#Etruscan polytheism

[thedansemacabres]

Remember to find the divine in human life. The streets are full of lares, the old woman at the counter blessed with long life and wrinkles touched by Hera’s embrace, the warm days of Helios and the magic he gives, the child understanding who they are under Apollon and Artemis, the enduring tales of Arthur of pagan providence that haunt the world.

You donate a bowl of soup, and Hestia is there to light the stove. You reach towards the lightning and feel Tinia’s smile as he delivers omens. If you take a walk down the street, surely you must see the works of the divine, whether as so small of a spirit or a grand god.

life is beautiful. be sure to connect to your fellow people, love divine.

[wanderingskemetic]

𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 Em hotep!

I'm Naru (they/it). I'm a Kemetic-Rasenna (Etruscan) agnostic polytheist. I've been interested in Ancient Egypt since elementary school, and my love of it and its history is deeply intertwined with my love of the Netjeru. I'm currently working towards a degree in an ancient history/archaeology related field and may occasionally post about that.

I try to strike a balance between reconstruction and revivalism, using my knowledge of historical practices to guide my practices. However, as a college student, someone with multiple conditions that cause executive functioning issues, and someone who needs to be discreet around some family members, I also focus on keeping things approachable for me.

I am devoted to Djehuty/Thoth and Amun.

I primarily worship Ptah, Menrva, Farthan, Wesir/Osiris, Aset/Isis, Ra, Khonsu, Mut, and Resheph.

I also frequently worship Bes, Seshat, Renenutet, Tinia, Uni, Het Heru/Hathor, and Sekhmet.

I worship all of the netjeru and aiser as appropriate and desired.

I have some interest and knowledge of Hellenic and Roman polytheism, and thus will occasionally reblog content related to them. I hope to eventually incorporate some Roman deities into my practice, particularly Janus, Angerona, Feronia, and various virtue deities.

The Kemetic subtle deity worship masterpost can be found here.

Tags Guide Under Cut

Deities:

Posts about deities are tagged with their name(s). If it's about a synchronized deity (ie Amun-Ra or Ptah-Sokar-Wesir) the synchronized deity will be tagged as will all the deities that make up the synchronization. Any deities that have well known Greek names or popular variations (like Bast and Bastet) are tagged with all popular spellings that I know. Posts involving Heru/Horus will be tagged Heru and Horus and if it's mentioned what Horus (ie Heru Wer, Horus of Behdet, etc.) or I can easily tell (ie it's Horus in child form) that will also be tagged.

Reblogged posts with images of a deity or images that remind me of them are additionally tagged Dua deityname if a Kemetic deity or Sin deityname if a Rasenna deity.

Original Posts:

#Naru's eofferings

#Naru writes--prayers, poems, and similar writings

#Naru answers--my answers to questions, usually asks

#Naru's musings--various thoughts on polytheism, tends to be about my personal practice, does not overlap with Naru answers

Resources:

#divination--is broken down into further tags based on divination type

#heka

#prayer--different prayers written by other people

#devotional journal

#deity communication--anything deity communication wise that's not divination

#deity worship references--offering ideas, deity information, etc.

#historical references--historical philosophy, perspectives on the gods, etc.

#research references--research recommendations and tips for researching effectively

#resources--catch all tag for posts that don't fit cleanly into a more specific tag ie discord servers

Others:

#skemeticism--Skepticism, struggles with belief, general atheist/agnostic stuff, etc.

#for fun--memes, jokes, and other things of that sort

#reminders

#wandering into Rasenna polythiesm

#a wandering religio romana encounter

#wandering through helpol

[umbrafyre]

Etruscan Goddess of love Turan and her mortal lover Atunis.

[faith-of-the-wheel]

Śuri, Part 1: The Black, Forgotten King of the Manes

Śuri(Etruscan: 𐌉𐌛𐌖𐌑, lit. 'black'), latinized as Soranus, was an ancient Etruscan god of fire, infernal, volcanic, and solar. He was variously depicted, mainly as a crowned young man wielding a spear or bow and arrows. An enthroned black-bearded man with a wolf-skin cap or wolf-like appearance. Even a winged humanoid monster, usually wielding a sledgehammer or mallet, or a sword.

