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Heyyyyyy

I need to decide a lil’ something for no body, no crime, but I am extremely indecisive, soooo…

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I can't stop drawing the Muses with every unrelated image I get on Pinterest (They are slowly getting me out of my artistic block🛐🛐🛐)

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PRIDE MONTH LESTER?

PRIDE MONTH LESTER!

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I keep thinking about Commodus interacting with literally any of Apollo’s immortal lovers (Cyrene, Boreas). He would hate them so much 😅 Like both before and after the drowning he’s just the most possessive guy ever and it leaves so much room for ideas

IT'S SUCH A FUNNY CONCEPT FR

cuz like - okay, he would be 100% jealous of all of them.

Cyrene? Yes. Boreas? Absolutely. The Muses? Ya-huh.

However, I think he'd hate Boreas the most XD He is the "other man" (or at least...in Commodus's eyes. we all know Commodus is the "other man" in Apricity LMAO) and he'd HAAATEEEE it XD

I can definitely see Commodus being low-key jealous of Cyrene and the Muses, but he would be high-key jealous of Boreas.

I mean like. Come on.

He's; 1) hot - sorry, I mean attractive, because northern gods don't like the use of 'hot' lol; 2) been with Apollo MUCH longer; and 3) is an actual god compared to Commodus's wannabeness

Like Hyacinthus is DEF Public Enemy #1 to Commodus when it comes to Apollo's heart, but you BET Boreas would set those alarms off QUICK XD

man i just realized Apollo rlly likes them brunettes. Commodus, Boreas, Hyacinthus, Branchus... he has a type

au where all of Apollo's lovers read toa. i'll get the popcorn let's watch this trainwreck go down !!

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My life is falling apart so I'm coping drawing Copollo

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Hm maybe later for now you can eat other humans

The sound of meowing 🐈‍⬛

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The purple pillows reminds me of 🪻

Post TOA art🦋🌞 and AU story

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this is a weird ask, but do you know of a source where Boreas is the wind god who kills Hyacinthus instead of Zephyrus? Madeline Miller included that variation of the myth in her book and Wikipedia says that there are versions where Boreas is the killer but I can’t find any 😭

Nonnus, Dionysiaca:

"When Bacchos lifted his thyrsus against a maddened bear, or cast his stout fennel javelin-like at a lioness, he looked aside watchfully toward the west; for fear the deathbringing breath of Zephyros might blow again, as it did once before when the bitter blast killed a young man while it turned the hurtling quoit against Hyacinthos. He feared Cronides might suddenly appear over Tmolos as a love-bird on amorous wing unapproachable, carrying off the boy with harmless talons into the air, as once he did the Trojan boy to serve his cups. He feared also the lovestricken ruler of the sea, that as once he took up Tantalides in his golden car, so now he might drive a winged wagon coursing through the air and ravish Ampelos – the Earthshaker mad with love!"

Pausanias, Description of Greece:

"Wrought on the altar is also Heracles; he too is being led to heaven by Athena and the other gods. On the altar are also the daughters of Thestius, Muses and Seasons. As for the West Wind, how Apollo unintentionally killed Hyacinthus, and the story of the flower, we must be content with the legends, although perhaps they are not true history."

Lucian, Dialogues of the Dead:

"NO: I grieve for my beloved; the Laconian, the son of Oibalus. HERM: Hyacinth? he is not dead? AP: Dead. HER: Who killed him? Who could have the heart? That lovely boy! AP: It was the work of my own hand. HERM: You must have been mad! AP: Not mad; it was an accident. HERM: Oh? and how did it happen? AP: He was learning to throw the quoit, and I was throwing with him. I had just sent my quoit up into the air as usual, when jealous Zephyr (damned be he above all winds! he had long been in love with Hyacinth, though Hyacinth would have nothing to say to him) — Zephyr came blustering down from Taygetus, and dashed the quoit upon the child's head; blood flowed from the wound in streams, and in one moment all was over. My first thought was of revenge; I lodged an arrow in Zephyr, and pursued his flight to the mountain. As for the child, I buried him at Amyclae, on the fatal spot; and from his blood I have caused a flower to spring up, sweetest, fairest of flowers, inscribed with letters of woe. — Is my grief unreasonable? HERM: It is, Apollo. You knew that you had set your heart upon a mortal: grieve not then for his mortality."

