aethereallynephilim

[aethereallynephilim]

2024/11/24

currently i am drinking a homemade chai latte with my family before i have a shower. this week has been eye opening to be honest. it shows the resilience of the human spirit but also how important family is.

everything is up in the air but it seems like that when our family works together nothing is too big, even if we bitch about it a little bit whilst we do it.

going back and forth to the hospital has taken its toll. i am hoping that my father will be back home soon.

hopefully my father will be okay.

let's hope for a good week!

[aethereallynephilim]

🏛Hellenic cheat sheets🏛

In construction

Here are some cheat sheets with general information about the Greek Gods which you might find useful in worship but not only!

There is plenty of information I did not include. These are just simple cheat sheets. I could not fit everything in there but this might come in handy if you���re just starting out or want to get to know the Hellenic Gods.

For more information about them, I highly recommend you check out the websites or books I listed in sources!

PSA: Some of the things listed in offerings and associations section are more modern, thus could be regarded as UPGs/SPGs

⚡ The Olympians ⚡

Zeus

Hera

Poseidon

Demeter

Athena

Apollo

Artemis

Ares

Hephaestus

Aphrodite

Hermes

Hestia

Dionysus

Mount Olympus - Home of the Gods

Hyperborea

🦴The Underworld🦴

Hades

Persephone

Hekate

Hypnos

Thanatos

Erinyes

House of Hades & the Afterlife

🌱 Minor deities & daimones 💫

Nemesis

Eris

Phobos & Deimos - bonus info

Eros

Nike

Asklepios

Pan

Iris

Hebe

Priapus

Amphitrite

Aristaios

Thetis

Tyche

Mousai [Muses]

Moirai [Fates]

Charites [Graces]

Anemoi [The Winds]

🌾 Titan & Primordial Gods 🌌

Helios

Selene

Hekate

Eos

Leto

Themis

Rhea

Cronus

Nyx

Gaia

👑 Heroes & deified mortals ⚔

Achilles

Heracles

Asklepios

Ganymede

Dioskouroi

Adonis

Hyacinthus

If you like my content consider supporting me on: https://ko-fi.com/screeching0wlet

[aethereallynephilim]

No offense but literally nothing and no one is and will ever be out of your league. Nothing is too good for you. Nobody has the right to make you feel like you are not enough or less than you are, you deserve the world.

[aethereallynephilim]

Beginner’s Guide to Hellenic Polytheism

I KNOW this is a really long post but my intention was to just note down everything that I think is important for beginners and that’s A LOT. It took me forever to learn some of these things but they’re so important, so buckle in. I hope this helps some people.

If I’ve missed anything, please feel free to let me know what you’d like me to add. I’ve been working on this for two days, so if there are typos, I’m so sorry.

The sections I cover here are key terms, mythic literalism, deity work vs deity worship, FAQs and General Advice.

Some Key Terms

Hellenic Polytheism: Hellenic means Greek, and Polytheism means worshipping multiple gods. So, Hellenic Polytheism is the worship of the Greek Pantheon which is also referred to as the Theoi. The people who practice could be referred to as Hellenic Polytheists. Some also call themselves Hellenic Pagans, but not all people who practice Hellenic Polytheism consider themselves pagan.

Hellenistic: you may see the term ‘Hellenistic Polytheism’, but this is my PSA to ask people not to use that, as it’s incorrect. Hellenistic refers to a specific period of Andient Greece, from 323-32 BC, and your worship is almost definitely not specifically focused on that period. Additionally, here is a post by a Greek person on why ‘Hellenism’ and ‘hellenismos’ are disrespectful.

Ouranic: this is the term for the heavenly gods. Be aware that there is some overlap between Ouranic and Chthonic deities. Whether a deity is Ouranic or Chthonic will effect things like prayer position (palms up for Ouranic) and whether offerings can be eaten or drank (yes for Ouranic)

Chthonic: this is the term for the underworld gods. Be aware that there is some overlap between Ouranic and Chthonic deities. Whether a deity is Ouranic or Chthonic will effect things like prayer position (palms down for Chthonic) and whether offerings can be eaten or drank (no for Chthonic) side note - when it comes to hero worship, I personally treat them as if they’re chthonic.

