising Odysseus how to perform a libation to the dead:

"Draw near then, as I bid you, hero, and dig a trench two feet square, then pour a libation all around to the dead, first of milk and honey, then of sweet wine, thirdly of water, sprinkled with white barley meal."

Prayer format

The format is the same as when praying to any other theoi: Invoke the god, introduce yourself, make an argument as to why they should listen to you, and make a request .

Who are the underworld deities?

- Haides, King of the underworld

- Persephone, Queen of the underworld

- Hecate, Goddess of magic

- Thanatos, God of death

- Hermes Athanatus Diactorus, the chtonic aspect of Hermes in which he guides souls to the underworld

- Nyx, primordial Goddess of the night

- Hypnos, God of sleep

- Charon, ferryman of the dead

- Cerberus, guardian of the underworld

- The Furies, goddesses of vengeance and retribution

Sources:

- ‘Greek Religion’ by Walter Burkert (1985)

- Baring the Aegis blogspot

- Hellenic Faith blog

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

My favorite epithets of Dionysus

Aigobolos - the goat killer

Antheus - the blooming

Dendritês - the god of the tree

Eleuthereus - the deliverer of man from care and sorrow, the liberator 

Enualios - the warlike (this is an epithet often given to Ares as well) 

Eubouleus - god of good counsel

Isodaitês - god who distributes his gifts equally to all

Lamptêr - the torchbearer, and in some translations, the shining

Luaios - god who frees men from cares and anxiety 

Lusios - the deliverer 

Meilichios - the gracious 

Melanaigis - armored (clad with a black aegis) 

Mêthumnaios - rich in vines 

Ômadios - the flesh eater 

Phleôn - the giver of plenty

Sôtêr - the savior

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Grimoire - Hellenic Polytheism

Hellenic Polytheism In General: HP 101: Where to start Hellenic polytheism - free (and reliable!) resources Things Every Baby Hellenic Should Research/Know Adult Home Study for Hellenic and Roman Polytheists Considering the Hellenic Pagan as an Identity 10 Myths About Hellenismos The Thing About Myths A Clash of Tales: How to Reconcile Conflicting Myths The Gods are not their myths! Some points on Orphism The difference between "religion online" and "online religion" Lets have a chat: about research in recon How to determine if a book on mythology is legit? Hellenic Polytheism: Evaluating “How-to” Books Why learning Hellenic Polytheism (or really any other pagan current) on Tumblr aint a good idea

Concepts And Practices: Khernips A follow-up on pollution and purification Miasma vs. Lyma Thoughts on cognitive hygiene and pollution Spiritual protection in the Greco-Roman world The Hellenic Gods Aren’t Malicious Towards You. Deepening your relationship with a deity Why personal devotion matters Things the Gods Get Mad at Mortals For On Household Worship Zeus Ktesios and the Kadiskos Children in Ancient (Athenian) Festivals Basic Prayer Formula Dissecting the Anatomy of Prayer Kharis: The Reciprocal Relationship with the Gods Invoking Kharis Xenia, and why it is our duty as Hellenic polytheists/pagans to be anti-racist and anti-fascist Pillars of Hellenismos "Pillars" of Hellenic Polytheism… A Rant Oaths and Hellenic Polytheism Hellenic polytheism and witchcraft Witchcraft in Hellenismos Magic in Hellenismos: An Introduction Ingredients of Ancient Greek style reconstructed magic Magic idea: using the Iliad (and Odyssey) for magic Popular Divination Methods in Ancient Greece Introduction to The Underworld as Understood in Ancient Hellas Practical tips for Hellenic Khthonic Ritual Things you could put in a devotional journal Moral and Ethical Guidelines food & worship.

