Theoi Summary - Haides

Ἁιδης (ay-dees) - Haides AKA Hades, Aidoneus God-king of the Underworld/Hades and the dead Chthonic, Olympian generation

Symbols: Sceptre, helm, cornucopia, drinking horn, keys Animals: Screech owl, cattle, hound Colors: Black, gold, silver Plants/Herbs: Cypress, mint, white poplar, asphodel Stones/Crystals: Precious gems and metals, gold

Retinue: Erinyes, Minos, Aiakos, Rhadamanthys, Keres, Kharon, Thanatos, Kerberos, Oneiroi, the souls of the dead Relations: Kronos (father), Rhea (mother), Persephone (wife), Zeus (brother), Hestia (sister), Poseidon (brother), Demeter (sister), Hera (sister), Minthe (consort), Leuce (consort), Erinyes (daughters), Zagreus (sometimes son), Melinoe (sometimes daughter) Identified with: Plouton (Hellenic), Pluto (Roman), Dionysos (Hellenic), Dis Pater (Roman), Aita (Estruscan), Orcus (Roman)

Festivals: N/A

Epithets: Pluto (Of Wealth), Theon Chthonius (God of the Underworld), Polysemantor (Ruler of Many), Polydegmon (Host of Many), Polydectes (Receiver of Many), Necrodegmon (Receiver of the Dead), Necron Soter (Saviour of the Dead), Moiragetes (Guide of the Fates)

Forgo the boring versions of gods and heroes we have seen to often. Zeus need not be ancient with a great white beard, Athena not some tall woman bearing spear and nothing else. Let the gods represent both the horror and awe their domain can bring. My book has a Charon who looks more likely the northern barbarians then any man of modern Greece because when he was first prayed to those who roamed Hellenic lands were no different. Thanatos is horrifically young in his looks, a young man with no callouses on his hands, scarred by where chains once laid and patterned with spots so alike his mothers skies. Let Apollo be so tan that his skin is hardened, his hands ran raw by the ropes of a chariot and eyes half blinded by that thing he leads. Let Hera be adorned with one thousand items from one thousand marriage rites. Let her wear a ring on every finger and beads around her neck and waist. Let her have a painted faces and pockets full of charms. Let your gods be as diverse as those things they represent, for even if in this case we only let them be Greek they're are so many things that can mean.

Hades devotion 101- part 3

part 1, part 2

Hades devotion in Hellenic polytheist context

Regardless of what you base your practice on or what terms you use to identify yourself with, it is respectful to understand the specific set of values and cultural context deriving from their origin when you come into contact with a deity.

Hades, like many other Gods and Goddesses, is part of a complete set of the Hellenic faith. If you are already practicing Hellenic polytheism, you still might want to read this next post for the way Hades fits into this system.

Here are some Hellenic polytheism 101 masterposts I highly recommend reading if this is your first encounter with Hellenic polytheism: verdantlyviolet, screeching-0wl, oftennisandpolytheism, crazycatsiren, athenas-night-owl

Hades as a Chthonic deity:

Hades is a Chthonic God, as mentioned in the previous post. There are certian customs that apply in Chthonic worship that do not apply in Ouranic worship. For example, some people do not share edible offerings with Chthonic Gods.

Another implication of Chthonic nature of deities is related to the themes you might associate with them. It’s true that all Gods have multiple aspects and many hats, but Chthonic deities are usually associated with the darker aspects of existence. ‘Death’ is obvious of course if you aspire for Kharis with the lord of the dead. It is important to distinguish between Hades and Thanatos, one being the ruler of the underworld and its personification, and one being death itself. But I suggest you take notice for latent meanings of Hades and what he stands for as well- like shadow work, dealing with loss, processing grief, healing from trauma and pain, cutting away unhealthy things from your life, ending bad relationships, and doing the right decisions even if they are harder to make.

Of course that there are always also brighter themes, even to Hades, as he is also related to growth and abundance. He can be associated with glowing-up (growing up to become the best versions of ourselves- just like he helped Persephone be), ancestors veneration and heritage honoring, financial abundance and stability, grounding, and much more.

Hades' epithets:

Different aspects of the God, or different roles, are defined by different titles- or epithets. In Hellenic polytheism, it is customary to specify which aspect of the God you are praying to. When people prayed to Hades in his agricultural aspect, they prayed to Pluton- God of abundance. In his aspect as the lord of the dead, he is called “the host of many”, for example, as his home is accepting all souls eventually.

