tips for tired hellenic polytheists
when first researching where to start, itās very overwhelming with everything you need to do. autism and chronic illness were and still are a major hindrance to everything i do, worship included, not to mention i am still worshipping in secrecy. i was put off from worshipping for a year or so because of this. it doesnāt have to be so daunting, the gods arenāt here to judge how efficient you are in your worship.
starting with altars, you donāt need one, especially not a big elaborate one. theyāre gorgeous and one day i aspire to have one, but thatās not ideal or even possible at the moment. if you plan on giving libations you can have a small cup or glass to hold the offering and sit it next to you or in any empty space until youāre ready to discard. same with food items, a small platter works. it doesnāt have to be a dedicated space, they understand your circumstances.
another thing i struggled with was knowing which god or gods to worship. you donāt have to wait for a god to call to you. pray to who you want and who makes you feel comfort and happiness to think about. the gods arenāt going to turn you away. you can start with more than one too. thereās no ābeginnerā gods, just who you want to start with!
giving offerings doesnāt have to be so complex, especially if youāre worshipping in secret. a big one i do is offer a portion of my food to the gods while i wait for it to cool or find a video to watch. i tell them iāll eat after and the first bites goes to them. they know if you have limitations, they know i canāt give them food and let it sit and afford to not eat it myself and thatās okay. i also buy a lot of trinkets from various places, if it reminds me of the gods they get to keep it and when i look at it iāll whisper a small hello.
devotional acts are easiest for me, itās things iām already doing or should be doing. taking my meditation/listening to music in honor of apollo. cooking/spending time with family in honor of hestia. watching ocean related videos for poseidon. if it pertains to the gods, devote the act to them and it keeps me on top of things i need to do if i know i devoted it to the gods.
this may be my most controversial section, i donāt do khernips! if you do, more power to you of course. i just donāt have the means, and donāt see much reason for that to stop me from worshipping. i will wash my hands with soap and water before giving an offering, but for regular prayer of just saying hi or talking about my day with the gods, which i usually do in bed or while out and about, i donāt worry about it. they know im human, they arenāt going to shut me down or out for being such. this stopped me for awhile, i couldnāt make khernips so of course i couldnāt worship but truthfully the gods are understanding. even somedays when im too tired, depressed or sick to do anything, i used to feel bad for not being my cleanest while talking to the gods but if i canāt pray when im at such a low point, when can i?
the gods arenāt going to be disrespected or angry at you for praying or offering whilst youāre on your period. yes, iāve seen that debated. just be clean on human standards, when you can, and they will understand. theyāre old and wise, theyāve seen it all.
iām just rambling at this point so iāll wrap up soon! coming from christianity, itās hard to not fear the gods, i get it and most others do too. religious trauma is hard to overstep, if itās something you struggle with the gods wonāt mind if you have to do a few things differently. good luck on your journey, whether new or just continuing. i hope my yapping helped with anything. your faith is personal to you, donāt let others push you away from it. be kind to each other and yourself.
as always, feel free to dm or send an ask if you feel inclined to! my word is just that, donāt take what i say as law and if you do things differently, thatās okay. iād love to hear about that too!