Kharis: this means reciprocity, and also refers to the relationship formed between us and the gods. Arguably the most important aspect of Hellenic Polytheism is that when you ask something of a deity, you must give an offering in return. Size of what you’re asking for should correspond to size of the offering, or if you’ve given many little offerings without asking for anything you can use that as why you should be given the Big Thing.

Xenia: guest-friendship, hospitality. The idea that any stranger could be a God in disguise, so treat everyone respectfully. It’s an Ancient Greek social custom that a lot of Hellenic Polytheists see as important today. Simply put, in modern times this most often just means being kind to strangers. There’s a lot more to it than that though, so look here. Know that Xenia is a two-way thing, so you have to be generous to your guests but they must also respect your home.

Eusebeia: basically, piety. Respecting the Gods. This is really the only ‘rule’ of Hellenic polytheism. There’ll be different ideas of what is considered respectful, but as long as you have good intentions and don’t do anything you KNOW would be offensive, you’re okay. Don’t insult the gods (any of them), don’t ask for anything without offering something else, and don’t treat yourself as equal to or higher than the theoi.

Hubris: excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence, often the fatal flaw of a lot of Greek heroes in mythology. Specifically, this is when you act better than or equal to the gods. You are not.

Libations: a type of offering, in the form of a liquid. Usually poured on the ground but can be drank (unless it’s to a chthonic deity) if you’re a closeted Hellenic polytheist who can’t just pour some liquid on the floor every time you want to offer it. My advice for food offerings/libations to chthonic deities if you’re not openly a hellenist is to offer leftovers, rotting food, or something you otherwise know will go to waste.

Altar: traditionally a place used to put physical offerings and food offerings for deities. Some people have an altar to each deity, some people have one altar for all their deities. These can be as big or as small as you want. People may use shelves, drawers, boxes, windowsills, etc, and I don’t even use mine for food offerings, only for physical ones because I usually eat the food offering (I don’t like the idea of wasting food). My altars also just serve as a dedicated space for that deity in my life.

Hero worship: this is the worship of ‘heroes’ in Greek mythology, which includes literally any mortal. For example, I worship Odysseus of Ithaca, Penelope of Ithaca, Helen of Sparta, and Tiresias of Thebes. I’ve been asked a lot about how hero worship differs from deity worship, and you can find that answer here.

Devotee: there is a lot of disagreement on what the difference between a devotee and worshipper is, but for me, I’m devoted to Athena as I feel I have the closest bond with Her of all my deities and I honour Her the most. This partly comes from my feeling that She has been with me for much longer than I’ve been aware of Her presence, and that also so much of who I am and what I value comes under Her domains.

Patron: this basically means that if part of your identity comes under the domain of a deity, then that deity is your patron. There can be occupational patrons (like Hermes is the patron of merchants) or to do with things like gender (Hera is a patron for women. Yes this includes trans women, transphobes are not welcome here.) You can have more than one patron, and you don’t need to worship all of the deities who would be considered your patron.

Epithets: these are titles given to deities. There are two types - cult epithets, which describe the aspect of a deity you’re focusing on (like Athena Ageleia, meaning ‘Protector of the People’) since they have a lot of domains and it’s important in prayers to specify what you want. Then there’s poetic epithets, which are adjectives, often used to compliment a deity. I like using these to make my prayers seem more sophisticated to be honest (example: white-armed Hera)

Unverified Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. If it’s unverified, that means that it has no basis in historical sources as far as the person is aware, and they don’t know anybody else who has the same experience. You will often see this abbreviated as UPG. Personally, I think UPG is really valid, considering a lot of things are unknown to us due to the loss of sources overtime.

Shared Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. Like UPG, Shared Personal Gnosis (often abbreviated as SPG) doesn’t have any historical backing as far as the people who believe it are aware, but it is shared by multiple different people and therefore seen by some as more valid than UPG (though I’d argue that all SPG is UPG before you know that other people agree)

Verified Personal Gnosis: gnosis is spiritual knowledge. It being verified means that there are historical sources to back up the belief, and this is commonly abbreviated to VPG. You are more likely to come across the terms UPG than SPG or VPG, and most of what Helpol people on tumblr discuss is UPG, even if they don’t state that directly.

