Hellenic Polytheism can be a bit daunting to start off - and it’s hard to know where to find the right information or what to research! Hopefully this post will help to give you a starting point - but please don’t base all your information off of one person! NOTE: I may link posts with conflicting information/methods. I leave it to you to decide what feels right and fits for you!
Theoi.com
Library Genesis
Hellenism resources
PDFs of myths
HP online accurate resources
Classics, mythology and modern worship
HP book list
Accurate resources
Book recommendations and online resources
Bibliography of Black-Centered Resources for Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Recon vs. Revivalism
Reconstructionism vs Revivalism
Making libations
Introduction to epithets
Veiling basics + a veiling primer + basic hair binding and veiling + hellenic hairstyles in religious rites
How to write a prayer
Daily prayer journal
How to pray, praise and worship the Theoi
Homeric hymns - helpful for writing devotionals, hymns, etc. (external site)
The Delphic Maxims
Basic Hellenic supplies
Oaths
Sacred places
Offerings (and whether or not to eat them)
Hellenic khthonic ritual
How to honor Ouranic and Chthonic gods
The days of the month
Devotions for the last day of the month
A Hellenismos calendar
Hellenion.org calendar (external site)
Hellenic festival year (external site)
About the Hellenic calendar of festivals
Hellenic pronunciation for the Theoi + Hellenic pronunciation pt. 2 + article
Khernips + Khernips pt. 2 + pt. 3
Miasma, khernips and katharmosis
On Lyma
Hellenic terminology (external site)
Sacred animals of the gods
Theoi.com (my go-to)
Household gods
The Nymphai
On household worship
List of devotees on tumblr
Practical practicing of HP
This wonderful resource masterpost!
Masterpost of Hellenic polytheism and Roman polytheism resources
Shops for Hellenic polytheists
Introduction to Ancient Greek History - open Yale course
Note: Some areas are certainly lacking in the information department, please add resources if you have them! I’ve included all I could find as of mid 2020.
Links updated June, 2020. Please inform me of broken links via askbox!
this is your reminder that you are allowed to have an abnormal religious practice or craft. i've seen so many blogs worry about being palatable and accepted and i'm here to say what happens between you, your deities, and (if you practice) your witchcraft is your business alone.
you do not have to share everything with the internet, you are allowed to do things away from the public eye without talking about it. it does not make you alone. it does not strip you of the community you have.
additionally, you are so so SO allowed to practice differently from others. you are allowed to have a nonconforming practice in anything you do, not just for witchcraft or spirituality.
it's okay to make shit strange from time to time. let people question you and make incorrect assumptions about who you are. let them be wrong about you. nobody holds more value to what you do than you, and how you see your own practice.
make things weird. don't be afraid of not being accepted. it's good for you to do things your own way, however that is.
🪄 Subtle Hekate Worship🕯️
Donate clothes, food, hygiene products, and the like to homeless shelters
Support food banks and homeless or animal shelters
Visit cemeteries; if allowed (please ask permission first), leave flowers on graves
Have a candle that reminds you of her (no altar needed)
Wear jewelry that reminds you of her
Keep a picture of her in your wallet
Have a stuffed animal polecat, dog, or toad
Have imagery of torches, crossroads, or magic around
Honor your ancestors; honor any spirits in your life
Volunteer at an animal or homeless shelter
Cook a warm meal for someone in need
Take care of yourself physically
Take a self-care bath/shower, especially those with herbs or candles
Visit a crossroads; walk/hike on paths that have a crossroads and pick the direction that calls to you
Take a walk during the new, half, or full moon (only if it is safe to do so in your area)
Take time to notice the phases of the moon; meditate under each one, and learn their meanings
Start a garden; tend to plants, especially herbs
Study herbalism; study the history of witchcraft
Ground yourself regularly
Include her within spell work, if you do any; practice discreet methods of spell-casting
Learn non-obvious divination methods; cartomancy, pyromancy, carromancy, etc.
Burn incense, if able; frankincense is great
Drink herbal teas; cook with herbs
Practice mindfulness and emotional regulation
Honor your home/space; keep it clean, and make it feel like your own
At the end of each month, cook a good meal and make drinks with added honey
Baking raisin and currant cakes
Practice patience and understanding
Work on your decision-making skills; what do YOU want? What do YOU need? What are YOUR goals/passions?
Making a bonfire; gathering around it, alone or with loved ones
Learning to have more confidence in your decisions and actions; you know what's best for you more than anyone else
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I hope this helps someone! I may add to it later on. For now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Hekate. Take care, y'all, and have a good day/night. 💜
Link to Subtle Worship Master list
I’ve seen numerous of people saying that there are beginner deities and hard deities. Here’s the thing: do not allow people to stop you from working with deities. You are allowed to work with any deities you wish, and there is no such thing as certain level deities.
had already sent this to a mutual of mine but i thought this might be helpful for anyone else who may need it
it’s a tarot spread on how to know what deities are trying to reach out with you and why, works like a charm i swear
have a good night everyone!
-star <3
You do not have to be filled with boundless faith and zero doubt 24/7. That's actually not a reasonable expectation to have for yourself. You'll feel doubt sometimes, and that's entirely ok and normal. I promise you that everyone has gone through periods of doubt, regardless of what faith they hold.
When you step into sunlight, you honor Apollo. When you admire the moon, you honor Artemis. When you admire cloud shapes, you honor Hera. When you smell petrichor, you honor Zeus. When you laugh at a joke, you honor Hermes. When your body twitches to dance at a particularly upbeat music, you honor Dinoysus. When you enjoy the first bite of your breakfast, you honor Demeter. When you choose your peace over any conflict, you honor Athena. When you warm yourself up by sheltering yourself in blanket, you honor Hestia. When you listen to Ocean sounds, you honor Poseidon. When you smell flowers, you honor Persephone. When you admire the coolness of first day of Autumn, you honor Hades. When you wear your favourite jewellery, you honor Hephaestus. When you smile, you honor Aphrodite. When you exercise, you honor Ares. When you light a torch in a dark room, you honor Hekate.
Your body is a shrine to Gods, your being an act of devotion for them. You, by yourself, are enough for them.
friendly reminder: you don’t owe anyone any explanations as to why you practice the way you practice. If the Gods are happy with your practice who is anyone to say otherwise??
it’s okay to have your own thoughts and opinions but let’s stop w the policing of devotion when the policing doesn’t even make sense
| Just a reminder to people : You do not need an altar for deity work. You do not need to spend a lot of money on offerings or rituals. You do not need to hold yourself to the standard of other people's practice. This is your journey and your relationship with the gods. They understand what you have and they understand whats available or any circumstance you are in. I am a strong believer that, if an offering or devotional work is with good intentions and done so from the heart, it's more than good enough and your deities will be more than happy and accepting. Even if it's not a historical offering or even if it's something simple like saying good morning in your mind, they take notice and they love you for you. Having an altar or performing rituals is great, I have an altar myself! However, it's not a necessity, especially if you cannot make one/have one.