Call me Pelin (pronounced Pae-linn) // 23 years old // Genderfluid and Queer, He/They pronouns
Practicing Eclectic Christopagan, Pop Culture Pagan and Spirit Worker. This blog is basically my personal grimoire, I just reblog and post stuff related to my practice.
DNI: Fascists, Nazis, White Supremacists, TERFs, Ableists, Zionists, Homophobes, Transphobes, Harry Potter supporters and fans, and bigots of all kinds. I hate y'all, get tf out.
I'm currently writing a deity guide for Jörmungandr and I thought it would be interesting to do a little tarot reading with him so that he can describe his personality, and I swear as soon as I started shuffling I got all four Knights cards from my deck. So I guess that's really indicative of how Jörmungandr views himself 🤣 I also drew the Two of Swords, Judgement and Strength, so altogether I got a very clear snapshot of his personality! It certainly made the deity guide easier to write lol
Protection Work in Folk Magic: Herbs, Spells, & Charms for Protecting Yourself & Others
by Keziah
Times are hard, and hard times, unfortunately, often come along with an increased need for protection. Due to this, I felt it was only right to start sharing the protection work series I've been planning to do for quite some time now. In this first piece, I share a collection (both curations and creations) of magical workings within the realm of folk magic that can offer protection. From herbs and tools to turn to, to spells and charms to work, there's plenty of protection help to be found here.
What is Folk Magic?
First and foremost, I'll answer this question so there's no confusion as to what sort of spells will be found in this piece. Folk magic is a term that has come into more common use (thanks to social media) in recent years, but that use isn't necessarily the most accurate explanation or representation as to what folk magic is.
While you'll see many claiming that folk magic is strictly Christian, that simply isn't the case. Folk magic is bigger than any one religion, and the term applies to a broad spectrum of belief sets. In its most barebones definition, folk magic is applied to the magical systems of a common people, a magical craft that exists outside of the realm of ceremonial magic. Some folk magic exists outside of initiatory and hierarchical systems, some within such systems. Some folk magic is Christian or Christianized, some is simply not. For instance, there are forms of Jewish folk magical practices and countless other non-Christian paths of folk magic.
Folk magic is not always called witchcraft, and its practitioners don't always label themselves as witches. Each folk path has its own terminologies, but some you may have heard will be charmers, cunning men and cunning women, rootworkers, granny witches, conjurers, and much, much more.
And now onto the magic!
Herbs, Ingredients, & Tools Commonly Used in Protection Work:
Agrimony: Agrimony is excellent for protection work of various kinds.
It can be used to both protect against harmful magic sent your way and to reverse spells, break hexes, and reflect the malicious work back to its sender.
Agrimony can also be used to protect one from evil spirits.
Angelica: Also known as wild celery, angelica has long been used across a variety of historical and traditional European medicinal and healing practices, as well as being associated with protection magic and warding.
Angelica root is known to be used in protective charms and works throughout Europe and in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the US.
It can be used in spells and charms to protect from malicious and malevolent magic used against you - curses, hexes, evil eye, etc.
Angelica was used to ward off plague and, thus, is associated with protection from illness and safeguarding one's health.
Angelica can be carried (dried or fresh) for protection against evil, be it evil spirits, energies, people, or some other entity or force.
Burning angelica incense can provide protection and defense to the space it's burned in.
Basil: Due to basil's association with love, it can be used in charms to protect romantic relationships from hardship and infidelity. Basil can also be included in works or carried as a charm to protect those in transitionary periods of life - i.e. coming of age, transitioning, grieving and mourning, engaged to be married, moving into a new phase in life, being initiated or converted into a faith or creed, etc.
Garlic: Garlic is used across many cultures and countries in health, protection, banishing, and empowering work.
Dried garlic bulbs and garlic cloves have long been used as amulets against evil entities and forces, negative energy, and malicious people.
Minced and crushed garlic and/or garlic cloves are often used to infuse working oils for protection purposes.
Garlic cloves are added to jar spells and various pouch and bag charms - i.e. hex bags, charm bags, hands, sachets, etc. - to bring protection. Minced and crushed garlic can also be used in jar spells.
Braids and strands of garlic can be hung from window frames, doorframes, porch beams and rails, etc. to protect the space from evil, ill health and disease, malicious work, and negative energy.
Planting garlic on one's property is believed to keep away disease and illness, bring prosperity, and protect the land and household.
Ginger: Ginger is often used in healing work and can be used to protect against illness.
Carrying a piece of ginger root or sleeping with one under your pillow is believed to protect one from taking ill. The same is said of taking ginger (either a ginger shot, ginger tea, or ginger pastes) daily, as ginger boosts the immune system.
Carrying ginger or wearing it as an amulet is also said to offer a general protection.
Graveyard dirt: A versatile tool of the trade, graveyard dirt is used across many folk and ritual practices for a wide array of purposes. An ally that can be used to both harm and to help, graveyard dirt can both be used in hexing, cursing, and other such work, while also being used for protection, warding, binding, and the like.
Hair of a black dog: Dog hairs can be used as amulets for luck and protection. The hair of a black dog is considered especially good for protective purposes.
Holy water: In Christian religious and folk magical practices, holy water is water (usually from a sacred source, such as a holy well, holy spring, etc.) that has been blessed and sanctified by clergy (most often a priest in the Catholic, Anglican, Episcopalian, Eastern Orthodox, Asian Orthodox, and Lutheran customs).
Holy water can be used to protect against evil energies and forces via the anointing of one's body, items, or home.
Holy water has been included in many protection spells and works, and to wash and purify ritual tools, by those who practice forms of Christian witchcraft and Christian folk magic.
Iron (cast iron): Iron is believed to protect from evil of all ilk - spirits, demons, curses, evil eye, etc.
Iron nails can be hammered into doors, walls, floors to offer protection to a space. Iron nails are also worn and kept as amulets to ward off evil eye and protect one from being cursed or hexed.
Keeping a cast iron skillet hanging on the wall (and some beliefs say to keep a cast iron skillet under one's bed) is said to protect the home from evil.
Iron is also believed to keep away malicious spirits and various types of fae folk.
Rosemary: Rosemary used across many cultures and countries to sanctify and protect in so many different ways.
Rosemary is considered a powerful herb that provides protection against all forms of evil.
Rosemary incense can be burned to cleanse a space of negativity, impurity, and evil, so as to make that space sacred.
Dried rosemary can be hung up in the home to protect the space, or it can be added to spells and charms to defend against evil, illness, and negativity.
Rosemary charms can be carried or worn when working against or facing an enemy, as it's believed to protect the wearer and to strengthen their work and purpose.
Oils and waters infused with rosemary can be used to bless and purify sacred spaces and tools, and can be used as anointing oils and waters on those in need of protection, healing, strength, and purification.
