eclectic-soulss

[eclectic-soulss]

Lady Hera Offerings and Devotional Acts

Learn about:

Marriage traditions

Pregnancy

Process of childbirth

Lord Zeus

Birth doulas

Parenting styles and techniques

Family dynamics and cultures

Offerings 

Marriage

Wedding rings

Promise rings

Wedding mementos (from yours or others)

Flowers/bouquets 

Love letters

Love/marriage poems

Wedding vows

Veils

Flower girl baskets

Ring-bearer pillows

Mirrors

Pictures of your partner

Mementos of your relationship

Wedding photos/scrapbooks

Flower crowns/wreaths

Perfumes

Family/Childbirth

Family pictures/scrapbooks

Family mementos

Childhood photos

Maternity clothes

Pregnancy pillows

Mother’s Day gifts/cards

Parenting books

Family heirlooms

Items symbolic of your culture

Mementos of deceased loved ones

Date night mementos

Home cooked meals

Handmade crafts, particularly ones you do with your family

Baby shower mementos

Childhood toys

Myth Related 

Peacock feathers

Peacock imagery

Cowhide

Cow imagery

Golden apples

Serprants imagery

Tortoise imagery

Food

Greek yogurt

Honey

Olive oil

White wine

Cheese

Teas

Apples

Chocolates

Champagne

Devotional Acts

Marriage

Attend weddings

Buy gifts off wedding registries 

Plan your wedding

Date night

Brainstorm date ideas

Do something kind for your partner

Address any jealousy issues

Be loyal

Address any commitment issues

Include Her in your wedding

Have open communication with your partner

Learn your love languages/partner’s love languages

Consider how you can grow in your relationship

Family/Childbirth

Support new moms

Call your mom/mother figure

Buy gifts from baby shower registries

Brainstorm future child names

Clean the house

Babysit

Spend time with children in your life

Identify and break generational cycles

Research your family lineage/culture

Save money for the future

Consider what kind of family you’d like to have

Work through and process childhood trauma

Take lots of family photos

Cook a meal

[eclectic-soulss]

Hellenic Polytheism & Weddings - A Quick Overview

Alternate Title: How to honor the Gods in your weddings

Due to me getting married this year, I did some research on wedding traditions and rituals related to Hellenic Polytheism. It's important to know that they varied depending on location on time. So this is a very generalized overview:

General Information

Weddings were usually a legal affair between two families without any clergy/priest/priestess involved

Weddings were held over three days (depending on the wealth of the families, this could be significantly shorter)

Offerings were given throughout the three days

Day before the wedding: the bride spends time with her female relatives. Offerings to Hera, Aphrodite and Artemis are given. Offerings for Artemis can be childhood toys or locks of hair for example to symbolize the end of the brides childhood.

Wedding day: the day begins with a ritual bath for cleansing. The bride is escorted to the grooms house with a procession led by her mother, carrying a torch. Friends and family follow, singing and dancing. At the grooms house, his mother greets her with fruit and a cake to welcome her into the family. Other examples of wedding customs are showering the bride in coins & figs, the groom giving the bride a pomegranate, a basket of fruit & bread given to the couple by a young man, etc. Most of those customs are for good luck, prosperity & fertility. A feast is held at the grooms house.

The day after the wedding: the families gather together once more to give gifts to the couple

Wedding colours for the groom were traditionally red or white

The bride wore bright colors and a long veil covering her face

Important Gods and Goddesses

The "main" Gods & Goddesses presiding over marriage and weddings are Hera, Zeus and Aphrodite.

Other important Deitys that should/could be included in offerings are Artemis, Hestia, Eros, Pheitos, The Kharites, Eunomia, Harmonia, Hymenaios and Hebe.

How to include the Gods in Modern Day Weddings

Just some easy ideas inspired by other blogs (sources below this paragraph) and what I read.

