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[witchwaytothecoffee]

Prayers to Hestia

Hello! here are a few prayers I’ve written for Lady Hestia. The list is a little long, so I’ve placed them under the cut. Feel free to use them!

Keep reading

[witchwaytothecoffee]

I lurk waaaay more than posting, but.

🕯☽☾🔮🖤 looking for active witchblrs! 🕯☽☾🔮🖤

A little bit worried that witchtok sucked up the life of witch tumblr, so please reblog if you’re an active/practicing witch on tumblr as of July 12, 2021! 

Please be POC/LBGT inclusive!!!

Sidenote: I am a beginner closet witch looking to find my path, interested in norse/celtic/hellenic pantheons. But all are welcome and the more folks I can follow, the more knowledge I can gain, and the more people I can meet! 

☽☾ Thanks in advance, Blessed Be! ☽☾

[witchwaytothecoffee]

Epithets

Epithets and translations are from here and here.

Please be mindful that this is not a complete list and that the translations may not be completely accurate.

Please comment or Ask any other Hellenic deities or additional epithets you would like me to add.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aphrodite

- Aphrodite Urania , the heavenly

- Aphrodite Philommeides , laughter-loving

- Aphrodite Polos , the high-crowned

Apollo

- Apollo Epikourios , the helper/healer

- Apollo Daphnephorios , carrier of bay branches

- Apollo Apotropaios , averter of evil

Artemis

- Artemis Potnia Theron , mistress of animals

Ares

- Ares Laussous , he who rallies men

- Ares Obrimus , mighty

Athena

- Athena Polias , protector of cities

- Athena Ergane , overseer of handcrafts

- Athena Phronesis , creator of morally responsible reasoning

Demeter

- Demeter Cthonia , the earthly one

- Demeter Karpophoros , the fruit bringer

Dionysus

- Dionysus Oinos , wine-god

- Dionysus Polygethes , giver of many joys

Hades

- Hades Polysemantor , ruler of many

- Hades Ploutos , wealthy

Hecate

- Hecate Brimo , terrible and angry one

- Hecate Aedonnaea , of the underworld

- Hecate Trioditis , of the three-pathed crossroads

Hestia

- Hestia Polyolbos , rich in blessings

Hermes

- Hermes Logos , swift talker

- Hermes Agoraios , bringer of profit

Hephaestus

- Hephaestus Klytos , renowned

- Hephaestus Polytechnes , of many crafts

Persephone/Kore

- Persephone Praxidice , exacter of justice

- Persephone Daeira , knowing one

Poseidon

- Poseidon Soter , savior of sailors

- Poseidon Petraios , steady rock

Zeus

- Zeus Xenios , protector of guests

- Zeus Panergetos , all-achieving

- Zeus Hyetios , bringer of storms

- Zeus Agetor , leader

[witchwaytothecoffee]

Masterpost of Shops for Hellenic polytheists

A collection of shops for hellenic polytheists: for worship materials, modern Greek culture, etc.

Etsy Shops

Blagowood - Pagan wood carving

Ceramotechnica - (Greece) Hand made Greek ceramics for daily use and decoration

EFIstore - (Edipsos, Greece)

FireFoxAlchemy - One Stop Shop for Magical Supplies & Devotional Jewelry

GreekMythos - Handmade Greek Museum Replicas Artifacts and Jewelry

Greek Artifact - (Agios Nikolaos, Greece) Ancient Greek Art 

HearthfireHandworks - Pagan Prayer Beads and Devotional Jewellery

marblecreations82 - (Athens, Greece) Replicas of Ancient Greek marble statues

Luthieros - (Greece) Ancient lyres and other musical instruments

Lyre Academy - Learning and study of the lyre

TheHellenicHandmaid - Handmade spiritual supplies for Hellenic Polytheists

Thetis Treasures - (Athens, Greece) Jewellery inspired by Greek ancient history and mythology

Yliade - Art inspired by Ancient Gods

Instagram 

Other 

clarysageherbarium - witchy shop

mastic-mastiha-sales - Greek shop 

This not an exhaustive list. Expect more shops to appear or feel free to recommend more to be added to the list. 