Salt: Salt is often included in charms and spells as a tool for protection. It's both a purifier and a great defender and can be used to ward one's home and shield one from evil, negativity, curses, hexes, and the like.
Salt water can be sprinkled on thresholds and walkways to keep unwanted entities and energy from the space. It can also be used to cleanse sacred spaces in preparation for work.
Salt can be used in all kinds of sachets and charm bags for protection.
Salt sweeps are often used in the Southern US to cleanse, bless, and ward the home. Salt can also be added to washes for the same purpose.
For General Protection
Hagstone Charms:
Hagstones, also called adder stones, serpent's eggs, fairy stone, and witch stones, are stones which bear a naturally occurring hole, holes caused by erosion or some other natural event. Hagstones have been used as protective amulets for long while in traditional folk magic of Britain. Hagstones can be used to protect from a number of things - general protection overall, as well as protection from spirits of various ilk, protection from harm on the sea, protection of livestock and farmlands, protection from nightmares, and more.
What you'll need:
Hagstone (one or more)
Thread, cord, or twine.
What to do:
-Pass your thread, cord, or twine through the hole of the hagstone. You can knot the thread beforehand for added protection as a form of knot magic. Knots are believed to strengthen protective work, as they can confuse or distract spirits.
-You can add as many hagstones as you like. One is plenty, but I've seen charms with as many as nine stones.
-Keep your hagstone charm on your person for protection. I wear mine around my neck. It hangs from a nail in my doorframe when I'm not wearing it.
Protection from Evil Eye
the Iron Nail:
Iron nails are used for protection in an array of folk magical traditions, including (though not limited to) in Jewish folk magic, British folk magic, Appalachian and Southern folk magic in the United States, and within a number of European folk magic systems.
What you'll need:
An iron nail
(optional) A red or black thread, string, or ribbon
What to do:
-Keep an iron nail on your person to negate evil eye or malicious energies and intentions from others. The nail can be kept in a purse, wallet, pocket, car, or anywhere it can fit.
-The nail can be tied to the end of either a red or black thread, string, or ribbon for added strength. I keep mine on a cord of red twine. I keep it in my purse, but I can take it out and wear it around my neck or wrist if necessary.
Fox Tail Hairs:
Fox tails and fox tail hairs were employed in Jewish folk magic as an amulet of protection from the evil eye. Keeping a fox tail for this purpose wasn't uncommon in medieval times, but keeping a hair from a fox tail serves the same amuletic purpose.
Coral & Jet:
In many cultures, including in both my own ethnoreligious culture and my own regional culture, coral is believed to ward off and protect against evil eye. In some traditions it's specified that a hand with closed fist made from either coral or black jet can be worn or kept to protect one from any evil eye sent their way as well as any wishes of harm or suffering sent to them.
Antique hand-carved coral pendant or charm; photo courtesy of Invaluable Auction House.
In general, coral and jet beads or charms, either together or separately, can be worn to protect against the evil eye. You'll find such customs in Jewish folk magic, Southern folk magic in the United States, and throughout much of Central Europe's folk magical paths.
Protection from Hexes, Spells, Curses, & Malicious or Malevolent Magical Work
Dime Steppin':
Where I'm from, wearing a silver dime in the heel of your shoe is believed to keep any spells put on you from reaching you.
Church Dirt:
It's believed in various Southern U.S. regions that keeping a bit of dirt taken from church grounds will protect you from any witchcraft sent your way. The dirt can be kept in a baggy, pouch, envelope, vial, or any small thing you can keep on your person or in your home.
Iron:
Again, iron comes to save the day! It's long been believed that iron protects from witches, demons, and other forms of evil, and that it repels or dispels evil spells, curses, and hexes sent the keeper's way. For this reason, a bit of iron can be kept on one's person, or forged iron jewelry can be worn. Iron charms, rings, and amulets can be worn to protect from all forms of nefarious magical workings.
Angelica Baths:
For those who feel they've had a curse or hex put on them, add angelica or angelica root oil to your bath. Doing so is said to remove any curse, hex, or harmful magic laid upon you.
Mirror Method:
This spell is perfect for when you have someone you suspect is trying to spell, curse, or otherwise harm you, even in it's just through malicious gossip. This spell aims to protect you by making sure their work doesn't reach you and instead bounces back on them.
What you'll need:
A photograph or drawing of the person(s) you wish to prevent from harming you or the written name of the person(s)
A compact mirror
Red string, thread, cord, or ribbon.
What to do:
-Tape, glue, or fix the picture(s) or name(s) inside your compact mirror, making sure the name(s) or picture(s) will face the mirror when the compact is closed.
-Bind and tie the compact mirror closed with the red string, thread, twine, or ribbon.
-Keep your mirror somewhere safe where it won't be broken or disturbed. The curses or malicious work of those contained within the compact mirror should always be reflected back to them instead of reaching you.
Protection from Violence, Assault, & Harassment:
Sator Squares:
Pennsylvania Dutch variation of a Sator Square found in 'Long Lost Friend' by German-American Pennsylvania Dutch healer and charm worker, John George Hohman; published in 1820.
The Sator Square / Rotas-Sator Square is a palindromic word square used as a magical charm or amulet. It's been around for quite some time (with the oldest known square possibly being from as early as AD 50) and has been found to have been used historically throughout Europe, Africa, Asia Minor, and the Americas. As to its origins and intended purpose, no one knows for sure, but the Sator Square has come to have a number of magical uses, including as a tool for curing ailments, aiding in childbirth, putting out fires, and, in fitting with the theme of this piece, in protection magic.
Medieval Sator Square etched into a wall; Oppède-le-Vieux, France.
There are many variations of Sator Squares / Rotas-Sator Squares, but the most common forms consist of five rows of five words, each with five letters, arranged in a 5x5 grid. The Rotas-Sator Square (in which rotas is the word listed first, pictured below on the left) was the more common in pre-medieval use, but the Sator Square (in which sator is listed first, pictured below on the right) became far more prevalently used than the Rotas-Sator variation at some point in medieval Europe.
Rotas-Sator Square (left) and Sator Square (right).
In Southern Appalachian and some Southeastern folk practices within the United States, one can use a Sator Square for protection from violence or assault against your person.
What to do:
-Write out a Sator Sqaure or Rotas-Sator Square and carry the charm with you. It can be kept in the pocket, especially a shirt pocket, in the shoe, or even be sewn into one's clothes.
It's also said to be used in/on charm bags for general protection from evil in Cornish folkloric based witchcraft.
Protection from Illness & Pain
Shielding from Illness:
There is an oral version of the abracadabra charm I use to safeguard one's health and keep from falling ill.