Grooms wear red or white, brides wear a veil (doesn't have to cover the whole body)

Wear a laurel wreath

Wear flower crowns

Prepare your own vows & prayers

Read hymns & prayers during the ceremony or privately before/after the wedding

Have a dinner with your family and friends the evening before (maybe even at your fathers house if possible/wanted)

Choose sacred flowers of Gods you want to include in your wedding for bouquet & decorations

Have pictures/figures of the Theoi at the wedding

Have pictures/figures of sacred animals or objects related to Theoi at the wedding

Do the more "simple" traditions such as giving your partner a pomegranate, showering the spouse in coins, your friends and family giving you bread/fruit/etc.

Give offerings to Artemis, Hera, Aphrodite the night before the wedding

Take a bath the morning of your wedding (if possible time-wise)

Have a breakfast together with your family and friends the morning after the wedding

Give offerings the morning of your wedding to Hera, Aphrodite, Zeus (and whoever else you chose): the wedding day is usually super busy so quick & simple offerings are more than enough. You can always do something "bigger" before or after the wedding days (if you want to).

Include Hellenic-themed decorations

More Resources

List of ideas to honor the Gods on your wedding day by @honorthegods

List of ideas by pomegranateandivy

Hellenic Weddings: History and Modern Ritual

Dromena for the Celebration of Marriage

A Hellenic Greek Wedding based on the Dromena above

Last update: May 1st 2022 Dividers by @firefly-graphics

[eclectic-soulss]

How can the Gods be honored in a wedding? I've heard of jumping the broom, hand fasting and the may pole but how would we honor the Hellenic gods? I know prayers to the Gods are recommended but what for the ceremony?

The ancient Hellenic wedding did not involve a ceremony at a temple or require a priest or priestess. It began with a feast at the bride’s family home. In the evening, the bride was escorted to the groom’s home. She was welcomed by her mother-in law, who brought her to the hearth and gave her symbolic cake and fruit, and she was accepted by the entire family as a member of the household. Another feast may have followed. The bride removed her veil and the groom presented her with a pomegranate; this may have occurred in the presence of the family, or after the couple retired to the nuptial chamber. The next day, the two families gathered together, and the newlyweds received gifts.  

Much of the modern Hellenic polytheist wedding will be determined by how open you are about your religion, and how accommodating your friends and families are with your practice. It’s important that the family, attendants and guests understand that the wedding isn’t cosplay, but a reflection of the couple’s sincerely-held religious beliefs.

In most places today, a civil ceremony is required for an official marriage. The day might begin with the bride and groom having breakfast or brunch separately at their respective homes with family and attendants, then meeting for the civil ceremony and/or to sign the marriage license. If the couple so chooses, a Hellenic-themed ceremony can be planned with a licensed officiant presiding and whatever Hellenic customizations you wish, including but not limited to: head-wreaths for the bride and groom or entire wedding party, Hellenic-themed garments, images of the Theoi, handcrafted vows and prayers. Afterwards, the newlyweds may gather with family and friends for a Greek-themed reception at the groom’s family home, the newlywed’s home, or another location. Breakfast with the families and friends the next morning is traditional, but could be omitted or postponed until the couple returns from a honeymoon trip.

pomegranateandivy had a Hellenic polytheist wedding, but she deleted her tumblr and is currently taking a break from patreon.  Some old posts she made about her religious preparations may be found here, here, and here. 

Additional resources:

Hellenic Weddings: History and Modern Ritual

A short summary of marriage rituals in ancient Hellas

Dromena for the Celebration of a Marriage

A Hellenic Greek Wedding (based on the Dromena above)

Hymenaios, god of the wedding hymn

@winebrightruby has written several wedding hymns

Best wishes!

