anakedpriestess

[anakedpriestess]

Sure would be terrible if everyone went to this link and filled out a bunch of bullshit like a second Bee Movie script or something...just terrible

[anakedpriestess]

I made juniper and lavender bundles today from a tree I pruned and esquites for a nighttime snack 😋

[anakedpriestess]

DAY FOURTEEN: Do you have any hobbies that fit any of your deities' domains?

Yes I do *eyebrows, eyebrows* 👀😏 hahaha! Pretty much anything community or sexuality related for Dionysos. Working with him has become a regular spiritual practice for me.

I've been taking on a lot of diy projects and gardening for Ares. Anything physical even just a small stretching routine will please him. He really wants me to have chickens, but that might have to wait. I need a coop so nothing attacks them.

[anakedpriestess]

[anakedpriestess]

DAY THIRTEEN: Do you write your own

prayers?

Of course! Here is one of mine-

Oh great Dionysos, grant us small pleasures every day, help us to know that our queerness cannot be defined, help us build healthy and supportive communities, help us to not fear our madness but to observe it, and help us heal our spiritual wounds from toxic religions. We recognize the divinity in the many healthy iterations of intoxication, ritual, love, sexuality, and revelry. Grant us these things to create a full and beautiful life that moves and guides us together towards goodness and helps us to see the divinity within ourselves.

[anakedpriestess]

DAY ELEVEN: What is the clearest sign you've received from a deity?

That's a good question! I'm not sure what has been the clearest. If it's not clear I don't consider it a sign. If I'm working with plants I tend to have strong clairvoyant signs.

My work with deity archetypes so far have been more claircognizant.

DAY TWELVE: Do you do food offerings or libations? What do you do with the food/drink after you're offered it?

I offer food! I don't drink very much ,but I'll save a bit when I do have some. Like for Dionysos, I have an aversion for wine, but sometimes I'll have some cooking wine leftover for him. I eat and drink all offerings! This is how the ancient Greeks did it (well, they'd throw it onto a fire and then eat afterward, thank you, Prometheus!)

Favorites for Ares - water, black coffee, tajin, eggs

Favorites for Dionysos - honey, grape flavored energy drinks, dolmas, Nutella, rose and skullcap tea

[anakedpriestess]

Cherry vanilla scones 🤤

[anakedpriestess]

DAY NINE: Is there a practice thats common

among other Hellenic Polytheists that you're

skeptical about?

Dogma. If your spiritual practice or religion is causing you shame or anxiety get the fuck out! If you think the god(s) of your religion hate you, get the fuck out!! If your god(s) of your religion are telling you you have to spend money, eat, dress, talk a certain way...get. the. fuck. OUT!

It's also ok to say you have a spiritual practice rather than a religion. Respectfully, I will never belong to a religion ever again. If that's what you want to do cool.

DAY TEN: What's something you've learned

about Hellenic Polytheism that you wish you

knew sooner?

The gods are way more simple and easier to work with than the Abrahamic god. I think there is a lot less judgment from the community too.

The Greek gods and goddesses are totally upfront about what they are. They know about their "strengths and weaknesses" and they'll never try to hide that. It feels a lot less spiritually conditional than the Christian god. Love and spirituality was very conditional under the Christian god I grew up with.

[anakedpriestess]

[anakedpriestess]

DAY SEVEN: Are you openly a Hellenic

Polytheist offline? How does being open/not

being open effect your worship?

I'm pretty much open about everything going on in my life at this point. That's a privileged take for sure. I'm in my 30s, a full-time caretaker at home. I've experienced too much cruelty and judgements in my life not to live completely authentic and open for the rest of my life. My partners know about my practices and they are very supportive. They'll buy me a figurine or necklaces (even if it's a totally random deity I haven't worked with) and ask me to divine questions for them sometimes.

DAY EIGHT: Do you have altar(s)? If you do,

how do you use it?

Yes! See blog posts! They're relatively small so I leave them out 24/7 and up high on a shelf. If you have a kylix bowl these make awesome little alter containers. You can store your related crystals, plant material, prayer cards, etc. in these. If they're food safe you can rinse them out and use them for libations.

I add offerings for a few hours at a time when I want to bring more of their energy into my life. Or just as a thank you. If there are food and drink offerings, I will consume them once my rituals are done. The ancient Greeks did it this way! Waste not.

[anakedpriestess]

DAY FIVE: How much have you bonded with

your deities?

