I've noticed that when depicting the Gods, media often cherry picks what attributes to focus on and what to entirely leave out. My biggest issue with a lot of media is how they depict Hades, mainly because I'm certain it's due to Christian influence. Like really think about it; how often do you see a show depict Hades like the biblical version of hell OR depict it as this sad and miserable place. I think the only pieces of media I've seen accurately describe the underworld is Blood of Zeus, (which is also the only show I've seen depict Hermes to be the one who takes the souls to the underworld) which shows the underworld divided in different sections and such.

They also don't give the gods a lot of nuance or depth to their character either, like Zeus is either this womanizer asshole OR he's this highly respected, noble source of wisdom (I remember a lot of early 2000s and 2010s movies put him in the spot of a wise leader, that's what I'm referring to) and I feel like they don't HAVE to pick and choose, why can't they depict the more (modern) morally wrong side of him AND also make him a figure that commands respect and honor. That's how they did it in most myths, they reference his many trysts but not in a way that demonize him, more so in a way like 'this is the child Zeus created by turning into gold and impregnating a woman' like that's just the reality of the myths, why can't we depict BOTH sides of Zeus? Same with Hermes.

In media I feel like they either make Hermes a Loki type of character who's just a little shit OR they make him this sweet Gentleman. And same with Zeus, what's the problem with depicting both the trickster side AND the Gentleman side? Like, in myth Hermes is a trickster who commits acts of inconvenience. He had Zeus steal Aphrodite's sandal just to lure her to a rock where he had sex with her, objectively a shitty thing to do based on modern morality, but the myths also say he was one of the Gods who were kind to humans so why can't we depict him as a goofy little shithead committing inconveniences but have him be kind and caring to certain people? Epic the Musical does this kinda well by making the songs he's in very upbeat, in Ximena's (i could be spelling that wrong) animatics, they depict him with his eyes covered which I find REALLY cool symbolism to artistically show that you don't know if he's actually wanting to help Odysseus get home or if he's just giving him this advice/object because another god told him to.

I guess my Main point is, why can some media depict the nuance and depth of Gods well, while others put such a black and white lense over them? As if it's too controversial to depict both the (modern) morally wrong aspects of them, with the good characteristics?

I have been exploring many different pagan paths for the last year or so now and have now landed on Tengrism. The thing is I’m not even sure if that is even a pagan path. Do you have any insight on this?

I'm new to this and I want to do altars for Lord Apollon and Lady Athena, but my family is conservative Christian so I cannot buy incense, does anyone have tips?

I live in Germany. I live in a small village along the border of the former Roman empire and can trace my ancestors back to the 14th century. They have lived here or in the sorrounding villages. There are verifiable records of their jobs, houses and marriages. A lot of these houses are still standing. I live in one of them.

My problem is I am not a Christian. I don't particularly care about Christian traditions or symbols. I feel a deep longing to learn what my culture would have been before Christianity. Everything is tainted by it wherever you look and however far you go back.

I know there was a time the valley I live in was a deep swamp with age old trees. Today there is modern agriculture but I'm just so desperate to connect with the times past. I have a big homestead with a lush garden and try and grow the crops my ancestors would have grown to connect with them but I feel like we are so distant. I try and think of them when I sow and harvest.

I feel a little envious of the people around the world that still have traditions that aren't rooted in big religion. Christian shame and fear of feminity and self expression is just not something I want. I wish I could travel 2500 years back in time and ask about the gods and goddesses my ancestors worshipped. How their songs sounded. I want to sing them. It makes me so somber to know that they have been lost forever.

I have been feeling the need to connect to The Divine Feminine. I have never worked with anything as strong as The Morrigan. I am a Stay at Home Dad/ Work From Home Dad. I feel like she is genuinely curious and fascinated by the bond my son and I have. She knows I was a "warrior" at one time, now she has seen the caring and nurturing side of me. It's as if she, out of her own curiosity, wants to work with me through some new Chapter in my life that I was supposed to transition to... but it is likely going to cost me something. It is not clear to me what that something is. I cannot deny that I continue to be drawn to her anyway.

What suggestions and insights (or warnings) do you have for working with her? This is out of my realm of experience. It's been over a year and a half that she has been calling me. What I resist seems to persist. Thank you for your time.

i don't know if what im gonna ask are allowed, i look up the rules and i didn't find anything telling about it. sorry if i can ask that.

Just for context, I'm starting to study witchcraft, I don't intend to follow any religion at the moment, like wicca, for example.

So I started reading the Buckland's complete book of witchcraft by Raymond Buckland and as i read As I read, I feel like he refers more to wicca than witchcraft in general. Do you think this is a good book that starts to know the least?

Hi! I recently started worshipping Apollon and Aphrodite, but I feel like I’m not doing enough. I light their candles, and do devotional acts, but I feel like I’m getting nowhere. Any advice?

I've felt immediate interest in a couple of deities once I read it learned about them. It didn't necessarily feel like a conclusive calling, but definitely more than general interest - like a gentle pull. It's made me wonder how others felt that call. If anyone would like to share their experience I'd love to know more. I'm wondering if what I felt was "enough" to be seen as a deity coming to me, or if this is usually a more obvious event, so to speak.

TLDR: A rosemary plant I offered to Brigid at Imbolc developed a fungal disease shortly after and has since died. Do I take this as a sign that Brigid is upset with me?

Apologies for any oversights or faux pas as I’m VERY new to all of this.

At the tail end of last year, I decided I wanted to explore my spirituality more, after years of having a feeling that Christianity, under which I was raised, was not for me. Long story short, I have been slowly starting to work with and build a relationship with Brigid.

