#Hellenic

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

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, whose breast milk formed the galaxies and cosmos. Milk also represents the earth.

Honey

Honey is 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 historically 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 your 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 altar. 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, this 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 ♡

[solivagant5]

Hearing people hate on helpol stuff is so funny, cause we're literally improving ourselves in the names of our gods

“your religion is evil!”

they scream as i lay in front of my altar whispering to father Apollon about my day and how much i enjoy his presence and what i’m going to do to honour him in the best way i can

[apollos-melody]

People treating helpol like it’s a “cute, quirky fandom” is so infuriating….

Like someone I know heard I practice Hellenic polytheism, then suddenly they started referring to the gods as though they practice it too, when they only know about the gods from media/childhood. Then they randomly go around claiming to practice helpol as well, (using #helpol in their posts), “for the aesthetic,” even though they don’t understand it/make fun of certain gods/don’t treat it with reverence. It drives me mad.

[diana-thyme]

Greek Gods 101: A Masterlist

This is a masterlist of the “Greek Gods 101” series. This series aims to provide basic information and worship ideas for both major and minor deities. This masterlist also involves heroes, deified mortals, spirits, and other figures of Greek mythology. This list is now newly organized into letter categories.

A’s & B’s

C’s & D’s

E’s & F’s

G’s & H’s

I’s & L’s

M’s & N’s

O’s & P’s

R’s & S’s

T’s, U’s, & Z’s

What is a “Universal Offering/Devotional Act?”

Feel free to request or suggest deities! This list will be done in order but you can ask for me to complete one that’s further down the list. Requests take priority!

This list is subject to change. There are probably repeat deities (deities who go by multiple names, parts of groups like the Horae or Charities who are mostly grouped together, etc.) on this list. Some deities are not on here. Some names are spelt wrong or different.

[titan-gods]

So, I'm not sure this is a unpopular opinion or not but here goes.

I believe in science and material fact. However I also believe that the gods are the ones who made science or set in motion the things in the universe that are considered science.

I dont see alot of people talking from this perspective, so I just wanted to know everyone's thoughts !

[dionysianivy]

𝐃𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ᡣ𐭩

Aphrodite: Goddess of love, beauty, romance, pleasure (Greek)

Bastet: Goddess of dance, music, fertility, love, joy (Egyptian)

Freyja: Goddess of fertility, beauty, love, glory, magic, sex (Norse)

Eros: God of love, beauty, youth, desire, sexuality (Greek)

Oshun: Goddess of wealth, beauty, love, water, divination (Yoruba)

Yue Lao: God of marriage, love, moon (Chinese)

Brigid: Goddess of poetry, fire, love, spring, fertility (Irish)

Hera: Goddess of marriage, women, fidelity, love, family, childbirth (Greek)

Hathor: Goddess of women, fertility, love, dance, perfume, joy (Egyptian)

Branwen: Goddess of love, beauty, sovereignty, kindness (Celtic)

Venus: Goddess of sex, love, beauty, victory, fertility (Roman)

Bes: God of love, music, merriment, childbirth, humor (Egyptian)

Parvati: Goddess of marriage, family, beauty, fertility, the arts, dancing, love (Hindu)

Aengus: God of youth, love, poetry, summer (Irish)

Benzaiten/Benten: Goddess of arts, love, music, wealth, wisdom, fortune, water (Japanese)

Frigg: Goddess of marriage, love, childbirth, divination, fertility (Norse)

Xochiquetzal: Goddess of flowers, love, sex, fertility, beauty, pleasure (Aztec)

Cupid: God of love, affection, attraction, desire (Roman)

Aisyt: Goddess of love, beauty, childbirth (Yakut)

Ōkuninushi no Mikoto: God of happiness, love, wisdom, earth (Japanese)

Živa: Goddess of love, fertility, life, grace, gratitude (Slavic)

