Paganblr - Tumblr Posts
Hey, does anyone know if you can ask for religious absences in college for pagan holidays?
Zeus' POV during the rebellion
Zeus loves queer people
Poseidon loves queer people
Hera loves queer people
Demeter loves queer people
Aphrodite loves queer people
Athena loves queer people
Artemis loves queer people
Apollo loves queer people
Ares loves queer people
Hephaestus loves queer people
Hermes loves queer people
Hestia loves queer people
Dionysus loves queer people
Making a helpol poll (mouthful) because I'm curious -
Please reblog I really am curious what other people do :) + feel free to elaborate if you want <3
The Creation of Humanity
(the creation of humans, the Day of Fire, Prometheus' punishment)
The Gods were bored and needed something to do, something to provide them with entertainment. So Zeus set the Gods to work - having them each mold the creatures to populate the Earth with. They quickly busied themselves with their jobs, and soon all of the Earth's creatures were formed.
Next the creatures needed abilities - something to set them apart from others and give them a fighting chance of survival, after all, it wouldn't be very entertaining if they all died of within a couple hundred years. For this job, Prometheus was chosen. Prometheus is the Titan God of forethought, making him very suited for the job of ensuring species' survival. However, Prometheus' brother, Epimetheus (Titan God of afterthought), wanted a chance to prove himself and asked to do Prometheus' job, promising that he would let him inspect his work before they presented it to the rest of the Gods.
Prometheus begrudgingly agreed and Epimetheus began his work, taking great care with the abilities he gives to the creatures. Once he had finished his job he proudly showed his handiwork to his brother. Prometheus was pleasantly surprised, until he noticed a neglected figure that hadn't been given any abilities. He turned to his brother, asking him about the creature. Distraught at his mistake, Epimetheus admitted that he didn't have any abilities left to give to the creature - the 'human being'. There was no time to make amends and the creatures were presented to the rest of the Gods, who - delighted with their creations - populated the Earth with the various species.
It was immediately clear that humanity would not survive very long, their lack of abilities put their species at a huge disadvantage. Despite them being doomed to extinction, Prometheus felt a strong affinity towards human beings and realised that they needed a unique ability to survive as a species. And so he gave them one.
It came down like a lightning bolt, and suddenly the previously helpless humans were gifted Promethean intelligence.
Their newfound intelligence allowed humans to develop speech and spread survival techniques amongst themselves. The rest of the Gods naturally assumed that intelligence was humanity's ability. The Gods realised that due to their intelligence, human beings could fear the future.
And of course, the Gods were doing this for entertainment, so they made it so humans had to offer sacrifices to the Gods and ask them for the future to turn out the way they wanted. In order to give sacrifices they needed to have fire. Prometheus realised this quickly and convinced Zeus to allow humans to have fire in exchange for a portion of the human's sacrifices. Zeus declared that 'this is the Day of Fire,' adding that 'What is done today is final.'
Prometheus is given the task of separating the portions of the sacrifice for the Gods to decide which sections would be offered to the Gods. Prometheus wraps all of the best bits of meat in the cow's stomach, giving it the appearance of haggis. Next he covered the skeleton with fat and put the hide back on it. Zeus picks the skeleton.
When he realised he had been tricked Zeus was enraged. As punishment for Prometheus' deception, he took the fire away from the humans, wanting Prometheus to have to watch the humans he loves so dearly die out. Prometheus still wanted to help humanity to survive, so he broke into Hephaestus' workshop in a last ditch effort. He stole fire from the workshop, hiding it in the stalk of a fennel plant. Once he gave human beings fire, they celebrated and danced all night, overjoyed at the gift of fire. No matter what the Gods wanted to do, what was done that day was final.
Safe to say, Zeus is pissed. Prometheus is bound with chains forged by Hephaestus. He's dragged down from Mount Olympus and the chains binding him are driven into a rock. Everyday an eagle ate his liver. Overnight his liver regenerated and his body healed only for the eagle to come back again the next day.
And so he was stuck in his cruel punishment until 30,000 years later when Heracles is tasked with killing the eagle that has been tormenting Prometheus. He succeeds and Prometheus is left bound and naked, but at least the worst part of his punishment was over.
