#sacred olive oil

[blueiscoool]

Panathenaic Prize Amphora: A Pot With Olive Oil Awarded at The Ancient Greek Olympics

Instead of a gold medal, victors at the ancient Greek Panathenaic Games received terra-cotta pots filled with Athenian olive oil from sacred trees.

Name: Panathenaic prize amphora.

What it is: A Greek terra-cotta pot known as an amphora.

Where it is from: Vulci, Italy.

When it was made: Circa 530 B.C., during Greece's Archaic period.

Unlike in today's Olympics — in which competitors receive gold, silver and bronze medals — each ancient winner received dozens of terra-cotta vases emblazoned with their specific sport and filled with Athenian olive oil, a highly "valuable prize," according to Harvard Art Museums.

The olive oil award given to Olympic champions came from the sacred groves of Athena, the patroness of Athens, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. In general, ancient Greeks considered olive trees "sacred," and they symbolized Zeus, the god of the sky and, later, the god of the Olympics, according to the Journal of Olympic History.

his particular amphora features a lineup of five runners during a footrace, a competition considered the "earliest known event in the Panathenaic Games," according to the Met. Athletes competed fully naked, since they thought their physiques might intimidate their competition, according to Southern Utah University.

The pot, which stands 24.5 inches (62 centimeters) tall, is attributed to "Euphiletos Painter." This anonymous artist was known for an art style called black-figure pottery, in which subjects were drawn in silhouette, according to the British Museum. This is just one of the many vases awarded to the victors at the Games, with other pots featuring charioteers, archers and boxers.

By Jennifer Nalewicki.

[444you]

KALOGERAS BEAUTY TIPS . 🤎

hair care is crucial. look into diy hair masks that revive ur curls. the most infamous one is the egg, olive oil, and mayo one. now you don’t have to stop doing things like straightening your hair but keep it to a minimum, make sure you have heat protectant. curling brands to consider is lola or skala, both brazilian brands. i believe they all use bounce curl products however. just take ur hair journey slow, research if possible. natural shampoos like using aloe vera gel straight from the plant could be beneficial. however it is not necessary.

now with clothes, they have a variety of different items. sometimes they share the same clothes. but a majority of them are bodycon dresses and basics (plain tees, tube tops, and such). this is something you can find anywhere.

and lastly, self love. the kalogera sisters know they’re fine. and so should you. sometimes it’s harder to gain confidence than it is others. you hear fake it til you make it. tbh i’m learning myself as well. ur self love journey is something sacred. you will eventually find your way. i know for me, i might not feel the most confident but when i put megan thee stallion on… that’s another story 😭. i also never neglect self care. i do my activities every friday, it’s the best day for beauty and self care. wether that’s making homemade hair and skin masks. treating myself to some sweets. baking cookies. that’s another thing i think sunday does? she loves to bake. that’s a good way to treat yourself. and there’s many recipes, both homemade and storebought.

[bloomzone]

hi, what's your morning to night routine

MY MORNING & NIGHT ROUTINE

🍄-Morning Routine

I wake up at 5:30 AM every day (yes, I’m a morning person). The first thing I do is drink warm water because, let’s be honest, I feel like a dried-up sponge when I wake up. Then, I do a quick stretch—it’s nothing fancy, just something to get the blood moving.

My favorite part of the morning? Opening Duolingo. It’s such a vibe starting the day with something productive, and I feel like I’m keeping my brain sharp (plus, the streak pressure is real ... I'm learning mandarine). After that, it’s skincare time! I wash my face with cleanser - I put usually aloe Vera gel mask so my skin thanks me for the extra love.

Breakfast is sacred—I don’t skip it, ever. Some days it’s eggs and olive oil, other days I’ll have boiled rice or a piece of bread with something energetic. And, of course, hot milk / coffee because it makes mornings feel extra cozy. By 7 AM, I’m ready to conquer school, feeling like I’ve already accomplished a mini checklist.

🍄-Night Routine

After school, I usually eat something , help my mom and get straight into homework. If there’s something I didn’t understand, I’ll go over it until it makes sense

Once the schoolwork is out of the way, I give myself some time to relax. Journaling has become a little ritual for me—it’s just me, my pen, and a brain dump of all the things I need to get out. Sometimes I plan my next day or even just write down random thoughts.

When it’s time to get ready for bed, I do my skincare routine Then, I scroll through Tumblr for a bit watch Youtube or daydream about my goals while tucked under my blanket. I’m usually in bed by 10 PM, though sometimes my mind wants to stay up plotting the next big thing.

@bloomzone ✒️

[stalkerofthegods]

Lord Apollo Deep dive

Lord Apollon is an amazing god, he is a healer, but he is also the destroyer of health, the same string that holds his bow and arrows of misery is the same in his lyre that he makes beautiful songs and lyrics with, he deserves respect as a god and as a Father. I adore Lord Apollon as a worshiper and as a researcher, no matter how harsh he may be. May you not judge lord Apollon from his myths and remember his actions of good. May all worshipers of devotees Tell of his amazingness.

God of - prophecy and oracles, Music, song and poetry, archery, healing, plague and disease, and the protection of the young, divine distance, fertility, knowledge, dancing, wolves, locust, doorways, mice, entrances, foreigners, happy travels, light, omens, averting evil and harm, boundaries, and borders, laurels, mildews, the god who punishes and destroys, he helps and wards off evil, he protects the flocks and cattle, the foundation of towns and the establishment of civil constitutions, protection of young boys, god of purification, he’s also a Psychopomp.

Symbols- The lyre, Silver bow & arrows, Dolphins, Swans, Crows, Ravens, Lions, Wolves, Wolves, Mice, Griffins, Hawks, Snakes, Laurel wreath, Fire/flame, The sun/sunlight, Tripod, Apples 

Incense/scents - Bay, Frankincense, Cypress, Clove, Cinnamon, Mugwort, Myrrh, hythincath, Rays of light radiating from his head, Branch of laurel, Wreath, amber, myrrh, lily of the valley, frankinscences, orange, lemongrass, marjoram

Colors • orange and yellow, red, gold and pure white blue, pink (means healing) purple and green (associated with the Oracle)

Herbs• Palm Tree, Apple Tree, Poplar Tree, Mistletoe, cinnamon, myrrh, bay leafs, sunflowers and red roses, oak wood, cypress (his veey dear friend ((not a lover or crush))), mint, heliotrope, Goldenseal, Date Palm, orange, lemongrass, marjoram

elements • his element is light

Day, month and festivals• Yule, Midsummer, May, sunday, his festivals are Noumenia, Delphinia, Thargelia, Apatouria, Pyanepsia, Asklepia (maybe), Pandia (maybe)

Patron of - medicine, mental health, physical health, therapy, the alphabet/words, defender of herds and flocks, justice, prophecy, and mental and moral purity, herdsmen and shepherds, anything in the medical field.

What I resonate with him • resseces pieces (I forgot why),  Raven, lyre, lemonade, yellow, sun, bob Ross, painting, singing, humming, melody, Oracle’s, prophecies, knowledge, Purification, suns/ stars  

Crystals•Sunstone, Citrine, Carnelian, Clear Quartz, Pyrite, Selenite, Lapis Lazuli

His sacred items - Bow and arrows; lyre; the wreath of laurel leaves (he wears that which is to be understood as Daphne’s hair.) 

Planet - The sun 

Tarot card- the sun, the chariot

Number - 7 

Animals - Wolf, griffin, dolphins, Swans, foxes, roe deer, swans, cicadas, hawks, ravens, crows, foxes, mice, and snakes

Signs he's reaching out• Significant Dream Encounters of him, Frequent Solar Imagery, Increased Interest in the Arts, Strong Connection to Healing, seeing his Symbols and Animals, having  Prophetic Experiences, finding yourself seeking the truth all of the sudden, Attraction to Light and Warmth

What u could put on his alter • Sun water, Wine (diluted with pure water), Milk, Olive oil, Herbal teas, Honey, honey cakes, Orange and lemon pastries, Lamb meat,  goat meat, Fruits, Cheeses, Wheat, Breads, Golden objects (ex- such as gold bowls, gold wine cups, flakes of gold), Bows and arrows (real or fake), art, Images of the sun, All musical instruments, (especially stringed instruments), Wolf imagery, dolphin imagery, Any images of birds (especially crows and swans), Yellow, gold, and white candles, Incense he likes. He likes his alters Neat, clean, not cluttered, orderly, surround him with who he loves (ex- past lovers, Leto, artemis) , add images of wolves, mice, and ravens, Wine, incense, gifts of solar imagery, oranges 

Other titles of apollon• ABAEUS/ Abaios (derived from the town of Abae in Phocis),

ACERSE′COMES/Akersekomês (Apollo expressive of his beautiful hair which was never cut or shorn.) ACE′SIUS/ Akesios (surname of Apollo, under which he was worshipped in Elis, This surname, which has the same meaning as akestôr and alexikakos as the god of averter of evil), ACESTOR/Akestôr (A surname of Apollo which characterises him as the god of the healing art, or in general as the averter of evil, like akesios), ACTIACUS (a surname of Apollo, derived from Actium, AEGLE′TES/Aiglêtês (that is, the radiant god), AGE′TOR/Agêtôr (a surname given to several gods, example is Zeus at Lacedaemon) AGO′NIUS/Agônios (a surname or epithet of several gods, like Zeus), AGRAEUS/Agraios (the hunter a surname of Apollo After he had killed the lion of Cithaeron), AGYIEUS/Aguieus (a a title describing him as the protector of the streets and public places), ALEXI′CACUS/ Alexikakos (the averter of evil, is a surname given by the Greeks to several deities like Zeus.), AMAZO′NIUS/ Amazonios, AMYCLAEUS/Amuklaios, ARCHE′GETES/Archêgetês (A surname of Apollo, under which he was worshipped in several places, as at Naxos in Sicily), Megara (The name has reference either to Apollo as the leader and protector of colonies, or as the founder of towns in general, in which case the import of the name is the same as theos patroôs.),  BOEDRO′MIUS/ Boêdromios (the helper in distress), CARNEIUS/ Karneiosx, CATAE′BATES/Kataibatês (invoked by this name to grant a happy return home, katabasis (to those who were travelling abroad), CHRYSAOR/Chrusaôr) (The god with the golden sword or arms), CLA′RIUS/ Klarios (derived from his celebrated temple at Claros in Asia Minor), CO′RYDUS/Korudos (from the temple eighty stadia from Corone, on the sea-coast),  CY′NTHIUS and CY′NTHIA/Kunthia and Kunthios (surnames of Artemis and Apollo from island of Delos, which is their birthplace), DAPHNAEUS and DAPHNAEA/Daphnaia and Daphnaios (surnames of Artemis and Apollo), DECATE′PHORUS/ Dekatêphoros (that is, the god to whom the tenth part of the booty is dedicated), DE′LIUS and DE′LIA/ Dêlios and Dêlia or Dêlias (surnames of Apollo and Artemis respectively), DELPHINIUS and DELPHI′NIA/ Delphinia (a surname of Artemis at Athens & The masculine form Delphinius is used as a surname of Apollo), EPACTAEUS or EPA′CTIUS/ Epaktaios or Epaktios (the god worshipped on the coast, was also used as a surname of Poseidon in Samos) EPIBATE′RIUS/ Epibatêrios (the god who conducts men on board a ship), EPICU′RIUS/ Epikourios (the helper),

