r/Hellenism

Hi everyone, I’m coming to you asking for some support, maybe some advice. Yesterday, a relationship that meant a lot to me came to an end. We had been seeing each other for around three months (I know that’s not a long time, but I really saw potential in it).

I’m devastated, and I don’t know whether what hurts more is the end of the relationship itself or the fact that my prayers and pleas to the Goddess Hecate weren’t answered. It hurts to lose the relationship, but at the same time, it hurts and scares me even more to think that maybe none of this has any meaning, that the Goddess didn’t hear me, that she isn’t there. And I really don’t want that to be true.

Maybe this is simply how things were meant to happen. I don’t know. Maybe my prayers weren’t answered because this relationship wasn’t healthy for me. The truth is, after only a month, I was already thinking about ending it myself because the relationship was exhausting me.

I honestly don’t know what to think or feel right now. Do you have anything to say to me, any advice or words of support?

I don’t treat deities like magical wish-granting machines, and there’s no magic involved in any of this. I very, very rarely ask for anything, and when I do, it’s always with a promise to give offerings in gratitude.

I don’t know… I think I just need to hear that this was meant to happen, that there was a reason for it. I think I need some kind of reassurance.

They have given me grace and mercy beyond measure.

They heal me.

They have given me love beyond understanding, where once I felt despair.

They have opened my eyes just a little, where once I was wholly blind.

They guide me.

They have answered me when I ask, when I was low.

I have felt them.

They deserve worship and praise and adoration.

Praise my Mother Aphrodite, and my healer Asklepios, and the swift-footed Hermes, and Dionysus the Liberator, and the other Theoi, and the spirits and nymphs and daimons around us!

Hello all— This is somewhat a seeking reassurance somewhat asking for advice post? I am a brand spanking new Aphrodite devotee after realizing she’s been calling to me through various ways practically my entire existence. Recently I laid down to sleep after a hard day, and said a prayer to her as a nightly devotional, and asked her to protect me from nightmares…

Unfortunately though that night I actually did have a nightmare, a very bad one at that 😭 It is extremely rare that I ever dream let alone have nightmares, and this one really scared me. However: I don’t think it was a sign of sorts from Aphrodite…

I have a lot of guilt from my childhood growing up in the Christian church, and whilst I personally believe in Omnism (the belief that there is truth in all paths) I still feel that constant nagging in the back of my head. It makes me feel shame both in the eyes of Aphrodite, and of Christianity… There is a voice from those Christian days telling me that my Goddess is not real, that she’s a demon in disguise, and though I CERTAINLY don’t believe that (To me Aphrodite is the most gentle, kind, pure, and angelic being I’ve ever come across) It still frightens me to keep hearing. I believe that this is where the true root of my nightmare came from. I don’t believe it was a rejection from Aphrodite (though I’m always up for interpretation if anyone feels otherwise, or has other insight!!) however I think it was simply guilt.

If any other people here had a similar path… how did you resolve these feelings of guilt/shame? How did you cope with them? I’m beginning to feel it’s interfering with my relationship with Lady Aphrodite and it makes me feel so ashamed and sad 😞

Hi , I watched the Odyssey recently and did some research on Athena. She seemed a very inspiring and incredible Deity to me. (Not based on just the movie)

For context , I've been a practitioner of Hindu Tantra and worshipper of some of the ancient Hindu deities for several years now.

Athena seemed very similar in themes to one of the female deities I worship.

I was wondering if anyone here actually practices worshipping Athena and if you could share your experience & how to worship her.

PS: Apologies if anything I said something disrespectful by mistake. Apart from being a Hindu, I love all ancient civilization and pagan cultures. 🌺

Hey y'all! So I recently started working with horses again, riding a couple times a week and teaching people how to ride (I'm still in training for awhile but soon I'll be on my own!) anyway, does anyone know of any prayers to posiedon pertaining to horses? I searched around a bit and tried to find one but couldn't. I'm not the best at writing prayers so I figured I'd see if anyone here had one they'd be willing to share.

Hi everyone,

Are you newer to this religion and have questions? This thread is specifically for you! Feel free to ask away, and get answers from our community members.

You can also search the Community Wiki here, and our Community Guide here for some helpful tips for newcomers.

Please remember that not everyone believes the same way and the answers you get may range in quality and content, same as if you had created a post yourself!

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Do I need an altar or shrine?

No. Most practitioners do eventually make one, but they are not necessary. In ancient Greece altars were typically large stone tables where sacrifices could be made. These were generally public spaces but smaller household altars and shrines became more common in late antiquity. If you wish to make an offering or prayer to a god without an altar, this can be done in a place that feels sacred to that particular god.

How do I make an altar?

Your altar is the place where you make your connection to the gods. This space should ideally have the capacity to have a lit flame, to burn incense, and some vessel to make libations. Statues or images of the gods are nice, but not a necessity. If you do not have the capacity to have open flames or burn incense, many instead use electric lights and perfume or oil diffusers. If you do use open flames, please use caution. Keep away from drapes and curtains and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Make sure you have a plan for if a fire starts unexpectedly.

How do I make an offering?

