
roma★
wallacepolsom
Stranger Things

blake kathryn
Not today Justin

izzy's playlists!

titsay
Sweet Seals For You, Always

Product Placement
styofa doing anything

PR's Tumblrdome
trying on a metaphor

@theartofmadeline
art blog(derogatory)
Mike Driver

tannertan36
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
AnasAbdin

Andulka

ellievsbear

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@displacedgoddess
The fact that there are gods with disabilities makes me so emotional. Hephaestus, Tyr, Hodr, Odin and other disabled deities just prove that being disabled is a vital part of the human experience, not a deviation from it, and that concept alone is so moving. Just like there are deities for specific human experiences like fertility or war, there are also deities with disabilities, which just proves that we have just as much of a place on this earth as mothers and warriors do. The idea of that has genuinely pulled me through some hard times.
Sorry, I can’t come tonight, Apollo sent the Oracle of Delphi to warn me about a dire omen …
A friendly reminder that the Gods are on our side, no matter what other people do. Their free will to be evil doesn't negate the existence of the divine. Their punishments will come for them, either in this life or in the next (whatever that may be) 💚
What theoi see every time I pray to them
Greek Gods 101: Nike
Nike is a goddess of victory. Excluding the universal offerings, some common offerings include:
Trophies, Medals, Etc.
Awards or Diplomas
Crowns
Sashes
Coins
Photos of Victories, Wins, or Simply Competitions
Sports Equipment (i.e. Volleyball, Baseball Bat, Etc.)
Country or Territory Flags
For devotional acts, some activities that can be done for her include:
Participating in Competitions
Protesting
Learn About Certain Wars or Battles
Celebrating Victories (Especially Through Song)
Achieving Goals
Planning Out Ways to Achieve Your Goals
Playing Sports
She is celebrated in a few Athenian holidays:
Synoikia
Niketeria
Hello!
Here is your reminder that if your new year hasn’t started off great, that’s okay! You don’t need to wait for a new year to start again or try again. It’s okay to fall, stumble and struggle. It’s okay to take a break and get back to things when you’re up to it. You can keep trying.
I love see everyone’s altars for the gods. Everyone has such pretty altars! It’s like looking at a piece of artwork…
Here’s an old picture of my altar for the Greek gods. It’s changed a lot. I have to redo it.
Dionysos References
Books of Myths, Poetry, Hymns, and Plays Involving Dionysos:
The Bacchae
The Frogs
D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths
The Complete World of Greek Mythology
Dionysiac Poetics and Euripides’ Bacchae
Dionysiaca
The Glory of Hera <— take this one with a grain of salt, as it presents Freud’s theories as credible
The Library
Academic Texts on Dionysos and His Cult:
Dionysos: Exciter to Frenzy <— favorite
Pagan Regeneration, chapter iii: Dionysian Excesses
Dionysos: Archetypal Image of Indestructible Life
Dionysos (Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World)
Ecstatic
The God Who Comes: Dionysian Mysteries Revisited
The Glory of Hera
A Mythological History of Ancient Greece. Volume 1: In the Beginning
Dionysos in Archaic Greece: An Understanding Through Images (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World)
Mystic Cults in Magna Graecia
The God Who Comes: Dionysian Mysteries Revisited
Gods of the Greeks
Dionysus: Myth and Cult
Ancient Mystery Cults
Books on Ancient Greek Culture:
Religion and Art in Ancient Greece
Greek Religion: Archaic and Classical (Ancient World) <— favorite
The Gods of Olympus: A History
The Glory of Hera
A Mythological History of Ancient Greece. Volume 1: In the Beginning
Prayer in Greek Religion
Ancient Greek Religion (Blackwell Ancient Religions)
Race and Citizen Identity in the Classical Athenian Democracy
Human Sacrifice in Ancient Greece
Friendship in the Classical World (Key Themes in Ancient History)
Aphrodite and Eros: The Development of Greek Erotic Mythology
Girls and Women in Classical Greek Religion
The Homeric Gods: The Spiritual Significance Of Greek Religion
On Greek Religion: Cornell Studies in Classical Philology
“Reading” Greek Death: To the End of the Classical Period
From Death to Rebirth: Ritual and Conversion in Antiquity
Prayer, Magic, and the Stars in the Ancient and Late Antique World
Citizen Bacchae: Women’s Ritual Practice in Ancient Greece
The Greek Way of Death
Athenian Myths and Festivals: Aglauros, Erechtheus, Plynteria, Panathenaia, Dionysia
The Sacred and the Feminine in Ancient Greece
Psyche the Cult of Souls and Belief in Immortality Among Ancient Greeks
Gender and Immortality: Heroines in Ancient Greek Myth and Cult
Ritualized Friendship and the Greek City
Everyday Life In Ancient Greece
Siren Feasts: A History of Food and Gastronomy in Greece
Magika Hiera: Ancient Greek Magic and Religion
