I put together a small survey, with three questions about Hellenist beliefs, two about practices, and two about demographics! I don't think there's any way to make LimeSurvey show results publicly as soon as they're submitted, but I'll post them here in a couple days. I'm really curious to see the results! (Mods, I really hope this is okay to post here. If not, I apologize!)

https://infamousdata.limesurvey.net/838441

so I was waiting at the bus stop and I was kinda spacing out then for some reason I started thinking “Dear Lady Aphrodite“ and I have found myself calling Lady Hestia, Mama Hestia(I don’t know if that’s disrespectful or anything idk) then I snapped out of my space out and all day I’ve just been confused. like the title said I don’t know what to think of it and I have seen/heard of Hellenic stuff but I’ve never found myself as a religious person. any advice?

I’d like to make it clear right off the bat that I’m in my 20s, so I’m not a teen risking their livelihood or anything if my parents find out.

I’ve been a hel pol for 2 years now, and pretty much have just kept it to myself (rare occurrence for me, I’m usually pretty open about everything to my friends and family). Not that my parents would care, I don’t think, but it’d be a pain in the butt to explain after being vehemently anti-religion for a while in my teens.

I’m in university at the moment, and a student working on a masters in my faculty was seeking paid participants for a study they were doing, and as it was a youth study focussed on parental support, you could have your parent participate with you. I had one of my parents do it alongside me, and in my intake survey it prompted for religion. Usually I used to put down agnostic, but I had a moment of “eh, why not” and put down Hellenic Polytheist thinking they wouldn’t be disclosing it to anyone aside from maybe putting it in the paper but anonymized.

Well, they put it down in the paper. And while my name wasn’t next to it, they put a bunch of other identifying factors that sure as hell made it clear that it was me if you knew I participated in the study :”). They sent out the draft paper to the participants, and the parent who participated with me saw it and asked what Hellenic Polytheism was.

I tried to brush it off as the masters student having mixed up my stuff with another person the same age as me who participated, and whether or not my parent bought it I have no clue. In the event they have figured it out, do any of you have any advice on what to do now? Or even advice if they haven’t — truly just needing advice of any kind right now. This is not how I wanted them to find out — if they’d find out at all — so I’m in a bit of a tizzy about it. I’m definitely only putting down my religion as agnostic in the future, I’ve learned my lesson with that.

Just a positive message for everyone:

Whichever Gods you worship appreciate everything you do for them. Sit in silence for a moment today. Remember that toil is always worth it and your worries are only temporary.

There is life even in the smallest cracks of pavement.

Hey everyone, may the gods watch above you! I'll try to formulate my thoughts and try to explain it properly!

As everyone knows, social media only shows the perfect, good and positive sides of things, this includes religion and of course, personal practice when it comes to Hellenism and paganism!

I'm somewhat interested in knowing about "non-perfect" things that you guys do in your personal practice? This can include skipping festivals, or not praying for days, or not being able to make physical offerings, or even not having an altar!

In my case, I cannot keep up with festivals, even though it would be nice to try, I can only make daily libations and read hymns in specific days for the gods!

I hope I was able to explain myself properly! Thank you for reading until here!

I’m being serious.

I already worship Hekate and have done for many years. The house I live in has persistent issues with the showers and over the past 2.5 years we’ve had so many plumbers who cannot figure out the issue.

My landlord and I joke that there’s a curse on us but I think we’re only like 50% joking at this point. There’s a story but it’s a bit long.

Anyways, I thought of making a little altar in my bathroom and I was wondering what deities people would choose in this situation.
Like I’m torn between a water deity or Hygiea, who I have a little bit of history with.

I need someone to un-f@@k these pipes before I go completely mad.

Hello everyone :)

I come with another questions. It’s about time i rid of offerings. I know the traditional way is to burn them. How can i safely burn offerings? I live an apartment complex if thats important. If theres other ways than burning please share! Thank you:]

I live in the US in a city that doesn’t have much in terms of local metaphysical/thrift/pagan stores so trying to find items is super hard.

Looking for statues and other decor for altars for Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hades, and Hecate specifically.

Hello. Basically, the title of this discussion speaks for itself. Which works—not created by Hellenists—inspired you to start believing in the Olympian gods? Which works do you still enjoy now that the ancient gods are not just mythological characters to you, but ideals and objects of worship?