Śuri had several forms, often treated as separate deities so let's run them down:

Usil, the Solar aspect

Due to trade contact between the Etruscans and the Greeks, Etruscan culture and religion became heavily hellenized. He was often associated closely with Apollon. The romans would worship him under the name Apollo Soranus in his solar aspect.

His solar aspect was commonly called Usil (but also Rath or Vetis sometimes). He was commonly depicted as a young man, wearing a crown or laurels and/or a halo. The statue Apollo of Veii is one depicting Śuri in yellow-golden robes, and the syncretism between him and Apollon. By the 4th century BCE, he was commonly depicted wielding Apollon's bow, and was called Apulu. He was known as god of the Sun and light, thunder and lightning, healing and plague, as well as the protector of divination.

It should also be noted that there have been occasional depictions of Usil/Apulu as female, though he is traditionally depicted as male. This doesn't surprise me greatly as the fact that the Etruscans give all their deities gender-neutral names, despite having gendered forms in their language, tells me they didn't think gender/sex applied to them as much as it did us.

However, it should also be noted that Usil(Etruscan: 𐌋𐌉𐌔𐌖, also spelt 𐌋𐌉𐌑𐌖, Uśil), comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *seh₂ul₂ (lit. 'sun'). Etruscan is a non-IE language but their religion appears to have picked up many aspects of western IE mythology. It is possible Śuri(who does not initially appear IE in origin) always had a solar aspect matching the descriptions we find below and simply picked up the name later. Or, his solar aspect could have gained from his absorbing the local IE sun god. As the sun is often depicted as female in IE religion, with the male sun of Greece and Roman(and their female moon deities as well) being an inversion likely caused by eastern influence, this may account for the occasional female representation of Usil. There is alternate theory about his indo-european connections to be proposed in part 2.

Manth/Calu/Aita, Lord of the Dead

The second form, his infernal form, is Manth (also called Calu, meaning darkness). He is a trickster who brings of misfortune, because he would attract the attention of his victims through trickery, thus stealing their souls. He is often depicted on coffins as a black-bearded animalistic man or satyr, with pale skin (symbolizing the decay of death), pointed ears, and enormous, avian wings, wearing a tunic and sometimes a crown or a cap, and often wielding a sledgehammer or a sword.

Sidenote: Manth (𐌈𐌍𐌀𐌌) and Mania (𐌀𐌉𐌍𐌀𐌌), his counterpart: The epithets of this divine couple indicate that they were connected to the Manes, chthonic spirits or spirits of the dead in Roman belief and referred to as man(im) by the Etruscans. Their names are also linked to Mana Genita and Manius, as well as the Greek Mania/Maniae), goddess of insanity. Both the Greek and Latin Mania derive from PIE *men-, "to think." Cognates include Ancient Greek μένος, ménos, 'mind, thought', and Avestan 𐬎𐬫𐬥𐬌𐬀𐬨, mainyu, 'spirit'. Cfr. Latin: Summanus (supposedly a contraction from Summus Manium, lit. 'the highest of the Manes'), Roman nocturnal thunder god of unclear Etruscan origins, who we will get to later.

This animalistic god of the dead, also called Calu (lit. 'dark' or 'darkness' or 'underworld'), is equally identified by his wolf attributes, such as a wolf-like appearance or a wolf-skin cap; and although the grecism Aita (lit. 'Hades', or 'underworld' by this point in time) is very rarely depicted, he may appear enthroned and sometimes wears a wolf-skin cap, a borrowing from earlier Calu.

The theonym Aita is a relatively late addition to the Etruscan religion, appearing in iconography and in Etruscan text beginning in the 4th century BC, and is heavily influenced by his Greek counterpart, Hades. Pictured on only a few Etruscan tomb paintings, such as in the Golini Tomb and the tomb of Orcus II. He is shown with his consort Persipnei or Phersipnai, the Etruscan equivalent to the Greek Persephone, also a very late addition. Other examples of Aita in art depict his abduction of Persipnei. Aside from tomb paintings, he has been depicted on a handful of pottery pieces, mostly from the late third and second century.

