Low Spoons and No Spoons Worship for Hellenics
As many of my followers will probably have guessed, I’m living with mental illness and I know a lot of you out there are too. If you’re anything like me, there are times when keeping up with devotions is just too much and I have to cut corners and simplify things if I manage them at all. So I thought I would compile a list of simple acts of worship that one can do: one list for low spoons days, and another for those days when even that is too much.
I can’t speak for all disorders and this is mainly with mental illness rather than physical illness in mind, since I and reasonably able bodied, so feel free to add your own ideas.
Sometimes everything is difficult, your energy levels are at a minimum and simply existing is all you can manage. Now, if you’re like me during these periods you still feel guilty for not being able to continue with your religious practice as normal. Don’t beat yourself up over not doing rituals or offerings, it’s ok to stop altogether if you need to, but if you feel you need to do something for the gods but can’t manage anything extra, my advice is to include a devotional aspect to what you can manage:
Dedicate personal hygiene tasks to Hygeia; this can be mentally saluting her when you brush your teeth, or maybe muttering thanks in the shower. Even if all you’re up to is wet wipes and hand sanitiser, take a moment to thank her for making cleaning that bit easier
Thank Apollo or Askelpios for your meds, your doctor, your therapist, or whatever else helps you manage your health, even if it’s vitamin supplements, pain killers
Thank Apollo and Dionysos for nice distractions like music, film, videos, games or any other media that keeps you happy.
If you manage to cook a meal, take a moment to think of Hestia and thank her for your “hearth” (even if it’s a microwave or a kettle)
If leaving the house or travelling is difficult, ask for support for Hermes or thank him once you’re done
Little things like these don’t take any more effort but are a nice way to keep building kharis. The gods will appreciate that you’re still thinking of them.
Have a bit more energy but rituals still too daunting? There are still plenty of ways to build kharis and care for yourself. Here are some of my favourites
Devotional colouring-in: got one of those fancy grown up colouring books? Dedicate the time you spend on stress-relieving low-intensity art to a god. I like to pick pictures that are fitting for the deity (sea-themed pictures for Poseidon, owls for Athena, flowers for Persephone, and so on). Don’t have any colouring books? Do a search for mythology colouring pages, find something you like and print (or if you don’t have a printer, load up MS Paint, photoshop or whatever your favourite digital art tool is!)
Light a candle! If you can’t have candles, fairy lights, LED lights or even a lamp can be an alternative. Dedicate the energy used by the light to a deity
Watch a video, documentary or film that you associate with a deity. For example, a music video could be an offering to Apollo or a documentary about the ancient world would be suitable for any deity you choose. One of my favourite things to do is watch adaptations of Greek mythology and critique what they get right and what they don’t. Stuck for ideas? Here’s a playlist of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Greek Myths to curl up with
Dedicate time reading to a deity (again you can pick a theme suitable for the deity or read about the ancient world or adaptations of myths)
Invite a deity to share in your meal if you manage to cook or you have a treat. You could set a place for them if you can, take a moment of thought before tucking in, or just thank them for providing for you
Dedicate a pampering session to Aphrodite. Whether it’s doing your nails, putting on makeup, or putting on a face pack mask, take time to thank her
Household cleaning, hoovering, or tidying can be dedicated to Hestia
I won’t clutter your dashboards with too much of the same thing, but hopefully these will inspire you if you’re in a rut! Like I said, do feel free to add to this!
snowghoul
theartofmadeline