Religious Offerings: Extravagant Offerings Are Unnecessary Libations Effects of Libations in the Garden Basic Hellenic Offering Ritual Historical Hellenic Offerings How to Make an Offering as a Hellenic Polytheist (based on historical methods) dolls as votive offerings Traditional Offerings: water, barley, hair, fruits and nuts, Jewelry, salt

Hellenic Pantheon: Pantheon of the Greek Gods Resources for Cult Epithets of the Greek Gods Theogony What Are Epithets? Choose Your Starter Theoi Modern Hellenic Polytheist Household Deity Worship Agathos Daimon Household rituals for the Agathos Daimon The forgotten ones: on honouring obscure gods Nymph Worship Honouring the Nymphai - The maidens of nature. Ourea: The Mountain Gods Potamoi: The River Gods Offerings to local river gods (potamoi) Hero Worship Hero worship 101 - The basics Hero Worship 101 - Which hero should I worship? How do I contact them? Worshipping Zeus: part I, part II, part III

Festivals And Sacred Days: Libation days in Hellenismos The Attic Calendar Hekate's Deipnon Noumenia Noumenia Agathos Daimon Deipnon, Noumenia and Agathos Daimon Prayers Attempting to set up a "holiday decoration" box Example Modernisation of an Ancient Greek Festival Calendar manipulation in Ancient Greece

My personal posts and resources: My Posts Related to My Practices

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

HP 101: Where to start

Hellenic Polytheism can be a bit daunting to start off - and it’s hard to know where to find the right information or what to research! Hopefully this post will help to give you a starting point - but please don’t base all your information off of one person! NOTE: I may link posts with conflicting information/methods. I leave it to you to decide what feels right and fits for you!

Websites, book lists and PDFs:

Theoi.com

Library Genesis

Hellenism resources

PDFs of myths

HP online accurate resources

Classics, mythology and modern worship

HP book list

Accurate resources

Book recommendations and online resources

Bibliography of Black-Centered Resources for Ancient Mediterranean Studies

The types of HP:

Recon vs. Revivalism

Reconstructionism vs Revivalism

The basics of practicing HP:

Making libations

Introduction to epithets

Veiling basics + a veiling primer + basic hair binding and veiling + hellenic hairstyles in religious rites

How to write a prayer

Daily prayer journal

How to pray, praise and worship the Theoi

Homeric hymns - helpful for writing devotionals, hymns, etc. (external site)

The Delphic Maxims

Basic Hellenic supplies

Oaths

Sacred places

Offerings (and whether or not to eat them)

Hellenic khthonic ritual

How to honor Ouranic and Chthonic gods

Hellenic Calendars and when to worship deities:

The days of the month

Devotions for the last day of the month

A Hellenismos calendar 

Hellenion.org calendar (external site)

Hellenic festival year (external site)

About the Hellenic calendar of festivals

Pronunciation and terminology:

Hellenic pronunciation for the Theoi + Hellenic pronunciation pt. 2 + article

Khernips + Khernips pt. 2 + pt. 3

Miasma, khernips and katharmosis

On Lyma

Hellenic terminology (external site)

Finding / Information on deities:

Sacred animals of the gods 

Theoi.com (my go-to)

Household gods

The Nymphai

Odds and ends:

On household worship

Other resources:

List of devotees on tumblr

Practical practicing of HP

This wonderful resource masterpost!

Masterpost of Hellenic polytheism and Roman polytheism resources

Shops for Hellenic polytheists

Introduction to Ancient Greek History - open Yale course

Note: Some areas are certainly lacking in the information department, please add resources if you have them! I’ve included all I could find as of mid 2020.

Links updated June, 2020. Please inform me of broken links via askbox!

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Libations

As a Hellenic polytheist, one of our most important duties to our gods would be to give libations. Libations are liquid offerings to our gods, not only in recognition of them and their importance but as an invitation into our lives for them.

When it comes to giving libations, it can be difficult for those of us practicing and worshipping in secret. So in this post I'll go over typical libations and how they're given, and then some methods I believe would be helpful for those that can't give openly! Please keep in mind that the suggested methods (for those practicing in secret) come from someone who is still navigating and learning her own religion. As always, do your own research where needed and do methods that make you most comfortable in your practices.

Typical Libations

Wine (typically red)

Symbolic of the divine ether, and Zeus's influence on the soul. Additionally, dark red wine represents the blood of Dionysus/Zagreus. We drink his blood as reflectance for his sacrifice by the titans and the eating of his flesh. It represents his metamorphosis, and in turn, our own cycle of birth.