EUTRESITES/Eutrêsitês (derived from Eutresis, where he had a ancient Oracle), GALA′XIUS/Galaxios a (from Boeotia, derived from the stream Galaxius),

HEBDOMA′GETES/Hebdomagetês (was derived from the fact of sacrifices being offered to him on the seventh of every month, the seventh of some month which became the god's birthday), HECAERGUS/Hekaergos (same meaning as Hecaerge in the case of Artemis),HY′LATUS/Hulatos (derived from the town of Hyle in Crete, which was sacred to him), INTONSUS/unshorn, (surname of Apollo and Bacchus showing the eternal youth of these gods, beacuse the Greek youths allowed their hair to grow until they attained the age of manhood), ISME′NIUS/Ismenios (A surname of Apollo at Thebes), ISO′DETES/Isodetêg (the god who binds all equally, is also used as a surname of Pluto),I′XIUS/Ixios (derived from a district of the island of Rhodes which was called Ixiae or Ixia.), LAPHRAEUS/Laphraios (a surname of Apollo at Calydon), LEUCA′DIUS/ Leukasios (a son of Icarius and Polycaste, and a brother of Penelope and Alyzeus. Leucas was believed to have derived its name from him), LIBYSTI′NUS, LOE′MIUS/Loimios (the deliverer from plague),

LO′XIAS/Loxias (derived by some from his intricate and ambiguous oracles), LYCE′GENES/Lukêgenês (describing him either as the god born in Lycia, or as the god born of light), LYCEIUS/Lukeios (the meaning is not quite certain, some derive it from lukos, a wolf, so that it would mean "the wolf-slayer;" others from lukê, light, according to which it would mean "the giver of light;"), LY′CIUS/Lukios (the Lycian, a surname of Apollo, who was worshipped in several places of Lycia),

LYCO′REUS/Lukôreus (A surname of Apollo perhaps in the same sense as Lyceius), MALEATES/Maleatês  (surname of Apollo, derived from cape Malea, in the south of Laconia),MARMARINUS/Marmarinos (the god of marble), MALLOEIS and MELUS/Mêlos (A son of Manto, from which the sanctuary of Apollo Malloeis in Lesbos was believed to have derived its name), MOIRA′GETES/Moiragetês (the guide or leader of fate, occurs as a surname of Zeus and Apollo at Delphi) MUSA′GETES/MUSAE (?), NO′MIUS/Noumios (surname of divinities protecting the pastures and shepherds sheared with Apollo, Pan. Hermes, and Aristaeus) ONCAEUS/Onkaios (a surname of Apollo derived from Oncesium on the river Ladon in Arcadia), PAEAN/Paian, Paiêôn or Paiôn (meaning "the healing," however, used also in the more general sense of deliverer from any evil or calamity, PAGASAEUS/ Pagasaios/the Pagasaean, from Pegasus, or Pegasae, (town in Thessaly, uses the surname of Apollo there.), PALATI′NUS, (surname of Apollo at Rome), PARNO′PIUS/Paruopios (the expeller of locusts) paruôps (a surname of Apollo, under which he had a statue on the acropolis at Athen), PARRHA′SIUS/Parrastos (A surname of Apollo, who had a sanctuary on Mount Lyceius, meaning “the helper”, PATAREUS/Patareus (derived from the Lycian town of Patara, where the god used to spend the six winter months in every year), PHILE′SIUS/Philêsios (surname of Apollo at Didyma, where Branchus was said to have founded a sanctuary of the god, and to have introduced his worship) PHOEBUS/ Phoibos (the shining, pure or bright, occurs both as an epithet and a name of Apollo), PHY′XIUS/Phuzios (the god who protects fugitives, also occurs as a surname of Zeus in Thessaly), PY′THIUS/Puthios the Pythian, from Pytho (the ancient name of Delphi, often occurs as a surname of Apollo), SALGANEUS/Salganeus (a surname of Apollo, derived from the town of Salganeus in Boeotia), SARPEDONIUS and SARPEDO′NIA/Sarpêdonia (a surname of Artemis, derived from cape Sarpedon in Cilicia, where she had a temple with an oracle, The masculine Sarpedonius occurs as a surname of Apollo in Cilicia.) SMINTHEUS/Smintheus (a surname of Apollo, which is derived by some from sminthos, a mouse, and from the town of Sminthe in Troas), SPO′DIUS/Spodios (a surname of Apollo at Thebes, derived from spodos, ashes, because his altar consisted of the ashes of the victims which had been sacrificed to him.), TEGYRE′IUS/Tegurêios (a surname of Apollo, derived from the town of Tegyra in Boeotia. where, according to some traditions, the god had been born), TELMI′SSIUS/Telmissios (a surname of Apollo derived from the Lycian town of Telnissus or Telmessus),TEMENITES/Temenitês (a surname of Apollo, derived from his sacred temenus in the neighbourhood of Syracuse), THEOXE′NIUS/Theoxenios (a surname of Apollo and Hermes), THYMBRAEUS/Thumbraios (A surname of Apollo, derived from a place in Troas called Thymbra, where he had a temple in which Achilles was wounded, or from a neighboring hill of the same name), ZOSTERIUS and ZOSTE′RIA/Zôstêria (a surname of Athena among the Epicnemidian Locrians, The masculine form Zosterius occurs as a surname of Apollo in Attica, on the slip of land stretching into the sea between Phaleron and Sunium)

Epithets•Abaeus, Apollo Acesius, Acestor, Acraephiaeus Apollo, Acraephius Apollo, Actiacus Apollo, Apollo Actiacus, Apollo Aegletes, Agetor, Agonius, Agraeus, Agyieus, Alexicacus,Amazonius, Anextiomarus, Aphetor Apollo, Aphetorius Apollo, Apollo Musagetes, Apollo Soranus, Apollo Apotropaeus, Apulu, Archegetes, Argyrotoxus Apollo, Apollo Articenens, Apollo Averruncus, Apollo Clarius, Apollo Coelispex, Apollo Culicarius, Apollo Cynthius, Apollo Cynthogenes, Delius Apollo, Apollo Delius, Apollo Delphinius, Apollo Didymaeus, Apollo Epicurius  Apollo Galaxius, Apollo Genetor, Hecaërgus Apollo, Apollo Hecebolus, Hekatos, Helius Apollo, Apollo Helius, Apollo Iatromantis, Apollo Iatrus, Apollo Ismenius, Kourotrophos, Apollo Leschenorius, Leucadius, Apollo Loxias, Apollo Lycegenes, Lyceus, Apollo Lycoctonus, Manticus Apollo, Apollo Medicus, Apollo Nomius, Apollo Nymphegetes, Paean (god), Apollo Paean, Apollo Parnopius, Apollo Patroüs, Apollo Phanaeus, Ptoion, Ptous, Pythius Apollo, Apollo Pythius, Apollo Smintheus, Apollo Sosianus, Thyraeus, Virotutis. (I’m not gonna put who, why or what the epithets are, cut me some slack 😔)

Equivalents• Abru (Berber), Horus & Ra (Egyptian), Aplu (Etruscan), Helios (Greek), Apollo & Janus (Roman), Nergal (Aplu Enlil) (Semitic)

Offerings•  Candles (he’s the god of light), Paint brushes/paints, Canvases, Colored pencils, markers, crayons, Collages, Journals, Art books, Art prints, Anything you mad, Sculptures, Zines, Stickers, Any art supplies, Music boxes, Records, CDs,Cassettes, Record players,radios, MP3, Headphones, Music posters, Band merch, Instruments (especially String instruments), Dance shoes, Concert tickets, CD book holders, Sun and Light imagery, Sunscreen, Aloe for sunburns, Golden objects, Matches, Candles, Sunflowers/sunflower seeds, First aid kits, Medicine, Pain relievers, Band - aids, Ice/heat packs, Rice socks, face Masks, Aloe, Ambulance toy cars,Adaptive aids, Darts, Bow and arrows, Arrow quiver, Dart board, Targets used in archery, Bullseye used in archery, Snake skins, Snake imagery (ex - Python), Laurels, Bay leaves (because of Daphne), Palm trees (based on his birth myth), Ravens/Crows related things,  Crow feathers, Cattle/turtles (related to Hermes birth myth), Swans (the animals Pull His chariot), Hyacinths (Hyacinthus is his past lover), Locks of hair, Vanilla flavored/scented things , Honey, Sunny D drink, Lemons/lemon juice, Oranges/orange juice, Citrus, Water, chocolate milk (UPG),  molten orange-scented wax cube used on an oil burner, The first bite of every meal (keep a tea plate close by at mealtimes), Pot Pourri, visit a clairvoyant, Welcome foreigners, teach others your own culture/language, make sure foreigners are able to find helpful resources and social life in your community, Make sure the street outside your house is clean and secure, Resin, Sun-shaped cookies or cakes, Wine, Golden cakes, Golden raisins.