Reconstructionist: these are people who try to ‘reconstruct’ the ancient religion, recreating ancient rituals as best they can and doing things as close as they can get to how the ancient Greeks did based on our historical sources. An important note here is that we will never be able to do this perfectly and that’s okay. For example, I would hope none of us are making animal sacrifices.

Revivalist: these are people who try to recreate the ‘spirit’ of the religion, though not with the exact practices that the Ancient Greeks used. Revivalists are more concerned with the values and beliefs of the ancient religion than they necessarily are with how it was practiced. I personally feel like I fall somewhere between the two, but I also think both are really valid!

Mythic Literalism

Mythic Literalism is the idea that the stories we see in any mythology actually occurred. In Hellenic Polytheism, this is not how we tend to look at the Greek myths. And it’s not how the ancients saw them either.

Greek mythology has always been interpreted as symbolic. For example, Hades kidnapping Persephone is mostly accepted to be about mothers in Ancient Greece being separated from their daughters once they marry. It does not mean that Hades, the God, kidnapped Persephone, the Goddess, and that people who worship Hades are evil because Hades is a kidnapper. This myth can also be interpreted through the lens that death separates families.

This is important because the Gods all do things that are, by today’s standards, incredibly immoral - and a lot of them were even immoral in antiquity. It is important to not take the myths literally to avoid feelings of guilt over worshipping something horrific.

And yes, this applies to Zeus. He is not a rapist, He’s a male fertility god. In myths he does bad things because he represents kings and kings can abuse their power. Things like that.

But it’s still good to research the myths! It’s good to learn the ways in which these deities were understood and what their domains can represent. Myths also help us to feel more familiar with our deities. Additionally the myths tell us not to be hubristic, and things like the Iliad tell us about Oaths and Offerings and Xenia. These are important parts of helpol.

Deity Work vs Deity Worship

I’m going to preface this section by saying that I worship deities, I don’t work with them, so even though I’m doing research on this please take everything I say about deity work with a grain of salt and note that the rest of this post might apply more to worship, because that’s what I’m familiar with. Lastly, my intention here is not to place a value judgement on either type, I just want to try and make a full explanation for anyone out there looking for one, since I’ve found it to be kind of difficult to find.

From my understanding, deity work is common among witches, and usually involves asking a deity to help with your spells or other forms of magick. When you work with a deity, you are asking them to mentor you in a sense, and there’s often a specific goal in mind that they’re hoping to achieve with help of the deity. Additionally, because of that goal-oriented relationship, deity work has deadlines(?). Like, once you’ve achieved the goal you had, the deity will stop working with you

There are similarities, as both seem to involve reciprocity and offerings, and both involve cultivating a relationship with deities, even if the nature of that relationship and the reason for offering is different.

Deity worship doesn’t have a set end-goal. You CAN stop actively worshipping a deity, but this doesn’t usually come after a specific goal is achieved because there isn’t a goal in mind. Worship is more about honouring the deity. Khakis is built out of admiration, respect and love for the deity. This is why we pray, make offerings, etc. it’s all to honour the gods. We do ask for things in deity worship, but that’s not the entire point like it is for deity work.

FAQs

Do I need to be called to worship/work with a deity?

Nope! You are 100% allowed to reach out first. You can do that by praying or making an offering. Remember to research the deity first, so you know what epithets to use, know what symbols they’re associated with, have ideas for offerings, etc. Also, if a deity calls to you, you are not obligated to worship them. Acknowledge them and move on if you don’t have time, energy, or interest in worshipping them at that time.

Where can I find information on deities?

The main site that I think everyone uses is theoi.com, which has really in-depth pages on a lot of deities, with their myths, lists of epithets, family trees, etc. it’s a really useful resource!

Do I need an altar?

No. They’re nice to have but you don’t need one straight away. It took me two years of worshipping to get any altars, and even now I don’t really use them how you’re ‘supposed’ to.