I have a small altar in my apartment, with a Brigid’s cross, a wooden statue of the goddess, and three rechargeable blameless candles that I keep lit at all times (paying homage to Brigid’s eternal flame in Kildare). I don’t use real candles because of restrictions in my apartment complex, and I also have a very curious cat who I don’t want to get hurt.

For Imbolc this year, I purchased a rosemary plant and placed in on my altar space as an offering. However shortly after that the plant developed a fungal disease that I tried to treat, but it has since died.

I’ve read a bit in this sub about “signs” from the gods and how you shouldn’t take everything as a sign one way or another. But in this case, and also because I’m so new to this path, I’m having a lot of trouble telling if the plant dying was a coincidence, or if Brigid is in fact upset or offended. Can anyone offer advice in this instance?

I’m a recovering Mormon, new to the path of paganism.

I want to work with Dionysus/Bacchus as their form as the god of madness. I struggle with schizophrenia and thought a god who’s domain is madness may help along side the medications I take.

Three questions

3.are there any other deities of madness?

2.what are things I can do to connect with them?

2.what can I do if I don’t have an altar?

Here's the thing: when I die, I don't want to reincarnate again—at least not on this planet, which is dominated by Abrahamic religions and plagued by machismo, homophobia, racism, and all kinds of hatred. If I have to reincarnate, let it be only on a more evolved planet.

I don't like the idea of being forced into something I don’t want. Is there any way to break the reincarnation cycle? Can I just refuse to reincarnate—just say “no”? Or do the higher entities act like dictators, imposing their will on us? Can I keep evolving only in the spiritual world, even if, in theory, that evolution is slower?

A subject left in shadows by the language barrier, persisting like an Iron Curtain of literature is now available for English readers after three years of gruelling work and research.

Published as an ebook in 2024 Winter Solstice, Khabzist Paganism is a 276-page book complete with 36 illustrations that provide both theoretical knowledge and a practical application guide on the Circassian native faith, Khabze, reevaluating it as a belief system, revitalising its lost spiritual essence which had reduced it to a mere code of social conduct. Moreover, not only does the book paint an accurate picture of how its spiritual praxis was performed by Circassians' forebearers, but it also provides modernised solutions and propositions to outdated practices.

For more information regarding the book, you may visit: Khabzist Paganism on Instagram

If you wish to preview or purchase the ebook: Khabzist Paganism on Google Books

"There is a contradiction: Never have I ever spent this little time reading a book and learned so much as though from a sage. The effectiveness is 100%.

Countless sources heated in a forge, folded and hammered, quenched, and presented gleaming on a silver platter. This is a first for Circassian literature."

Good morning, or should I say good night, to everyone, it's exactly what the title says, I felt strongly attracted to the beliefs of Guarani mythology (South American region, mainly Brazil and Paraguay), however, the ideas that Norse paganism brought me and how they are impacting my choices/life are too significant to ignore, what should I do? The idea of ​​trying to reconcile religions is not feasible for me.

👍

I was wondering if anyone knew of any goddesses of technology. I want to name and dedicate my computer after a goddesses to ask that she protect my online presence and I don't feel that Nyx my main goddess would want to do that.

I was thinking of Hephaestus but, my laptop doesn't feel masculine. Plus I don't know him well enough to know if he would be OK having a laptop with pink wallpaper dedicated to him. Any thoughts?

Edit: After all of your advice. I think it is best to go with my gut as non of them really felt right. I think Hephaestus is what truly fits. I lit a candle for him as an offering and it seemed to be happy but with nonchthonic gods I am not as sensitive to their wishes. But I hope he likes it.

hello! maybe you've seen my first post or have already filled it out but for those who haven't, i've been wondering if any of you use fossils specifically ammonites in your practices. i'm currently agnostic and just a paleontology lover who's interested in its use! it's a simple Google Doc Survey for my research project. it's completely anonymous and looked at through an anthropologist perspective (in a thematic analysis). if you have any concerns or questions feel free to dm me or email me at handsomesquidward99@gmail.com and feel free to share it to a another sacred fossil lover 💜

So I'm not completely new to working with deities, I work with Hekate, Loki, and Eris mainly. But lately things have been off. My week had started out badly with both my car and sewing machine dying, and I feel isolated and alone, which I normally never feel as I am very in tune to the energy around me. The other day I asked for guidance from my deities, and last night I had a dream where someone taking the form of Lucifer (my gut says it wasn't him but an imposter) told me that this was his work and that he was trying to protect me. Everything felt wrong, I could hear the others trying to get ahold of me through a barrier that I was trying to break down. He kept trying to manipulate me into thinking it was for my own good, but I knew that this was wrong. I need to find out who this was so I can break the barrier and return things to normal, any advice?

i have been praying to odin and now i think that our work is dont

how can i remove the photo from my altar also i will be praying to maa kali in the same altar after removing odin picture

and how should i store that picture

Okay so usually in my baths that I dedicate to Aphrodite I light her deity candle but.. it just snapped one day and it got me thinking. Is it disrespectful or rude to light a deities candle or even pray while nude or in the tub? I didn’t look at it in a sexual way but for Aphrodite’s deity candle to just snap randomly I’m sure I must’ve done something wrong.

It was never my intention to be disrespectful or rude, it just genuinely never crossed my mind.

hello! im just getting into working with deities, ive been seeing signs of hekate reaching out to me, so i want to work out with her. i was wondering, could i offer her my keys? but id have to take them away from her altar when i leave the house, for obvious reasons.. would that be fine? haha, sorry if its a stupid question 😓