Milk

Representative of Hera and Ira, whose breast milk formed the galaxies and cosmos. Milk also represents the earth.

Honey

Honey is golden which is incredibly symbolic of the gods, particularly their ichor (the blood of the gods). Honey is also a powerful preservative representing the immortality of the gods.

Fine oil (typically olive)

Oil historically symbolizes life, prosperity, and the divine spirit.

Milk and honey together are also a considerable libations but is particularly good for death related gods and the honoring of the dead. Milk and honey libations for them should NOT be consumed.

Giving Libations

To give libations, you would first pick up the offering bowl full of whatever you are giving with your right hand, then hold it with both and recite a dedication. The dedication itself is up to you but the example I saw is as follows:

"We dedicate this libation to khrismôdós Apóllôn and aithǽrios Diónysos and to all the happy, deathless Gods!"

Libations can be made to a singular god or multiple at once. Just ensure you have enough for them equally. Dedications can also be to a singular god or you can name the ones you are dedicating to.

Once you've made your dedication, you'll transfer the bowl to your left hand and pour your offering on the ground or into whatever reservoir you have dedicated to it on your altar. This is your libation, and the offering now belongs to them. Once you've made your libations, you may sip from the remaining contents of the bowl as communion. Before doing so, you may recite a prayer. Here is an example:

"We drink the blood of Diónysos! May the Aithír of Zefs intoxicate our souls and transform us!"

Please be aware that you should NOT drink libations to the dead or to death gods.

When sipping from the remainder of your libations, do NOT sip from the part where you poured. You should drink from the opposite end of the bowl.

Libations in Secret

When you're practicing in secret, this method of libations can be incredibly difficult. So with that, here are a few ways that I think could be helpful!

Can't access or drink wine/milk/honey? Substitute them for water or better yet, flavored juices!

Pomegranate juice can make a good libation for Underworld gods and goddesses, apple juice would be good for Zeus, etc. Research your deity's associations and try working with them. Water is also life-giving and integral to life.

Can't pour your libations outside or in a dedicated offering bowl? Use cups!

Pour your libations directly from the bottle to a cup and sit it on a shelf or desk or wherever you've dedicated to your god. You can recite your prayers and dedications in your head as well.

Worried about wasting drinks? Offer a smaller amount!

Typically what you give should be more than you keep, but your gods understand your struggles and would be understanding of your intentions. Offer a small amount of your drink, honey, etc and inform them of your reasonings and intentions. Your gods love you, they'll be happy with your efforts regardless.

Can't do your libations during the day? Do them at night!

Give your libations while everyone is asleep. You can even hide it under your bed or behind something to keep it for the time you want. (Please be careful of doing this with honey and be mindful of possible insects, pets, pests, spills, etc)

A minor? Do your libations at school!

You can do your libations while at school by making them during a PE class, during lunch, or any period of time where you can take a moment to do so! (I'm not condoning using your bathroom breaks to sneak off and do them, I'm just saying you definitely could do that)

Regardless of how you do your libations and with what, your practice is your own as is your relationship with your god(s). Do what feels right for you ♡

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Beginner’s Guide to Hellenic Polytheism

I KNOW this is a really long post but my intention was to just note down everything that I think is important for beginners and that’s A LOT. It took me forever to learn some of these things but they’re so important, so buckle in. I hope this helps some people.

If I’ve missed anything, please feel free to let me know what you’d like me to add. I’ve been working on this for two days, so if there are typos, I’m so sorry.

The sections I cover here are key terms, mythic literalism, deity work vs deity worship, FAQs and General Advice.

Some Key Terms

Hellenic Polytheism: Hellenic means Greek, and Polytheism means worshipping multiple gods. So, Hellenic Polytheism is the worship of the Greek Pantheon which is also referred to as the Theoi. The people who practice could be referred to as Hellenic Polytheists. Some also call themselves Hellenic Pagans, but not all people who practice Hellenic Polytheism consider themselves pagan.