The most typical offering is a libation. Libations in antiquity were typically wine or water but in modern times more varied drinks are often used. Libations can be poured onto the ground, into a fire, or disposed of down your drain if neither of the former are available options. Food, likewise, can be offered by burning, burying, or being left on your altar and disposed of later. Incense is often given as an offering, and is burnt. The Orphic Hymns are a good resource to find an incense for a particular god. Animals were sacrificed to the gods in antiquity by killing them, butchering them, consuming their meat, and burning their bones wrapped in their fat on fires. This practice is not common in modern times, for reasons of practicality, and was not universal to Hellenic Polytheism in antiquity. Offerings to chthonic deities are generally speaking not to be eaten.

How do I dispose of perishable offerings?

You don't have to burn your offerings, and most burnt offerings in Antiquity were the bones and fat from sacrifices during public festivals. It's fine to dispose of perishable offerings in any number of ways, whether it be binning, burying,, or eating it yourself if it's still edible. Please be mindful of local wildlife if offerings are left outside.

Do I need to pray every day?

No. Many people take long leaves from worship. We all go through troubled times and worship may not be your focus for some time. This is normal and something the gods understand.

Can I participate in non-Hellenic practices?

Yes. Many of us have to participate in modern religious practices to maintain appearances to our friends and family if we are not religiously out of the closet. Even beyond this, many in antiquity and in the modern day practice syncretically and adopt practices and deities from outside the Hellenic Pantheon into their religious practice.

What is miasma and how do you cleanse it?

Miasma was an explanation to diseases before the existence of germ theory. Miasma was believed to accumulate on one's body through the performance of unclean acts such as sex, the butchering of animals, or the shedding of human blood. Miasma was believed to interfere with worship as when Hector says in the Iliad: “and with hands unwashed I would take shame to pour the glittering wine to Zeus; there is no means for a man to pray to the dark-misted son of Kronos, with blood and muck all splattered upon him”. The cleansing of miasma was performed by washing oneself with clean water and the application of perfumes.

How do I communicate with the gods?

In ancient times few people attempted to communicate with the gods, or if they did, they did so through trained experts who used techniques such as astrology, the interpretation of entrails from sacrificed animals, or the interpretation of the actions of sacred animals. Techniques such as candle, pendulum, and keyboard divination are modern inventions and should be approached with skepticism and caution if you wish to incorporate them into your practice.

I received a message from the gods via divination or think I may have witnessed a sign. What does it mean?

This is a question that you alone can answer. Many people do not receive signs in all of their practice and one should not expect to find them. If you do receive a sign it should be obvious to you that it was a sign.

Can I worship multiple gods? / Can gods share an altar?

Yes. Hellenic Polytheism is a polytheist religion which necessarily means that there are multiple gods to worship. These gods can cohabitate a space even if they are seen to be in conflict in mythology. The nature of polytheism is that there are forces and deities which conflict with each other but that does not necessarily mean that one is right and the other is wrong or that they cannot cohabitate.

Do I need to be chosen by a god before I can worship them?

No. The gods are always accepting and hospitable to those who come to worship them.

How do I decide which gods to worship?

This is a question that you must decide for yourself. There is no wrong place to start and people typically find new gods through the ones they already worship. There is no right number of gods to worship. They exist beyond naming or counting so you cannot worship them all and many will choose to worship only one.

Can I dismantle my altar/shrine?

Yes, it is often necessary to dismantle an altar or shrine because it needs to be moved or hidden. The gods will understand your circumstance.

Have I offended X god or goddess?

Typically, no. The gods are slow to anger and quick to forgive. Only the very worst actions (patricide, human sacrifice, cannibalism, etc.) consistently draw divine wrath.

If you are concerned you have done something to upset a god, or were disrespectful at times you should ask for forgiveness and try to lead your life in a way that reflects the virtues that the gods stand for moving forward.

Is veiling required in Hellenism?

Veiling is not a necessary or contingent practice in Hellenism. If you choose to veil on a personal level you're more than welcome to of course! Just know it isn't at all a modern or historic requirement for the religion. For more information, posts and questions can go to r/PaganVeiling

I am changing which deities I worship and would like reassurance from other community members who worship them.

You're free to worship any and all deities from any pantheon you desire to. There are several amazing resources on which deities feature specific attributes notably https://www.theoi.com/. Feel free to post your ideas if you'd like more nuanced input after you've done your own research. Only you can know what's right for you!

I am worried that I am doing something wrong, and would like reassurance from other community members.

Feel free to post here! We're all a community, and sometimes despite reading all the books, we still need a small - Hey, that looks great!

For deeper concerns about your faith, please visit r/exchristian or r/ReligiousTrauma for help on deconstructing.

Within Hellenistic Polytheism, whom should I pray to for death of a loved one?
To relieve their suffering, I promise.
My great grandmother is in immense pain, with severe dementia.
I wish her to be free from this realm and I would sincerely love any advice on who to pray to. Please? Thank you.
I’m a paganistic witch who has recently converted from atheism to Hellenistic Polytheism, I’ve been trying to research and read as much as possible but love community interaction.

