whatkindoftrickeryisthis

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

Oh my god holy shit...

Holy shit, I fucking understand the impact the Norse myths have...oh my god, I'm sobbing. 😭

I get it now. Like actually.

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

The bane of my existence—the notion that Loki is a "god of fire"—was apparently first proposed by Jacob Grimm.

I'm beginning to notice that if the things in Heathenry don't lead back to Blavatsky, then they lead back to the Grimm Brothers.

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

Don't be afraid to engage with the wonder and whimsy of the world, even if people judge you. One time, I was amazed by the sight of fireflies for the first time, and the person I was with judged me for it. But you know what? That shit is cool as hell. Keep living your life happy and full of whimsy, everybody. 🧡

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

Healing doesn't mean you will never be triggered again.

Progress isn’t about erasing your past. It’s about learning how to respond with awareness instead of shame. Needing skills doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re healing.

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

i have this unrealistic fantasy in my head where if you calmly and logically explain something to someone perfectly they will understand your position and gain knowledge from the exchange. unfortunately in the real world this does not happen often

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

kids deserve so much more respect and it turns out that saying that is a great way to locate the horrible people in any community <3

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

hera still loves polyamorus people

aphrodite still loves aroace people

zeus still loves people who are scared of thunder

poseidon still loves people who can't swim

apollo still loves people who aren't musical

helios still loves people who sunburn easily

artemis still loves people who aren't virgins

persephone still loves people who are allergic to pollen

hades still loves people who are afraid of death

athena still loves people who aren't academic

ares still loves people who don't like to be angry

hephaestus still loves people who can't craft things

being who you are is not offensive to the gods. they still love you.

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

BPD or other disorders can make bad days feel like proof that you’re “too much” or “failing again.” But the truth is… bad days happen to everyone. Your worth doesn’t vanish just because you’re struggling.

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

I grew up in the Christian Jehovah’s Witness cult.

I came to find polytheism/paganism through Marvel. It started with an interest in Marvel’s Loki, and grew from there into me reading Loki’s mythology, then coming to learn that they were, in fact, a worship-able and very real deity (cannot begin to describe how ecstatic that made me). Eventually, I came to find Apollo and Artemis, then Dionysus, then Hermes.

At first, I thought Norse, Greek and other such gods were just fictional characters. Growing up a Jehovah’s Witness, I was taught the bible as a pure fact of life, much like one would view science (except science is real). We took its myths literally, and there was no room to ever assume anything different could possibly be true. Paganism/polytheism were demonised practises, and I distinctly remember being taught that if you ever think you’ve encountered or are communicating with a pagan deity, then you are communicating with the devil or his demons. Same went for if you thought you were communicating with Yahweh. Simple, really. This teaching fucked me up for a long time, and sometimes still does. I have cPTSD from that place and its teachings.

I began practising—very clumsily—polytheism in 2021, sometime. Loki was the first god I reached out to, and the one I trust most. It has often been a very on and off practise, because I struggle with mental illnesses and trauma that convince me I am worthless and should stop reaching out. I recently took a years-long break and am slowly inching my way back into things, still with the same old struggles. Despite the many times I have pulled away, I always feel pulled back—ever so gently. It feels right. It feels like this is what I was always meant to follow.

I had my beliefs chosen and enforced for me until I was 17. I had my world view moulded for me without a choice. Somehow, I still managed to find this path after leaving that hellhole, and I’m grateful for that. Now I’m slowly learning more about myself and what I believe in, and I’ve got Loki by my side while I do (well, I like to think she does, anyway).

pagans, i'm curious: what religion did you grow up in? how did you come to find paganism as something that fit you?

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

I genuinely don't know who needs to hear this but praying while menstruating is not going to get you struck down. Your gods do not view you as unclean.

I've been practicing for years. I pray like I breathe. I do not stop, and will never stop. It's such a non-issue that I did not even fathom such a discussion.

The gods chose you. A human being with biological functions. I assure you they do not care.

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

"As a Hellenic Polytheist, you can't-"

Well, what if I want to, man? What if I'm tired of these random rules people are pulling out of their asses? What if I no longer want to be made to feel like my body itself is impure for being made of flesh and bone, rather than the ichor that the gods have running through their veins? What if I'm frustrated by the idea that the gods are so far above us mortals that they're entirely out of reach? What if I don't want to believe that I have to beg the gods for attention or bribe them with gifts for them to even acknowledge my existence? What if I just flat-out don't want to think that way and never wanted to? What then?

Does that mean I'm not a Hellenic Polytheist in your eyes or that I am now abandoned by the gods I thoroughly love, as much as you do? Does that mean that all of my religious experiences are immediately made invalid because you have deemed it so? Does that devalue the years of devotion and learning that I've done on my own time, just because you, a random Tumblr user, have decided that I don't fit well enough into your neat little mold of what a Hellenic Polytheist should be? I never wanted to fit into that mold.

