Nocturne in Flat Major

A Polytheism-based blog by Nocturne

[nocturnal-journeys]

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to my blog, my name is Nocturne, identify as she/they, and a Hellenic and Kemetic polytheist.

I decided to walk on the path of Polytheism when I learn more of various religions and I feel resonated with the Greek and Egyptian gods-- though I am aware there are more pantheons to acknowledge, and so the more I learn, the more I found myself and feel comfortable in a road I chose. It's a liberating experience for me and I grew to appreciate more of nature and aspects of life in general.

This blog serves as my journal to document my practices and shares some thoughts about things related to my beliefs, therefore this is a religion-based space. Sometimes I might talk about some other things when I feel like it.

𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔬𝔫𝔞𝔩 𝔟𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔢𝔣𝔰

I believe that anyone can walk on their own roads and live their own life depends on the way they are drawn to as long as it's harmless and respectful. I personally align myself with Hellenic and Kemetic Polytheism but I am also interested in other forms of Paganism/Polytheism.

Worshipper of Apollo, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hermes, and Eros, honoring The Muses for Apollo Musagetes.

Also a worshipper of Anpu (Anubis), Bast, and Djehuty (Thoth).

I am drawn to the Greek Gods due to me drawn to their domains, despite me not being too deep into the mythology and other pop cultures relating to it (ex. Percy Jackson, Epic the Musicals, etc).

I am also interested in the worship of Egyptian Gods since I was interested in them as a kid, but unlike the Greek religion, I started out with less knowledge and less research. However on it’s own the Egyptian religion is an interesting belief and the Gods are the ones that captivates me.

𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔟𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔰

Pedophiles, sexists, homophobes, transphobes, radfems (those all men bad people).

Racists, white supremacists, zionists, neo-nazis.

Gen AI supporters.

Wiccans, this is NOT a wiccan space and I do not tolerate wiccan beliefs.

I also won't discuss PCE (Pop Culture Entity/Egregores/Deities), this is just not the space for it.

Godspousals and twin flames are a no as well.

𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔢𝔰

Everyone makes mistakes, including me, so what I put here may be surfaced-level and deeper research is advised. I am a beginner, closeted polytheist, and I am constantly learning even when I grew more advanced.

There are lots of resources on Tumblr, Discord, academic researches, and other websites from knowledgable people, I'm just here adding another to contribute for myself and potentially for you too. Hit me up w/ a question if you wanna.

Have a nice stay and may the Gods bless you on your endeavors.

[apiswitchcraft]

before you ask "are the gods mad at me?" THINK:

have you...

1. killed or maimed someone

2. killed or maimed an animal for purposes other than consuming/processing it

3. knowingly and purposefully hurled vile obscenities or insults at any god or gods

4. made it a life goal to be a terrible person

5. been a terf

IF YOU SAID NO TO ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS then girl you're fine go have a dr. pepper

[bodhi-devotee]

i keep track of my deities and the quality of my worship by not keeping track. if that makes sense.

i feel much more connected to divinity when i don’t expect it to make sense, be organized, or cohesive. i spend much more time in prayer than in planning. i research, but feel no need to be an academic expert to give an offering. being pagan is very fun this way

[khaire-traveler]

I had someone argue with me in my psychology class today when I stated that using AI for therapy isn't a good idea, nor is it ethical. I tried my best to explain my position to her, but she wasn't a very reasonable person about it and just kept repeating points I had disproven. So. Let me explain something to everyone.

AI is an echochamber. It tells you what you want to hear when you engage with it conversationally; it is programmed to do that. While it could help you find resources to help yourself or tools to practice, it cannot provide the same quality of therapeutic services that a licensed professional would be able to provide you with. It cannot spur self-reflection when it spits back the same line of thinking that you put into it. You are not likely to actually grow as a person from AI therapy. You are not likely to heal from trauma with AI therapy. You are not likely to have massive improvements in mental illness symptoms from AI therapy, just as a robot wouldn't effectively be able to treat a viral infection. AI is not a licensed mental health professional; it doesn't understand how to actually treat you.

If you feel like you are all alone and you're going through a crisis and you don't know where to turn, there are other options outside of AI that you can turn to for actual support from other humans. If you can ask AI for help, you can ask another person for it (and it'll do you a lot more good). Here is an international list of suicide hotlines by country. Here is a list of LGBTQ+ friendly crisis services in the U.S. Here is another list of LGBTQ+ Mental Health services.