Here’s a list of His epithets. This is a very long list, and each epithet can reveal an aspect of Hades, or at least how he was viewed by the people in the past. You can also make an epithet of your own, based on your personal experience with him: I started using “puller of all strings” as an epithet to describe how easily he maintain control over all directions of a situation.

Hellenic values and lessons that can be addressed by Hades:

Hellenic polytheism does not hold a list of amendments or rules like in other faiths. The Delphic maxims are a list of 147 advisable do’s and don’t’s to the followers, but nothing obligatory. A more recent interpretation of the Hellenic culture came up with several pillars to guide modern practitioners by the ethical and moral values of ancient Hellenic religion. Among them:

Devotion to Hades can and should be mindful of those values For example, Xenia could mean being kind and generous to others in his name as the host of all. Arete is definitely one of the values that can dictate the devotion to Hades, as he delights in his followers fulfilling themselves. But as individuals, don’t take those values as strict concepts, ask yourself what applies to you, what do you relate to and want to incorporate into your practice, and find the way you can connect what is meaningful to you to Hades. For example, I find that ritual purity is not a concept I can relate to, and I chose to not stress about miasma or lyma.

If we claim the Hellenic values revolve around becoming better people, seeking wisdom, taking care of our friends and community members, and lovong and honoring our Gods, then devotion to Hades with accordance to his original context will include all those elements.

ok so i just saw a post saying that its disrespectful and what not to give the old gods scraps of food or irrelevant items or things you just have lying around that you didnt specifically buy or make for the gods. and i 110% disagree.

like i give dionysus my leftover sodas that have gone flat in my room, i give apollo the leftover orange peels i have lying around. its not thought out, theyre just my leftovers.

i gave thanatos and persephone my garden with my bone collection. i have a plant named bernard that i water for hera.

none of my gifts were made or bought or grabbed with the intent of giving. they just were given at the end. that doesnt mean im disrespecting them or giving them useless items. that doesnt mean they reject them.

Ares in Mythology:

Ares in Modern Media: 

Conclusion: My boy is getting done dirtier than Hades in modern representation. Ares is one of the least problematic Gods in the pantheon (except for the murders, I will grant you) and ya’ll are sleeping on him.

"You can't worship Zeus He's a-" "Aphrodite is a jealous tyran-" "Athena can't be worshipped with-" "Hera hates Her husba-" "Dionysos is just a dumb drunk-" "Aidoneus is EVIL for KIDNAPPI-" "Demeter is a narcissistic mother archety-"

get off of TikTok and go actually spend quality time with the Gods challenge

for those of you that like Omens. found it on pinterest, don't know original source

Southern Witch Tips

For all of my fellow southern (US) witches- I know it can be a tricky environment to fit witchcraft into sometimes, but here are some things that I think line up really well! Not all of these are going to be exclusive to the south, but that’s okay :)

Hope this is helpful, feel free to add on if you have any other tips! 

something I put together in my grimoire~ thought to share with you all lovely witches and warlocks.

Midsummer Herbal Lore

Midsummer Herbal Lore by Sarolta G. DeFaltay

Cedar: Consecration, longevity (Fire)

Chamomile: Determination, loyalty; use in ritual bath, cup, or incense.(Fire)

Chickweed: Love herb, worn or imbibed to attract or enhance love

Elder: (Flowers) Clairvoyance, magic, divination. To contact devas and faeries, use in ritual cup. (Venus, Air)

Fennel: Confidence, courage, fertility. Use in cooking to protect all who imbibe.

Frankincense: All purpose solar incense, for consecration, spirituality and success.

Heather: Brings one in touch with inner beauty and divinity; dip a sprig in consecrated water and sprinkle around temple space to purify.

Holly: Represents the Waning half of the year, which begins at Midsummer.

Larkspur: (Delphinium) Flowers on altar symbolize generous, altruistic leadership.

Lavender: Love, harmony, domestic tranquility, and mental clarity.

Meadowsweet: Good luck, domestic tranquility, harmony. (Jupiter, Fire)

Mugwort: Magic, longevity, clairvoyance, psychic empowerment.

Oak: Represents the Waxing half of the year, which ends at Midsummer.

Rose: Love, compassion, beauty; an aphrodisiac attributed to Venus.

St. Johns Wort: Courage, confidence, magic, success (Sun, Fire)

Vervain: love, magic, aphrodisiac, consecration (Earth, Venus)

These herbs can be utilized in ritual by making an incense, or anointing candles with essential oil. They can be sewn into a charm bag and consecrated (dedicated to a single purpose), and worn or carried when needed.

