sagencoffeebeeens

[sagencoffeebeeens]

RIP to this little server I helped moderate, warm wishes to you who worked so hard to make this space 🤍

Tonight I deleted my helpol server. Honestly it's been an eventful...4 months nsbsmsbs

But I learned a lot! I made great friends!

But recently one of my irl friends (someone I look up to greatly) joined a server I wasn't in but recommended to him to support a really important friend.

And while I was happy to hear about how many of our mutual friends were also in that server, I was also sent a lot of screenshots of those friends talking badly about me behind my back.

Discussing my mental health.

Talking down to my priestesshood.

Calling me names and belittling me.

It was jarring. It was hard. It was hurtful. And I decided that a lot of the friends I thought I had made in that server weren't actually friends.

I could've kept it up, sure. But I don't want to feel unsafe in a space I made for community and safety.

I could've transferred ownership, definitely. But why should I give away a server I cried for? One I spent 3 days building and perfecting? Why should I be made to leave the space I created?

I'm sad its gone, definitely. But I'm also pretty happy. I'm thankful to my friend who showed me what was happening and I'm thankful to the real friends I made along the way.

At the end of the day, happy ending ♡

Edit: Im also incredibly sorry to anyone that found solace and happiness in the server. But the bad outweighed the good and the poison was rooted too deep. I'm truly sorry

[sagencoffeebeeens]

[sagencoffeebeeens]

some ancient greek holidays

these holidays follow the lunar/athenian calendar, so I will either be providing the moon phase or Athenian date and the corresponding Gregorian months. also this is pretty obvious but these are just very general descriptions of these holidays, to give you an idea of which you think you'd like to practice. no one is forcing you to do every single one of these, nor is it expected. do whatever works for you.

if there's anything you think I should add, let me know

HEKATE'S DEIPNON

when: during the new moon phase purpose: honor Hekate and the souls of the restless dead, cleanse self and home activities: a meal set out at Hekate's altar (often including garlic, raw eggs, cake, leeks/onions, or fish), a sacrifice (usually of an animal, but it can be your choice), and burning of incense and/or cleaning house as purification deities honored: Hekate, the dead

NOUMENIA

when: the first day a sliver of the moon can be seen purpose: a day of rest and feasting activities: offer frankincense, flower garlands, wine, and barley cakes on the altars that had been cleaned the day before deities honored: household gods like Hestia, Hermes, Hekate and Zeus, celestial deities like Apollo and Artemis, or personal protective deities (like Athena was for Athens)

AGATHOS DAIMON

when: the day after Noumenia purpose: it's personal to each family but is often a ritual to honor the intermediary(ies) between mortals and gods, and to ask for things like good luck or protection activities: wine/other libations, offerings placed on an altar personal to the Agathos Daimon which can include incense, food, and things related to snakes deities honored: deities commonly associated with snakes, like Dionysus and Hermes, as well as the goddess of luck, Tyche, and Zeus, who is often called Agathos Daimon

RURAL DIONYSIA

when: during the month of Poseideon (december/january), but the festivals often happened on different days depending on the place purpose: honoring Dionysus and cultivation activities: a procession of men carrying phalluses, girls carrying baskets of bread, people with water, bread, cakes, and wine). dancing and singing contests, possibly even dramatic performances, and choruses of dithryambs. deities honored: Dionysus

CITY DIONYSIA

when: 10th-17th of Elaphebolion (March/April) purpose: honoring Dionysus activities: a reenactment of Dionysus being rebuffed from Athens, one or several dramas/plays, dramatic competitions, singing and dancing, feasting and offerings (especially of bread or phalluses)/libations (often of wine) deities honored: Dionysus

PANATHANEA

when: 23rd-30th of Hekatombaion (July/August) purpose: celebrating the birth of Athens activities: a huge procession showing off a large tapestry woven by only women, a torch race, a meal of meat for everyone in the city, athletic games deities honored: Athena

