Worshipper of the Waters

18 | Hellenic polytheist | Poseidon and Amphitrite devotee

[oceanicoverthinker]

Lord Hermes, I understand that you love to mess around, but please stop the shenanigans with public transport.

I have gotten in the wrong buses, waited at wrong stations, got in the correct bus but then have it malfunction midway to my destination, leaving me stranded in the middle of an unknown city, and I've gotten lost on metro stations.

...Was never late to anything though, so I appreciate that part.

[feathersofthegods]

yesterday i dropped a class i had dedicated to a god, let’s talk about it!

when i first started my astronomy class, i knew it would be hard so i dedicated it to Ouranos in the hope that it would encourage me to put in enough studying time to actually pass the course (spoiler: it didn’t work). this class was HARD. it was advertised as the “science for the liberal arts major” so i had assumed it would be fairly easy for me to wrap my head around, if harder than my other courses, but as someone without that fundamental knowledge of physics i just couldn’t do it. i put in hours of dedicated study time, got my friends and family to help me, prayed, and it still didn’t work. i ended up dropping the class after the first midterm, and while i don’t regret dropping the course, i felt horrible giving up on something i dedicated.

after some reflection, and casual worship of Ouranos (looking up at the sky, waving at it, praying, thanking him) i honestly feel a lot better, and don’t think he minds too much. the thing is, dropping the course doesn’t take away from the hours spend studying astronomy in his name. it doesn’t take away from the praying and the worship. all it means is that i have to find a new activity to dedicate to him, and i already have something planned for tomorrow!!

if you ever feel like the gods will be mad over something like this, know you’ll be ok, and they aren’t.

have you guys ever experienced anything like this?

[oceanicoverthinker]

I used to dedicate my studies to Athena back in high school. It felt really fitting, and I found a lot of joy in it and it helped motivate me.

Now that university rolled around, I have to take year long intensive foreign language classes before I can start my lectures. I felt really bad "Replacing" Athena with Hermes (as he felt more fitting for the language learning), but I quickly realised that, I didn't replace anyone. Athena helped me through high school, and those studies were devoted to her, none of that is being taken away.

This is a completely new chapter, that I'm devoting to a different God! Nothing wrong with it!

[oceanicoverthinker]

I love visiting any bodies of water, even if I'm unfortunately not permitted to swim in them. I'm not sure if there is a specific Deity associated with lakes, but for now, thank you, Lord Okeanos, for the relaxing scroll, and the gorgeous view!

[oceanicoverthinker]

According to the Athenian calendar provided by Hellenion.com, today is the festival of Khalkeia! A day dedicated mostly to Athena and Hephaestus; crafting and invention.

I haven't done enough research to really know exactly how it was celebrated in ancient Greece, but dedicating today to any sort of craft, or directly to the domains of these Gods (Whether it be sewing, assembling furniture, playing strategy games, or any other number of crafts, both simple and complex) seems like a good way to celebrate!

I believe long projects were often started on this day and presented/offered to the Gods later on, so that always seems like a great thing to do!

If anybody reading this is more knowledgeable of Khalkeia and the way it was celebrated (or even just how you celebrate it), I'd love to hear about it!

Remember that you don't need to celebrate any festivals you don't want to, even if you're devoted to these Deities! Everything is entirely optional, I'm just very connected to the domains of Athena and Hephaestus, which is why I chose to point out the holiday today!

[citrineandrosmarin]

I have a bit on Khalkeia here (8 sources yielded not a whole lot of info but oh well) and I kind of 'accidentally' celebrated this year.

My mum (Very Christian with a disdain for other religions that seems out of place with how seet she generally is) has been visiting me and staying over for the week so all my pagan stuff was packed away. Due to a red weather warning in my city, I didn't go into work (its in retail: business as usual unless the government forces it to stop basically) and after she finished hers from home, (the office was closed due to the weather) we did a little craft project together: painting ceramic coasters with paint pens.

[oceanicoverthinker]

Oh, that is utterly gorgeous! Love the accidental celebrations, it's a good reminder that a lot of these festivals don't require any complex rituals or gatherings! Even if can't celebrate exactly as how it was celebrated back then.

Thanks for the extra information, it was a pleasant read!

[oceanicoverthinker]

According to the Athenian calendar provided by Hellenion.com, today is the festival of Khalkeia! A day dedicated mostly to Athena and Hephaestus; crafting and invention.

I haven't done enough research to really know exactly how it was celebrated in ancient Greece, but dedicating today to any sort of craft, or directly to the domains of these Gods (Whether it be sewing, assembling furniture, playing strategy games, or any other number of crafts, both simple and complex) seems like a good way to celebrate!

I believe long projects were often started on this day and presented/offered to the Gods later on, so that always seems like a great thing to do!

If anybody reading this is more knowledgeable of Khalkeia and the way it was celebrated (or even just how you celebrate it), I'd love to hear about it!

Remember that you don't need to celebrate any festivals you don't want to, even if you're devoted to these Deities! Everything is entirely optional, I'm just very connected to the domains of Athena and Hephaestus, which is why I chose to point out the holiday today!

[oceanicoverthinker]

I've moved over from @endless-elysium because I wanted a fresh start. Though I don't want to delete that account as it does hold nice memories for me.

I realised that I spent more time posting about my religion, rather than immersing myself in it. I spent more time scrolling on Tumblr and looking at pretty pictures and moodboards, allowing others' view of the Gods to influence mine entirely (No matter how good or how bad) rather than doing proper research and figuring out why I feel so connected to helpol, or even if I do. Figuring out my own perception and understanding of things.

After taking a few months away, and really focusing on it, I figured out the proper, genuine joy it can bring me. I figured out the way I view the Gods, the myths, the practices. I figured out which Gods I feel more connected to.

Everything is bound to change, I'm sure of it, but for now, I'm happy where I am, and I feel much more secure in my faith than I did before.

That's all to say, whatever religion you are, or whatever religion you're experimenting with, be sure to have patience for it, and to do proper research and not purely idolise every bit of it before you learn the details. I know it may seem tedious, but it is well worth it, and you'll be glad you did it. Either because you will feel so much more secure in your beliefs, or because you'll realise it just simply wasn't for you (Both are okay! I promise!)

I love this community, and I love helpol. It's made even the mundane so special. But that's only because I looked and realised it for myself, instead of only parroting the words of others.

This is not to say that you should ignore others' opinions, or that only your own views are correct; not at all. What I'm trying to convey is that you need your own foundation, before building upon it with all the wonderfully different ways other people view the world, and the way they go about showing it.

Your practice should bring you joy and comfort, not just those around you.