Update 15 June 2022:

Alice0428. 2018. “Bridal Attire in Ancient Greece and Rome.” Women in Antiquity. 27 November 2018.   https://womeninantiquity.wordpress.com/2018/11/27/bridal-attire-in-ancient-greece-and-rome/

[eclectic-soulss]

Actually, your deities do care about you. Even at the base level of a deity relationship, it still takes a lot of care for someone to help you grow as a person or improve your life. It takes an immense amount of care to listen to someone who cries for your help, to hear about their struggles, to reach out a compassionate hand. It takes a considerable amount of care to check in on someone often, sending little reminders of your presence throughout their day. It takes a noteworthy amount of care for someone to give when they do not receive, for them to extend their kindness even when they aren't getting something out of it. It takes a remarkable amount of care to express pride in how much someone has grown and celebrate even their littlest victories. It takes a massive amount of care to sit by someone's side as they cry and whisper words of comfort and encouragement that they may never actually hear. Supporting someone who may not even know that you're there - that takes a lot of fucking care.

So, yes, your deities do care about you. They do care, whether you're aware of it or not, and they will continue to care.

[eclectic-soulss]

Prayer to Zeus Ktesios

Oh, Zeus Ktesios, guardian of the home, Protector of possessions, in your sacred dome, We call upon your mighty, divine aid, To bless our dwelling and the life we've made.

In your jar, sacred symbols of our life are kept, Over which, vigilant, you have always slept, Watch over our abode, both day and night, With your guidance, everything is right.

Beneath your watchful eyes, we find our peace, May prosperity in our home never cease, From the pantry's abundance to the hearth's warm glow, Bless each corner, let your grace flow.

In every meal that we partake, In each memory that we make, Zeus Ktesios, may you be there, Guarding us with your divine care.

From the threshold to the inner sanctum's heart, May your blessings on our home impart, A sense of safety, comfort, and familial love, Under your protective gaze from above.

Oh, Zeus Ktesios, to you, we pray, Watch over our home, keep harm at bay, With gratitude, we honor your role, Guardian deity of our household whole.

[eclectic-soulss]

Apollo gives me so much hope for the future. I've prayed to him in my darkest moments, and he's always taken my hand gently to pull me back to the light. Like a candle in the distance, I see the hope of things improving, and I continue onward. How can things get better if we're not around to see it? And the entire way there, Apollo is holding my hand, whispering words of encouragement.

Apollo reignites the spark of hope in my heart when I've gotten lost in my own mind. He's reminded me of the beauty in life - the things that make life so worth it. The birds singing in the morning, the butterflies flying across the yard, the small flowers growing between sidewalk cracks, the way my dog looks at me when I greet her in the morning, the joy of dancing in my car at a stoplight, the sound of laughter when I tell a funny joke, the excitement of someone who's gushing about something they love, the sun setting over the horizon and painting the skies with gorgeous colors. There is beauty all around us, and romanticizing it is so necessary.

Thank you, Lord Apollo. Kindly God with a heart of gold. Benevolent Prince of Olympus. The light of, not only my life, but countless lives across the world. Thank you. I love you.

🧡☀️🏹

[eclectic-soulss]

How Apollo feels like to me:

He feels like a sudden urge to smile, I can't help but giggle every time he's around.

He feels light and happy. It's like he takes the dark cloudy thoughts, and replaces them with a warm golden light.

He feels like a tingling sensation that starts on the solar plexus and moves slowly to the heart chakra.

He feels positive and uplifting but also understanding and supporting. He feels logical but also empathetic.

[eclectic-soulss]

Smash

[eclectic-soulss]

Zeus Meilikhios

At the request of a lovely anon, this post is going to be about a very unique and very interesting epithet of Zeus - Meilikhios.

I’ve talked in passing about Zeus Meilikhios in two other posts of mine: Zeus Katharsios and Misconceptions of Zeus, but I’ve never done a post focusing solely on this epithet, mostly because it can be a bit to talk about. So, let’s get into it today!

Some translations of Meilikhios that I’ve seen include “the merciful”, “the mild”, “the kindly”, “open to propitiation”, etc.

MEILI′CHIUS (Meilichios), i. e. the god that can be propitiated, or the gracious, is used as a surname of several divinities. 1. Of Zeus, as the protector of those who honoured him with propitiatory sacrifices. At Athens cakes were offered to him every year at the festival of the Diasia. (Thuc. i. 126; Xenoph. Anab. vii. 7. § 4.) Altars were erected to Zeus Meilichius on the Cephissus (Paus. i. 37. § 3),at Sicyon (ii.9. § 6), and at Argos (ii. 20. § 1; Plut. De cohib.