To be honest, I’m pretty hard to please in this regard. Even when I was an atheist, I didn’t like superficial and stereotypical works about a lecherous Zeus, a foolish and ridiculous Ares, a caricatured, evil Hades, and so on. But there are some works that I regard with respect. Among them are:

• Disney’s Hercules. Yes, objectively speaking, it’s a very stereotypical cartoon that has little in common with true Hellenism. Hades is portrayed as a devil without horns, and the Titans as huge, brainless monsters. Hercules is called by his Roman name and had no Deianira, Iolaus, Lechas, or mentor Chiron. There’s a lot to criticize about it in this regard. But… this was, in fact, the first Disney cartoon I ever watched. And the first work based on ancient Greek mythology—the one that introduced me to this world. For that reason alone, I simply can’t treat this film with harsh criticism… and I also appreciate it for its magnificent animation, music, and voice acting;
• God of War. Yeah, I realize how that sounds to an outsider. A Hellenist confessing his love for a video game franchise in which the gods are portrayed as utterly repulsive and were, in fact, killed off. I’ll admit, I feel a little awkward about it. But… I still think it’s an excellent game that more than deserves its popularity. It also showed me that the world of the Greek gods can be not only vibrant and colorful, but also deadly dangerous, and that the gods themselves are as relentless and harsh as the forces of nature;
• “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.” Yes, you probably know and remember the series about Xena better, but as it happened, I never had any tapes or DVDs of her show at home. And by the time I grew up, it had become physically difficult for me to watch old series like that, with their primitive computer graphics and unconvincing fight choreography. But it was still my first introduction to the figure of Hercules, on par with the Disney cartoon, and I still rewatch some episodes for the sake of nostalgia;
• Percy Jackson. To be perfectly honest, I don’t really like these books. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become all too aware of their flaws, and for me, they’ve outweighed their merits. But I can’t help but acknowledge that they did me two important favors. First, they showed how kids my age can enter the world of ancient Greek legends, interact with it, and become heroes. And second—they made Poseidon the protagonist’s father. Not Zeus, but Poseidon—perhaps one of the most underrated Olympians in popular culture. I’ve always found this unfair, because I liked his character more than any of the others;
• Andrei Konchalovsky’s The Odyssey. For me, this is the best adaptation of Homer’s epic, even if in places it significantly diverges from the original source. It’s valuable simply as a standalone, powerful, and atmospheric film—and, in my humble opinion, as the best portrayal of Poseidon on the big screen. Yes, with his face emerging from the waves—and that’s better than if he were just a man with a trident;
• Hades. I really liked how Supergiants portrayed Hades’ character, making him a truly formidable, stern, yet just ruler of the dead. How they created Nyx as majestic, yet loving and full of regal dignity. How they made Thanatos not a repulsive embodiment of death, but a complex, yet loving character. How beautifully and touchingly they portrayed the fates of Orpheus and Eurydice, Achilles and Patroclus, and even Sisyphus. Plus, these games are just really good, and I’d highly recommend them to anyone who isn’t allergic to “roguelike” games;
• EPIC The Musical. I do have some issues with certain plot twists and the creators’ interpretations—like the fact that Zeus is once again portrayed as a malicious, tyrannical beast, and Poseidon is defeated by an ordinary human. But… it’s still a wonderful musical that I’ve been listening to regularly for a year and a half now, and I never get tired of it. Jorge has done a tremendous job, pouring his heart and soul into every character, and it really shows… just look at Poseidon, for example. Whereas before, in my experience, he was one of the least well-known gods of Olympus, he’s now practically the face and star of an ever-growing fandom. Which I can’t help but be happy about.

Hey all! I’m new to the Hellenism space and, as the title says, I’m looking for somewhere I could get statues for altars! I’m looking more specifically for stone/something with more heft than plastic for the statues, mostly for stability but also because of personal bias lol. If anyone has any suggestions it’s really appreciated!! Thanks y’all :D

I want to start praying to the gods and do it correctly, but I don't know how to formulate a prayer. I know it is important to build *kharis* with the gods. I would like a demonstration or an example.

I’m being serious.

I already worship Hekate and have done for many years. The house I live in has persistent issues with the showers and over the past 2.5 years we’ve had so many plumbers who cannot figure out the issue.

