hi everyone! sorry it's been so long since i posted here, things have been crazy busy in real life and i've been a lot more focused on my other accounts. this post is a loose continuation of altars for minor greek deities, but i'll be copying over a couple entries from there just so it's more comprehensive :)
also not all of these deities actually reside in the underworld, some are just associated with it!
before we start, some plants generally associated with the underworld are: asphodel, cypress, yew, poppy, mullein, and skullcap
and some crystals are: obsidian, lava rock, black tourmaline, dragon's blood jasper, bloodstone, smokey quartz, hematite and stibnite
hey y'all, on the post "who are the chthonic deities?" i got a comment asking about Dionysus not being included in the list. ever since then i've been thinking a lot about doing more research on the god Zagreus, who Dionysus is a reincarnation of.
Zagreus, the main character of the video game series Hades, is very different to the mythic Zagreus. mostly in the way that there really wasn't a lot of lore about Zagreus, at least not the same level as Dionysus. most of his stories come from Orphism, or the cult following of Orpheus.
DOMAIN: god of pitfalls, game hunting, and chthonic sacrifices
BIRTH AND DEATH: before she is given to the Underworld, Demeter hides her daughter Persephone away in a cave to ward off her many suitors. however, Zeus, as is typical of his mythic self, changes form into a drakon (a dragon-serpent), and makes love to her, conceiving the horned child Zagreus. the infant is then brought to Mount Ida, where he is to be raised in much the same way as Zeus himself. even as a child, Zeus takes a liking to Zagreus and whisks him away to Olympus, intending him to be his heir. there he is allowed to climb the heavenly throne and wield Zeus' lightning bolts.
however, Hera then becomes jealous, and incites the Titans to kill him while she distracts the boy with toys. the Titans then chop him to pieces, and in some stories, they then cook and eat the corpse.
Zagreus is also identified as the son of Hades and Persephone, however, and other sources use Zagreus and Hades interchangeably. whether this is a separate deity from Orphic Dionysus-Zagreus or not, the two are now intrinsically linked.
REBIRTH: Zeus, finding out about Zagreus' death, enacts his rage on the Titans with great rain and lightning, and blasts them apart. from these remains, the Orphics said, humanity arose (giving us the evil nature of Titans and good nature of Gods). Zeus then goes to rescue what he can of Zagreus' remains (or Athena does), and all that is left is his heart. there are many different versions of what happens next, whether Apollo is given the remains to be buried and Zagreus is reborn as Dionysus by Rhea/Demeter OR Zeus makes a potion of what is left of his son and gives it to Semele, who births Dionysus.
Dionysus' association with Zagreus would further explain his ability to go and bring people back to life, including his mother Semele and wife Ariadne.
SYNCRETISM: Dionysus-Zagreus is often compared to Osiris, and his rebirth with the help of Isis (who is associated as Demeter). the posthumous conception of Horus, as well, may relate to the "second birth" of Dionysus from Semele's dead body. there is further evidence relating the mysteries of Osiris/Isis and the mysteries of Dionysus/Demeter.
hihi!! recently my friend expressed interest in learning more about hekate and I thought that I could do some research and put it into a post. I have an altar to her but I don't necessarily commune with her often, and I didnt know as much of her lore as I probably should've. let me know if there's another deity yall would like me to do another deep dive on. i will link the sources that i used at the very end!