What to do:
-When you lay down to go to sleep at night, press your teeth together. Not enough to cause you pain or discomfort, just enough to keep your mouth fixed so that your jaw doesn't move.
-With your jaw fixed in such a way, recite this charm in a hushed tone of more breath than voice -
-This should be recited three times in the same manner in order to shield one from illness.
Banishing Illness & Pain:
I've used a few variations of this work for years to rid one of illness or pain. Here are two variations -
The "Hands On" Approach:
If you or someone you know is coming down with something, is ill, or has been suffering pains, either place the palm of your hand on the area of their body where the pain or illness is rooted to or hover the hands just over the body. Recite either aloud or in your mind these words either 3 or 9 times (I typically use 3, but I've used 9 in more serious situations) -
All the ails shall leave (me/you/him/her/them/the person's name),
All that pains shall go away.
Good health shall surround (me/you/him/her/them/the name),
Good health shall come to stay.
The Long Distance Approach:
What you'll need:
A candle (preferably white or any other color associated with healing)
Powdered or ground ginger
Salt
What to do:
-When one is unable to be touched due to distance from the worker, severity of illness or pain, desire to not be touched, or any other reason, take a candle (preferably white or any other color you associated with healing) and hold it whilst you think of them and their ailments and how you wish for them to get better.
-Select where you're going to burn your candle and, before lighting the candle, make a circle of powdered ginger and salt around the candleholder.
-Light the candle and look into the flame, keeping your intention of healing and helping close to your heart and mind.
-As you look into the flame, recite these words either 3 or 9 times -
All the ails shall leave (me/you/him/her/them/the person's name),
All that pains shall go away.
Good health shall surround (me/you/him/her/them/the name),
Good health shall come to stay.
Alternatively, a variation of this spell calls for the recitation of these words -
Sickness burns, good health returns.
Protection from Enemies
Binding A Dangerous Enemy:
To bind someone dangerous who could do you harm.
With Sympathetic Magic
Sympathetic magic is one of the most common means of working against someone else where I'm from. It entails using an image, belonging, likeness, or symbol of who you're working against. In this case, we'll be using one of those things above to try to bind that someone from working against you or from bringing trouble, maliciousness, or suffering your way.
What you'll need:
A photo or drawing of the person;
or a doll of the person (which can be made of clay, cloth, wood, grass, corn husk, etc.); and/or a scrap of clothing, hair, or item belonging to that person
Red thread, string, or ribbon
A candle (preferably black or red)
What to do:
-Light the candle, which can be carved with the target's name if you'd like.
-If you have an item or scrap of clothing or hair belonging to this person, press it against the likeness when you pick it up. If you don't have any such item, skip that step. Item or no, hold the likeness in your hands, focusing on the object and your intent. Once you're fully focused, recite these words -
I name thee (name of the target of this work).
Thou art (she/he/they/name) in the flesh.
I name thee (name of the target of this work).
Thou art (she/he/they/name) in the flesh.
I name thee (name of the target of this work).
Thou art (she/he/they/name) in the flesh.
-Take the likeness (and if you have an item, scrap of clothing, or hair belonging to them, make sure you keep it against the likeness or symbol while you work, so that it's trapped beneath the bindings as well) and begin wrapping it up, tying it tight with your ribbon, thread, or string. If you're using a drawing or photograph of the person, you can roll or fold the image first before tying it up. While you wrap and tie up your symbol, recite these words -
Your hands are bound, your hands are tied.
They cannot be raised against me.
Your feet are bound, your feet are tied.
They cannot move against me.
Your lips are bound, your tongue is tied.
They cannot speak against me.
You're bound, you're tied, you're bound, you're tied.
You cannot work against me.
-Recite this as many times as you need while finishing the tying work, or you can tie them up as much as you need whilst reciting these words 9 times. It's up to you.
-Let the wrapped and tied symbol sit in the light of the candle as it burns down.
-Do with the likeness, doll, or symbol what you will. Some bury it (far from your home, preferably under the light of a waning moon so as to diminish the power of that person to move or work against you), some (especially if it's a clay or paper doll) burn the likeness, and some keep the item in their home and occasionally recite the binding words and add to the wrapping and tying when they feel they need to again.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING:
Most of the spells listed above are variations found within the realms of folk magic which I've learned through my family, ancestors, and from simply being born and raised where I am. Spells similar to these can be found in the reading list below, as can any spells included that were not from my own family or regional homebrew of craft.
'Conjure/Doctors: An Exploration of a Black Discourse in America, Antebellum to 1940' by Brown, David H.
'Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs' -Cunningham, Scott
'Doctoring the Devil: Notebooks of an Appalachian Conjure Man' - Richards, Jake
'Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion' - Trachtenberg, Joshua
'the Master Book of Herbalism'- Beyerl, Paul
'On the Origin of the Rotas Sator Square' - Fishwick, Duncan
'Silent as the Trees: Devonshire Witchcraft, Folklore, & Magic' - Gary, Gemma
'Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways' - Gary, Gemma
Genuine question for my fellow pop culture pagans, but how do you keep going with the practice without feeling like you're making it up? I've been practicing pop culture paganism for awhile and have interacted with pop culture deities and spirits, and yet I can't shake the worry that I'm being delusional in some way.
Of course, many people would consider talking with any sort of spirit to be "delusional", so pop culture paganism isn't that much weirder than regular paganism in the eyes of some, but how do other pc pagans cope with this feeling?
Personally a good way that I verify whether I'm actually communicating with a real pop culture spirit is to see if they do anything unexpected. Like if they appear in a form that I didn't expect, or give an answer that I would have never thought of, that's a pretty good indication that they're an actual spirit. Because you'd think that if I made it up then they'd only say and do stuff that I expected, so when they catch me off guard it helps verify that they're actually there in some way.
As a cleric, I fell in love with Eilistraee. She's so loving and cares a lot about the drow. So here is an Eilistraee appreciation post.
Eilistraee the Dark Maiden
Godess of beauty, dance, freedom, hunting, moonlight, song, and swordwork.
THE MESSAGE OF EILISTRAEE
"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
DOMAINS
Light, Nature, Life
CHANNEL DIVINITY
Preserve life, Radiance of the dawn, Charm animals and plants
FAVORED ANIMALS
Silver moths & Silver-striped tabby cats
FAVORED MONSTERS
Aasimar, Light archons, Lythari, Pixies, and Silver dragons
FAVORED MINERALS
Mithral, Moonstone, and Silver
FAVORED COLORS
Silver
Eilistraee;
was the chaotic good drow goddess of beauty, song, dance, freedom, moonlight, swordwork, and hunting. She was the patroness and protector of the few dark elves who longed to return to the surface and live there, at peace with other races, and to abandon the endless conflicts and intrigues that dominated the lives of most drow. She was often referred to as the The Dark Maiden, the Lady of the Dance, or Lady Silverhair, and sometimes The Dark Dancer, among other titles. Briefly, she was known as The Masked Lady, when her faith subsumed that of the Masked Lord Vhaeraun, her divine brother, while the Seven Sisters nicknamed her Darkfire of Love.
