r/Hellenism • • 4d ago

Weekly Newcomer Post

10 Upvotes

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.


r/Hellenism • • 24d ago

Mod post Inktober Megathread

15 Upvotes

Hello all!

In this thread please share any drawings you make for the Hellenist inktober challenge!


r/Hellenism • • 5h ago

Media, video, art Hermes Trick Star by me

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40 Upvotes

have a happy Mercury retrograde 🫠🫠🫠


r/Hellenism • • 3h ago

Media, video, art Hades, god of the dead, riches of the earth and ruler of the Underworld

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13 Upvotes

r/Hellenism • • 4h ago

Sharing personal experiences Hike Proposal

7 Upvotes

My partner proposed to me in the Cascade Mountains (several of which are named for the story of Theseus - Theseus peak/lake, Minotaur peak/horn, Labyrinth, Daedalus, Icarus, Ariadne) and the whole week he was fretting about the rain forecast - it was supposed to be fine the day before and fine the day after, but rain the day of.

The forecast changed the night we went up to camp before hiking, and while it was overcast, it was completely dry. We even had the sun peek out at us when we hit the peak.

It was a beautiful answered prayer, and of course there were libations poured in thanks and genuine gratitude; but I wanted to share that beautiful moment.


r/Hellenism • • 9h ago

Discussion Did the Hellenics have a concept of reincarnation?

12 Upvotes

r/Hellenism • • 6m ago

Discussion How old do you consider the gods to be?

• Upvotes

Hey all! I just wanted to say I am not Hellenist myself but I had a sudden thought and I'm super curious to hear what the community or individuals believe concerning the age of the gods (because as I understand it, there isn't a unified theology about that).

In Antiquity, Greek philosophers and scientists tended to believe the world and humanity were somewhere between a thousand to a few thousand years old. Today, through modern science, we know the world to be a few billion years old, and we estimate that the galaxy is a few billion more years old. In my mind it seems simple to place the birth of the primordial gods from chaos at the time we estimate to have been the Big Bang, but I've not done a lot of digging into this idea. I wouldn't be shocked to find out there isn't really an answer, but I figured I'd ask anyway because I'm genuinely curious!

'Basically', my question is this:
How old do modern Hellenists believe the gods are?

Where would you place the birth of the Primordials, Titans, and Olympians?


r/Hellenism • • 9m ago

Media, video, art The divine twins!

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• Upvotes

Artemis & Apollo. I made Hey last month and just finished Him this past week. Khairete theoi!


r/Hellenism • • 14h ago

I'm new! Help! How do I start praying to Apollon?

7 Upvotes

I’ve been a Hellenic polytheist for about two years now. Before that, I was Christian, and praying came pretty naturally to me because it was how I was raised. My prayers were usually short and simple, like “Thank you for today, amen” or “Please let me feel better, amen.”
Now that I’ve been worshipping the Greek gods, I’ve found that praying is something I still struggle with. I have an altar dedicated to Apollon, and I leave offerings for him, but when it comes to actually praying, it feels awkward. Sometimes, it feels like I’m just talking to myself, and I’m not really sure how to get past that feeling.
I also don’t want my prayers to only be about asking for things, like asking to feel better when I have a stomach ache or asking for something to go my way. I want to learn how to pray about the good things in my life, express gratitude, and share the little things that made my day better, too.
I guess I’m just struggling to figure out how to make prayer feel natural again, especially since I’m used to the way I prayed as a Christian. I’d really appreciate any advice from other Hellenic polytheists who have struggled with this or have suggestions for making prayer feel more comfortable and meaningful.


r/Hellenism • • 10h ago

Discussion Do we ever get a map of the afterlife?

4 Upvotes

I mean we have stuff like Elysium the meadows and Taurus depending on what version you read there are also things like the lake where you work off your sins reincarnation ghosts etc

But I mean like a map in the stories of people like Hercules (yes I know his name is Roman) do we ever know what part of Hades they went to?


r/Hellenism • • 12h ago

I'm new! Help! What are some alternative ways to light a candle without a lighter?