Hellenistic: you may see the term ‘Hellenistic Polytheism’, but this is my PSA to ask people not to use that, as it’s incorrect. Hellenistic refers to a specific period of Andient Greece, from 323-32 BC, and your worship is almost definitely not specifically focused on that period. Additionally, here is a post by a Greek person on why ‘Hellenism’ and ‘hellenismos’ are disrespectful.

Ouranic: this is the term for the heavenly gods. Be aware that there is some overlap between Ouranic and Chthonic deities. Whether a deity is Ouranic or Chthonic will effect things like prayer position (palms up for Ouranic) and whether offerings can be eaten or drank (yes for Ouranic)

Chthonic: this is the term for the underworld gods. Be aware that there is some overlap between Ouranic and Chthonic deities. Whether a deity is Ouranic or Chthonic will effect things like prayer position (palms down for Chthonic) and whether offerings can be eaten or drank (no for Chthonic) side note - when it comes to hero worship, I personally treat them as if they’re chthonic.

Kharis: this means reciprocity, and also refers to the relationship formed between us and the gods. Arguably the most important aspect of Hellenic Polytheism is that when you ask something of a deity, you must give an offering in return. Size of what you’re asking for should correspond to size of the offering, or if you’ve given many little offerings without asking for anything you can use that as why you should be given the Big Thing.

Xenia: guest-friendship, hospitality. The idea that any stranger could be a God in disguise, so treat everyone respectfully. It’s an Ancient Greek social custom that a lot of Hellenic Polytheists see as important today. Simply put, in modern times this most often just means being kind to strangers. There’s a lot more to it than that though, so look here. Know that Xenia is a two-way thing, so you have to be generous to your guests but they must also respect your home.

Eusebeia: basically, piety. Respecting the Gods. This is really the only ‘rule’ of Hellenic polytheism. There’ll be different ideas of what is considered respectful, but as long as you have good intentions and don’t do anything you KNOW would be offensive, you’re okay. Don’t insult the gods (any of them), don’t ask for anything without offering something else, and don’t treat yourself as equal to or higher than the theoi.

Hubris: excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence, often the fatal flaw of a lot of Greek heroes in mythology. Specifically, this is when you act better than or equal to the gods. You are not.

Libations: a type of offering, in the form of a liquid. Usually poured on the ground but can be drank (unless it’s to a chthonic deity) if you’re a closeted Hellenic polytheist who can’t just pour some liquid on the floor every time you want to offer it. My advice for food offerings/libations to chthonic deities if you’re not openly a hellenist is to offer leftovers, rotting food, or something you otherwise know will go to waste.

Altar: traditionally a place used to put physical offerings and food offerings for deities. Some people have an altar to each deity, some people have one altar for all their deities. These can be as big or as small as you want. People may use shelves, drawers, boxes, windowsills, etc, and I don’t even use mine for food offerings, only for physical ones because I usually eat the food offering (I don’t like the idea of wasting food). My altars also just serve as a dedicated space for that deity in my life.

Hero worship: this is the worship of ‘heroes’ in Greek mythology, which includes literally any mortal. For example, I worship Odysseus of Ithaca, Penelope of Ithaca, Helen of Sparta, and Tiresias of Thebes. I’ve been asked a lot about how hero worship differs from deity worship, and you can find that answer here.

Devotee: there is a lot of disagreement on what the difference between a devotee and worshipper is, but for me, I’m devoted to Athena as I feel I have the closest bond with Her of all my deities and I honour Her the most. This partly comes from my feeling that She has been with me for much longer than I’ve been aware of Her presence, and that also so much of who I am and what I value comes under Her domains.

Patron: this basically means that if part of your identity comes under the domain of a deity, then that deity is your patron. There can be occupational patrons (like Hermes is the patron of merchants) or to do with things like gender (Hera is a patron for women. Yes this includes trans women, transphobes are not welcome here.) You can have more than one patron, and you don’t need to worship all of the deities who would be considered your patron.