Domain: magic, witchcraft, the night, the moon, ghosts, crossroads, boundaries, herbalism and necromancy. she ruled over sky, earth, and sea, and was often venerated as a part of the household deities. she is widely respected and revered, even by the other gods
Parentage: Perses, titan of destruction and known for his great wisdom; Asteria, titaness of falling stars and nighttime divination
Important Imagery:
-she is often depicted holding two torches, a key, a dagger, or snakes
-her familiars include a dog--the Queen Hecuba who committed suicide or was received as Odysseus' consort after the fall of Troy--and a polecat (like a ferret)--or the midwife Galinthias who was transformed by the goddess Eileithyia
-she was often given three heads or three bodies
-her arrival is often preceded by the howling of dogs
-she is sometimes shown flanked by lions or (multiple) dogs
-in some depictions she will have an animal head, including anything from a cow, dog, boar, serpent, or horse
-wheels and caves
Associated Offerings: garlic, cypress, oak, aconite, belladonna, dittany, mandrake, yew
Other Offerings: the typical historical offerings like myrrh and frankincense, wine, and barley. eggs or eggshells (cleansing, protection), black salt (protection from spirits), chocolate (underworld), coffee (underworld), lavender or cedar or sage (cleansing, magic), asphodel (underworld), black pepper (banishing, protection), camphor (dreams, psychic divination), clove (exorcism, wealth). evil eyes if its not cultural appropriation for you to use them. then of course keys, mirrors, bones, imagery of deceased, triquetra, jewelry or magic items like
Crystals: obsidian, smokey quartz, black tourmaline, black moonstone, lapis lazuli, amethyst, labradorite, jaspers (especially dalmation or star), howlite, opal, angelite, celestite, lepidolite, larimar, aventurine, citrine, malachite, jade, blue calcite, gems, gold/silver
Associated Holiday: Hekate's Deipnon (which I covered in my last post)
Lore:
-In Hesiod's Theogony he describes Hekate allying with Zeus against the Titans and how "Zeus the son of Kronos (Cronus) honored [her] above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea."
-In the Homeric Hymns Hekate is described as a close companion of Persephone, as she (along with Hermes) helped deliver her back to Demeter after her capture by Hades
-During the Deipnon she is said to lead the souls of the restless dead out of Hades during the night and must be placated with offerings
-Hekate is also seen as a kourotrophos (probably because of her association with Eileithyia and Artemis), or protector of children, and is often invoked as such
-Hekate is often seen as Medea's (from Jason and the Argonauts) patroness and the one who advised her of what to do to get over Aeetes' trials
-Sometimes she is considered the mother of Circe and Medea
Epithets: (used like a surname to call upon her different aspects)
-Perseis: destroyer (after her father)
-Aionios: eternal, ever-flowing
-Apotropaia: the one that protects
-Brimo: angry, terrible one
-Indalimos: the beautiful
-Aidonaia/Chthonia: of the underworld
-Propolos: who serves
-Soteira: savior
-Trimorphis: three-formed
-Trioditis: off the cross roads/three-way
-Enodia: of the way/road
-Propulaia: before the gate
-Nyktipolos: night wandering
-Phosphoros: light bringing
-Atalos: tender, delicate
-Kourotrophos: nurse of the young
-Skylakagetis: leader of the dogs
-Kleidouchos: holder of keys (of Hades)
-Liparokredemnos: bright-coiffed
-Anassa eneroi: queen of those below
Things That Are Probably Neopagan But I Can't Tell:
-Hekate being seen as a maiden-mother-crone triple goddess
-Hekate's wheel symbol
these holidays follow the lunar/athenian calendar, so I will either be providing the moon phase or Athenian date and the corresponding Gregorian months. also this is pretty obvious but these are just very general descriptions of these holidays, to give you an idea of which you think you'd like to practice. no one is forcing you to do every single one of these, nor is it expected. do whatever works for you.