THARGELIA

when: 6th (for Artemis) and 7th (for Apollo) of Thargelion (May/June) purpose: celebrating the birthdays of Apollo and Artemis activities: the beating and banishment of an ugly man and woman (as purification, but you could just do the usual cleaning and incense burning) on the 6th. offerings of the first harvests were given to Apollo (but you could just cook a dish and offer part of it), a procession of children carrying a wreath with fruit, honey, wine, oil, and bread along with singing on the 7th. deities honored: Artemis and Apollo

THESMOPHORIA

when: 11th-13th Pyanepsion (October/November) purpose: honoring Demeter's loss of Persephone to the Underworld activities: a procession of women up to a space where men were banned, sexual activity was abstained from, they lived primitively (fasted and sat on a floor of branches), and sacrificed of piglets in the first days. then had feasts and prayed (often for things Demeter could provide, like good harvests or fertility) on the last day deities honored: Demeter and Persephone

DIASIA

when: 23rd of Anthesterion (February/March) purpose: honor Zeus Chthonius activities: solemn but joyful night rites of sacrifices, sheep/pig shaped pastry offerings, feasting, dancing, and hymn chanting deities honored: Zeus

KRONIA

when: 12th of Hekatombaion (July/August) purpose: honor Kronos (and to some extent Rhea) activities: feasting in large groups, where slaves can join their masters at the dinner table. like an early version of Labor Day deities honored: Kronos

THEOGAMIA

when: 27th of Gamelion (January/February) purpose: to celebrate the anniversary of Hera and Zeus' marriage activities: feasting, offerings/libations, and possibly also hosting a person's own marriage deities honored: Hera and Zeus

[sagencoffeebeeens]

Activism is not cold-calling.

Activism is not cold-calling, and this is critically important to understand.

I'm seeing a lot of posts on here about 'building bridges' and 'finding community,' and then (extremely valid) response posts saying "BUT HOW??" And I'm going to explain something that can be very counter-intuitive: there is strategy involved in community.

As a longtime volunteer labour organizer, I’ve taken and taught many trainings on the strategy of talking. Something that surprises a lot of people is the very first thing you do in a union campaign. You sit down with your organizing committee, take out pen and paper, and literally map it out. You draw a physical map of the workplace: where are the entrances, exits, break rooms, supervisor offices. Essentially, ‘where is it safe to have a union conversation.’ Then you draw another physical chart of your coworkers. You sort out who is union-friendly, openly hostile to unions, or somewhere in the middle, and then you plan out very deliberately and carefully who talks to whom and in what order.

Consider: If Vocally Leftist Jane walks up to Conservative David and says "hey what do you think about unions," David is going to shut down immediately. He's not inclined to listen to Jane. But if Jane talks to Moderate Jason and brings him into the fold, then Jason is a far more effective strategic choice to talk to David, and David may actually hear him out without an instant reaction.

IMPORTANT CAVEAT: If Conservative David turns out to be Alt-Right David, and could be dangerous to follow organizers, we write him off. We are not trying to reach Alt-Right David. We are trying to reach Conservative David, who may actually be persuaded to find solidarity with other employees as fellow workers. Jason is a safe scout to find out which one he is. It does no one any good if Leftist Jane (or even Moderate Jane who is a visible minority) talks to Alt-Right David and puts herself on his radar. Not only has she done nothing to convince Alt-Right David to join a union - she's probably actively turned him against the idea - but now she's also in danger and the entire campaign is at risk. NOBODY WANTS THIS. Jane was NOT a hero for doing this. The organizing committee was foolish and enacted a terrible strategy to everyone's detriment.

Where you can make a difference is with people who will listen to you. You having a conversation with your well-meaning but clueless Centrist Democrat Auntie, and maybe gently helping her understand some things the media has been glossing over, is way more strategically useful than you marching up to MAGA Neighbour You've Met Once and trying to "build community" or "understand" them. They don't care. They're impervious, dangerous, and cruel. But maybe your beloved auntie will think about what you said, and then talk to her friend Anna who IDs as "fiscally conservative" but didn't vote because she can't bring herself to get on board with Trump. Then perhaps Anna talks to her brother Nic who has MAGA leanings but isn't all the way there yet. Proto-MAGA Nic would not have listened to you, nor would he have listened to Centrist Democrat Auntie, but he might absorb some of what his sister is saying.