Epithets: these are titles given to deities. There are two types - cult epithets, which describe the aspect of a deity you’re focusing on (like Athena Ageleia, meaning ‘Protector of the People’) since they have a lot of domains and it’s important in prayers to specify what you want. Then there’s poetic epithets, which are adjectives, often used to compliment a deity. I like using these to make my prayers seem more sophisticated to be honest (example: white-armed Hera)

Unverified Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. If it’s unverified, that means that it has no basis in historical sources as far as the person is aware, and they don’t know anybody else who has the same experience. You will often see this abbreviated as UPG. Personally, I think UPG is really valid, considering a lot of things are unknown to us due to the loss of sources overtime.

Shared Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. Like UPG, Shared Personal Gnosis (often abbreviated as SPG) doesn’t have any historical backing as far as the people who believe it are aware, but it is shared by multiple different people and therefore seen by some as more valid than UPG (though I’d argue that all SPG is UPG before you know that other people agree)

Verified Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. It being verified means that there are historical sources to back up the belief, and this is commonly abbreviated to VPG. You are more likely to come across the terms UPG than SPG or VPG, and most of what Helpol people on tumblr discuss is UPG, even if they don’t state that directly.

Reconstructionist: these are people who try to ‘reconstruct’ the ancient religion, recreating ancient rituals as best they can and doing things as close as they can get to how the ancient Greeks did based on our historical sources. An important note here is that we will never be able to do this perfectly and that’s okay. When it comes to things like animal sacrifices, most of us outside of agricultural areas almost definitely don’t have the means to be doing that properly, but you can use symbolism in place of a real animal, an example an anon gave me is cutting bread into animal shapes

Revivalist: these are people who try to recreate the ‘spirit’ of the religion, though not with the exact practices that the Ancient Greeks used. Revivalists are more concerned with the values and beliefs of the ancient religion than they necessarily are with how it was practiced. I personally feel like I fall somewhere between the two, but I also think both are really valid!

Mythic Literalism

Mythic Literalism is the debate in modern Hellenic Polytheism about whether or not the myths should be taken literally — and it’s common in Helpol spades online to say that the answer is ‘no, they’re metaphorical’. But I’d actually argue that they are.

Think of the Epics like the Iliad and the Odyssey — these begin with invoking the muses, goddess of inspiration said to have perfect memory. These goddesses know every event that has ever happened and are believed to guide and speak through the poets as they recite the myths, which means that they would be reciting history. That suggests the myths happened.

This isn’t ignoring the fact there are cultural reasons behind the myths and that parts of exist to them fulfil specific functions of that god or have parts of the world that they’re trying to explain.

For example, the myth of Hades kidnapping Persephone fulfils an aspect of Hades and has a cultural aspect about marriage in Ancient Greek society. First, it’s one of the myths we have of a youth being taken too soon by death (think Apollo and Hyacinthus, Zeus and Ganymedes, Thetis and Achilles, maybe even Castor and Pollux) and the grief that causes, Hades role being of the underworld. But also in terms of Greek society it was reflective of mothers losing their daughters to marriage, too. Both these things coexist in the ‘meaning’ of the myth; but just because it has metaphors, doesn’t mean it wasn’t believed to have happened. The Greeks did view their myths as having happened.

Zeus has so many children and so many affairs and rape myths, not because it’s just a metaphor and he didn’t actually do any of that, but because he’s a male fertility god, and he’s the god of kinds, and kings do abuse their power.

The Greek gods exist as how the world is, not how we want it to be or how it should be. Take Hera, for example — she doesn’t align with the passive and idealised wives described in things like Xenophon’s Economics, but is instead how women are. Real women get angry when their husbands are awful to them, so Hera, Goddess of Women, can be angry.

It’s good to learn the ways in which these deities were understood and what their domains can represent. Myths also help us to feel more familiar with our deities. Additionally the myths tell us not to be hubristic, and things like the Iliad tell us about Oaths and Offerings and Xenia. These are important parts of helpol.

I understand the want to disregard some of the more distasteful myths that depict things not only distasteful now but that would’ve even been viewed as wrong IN antiquity. But the Greek gods are not supposed to be perfect by human standards of morals. They have good and bad aspects based on their domains.