Zeus Meilikhios was often depicted as a giant snake - a creature of the earth.

Even if in one perspective Zeus Meilichios was simply one aspect of Zeus, in another he had to be treated as an independent figure. He was often portrayed differently too, as a gigantic snake. (p.91 of On Greek Religion by Robert Parker)

It is a Chthonic epithet of Zeus, one that has to do with the placating of the dead. He is, like Zeus Kathersios, a god of purification; Votive offerings at Argos were dedicated to him in order to be cleansed of the miasma inccured through bloodshed:

Bryas of Argos was put in command [of the Argive Thousand]. He committed a number of violent outrages against common people, and on one occasion he dishonoured a bridal procession by snatching a virgin girl they were leading to the bridegroom. When night fell the young girl watched Bryas going to sleep and then blinded him. But the coming of day betrayed her; she fled to the people as a ritual suppliant. They refused to give her up to the vengeance of the regiment, there was a fight, the people won it, and in their fury they left not one man of the thousand alive. Afterwards, among the ceremonies of their purification from the blood of kindred, they dedicated a statue of Zeus Meilichios. - Pausanias (2.20.1-2)

There was also a festival in his honor at Athens, called the Diasia, which was celebrated on the 23rd of Anthesterion. For those that could afford them, pigs were sacrificed and burnt whole, as no part of the animal was meant to be eaten in a sacrifice to a god of the underworld. For those who couldn’t afford them, cakes baked in animal shapes were sacrificed.

The festival was described in antiquity as ‘performed with a certain loathsomeness’ and accompanied by grim expressions. This was the public side. Domestically, it was a day of family meals, hospitality and of giving children presents. (pg. 66 of Zeus)

So, not only is he a god of purification, but he also has familial connections and even protective ones:

Thucydides tells the story of the sixth-century athlete Cylon, famous as an Olympian, and married to the daughter of the tyrant of Megara, who attempted in 632 BC to seize political power in Athens. The Delphic oracle advised him to attack during the greatest festival of Zeus. Not surprisingly, he construed this to be the Olympic Games, but his attack went disastrously wrong. Had he attacked during the Diasia, Thucydides points out, he would have found the city largely empty as all the citizens left it for the sanctuary of Zeus Meilichios. Whether designedly or inadvertently, the god protects his worshippers from threats to the city, and ensures their safety. (pg. 3 of the role of Zeus Meilikhios in Argos)

So, this chthonic epithet of Zeus is quite complex in and of itself – on one hand, he is a god tasked with purifiying those who have incurred miasma through bloodshed, but also has strong familial and gentle connotations with the Diasia.

Feel free to send in requests for certain epithets!

Sources: Zeus by Ken Dowden, The role of Zeus Meilikhios in Argos by Diana Burton, and On Greek Religion by Robert Parker

[eclectic-soulss]

cherishing the things that bring you peace is so important. doodling ugly creatures. listening to brown noise. rereading the same books. rediscovering hymns and religious texts from your childhood. doing your makeup just to erase it. not everything has to have a deeper meaning or purpose, and not everything you do has to be for a more complex reason than how it makes you feel in the moment.

[eclectic-soulss]

DEVOTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR APOLLO

Listen to music you associate with Apollo

Go to concerts

Have a solo dance/singing party

Read poetry or write your own poetry

Spend some minutes under the sunlight

Practice various divination methods or master one in particular

Take care of your health (mental and physical) this can include brushing your teeth, showering, eating right, moving your body, going to therapy, etc)

Tell the truth and aspire to be an honest person

Practice healing magic or master one in particular (for example herbal healing)

Look at the bright side of things, at the light at the end of the tunnel

Paint or draw something

[eclectic-soulss]

Values of Hellenic Polytheism/Pagan

I want to take a moment today to talk about a concept best described as the values/principles/”pillars” of Hellenic polytheism. I thought I would write up a comprehensive post detailing and explaining what I am referring to

This concept is a modern, recreationist concept. The Ancient Greeks did not have a list of values (I loathe to use the word virtues, though it is applicable in this instance) that they abided by like Christians do virtues to obey and sins to stay away from. These values were built into the culture, society, and laws that they lived by.

