#hellenic polytheist

[hestiashearthfire]

Yesterday my roommate and I were at a local metaphysical store, and I wanted to get crystals to use as stones for my altar to Hermes Propylaios and Apollon Agyeius we keep by the door. I found a sunstone, but it didn’t feel right. I really wanted something in an obelisk shape, similar to the shape of stones dedicated to Apollon Agyeius in ancient times. I picked up a pretty orange obelisk that I felt drawn to; imagine my surprise when the store owner said, “That’s Golden Healer.” Y’all. Apollo picked his own rock.

[a-creature-as-bright-as-the-sun]

I finally put up my art print of Aristaios (god of beekeeping, but also SO MANY other "rural arts") and I feel so much peace looking at it 🥺 I love him a lot, he deserves this incredible art ^-^

[lavenderblanketfort]

Thank you Lord Hypnos for being patient with me.

I know i don’t really make things easy with the running from and fighting with you constantly

But you always welcome me back and make things less scary and stressful. Even when i have nightmares bad enough im screaming/crying. Your always there to help

[beatingdrumspouringwine]

Words from the Gods

Communication with the Gods is daunting. There's something about the many ways by which it can happen, the strange ways by which it can happen, and also how it is seen online versus real life, all of which can lead to confusion and a bit of dismay. I remembered reading a lot of stories about people's encounters with the Gods, which seemed to be these casual conversations, like those you would have with friends. I definitely wasn't getting those kinds of communications, and had a lot of worry that I was doing things Wrong, Somehow. There was definitely some time where my worship was based more towards "man, I hope this God/Goddess gets me some cool experiences I could share with my friends!" instead of wanting to focus on building a relationship with the Deity Themselves.

Over the years, I've grown better at understanding and picking out communications from the Gods. Obviously, I'm not an expert on it, and I wouldn't claim to be. However, I'm starting this series (words from the Gods) to hopefully help with explaining the different ways that I have encountered the Gods (mostly Dionysos), and how they impacted me, as well as how to discern these communications. As the old saying goes, your mileage may vary, but I do hope that this will help people in their worship!

I can't quite say when the first post comes out, seeing as I'm swinging terrifyingly close to finals, graduation, and the Great Adult Life that lies beyond college. But, I'll try my best to keep it going and updated!

edited this to remove the line markers that i sometimes use to mark how much i've written lol, my ADHD needs some fun little thing to keep me writing

[theoi-of-olympus]

I just want to preface this by saying I know that there are issues surrounding some of these terms, but I also know some people use them

This poll is also mainly for those that worship the Greek pantheon but others are welcome to vote as well!

[posthumous-pagan]

the struggle

[royal-wren]

A little appreciation for the domains of a deity that don't get much attention/recognition. I'm making this because I do think it would be lovely if the aspects mentioned below got more attention, and additions not mentioned are welcome so long as it's an obscure part of them. This was going to be just a few and then I got carried away and did the main Twelve Olympians

A little love for:

Apollon as the God of Foreigners (the Arcadian friendship's harmony with Hermes being the god of travelers/way-god couldn't be any louder)

Aphrodite as a Goddess of the Arts (anything love-themed falls to her by default)

Ares of Civil Order, Defender, and Of Courage

Artemis as the Goddess of Dancing and equal Leader of the Mousai

Athene as the Goddess of Carpentry, Metalwork, and Sculpting

Demeter as Friend of Peace and Law-Giver

Hephaistos as the one with a delicate touch that creates beautiful works of art (It isn't so much unknown but honestly the thing I love most and not the first thing one thinks of with his talents/image)

Hera as the Skillful Bender of Language, Bender of Oaths and Promises

Hermes, God of Peace/Diplomacy, Divine Protector of All, as well as a God of Poetry and Knowledge (rightfully the other half to Athene)

Hestia of the Earth, Earth Dwelling and Delighting in the Works of Man, The One That Made Buildings

Poseidon of Fertility, the Plant Nurturer, and Holder of the Earth

Zeus of the People, Gracious and Merciful, Of Refuge, Counsellor

[olympianbutch]

(Ranting about a comment I saw on TikTok.)

I genuinely need people to stop blaming ancient Greek religion/the gods for ancient Greek societal conventions like infanticide, slavery, and misogyny.

Exposed infants were protected by Kourotrophos gods!

Versions of the gods exist who were liberators of enslaved persons!

Women undeniably found the most freedom in the religious sphere!

For all of ancient Greece's sociocultural conservatism, the gods virtually demanded that worshippers subvert customs. In the words of my professor, "The Greek gods are a lot more progressive than you'd expect from the conservative ancient Greeks."

[daughter-of-theforgotten-gods]

My Greek mythology professor was talking about how yes, giving offerings and sacrifices is worship to the gods, but reading Hesiods poetry was a way to worship and connect to them as well.

So even if you can’t give physical offerings you can at least read about the gods as a way of worship

[temple-of-eternal-hera]

There's nothing more romantic to me than Hera and Zeus in Their celestial aspects. She's the Goddess of the Sky and Stars. He's the God of the Sky and Storms. I bet They just dance around in the aether making pretty colors sometimes.

[hestiashearthfire]

I’m so grateful for my beautiful altar space, but I’m missing my first altar something fierce today. It was just a cereal bowl and a candle, but it was where I met the gods for the first time.

[a-creature-as-bright-as-the-sun]

I'll never get over that person who insisted that you shouldn't offer sex/orgasms to Aphrodite bc it's is miasmic. I hope you also don't involve Artemis with childbirth, Hera and Zeus with weddings, or pray to Hermes to help the dead pass over, bc I have some bad news for you...

[mylifeforawinegod]

Just a quick reminder~

Not all polytheists consider themselves as pagans, and not all pagans consider themselves polytheists. The two terms aren't universally interchangeable.

(Some people use the terms interchangeably for themselves because the terms are heavily intertwined for them. This is not the case for everyone.)

[beatingdrumspouringwine]

i think the fastest and most effective prayer to any God in an emergency is just "[insert name], please help me". specifics are good in like, formal situations, but let me tell you: i parked my car in mud which froze overnight (temps in my area dropped from 50 degrees fahrenheit down to about 10 degrees with windchill), and after trying for almost a full hour to get my car unstuck from the mud, i just stared vacantly to the sky and said "Hermes, please help." and wouldn't you know it, about three minutes later my car's wheels somehow managed to gain traction and the frozen mud around them loosened enough to actually allow me to back out.

i have more thoughts on this whole (very good) incident namely involving a tiktok by olympianbutch on invocations (not tagging him because i'm not writing that essay yet), the power of the names of the Gods, and how the Gods are very, very, very good. but it's almost 3am and my brain is potatoes, so we'll post that all some other time :)

for now, i'll give a simple thank You Hermes for getting me unstuck from the mud <3

[seedsandsprouts]

🏺🔥

[posthumous-pagan]

prayers don't have to be perfect by the way.

I pray to the gods in the middle of my classes, my shifts at work, and in the shower.

I pray waiting at the bus stop.

I pray looking for something I lost.

I'm not always the best at consistently praying and leaving offerings at my altar. most of my worship is quick prayers on the go and devotional acts.

that's ok. I'm trying and the gods don't hate me or anything.

they don't hate you either. practice in a way that fits into your life and your needs. that's enough I think.