shellsandsalt

[shellsandsalt]

There’s a thrift store near my house that I visit every few weeks, and yesterday when I went there was a WHOLE BIRTH OF VENUS STATUE!!! I was so excited to see it, it was absolutely gorgeous. But I’m trying to save money right now for a trip, and walking away from that statue literally HURT

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I had no idea Lord Hermes was so sweet?? I’m literally floored

I went on a day out with some family this weekend, and when the sun was setting we were all getting back in the car to go home. It was around a 4 hour trip and we were going through a sort of dangerous area so I was a bit nervous.

While we were walking back to the car without thinking I just started mumbling prayers for Lord Hermes to make the trip back go smoothly and to not have us have to stop the car until we’re home.

I didn’t expect much, but I immediately got a calm and satisfied feeling washing over me. Shockingly, the car ride back went perfect and we didn’t stop until we were back home, no one even had to use the bathroom.

Im so grateful Lord Hermes heard my prayers and gave me a hand even tho I’ve never communicated with him before!

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Everytime I pray to Aphrodite I end up going “iloveyousomuchyoumakemesohappyallthetimeireallyreallyloveprayingtoyouitmakesmesohappythankyouforeverythingireallyloveyou” for like twenty minutes straight.

I’m a MESS😭I end up forgetting what I was even praying about in the first place

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Eyes literally welling up on the bus because the big open field that used to be where my county would hold their fair me and my friends would go to every year is getting bulldozed and turned into ANOTHER shopping center.

Why does every single thing have to be gentrified? :(

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Last night I had a dream I was sitting with my mom in the kitchen and we were just talking normally when she turned around and told me, “I hope you always know how beautiful you are. Aphrodite blessed you, baby” and then I woke up.

My mom doesn’t even know I’m a Hellenist, but omg I was SO happy😭😭

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Just to clarify, if anyone who follows this blog doesn’t stand with Palestine, you aren’t welcome here. This isn’t a political blog, but this isn’t a politic issue. It’s a human rights issue. Free Palestine 🇵🇸🇵🇸

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I usually have a very precise schedule for my weekend.

I hang out with my best friend Friday-Sunday, she leaves at 5, and the rest of the day I spend cleaning and praying and cleansing.

This weekend I had to change up my usual plans to hang out with other people in different places and had zero time to pray.

Currently losing my mind and ripping out my hair I need to go home NOW😭😭

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I’ve always been interested in Apollo, but every attempt I’ve had to reach out to him has come up short.

I’ve started realizing I’ve been downplaying my own creativity because I’m about the age where I have to start getting serious about my career and future. I’ve been discrediting the arts and still assuming I could connect with the god of art- silly, I know.

But when I realized even if work and career stuff is important, it doesn’t make my love for art and creativity any less important just because it doesn’t always have monetary value- I’ve had SUCH a surge in creativity!!

I’ve been painting daily, spending time outside doing art, finding new artistic hobbies, all types of stuff that I never found myself enjoying this much until now.

If any Apollo Devotees or worshipers could tell me about their own experiences with him or how I could continue to expand my understanding of him to finally form a relationship, I would love to hear!!! :) I’m planning on attempting to reach out to him again soon now that the weathers warming up!

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I’m not sure if I did something wrong, but this is the first time I’ve called out to Lady Aphrodite without receiving a response :(( I’m not sure what to do, does anyone have any advice?

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I’ve talked at length about how much I love how different and diverse religions are and how beautiful I think it is how people how found their own paths in life.

But as someone who lives in the west, it’ll always make me a little sad to see how guilty the people who practice Christianity in my life feel sometimes :(

It hurts my heart hearing people so young tell me they’re afraid of not being good enough to be worth heaven. I’m forever appreciative I was raised in an environment that didn’t push or pull me to any faith and let me find my own path. In bad environments, I know organized religions have the power to hurt and abuse.

I know my deity’s have never made me feel unworthy of happiness. The only requirement I’ve ever felt from them is to fulfill the potential I was given. I know guilt and fear will always be a big part of organized religions, but I really wish every religious community could be based on the joy and warmth their gods give them, and not the fear they inflict or how to be superior to others.

I literally just want to grab every religious person and remind them they’re worth their deities love and time- always!!!

