#hellenisticismos

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

Types of Divination

I recently saw my friend Dagan ( @olympianbutch ) respond to an ask about his forms of divination and thought it'd be fun to go over the ones I know of! A lot of people know of tarot and pendulum but there's so many more that deserve to be be tried and maybe someone will find a new method that works for them ♡

• 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 •

Tarot- One of if not THE most well-known forms of divination. Tarot typically consists of a 78 card deck with 22 major arcana cards and 56 minor cards. These cards typically have a set and known meaning universally across all decks.

Lenormand- A (usually) 36 card deck typically used for fortune telling. As opposed to tarot, lenormand is read in a sequence and is considered more straightforward than tarot. One of the most common readings for lenormand would he The Grand Tableau, which uses the entire deck to create a "snapshot".

Oracle Cards- Oracle cards vary vastly across different decks, as each deck has different cards with different meanings. They typically create a more specific answer than tarot.

Cartomancy- Tarot is often confused as cartomancy, but cartomancy is its own separate divination style. Cartomancy typically involves using a deck of playing cards for divining questions. It has its own reading system separate from tarot and usually involves some numerology in its deciphering.

• 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 •

Capnomancy (smoke reading)- Divining messages and answers from smoke. Incense smoke is one of the most common, but other fire sources producing smoke can be used.

Geomancy- Divination done through identifying patterns created in the earth (or on paper). The diviner will create geomantic figures at random (with 16 possible combinations) and divine messages and answers from them.

Hydromancy- Divining through water by observing reflections and ripples (either naturally occurring or created.

Botanomancy- A method that involves burning herbs, plants, or branches and diving messages/identifying energies through the smoke and flames.

Cledonomancy- A method involving "overheard words". The diviner will cover their ears while asking their question or for advice, leave their location, and then unplug their ears. The words and sounds they hear will be their response. This was typically done while asking the Hermes Agoraios questions and leaving the agora/walking away from the statue.

• 𝐈𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 •

Pendulum (dowsing)- A form of divination that uses a pendant, typically on an evenly distributed chain or cord, to divine messages. The most common way it's done is by asking the pendulum (or spirits/entities etc) how the pendulum will swing for yes, no, and maybe answers. It is also common to use a pendulum board which has set spaces for yes, no, maybe, and occasionally letters for more refined answers.

Ouija- Also known as a spirit board, a suitable board consists of a board with yes, no, and alphabet, and goodbye at the bottom. A planchette is used to spell messages from the spirit/entity and answer auestions. It is known practice to always end an ouija board session by sliding the planchette to the "goodbye" section of the board.

Scrying- A divination method typically involving an obsidian mirror, a crystal ball, a pool of water in darkness, etc. A candle is commonly lit and the diviner falls into a trance-like state in which they'll see images and scenes depicted in the reflections.

Ceromancy (Wax reading)- A method that commonly involves the diviner pouring candle wax into water and deciphering the imagery seen above and below the surface of the water.

Tasseography (Tea reading)- Divination involving a tea cup and the leaves of the tea. The majority of the tea is drank, leaving just a small amount in the cup. The remaining leaves in the cup are interpreted typically for fortune telling.

Bibliomancy- The opening of a book to a random page and line/passage to divine messages and answers.

Astragalomancy (dice casting)- Throwing dice, typically to divine short answers. The reader will usually assign meaning to each number of the dice, the most common being yes, no, maybe.

I'm definitely missing more than a few, and several of these have been described to their bare minimum because they're fairly complex (ie, geomancy), but I had fun making this list regardless. Maybe I'll make in-depth posts about some of the more complex ones.

Regardless! I hope you found this informative in any way. Safe travels ♡

[olympianbutch]

offerings that are made by hand >>>>

[olympianbutch]

Polite correction coming through! 🗣

Hellenistic polytheism is a perfectly fine term to use for reconstructed/revitalized ancient Greek religion.

I know that people say, "But 'Hellenistic' refers to a time period," but that is only true when 'Hellenistic' and 'period' appear together.

By itself, 'Hellenistic' literally just means "in the style/manner of the Greeks," so Hellenistic polytheism would refer to polytheism in the style/manner of the Greeks.

I would honestly rather that people use 'Hellenistic' more, as opposed to accidentally misusing modern Greek ethnonyms like 'Hellenic' and 'Hellenism/os.'

In fact, Hellenisticismos is an excellent alternative to the issue of people misusing Hellenismos.

Friendly Reminder that the religion is called Hellenic Polytheism and you are a Hellenic Polytheist.

It is not Hellenism, Hellenismos, Hellenistic Polytheism and you are not a Hellenist or Hellenic.

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

Can I still celebrate Christmas with my family if I'm a Hellenic Polytheist? This has been lingering in the back of my mind for a while. Christmas is technically a Christian holiday, right?

Khaire!

Honestly, celebrate whatever you want. You can still enjoy and partake in a holiday outside of your religion!

I love Christmas and know many other hellenic polytheists that celebrate it. To tell someone they can't is like saying you can't celebrate St. Patrick's Day if you're not Irish. Holidays may have religious origins, but a vast majority of people don't celebrate them religiously. Enjoy your Christmas whimsy ♡

Safe travels!

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

Just a reminder that you can be religious and believe in science in tandem. They aren't mutually exclusive, and I view them as 2 sides of the same coin ♡

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

It is the 4th of the 4th my dudes

[olympianbutch]

Zeus, as a god of childbirth, doesn't surprise me one bit, but that's because my favorite Zeuses are those of the domestic and paternal spheres!!!!

