apiswitchcraft

[apiswitchcraft]

would anyone be interested in a post about the differences and syncretism between hellenic and roman polytheism? ive been reading a lot about the roman empire recently and idk i think it's something important to talk about bc the two get combined a lot. but if there's already someone on here who's made a post similar that i don't know about then i don't wanna be redundant!

[apiswitchcraft]

as im still working on the tarot card meanings post (it's seriously taking so long wtf), feel free to send any asks! im on tumblr a lot mostly just lurking or working on that post so ill certainly see them

i know there's been a lot of people on here that DO respond to questions with an air of disapproval and disdain but i just want to reassure that im not out here to do that

ALSO even though a majority of my content is helpol/witchy but i have been in the heathenry and kemetic spaces for a while now so i can try to speak on some stuff pertaining to those as well!

Reblog if you are a Pagan willing to answer any questions about your practice without hate, ridicule, sarcasm, or superiority.

[apiswitchcraft]

do you have any tips to feeling more connected with the gods? I'm a devotee for Aphrodite and I've been feeling so estranged recently and I havne't prayed for the last few weeks at my altar because I've been out and I just feel so horrible about it :(

love your blog btw!!!

hi!! yes i have a few, just off the top of my head.

1. Using travel altars!

I have a few different travel altars that I keep in various different bags (I carry a purse/satchel with me everywhere). They're basically just small plastic boxes that I got from buying jewelry supplies, but you can also use glass/plastic bottles, I've even seen people incorporate images or written hymns into their wallets or coin purses.

For my travel altars I like to include small charms, dried herbs, and crystals that I associate with the deity, and then I seal it with melted wax. Keep in mind that these will often be kept in non-temperature controlled, dark areas that are ideal for mold growth. Because of this, make sure your herbs are fully dried and I probably wouldn't add essential oils just in case. Also make sure that your container is completely sealed if you decide to put ground herbs/spices or incense ash in it

2. Setting a routine for praying

I think the biggest takeaway from this is that you don't need to pray every single day, I certainly don't, and many other practitioners I know don't either. Instead, you can set a routine for praying in between your daily activities. It doesn't need to be for very long, it doesn't need to follow any sort of framework, but I think just becoming more acquainted with casual prayer and casual worship will not only benefit your connection with the gods, but also make worship more accessible to you

3. Meditating or divining just because you feel like it

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but basically I just mean: pull a couple tarot cards just to fill the time or sit and meditate just to start your day. You don't need to have a reason, and it doesn't need to be this big, complex arrangement. You can certainly do that from time to time, but I find myself getting burnt out building up my expectations for myself.

4. Reading about or researching online in downtime

I think this one is pretty great just because of how accessible information is online. You can pull up so many primary sources and peruse them as your day allows. If you spend a lot of time commuting, or are generally just not in the driver's seat you can pull out your phone and go crazy! If you do drive you can use audiobooks (there are a lot of free audio recordings of public domain works) too.

[apiswitchcraft]

here's your umpteenth reminder to not use terms like "judeochristian" or "abrahamic" when you CLEARLY just mean christianity. your religious trauma with the christian church does not give you the right to lump in religions that had NOTHING to do with that

After seeing a frankly disgusting post claiming that Jews go around screaming about literal Christian eternal damnation and forcing it on non-Jews or even non-Christians (???), your daily reminder from an actual Jew that Judaism is NOT just "old Christianity" (see: the concept of Christian supersessionism), a somehow more "evil" version of Christianity (see: your flagrant antisemitism), and that Jewish views on the afterlife are just as unique and individual as our culture and community. It is insulting, degrading, and not the hot take you think will get the most notes.

That being said, we do not even have a "Hell" or threat of eternal damnation as there is in Christianity??? We do not go around attempting to convert people by threatening an afterlife in the Christian Hell- again, not our thing. We do not even seek out converts in mass conversion efforts like Christianity!!! FYI: Judaism is not an open or universal religion; it is an ethnoreligion that requires a period of study of our culture and religion in order to convert and live as a Jew, aside from undergoing various rites that heavily depend on the branch you are choosing to join.