Despite the recent inception of the concept of Hellenic polytheist values, it remains a useful tool for modern practitioners, of reconstructionist, revivalist, and other varieties, to guide our practices, actions, and behaviors.

Why do we need these values? These values are useful as any values are. They guide us, inform our behaviors, and inform how we treat each other and how we worship the gods. I certainly am not suggesting codifying them in any way, or insisting everyone must follow all of them, some of them, or any of them. These values are based directly on named cultural and social norms the Ancient Greeks held, and many Modern Greeks hold today, and these norms tied heavily and inextricably to their religion, which thus makes them relevant to Hellenic Polytheists.

I’ve compiled a non-exhaustive list of Hellenic polytheist values below, along with a brief description/definition of them. This list was compiled in collaboration with two, anti-racist, anti-fascist Greek Hellenic polytheists.

A non-exhaustive list of Hellenic polytheist values:

Eusebeia - piety, reverence, awe/respect/fear of the gods

Arete - excellence, the total utilization of one’s abilities, the fulfillment of one’s potential

Hagneia - ritual purity, avoiding miasma

Nomos Arkhaios - observance of ancient tradition, religion, laws, and customs

Sophia - pursuit of truth and wisdom

Sophrosune - self control through contemplation

Xenia - hospitality and guest host relationship

Kharis - building a relationship with the gods

Eudaimonia - to achieve personal happiness

Phronesis - intelligence of practical action, practical wisdom, moral or ethical strength

Gnothi safton - know thyself. Know your place in this world and in your society. Don’t undersell yourself, don’t be prideful and hubristic.

This is a really great guide for how to live your life in a way that honors the gods, respects others, and increases your moral, intellectual, and ethical strength. 

Please do not feel that you have to follow these if you’re not a Hellenic polytheist! Even if you are, follow as many or as few as you’d like.I also personally feel that adding your own personal values to the ones listed above (and those not listed) is the best way to practice and live an observant life.

For example, you may personally feel that modesty or veiling is a value you want to observe. I include service and justice in my personal “pillars” of Hellenic polytheism. I believe the gods want me to live my life in service to others and to right the wrongs of the world and seek justice for those who require it.

Some examples, not mandates, on how to interpret the named values above in your life today:

Eusebeia - having appropriate reverence for the gods, communicating with them and venerating them regularly, giving offerings to the gods that they enjoy, worshipping Ouranic gods as Ouranic and Chthonic gods as Chthonic

Arete - pursuing excellence in whatever field or area you wish. Whether that’s excellence in school, excellence in physical and mental health, excellence in healthy boundaries, recovery, and relationships. Pursuing your dreams, fulfilling your purpose.

Hagneia - following regular hygiene habits, purifying yourself with khernips and barley groats and any other method you wish before formal rituals

Xenia - being genuinely friendly, cordial, and hospitable to everyone (within reason, excepting racists, sexists, fascists, etc.). Being selfless in your relationships with others.

Gnothi safton - radical acceptance of your life, your circumstances, your past. Not giving in to or letting self-doubt, insecurities, negative insults from others change your behavior. Not falling prey to traps of hubris, excessive pride and vanity, lack of humility. Being humble yet confident.

I hope this guide will be useful to you all and help us as a community live by values that both do service to the ancient religion we reconstruct today and respect and enforce our modern-day moral and ethical code.

[eclectic-soulss]

The Projection theory:

“We see the world as we are, not as it is”,

whoever said this had some understanding of the nature of the projection theory, maybe unknowingly. The world around us is a living mirror of our inner world. Have you seen how we have a different rapport with different people, we change our tone of voice, temperament and even behavior around different individuals. How is this happening?