Myth and Thought Among the Greeks
Myth and Society in Ancient Greece
Myth and Tragedy in Ancient Greece
Magic in the Ancient Greek World
Ancient Magic and Ritual Power (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World)
Greek Mysteries: The Archaeology of Ancient Greek Secret Cults
Greek Religion: A Sourcebook
Ancient Greece: Everyday Life in the Birthplace of Western Civilization
The Greek Way of Death
Devotional Texts:
Written In Wine: A Devotional Anthology For Dionysos
Miscellaneous:
Athenian Myths and Festivals: Aglauros, Erechtheus, Plynteria, Panathenaia, Dionysia
Rain, Conceive! Ancient Mysteries of Demeter & Persephone; Dionysos; Percival
Old Stones, New Temples
Prometheus: Archetypal Image of Human Existence
thehellenicguy’s resources
𓍼 Anyone else genuinely love the deities they worship so much they have to resist the urge to spam posts about them even if its quite silly ,, or is it just me
I will gladly go on a two hour + rant plus power point about the deities I worship if I could
Baby Steps...
From the survey I did you chose Veiling as the next post! So this post will be about that, I'll explain veiling in ancient Greece. This is done for helping begginers or who wants to start veiling! Enjoy💛
Understanding Veiling in Hellenism, Why Some of Us Choose To?
If you've been exploring modern Hellenism, especially through devotional or reconstructed practice, you may have come across people mentioning veiling: covering their heads during ritual, prayer, or in the presence of the gods.
Veiling in Ancient Greece, Was it a thing?
In modern Hellenic polytheism, veiling is often seen as a personal devotional choice. But in ancient Greece, it was a culturally embedded ritual norm, especially for women (and in some cases for men) with very specific symbolic meanings attached to public and sacred life.
In ancient Greece (particularly in Classical Athens), women's clothing often included long, draped garments like the peplos or chiton, often paired with a himation: a large rectangular shawl that could be pulled over the head as a veil.
While women did not necessarily wear a veil at all times, covering the head in public and in sacred spaces was seen as a sign of modesty, self-respect, and honor, especially for married women or those of high status.
In religious rituals, veiling was extremely common particularly when:
Approaching a deity, especially in temples
Making sacrifices or offerings
Participating in processions or festivals
Entering sanctuaries or sacred precincts
Observing mourning rites or funerals
Engaging in cults: Like Eleusinian Mysteries
Veiling in these moments meant:
• Purity and piety
• Distinction between sacred and mundane
• Submission to the divine order
• Reverence in the face of divine power
For instance, women who served as priestesses of goddesses often veiled during sacred rituals.
Curiosities :)
Greek vase art from the 6th-4th centuries BCE often depicts women with himation veils drawn over their heads during:
Weddings
Funerary scenes
Religious rituals or processions
Scenes involving deities
But there were also in literature! Such as:
•Euripides and Sophocles both describe female characters covering their heads in grief or when entering temples.
Plutarch, in Moralia, comments on veiling as a gesture of reverence and humility before the gods.
In Homer's Odyssey, Penelope draws her veil across her face when appearing before guests - a sign of modesty and status.
Veiling for Chthonic and Ouranic deities
The type of deity being honored could influence the practice:
When honoring Ouranic (sky) deities like Zeus or Apollon: veiling was a sign of respect and presence, like preparing yourself to be in a temple.
When honoring Chthonic (underworld) deities like Hades or Hekate: veiling could signal spiritual protection, humility, and ritual separation from the everyday world. This is especially true for funeral rites, where veiling helped draw a visible line between the living and the dead.
Veiling for Men, was it a thing?
When people think of veiling in ancient Greece, they usually imagine women with their himation drawn over their head during ritual or mourning.
But men also practiced veiling, though in more limited and context-specific ways! So if you're a man you can still veil if you want!
One of the most common contexts in which Greek men veiled was during mourning and funerary rituals.
Covering the head was a visible sign of grief, ritual mourning, and respect for the dead.
It also acted as a form of ritual purification and separation (the veil helped symbolically distance the mourner from death-miasma and the chthonic forces associated with it)
In funerary vases and reliefs, male figures are sometimes shown with cloaks drawn over their heads, especially during the prothesis (the laying out of the body) and funeral procession.
Just like with women, this veiling was not about modesty, but about marking a threshold moment.