[witchwaytothecoffee]

Something which has concerned me as of late is the rather strenuous expectations the Hellenic community as a whole has about miasma, khernips and katharmos - namely, it seems like the expectation is that lustral water needs to be used EVERY time someone conducts household worship. Could you shed some light on this?

Oh boy, this is a big can of worms you’re handing me - but one I’ll open up with pleasure, because I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately.

Before I begin, I should clarify a couple of things:

as we all know, Ancient Greek religious practise varied from region to region and city to city, and the information we have about many places (especially rural) is limited. For all we’re aware, villagers in Euboea may just have purified themselves by throwing salt at each other. Thracian farmers might’ve done it via an equivalent of the Ice Bucket Challenge. Who knows? I’m exaggerating a bit, but the bottom line is that just because it isn’t attested doesn’t mean it didn’t happen somewhere.

in my opinion, if something works for you and isn’t disrespectful to the Gods, it isn’t a bad thing. I’d rather see happy, genuine, non-historical worship than no worship at all.

I myself am a reconstructionist. Historical continuity matters to me. While I’m aware that we can’t know everything, and that our understanding is constantly evolving alongside academic research, I want my practise to be well-rooted in the past wherever possible. As such, I consider it very important that people with beliefs similar to mine understand Ancient Greek practise as best we can, before we adapt it to suit our modern world.

I’m still learning about this subject. I’m fairly sure the information below is accurate, but if I make any mistakes, please let me know!

That said, let’s move on to the fact that many Hellenic polytheists’ interpretation of pollution and purification is, historically, pretty wrong.

We do know that purification before prayer or ritual is important. Ancient texts are clear on this: the Iliad and Odyssey, among many other works, repeatedly show people washing their hands before approaching the Gods (Il. 9.171-172, 16.227-230). It seems that this was most basic and essential act for any type of ritual. At its bones, it was a way of keeping clean before something important, like washing our hands before dinner - in fact, hand-washing before dinner was done in exactly the same way as for ritual (Od. 1.146). The most common description, χεῖρας νίψειν, simply means ‘to wash one’s hands’.

But something modern Hellenic polytheism seems to have lost is the large variety of religious terms used to describe pollution and purification. Not all kinds of purification were the same. Some were done with simple running water, like the examples above. Others feature what modern Hellenic polytheists call lustral water, or khernips (χέρνιψ) - fire extinguished in pure water. (Yet others include torches, barley groats and other purifying agents, which we’ll leave aside for the purpose of this post.) The point is: all of this is lustral water, but not all of it is khernips, and not all of it was necessary for everyday worship.

Let’s take a side-step through the question of miasma and katharmos. These are two highly specific religious terms which are unfortunately often narrowed down to ‘dirty’ and ‘clean’. Miasma (μίασμα), in fact, refers to a metaphorical stain caused by impious behaviour: that is, murder, incest, adultery, sacrilege, and other severe crimes. Jean Rudhardt describes it as ‘a bloodstain, a defilement attached to the hands of those who did dirty work’ and ‘the fears of a guilty conscience’. Miasma affects its surroundings, which is why criminals were exiled and banned from communal rites. Specific purification rites were required, and in fact, this often included the criminal’s exclusion from lustral water until their crime was expiated.

Miasma is a bad thing. Average people did not and do not have it. Let me say this again: you do not have miasma. If you do have miasma, please turn yourself into your local police station today.

What you probably do have is lyma (λῦμα), literally ‘the thing you wash away’. This is pollution caused by common occurrences like birth, death, and sex. You incur it through your everyday life, sometimes knowingly, sometimes not - like by walking past places where people have recently died, or by coming into contact with people who have recently had sex. Lyma is also caused by rightful death, like the execution of a criminal, or killing people on a battlefield. Lyma is not a bad thing.

This is what you wash away with clean, running water before interacting with the Gods. Βy doing this, and by being hosios (ὅσιος, another specific religious term for following the right order of things, conform to the laws which regulate acceptable behaviour towards other humans and Gods), you become katharos (καθαρός, pure). This is your natural, human purity.

Did you hear that? Religiously, humans are naturally pure. We need cleansing because of what we do and what happens around us, not because we’re inherently ‘dirty’ in the Gods’ eyes.

Back to purification. By now I’ve established that there’s two types - expiatory rites for miasma, which often prevent you from taking part in religious ceremonies, and clean, running lustral water to wash away your everyday lyma. However, there’s a third type, and this type is khernips.