This is not a cop-out or an echo chamber. This is you spending your time and energy strategically and safely. You are not a useful activist to anyone if you’re dead. Anyone who is telling you to hurl yourself directly at MAGA assholes like cannon fodder has no understanding of the strategy behind community building, and you should feel comfortable writing them off.

Last point: If you are tired, emotionally devastated, and/or in danger: take a break. This post is for people who would feel better jumping into action, not for people who are too overwhelmed to even think about it right now. You are worth so much even if you’re not actively Doing Activism, and your rest is worth more than “a break period so you can recharge and Do More Activism.” We all deserve the individual dignity of being worthy of comfort, rest & safety just on the basis of being human, outside of whatever we're doing for others' benefit. To deny ourselves that dignity is to devalue ourselves, and that’s the absolute last thing any of us should be doing right now.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

Critical thinking tip: Know the difference between a fact and an assertion.

A lot of people out here take a lot of things they read and hear at face value, and because of this a lot of misinformation gets spread around.

Asking yourself whether you're looking at a fact or an assertion can be very helpful here.

A fact has actual evidence to support it. If someone says "the sky is blue," we can look up on a sunny day and see for ourselves that it is in fact blue.

An assertion might be true, but it might not be. For example, I can assert that I've found an ancient prophetic scroll whether or not I actually have one in my possession.

I could sit down and write a whole document full of my own personal opinions on how society should be run and claim it was dictated to me by an angel that appeared before me in full radiant splendor that morning. I could just lie about that.

I could write a book on my own personal spiritual beliefs, and assert it was given to me by a member of an ancient secret order or found in an ancient site, even though I just typed it up myself on a caffeine high.

I could assert that I met a guy who had the most astounding magical powers, and taught me how to do what he did. Doesn't mean it happened.

I could just assert one day that a high-ranking member of the Vatican told me that the Pope is actually a sentient fungal colony, even though I've never personally talked to any member of the Catholic clergy in my entire life.

I could write a book asserting that on January 1, 2001, a herd of unicorns pranced on the White House lawn. Again, doesn't make it true!

People can just say anything they want, and they can put it in a book. And they can say anything they want about how they got that book. Don't just believe everything you hear and read. Ask yourself: how can I be reasonably sure this is true, and this person isn't just lying or repeating bad information?

If you want to learn more about evaluating sources of information, I recommend checking out Information Literacy Basics.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

You discover that you have control over a certain thing, as determined by spinning this wheel. We're talking full-on magical girl/superhero/supervillain/your label of choice control.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

HelPol PSA: Research Your Authors!!!

Because I did not.

If you haven't seen, I had a mortifying moment (as chronicled in this post I frantically made) in which I bought a book on Hermeticism and didn't realize it was AI until I read it. Yes: I checked the book description, MANY reviews on it (and it was all in the 4-5 stars!). Turns out, those reviews were BOUGHT by the author. Even worse: Before I read it I straight up made the book as an offering to Hermes 💀 as I opened the book and read literally the FOURTH sentence I had this feeling of dread wash over me because the words made no sense. I tried to think of a reason how the author would miss such a glaring error. Then I realized. And it only took a single google search to find this CBC article that literally mentions that same fake author (Mari Silva, if you're wondering).

RESEARCH YOUR AUTHORS!

CHECK REVIEWS OUTSIDE OF THE BOOK'S WEBSITE!

Google them: Do they have social media or a website? Do their qualifications match the subject? How do they get their sources? If you can't find this info, they are likely not a real person.

Even if the reviews on Amazon are great (apparently this 'Mari Silva' has been found to have multiple profiles to leave great reviews on her books), double check other sources! Because we are unfortunately leaving the time when a physical book was a better, safer source than the internet. They've got AI on print now and they will use your devotion and faith to your deities as a means to scam you- regardless of your religion or spirituality!