Are there any sins in Hellenic Polytheism?

No, just don’t disrespect a god (don’t disrespect any of them, even the ones you don’t worship should be respected). Also don’t show hubris.

Deity X and Deity Y don’t get along, but I want to worship both, what do I do?

Disregard mythic literalism and remember this is a polytheistic religion. The gods know they are not the only god you will be worshipping, and they are chill with that. If you really want, you can separate their altars if you have an altar per deity, but it’s up to you completely.

Other General Advices

This post is a starting point, nothing here is very in-depth. Do more research if anything on here is still confusing to you. Feel free to ask people here on tumblr, I’m sure most of us would be happy to help.

Don’t believe everything you see on tiktok/tumblr. We’re all still learning, a lot of us are wrong about stuff. Do other research and let yourself form your own beliefs. As I’ve said, even parts of this post should be taken with a grain of salt. I’m no expert, I just want to try to help.

If you’re going to make your own posts about helpol stuff, advice I’ve seen before that really stuck with me is ‘keep some things scared’. You don’t have to post everything. I, at the moment, don’t post my prayers or photos of my altars. Those things are what I keep scared, you should have your own things. They don’t have to be the same as mine.

You have nothing to be afraid of. The gods can be intimidating when you’re starting out, but they know we don’t have as much readily available information about this stuff as the ancient greeks did. They also know you’re new, and they will be patient with you. Don’t be scared.

You can offer anything. Digital offerings are as valid as physical offerings. Devotional acts are valid too.

Know that you will never be done learning. Accept this and commit to trying to learn anyway.

Know how to tell signs from the gods apart from just General Happenings of the world. Here is a good post on that. I have a series on my blog tagged #signs from deities, to show the kinds of things I personally recognise to be signs and to show how frequently/infrequently those can occur. I would suggest keeping your own record of those, whether or not you share it is up to you. The reason is to reflect on your journey and, if you ever doubt your gods, you can look at those lists to remind yourself of how they’ve been there for you previously.

Doubt is healthy, it’s okay to doubt things. Don’t feel bad for this, the gods understand. Let yourself question everything you feel the need to question.

Similarly, anger is healthy. It’s okay to be angry at the gods, but don’t disrespect them because you’re upset. Handle your anger well. You won’t get punished for being upset.

The Hellenic Gods aren’t generally believed to be all-knowing, however it is believed that they can hear us when we call their names, which is why prayers start with invocation of a deity’s name and an epithet.

[aethereallynephilim]

Friendly reminder

“Doing your best” does not mean working yourself to the point of a mental breakdown.

[aethereallynephilim]

The Nature of Gods

I often hear of how,

The Gods can be found in nature,

But I don't often hear,

Of the Gods within humans.

If the Gods can exist within nature,

Does that not also mean,

That they exist in us, too?

-

Can you see laughter-loving Aphrodite,

In the gleam of your smile?

Can you feel kind-hearted Hestia,

When there's a loving warmth in your chest?

Can you hear mischievous Hermes,

Within the memorable jokes you've told?

Can you see unbreakable Ares,

Every time you keep trying, despite the hardship?

Can you feel earthly Demeter,

When you eat a meal that you want savor?

Can you hear honey-voiced Apollon,

In the dulcet melodies you sing?

Can you see wild-hearted Artemis,

In your excitement before a thrilling experience?

Can you feel lion-hearted Hera,

Arise in you when you put your foot down?

Can you hear thunder-bringing Zeus,

When the power of your voice shines through?

Can you see dexterous Hephaestus,

In the careful movements of your hands when you craft?

Can you feel earth-shaking Poseidon,

As your blood rushes through your veins?

Can you hear foresighted Athena,

In the words of advice you give to others?

Can you see liberating Dionysus,

Every time you're free to truly express who you are?

-

For the gods do not reside solely in the Heavens,

They exist all around us,

And in everything we do,

They are not unreachably far,

Living in the clouds or on a distant mountaintop,

They are in the air that we breathe,

The cells that flow through our veins,

And each beat of our hearts.

The Gods exist in nature,

And we are a part of it.

