There are so so so many ways to experience the gods.
There is no right or wrong way. There is no blunt way. Its all feeling and ephemeral.
If you’ve felt warmth, if you’ve had a dream, if you’ve seen a crow that stares at you for too long, if something inexplicable happens and you’re lucky suddenly, if you’ve caught eyes with a stranger and felt like you knew each other. If the candle flickers a certain way, if one time when you’re singing your voice sounds gorgeous in a way you weren’t expecting, these are all the presence of a god.
God phoning is popular on witchtok but half the time what they’re saying is bullshit. I’ve very very rarely heard a voice and every single time it was my own voice, just suffused with something, saying something I normally wouldn’t say. Or maybe I would. I’ve never heard a clear, distinct, audible voice. Its an invisible world we’re connecting with, its a different plain. We cannot experience it the same way we experience every day life.
We’ll never sit down at a coffee table across from the physical manifestation of our god, and know that its them, not until after. And even then we can never be sure. That’s the nature of it. There are no absolutes, there cannot be. That’s what makes it beautiful. That’s where belief comes in. It isn’t about being good enough or worthy enough or devout enough, that doesn’t exist. That isn’t what its about at all. You are worthy even if the divine doesn’t manifest in a way we’ve been told is the only real way, and you are connecting even if you cant see it now. My most intense spiritual experiences are never something I realize are happening in the moment, its always only after that I can see it clearly.
The gods are all around us.
does she have it out for you, or is she trying to get your attention on something?
the Gods do not just dislike. that's not how they work. they don't have petty grudges or just not like someone. they are not human. they are Gods.
if your petitions to Aphrodite are not working, you are missing something.
maybe you have some learning or growing to do, a habit to break, maybe this is a lesson in perserverance or looking for love in the wrong places.
somewhere there's that poem about someone's dog wanting chocoloate because she doesn't know it will hurt her and the Gods witholding the things we pray for for the same reason
if you genuinely think a deity is angry with you, check yourself first. what are you doing that is in active opposition to their teachings? what would they be mad about in the first place? if you can't find it, you are convincing yourself of failure for no reason.
Hey witchy side of Tumblr quick question why does Aphrodite seem to have it out for me?
And what can I do get her to not hate me?
STARTING in a religion is easy and accessible, just start praying.
STAYING in a religion is effort and work and learning, do your research.
“There’s no wrong way to practice, if you want to worship, just start praying. “ and “you have to have a basic understanding of the foundation of Hellenic polytheism before you delve in” are two things that can and will coexist.
as someone who spent a long time in that category of worshippers and is still unlearning some of it, i’ve been making more of an effort to use Theoi vs gods (for more of an anthropological perspective discussion.) i’ve wanted to open more of the barrel of monkeys that is reconstructing ancient religion, but in this current day and age, it’s a little more difficult to trust sources.
do you have any known reliable resources for finding the more historically accurate terms (unfortunately digging through texts isn’t always accessible and google can’t be trusted anymore) or is there terms you prefer to use?
I hate a lot of terms adjacent to HelPol spaces. So many of them are indicative of 1. Being raised with Christianity 2. Lack of deconstruction of those beliefs and 3. Utter lack of research (what I call Tik-tokisms)
I do not like the terms deity, misuse of the term “altar”, ever using patron, “my gods or goddesses”, devotee, “reach out” (as in a spirit is reaching out), “talking to the gods”, offending the gods.
I’ve got some REALLLY unpopular opinions about Ares, some primordial spirits, Khaos, like.
I am selective about the term “god”, (Theos and Theoí are commonly more appropriate to my conversations). I’m also slightly apprehensive around the phrase “work with”, but that being said I don’t care as much.
Athena is the goddess you call on when you have strength and courage, and need her wisdom to guide you.
Ares is the god you call on when your strength and courage fail, and you need his passion to drive you
(Art by @dxwart)
hey relax for a second and watch the cat
No answers answer because I wanna see what it be
Protection sigil: “Hide from unwanted guests”
Use how you wish.
10 years of Hellenistic paganism and eclectic witchery makes you learn some weird shit
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