Yuletide
Khaire and Good Yule Saturnalia to all syncretic Hellenic polytheists! Wassail!
đ„ Praise be to Hestia the First and Last at the Feast who protects our homes and keeps them warm in the coming winter months.
đ Praise be to Zeus Ktesios the Good Spirit and protector, who blesses us with his favor and protection in the new year.
đïž Praise be to Hecate Trivia who watches over all crossroads, including the change of seasons. May her magic and blessings be felt throughout the new year.
âïž Praise be to Apollo Apolysis who brings the light of the returning sun to redeem the earth from these short dark days.
đ Praise be to Aphrodite Melaenis of the night, who watches over us and protects us on these long cold nights and always reminds us of the warmth of love.
đ Praise be to Helios Isodaetes Invincible Sun, who divides all seasons into equal portions and blesses the southern hemisphere on this first day of their summer season.
âïž Praise be to Lady Khione who blankets the earth in snow, driving away all pests and protecting our gardens as they rest through winter.
âĄïžPraise be to Zeus Charidotes increaser of joy and abundance, who joins us as our families gather, protects our beloved family, and brings us Yuletide cheer.
đ·Praise be to Dionysus Hestius Lord of the Feast and giver of plentiful bounty, who joins us in our Yuletide feasting, and who we graciously honor with our jolly wassail.
đPraise be to Dionysus Endendros who dwells within trees and blesses our Yule tree, keeping our homes joyful in these days of bare trees and whose baubles hold years of joyful memories.
đž Praise be to Hermes Empolaios of commerce and travel who we honor with our purchase of gifts for our loved ones, and who protects those who are traveling this holiday season.
đ Praise be to The Yule Goat whose generosity and whimsy have blessed my family for many years, a very hearty âOh Hell Yeah, Witches!â to him and his beautiful wife this Yule!
đ¶ Praise be to Apollo Mousigetis Leader of the Muses who bless us with the joy of music, as we honor them with our Yuletide carols.
âš Praise be to our household Tomte Ed spirit of the previous owner of our home, who protects our home, animals, and child and whose influence as a teacher in life are still felt in the world.
đČ Praise be to the ancestors whose spirits protect this land as it slumbers in winter. Our gratitude to you always for your stewardship.
đ„ Praise be to Hestia the First and Last at the Feast we dedicate these days of feasting to all of the gods and to you, in honor of you!
One thing (among many) that I love about the Gods is that everyoneâs relationship with them is different. Like for me, my relationship with Apollon is quite formal and heâs pretty firm and strict with me. But I know for others heâs more gentle and light-hearted. I know someone who works with Dionysus and with them heâs quite imposing and harsh whereas with others heâs fun and casual. Sometimes Iâve wondered why I scarcely get a jovial Apollon and for a brief period I thought I was doing something wrong.
But I like to think that the Gods know what it is we need them to be. For whatever reason, Apollon thinks that I need a strict mentor who will tell me how it is. For other people, they need a friend. And to be honest, I think itâs rather beautiful that the Gods care enough about us that they see what it is we need from them and then they take that mantle. I just think thatâs pretty neat.
Somedays I gotta really love my dyslexia cause last night I was trying to write something along the lines of âshe was engaged to himâ but I instead wrote âshe was endangered to himâ
âïžDeitiesâïž
I see so many people criticizing others over their relationships, or lack thereof, with their deities, so here are some reminders:
Not having deities is okay.
Having just a devotional relationship with your deities is okay.
Having a working relationship with your deities is okay.
Playing games with your deities is okay.
Harmless jokes with your deities are okay.
Doing fun things with your deities is okay.
Doing devotional offerings for your deities is okay.
Giving physical offerings to your deities is okay.
Not being able to do certain offerings for deities is okay.
Having an altar for your deities is okay, no matter the size.
Not having an altar for your deities is okay.
Laughing with your deities is okay.
Crying with your deities is okay.
Having genuine conversations with your deities is okay.
Being unable to hear/see deities is okay.
Being able to hear/see deities is okay.
Not being able to communicate through divination is okay.
Using divination as a key element in communication is okay.
Not calling on deities during spellwork is okay.