She was the daughter of Araushnee (later Lolth) and Corellon Larethian, a free-spirited and kind-hearted goddess, with a fiery streak in her personality. When, during her youth, a host of evil deities assaulted Arvandor (her home), Araushnee's treachery almost made her slay her own father. Even though she was cleared from any guilt, Eilistraee chose to share her mother's exile because she knew that the drow would need her light in the times to come. After the descent of the drow, Eilistraee tried to be a mother goddess to her people and bring them the hope of a new life. She fought to lead them back to the lands of light, helping them to flourish and prosper in harmony with other races, free from Lolth's tyranny and the conflicts that dominated their lives.
Hers was an uphill battle, however, as her power was little, and she was opposed by all the gods of the Dark Seldarine. But, despite having to overcome many hardships and setbacks, Eilistraee never gave up fighting for her people. In the 1370s DR, her conflict with her mother over the souls of the drow race ultimately led to Eilistraee's defeat and disappearance. It lasted for about a century, until the Second Sundering (circa 1480s DR), when Eilistraee returned to life and to her followers.
As an avatar, Eilistraee appeared as a drow female of glowing beauty. She was tall (9 feet/2.7 meters in height) and lithe, with graceful, strong limbs and a glossy, obsidian-dark skin. She usually appeared unclad, cloaked only by her ankle-length hair that shone with a bright silvery hue, and by motes of moonlight that were ever-dancing about her body.
Her face bore a certain similarity to that of her mother, Lolth, as it possessed delicately sculpted features and shape, but her eyes were large, with irises that held the shifting hint of blue of a moonstone, and expressive of her mood or emotions.
When Eilistraee spoke, her voice always carried a soft musicality that made mortals instinctively drawn to it. Such attraction didn't cloud their minds, nor was of magical origin—it was as simple as the sound of a beautiful song.
Overall, the Dark Maiden's appearance inspired utter awe and astonishment, as well as emotions so deep to move mortals to tears. Those who contemplated and listened to her felt as if they had found the answer to all that their soul ever longed for. However, upon her leaving, they would experience a feeling of deep loss, or even desolation, though only for a brief time (as Sharlario Moonflower and his son, Cornaith, felt when the Dark Dancer manifested to them, warning them of the dangers of Ilythiir).
Personality
One moment she was a carefree child dancing like a moonbeam or running like a silver wolf through the forest; the next moment, she was either as seductive as a siren or as serious as a dwarven god.
~ ARAUSHNEE, ON EILISTRAEE.
As a young goddess, Eilistraee was a free spirit with an unpredictable temper. Even as she matured, these traits never really left her: she had a fiery streak and was prone to wild action, especially in protection of her faithful when they were harmed. The evil that was inflicted upon—and perpetuated by—most drow caused a burning anger within her, one that could cause her to lash out, but she was comforted that some worked their way free of the Spider Queen's web.
Due to a history of grief and losses and to the suffering of her people, melancholy and sadness were deeply rooted in Eilistraee's heart. It was a hard battle to endure, one that could weigh her down. However, it had also taught her to search for and nurture beauty everywhere, even in places like the Underdark, where it didn't seem to belong. Eilistraee fought her melancholy by striving to bring hope and joy where there was sorrow so that no moment was lost to gloom and to make life flourish wherever she went. She learned to find happiness in peace and arts, especially music and dance; in simple things like seeing artists composing and performing, craftsmen at their work, and people doing acts of kindness. She especially took delight in helping the needy in various practical ways, with a soft spot for outcasts, and in blessing artists with sudden bursts of creativity and inspiration. Eilistraee valued love in all its forms, be it passion and dedication towards something or someone (nor in elvish), the act of deep and unselfish love (alurlssrin in drowish), longing (ssinssrig in drowish), noble sacrifice (lurraggath in drowish), lovemaking (raggath in drowish; arkhlavae in elvish), and love and loyalty towards one's family and kin (immaea in elvish). She knew all the elven and drow words for all kinds of love, and seeing lovers during tender moments made her happy. Among the Seven Sisters, this earned her the nickname of Darkfire of Love.
The Dark Maiden was particularly close to her people
Aside from providing practical help in their everyday life, she was known to offer comfort and support in various ways, including listening to them as they let out or vented their personal emotions and experiences. When the right time came, she also personally accompanied her followers who died in battle to their afterlife in a moving celebration known as the Last Dance.
According to Rowaan Vrinn,
Eilistraee didn't test her followers, as the challenges of life were enough of a test themselves. She valued the intent behind their actions more than the actual success.
Moreover, Eilistraee refused to act as a commander: she saw herself fit to give advice and help in practical ways, to uplift and make people flufil their potential, never order.
"The Dark Lady smiles on those who see the deeper beauty within."
~ LORDS OF WATERDEEP
Though focused on the drow, Eilistraee accepted folk of all races who danced along her path, who delighted in life and in the free-form expression of it in all its forms. She fought so that all races could live peacefully together, helping and accepting each other despite their differences, and strongly believed in the possibility of redemption for those who had fallen to evil, especially the drow.
Epithets are “an adjective or phrase expressing a quality or attribute regarded as characteristic of the person or thing mentioned.”
(Thank you Oxford Languages for the definition!)
Epithets are used in multiple religions, including christianity, hellenic paganism, norse paganism, kemetic paganism, and even in celtic paganism. People have used Epithets to denote the specific aspect of a deity they want to invoke.
However, I have not seen many people discus the epithets that could appear in pop culture paganism, and in this case specifically, Hyrulean Paganism.
So here are my current ideas for epithets of the Goddesses.
(Note, epithets that are most closely related to a specific race/species is denoted by a color or symbol. Goron, Gerudo, Rito, Zora, Hylian, Sheikah)
Din
Lady of the Red Earth, Earthbreaker, Earthmaker, Foundation of the World, Lady of Power, The Gerudo Mother, The Desert Mother, Din of the Forge, Kingmaker, King Mother, The Sandstorm, Of the Wastes, Of the Burning Hearth, Torch in the Night, Sister of Courage, Sister of Wisdom, Brother, Fire of Gorondia, She who is cradled in Death’s Maw, The Desert Wind, of the Fury, Autumn Harvester
Din, for me, is associated with Fire and Earth, Gerudo and Goron, and thus some epithets are more species specific.
Din of the Forge is also common with smiths of all species.