Khernips literally means ‘handwash’. You can still see this meaning in use in the Odyssey, in the often reused lines χέρνιβα δ’ ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσα / καλῇ χρυσείῃ ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος / νίψασθαι: ‘then a handmaid brought khernips in a beautiful golden pitcher and poured it over a basin, so he could wash’ (Od. 1.136-138, 4.52-54, 7.172-174, etc). But its meaning in Classical Greek religion is very specific: it refers to lustral water in which a burning brand is extinguished, sprinkled on the altar and participants before a major communal sacrifice (θυσία, thusia). This water was sacred, and unclean people were not permitted to touch it. According to Jean Rudhardt, this is because khernips was not simply meant to purify you. It was meant to consecrate you - to bring you into that sacred state necessary for important rites.

The bottom line of all this? There are different types of lustral water, just like there are different types of pollution, and not all apply to everyday household worship. While I firmly believe that purification before prayer and ritual is vital, I don’t think we need to do much more than wash our hands. Like I said at the beginning, if the whole extinguishing-fire-in-water thing works well for you, great - and for all we know, maybe it was common in some parts of Ancient Greece! Ancient Greek religion and religious terms are a very complex subject (despite the length of this post, I actually had to gloss over a number of finer points I’m not qualified to discuss) and it’s absolutely possible that we’re missing out on something. But as of now, this is what we know, and as a reconstructionist, it’s what I choose to draw from.

Lastly, if you’re interested in reading more about the subject, I recommend Jean Rudhardt’s Notions fondamentales de la pensée religieuse et actes constitutifs du culte dans la Grèce classique (unfortunately, I’m not sure if you can find it in English?), as well as Robert Parker’s Miasma: Pollution and Purification in early Greek Religion. Lesley Maditinou, a Hellenic reconstructionist, also wrote a thorough and accurate article about the subject here.

I will now close this can of worms, but I hope I was successful in sorting through some of it :)

[witchwaytothecoffee]

Masterpost

These are religious posts. If you’re here from a fandom, be respectful.

My Posts

General Hellenic Polytheism

Basic Prayer Formula (also French trans.)

Posture and Gestures in Prayer (also French trans.)

Kharis: The Reciprocal Relationship with the Gods (also French trans.)

Invoking Kharis (Examples) (also Portuguese trans.)

Eusebeia

Libations (also Portuguese and French trans.)

Effects of Libations in the Garden

Extravagant Offerings Are Unnecessary

Traditional Daily Devotions

Deipnon, Noumenia and Agathos Daimon Prayers

Developing Worship for Minor Deities

Divination Tools: Accessible, Online, Free

Example Modernisation of an Ancient Greek Festival

How I Converted Athenian Festivals to my Local Calendar

Modern Devotions for Household Gods

Household Gods of Worship: A Collection of Posts

Choose Your Starter Theoi

Masterpost - Reference Excerpts

Opinion piece: On Kharis

Opinion piece: On adding modern holidays to the festival calendar

Opinion piece: On modern relationships

Opinion piece: On not giving offerings or saying prayers

Opinion piece: On shunning gods

Opinion piece: On why oracles and priests can’t exist today

About Hera

Hera Aegophagos

Hera Alexandros

Descriptive Epithets of Hera

Hera Epithets of Life Stages

Hera Epithets of Places

Favourite Epithets of Hera

Daedala Festival

My experience worshipping Hera

Hera’s Asterion Flower

Hera further reading and resources

Notes on Argive Hera

Offerings for Hera

On Dread Hera (UPG)

On the golden apples

On Hera and Zeus’ marriage (UPG)

On reconciling worshipping Zeus + Hera + Herakles

On sacrificing cows

Zeus and Hera’s Marriage

About Herakles

Dice Divination by Herakles Bouraikos

Favourite Epithets of Herakles

Hercules the Kneeler Constellation

Herakles Epithets

Herakles Playlist

Nemean Lion

Notes from “From Bowman to Clubman”

Opinion piece: Herakles and Hera’s Wrath

About Sappho

Girls of Lesbos epigram

Sappho the Mytilenean epigram

Who Was Sappho?