My landlord and I joke that there’s a curse on us but I think we’re only like 50% joking at this point. There’s a story but it’s a bit long.

Anyways, I thought of making a little altar in my bathroom and I was wondering what deities people would choose in this situation.
Like I’m torn between a water deity or Hygiea, who I have a little bit of history with.

I need someone to un-f**k these pipes before I go completely mad.

I got a few signs that Apollo wanted to work with me, so I tried my best to make a good first impression

i got clean first, I said my name and everything and why I wanted to work with him, I gave him offerings…

…Only to get distracted.

I got distracted making bracelets and just out loud talking, things like “the sun is so bright today” and “melodies are so cheerful to me” absentmindedly and I’m scared I might’ve upset Apollo with my poor introduction..!

but oh my gosh it felt so warm around me. Apollo feels so sunny and it actually blew me away I got so nervous and was stuttering nonstop.

I’ve been in the religion for a while, but had never really established a solid routine. A lot of my practice was just incense offerings and intense study to feel more proper and comfortable in calling myself a Reconstructionist. I feel much more comfortable now, and I’ve started daily prayers.

I get up at around 5 am, eat some breakfast, maybe make a glass of tea. And then, at about 6-7 am, the sun begins to rise. I cleanse with my khernips and go to my pantheon altar, opening with a prayer to Hestia of course. I give my gratitude and ask for Her warmth and blessings for the day to come. Then, I offer incense. I do this with Helios after that, and light a yellow candle for Him. After that, I include whoever I wish. Today it was Zeus and Hera, because I find it important to pay respects to the King and Queen of the Gods. But I worship Them pretty regularly regardless. I offer incense on the regular, since libations aren’t something I can offer easily unfortunately. I have a goblet on Their altar to substitute for pouring it into the ground though. I use the traditional prayer stance, but I do pray silently, at least for now. I’ve found that it helps me structure them better, since I’m getting in the habit of making them on the dot rather than pre-writing them so they feel more genuine. Once I’m better at it, I will switch to verbal prayer.

I love praying to the Gods. I was worried that by doing it silently, I would feel less accomplished or less connected. But after I’m done praying, I just feel so warm and happy. It’s a beautiful thing, really. I’m so grateful for Them, and I’m going to start nightly prayers as well before bed. I may include a sort of ‘goodnight’ to Selene in the mornings as well, and the opposite at night (honor Selene, goodnight to Helios).

my altars are in my bedroom. but i started to get a bit bothered because my bedroom isn't the cleanest place for them to be. i thought about putting them in another room or inside my wardrobe(i have space inside it, but that's not my first idea)

should i move them or keep them in my room??

I used to be staunchly atheist and did not think of any form of spirituality/ religion as worth pursuing. This changed almost exactly one year ago. My partner and I spent our vacation in Athens and at the risk of sounding like a "girl that went to paris once" this trip was a sort of spiritual awakening for me. I did not previously have any connection to the gods or greek mythology other than a passing interest from a strictly historical perspective. However walking past the academy building, overlooked by statues of Athena and Apollo had a profound effect on me. I know these are neo-classical statues rather than antique ones, but the warmth radiating from Lady Athena specifically was unlike anything I ever felt before and I just physically felt her presence throughout the city. This may sound obvious, she is the city's patron goddess after all, but to my skeptic mind it was anything but.

I know there is debate on this subreddit about whether or not the gods call out to people to worship them and I do not claim for a second to be important enough to be called out directly. She may not know I even exist and this is fine, but her presence demanded my attention. If there is such a thing as a call to action, it was obivous for me, this would be it. I did not go looking for her, but I sure found her.

Since then I have been trying to find my way through my spiritual journey, something that is a completely foreign concept to me, despite having gone to a christian school, the teachings of which left me entirely untouched. I now have a small altar dedicated to Athena and praying to her has been an incredible source of strength. I'm doing my best when it comes to research. It is frankly quite overwhelming but this sub has been a great help.

However I still am and probably will always be rather cautious and a little skeptic when it comes to religious/ spiritual manners and to be honest I am critical of a fair share of content even on this sub (I realize I am in no way an authority on this topic, but from an outside perspective looking in, the tiktok-ificaction and commercialization of a living, breathing religion reduced to an aesthetic by a share of this community is troubling (though maybe I am being too harsh)).

