15, 16, 20
15. How long have you been practising? How has your faith changed over time?
Hummm… I would say actively aware of what all of this stuff is for about for 8 years-ish. Hellenic for probably 6 years. And doing structured worship devotions for around a year.
My faith changed pretty organically. I was introduced to witchcraft and magic by my best friend. I learnt divination through cards and then felt a pull towards Gods. I was still a moderately devout Catholic for the first few years of magic using as well. It wasn’t until I realised that I hated the interpretation of scripture being filtered through humans that I gave that away. Then the same friend that taught me cards and magic gave me a reading telling me that there were gods waiting to work with me. Hades and Persephone to be precise. I was freaked out at first, but after having a conversation with Hades through cards I agreed to give it a go. I have never felt so empowered and I have never looked back. Recently someone came into my life that’s also Hellenic and he has prompted me to start more structured devotions but mostly I’m pretty loose and free with my practice and my deities.
16. Share some of your favorite UPGS!
Ahh! I love this one! I have so many but I’ll share my favourite favourite ones.
My wife was playing Age of Mythology (a strategy game set in the Greek pantheon with Hades predictably being one of the ‘bad guys’ and into necromancy). She was playing a random map as Hades and had called out to me as I was in the kitchen “I’m playing Hades on Age of Mythology!” I laughed and told her to have fun. Hades suddenly pops into the kitchen beside me, brandishing his bident and cries “CONQUER ALL IN MY NAME!” I think I literally cried I was laughing so hard. He has always had this sweet and silly sense of humour, when he isn’t being totally sassy at me.
Hades and I had many conversations on trains. He would ride the train with me to and from Uni and we would chat.
And I think my very favourite one is when I realised he had been with me my whole life. I used to have horrible nightmares as a kid. I would have to hold a door shut in the dream because on the other side was a monster made of chaotic colours and bad things. I couldn’t let the door go because if I did the monster would be set free in the house and destroy my whole family. When I thought about those dreams I got a picture of me sleeping in bed and Hades standing over me and laying a black cloak over me as I slept. He has always been with me. He was always the deity I was praying to and hearing answer my prayers, I just didn’t know it yet.
20. How do you connect your faith to where you locally live?
I live in a very rural place now. I try to keep my land very clean and I give offerings to the local land spirits as often as I can. I made friends with trees and the land spirits. My wife is very fae and we have fae in the garden and a brownie in the house. I mostly keep my Hellenic practices to myself, I’ve always practised mostly on my own anyway. Occasionally my Hellenic friend and I will combine to do ritual together but it’s rare these days as he’s a few hours away.
I feel like I babbled on a bit. But thank you so much for asking!