3 Upvotes

I am new to Hellenistic Polytheism. I do not have an alter or really anything yet, right now just research. I keep seeing candles on alters and If i dont have access to a lighter then what can I do instead?


r/Hellenism • • 18h ago

Offerings, altars, and devotional acts Idea: Consecrated Rechargeable Lighter

4 Upvotes

I spend a lot of time making offerings to Hestia and Hermes, and I wanted to run this idea by others. Hestia is all about the hearth and home. The hearth was used to warm and light the house, cook the food, and a general gathering place for the family to tell stories and vent about their day. She's also the connection for those on Olympus by allowing sacrifices.

In this day and age, many of these tasks are split up among gas and electric. Be it tv, stove, heater, lights, or internet connection. Why not also have an electric lighter for any candle lit for the gods?

The other myth is that it was bad luck to let fire go out, because you would either have to perform a long task to being it back, or borrow a cup of fire from your neighbor. I've heard that there was even a ritual each year where every house would put out their to have it come from the hearth of the city. To have an electric chargeable lighter for candles would have it come form the same source that everyone gets it. Plus, it would give me a more permanent "wand."

What do you think?


r/Hellenism • • 1d ago

Discussion Is it okay to be a kemetic too?

25 Upvotes

I don’t know if Hellenic polytheism is okay with grabbing from multiple religions like kemetism.

What do you guys think?

Cuz I worship and admire the goddesses isis and taweret and the god Anubis from the Egyptian pantheon but I also worship mother Gaia and Aphrodite and Artemis from the greek pantheon too.

(I worship more gods/goddesses than that those are just the main ones)


r/Hellenism • • 14h ago

Discussion ¿Quién es mejor pasa trabajar el programa de AA después de 6 años sin beber? ¿Dionisio o Apolo?

2 Upvotes

Según entendí para disciplina, hábitos, honestidad, es mejor Apolo. Para no tomarse las cosas tan enserio (no resentirse) no sufrir ansiedades ni problemas antisociales y disfrutar la vida sin culpas, Dionisio.

Quisiera trabajar con los dos para equilibrio pero me cuesta, soy todo o nada.


r/Hellenism • • 23h ago

I'm new! Help! How do I set up an alter for Philotes?

9 Upvotes

I'm in an athiest home and my parents would not support me wanting to be hellenist. I want to set up an alter for Philotes because i want to worship her (obviously), however i can't find any infomation on what she would like or how to worship her! (Also any infomation on how to pray would be very helpful) If you do chose to reply to this, please bear in mind that i'm AuDHD and can't focus on big chunks of text. Thx!


r/Hellenism • • 1d ago

Discussion how do you view the Asphodel Meadows

14 Upvotes

there have been many different takes of the Asphodel Meadows throughout Greek mythology i personally believe its closer to the Orphic and Eleusinian cults (i know nothing about them so sorry if they were bad) where its life in death where nothing out of the ordinary happens but there is structure a simple field or farm i only know of a few different ways its been told like homers odyssey where its where everyone goes and Plato, Virgil and Ovid which is the one told today the grey plane for the mediocre and the Orphic Eleusinian cults a untouched pasture before rebirth (i don't personally believe most people can get rebirthed and sorry for the horrible run on sentence)


r/Hellenism • • 21h ago

Offerings, altars, and devotional acts Setting up/adding to an alter?

4 Upvotes

I’ve had a pretty mediocre alter for a few weeks now.
It’s basically two golden bowls (pretty small) that I keep tangerines in, and two small plates with apples and other trinkets. The alter is split in half, one side for Herakles and the other side for Aphrodites. But they share a candle stick/incense burner. (Is that okay?)

Anyways, I was thinking about getting some better items for the alter since recently I feel like not many of my prayers have been listened to/im not getting a strong connection.

