Spirit Work: Questions To Ask Your Spirit Guides

Émile Bayard: Summoning the Beloved Dead (1870)

A spread based on how your being is doing, how to learn more self-love, and what your heart wants you to know! I would suggest using this spread when you really need your heart’s advice.

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My advice regarding romantic relationships with Hellenic deities

This is a bit of a complex topic, but I feel like it's worth my time to write something about. Intimate and sexual relationships with gods is nothing new. Mythologies are filled with stories of gods taking mortals for lovers and even spouses. Like any relationship between a god and a mortal, it's going to vary from god to god, and mortal to mortal. Being romantically involved with a divine being is going to be different for everyone, so I'm going to offer some insights and advice based on my personal experiences.

You don't have to say "yes". You don't have to date anyone you're not interested in, even if they're a god. A god can take "no" for an answer. A divine being will not force themselves on you or coerce you into any arrangement against your will. If it's not something you want or are up for, just politely decline. If it's something you're nervous about but still might be interested in, request some time to think about it, and give your answer at a later time.

You need to set boundaries. The first thing I did was writing down a list of conditions that I will abide by, and boundaries that are not to be crossed. A divine being will respect your boundaries and will have no problem agreeing to reasonable conditions. Once again, if you need time to sleep on this and ponder this through, simply communicate that you wish to do so. Gods are patient. They literally have forever. They will give you the time you need. They will wait.

You can expect reciprocity. A relationship with anyone, mortal or divine, is a two way street. It's going to be a give and take. You can expect certain things from them, and they can expect certain things from you. There's going to be a level of commitment and devotion, and some amount of work involved.

You don't need to rush. Like mentioned above, gods have eternities. Time is not an issue for them. Take your time, get to know them, figure them out, and build a relationship with a foundation. Don't jump into anything you're not ready for. The Hellenic gods are creative with romantic gestures. They will be happy to woo you, to court you, to press their suits to you.

You don't have to be exclusive. The Hellenic gods themselves are not known for monogamy. They're not going to mind your existing or future romantic bonds with other mortals or other gods.

Most importantly: you don't have to marry them. Taking a lover is not automatically a step toward marriage, at any point, by any means. No one has to marry their lover in the end, no matter how long the affair lasts. This was the first condition I put down: I will not marry you. I have no intention of binding myself to a god in a marriage contract. I'm not interested in being a godspouse. I already have a husband in the mortal realm, and that's enough for me. No divine being would require a marital pact for you to remain in their favor. A love affair can end amicably. An oath of marriage, on the other hand, will be much harder to walk away from, and the Hellenic gods aren't ones to take kindly to the breaking of oaths.

“Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people.”

— Carl Gustav Jung

Sometimes, your intuition fails you so you can have a little fun.

My intuition is powerful. That’s not me bragging. It’s just a fact about me. I have black hair, brown eyes and a powerful intuition.

Which means life barely surprises me. I see false friends coming from miles away. Same with true ones, celebrations and disasters.

When I met my great love, I knew he would be that from the first second I looked at him. Call me cheesy, but it’s the truth — I saw him walking towards me, and the world around us slowed down. Everything faded to black and white. Only he was in color. Only he was alive.

My Sun was his Rising. My Rising, his Sun. We were mirrors. It was magical.

But it wasn’t meant to be. We were soul kin, not soulmates. Each other’s mentor, but not each other’s forever.

My intuition saw him coming, and my intuition saw us dissolving. No shocks, no surprises. No pain, even. Or maybe just a pinch. Life is quite predictable for a fortuneteller after all.

But in the past year and a half, my intuition decided to let me have some fun. So she stepped back.

The first time I saw this stranger looking at me, I thought to myself, “What a beautiful man.”

But that’s it. The world didn’t slow down. Nothing faded to black and white. No one around us “died”, with only him looking alive.

Over the course of 18 months, I continued with my life. He was just a random guy from a far-off department whom I noticed every two months walking past me in the hallways. Each time, he was looking at me, and each time, I was looking back. But that was that.

Slowly, “The Beautiful Stranger” became “The Cute Guy on the Third Floor”. Then he grew into “The Office Eye Candy”. And now apparently, he’s become “The Center of My Life” suddenly. I wake up with him every morning, and sleep next to him every night.

I did not see him coming. I did not see him staying. I cannot see what he really is or will eventually be. A lesson? A detour? A happy ending?

I still can peek at my future. My career, my friendships, my wellbeing. But not him. Even my tarot cards refuse to talk about him. Whenever I ask them anything, they give me the silent treatment.

The Hanged Man: No comment.

Wheel of Fortune: Whatever will be, will be.

Temperance: Just wait and see.

Two of Wands: What Temperance said.

Two of Swords: No can do.

Page of Cups: Just enjoy it, will you?

My intuition has left my body... and it feels heavenly.

Is this true love or a commercial break? I have no idea. All I know is that every day, it makes my day. So I promise to cherish it for as long as it wants to stay.