Asking deities to help during spellwork is okay.
Asking deities for help in general is okay.
This is your relationship with your deities in your practice. Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do. đ«¶
It's 2am, please forgive me if there are any mistakes!
When things get bad or gets me to a point of almost crying, all I can do is go and sit in front of Hadesâs altar. I donât even think sometimes he even realizes how much I adore him. Hail Hades! đ€
I love all of you and we are not going to give up, and we are not going to abandon each other. We're going to take each other's hands and squeeze as hard as we can and never let go. We hold each other. We carry each other.
We worship deathless gods, who held their worshippers through the falls of countless empires, though colonization, through the destruction of their festivals and temples, through the raging cruelties of oppression and war. We are not alone. We will survive. Take my hand. This is not the end.
A guide to worship of Hestia- cheat sheets
Hellenic cheat sheets
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What my deities see on a daily basis (Iâd say several times a day and Iâm beyond happy they tolerate me ) đ
HYMN TO HEPHAISTOS
Indomitable Hephaestos, mighty, great-hearted spirit, glittering one, shimmering one, great god who illuminates the lives of mortals, strong-handed lord who lives in your works, great craftsman of the cosmos, perfect element, highest, all-consuming, all-taming, all-commandingâyou are the sun, the moon, the stars, and the sky, all the pure lights: these things are the parts of you seen by the world. You may be found in every nation, every city, every home; and you reside in the bodies of humans, mighty giver of a multitude of blessings. Hear me, holy one, as I call you to this sacred libation, please come gently to the rites of welcome, tame the savage anger of wild fire, even as nature burns in our own bodies.
âA Year of Pagan Prayer, compiled by Barbara Nolan
As many may already know, Runes are a popular form of divination in order to communicate with the gods! However, aside from the popular Norse runes (elder futhark) that everyone might be aware of, did you know that thereâs also a form of ârune casting divinationâ for the Greek alphabet?
First found inscribed in Olympos, a city in ancient Lycia, the Greek alphabet divination system uses the 24 letters from the Greek language and assigns them meanings, and based on what rune you pull, can give you advice from the gods on your current situation!
There were many Alphabet Oracles in ancient Greece, and the idea of reading the Greek alphabet for signs of the gods is one of the oldest divination methods that we know of.
How do I create my ârunes?âÂ
To create your runes, any way of making them works! Historically, they would be painted onto pottery shards, but any way you can think of to have them accessible to throw/draw is completely okay. I have personally used black stones with gold paint on them.
You create one piece per letter, and in total there will be 24. Each letter will be listed and elaborated on later on in the post!
Iâve made my alphabet set. How do I use them?
In order to call upon the Theoi to get an answer, you can firstly call upon them in an invocation. After you have called upon them or asked your gods to give you an answer (sometimes no formal structure is needed) you can reach into a bag which contains the letters and pull out one at a time and read that, or you can grab them and throw them and look for patterns or groups of letters that are clumped together.Â
Î - Alpha - âThe God Apollo [Apollon] says you will do everything successfully.â With his luck and good fortune, the current thing you are working on will turn out well and you will be the leader of your situation and have good transactions with others.
Î - Beta -Â âWith the help of Tyche, you will have an assistant [BoĂȘthos], who is the Pythian Apollon.â You might be at a time in your life where youâre struggling, but this divine-coded letter tells you that the gods that you worship are going to help you soon, so the signs you get might be more prophetic in nature.Â
Î - Gamma -Â âGaia [GĂȘ] will give you the ripe fruit of your labors.â It is time for you to take a break and admire the hard work you have put in. Gaia will reward you, and you will have abundance in happiness, emotional fulfillment, food, or all of the above.Â
Î - Delta -Â âIn customs inopportune strength [Dunamis] is weak.â Timing is everything. Wait for the right time to act, and do not act to hastily. Wait for your time, but at the same time, use your strength for good to make a change in your situation.
Î - Epsilon -Â âYou desire [EraĂŽ] to see the offspring of righteous marriages.â You need to surround yourself with good friendships, romances, allies, or relationships in general in order to get the most out of it. Surround yourself with positive people or situations to bring yourself up in a righteous way.