Vejovis, the Anti-Jupiter

In addition to their consistent attributes over light and dark, Śuri and all his epithets (e.g. his infernal theonyms of Aita and Calu, or solar theonyms Usil and Apulu) were consistently associated with kingship, fire, lightnings, health and plague, wolves and goats; attributes also shared with his previously mentioned theonyms Manth and Vetis (also spelt Veivis; variously Latinized as Vēdius, Vēdiovis, Vēiovis, Vēive), as well as their, in all likelihood, Roman spin-off Summanus.

Romans believed that Vejovis was one of the first gods to be born. Portrayed as a young man, holding a bunch of arrows, pilum or lightning bolts in his hand, and accompanied by a goat. He was associated with volcanic eruptions and healing, and was occasionally identified as a young version of Jupiter, Apollo, or Asclepius.

Aulus Gellius, in the Noctes Atticae, speculated that Vejovis was an ill-omened counterpart of Jupiter (compare Summanus), observing that the particle ve- that prefixes the name of the god also appears in Latin words such as vesanus, 'insane', and thus interpreting the name Vejovis as the anti-Jove.

Vejovis had three festivals in the Roman Calendar: on 1 January, 7 March, and 21 May. He was mostly worshiped in Rome and Bovillae, in Latium. On the Capitoline Hill and Tiber Island, temples were erected to him. There was a temple between the two peaks of the Capitoline Hill, where his statue carried a bundle of arrows and stood next to a statue of a she-goat. In spring, multiple goats were sacrificed to him to avert plagues. Gellius informs us that Vejovis received the sacrifice of a female goat, sacrificed "ritu humano"; this obscure phrase could either mean "after the manner of a human sacrifice" or "in the manner of a burial". It would seem these offerings were less about the animal sacrificed and more about the soul sacrificed, which makes sense in keeping with role as a ruler of the dead.

Summanus, Lord of Nocturnal Thunder

Summanus (Latin: Summānus, supposedly from Summus Manium, 'the greatest of the Manes', or sub-, 'under' + manus, 'hand') was the god of nocturnal thunder in ancient Roman religion, as counterposed to Jupiter, the god of diurnal thunder/sky.

Pliny thought that he was Etruscan in origin, and one of their nine gods who can wield thunder. Varro, however, lists Summanus among gods he considers of Sabine origin, to whom king Titus Tatius dedicated altars (arae) in consequence of a votum. Paulus Diaconus writes of him as a god of lightning.

The temple of Summanus was dedicated during the Pyrrhic War c. 278 BCE on June 20. It was located to the west of the Circus Maximus, likely on the slope of the Aventine. The temple was dedicated because the statue of the god on the roof of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus had been struck by lightning. Cicero recounts that the clay statue of the god on the roof of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus was struck by a lightning bolt: its head was gone. The haruspices announced that it had been hurled into the Tiber, where it was found on the very spot they had indicated. The temple of Summanus itself was struck by lightning in 197 BCE. This incident is hypothesized to have coincided by the loss of his worship, possibly indicating it was seen as an omen that his power was waning.

Every June 20, the day before the summer solstice, round cakes called Summanalia, made of flour, milk, and honey and shaped as wheels, were offered to him as a token of propitiation (the wheel might be a solar symbol). Summanus also received a sacrifice of two black oxen or wethers(dark animals were typically offered to chthonic deities). Saint Augustine records that in earlier times Summanus had been more exalted than Jupiter, but with the construction of a temple that was more magnificent than that of Summanus, Jupiter became more highly exalted and worshiped over time.

Śuri may have a connection to, or been influenced by, the cult of PIE H₁n̥gʷnis, an Indo-European deity of fire reconstructed from Enji and Agni. And that of Rudlos, given the significant overlap between Summanus and Worunos, and that of Apulu/Soranus and Apollon. Read more about that here. Both of which we will cover in future parts of this series.

[sinaiserblogs]

Hello all! It’s Saturday, which means I’m back to Satre posting!

I discovered recently that he is actually on the Liver of Piacenza! That’s it, just a name, but I do find it fascinating that such a poorly-attested ais is on one of the major pieces of Etruscan writing we have, not a singular votive stone.

On Uni’s Wikipedia, her father is listed as Satre, and I do have to assume that this is because of Juno being the daughter of Saturn, and Hera being the daughter of Kronos. Though it is Wikipedia, and I do have to look more into this! It’s also intriguing because besides the equivalences, there doesn’t appear to be any reason for this connection! And no Rhea/Ops equivalent, as far as I can tell. (Again, I do have to do more research!)

