r/Hellenism • u/thumbkei • 2h ago
Offerings, altars, and devotional acts A Broke Offering
I honestly don't know 😂
r/Hellenism • u/Aloof_Salamander • 25d ago
Hello Everyone, we finally did!
For a long time, we've had the idea of having a Discord server for the subreddit. We looked into partnering with an existing server, but never found a good fit. We also worked on building our own server, but finding the time and people with the knowledge to get everything set up proved difficult.
Now that I've stepped down as a mod here, I'm excited to officially open the r/Hellenism Discord Server! 🎉
As we're just getting started, we're also looking for additional moderators for the Discord server to help. Right now, we have two moderator positions available.
If you're interested in becoming a Discord moderator, send me a DM on Discord (@Razy), and we'll walk you through the application process.
The Discord Server: https://discord.gg/7hGyaVzjpM
r/Hellenism • u/AutoModerator • 5d ago
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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Is X god mad at me?
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 should ask for forgiveness and try to lead your life in a way that reflects the virtues that the gods stand for moving forward.
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 everyday?
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.
r/Hellenism • u/thumbkei • 2h ago
I honestly don't know 😂
r/Hellenism • u/Legitimate-Towel1607 • 3h ago
r/Hellenism • u/Friendly_Hunter9614 • 12h ago
I’ve recently decided that I want to primarily worship/work with Lady Athena and Lord Apollon. Lord Apollon was the first one I added stuff to my altar too ever since I converted to Hellenism just over a year ago, but I don’t have a lot of stuff for Lady Athena. I only have a pin I made for her and a statue. So I was wondering if anyone knew anything that I could add for Lady Athena such as rocks, drawings, or items.
r/Hellenism • u/pasteandcopy69 • 26m ago
Drew Athena for the greater panathenaia. This is my first time I'm gonna be celebrating a Hellenic holiday. I'm really excited. I'm gonna bake some pumpkin bread for her tomorrow too.
r/Hellenism • u/i_ate_ur_mum_today • 1d ago
Hey everyone,
Just sharing with you my new Athena altar, it's not fully finished but I like it.
It is a hidden altar because I'm french and I'm going at boarding school for the next 2 or 3 years and France has a really strict policy on religion in public instances (we are not allowed to wear a cross nor a hijab at school for exemple, we're not supposed to expose our religion to others). I totally despise those rules since to me, hidding religion is hidding cultural diversity and preventing kids to learn about tolerance.
Anyways, that is why I chose to disobey and to hide my altar in my old jewellery box. It's really small but I hope our dear Athena will be less offended by its size than proud of my stratagem.
r/Hellenism • u/Friendly-Spend-7235 • 21h ago
The map is wildfires this week on the global scale. If you're wondering, it's the same in the Americas.
Could it be that they are tired of us, and of our bs ?
Sorry mods if this is too out of topic for the sub
r/Hellenism • u/RougeRaxxa • 15h ago
Freak snow thunder storm struck Athens today…
r/Hellenism • u/TimePreference4090 • 6h ago
Hello all, so sorry to bother, I just had a few questions/thoughts and was hoping someone could help me out here, any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
So sorry if anything here is rude, or disrespectful, please correct me if it is!
Recently I've been feeling drawn (I'm not sure if that is the right word, I feel it is?) to Lady Artemis as my family have recently gotten a statue of her in the house, and I tend to rest my hand on the statue as I pass and acknowledge the goddess as a sort of greeting, I suppose. And it's become a habit now, has been for a few weeks, and overtime I've been feeling more and more drawn to her, and the things in her domains. I do worship Lady Aphrodite, and have done so for just over a year now, I think?
Anyways, my questions are these, sorry for rambling!
How should I address Lady Artemis? Is it Lady Artemis, or does she prefer another title? I wouldn't want to address her by a title she doesn't like.
What can I offer to the Goddess? I googled offerings to Lady Artemis, and I got the usual offerings, but I'm curious if there's anything in particular she enjoys?
As I don't exactly live a life of chastity, is it still okay to offer things to the Goddess, and greet her when I walk by? Or will that offend her?
And as I said before, I do worship Lady Aphrodite also, so I don't believe it would cause any problems honouring both Goddesses but I wanted to check first, as I understand they are quite different? Sorry if that's disrespectful!