Nayru
Lady of Wisdom, Lady of Justice, Mother of Law, The Arbiter, of the Sea, of the Rain, She Who Watches, of the Deep, of the Storm, of the Fury, of the Cascading Falls, of the Hidden Waters, Queen Maker, of the Burning Cold, Knowledge Keeper, All-Knowing, the Teacher, the Shield, of the Gentle Snow, Owl-eyed, Sister of Power, Sister of Courage, Winter Keeper
Nayru is associated with water, ice, justice and knowledge. She is most closely associated with the Zora, and Hylians, but some other races have epithets for her as well.
Farore
Lady of Courage, Lady of Life and Death, Sword Keeper, Hero Guide, Mother of Life, Mother of Monsters, Secret Keeper, Lightning Rider, of the Storm, of the Fury, the Whispering Wind, of the Roaring Wind, the Verdant, Dragon Chaser, the the Joyous One, the Dancing Wind, Spring Bringer, the Huntress, Protector of Children, Will O’ Wisp, of the Cutting Wind, of Lost Things, of the Lost*, Path Walker, of the Wind, Sister of Power, Sister of Wisdom
*while this is the only epithet the Goron use, it is not Goron Specific.
Farore is my matron. I tried to keep things equal, but I will naturally favor her. I do actually ise quite a few of these epithets when I write prayers or blessings, and occasionally I will feel the urge to write a blessing invoking one.
Hylia
Guardian of the Triforce, Light bearer, of True Aim, the Winged One, Queen-mother, Queen-makerMother of Hylians, Bane of Demise, the Great Vanquisher, She who Carries Summer, of the Burning Light, the Arbiter, She Who Watches Over Time, Hero Maker, the Song Writer, the Hearth Light, Torch Against the Night, Scourge of the Undead, She Who Favors Wisdom, the Sacred Dragon, the Gentle Healer, She Who Seals the Darkness
Hylia is the last one I created epithets for at this time. She is dear to Hylians, and thus has many Hylian epithets.
I will eventually write all of this in zonai, ancient hylian, and common hylian (or I will at least try) and thus ends this post!
Today I wanted to give you a message Lucifer gave to me today.
It does not matter if you think I do not care about the topic you are explaining to me. It does not matter if you think I am bored by you. It does not matter if you think I don't care about anything you say, even if you talk nonsense, or Christianity, or a crush you had for a week, or what you had for lunch, or this new philosophical reflection that has been troubling your mind for months.
None of that matters, because it is not true. I want to hear your words, I want to hear your thoughts and questions. You are very dear to me, and I care for whatever troubles you, even if you think it is very stupid. It is not, I am sure.
Reach out to me when you are scared, when you are happy, when you are bored, when you are sad, when you feel too much, too little, or nothing at all. I want to hear you.
It does not matter if I care about the topic. If you care about it, I care because you do. If it makes you think, I care. If it makes you feel, I care. If you need to talk, then I need to talk, too.
Talk, my dear, because I will hear you.
That's it. Had a talk with him today and I felt this could be important for someone out there.
Sometimes a myth plays out a certain way because that’s the way certain aspects of our world seem to play out (The Eleusinian mysteries).
Sometimes a myth is a reflection of the societal norms of the culture that created it (sexual coercion of mortal women by gods).
Sometimes the author of a particular myth wrote it the way they did because they had a personal investment in writing it the way that they did (Ovid was known to exaggerate the brutality of Hellenic myths in his retellings).
Sometimes the myth doesn’t seem to line up with the cult practices of the culture in which the myth originates (Homer’s treatment of Zeus vs the Greek’s absolute adoration of Zeus).
Sometimes particular myths are taken as rote fact despite contradictory myths from lesser known authors (the birth of Aphrodite as extolled by Hesiod, Homer, Apollodorus, and Cicero).
Sometimes a myth just happens to be the one that survives the passage of time.
Sometimes a myth is used to teach a mortal lesson (literally every instance of a mortal being punished for their hubris).
Sometimes the translation of a myth reveals a quality not intended in the original work (the rape vs the abduction of Persephone).
Mythology is a product of humanity attempting to find its place in the universe. Taking every myth at face value, without considering allegorical symbolism, authorial intent, societal prejudice, or contemporary mythologies is a mistake many newbies make, and is certainly one that will bar most from coming to a wider understanding of the figures, lessons, and themes behind the myth.
SO WELL PUT! i am not a mythic literalist but i am NOT a mythic denier either. the myths are so informative and thought-provoking, but are also only one facet of our religion and have been subject to human interpretation and bias.
from what i’ve found myths can be a glimpse into how the human psyche regards and receives the gods, an indicator of culture/politics of the time, and/or an exploration or explanation for a natural phenomenon. lovely post :P
So I got a lovely Anon earlier who sent me this ask: “Hi!! I saw your post with beginner questions and all, and I wanted to ask what is Hyrule like in the astral? Should I worry about other spirits, should I steer clear of other people, should I not, etc. Thanks so much!! This is more of asking for advice when going there!”
I thought this was a good question, especially after my post from yesterday about astral travel while lucid dreaming.
Hyrule tends to differ depending on the era, so when astral traveling it helps to determine which one you’re in first! The many creatures and people you may meet will differ as well, and so does the architecture. The Great Sea is gonna be a very different astral experience than Hyrule during the Twilight era. The weather is odd in that it doesn’t always follow logical patterns. I once witnessed snow on Death Mountain! But it tends to last for shorter periods than weather on this plane.
The people of Hyrule are generally kind to strangers, so long as you don’t purposely cause harm. Of course there are some who aren’t friendly; like any other being (spirit or not), they have their own personalities and motivations. Hyrulians will be very surprised to see you due to your round ears, and may ask you numerous questions about this plane and its customs. Hylians especially will be curious about your ability to hear the gods with such small ears. A couple social faux pas to avoid: don’t insult their cooking to their face. It’s a big thing being able to cook, and a bad cook is frowned upon, but they generally believe everyone has a chance for improvement in that area. Talking poorly about someone’s cooking is a hard insult because it’s viewed as you saying they don’t have room for improvement. Secondly, don’t break their pots! No really, don’t do it. The pots are made by hand, and while they’re imbued with magic, broken pots require calling a mage to activate the spell that repairs them, and the spells wear out over repeated use. Thirdly, avoid commenting over much on someone’s clothing. Hylians can have some… interesting fashion choices and they are very proud of their clothes, even if everyone else is looking at them askance. They just don’t say anything unless it’s extremely inappropriate. Lastly, don’t bother the animals. And not just the Cuccos, but any animal you see running about Castle Town or the villages. Feel free to play with them, but don’t chase them off, don’t hit them, and ask around before feeding them. They might actually belong to someone!