But I admit, in my personal worship, I fully accept Uni as the daughter of Satre - perhaps Tins as well! I’ll need to ponder on that a bit longer.

Śin Satre!

(Apologies if this is a bit over the place, it’s largely just me typing out Satre ramblings, lol.)

[theoxenia]

Birth scenes in general are much more popular in Etruscan than in Greek art. While the divine conceptions and births in Greek myth are uniformly unnatural, Etruscan renderings often bring out their more practical, normal aspects. Tinia is shown on a mirror giving birth to a large, fully armed Menerva with two beautifully dressed midwives at his side, comforting him and bandaging his aching head. Elsewhere we see the baby Dionysos, wearing protective amulets, emerging from Tinia’s thigh, where he has been incubated; a female attendant nurse, Mean, holds an unguent jar and dipstick: is it to assuage the birth pangs of Tinia, the new father, or to anoint the new-born baby? An Etruscan scene shows the conception of a god as an actual sexual union, as Semla lifts up her skirt in an anasyrma gesture to have intercourse with the great god: a satyr shows that the conception of the god Fufluns/Dionysos will be the result.

The Etruscan World edited by Jean MacIntosh Turfa ("Chapter Twenty: Mothers And Children" by Larissa Bonfante)

[poeticnorth]

This is why I've been delaying with my haikuification of Rigsþula, I started digging a bit too deep into the idea of Chthonic Venus

[dian-and-the-gods]

Rebranding

Hi everyone! I've recently been growing a big interest in Etruscan Polytheism and Kushite Polytheism (the religions of ancient Etruria and the kingdom of Kush). So once I get things going I may rebrand this blog so it's geared towards those pantheons.

They are currently very niche, but I am very excited and can't wait to share about them so they get the love they deserve ♥️

I may also go into Punic Polytheism!! So stay tuned.

Please interact if any of these pantheons interests you too! (even if you don't plan on worshipping, but would like to learn more!)

[wanderingmind867]

If you saw my post about how I might have subconsciously liked Hades because of his ties to the etruscan God februus (since I was born in February), this post is going to be a bit of a sequel to that.

I'm glad Rick Riordan covered a lot of the big ancient mythologies in his books (he got to Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Norse mythology), but I kind of feel like it's a shame he missed the Etruscans, especially now that I know etruscan mythology is a thing. Etruscan Society was located awfully close to where Rome was (they shared the region of modern day Italy) so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for Rick Riordan to have at least thrown in a mention to them.

I don't know why he didn't do anything with it. Maybe he didn't do it because he didn't know much about etruscan mythology. I would understand that. I certainly don't know much about them. But now that I know about it, I kind of feel like it's a shame that they never did anything with it. Either way, I think it's kind of a shame that they didn't get to it. Even the Rick Riordan Presents books haven't done anything with it, I think. So now I feel like there's untapped potential here. Who knows, maybe I'll look into etruscan society and/or mythology later and share what I find. hopefully someone besides me will be interested in all this.

[pietyandpearls]

How is your priesthood training going ? and I would love to learn more about Etruscan polytheism care to share more ?

˗ˏˋ ꒰ Hey Anon! My Hiereis studies have become more guided now that I have been accepted into the Mt. Nysa Mystery School Course! Bria has been a very good guide and I am doing so so much more reading now! But I love reading so its a huge plus ^^ Id love to talk more about Etruscan/Rasenna Polytheism, but my journey really is only just beginning! I've only recently begun the worship of Turan who is a Goddess of love and essentially Aphrodite's equivalent, just as Venus is! ꒱ ˎˊ˗ I can give some super surface level information about Rasenna Polytheism based on my limited readings :

♡⸝⸝ Rasenna Polytheism is the religion of ancient Etruria, which is modern day Tuscany.

♡⸝⸝ Rasenna Polytheism is not as informed as Hellenic Polytheism, there is very little surviving information and so reconstructing the religion is going to prove a tad more difficult.

♡⸝⸝ The gods are referred to as the plural 'Aiser' and the singular 'Ais'. There is a lot of influence from surrounding areas, which makes for a lot of syncretized deities which I may talk more about in the future!

