I just wanted to do a quick PSA about cleansing gemstones in moon water! I had someone ask how to cleanse stone at a con recently and mentioned you should use sand for stones that can't get wet. They had no idea that was A Thing!
THIS IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERNS, SOME STONES BECOME TOXIC WHEN SUBMERGED!!
Stones, crystals, minerals, ect you should avoid cleansing with water at all costs:
-minerals ending in -ite (tend to get damaged easily/quickly, may become dangerous to touch while wet- like malachite- many soft enough to outright dissolve-such as calcite)
-minerals with copper or iron inclusions or base structure, such as turquoise and chryssocola (these will rust and destroy/alter the inclusions and even change the color of the stone, as the color is a byproduct of the metal)
Approaching deities can be intimidating. Religion as a whole often feels like it has to be very serious and stuffy. There are certainly entities that appreciate formality, but when your patron is a trickster with a sense of humor it's sort of a whole different ball game.
Dunno who needs to hear this, but it is 100% okay to approach your altar with the greeting ‘Ey what up it's me, ya boi,’ so long as you and whoever you're working with have an understanding. I speak to Set like this regularly, and if I get too formal he starts trolling me until I relax.
But this isn't how I approach every entity I work with. I most definitely don't communicate with Belial like this. Ashta | Ishtar or Anpu would find something like that funny on occasion for sure, but it's usually just Not The Vibe.
The point being you shouldn't let others tell you how to communicate with your divinity, and it will vary from God to God and from person to person. I have a habit of being very casual with and calling Lucifer Lulu or Luci. Other people might not be comfortable with that. He might not be comfortable with that with other people. It's not because I am any more or less close to him than another person, but rather his greater understanding of what an individual most needs from a relationship with him.
If you get more out of a religious experience by being formal then be formal! If it feels more natural to be loose and a bit silly, do that! It's your relationship with your gods, don't let anyone else tell you how to do things.
So honestly I want to share knowledge as much as start a discussion with this one.
For those who don't know, the ‘inverted’ cross commonly associated with Satanic imagery is actually the St Peters Cross. It's not traditionally a Satanic symbol.
I say ‘traditionally’ because the question I want to pose is: at what point does common societal reassociation outweigh the original meaning, if at all?
This question occurred to me when I was watching a tacky ghost hunter show for fun and the guy was like ‘omg!!! An inverted cross on this rock!!!! The ghost was a witch!!!!’ which like, obviously there are twenty things wrong with this, and I found myself snapping ‘thats the st peters cross you ignorant fuck’ on instinct, but it did get me thinking. Because you know, if the ghost was ‘modern’ enough and was being fed the same misinformation as Cheesy Host Guy? Maybe the ghost did identify as some kind of Satanist and that symbol was there with that intent, I don't know their life. (You know assuming like, something just didn't fall on the rock in a coincidental way. I believe in ghosts, but ghost shows are, you know, like that, haha.)
In linguistics, the meanings of words change over time as social associations with them change. This is brought up a lot when people try to point out slurs are words that ‘just mean x’ or ‘its just a color in another language'. But in this case, the cultural association from centuries of built up implications change the meaning of the word to something very specific in English. Less unfortunate examples would include the etymology of how American and British English have different meanings for some words (think cookies, crisps, chips, and biscuits).
Ergo, one might argue that, despite the initial association of the inverted cross with satanic themes originating from Some Guy that just went ‘upside down cross edgy’ in the 1800s, it is so divorced from its original meaning that the new, socially common meaning would be more accurate.
Of course, the difference here is that a religious symbol is very different than a word or normal colloquialism. One could also argue that by its nature there should be far more weight put on the original intent of its original users than something that is purely used for human to human communication. After all- am upside down cross might communicate to some guy in line behind me at Walmart ‘satanic’ but using it for the purpose of communicating with divinity or some kind of force- the point of a lot of religious symbols- it might cause a lot of mixed signals.
Like, obviously, I don't think Lucifer or whatever entity is so unaware of modern going ons that they wouldlook at someone trying to pray with a misapropriate symbol and just ignore them or go ‘what the fuck’. There would probably be a big helping of ‘hes a little confused, but he's got the spirit' I would think.
But at the same time I would feel that in ritual, using the traditional symbols might be stronger or more effective. But that also, in and of itself, is a question of debate. Because a new sigil made with the intent of communicating to an Entity that has a lot of personal meaning to the user I think is very powerful. But that is something new and it's original association is how it is being used. In kemetic practice I would write out things in poorly phoneticized hieroglyphics. This is definitely in the same category as ‘confused but got the spirit'- it's a far cry from the original Egyptian. But the difference here is it's the closest to ‘original’ symbolism as I could arguably get within some reason, whereas the inverted cross doesn't even have etymological roots in left hand practice. It's a Christian symbol being borrowed and used out of context. It's closer in spirit to say, using mjolnir imagery for Set ‘because storm god’, but also still a bit far from that because at least those are two similar things and not something that once meant the opposite, though arguably the left hand view of these entities does not put them so directly opposite to certain ideals than a Christian view. I suppose in that regard it might be closer to when Anpu is painted as Scary Death God Who's Angry And Mean Like Devil, which would explain the compulsive urge to correct or reject the St Peters Cross in left hand practice.
But at the same time, does all of that invalidate the very real fact that, in human to human communication it currently very clearly communicates ‘hello I am left hand friend'? Perhaps part of the problem is because there isn't a doubled effort to reclaim (or… just claim, technically) it as far as I have seen in actual left hand circles, so it doesn't work as coding. It's sort of the opposite of coding. Like a queer person might have hair dyed A Color and you just know ‘oh that's a friend'. With the inverted cross you are more likely to get negative attention from aggressive conservatives, you don't know if the person wearing it is doing so religiously or secularly. I mean, even if they're ‘just’ a metal fan they are far less likely to judge my beliefs and are advertising that in a way, but it is still not quite the same. It has not been reclaimed, so it can feel more like a brand of shame than a mark of pride.
Anyway, when I started this I was in a more neutral headspace, but I feel like I've accidentally reasoned out a bit too much in favor of not (re)adopting. Really I do feel like if people really wanted to they could, but again it is something that requires a community on at least something of a similar page. And there are still questions about periods of time where people might have tried their hardest with what they had, but what they had was just the wrong information to start with, and how that's shaped things.
What are people's thoughts on the inverted/St Peters Cross? If you see someone wearing it do you think friend? If you see it in media do you just feel the rage of a disgruntled anthropologist? I didn't even get into the phenomena of it being used with intent as ‘not actually something Satanic bc that being Too Real makes Producers and Publishers uncomfortable but it gets the point across for my story' phenomena.
The tough things about historical stuff with dead languages is that very rarely are things spelled consistently. Or if they are, it doesn’t always feel as authentic. There are common romanized names of many deities that are those names ‘in English’, but many pagans prefer to work with the spelling and pronunciation native to their religion’s language. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with using either, but as with many things it’s about what feels right- for whatever reason. (Given Egypt’s personal vendetta against vowels I have been known to simply rage quit and shout a deity's common English name after too many failed attempts at pronunciation. I’m sure Set thinks it's funny.)
But!That being said, I want to for convenience's sake list the version of names I use with the common ones. I’ll be including things that are very different from the common name only. (In the future, I might make one of these for other pantheons as it becomes relevant too.)
Re- Ra. Still pronounced Rah though.
Djehuty- Thoth (who’s name in Greek is spelled, I shit you not, Θwθ)
Wsir- Osiris
Aset- Isis
Set- Seth (Sutekh is an even older version of his name, I use it in the tags for to minimize tag subject competition)
Nebt-Het- Nephthys
Heru- Horus
Anpu- Anubis
Hat-Hor- Hathor
You can see in names like Horus and Osiris especially that these names are actually the ancient Roman’s versions of spelling these names, not even a modern romanization. These versions specifically I tend to avoid since they changed much more from the original, but I know my limits when it comes to pronouncing old Egyptian ^^; so I generally work with whatever seems to be a reasonable romanization of the original grammar/spelling of the name.
The most common things we find on our altars are food, drink, incense, and candles- all of which have a long history in many different traditions. But not everything we offer to our Gods have to be conventional, let alone tangible. The common use of candles, for example, in some traditions is already present as a symbolic offering of light.
Song, dance, and performance in general are all things that have historically been dedicated to gods in ancient times. I have a small hymn I wrote that I often hum at my altar, and dedicate dancing on holidays- by no means am I a professional, but I feel for some gods (Such as Bastet or Dionysus) the spirit of such a gesture is more than welcome!
A much less conventional idea I practice is often sitting down and watching an episode of a show or a movie at my altar and dedicating it, which to me is in the same vein as how a play may have been dedicated to a deity- not just by the performers, but in a way the audience would have been included as well. After all, a performance with no audience is arguably no performance at all. And on just a fundamental level I think there are definitely times when it’s appropriate to think “hey, if I like it maybe my Gods will too!” Now granted, with a patron like Set requests for the unconventional are probably a bit more common for me than for those with patrons who put more emphasis on tradition, but I still think there is value in thinking outside the box especially in situations where you may be limited by external forces in what you can provide.
I have an altar to Dionysus that is always kept near my photography or cosplay equipment. I do not give many traditional offerings to him outside of Wheel of the Year holidays, but as a god who is basically the patron god of drag queens and costuming, I dedicate most of my sewing and cosplay shoots to him. I do not work with him the same way I do with my patron or other gods within the kemetic pantheon, but I still deeply value the relationship I have built with him even if it is less conventional. Performing acts in the name of a god is just a wonderful way to celebrate them in my opinion and leaves us with so many options. Plant something for a harvest or nature deity, dedicate scholarly research to a god of knowledge, go stargazing to honor gods of the sky! All of which, of course, isn’t to say there isn’t value in traditional offerings- I still give a traditional food and drink offering once a decan, but that wasn’t something I was always capable of doing and have found creative alternatives to be well received.
On a somewhat more serious note, remember that anything you do offer or dedicate to your deity is going to be kept carefully in their gaze. It’s easier to give it your all for a dedicated activity that has a finite existence, but if you dedicate an item to a god keep in mind that you will need to care for it well and continue to show it due respect as something that is now also theirs. Now I don’t think this would mean something like lilies planted for Wsir going unwatered because you got sick for a week is going to earn you wrath, but it does mean putting forth your best effort- if you dedicate an instrument or a piece of clothing you’ll want to be sure you care for them well, keep them clean and presentable and stored respectfully. The Gods know we’re human and will fail sometimes, so what’s important is being sure they know you’re trying your best.
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It's important to remember that even in antiquity there were regional differences in religious practice, meaning you'll find conflicting information that's all historically true! Thinking about this, I personally tend to worry less about making sure things are 'exactly the same', or that it's okay to curate in certain contexts, as long as the result isn't harmful to others and doesn't make the source completely unrecognizable.
Of course the unfortunate truth is that there are those who pervert pagan ideals and 'pick and choose' to justify hate speech, racism, homophobia, and other terrible things, and I in no way wish to condone this- there is a difference between adaptation and perversion.
That being said, we live in a very different time than when these religions flourished. Other religions that have been practiced with less interruption have also changed and adapted over centuries of existing. Some practices have to be modernized, and doing so is not disrespectful in the slightest.
A good example would be certain kinds of offerings. Often in old times animals would be sacrificed- that phrase has been taken out of context in modern media often, and as a child it was presented to me as some sort of barbaric murder of an innocent animal. This isn't true at all (and arguably, modern meat industries are far more cruel.) Animals were ritualistically slain as part of an offering, but that was because at the time it was often up to you to kill and butcher your own livestock if you wanted meat for a meal. This was not done to demean the animal, but rather to honor its sacrifice in sustaining the lives of other creatures around it.
But even so, it's unheard of and unpalatable in modern times for the average citizen to butcher their own food. This aspect needs to be modernized and adapted to not only the needs of the modern world but your own needs. The logical alternative would be to make a feast with expensive meats as ingredients, maybe even focusing on buying free range meat, and saying a prayer in honor of the animal who gave its life for your meal. But even that, while a much more reasonable alternative for a modern setting, might not be doable for every person. Maybe you can't afford such expensive food, maybe you're a vegetarian, maybe you have a medical dietary restriction.
In these cases, it's important to remember it's the thought and symbolism that counts, not a 1 for 1 recreation. Can't afford expensive food? Maybe focus on simply making the table setting look nice with something you already have, try to plate the food in a fancy way. Can't eat meat? Look for other alternatives that make sense for the deity or ritual you are reenacting, maybe use red foods that could represent meat, or something that otherwise symbolically relates to what you're doing. Even something as simple as a fancy butter in the shape of an animal could be a reasonable substitute!
Focusing more on historical inconsistencies, as I said before sometimes there are just regional differences. Or sometimes even the scholars fight over what something means, and we just don't know.
The former is extremely common in Kemetic practice, where dates for holidays vary based on different cities, and the sheer length of time Egypt was in power means the religion went through different iterations over time on top of regional variations. The entire family tree of the Egyptian Gods can change depending on the year and location of the source.
An example of the latter- where scholars disagree- that I like to point to is Loki's controversial association with fire. This is a complex topic with many veins and I will focus on only one point of evidence for example: the discovery of a hearth stone (not the game) being found dedicated to Loki. Some argue this meant in that Loki was associated with fire, and thought this might fit as both Loki and fire are chaotic forces. Others argue that the hearth was, effectively, just the place of worship, and making the association was like saying seeing a deities name written on paper made them a god of books. In moments like these, all that can be done is chose what feels right to you- whether that's picking a side or finding a compromise.
Our ancestors did not view the world or the things in it the same way we do today. The idea that something was 'only that thing' or it was 'this not that' was far less common.
Binary thought is a result of Abrahamic religions which focus on duality, good vs evil, heaven and hell. First I would like to say that these concepts on their own are not bad or inherently wrong, but they have shaped the way people think for so long that understanding certain concepts through a pagan, polytheistic lens can become difficult. I write this post in hopes of helping those who seek to retrain themselves out of this bias, and to simply give insight that might help those better understand certain complex ideas common in paganism.
I had the absolute pleasure of having a Hellenistic pagan be my professor for a classical mythology class in college, and he did such a lovely job of explaining the base concept of 'one thing can be many things' to a room full of people used to a rigid binary. We were discussing nymphs and nature spirits- and there was a particular passage describing a mountain spirit he focused on. It described him as 'walking upon himself' it switched between imagery of a human shaped person and a beautiful flowing mountainside, it described the leaves of trees as hair, but also as the greenery which housed the animals of the wilderness. This idea that this spirit is literally, the mountain, the trees upon the mountain, the animals upon the mountain, and a disembodied spirit all at once, simultaneously, is hard for a binary focused mind of parse. Modern people like to put things in boxes, and this entity is a defiant cat with a paw in 4 different ones.
Many are familiar with the nymph, and modern imagery often shows a nymph turning into a tree or into a woman. Now, there is no shortage of myths where women turn into plants in a literal sense (hello Apollo), but such nature spirits were both the tree and the woman at the same time. For the modern mind, it might be easier to think of such things as 'projecting' a form that is easier for us humans to understand.
But we should not just limit this idea that one thing can be many things to just spirits, as this was how people viewed the world. Things can have many aspects, things are not either pure or evil.
I invite people to embrace this world view not only as a way to better understand our ancestors' worship, but to help combat the toxic progression of things like cancel culture and purity culture. In ancient times, not even Gods were perfect, people made mistakes, but forgiveness could be earned.