Here are a few sources. There you go!

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Yeah basically

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I live for all these ships with Apollo like Apollo and Thanatos, Cupid, and even the most dumpsterfire ship of all time Copollo (I go feral over these two)

But one ship that stood out to me was Boreas and Apollo, and apparently the Boreads describe Apollo as "Beloved of our sire" And the fact that Koios is basically Boreas' boss makes this so much more better

So basically I'm asking for Boreas and Apollo headcanons 👀

(And if you take fic reqs, I wouldn't mind a fic with these two)

Apollo is SOOOOOO Shippable lmao XD He has such a variety of lovers and that really allows us to be able to explore a variety of relationship!

Healthy or toxic, lmao XD Copollo is Top Tier imo

and on the topic of Boreas, I have one extra thing to add there because I personally headcanon that Lelantos, titan of air & moving unseen (and apollo's uncle), used to be the head of the wind gods but was stripped of his title by Zeus post-titan war because he sided with Kronos.

So therefore, both of Boreas's bosses are relatives of Apollo's lmao XD

HEADCANONS, EH?

ahem

Imo, Hyperborea was some sort of courting gift or something Boreas gave Apollo. Because here's the thing with Hyperborea:

It's the One Place Boreas does not blow his winds, hence its title of Eternal Spring.

Boreas's palace resides at the southern border of Hyperborea, with gryphons who live in BOTH places.

Three of Boreas's son are PRIESTS of Hyperborea, and serve Apollo when he's there.

Three of Boreas's daughters joined Artemis's hunt (Oupis features in my fic Shattered Minds, btw!)

Hyperborea is literally "over the north wind" in Greek.

I think we can all agree winter is the time Apollo and Boreas hook up lmao XD

Boreas ALSO, in some versions, is a suitor of Hyacinthus, but he clearly doesn't hold any ill-will about Hya & Apollo because let's be real, he would have picked Apollo too XD

So imagine this. Hyacinthus & Apollo making out. Then Apollo & Boreas making out. HECK HYACINTHUS & BOREAS MAKING OUT.

THIS MEME IS THEM

ALSO I RAISE YOU-

Zephyrus has a crush on Apollo :3 (It makes sense. also Apollo is widely associated with spring and Zephyrus is the SPRING wind, and likes pretty guys and Apollo is the prettiest so-)

I blabbered about that in the Discord with @xxzephyrbreezexx and our fellow Discord user whom I don't know if they have a blog here 😭 KNOW I AM POINTING VIOLENTLY IN YOUR DIRECTION

You are Zephyrus. You have a crush on Apollo. You also get a crush on his boyfriend.

AND THEN YOUR BROTHER FUCKS BOTH OF THEM

The Hyacinthus Debacle, as I have dubbed it, also created a bit of a rift between Boreas and Zephyrus, which is Sad because they are usually associated with each other in literature, art, ect :(

Family dinners are Awkward. Even more so when Boreas brings Apollo along to the dinners hosted at his place.

They became Especially Awkward when Helios and Selene were still around because then Boreas would have to deal with Helios's Dad Instincts kicking in and staring him down.

(Helios is Boreas's uncle btw!)

(I have a Boreas thing planned in my Helios fic eheheheh. It's funny, don't panic)

And whenever Apollo pops in the visit Eos about light-related things or Astraeus (Eos & Astraeus are the winds' parents) it Still Is Awkward because Zephyrus just. BOLTS out of the room.

He is simultaneously Gay For and Terrified of Apollo.

Also if Asteria tags along with Apollo (because she is shooting stars/night prophecy and Astraeus is dusk/stars) she gives Zephyrus The Death Stare.

He is equally terrified of her, minus the horny.

Cupid/Eros, eh?