Just because you were traumatized by the Christian church gives you absolutely no right to speak so disrespectfully about Judaism or Jews- we are NOT the same religion, or in our case, remotely the same culture! No argument. We are not your scapegoat for your personal problems that have nothing to do with us in the first place.

Leave closed practices alone and make an effort to actually learn and talk to us before you jump to such gross conclusions. Do not claim to support us while spreading this fearmongering BS just like the harmful evangelicals you claim to hate. And, as always, spread kindness where there is so little in this community. Peace and love!

[apiswitchcraft]

do you know about any symbol or literally anything to let people know my religion and the deities i’m devote to? they’re a really important part of my life and i want to include them in as much daily and mundane things in my life as i can!! (like social media, clothes, gestures) hope it makes sense<3

hi anon!!

so ofc there's plenty of imagery out there that might be applicable in this situation, from astrological to alchemical to planetary there is a LOT you could use

for this specific post though ill just give you what ive compiled off the top of my head, all of these images are from google and i have no claim to them in the slightest they were just convenient

first up are these symbols that idk where they originate so do what you will:

next is deities' more "functional" or basically just more meaningful images:

(this is hermes' caduceus and hekate's strophalos, which represents a labyrinth)

there are other examples too of like asclepius' staff and the aquarius symbol (which represents ganymede, the divine water bearer). which like the astrological symbols are often used to relate to the gods, but it's up to you how you decide to use them so

hopefully this is what you meant by this question and that this was in any way helpful

[apiswitchcraft]

hi ryy

💌⭐ for the ask (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

HALLO !!! :3

💌 - What is your favorite form of deity communication?

for me i've always been very impartial to using pendulums, since they're the first thing i got when i started my practice! at first i didn't use them to connect with deities but i got familiar with them fairly quickly plus i connected really strongly with the pendulums themselves.

other than that i primarily use tarot and oracle cards, since they're more detailed and i can ask more open-ended questions.

when i was doing better mental health wise I was also spending a lot of time meditating and attempting communication that way, which always made me feel really relaxed and at peace. because i've been struggling a bit though it's much more difficult to accomplish and so i'd rate it lower than the other two

⭐ - What is something you wish people outside your practice knew more about?

i'm not entirely sure what this question is referring to so i'm going to answer it in two parts:

-people that aren't witches/pagans. i guess i wish that more people in general knew about non-wiccan practices. i'm not exactly angered by it but it is disheartening to be lumped in with people who culturally appropriate like it's a fuckin professional sport lol. i'm not exactly anti-wiccan, because i believe there are people who identify as wiccan who don't do that, but the very foundation of the religion is based on traditions stolen from other cultures and that's incredibly difficult to separate from the individual practitioners

-witches/pagans that have beliefs differing from mine in a more substantial way. i wish more people knew about and practiced folk witch (if applicable) traditions! i just think they're really neat, especially if you're in a really culturally charged area (like the Southern United States). just educating yourself on things like that definitely aren't cultural appropriation, and I highly recommend it!

to add on to that, I think more pagans and witches should look into local and unnamed deities--gods/nymphs/dryads/etc. of your local lake or river or forest or whatever it is! it's definitely something i've been trying to do more of and it's so wholesome and fulfilling to experience that type of energy

[apiswitchcraft]

not me forgetting to type everything in the previous ask.... If it's not too much trouble, could you please make a post about offerings to Hypnos like the posts abt altars to the gods? Sure, if it's not too much trouble!! <3

GOOD GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT TO INCLUDE HIM??? i updated this post to include him next to thanatos, his brother. if you have any other questions feel free to send a follow up or post a comment and i'd be happy to answer!

thank you for letting me know he was missing! and for anyone else reading this that wants another specific deity feel free to send an ask just like this :)

[apiswitchcraft]

Did Apollo rape Dryope?? I was reading more about the gods and mythology in general on Theoi and it says there that she was seduced by Apollo in the form of a serpent, but I've also seen that she was raped by him (as it says on Wikipedia for example)