Thank you for reading. Blessed be.

Hey all!

One of the things the mod team is discussing to help celebrate 100k is attempting to make a 'resource-post to end all resource posts', a kind of one stop shop for newer folk (but perhaps also older folk?) to be able to get help in developing their faith. Something with broad introductory guides (like this but for Hellenists), reading lists (this, this, etc.), and detailed answers to specific questions.

Are there any specific questions which come to mind? Specific reading lists which could be helpful? Or broad intro guides you think might be needed?

Hi guys, I was the guy who asked the question about the gods and goddesses raping and stuff a few days ago, and my post got deleted because the mods thought I was ragebaiting since I didn't reply. But that's because when I posted it, I forgot I posted it, and I just haven't opened Reddit in like 5 days 😭. And I promise I'm not ragebaiting; I just genuinely want to know more about Hellenism. So basically, most of the people in the replies were saying that it's just myths and stories and not real stuff. But does that mean that there's like no scripture-type thing for Hellenism? Is there any type of thing that actually shows what the gods and goddesses actually did and stuff, just like how Jesus was talked about in the Bible and Christians see it as the truth, and the same with the Quran? But what about Hellenism?

I had lost my bracelet today and prayed to Hermes to help me find it in which I did find it later! And I’m planning on giving him an offering as thank you!

I was originally thinking some food but then I remembered him being a chthonic god. Did a quick research and find that he’s both chthonic and ouranic.

So I’m wondering how should I worship him??

In my spare time I have joined a historical fencing group and I want to stitch something to represent Aries and Athena onto the sides of my helmet but I don’t know what stitch on. Any suggestions/ideas are appreciated.

Herakles is usually shown with a lion skin and a club. The lion skin, λεοντή, comes from λέων (= lion) and refers to the Nemean Lion, which Herakles killed as one of his labours. His club is called ῥόπαλον. These are probably the easiest ways to recognise him.

Poseidon is a little more complicated. Hellenic gods were rarely associated with only one thing. Poseidon was connected with the sea, earthquakes, horses, and more, so he could appear with several different attributes.

Here, the strongest clue is the fish he is holding, probably a dolphin. The figure also has the familiar divine pose: a bare torso with a garment falling from the shoulder. This is especially common in representations of male gods. Goddesses, on the other hand, tend to be much more heavily clothed. Yes, even Aphrodite.

But what exactly is happening between Herakles and Poseidon?

Oi pessoal, estou passando por um momento de muita tristeza onde só a esperança nos deuses me consolam. Faz mais de 10 dias que meu cachorrinho sumiu em um novo bairro e estou muito preocupada, já fizemos tudo que é humanamente possível e agora estou indo para um lado mágico, para qual deus ou deusa poderia pedir ajuda?

I know lots of yall have definitely done this already, it's not new, but if you're struggling to find incence holders that match your shrine, especially on a budget, little dishes, shells, bowls, anything that can hold something, can become an incense holder if you fill it with salt, rice, or little rocks!

It's really easy and cheap, and works really well, especially if you don't have much space as the incence will stand straight up, so it can be as narrow as you need it to be.

If you want to be creative, you can make something out of clay and add salt to that, so yeah

May the gods bless your days 🎀☀️🌑

Real quick for those who don't know, the Herculaneum scrolls are more than 1,800 ancient papyrus rolls discovered in a luxury villa in Herculaneum, Italy. Burned and carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Thanks to AI and Xrays, the scrolls can be read again.

My quesion is what if herculaneum scrolls contains stuff about the gods? Would you accept what they contain?

I've been practicing with Aphrodite for around 3 1/2 years now, and she's always felt more than enough for me spiritually. I'm 18, so she's been with me in busy academic times - I wouldn't consider myself the best daughter of hers, but I love her. Recently, I've been looking more into maybe calling in another deity to bond with alongside her. I didn't have anyone specific in mind, I mainly focused on calm researching incase I got myself into anything tricky. I'd say in the past year I've been having a lot of symbolism in my life relevant to the moon. I have a new interest in astrology, I love moon themed jewellery, I've always been a night owl, I get emotional at night, and I've been having really intense metaphorical dreams.

I decided to do some tarot to see if there was any lunar energy around me, I was expecting possibly Hecate or Artemis. Though I kept pulling the same cards each spread it kind of freaked me out: the moon and the chariot, along with cards like queen of pentacles and the world. I wasn't sure, looked it up - Selene. I did some digging and read her section on the theoi site and her parts in my mythology book, as well as a load of youtube videos. I'm positive it's her reaching out.

Problem is I live with my christian mother, who has no idea of my beliefs/active practices with Aphrodite and I have to keep it that way. The only time I can give to divination time/offering is at night, without much to offer either. I don't want to take on another deity and maybe disappoint Selene. I don't want to ignore her; but I have hardly any items for a decent space for her in my room, can't give nice offerings etc. What should I do?

edit: just want some guidance, i’m new.

I’m trying to create an alter for the goddess of night Nyx. I have a very vague idea of how to set it up and what to get for it but I need ideas for how to build the alter properly. Items for offerings, crystals, candles, scents, ect. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!