In an increasingly isolated world, it's incredibly easy to feel as though you are entirely alone. It's even easier to reach out to a readily available AI assistant who will provide you with an instant hit of gratification and validation. However, there ARE people who care about you and genuinely want to help. There have ALWAYS been people like that, whether or not it was something you knew about actively. Please, for your own sake, do not use AI for therapy. The harmful effects of AI on human mental health are still being studied, and so far, it's not looking like it had a positive effect on most people. Try to look for support in others before turning to AI. I highly encourage it.

[bodhi-devotee]

there is not enough room to contain This Much Love for the god Apollo in my mortal body

[helpoldoll2]

♡ aphrodite, who gently reminds a boyfriend to kiss their girlfriend before leaving for work

♡ apollo, who makes the sun shine even brighter for a couple to enjoy their picnic after a long, busy week

♡ athena, who watches over as someone excitedly rants to their partner about what they learned about their latest hyperfixation

♡ hera, who smiles and looks on at an older couple who are finally standing at the altar together, hands intertwined and rings shining in the light

♡ dionysus, laughing to himself as he watches someone drunkenly ramble to their partner about how much they adore them for the fifteenth time in the last half hour

♡ poseidon, calming the waves as he witnesses two lovers wade back to shore, laughing and splashing the water as they go

♡ artemis, who cheers to herself as she sees a woman enter a relationship knowing she is worthy of respect and her partner is completely aware and will give her more then she knows what to do with

♡ zeus, who nods approvingly as a couple finally sort out an issue that's been eating away at their relationship

♡ hestia, who lovingly observes as a couple make dinner together, one knowing the kitchen like the back of their hand and the other not knowing if they can microwave their ramen or not

♡ hades, who can't help but feel a bit pleased as he watches a couple enter his domain together, holding hands

♡ persephone, who smiles when she sees a soul reuniting with their lover after so long apart, perhaps pointing the pair out to her husband

♡ hypnos, who sighs in relief as a couple finally fall asleep in each other's arms after witnessing them staying up late just to say another dumb joke or whisper sweet nothings

♡ hermes, who makes sure every plane is on time as a young person travels to see their long distance partner

♡ ares, who blesses every soldier that must leave his lover at home, silently making a note to protect their home and partner whilst they're overseas

♡ hekate, who sighs softly when she sees a witch trying to put a love spell on their crush, knowing damn well that the other party is crushing even harder

♡ hephaestus, smiling as a blue collar worker makes a handmade gift from scraps to give their lover when they finally get off the clock

♡ nyx, raising an eyebrow as a young person sneaks out in the darkness to go visit the person they're forbidden from seeing but not stopping them, instead giving them her protection

♡ demeter, smiling as she watches someone propose to their lover in a gorgeous garden, where the plants have all begun to sprout and the flowers bloom

[sylviaplathreincarnate]

Universal offering ideas!

(For any deity)

Water!

Honey

Honeyed milk

Baked goods like bread and honey cake

Crystals like clear quartz

Things found in nature like wild flowers, cool rocks or wild growing berries

(Your) art

(Your) poetry

Jewellery

Letters wrote to them

Fruit

Statues/depictions of the deity

Incense and candles

Crafts

Hand written sigils

Tea

Trinkets

Perfumes

[oscars-wayfinder]

i think a lot of people in helpolblr don’t understand syncretisation.

theres so much talk about “helios is the sun and apollon is the sunlight!” and “apollon isnt the sun god!”

helios and apollon were actually syncretised during the roman period. also there can be multiple gods of one aspect?

anyways apollon can be a sun god or he can be a light god, both are valid ways to see him.

while helios will always be the personification of the sun itself, he and apollon are both gods of the sun.

please please please research syncretisation guys. it’s a huge aspect in a lot of religions and helps us understand the gods in the way they were understood in the ancient times.

same goes for artemis and selene.

[templeof-thetheoi]

I think we forget that you can make epithets for your deities. If they don’t have any? Make some. They all came about that way anyway

[foamspell]

me almost everyday i fear (i make up for it i swear)

[dockhus3t]

since i’m feeling salty let’s go over the many problems that i feel the helpol community needs to fix

The unintentional hating on abrahamic tradition. People who do this are violating Xenia, which is literally the backbone of this religion

Harassment of people for being uneducated

People refusing to learn from their mistakes/when being educated. This goes against the principle of Sophia, the pursuit of wisdom

Harassment of revivalists/neopagans for quite literally no reason. Don’t even try with the “they’re poisoning the religion” excuse because that’s literally folkism.

Speaking of folkism, FOLKISM!

Using the excuse of orthopraxy for literal harassment.

i should also mention i am not hating on this religion as a whole. these are just a few of the red flags i see within the helpol community. if we can fix these, we can cultivate a more safe space.

i really, really don’t want this community to be a toxic one.