If your powerful intuition suddenly stops talking to you too… it hasn’t abandoned you. It’s just guiding you to something new. You’re not being deserted. You’re being liberated.

Here's my altar. Just offered incense offerings (usually what I offer anyways). The top row is Apollo and Artemis, the middle is Anpu/Anubis, and the bottom is Hermes. I have to print out a picture of anubis that's big enough to fit in the frame.

Do you know your soul kin?

Probably not, if you belong to a New Age, neopagan path that avoids violently the harsh truths of spirituality.

Your soul kin are a diverse group that includes your best friends and your worst enemies.

What they have in common is that before you were born, your higher self signed a contract with them to help you achieve your purpose in this incarnation.

Your best friends, which include your most loyal family and teachers, are meant to nurture and support you.

Your worst enemies, which include the most toxic friends and lovers, are meant to push you to step into your power.

Your soulmate is not among your soul kin because you are two halves of a single soul. You are not separate but one, meant to reunite after you have learned the hardest lessons in life.

If your subconscious is open to recognizing your soul kin, especially those with a villainous role, it is easy to identify them.

They are those who encouraged you to abandon your weaknesses, either by cheering you on or booing you. They are the people who made you stronger, whether through their love or the suffering they caused.

As always, the stars and your hands provide clues.

To illustrate, I am a Scorpio Sun and a Libra Moon. One of my soul kin is a Libra Sun and a Scorpio Moon. A mirror image.

Another seemed to have been born a day after I was. But upon adjusting for the time difference in our countries of birth, we found out that we were born at the exact same moment.

And when we put our hands together, wherever there is damage in one, there is strength in the other.

One of my soul kin has a short life line. Where his fades, mine thickens, compensating for what he lacks.

Another has tridents in her left palm in the exact places I have them in my right.

If you know where to look, you too will find that your soul kin’s maps of destiny echo your own.

My soul kin and I like to meet in our dreams. In that realm between the conscious mind and the higher self. In the backstage of this incarnation, where we can shed our roles and speak off the record.

Crowned With Snakes and Branches of Oak: Hekate Brimo

This is a post specifically on Hekate Brimo, for Brimo as a general epithet and goddess, please read @nehetisingsforhekate’s post on Brimo.

The Name:

Brimo (Βριμὼ) is an epithet Hekate is sometimes referred to in Her chthonic manifestations, and this name means ‘angry’ or ’terrifying’. Hekate is also called by different names of a similar nature. She is called “δασπλῆτις” (Dasplêtis), meaning frightful or horrid, in Theocrates’ Pharmakeutria. She is also named “θεά δεινός” or “δεινὴ θεὸς” (Thea Deinos/Deini Theos), meaning dread goddess, or frightening goddess. This phrase is used in the Argonautica, referring to Hekate named as Brimo.

Historical Usage:

Brimo is most notably used to refer to Hekate in the Argonautica. She is called Brimo three times, specifically in the rituals of magic that are performed. This shows a trend of calling on Underworld deities specifically by their epithets when worshipping their chthonic manifestations, as well as the trend of magic’s association with chthonic powers. These passages are reproduced below:

“Medea, clothed in black, in the gloom of night, had drawn off this juice in a Caspian shell after bathing in seven perennial steams and calling seven times on Brimo, nurse of youth, Brimo, night-wanderer of the underworld, Queen of the dead. The dark earth shook and rumbled underneath the Titan root when it was cut, and Prometheus himself groaned in the anguish of his soul.” (132)

“Then he dug a pit a cubit deep, piled up the billets, and laid he sheep on top of them after cutting its throat. He kindled the wood from underneath and poured mingled libations onto the sacrifice, calling on Hecate Brimo to help him in the coming test. This done, he withdrew; and the dread goddess, hearing his words from the abyss, came up to accept the offering of Aeson’s son. She was garlanded by fearsome snakes that could themselves round twigs of oak; the twinkle of a thousand torches lit the scene; and hounds of the underworld barked shrilly all around her. The whole meadow trembled under her feet, and the nymphs of the marsh and river…cried out in fear.” (141)

These passages indicate that Brimo was a particularly frightening manifestation of Hekate. One which shook the earth as She emerged, and was attended by fearsome creatures. She even frightened the nymphs who resided in the place where She manifested. 

Brimo is also used as the name for Hekate in Lycrophon’s Alexandra. The passage has been reproduced below:

“O mother, O unhappy mother! thy fame, too, shall not be unknown, but the maiden daughter of Perseus, Triform Brimo, shall make thee her attendant, terrifying with thy baying in the night all mortals who worship not with torches the images of the Zerynthian queen of Strymon, appeasing the goddess of Pherae with sacrifice. And the island spur of Pachynus shall hold thine awful cenotaph, piled by the hands of thy master, prompted by dreams when thou hast gotten the rites of death in front of the streams of Helorus. He shall pour on the shore offerings for thee, unhappy one, fearing the anger of the three-necked goddess, for that he shall hurl the first stone at thy stoning and begin the dark sacrifice to Hades.” (1174-1188)

Here Hekate is called Triform, or three-formed, Brimo. This description of Hekate is also far from one of a peaceful and friendly goddess. Here She is described as angry, and being attended by frightening baying hounds. Thus, Brimo is used to indicate Hekate’s more horrifying manifestations in its historical usage.