Years later, Prometheus negotiated with Zeus, offering him information on his and Thetis' future son in exchange for his freedom. At Mount Olympus Prometheus is made to wear a garland around his head, as a constant reminder of his chains.
His job was done - humanity was well and truly alive.
I'm reading some books I borrowed from the college library (Bacchus by Andrew Dalby, and Apollo by Fritz Graf) and making notes on them (partly for religious stuff partly for school). When I've finished reading them-
I hear Hermes in the noise of a train when it stops in front of my platform.
I hear Apollo in the loud bass line in a song.
I hear Poseidon in the snorting of horses as they go past a car.
I hear Dionysus in the laughter coming from the bars.
I hear Ares in the noises of pride parades and protests.
☀️Deities☀️
I see so many people criticizing others over their relationships, or lack thereof, with their deities, so here are some reminders:
Not having deities is okay.
Having just a devotional relationship with your deities is okay.
Having a working relationship with your deities is okay.
Playing games with your deities is okay.
Harmless jokes with your deities are okay.
Doing fun things with your deities is okay.
Doing devotional offerings for your deities is okay.
Giving physical offerings to your deities is okay.
Not being able to do certain offerings for deities is okay.
Having an altar for your deities is okay, no matter the size.
Not having an altar for your deities is okay.
Laughing with your deities is okay.
Crying with your deities is okay.
Having genuine conversations with your deities is okay.
Being unable to hear/see deities is okay.
Being able to hear/see deities is okay.
Not being able to communicate through divination is okay.
Using divination as a key element in communication is okay.
Not calling on deities during spellwork is okay.
Asking deities to help during spellwork is okay.
Asking deities for help in general is okay.
This is your relationship with your deities in your practice. Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do. 🫶
It's 2am, please forgive me if there are any mistakes!
10 Simple Ways to Worship Mother Nature
These could apply to any earthly god or goddess really, so feel free to borrow any ideas that speak to you! And please tell me about how you worship your deity, I'd love to know 💚🪲
Going for daily, mindful walks. Sometimes I'll listen to music, other times I'll just listen to the world around me.
Wear a lot of greens and browns, as well as recycled and more sustainable fabrics (a lot of my clothes are also thrifted, and I try to avoid overconsumption)
Decorate my space with earthy colours, posters and pieces of the earth - I have crystals, bones, pressed flowers and even rocks and twigs in my room
Learn about nature and the world around me - I am a zoology student so my academic career is also a devotion to Mother Nature but I also learn about what animals I can see locally, I study when and where flowers bloom and how to tell when rain is coming etc
Reconnect with my more primal side - a significant part of my work with Mother Nature is reognising and accepting that humans are animals, and we behave as such; we cannot allow ourselves to become seperate from wilderness. To me, this involves connecting with my intuition and gut feelings, recognising my emotions and desires and working with them
Making and wearing daisy chains or flower crowns
Creating art inspired by the world around me and myself
Caring for animals (that includes other humans) when I can and it's safe: from helping a snail move across the path, to making sure a dying bird can rest peacefully, to giving food and money to the homeless
Loving myself, though it isn't always easy
Spending time outside with my hands in the dirt or streams, speaking with the trees and birds and listening to their replies
Hey folks - if you find yourself struggling with your faith, belief in gods, etc., that might mean that it's time to sit down and reassess what you believe and why you believe in it. Sometimes the reason you're struggling is because you've grown, and what you believed before no longer fits. Instead of trying to force yourself back into these beliefs, it might be time to leave them aside and find something that fits you better.
Beginner Witch's Guide: Crystals
Today's witchy lesson is on crystals! Specifically, crystal shapes and their meanings, types of crystals and their meanings, and what you can use crystals for in your practice!
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Basic Crystals and Their Meanings:
Clear Quartz -> Clear quartz is known for its ability to amplify intention and magnify the energy of other stones around it
Selenite -> Selenite is good for cleansing and purifying the area and objects around it
Amethyst -> Amethyst provides a peaceful and relaxing energy
Carnelian -> Carnelian is known for boosting creative energy and allowing for better creative flow
Rose Quartz -> Rose quartz is known for supporting and amplifying love of all kinds (self love, romantic love, platonic love, etc.)