[aethereallynephilim]

2024/11/17

reflecting on this week, it wasn't too bad. i had a lamda lesson and it went pretty well which is good, we were able to get some work done which i definitely needed to get them, then again it was just nice to be able to have some human contact with someone who isn't my brother or my mother.

this week, i also was able to participate in a ritual in a server i am in and it was nice to be around other people of my faith. it made me so happy.

i've been trying to keep my head up and get myself back on track in regards to looking after myself if that make sense. i am trying to make better decisions when it comes to how i cope, not using unhealthy coping mechanisms.

being gentle with myself has helped a lot, i can't draw blood from a stone. as usual i've been trying to find ways of studying even though i have been on a low when it comes to motivation. i've had a new motivation for trying to learn korean so i may try to find some resources for it!

i hope this week is a good week!

[aethereallynephilim]

I hope the universe blesses you with a moment of peace this week. You’re doing the right thing, and you’re going to be okay.

[aethereallynephilim]

maybe one day i'll feel like a person

maybe one day i'll not cry when i see others doing what i've always wanted to because to me it'll be something i experience

maybe one day i won't feel so alone

today is not that day

tomorrow won't be either

but maybe someday it will be so.

i won't cry when i see a happy couple because i'll have a partner of my own.

i won't feel like life is passing me by

i'll still love the moon, the stars and the sun

but it won't be just them that i'll call upon

on mondays my best friend

tuesdays my brother

wednesdays would be only for my significant other

thursdays my manager will new auditions for me

fridays i'll take my mother for tea

saturdays and sundays i'd spend alone

recharging and staying away from my phone.

if only that was how life could be.

that sounds like the perfect like for me.

-

(i am not exactly the best poet but sometimes i try)

[aethereallynephilim]

2024/11/10

the stress of it all. life is beyond stressful currently but i am trying to keep a level head. trying to stop myself from being too stressed by focusing on the good things but it is honestly so hard.

my stress is giving me physical symptoms that i will need to get a handle on.

i've been trying to just keep myself plodding on.

i had a good singing lesson, have some work to do obviously. life is taxing. hopefully i'll feel less stressed by the end of next week but we will see.

[aethereallynephilim]

Reblog if you're gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, transgender or a supporter.

This should be reblogged by everyone. Even if you’re straight, you should be a supporter.

[aethereallynephilim]

i always mean it when i say i love you btw

[aethereallynephilim]

Hi 👋, My name is Mohammad, and I’m reaching out in a moment of desperate need. I’m a father of three young children living in Gaza, and we are caught in the midst of a catastrophic war. Our home is no longer a safe haven, and the future here seems increasingly uncertain. 💔

I’ve launched a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $40,000 to relocate my family to a safer place where my children can grow up in peace and have a chance at a brighter future.

Unfortunately, my previous fundraising efforts were abruptly halted when my account was terminated without explanation. However, I remain determined to keep fighting for my family’s safety and well-being. 🫶

If you could take a moment to read our story, consider donating, or simply share our campaign with others, it would make an incredible difference. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to safety and a new beginning. 🙏

Thank you for your time, compassion, and support. ❤️‍🩹

https://gofund.me/fd1faea2 🔗

if you have the funds to do so, please donate to him

[aethereallynephilim]

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.

[aethereallynephilim]

2024/11/04

this week has been a lot.

i don't know how to feel. i feel so many emotions. like fear. i feel like an idiot, i feel insecure. i want my old life back. i miss when life was simple.

maybe i should be more grateful for the things i have rather than mourning the things i don't. but i feel so many emotions. i would love to say i knew how to fix all my problems but right now it is in the hands of the gods.

i am grateful for my friends. i am so grateful for my mother & brother. i know they'll support me through this but i feel bad for leaning on them.

let's hope for a good week!

[aethereallynephilim]

“Do it scared” but please realize that, if you Do It Scared too much and don’t let yourself rest + relax + have fun in between, you will fuck yourself up. If you “do it scared” all day every day, you will burn out badly and quickly. Sometimes this is temporarily necessary but please keep this in mind.

[aethereallynephilim]

reminder to self: one day it won’t bother you every night. one day it won’t even pass through your mind, not once.