hypnos' satin pillowcase

< mitsureigi's hypnos sideblog >

[strangesigils]

“Sleep Soundly”

Sew this sigil into your pillow or pillowcase. Maybe on your eyemask if your one of those people that uses those.

Alternatively you can draw it on a piece of paper and put it under your bed or between your mattress and box-spring

[mundusinretrograde]

hello friends let me tell you how i do the khernips thing

gets two sticks of incense one frankincense and one myrhh motherfucker

then get super hot water and put in in a jug k

now sALT THE SHIT OUT OF IT AS IF IT’S POSEIDON’S SEA OF EVERLASTING SALT OR SOME SHIT

SEA SALT IS PREFFERED

LIGHT THE INCENSE

WAIT UNTIL IT GLOWS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKING GHOST

(WHO YOU GONNA CALL?)

extinguish it in the hot salty water bam

this is how i khernips

you can khernips however the fuck you want to idgaf

i usually start by having the khernips in a super cool plastic jug but then i put it in this super cooler-er glass vase yeah

[exotic-crystal-dancer]

Hellenic Texting:

LOL- Left Over Libations

JK-Just Khernips

BYOB- Bring Your Own Barley

TTYL- Theoi That You Love

HBIC- Hera’s (the) Bitch In Charge

BAMF- Bad Ass Oedipus

G2G- Got Two Goats

G2G4S- Got Two Goats 4 Sacrifice

[delphicprayers-blog]

But...why wash your hands a lot?..

Good question! It’s traditional in Hellenism to wash your hands and face before approaching the gods. I know of people who just use soap and water because that feels right for them, but if you want to go more ritualistic you’ll use khernips. Instead of explaining it myself, I’ll quote our much beloved reconstructionist, @baringtheaegis from her blog.

“Khernips are the traditional way to cleanse yourself from miasma. Khernips is created by dropping smoldering incense or herb leaves into (fresh and/or salt) water (preferably sacred spring water or sea water). When throwing in the lit item, one can utter ‘xerniptosai’ (pronounced ‘zer-nip-TOS-aye-ee’) which translates as ‘be purified’. Both hands and face are washed with khernips. The vessel holding the khernips is called a khernibeionas (Χερνῐβεῖον). For my video tutorial on how to prepare and apply khernips this, go here.”

[heatherwitch]

Hypnos/Somnus

Small devotional acts.

Spend more time in your room with all the lights off

Wear clothes with poppies on them and decorate your room with poppy designs

Wash your face with a bit of river water before bed

Buy yourself new sheets and a pillowcase

Send sweet evening messages to your friends, wishing them a good night filled with rest

Wash your sheets and blankets more often

Sleep with the window open

Keep a dream journal

Drink a cup of calming tea when needed

Wear soothing colors

Cuddle with your pet - or a friend’s pet

Go to bed earlier

Listen to instrumental music

NAPS!

Make coffee/tea for everyone in the morning

Change the sound of your alarm

Know when to take a break

Use more relaxing scents in your home 

Sleep outside occasionally

Take medication to aid in sleep if needed

Decorate your room with pale flowers

Do more mindless projects - such as knitting

At the end of the day, write down everything that you are stressed about - check the following morning to see if anything still needs to be worked on

Buy new curtains that let in the desired amount of light

Sleep in

Lie in bed and listen to music

Buy new pajamas 

Learn basic medt

Read more books

Paint your walls a new color

Get more houseplants

Create more alone time

Spend time in the evenings with all electronics off

Give yourself more than 8 hours to sleep each night

[gone3662-deactivated20210214]

September 23, 2018

(Altar before the last one I uploaded)

This was my altar for about a month (only slightly different 2-4 days prior).

Around the center candle is; my medical bracelet, septagram symbol of my faith, my Amaterasu-Ōkami necklace because I did not have my Kami shrine set up, and spirit’s ring. The ring was moved shortly after to be with Ereškigal’s idol.

—Gods on Altar

On the left most section, there is a cluster of heal deities. Asklepios’ and Hygeia’s idols. Then in the long candle holder, the white tea candles represent Akeso, Laso, I cannot spell her name right its Iaso, Panakeia, and Aigle; the blue represents Epione. Between the two Idols is Hygeia’s vanilla candle.

On the left platform is Ereškigal with a white and blue pendant to represent Namtar. At the base of the platform is a clear empty candle holder meant for Ereškigal-only offerings.

The center has Hestia; her candle is infront of her. The jar to her left is for Zeus Ktesios [of the House]. To her right is a statue representing (aka not an idol) Zeus Herkeios [of the Fence]. Besided him is a seal for Zeus Eleutherios [of Freedom]

The right platform has Hera Antheia [of Flowers]. Next to her is Athena Ergane [the worker] and then Inana. The beads on this altar represent Dumuzi & G̃eštinana. Now after I did Enten (Sumerian winter) the two beads only represent G̃eštinana.