Pyrite -> Pyrite (also known as 'Fool's Gold') is known for drawing in success and fortune
Obsidian -> Obsidian sucks in negative energy from the surrounding space providing protection from unwanted energies and negativity
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Crystal Shapes and Meanings:
Cube -> Cube shaped crystals are often tied to grounding and would be good to use during meditation or meditative spellwork.
Sphere -> Sphere shaped crystals are thought to be more balanced with the energy they emit, splitting it evenly in all directions. They are good to use in grounding work (like meditation) or for protective spells/energy.
Pyramids -> Pyramid shaped crystals are most commonly associated with the idea of communing with celestial bodies or with the universe. Pyramid shaped crystals would be beneficial to use in deity worship or working with deities for spellwork.
Tower/Point -> Tower and point shaped crystals are known to amplify intention and point it in a certain direction. In my opinion, they are the most universally helpful shape and so can be used for a variety of spells.
Palm Stones -> Palm Stones are flat disks of stone that can be placed in one's palm and are often used to provide soothing energy. When placed in the palm they can be rubbed to provide therapeutic relief in moments of anxiety.
Cluster -> A cluster is a mix between a sphere and a point. The energy is emitted in all directions, but not evenly. They are most beneficial for spells and powers you want amplified, but don't need to be even or concentrated in one particular area.
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General Crystal Tips:
When purchasing crystals, make sure the ones you are buying are coming from reputable, ethical sources and are actual crystals!
Before letting any crystal come in contact with the sun or with water, make sure it is safe to do. Some crystals are known to leech harmful chemicals or elements into water when submerged while some will just erode away in minutes. Some crystals can also fade if left in direct sunlight for a long time (amethyst is one of these so keep that in mind!)
If you do not like working with crystals, think something works better for you than crystals, or simply are just not interested in working with crystals, they are not necessary for the craft! Crystals (like any other witchy tool) are optional but can not only provide useful energies or attributes, but also just look super cool and are great to put on altars or in spaces around your home!
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Well, that's all for my beginners guide to crystals! There are so many more crystals out there with their own unique shapes, attributes and energies that I suggest going and doing more research as you start to collect crystals! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out, I love talking to people and love making new friends <3
Valete my friends! :3
worshipping the chthonic gods
first, a note on cthonic vs ouranic: the line between these gods is one that is not really as stark as it can be portrayed. many gods have both ouranic and chthonic aspects, and neither make them any more "good" or "bad" than the other. chthonic gods are not evil gods, at least no more than any ouranic god. all deities have the capability of doing good and evil, but are largely ambivalent in nature. the advice listed below is not set in stone, simply provided as gentle guidance. if you have suggestions, feel free to add them in the comments/reblogs! :)
LIBATIONS/OFFERINGS
In Ancient Greece it was very common for offerings to the chthonic gods to be given in the form of libation--a drink (or any liquid) poured into the ground. Solid offerings, like food, were often burned in their entirety to ash or left to rot, instead of being partially shared by the offeror. Incense was not as commonly used since the smoke travels upwards, towards the heavens.
I suggest disposing of/keeping ashes and rotted food outside or burying them, seeing as chthonic sometimes refers to "-of the earth." This would be similar to how curse tablets were treated in Ancient Greece, as Hermes, messenger of the gods, would deliver them unto their underworld-ly receiver from there.
If you can't do that, consider pouring your libations down the sink or flushing them down the toilet (ONLY do this with water-based liquids, oil and honey will clog up your sink in no time flat). It's not ideal, but it gets the job done.
Common libations include: coffee, blood (animal or your own, we'll get to that at the end), honey (instead of wine), milk
Common offerings include: meat, barley/grain, oil, cheese
PRAYER
In many cases, prayers to ouranic deities are directed upwards, into the sky or delivered unto the wind by voice, song, or some sort of poem. In the case of the chthonic gods, we should be directing them downwards, towards the underworld where they reside. This may include extending your hands with palms facing down, putting your head down, or just imagining your prayers being sent below. The only exceptions to this may be Persephone, who resides in the heavens for half of the year, and Hermes, who can be considered both ouranic and chthonic.