[sagencoffeebeeens]

You know what?

My ancestors would have wanted pasteurization, vaccines, antibiotics, disinfectants, birth control, psychiatric medications, pain management, anesthesia. My ancestors would have wanted to be able to keep their loved ones around longer, and not lose them too early/too soon to childbirths, injuries, bacterial infections, mental illnesses, and diseases that are curable and/or preventable in our modern day life.

Modern medicine saves lives.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

Adding my biggest study tips for anyone who sees this:

1. Setting is everything. Whatever you're studying for, make space for yourself to study! Clear out a designated spot on your desk, and make your space clear of distractions; if you're at home, any table will do! If home isn't an option, try to pick out a table in a library or a café. There's usually seating and wifi ready for you to use!

2. Accommodate yourself! I'm neurodivergent myself, and I know that when I study I need my headphones to block out noise. Don't hesitate to bring fidgets and your necessary stuff with you when you study!

3. Take your time. There's no race in personal studies, go at your own pace!

How to Study Resources

Many people in the modern day pagan/polytheist communities are young. As such, a majority of them are neurodivergent, like I am. For me, that means a majority of the language used in resources is difficult to understand. This was originally going to be a post about that, but the more I wrote, the more I realised that many people, neurodivergent or not, just... don't know how to study resources. So, if you are someone that also struggles, I now present to you... my full guide on how to study resources.

Little disclaimer: I myself am a hellenic polytheist, but this guide is for anyone that struggles with understanding information from resources, whether you are a hellenic polytheist, norse polytheist, kemetic polytheist, etc. Though do understand that I am writing from the perspective of a hellenic polytheist, so I am bound to make mistakes when it comes to religions I am less educated on. You are always welcome to adjust anything I say here to fit your own religion accordingly.

Let's get started.

Firstly, you have to find resources. Many people happen to get stuck here, unfortunately.

How do I know what to research to begin with? When starting out, the general consensus among the polytheist/pagan communities is to research the related historical practice. How the deities were worshipped, what contexts they were worshipped in, the history of the deities, etc etc... all of these are very important factors to consider as a beginner. Only by knowing the history can you then delve deeper into specific terms and specific paths that may be right for you!

How do I find resources? Unfortunately, a lot of resources are behind paywalls or just plain hard to find. Here is a list of websites that I personally use and recommend:

scholar.google.com

academia.edu

pdfdrive.com

library.memoryoftheworld.org

libcom.org

libretexts.org

standardebooks.org

By the way, just a reminder that if you find a resource but there is a pesky paywall in your way, you can probably find it on archive.org for free!

How do I choose a resource though? If you are part of hellenic polytheism, then theoi.com is a great resource, but I always like to add primary sources into my research + not everyone reading this will be part of helpol. Try to find primary sources, first and foremost. Then read historical accounts. Then read secondary sources. Also, make sure your author is reliable! (that link is only for hellenic polytheism though, apologies. If you are not part of hellenic polytheism, then looking into who the author is/was as a person and what sort of contributions they made and beliefs they held never failed me personally!)

Found your resource? Made sure the author is reliable? Wonderful! Now what?

This is usually where the procrastination hits for me. Either that, or I get hyperfocused for a while but never complete it and then lose interest.

To avoid that, break things down and establish a routine. You do not have to finish a book in a day, or understand everything you read straight away. Setting those kinds of expectations for yourself will only make things so much more difficult.

Instead, make a routine for yourself. Outlined below is my routine:

Getting into the mindset. I always like to get myself into the mindset of studying by praying, whether this is studying for school or studying a resource. Since my entire life is devoted to lord Apollon, I pray to Him for it. However, if I am researching a specific god, I will typically pray to them instead. However, sometimes I do not have the spoons to write out a prayer, so I typically just adjust my surroundings instead. Turning my LED lights to a warmer colour and putting on some lofi music usually helps me! The studyblr community has great tips for this part! I also recommend I Miss My Cafe.

