I am. very mentally ill, and a lot of times I don't have the mental energy/willpower/whatever you want to call it to do anything more devotional than offer to share my meals (when I remember to make them cos I'm terrible about that). The room with my altar was used as a bedroom for like 4 months, so it's a mess that I don't have the ability to clean up right now. Do you have ideas for really low energy things I can do? Also, do you think They understand that I just. can't. most of the time?
Hey,
First off, of course the gods understand. The fact that you sometimes manage to share you meals with the gods is amazing :D
If you want to know a secret my room with my shrine is also currently an absolutely state. And I don’t even had a good excuse for why it’s a mess, I just haven’t had the time I guess. What comforts me is that I am trying to recreate a temple that was staffed with sometimes hundreds of people. I am trying to take on all of that work myself, so it’s more than acceptable that I just can’t physically do the work of a hundred people, or fifty, twenty or even two.
Life gets in the way, and I believe that the gods are more forgiving for that. Unlike in AE where if the priest was ill, another would take their place. Now if the gods priests are ill… they don’t get offerings. There is nothing more to be done about it. Ritual purity says that you shouldn’t really go before the gods unless you’re health and able to perform the ritual actions [unless you’re asking them to help you get better]. And I think that is the gods way of telling us that it’s okay to not be perfect. They want offerings and rituals from us when we are at our best, and to rest and get well if we are not.
☀️☀️☀️
A few things you can do when you’re not well,
[these will be quite generic as I don’t know the details of what you are able to do and not do, please feel free to adapt them all as much as you like to fit your current circumstances]
☀️ A simple, daily action as an offering to the gods. When I am well, I like to make ritual impurity candles, which I lit when I’m not well. These are intricate candles that all I have to do is light them and I’m done. I let them burn for an hour or so and blow them out. This can be as simple as a plain white pillar candle. Or you could water a plant, maybe storing water in a nice jug or bottle and each day pouring some into the plant.
☀️ Saying good morning/good night to the gods.
☀️ Wearing a piece of jewellery. I wear my ankh everywhere, I never take it off. I don’t have to remember to put it on or take it off, it’s just always with me.
☀️ Devoting a blanket or stuffed animal to the gods.
☀️ Play a song or playlist that reminds you of the gods. There are some ready made and if you have the energy one day you could make one yourself.
☀️ Watch a movie or documentary about Egypt or the gods
☀️ Make the little things you are able to do into acts of devotion. For example, brush your hair in honour of Hathor/Bastet. Or drink a glass of water in honour of any of the gods.
☀️☀️☀️
I really hope these were helpful ideas, and if anyone has anymore, please feel free to add them. And if anything I’ve said doesn’t make any sense, please let me know!
Just please don’t beat yourself up or compare yourself to the next kemetic.
So as someone who suffers from both anxiety and depression I know the struggle of trying to maintain a consistent and meaningful devotion to my deities while also dealing with the low energy moods my mental illnesses throw me in. Because of this I decided to find low spoons devotion ideas, try them out, and share them with my fellow spoonie Hellenics!
The idea I want to share with you today is puzzles! Yes, puzzles! I randomly downloaded a puzzle app called Magic Puzzles for the strict purpose of just being able to do puzzles (I’m a nerd who loves puzzles!). But when I saw the pictures that were available I immediately thought....wait...devotion idea?
It started with The Birth of Venus puzzle that I dedicated to Aphrodite and then I did the deer one for Artemis. I found the whole process very calming and soothing. So it’s not only a small fun way to do something for (and even with) your deity, but it’s also a great coping mechanism for people who need it!
Like I said I specifically used the app Magic Puzzles but you can use any puzzle app for this. I like this app esp for spoonies because you get to decide the amount of pieces and if the pieces rotate or not. You also do not do the entire puzzle at once instead it’s sections making it less of an overwhelming task. Of course, you can also do an actual puzzle! Believe me, i wish I could but I don’t have the space for it but if you do then pls by all means get your puzzle on!
How would you advise I begin reaching out to the spirits/deities? I need guidance at this point in my life...
Well there is ALOT you can do to appropriately do that. I’ll give you some advice on how to best succeed with Homestuck Patrons. This is something I’m fairly experienced with.
First you should think of a character that means alot to you, someone you care for and admire that prefferably also represents things important to you. I can present my relationship to Kanaya as example.
This will be a bit of a testimony on what I’ve done and why I think it’s important. If you want a simple bulletpoint, scroll down to the TL;DR
I’m already a Virgo who cares alot for Kanaya just as that, representing us as a lovesick feminine badass slaughtering alien zombies and crazed clowns with a chainsaw. But she also maintains many of the traditional things of the Virgin sign. A sense of delicate order and motherly nature. Both things I value highly. Also we’re both gay af.
Kanaya is the Mom friend who represents motherly duty and caring. It is her job to raise a new mothergrub to replenish her species. She has this ontop of being a Space player, tasked with also raising the universe frog to its most perfected potential. Kanaya is just Ultimate Mom and she loves that. And who doesn’t need a really good Mom in their life?