Zoras, being as long lived as they are, will be more tactful with their questions. The older ones have a more regal bearing, and unfortunately that makes them more likely to take insult. Don’t comment on their age, and mind your table manners. If you don’t know how to swim, be prepared for a few of them to tease you for it. They do have lessons though, as Zora children are surprisingly not able to swim when they’re born! They are also spear and healing specialists. Some of the best healers in the kingdom are Zora, and they travel frequently, so you may meet one while exploring.
Gorons are so friendly. Like, so, so, so very friendly. If you looked up ‘friend’ in the dictionary a picture of a Goron would be right there. It can be a little offputting actually. It’s a cultural thing to be welcoming and polite, although they reserve the terms ‘brother’, ‘sister’, and ‘pal’ as the highest terms of endearment, usually for someone who has performed an extraordinary favor or act of friendship. They love feats of strength and endurance, and will try and goad you into some contest or another, even if it’s just as a judge. Gorons have a unique cuisine (rock sirloin anyone?), but they are aware that most other Hyruleans don’t eat rocks. They may offer you some anyway just in case, but don’t feel bad for turning it down.
Monsters are generally like they are in the games, however, once in awhile you may come into contact with ones who are, while maybe not friendly, are amicable enough to be willing to make trades or assist you. So exercise caution while traveling like you would anywhere else, but don’t count out getting help from unexpected sources. The exception are undead monsters such as ReDeads and Gibdos. Stay away from them as much as possible because they absolutely will try and eat you. If you plan on visiting Castle Town at night, be inside the gates before sundown or you’ll be locked out! The gates are closed to keep out monsters and Poes, as the town wards activate once the gates are closed.
I guess one of the last things is in the event that you run into one of the series Villains or mini bosses, be on your guard. While working with them is not forbidden (and who would I be to tell you otherwise?), definitely be cautious if you decide to venture down that path. They betray readily, and you probably don’t want to get caught up in any schemes they have in mind. Still, they tend to have very strong magic and solid fighting skills, and can potentially teach you if you’re adept at negotiating or you impress them.
PCP: Which Legendary & Mythical Pokemon canonically count as deities
Pop Culture Paganism is a hell of a drug cause it’s got me researching which legendary and mythical Pokemon canonically count as gods
I made this as a part of my personal spiritual practice, but I think it might benefit some other people too (plus I put a lot of effort into this lol), so I figured that I'd share it here. Also, obviously Pop Culture Pagans can worship any Pokemon they want, I just wanted to outline which would technically count as Pop Culture Deities instead of just Pop Culture Entities.
Also, I did most of the legendaries and mythicals, but not all of them. I left some of the more recent legendary and mythical Pokemon out because I honestly got a little tired. And, if you disagree with any of this, please be nice about it, this took a lot of research and I acknowledge that I probably got a couple wrong
Official Major Deities
🙏 Arceus - Literally the Pokemon God, created the world (Normal, Gen 4)
🙏 Giratina - Basically Pokemon Satan, represents antimatter and darkness, was banished for its violence and lives in the Distortion World (Ghost/Dragon, Gen 4)
🙏 Dialga - Canonically helped Arceus create the universe, a god of time (Steel/Dragon, Gen 4)
🙏 Palkia - Canonically helped Arceus create the universe, a god of space (Water/Dragon, Gen 4)
🙏 Kyogre - Ancient Pokemon who created(?) and expanded the oceans (Water, Gen 3)
🙏 Groudon - Ancient Pokemon who created(?) and expanded dry land (Ground, Ground/Fire in Primal Form, Gen 3)
🙏 Rayquaza - Ancient Pokemon who may rule over the sky(?), and saves the Pokemon world from a Meteor in Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Delta Episode, but is mostly charged with stopping Kyogre and Groudon from fighting (Dragon/Flying, Gen 3)
🙏 Lugia - Considered a guardian of the sea with powers over the weather and the ocean, also commands other deity-like Pokemon like the Kanto Legendary Birds, so I think it counts as a main deity (Psychic/Flying, Gen 2)
🙏 Ho-Oh - A guardian of the sky with the power to promise eternal happiness and resurrect the dead, so this is definitely a deity (Fire/Flying, Gen 2)
🙏 Celebi - A forest guardian who brings vegetation to life and foretells good futures, and is also capable of time travel and healing (Psychic/Grass, Gen 2)
🙏 Jirachi - A mythical Pokemon who slumbers for a thousand years, is associated with a celestial body like the Millenium Comet and grants wishes (Steel/Psychic, Gen 3)
🙏 Xerneas - A Pokemon who can share eternal life and represents life energy itself, hibernating in the form of a tree (Fairy, Gen 6)
🙏 Yveltal - A Pokemon who represents death and destruction, hibernates in a cocoon before awakening to absorb the life force of all living things (Dark/Flying, Gen 6)
🙏 Zygarde - A Pokemon who guards ecosystems and maintains the balance between life and death (Dragon/Ground, Gen 6)
🙏 Solgaleo - A Pokemon who embodies the sun and is considered a guardian deity, was canonically worshiped by ancient Alolans (Psychic/Steel, Gen 7)
🙏 Lunala - A Pokemon who embodies the moon and is considered a guardian deity, was canonically worshiped by ancient Alolans (Psychic/Ghost, Gen 7)
🙏 Reshiram - Represents the concept of Yang and Truth, appears to be an actual deity figure within Unova (Dragon/Fire, Gen 5)
🙏 Zekrom - Represents the concept of Yin and Ideals, appears to be an actual deity figure within Unova (Dragon/Electric, Gen 5)
🙏 Kyurem - Represents the concept of Wuji, or void and emptiness, and appears to be a more feared deity figure than its other counterparts (Dragon/Ice, Gen 5)
🙏 Tornadus - A canonically deific Pokemon who represents the winds and storms, was worshiped in the ancient Hisui region, including in their Therian form (Flying, Gen 5)
🙏 Thundurus - A canonically deific Pokemon who represents lightning and storms, was worshiped in the ancient Hisui region, including in their Therian form (Electric/Flying, Gen 5)
🙏 Landorus - A canonically deific Pokemon who represents agriculture and fertility, was worshiped in the ancient Hisui region, including in their Therian form (Ground/Flying, Gen 5)
🙏 Eternatus - While it is much more feared than revered, this Pokemon is a sort of eldritch deity who caused the Darkest Day in the Galar region and seems to be responsible for the Dynamax phenomenon, so I think that alone warrants deity status (Poison/Dragon, Gen 8)
Minor Deities
📿 Azelf - Canonically stated to have given humans willpower and determination (Psychic, Gen 4)
