#every prayer to Athena i've been making lately is just “oof ouch my brain”

[beatingdrumspouringwine]

Words from the Gods 1 - Where Are They?

I figured I would start this series with the way most people begin to encounter the Gods - through beginning their worship of the Gods. I don't know if this is super prevalent, but I feel like I've seen occasional posts from people asking how they can reach out to the Gods. Usually, this is accompanied by worries about receiving signs, altar prep, or whatever else have you.

I'll delve into signs in another post, but I want to talk about where the Gods are. One of my favorite things about being a Hellenic Polytheist is that the Gods are, both literally and figuratively, all around us. There are Dryads in the trees, Nymphs in the waters, and Gods in general in the world around us. We're never alone, and unlike the slight paranoia that this sentiment can cause us, it's actually a rather peaceful thing. Even if you've never called out to a particular God before, or if you haven't prayed to Them in a while, as long as you can call to Them, or even think to Them, They will be there.

And I think this is something that some people kind of miss. The really big, really intense experiences with the Gods are what are really sought out, as they can lead to interesting stories, and possibly a deeper faith as well. But this comes with the flip side of forgetting about the beauty that stands so close to us, we are always within it. We don't need the Gods to call out to us if, say, you're already standing in Athena's domain by hanging out in a library, or you're already in the presence of Zeus by watching a thunderstorm roll by. Reaching out to the Gods, in that sense, isn't necessarily some great big step that can only occur under the most formal of situations, but can even happen in a casual passing acknowledgment. Personally, as someone who loves rainstorms, I always make sure to say hello to Zeus when there's a particularly good storm. I don't necessarily worship Him fully (yet), but at the same time, acknowledging His existence is something easily done.

Unfortunately, I've been writing this essay on Finals Brain Rot (if you know, you know), so my thoughts aren't quite as well-articulated as they could be. If I can give any kind of conclusion to this, however, it would simply be that the Gods are always closer than we think they are. And if you come from a Christian background, with the idea of an omnipresent/omnipotent God, this can sound a little scary. But it's not quite scary or malicious. Instead, it's like having a friend who is always within reach, who can be spoken to with the gentlest touch. The Gods are good, They are kind, and They are always near to us.

This went a little less "metaphysical" then I was planning on, but I'll save that for the next installation, which will hopefully come out a bit faster, and will be about dreams and discerning said dreams.

Also, credit for the little end divider goes to @cafekitsune :)

#every prayer to Athena i've been making lately is just “oof ouch my brain” #so i hope this makes some degree of sense #dionysian #dionysos #dionysus #hellenic polytheism #hellenic polytheist #dionysos deity #dionysus deity #hellenic pagan #hellenic gods #hellenism #helpol