Sorry to bother you, all the best to you, wonderful person <3 💐💐

im not familiar with this specific myth well enough to claim which version is right or wrong, however i do know that SA is not an uncommon theme in greek myths. despite that, because of the separation between the myths and actual deities that helpolytheism keeps, we know this isn't an actual reflection on the gods characters

take hades' capture of persephone, for example. an innocent young woman kidnapped by an older man and taken away to be kept as a "trophy wife" of sorts. sounds pretty bad, right?

except this myth acts moreso as a commentary on ancient greek society at the time, as this may be something commonly experienced at the time. furthermore, it is a literal interpretation of the changing of seasons, of Death coming and stealing the radiant Spring and beginning the frigid Winter months.

at the end of the day, these myths were written by people to explain phenomena they saw in their daily lives and in the relationships between divinities, not doctrine that was passed on from god to man like in christianity.

(also you can check the source on wikipedia for that specific section, and then see if the SA is part of early or later greek or even roman literature, neither is really wrong but i prefer earlier sources)

have a great one anon, i wish you a good weekend!

[apiswitchcraft]

i don't have much in the way of academic content rn but here's a recent sketch i finished

western cowboy ganymede (pre-zeus)

posting it now in case i never finish it after transfering to digital </3

based on the part of his lore where he's the "cow boy" of his father's herd

[apiswitchcraft]

Hii ♥️🎭 for the ask thingy

hey gang sorry these have been sitting in my inbox for WAY too long, i've been doing a new mental health treatment (TMS, it's a little like electro shock but with magnets) and it's been really intense. i'm doing fine and my depression is having a noticeable improvement already, but i can literally feel my brain chemistry changing and the side effects are a little annoying

anyways, this is for you, anon, and @dislikabledionysian, who asked for 🎭 too

❤️ - What's one memory of your practice that you reflect the most fondly on?

The only thing that I can really think of for this is the very beginning of my relationship with the divine.

My "inciting incident," so to speak, was a trip where I visited my long distance best friend, who was raised as an American folk witch. During that trip, he introduced me to pendulums (for divination), tarot, and deity worship.

Keep in mind, we're both like 13 at the time, and he manages to teach me about the worship of multiple deities across different pantheons, And witchcraft, And hellenic polytheism in the span of like seven days. I have always been deeply interested in greek mythology (shoutout Percy Jackson series), so I was super excited to realize that people actually worshipped those deities, which meant that I could too.

It was not only such a healing experience within our friendship, but is something I look back on really fondly as part of the beginning of my practice.

🎭 - What is an emotionally impactful or a silly worship-related experience you've had?

Other than the previous story, I think one part of my practice that still stands out is teaching my younger brother about witchcraft and hellenic polytheism. I didn't exactly convert him per se, but I basically just said "hey if you are ever interested in that stuff (he was on tiktok at the time and witchtok was starting to get popular), I'm really into it so I could teach you about it." And now lil bro is like a devoted artemis worshipper!!! it's so cool to see his evolution over time

Seeing someone you introduced to the pagan/witchy space carve out their own space and have their own thoughts and beliefs independent from your own just gives you that warm fuzzy feeling idk

[apiswitchcraft]

YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL THE OTHER DAY

she's so beautiful and arrived so quick seriously pls give his shop some love

Demeter & Kore Offering Bowl

A modest ceramic bowl with the carved image of a snake. one half is living and the other half dead. painted wheat surrounds the snake on top of the stone-like inner surface of the bowl. The imagery reflects Kore and Demeter's irreplaceable roles in the natural cycles of earth and agriculture.

This vessel has sold 🐍

if you are interested in supporting my functional artwork, please visit my shop linked here !

[apiswitchcraft]

i see my moots doing this so ig i can do it too

Polytheist & Pagan Asks

🙏 - Which pantheon(s) do you actively worship?

🌞 - Which deity(ies) are you closest to/do you worship the most often?

✨ - Do you believe in patron deities? If so, do you have any that you know of?