♡⸝⸝ Divination is incredibly sacred and was widely spread in Ancient Etruria! Individuals in ancient Etruria were trained in forms of divination like Haruspicy.

♡⸝⸝ The key value of ancient Etruria which is reflected in the Aiser is Harmony or Balance, you'll notice this with the Dyads or pairs of gods.

˗ˏˋ ꒰ Now I've only read 1 book and a couple papers on the religion so far, I am really by no means an expert and each of these points can be expanded on and contain much more nuance then I can convey - so I highly recommend this carrd if you're interested in reading up on Rasenna Polytheism. It has a collection of resources, list of gods, list of terms and list of divination methods! Very beginner friendly introduction to the religion. ꒱ ˎˊ˗

[lasavecuvia]

Etruscan temples (Ancient Italy)

[thedansemacabres]

Introduction To Supporting Sustainable Agriculture For Witches and Pagans

[ID: An image of yellow grain stocks, soon to be harvested. The several stocks reach towards a blurred open sky, focusing the camera on he grains themselves. The leaves of the grains are green and the cereals are exposed].

PAGANISM AND WITCHCRAFT ARE MOVEMENTS WITHIN A SELF-DESTRUCTIVE CAPITALIST SOCIETY. As the world becomes more aware of the importance of sustainability, so does the duty of humanity to uphold the idea of the steward, stemming from various indigenous worldviews, in the modern era. I make this small introduction as a viticulturist working towards organic and environmentally friendly grape production. I also do work on a food farm, as a second job—a regenerative farm, so I suppose that is my qualifications. Sustainable—or rather regenerative agriculture—grows in recognition. And as paganism and witchcraft continue to blossom, learning and supporting sustainability is naturally a path for us to take. I will say that this is influenced by I living in the USA, however, there are thousands of groups across the world for sustainable agriculture, of which tend to be easy to research.

So let us unite in caring for the world together, and here is an introduction to supporting sustainable/regenerative agriculture. 

A QUICK BRIEF ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE 

Sustainable agriculture, in truth, is a movement to practise agriculture as it has been done for thousands of years—this time, with more innovation from science and microbiology especially. The legal definition in the USA of sustainable agriculture is: 

The term ”sustainable agriculture” (U.S. Code Title 7, Section 3103) means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will over the long-term:

A more common man’s definition would be farming in a way that provides society’s food and textile needs without overuse of natural resources, artificial supplements and pest controls, without compromising the future generation’s needs and ability to produce resources. The agriculture industry has one of the largest and most detrimental impacts on the environment, and sustainable agriculture is the alternative movement to it. 

Sustainable agriculture also has the perk of being physically better for you—the nutrient quality of crops in the USA has dropped by 47%, and the majority of our food goes to waste. Imagine if it was composted and reused? Or even better—we buy only what we need. We as pagans and witches can help change this. 

BUYING ORGANIC (IT REALLY WORKS)

The first step is buying organic. While cliche, it does work: organic operations have certain rules to abide by, which excludes environmentally dangerous chemicals—many of which, such as DDT, which causes ecological genocide and death to people. Organic operations have to use natural ways of fertilising, such as compost, which to many of us—such as myself—revere the cycle of life, rot, and death. Organic standards do vary depending on the country, but the key idea is farming without artificial fertilisers, using organic seeds, supplementing with animal manure, fertility managed through management practices, etc. 

However, organic does have its flaws. Certified organic costs many, of which many small farmers cannot afford. The nutrient quality of organic food, while tending to be better, is still poor compared to regeneratively grown crops. Furthermore, the process to become certified organic is often gruelling—you can practise completely organically, but if you are not certified, it is not organic. Which, while a quality control insurance, is both a bonus and a hurdle. 

JOINING A CSA

Moving from organic is joining a CSA (“Community supported agriculture”). The USDA defines far better than I could: 

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), one type of direct marketing, consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production.

By purchasing a farm share, you receive food from the farm for the agreed upon production year. I personally enjoy CSAs for the relational aspect—choosing a CSA is about having a relationship, not only with the farmer(s), but also the land you receive food from. I volunteer for my CSA and sometimes I get extra cash from it—partaking in the act of caring for the land. Joining a CSA also means taking your precious capital away from the larger food industry and directly supporting growers—and CSAs typically practise sustainable and/or regenerative agriculture. 