Reminder that anyone can worship the gods. There is no right way a worshipper should look. There’s no right way a worshipper should be.

You can be trans, gay, lesbian, neurodivergent, disabled, black, asian, latinex, and everything in between. The gods will love you regardless.

So I was out in my Local New Age Bookstore the other day and they had these neat moon phase calendars, but none had the holidays or zodiac at a glance so I decided to make one. This is ostensibly for myself, but feel free to use it for personal use!

PSA: The Separating of a Hellenic Pagan from just a Greek Mythology Enthusiast is important.

Why?

It’s the line between Zeus: a whore who can’t keep his dick in his pants and cheats on his wife VS Zeus: king of the gods, the father of many. The almighty ruler. He who has blessed the divine monarch with many children, a family that would take on many roles that he or his siblings couldn’t possibly take on all themselves. A goddess of childbirth, wisdom, a god of medicine. Gods that the mortals relied on to help them survive. Children that will have better knowledge than him in certain fields. Zeus who loves and gifts the few that defend him in many ways. Zeus who loves when his devotees aren’t scared during his thunder storms. Zeus who would never hurt his devotees.

It’s the line between Poseidon: Medusa’s Assaulter VS Poseidon: Medusa’s assaulter in the Ovid version that came much later than of which the original stories were told of two consensual lovers, and not at all believed by Poseidon Devotees who see their god get called a rapist everyday. Poseidon who provided a safe voyage for the many ships that sail through his beautiful blue seas. Poseidon who was moody but still cared about his family. Poseidon who is supportive of Hellenic devotees that are coming and learning more about the gods after reading fiction works like ‘Percy Jackson’ and thinks they are 100% valid like everyone else. Poseidon who loves your encouraging essays about needing to save the oceans.

Its the line between Athena: a woman who had punished another woman who was assaulted in her temple. A sore loser who turned a girl into a spider because she was a better weaver than she was. A nerd. VS Athena: The goddess of wisdom and war. Athena who saw a woman and a man making love in her temple. Her uncle and competitor, and another woman. (Like I mentioned earlier it wasn’t assault, that is ovid’s later version). Athena who saw literally the equivalence of two people having sex in a public church, which is so very disrespectful. Athena’s weaving who competed with Arachne weavings, which were depicting her family in very disrespectful images. Athena who saw a woman making a fool out of her family who she may not always get along with, but loves them so much. No, im not denying jealousy could have been a factor, but it was not the only factor. Athena who loves when her devotees read books and learn new information about many different things. Athena who finds it cute when you get all the names wrong while reading a Greek mythology book. Athena who sends her blessings to her devotees that join the military. Athena who sends her blessings to her devotees that are going into college.

It’s the line between Hestia: the forgotten goddess. Underappreciated and underrated. VS Hestia: someone who the Greeks, and many modern Hellenic pagans worship heavily and care about so much. Hestia in Ancient Greece was thought of as being present in every offering fire in all temples and received first offering in sacrifices. Hestia who left the twelve olympians not because she found her family annoying, but because she loved them so much that removing herself and letting her nephew take her seat would relieve tension. Hestia who isn’t the “forgotten goddess”. Hestia who loves getting called a cinnamon roll but also wants you to know that she has power. Hestia who encourages her devotees to be assertive and say ‘no’. Hestia who loves her overprotective devotees who want to protect her at all costs. You best know she’s protecting them back.

It’s the line between Apollo: dumbass asshole who’d rather sleep around the way his father does. Apollo who Is only an annoyance to his sister. Assaulter of Daphne and destroyer of Cassandra. Apollo who has the worst luck in love *insert sad guitar* VS Apollo: the god of the sun, knowledge, archery, medicine, prophecy, truth, diseases, oracles, and protector of young boys. A god so brilliantly educated that he was put on so many roles. A man who was cursed by a competitor to fall in love with a girl who he probably never even batted an eye to before. Apollo who killed an archer (who had in many versions previously raped a woman) in fear he could possibly do the same to his sister and take her virginity that she valued so much. Apollo who did the best he could to defend the Trojans, and deserves to be forgiven for the destruction he caused. Apollo who cursed a girl not because he was horny, but because he was a god and he was promised, and lied to by a mortal. Apollo who loves his mother so sooo much. Apollo who loves his devotees so much, their art, their little playlists for him, their imperfect tarot readings that he smiles at the sight of improvement on, their equal love and appreciation for his sister. Apollo loves that.