🌍 - Which pantheons do you believe exist?

📜 - Have you ever made an oath, vow, or contract with a deity? If yes, how did it go (you don't have to share)?

📿 - What are three things you're grateful to your deity(ies) for?

🖋️ - If you could say anything to your deity(ies) right now, what would you most want to say?

💌 - What is your favorite form of deity communication?

🎭 - What is an emotionally impactful or a silly worship-related experience you've had?

❤️ - What's one memory of your practice that you reflect the most fondly on?

🥂 - What is your favorite devotional act or offering to give?

🎉 - Do you celebrate any festivals? If so, which ones?

🫂 - Do you syncretize any pantheons with one another? If so, which ones?

🔮 - Do you delve into topics like the occult or the mysteries? Do you do anything esoteric?

⭐ - What is something you wish people outside your practice knew more about?

📖 - Do you like the way your pantheon is most often portrayed in media? Why or why not?

🏛️ - Do you have a favorite statue or temple to your deity(ies)? If yes, what is it?

🔥 - Do you have a favorite myth or tale from your pantheon or others?

🧭 - What led you to your practice?

🧿 - Did you have any other spiritual beliefs before discovering your current practice?

🪽 - Do you believe in angels and/or demons? If yes, do you worship or work with any?

🪄 - Do you practice witchcraft? If yes, do you keep it separate from your deity worship?

🪦 - Do ancestors or human spirits play a big role in your practice?

🐾 - Do animal spirits play a big role in your practice?

🌱 - Does nature - plants, nature spirits, etc. - play a big role in your practice?

💀 - Do you believe in ghosts? If yes, have you ever had an experience with one?

☄️ - Do you believe in astral travel/the astral realm? If so, have you been there before?

[apiswitchcraft]

hi! thank you for providing more resources on the subject and giving your two cents, everything you say is absolutely correct!

the three examples i listed, red raspberry leaf, st johns wort, and ginger are all things that ive done individual research on or been cautioned against by physicians (i have PCOS and im on hrt and several antidepressants, for example), not ones that i got solely from wikipedia. of course, there was no way for you to know this bc of how i phrased it, so i totally understand

i use that wikipedia SOLELY as a quick reference, but then if i see something on that list i do further research from other sources. i did not cite my sources bc tbh,,, i don't really remember where i looked!

but even then if something isn't on that list, say like echinacea (which can cause GI upset or allergic reactions in sensitive groups, which i am a part of), i still do Actual Research on it before i put it in my body

because another issue for many people can be as simple as incorrect dosage-- i mean, having a single cup of tea with a few slices of ginger is going to be completely different compared to liters of ginger slush right to your blood stream. same with one cup of red raspberry leaf tea (generally well tolerated, you're very right) and having multiple cups a day as a part of a daily routine

this is because herbal medicine isn't treated with the same respect that pharmaceuticals are: we don't get an exact dose in one/a few pills, we are not given a detailed regimen to follow, nor educated about potential interactions with other drugs or remedies. this is perpetuated by the attitude of self-treatment and western bastardization of cultural remedies (leading to unlicensed/untrained practitioners or a "i'm right, the establishment's out to get me" ideas). because there ARE people who use homeopathic medicine correctly and safely, but they often work very hard to acquire their expertise

i want everyone to know that yes, sometimes lavender helps with your headaches and honey lemon tea with your sore throat, but that doesn't mean all of a sudden that your doctor is out to get you and centuries of scientific innovation is suddenly wrong. raw milk is still going to give you crazy diseases, and yes you still need to be cooking your meat before you eat it

like one reblog said: EVERYTHING IS CHEMICALS, SO TREAT THEM WITH THE SAME RESPECT

just a PSA to ALWAYS RESEARCH HERBS/PLANTS BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN YOUR BODY

did you know that st john's wort can induce serotonin syndrome? which is life threatening (and very painful!!) btw

did you know that red raspberry leaf can worsen hormonal imbalances and irregular menstrual cycles?