On the wall, the left most frame is Enki. The blue disk is a moon for Nanna. The middle frame is of Enlil and Ninlil. The last frame is Nanše. Non are idols except Nanše.

—

Nazars represent the blue eyes of Sumerian votive worshipper statues.

I plan to “drastically” down grade my altar later so I can attempt to get daily habits back fully. I also have my Kami shrine set up; I am not currently using the Apollo statue in my divination area as a shrine, for now.

Testing to see if I like putting english translations of epithets in brackets.

[achillvs]

my brand new altar for Aphrodite! with an offering made of olive oil, chocolate, laurel leaf and a golden bracelet with hearts on it I got for my birthday that convinced me to set this up. I’m lucky my family keeps lots of pretty shells around! placed next to a big mirror for extra symbolism. one of the scented waxes is named “Pink Sands” and I think it’s very fitting 

[poppyhorns]

starchild

Dear Hypnos,

i feel you, everywhere.

the way my head sinks in my pillows, comforted by my blankets that vaguely smell like you.

it's fluffy, soft touch against my skin, telling me:

it's okay, my child. you must sleep, my child. our realm awaits you, my child.

with every yawn, i feel you. i feel your hands resting on my shoulders, ready to guide me to starlight

the light scent of lavender and sage fill the room, as i travel back and forth, between blissful unconsciousness and blurry awareness.

[heatherwitch]

Hypnos/Somnus

Small devotional acts.

Spend more time in your room with all the lights off

Wear clothes with poppies on them and decorate your room with poppy designs

Wash your face with a bit of river water before bed

Buy yourself new sheets and a pillowcase

Send sweet evening messages to your friends, wishing them a good night filled with rest

Wash your sheets and blankets more often

Sleep with the window open

Keep a dream journal

Drink a cup of calming tea when needed

Wear soothing colors

Cuddle with your pet - or a friend’s pet

Go to bed earlier

Listen to instrumental music

NAPS!

Make coffee/tea for everyone in the morning

Change the sound of your alarm

Know when to take a break

Use more relaxing scents in your home 

Sleep outside occasionally

Take medication to aid in sleep if needed

Decorate your room with pale flowers

Do more mindless projects - such as knitting

At the end of the day, write down everything that you are stressed about - check the following morning to see if anything still needs to be worked on

Buy new curtains that let in the desired amount of light

Sleep in

Lie in bed and listen to music

Buy new pajamas 

Learn basic medt

Read more books

Paint your walls a new color

Get more houseplants

Create more alone time

Spend time in the evenings with all electronics off

Give yourself more than 8 hours to sleep each night

[catchymemes]

Snowing at sea

[thecryptocreep]

Why do I never think about the possibility of snow on the ocean??? Now I see why, because it’s too ethereal

[sensorygif]

sensory

[stygiantarot]

Chthonic Devotionals

Styx 🌑🌲⚖️🛡

Participating in a cause or protest

Cleaning up a body of water (river, stream, creek, etc.)

Smoking and enjoying darkness at night, especially in the wee hours

Reading about current political and legal changes

Spending time with pine trees

Working on craft/jewelry/witchy projects that involve iron

Crafting my Underworld powders

Warding and protecting my house and property

Helping spirits cross and giving the dead respect and peace

Swimming

Reading Tarot

Taking a super cold shower

Caring for/being kind to spiders, moths, beetles

Hades 💀💰⚰️🐾

Working on my finances and shop business plan

Reading articles and watching videos regarding burial rights and care of the dead

Watching horror movies

Visiting and cleaning graveyards

Maintaining relationships and communication with local spirits and ghosts

Spending time with dogs

Working on my ability to respectfully debate important issue

Eating pickles or preserved foods or red meat

Helping someone with a death plan/will/Power of attorney

Collecting/displaying coins and stones

Persephone 🥀🕊🛀🌺🍯

Enjoying local flowers and plants

Listening to birdsong

Growing flowers

Displaying cut flowers in their full cycle, even after they’ve wilted/died

Enjoying a well made meal or snack

Eating pomegranates

Taking a long and pampered bath

Practicing a daily beauty or self-care routine

Using pomegranate-based products (oil, body wash, deodorant, etc.)

Visiting graveyards with offerings for the dead (flowers, honey, seeds, nuts, small cakes, paper cards, music played, books read, etc.)