Sappho: Ideas for Devotional Activities

Sappho Offering Ideas

Epithets of Sappho

Sappho and rose imagery

About Zeus

Athenian Temple to Olympic Zeus and the Olympeia Festival

Zeus Agonios of Contests

Zeus Ataburios

Zeus Heraios

Zeus Ktesios and the Kadiskos

Zeus Epithets of Mountains

Zeus Epithets of Morality and Order

Zeus Epithets of Nature

Zeus Epithets of People

Zeus Maimaktes

Other

Anthesphoria festival

Aphrodite’s Marjoram

Brief Timeline of Argos

Candle Care

How to Fix a Tunnelling Candle

Demeter Erinyes and Poseidon

Epithets of Iris

Epithets of Peitho

Notes on Erotidia (Eros Festival)

Gymnasia in Ancient Athens

Hermes Dolios

Hesperides

Identifying the 10 Basic Cloud Types

Ourea: The Mountain Gods

Potamoi: The River Gods

Reconstructed Calendar of Argos

Telesilla the Armed Lyric Poet (fragment)

Theoi Gymnaskitoi

My Festival Calendar / Local Cultus / Personal Practice

2021 Goals

2021 Festival Calendar

Recommended Books in my Library

My E-shrines

My Prayers / Hymns / Poetry / Stories

My Devotional Journal Pages

How I do offerings

Nyoongar Six Seasons

#Local Cultus | #Australian Cultus | #South West Australian Cultus

Others’ Posts

Pronouncing Greek Gods’ Names

ASL Signing Greek Gods’ Names

On Household Worship

Household Gods

Things Every Baby Hellenic Should Know (also here)

Home Study for Greek and Roman Polytheism

How to Pray in Ancient Greek

Suggestions for Ending Prayers

Basic Greek Phrases for Rituals

Miasma vs Lyma (also here and here)

Khernips

Formal Ritual (Ouranic)

Tips for Khthonic Rituals

Theogony

Nymph Worship

Hero Worship

Underworld

Death Rites Resources

Wedding Rites

Veiling

Historical Offerings

Make An Offering

Festival/Holy Day Descriptions

Hekate’s Deipnon

Noumenia

Devotional Journal/Heirographe, also here and here

Mythology vs Cultus

Divination

Astragaloi

Homeric Oracle Online

Homeric Oracle

Greek Alphabet Oracle (and a second link)

Apollo’s Oracle Online

Golden Thread Tarot App

Sortes Vergilianae Online

Ornithomancy

Festivals

Attic Calendar Converter

Numachi

Baring the Aegis Attic Calendar Explanation

Sponde!

Hellenion Festival Descriptions

Temenos

Ethics, Philosophy etc.

Delphic Maxims

Solon’s Tenets

Golden Verses of Pythagoras

PDFs

Theogony & Works And Days; Hesiod

Myths

Updated: 9th May 2021

[witchwaytothecoffee]

I now understand why you always see people with pretty setups and trays under their incense/candles. Ashes are a damn mess.🙃🙃🙃

Still sorting out how I feel about lustral water/ khǽrnips , but. Target had these cute containers, and it looked perfect.

[witchwaytothecoffee]

It is often observed that Greek religion possessed no denominations or central organization, no dogmas, no scriptures, and no creed. The lack of these features, which in modern religious contexts provide the basis for religious authority, along with the polytheism of the Greeks, might mislead us into thinking that individuals exercised a great deal of individual choice in the matter of religion. Instead, the gods one worshiped and the manner in which one did so were for the most part predetermined by tradition and enforced by the state. Participation in the cults of one’s family, tribe, village, city, and region was an important component of personal identity, while rejection of these cults was considered deviant, and exclusion from them was traumatic. Christiane Sourvinou-Inwood argued that the polis (and to a lesser extent, the ethnos or tribal state) “anchored, legitimated and mediated all religious activity.” Depending on how “religious activity” is defined, one might argue for numerous exceptions to this dictum, but her main point is valid: the polis not only exercised more religious authority than any group or individual, it provided the structural and conceptual foundations on which the system of worship was articulated. The construction of monumental temples, symbols of a city’s sovereign power as well as its piety, was only the most obvious manifestation of this communal religion. Greek assemblies and councils considered themselves empowered to enact all manner of religious legislation, from rules about dress and conduct within sanctuaries to purity laws and sacrificial calendars. Recent research on religious authority in the ancient world emphasizes that the modern distinction between religious and secular spheres, including the concept of a separate “church” and “state,” is anachronistic when applied to the Greeks.