did you know that ginger (yes!! that ginger!! the one that's in every other tea recipe out there!!) can thin your blood? which can be life threatening for people with certain conditions

and there's so much more this community as a whole should be aware of, especially when considering herbs to consume or apply to the skin

the resource i use most often is just this wikipedia article, although you should do individual research just to double check

i don't make this post to try to induce widespread fear of herbal remedies/a good ol herbal tea now and then, im just saying that not everything natural is good for you, and sometimes modern medicine is right. always consider consulting a physician before self-medicating or trying potentially harmful substances

[apiswitchcraft]

psephoi: greek divination tiles

a while ago i made this post about astragalomancy, a form of divination using four-sided knucklebones. in that i mentioned another post that my friend fritz had made about psephoi. since then, fritz has deleted his tumblr blog so i decided to repost these tiles he made (with his permission) and their interpretations!

BACKGROUND:

psephoi is a method of using 24 tiles each inscribed with a greek letter (much like norse runes and celtic ogham) and chosen randomly. it wasn't just used for divination, of course, as with astragaloi (which were used as dice), but in this case we will only be considering the divinatory method.

THE TILES:

psephoi tiles can be a number of things: pieces of ceramic, wood, or pieces of paper. you can put them in a cup or bag or whatever and draw blindly, or you can swirl them around in the vessel until one/some fall out.

if you don't feel like making your own or want something quick and easy, check out these tiles fritz drew up!

you could cut them out and just use them as is, or paste them onto pieces of wood/stone/whatever you like!

(btw fritz says y'all can feel free to screenshot and print these out to use)

whether or not you make your own tiles, below is a list of the interpretations for your divinatory usage!

INTERPRETATIONS:

Alpha: “The God [Apollo] says you will do everything successfully.” Your entire project will turn out well and you will meet all your goals. You will have good luck in all your activities, or prosperous business transactions and negotiations.

Beta: “With the help of Tychê, you will have an assistant, the Pythian [Apollo].” You are at a critical point, but if you are fortunate, Apollo the Far-shooter will help you if you call on Him. Even with luck, the God will only assist; ultimate responsibility is yours. “Pythian” refers to Apollo as the God at Delphi (which was in Pytho), one of the most important oracular sites. Therefore the help to be expected might be of a prophetic nature.

Gamma: “Gaia will give you the ripe fruit of your labors.” You will have a successful harvest, or you will reap all your profits from the Earth. The Mother of All will bring your labors to a fruitful conclusion. Gaia will give you your just deserts.

Delta: “In customs inopportune strength is weak.” Ill-timed force will be ineffective; act with precision; timing is everything. Knowing where and when to strike is more important than strength; misapplied ability is disability. Blind conformity to customs is spineless; overly strict adherence to rules is self-defeating. Unreasonable or undue force will defeat itself; a tyrant must fall.

Epsilon: “You desire to see the offspring of righteous marriages.” This is a statement of fact, not a command or prediction. The obvious meaning is that the querant wants children or grandchildren from suitable marriages. However, it can also mean he or she is in love with seeing this, that is, obsessed by the idea. The “rightness” of the marriage admits many interpretations; it could be a terrible marriage if that was fitting and righteous (i.e. deserved). The oracle may also refer to seeds, other than children, sown by the marriage (e.g. family alliances, marrying into wealth or influence). Finally, marriage may be taken metaphorically to refer to any alliance or union.

Zeta: “Flee the very great storm, lest you be disabled in some way.” Don’t make a sea-voyage in bad weather. It is futile to fight the force of the ocean; likewise, bucking the inevitable will weaken you and hinder your progress. Avoid raging storms of any kind; save your energy for when it can be effective. Sometimes flight is wiser than fight.

Eta: “Bright Helios, who watches everything, watches you.” The life-giving Sun will care for you. Helios is an enforcer of oaths and promises, and He knows the deceit in your heart.

Theta: “You have the helping Gods of this path.” The “way” may be a concrete road, a plan of action, a spiritual path, a way of life, etc. In any case, the Gods who oversee this way will help and defend you, so you may go forward with confidence; you are under divine care because you are following your destiny.