if there's anything you think I should add, let me know
HEKATE'S DEIPNON
when: during the new moon phase
purpose: honor Hekate and the souls of the restless dead, cleanse self and home
activities: a meal set out at Hekate's altar (often including garlic, raw eggs, cake, leeks/onions, or fish), a sacrifice (usually of an animal, but it can be your choice), and burning of incense and/or cleaning house as purification
deities honored: Hekate, the dead
NOUMENIA
when: the first day a sliver of the moon can be seen
purpose: a day of rest and feasting
activities: offer frankincense, flower garlands, wine, and barley cakes on the altars that had been cleaned the day before
deities honored: household gods like Hestia, Hermes, Hekate and Zeus, celestial deities like Apollo and Artemis, or personal protective deities (like Athena was for Athens)
AGATHOS DAIMON
when: the day after Noumenia
purpose: it's personal to each family but is often a ritual to honor the intermediary(ies) between mortals and gods, and to ask for things like good luck or protection
activities: wine/other libations, offerings placed on an altar personal to the Agathos Daimon which can include incense, food, and things related to snakes
deities honored: deities commonly associated with snakes, like Dionysus and Hermes, as well as the goddess of luck, Tyche, and Zeus, who is often called Agathos Daimon
RURAL DIONYSIA
when: during the month of Poseideon (december/january), but the festivals often happened on different days depending on the place
purpose: honoring Dionysus and cultivation
activities: a procession of men carrying phalluses, girls carrying baskets of bread, people with water, bread, cakes, and wine). dancing and singing contests, possibly even dramatic performances, and choruses of dithryambs.
deities honored: Dionysus
CITY DIONYSIA
when: 10th-17th of Elaphebolion (March/April)
purpose: honoring Dionysus
activities: a reenactment of Dionysus being rebuffed from Athens, one or several dramas/plays, dramatic competitions, singing and dancing, feasting and offerings (especially of bread or phalluses)/libations (often of wine)
deities honored: Dionysus
PANATHANEA
when: 23rd-30th of Hekatombaion (July/August)
purpose: celebrating the birth of Athens
activities: a huge procession showing off a large tapestry woven by only women, a torch race, a meal of meat for everyone in the city, athletic games
deities honored: Athena
THARGELIA
when: 6th (for Artemis) and 7th (for Apollo) of Thargelion (May/June)
purpose: celebrating the birthdays of Apollo and Artemis
activities: the beating and banishment of an ugly man and woman (as purification, but you could just do the usual cleaning and incense burning) on the 6th. offerings of the first harvests were given to Apollo (but you could just cook a dish and offer part of it), a procession of children carrying a wreath with fruit, honey, wine, oil, and bread along with singing on the 7th.
deities honored: Artemis and Apollo
THESMOPHORIA
when: 11th-13th Pyanepsion (October/November)
purpose: honoring Demeter's loss of Persephone to the Underworld
activities: a procession of women up to a space where men were banned, sexual activity was abstained from, they lived primitively (fasted and sat on a floor of branches), and sacrificed of piglets in the first days. then had feasts and prayed (often for things Demeter could provide, like good harvests or fertility) on the last day
deities honored: Demeter and Persephone
DIASIA
when: 23rd of Anthesterion (February/March)
purpose: honor Zeus Chthonius
activities: solemn but joyful night rites of sacrifices, sheep/pig shaped pastry offerings, feasting, dancing, and hymn chanting
deities honored: Zeus
KRONIA
when: 12th of Hekatombaion (July/August)
purpose: honor Kronos (and to some extent Rhea)
activities: feasting in large groups, where slaves can join their masters at the dinner table. like an early version of Labor Day
deities honored: Kronos
THEOGAMIA
when: 27th of Gamelion (January/February)
purpose: to celebrate the anniversary of Hera and Zeus' marriage
activities: feasting, offerings/libations, and possibly also hosting a person's own marriage
deities honored: Hera and Zeus
Hi everyone! I've decided to try something new by calling upon multiple deities to do a reading for the upcoming Fall season. Deities that I called upon by name include Hades, Persephone, Hermes Chthonius, Nyx, Erebus, and Thanatos. I then used my pendulums to make further decisions about what interpretations are correct!
Disclaimer: this reading may not hit home for you, and that's okay! You can save it and come back to it later, or move on and ignore it (although it'd be cool if you still interacted) and maybe it'll find you again! Have a great day :).
THE PSEPHOI:
-Phi
"Having done something carelessly you will thereafter blame the Gods."
Your fate is in your hands, and yours alone. The power of the gods is limited, as is their interest in doling out miracles. You have a period of difficulty ahead of you, and you are responsible for the hard work it'll take to get through it. Don't worry, your gods have not abandoned you, but it is not your place to blame them for your shortcomings or laziness. They will not or cannot fix everything for you.