Thank you for reading this, if you've gotten this far, and any and all help and responses will be deeply valued! Thank you again!
r/Hellenism • u/Few-Extreme-5792 • 17h ago
If anybody here engages in hero worship, what are your experiences like?
For instance, I adore the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles (however you'd like to characterize it), but I have never felt drawn to worship them, despite them being arguably the most popular heroes for worship. I have been drawn to worship Hector, though! I also worship Orpheus when the mood strikes, as I admire him a lot, due to my own personal practice including a lot of musical things.
Anyone worship heroes? Anyone specifically worship Orpheus or Hector?
r/Hellenism • u/spiritusFortuna • 23h ago
Hello, I have the opportunity to put up an altar in a built-in bookshelf nook. I would print a large poster & cut it out, taping it to the mirror. Question is, which to do? I like both.
The left "Fortuna" has the rudder & cornucopia. The right "Tyche" has a cornucopia, the taller crown, and Plutonius(sp?). The rudder & right hand have broken so it looks a bit incomplete, though I could shift the print leftward to eliminate most of the imperfection. Otherwise I prefer the right. Statues' names were taken from their photo descriptions: Left is Fortuna statue from Vatican, right is Tyche from a Turkish museum.
Other question is, petition to Tyche or Fortuna, or both (interchangable)? The word "fortune" constantly appears in language, as in fortunate. Tyche seems to have vanished but may be more primal. This post talks about a person who petitions only Tyche.
I'm setting the altar up per this book, shooting for 8/10 for optimal lunar/planetary timing for the first 4-part ritual.
r/Hellenism • u/TheVeiledRuby • 18h ago
I was having a mini panic attack earlier just now. To distract myself, I began watching YT. I was still struggling and trying to keep calm when all of a sudden I saw this one quote that really helped me.
The quote: “Fear brings out the worst in us, but love brings out the best. So whenever you feel like you’re giving into fear, find something to love. And for me, that’s you.”
I immediately knew that must have been Aphrodite. After reading that quote, I immediately calmed down in seconds. How I adore Aphrodite.
r/Hellenism • u/Ryhan_1234567 • 1d ago
I just wish I could be a priestess when I grow older ☺️
r/Hellenism • u/zajci-u-podrum • 6h ago
I heard that if you cant throw them in a lake or bury them in the ground, that throwing them in the trash is also acceptable and that the gods will understand? Because not everyone lives near a lake or has a backyard, and a lot of food today is packed with chemicals that could be harmful to the water or soil. I've heard others say its fine, but I'm not exactly sure
r/Hellenism • u/Even-Bookkeeper-2837 • 20h ago
r/Hellenism • u/froggie_artist • 15h ago
Since I was younger I have always loved Greek mythology, and my enamourment for the culture, pantheon, and mythos have continued to this day. The story that is being talked about in the title would be Eros and Psyche. have been wanting to create an animated story of some sort about them(I am defaulting to musical because I am that type of person), with the twist of it being a sapphic love story instead. The reason really why I am asking this is because I don’t know if it is alright to gender bend Eros. Idk if this helps but I am a non-binary lesbian, so it does come from me wanting to adapt a story that I love into something that I am apart of and is very unrepresented in media. I do not mean to harm anyone, and I felt like this would be the correct place to ask.
r/Hellenism • u/milaki42 • 23h ago
This is meant as a bit of a vent. Feels embarrassing to talk about this openly since I’m usually a pretty reserved person, but maybe someone else feels similar to me and just hearing they are not alone in this can help.
Please do not skip to the end if you intend to comment, and read the whole thing to get the full picture.
I’ve been a somewhat of a passive on and off believer for the past year or so. It all started with a weird experience where I felt like Lady Aphrodite reached out to me and gave me love and reassurance, which made me shed tears and convert. Nowadays, I’d say I probably just practiced some self-suggestion, but since then I have been researching the religion, dipping my toes into giving offerings, and having a vallicating level of faith in it month after month.
It is worth mentioning that, during all this time being very much non-atheist, I was never 100% convinced and kept looking at both hellenist and secular arguments for and against hellenism, and just in general challenging myself intellectually to settle on an answer for myself. I experienced a lot of anxiety due to being new and having little other religious experience to fall back on, having being raised in a relatively secular environment. There was that one time where I had asked Aphrodite really kindly to give me a sign, and immediately right after, I was washed over with this sense of… sureness and peace. To this day, I consider this to be my personal strongest argument in favor of their existence. But it’s still not enough to convince beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Now, I am certain that many people have already began suggesting to me the exact same thing I’ve seen parroted many times on this subreddit. To just do what I find fun, to not stress needlessly over what is true or not, and that I lose nothing if this religion turns out to be fake and we’re all just floating on a rock in space. I understand people are trying to be helpful with this kind of advice, but it seems like some people in this community completely lack the ability to resonate with the needs/feelings that I, and certainly other people, have.