[nocturnal-journeys]

When a beginner helpol are misinformed especially by Tiktok, there's no need for hostility, harassment, or judgement. Otherwise this will paint us in a bad light and people will believe that this religion is unwelcoming.

[mistermaenad]

Friendly reminder to the Pagan community that if someone is claiming to be a god, please just block and don't argue. They are either rage baiting or they genuinely believe it, and neither of those situations are good to feed into

I just had a commenter tell me he was Apollo, so I looked at his page and this guy had made at least ten posts just today talking about starting a plague and how we'd be sorry if we didn't believe him, and only like half of it was legible, and that's not someone you really want to argue or fight with

So just block and move on, there's not much we can do about it, I don't think

[nocturnal-journeys]

Digital offerings

Saw someone asking if digital offerings, altars, and shrine are really valid bc some peeps said they aren't. I need to get this out of my chest.

It's weird how some polytheists bashes on other polytheists for using digital offerings, altars, or shrines for the gods. It's a painfully obvious elitist mindset and completely disregards the fact that many of us are closeted worshippers of the gods and needed to hide that from people that will not like us for simply having a different belief.

Imo there's no such thing as a 'better altar' whether it's physically or digitally. The internet counts as a space even if it's not physical, and it's always an option for ppl who are closeted, and also for who just wanna have fun on the internet w digital offerings. Like making minecraft altars, rooms altars, collages, moodboards, and the like, why not?

Even if I am closeted, I am lucky that I can make a physical altar (even if it's merely trinkets and a bunch of flowers on the same vase), but I feel like I need to make something more since I can't fit everything on one space, and so digital altars and offerings came in. I feel great making my offerings digitally as I make them physically, so I don't understand the fuss over how digital offerings are 'bad' or 'unacceptable'.

Thanks for reading :D

[nocturnal-journeys]

a follow-up to this post...

How to make digital altars and offerings

There are many ways you can utilize the digital space to create them. The ones listed here and another I shall link are ideas you can do, and you can absolutely suggest one, ask for an opinion, or even said a feedback regarding one of the sites/programs itself :3

Note: Gen AI, including AI 'art' and 'writing', isn't included here, and they will never be. I am talking about how to make the digital altars and offerings with your own effort. I will say no more as many people already clearly stated the negative, harmful effects of gen AI and how it disrespects the gods.

A website where you can make your own rooms and interior designs based on assets made by people! You can make plenty of rooms dedicated to deities you worship. Note: this is browser only on desktop.

Rooms.xyz

Minecraft

You can make your altars and spaces dedicated to your deities. Not only that, you can absolutely do activities that honors them too in Minecraft, like farming, taking care of pets, crafting, take down zombies, etc.

Picrew

There is a rlly well-known digital altar picrew which ppl have been using, you can absolutely do that. Here is the link to that picrew.

You can also make your own avatars dedicated to the deities you worship, there are so many of them. Go crazy!

Pinterest/Shuffles

You can make collages dedicated to your deities either on Pinterest or Shuffles. Personally I am a Shuffles person bc of the opacity feature, but both is good.

On Pinterest, you can also make a board dedicated to the deities and save pins that reminds you of them. This can be used to make collages or simply as a digital shrine.

Tip for making collages: save pictures of as much deity sculpture/paintings/drawings as you want, so you'll have variations if you want to make different collages for the same deity.

Wallpapers and widgets

The collages you made can be a wallpaper! I made one of my Apollo collage a wallpaper, you can do that with your deities too. Though reminder they won't be upset if you want to change it, they'll understand.

For iOs users, you can use widgetsmith to go crazy with your device theme. There are many ideas on Pinterest you can find for inspiration.

Devotional post and blog here on Tumblr

There are soo many devotional blogs and deity-specific themed blogs on Tumblr. You can do the same for your own deities you worship.

You can make posts that praises your deities, or just yap abt things that you admire abt them. Make it a devotional act for your deities.

Devotional playlists

You can listen to the ones already made by people on Spotify, Apple Music, and so on. Or make your own! I personally make my own to add songs I like that I believe fits them best, you can do it too!

There are many people on Tumblr here posting devotional playlists. You can absolutely listen to them.

Other Tumblr posts about digital altars/offerings:

By ithacasintuition

By wiiiowsden

[owl-helm]

Prayer of Praise to Apollon 🦢🏹🕯️✧˖°.

« ✦ —⋆——― ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ———⋆— ✦ »« ✦ —⋆——― ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ———⋆— ✦ »

Dearest son of Gentle Leto and Mighty Zeus,

He who tends to the wound under my Band-Aid and yet wounds men with the swift piercing of an arrow drawn from your silver bow.

The mellow hums of your lyre collide with the clamorous stomps of merry dance.