FIRST GROUP:
-Nine of Wands
-Three of Wands
-Five of Cups Reversed
This group is telling us that we have hard work ahead of us, difficulties that we have to overcome. As there is multiple cards from the suit of Wands, this may be difficulties over things like your spirituality or craft, travel, work and business (but not so much your success there, more just struggles at the workplace), it may even represent artists' or writers' block.
However, the nine of wands tells us that we must persist, that we have the upper hand and we need to make clever use it. Three of wands tell us we must strategize and make a plan, which also lines up with seven of swords later. Five of cups reversed tells us that it's time to move on, accept your situation, accept the bad things, and trudge through them. You will get through this.
SECOND GROUP:
-Seven of Swords
The reason why I put seven of swords on its own is because of its relativly negative interpretation. It stands out. Seven of swords is all about deception, strategy, hiding something from others. Perhaps you have to keep your practice a secret from your family, perhaps you got a bad grade and hid it, perhaps you cheated or lied or took a risk that fell through. With the context of the other cards, the message is: You did what you had to do, you will do what you have to do. It's okay, you will be forgiven, or have been already. Perhaps you have to work for this forgiveness, and you need to be able to accept that (five of cups reversed).
THIRD GROUP:
-The World Reversed
-The Lovers Reversed
These two cards being reversed tells us that we are still working towards them, that we are still in a transitional period. Autumn is often a time of reaping your rewards, but a harvest is hard work. A change is on the horizon, a positive one. There is love in your future, platonic, familial, or romantic. Someone you're meant to reconnect with or connect with. However, this didn't come for free, you will work hard, you will make difficult decisions, and you're on the verge of greatness. It's likely that this change will not come this season, but sometime after. Likely within the year though!
The world tells us of a completion, a wholeness, perhaps you feel lonely, or you're about to graduate, or you're about to move (remember the wands from earlier talk about travel!). This change is good for you! You need it! You're learning and growing and your gods are with you. The lovers tells us that a specific person might be the key to this feeling of "wholeness." How long has it been since you called your mother? Are you joining any groups or clubs this semester? Are you planning on opening a business with someone? If it's safe enough to, maybe it's time to come out to your family/friends. Maybe you need to work closely with your professor to improve your grades.
No matter what, this journey will not be easy. You will expel plenty blood, sweat, and tears this season, but in the end it will all be worth it.
first, a note on cthonic vs ouranic: the line between these gods is one that is not really as stark as it can be portrayed. many gods have both ouranic and chthonic aspects, and neither make them any more "good" or "bad" than the other. chthonic gods are not evil gods, at least no more than any ouranic god. all deities have the capability of doing good and evil, but are largely ambivalent in nature. the advice listed below is not set in stone, simply provided as gentle guidance. if you have suggestions, feel free to add them in the comments/reblogs! :)
LIBATIONS/OFFERINGS
In Ancient Greece it was very common for offerings to the chthonic gods to be given in the form of libation--a drink (or any liquid) poured into the ground. Solid offerings, like food, were often burned in their entirety to ash or left to rot, instead of being partially shared by the offeror. Incense was not as commonly used since the smoke travels upwards, towards the heavens.
I suggest disposing of/keeping ashes and rotted food outside or burying them, seeing as chthonic sometimes refers to "-of the earth." This would be similar to how curse tablets were treated in Ancient Greece, as Hermes, messenger of the gods, would deliver them unto their underworld-ly receiver from there.
If you can't do that, consider pouring your libations down the sink or flushing them down the toilet (ONLY do this with water-based liquids, oil and honey will clog up your sink in no time flat). It's not ideal, but it gets the job done.
Common libations include: coffee, blood (animal or your own, we'll get to that at the end), honey (instead of wine), milk
Common offerings include: meat, barley/grain, oil, cheese
PRAYER
In many cases, prayers to ouranic deities are directed upwards, into the sky or delivered unto the wind by voice, song, or some sort of poem. In the case of the chthonic gods, we should be directing them downwards, towards the underworld where they reside. This may include extending your hands with palms facing down, putting your head down, or just imagining your prayers being sent below. The only exceptions to this may be Persephone, who resides in the heavens for half of the year, and Hermes, who can be considered both ouranic and chthonic.