Hmm, I'm not sure. I've made it a point to only do what feels good. When I was in the religious cult I was putting in 20+ hours a week to the church. That's not healthy.

I do try and romanticize life as much as possible to keep the morbs away. I think it's good for humans to find meaning in everyday things, even if you don't fully believe strongly in it.

DAY SIX: What's one way you incorporate

Hellenic Polytheism into your routine (daily,

weekly, monthly, etc?)

I try to learn from these archetypes on a daily basis reading books and others works. I have more intention with Dionysos about 1-2 times a week as a spiritual, pleasure practice. I will set up an alter/offering/prayer and go into meditation often seeking guidance and support. After I write down any impressions I have.

If I have a big house project going on I'll leave Ares a cup of coffee or water. I'm still learning how to best work with him.

[anakedpriestess]

DAY FOUR: Are there any deities you don't currently worship but want to learn about?

I want to streamline my offerings to Hestia. I cook 1-3 meals a day, but I typically just light a candle for her. It would be nice to have a bit more intention for her.

I'd like to learn more about Zeus because I know there's many misconceptions about him.

And Hebe! Drink service is something I've been getting back into in my kink life. I'd like to embody more of her energy.

[anakedpriestess]

“Voluptuous stillness everywhere. Winter strikes my heart.”

— Virginia Woolf, from a diary entry ft. in “Diaries,” written c. January 1921 (via violentwavesofemotion)

[anakedpriestess]

DAY TWO: Which deity did you most recently start worshipping? Were you called to them or did you reach out first? Do you think there were specific reasons behind why you were drawn to them?

DAY THREE: How long ago did you start Hellenic Polytheism?

Ares most recently (see previous post). He came in like a wrecking ball...I assume that's just his nature. I think he showed up because I had a lot of fear and anxiety about this past election. I think he was saying time to get to work. The first thing he wanted me to do was build garden beds. I have 3 now ready to go this spring :)

I started actually practicing and doing alter work about two years ago.

[anakedpriestess]

I saw someone else post theirs, and I think it'd be a great distraction for the month :)

31 days of Helenistic paganism. DAY ONE: Who was the first deity you began worshipping? Do you still worship them now?If this has been answered before: how has your worship changed since last year?

I use the term "worship" very, very loosely. I have way too much religious trauma to ever have a dogmatic practice or consider myself a part of a religion ever again. When I was in the middle of deconstructing those beliefs, I remembered I really enjoyed Greek mythology and dabbled a bit. I was really needing a spiritual practice because the suicidal ideation was getting bad again. Deep down I'm Atheist really...but for me those rituals and practices are good for my brain. That's probably why it took me until my late 20s to get out of the church...I enjoy praying...the action of it anyway. I hadn't deconstructed gender yet, I tried for a while to work with a more transformative goddess, but it just wasn't clicking. Transformation. Transitions....Hermes. Hermes was my first non Christian prayer. Prayer, meditation, and offerings. He is so generous, compassionate, and busy. God is he busy!! In less than a month he held me dearly by the hand and said, "I have to go, but I'm handing you off to someone very special. You are going to work with Dionysos." BUT BUT I DON'T LIKE WINE! OR EVEN DRINKING!

"Shhhhh!"

But, I'm a woman! I just had two babies! The goddesses! The patriarchy...

I felt like Hermes just threw his head back and laughed. And I haven't seen or felt like he's been around since.

....sooooo I'm non-binary, queer, and polyamourous now....(I always have been, but Dionysos held me in front of a mirror) He's been an incredible teacher and comfort. He is an archetype I desire to keep in my life for a long time.

This past November, I was curious about Hekate again. She kept popping up on tiktok and I had just lost my job and felt very lost. I was super excited and prepared an offering... started in meditation...I imagined a crossroads...Out of the shadows stepped a huge, hulking man in armor, helmet, long red cape, and giant sword...

Fuck.

That's not Hekate...I know exactly who that is. #Ares

[anakedpriestess]

After dusk, slender and small

Wings transparent with light, they lift you up to explore the glade

You fly so fast that no eye can see

Flitting here, flitting there

To the last, you come to my arms

Ending your sorceress night

Reposed on my bed

With kisses to your sleepy head

[anakedpriestess]

All of the above and also- A spiritual practice in which community and autonomy can lead us to become better versions of ourselves.

Question for you guys, because I actually see this debated a lot within polyamorous circles.