Iota: “There is sweat; it excels more than everything.” There will always be hard work; work is never done. Hard work is the surest means of success. When you have lost all other possessions, you still have your labor as an asset. The oracle recommends elbow-grease.

Kappa: “To fight with the waves is difficult; endure, friend.” In time, the force of ocean waves can grind down anything; they can be a metaphor for repetitive, unstoppable processes. It is difficult, dangerous, and painful to try to resist them; the sensible thing to do is to wait until they abate, or if that is impossible, then to endure the inevitable with courage.

Lambda: “The one passing on the left bodes well for everything.” Since the left is traditionally the sinister side, the oracle may mean that an apparently sinister thing or event may be a blessing in disguise. The left is also associated with the unconscious, lunar mind, and so unconscious processes or intuition may signal a favorable outcome. A promising sign comes from an unpromising quarter.

Mu: “It is necessary to labor, but the change will be admirable.” Through toil and distress a change will be made for the better. Hard work will result in a good return.

Nu: “The strife-bearing gift fulfils the oracle.” Something will be given (to you, by you, or from one to another) that brings strife with it; this will discharge the force of the oracle. The import seems to be that this gift will be the answer to the question asked of the oracle. So, for example, if the querant asked when something will happen, the gift is the sign that it’s immanent.

Xi: “There is no fruit to take from a withered shoot.” There is no good to be gained from an angry young man or woman. The frayed end of a good line. Harshness and stinginess will achieve nothing. You can’t get blood from a turnip; you can’t get water from a stone. Don’t polish a turd.

Omicron: “There are no crops to be reaped that were not sown.” What we spread about, comes back to us. What goes around comes around. You must plan ahead in order to achieve anything.

Pi: “Completing many contests, you will seize the crown.” If you persist in your struggles, after many trials you will succeed. Perseverance through adversity.

Rho: “You will go on more easily if you wait a short time.” If you will hold your ground for only a short time, you will be able to proceed (more easily or with greater cooperation). You will go faster by waiting than by going now; on the other hand, delaying too long may provoke reckless action. By standing fast you live recklessly. By remaining where you are, you live life thoughtlessly.

Sigma: “Phoibos [Apollo] speaks plainly, ‘Stay, friend.’” Neither advance nor retreat; wait or hold your ground, as appropriate; the best action is inaction. “Phoibos” refers to Apollo as Bright and Pure, which also characterizes His advice in this oracle.

Tau: “You will have a parting from the companions now around you.” This may be an unwelcome parting from friends or a welcome release from enemies; in either case they are now around you. This may also mean a growing apart or forced separation of a person from his or her family, peers or fellow travelers on the path.

Upsilon: “The affair holds a noble undertaking.” There is some issue to be resolved, or some deed is under consideration; it involves high-mindedness, either in commitment, deed, or professional pursuit. The oracle may tell us that the affair is admirable due to this noble element, or that the situation may guide us to seek the appropriate noble undertaking or profession. The hero’s quest. On the other hand, the oracle may mean that the situation hinders this fine undertaking. Thus you should try to understand the situation: does it demand an excellent undertaking or impede it.

Phi: “Having done something carelessly, you will thereafter blame the Gods.” Take responsibility for your actions (or inactions); don't blame the Gods (or the universe, or fate, or society, or nature) for your own failings. The ancient Greeks said, “Hermes will help you get your wagon unstuck, but only if you push on it.”

Khi: “Succeeding, friend, you will fulfill a golden oracle.” “Golden” may be a metaphor for rich, noble, excellent, etc. This admirable oracle will be fulfilled by you attaining your ends, or a mere chance meeting could constitute the golden event.

Psi: “You have this righteous judgment {Psêphos} from the Gods.” Literally, a psêphos is a stone used for divination, voting, counting, and similar purposes, so this oracle refers to collective judgment rather than individual judgment. This implies that the majority of the Gods concur in this judgment, and that this judgment is appropriate, fair, and righteous, though there is no implication that the result is that desired by the querant.