God, who communicates most directly whilst shooting from afar, I praise you. 

For I am crowned by your laurel in my pride, assisted by the strike of your arrow in my words, and inspired by your presence in my worship.

I thank you, Lord Apollon, for my adoration and gratitude for you knows no bounds.

Oh glorious god, as always and for forever, I praise and honor you.

Praise be Radiant Apollon!

« ✦ —⋆——― ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ———⋆— ✦ »« ✦ —⋆——― ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ———⋆— ✦ »

[starsanddawnbreak]

Reblog if your looking for more pagan friends!

[nocturnal-journeys]

Digital offerings

Saw someone asking if digital offerings, altars, and shrine are really valid bc some peeps said they aren't. I need to get this out of my chest.

Imo there's no such thing as a 'better altar' whether it's physically or digitally. The internet counts as a space even if it's not physical, and it's always an option for ppl who are closeted, and also for who just wanna have fun on the internet w digital offerings. Like making minecraft altars, rooms altars, collages, moodboards, and the like, why not?

It's weird how some polytheists bashes on other polytheists for using digital offerings, altars, or shrines for the gods. It's a painfully obvious elitist mindset and completely disregards the fact that many of us are closeted worshippers of the gods and needed to hide that from people that will not like us for simply having a different belief.

Even if I am closeted, I am lucky that I can make a physical altar (even if it's merely trinkets and a bunch of flowers on the same vase), but I feel like I need to make something more since I can't fit everything on one space, and so digital altars and offerings came in. I feel great making my offerings digitally as I make them physically, so I don't understand the fuss over how digital offerings are 'bad' or 'unacceptable'.

Thanks for reading :D

[hypnotic-wine-dove-deactivated2]

Generative AI has no right to be in HelPol spaces .ᐟ.ᐟ

I can say honestly that I have used generative AI in the past. I have never used ChatGPT but to say I haven’t at all would be disingenuous.

Me and my partner found a website that generated memes (awfully) and found it funny. This was about early 2024, it was a one time thing, and it hasn’t been touched since. (This Meme Does Not Exist) — I acknowledge that a year ago we probably should’ve known, I’m not sure why we didn’t think about it, we truly didn’t know.

I have also looked at Google’s AI for a quick answer before scrolling down or even closing the tab entirely. I feel so guilty about my contribution, more so that I did that at the same time I started practicing paganism, but I want to say I apologise and will not knowingly use, post, or spread AI going forward. Especially for Google, I will think about looking past the AI overview no matter how “easy” it will be to get an answer. (I mention this later)

Since last year, AI has exploded, with people encouraging it to people giving all they got to remove it. I learned very quickly how harmful AI is not only for the environment but for creators. AI is generative PURELY because it takes from others, it can never make something of its own. Talk of AI is everywhere on the internet by now, there aren’t many excuses to not have at least heard something about its negative impact.

Before I left school, I saw my peers boast openly about how they used ChatGPT and even had a teacher of mine encourage it. I found it shocking. This isn’t a matter of struggling with school work and assignments, this is not being able to think for yourselves. Find your teacher, find a tutor, find a textbook, find online resources. That’s the issue. As said earlier, it’s easy and fast. People want answers? Want something funny? Boom. It’s there. That’s how people get sucked into it.

Back to HelPol spaces

Using AI to write posts about Hellenic Polytheism straight up rips off actual academic authors !! and other Tumblr users. Using AI to generate “art” of the gods takes from actual artists who put work and effort in, unlike you. I’ve seen so many beautiful drawings from those in the HelPol community, some that are heartfelt, amusing, or captured how I see a deity.

AI is empty, void, and cold. It doesn’t and will never have the imperfections or the lines done by the human mind. It doesn’t have the soul and determination to create.

AI takes away the freedom for a creator to post their works. If you practice Hellenic polytheism, do you not think this goes against gods of art? Of music? Of poetry? Any kind of medium. Think of what the gods stand for too: nature, animals, the world.

(I speak to those using AI who are also HelPol, but you absolutely do not need to be religious to want to protect the rights of creators and the Earth)

Please talk about the gods, create for the gods even if it isn’t pro-level art. Please write for the gods even if it’s a small drabble that has spelling mistakes and grammar issues. Do your best. But don’t turn to AI because it’ll be quick, or you’re struggling, or because you think it’ll get you pumping out a lot of posts for likes.

AI doesn’t come from a brain, or a heart, it is a machine that takes and spits out what it learned from human beings. People that put in time to write what they did, time to draw what they did.

Think for yourselves. Don’t let the machine do it for you.

@pixilatedwitchery and @dancing-with-maenads list of HelPol (and general pagan) accounts that use AI — here