...are you in the Discord by chance? Because the fellows I mentioned previously and I have also discussed this👀

We get Boreas in my next fic, btw! :D No ApolloXBoreas, sadly, but I do have plans on incorporating them into a fic!

Perhaps my revolution fic, because I am getting Ideas concerning Boreas, Apollo, and Koios... >:3

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Cyrene?! Philothei and Cyrene?! Lesbians? Lesbians on the island of lesbos? Kissing?

Not exactly lesbians, but yes, they are kissing. Apollo was not the only one who fell in love with Cyrene and had a relationship with her; Philothei also fell for her. Apollo introduced Cyrene to his other partners, which are Hyacinthus and Philothei, and Philothei had a whole ass bi panic right there. Of course, the polycule talked about this before taking another person as their lover and bringing them into their relationship; communication is the key to every relationship. So they've all taken other lovers, but they talked with each other first before pursuing them. If you are wondering if Cyrene will be her only girlfriend, she is not. I can confidently say this bc the people deserve to know, Philothei takes more women as lovers compared to men. She is a canon girlkisser. She has kissed Circe as well. No, I will not elaborate. I will answer that in the fic. But have fun with this information and keep wondering who she has been in a relationship with. Oh, I almost forgot, she has also taken in married couples as lovers, but they're still loyal, so Hera doesn't take offence to it. But yk, it would be an interesting debate if that counts as cheating or not. Let me know what you think

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working an 8-hour shift at night sure does wonders for the creativity

anyway, so you know Apollo & Cyrene, right? And you know how they essentially eloped and are technically married even though Apollo is widely considered to be an eternal bachelor?

I had a THOUGHT about this :D

*slams hands on table*

Y'all know Hymenaeus, right? Son of Apollo & Calliope, full-brother of Ialemus, and one of the Erotes. He's the god of marriage ceremonies/hymns.

I once saw a headcanon here on tumblr that Hymenaeus got really sad when he found out his parents weren't going to get married, so he started randomly asking people if they'd like to marry his dad.

Enter Stage Left: Cyrene

Picture this-

Apollo and Cyrene chilling in Libya, when Hymenaeus pops outta no where and excitedly asks; "WILL YOU MARRY MY DAD?"

And Cyrene, thinking this is funny and kind of a joke question, is like "haha, sure. why not."

"DAD. WOULD YOU MARRY HER."

And Apollo, half-used to these questions, just absently shrugs and is like "yeah i guess so."

"COOL." *bam* "You're married now :)"

"Wait what."

Now considering traditional Greek marriages, Apollo & Cyrene aren't married in the typical way/sense, but more so because Hymenaeus Says So.

This was spawned because I'm aware that Apollo has been married in the myths (Cyrene) but also he's not, because, from my understanding, it's because his marriages are more metaphorical in nature. So he's married to the Muses in this sense, as well as Cyrene, but also not.

I'm getting queer-platonic-but-also-not-platonic vibes from this haha! They love each other, that's all that matters, and Hymenaeus know this too :3

(I think Hymenaeus is more relaxed about extramarital affairs, especially considering in Ancient Greece it was quite normal for guys to be married and have affairs. It's slightly different for gods, too, because goddesses can have affairs (ie, how Orpheus was born) so I think Hymenaeus would be chill with that.)

anyway, now to meme this:

Aristaeus, snickering: So does that mean I'm the legitimate son-

Hymenaeus, Ialemus, and Asclepius, all older than him: SHUT

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Aphrodite; Prayer to protect your heart

Blessed Aphrodite,

Goddess of Love, born of seafoam and starlight,

I come to you with an open heart,

Wounded by longing, yet still beating with hope.

Let not false love find purchase in my spirit,

Nor cold hands hold what is meant to burn with warmth.

Teach me to love without losing myself,

To give with wisdom, to receive without fear.

Guard my heart from those who would break it in carelessness,

And guide me to those who cherish with truth and tenderness.

In moments of loneliness, be my comfort.

In the storm of emotion, be my calm.

Aphrodite, divine protector of the heart,

Hear my prayer and hold me close.

May your beauty surround me, and your strength dwell within me.