Devonatal- Donate to medical charities, Support beginner indie artists and musicians, Sing to Him, Play musical instruments for Him, Hold dance parties in his honor, Make a playlist for Him and listen to it, Read poetry to Him, Take care of your mental health in his honor, take your medicine in his honor, Try/do archery in his honor, Try/do different types of divination (ex- Tarot/Oracle decks, Pendulums, Rune stones, Charm casting supplies, Crystal balls, Scrying bowls, Cookie fortunes, Tea leaves), Try and wake up early and watch the sun rise, Go for a walk and feel the warmth from the sun, Let more sunlight into your home/room, Learn a musical instrument, learn how to sing, Learn simple medical care (ex- CPR), research his family in his honor,  research Apollon, Attend pride, advocate for  LGBT+ rights, Wear yellow clothing in his honor, wear orange clothing in his honor, Honor Leto and Artemis in his honor, Pray to Him/ speak to Him often (ex- for guidance, healing/good health, and new inspiration, protection, improvement in your mental health, fertility, ecstasy, for everything going well in the health aspect),  Dance and sing to your favorite songs or songs you’d think He would like,  Throw a feast in His honor, Support/donate to your local Hospital in his honor, Exercise in his honor, Get vaccinated in his honor, Get STI tested in his honor, practice Self care in his honor, Keep a first aid kit at home/in your car in his honor, Learn about alternative medicine in his honor, Advocate for accessible in his honor, Advocate for disability rights in his honor, Volunteer at a hospital in his honor, Give blood/plasma in his honor; Volunteer at a retirement home in his honor, Learn about anatomy/biology/nutrition in his honor, Learn about health conditions/rare disorders in his honor, Eat healthy for your body in his honor, Help fund surgeries if you can in his honor, Trip sit for someone in his honor, Listen to your body when it needs something in his honor , Sunbathe in his honor, Wear sunscreen in his honor,  Start a garden in his honor, Make sun water in his honor, Music Go to a concert/show, Listen to music in his honor, Make a playlist for someone you love in his honor, dance in general in his honor, Sing in general in his honor, Support local bands in his honor, Explore new music in his honor, Daily tarot card/rune stones sessions in his honor, Make an oracle deck in his honor, Give divination readings in his honor, do Shadow work in his honor , do Colormancy in his honor, Make something in his honor, Draw in his honor, paint in his honor, craft in his honor, Color something for him, Make a zine in his honor, Go see a play in his honor, Get a tattoo in his honor, Throw darts in his honor, Use a slingshot in his honor, Go to a shooting range in his honor, follow and support artist/poet YouTubers and their social media, Check in with your neighbors, do Photography (painting with light), light a candle in his honor because he’s the of…light!

Crystal•Sunstone, Citrine, Carnelian, Clear Quartz, Pyrite, Selenite, Lapis Lazuli, amber, calcite (only the color honey/yellow), quartz (rutilated or clear), rose quartz.

Parentage• Zues and Leto 

Siblings• his full sibling was his twin Artemis, His half siblings were Athena, Hermes, Dionysus, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus and Persephone, Heracles, Ares, Perseus, Hebe, Aphrodite, Athena, Some Muses, Eileithyia.

Works well with• people who are respectful, and are honest, and not boastful. 

Jewelry • friendship bracelets

Hates• saying that your better than him, (too boastful), being to stubborn to learn (he is the god of knowledge.), and anything contradicting his godlyness 

Mortal or immortal • immortal.

Zodiac • Leo. 

Curses• Sickness, and often seeing yourself lying, and in trouble.

Blessings• your healthy and protection and purification. 

Vows/omans• he swears he will be Hermes best friend, and that he will never marry (the muses myth) because he swore he would never because he couldn't choose between all the Muses, not usually used in modern day, he could be married but it is a version of a myth, he could date. just never marry.

Morals• Morally grey.

Courting• he is unmarried. 

Past lovers & crushes• Admetus (a crush), Daphne (rejected him and he fell so in love she had to run away and turn into a tree..), all the nine muses (couldn’t choose so decided to never unwed), Cyrene (a crush), Evadne (a lover who bore him a child.), Rhoeo (bore him a child and made him raise it..) Ourea (had a crush on Apollo and they hooked up on his exile and bore him a kid), Thero, Hyrie or Thyrie (said they were lovers but he made them suicidal so..idk..). Hecuba (bore the child who made Apollo kill Achilles.), Coronis (bore him  Asclepius), Creusa (bore him a child and left him to die and then to be raised by a priestess of Apollo.), Hyacinthus (his most dear male lover.),  Cyparissus (a dear friend but still a honorable mention.), Admetus (a crush), Branchus, Adonis (poly with apollon and Aphrodite), Helenus, Hippolytus of Sicyon,Hymenaios, god of marriage hymns, Iapis, Phorbas, minthe (who he turned into mint) 

Personality• He’s very energetic, cheerful, wise, honest and kind, and very responding.

Fact• Apollo was temporarily stripped of his immortal power by Zeus – twice , he tried to over throw his father Zeus once (He failed, but they have a good bond.)

Roots• Greek mythology, born at Delos in Cyclades archipelago.

Appearance in astral or gen• depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and wears a wreath and branch of laurel, bow and quiver of arrows, usually accompanied with a raven, and holding a lyre.

Children• Acraepheus, Aeneus, Agamedes, Agreus, Amphiaraus, Amphissus, Amphithemis, Anius, Apis, Apollonis, Arabius, Aristaeus, Asclepius, Borysthenis, Cephisso, Chariclo, Cinyras, Coronus, Cycnus, Delphus, Dius, Dorus, Dryops of Oeta, Eleuther, Epidaurus, Eriopis, Erymanthus, Eumolpus, Eurydice, Eurynome, Hilaeira, Hymen (god), Ialemus, Iamus, Idmon (Argonaut), Ion, Ismenus, Korybantes, Laodocus, Lapithes (hero), Linus (Argive), Linus, Linus of Thrace, Lycomedes, Lycorus, Melaneus of Oechalia, Melite, Miletus, Mopsus, Naxos, Oaxes, Oncius, Orpheus, Phemonoe, Philammon, Philander, Phoebe, Phylacides, Polypoetes, Scylla, Syrus, Tenerus, Tenes, Troilus, Trophonius, Zeuxippus of Sicyon.

Pet• the swans pulling his chariot called the “singers of Apollo” or just “birds of Apollo”

Status• Greek mythology god, in the big theoi, not a Demi god. 

Prayers•

Prayer to Lord Apollon for Help with Divination

Hear me, Foreseeing Apollon, Son of Indomitable Zeus and Gentle Leto, Brother to Far-Shooting Artemis. He who speaks of truth, If I have ever revelled in your sunlight, accept this prayer, Apollon Leader of Fate, I ask you to be with me during this divination and to guide my cards with your knowledge, I ask for your favour with a token of my praise, I offer to you (offering)- @praise-to-the-theoi

To Lord Apollon when taking medication 

Hear me, healing Apollon, Father to Soothing Asklepios. He who controls both plague and healing, If I have ever honoured you, please accept this prayer, Shining Apollon, Please allow me to be safe when taking this medication, to aid it in its effectiveness, and to reduce the likelihood of negative side effects. I ask for your favour with a token of my praise, and I take this medication in your honour. -https://www.tumblr.com/praise-to-the-theoi

Prayer to Artemis and Apollon 

Praise today, O Lord Apollo and Lady Artemis, rulers upon the Sun and Moon. The Celestial Twins, on this date, join each other in the sky, shining upon us their divine light and presence. Praise the children of Great Zeus and Leto; Hail Lady Artemis, the oldest daughter, who helped her mother at birth. Godess of the hunt, divine virgin, patroness of girls, their childhood and innocence.  Hail Apollon, youngest son, born by his sister's hand. God of the plages and sickness. Patron of the arts, music and poetry. May they raise their bows and guide us towards their light. - serotoninbetweenpages

Prayer with his epithets in it-

Let us hymn Paean the great god, Apollo; Immortal, gloriously formed, unshorn, soft-haired, Stern-hearted, king, delighting in arrows, giver of life, Joyous, laughing, slayer of giants, sweet-hearted, Son of Zeus, slayer of dragons, lover of the laurel, Sweet of speech, of ample might, far-shooter, giver of hope, Creator of animals, divine, Jove-minded, giver of zeal, Mild, sweet-spoken, sweet-hearted, gentle-handed, Slayer of beasts, blooming, charmer of the spirit, soft-speaking, Shooter of arrows, desirable, healer, charioteer, Weaver of the world, Clarian, strong-hearted, father of fruits, Son of Leto, pleasant, delighting in the lyre, resplendent, Lord of the mysteries, prophet, magnanimous, thousand-shaped, Lover of the bow-string, wise, stiller of grief, sober,Lover of community, common to all, taking thought for all, benefactor of all, Blessed, making blessed, Olympian, dweller on the hills, Gentle, all-seeing, sorrowless, giver of wealth, Saviour from trouble, rose-coloured, man-breaker, path-opener, Glittering, wise, father of light, saviour, Delighting in the dance, Titan, initiator, revered, Chanter of hymns, highest, stately, of the height, Phoebus, purifier, lover of garlands, cheerer of the spirit, Utterer of oracles, golden, golden-complexioned, golden-arrowed, Lover of the lyre, harper, hater of lies, giver of the soul, Swift-footed, swift-voiced, swift of vision, giver of seasons. Let us hymn Paean the great god, Apollo.   

- Epigram from Book 9 of the Greek Anthology, translated by W.R. Paton (1916-18)

Links/websites/sources •

@praise-to-the-theoi

ofbloodandfaith

Reddit · r/Hellenism5 comments  ·  1 year agosimple offerings for apollo? : r/Hellenism

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo#Children https://www.thoughtco.com/roman-equivalents-of-greek-gods-4067799https://www.reddit.com/r/Hellenism/comments/d20s5v/would_amber_be_an_appropriate_incense_for_apollo/https://www.reddit.com/r/GreekMythology/comments/du0z4k/did_the_olympian_gods_have_particular_color/https://www.tumblr.com/eldritchhorror06https://www.tumblr.com/themodernwitchsguidehttps://web.pdx.edu/~scarmody/art342/exercise2/index.html#:~:text=Animals%20sacred%20to%20Apollo%20include,foxes%2C%20mice%2C%20and%20snakes.

let the light in and let your truth of loving Apollo shine aswell

I use resources, I do not own the info, and most deep dives have UPG (that I use in my work.) And I only take some information from sources. I am 14, this is my hobby, I am learning but I spent many hours and days on this, and I am always open to criticism. I have been doing worship for 5 years. Please know you can use the info, I do not sue, but I will take action if this work is used without permission and not put as a resource if used in any work. without permisson and not put as a resource if used in any work, for the public.

[dark-corner-cunning]

The Magickal Properties of Carrier/Base Oils

In ancient times, our ancestors revered the power of oils, utilizing them in sacred ceremonies, rituals, and magickal workings that spanned centuries. Today, we have the privilege of carrying on this tradition by creating our own blends using the same flora & fauna that have been cherished for millennia. The practice of crafting sacred oils connects us to our roots, offering a meaningful way to honor the past while enriching our present-day experiences.