(…)

Although the polis controlled the selection of many priesthoods, the oldest and most respected offices were inherited. Certain priestly families, such as the Eumolpidai and Kerykes at Eleusis or the Branchidai at Didyma, exercised special authority over their respective cults. A wide variety of religious specialists, from charismatic sectarian leaders to oracle-sellers and purifiers, operated more or less independently, claiming direct access to the divine and sometimes falling foul of local authorities. Other independent sources of religious authority were the oracles, particularly the Delphic oracle, which played an important role as arbiters of ritual questions felt to be beyond the expertise of citizen bodies.

— Ancient Greek Cults, by Jennifer Larson

[witchwaytothecoffee]

I need to get back to practicing stirring intent into drinks....

Starbucks Drink Correspondences

Basics

stir clockwise - to manifest

stir anti-clockwise - to banish

coffee - clarity, focus dispels nightmares, encourages hard work, removes internal blockages, infuses intentions with stamina

Teavana Hot Brewed Teas

earl grey - strength, stability, endings, finished business, banishment, expelling negativity, financial growth, spiritual shield, peace, balance, clarity, intuition

royal english breakfast - strength, stability, endings, finished business, banishment, expelling negativity, control, health, luck, protection, prosperity

oprah chai - abundance, healing, love, protection, spirituality, luck, money, success, beauty

emperor’s clouds and mist - fire magic, healing, love, catalysts, mindfulness, passion, sexual health and new energies

jade citrus mint - fire magic, healing, love, catalysts, mindfulness, passion, sexual health and new energies, purification, luck, love, energy, divination, protection, money

youthberry - air magic, purification, protection, clarity, realization, meditation, cleansing, luck, money, chastity, strength, love, healing

mint majesty - healing, love, mental strength, psychic powers, purification, energy, divination

passion tango - love, protection, lust, luck, psychic powers, abundance, harmony, balance

peach tranquility - gentle strength, joy, fertility, love, wishes, divination, love

pineapple kona pop - chastity, luck, money

Starbucks Refreshers

very berry hibiscus - divination, love, lust, healing, money, protection

strawberry acai - fortune, friendship, love, healing, strength, energy

Frappuccinos

mocha -  clarity, focus, dispels nightmares, encourages hard work, removes internal blockages, infuses intentions with stamina, friendship, love, balance, grounding, prosperity

caramel - positivity, comfort, memory, self-love, friendship

pumpkin spice - prosperity, divination, love, luck, clarity, focus, abundance, energy, strength, psychic awareness

salted caramel mocha - clarity, focus, positivity, comfort, memory, self-love, friendship, protection

vanilla bean - love, lust, self-love, positivity

cinnamon dolce - clarity, focus, energy, peace, abundance, love, healing, power, spirituality, success

white chocolate mocha - dispels nightmares, encourages hard work, removes internal blockages, infuses intentions with stamina, friendship, self-love, fun

java chip - friendship, love, balance, grounding, self-love

strawberries and cream - fortune, friendship, love, happiness, platonic love, self-love

green tea - healing, love, catalysts, mindfulness, passion, sexual health, new energies, peace, relaxation, purification

double chocolatey chip - friendship, self-love, fun, nurturing, love, balance, raises emotional energy, romance, grounding, prosperity

chai creme - abundance, healing, love, protection, spirituality, luck, money, success, beauty, passion, courage

cotton candy - love, lust, self-love, positivity, peace, fun, strength, reliability, endurance

midnight mint - protection, cleansing, purification, positivity, raises emotional energy