Setting up a bird feeder

Combining floral and death aesthetics in craft, artwork, and photo creations

All 👻🌑🍂⚱️🖤

Visiting a graveyard and walking around and reading headstones, remembering

Vulture culture

Reading and researching stories involving death and the dead

Erecting a death or ancestor shrine/altar to remember and light candles for those who’ve passed

Collecting and using graveyard dirt

Lying on the ground with bare hands and feet and feeling the earth

Volunteering at a hospice or nursing home

Watching crime and forensic based shows and movies

Acknowledging your own darker side and working with it, accepting it

Working on mental health plans and care

Shadow work

[witchtips]

Ideal Offerings for Gods and Goddesses

Hearth and Home Gods:

Food: Bread and grains, cooking oil, salt

Drink: Milk, wine, cider

Herbs: Rosemary, thyme

Gods of Love and Passion:

Food: Eggs, honey, apples

Drink: Wine, fruit juice

Herbs: Lavender, sandalwood

Garden/Nature Deities:

Food: Bread, cornmeal, fruit

Drink: Milk, water

Herbs: Bay

Gods of Prosperity and Abundance:

Food: Grains, dairy products like cheese or eggs

Drink: Milk, beer

Herbs: Mint, pennyroyal, catnip

Ancestor Spirits:

Food: Any meal from your family’s table

Drink: Drinks from the family table

Herbs: Sage, sweetgrass

Childbirth or Fertility Goddess:

Food: Eggs, baked sweets like cookies

Drink: Milk (including breast milk)

Herbs: Rose, sandalwood, apple blossoms

[lokis-misfit]

Then we have Loki who doesn’t rlly fit AnY of these categories but honestly he’s chill if you bring him a McDonald’s happy meal toy

[equilibrium-at-sea]

Modern Pagan Ways to Worship

I’ve been thinking a lot about the ways I worship the gods, and watching my other Pagan friends to see how different our styles are. I thought I might list some of the ways I’ve noticed. Feel free to add anything you think is worth mentioning!

Learning about the gods: This is always the first thing I tell people to do when they decide to work with a new god. Read the stories we do have about them, even if there’s only one. What are scholars saying about the story/ies? What can we learn from knowing about the culture of the time? Is there any crossover from other cultures and mythologies?

Prayer: The obvious one, but perhaps not one that all Pagans engage in for fear of feeling ‘too Christian.’ Ceiswir Serith has a great guide, “A Book of Pagan Prayer,” if you want to take a look at new ways to pray. 

Offering food/drink: Whether you’re offering a separate meal to the goddesses or sharing a part of your plate, this is a very old tradition. Some gods prefer you partake of the meal, and others don’t. Whatever is best for you, offering a glass of wine or a portion of your lunch to the gods also makes you more conscious of the food you’re ingesting.

Building/maintaining an altar: Another very common one under the Pagan umbrella. We dedicate a space to a deity or deities, and decorate it as a workspace for spells, a welcome mat for the god(s)/ess(es) we worship.

Donning a deities’ associations: If yours is a sea goddess, it is likely she’ll prefer you wearing shells, pearls, or colors that remind her of her home. By contrast, a fire god might like to see you sporting some carnelian or even lava rock. Wearing their colors, crystals/stones, scents, animal representations, symbols (either overt or covert), etc., is a way to remind yourself of them throughout the day.

Writing: Some Pagans keep journals, a Book of Shadows, and blogs to write to and about the gods. If you’re a verbal learner, this can be a great way to figure out your feelings if you’re working through new concepts, or to tell stories about your deities if they like to hear you talk about them.

Art: Other Pagans like to draw, paint, or otherwise decorate parts of their world with a visual representation of their god(s)/ess(es), their associations, or experiences they’ve had with their deity.

Music: Writing a chant, alternative Christmas carol lyrics, or compositions can be a great way to worship! Don’t forget drum circles and jam sessions.

Meditation: One of my personal favorites, guiding yourself (or having them guide you) through a visual meditation to show them more of their world. You can learn a lot about a god this way.

Crafty hobbies: Making jewelery, fetishes, or other gifts for the gods can be a relaxing and informative way to learn about how you see your goddesses compared to how other people do.

Volunteer work: Many goddesses and gods require their followers to flow good energy back into the world, whether that’s by volunteering at a women’s shelter, running a recycling campaign in your neighborhood, or counselling LGBTQ+ youth, this is a rewarding way to prove you can put your money where your mouth is, spiritually speaking.

Academic work: Particularly for knowledge/wisdom deities, this can be a good one for students. Silently dedicating your homework assignments to your gods can boost the quality of the work you turn in–it’s going to someone a little higher than your professor, after all!

Designing sigils and symbols: A lot of people are starting to take up the sigil-making hobby, which is great! Making a unique symbol for your deities lets them know you’re thinking of them, without necessarily letting other people know. Particularly good for people in non-Pagan-friendly households.