Áine: Goddess of fairies, fertility, love, beauty, wealth, summer, protection (Irish)

Ishtar: Goddess of sexuality, love, fertility, war (Mesopotamiam)

Rati: Goddess of desire, passion, love, sexual pleasure, beauty (Hindu)

Inanna: Goddess of love, sensuality, fertility, procreation, war (Sumarian)

Prende: Goddess of women, health, dawn, love, beauty (Albanian)

Siebog: God of love, marriage (Slavic)

Kamadeva: God of sensual desire, love, pleasure, beauty (Hindu)

Sjöfn: Goddess of affection, love, friendship, protector of children (Norse)

Juno: Goddess of love, marriage, women's health, childbirth, fertility (Roman)

Turan: Goddess of fertility, love, vitality, beauty (Etruscan)

Lada: Goddess of love, family, marriage, children, beauty, spring, fertility, protection (Slavic)

Lilith: Goddess of rage, lust, love, femininity, darkness, freedom, mothehood, independence (Mesopotamian)

[a-sip-of-ambrosia]

saying good morning and goodnight to your deities >>>>

[thereseuwu]

APOLLOOOOO!!!!

An offering because I ate his leche flan (sorry) ALSO, I'd like to think he styles his hair sometimes when he doesn't have anything on his to-do list!

Have a very microscopic version of Apollo as well!

[witness2caesar]

This is just a quick reminder that this blog is not a safe place for you if you are a terf. Especially if you try and push the fucked up idea that Aphrodite does not love trans women. I am trans myself and won't tolerate my sisters being disrespected by miserable radfems. Ty.

Lady Aphrodite loves everyone. Including trans people.

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

PLEASE DO NOT USE TIKTOK AS A RESOURCE FOR HELLENIC POLYTHEISM

Tiktok is probably one of THE WORST places to learn about REAL hellenic polytheism because it is rampant with misinformation and most creators are only interested in views and parroting misinformation THEY heard. Yes there are some great and informative creators on there to learn about the hellenic gods but they are far and few in-between.

INSTEAD if you're new to the religion and have no clue where to start researching/learning, here are a few phenomenal creators on here with wonderful and informative posts!

@wisdom-devotee has an amazing guide for starting out in hellenic polytheism

@seasaltdevotion also recently made a fantastic post on resources for starting out

@crazycatsiren has a SUPER long list of resources and research material

@khaire-traveler has possibly the greatest list on subtle deity worship for just about every god

Please actually learn from those of us that truly love and covet this religion and spread information that will truly benefit you.

[starlight-sage]

♤ ʜᴇʀᴍᴇs • ɢᴏᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟ, ʙᴏᴜɴᴅᴀʀɪᴇs, ᴍᴇʀᴄʜᴀɴᴛs, ᴛʜɪᴇᴠᴇs, ᴛʀɪᴄᴋᴇʀʏ, ɢᴀᴍʙʟɪɴɢ, ʟᴜᴄᴋ, & ʟᴀɴɢᴜᴀɢᴇs ♤

[chthonioi]

Hypnos & Thanatos by ofensky

[celticchaoswitch]

A little messy watercolour painting for Apollo <33

[chthoniclakewitch]

QUIT HOLDING MYTH TO THE SAME STANDARD AS MODERN TIMES

QUIT HOLDING MYTH TO THE SAME STANDARD AS MODERN TIMES

QUIT HOLDING MYTH TO THE SAME STANDARD AS MODERN TIMES

QUIT HOLDING MYTH TO THE SAME STANDARD AS MODERN TIMES

QUIT HOLDING MYTH TO THE SAME STANDARD AS MODERN TIMES

QUIT HOLDING MYTH TO THE SAME STANDARD AS MODERN TIMES

[dionysianivy]

𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𓇢𓆸

Peony: Asclepius, Aion, Apollo, Leto, Aphrodite

Crocus: Hermes, Brigid, Tyche, Zeus, Persephone, Hekate, Mercury, Aurora, Eos, Artemis