Extras

milk - nurturing, prosperity, protection, fertility, growth, strength

soy milk - success, prosperity, growth, strength

coconut milk - protection, spiritual cleansing, growth, strength

whipped cream - prosperity, love

chocolate powder - friendship, self-love, fun, nurturing, love, balance, raises emotional energy, romance, grounding, prosperity

cinnamon - abundance, healing, love, lust, power, psychic powers, spirituality, success, luck, happiness

nutmeg - clarity, clairvoyance. luck

vanilla powder - love, lust, self-love, positivity

honey - money, protection, psychic powers

caramel drizzle - positivity, comfort, memory, self-love, friendship

mocha drizzle - clarity, focus, dispels nightmares, encourages hard work, removes internal blockages, infuses intentions with stamina, friendship, love, balance, grounding, prosperity

dolce sprinkles - abundance, healing, love, lust, power, psychic powers, spirituality, success, luck, happiness

Syrup Flavours

vanilla - love, lust, self-love, positivity

caramel - positivity, comfort, memory, self-love, friendship

cinnamon dolce - abundance, healing, love, lust, power, psychic powers, spirituality, success, luck, happiness

hazelnut - creativity, inspiration, luck, fertility, enhance magical abilities

toffee nut - soothing, healing, fertility, empowerment, prosperity, luck, love, protection

peppermint - healing, love, psychic powers, purification, sleep, dreams

raspberry - love, strength, endurance, reliability

classic (simple syrup) - love, attraction

sources: (x)(x)(x)(x)(x)(x)(x) and my own personal correspondences

[witchwaytothecoffee]

Oh my gosh.

I work as a barista... and it just dawned on me; that I could come up with a very short evocation/prayer for Hermes, (or, I mean any god,), and pull some shots as an on the spot offering. 😍

Attempted a tarot pull to ask what he thought of the idea... got the four of wands. (As both a jumper, and my pull when I ignored it.)

I’m absolutely going to believe he’s on board with that idea.

[witchwaytothecoffee]

Hermès portrait practice ✨

[witchwaytothecoffee]

“All of the evidence discussed so far in this section strongly suggests that while the idea of a connection between Ares and Aphrodite was reflected and explored by artistic and literary works from many cities and regions throughout the Archaic and Classical periods, this connection was a highly localised phenomenon in cult. It appears to have been restricted to a single network of interconnected cults at Argos and in Crete. There is, however, one marble relief from Athens, dating from near the end of the fifth century, which shows a veiled female divine figure pouring a wine from a jug into a cup held by a bearded divine figure wearing a helmet, with a shield standing behind him, who is pouring a libation from the cup onto an altar. A worshipper looks on. This may be interpreted as an Athenian representation of Ares and Aphrodite in a cultic context, although no inscription has been preserved, and the figures are not labelled. Furthermore, the relief could conceivably have been set up by an Argive or Cretan resident of Athens. This relief does not, therefore, represent strong evidence that Ares and Aphrodite were worshipped together outside of Crete and Argos, but it does suggest that the possibility of such cults existing should not be entirely disregarded. The relationship between Ares and Aphrodite is affirmed once in Athenian literature, when the Chorus of Aeschylus’ Suppliants describe Ares as Aphrodite’s mortal-destroying bedfellow. Ares is here partnered with Aphrodite not as an ideal lover, or even as an adulterer, but as the divine incarnation of war.”

— War and the Warrior: Functions of Ares in Literature and Cult Alexander T. Millington

[witchwaytothecoffee]

A Scots traditional charm for picking yarrow

I will pluck the yarrow fair, That more brave shall be my hand, That more warm shall be my lips, That more swift shall be my foot; May I an island be at sea, May I a rock be on land, That I can afflict any man,     No man can afflict me.

–“The Yarrow” from Carmina Gadelica, compiled by Alexander Carmichael, 1900.

[witchwaytothecoffee]

The Mounychia is a festival to Artemis that was celebrated on the 16th of Mounychion. The traditional offering for this festival, the amphiphontes, are also associated with the goddess Hekate. This has opened up the possibility that this festival was originally linked to a lunar goddess, maybe Hekate, and evolved to be linked to Artemis under her lunar aspects. The amphiphontes were round cakes, which were then decorated with dadia, “little torches”.

The Brauronia was celebrated by children, and most specifically little girls between the ages of 5 to 10, perhaps older. While the adults would be celebrating the Mounychia, the little girls would be sent to participate to the Brauronia rituals. The ritual included dressing up as bears and dancing around the altar to Artemis.

The date for both festivals in 2021 should be around April 28th.