📿 Mesprit - Canonically stated to have given humans emotions (Psychic, Gen 4)
📿 Uxie - Canonically stated to have given humans the necessary intelligence to improve their lives (Psychic, Gen 4)
📿 Articuno - Considered a deity of ice and maybe winter, associated with Lugia and Ho-Oh, so I think it’s technically a minor deity (Ice/Flying, Psychic/Flying in Galarian form, Gen 1)
📿 Moltres - Considered a deity of fire and maybe summer, associated with Lugia and Ho-Oh, so I think it’s technically a minor deity (Fire/Flying, Dark/Flying in Galarian form, Gen 1)
📿 Zapdos - Considered a deity of electricity and lightning, and maybe transitional seasons like spring/autumn, associated with Lugia and Ho-Oh, so I think it’s technically a minor deity (Electric/Flying, Fighting/Flying in Galarian form, Gen 1)
📿 Raikou - A guardian Pokemon who embodies the element of lightning, resurrected by Ho-Oh (Electric, Gen 2)
📿 Entei - A guardian Pokemon who embodies the element of fire, resurrected by Ho-Oh (Fire, Gen 2)
📿 Suicune - A guardian Pokemon who embodies the elements of water and wind, resurrected by Ho-Oh (Water, Gen 2)
📿 Regigigas - An ancient divine craftsman who created the other Regi- Pokemon and dragged the continents into their current positions, which definitely sounds like deity behavior (Normal, Gen 4)
📿 Cresselia - As a Pokemon associated with the moon who can grant good dreams, I would personally count it as a minor deity (Psychic, Gen 4)
📿 Darkrai - As a Pokemon associated with the dark/new moon who brings nightmares and bad dreams, I would personally count it as a minor deity (Dark, Gen 4)
📿 Shaymin - A guardian Pokemon who can restore polluted land back to health and serves as both a herald of spring and a psychopomp, was particularly honored in Hisui (Grass in land form, Grass/Flying in sky form, Gen 4)
📿 Victini - A Pokemon who embodies victory, and whose power is often sought out by humans (Psychic/Fire, Gen 5)
📿 Cosmog (and Cosmoem) - A Pokemon closely associated with the cosmos and celestial bodies, and was canonically worshiped by ancient Alolans, evolves into either Solgaleo or Lunala (Psychic, Gen 7)
📿 Tapu Koko - A canonical guardian deity of Melemele island in the Alola Region (Electric/Fairy, Gen 7)
📿 Tapu Lele - A canonical guardian deity of Akala island in the Alola Region (Psychic/Fairy, Gen 7)
📿 Tapu Bulu - A canonical guardian deity of Ula’ula island in the Alola Region (Grass/Fairy, Gen 7)
📿 Tapu Fini - A canonical guardian deity of Poni island in the Alola Region (Water/Fairy, Gen 7)
Semi-Divine Entities
⛩️ Mew - Canonically the ancestor of all Pokemon, but it’s more in an ‘Adam and Eve’ way than being a god, so it’s really only semi-divine (Psychic, Gen 1)
⛩️ Hoopa - An incredibly powerful Pokemon, especially in its true Unbound Form, that is capable of opening portals and wormholes at will, though it does not appear to serve as a guardian or deity (Psychic/Ghost in Hoopa confined form, Psychic/Dark in Hoopa unbound form, Gen 6)
Worshiped, but not divine in nature
🕯️ Regice - Created by Regigigas and canonically worshiped by ancient humans, but I don’t think it’s actually a deity (Ice, Gen 3)
🕯️ Regirock - Created by Regigigas and canonically worshiped by ancient humans, but I don’t think it’s actually a deity (Rock, Gen 3)
🕯️ Registeel - Created by Regigigas and canonically worshiped by ancient humans, but I don’t think it’s actually a deity (Steel, Gen 3)
🕯️Latias - A guardian Pokemon who is worshiped with a festival in the Pokemon anime, but I don’t think it counts as a deity (Dragon/Psychic, Gen 3)
🕯️ Latios - A guardian Pokemon who is worshiped with a festival in the Pokemon anime, but I don’t think it counts as a deity (Dragon/Psychic, Gen 3)
🕯️ Zacian - Honored and revered as an ancient hero that guards the Galar region, but doesn’t appear to be divine in nature (Fairy in ‘Hero of Many Battles’ form, Fairy/Steel in ‘Crowned Sword’ form, Gen 8)
🕯️ Zamazenta - Honored and revered as an ancient hero that guards the Galar region, but doesn’t appear to be divine in nature (Fighting in ‘Hero of Many Battles’ form, Fighting/Steel in ‘Crowned Shield’ form, Gen 8)
🕯️ Manaphy - A revered mythical Pokemon who can bond with any Pokemon and is considered a guardian of the cold seas, but I don’t think it’s reached deity status (Water, Gen 4)
🕯️ Cobalion - While it is a revered and somewhat feared Pokemon, as a member of the Swords of Justice, I don’t think it’s actually a deity (Steel/Fighting, Gen 5)
🕯️ Terrakion - While it is a revered and somewhat feared Pokemon, as a member of the Swords of Justice, I don’t think it’s actually a deity (Rock/Fighting, Gen 5)
🕯️ Virizion - While it is a revered and somewhat feared Pokemon, as a member of the Swords of Justice, I don’t think it’s actually a deity (Grass/Fighting, Gen 5)
🕯️ Volcanion - Does seem to be worshipped in the Kalos region, but doesn’t seem to be divine in nature (Fire/Water, Gen 6)
Powerful, but not divine
💪 Mewtwo - Has incredibly powerful nearly god-like abilities, but is just a man-made clone of Mew and isn’t actually divine in nature (Psychic, Psychic/Fighting in Mega Mewtwo X form, Gen 1)
💪 Heatran - It’s a powerful Pokemon who dwells in volcanic caves, but I don’t think it’s actually divine (Fire/Steel, Gen 4)
💪 Deoxys - A powerful mythical Pokemon from outer space, but not divine in origin (Psychic, Gen 3)
💪 Diancie - A powerful mythical Pokemon and mutation of a Carbink, but not divine in origin (Rock/Fairy, Gen 5)
💪 Meloetta - While it could be worshiped as a music deity, Meloetta does not appear to be worshiped or of divine origin in canon (Normal/Psychic in aria form, Normal/Fighting in pirouette form, Gen 5)
💪 Phione - While its counterpart Manaphy is a little more revered, Phione doesn’t seem to quite reach the same level so I wouldn’t consider it divine or worshiped (Water, Gen 4)
💪 Keldeo - While it is sometimes considered a member of the Swords of Justice, Keldeo doesn’t seem to be worshiped in the same way or as powerful (Water/Fighting, Gen 5)
💪 Type: Null (and Silvally) - This was a synthetically created Pokemon so, despite being very powerful, it’s not divine in nature (Normal, Gen 7)
💪 Genesect - While an admittedly ancient and powerful mythical Pokemon, Genesect doesn't seem to be worshiped or divine in any obvious way (Bug/Steel, Gen 5)
💪 Marshadow - Despite being a very powerful and mysterious Pokemon, Marshadow is not worshiped or divine in the same way that the Tapu Pokemon are (Fighting/Ghost, Gen 7)
💪 Magearna - It’s a very revered Pokemon, but was artificially created by humans around 500 years ago and isn’t divine in nature (Steel/Fairy, Gen 7)
something that I've noticed in neo-pagan/polytheist spaces is this focus on one or a few deities. while this is a valid approach and seems to be working amazingly for many people, i wanted to write a short defence of a different form of polytheism that, while maybe less visible on social media, is equally viable.