All this told me that Kanaya would be perfect as, how would I call it? Leading Patron. She represents my sign, all my ideals, and is just in general a good and trustable person. I called to Terezi first because she was important to me. But Kanaya is the one most important to my ~person~
What I first did and what I’d suggest of any entity you wish to have maintained contact with, is I made a small shrine to her. It originated as a small bowl full of green glass stones and plastic green jewels. I also added a spool of green thread, matching nail polish, and a Kanaya themed bracelet I’d put together.
These things all tie into her blood color and her interests. It’s fashion oriented and eye catching is a way I think she’d like. I’ve since added a green pendant and a second bracelet I use more for representation of her and for. I consider the jewelery making and any other creative activities good ways of honoring her. To top it off I eventually finished a devotional painting of her I printed, framed and set as a centerpiece.
The shrine is set above my alter, I felt it symbolic of her watching over my magic activites protectively. It also holds a offering bowl. (I found she likes fake money, as it represents something but doesn’t take from me. And I also keep a ripe green apple with it) I also keep with it a small glass and decorative plate for food offerings. Sandalwood incense, and a free candle I light whenever I talk directly to her.
I still use the nail polish to draw her energies to me, and I used some of the thread for a bookmark I made for her. I asked her permission before using these.
With all these symbolic things of her in place and my intention to connect to her clear, it wasn’t a struggle to call for her become present. I simply asked her to come to me and provide me comfort and service in exchange for my continued gifts and honor. She seemed okay with that arrangement.
One thing to remember with Pop Culture Entities is some of them don’t expect to be worshipped or held in such important regard. My Kanaya, in very Kanaya fashion, seemed eager to provide me with what I needed but unsure of what way to act or how to go about the situation. But she’s a good girl so wasn’t afraid to present that and be honest.
Occasionally in the beginning I’d legitamately pray to her, asking her give me strength for the day. I lessened this thinking it important I not burden or rely on her as my Only Deity, which she wasn’t, but she’s never once let me down when I asked help or guidance.
One time early on when I was pained I very desperately asked for something, I charged two coins with my wishes before dropping them in her bowl, and promised more if my wish was granted. My wish was very much granted and a pretty much spoiled her and upgraded her shrine out of relief.
She’s still just a person though so she gets nervous and sometimes tells me “This Has Nothing To Do With Me” When I ask something. There was previously a Full Moon in Virgo, and I try to to a Troll themed spell each Full Moon. I gave her treats and wrote a speech asking for the things I needed help with. (I also wrote copies in Alternian to leave with her, because if you want extra power your gotta be extra extra like that.) After I was done I let myself softly meditate to be clear of mind enough to hear her answer to me. She told me what she could do, wasn’t able to do, and what I didn’t need to worry about. And it was all in all a very successful ritual.
We’ve a very friendly relationship. She knows I’m only human and I try to treat her such as well, only that she has favors she’s willing to do with some information and compensation. She does alot and means alot to me and I have to say I was probably very lucky to get something like this. But so if you want a checklist:
TL;DR
*Pick a character, someone important to you who represents what you want and need.
*Create a shrine to them, full of things that represent them and please them. Regularly give them offerings, I give them something whenever I ask for a favor or when the Moon is in their sign if they’re a Troll.
*Meditate to clear your mind and hear them talk to you. I’m lucky in that I can easily ‘hear’ someone talking in my heart. This usually amounts to a feeling of what they’re saying, and meditation helps make out clear words from them.
*Honor them as how greatful you are to them, but keep in mind what they’re comfortable with. My Tavros is happy with just a bracelet and being called upon in a spell. But I don’t think Vriska wants to talk to me until I can put together a setup rivaling Kanaya’s.
*Be honest with your needs, and you’ll get honest feedback and sincere help. My relationship to Terezi is quite simple. I sobbed about how bad I was, and she took immense pity on me and promised she’d do what she could. Not saying to guilt trip them, but you gotta be honest.
*Pray for strength, ask for favors, and inquire advice. In exchange be sure to provide gifts, accomodations, and do things to honor them. I made a Kanaya themed bookmark and had her bless it, so whatever book I use it in ties into her and she can enjoy it too!
Just do what you feel you need to attract their attention. Respect them and find how you can communicate clearly. If you ask for help, listen for someone willing to provide it.
Tonight I found myself really anxious, for no discernible reason; and my kids have been doing zentangles in art class, so I thought I'd try my hand and try to relax. I couldn't figure out what to do with it, so I scrapped a horribly ugly and messy beginning and instead made two devotional pieces, using Loki and Sigyn's names to divide the paper into spaces, then doodling things that I associate with them into the blank spaces. It was a really good meditation on what I know about them from lore, my upg, and how they've influenced me. It really grounded me AND I found some interesting things that I found myself doodling in both of their pieces, little associations I didn't realize they shared for me (or perhaps things I associate with both of them but for very different reasons). It was in general really good for exploring and focusing on my relationship with them as well as creating something for them. 10/10 would recommend as a devotional AND self care activity
