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Αφροδιτη Αρεια

Aphrodite Areia

Αρεια (Areia) — the warlike, of Ares

Armed Aphrodite Statue

All across the world, hate and turmoil seem to be making themselves known, infecting our leaders and those we should be able to look up to. May Lady Aphrodite protect our heads from the onslaught of hate, and may our warlike goddess defend us from any harm that may come our way.

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APHRODITE AREIA, GODDESS OF WAR AND LOVE <333

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ares slays his daughter’s rapist

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Lady Hestia

Goddess of the hearth, home, family, and the eternal flame.

Epithets

Aidios ~ The Eternal

Basileia ~ Queen

Polymorphos ~ Of Many Forms

Polyolbus ~ Of Many Blessings

Potheinotati ~ The Beloved

Prutaneia ~ Of the Polis; Of the Communal Hearth

The First and The Last

Associations

Animals

Chickens

Cattle

Pigs

Donkey

Colors

Red

Orange

Brown

Gold

Bronze

Black

White

Offerings and Devotional Acts

Keys and other symbols of the home

Flames and lights (including electric ones)

Bread and other grain-based foods

Home cooked meals

Beer and wine

Kettles, teapots, and teacups

Olive oil

Incense and candles

Fresh or dried flowers

Jewelry from family members

Apples

Anything that reminds you of home

Something that acts as an eternal flame (I and many others use salt lamps and electric candles)

Cooking and cleaning

Veiling

Practicing modesty (can relate to veiling, but doesn't have to!)

Spending time with family (given or chosen)

Caring for plants and pets

Journaling

Decorating your home

(credit to vibeswithrenai for the Hestia themed dividers!)

[hellenic-fire]

Αφροδιτη Αρεια

Aphrodite Areia

Αρεια (Areia) — the warlike, of Ares

Armed Aphrodite Statue

All across the world, hate and turmoil seem to be making themselves known, infecting our leaders and those we should be able to look up to. May Lady Aphrodite protect our heads from the onslaught of hate, and may our warlike goddess defend us from any harm that may come our way.

[hellenic-fire]

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May Dionysus Androgynous look after my trans brothers, sisters, and siblings who need it the most right now. May He bless you with the comfort of knowing you're not alone and the ability to remember how much strength you truly possess. May He grant you a glimpse into the memories of the millions of trans souls who came before us, as we have always existed, and remind you of how incredibly resilient our community has always been.

Hail Dionysus, the Great Liberator! May He break the chains that bind us all and ignite the spark of revolution within our hearts. 💜🍇🥂🏳️‍⚧️

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“What is the difference between Orphic and Homeric Hymns?”

The Orphic and Homeric hymns are both significant in the context of ancient Greek literature and religion, but they differ in origin, purpose, and style.

1. Origin and Tradition:

- Homeric Hymns: These hymns are attributed to Homer, though they were likely composed by various poets in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE. They are part of the broader tradition of epic poetry and are generally seen as a way to honor the gods through narrative and invocation.

- Orphic Hymns: These hymns are tied to the Orphic tradition, which is associated with the mythical figure Orpheus. The Orphic hymns date from later periods (around the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE) and reflect a more esoteric and philosophical approach to religion.

2. Content and Themes:

- Homeric Hymns: Each hymn typically praises a specific deity, recounting myths or stories related to their attributes, powers, and deeds. They often serve a liturgical purpose, meant to invoke the favor of the gods.

- Orphic Hymns: These often incorporate themes of mysticism, cosmology, and the soul's journey. They focus more on personal religious experience and metaphysical concepts, such as the nature of the divine and the afterlife.

3. Style and Structure:

- Homeric Hymns: They generally follow a narrative structure and employ traditional epic techniques, such as invocation and epithets. The language is grand and formal.

- Orphic Hymns: While also poetic, these hymns tend to use a more lyrical and mystical language, emphasizing philosophical ideas. The structure can be less consistent than that of the Homeric hymns.

While both types of hymns celebrate the gods, the Homeric hymns are more concerned with storytelling and invocation in a traditional epic style, whereas the Orphic hymns delve into mystical and philosophical themes, reflecting a different aspect of religious belief.

If I missed anything or messed anything up please let me know, I am up to hear about your opinions / knowledge on this too ^^

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Absolutely be political in your worship.

Aphrodite isn't called Pandemos (of All People) so you can sit around and let the big names capitalise love and serve it only to those who can afford to pay past the persecution. Hermes isn't called Oeopolus (Shepherd) so you can sit around and let a bunch of power-hungry wolves lead a flock of influencable sheep. Apollo isn't called Paean (Healer) so you can sit around while wealthy corporations serve healthcare only to those who can afford not to die. Athena isn't called Ambulia (Counsellor) so you can sit around while the people are being fed propaganda against each other to divert them from the real enemy at the top. Dionysus isn't called Eleuthereus (the Liberator) so you can sit around while freedom is only granted to those whose skins have the acceptable colour while the others die in chains. Zeus isn't called Xenios (of the Foreigners) so you can sit around while the borders are closed to those who need it and only open to those who can give back the money.

The Gods stand with the oppressed, and so should you.