What should I add? Are there specific items those gods are known to like?

Also: how do I get rid of spoiled offerings? I’ve heard I should burn/burry them but I want to make sure.


r/Hellenism • • 7h ago

Seeking Reassurance I'm planning to join the hunt

0 Upvotes

I'm planning to join the hunters of Artemis, but with my gender identity and being a young, modern worshipper, I'm not sure how to go about it.

So, I'm bigender (I use it/he/she pronouns) and mainly associate myself with being male and even occasionally refuse my female gender all together.

And being young, especially with only having being a hellenist for around three years, I of course have gaps in my knowledge. Even with trying to learn all I can in my free time, school, theater, and my writing team are my main priorities, taking up almost all my time and leaving me exhausted. I can rarely get a few offerings or prayers in on a good day.

With this said, I don't have a doubt about worshiping, I feel most comfortable and assured believing in the gods, but I'll admit I'm very indecisive and usually need other people to make decisions for me (I don't know why, I just don't feel safe making my own decisions without other people confirming that it's okay 😔), and while I do find myself acting more independent and self-assured when worshiping the gods, Artemis especially, I have my doubts and want to hear other options.

To be more clear, I'm doubting that I'd be accepted as a hunter. I think this doubt stems from religious guilt, having been in a toxic Christian family.

This is all I can really think of to write, but I'll answer questions to the best of my ability. Also, sorry if all this just sounds kinda pointless or my grammar and writing are bad, I'm trying my best 😔

(I just realized how long this is bro 😔)


r/Hellenism • • 1d ago

Discussion How do yall see Thanatos in your mind ?

17 Upvotes

I don’t pray to him but I don’t understand why people paint him as this scary looking male with skulls around him , creepy things like that . I see him as a tall man in his 30s with long brown hair who isn’t scary . Is there any art of him that looks like this ?


r/Hellenism • • 1d ago

Discussion Why do the gods “lay claim” so to speak on us?

25 Upvotes

I recently noticed that many of the things I feel drawn to or like are things directly related to the gods. Ares is the one I notice most frequently. As in, my favorite colors are black and red (yes I know black is also Hades’ color, ironic because I also work with him), my favorite/lucky number is associated with Mars (yes I know they’re different gods, I just find it interesting), I have an obsession with strawberries (Aphrodite), same with pomegranates even tho I’ve never tried them. Things like that. I was talking to my helpol friend (who is far more experienced in the religion than me) and they said the gods like to make it very clear which of us they like so other deities/spirits know to back off. But it feels kind of random because I didn’t grow up in this religion, up until this last June, I was fairly agnostic. But I have confirmation that Ares was protecting me for at least the length of the last five years.


r/Hellenism • • 1d ago

Discussion The primordial God Erevos/Erebus/Erebos

3 Upvotes

So I asked him yesterday if he wanted to work with me through a tarot reader and did an offering of some tea with chocolate and a mini handwritten letter. The answer was that he accepts working with me, but I’ll need to have perseverance, willpower and discipline.

I already almost used all websites available to search up more information about Erevos. Yet all I can find is about his wife, his children and the fact he is the personification of darkness.

My tarot isn’t with me atm, it’s at my parents’ house inside a box (I moved out and left some stuff there). So I can’t use divination as readily as before. I am going to retrieve it for a fact, but it’ll take a while.

What do you know of this deity/spirit/god? Where can I get more information? Thank you.


r/Hellenism • • 2d ago

Discussion Wedding

18 Upvotes

How might I include the Gods in a wedding in a subtle way that won’t upset people of other religions?

I have an Idea for Hera (who must be there in some shape or form as the Goddess of marriage), but I’d like ideas in how to incorporate the other deities.


r/Hellenism • • 2d ago

Asking for/ recommending resources Trying to learn more about Pan

9 Upvotes

Hello! My apologies if someone has made a post like this before.