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Common crystals and their corresponding Hellenic/theoi deities: a masterlist.

💎🏛️💎🏛️💎🏛️💎🏛️💎🏛️💎🏛️💎🏛️💎🏛️

Amethyst: Clymene, Circe, Eirene, Mnemosyne, Zagreus, Athena, Dionysus

Agate: Kratos, Ares, Demeter, Pan

Aventurine: Demeter

Aquamarine: Britomartis, Tyche, Tethys, Amphitrite, Aphrodite, Hermes, Poseidon

Amazonite: Gaia, Artemis

Amber: Aristaeus, Apollo, Dionysus, Hestia

Bloodstone: Asklepios, Tyche, Kratos, Ares, Demeter, Dionysus

Bornite: Iris, Hera, Persephone, Uranus

Citrine: Deipneus, Hebe, Apollo, Eos, Demeter, Hestia

Carnelian: Aglaea, Kratos, Ares, Hestia, Pan

Chrysocolla: Gaia, Athena, Artemis, Zeus

Celestite: Morpheus, Melinoe, Hermes

Coral: Britomartis, Amphitrite, Poseidon

Diamond: Clymene, Cronos, Theia, Aphrodite, Hera, Uranus, Zeus

Emerald: Artemis, Demeter, Hera

Fluorite: Iris, Persephone

Garnet: Asklepios, Kratos, Nike, Ares, Dionysus, Persephone

Goldstone: Aether, Hebe, Apollo, Hestia, Hephaestus

Hematite: Nyx, Heracles, Ares, Hades, Hephaestus

Howlite: Aeolus, Morpheus,

Iolite: Chione, Athena, Zeus

Jade: Demeter, Dionysus, Pan

Jasper: Aristaeus, Deipneus, Eos, Nike, Ares, Pan

Kunzite: Antheia, Hygeia, Aphrodite

Kyanite: Mnemosyne, Zagreus, Athena, Zeus

Labradorite: Astraeus, Coeus, Proteus, Nike, Hekate, Uranus, Zeus

Larimar: Britomartis, Amphitrite, Poseidon

Lapis Lazuli: Coeus, Athena, Zeus

Malachite: Proteus, Nemesis, Demeter, Hermes, Pan

Moss agate: Gaia, Artemis, Pan

Moonstone: Circe, Endymion, Proteus, Artemis, Hekate

Moldavite: Cronos, Heracles, Hekate, Uranus

Opal: Iris, Theia, Dionysus, Hera, Hephaestus, Uranus

Obsidian: Deimos, Nyx, Hades, Hephaestus, Persephone

Onyx: Melinoe, Nyx, Heracles, Ares, Hades, Hekate

Peridot: Nemesis, Apollo, Hermes

Pearl: Britomartis, Tethys, Amphitrite, Aphrodite, Hera, Poseidon

Pyrite: Aether, Apollo, Demeter, Hephaestus, Persephone

Quartz: Coeus, Circe, Cronos, Theia, Athena, Hera

Rhodonite: Aglaea, Aphrodite,

Rose Quartz: Aglaea, Epione, Hygeia, Aphrodite

Rhodochrosite: Antheia, Aphrodite

Ruby: Clymene, Heracles, Ares

Sapphire: Zagreus, Athena, Zeus

Sunstone: Aether, Endymion, Eos, Apollo,

Selenite: Endymion, Mnemosyne, Artemis

Smoky Quartz: Deimos, Nemesis,

Serpentine: Heracles, Apollo

Topaz: Aristaeus, Hebe, Hestia

Tourmaline: Melinoe, Nyx, Heracles, Hades, Hekate

Tigers eye: Dysnomia, Nemesis, Nike, Ares, Artemis, Dionysus, Hades, Hermes, Pan

Tanzanite: Athena, Zeus

Turquoise: Chione, Athena, Zeus

Unakite: Gaia, Artemis

Vanadinite: Eos, Aphrodite

Zircon: Asklepios, Ares

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In this Community We LOVE king Zeus ♡

"Zeus is objectively evil" I had the greatest conversation with him last night where I felt so much more safe than I remember having felt in a long time and if you think that's evil then off the blog, shoo. respect my king

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Starting the Journey:

• 𝐀 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐦 •

Hellenic polytheism (commonly referred to as helpol and popularly, although incorrectly, referred to as hellenism or hellenismos) refers to the reverence and worship of the hellenic (greek) gods. Over the past 7+ years, the religion has seen a boon of new followers popularized by social media, books, and TV shows. While this is phenomenal, it's brought in an influx of young and/or beginner future worshippers with no clue where to start. And with so many different possible starting points, a plethora of gods, and that one deity identification spread floating around, this post serves as a path all on its own.