[witchwaytothecoffee]

Daily Hellenic Polytheist Prayer (Evening)

Hail Hestia, first and last of the deathless gods, Goddess of the Hearth without whom our prayers would go unheard. Thank you for the blessings bestowed upon me this day.

To the gods of night, Nyx and Erebos, Lady and Lord of the Dark, Selene, Blessed Moon, Hypnos, Morpheus, and Asteria, Gods of Sleep and Dreams  thank you for your blessings and your continued protections.

Hail to Hekate, Torch-Bearer, Guide and Protectress, thank you for your blessings and your watchful eyes.

Hail to my blessed Theoi, Poseidon and Demeter, Athena and Hermes, Apollo and Artemis, Ares and Aphrodite, Dionysus and Hephaestos, thank you for your blessings.

Hail to Zeus and Hera, King and Queen amongst the deathless gods of Olympos. Thank you for your blessings and continued presence in my life.

Hail to Hestia, for you are the last. Mighty Virgin, Keeper of the Flame, thank you for your blessings.

[witchwaytothecoffee]

Hello Mrs. Elani. I was wondering about daily rituals. i actually don't know what to do for morning and evening rituals. Which gods should I honor upon rising in the morning and before retiring for the night? I've never really found any elaboration on daily ritual in Hellenismos, and was wondering if you could help, thank you.

Errr… I can give you mine…? Which Theoi you choose to worship as part of your household practice is entirely up to you, however. These are the Theoi I have built kharis with or whom I think influence the cycles of day and night. These are the Theoi I feel comfortable worshipping daily. Who those are to you is a matter of personal preference.

Night time prayers (before bed):

Preparation:

Pour wine in my kylix

Empty water bowl and fill anew with water previously prepared by mixing tap water with sea water and asking Okeanos’ blessing

Empty sacrificial bowl

Add ethanol to sacrificial bowl

Lay out a match and a hand towel

Lay out (dried) herbs or scented wood and incense

Rite:

Procession to the shrine

Strewing of barley groats on the altar

Preparation of khernips 

Purification – washing of hands and face, sprinkling the room and altar with fingers

Add khernips to wine

Hymn (Orphic, 82, to Okeanos) and prayers to Okeanos

“Blessed Okeanos, may your bright waters purify this space, and prepare both me, and it, for the rites that are about to unfold.”

Lighting of Hestia’s candle (if not yet burning, mine almost always is), as well as the ethanol to burn sacrifices in

Hymn (Homeric, 14, to Hestia) and prayers to Hestia

“Blessed Goddess Hestia, accept this offering of honey sweet wine, and guard this house as you guard the houses of all who sacrifice to you. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Libation of honey sweet wine to Hestia

Hymns (Orphic, 2, to Nyx + Orphic, 8, to Selene) and prayers to Nyx and Selene

“Blessed Nyx, Goddess of night. She who holds the world in her dark embrace, and Selene, Goddess of the moon, who illuminates the night like a torch. Accept this offering of sweetest wine, and come always, as the day follows the night. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Libation to Nyx and Selene

Hymns (Orphic, 84, to Hypnos + Orphic, 85, to Dreams) and prayers to Hypnos and Morpheus

“Blessed Hypnos, Morpheus, Gods of sleep and dreams, respectively. Accept this offering of honey sweet wine, and grant me equally sweet sleep, and even sweeter dreams. Carry my mind far beyond the limits of my imagination. Accept my prayer, and allow me to rise rested and rejuvenated so I may continue my hard work. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Libation to Hypnos and Morpheus

Hymns, prayers and libations to the night time or Khthonic Theoi whose sacred day it is, or any night time or Khthonic Theoi whom I feel the need to pray and sacrifice to.

Hymn (Orphic, 0, to Musae, final five lines) and prayer to Hekate

“I call Einodian Hekate, lovely dame, of earthly, wat'ry, and celestial frame, Sepulchral, in a saffron veil array’d. Goddess of the night, companion to Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld. You, key bearer of this world. Accept my offering of honey sweet wine, and guard the borders of this house as you guard the borders of the houses of all who sacrifice to you. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Libation to Hekate

Hymn (Homeric, 14, to Hestia) to Hestia

“Blessed Goddess Hestia, Goddess of home and hearth. To you, I offer last of all, as any pious mortal should. Tend to those whom I love, and guard the houses of the pious. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Drink remaining wine

Extinguishing of the candle or replace with electric one, as I always do.

