Hades devotion 101- part 3
Hades devotion in Hellenic polytheist context
Regardless of what you base your practice on or what terms you use to identify yourself with, it is respectful to understand the specific set of values and cultural context deriving from their origin when you come into contact with a deity.
Hades, like many other Gods and Goddesses, is part of a complete set of the Hellenic faith. If you are already practicing Hellenic polytheism, you still might want to read this next post for the way Hades fits into this system.
Here are some Hellenic polytheism 101 masterposts I highly recommend reading if this is your first encounter with Hellenic polytheism: verdantlyviolet, screeching-0wl, oftennisandpolytheism, crazycatsiren, athenas-night-owl
Hades as a Chthonic deity:
Hades is a Chthonic God, as mentioned in the previous post. There are certian customs that apply in Chthonic worship that do not apply in Ouranic worship. For example, some people do not share edible offerings with Chthonic Gods.
Another implication of Chthonic nature of deities is related to the themes you might associate with them. It’s true that all Gods have multiple aspects and many hats, but Chthonic deities are usually associated with the darker aspects of existence. ‘Death’ is obvious of course if you aspire for Kharis with the lord of the dead. It is important to distinguish between Hades and Thanatos, one being the ruler of the underworld and its personification, and one being death itself. But I suggest you take notice for latent meanings of Hades and what he stands for as well- like shadow work, dealing with loss, processing grief, healing from trauma and pain, cutting away unhealthy things from your life, ending bad relationships, and doing the right decisions even if they are harder to make.
Of course that there are always also brighter themes, even to Hades, as he is also related to growth and abundance. He can be associated with glowing-up (growing up to become the best versions of ourselves- just like he helped Persephone be), ancestors veneration and heritage honoring, financial abundance and stability, grounding, and much more.
Different aspects of the God, or different roles, are defined by different titles- or epithets. In Hellenic polytheism, it is customary to specify which aspect of the God you are praying to. When people prayed to Hades in his agricultural aspect, they prayed to Pluton- God of abundance. In his aspect as the lord of the dead, he is called “the host of many”, for example, as his home is accepting all souls eventually.
Here’s a list of His epithets. This is a very long list, and each epithet can reveal an aspect of Hades, or at least how he was viewed by the people in the past. You can also make an epithet of your own, based on your personal experience with him: I started using “puller of all strings” as an epithet to describe how easily he maintain control over all directions of a situation.
Hellenic values and lessons that can be addressed by Hades:
Hellenic polytheism does not hold a list of amendments or rules like in other faiths. The Delphic maxims are a list of 147 advisable do’s and don’t’s to the followers, but nothing obligatory. A more recent interpretation of the Hellenic culture came up with several pillars to guide modern practitioners by the ethical and moral values of ancient Hellenic religion. Among them:
Kharis - giving without expectation of return, and gratitude for benevolence received
Eusebia - reverence, and duty toward the Gods
Arete - striving to live to one’s fullest potential
Hagneia - spiritual and ritual purity
Sophia - the pursuit of wisdom and understanding
Sophrosune - self-control
Xenia - hospitality, generosity and courtesy
Devotion to Hades can and should be mindful of those values For example, Xenia could mean being kind and generous to others in his name as the host of all. Arete is definitely one of the values that can dictate the devotion to Hades, as he delights in his followers fulfilling themselves. But as individuals, don’t take those values as strict concepts, ask yourself what applies to you, what do you relate to and want to incorporate into your practice, and find the way you can connect what is meaningful to you to Hades. For example, I find that ritual purity is not a concept I can relate to, and I chose to not stress about miasma or lyma.
If we claim the Hellenic values revolve around becoming better people, seeking wisdom, taking care of our friends and community members, and lovong and honoring our Gods, then devotion to Hades with accordance to his original context will include all those elements.
dededos
turnnoffyourmind
discoholicmusic
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