You can follow it to the T, or take the basics of it and forage ahead yourself!

As always, I am a single resource. Please remember that even though this post serves as a guide, your own research will benefit you far more. Let's begin!

0. Respect

The very VERY first thing to remember when beginning your journey with hellenic polytheism, is to remember this is a religion. Sounds obvious, right? But many people seem to forget that the gods are in fact, gods. They are ancient, and the religion is very much alive and thriving. Respect will always be ground rule 0, and approaching the gods casually or for shits and giggles is not only disrespectful to them, but the beautiful, rich, and thriving existence of this religion.

1. The Starting Point

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞

Starting the worship of the gods begins with learning about the god (or gods) you'll be revering. There's a plethora of books to start with; "Ancient Greek Religion", "Ancient Greek Cults", "A Companion to Greek Religion". And while you should ABSOLUTELY read these, I understand that that can be a bit daunting and scary. So your VERY BASICS, should be "The Homeric Hymns", *The Orphic Hynms", and "Hesiod Theogony: Work and Days."

These books will give you the foundational basics of the gods and their myths, as well as expose you to their cults, epithets, and titles. I know reading sounds like a bore and a task, but nothing feels worse than jumping head first into the religion and worshipping a god you know nothing about.

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

Research. Research. Research. All gods have domains, and the only way you'll find the god suited best for you, is to learn.

Perhaps you know Apollo as a sun and music god. But did you know he's also a god of medicine, with darted arrows that could grant sudden death or cause plagues?

Perhaps you know Ares as the god of bloodthirsty war, but did you know he's also the father of the Amazon-queens? Or the giver of food, as he assisted his newborn son in suckling milk from his dead mother.

The gods all have domains that are incredibly well known, but also far lesser known/popular ones. Learning these can help you decide which god is best suited for your worships.

Absolutely check out theoi.com for information on the individual gods and their domains. It also provides a great starting point for learning their myths, provides texts that pertain to them, and provides a list of their epithets and cult titles.

Yes, the constant research can be daunting and tiresome and boring. But this is the absolute BEST place to start. How will you worship a god you barely understand? How will you know what offerings are favorable to them? But most importantly, how will you be able to build a relationship with a god (kharis) that you barely know?

You can build the most beautiful altar in the world for them, but that altar will become empty decor if you don't know how to (safely) invite a god into the space and worship them properly. These are the fundamentals, and you will have an incredibly hard time getting any sort of fulfillment worshipping an ignored and empty altar.

𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮

A very popular thing beginners like to start with is "deity identification." This involves using a tarot deck, and a (typically) pre-made spread. The spread will assign a meaning to each card (their domain, their personality, what they want to work on with you, etc).

I do not advise this for beginners.

At least, beginners with no background in divination to that degree. There is a vast difference between using tarot to divine messages and advice from spirits and the universe, and using tarot to divine the identification of a god. This requires much more than a basic understanding of tarot, and a god can very easily scramble the card meanings to however they please. This can lead to a lot of confusion and frustration in beginners, as they don't know how to interpret these messages.

Don't focus on identifying a particular god yet. Instead, learn as much as you can and settle on a god you resonate with first. This god may or may not be one you worship for years to come, and it's okay to be cautious when dipping your toes into helpol.

02. The Path of Worship

𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬

Kharis is defined as "the exchange of goodwill and reciprocity between humans and the divine." It is the relationship you build with your god, and emphasizes the importance of the personal relationship we build with them through devotional acts.