Deity Work vs Deity Worship

I’m going to preface this section by saying that I worship deities, I don’t work with them, so even though I’m doing research on this please take everything I say about deity work with a grain of salt and note that the rest of this post might apply more to worship, because that’s what I’m familiar with. Lastly, my intention here is not to place a value judgement on either type, I just want to try and make a full explanation for anyone out there looking for one, since I’ve found it to be kind of difficult to find.

From my understanding, deity work is common among witches, and usually involves asking a deity to help with your spells or other forms of magick. When you work with a deity, you are asking them to mentor you in a sense, and there’s often a specific goal in mind that they’re hoping to achieve with help of the deity. Additionally, because of that goal-oriented relationship, deity work has deadlines(?). Like, once you’ve achieved the goal you had, the deity will stop working with you

There are similarities, as both seem to involve reciprocity and offerings, and both involve cultivating a relationship with deities, even if the nature of that relationship and the reason for offering is different.

Deity worship doesn’t have a set end-goal. You CAN stop actively worshipping a deity, but this doesn’t usually come after a specific goal is achieved because there isn’t a goal in mind. Worship is more about honouring the deity. Khakis is built out of admiration, respect and love for the deity. This is why we pray, make offerings, etc. it’s all to honour the gods. We do ask for things in deity worship, but that’s not the entire point like it is for deity work.

FAQs

Do I need to be called to worship/work with a deity?

Nope! You are 100% allowed to reach out first. You can do that by praying or making an offering. Remember to research the deity first, so you know what epithets to use, know what symbols they’re associated with, have ideas for offerings, etc. Also, if a deity calls to you, you are not obligated to worship them. Acknowledge them and move on if you don’t have time, energy, or interest in worshipping them at that time.

Where can I find information on deities?

The main site that I think everyone uses is theoi.com, which has really in-depth pages on a lot of deities, with their myths, lists of epithets, family trees, etc. it’s a really useful resource!

Do I need an altar?

No. They’re nice to have but you don’t need one straight away. It took me two years of worshipping to get any altars, and even now I don’t really use them how you’re ‘supposed’ to.

Are there any sins in Hellenic Polytheism?

No, just don’t disrespect a god (don’t disrespect any of them, even the ones you don’t worship should be respected). Also don’t show hubris.

Deity X and Deity Y don’t get along, but I want to worship both, what do I do?

Disregard mythic literalism and remember this is a polytheistic religion. The gods know they are not the only god you will be worshipping, and they are chill with that. If you really want, you can separate their altars if you have an altar per deity, but it’s up to you completely.

Other General Advices

This post is a starting point, nothing here is very in-depth. Do more research if anything on here is still confusing to you. Feel free to ask people here on tumblr, I’m sure most of us would be happy to help.

Don’t believe everything you see on tiktok/tumblr. We’re all still learning, a lot of us are wrong about stuff. Do other research and let yourself form your own beliefs. As I’ve said, even parts of this post should be taken with a grain of salt. I’m no expert, I just want to try to help.

If you’re going to make your own posts about helpol stuff, advice I’ve seen before that really stuck with me is ‘keep some things scared’. You don’t have to post everything. I, at the moment, don’t post my prayers or photos of my altars. Those things are what I keep scared, you should have your own things. They don’t have to be the same as mine.

You have nothing to be afraid of. The gods can be intimidating when you’re starting out, but they know we don’t have as much readily available information about this stuff as the ancient greeks did. They also know you’re new, and they will be patient with you. Don’t be scared.

You can offer anything. Digital offerings are as valid as physical offerings. Devotional acts are valid too.

Know that you will never be done learning. Accept this and commit to trying to learn anyway.

Know how to tell signs from the gods apart from just General Happenings of the world. Here is a good post on that. I have a series on my blog tagged #signs from deities, to show the kinds of things I personally recognise to be signs and to show how frequently/infrequently those can occur. I would suggest keeping your own record of those, whether or not you share it is up to you. The reason is to reflect on your journey and, if you ever doubt your gods, you can look at those lists to remind yourself of how they’ve been there for you previously.

Doubt is healthy, it’s okay to doubt things. Don’t feel bad for this, the gods understand. Let yourself question everything you feel the need to question.