Carrier/base oils play a crucial role in the world of magick and holistic practices. These oils, derived from plants, seeds, and animal fats, are believed to possess unique energetic properties that can enhance the potency of essential oils and other magickal ingredients we add to them. Whether used in aromatherapy, massage, ritual work, or spell work the choice of carrier oil is significant, as each oil is associated with specific magickal attributes, such as grounding, protection, or amplification of intention. Understanding the magickal properties of carrier oils can empower practitioners to create custom blends that resonate with their intentions and desired outcomes, adding an extra layer of enchantment to their craft.

Magickal Properties of Carrier/Base Oils:

These plant and seed-based oils come from my own grimoire based on my own traditions and practice.

Almond: Prosperity, Money, Wisdom

Apricot: Happiness, Contentment, Love

Argan: Healing

Avocado: Love, Lust, Sex Magick

Borage: Higher Mind, Truth, Clarity, Legal Matters

Canola/Rapeseed: Neutral Base

Castor: Protection, Absorbs Negativity

Coconut: Purification, Cleansing, Protection

Corn: Abundance, Luck, Divination

Evening Primrose: Psychic, Glamour, Clarity

Flaxseed Oil: Beauty, Protection

Grapeseed: Fertility, Money, Strengthening Mental Abilities

Hempseed: Meditation, Psychic, Healing

Jojoba: Healing

Meadowfoam Seed: Protection

Neem: Fortifies, Protection

Olive: Healing, Fertility, Protection

Peach Kernel: Fertility, Love, Fae Magick

Peanut: Grounding

Pomegranate Seed: Divination, Love

Pumpkin Seed: Health

Rosehip: Self-Love, Beauty, Glamour

Safflower: Sex, Baneful

Sesame: Hope, Faith, Positivity

Shea Butter: Calming, Longevity, Patience, Healing, Soothing, Beauty

Sunflower: Happiness, Health, Wisdom, Sun Magick

Vegetable: Neutral

[smallraindrops-blog]

Sacred Ingredients

Zagreus/Male!reader 

Fandom: Hades (2019 game)

Word count: 3.3k

Summary: There was a new cook in the house

warnings: Implied reader death, no beta.

Notes:

The fic that is the reason yall have been seeing so many food posts lately.

This is the first response for the wholesome Zagreus x male reader request. I took my time with this since I wasn’t sure if I was following the prompt.

To the anon, thanks for the wait. If this isn’t what you wanted, please lmk and I will be happy to redo it. I do hope you enjoy this one.

Important: often people would use other names for the gods to avoid bringing unnecessary attention to themselves. Our reader is one of those people.

Enjoy!

~

One of your first memories was of your Mom holding a small bit of cake between her fingers. 

It was made of thin layers of dough, heavy with sheep cheese, crushed nuts and honey, so heavy with it that the dipping honey caught the sunlight just before you bit in.

Sweet. Creamy. Nutty. All combining together in your mouth as you chew.

You groaned in pure delight as she laughed, getting you a plate with a much bigger piece. See? I told you that you would like it. Mama is never wrong. Not with food.

Just like that, food had became your life. To you, there was no better way to say ‘I love you’ than by cooking someone a good meal.

You learned how to perfectly roast fishes, how to stuffed chicken, the right moment to add herbs or how to use olive oils or butter to add rich flavors to the dish. You learned how to knead the bread, how to time the rise just right and the best spots in the stone ovens to place the loaf. 

Food was everything. It was the bittersweet memory of your mama’s hand on your cheek after a sickness took her far too soon, it was a way to feed your family while working hard as a fisherman, it was a way to earn your place among warriors and kings. 

You loved all of it, even as the other men had scoffed at you for enjoying women’ work. However they never turned away a meal you cooked, at home or in the war tents.

The very last thing you cooked, a recipe your mama taught you, was a simple bread, meant for dipping in wine. 

Barley flour. Dry yeast from the grapes. Then you added the simple spice mix you came up with and always added in. The one that had people waiting outside for your bakery before the markets opened.

Parsley. Rosemary. Oregano. Garlic cloves smashed up and added into the bread, and just a little dash of salt.

You had set one aside for yourself for later.

You never got to eat it. 

~

When the news came that the terrifying god of the underworld was looking for a new cook, you didn’t hesitate.

To get a spot in the house of the gods was prime time. It meant respect, a place to live and most importantly it meant regular income. That was money you can send to your mama and sisters so they can get into a better area of Asphodel.

You had spent hours over the cake. 

You made sure that each layer of the dough was perfect, thin and flakey with a satisfying bite, that the cheese was the perfect amount of tangy creaminess, that nuts were crushed to the right size, that the honey was placed in the perfect spot to complement the cheese and nuts.

This had to work because your family worked hard to get the coin to order such things from the expensive shop of the boatman.

Even the neighbors had pitched in, with the promise that you will pay them back.

You took a nervous breath as you shifted on your feet, winced as the terrifying King of Below tossed aside the meal someone brought him, promptly dismissing them. 

“And another one bites the dust.” The sleep god muttered as he crossed something off a list.

He looked up, blinking heavy downturned eyes at them. You and the other commoners were careful to keep their gazes low, not willing to show any disrespect to any of the gods.

The gentle one huffed and gestured for the one before you to go ahead. You were up after this, assuming that the person before you didn’t have something amazing. 

The underworld King made a loud gagging sound and wordlessly dismissed the shade. Gentle one only clicked his tongue as he crossed out another line and shook his head, white curls flopping around. 

“Good luck, buddy.” He told you with a cheerful grin, using his quill to point to the desk.

Did the gods normally call people buddy?

With a deep breath, you went to the looming desk, feeling like you were meeting the fates themselves. 

“And what is this?” The King of those below growled, his haunting eyes locked onto you like a predatory bird. His hellhound shifted next to him, their three noses twitching at the food.

“This is a plakous, my lord.” You said, proud that your voice was stronger than you expected. “Made with wheat dough, rich honey-“

The King held up a large hand and you stopped speaking, fearing you had already lost your chance. A shade took the plate from you and brought it to their master. 

You held your breath as he took the first bite, your heart no longer beat but you swore you felt it in that moment, slamming against your chest. He chewed slowly and his bloody red eyes slowly went wide.

A hush fell over the grand hall.

Then the King did something he didn’t do with any other meal, he went back for a second bite.

After that bite, he peered down at you for a long, long time.

“Is this all you can cook?” His voice broke over you like thunder. You shook your head, your hands curled up nervously 

“No, my lord. I have created meals for kings and I can cook many things. Meat of all kinds. And bread, vegetables and so on.” You wished you were a more eloquent man, but that had never been needed before.

Not to mention such an education was beyond your reach.

And your food alway did the talking for you. 

The king took a third bite then tossed the rest to the hellhound, the animal eating in a single swipe of its tongue. The tail wagged once, thumping on the floor. 

The Wealthy One nodded slowly.  “You may start today.”

~

The kitchen size alone would have made your mama weep with joy. The amount of fresh produce, herbs and clean grains along with plenty of meat made your jaw drop. 

You clapped your hand together in thought then…You hit the ground running. 

There was an endless list of tasks to be done before the kitchen would be ready to open and you went through all the tasks with horse blinders on, determination fueling you.

The first meal you officially served Master was a few of salted and peppered trout with a garlic lemon sauce with butter and herbs along with a hearty lentils soup, warm sourdough bread for the soup and sauce.

You added a fresh cucumber salad along with a large plate filled with cheeses and fruits that would compliment the fish.

When the plates came back, clean of even a drop of sauce, you felt something loosen in your chest. 

~

Eventually you began to learn the house's routine and the many shades. You learned to always have some type of bread readied with olive oil. 

You learned what went fast and what you had to jazz up to get rid of. 

The most important lesson you had learned in life and one that remained unchanged even now was that most souls just wanted something that tasted like home. 

It was toward the end of the kitchen hours when you heard someone take a seat.

Even at this late hour and working alone, you weren’t one to turn away a hungry soul so after wiping your hands on your apron, you turned with a smile.

“Welcome! What can I…” your words trailed off, your eyes going wide as you realized who was sitting in one of the barstools.

The Prince of the underworld gave you an exhausted, crooked grin. There was a curious gleam in those mismatched eyes, the strong lines of his cheeks softened by the dim lights of the lounge.

He was inhumanly beautiful in the ways all divine beings were.

But there was something different to his handsomeness.

Unlike the soft loveliness of Sleep, the sleek grace of the Fury or the dark shocking beauty of Night herself, this god before looked almost moral like. It was his eyes that revealed his godhood. It was the power in his broad shoulders.

You were surprised by how much you liked it.

“So you are the new cook everyone is raving about.” The Prince said, leaning on his forearms to peer at you. You saw the strength in his arms, his quick grace as he moved. Strong and muscular with thick tendons upward from the knuckles. 

It was clear this god was a warrior of a sort.

Your eyes flickered down in embarrassment when you realized you were being disrespectful in your staring. 

“I believe so, your highness.” You said, bowing your head in a show of respect for his position. “How may I serve you?” 

“Honestly?” The Prince leaned, scanning the area behind you. “Whatever you have will work. The last cook we had working here would just give us sliced onions if we came in this late. Once he gave Hypnos a single apple peel for daring to ask for something else.”

He sounded amused, chuckling to himself at the memory. It was a nice laugh, deep and rich.

You couldn’t imagine being so rude to the gods. Your mom was a pious woman and even a quiet sigh during prayers would get you a disapproving look.

With a nod, you went to get the Prince his meal and drink.

Thankfully you had a leftover trout and tossed one onto the grill to cook as you prepared a bowl of cabbage for him, added in spices along with honey vinegar and silphium.

You had some bread and garlic cheese so you plated those as well with olives and grapes.

You decided to give him a rich red that most enjoyed, filling it up to the brim.

“Oh wow.” The prince muttered as you set everything in front of him and with a bow, you rushed back to the fish, flipping it over. Once it was ready with some garlic butter sauce, you brought it to him. 

“Please let me know if you would like for me to serve you more or cook something else for you.” You told him and the prince blinked at you, his mouth filled with bread and cheese. 

The prince waved a hand before you left him for his meal. He drank the wine deeply before placing it back down. You immediately refilled it. “This is plenty, my good shade. Thank you.”

With a respectful nod, you resumed cleaning up the kitchen. Counters got wiped down, supplies restocked but it wasn’t the usual relaxing routine it normally was.

You felt the weight of those divine eyes on you. The Prince was quiet as he ate but you caught quick glimpses of his curious gaze on the shine of the plates, or reflection in your knives.

It was only when the Prince left that you let yourself breathe.