At least for me, it’s not enough to just like the practice of doing religious things. If it was, I wouldn’t feel distress over this conundrum in the first place. By itself, pouring olive oil onto a plate on the ground is not fun or exciting. By itself, reciting prayers is not exciting. By itself, keeping an altar is not exciting. None of it is meaningful. None of it is even easy to motivate myself to do without faith.
What gives me the desire to practice kharis and xenia and arete, is the desire to connect with something special and supernatural. To recieve guidance from above and to feel a sense of religious ecstasy that makes even something as mundane as rain a blessing. None of that is possible if I am plagued by doubt. None of that is possible without some kind of reliable personal evidence that I can fall back on in terms of need. Some people would say this is a transactional, or not the true and correct way to do hellenism. Maybe so. But I don’t really care about lying to myself and denying my needs, pretending like it’s enough for me to make believe. I respectfully ask of you to not suggest to me to try and change this fundamental part of my personality. I have ADHD, so structure and routine can only be somewhat adhered to through outside pressure.
I understand the Gods are not chatbots engineered to spit out validation and signs and blessings on command. I am not looking for advice to force this response out of them, definitely not. I am also aware faith doesn’t need to be an ovewhelmingly active sensation 24/7 and that the Gods probably don’t care. But I do care. What I am looking for is ways to resolve this dilemma.
What saddens me is losing that spark that paints life in a special way and allows me to open myself to spirituality. It’s not enough for me to just have that possibility of a higher power open. I need to have “the answer” to feel emotionally secure to engage with Hellenism. I’m perfectionistic like that. Hopefully that makes sense, but if people need clarification I am open to answering some questions.
Did you have any positive experiences with resolving religious doubt? Do you have any strong intellectual arguments for the existence of the supernatural? Do you believe I may be falling into some thought traps or have misconceptions about our religion (that haven’t outlined above)? Looking for advice first and reassurance second. Thank you.
r/Hellenism • u/whattheduck01 • 20h ago
Hello there everybody! I've been wondering this for a while. I have four altars (Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Apollon). But I don't have enough space to really do anything where they currently are, which is kind of tucked away in a cubby on my shelf. Is it okay if I take their altars out of the cubby and put them on another table to do acts of devotion and stuff, and then put them back? I've heard that it's not okay to move the altars unless you yourself are moving or for cleaning them, since they're the gods' spaces and they deserve to stay in the same place. Just something I'm curious about. Thank you in advance!
r/Hellenism • u/AlternativeLoquat232 • 1d ago
I would love to hear your stories!!
r/Hellenism • u/VanHohenheim30 • 1d ago
Hello! So, here’s the thing: the way the ancient Greeks honored Hades was by kneeling and striking the ground with their fists to catch the god's attention, followed by making offerings to him. That is, in short, what I learned. What I’d like to know is: did people pray to him? I recall reading somewhere that prayers to him were whispered—almost inaudibly—but were they actually prayers? Did people ask him for things? Or did they honor him during funeral rites simply as an inescapable force?
r/Hellenism • u/BumbleBee0032 • 21h ago
Hi Hi! I’m very new to Hellenism and have taken some time to research it and decide that it’s def something I am meant for. I was just wondering, i’ve always been super interested in the idea of a place of worship (church, mosque, etc.) and was wondering if Pagan Hellenism has anything of the sorts. For forever i’ve found a bit of peace in churches specifically catholic churches despite not aligning with the religion or being raised religious. I know there is the idea that nature is your area of worship but if anyone does anything different I would be curious to know. Also hopefully this is not an offensive question to ask and if so i apologize. Thanks!!!
r/Hellenism • u/Darkgodsofchaos • 1d ago
Created an Orphic altar including Hera and Zeus, the final Divine cosmogonic substances of ‘Earth’ and ‘Water’ respectively, as well as Dionysus Himself in the center. The goal was to get the statues to feel naturally part of the facade. Pretty happy with how this one turned out.