Other recommendations I can make are: light a candle, even if you're not going to use it for pyromancy; light some incense (I do this for focus and cleansing, not so much for the deity); and perform it at night. It's not mandatory, of course, to perform your prayers at night, it's just that in antiquity ouranic activities (festivals, prayer, etc.) were done during the day and often directly enshrouded in sunlight. We can assume, therefore, that a chthonic prayer or festival should occur during the night, especially if being directed towards Hekate or Nyx.
ALTARS/SHRINES
In Ancient Greece, temples to the ouranic gods were constructed so that their doorways would directly face the sun, thus illuminating the inside (and often the main statue(s), too). We can assume, then, that our chthonic altars/shrines should be located somewhere out of the direct sunlight. This can be in a dark spot, like a closet or isolated room--or it can just simply be in a corner furthest from the sun's rays.
Again, there may be some exceptions to this: Hermes, under his ouranic epithet(s), Persephone, for her time in the heavens, and Hekate, for her association with the moon.
DIVINATION
For the most part divination with the chthonic gods is conducted in much the same way as with the ouranic. Of course, when calling upon these deities you'll want to face towards the ground, and perhaps even conduct these sessions in partial darkness. Again, maybe you could light a candle or even pour a libation before a really big reading.
I mostly use pendulums and tarot, but I've been experimenting with meditation and have had some luck. What works for ouranic deities should work just as good for chthonic, you just might have to shift your approach a little.
Some good tarot spreads for working with chthonic deities:
"Fork in the Road" spread-- for Hermes or Hekate
"The Tower" spread-- for Hermes or Hades
"The Self Exploration" spread-- for any
"The Bat" spread-- for Hades or Persephone or Nyx
EXTRAS
--Consider offering blood if you're able! Animal blood that is sourced from ethical farms is neither morally reprehensible or illegal and can be sourced from a variety of places. Offering your own blood is also a possibility, but for this I would not recommend more than a pinprick. There are limits to how much pain you should be incurring on yourself for your deities. If you have to check your blood sugar often, maybe you can soak up excess blood with some cotton and bury it outside. Make sure to always clean your wounds properly and do not engage in this behavior for the purpose of self-mutilation. That, I can assure you, your deities would not appreciate. Don't be stupid.
--Snakes are commonly associated with almost all chthonic deities, or just the Underworld in general. We see this the most with Hermes, who is pictured with two snakes wrapped around his caduceus. The god Asclepius is also pictured with a staff with a single snake on it. Asclepius is the god of medicine, and (before being deified) was killed by Zeus for making people practically immortal.
--Chthonic deities are the best places to turn to for spirit work, protective, and baneful magic. You're looking to contact a spirit? Turn to Hades. You're looking for protection against spirits/demons? Turn to Hekate or Hermes. You're looking to cast a curse? Turn to Persephone or Hekate.
dividers by @vibeswithrenai
Unpopular Opinion Time
The doodle you make or the picrew you use, the poorly executed poetry or basic bare bones prayer will ALWAYS be better than AI generated offerings.
I am sick of having my feed flooded with practitioners, pagans and other polytheists using AI. Specifically deities like Brigid should never be offered AI in my opinion, it’s essentially a slap in the face.
AI generated spells aren’t shit, it’s what a computer assumes will work based off of what it can gather from internet trends and research. MAKE IT YOURSELF, ask a human for help anything but AI.
There is no place for Artificial Intelligence in these spaces.
Being so afraid of being wrong that you can’t move is actually the worst thing you could do for your practice.
You aren’t imposing on anyone.
You aren’t insulting the Gods. Arguably, you don’t actually know what would be considered insulting unless you’ve actually asked Them.
You’re not going to be beaten up and told you are the worst devotee ever.
You aren’t going to be told by any Deity you are morally imbalanced or impure.
The only thing the Gods are actually concerned with is the ability to get you to listen to Them which means peeling away layers and layers of trauma, biases, and patterns that take you away from Them. They would not forcibly remove you from Their attentions just because you wanted to try something new or do something that no one else is doing.