CSAs are also found all over the world and many can deliver their products to food deserts and other areas with limited agricultural access. I volunteer from time to time for a food bank that does exactly that with the produce I helped grow on the vegetable farm I work for. 

FARM MARKETS AND STALLS 

Another way of personally connecting to sustainable agriculture is entering the realm of the farm stall. The farmer’s market is one of my personal favourite experiences—people buzzing about searching for ingredients, smiles as farmers sell crops and products such as honey or baked goods, etc. The personal connection stretches into the earth, and into the past it buries—as I purchase my apples from the stall, I cannot help but see a thousand lives unfold. People have been doing this for thousands of years and here I stand, doing it all over again. 

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Farmers’ markets are dependent on your local area, yet in most you can still develop personal community connections. Paganism often stresses community as an ideal and a state of life. And witchcraft often stresses a connection to the soil. What better place, then, is purchasing the products from the locals who commune with the land? 

VOLUNTEERING 

If you are able to, I absolutely recommend volunteering. I have worked with aquaponic systems, food banks, farms, cider-making companies, soil conservation groups, etc. There is so much opportunity—and perhaps employment—in these fields. The knowledge I have gained has been wonderful. As one example, I learned that fertilisers reduce carbon sequestration as plants absorb carbon to help with nutrient intake. If they have all their nutrients ready, they do not need to work to obtain carbon to help absorb it. This does not even get into the symbiotic relationship fungi have with roots, or the world of hyphae. Volunteering provides community and connection. Actions and words change the world, and the world grows ever better with help—including how much or how little you may provide. It also makes a wonderful devotional activity. 

RESOURCING FOOD AND COOKING 

Buying from farmers is not always easy, however. Produce often has to be processed, requiring labour and work with some crops such as carrots. Other times, it is a hard effort to cook and many of us—such as myself—often have very limited energy. There are solutions to this, thankfully:

Many farmers can and will process foods. Some even do canning, which can be good to stock up on food and lessen the energy inputs. 

Value-added products: farms also try to avoid waste, and these products often become dried snacks if fruit, frozen, etc. 

Asking farmers if they would be open to accommodating this. Chances are, they would! The farmer I purchase my CSA share from certainly does. 

Going to farmers markets instead of buying a CSA, aligning with your energy levels. 

And if any of your purchased goods are going unused, you can always freeze them. 

DEMETER, CERES, VEIA, ETC: THE FORGOTTEN AGRICULTURE GODS

Agricultural gods are often neglected. Even gods presiding over agriculture often do not have those aspects venerated—Dionysos is a god of viticulture and Apollon a god of cattle. While I myself love Dionysos as a party and wine god, the core of him remains firmly in the vineyards and fields, branching into the expanses of the wild. I find him far more in the curling vines as I prune them than in the simple delights of the wine I ferment. Even more obscure gods, such as Veia, the Etruscan goddess of agriculture, are seldom known.

Persephone receives the worst of this: I enjoy her too as a dread queen, and people do acknowledge her as Kore, but she is far more popular as the queen of the underworld instead of the dear daughter of Demeter. I do understand this, though—I did not feel the might of Demeter and Persephone until I began to move soil with my own hands. A complete difference to the ancient world, where the Eleusinian mysteries appealed to thousands. Times change, and while some things should be left to the past, our link to these gods have been severed. After all, how many of us reading know where our food comes from? I did not until I began to purchase from the land I grew to know personally. The grocery store has become a land of tearing us from the land, instead of the food hub it should be.

Yet, while paganism forgets agriculture gods, they have not forgotten us. The new world of farming is more conductive and welcoming than ever. I find that while older, bigoted people exist, the majority of new farmers tend to be LGBT+. My own boss is trans and aro, and I myself am transgender and gay. The other young farmers I know are some flavour of LGBT+, or mixed/poc. There’s a growing movement for Black farmers, elaborated in a lovely text called We Are Each Other’s Harvest. 