It’s not just empathy that helps us tap into different energy fields and know how to react differently to different people, a deeper study of psychology suggests that we are constantly projecting our own supressed psyche onto each other.

This means that when you come face to face with an individual, depending on their level of unconsciousness or consciousness, you will inevitably reflect their shadow to them (without even trying to do or say anything sometimes); and they will also reflect your shadow back to you (which are your triggers and unconscious suppressed aspects that you resist, and basically your dark/light side attributes that you haven’t integrated into your core Self.)

When you strongly resist anything, it is definitely part of your shadow. We have to reach a place of neutrality and non-participation to stop attracting experiences that we feel trigger us in ways we can’t control. Triggers are symptoms pointing to where the shadow lies. Anger is a sign that a boundary is being violated, not to be confused with a trigger which is usually a result of us projecting our shadow on someone else.

To take a very simple example, we get irritated by somebody who is being silly. We have to recognize that we are feeling triggered here, hence it is something that is part of us. It could mean that an aspect of us is silly and we have disassociated from it and judged it hence, it is fragmented and cut off temporarily from yourself. This fragmented self will seek integration. It will first show up subtly through maybe a Tv show character. If you ignore it the first time, it will try again, this time with something more accessible- you may overhear a stranger’s conversation where they are being silly. If this attempt fails as well to grab your attention, then it will use someone more direct, like a friend of yours who is being silly, to get you to notice this fragmented aspect of you that lays dormant in your psyche. If you still don’t get it, it only gets louder and louder and even more desperate to integrate with you.

This becomes your shadow that you project on others and ignore and resist when it shows up. You may judge it, bash it, abuse it when you see this quality in others, failing to recognize where and how it belongs to you in the first place.

If we become conscious of what we are projecting onto others and what others are projecting onto us, we can alter our behavior to be more self-focused and save ourself and others a lot of time and energy.

[eclectic-soulss]

even if you can't feel your deities, they are still here, and they still love you.

[eclectic-soulss]

Question for Hestia worshippers

Has she helped you in reframing the way you look at household chores?

Cause I sure as hell hate them, but I still must do them. So has your connection with her, maybe, helped you someway to at least not hate those chores as much?

[eclectic-soulss]

7 Virtues of Hellenism.

Xenia - This is the pillar that signifies hospitality, generosity and reciprocity. It's typically demonstrated in a guest/host dynamic.

Kharis - This is the pillar that signifies appreciation and gratitude. It entails giving to the gods and and expressing gratitude when you receive something from them.

Eusebia - This is the pillar that signifies reverence and veneration towards the gods. It can be translated to 'piety' or 'reverant conduct' meaning that you show respect for them.

Hagneia - This is the pillar that signifies purifying yourself. It entails having moral, perhaps physical too, purity and avoiding miasma where possible.

Arete - This is the pillar that signifies excellence and brilliance. It entails trying to reach your highest potential and this can be in any field.

Sophia - This is the pillar that signifies the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.

Sophrosyne - This is the pillar that signifies self-control and prudence. It involves being of sound mind and remaining balanced, which can further lead to other positive qualities to have.

I hope these are right and that I didn't misunderstand their meanings! Hopefully this is useful to anyone, I certainly enjoyed making the post!

[eclectic-soulss]

Noumenia Prayer to Zeus Ktesios

Zeus Ktesios, mighty serpentine protector of the home.

Hear me, most-revered king of the immortals:

You who are the source of abundance and prosperity, 

As you descend, lightning-cloaked, towards the earth,

Bringing your rains unto the fertile ground.

And you are the benevolent lord of all realms, 

Granting blessings of wealth upon the storerooms of mortals.

Your generosity is felt within every meal I partake in:

And with gratitude in my heart I call to you,

Requesting your divine aid once again.

Watch over our home from above, great Zeus,

Keep our possessions safe and our pantry full.

May my words reach you upon lofty Olympos,

So you may be favorable towards our oikos in the coming month.