How do other hellenists feel about organized religion?? Do you guys ever feel guilt within your practices?

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I’m still new to Hellenism, I’m sure it has its rough spots, but within the communities I’ve found and interacted with I’ve felt nothing but welcome.

Even as a beginner. I’ve felt so safe and heard by other Hellenists. To be in a religious community like this without feeling judged is amazing, and I want to thank everyone of you who I’ve talked to or have interacted with my posts.

You all mean the world to me and I’m so happy to share this space with you!!

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What really hurts about religious discourse is how much we all have in common. I know being a Hellenist brings me unfathomable levels of warmth and comfort that I can’t find anywhere else. And I know there are people of other faiths that feel that way with their deities.

There’s so much emphasis on who is “right” or “wrong”, but I don’t believe there’s one truth for everyone. We all have such different lives and paths. The way religion is used as a weapon of hate and not a tool for love and compassion will always sadden me.

I may not personally worship every deity of every religion, but I acknowledge that the feeling of spiritual fulfillment that other religions give people is real. That is enough for me to find love in my heart for them all.

If Allah can bring you that feeling, THATS BEAUTIFUL!! If Jesus can bring you that feeling, THATS BEAUTIFUL!! If any deity of any faith can bring you that feeling….THATS BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Personally, I don’t see my religion as an undeniable truth for everyone. I see it as spiritual connection that brings me love and warmth like no other. I know Lady Aphrodite is real in my heart, because I feel her. I can never give you an equation or a fact that proves my feelings, but I know it’s true in my life. How could you look someone in the eyes and tell them they’ll be punished for seeking love and warmth?

I know I’m just rambling, but I just wish we could live in a world where religion wasn’t a competition of who is right, but a way for us to find more beauty and fulfillment in our worlds.

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I keep having this dream over and over again, which is pretty weird since I literally never have dreams.

But I’ll be walking through a neighborhood and one of the houses looks like a pale pink version of the castle Ariel lived in at the start of The Little Mermaid. And everytime I walk past it dream- me thinks “Lady Aphrodite lives there”

I have no idea what it means, but it’s the only time I’ve had any deity mentioned in my dreams😭

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I know a lot of us Hellenist have problems being open with our religion, especially in the west. But even if I keep my practices to myself, I find it sweet in a way how I can connect to my friends with it, even if they don’t know.

Ive been pretty sick for a few days now, and my Christian friend told me she prayed for me to get better soon. She doesn’t know I’m a Hellenist, and I don’t plan on telling her, but when she’s sick I’ll pray for her too.

Even if it’s not the same, I feel connected to her in a way since we’re both so devoted to our own gods. I think that’s beautiful. :)

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I love Lady Aphrodite…but she is SO PETTY!!

I was praying to her and talking about how I was dealing with toxic people in my life and how frustrated I was.

Next morning I’m walking to school with one of those toxic people and a literal sparrow shits in her hair.

I was like “…if this isn’t a sign I don’t know what is”

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UHH FOLLOW UP??

I feel silly for not realizing this at first but omg😭

I’ve always had a lot of problems regarding romance and genuinely feeling a romantic connection to people. What people described as butterflies just felt like deep anxiety to me and made me want to stay away from whoever they’re directed towards even if I don’t have any problems with them.

But when I pray to Aphrodite I feel a bright and giddy feeling inside. Like it’s overwhelming but it makes me feel excited and like I could just pray for hours.

Is that soft giddy feeling what butterflies are supposed to feel like???? Not crippling anxiety and fear???? I feel like I should’ve put this together sooner😭

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I’m still a bit new to Hellenism, but the gods that I’ve connected with have all affected me in SUCH different ways.

When I pray to Aphrodite I feel a really warm and positive feeling around my chest and throat that makes me feel giddy, like butterflies.

When I pray to Dionysus I feel a really empowered feeling in my gut, like the feelings you get when you complete a really hard hike and look around like, “damn, look at me go, I’m awesome”.

When I pray to Artemis I feel a presence in my chest and shoulders, like when you’re younger and your parents hold your shoulders and tell you everything’s going to be okay before you get back on the bike you feel off.

I just wanted to hear if anyone else feels certain emotions when worshiping different gods and their experiences :)!!