~

Master liked large meals but only if they could be eaten quickly. The only thing you had been warned never to add was pomegranates. No one would tell you why.

The Gorgon, the creature was surprisingly sweet for all the horrible tales you heard of her kind, ate in a rush as well.

If you were smarter, maybe you could have made a clever joke about how the lowest server and the King of the Underworld ate the same way.

But one look into her smiling face held your tongue. She was always kind so you would be so in return.

The Fury was a regular companion of hers, requesting simple meals of fish and some types of roasted vegetables. Mostly she would drink deeply, often you would have a pitcher of wine put aside for her. 

Sometimes Dreaded Death would join her, unwelcoming to all and cool. He rarely ordered any food, his fingers drumming on the table sounded like funeral marches to your ears. 

His twin was the complete opposite, Gentle Sleep had a sweet tooth unlike anything else you have seen. Often he would ignore the dinner option altogether and eat slices of cake, candied figs or honeycombs. 

If you weren’t careful around the god, plates of cookies that were meant for the whole house would go missing around him. 

You still haven’t found the last two plates he stole from you.

And...

There was The Prince himself. 

He was a regular now, always sitting close to wherever your work station was that day. He also was the only one who ate anything you put on a plate for him, and would shove the meal into his mouth like a starving creature. You always made sure to give him larger servings.

“Tell me your name.”  He ordered you one day. His tone was deep, firm. Making it clear he wouldn’t take no for an answer.  “You keep feeding me delicious food, no matter the hour. And I don't know what to call you.”

Then he added with raised eyebrows, sounding more like a playful suitor than a Chthonic god. “Please?”

You considered it, your hands still on the bowl of the hardy stew just placed before the god. You stared at the stew for a moment, then at him.

Or just past him, not willing to meet the god’s eyes, life and death danced in those unusual eyes of his.

You were a moral, a simple one at that. 

You never picked up a sword, never learned all the fancy learnings that a prince might, never learned much beyond what you needed to but you knew names had powers, could decide whole destinies before a babe even wailed out their first cry. 

Names could summon the gods themselves.

Quietly, you told him.

The prince grinned at you, his smile fierce and beautiful like a victorious lion. Your breath hitched, forgetting that one was to never look the gods in the eye.

Then the next words he spoke early jumped started your heart into beating once more. 

“It suits you, my good cook. Call me Zagreus.” 

~

Later, alone in the kitchen, recipes laid in front of you, you tried to will yourself to focus.

Schooling was too costly for your family especially after your Mother’s death. Your reading went far as basic words and numbers, just enough to get by in the markets.

You never needed much. 

Right now, however, the recipes might as well be another language. 

You were too lost in thought, several times you had already caught yourself even daring to think The Prince’s name in your mind.

What would happen if you dare to…

Zagreus.

A soft noise came behind you and You whirled around, glancing everywhere as if expecting him to appear right behind you. 

He didn’t. 

You realized you heard the sounds of the Wretched Broker restocking his shelves. Thankfully, he was too busy to realize that the House’s cook had gone mad simply by learning a God’s name. 

Maybe you should start wearing a pot on your head.

“Zagreus.” You whispered, fingernails digging your palm nervously. “Zagreus.”

When the god didn’t appear, you didn’t know if you were disappointed or relieved.

~

Slowly, you learned more. 

There were the loud fights between Father and Son that would cause the house to rattle. Many shades would escape into the lounge, hands over their ears.

”Tell me, do you get along with your father?” Zagreus grumbled, his plate cleared of any crumbs. His legs were bouncing, filled with an endless energy you knew you would never be able to match. 

“No.” You said, not wanting to think of that man. You knew he was somewhere in the underworld but the less you knew, the better. “I suspect few do.”

Once, over a glass of white wine and a simple meal of sourdough bread and warm vegetable soup, He told you was looking for his mother.  

“You will find her. I know you will.” You told him quietly, holding his stare. “Have faith, Zagreus.”

Another time, over a cake from a new recipe you came up with, Zagreus asked about you. Maybe it was the exhaustion after a successful dinner rush but you told him everything. 

His smile was warm, his eyes watchful of your every move as you told him of your family and their new place you brought for them. 

Your cheeks flushed when you realized he was staring at you.

“I will have to stop by then.” He teased, his hand almost brushing against yours. 

“Yes.” You agreed in a whisper, your mouth suddenly dry.

~

“Cook me your favorite meal.” Zagreus ordered one day, not even bothering to sit down. You lifted a cool eyebrow, well used to his impulsiveness by now.  

“Hello, Zagreus.” You greeted dryly, wiping your hands on your apron, not actually that upset.

Not too long ago, you would have wilted from the thought of being so playful with a divine creature but things changed.

Zagreus brought it out of you somehow simply by being himself. 

“I am doing well, thank you.” You continued to teased despite his oddly serious expression.

Zagreus blinked, then chuckled with a bright grin. “I am a horrible influence on you, I fear.”

You laughed, cheeks flushing at his smile. “I am afraid so, your Highness. Now what is this about a favorite meal?”

“Yours. I want to know what your favorite food is.” 

“Oh.” You grabbed an apple, rolling it in your hands for something to do. Butterflies dancing in your stomach as Zagreus leaned in, his hands on the counter. This close, you caught the scent of copper.

unwillingly, your gaze tangled with his, caught like a fly in a complex web. A stray thought reached you, could a mere fly understand the geometric structure, beauty of such things?

You swallowed nervously. “It’s nothing special, Zagreus. Just something my mom cooked up for me.”

Zagreus narrowed his eyes, his jaw firm in his resolve. “Excellent, then. I trust you have all the ingredients you need?”

You nodded but opened your mouth to dissuade the prince from his idea, however he was already walking away, “I expect a meal to be waiting for me when I get back!”

~

One day, staring at a wooden spoon in your hand, cake batter dipping from the tip, you realized that Zagreus had became someone very, very dear to you. 

Morals and gods didn't mix together well. At least, not for the morals. Cracked eggs and spilled milk and all left would be a big mess with no one to clean it. 

What did it mean when a shade, a mere ghost of who you were, was in love with a god that shone like the sun, whose very presence made you felt like you were alive once more?

~

When Zagreus returned, his hair was still damp from the Styx river and you had to look away from his beauty.

Quietly, you put the final touches on your favorite meal. You swallowed nervously as you picked up the plate and went over to him. 

Thin layers of dough. Creamy cheese. Crushed nuts. Honey.

A long ago memory of your mom's smiling face as she watched you take a bite. Sunlight made her golden and immortal in that singular moment in your very heart.

You offered it up like the cake was a sacrifice, like you were offering yourself up to the god to make the final decision of the worth of your mortal soul.

“This is the first thing I can remember my mom making for me.” You whispered, your work rough fingers curled nervously against the counter. “This meal is what got me a job here. I got to know you because of this cake.”

Zagreus took a small bite, then closed his eyes in bliss. He said your name with a weight that you never heard before. 

When he looked at you, his expression gentle and hopelessly fond, there was no need for more words. 

~

When he kissed you for the first time, he tasted like home. 

[plant-taxonomy-showdown]

Bonus Round Finals! Basal Eudicots vs Asterids!

🌻 vs 🪷

Basal Eudicots: Here be funky flowers: the sacred lotus, poppies, the king protea of South Africa and the waratah of Australia. Also, macademia nuts.

Asterids: Down to earth, practical, and here to mess you up. The clade of potatoes, olive oil, coffee, dandelions, tobacco, and poison hemlock. RIP Socrates.

(Edit: Basal Eudicots with an A, not with an I, nothing to do with basil -- basil is in the asterids, actually -- OOPS guess I should have checked for typos before posting.)

[thejournallo]

Explain the basic: Offerings

Desclaimer: Everything I will talk about is information that I got from books and sites online and even videos on YouTube. In my years of practice, I learned as much as I could out of curiosity and what works best for me. I suggest you do the same by learning as much as you can on your own (I will be here making posts teaching this kind of stuff) from multiple sources.

Offering to deities and entities in general is a practice found in many cultures and religions around the world. Every deity or entity that you make an offering for has its own symbol. For example, Apollo is the god of the sun; music, art, and poetry; writing something or singing for him can be offerings. 

There are many religions that take on the act of offering as a sign of respect and devotion to that specific religion. Here are some examples:

Hinduism: Offerings (puja) often include fruits, flowers, incense, and food, placed before images of deities in temples or home altars.

Buddhism: Offerings may include candles, incense, flowers, and food, placed before statues of the Buddha and bodhisattvas.

Christianity: Candles, bread, and wine are common offerings, especially in the context of the Eucharist.

Shinto: Offerings of rice, sake, and other food items are made at shrines to honor kami (spirits or gods).

Paganism and Wicca: Offerings might include seasonal fruits, flowers, wine, and personal tokens, placed on altars dedicated to specific deities or nature spirits.

All these religions have common practices that we can see and see over time; all of those are not rules but more something you can do or not do. (Especially because no one has the same opportunities.)

Altars: A dedicated space where offerings are made. This can be a simple shelf at home or an elaborate structure in a temple.

Purity: Many traditions emphasize the importance of purity in the offerings, meaning they should be clean and handled with respect.

Timing: Offerings are often made at specific times, such as during festivals, holy days, or particular phases of the moon.

Intention: The mindset and intention behind the offering are crucial. It should be given with respect, devotion, and a pure heart.

These offerings can take various forms, each carrying its own significance and purpose. Here's an overview of the different types of offerings and the common practices associated with them:

Types of Offerings

Food and Drink:

Fruits, grains, and vegetables: Often used in offerings to symbolize abundance and gratitude.

Cooked meals: Specific dishes that are favored by the deity or entity.

Drinks: This can include water, wine, milk, or other beverages. In some traditions, alcoholic drinks like mead or sake are common.

Sweets and desserts: Cakes, candies, or other sweet treats, especially those that are traditional or culturally significant.

Flowers and Plants:

Fresh flowers: Often chosen for their beauty and fragrance. Certain flowers are associated with specific deities.

Herbs:: Sacred or medicinal herbs may be offered for their symbolic properties.

Incense and Aromatics:

incense: Burned to create a fragrant smoke that is believed to please the deities.

Essential oils: Used for anointing or in diffusers to create a sacred atmosphere.

Candles and Lights:

Candles: Lit to symbolize light, purity, and the presence of the divine.

Oil lamps: Used in many traditions, often with ghee or olive oil.

Objects and Symbols:

Statues or images: Placed on altars as representations of the deity or entity.

Jewelry or precious items: Offered as a sign of respect and devotion.