It’s the line between Aphrodite: Whore who who doesn’t love herself and always wants to cheat on her husband. Always jealous and wants anyone she feels is getting more attention than her dead. VS Aphrodite: who was forced into a marriage with a man who she did not want to marry but did anyways and in turn gets called a slut when she finds pleasures in other ways. Aphrodite who is confident and self aware but like any mortals finds herself intimidated by other woman despite knowing she is supposed to be the most beautiful. Aphrodite who not only values romantic and sexual love, but platonic love as well. Aphrodite who wants you to love yourself, and your body no matter what sex you were born with. Aphrodite who loves and encourages worship from both men and women. Aphrodite who loves your female AND Male body. Aphrodite who encourages you to come out of the closet but only when you are in the safest situation. Aphrodite who walks with her devotees at Pride with banners from ALL of the flags, even asexual. Aphrodite who loves her asexual aromatic devotees.

It’s the difference between Ares: hot headed uneducated douche who knows nothing at all and only wants to cause problems all the time. Also an evil villain. VS Ares: a man who created the Amazons, the most badass warrior women. Ares who had the biggest feminist energy, who loved his daughters and respected his girlfriend so much. Ares who probably feels unloved by his family. Ares who sought to kill the man who assaulted his daughter. Ares who encourages his devotees to let out their anger on things such as video games or poetry instead of their friends, lovers, or family. Ares who wants you to join the military for the right reasons. Ares who thinks it’s okay for men to cry.

It’s the line between Hermes: Also dumbass who is confused all the time and doesn’t know nothing at all. Just the comedic relief and nothing else. VS Hermes: god of trade and travel. Hermes who probably is street smarter than all his siblings combined. Hermes who laughs even at your failed pranks. Hermes who loves your pranks but also encourages you not to go too far. Hermes who doesn’t think assault jokes or jokes about victims are funny. Hermes who is funny but is not just the comedic relief, but also the one who brings smiles to his devotees when they’re feeling anxious, depressed, suicidal. Hermes who loves his devotees.

It’s the line between Demeter: Overbearing helicopter mom Demeter who wants her daughter all to herself. Demeter who is suffocating her daughter and doesn’t let her go anywhere. Demeter who abuses Persephone. Demeter who despises her brother hades. VS Demeter: a mother who was almost assaulted in such a misogynistic time, and in fear decided that when she had a daughter she would protect her and never let a man do her the way she was almost done. Demeter who had a missing child case like the missing child cases that you feel bad for everyday. A mother who felt that marriage was not needed yet for her fourteen year old girl (which in Ancient Greece was the equivalence of being 18). Demeter who is the most badass mom with a missing child case ever. Demeter who saw her daughter swelled up with tears of joy when they reunited. Demeter who loves Persephone so much, and had never EVER abused her. Demeter who sees that you are trying to grow a garden and wants to help. Demeter who is now happy that persephone is married and often worshiped with her brother because her brother makes her daughter so happy. Demeter who knows that in fiction she is not preferred as much as her daughter but still cries tears of joy at the amount of universal love for her daughter in writings. Demeter who won’t judge you for pouring your milk before your cereal. Demeter who encourages your farmcore aesthetic. Demeter who encourages your fight against climate change. Demeter who loves when her devotees call her a plant mom.

It’s the difference between Persephone: soft kitten fluff Persephone who is annoyed by her mother all the time and would rather be with her emo sugar daddy VS Persephone who would rather be with BOTH her mother and her emo sugar daddy. Persephone who is badass and takes control in the relationship. Persephone who is not just spring and flowers, but the queen of the underworld and bringer of death. Or the other way around: persephone who is not just the queen of the underworld but also the goddess of spring who enjoys farming and harvesting with her mother when she returns back in spring. Persephone who has a heart of gold, but you will not see it through her eyes. Persephone who is hardcore. Persephone who is not just a victim. Persephone who doesn’t love her husband more than her mother or vise versa. Persephone who is balanced between life and death. Persephone who doesn’t prefer one more than the other. Persephone who loves being in the underworld just as much as being with her mother. Persephone who finds home in two places. Persephone who adores her devotees constant change in aesthetics. Persephone who loves the little plants you have in your bedroom. Persephone who doesn’t want her devotees arguing on her skin tone and race because she feels it simply doesnt matter.

We wiccans/pagans believe the old gods are not dead. Write about them as you please, but please don’t disrespect them in tags related to our religions, and don’t interact to our posts with disrespectful stereotypes about them. Our gods are not their myths. Yes, we do often believe and reference some of their ‘myths’ but we often see the more poetic side behind them, And also note that there are MANY versions of them.

(Note in no way shape or form am I saying all myth enthusiasts are like this)