the poly in polytheism necessitates the belief in multiple gods however modern forms of worship take many different forms on top of that. from my years being in pagan spaces on social media I have noticed that to many, being a polytheist means worshipping one or a handful of gods and having very close relationships with them. which deities someone chooses to have this kind of relationship with stems from multiple possible sources, for example, personal interest, the deity's domain being somehow related to a person's life or an inexplicable draw to them.
to me, this seems to be the dominant view on social media of the form that neo-paganism takes, however, after years of exploring my spirituality and practice, I have come to the conclusion that this is not how I want to worship. I am writing this post for more people like me, who are interested in exploring this often less mainstream approach.
an ancient template
reading about Ancient Greek and Roman civilisations I was always struck by the number of minor deities with hyper-specific domains and associations. as a modern pagan, I could not understand the appeal of worshipping such a deity, ie. using so much time and resources to build a relationship for only a handful of niche issues that you could approach them with.
but as I kept reading and exploring, I realised that I was approaching polytheism completely differently than the ancients did. they truly did live in a world full of gods and they did not require a relationship built over days, if not weeks or more, to approach a deity and ask for their aid.
as long as you followed the rules of reciprocity, you could approach any deity that was relevant to your situation because they were the best equipped to help you with your problem. now this is not true for all of the population all the time, there were definitely also for example, people devoted to one deity, but from my understanding, this seemed to be the general form that polytheism took in those ancient civilisations.
the influence of monotheism
I think another feature of online neo-paganism is this expansion of the major deities' domains which then removes the need to worship the smaller deities. now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for expanding the domains of deities, especially if this is done from a revivalist perspective in order to modernise them for the contemporary worshipper. but sometimes I feel like completely unrelated domains are added for the sake of convenience more than anything else, ie. so that someone can keep worshipping the same deity(ies) without approaching others.
this, in my opinion, goes against one of the core aspects of polytheism which is the idea that different gods rule over different domains and have power over them. following this idea, it would make very little sense to pray to Neptune during air travel as he has no influence over the skies. yet, I sometimes see the deities be treated more like monotheistic gods which are all-powerful and can influence anything in the world.
if this is your view of how the gods work, that's fine, but I feel like sometimes people accept it without questioning it much or thinking about their view of theology at all. after mulling this idea over for some time, I realised it made much more sense to approach those specific deities, even if they are much less known or minor because this fits into my beliefs about polytheism much better.
a poly-practice
so, how would a poly-polytheistic practice look like in the modern day? well, there are many ways to go about it but I will just share bits from my own experience.
what I have ended up doing is focusing on different deities as they become relevant in my life - I focused on worshipping Janus at the beginning of the year while also taking the time to pray to Fortuna in moment when I needed her aid. I then did some extra reading on Jupiter, but didn't forget to thank Mars every time I went to the gym. I no longer felt the pressure to have some sort of special "connection" to every deity or "feel their presence", just trusting that they are there and then catching glimpses of divinity in my daily life.
looking into which Roman festivals I wanted to celebrate also opened my perspectives to more deities I would not have otherwise worshipped on my own. like this, I feel like I am building an arsenal of deities I can turn to when I need and of course, it is also vital to remember that I can call on multiple ones at the same time, just like the Romans saw the gods aiding one another in their tasks.
I only have one altar, which is practical and thus quite minimalistic, but there is space for my prayer notebook as well as other supplies that I need for my rituals.
conclusion
of course, this kind of practice results in a much more "impersonal" relationship with the gods, but I never really felt the need to communicate with them directly or things like that, so it fits me well. I find comfort in imagining a world full of gods, who may only know me in passing but who look out for me nevertheless.
in the end, the goal of this post is not to change anyone's mind about how they worship, but to present an alternate perspective which you can learn from but also completely disregard. in the end I am just happy that you were interested enough to reach until the end of this post. thank you for reading!!
Friendly reminder that spirituality isn't a replacement for science, technology, and modern medicine but something that coexist with it in beautiful ways.
Note: these are my personal correspondences based on my experiences and the games in the series I draw from. Some of these will almost definitely be different for you depending on your practice and the games you draw from!
Domains: Wisdom, water (all forms-- rain, storms, seas, snow, ice, etc.), shadow, time, night, justice, death, the afterlife, healing, change and transformation, communication, song, magic and divination (if you practice them), etc.
Epithets:
progenitrix of order
wise and clear-thinking one
Heart of the blue sea
lady of the dark depths
empress of the departed
frost-touched oracle
Elements: Water, shadow (primary), earth, air (secondary)
Races I feel are most connected to her: Zora, Sheikah (including the Yiga clan), Rito (Wind Waker only)
Sages: Zelda, Ruto, Impa, Medli, Laruto
Season: winter
Time of day: late night, after 10 PM
Colors: blue, purple, silver, white, black, gold
Tarot suit: Swords
Tarot cards: High Priestess, The Moon, Empress, Death, Queen of Swords
Crystals, stones, etc.: blue onyx, amethyst, labradorite, ammonite, fossils in general, seaglass, obsidian, petrified wood, selenite, pearls (especially black), abalone (ethically harvested), coral (ethically harvested), seashells in general, black tourmaline, opal, sapphire.
Plants (please don't use these for burnt offerings or consume them without tons of research first! Some of these may be toxic. Also don't take anything without talking to a medical professional about things like medication interactions if necessary!): lily of the valley, peppermint, eucalyptus, spearmint, yew, hawthorne, lavender, kelp, seaweed, driftwood, pine/spruce
Scents and incense: sandalwood, frankincense, lavender, jasmine, lily, cedar, vanilla, ocean/rain/mist, bamboo, library or old book style scents, leather, banana bread, etc.
Breath of the Wild in-game offerings: Silent Princess, Firefly, Mighty Bananas, Fortified Pumpkin, Blue Nightshade, Winterwing Butterfly, Tireless Frog, Sneaky River Snail, Hearty Blueshell Snail, Stealthfin Trout, Sanke Carp, Opal, Sapphire, Diamond