Reading. First, I try to read without annotating or taking notes. This is the time to take in the information, to try and grasp what I am reading. This is usually the most difficult part for me, because a lot of academic sources tend to use advanced language and sentence structures that are difficult for me to understand. Unfortunately, the only tip I have for this part is to read as slowly as you need. Do not be ashamed for taking your time. Typically, I only like to read one paragraph before I move onto the next step.

Annotation. This is where I re-read the paragraph I just read. Typically, I like to re-word the paragraph in a simpler way for me to understand. Sometimes I notice little patterns that may connect back to something I've read prior, whether in another book or earlier in the same book. When that happens, that is something I add too! Remember, you do not have to annotate. If it makes it easier, then perfect! If it does not, discard it.

Consult study tools. This is where I cross-reference with other resources. This is how the entire process repeats again. Though, you do not just have to use books for this part! YouTube videos, podcasts, online resources, etc etc...these always help too!

Application. After vetting the information, consider how it would apply to your life, if at all.

Of course, that's just my routine. You are always welcome to use it, but I also greatly encourage you to create your own routine so that you can cater it to your learning style!

I also recommend setting a time limit for yourself. If you have not completed a chapter within the time limit, that is okay! The most important thing about researching is making sure you are not guilting yourself into biting off more than you can chew. Take your time, you have a lot of it.

Research is vital to religions like ours, and research should be something everyone can do! Just because you may need some accommodations does not make you any less intelligent. We all learn differently. That is okay.

I hope this post can serve as something helpful for those who struggle in this area, and as a reminder that you are not alone in your struggles. If you have any questions or would like further clarification on some points, feel free to reach out!

Xaire ♡

[sagencoffeebeeens]

2025 Witches' Calendar

January 13 ● Full Moon in Cancer (Wolf Moon) January 29 ● New Moon in Aquarius February 2 ● Imbolc February 12 ● Full Moon in Leo (Snow Moon) February 27 ● New Moon in Pisces March 14 ● Full Moon in Virgo (Worm Moon) March 15-April 7 ● Mercury Retrograde March 20 ● Ostara March 29 ● New Moon in Aries April 12 ● Full Moon in Libra (Pink Moon) April 27 ● New Moon in Taurus May 1 ● Beltane May 12 ● Full Moon in Scorpio (Flower Moon) May 26 ● New Moon in Gemini June 11 ● Full Moon in Sagittarius (Strawberry Moon) June 20 ● Litha June 25 ● New Moon in Cancer July 10 ● Full Moon in Capricorn (Buck Moon) July 18-August 11 ● Mercury Retrograde July 24 ● New Moon in Leo August 1 ● Lammas August 9 ● Full Moon in Aquarius (Corn Moon) August 23 ● New Moon in Leo September 7 ● Full Moon in Pisces (Harvest Moon) September 21 ● New Moon in Virgo September 22 ● Mabon October 6 ● Full Moon in Aries (Hunter's Moon) October 21 ● New Moon in Libra October 31 ● Samhain November 5 ● Full Moon in Taurus (Beaver Moon) November 9-November 29 ● Mercury in Retrograde November 20 ● New Moon in Scorpio December 4 ● Full Moon in Gemini (Cold Moon) December 19 ● New Moon in Sagittarius December 21 ● Yule

[sagencoffeebeeens]

Something something TikTok culture from 2018 and such I guess it’s always been a thing in our kind of circles

But my gods am I tired of it lol

why is everyone so obsessed with finding out if a gods reaching out to them

[sagencoffeebeeens]

I will just remind people to be kind in the face of conflict. Kindness generates productivity. Kindness leads to problem-solving. Remain level-headed, keep your chin up, and speak your mind if you deem it necessary. Do remember to heed the words of King Zeus, pick your battles wisely. The useless ones will waste your energy and you won't be able to fight your meaningful ones. May everyone who is having a tough day today look ahead to better days and may those who are having a good day see a thousand more.