Asphodel: Hades, Persephone, Hekate

Columbine: Aphrodite, Venus, Freyja, Baldr

Flowering Quince: Aphrodite, Venus

Hellebore: Dionysus, Helle, Saturn, Loki, Hekate

Henbane: Hekate, Apollo, Artemis, Saturn

Pansy: Thoth, Hermes, Zeus, Venus, Aphrodite, Persephone

Dandelion: Brigid, Aphrodite, Hecate, Loki, Belenus, Hermes, Helios, Artio

Grape Hyacinth: Dionysus, Hyacinthus

Snowdrops: Brigid, Persephone, Freyja, Aphrodite, Nanna

Forget-me-not: Zeus, Freyja, Aphrodite (named „mouse ear” by her), Adonis

Magnolia: Artemis, Selene, Aphrodite, Kala

Bluebell: Selene, Hermes, Hekate

Lily of the Valley: Apollo, Asculapius, Maia, Mercury, Ostara, Skadi, Baldrr, Artemis

Primrose: Bertha, Brigid, Freyja

Hyacinth: Apollo, Zephyrus, Tyche, Hyacinthus, Quetzalcoatl, Yemaya, Dionysus

Anemone: Aphrodite, Adonis, Blodeuwedd, Artemis, Loki

Lilac: Pan, Venus, Sigyn, Dionysus

Chamomile: Tyche, Hermes, Ra, Helios, Mercury, Hestia, Oshun, Baldr, Hephaestus

Iris: Persephone, Iris, Hera, Juno, Horus, Isis

Easter Lily: Áine, Ostara

Azalea: Persephone, Artemis, Aphrodite

Tulip: Flora, Dionysus, Anahita, Eros, Lilith, Nyx

Gardenia Morpheus, Athena, Artemis, Selene

Lily: Persephone, Morrigan, Hera, Cybele, Artemis, Lilith, Thanatos

Daffodil/Narcissus: Apollo, Narcissus, Persephone, Tyche, Hades, Thanatos

Foxglove: Freyja, Flora, Juno, Dionysus, Áine, Cernunnos, Saturn

Jasmine: Lakshmi, Aphrodite, Vishnu, Selene, Morpheus, Tyche, Hermes, Hel

Wisteria: Dionysus, Hermes, Kanayago, Mercury

Larkspur (Delphinium): Apollo, Persephone, Zephyrus, Freyja, Aphrodite, Poseidon

Phlox: Eros, Demeter, Hestia, Dionysus

Poppy: Thanatos, Demeter, Ceres, Morpheus, Ares, Dionysus

Violet: Ares, Aphrodite, Io, Orpheus, Venus, Attis, Persephone, Priapus, Polukleitos , Dionysus

Carnation: Artemis, Diana, Zeus, Odin

Daisy: Brigid, Aphrodite, Freyja, Venus, Selene, Cernunnos, Hermes, Ostara

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁

Note about this post! These aren’t all the spring flowers, just the ones I have more knowledge about and personal experience with. This list is mostly based on my own interpretation and how I’ve come to associate certain flowers with specific deities throughout my journey as a pagan witch. I’m aware there are many other deities connected to flowers, but these are the ones that came to mind while I was taking notes. I also want to mention that color is probably one of the most important aspects when it comes to associating flowers with deities. For example, Lady Athena is connected with all white flowers, Lady Aphrodite with pink ones, and Dionysus with any purple flower. Elements also play a role, flowers carry elemental energy that can deepen their symbolism or connection to a deity. There are goddesses from different religions who are patrons of flowers and vegetation, like Flora, Chloris, and others, and they’re basically associated with all flowers, so I didn’t include them here since it felt kind of obvious. Whether a flower is traditionally associated with a deity or not, I just want to say, flowers make beautiful offerings, and your deities will absolutely appreciate any plant you choose to give them :D