#devotional writing

[khaire-traveler]

In my dreams, Dionysus has a crooked jaw. He has horns that are uneven, and the tip of one horn seems broken off. He has scars on his chest, and his nails are most like claws. He is gorgeous, as always, and wonderfully kind. He speaks to me as an equal. He treats me like a person. And in his vibrant green eyes, I see a reflection of my own soul looking back at me. I could get lost within the forests those eyes contain, and staring too deeply, while tempting, could release some hidden part of me - something beastial and untamed.

[broomsick]

Hail the Breaker of Chains, the eternal reminder that patience is always rewarded. Hailed be He who was bound using all that cannot be seen and all that cannot be heard.

[czortofbaldmountain]

To the Rainbow Lucifer

Lucifer of the Rainbow, Lucifer, Meadow Dancer!

I see you in flowers, And in the rosy-orange sky When the Sun is rising - The Sun, your other shining face, Oh, sweet Morningstar.

I see you in grass, In brave city dandelions And even at night, In the Moon's colours, subtly changing.

Fallen, you never lost your beauty, Lucifer, Rainbow of This World.

Painting - The Spirit of the Rainbow by Henry Mosler, cropped.

[the-lyre-and-the-raven]

I feel Apollon in my veins. I feel his hands guide mine as I pour my soul into the piano. I hear his voice, gentle as the summer sun urging me to keep going. letting me know that I am not too ambitious for choosing to seek knowledge. I feel his rage in my blood when men speak to me as if I know nothing. As I walk to perform or present a project, I know he is there. Watching over me and when I am done, his cheers are always the loudest.

steady and firm, a strict teacher and a gentle healer. Letting me know that I will be okay. Someday, I will wake up, greet the sun and the joy I shall feel will not be a lie.

[hail-our-lady-underground]

Death is the moss on the headstone I remove with my thumb as a family member tells me how they need to clean the family graves. We bury the dead beneath the green flakes.

Death is the sweat down my back and the ache in my feet. It is the way funeral goers have come up to me to ask how I “deal with this”. I tell them it is beautiful, in it’s own tragic way.

Death is the water in the flower vases pouring down my arm and staining my uniform. It is cleaning leaves out the hearse. It is the smell of the prep room and the chill of the freezer, both not as bad as you’d think.

Death is a family member holding up a toddler to reach toward a dead relative they will not remember. It is the open casket. It is the slight awkward nature of closing it.

My Gods are death, and they’re slick and mean. They are cruel rot and crueler tears. They surround me with music and flowers. Butterflies eat from the cemetery stands. They take and they take and it’s all worth it. It’s all worth it to see them move their hands, mighty and skeletal.

I thank you, oh Gods. Thanatos, Hades, Persephone, I thank you for standing near me. There are so many flowers here.

[lyreandathief]

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I’m a writer

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I go “COWS!!” every time I’m in the car and see a herd

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I’ve learned 4 languages in my life (and of course I’ve forgotten most of them)

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I wrestle my husband

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I’m impulsive

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I double majored in musical theatre and English

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I steal from corporations but never mom and pop shops

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I wait for packages in the mail with feverish excitement

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I tip well

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I’m obsessed with chickens

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I’m DMing multiple separate DnD games

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I love stand up comedy and improv

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I’ve been to 38 states and 8 foreign countries

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I don’t have a drivers license and use my passport as ID

[blessedqueenofthedamned]

Persephone teaches me that mothers are distant downpours, and mothers are shelters from storm. nothing can stop the hard freeze when she rains ice. some flowers will die and others remain steadfast, unshaken by cold shoulders and cold fronts. relationships with her will always be a cycle. even her warmth can be devastating. unseasonal temperatures teach us about loss and about rebirths, about fruitless expectations and unpredictability and forgiveness and beginning again. you will see new colors every year, golds and pinks and greens most dazzling- nurture what you can, be grateful for the fleeting time you have with what you cannot. mothers are nature, raging, cradling, impossible to live without and impossible to understand. I learn this from Her. I hold this knowledge close.

[dark-veiled]

hail, Apollon: The Radiant God. He who shines so brightly and emits radiant light. He who warms us with His sun rays. on this Sunday, i honor You.

i look out at the sun; and how it shines onto the leaves, and the ground, and how bright it makes the sky. how beautifully warm it is. and i think of You.

today, i will read a book in the sun for You. i will soak up the light, and the vitamins, and heat. i will look at Your rays; i will feel Your heat — and tears will well in my eyes. tears of pure joy. the pure joy that You cause me to feel. loving You, praising You, and honoring You is such an intense gift that it overwhelms me physically and emotionally. being able to honor You bring me so much happiness.

thank you for Your warmth, my dearest Son of Leto. thank you for the warmth that You have gifted us. Your warmth is through the sun, the way that sweet music flows and fills my body. realizing that hours have gone by, and you’ve listened to a hundred songs. Your warmth is singing along to a song, then hearing yourself and thinking “wow. i’m not too bad!”.Your warmth is reading a line of poetry that makes you stop and ask yourself how someone could even think of that. Your warmth is something i promise not to take for granted. once again, my Lord,

thank you. i love You.