Hekate Brimo in My Practice:

In my practice, Brimo is ‘the lowest manifestation of Hekate.” To me, this indicates that Hekate Brimo is the most fearsome, Underwordly version of Hekate. She is a terrifying goddess, crowned with venomous snakes and oak branches. She carries daggers and torches, and sometimes has snakes instead of legs. Her skin is grey and Her eyes are like flames. In Her wake, the ground shakes, and out of Her steps grow the most noxious flowers and roots.

Brimo is the name I give to any of the more dreadful manifestations of Hekate. She is called on for petitions for justice and revenge, and is the goddess invoked in harmful magic. Hekate Brimo is the version of Hekate I associate with the Restless Dead, and who I view as roaming the roadsides on the night of the dark moon. This Hekate is also what I equate with Her role as the Queen of Witches, but not necessarily as the goddess of magic more generally. Her association with magic lies within curses, spells for justice and punishment, spells involving the dead, and rituals which invoke the inhuman daimons of the Underworld, over which She has dominion.

Hekate Brimo is also closely associated with the Erinyes, or Furies, in my veneration of Her. These Underworld goddesses of punishment and justice are frequently associated with Hekate in the PGM, as well as other literature. In Statius’ Thebaid, they are invoked and propitiated together (along with Hermes). These goddesses also mirror Hekate Brimo’s appearance, with snakes in their hair and carrying flaming torches of yew. 

Hekate Brimo is honored with chthonic offerings: libations of milk, honey, and wine. She was also historically offered black sheep. These are burned in a pit, and once these offerings and rituals are completed, one must turn away and not look back. Hekate Brimo is also attended with the hounds of the Underworld, and dogs on earth are in tune with Her presence. Whenever I have done a ritual invoking Hekate as Brimo, I have heard dogs barking before, during, and after. She may also send snakes to you. Plants I associate with this goddess are oak, yew, and various poisons, mainly aconite and mandrake.

Brimo is the face of Hekate which most often captivates audiences, and is the one that should be feared and is the representation of Hekate who is given offerings in hopes of averting Her. This is not an epithet of Hekate to be called on lightly, and these invocations must be done with the utmost care and reverence. She is one of the most frightening goddesses in the Ancient Greek pantheon, and is the stuff of nightmares.

Sources:

https://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius3.html

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0227%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D1190

https://www.theoi.com/Text/LycophronAlexandra.html

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0450%3Asection%3D22

https://www.theoi.com/Text/StatiusThebaid4.html

Art: “Hecate” by Johfra Bosschart

Witches & Words: Deities

Language is more than a powerful tool; it is power itself. Every word has meaning and intent, and is spoken by willpower and action. Witches understand the power involved in communicating. This is a series about how to properly communicate with different entities.

Introductions:

Stay calm. Deities do not want to work with people who are not respectful of their Divity and power.

Be truthful and stick to your values. Do not lie about your name, experience, or values to a Deity. Unlike some entities where it is useful to never offer your true name, Deities demand a certain level of respect and honesty. You don’t want to anger Them.

Don’t make promises upon meeting. You can invoke, make offerings to, pray to, worship, and/or involve in a ritual a Deity without being devoted to that Deity. Devoting yourself to a Deity is a big decision that has a serious level of commitment, and you should never make a promise to a Deity that you can’t keep.

Ask what name you may call Them by! This is key because They may offer you a symbol or name to call Them by and invoke Them with.

Conversation:

Ask questions! Prepare a list of questions to ask. Nothing life-altering at first, just simple things. Ask Them how long they have been in your life, if They would appreciate an offering (and if so, what), or even if They could tell you a story.

Be respectful and receptive of answers. If a Deity doesn’t give you the answer you wanted, or even refuses to answer, respect that. Don’t try to push them to give you a different answer.

Be clear about your expectations. Be sure to clearly communicate what you need and want out of a possible relationship with the Deity.

Be respectful of the Deity’s time. If the Deity needs or wants to leave, let them.

Goodbye:

Thank the Deity for their time, knowledge, answers, etc.. Deities thrive with praise!

Say a clear goodbye! This is very important! Communicate that you are ending the conversation, and suggest a time or way that you may contact each other again.

After:

Make a small offering to the Deity. Don’t offer anything big; burning a few herbs or even the light of a candle would work fine. Just offer something to show your appreciation for the Deity.

Cleanse! Cleanse your altar, tarot, crystals, or whatever you used to contact the Deity. You don’t want the energy of that visit to interfere with future rituals or spells.

Watch for signs. A Deity may send signs after communication that they are there, so be alert!