Money and Valuables:

Coins or currency: Offered in temples or shrines, sometimes used to support the upkeep of the place of worship.

Jewelry or precious items: Given as a form of sacrifice or in seeking favor.

Actions and Devotions:

Prayers and chants: Recited to honor the deity or entity.

Songs and music: Played or sung as a form of praise.

Dance: Performed in some cultures as an offering of movement and energy.

Conclusion

Offering to deities and entities is a deeply personal and culturally rich practice. It serves as a way to connect with the divine, show gratitude, seek blessings, and maintain a reciprocal relationship with the spiritual world. The specific items and practices may vary, but the underlying principles of respect, devotion, and intention remain consistent across different traditions.

[plushiecemetery]

i wrote a little thingy to keep in mind certain aspects of Dionysus and youll be my witness:

((UPG will be in italics))

🍇 Who is Dionysus?

Lord Dionysus is best known as the god of wine and festivity, yet that is not the full story. With his status as the god of rebirth, madness, fertility, theater and many more He is a vastly more interesting God than He tends to be seen as. He is a kind yet erratic God, loving and caring for those who worship Him and that which He values, but as the most human God of the Olympus (as He is the son of Zeus and a mortal, Semele), He can be seen as vengeful, even if that is disputable.

being born twice (as when Hera found of Her husbands infidelity, She tricked Semele into making Zeus reveal Himself to her, causing her to die, with Dionysus only surviving due to Zeus stitching Him onto His thigh until Dionysus was born again) He represents duality, being both mortal and deity born, both young and old, from here and there, masculine and feminine, He is the link between us mortals and our Gods, and in my eyes a key piece for understanding hellenic religion, being paradoxical, nonsensical, brute, wise, mad, He is the God of wine, as wine is a great and ecstatic moment but take it too far and youll be lost.

He is very much a hunter, and in a lot of art of Him, He can be seen very prominently fighting the the Titans, with His sacred animals fighting by His side, even more than other more war centric Deities, as he is kind yet brutal when needed, He was and is seen as a protector for those who need Him.

🍇 Domains:

Dionysus is the nature God of rebirth, wine, frenzy, fertility, queerness, theater/drama/tragedy, fluidity of self, madness (divine or not), paradoxes, art, inclusivity, festivity, ecstasy, , prophesies, androgyny, transness, the moon, (volatile) emotions, winemaking, mental health

🍇 Associations:

💜 colours:

purple, moss green, black, gold, burgundy

💜 crystals:

grape agate, amethyst, tiger's eye, moss agate, amber, moon stone, serpentine, smoky quartz, malachite

💜 fauna:

panthers, leopards and tigers, crows, bulls, goats and sheep, snakes, rats, calico or orange cats

💜 flora:

grapevine and grapes, ivy, pine trees, bindweed, calamus, fruits in general, green apples, fennel, thistle

💜 consumables:

grape flavoured fizzy drinks, grapes, wine, spicy soup, fruits, chicken, cinnamon, honey, olive oil,

💜 tarot cards:

hanged man, death, fool, three of cups, moon, two of cups

[skf-fineart]

Panathenaic Prize Amphora with Lid, 363–362 B.C.

35 1/4 in.

The Panathenaia, a state religious festival, honored Athena, the patron goddess of Athens. Held in its expanded form every four years, the festival included athletic, musical, and other competitions. Amphorae filled with oil pressed from olives from the sacred trees of Athena were given as prizes in the Panathenaic Games. These amphorae had a special form with narrow neck and foot and a standard fashion of decoration. One side showed Athena, the goddess of war, armed and striding forth between columns, and included the inscription "from the games at Athens." The other side showed the event for which the vase was a prize. 

[elminx]

Elminx's Ritual Walkthrough: A Spell to

Remove Unwanted Things From Your Life

Note: This ritual is my own creation - it combines the elements of a cleansing spell with cord-cutting. It also involves the basic concepts of sympathetic magic and some candle magic. Feel free to make it your own in any way that fits your personality and practice.

This is one of the most versatile spells in my repertoire - it can be used as a general all-purpose cleansing spell or specifically to target a particular problem you are currently experiencing. I am going to go through the basics of the spell first. The second section will involve how to adapt this spell to varying concerns. Its ingredients are meant to be simple and accessible - you can follow it as written or add more for flare. As always, I assume you will arrange your sacred space before you begin.

At its bare bones, this is a longer-lasting candle ritual of cleansing that involves strong elements of cord-cutting into the mix. You will be asked to actively attend to your candle every 30 minutes while your candle is lit. This is not optional - if you are not willing to do this, this is not the spell for you. A lot of the magic of this spell comes into play with the repetition of action - this is the MOST IMPORTANT element of this ritual, do not skip out on this step.

The Basic Ritual

You will Need:

1 Pillar Candle, preferably a figure candle* A fireproof bowl or tray Salt or Sand 1 or more Cleansing Herbs** A Cleansing oil, olive is fine (optional) A pair of scissors*** A stopwatch (the app of your phone is fine)

*This is especially true when you are new to this ritual. This candle is supposed to represent you and using a figure candle of your gender will reinforce this in your mind. I prefer to use the figure candles by Darknessvoid on Etsy, but any figure candle will do. Beeswax is best for this purpose because it has a long burn time which we want for this rituatl. For those of you who are nonbinary, I know that Madame Pamita sells nonbinary figure candles. Any pillar candle will do in a pinch just keep in mind that we WANT the candle to burn for a long time. I don't find the color of the candle to be important here (I use undyed beeswax) but you can add color magic here if you wish. **This should be a cleansing herb that you have a solid relationship with. I would suggest lemon, mint, sage, hyssop, or cedar as good options for this step but ultimately use what you have and feel comfortable with. For additional fire safety, use fresh herbs when applicable as they are less likely to ignite. ***I use regular old house scissors for this ritual. If you have a cutting device that is sanctified and important to your craft, use that. It does not have to be scissors, a knife or other cutting utensil will be fine

Set up your sacred space - this does not have to be fancy; do what feels right.

Prepare for A Long Burn, aka Candle Burning Safety - This is a long candle ritual - the longer your candle burns, the more effective the end results (in my experience). So we want to set up for candle safety - I do this by choosing a fire-safe plate and lining it with salt (you can use sand as an alternative). I place my candle in a safe space with nothing flammable nearby. Please follow your very best fire safety rules here.

Prepare your candle for burning - Take your pillar candle and become better acquainted with it. This candle is supposed to represent you; you may wish to carve your name and date of birth into the candle. Rub the candle over your entire body - focusing on problem areas (I'll go more into that below). If you do energy work, focus on pulling what you want to remove out of your body and into the candle. You can breathe into the face of the candle - whatever you have to do until you feel like the candle is a representation of you. This is an important step - take as long as you need to here. When this step feels complete, you can anoint your candle with a cleansing oil if you are using it (many traditions will call for holding the candle against your body and anointing the candle from the feet to the wick signifying that we are working on removal.) Place your candle in the center of your plate of salt/sand.

Sanctify or Empower Your Herb(s) - I will not go into details about how to do this because you should have a way that is already in your practice. The goal here is to somehow "wake up" the herbs and inform them of their role in this ritual. I like to arrange the herbs in an ascetic way around my candle, but do what works for you here. They just need to end up on the plate on top of the sand/salt. Keep in mind that dry herbs are quite flammable, so keep them farther away from the candle for fire safety.

Light your candle and begin the ritual - the goal of this ritual is to cut away any problems in your life every 1/2 hour while the candle is burning. The first cut should begin immediately after you have lit the candle and is the most important. I like to speak out loud as I make cuts around the candle with my scissors - I "name" each thing I am cutting as I focus on letting it go to exit my life. As I see it, there are five planes involved in a candle spell like this: to the left and right of the candle, in front of the candle, behind the candle, and above the candle. I was taught that the left side represents the past, the right the future, the back the mental realm, in front the physical realm, and above the spiritual realm. You do not need to use this format, but it can be a helpful way of thinking about WHERE to cut on the candle. Bring whatever is bothering you to mind, speak your intentions to remove it from your life, and then cut the air around the candle in the appropriate location. If you are good at energy work, you may be able to "find" the cord to cut, but it's okay if you can't do this. If something is feeling especially stuck, I sometimes cut the cords from around the candle and then from around my body. I am most likely to do this on the first cut.

Set Your Timer for 30 Minutes - You want to repeat the cutting part of the ritual every 30 minutes for as long as the candle burns. You may find that you are cutting at the same locations every time you return to this action, or you may find areas that need cutting that seem to be revealed as the ritual progresses. You can go with your intuition here or do divination on this subject - I wouldn't start divination for this until you've lit your candle and begun the ritual.

Take an action in your physical life to aid this spell - This is a great opportunity to take real-world steps that reflect the magic you are working on. You could cut your hair. You could clean your space. If you are removing a person from your life, this is the time to block them on social media if you have not done so already.

Rinse and Repeat - You should be cutting as part of this ritual for as long as your candle burns. It is okay to put out and relight your candle as needed; just make sure to burn it in half-hour increments. You could use numerology to your advantage here by burning the candle over nine days (nine is the number of completion). Doing this for the nine days leading up to a new moon would enhance the natural energy of this spell.

Finishing Touches - because this is a spell of removal, you want to clean up and discard any leftover elements of this spell as close to spell completion as possible. These items should be thrown away and I suggest doing so away from your house. I gather the items into a plastic bag and dispose of them in a public trash bin. If you can't do that for whatever reason, at least put them in the bin outside of your house.

How to Modify This Ritual

This ritual can be modified in any way that you can think of to remove something specific.

To Remove a Person From Your Life - To do a gentle cord cutting, repeat this ritual as written. Specify that you are cutting the ties that bind you and the person you want to remove during the cutting sections. Adding an herb like lavender that has a soft and calming domination element to it can aid in this effect. Here you might put your focus on the past, the future, and the physical sides of the candle.

If you need to forcibly remove a person from your life - add in some banishment herbs. If there is an air of obsession on either of your parts, cut in the mental realms as well.

Hexbreaking - this isn't in and of itself a hex-breaking ritual, but it can be used in conjunction with other magics to mollify some of the effects of baneful magic or the evil eye on your person. In this case, it is best to have a good idea of what effect the baneful magic is having and, from there, cut in the appropriate quadrant of the candle specifying "I am cutting away the baneful magic cast by xxx on my xxx". Add hex-breaking herbs to your ritual for this purpose.