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I finally expanded my interpretations of the gods, featuring my version of Dionysus :D

Was inspired to do this when Lord Dionysus made his presence known a couple nights ago through my tarot readings, always great to hear from him ^^

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for lady hestia

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I had a very brief and interesting dream from Lord Dionysus last night. It was simply a glimpse at one of His forms. He has long dark hair, a jaguar hood, solid red eyes, and fangs. All he said was "We're all beasts, in the end." I'm still trying to understand what He means!

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Aphrodite Areia🕊⚔️

(The warlike)

Happy friday everyone!

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Aphrodite; Prayer For Strength

Grant me strength in this moment of need.

May your divine love empower my spirit.

Aphrodite, guide me with your wisdom,

As I embrace the power of love within me.

Through your eternal beauty,

May I rise, renewed and unbroken.

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I'm going to put a stop to this shit right now.

The gods are not going to punish you for the way the election turned out.

There's already a trend I'm seeing where people are claiming the gods are mad, and mad at us specifically, and I NEED you to please, please try and listen to me when I say that this is a part of grief. We are scared and looking for someone to punish us, to tell us that we're bad, to validate how scared we feel.

This is even MORE prevalent if you've grown up with abusive parents.

Listen, I cannot speak on behalf of the gods, nobody can, especially random people on tiktok.

Try to see that this is a part of doom-scrolling, it's also a part of the grieving process, it's also a part of fear.

You are not in trouble.

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Libations

As a Hellenic polytheist, one of our most important duties to our gods would be to give libations. Libations are liquid offerings to our gods, not only in recognition of them and their importance but as an invitation into our lives for them.

When it comes to giving libations, it can be difficult for those of us practicing and worshipping in secret. So in this post I'll go over typical libations and how they're given, and then some methods I believe would be helpful for those that can't give openly! Please keep in mind that the suggested methods (for those practicing in secret) come from someone who is still navigating and learning her own religion. As always, do your own research where needed and do methods that make you most comfortable in your practices.

Typical Libations

Wine (typically red)

Symbolic of the divine ether, and Zeus's influence on the soul. Additionally, dark red wine represents the blood of Dionysus/Zagreus. We drink his blood as reflectance for his sacrifice by the titans and the eating of his flesh. It represents his metamorphosis, and in turn, our own cycle of birth.

Milk

Representative of Hera and Ira', who's breast milk formed the galaxies and cosmos. Milk also represents the earth.

Honey

Honey just golden which is incredibly symbolic of the gods, particularly their ichor (the blood of the gods). Honey is also a powerful preservative representing the immortality of the gods.

Fine oil (typically olive)

Oil historical lyrics symbolizes life, prosperity, and the divine spirit.

Milk and honey together are also a considerable libations but is particularly good for death related gods and the honoring of the dead. Milk and honey libations for them should NOT be consumed.

Giving Libations

To give libations, you would first pick up the offering bowl full of whatever you are giving with your right hand, then hold it with both and recite a dedication. The dedication itself is up to you but the example I saw is as follows:

"We dedicate this libation to khrismôdós Apóllôn and aithǽrios Diónysos and to all the happy, deathless Gods!"

Libations can be made to a singular god or multiple at once. Just ensure you have enough for them equally. Dedications can also be to a singular god or you can name the ones you are dedicating to.

Once you've made tour dedication, you'll transfer the bowl to your left hand and pour your offering on the ground or into whatever reservoir you have dedicated to it on your altaf. This is your libation, and the offering now belongs to them. Once you've made your libations you may sip from the remaining contents of the bowl as communion. Before doing so you may recite a prayer. Here is an example:

"We drink the blood of Diónysos! May the Aithír of Zefs intoxicate our souls and transform us!"

Please be aware that you should NOT drink libations to the dead or to death gods.

When sipping from the remainder of your libations, do NOT sip from the part where you poured. You should drink from the opposite end of the bowl.

Libations in Secret

When you're practicing in secret, these method of libations can be incredibly difficult. So with that, here are a few ways that I think could be helpful!

Can't access or drink wine/milk/honey? Substitute them for water or better yet, flavored juices!

Pomegranate juice can make a good libation for Underworld gods and goddesses, apple juice would be good for Zeus, etc. Research your deity's associations and try working with them. Water is also life-giving and integral to life.

Can't pour your libations outside or in a dedicated offering bowl? Use cups!

Pour your libations directly from the bottle to a cup and sit it on a shelf or desk or wherever you've dedicated to your god. You can recite your prayers and dedications in your head as well.

Worried about wasting drinks? Offer a smaller amount!

Typically what you give should be more than you keep, but your gods understand your struggles and would be understanding of your intentions. Offer a small amount of your drink, honey, etc and inform them of your reasonings and intentions. Your gods love you, they'll be happy with your efforts regardless.

Can't do your libations during the day? Do them at night!

Give your libations while everyone is asleep. You can even hide it under your bed or behind something to keep it for the time you want. (Please be careful of doing this with honey and be mindful of possible insects, pets, pests, spills, etc)

A minor? Do your libations at school!

You can do your libations while at school by making them during a PE class, during lunch, or any period of time where you can take a moment to do so! (I'm not condoning using your bathroom breaks to sneak off and do them, I'm just saying you definitely could do that)

Regardless of how you do your libations and with what, your practice is your own as is your relationship with your god(s). Do what feels right for you ♡