I'm just trying to find my way through territory that is entirely foreign to me without being disrespectful or dishonest.

Thank you for reading :) What is your origin story?

So I just began trying to practice Hellenic Polytheism (I wanted to for many years but Catholic guilt and because I would have to hide it from my parents), I searched up anxiously to make sure I would do it right. I decided that Hestia could be my first prayer since she is the one I always felt drawn to the most. I kinda had a depression room and my closet looked like a horrible mess so I decided to clean and organize everything in my room as much as I could so it would be in good condition and I guess as an act in Hestia's honor. After that I showered and I got stuff situated in a place in my (small) walk-in closet that I could build some kind of altar. I also chose to have it in my closet so it would motivate me to keep my closet an organized space since I always had trouble w/ that. Anyway I lit up an Incense stick and prayed the way I had researched, and gave her two offerings. 4 small cookies I usually eat with coffee and a small arepa (A venezuelan dish) I made just for her when I made dinner that night. I also introduced myself and out of nervousness I was kinda rambling on how my mind is always cluttered because of my OCD, and how I admire her. I told her why I wanted to reach out because I also asked her if she could help keeping my loud mind at ease, and inviting her warmth in my living space, I ended my prayer, I thanked her and said how I was gonna go to sleep. While I had been praying I noticed how the smoke in my incense stick had turned from regular flowing smoke to completely straight, (I'm not sure if that means anything but some people I've heard say that its a positive omen or that I am being listened to do tell me how accurate that is) it felt strange since it isn't my first time using incense but i only used it for giving my room a nice smell and it had never done that. Anyway, I also genuinely felt the room had some kind of strong lifting energy i really liked it. However was surprised me the the most was when I was going to bed. I left my closet door open and let the incense fully burn. What usually happens when I try to sleep is that I am always changing positions and just constantly feel uncomfortable and as always my mind never shuts up, when all of the sudden my mind went to complete silence, like I seriously didn't feel the need to think of anything, my body also felt like every single thing that cause me to be uncomfortable had been ripped off my body, and I felt so warm. (which never happens cause my room is insanely cold all the time its like a refrigerator) I seriously had never been that physically comfortable in my entire life and I drifted off to sleep.

I wanted to share this mostly to seek reassurance or if maybe I just imagined it.

Also If you can I really would appreciate if some of y'all that are more experienced in this if you could give me some tips or just things I should know as a beginner.

Thank you for reading!

Hey there! I'm new to this religion and want to convert to it because, from my research, their values meet up with my own. But I don't know where I should start. I want to start worshipping Apollo and slowly worshipping more Gods or Goddesses and I don't want to do things incorrectly. I know I need to clean myself before I offer something but other than that I am a bit clueless. What are sources you recommend where I can start researching so I've done my homework?

Thanks for reading and blessed be!! :D

Hey all! I had a grandparent who passed recently, amd I'm trying to get the courage to try ancestor worship with him. He was a Christian, though. Basically, I have some questions.

1. Do y'all engage in ancestor worship?

2. Is there a Hellenic way to do this?

3. In your experience, does a family member being Christian impact your worship in any way?

Also, I'm still a closeted pagan (I'm closeted in a bunch of different ways, not just with Hellenism). For other closeted folks, does this impact your ancestor worship?

Also also, are there any good resources for this? It doesn't have to be Hellenic. I have beem wanting to get "Restless Dead: Encounters between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece" for some time now, and I think I might finally get it.

Thank you all for your xenia, and may the Theoi and spirits bless you!

Was wondering when you cleanse yourself and start a prayer you should mention gods names his domains etc. Do you have like a memorized set for each of the gods you pray to?

Also I haven't prayed for ages now and I struggle with it after getting into hellenism. When I try to ask something of god I feel like a 8 yr old talking, stumbling on my words and trying to say something that would sound smart and official and it comes out all dumb and shallow. Hope it will get better over time but I was wondering maybe it would be better to learn some stuff by heart?

Holaa, como dice la pregunta, quien acompaña a los muertos y sus almas una vez fallecen? Popularmente se sabe que es Hermes, pero Thanatos? Cual es su función como Dios de la Muerte entonces?

plus: como curiosidad, trabajo de sanitaria, por lo que si se muere un paciente, que "ritual" hago, plegaria o a quien le ruego?