Zeus is the personal protector of homes from dangers without, both in the form of Zeus Herkeios (of the Fence/Courtyard) and Zeus Kataibates (Who Descends in the Form of Lightning). He's also personally invested in the security of household goods as Zeus Ktesios (of the Storeroom).

While certainly not as widespread as the cults of the other domestic Zeuses (which were POPULARRR), Zeus Lekheates, as he was worshipped at Aliphera, is an obvious ally in childbirth. I mean, he gave birth to Athena, and his daughter Eileithyia is birth pangs!

Zeus has a lot of epithets.

Most of them about power, law, storms, kingship. Things you’d expect from the king of the gods.

But Zeus-Lekheatês stops me in my tracks. It’s one of the most unexpectedly tender epithets he has.

The name Lekheatês comes from lekheion, which refers to the bed where a woman would give birth. So Zeus-Lekheatês is, in essence, Zeus as the god of childbirth. The god who protects women during labor. Which, if you really think about it, is wildly fascinating because it’s so unlike the usual way Zeus is framed.

Birth was dangerous in the ancient world. No epidurals, no modern medicine. Just blood, pain, and the gods’ mercy. A mother could die. The baby could die. It was a moment of pure vulnerability, teetering on the edge between life and death. And here’s Zeus, not just presiding over grand cosmic fates or battles or oaths, but over this. Over the most raw, intimate struggle of all. Over the act of bringing life into the world.

And the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Zeus is, above all else, the god of balance. The one who maintains order, who ensures the cosmos doesn’t spiral into chaos. And what is birth if not the ultimate balance between life and death? A single moment where fate could tip either way? Zeus doesn’t just decide who wins wars, he decides who lives, and that includes the smallest, most fragile of beginnings. It’s an aspect of him that feels strangely human, almost gentle. It’s not the Zeus of the thunderbolts or the one swearing unbreakable oaths on the Styx. It’s Zeus as a guardian. A protector.

And if that doesn’t change how you see him, even just a little, I don’t know what will.

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

My love language is 1000% gift giving and I've noticed that in my 15 years of hellenic polytheism (6 years of full devotion to the religion), I've never bought as many gifts and offerings as I have for Lord Hermes. Any chance I get, I want nothing more than to buy things to offer to Him.

I say this to say, I'm currently working on an oracle deck for Him as a devotional act and offering and thought I'd share some of the art I've made for it so far ♡

There's still A LOT of cards to do (54 total) and these will definitely go through a lot of edits but I'm having fun ♡

Xaire the Herald ♡•*° ⚚ *°•♡

[olympianbutch]

What are your thoughts on polygamy amongst the gods? Particularly, Zeus, with some of his divine consorts such as Themis or Leto?

The ancient Greeks were not polygamists, and neither were their gods. The ancient Macedonians practiced bigamy—Philip II had two wives—but idk how or if that bled over into local portrayals of the gods.

Hesiod describes the list of Zeus's wives as happening in succession, meaning he only ever has one wife at a time, with Hera being the last of them all. He isn't holding those previous marriages simultaneously, so he isn't a polygamist.

Leto is, indeed, an interesting case.

In Hesiod, she was Zeus's wife before Hera, but in later mytho-poetic tradition, she is more like a pallake or officially recognized mistress. Pallakai are categorically not wives, so even if Zeus is with her at the same time as Hera, he's still not a polygamist.

[olympianbutch]

do you practice any forms of physical divination? (like tarot, drawing lots, etc) and if so, what kind? im curious to see what divination looks like for reconstructionists vs more witchy practices. unless i missed something entirely and you're also a witch--which my bad in that case

if not, what do you use for dialogue with the gods? if you do that, of course

I'm technically a diviner, yes!

I read tarot professionally for ~3 years until I gave up trying to run an online store (fuck Etsy, btw).

Besides cartomancy, I also use astragalomancy, carromancy, and capnomancy.

I rarely divine nowadays unless someone asks, and I was never ever huge on divining for myself. If I do use divination, it's to determine whether or not the gods accept their offerings.

I do not dialogue with the gods the way most people online claim to, and I'm not a witch. :)

[olympianbutch]

Hi, i wanted to know more about orphism but i don't know where i could search.. The most well-informed website i knew was HellenicGods.org, but i saw a post you made sayng that it wasn't a reliable source... I mean, the orphic fragments there looks really suspictious :^

I am the wrong person to ask about Orphism since I study popular and common religion in ancient Greece. :0

Orphism is categorically not popular or common.

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

can you do tarot readings with gods that aren’t of divination? like, you’re not asking them things about the future, but something else. like as a way to connect to them, i saw people doing it and people who say you can’t. so i’m confused

Khaire!

Divination is simply a method of communication, I've never really had any issues communicating with my deities through it.

I will say (and this is entirely my personal belief and experience with tarot when it comes to deities), I find it much harder and less productive to use it with a deity I haven't established a relationship with in some capacity. Even with deities I don't worship but have communicated with on the behalf of others or for one reason or another, I make an offering and invoke them through prayer before attempting a reading. I find that my readings are much clearer and make much more sense this way.

I hope that helped in some way, safe travels! ♡

[athenaeum-of-the-herald]

There's something so heart wrenchingly beautiful and fulfilling about creating for a god.

To spend your time meticulously crafting something to present to them. To dedicate a piece of yourself and your life (because your time is your life) to them, for them.

What a beautiful thing ♡

offerings that are made by hand >>>>