Omega: “You will have a difficult harvest season, not a useful one.” Concretely, there will be a poor harvest, or autumn will be difficult; the harvest will be too early, before the fruit is ripe. More abstractly, too early grasping of the fruits of your labor (whether voluntary or necessary) will yield a poor return; the rewards will not be suitable for their purpose. Your youth will be rough; you will have to grow up before your time.

SOURCES:

patheos.com

for the interpretations

[apiswitchcraft]

stop pretending to be a hellenist and go back to protestantism. you people need to stop christianizing hellenism. moral ethics are the route of philosophers. our religion doesn't mandate any kind of moral belief. philosophy is not inherently tied to hellenism.

i don't know whether to laugh at this or just ignore it so ill let the council (y'all) decide

(btw ive never been christian, esp not protestant, so im feeling like this person has no idea who they're talking to)

[apiswitchcraft]

just a PSA to ALWAYS RESEARCH HERBS/PLANTS BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN YOUR BODY

did you know that st john's wort can induce serotonin syndrome? which is life threatening (and very painful!!) btw

did you know that red raspberry leaf can worsen hormonal imbalances and irregular menstrual cycles?

did you know that ginger (yes!! that ginger!! the one that's in every other tea recipe out there!!) can thin your blood? which can be life threatening for people with certain conditions

and there's so much more this community as a whole should be aware of, especially when considering herbs to consume or apply to the skin

the resource i use most often is just this wikipedia article, although you should do individual research just to double check

i don't make this post to try to induce widespread fear of herbal remedies/a good ol herbal tea now and then, im just saying that not everything natural is good for you, and sometimes modern medicine is right. always consider consulting a physician before self-medicating or trying potentially harmful substances

[apiswitchcraft]

Hi! How do I know which deity I have the most affinity with? Can you tell me if there are any "signs" that I have an affinity with a deity? I'm in doubt between Artemis and Apollo (I've seen people say that if you like arts you have an affinity with Apollo, but I have mixed signals, I'm new to it 😕) Sorry for bothering you

hihi! okay so it seems like several things are going on here that we may need to "deconstruct" so to speak

1. you don't need "affinity" with any deity to start worshipping them. in fact, i would say something like that is almost never a part of my thought process. i start worshipping a deity whenever i want to for no real reason at all. you don't need to be "called" or shown "signs" (although you'll get better at recognizing signs as you build kharis -or a mutualistic relationship- with the deity and learn more about them)

2. although i understand if it is a bit overwhelming to new people, remember that this is a polytheistic religion, poly as in many. you can worship Apollo and Artemis at the same time, hell you can worship every goddamn god in the pantheon all at once if you wanted to. it might be a little difficult as a newbie, but i don't at all subscribe to the idea that you have to do anything any certain way when you start out (there are just things id recommend to make your life easier, like doing research and practicing divination/meditation/whatever)

3. although Apollo is associated with some of the arts, plenty of other gods are, so you don't need to use that as an exclusionary method. instead what id do is meditate or slowly try communicating via divination or whatever your preferred method is and just see what it's like. if you prefer one god's energy over another, cool, but if you like both equally that's great too!

4. most of the time when people comment about what you need for a relationship with deities, or what you have to do within the helpol space (barring some things, like "don't claim to be a priest(ess) if you're not" or "don't talk shit about Zeus over myths that were written by people" which are based in misunderstandings of the foundational beliefs) they're wrong, they don't have your best interest at heart, and they're being a bit of an ass in the process. the more you're able to do actual scholarly research (which everyone has their own relationship with, and it's not a requirement by any means, just a suggestion) the more you realize that's based purely on that person's inflated ego and sense of superiority, not actual religious dogma

im sorry if this makes your decision process a little more difficult, but all i can really say is that you have nothing to worry about, and anxiety over the little things will hinder more than help you. just try things out and see if they work for you, do things out of character just because you want to, create your own belief system that suits your life and your psyche the best

i wish you all the best anon!