[crimsonsongbird]

YOUR HOME: A Message from Hestia

"As the dark begins to creep in And you start to feel cold within, Know there's nothing I wouldn't do To help take care of you. When you feel like there is no room to grow And there is no love left to know, You needn't even knock on my door For this home is already yours. As the fire inside begins to dwindle And you can't find the inner strength to kindle, Know that you have a place by my fire And together we shall reignite and inspire. When you feel like all hope is lost And you can no longer afford the cost, O' sweet child, you needn't hide For you always have a place by my side. As the nights grow colder And you start to feel older, Know that you are never alone For this place is your home."

[wolfhowlwitch]

today I feel Persephone tugging at me to rest, to recover, to relax. I hear Her whispering to me “even the ever-moving cycle of life and death finds it moments to pause. you are not greater than the cycle, you need your pause too.” and She’s right. there is the moment where the apple hangs from the branch, ripe to be picked but yet unplucked. there is the moment where the water is unmoving, the waves not crashing but murmuring. there is the moment, however brief, where the moon has found its space in the sky and dwells. and in all of these moments, there is beauty. in all of these moments there is growth. stillness is not a backwards motion- it is simply stillness.

She is inviting me to lie on a bed of pillows. She is inviting me to rest my weary feet. She is inviting- coaxing- me to take a moment where the only needs I meet are my own. while others may be pushing me- albeit with encouragement and support- to seize each moment, to push myself to new heights, She tells me that this minute of repose is taking hold of the moment in its own right.

and She is right, of course. though my racing mind reaches out to act, to move, to serve- my tired feet long to unwind, my soul sighs in relief as my head touches the blankets. She reminds me that in moments of stillness, there is growth. and She is right.

[winestainedpoetry]

Zeus, upholder of just laws,

Hear my prayer.

Dionysos, patron of the queer,

Hear my cry;

Protect us from those who

Carry hate in their hearts.

When the laws of man

Violate simple xenia and kinship

Give us strength.

Help us tear through the hate

Like lightning.

Guide us to justice and healing.

Protect us as we struggle.

Gods be with us, for we need

Your safety and strength

Now more than ever.

Today's SCOTUS decision on 303 v. Elenis is an extremely upsetting one. It's the latest attack on our community in a series of hateful laws and decisions. It sets us back by decades and essentially makes it possible to discriminate against members of the LGBTQIA community if our existence goes against one's "sincerely held beliefs." Stay strong, call your reps, protest, and stick together as a community. We'll make it through this.

[khaire-traveler]

Artemis breathes.

When a creature draws in the first breath of life, Artemis breathes. When a creature pants, huffing and puffing, Artemis breathes. When a creature takes in its cherished final breath, Artemis breathes. When a plant absorbs carbon dioxide to nourish itself, Artemis breathes. When the wild winds blow through the leaves of the trees, Artemis breathes.

Artemis breathes.

[broomsick]

She is the one who stands with Her arms open,

Ready to welcome those who have walked across the Gjöll bridge.

She is not one to be tricked,

For Her holy name is renowned through the nine worlds,

All of which know of Her power:

She cradles the souls of those who come to rest with the Gods,

And She does not discriminate the peasant from the king,

Nor the humble from the noble.

To Her we send songs of praise.

Onto Her I entrust my life.

Beside Her does the Luminous One sit.

Upon Her is a crown made of ash.

Artist

[under-olympos-bodhi-tree]

Prayer to Zeus Ktesios

Oh, Zeus Ktesios, guardian of the home, Protector of possessions, in your sacred dome, We call upon your mighty, divine aid, To bless our dwelling and the life we've made.

In your jar, sacred symbols of our life are kept, Over which, vigilant, you have always slept, Watch over our abode, both day and night, With your guidance, everything is right.

Beneath your watchful eyes, we find our peace, May prosperity in our home never cease, From the pantry's abundance to the hearth's warm glow, Bless each corner, let your grace flow.

In every meal that we partake, In each memory that we make, Zeus Ktesios, may you be there, Guarding us with your divine care.

From the threshold to the inner sanctum's heart, May your blessings on our home impart, A sense of safety, comfort, and familial love, Under your protective gaze from above.

Oh, Zeus Ktesios, to you, we pray, Watch over our home, keep harm at bay, With gratitude, we honor your role, Guardian deity of our household whole.

[hestiashearthfire]

As these libations are poured out, they cannot be taken back. So we pray our prayers to you, great ones of Olympus.

A Libation Prayer

[sacredsistersthree]

lessons from The Morrigan today, in whatever big or small way they appeared:

you are a warrior, even when your fight seems small or insignificant to you. you are always a warrior, even at rest. your fight is lifelong and you are fighting it.

while it may hurt your heart to acknowledge, you are nourished by death. things must die just as you must eat. plants die, animals die, you live on their death. be grateful to their sacrifice and do not shy away from it. give thanks to it.

you are favored. this does not make you special or unique- it simply means you are loved, just like every spirit is loved. it does not extinguish your struggle, but you can let it push you through your struggle. be inspired by it, do not rest on it.