Clean up and off to bed

 Day time prayers (after waking up):

Preparation:

Pour water in my kylix

Add ethanol to sacrificial bowl

Lay out a packet of matches and a hand towel

Lay out (dried) herbs or scented wood and incense

Rite:

Procession to the shrine

Strewing of barley groats on the altar

Purification – washing of hands and face, sprinkling the room and altar with fingers

Add khernips to wine

Hymn (Orphic, 82, to Okeanos) and prayers to Okeanos

“Blessed Okeanos, may your bright waters purify this space, and prepare both me, and it, for the rites that are about to unfold.”

Lighting of Hestia’s candle, as well as the ethanol to burn sacrifices in, and the incense burner

Hymns (Homeric, 14, to Hestia) and prayers to Hestia

“Blessed Goddess Hestia, accept this offering of honey sweet wine, and guard this house as you guard the houses of all who sacrifice to you. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Libation to Hestia

Hymns (Homeric, 31, to Helios) and prayers to Eos, Hêmera and Hēlios

“Blessed Goddes Eos, Goddess of the bright dawn. You who speed forth from the gates of heaven before everyone else; Hêmera, blessed Goddess who pulls back the veil of darkest night; and Hēlios, God of the sun; He who brings light and warmth to all on earth, accept this libation of honey sweet wine and come always, as the night follows the day. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Libation to Eos, Hêmera, and Hēlios

Hymns, prayers and libations to the Ouranic Theoi whose sacred day it is, or any Ouranic Theoi whom I feel the need to pray and sacrifice to.

Hymns (Homeric, 26, to Athena) and prayers to Athena

“Come forth, blessed Athena, Sacker of Cities, golden-helmeted, who rejoices in the din of horse and shield. Guard over this house. May your shield protect us always and may your spear slay any who wishes us harm.”

Libation to Athena

Hymns (Orphic, 64, to Ares) and prayers to Ares

“Blessed Ares, exceeding in strength, strong of arm, unwearying. O  hear me, helper of men, giver of dauntless youth! Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and strength of war, that I may mould my body in your image and never falter in feats of strength.”

Libation to Ares

Hymns (Homeric, 16, to Asklēpiós) and prayers to Asklēpiós

“Blessed Asklēpiós, Giver of Health, prophet in the night, You who has the most lovely of daughters, may your blessings forever reach my home.”

Libations to Asklēpiós and His daughters

Prayers to the household Gods

“And to the household deities I offer libations, to Zeus Kthesios, Zeus Ephestios, Zeus Herkeios, Apollon Aguieus, Hermes Propylaios, and Agathós Daímōn, in gratitude of all you have bestowed upon me.”

Libations to the household Gods

Hymns (ending of Kallimachos’ Hymn to Zeus + Homeric, 12, to Hera) and prayers to Zeus and Hera

“Hail, greatly hail, most high Son of Kronos, giver of good things, giver of safety. Thy works who could sing? There hath not been, there shall not be, who shall sing the works of Zeus. Hail! Father, hail again! And grant goodness and prosperity. Without goodness wealth cannot bless men, nor goodness without prosperity. Give us goodness and wealth.” “Blessed Zeus, King of Gods, and protector of the household, and Hera, Queen of the Gods, and protector of unions: guard mankind, and share with us the wisdom and strenth to worship the Theoi as they should be worshipped. Guard those I love, and all who need protection. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Libations to Zeus and Hera

Hymn (Homeric, 14, to Hestia) to Hestia

“Blessed Goddess Hestia, Goddess of home and hearth. To you, I offer last of all, as any pious mortal should. Tend to those whom I love, and guard the houses of the pious. As the Gods will it, so shall it be.”

Drink remaining wine

Extinguish incense burner

Clean up and on with the day

[witchwaytothecoffee]

A Simple Prayer to Hermes for Safe Travels

Messenger of the Heavens,

Traveler of Gods,

To you I pray.

May you walk alongside me as i carry on my way.

Step by step along my path, I ask for your watchful eye.

Should I be forewarned, send a message from the sky.

Winged Wanderer, I ask for your grace,

Shroud me in protection as I travel place to place.

(Tip Jar)