Xaire, Altis.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

Also these 'feminists' retellings of Persephone are based on one Children's book from the 1970's and it is solely based on the author's wish to make a more palatable story for kids.

Casual reminder that "feminist" retellings of Persephone's myth that make their relationship quirky awkward Haides x Overprotected sheltered Persephone are in fact, not feminist.

The myth is already feminist.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

Can you PLEASE add a section explaining that calling oneself a priest if you’re not ordained by a religious organization is VERY illegal in many parts of the United States, and then perhaps list some organizations that people can obtain priesthood through? A large part of the tumblr users are US based.

Clergy is a legal distinction that allows a person to fill out legal paperwork such as death and marriage certificates and to perform ceremonies like marriages and last rites, as well as working as a chaplain in places like hospitals. I think it is important that people working in those roles are properly trained to fulfill those roles and not just focused on pleasing the gods they’re oathed to.

Hello, traveler.

I do hear your concerns, and I do understand your apprehensions and concerns. However, impersonating a member of the clergy is specific to institutionalized churches, synagogues, and mosques, as well as other institutionalized and government-recognized Religions. Hellenic Polytheism does not fall under this. It is illegal in certain states in the United States yes, but it does not reply to Hellenic Polytheism as it is not considered an organized religion in the eyes of the Government. On top of this, intent matters. It is illegal if and only if the intention is to do harm or lead people astray. This is how all laws are applied, based on intent.

As for your second paragraph, this is not linked to Hellenic Polytheism at all, so the concerns don't really make sense in this context. Becoming a Priestx in Hellenic Polytheism, in modern times, is a path that is decided between the trainee and the God. It is not something that can exactly be regulated. When I stepped into training, it was at the request of King Zeus. In, say, catholicism, you are required to go to school and learn about the Bible and follow specific courses before you can even be considered. That is because it is an organized, Government-Recognized religion. Helpol is not. And therefore, it does not follow the same rules as an organized religion. Obviously, if someone wishes to fulfill those roles you mentioned, they would need to then garner the education required to do so. But when I graduate as a Priest of King Zeus Horkios, I won't suddenly run around claiming to be a lawyer or a police officer because I trained under the Watcher of Oath. I serve my religious community, however my religious community needs me. Just as Priests, Bishops or Deacons would serve their religious community however they need.

I do hope this made sense.

Xaire, Altis.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

There’s been a lot going around about a server I’m part of, and I just want to remind people to be kind. Share your opinion, I can’t stop you, and neither can anyone else, but remember to be kind. These posts that you may think are small affect real people, in the real world. Your experiences are valid, and your opinions are valid, but tearing down others is not. To anyone who is feeling the brunt of this, on either side, my dms are open, my asks are open, and I’m willing to, and wanting to, have productive discussion about this.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

Yeah quiet quitting is great and all but have you tried chaotic working?

Like. I remember back in my grocery store cashier days I did so much crazy shit.

When WIC (Women, infants, and children voucher program to help low income mothers/families with children) people were in my line I would pretty much know who they were. Before the cards they had to tell us upfront they were WIC and show us their vouchers for what they were allowed to get (it was awful some times. Like. 2 gallons of milk. $4 worth of vegetables etc etc). They’d always have items hanging back, waiting to see what the total was and if they would have to take it off the belt.

I began to place the fruits/vegetables a certain way on the register scale so that like 1/2lbs of grapes read as like .28lbs or something. Then act shocked when I said that they still had X amount of lbs left. They got all their fruit and vegetables.

I think it started to kinda? Catch on to the women? Because I would have the same moms in my line month after month. And even after they switched to the cards (they worked like food stamp cards?) I’d still do the same thing. They were able to get more produce for whatever shitty max amount Indiana gave them.

Anyways. Be chaotic. It’s more fun that way.

[sagencoffeebeeens]

mcr should produce a Killjoys universe show that’s animated in the style of 2016 Voltron with 4.5 seasons on Netflix and there should be magnitude 8 level ship wars that ultimately ends with someone getting doxed for headcanoning Mikey’s character as dyslexic