I am so sick and tired of the rules people have been trying to force onto others. I'm frustrated by the intolerance. I'm exhausted by the drama. Sometimes, I don't want to even speak in this community anymore because of how judgemental and scrutinous some people are. There's being blunt, and there's being an asshole. There's being informative, and there's being defensive. There's correcting someone politely, and there's attacking them. Just let people breathe, good gods.

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

Something I have noticed about myself, is that I really struggle to incorporate new habits into my usual routine. Recently, very recently, I started to slowly get back into my polytheistic ways, and it has been incredibly difficult to incorporate it into my everyday life. It always was, in some fashion.

I feel like I don’t have the time or the means, even though I do—or potentially could have, if I made it so—to spend time “with” them. I know people recommend devotional acts as a relatively simple way to get “closer” with your gods, such as looking after yourself and dedicating that to a deity, but I cannot get around or over the thought: “why would they give a shit if I’m looking after myself or not? Why would a god care about me?” These thoughts are especially prevalent because I know I’m not like their other followers; there is nothing to me. Nothing to nurture, nothing to be interested in. Nothing. I’m not talented, nor skilled, nor intelligent. So why would they bother? This isn’t to be down on myself, either, it’s just a fact. I’ve tried to learn more and do more, but my brain doesn’t work the way it should, and so it ends up out of my head.

I’ve got a serious issue with forgetting things. I’ve been on this path on and off for 4 years, and I can’t honestly remember a lot of what I have done, what has or hasn’t been established, etc. Many of my written records were destroyed, but I’m trying to keep track of things again to remember. I often find myself thinking, “did I tell (x) deity about this important thing?” — “did I properly introduce myself to (x) deity?” — “does (x) deity even remember who I am? It’s been so long”.

I don’t know what the point of this post is, really, other than to just.. put it somewhere that this is something I struggle with. I feel like it’s just me. I don’t understand why my brain works the way it does, and I cannot afford to know (yay for $1000+++ autism/adhd assessments). I really hate it, though. I feel bad that I am not doing more, and that for some reason, I mentally feel blocked from doing so.

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

If I'm being honest, I don't think gaining the favor of the gods is as intense as some people claim it is. Kharis is about reciprocity, but that isn't the only aspect to building a relationship with the gods. In my opinion, it's a lot about being yourself, and expressing genuine kindness and care towards them. It has been my experience that building that kindness set the foundation for strong deity relationships. It's not so different from growing closer to people, honestly.

I mostly just wanted to state this because I feel like sometimes people apply this strange pressure to others and themselves to go above and beyond as worshippers, when in reality, I feel like you just need to try your best (your best will not look the same every day, and that's ok). Yes, do devotional activities and give offerings if it feels right, but remember that the gods are likely wanting to know you as you are. You don't have to put on a formal mask for them. You can be yourself.

This is all just my opinion anyway. I don't speak for the gods, but in my experience, they care a lot about us as individual people. 🧡

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

⋆˚࿔ Hypnos is with those who sleep during the day

⋆˚࿔ Hypnos is with those who are chronically tired

⋆˚࿔ Hypnos is with those with chronic pain

⋆˚࿔ Hypnos is with those who regularly pull all-nighters

⋆˚࿔ Hypnos is with those whose anxiety spikes at night

⋆˚࿔ Hypnos is with those that have nightmares and terrors

⋆˚࿔ Hypnos is with those with broken sleep patterns

⋆˚࿔ Hypnos is with those who burn out often

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

reminder for all my helpols out there!

only you and the gods can control your practice. it’s ok to not pray or offer everyday. it’s ok to have periods of doubt or where you just feel less religious. that’s normal. if anyone is judging you for how, when, or how often you pray or practice, politely and respectfully tell them to shut up, then ignore them. they aren’t worth the energy or time.

may the gods bless yall and remember to drink water

[whatkindoftrickeryisthis]

Love you POC helpols

Love you disabled helpols

Love you helpols who can't get out of bed

Love you open helpols

Love you closeted helpols

Love you witch helpols

Love you non-divination helpols

Love you adult helpols

Love you minor helpols

Love you agere helpols

Love you priestesses and priests and priestxes

Love you gay helpols

Love you trans helpols

Love you therian helpols

Love you furry helpols

Love you helpols who love PJO and EPIC and myth retellings

Love you immigrant helpols

Love you desi helpols

Love you white helpols

Love you helpols who are mentally ill

Love you christopagans

Love you helpols who still recover from religious trauma

Love all of you.