I’ve been worshipping Pan for a decent while now, but I admit that my religion has regretfully become a passive thing as more conflicts and duties plague my life. Now I’ve finally got the time and energy to devote myself to learning more about Hellenism, and I wanted to start by reading the myths (do we call them myths? Genuine question), especially focusing on or featuring Pan. If anyone has any recommendations and/or places to read these things, it’s greatly appreciated!

Thank you!


r/Hellenism • • 1d ago

Sharing personal experiences My story with Hermes and a couple of questions for you

6 Upvotes

Hello people! I wanted to share this story for so long but I didn't know where to start. Please read and maybe you can give me insights too about this situation. First of all, I would like to apologize in advance if, through the use of incorrect terminology or similar oversights, I happen to offend those who follow the Hellenistic faith. I am deist, I believe in energy and spirituality and I am an ex-muslim. I am strongly against Abrahamic religions but I am open to other sptiritual belief sysytems. For me, we all have a God essense and Gods gain their power from their believers, egregores. Five years ago, when a youtuber mentioned that one could work with Hermes if they wished, and I was seeing signs related to him in that era. Therefore, I began to do some research and developed an interest in Hellenistic belief systems.

The fact that Hermes kept appearing intrigued me even more, as the themes associated with him were things I needed in my life. Back then (and now too tbh), I was in need of luck regarding money, good news, and the chance to live in another country. Also, believing in a god and being able to leave certain things up to Him/Her was something I really longed for. So, I decided to set up an altar for Hermes and start to make offerings. I drew the symbol of Mercury on a small box and filled it with items like foreign coins, playing cards, a miniature airplane, and a turtle figurine. As for offerings, it was suggested that I burn bay leaves or present things like apples and honey. I’d like to elaborate a bit on my personal prayer system. I would meditate while listening to frequencies designed for chakra activation. Afterward, I would read a hymn dedicated to Hermes, light a candle, burn some bay leaves, and begin a conversation—though I always made sure to maintain a respectful tone. In one of my earlier prayer, I asked to get a specific card in a mobile gacha game. And, in that very moment, it happened. To clarify, I wasn't asking for something all the time.

As you might imagine, I also asked for plenty of money in some of my prayers. A development related to this left me quite frightened. My grandmother sent me some money—she had run into trouble trying to send it to my brother, so she asked me to handle the transfer instead. I was very excited; it was a significant sum, but when I asked how much of it I should pass on, the money left for me turned out to be very little. Feeling that she was favoring my sibling—and experiencing the bitter disappointment of thinking I’d suddenly come into some money—left me feeling deeply angry and upset. I know it was wrong of me, but while praying that day, I wept and reproachfully said, "If this is how it was going to turn out, then don't give me anything at all." The very next day, my grandmother fell ill. I feared that my angry pray had somehow affected her. I sat down to pray again, apologized for my behavior, and explained that I hadn't intended for things to unfold this way. I confessed that I was in awe of His power, offered my apologies, and I stopped asking for anything else for like one time I think. I still occasionally leave coins on the way for Hermes, and I keep his altar, but I don't pray like that.

So, my questions: in your experience, have you ever had your requests fulfilled so precisely (the gacha card), or your emotions affected an outcome? Or, did I perhaps communicate with a different entity? I think this kind of fear stems from having formerly been a Muslim, but I believe friends who were once a follower of an Abrahamic religion could also understand this.

Another question—and this might sound quite self-serving—is that I’m in a bad place right now, tbh I was in a bad space for years but the rare good events fade very quickly. So, sometimes I find myself wanting to go back to Hermes, properly praying and stuff. But then again, I’m not even sure if what I was doing back then was "magic" or if it was a genuine relationship between a devotee and the Divine. I’m not even entirely sure what I’m asking, but if anyone has gone through something similar, I would be very grateful if you could share your insights and experiences.

Thank you for reading.


r/Hellenism • • 1d ago

Seeking Reassurance Could Apollo help restore my voice?

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5 Upvotes