Similarly, anger is healthy. It’s okay to be angry at the gods, but don’t disrespect them because you’re upset. Handle your anger well. You won’t get punished for being upset.

The Hellenic Gods aren’t generally believed to be all-knowing, however it is believed that they can hear us when we call their names, which is why prayers start with invocation of a deity’s name and an epithet.

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

30 Days of Deity Devotion

Day One : Basic Introduction of The Deity

Ariadnê

Αριαδνη (Most Holy)

✦ Domains

The Labyrinth

Pathways

Life & Death

Fertility

Forgiveness

(SPG) Heartbreak

✦ Duties

Consort of Dionysos

Princess of Crete

✦ Personality (UPG)

She is kind and bubbly in the most bright way. She is the grandchild of Helios (the sun) and it shines through with her personality. She is joy, but only the kind of joy you find after a long period of pain. She is generous but not naive. Her worlds are genuine and true but dont take that for granted. She knows what she wants and never speaks without knowing. She is in love with humanity and in love with the world. A helpless romantic with the scars to prove it. If she is angered she has the feminine rage of a thousand ancestors, she has felt the grief and heartbreak of the world and uses it in her defense.

✦ Appearance (UPG)

She will appear to everyone differently and every myth has a different perspective about what she looks like.

To me she has sun tanned olive skin, littered with freckled showing her favor from Helios. Her eyes glimmer golden from her divine heritage. Her black hair is full and curled, she usually wears it in the traditional Minoan style along with her clothes. However she never wears shoes and her hands are covered in callouses from her adventures. Her body is lean as she is/was a dancer. She wears a crown of stars given to her by her husband.

✦ Epithets

The Keeper of The Labyrinth

The Most Holy

Princess of Crete

Consort of Dionysos

The Heartbroken

The Abandoned

The Hero

✦ Mythology

✦ Symbols

Flora

Naxos' Oranges

Winegrapes and Vines

Olive trees

Crete's Thyme

Iris

Cretan Zelkova

Fauna

Bulls

Leopards

Scents

Frankincense

Citrus

Vanilla

Coconut

Ocean/Sea

The Stars

Colors

Purple / Black / Red / Blue / Green / Gold

Elements

Water / Earth / Stars

Tarot

Judgement

The Star

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

It makes me so sad that in the HelPol community I see people screenshot some kid's posts just to ridicule their worship here. I've seen that multiple times, and not just with children. Disabled pagans get ridiculed here as well.

I think it's cute when a kid offers kid things to the Gods. It's innocent and sweet. I also think it's cool to see the creative ways that disabled or poor people carve out our own access to worship. It's not disrespectful to offer what you have or what you care about to the Gods. It's not disrespectful to share your meals and snacks with the Ouranic Gods. Kids, the poor, and the disabled all have very limited resources to work with. There are also people that have to hide their worship. And we all still make it work in our own way.

If you start getting some elitist thoughts about this, consider why you do. Is it not the effort/sacrifice or LOVE that matters most? What makes you think that a disabled or poor person is not putting in an equal amount of effort as you? Because the results aren't as grand and conventionally attractive? What makes you think their love for the Gods is lesser than yours? Because you have more resources to show it? Get a grip.

Xenia is one of the most important aspects of Hellenic Polytheism, so have some basic respect for innocent strangers.

Praise be to the Gods, especially Lord Zeus, and may we all receive the same treatments we give to others.

[khthonic-nymph-grimoire]

Important facts about Helios, god of the sun

Helios, often known simply as "the Titan," was the son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia.

He served as both the god of the sun and the sun personified.

Every day, Helios drove his golden chariot across the sky, bringing light to the world

In one myth, Helios'  son Phaethon attempted to drive the sun chariot himself. Unfortunately, Phaethon lost control of the steeds, scorched the earth, and died

Helios helped Demeter to find Persephone

His cult gained prominence in later antiquity when he became associated with the Olympian god Apollo.

Helios's sister Selene lit the darkness by driving through the night sky on her moon-chariot.

Helios can see and hear everything that is happening on earth during his journey

He was the one who saw Aphrodite lying with the war-god Ares and reported the affair to Hephaistos