Men also veiled during certain chthonic (underworld-related) and mystery cult rituals. These included:
Chthonic Offerings: When making offerings to underworld gods (such as Hades, Persephone, Hekate, or the Erinyes) veiling was sometimes practiced as a gesture of humility, protection, and reverence.
The act of covering one's head before a chthonic deity helped emphasize ritual seriousness and separation from the profane.
It was an acknowledgment that the practitioner was stepping into the realm of death, shadow, and hidden power, and thus needed to show restraint and respect.
In these rites, veiling might also help shield the self spiritually from unseen forces.
"Mystery Cults" (Eleusinian Mysteries): Although exact details of mystery initiations are intentionally secret and thus partially lost to us, evidence suggests that veiling was a part of initiation ceremonies (and this applied to both men and women).
But what about today? How can we veil?
I will now say only some of the ways to veil. There are a lot of methods, some are still used today some not. I'll say both. I'll explain these methods: himation, kekryphalos, kredemnos, and hair-related styles like the krobylos and korymbos. There are more styles as I said, like Sakkos, Mitra, Stephane, Ampyx, Calyptra, Calantica, Peplos (when used as a veil), Diadema (sometimes included as part of sacred headwear)
Himation (luátiov)
-What was it? A large rectangular cloak worn over the shoulders, usually by both men and women. It could be draped over the head as a veil.
-For what it was used? Drawing the himation over the head was a primary form of veiling in ritual contexts, especially for prayer, libations, funerals, and temple entry.
-What is the modern use? The himation-style veil is the most commonly reconstructed type today. Modern Hellenic polytheists and pagans use scarves, shawls, or wraps in a similar fashion: draped over the hair and shoulders during prayer or rituals.
Kekryphalos (кекрфалос)
-What was it? A hair net or snood, made of fine fabric, silk, or mesh, often worn close to the scalp to confine the hair.
-For what it was used? Worn primarily by women, especially married women, in both daily life and formal appearances. It was used to cover and contain the hair (symbolizing modesty, respectability, and control).
Types: Ornamental (made with gold or purple silk) or hidden under an himation or kredemnos.
-What is the modern use? Some Hellenists who veil regularly may use kekryphalos-inspired coverings (like headwraps or hair nets) for discreet veiling, especially in public or when combining daily modesty with ritual preparation.
Kredemnos (knõeuvos)
-What was it? A wide, band-like head covering, often embroidered or decorated, worn across the forehead and sometimes over the hair.
-For what it was used? Frequently depicted in statues and vase paintings of godly or noble women. It was associated with status, modesty, and sacred femininity.
-What is the modern use? Rare today in literal reconstruction but aesthetically inspiring for ritual attire. Headbands or ornate wraps may evoke the kredemnos style in festivals or devotional events.
While these are all considered veiling, the next ones (Krobylos and Korymbos) are considered hairstiles. I did these two because they are more simple to do even in our times.
Krobylos (kpúßulos)
-What was it? A specific hairstyle: the hair was twisted into a low chignon or bun, often at the nape of the neck, sometimes enclosed in a net or covered by a scarf.
-For what is was used? Common for married or respectable women. The hair was kept tidy and controlled (symbolic of ritual order, especially for priestesses and women in public sacred roles.) It may be worn under other coverings like the kekryphalos.
-What is the modern use? Still relevant today (many women and femme-presenting practitioners choose neat buns, braids, or low chignons as part of their ritual preparation, especially when veiling). The idea is to treat the hair as sacred (not hidden, but honored! This very important!)
Korymbos (kópupßos)
-What was it? A high bun or topknot, often worn by priestesses or women in sacred roles. Hair drawn up and possibly covered with a small veil or band.
-For what it was used? Associated with goddesses and priestly purity.
-What is the modern use? Rarely used by name now, but the concept survives in how modern practitioners prepare for ritual with neatly arranged or tied hair, often beneath a head covering.
I hope this post helped you understand what was veiling and how important it was for ancient Greeks!Of course, I need to be specific, veiling is NOT a must or necessary for Hellenism. Dont force yourself if you dont want to do it!
I've seen some posts circulating recently that made me want to comment on this topic.