It's asked a lot, "what can I, a regular small mortal, provide to an ancient god? How can I be beneficial to them?" And the answer is simply devotion.

Devotion is what the gods wants, and they enjoy/ indulge in our acts in their names. To give devotion is to recognize the gods as entities deserving of reverence. So how do we do this?

𝐌𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐚

Miasma is a sort of "spiritual dirtiness" upon a person, and is something that we as mortal pick up in every day life and is not necessarily considered "bad". It is an aspect that separates us from the divine, who do not collect miasma. It's important to note that this isn't equivalent to the Abrahamic version of "sin". Miasma can (in most cases) be washed away simply by the act of washing your hands. It's stated in quite a few places that one would use khernips for hand washing, although there is a floating beliefs that khernips is "water purifies by fire." Typically considered fire that a torch has been doused in and then used to wash one's hands.

However from the research I've personally done, this is never actually confirmed and khernips is simply clean water that one would wash their hands in.

There is also a belief that those with periods are considered miasmic before the gods and therefore shouldn't worship until 7 days after they stop bleeding.

There is no evidence (to my knowledge) that verifies this and periods are not typically mentioned in ancient Greek texts or sources. It seems to stem from the fact that most bodily fluids are considered miasmic to many of the gods (ie blood, spit, genital secretion such as cum, etc) and should not be offered. However, this does not state that someone on their period cannot approach the gods to provide offerings and worship, so long as the blood is nor being offered.

Certain miasmic impurities cannot be simply washed away, however, such as murder and being around the dead, and may require a purification ritual to be cleansed.

𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

Offerings are the sacrifices we make to our gods. They are the gifts we give, and oftentimes tangible displays of our devotion and worship.

Offerings can be a wide range of things and depend on the god's interests, estates, and attributes. Learning a gods preferences will result in favor from them, and builds kharis and report with them.

Its also important to understand what your god doesn't like or enjoy. What is seen as favorable to one god may be offensive and displeasing to another. A very obvious example of this would be offerings between Aphrodite and Artemis. While Aphrodite would be pleased with an accept offerings reminiscent of sexual desire and acts (dedicated sex toys for example), this would be unfavorable to Artemis, a virginal goddess, who has no need nor desire for such things.

Understanding the preferences of your gods is key to providing worthy offerings.

𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬

In addition to offerings, devotional acts are also a large aspect of building kharis. These can be large acts such as cleaning litter from beaches in the name of Poseidon or Amphitrite, or small acts such as devoting washing your face to Aphrodite. This post itself is a devotional act to Lord Hermes, who reveres the spreading and sharing of knowledge.

Devotional acts will fall under the domain of your god, and can be done simply by doing them, in their name.

Once again, ensure that your devotional acts aren't seen as unfavorable to your god. Poseidon will enjoy you donating to sea life preservative charities and beach clean ups, however that same act will be inconsequential to Ares.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐲𝐦𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

Prayers are not typically seen as offerings, as an offering is a gift to that god with no expectations. That said, it is common to provide offerings during or after prayers. Prayers are requests and petitions made to a god in asking for assistance, whether that be for help in an issue, advice, help reaching a resolution to something, or even asking for a little extra help or luck throughout the day.

That said, prayers can also be used as offerings if used entirely to praise your god with no added requests. The different would be asking for anything in exchange. Prayers of petitions are not offerings, prayers of praise and reverence are.

If you're curious about the construction of prayers, you can check out my break down of crafting prayers!

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬

Altars are stations dedicated to your god. They act as designated spots of worship to pray at, make libations, and make offerings.

Whike you may see a lot of altars floating around that are incredibly aesthetic, it's important to know that an altar doesn't have to be large and grand. It can be a dedicated shelf, the corner of a shelf, a shoebox, or even a small mint tin. The point is that it is a place of dedication for your god.

𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

Libations typically preface offerings, although are not required for every single offeding or every single day. But they are wonderful for building kharis as you provide (and in some cases partake in) a drink for the gods. I go in depth on libations, how to do them, and common libations given in this post!

𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Now that you know how to worship, it's important to ensure your worships are recieved. Doing this is simple, and just required you inviting the god into your space. You don't need to do some large invokation like stated in my prayers post, especially if you're just making offerings. A simple "I dedicated this to [god]".

That said, it's always good to invoke properly when dedicating your altar to them. An invocation should include the god's name, and display that you know who they are. You can use epithets, parentage, residences, and domains in your invocations. An example invocation for Zeus could go something like:

"I call upon Zeus, the Supreme and most high. King of kings and head of Olympus, son of Rhea and overthrower of his father Kronos. I invite you into this space, crafted and dedicated to your might and grace."

With this, we have invoked Zeus and designation the altar as his own.

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Communication with a god can be a nerve wracking thing to start, but I can assure you they're not going to bite. There's a myriad of ways to communicate with a god, and its wholly up to you and them to decide what works best. Some people work best with tarot, others with oracle cards. Some prefer pendulums, ouija boards/spirit boards, dice, bones, runes, charm casting, or something else entirely.

If one thing is uncomfortable for you or doesn't seem to be working all too well, simply try something else. I akin it to fiddling with the antenaes of an old TV to try and get a signal from the divine. You have to find the position that simpky works best.

03. Walking the Path of the Gods

As we've discussed research and starting your worships, I want to briefly touch of potential paths that extend past simple devotion and worship. Namely, working with the gods and priestesshood.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐝

You'll see the term "deity work" floating around a lot. This refers to working closely with a god for the betterment of yourself and/or your life with that god's assistance. It typically comes after building kharis with that god, and an agreed upon decision to work together.

This typically comes after establishing kharis and worshipping that god, and I personally don't recommend attempting to jump right into it. Deity work is not only energy consuming, but directly calls that god to assist you closely and personally. Attempting to start this and simply walking away because you no longer wish to work with that god is a waste of their time and offensive. Be aware of that god's time, and respect it.

𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭/𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝

Priest and Priestesshood are something I discuss quite a bit on my page, as a priestess myself. They go beyond simply working with a god, and become working for that god. If you're more interested in the topic, you can check out my post on the topic here ♡

•Common Questions•

Can I as a beginner worship multiple gods?

Absolutely. However I don't personally advise it. I suggest starting with one and getting used to worshipping in general. Then you can decide if you feel comfortable worshipping more.

Why don't you recommend using deity identification spreads?

This is a personal preference of mine, and its because I find them incredibly limiting and stiff. Gods are not the same as normal entities and spirits, and identifying them requires a degree of skill and knowledge of of not only your cards but the gods themselves.

Additionally, I find tarot for deity identification incredibly limiting. While it's phenomenal for communication, I believe tarot in combination with lenormand or oracle cards provide a much better understanding of who's around for identifications.

I got a reading that said X god wants to work with me but I don't think I'm ready. What do I do?

Politely decline. It's far better to ask a god to wait or inform them that you're not ready to take that step, than to trudge into something you're bor confident in. The gods are immortal, and our lives are a drop in the bucket to them. They don't mind waiting for when you are ready, if you'll ever be. You dont have to work with or worship every god that shows an interest in you and its not disrespectful to decline an invitation.

This was a long one! But I hope it's helped provide a decent foundation for you to start your own personal journey into hellenic polytheism. Please never hesitate to reach out with questions, and as always, safe travels ♡

ᵀʰᵃⁿᵏ ʸᵒᵘ ᵃˢ ᵃˡʷᵃʸˢ ᵗᵒ ᴸᵒʳᵈ ᴴᵉʳᵐᵉˢ, ʷʰᵒ ʰᵃˢ ᵖʳᵒᵛᶦᵈᵉᵈ ᵐᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖˡᵃᵗᶠᵒʳᵐ ᵗᵒ ˢʰᵃʳᵉ ᵗʰᵉˢᵉ ᵗʰᶦⁿᵍˢ ʷᶦᵗʰ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗᵉᵃᶜʰ ᶦⁿ ʰᶦˢ ⁿᵃᵐᵉ. ˣᵃᶦʳᵉ ♡

[prescela]

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