The ultimate goal of any Divine relationship for either side should always be to draw nearer to Them, not be pushed away because your discernment is inaccurate while you are learning.
had already sent this to a mutual of mine but i thought this might be helpful for anyone else who may need it
it’s a tarot spread on how to know what deities are trying to reach out with you and why, works like a charm i swear
have a good night everyone!
-star <3
Lady Aphrodite Devotional Post
Offerings
Doves/Swans/Sparrows
Roses
Chocolate
Myrrh
Apples/golden apples
Seashells
Mermaids
Pearls
Jewelry
Gold/Silver/Diamond
Cherries
Dolphins
Perfumes
Cologne
Makeup
Combs
Mirrors
Affirmations/Affirmation Cards
Beach Sand
Sea imagery
Water
Love poems
Oyster shells
Pink Salt
Driftwood
Sea glass
Rose quartz
Amenome/Roses/Carnations
Other flowers
Valentine's Day gifts
Teddy bears
Rose water
Wine
Eros/Cupid imagery
Cakes
(Dress up) Dolls
Chapstick/lipstick
Fishnets
Honey cakes
Undergarments
Hearts
Handheld fans
Pictures of loved ones
Devotional Acts
Dress up and selfies
Keep menstrual products on you, even if you don't bleed
Advocate for pro-choice
Give/accept compliments
Advocate for SA victims
Implement a self-care routine
Go on a date
Take yourself on a date
Do something nice for your partner
Manicure/pedicure
Flirt
Affirmations in the mirror
Drink wine
Advocate for proper sex ed. (Including queer sex ed)
Love yourself/Become more confident
Experiment with your style
Mirror scrying
Listen to sleep affirmations
Love letter to self/her/partner
Take a bath/shower
Go to the ocean/water
This part is about sexual stuff so fair warning
Offerings
Condoms/lube
Lingerie
Undergarments
Sex toys
NSFW magazines/books/movie
Devotional Acts
Finally give into that one kink. You know the one.
Masturbation
Practice safe sex
Educate yourself on the porn industry
Support sex workers (tip them y'all)
Have sex
Get educated on consent/safe sex
Take nude/lewds
I just got ✨lightly scolded✨ by my Patrons and Matron for not asking Them for more help with what I want or need. And that I give too much energy and time to Them.
It’s such an… Odd feeling. That I’m doing too much and not asking for more. Never thought I’d actually say that. Huh…
All that said, I’m so grateful for my divine team. They know me better than I’ll ever know myself. I love Them wholeheartedly. 🥹💘
INTRODUCTION POST
hi! i’m aurora, but you can call me rora — actually proud af of my name because it is a roman deity name too! i’m 15, soon-to-be 16
i’m a pagan witch, kind of a omnist, i believe all gods exist and i recognize their existence but i just worship and work with just a few.
i mostly work with: Queen Lilith, Lady Aphrodite and Queen Persephone.
but i also work with: Lord Apollo, Lord Loki and Lord Lucifer.
i’m Duchess Astaroth’s, Lord Apollo’s and Lady Artemis’ child, as they’re my soulparents.
i have interest towards sirens and demons, but also strong interest towards Duchess Astaroth, Lady Nyx, Lady Selene, Lady Freyja, Lord Thanatos, Lady Hecate, Lady Eris, The Morrigan and King Asmodeus, so i kind of worship them but i do not work with them right now, but some interactions might happen. I’m actually interested overall in all greek deities and norse deities.
i’m a baby witch and i’m new to paganism and deity work, i started just a few months ago, but i kind of study spells and tarots since 2 years ago (i actually had an “accident” with Lady Aphrodite 2 years ago which i — maybe — will talk about here)
i have a really strong attraction with underworlds and chthonic deities. my interactions might be really unserious sometimes because i really like to joke around with deities :) please do not take it at heart, most of the times i am REALLY serious with them, i do recognize they’re gods and i do pay respect to them.
sometimes i astral project during my sleep and i might will want to share things i see that can be shared sometimes!
i’m not a expert, but if you want tips or have questions i might be open to answer them, but PLEASE take everything with a grain of salt, i’m new too, i’ll just try to help.
dni if you are MDNI, as i’m a minor, and basic dni criteria. zionists do not even TRY to enter this space bc i will make sure to wreck you 💕 thanks.