Healing - I can't believe I have to say this, but magic cannot heal you of anything major, life-threatening, or chronic. But this spell is especially good at drawing out SYMPTOMS (I have used it to augment the treatment for my chronic illness and to help with colds and viruses in the past). On the step where you rub your candle over your body, focus on areas where you are symptomatic and draw the symptoms out of your body and into the candle. Add herbs that help you with these symptoms to this ritual.

For Help with Trauma - Please only do this if you have some handle on the trauma you have undergone. If you feel that there is a chance that thinking about the trauma may hurt you further, this is not a helpful ritual for you. When you are at a point where you understand your trauma well and wish to do a ritual to help release it, you can cut it away from your body as part of this ritual. It will help to understand where you are carrying the trauma - cut it away from your mental realm if you keep ruminating on it, or away from the belly of your candle if you carry it as stomach issues. You may need a buddy to be with while you attempt this sort of work; tread with care here.

For Intrusive Thoughts - Again, this ritual cannot cure you of intrusive thoughts, but it can help to manage them for a time. Rub the candle all over your head during step 3, focusing on pushing your intrusive thoughts out and into the head of the candle. During the cutting stage, focus on cutting in the mental realm.

I…could go on. If you need to remove it from your person, this ritual can be adapted for that purpose. If you have an idea in your head but don't know how to actualize it, feel free to send me an ask so I can spitball ideas with you.

A Few Final Thoughts

As humans, we tend to accumulate lots of stuff in our minds and in our bodies. This is a ritual that is designed, at its core, to separate out what is ours to carry forward from what we might just be carrying with us. This may not be the right ritual for you; if so, that is completely okay. You should never perform magic that doesn't feel right.

That said, keep in mind that when you clear out a lot of stuff, you can create a bit of a vacuum. Once whatever you want gone IS gone, you should take steps to protect yourself from its return. As always, I hope that this post was helpful. Do you like my work? You can support me by tipping me on KoFi or purchasing an astrology report written just for you.

[jame7t]

If they put you in a big olive press would you produce sacred oils of some type

Uh. Is this about the riddles? Am I getting a bad grade?

[yescallmejosey]

the plans of a cunning fox

(it's eleven pm, i am tired and i dont plan on checking the spelling mistakes until the morning)

“Your sister made these?” 

Eurylochus asked, his hands washing off dirt and dust in a clay bowl filled with water, the handles shaped like the horns of a bull, an honor to Zeus. 

“Yes” 

Odysseus responded kneeling down on the floor of his room, slave girls bringing him fragrant incense, olive oil, red wine, and indigo candles. Each of these were placed in detailed pottery with stories such as the one of the tragic Antigone or the birth of the marvelous Lady Aphrodite. All of these were carved with the skilled hands of Ctimene, though they were certainly not a gift from her to him.

From the bag he had been carrying the teenager slipped out olive branches and leaves before placing them on a low risen table. She ushered the girls to place all of the offerings on it before burning the incense, the room filling up with a pleasant smell. 

Every day Odysseus did this, every day he poured wine on a goblet and prayed to his patron goddess. Every day he offered her the best leaves he could find and the strongest olive branches he could carry. 

Eurylochus watched as his best friend covered his hands in oil, smearing it before clasping them together and praying. However, his attention quickly came back to the object in which he had washed his hands in. The carvings, the way it was painted…it was beautiful. 

“All of them?” He seemed baffled, impressed by the handiwork. Ctimene was two years younger than them, never said a single word to him or Odysseus while in his presence. She was a shadow that moved through the palace, always inside her room, always ignoring the calls of her brother. Invisible, that was what she was for him. 

Until now that is 

“Yes, all of them Eurylochus.” 

Odysseus spoke with an edge to his voice. He looked back at the brunette, deadpanned expression on his face. His eyebrow twitched, showing annoyance at the interruption of his sacred ritual. He took a breath, before letting out a defeated sigh. The Greek stood up, walking to his friend and dipping his hand on the clay bowl with the purpose of washing the olive oil off of his hands. He would say his prayers later. 

“Most of the vases we use to pour water or serve wine are made by Ctimene.” He started saying, holding the bowl higher for him to see it better. “Father tells me they are useless while mother says they’re not. She tells him that out of pity for Mene.”

Eurylochus tilted his head. Pity? Is that what her own family thought of her?

“They should be displayed for everyone to see. It’s art, not simple tableware.” 

The words were blurted out, almost as if they were always in the tip of his tongue, always meant to be said. The words made Odysseus stop his trail of thought, his mouth quickly closing and the phrases of his argument dying down. Instead the sly smirk of a fox appeared on his lips. 

“Art you say? Well maybe you should go ask her to make one of you. Oh! Maybe you should tell her to write ‘For my admirer, Eurylochus” His teasing tone was more than evident and Eurylochus’s face flushed in embarrassment, scoffing at his words as he looked to the side. 

“You had to make it weird” He grumbled under his breath, bringing his hands to take the brown bowl from his friends hands. He wanted to stare at it, put the pieces together of the story it told. Could it be maybe the story of one of Zeus’s lovers? The birth of one of his children perhaps? Eurylochus knew much about the tales of the gods, his father was one of the greatest storytellers in his family after all. He was intrigued to say the least, and that did not happen often. 

 However, Odysseus (always faster than him) was quick to bring the object closer to him, the murky water inside of it almost spilling over. 

“You could ask her for one.” 

“And you could just give me one of the hundred pots and cups you have lying around.” 

“She would notice.” 

Ctimene had a great memory, Odysseus knew that. Her photographic memory was perhaps even greater than his, her ability to picture landscapes and even faces in her mind was not like anything he had seen before. She was truly a girl blessed by Apollo indeed. But with that came the ability to remember all the works she made and where they were. So if this one specifically were missing well…

Their family knew what Ctimene’s rage looked like and he wasn't about to watch her sister gain yet another grudge towards him.

“But!” Odysseus stood up, pushing his thoughts away to a deep dark corner of his brain, never to be thought until one fateful day decades later. He carried the bowl to his opened window. He looked down not noticing anyone in the gardens and with that he dropped the water, silently praying that his parents didn't find out about his actions.

“She would want this one back, she is especially fond of this one. You should take it to her, I’m sure she would really appreciate it” He shot his friend a playful smirk before without warning, throwing the terracotta object for him to catch. 

Eurylochus’s breath hitched and he barely caught the molded bowl between his hands, gripping it tightly against his chest. He opened his mouth to complain, to ask Odysseus how he could be so careless with things that belonged to his own blood. Before he could say anything however he was being ushered out the room by the Ithacan. 

“I need to say my prayers to Athena, come back when you are done” 

Eurylochus blinked as the door slammed on his face, taking up a few seconds to digest what he was being sent to do. 

And from behind the door he heard Odysseus yell. 

“Nailed it!”

He was doomed.

[babylon-crashing]

the psycho'vac

I.        In a glass case                in the dark                         in an alcove                                in the dark                in a church in Rome,        in Sienna, in Florence,                                bits of saints mummified like the monkey's paw or                        Daniel Dravot's withered head                                                sat in the dark                        waiting for the faithful                                                to pass by, tourists to gawk at, for children of archeologists                to be terrified by.        Outside the Uffitzi                        one could buy postcards                                        fragments of Bosch's                                                        Last Judgement (1504)                                        reaction against sexuality                        that was creeping        back into the faith – every where lusty, fleshy figures                        were being torn apart, swallowed whole by frog-eggs,        tossed into pits of fire and snakes,                                        onto pitchforks and trees of thorn                while the saved, the fleshless,                                desiccated, loosely built creatures                        closed their eyes and lay upon the ground to pray.

II.

It starts while you sit in an outdoor cafe near the great clock in the ex-Lenin Square, forever at 11:45, while swallows who nest in the ruined eaves dart low, dark sickle-flashes, sweeping, skimming. Your notebook is open, pen cast down. You sip at the tiny cup of bitter coffee-sludge (when you are at a friend's house the old tatik takes the finished cup from your hands and reads the ground-stains, having you press your thumb into the hot residue, always with the curious shapes rimming the inside lip.) There is a smell thunder in the air. It starts when you walk down one of the city's mud streets, the rain coming down for four days nonstop. You stand in a crumbled doorway, a truck rumbles past full of cabbage heading for the market, spraying mud and gravel into the air. The wave-like clouds come down off the nearby mountains, things urgent and low to the ground, overwhelming the ruined factories and caved-in apartments, the one-room emergency boxes families of eight or twelve had been living in for the last seven years. It starts as you walk down the street. Under your boots, laying in unmarked graves, thousands of bodies, crushed and buried, their calls bubbling to the surface. Waiting for someone to hear.

III.

After the first baby in the orphanage you work at dies, then the second and finally a third, you go on a walk. It has been lightly snowing. Behind the city lays the broken rail yard. Even though there is no penicillin at the rail yard and none of the doctors who refuse to come to the orphanage to heal "things" as they call your babies will be there, you walk without a hat in the late afternoon gusts. You climb up through an abandoned cab engine, the iron sticking slightly to your gloves, its wooden passenger carriages trapped under a fallen wall. The train - its olive green and chrome and red 1940s Soviet art deco - slightly covered in wet-powder. At your feet, in the lee of the cab engine, dozens of empty hypodermic needles. Beyond the cab, the twisted rail lines; toppled buildings and other ruins; open pits of crude oil sunk in the ground; a whole roundhouse with the roof caved-in. It looks like a temple. Something holy, but you who never believed in the sacred or the holy, who saw ghosts as simply cultural abstractions. When you reach the roundhouse you find nothing inside but rubble and years and years of snow.

IV.

Humor. An US Embassy worker, an American working for a Foreign Aide organization and a Peace Corps Volunteer run into each on the street. Soon an Armenian friend walks by.

"This morning for breakfast," the Armenian said, "I had Frosted Flakes with milk."

"You had Frosted Flakes?" cried the Embassy worker, "How did you get Frosted Flakes in Armenia?"

"Oh, I bought them at the black market store near my house."

"You had milk?" cried the Foreign Aide worker, "How did you get milk?"

"Oh, I mixed the powdered milk with water."

"You had water?" cried the Peace Corps Volunteer, "How did you get water?"

V.

All winter long you were in isolation

watching it grow. You had given up

on the poetry brought in the 40-pound

box from home. You had not spoken

English in over three months, ever since the first

frost coated your pillow – there was no heat

in your hut, the rains turned to ice.

You wore your jacket and thermals and gloves

to bed and gave up on poetry. Reading

a poet writing about wasted sex no less

in San Francisco was a hateful thing.