Indigenous farming is also growing and I absolutely recommend buying from indigenous farmers. At this point, I consider Demeter to be a patron of LGBT+ people in this regard—she gives an escape to farmers such as myself. Bigotry is far from my mind under her tender care, as divine Helios shines above and Okeanos’ daughters bring fresh water to the crops. Paganism is also more commonly accepted—I find that farmers find out that I am pagan and tell me to do rituals for their crops instead of reacting poorly. Or they’re pagan themselves; a farmer I know turned out to be Wiccan and uses the wheel of the year to keep track of production. 

Incorporating these divinities—or concepts surrounding them—into our crafts and altars is the spiritual step towards better agriculture. Holy Demeter continues to guide me, even before I knew it. 

WANT CHANGE? DO IT YOURSELF! 

If you want change in the world, you have to act. And if you wish for better agriculture, there is always the chance to do it yourself. Sustainable agriculture is often far more accessible than people think: like witchcraft and divination, it is a practice. Homesteading is often appealing to many of us, including myself, and there are plenty of resources to begin. There are even grants to help one improve their home to be more sustainable, i.e. solar panels. Gardening is another, smaller option. Many of us find that plants we grow and nourish are far more potentant in craft, and more receptive to magical workings. 

Caring for plants is fundamental to our natures and there are a thousand ways to delve into it. I personally have joined conservation groups, my local soil conservation group, work with the NRCs in the USA, and more. The path to fully reconnecting to nature and agriculture is personal—united in a common cause to fight for this beautiful world. To immerse yourself in sustainable agriculture, I honestly recommend researching and finding your own path. Mine lies in soil and rot, grapevines and fruit trees. Others do vegetables and cereal grains, or perhaps join unions and legislators. Everyone has a share in the beauty of life, our lives stemming from the land’s gentle sprouts. 

Questions and or help may be given through my ask box on tumblr—if there is a way I can help, let me know. My knowledge is invaluable I believe, as I continue to learn and grow in the grey-clothed arms of Demeter, Dionysos, and Kore. 

FURTHER READING:

Baszile, N. (2021). We are each other’s harvest. HarperCollins.

Hatley, J. (2016). Robin Wall Kimmerer. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants. Environmental Philosophy, 13(1), 143–145. https://doi.org/10.5840/envirophil201613137

Regenerative Agriculture 101. (2021, November 29). https://www.nrdc.org/stories/regenerative-agriculture-101#what-is

And in truth, far more than I could count. 

References

Community Supported Agriculture | National Agricultural Library. (n.d.). https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/community-supported-agriculture

Navazio, J. (2012). The Organic seed Grower: A Farmer’s Guide to Vegetable Seed Production. Chelsea Green Publishing.

Plaster, E. (2008). Soil Science and Management. Cengage Learning.

Sheaffer, C. C., & Moncada, K. M. (2012). Introduction to agronomy: food, crops, and environment. Cengage Learning.

Sheldrake, M. (2020). Entangled life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures. Random House.

Sustainable Agriculture | National Agricultural Library. (n.d.). https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/sustainable-agriculture

[wanderingskemetic]

[umbrafyre]

So I drew Tin/Tinia, highest Ais of Etruscan pantheon.

[oracleishdiviner]

It's Friday! It's the 1st of December too!

D you know what this means to my practice?

Time to munch on something, clean up my space a bit and light two candles, one is for my Gods, spirits and allies and the other is for my ancestors, to whom I've started to give an offering too.

Want to know what it is? Drum rolls please:

water. It's water, plain, simple, life sustaining water put on the altar dedicated to all my ancestors that already has specific objects to one of them, since this person is one of my very close relative that I love a lot.

I still can't have the space that I'd like to give proper alchol and food offerings, but I can welcome my loved ones weekly, celebrating them even if it's with this little ritual of mine.

I am still building my routine and finding a balance in my practice and slowly finding my pace and place, but I love my Friday lovely devotion time!

P.S: it might be also done to include all the Gods who are making themselves known recently and that I've never worked with before, to know themselves and make them know me better, but hey! Gotta do what we can with the place we are in, right!?

[sinaiserblogs]

small worship acts.

drink water for Nethuns.

call your parents or guardians for Uni.

spread joy for Voltumna.

work out for Hercle.

tell yourself you’re amazing for Turan.

read for Menrva.