[thatwaterwitch]

Simple offerings to the Greek Gods (for broke witches)

Zeus: play storm sounds in your room.

Poseidon: take good care of your fish children. Talk to them.

Hades: visit graves. Don’t let the dead be forgotten.

Apollo: stand in the sun. Sing an off key tune.

Hermes: write a letter to a friend. Pull a prank.

Hepheastus: make something! Light a fire!

Dionysus: pour it up pour it up! (Only grape juice kiddos!)

Hera: take your siblings out for lunch. Hug your mom.

Athena: read a book. Do some brain teasers.

Aphrodite: love thyself! Admire that mirror!

Demeter: eat cereal. Praise the bread!

Artemis: support your local aroace. Wave hello to any deer you see.

Persephone: keep some pretty flowers on your desk.

Hestia: cuddle up by the fire. Drink some nice tea.

Hecate: acknowledge the magic within you. Praise it.

Nike: rock some kickass Nike’s. Go struttin.

Hypnos: take a nap. Or two. Or three…

Iris: say hi to the little rainbows you find on your walls.

[oncewhenweweregods-blog]

The Addition of the Gods in “Once, When We Were Gods”

(This post may be geared more towards my religious followers, but obviously everyone is welcome to read this to gain a better understanding of why I have decided to write a novel that includes the gods)

If you have read the description of my novel, you will know that the novel is centered around the past lives of the gods. The first parts of the novel involve regular people, who just happen to be the reincarnations of the gods, but this is not revealed to the characters until much later.

Those who have begun to proof-read the novel for me have asked, “Why involve the gods when you have a perfectly good novel without them?”

It is true that the novel could be left without the gods - but that would take away from the point entirely.

What point is that?

Many believe the gods are dead. Those who do not practice a polytheist religion, who are not educated about the religion, have no reason to believe the gods exist, or have ever existed. Even those who do follow such religions, such as myself, may sometimes find themselves at some point in their practice thinking, “Where are They?”

It is not uncommon to feel as though the gods are not present. It is not uncommon to not be able to see them.

But, really, you do see them. And that is what I try to get at with this novel.

These reincarnations - they are, entirely and utterly, the gods.

Their presence can be subtle. It can be small. It can be easy not to notice.

But Apollo - he is there, in the clumsy fingers of a beginning guitarist, or in the voice of a beautiful, experienced singer. He is the light streaming through a crack in your curtain and reminding you that the sun is there.

Look into the eyes of your pets, and you can find Artemis there. Listen to the struggles of a young girl trying to find herself - whether she is struggling to find herself in terms of sexuality or in purpose - and you can hear Artemis whispering encouragements in between the wisps of wind that blow by.

Persephone is in the youth trying to find their independence, in the first shot of vodka that you were told you were never allowed to have.

I see Hades in a graveyard caretaker that has more respect and appreciation of death than is accepted by most of society.

Thanatos is the silent flap of a butterfly’s wings, and the anger in a boy’s eyes as he tries to feel something he is told not to feel.

You meet Hypnos when your head hits the pillow after a long day of work and you instantly flutter into a peaceful sleep.

Hekate is the darkness of the night, where witches young and old run free and cast their spells.

Athena and Poseidon are in the words of a friendly fight, even if their own competition for Athens was not completely friendly. Athena is the tired frame of a hardworking teacher, and Poseidon is in the waves that crash onto shore with a determination found only in the god of the sea.

I see Hermes in the sad eyes of a homeless man wandering to find shelter, and Hestia in the arms of those who welcome him or offer him money for the night. 

The married couple who bicker constantly only to shut each other up with kisses? Hera is the breath they take when their lips finally disconnect and they look at each other with more love than they ever thought they could have for each other.

Can you hear Zeus in the clap of thunder during a storm? Can you see him in the raindrops that land on your windshield as you drive down the road?

The gods are everywhere. 

That is why I included the gods, even if I could have left them out entirely and still made a completely comprehensible novel about simple people, doing simple things.

But I cannot leave them out - because they are the simple people doing the simple things. They are in every part of life, whether you can see them or hear them.

The point of my novel is that the gods are not dead - they are ever-present. 

[ai-in-the-heart]

“Oh mighty Hypnos, Bless me with sleep. Whisper to your immortal mother, Tell her of the secrets I wish to see. As I now lay in my bed, I close my eyes underneath her breast, That stretch forever across the dark sky. Place your sacred horn above my lids, And sprinkle your mystic opium, Into my tired and weeping eyes. Oh immortal Hypnos, Bless me with sleep. Call upon your band of Oneiroi, Let them capture me, and drift away with them, Into your realm of sleep.”

— Night Prayer to Hypnos