Î - Zeta -Â âFlee the very great storm [ZalĂȘ], lest you be hindered in some way.â If youâre already struggling, know when to pick your battles. Sometimes flight is better than fight, and only you know your own limitations.Â
Î - Eta -Â âBright Helios [HĂȘlios], who watches everything, watches you.â Helios knows that in the past you feel like you have been wronged. As the enforcer of oaths and promises, if you are honest with yourself and the situation the truth will come out and you will be aided.
Î - Theta -Â âYou have the helping Gods [Theoi] of this path.â If you are taking a plan of action do not worry! The Gods are guiding your way and you are in good hands.Â
Î - Iota -Â âThere is sweat [âidrĂŽs]; it excels more than everything.â Within your situation, there is going to be a lot of work. The gods recommend you buckle down and work as hard as you can, and it will not be easy. But it will be worth it.
Î - Kappa -Â âTo fight with the waves [Kuma] is difficult; endure, friend.â Now is not the time. You should wait until the vicious waves die down, and then take action.
Î - Lambda -Â ââThe one passing on the left [Laios] bodes well for everything.â Something that may seem really bad currently or in the future is actually going to turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Pay attention to your intuition!
Î - Mu -Â âIt is necessary to labor [MokhtheĂŽ], but the change will be admirable.â You might feel distressed right now and that nothing is going right. But keep working to change either your situation or yourself, and the results will be in your favour.
Î - Nu -Â ââThe strife-bearing [NeikĂȘphoros] gift fulfils the oracle.â Something will be given to you and enter your life. While it might not be obvious at first, this is the first domino in a line of changes that will happen in your life and make prophecy come true.Â
Î - Xi -Â âThere is no fruit to take from a withered [XĂȘros] shoot.â Being bitter and angry is not the way to go about things. Donât keep trying to pull water out of a well that is empty, and know when to let go.Â
Î - Omicron -Â âThere are no [Ou] crops to be reaped that were not sown.â In order to get things out of the situation, you have to plan ahead. What goes around comes around.Â
Î - Pi -Â âCompleting many [Polus] contests, you will seize the crown.â After many trials, you will achieve your goal. Persistence will give you your rewards, and do not be afraid to use your talents.Â
ÎĄ - Rho -Â âYou will go on more easily [Rhaion] if you wait a short time.â You should act, and quickly. Now is the best time and waiting longer is not a good idea. The stars are aligned and while it not be easy, there is no better time than the present.Â
ÎŁ - Sigma -Â âPhoibos Apollon speaks plainly [SaphĂŽs], âStay, friend.ââ The gods want to inform you to wait for more information before you make any decisions. In this time, relax, and let the signs come to you.
΀ - Tau - âYou will have a parting from the [TĂŽn] companions now around you.â Soon, people in your life might not stay the way they are. Friends might leave or enemies might leave. You might grow apart or distance or travel might force you away. Be wary of this, and act accordingly.Â
΄ - Upsilon - âThe affair holds a noble undertaking [Yposkhesis].â The task at hand is certainly a grand one, but with confidence, you, the hero of your own story, can pull through. You must acknowledge your strength, but also acknowledge the size of the task.Â
Ί - Phi - âHaving done something carelessly [Phaulos], you will thereafter blame the Gods.â Something is going wrong, and you may be trying to blame other things than the cause of the problem. Donât resort to pointing fingers. The Gods will help you if you do not take out your anger on them or others needlessly.Â
Χ - Khi - âSucceeding, friend, you will fulfill a golden [Khruseos] oracle.â Luck is on your side, and by mere chance, things might fall into place. The answer is positive, and you might be pleasantly surprised at all the riches that the world gives you in addition to your solution.
Κ - Psi - âYou have this righteous judgment [PsĂȘphos] from the Gods.â Truth will be brought forwards, so be careful in your actions. The Gods are watching, and they will be fair, honest, and unforgiving to those who deserve it. This includes those who might be harming you, as well.
Ω - Omega - âYou will have a difficult [Ămos] harvest season, not a useful one.â The times will be rough, and you will not get what you wish for at the end. You also might be forced to make tough decisions that you are not ready to make.
On some days worship is just: