[breelandwalker]

General Advice for Beginner Witches

A brief masterpost of some of my advice posts for beginner witches and the episodes of my podcast dealing with the same. (There is UPG here, particularly where marked, as I base a good deal of my advice on my own experience and observations of other witches.)

Hex Positive Podcast Episodes

Hex Positive, Ep. 04 - Advice for Beginner Witches (July 2020)

Hex Positive, Eps. 6-7 - Come In For A Spell 1 & 2 (Sept 2020)

Hex Positive, Ep. 12 - Witching From The Broom Closet (Jan 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 24 - Warding A Witchy Home (Dec 2021)

Hex Positive, Ep. 27 - When Inspo Takes A Holiday (March 2022)

General Tips & Advice

I Feel Like I Might Be A Witch...But I Don't Know

I Have Mental Health Issues - Can I Still Be A Witch?

Can I Still Be A Witch And Use Magic If I Take Medication?

How Do I Teach Myself To Believe In Magic?

How Does Magic Work? (upg ahoy)

Will I Be Possessed Or Haunted If I Try Witchcraft?

What Are Some Things I Can Do To Get Started?

How Can I Start My Practice If I Don't Have Tools Or Books?

How Do I Organize My Study Materials?

How Do I Contact A Deity?

How Do I Worship My Deity If I Can't Have An Altar?

Tips On Working With Deities And Spirits (here be upg)

My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?

I'm In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?

I've Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?

My Candle Is Flickering - Does It Mean Something Bad?

How Do I Make A Magic Circle For Spellcasting?

What Happens If I Get Interrupted While Casting A Spell?

Do I Need To Maintain Positive Vibes For My Spells To Work?

What Should I Do If I REALLY Want To Hex Someone?

How Do I Know / What Do I Do If I've Been Hexed?

How Do I Become More Skilled And More Powerful?

How Do I Know When I'm Ready For The Next Step In My Practice?

Additional Tips For Developing Your Practice

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Tips on How to Visualize and Construct Basic Wards

Practicing Your Warding Technique

Cleansing Before Warding / Warding A Shared Space

Refreshing / Patching Existing Wards

Non-Appropriative Herbs for Smoke-Cleansing

Smokeless Cleansing / Other Methods

Recommended Reading & Book Suggestions

[breelandwalker]

UPDATES:

"Witch" Is A Gender Neutral Term (Yes, It Is. Shut Up.)

Critical Thinking Should Play A Role Building In Your Craft

Learn About Baneful Magic...Even If You Never Intend To Use It

Tips for Fact-Checking Your Witchcraft Sources

PSA - Will It Summon Demons?

The Toad Talk on Curse-Shaming

Friendly Reminder - Your Tools Don't Hate You

How Do I Know If I've Been Cursed And What Can I Do About It?

I'm Not Sure Where To Start. Is It Okay To Dabble?

I Feel Tired After Spellwork. Is This Normal? How Do I Deal With It?

How Can I Use Local Plants In My Practice If I Can't Find Magical Correspondences For Them?

Additional Resources

2024 Witches' Calendar

Full Moon Info Post Series

How To Write Your Own Spells

Witchcraft Exercises for Building Your Craft

Additional Book Recommendations

JSTOR Articles on the History of Witchcraft, Witch Trials, and Folk Magic Beliefs

Podcast Recs - Witches and Witchcraft in History

Podcast Recs - Debunking and Fact-Checking for Witchcraft Spaces

Creature-Wizard's Guide To Recognizing and Avoiding Conspiracy Theories and New Age Cult Scams In Witchcraft and Pagan Spaces

Additional Episodes of Hex Positive

Ep. 034 - Building Your Witchcraft Library (May 2023)

Ep. 035 - Money Magic (or Why I'm Not A Rich Witch) (June 2023)

Ep. 037 - Cleaning, Cleansing, and Magical Germophobia (August 2023)

Ep. 038 - Creating Your Personal Grimoire (September 2023)

[traegorn]

Follow me on Tiktok for more of this kind of stuff

[witchofwolfwood]

Okay, so, lil nervous because I've never written an info post before and I don't know, maybe this is all stuff people already know, but ahh... Here goes nothing!

Protests And Witchcraft

So, first of all, before you even think about witchcraft, make sure you know your typical protest safety. What to wear, what to bring, what to do if your or someone else get injured / tear gassed / pepper sprayed / etc, what to do if you get arrested... Once you have all that, come back. Obviously part of what we want to do here is avoid that outcome, but it never hurts to be prepared. Protests can be exhausting, at least in my experience, so it pays to have as much prepared beforehand as you can, to avoid your magic being a firther drain on you.

Warding and Protection Spells

Come on. You knew this would be here. There wasn't any way it wouldn't be. The easiest option is enchanted objects, keychains, jewellery, charm bags, etc. The longer they've had to soak up power (preferably from an external source) the better, you want them nice and charged for the big day, as stated, your energy will likely be drained enough without magic featuring in. Layering up is good, and if you can get people to take them even better. If you're going with friends who know about your witchcraft you can try to convince them to take some charms. And glamour glamour glamour - make it something quick and easy to remove so once you get away from the protest itself you can remove the glamour used and just be ~a regular person~ again. For protection of others it gets trickier, as giving people pre-charmed objects might not be an option.

This is where verbal charms and chants come in - even better if you can get witchy friends to go with you and join in. Not quite a protection spell but I'm very fond of the chant "Strength by day, strength by night, give (him/her/me/them/etc depending on who you're casting for) strength and give them might" to imbue people with strength. You can also call upon your deities and spirits for protection. Which leads us into -

Energy and Spirit Work

Ofc you're probably not gonna have time to sit down in calm and quiet with an ouija board or a pendulum and have a chat with your friendly neighbourhood ghost. However, for those skilled in energy work there's a lot to be drawn from protests, though it can get overwhelming, especially if you're susceptible to strong emotions. I, personally, am no good at energy work and yet even I can feel the buzz at protests, so to someone skilled at sensing energy.. Wow. There's certainly a lot there, waiting to be tapped into and used (May I suggest a shield?). Again - take care if you're sucseptible to strong emotions.

If you work with deities or spirits who would work with this cause consider invoking them for strength / protection / whatever their sphere of influence is. Perhaps in an enviromental protest the local land spirits could lend their aid, or Tyr, god of Justice could help stand up against injustice. Remember to give suitable offerings in thanks for any help you recieve and here we go into...

Jinxes and Hexes

If you're not into these, then don't read. Skip right on down to the conclusion or scroll off the post, I don't mind, but don't bother parroting "But the Three Fold Law!!!1" in my comments. Please. It's not cute.

Anyhow. This one can be a little tricky to prepare in advance, considering your likelihood of getting any taglocks of police officers or counter-protesters is low and your chances of getting them to take a cursed item aren't much better. Powders and such could work, though you run the risk of getting traces onto your fellow protesters. This is another occasion where on-the-fly spellcasting might be required, whether it involves chants such as mentioned in the protection section or calling upon a spirit who can help out as discussed in the energy work section. If you do use verbal chants and gestures this is another case which you could redirect energy you draw from the protest itself and direct it at the adversary.

In conclusion

Be safe, make sure you know your mundane "protest survival tips" first and foremost and try to prep as much of your magic in advance as possible! Please, I know when things start and you first feel that buzz it can feel as though you can go on for hours but as time wears on you'll think back to those early jinxes or that rushed protection charm and curse yourself for wasting energy you needed. I hope this was helpful in some way? Like I said, I've never really written an informational post before so I hope this helped and maybe some feedback would be useful?

[talesoftheimaginary]

Cartomancy quick reference guide

54 Devils: The Art and Folklore of Fortune-Telling with Playing Cards by Cory Thomas Hutcheson

[kelgrid]

🔥🔥🔥

[breelandwalker]

Witchcraft Books by Bree NicGarran

Grovedaugher Witchery: Practical Spellcraft

For the witch whose town is devoid of occult shops and covens, learning the craft can be a daunting task indeed. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for a budding practitioner to make a start.

Stroll down the forest path with Bree NicGarran, author of The Sisters Grimmoire, and discover the surprising ways you can practice your craft with commonplace items from the supermarket and the craft store. Build a travel kit for on-the-go magic. Create your own spells from scratch with a step-by-step guide. Learn how to make your own witch webs and magical powders. Uncover the secrets of walnut charms and witchballs and much, much more. Every page carries tricks of the trade and homegrown charms from the files of the Grovedaughter herself.

From besoms to banishings to a bit of good advice, Grovedaughter Witchery is the ideal book for any witch with an inclination toward a practical, no-frills approach to witchcraft.

The Sisters Grimmoire: Spells & Charms For Your Happily Ever After

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, Who’s the cleverest witch of them all?

With the spells in this book, it just might be you!

Inspired by the well-known works of The Brothers Grimm, this volume boasts over sixty original spells lovingly crafted from favorite fairy tales, along with helpful spellcrafting instructions and several indices to aid you in your journey. All of this is wrapped up with useful chapter forewords discussing the various themes within the tales, some insight into the creative process, and a bit of discussion on ethics and the usage of magic.

Whether you’re ready to yell “All Heads Off But Mine,” looking to turn your luck around with some Buried Coins, or just wanting to show the world What Big Teeth you have, there is sure to be a spell within these pages that is exactly what you’ve been looking for.

After all, who couldn’t use a bit of Happily Ever After?

Pestlework: A Book of Magical Powders & Oils

From the author of Grovedaughter Witchery comes a volume of potions and powders for all occasions, suitable to enhance the craft of any practitioner.

Old standards like Banishing Powder and Blessing Oil meet new classics like Dream Dust and Stargazer Wishing Oil. Need to rid your house of a troublesome spirit? Try a sprinkle of Ghost-Be-Gone Powder. Looking for a way to get your zest back after spellwork? Brim With Vim Vitality Oil might be just the thing. Over 200 original formulae await you within these pages, along with helpful hints, safety tips, and detailed instructions for creating your own magical powders and oils.

Collected for the first time in a single volume, these recipes are the product of twelve years of experience and much experimentation. While magic is never a guarantor of success, the potions within these pages just might give your spells the edge you need.

Visit my Amazon Author Page for listings and book reviews! You can also visit my Wordpress shop to order books and other witchy goodies directly from me. (All orders billed through Paypal. Nominal shipping charges will apply.)

Make sure you check out my podcast, Hex Positive, on your favorite podcatcher app! (Part of the Nerd and Tie Podcast Network.)

If you own a shop and would like to carry my titles, please contact me at [email protected] for wholesale information.

[shekhinah-in-the-mikveh]

You know what, no. Witches of all kinds are not welcome here.

Bigots? Fuck off. Period.

People who suck Alistair Crowley's dick and think western ceremonial shit is THE magic? Eat my entire ass you antisemitic fucks.

People who gatekeep but stick their noses into closed practices? Eat shit.

People who fuck around with closed practices in general? Fuck you.

Folks who spell magic with a k? Y'all are on some thin fucking ice.

Y'all aren't fucking welcome here.

[kabbalicgay]

Norse paganists getting pissy because Jewish people and other minority people are wary of their runes and symbols are fucking annoying . Until you start actively combatting the antisemitism and neonazism in your communities you don’t get to be annoyed that we’re wary of your symbols 

[storyinmypocket]

Norse pagan here, really queer, only about half white, and… yes. Please read the above post, and then read it again.

Look, every time I find a vendor with stuff I like or a book that looks interesting, I have to play the “Are they legit or are they a nazi?” game, counting the number of times they use words like ‘ancestors’ and ‘heritage’ because those are both known dog-whistles and important parts of the religion. This game is not fun. And as someone who’s Latine, who works far more with ancestors of color than the white ones (largely because I don’t know much about the white ones, save the general regions they came from), I am frequently literally afraid of interacting with other Heathens in person without a shitload of googling beforehand, checking which runes people adorn themselves with, matching that to the potential dog-whistle count, and still never being sure unless I see them specifically denouncing racism/antisemitism/transphobia/homophobia/etc.

I am a part of this religion, and this is my experience. If I didn’t profoundly love our gods and traditions, I would’ve packed my shit and gone back to generic multi-pantheon polytheism. So if I feel this way, I need y’all to take a moment and think about what it’s like to someone who’s not on the inside, whose experience of us is basically just neonazis and the #notallheathens crowd, people who see our symbols being used by the ones emulating the fascist fucks who literally tried to exterminate people like them, and have not actually stopped trying.

And the neonazi Heathens are us. We don’t get to say they’re not, we don’t get to No True Scotsman them just because we don’t like how they’re doing our religion. They’re still doing it. We can’t point at the worst and most racist parts of Christianity and use them as examples of Christianity’s many flaws (which is a phase most pagan types seem to go through, myself included) and then act shocked and insulted when someone does the exact same thing to us.

Jewish people, Black people, LGBTQIA+ folks, and countless other marginalized groups have every right to be wary. They don’t owe us a fair hearing. They’re just trying to survive in a world where some of us are literally killing them.

Yeah, we have the right to be mad that our sacred symbols are being turned into instruments of hate, and that they’re inspiring fear in people who aren’t familiar with what we’re actually about. I sure as fuck am. But we need to be mad at the nazis, not their targets. And then we need to do something about it. If we do nothing, we’re complicit. Lecturing the people who are being hurt in this circumstance is not helpful, not sharing wisdom, and not creating frith* with people who are part of our larger communities. We create frith by listening, and by seeing to the comfort and security of our communities as best we can… and our communities out here in the Really Real World are bigger than just our co-religionists.

*Frith, for the non-Heathens out there, is generally translated as peace, but the concept encompasses ideas about hospitality, cooperation, obligation, and security. Frith is what holds communities together, and keeps us from getting stabby when we’re all stuck in close proximity to each other. No frith with fascists.

[auricwitch]

🔥 fire witch starter pack 🔥

some resources to get you started with fire witchcraft:

fire in magick

things to research as a beginner fire witch

fire witch travel altar

first steps to pyrokinesis*

a basic introduction to pyromancy

introduction to pyromancy

candles: colour and purpose

fire & sun witch bottle

small candle spells

fire writing spell

fire productivity spell

‘heat of the flame’ jar spell

‘feel the burn’ curse jar

fire charm for attracting attention

fire protective jewelry

fire oil

fire salts

fire sigil

properties of sands

witch tip: sand safety

fire witch self care tips

fire witch aesthetic

*a little controversial (there are differing opinions on whether or not pyrokinesis is legit, personally i’m skeptical but i’m not ruling it out) but worth chucking in there

fire deities:

brigit

din (zelda pop culture deity)

grannus

hephaestus

hestia

logi

ra

crystals:

black tourmaline

bloodstone

carnelian

fire agate

garnet

jasper

obsidian

pyrite

ruby

smoky quartz

snowflake obsidian

tigers eye

topaz

plants to grow/use in your craft:

almond tree

basil

cacti

capsicum

cayenne pepper

cinnamon

garlic

ginger

hibiscus

juniper

mustard

nettle

onion

red poppy

rosemary

succulents

tobacco (only if you’re already involved!! do not pick up tobacco for the purpose of witchcraft)

things to start doing:

learn pyromancy

carry a lighter for when you need a little flame

light a candle in the morning to set your intent for that day

drink chai tea

research draconic witchcraft

look into solar witchcraft as it holds some parallels with fire witchcraft

wear gold and bronze jewelry

burn dragonsblood incense when you’re getting ready to go out to promote confidence

try making your own candles

a good blog that post about fire witchcraft: @goth-elvhen

and a fire witchcraft playlist.

[soulfulhedonist-deactivated2020]

Seriously tho does anyone know how to remove a curse

[visardistofelphame]

Yes. A traditional and straight forward method is to make black salt and cast it into a fire to burn. The foul witchcraft performed against you will cling to the salt and burn in the flames.

You can also take a white candle and anoint it with your spint, blood, and sweat. Then, you can place the candle in a bowl. You will fill the bowl up with salt water halfway and light the candle. Let it burn. When the flame hits the water, the curse will be cleansed and destroyed

[sea-devoted]

[wunder-wald]

@no-space-for-sadness

[an-tarbh]

Food Correspondences: Very detailed list

This detailed list comes from The Pagan Cottage.

Baked Goods & Grains

Baking is a wonderful opportunity to create magick in your kitchen. Especially when kneading bread, you have a great chance to infuse your food with your magickal intentions. In fact, bread making itself is considered by many to be a sacred act and can be a ritual in itself.

With many baked goods, such as breads, muffins, pies, cakes, or pastries, you can change the energies of your food by changing flavors or fillings. Several examples are given below, but the possibilities are endless! With things you can form into different shapes, such as cookies, pancakes or breads, you can further strengthen your intentions by forming them into a shape or symbol of what you are looking to achieve.

Barley ~ fertility, grounding, healing, love, lust, pain control, prosperity, protection Bread ~ (in general) kinship, sustenance Dill ~ bread love Egg ~ bread fertility Garlic bread ~ protection Pita bread ~ spirituality Seven-grain bread ~ prosperity Twisted bread ~ protection Brownies ~ love Buckwheat~ grounding, prosperity, protection Cake ~ (in general) celebrations, hospitality; also varies by flavor Birthday Cake ~ prosperity Wedding Cake ~ fertility, love, luck Cookies ~ (in general) nurturing, love Sugar Cookies ~ shape to determine goals Crackers ~ grounding Gingerbread ~ love, prosperity Corn ~ cycles, eternity, luck, protection, spirituality Lentil~ peace Millet~ prosperity Noodles ~ long life Oat ~ grounding, prosperity Pancake ~  luck; can be made from different ingredients or in different shapes for different goals Pie ~ (round–in general) spirituality (square–in general) prosperity Apple pie ~ healing, love, peace Apricot pie ~ peace Banana ~ cream pie prosperity Blackberry pie ~ lust, prosperity Custard pie ~ spirituality Chocolate cream pie ~ love, prosperity Coconut cream pie ~ spirituality Cherry pie ~ love Key lime pie ~ love, purification Lemon pie ~ love, purification Mince pie ~ luck, prosperity Peach pie ~ happiness, healing, love, wisdom Pecan pie ~ prosperity Pineapple pie ~ healing, love, prosperity, protection Pumpkin pie ~ healing, prosperity Raspberry pie ~ happiness, love, protection Rhubarb pie  ~love, protection Strawberry pie ~ love Pretzel ~ protection Rice ~ fertility, lust, prosperity, protection Rye ~ fertility, love Tortilla ~ protection, spirituality Waffles~  friendship Wheat ~ fertility, grounding, prosperity

Fruits

Apple ~ element of earth, happiness, healing, love, peace, success Apricot ~ love, lust, peace Avocado ~ beauty, love, lust Banana ~ fertility, love, luck, potency, prosperity, spirituality Blackberry ~  healing, lust, prosperity, protection Blueberry ~ peace, protection Cherry ~  female sexuality, happiness, love Cranberry ~ protection Date ~ spirituality, strength Fig ~ lust, prosperity, strength Grape ~ dreams, fertility, mental powers, prosperity Grapefruit ~ cleansing & purification, healing Guava ~ love, purification, relieving sorrow Kumquat ~ luck, prosperity Lemon ~ faithfulness, friendship, happiness, longevity, love, marriage Lime ~ cleansing & purification, healing, love, peace, protection Mango ~ love, lust, protection Melon ~ healing, purification Mulberry~  fertility, protection, psychic awareness, strength, wisdom Nectarine ~ love Orange ~ fidelity, healing, love, luck, peace, prosperity, purification Papaya ~ love, protection Passion fruit~  kinship, love, peace Peach ~ happiness, healing, fertility, longevity, love, wisdom Pear ~ longevity, love, luck, lust, prosperity Persimmon ~ happiness, healing, luck Pineapple ~ chastity, healing, love, luck, prosperity, protection Plum ~ love, lust, protection Pomegranate ~ creativity, fertility, fruitfulness, hospitality, luck, prosperity, wishes Prickly Pear ~ protection Quince happiness, love, protection Raisin ~ mental powers, sun energy Raspberry ~ happiness, love, protection, stamina, vigor Star fruit ~ protection Strawberry~  intensity, love, luck, romance, success Tangerine ~ protection Watermelon ~ healing

Vegetables

Alfalfa sprouts ~ prosperity Artichoke ~ growth, protection Asparagus ~ lust Bamboo ~ luck, protection, psychic awareness, wishes Bean ~ decision making, grounding, love, lust, prosperity, protection Beet ~ beauty, love, passion Broccoli ~ leadership, protection, strength Brussel sprouts ~ endurance, protection, stability Cabbage ~ luck, prosperity, protection Carrot ~ fertility, grounding, luck, lust, vision Cauliflower ~ protection Celery ~ grounding, lust, mental powers, peace, psychic powers, weight loss Chives ~ breaking bad habits, protection, weight loss Cucumber ~ chastity, fertility, healing, peace Eggplant ~ prosperity, spirituality Endive ~ love, lust, physical strength Kelp ~ weight loss Leek ~ love, physical strength, protection Lettuce ~ chastity, peace, prosperity, protection, relaxation, sleep Mushroom ~ psychic awareness Olive ~ fertility, healing, lust, peace, protection, spirituality Onion ~ endurance, healing, lust, prophetic dreams, prosperity, protection, weight loss Pea ~ love, prosperity Pepper green ~ growth, prosperity Pepper red ~ energy, strength, vitality Pepper yellow ~ empowered creativity Pickle ~ weight loss Potato ~ compassion, grounding, healing, protection Pumpkin ~ healing, prosperity Radish ~ lust, protection Rhubarb ~ fertility, love, protection Soy ~ protection, psychic awareness, spirituality Spinach ~ prosperity Squash ~ spirituality Sunflower ~ protection, success Sweet potato ~ grounding, love, lust Tomato ~ healing, love, prosperity, protection Truffle ~ love, lust Watercress ~  fertility, mental powers, protection

Nuts

All nuts ~ fertility, love, luck, prosperity Acorn ~ fertility, healing, luck, prosperity, protection Almond ~ healing, prosperity, wisdom Brazil nut ~ love, prosperity Cashew ~ prosperity Chestnut ~ love, metal powers Coconut ~ allure and confidence, chastity, diversity, flexibility, protection, psychic awareness, purification, spirituality Hazelnut ~ fertility, luck, mental powers, wisdom Macadamia ~ prosperity Peanut ~ grounding, prosperity Pecan ~ employment, prosperity Pine nut ~ love, physical strength, prosperity Walnut ~ healing, infertility, mental powers, protection, wishes

Dairy, Eggs, & Meat

Some people view the consumption of animals and even animal products as a violation of the Wiccan Rede, so there is not much to be found on the correspondences of these types of food. However, for those of us that do consume these products, there is no reason that they cannot be used to put some extra oomph into a magickal meal.

Beef ~ grounding, prosperity, protection, strength Butter ~ smoothing relationships, spirituality, tenacity Caviar ~ lust Cheese ~ grounding, healing, joy, things coming to fruition Chicken ~ grounding, healing, protection, strength Crab ~ lust, protection Deer ~ elegance, grace, protection, refinement, strength Egg  ~fertility, lust, protection, spirituality, strength Fish  ~love, lust, psychic powers, strength Ham ~ dramatic energy, grounding, protection, theatrical flair, strength

Ice cream depends on flavor :

Butter pecan ~ employment, prosperity Chocolate (including chip, fudge ripple, etc.) ~ love, prosperity Coffee ~ mental powers Neapolitan ~ love, prosperity Praline pecan ~ prosperity Strawberry ~ love Vanilla~  love

Lamb ~ sensitivity, kindness, strength, warmth Milk ~ Goddess energy, love, nurturing, spirituality Pork ~ grounding, fertility, strength Sausage ~ grounding, protection, variety, zest Shellfish ~ lust, psychic awareness Turkey~  family gatherings, grounding, protection Whipped Cream ~ prosperity Yogurt ~ healing, spirituality

Beverages

•Alcoholic

This is not to say that if you don’t drink, you should start, but if do anyway, this information may be useful to you. Remember, to use moderation if you do drink, and keep in mind that getting drunk will impair your ability to perform magickally. If you are under the legal drinking age, don’t drink, no matter how mature you think you are. AND NEVER, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DRINK AND DRIVE!

Apricot brandy ~ lust Beer ~ purification Blackberry brandy ~ lust, prosperity Champagne ~ lust Cognac ~ lust Crème de cacao~  love, prosperity Crème de menthe ~ purification Kirsch~  love Kummel ~ health, protection Mead ~ love Rum ~  lust, protection Tequila ~ lust Wine red~ celebrations, joy White wine~  love

• Non-alcoholic

Chocolate Milk ~prosperity Cider ~ healing, weight loss Coffee ~ mental powers, physical energy, strength Juice ~ energy, psychic awareness, purification, rejuvenation, vitality, can also vary with type of juice Cranberry ~ juice protection Grape juice ~ weight loss Orange juice ~ purification Lemonade ~ love, purification Milk ~ love, nurturing, spirituality Tea ~ courage, mental powers, prosperity, restfulness, strength Tisane ~ varies depending on specific herbs used Water ~ purification

Cooking Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices not only add flavor and an extra kick to the flavor of your food, they can add a lot of energy to your magickal workings as well.

Allspice ~ determination, energy, harmony, healing, prosperity Anise ~ love, protection, psychic powers, purification Basil ~ love, peace, prosperity, protection, understanding Bay ~ healing, protection, psychic powers, purification, repels negativity, strength, success Black Pepper ~ banishing, cleansing and purification, protection Caraway ~ anti-theft, healing, love, luck, lust, mental powers, prosperity, protection, trust Cardamom ~ increases strength of unions, love, lust, peace Celery seed ~ grounding, lust, mental powers, peace, psychic powers Cinnamon ~ healing, love, luck, lust, peace, protection, psychic powers, strength, success Cloves ~ courage, love, lust, money, protection, repels negativity Coriander ~ healing, love, lust, mental powers Cumin ~ anti-theft, happiness, fidelity, peace, protection Curry ~ protection Dill ~ love, lust, mental powers, prosperity, protection (especially of children), weight loss Fennel ~ healing, protection, purification, strength, weight loss Garlic ~ anti-theft, banishing, cleansing & purification, healing, lust, prosperity, protection, repels negativity Ginger ~ adventure, cleansing, healing, love, lust, power, success Horseradish ~ protection, purification Lemon grass~  lust, psychic cleansing and opening Licorice ~  fidelity, love, lust Mace ~ mental powers, psychic powers, self-discipline Marjoram ~ cleansing & purification, happiness, healing, prosperity, protection, repels negativity Mint ~ communication, energy, healing, love, lust, prosperity, protection, travel Mustard seed ~ courage, endurance, faith, fertility, mental powers, protection Nutmeg ~ confidence, emotional openness, fidelity, healing, luck, prosperity, social interaction Oregano ~ energy, joy, peace, strength, vitality Parsley ~ domestic tranquility, energy, luck, lust, prosperity, protection (especially of the home and from accidents), purification Peppermint ~ change, healing, love, lust, psychic powers, purification, sleep, strength Poppy Seed ~ abundance, fertility, love, luck, prosperity, sleep Rosemary ~ cleansing & purification, healing, love, lust, mental powers, protection, sleep, youth Saffron ~ abundance, happiness, healing, leadership, love, luck, lust, prosperity, spirituality, strength Sage ~ cleansing & purification, healing, longevity, mental powers, protection, psychic powers, wishes Sesame Seed ~ fertility, love, lust, prosperity, protection Thyme ~ courage, healing, love, psychic powers, purification, sleep, strength Turmeric ~ purification Vanilla ~ joy, love, luck, lust, mental powers

Other Ingredients & Miscellaneous Foods

Herbs and spices not only add flavor and an extra kick to the flavor of your food, they can add a lot of energy to your magickal workings as well.

Apple cider vinegar ~ healing Baking soda or powder ~ raising energy or expectations Candy ~ prosperity Carob ~ love, prosperity Chili ~ protection Chocolate ~ lifting emotions, love, prosperity Corn Syrup ~ luck, protection, solidifying plans or ideas, spirituality Flour ~ revealing hidden matters, consistency Gravy ~  consistency, smooth transitions, uniformity Honey ~ happiness, healing, love, lust, purification, spirituality, sweet things in life, weight loss, wisdom Jelly ~ energy, joy, pleasantness Maple Syrup ~ prosperity, love Marzipan ~ healing, prosperity Nachos ~ protection Olive oil ~ spirituality Pizza (cheese) ~ peace & happiness Popcorn ~ lifting burdens, recreational activities Salsa ~ protection Salt ~ cleansing & purification, grounding, protection Soup ~ communication, psychic awareness, steady change Soy Sauce ~ protection Sugar ~ love Tofu ~ protection, psychic awareness, spirituality, strength Vinegar ~ protection, purification Yeast~  grounding, purification

[hiddenhearthwitch]

🎄🔥Nordic Holidays🔥🎄

Let me start off by clarifying that these are the Norse holidays I personally celebrate. I have it split up into major holidays(holidays I try not to miss aka major holidays) and minor holidays(Smaller celebrations, I might not even celebrate these, etc.). This information will vary from person to person, you can celebrate whichever holidays however you want! Enjoy ~ 

✨Major✨

Jól

Jól otherwise known as Yule/Yuletide is a Nordic holiday celebrated between sundown on the Winter’s Solstice for a following twelve days(now you know where the Christians got it). It is also during Jól that the Wild Hunt takes place, Óðinn rides out with his dead, elves, or the dwarves may ride out across Midgard. Seeing the Hunt was thought to bring famine, plagues, and war but offerings of food and gifts could be left out for blessings and prosperity.  Jól was said to mark the return of Baldr from Helheim and the loosening of grip of winter of the Earth.

There numerous references to Jól in the sagas including Skáldskaparmál, Heimskringla, and poetry written by the skald Eyvindr Skáldaspilli which when translated reads:

“again we have produced Yule-being’s feast [mead of poetry], our rulers’ eulogy, like a bridge of masonry”. Most of these references testify to Jól being celebrated with blóts, feasting with family, drinking, gift giving, and dancing.

To be more specific, you can celebrate the twelve days of Jól by being hands on in your devotion! This was traditionally a time of year that was largely devoted to baking, finishing the mead making process, and hand making decorations and offerings to the heathen home and gods!! There was typically at least one julbord(feast) and an animal sacrafice. 

For example, straw animals in the shape of goats(Þórr), stars, boars(Freyr), horses, and ravens(Óðinn) were made and hung up around the house or a Jól tree! Yessss, that was something that German immigrants brought over to the U.S. The Jól tree was traditionally a tree outside that was decorated and offerings were left at in honor of Yggdrasil! You can also make wreaths, garlands, and woven rugs or wall hangings! 

The first night of Jól is typically called the Mothernight, this was in honor of the All Mother Frigg and the Disir. The first night(the longest night) is supposed to be symbolic to the rebirth of the world from winter. This is the perfect night to start on some weaving or crafts! Frigg is known for her weaving.

Disablót

Disablót was a sacrificial holiday(blót) in honor of the female deities, women, disir and valkyries. It’s purpose was to enhance the upcoming harvest and prepare the grounds for sowing. 

 It is mentioned in Hervarar saga, Víga-Glúms saga, Egils saga and the Heimskringla. This  celebration still lives on in the form of an annual fair called the Disting in Uppsala, Sweden(I really want to go to this). There’s a lot of debate to when the holiday was originally celebrated because the sagas all are slightly different. However, it is currently celebrated at the end of February by Sweden!

It was around this holiday that the first furrows were plowed in the fields and that there was a feast of new beginnings.

Nordic folk customs would include getting ready for the gardening season, preparing for the gardening/farming season ahead, and making a feast for your loved ones and female deities you work with.

Sigrblót

Sigrblót also known as Summer Finding or Ostara is the celebration of the spring equinox and welcoming good weather. It is a celebration of the rejuvenation of the earth, fertility, and growth.

This is a holiday often used to celebrate the Germanic god Ēostre, the embodiment of springtime and life, Iðunn, god of youth and renewal, and Frigg/Freyja, for their key elements in fertility magic. Is more commonly seen in modern days as a celebration of the renewal/awakening of the Earth(Jörð), the deities, and life. It is also a celebration to welcome joy and light into one’s life.

Nordic folk custom would include a large bonfire, smorgasbord(as always), baking sweets, and honoring the gods mentioned above or ones important to you this holiday.

Midsummer

Midsummer is probably the second biggest celebration next to Jól. It is pretty much just the celebration of the summer solstice and can also be celebrated in hopes of a good harvest at the end of fall. 

This holiday is attested to in the Ynglinga sagas and has long been a passed down celebration. Folk custom for celebrating would be large bonfires, speeches, smorgasbord, dancing around a majstång(traditionally for fertility), lots of drinking, and galdr. This is another holiday with a lot of hands on folk tradition; wreath making, kindling fires, making toy viking ships of wood and filling them with offerings to be burned, burning corn figures, adorning homes, halls, and the fields with fresh flowers and greenery.

A lot of of historians believe this is a particularly good time of year to make blessings to Baldr. This was also the time of year for sailing and war. With crops planted at home, vikings would set off to go to other lands. 

Freyrfeast

My favorite holiday!! There is no actual surviving name for this beast but it’s believed to be held around the star of August and most modern Norse pagans celebrate it on August 1st. The  Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta has an account of a priestess of Freyr traveling across Sweden at the start of winter with a picture of his god as a sacrifice for fertility and to honor him. Traditionally it’s a celebration of the first harvest where the primary god honored is Freyr with Sif and Þórr also celebrated as gods of harvest.

Traditionally the very first sheaf of grain harvested(I use my first bundle of lavender) is bound and blessed as an offering to the aforementioned deities and spirits of the field.

Folk customs include decorating the village well and springs, holding a grand feast of the gathered harvest, and baking a bread in honor of Freyr to give him at the end of and then plit among family. Preserving meats and vegetables was also done along this time of year and is a great time to start new batches of mead for upcoming  blóts.

Haustblót 

This is the celebration of the Autumn Equinox, the second harvest of the season, and when Norse folk would start preparing for winter by bringing livestock + stored food inside. It is referenced to in the Ynglinga sagas as well as the Eddas. It’s not as celebrated in modern times but farmers and agriculturalists still celebrate it and you can too!!

It is another joyous holiday celebrated with grand bonfires, large feasts, drinking, and dancing. It is believed that villagers would cast the bones of their slaughtered cattle on the flames to help them survive the winter.

There is a belief that once the village fire and all other fires were extinguished the families would go back their homes and light their hearth from the common village flame, bonding the community! I don’t know if this true but I’ve heard the story a few times and I honestly love the idea of it.

Vetrnætr/Álfablót

Otherwise known as Winters Night(or Samhain). This is the celebration of the last harvest, honoring of the landvættir, ancestors that protected the land through harvest, the vanir, paying respects to Death, and the welcoming of winter. Vetrnætr and Álfablót are celebrations of the same holiday but Álfablót is a blót that’s held privately in the home on the day of Vetrnætr.  

Similar to Freyrfeast, for Vetrnætr the last sheaf of wheat/grain was bundled up and blessed and often given as an offering to Óðinn and his dead setting out for the Wild Hunt. It was believed with the start of the Wild Hunt the dead could return to the places where they had lived and a large feast, celebration, and fire were commonly used in their honor. 

This was also a time for serious contemplation of death. To the Norse people, death was always around the corner and was viewed as a natural part of life. Death wasn’t viewed as negatively as it is in modern times but rather the Norse lived their lives in a way to live & die with honor, so their future ancestors would have something to celebrate on this day.

Álfablót in particular was typically run by a woman but we’re past gender norms now so whoever is comfortable running a ritual do it. It is a sacrifice to Freyr and the elves of Alfheim, in honor of the families ancestors, the life force of the family and the hearth, and is believed to also be a ritual for fertility. It is done the night of Vetrnætr.  

Minor

These are not necessarily minor, they are just not holidays that I always keep up on, don’t celebrate, days of remembrance, etc. There are definitely more Scandinavian holidays I’m not including because I’m not knowledgeable on them all and they’re not as widely celebrated(like celebrating Flag Day in America).

January 19 - Þorrablót is an Icelandic midwinter feast in honor of winter and Þorr which contains song, story telling, and traditional Icelandic foods like blóðmör and Brennivin. It is typically celebrated during Þorri February 2 - Barri is the celebration of the union between Freyr and Gerd and a celebration of fertility and the earth. February 9 - Remembrance for Eyvind Kinnrifi, he refused to convert to Christianity so Olaf Tryggvason tortured him to death. March 28 - Ragnar Lodbrok Day! Cheers to one the most legendary Vikings in history, King of Denmark and Sweden, and raider of Paris. April 31st-May 1st - Waluburgis Night, a celebration of the saint Valborg a nun who was the niece of Saint Boniface.  May 9 - Remembrance for Gudrod of Gudbrandsdal, whose tongue was cut out by the Norwegian king ‘St. Olaf’ for speaking out against the tyranny of the Christian Tryggvason, and urged others to resist him and continue worshiping the old gods.  May 20 - Frigg Blót! This actually a fave but it’s not really major so I’m keeping it down here. It’s a celebration of warmth and spring. Traditionally the time of year to go camping, hold a bonfire, and perform a blót for Frigg and honor her as the All Mother, pray for good blessings and health to those of your hearth. June 8 - Lindisfarne Day: It’s believe that on this day in 793 CE three Viking ships raided the Isle of Lindisfarne which is marked as the start of the Viking age. July 9 - From the Laxdaela Saga, it is a day of Remembrance for Unn the Deep Minded, she was well-known and respected cheiftan in Iceland. October 8 - Day of Remembrance for Erik the Red, founder of Greenland. October 14 - Vetrablót is a celebration of the harvest and honors Freyja as the god of fertility and honors the disir as well. November 11 - Feast of the Einherjar, a holiday where the fallen heroes of all the halls(Valhalla, Fensalir, etc.) are remembered. November 27 - Feast of the winter and hunt gods  Ullr and Skadi, also a day to celebrate Weyland one of the greatest Germanic craftsmen.

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[breathing-in-gilded-dust]

Masterpost of Resources for Hellenic Polytheism

I made a masterpost in April, and updated it again today… and then I realized it was in desperate need of organization. Instead of separating my resources from everyone else’s, because that honestly doesn’t do anything, this is a more organized version with mine mixed in, too. Let me know if you find any good resources you think I should add to this list!

Khaire, everyone!

                                    Household Worship & Getting Started

Basic Supplies for Hellenic Polytheism - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

Building Your Worship - @pomegranateandivy​

Sacredness of a Home - @baringtheaegis​

Household Gods - @hearthfirehandworks​

Getting Into Hellenismos (Dorms) - @baringtheaegis​

Rituals, Offerings, and Prayers/Praise

Why You Should (Probably) Eat That Offering - @songbirdspells

Note on ‘Proper’ Offerings - @poemsandmyths​

How to Pray to, Praise, and Worship the Theoi - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​​

Tips for Worshiping the Theoi When You Are Non-Verbal - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​​

(Modernized) Ancient Ouranic Offering Ritual - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

(Modernized) Nekromanteion Ritual - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

Why You Should (Probably) Eat That Offering - @songbirdspells​

Note on ‘Proper’ Offerings - @poemsandmyths​

Why Worship a God of War? - @honorthegods​

Communication With the Theoi, and Why It’s Okay to Not Receive Signs/Messages - @pomegranateandivy​ 

Offering DIY: How to Make Recycled Paper - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

Recipes for the main 13 (part one) // (part two) - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

​Recipes for Other Theoi (part one) - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

Epithets of The Theoi

My Personal Unique Epithets for the Theoi - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

My Personal Epithets for Persephone - @breathing-in-gilded-dust

My Personal Epithets for Haides - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

Epithets and Titles of Aphrodite - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Apollon - Theoi.com 

Epithets and Titles of Ares - Theoi.com   

Epithets and Titles of Artemis - Theoi.com 

Epithets and Titles of Asklepios - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Athena - Theoi.com 

Epithets and Titles of Demeter - Theoi.com 

Epithets and Titles of Dionysos - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Haides - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Hekate - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Hephaistos - Theoi.com 

Epithets and Titles of Hera - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Hermes - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Hestia - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Persephone (mainly worshiped alongside Demeter) - Theio.com

Epithets and Titles of Poseidon - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Selene - Theoi.com

Epithets and Titles of Zeus - Theoi.com

Lyma & Miasma

The Debate on Daily Purification and the Difference Between Miasma and Lyma - @sisterofiris

A Follow Up on Pollution and Purification - @sisterofiris

How we Pick Up Lyma and a Note on Binding/Veiling - @sisterofiris

Festivals 

Hellenic Revivalist Calendar - @pomegranateandivy​

Hellenic Polytheism Festivals and Information - @pomegranateandivy​ 

Hellenion.org (Site for reconstruction of the Hellenic Polytheistic religion with festival calendars, ritual ideas, and more… highly recommended)

Link to their 2019 calendar page

Link to their festival directory

Elaion.org (Another group for Hellenic Polytheists with rituals, festival calendars, etc. Very wonderful as well)

Link to their 2019 calendar page 

Link to their Resource Page

Arete and Other Values

Hellenic Polytheism and Depression - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

The Pillars of Hellenismos - @honorthegods​

Veiling

Amaranta’s Guide to Basic Hair Binding and Veiling - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

Hellenic Veiling - @pomegranateandivy

Books, Academic Posts, and Other Resource Masterposts

Tons of Great Books for Hellenic Polytheists (with free PDFs) - @breathing-in-gilded-dust​

Hellenic FAQ - @pomegranateandivy

Magic in Ancient Greece and Rome - @bayoread​

Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies - @songbirdspells​

Recommended Books About Hekate - @teawitch​ & @the-witching-tree​

Information and Tips About Persephone’s Worship (And some for Aphrodite as well) - @honorthegods​

Free Academic Resources Masterpost - @secondgenerationimmigrant​

Site for Learning Ancient Languages - @witchofeindor​

Information About Hekate - @baringtheaegis 

Theoi.com (a site full of information about all of the gods and goddesses that we really know about. Good for basic information. Not the end-all-be-all, and as with any site, can sometimes be inaccurate, though usually great for beginner things, epithets, etc.)

The Monster Compilation of Free Online Resources for Classical Studies - @honorthegods​

Ancient Greek Mountain Cultus - @sisterofiris​

baringtheaegis.blogspot.com (This a wonderful, wonderful blog) - @baringtheaegis​

Two Book Recommendations with Free PDFs - @nessotropheion​

Great Sites for Research - @pomegranateandivy

The Greek Alphabet Oracle (similar to Nordic rune-casting) - Apollonius Sophistes

Hymns/Prayers Masterposts

My Hymns, Prayers, and Poetry (WIP) - @breathing-in-gilded-dust

Prayers and Devotionals - @pomegranateandivy

Blogs I recommend:

@pomegranateandivy

@honorthegods

@sisterofiris​

@songbirdspells​

@baringtheaegis​

@thepastelpriestess​

[chaos-self]

ok but this is everything

[honorthegods]

Good resources - and I’m honored to be included among them - but please take all these opinions (even mine) as a starting point for study and developing your own well-researched opinion and practice. There’s no “one right way” to worship the Theoi: we’re all at different points of the journey, trying to do our best, helping each other along the way, and loving our deities.

[breathing-in-gilded-dust]

⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️

[hellenic-reconstructionism]

Historically Accurate Offerings to the Theoi

Zeus

Oak

Carnations

Olive branches

Styrax incense

Eagle, bull, swan images

Hera

Lilies

Peacock feathers or images

Pomegranate

Incenses

Cuckoo images

Athena

Olive branch/oil/fruit

Weavings

Myrrh incense

Perfume

Owl images

Apollon

Laurel

Red roses, sunflowers

Frankincense (manna) incense

Palm tree

Raven, swan, wolf, mouse, dolphin images

Artemis

Cedar, palm and cypress trees

Tokens of deer

Jasmine

Myrtle, white flowers

Frankincense (manna) incense

Amaranthus

Peanut

Wormwood

Deer, dog, bear, partidge, quail images

Hestia

Incenses

Chaste-tree

Pig images

Poseidon

Sea anemone

Myrrh incense

Pine

Bull, dolphin, horse images

Dionysos

Ivy

Grape vine

Pine

Styrax incense

Leopard, panther, donkey, bull images

Hermes

Tongue-shaped tokens

Rosemary, saffron

Almond tree and pine tree

Frankincense and styrax incense

Mint (for Kthonios epithet)

Cow, ram, hawk, turtle, hare images

Wild strawberry (purslane)

Ares

Bronze weapons

Frankincense (manna) incense

Swan, vulture, dragon/poisonous snake, owl images

Aphrodite

Roses, myrtle, anemone (poppy)

Quince

Apple, pomegranate

Perfumes and fragrances as incense

Dove, goose, sparrow, turtle images

Hephaistos

Daisies

Frankincense (manna) incense

Donkey, dog, crane images

Asklepios

Frankincense (manna) incense

Bread

Serpent, dog, goose, rooster images

Pan

Pine, beech trees

Fern

Wild flowers

Herbs burnt as incense and the smell of perfumes

Reeds

Goat, turtle images

Demeter

Poppy

Tokens of pigs

Styrax incense

Mint (for Kthonia epithet)

Wheat

Dove, bee, pig images

Persephone

Asphodel

Wheat

Hades

Pitchfork

Pomegranate

Daffodil

Styrax incense

Dried laurel leaves

Poplar, cypress trees

Mint

Daffodil

Hekate

Saffron

Rosemary

Garlic

Red Mullet

Amphiphon (candy)

Styrax incense

Dry laurel leaves

Oak

Ferret, dog, bull, lioness images

Source: LABRYS’ Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship and Theoi.com

[youmysticalbitchyou]

PSA

If you’re a Norse pagan that sympathizes with the alt-right/neo nazi movement or is a neo nazi that uses Norse pagan symbols, please smash that unfollow button and block me.

I don’t want that filth here.

[osprey-witches]

Here’s a fun idea for PJO fans

Don’t FUCKING insult our Gods. Don’t come onto our tags or our notes telling us how “terrible” our Gods are or how dumb we are for respecting them and believing them. Because guess what? I can say for certain that working with these Gods has improved my life more than I could ever describe. They are kind and gentle and most of them may be slow to anger but I swear if you come in here and insult me or my Gods, I won’t be. It’s fine if you don’t believe in them! I honestly don’t mind! But don’t insult me because I do. I’m tired of hearing about how you think my Gods are sluts, bitches, etc.

[delicatestar]

I logged in just to reblog this and comment. 

I thought we took care of this kind of thing back when Hetalia became popular. When tagging the characters (who are personified countries), we added “aph!” to the tags. Example: “aph!America” and “aph!France”

This was out of respect for the people looking up tags for those actual countries who didn’t want to see fandom stuff, and it also made it easy to find our fandom stuff rather than general information. It was a win-win. 

Similarly, the Percy Jackson fandom should be adding “pjo” to their tags in posts and searches. It seems like the exclamation mark is no longer useful/necessary in the current search, so it could just be added before the names of the gods. Example: “pjo Apollo” and “pjo Athena”

Some of the PJO fandom are already doing this – thank you! It’s really nice and respectful of you to do that and we really appreciate it so much! It keeps the fandom separate and allows us to easily co-exist. For the other PJO fans, please make sure to add “pjo” in your tags. 

And also, to @apollon-and-aphrodite‘s point, please don’t reply to our posts with PJO-specific responses! Please don’t superimpose your headcanon (or actual PJO canon) on the gods people actually worship. There is a difference, and while I respect Rick Riordan as an author, he is definitely taking a lot of creative license with the gods, the myths, etc. Which he should since he’s writing fiction books. ;)

Just please know the difference between the fiction/fandom side of things and the belief/spiritual side of things. Let’s foster a mutual respect between both sides. Thanks!

[theoi-crow]

Thank you @delicatestar for this!

I’ve seen the Greek Gods save people from suicide. I’ve seen them encourage people to better themselves. To become the best versions of themselves and to Foster better coping mechanisms for past traumas.

And isn’t that all that matters? We will never be able to prove if they are real or not, all that matters is that people are turning to Greek Gods who are helping them improve themselves and that should be respected.

Please respect the fact that we are alive thanks to these gods. That we are breathing and finally enjoying life thanks to these gods.

They are more than fanfiction, they are our sliver of hope to this maddening world.

[thegrapeandthefig]

There is one last point I want to make about this topic. I think a lot of people who don’t know Hellenic polytheism or paganism as a whole tend to picture this religion as some New-Agey thing/movement/belief (or associate it with witchcraft) anyway… however you want to call it. 

The problem with that categorization is that it diminishes the religion to just that: some belief that some, very few people, have. What they seem to forget is that behind the myths, behind those fun stories we have of the Gods, there IS a religion with historical, and archaeological evidence of cultus. 

Hellenic polytheists aren’t just a bunch of people revitalizing a “dead” religion, because it’s never been dead in the first place. In Greece atleast, the cultural heritage is strong and some people have been raised in it and in that worship. Hellenic polytheism has been recognized as a legal religion by the Greek state 2 years ago. 

So please, be considerate. We know the Gods have been portrayed in thousands of ways. It’s not where the problem lies, we’re just asking for the same caution and respect you’d give to another more known religion.