Tolerance is key when approaching practices that differ from your own. In any religious practice, there will always be those who deviate from the norm. This isn't a bad thing. Deviation also doesn't mean that someone isn't allowed to call themselves a Hellenic Polytheist. You don't need to be a scholar to practice this religion. Not every Christian is extremely studied in the history of Christianity. Not every Buddhist is extremely studied in the history of Buddhism. Not every Hindu is extremely studied in Hinduism. Despite HelPol also being an incredibly old religion, people seem to hold other worshippers to a ridiculously high standard (I've been held to this standard myself).
Yes, practicing ancient traditions feels important, but at least some change is inevitable. It has been THOUSANDS of years. THOUSANDS of years of this religion being practiced have gone by - many of those years have been spent in hiding by worshippers, practicing behind closed doors in fear of being persecuted. Practices HAD the change. They HAD to adapt. Practices are still adapting and changing, otherwise no one would be practicing at all.
Beliefs and customs evolve naturally throughout the years, in every religion and culture and practice. This is a natural thing for humans. We change; time changes us. We evolve; life evolves us. Things won't be the stay even just ten years from now, and it's not realistic to expect them to be.
Back in ancient Greece, there were cults and people who practiced WAY different from the norm. Some of those people even led to a change in beliefs later on. Today, we Revere and respect these people. People who were likely shunned and shamed in their own time. Why can't we uplift and respect each other today? What makes it so different?
You don't have to take on these practices that differ from you own. You don't even have to believe in them. What you should at least do is gain a sense of maturity and learn how to approach others with curiosity and not animosity. We worship the same gods, we form relationships with them, and we all already experience judgement from outside people as well. Hatred, judgement, and gossip do nothing to further this community. All it does is further one's own ego. Practice tolerance, understanding, and curiosity. Be willing to hear other perspectives. Don't immediately assume that just because someone isn't doing things the "ancient way" that their practices and beliefs mean nothing at all. They clearly mean something to that person. You don't speak for the gods when you claim that they have poor relationships with the gods that they worship. You don't speak for the gods when you claim that someone is practicing the wrong way. You don't speak for the gods when you judge someone harmfully in private groups of people. You don't speak for the gods when you make passive aggressive posts aimed at someone else. If you feel called to do all of these things, I encourage you to pause and ask yourself why that is. I encourage you to ask why you hold yourself to such unrealistically high standards.
We can respect ancient traditions, but we cannot replicate them to perfection, and that's ok, actually. It's also ok if someone wants to try something that's never been done before. Clinging so tightly onto the past that if fogs your vision with disgust and hatred for new ways of worship IS a harmful practice. That IS harmful, even if you don't outwardly speak on it. It's harmful to yourself.
Take care, everyone, and please be kind to your fellow worshippers. Worship is an incredibly personal thing, and when you attack someone's practice, you often attack something incredibly dear to them. Something incredibly special. Consider that before you go off on a stranger you don't know.
SAY 👏IT 👏LOUDER 👏FOR 👏THE 👏PEOPLE 👏IN 👏THE 👏BACK!👏
“Your practice is valid if you struggle with even getting up in the morning and therefore cannot do certain things” and “our religion requires some form of effort” are two ideas that can and will coexist. Accommodation does not equal being wrong, it’s not all black and white.
Lady Achelois
Hihi so I’ve noticed that Lady Achelois has NOTHING. ANYWHERE. so I experimented a little w my art style and drew this for her because I love my Lady.
Lady Achelois "she who washes away pain"
- Goddess of the moon and its monthly cycle
associated with the moon, sirens, healing, general water nymphs, and the Oracle of Dodona
-sources-
Achelois (pronounced “A-khe-LO-ees”) was a minor Greek goddess from ancient times. She was one of the deities, identified with the moon
Wading through the tranquil waters of Greek mythology, we often stumble upon deities like Achelois, whose stories are not as thunderous as Z
AHHHH TYSM for adding on to this!!! i love your art <33
Herbs/Plants for Lady Achelois
Mugwort (dreamwork, intuition)
Lavender (soothing)
Willow bark (pain relief & sorrow)
Chamomile (soothing)
Valerian Root (deep emotional healing)
Jasmine (night energy, femininity)
Lemongrass (clears stagnant emotion)
Mint (purification and cooling relief)
Myrrh (sorrow, healing through grief)
May Lady Achelois bless you <3