Reading a poet, in Berkeley, where they

have everything, speculate on her fat

soul was a hateful, too. Under your floor

boards the dead called out your name, until

vodka, Russian water, kept the their

voices at bay. Intolerable, how clear they

came in. All of them complained,

griped, belly-ached in a language

untranslatable until your perception:

It was a cross between Armenian

and Russian that the old women spoke

down in the market.

VI.

It is sad to see these old people one, two, three generations apart from their children. These haughty, thin old people unable to speak of these things anymore, needing always to speak around them, as if at the dinner table to speak with clarity would make the magic happen all over again. To listen to them submerge their magic, to protect their children. There was a woman, nearly a hundred, who lived in a nearby village. As a baby she had escaped the Young Turks' Genocide in 1915, had witnessed the USSR rise and fall and had lost eighteen children and grandchildren in the earthquake. You visit her, she speaks in the ancient language, the old Armenian words, "God has forsaken the Armenians" – and spends her time looking for her god among the graveyards where 50,000 of her people died in 4 minutes in 1988. You will be leaving soon, returning on a 32-hour flight. Numbers. Something is inside you. Parasite. You will be leaving soon, and she has no more use for the living. Her words drop away, become muddled, confused, a lexicon of secrets, you pass by gravestone after gravestone on the way to the surface, thousands of them, until there is no more room for air.

VII.

Of course, you

take it with you.

It grows hideous

inside you, even

after the Peace Corps'

doctors arrived and demanded

that you are Medically

Evacuated -- the ol' Psycho

Vac -- three days before your

twenty seventh birthday, you

take it with you. You have

grown thin now, fleshless,

desiccated. They do not

even let you say good-bye

to your babies, such is the state

they find you in. On the flight

back to DC you sit next to

a woman, Dutch ex-missionary,

who explains that sometimes,

the young men God has sent

to do his bidding go crazy.

They, who fear for the safety

of their souls above all else,

do not know how to take

care of themselves so far from home.

She knows this, she assures you,

she has seen it happen. As

the stewardess pushes the cart

for the evening's meal by your seat

the thing that rests inside you

gurgles once in agreement

and then is still.

][][

Notes.

This is it, my grand attempt back in 2002 to put words to my nightmare.

The poem starts out in Italy because that is where I learned, for the first time, about the religious fever dream that is Hell, when I accidentally saw the LSD-madness of Hieronymus Bosch's art and it blew my little brain at the implications of such a concept. It didn't seem like much of a stretch to link the mummified bodies of Bosch's righteous in that painting with the babies dying under my care.

The, "the one-room emergency boxes," are called "domiks" and are basically railroad boxcars used to house the vast homeless population suddenly needing protection from the cold. Gyumri was never really rebuilt and 30 years later there are families still living in their rusted-out boxes.

[celestial-witchposter]

Home Protections: Methods and Magick that Guard a Witch's Home

Normally, I make a point not to share the exact protections I've made around my home. However, in the interest of keeping this community open and communicative, I think it's best to show how I keep my home safe from negative people and energies.

This will be focused on what I do for my *apartment*, not my altar or my person, which I may feature in a later post.

Smudging/Smoke cleansing - I feel like this is one of the most basic skills in a witch's arsenal, as it were. For smudge sticks, I recommend plants that grow in your area. For me that's garden sage, lavender, cedar, mugwort, and rose petals. You can make your own smudge sticks by binding stalks of these herbs together with pure cotton string. You can even collect and dry your own herbs for this purpose. As for incense, my favorite overall is jasmine but for smoke cleansing and protection I opt for Wild Berry Sage and Santo or Ispalla Palo Santo & Rue incense sticks. I tend to avoid buying whole palo santo sticks or white sage smudge bundles, though I do inevitably end up with them as gifts.

Protection oils - its ridiculously easy to make your own blends, though it can get expensive. My favorite at the moment is a blend of cedar, juniper, clove, mugwort, and bergamot in a base of olive oil so I can wear it as well as anoint with it. Be careful the surface you use these on - I wouldn't recommend finished hardwoods, for instance, unless you've diluted it in a spray or cleaner. Diluted vinegar is my favorite for non-porous surfaces (like linoleum, tile, or tabletops), with one part each of vinegar and water, and a few drops of oil.

Sound cleansing - whether you prefer singing bowls, a bell, singing, or playing music or chants on a speaker, sound has a powerful impact on the energy in a space. Just think of the difference music makes in the energy of a cafe versus a club. Sanctify and purify your space with sacred sound and music, or simply get your house spirits dancing while you clean! There is so much to choose from with this option.

Charms and amulets - There are. So many different ways to protect your home. A partial list of my favorites include: Witch bells, railroad spikes, hagstones, pentacles, spell bags, spell bottles, most black or white crystals (onyx, black tourmaline, obsidian, selenite, clear quartz), and of course the evil eye. More specific charms include dream catchers to catch and prevent nightmares, and horseshoes turned in the shape of a 'u' to catch the good luck entering your home.

Runes, bindrunes, and rune staves - my personal favorite being the Elder Futhark rune Algiz ᛉ, which you can either use on its own, or combine with other runes to create a bind rune (where the different runes share a single base line and you draw each rune onto it), or what is known as a rune stave, which is a sigil of your own making consisting of multiple runes. There's no exact science to this, many different types of staves have been found that were used for many different purposes, both lingual and magickal, over the centuries. For example, I seal many of my spell bottles with a simple, even cross (like a crossroads) with the end of each line forking three ways like an Algiz. Here is a more complicated stave that protects the entrance to my home, which I drew in white candle wax on the bottom of my door mat.

In the center, I bring the focus to Jera ᛃ, the year, to represent each season and a full cycle, good harvests, restful winters, bountiful springs, etc. To protect and bring prosperity year round.

The middle cross represents the values the rune protects in my home: Algiz ᛉ, is for protection, Pertho ᛈ is for play, joy, and laughter, Othila ᛟ, for home and family, and Kenaz ᚲ, for the torch or hearth.

The outermost circle is the protective ring in envisioning around the house. I invoke Isa I, or the ice, to freeze out and make unwelcome any who would wish to do us harm. Gebo X is a symbol of giving and taking. Reciprocity is important in any relationship, whether with the earth or with friends, and any who pass through our doors and receive our generosity as hosts I want to instill with this giving spirit.

Salt - This one is the simplest. So simple in fact it ought to have been first. Salt has such rich history and folklore from all around the world, I won't even begin to touch on all of it. But its essential role in our bodies and lives is undeniable. Not only is it nutritionally necessary, and a wonderful preservative, but it is also the earth's most powerfully protective mineral. You don't need anything special, in fact it's best to just buy the cheapest you can because if you're getting into spellwork, you're going to be using a lot of it. It can be mixed with ashes from your spells and incense, herb blends, and blessings to make different witches salts. Aunt Lucinda from The Spiderwick Chronicles wasn't as crazy as she seemed for having a line of salt in each doorway and windowsill. Be careful using salt outdoors, as too much kills any plant, and too much around small children and pets simply because they'll eat anything.

Prayers, affirmations, and incantations - these will of course be extremely personal. They can be as simple as saying "I am protected" or "I am guarded" etc., as you walk your house. You can make symbols or sigils with the movement of your hands. You can pray to a deity if you choose. A personal favorite of mine is to incant as I smoke cleanse, rotating my incense or smudge stick counterclockwise (to release, dispel, or banish - clockwise to attract) and say "I release that which does not serve me. I banish that which would do me harm."

For all of these, *intention* is going to be your best friend. Visualize a white, protective light filling your home, pushing the shadows from every crevice, and let your power and the powers you trust to call on shield you from any harmful energy that may come your way. Some of these will have to be redone yearly, or monthly, some I only do when I feel the need for something particularly strong, like when an evil eye breaks or a string of ill fortune strikes, and sickness or an unwanted person has been in the house. Let your intuition guide you.

Hope you enjoyed, let me know what I should share next!

[aceofcupsbiggestfan]

Panathenaia

~ 23-30 Hekatombaion~

Meaning 'All-Athenian', Panathenaia celebrated Athena as the patroness of Athens. It was the premier festival of the year, sparking large celebration. Two versions of this festival took place, Panathenaia ta mirka (Lesser Panathenaia) and Panathenaia ta megala (Greater Panathenaia). Greater Panathenaia took place every four years compared to its annual counterpart. The only difference in festivals was that of scale and performance, with Greater Panathenaia marking the greater festival.

Part of the name sake of the month, Panathenaia based with a hecatomb throughout. Processions took place outside of Acropolis, a means to show the new peplos for Athena's statue. This weaving of the new fabric was held at Plynteria. The traditional blue and yellow would be taken to Athena in a ship. Everybody took part.

Kanephoroi (young women with baskets on their heads containing grain), Diphrophoroi (young girls carrying chairs), Thallophoroi (Old men bearing branches and young men in purple robe, and non-citizens proceeded to Athena's temple. Non-citizens often held cakes and honeycomb while freed slaves and non-Greeks carried oak branches. Daughters of Metics carried water jugs. Representatives of City-States throughout Attica brought armor and cows as offerings. The victors of the games were included in the procession.

The procession walked throughout many Attican cities most notably, Eleusinium, Acropolis and Propylaea where they ended. Sacrifices were completed with prayers. Sacrifices included several epithets of Athena including Athena Hygiaea, Athena Polias and Athena Nike. Each epithet was given something different.

Part of the festival highlighted the Panathenaian Games, similar to its Olympiad counterpart. The games held torch races to determine sacrificial fire, all-night service and meat meals for anyone, all at the city's pocket.

While the early games were for Athenians only, in 566 BCE the games were open to all Greeks. This was part of Panathenaia ta megala. In the annual festival Athenian-Only games persisted, the Greater festival offered the opportunity for others to join.

Later, musical competitions and recitations of Homer were added. The Iliad and Odyssey were popular choices as well as short-length poetry. Foot-racing, pentathlon, wrestling, gymnastics, boxing and pankration were observed in three male "age" categories: older men, younger men and boys. Chariot races were also added along with javelin-throwing from horseback and races for foals and full-grown horses.

Winners of the games were prized olive oil from Athena's sacred olive tree along with money depending of rank of winning.

Traditional Offerings:

Beef

Olives and Olive oil

Water or khernips

Oak branches/leaves

Hymns to Athena

Traditional Acts:

Games, such as running, horse racing and torch racing

Hymns and Offerings to Athena

Reciting or reading poetry, such as Homer

Wearing purple, yellow or blue

feasting with community

Khaire Athena! Happy Panathenaia! 🦉🏅🍃