Other recommendations I can make are: light a candle, even if you're not going to use it for pyromancy; light some incense (I do this for focus and cleansing, not so much for the deity); and perform it at night. It's not mandatory, of course, to perform your prayers at night, it's just that in antiquity ouranic activities (festivals, prayer, etc.) were done during the day and often directly enshrouded in sunlight. We can assume, therefore, that a chthonic prayer or festival should occur during the night, especially if being directed towards Hekate or Nyx.
ALTARS/SHRINES
In Ancient Greece, temples to the ouranic gods were constructed so that their doorways would directly face the sun, thus illuminating the inside (and often the main statue(s), too). We can assume, then, that our chthonic altars/shrines should be located somewhere out of the direct sunlight. This can be in a dark spot, like a closet or isolated room--or it can just simply be in a corner furthest from the sun's rays.
Again, there may be some exceptions to this: Hermes, under his ouranic epithet(s), Persephone, for her time in the heavens, and Hekate, for her association with the moon.
DIVINATION
For the most part divination with the chthonic gods is conducted in much the same way as with the ouranic. Of course, when calling upon these deities you'll want to face towards the ground, and perhaps even conduct these sessions in partial darkness. Again, maybe you could light a candle or even pour a libation before a really big reading.
I mostly use pendulums and tarot, but I've been experimenting with meditation and have had some luck. What works for ouranic deities should work just as good for chthonic, you just might have to shift your approach a little.
Some good tarot spreads for working with chthonic deities:
"Fork in the Road" spread-- for Hermes or Hekate
"The Tower" spread-- for Hermes or Hades
"The Self Exploration" spread-- for any
"The Bat" spread-- for Hades or Persephone or Nyx
EXTRAS
--Consider offering blood if you're able! Animal blood that is sourced from ethical farms is neither morally reprehensible or illegal and can be sourced from a variety of places. Offering your own blood is also a possibility, but for this I would not recommend more than a pinprick. There are limits to how much pain you should be incurring on yourself for your deities. If you have to check your blood sugar often, maybe you can soak up excess blood with some cotton and bury it outside. Make sure to always clean your wounds properly and do not engage in this behavior for the purpose of self-mutilation. That, I can assure you, your deities would not appreciate. Don't be stupid.
--Snakes are commonly associated with almost all chthonic deities, or just the Underworld in general. We see this the most with Hermes, who is pictured with two snakes wrapped around his caduceus. The god Asclepius is also pictured with a staff with a single snake on it. Asclepius is the god of medicine, and (before being deified) was killed by Zeus for making people practically immortal.
--Chthonic deities are the best places to turn to for spirit work, protective, and baneful magic. You're looking to contact a spirit? Turn to Hades. You're looking for protection against spirits/demons? Turn to Hekate or Hermes. You're looking to cast a curse? Turn to Persephone or Hekate.
HADES: the god of the dead, riches, and King of the Underworld
PERSEPHONE: the goddess of springtime and flowers, Queen of the Underworld
HERMES: messenger of the gods, god of commerce, luck, thieves, and travel. under his Chthonius epithet his role in guiding the dead to the Underworld is emphasized
DEMETER: some sources consider the goddess of agriculture and fertility a chthonic deity because of her relation to the earth and as Persephone's mother
HEKATE: goddess of magic, crossroads, necromancy, and ghosts, she is a close companion of Persephone
TARTARUS: the primordial god of the abyss and personification of the deepest level of the Underworld
NYX: the primordial goddess of night
EREBUS: the primordial god of darkness, husband of Nyx
HYPNOS: son of Nyx and Erebus, the god of sleep
NEMESIS: daughter of Nyx and Erebus, goddess/daemon of revenge
CHARON: son of Nyx and Erebus, the ferryman that carries the dead across the river Acheron to the Underworld
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