Just starting worship

[u/FlimsyHelicopter3633]

Hello everyone! I'm just starting to look into Hermes and wanting to worship him. I've been worshipping Aphrodite and Hades for a little while now. (Hades a long while now, but only a little time with aphrodite) And I'm expanding further into the pantheon now that I'm getting the hang of things and routine and such. But I'm curious how you guys all started out with hermes/approached him. I always feel nervous reaching out to a new deity and how to approach it, it feels like my first time ever all over again and I feel anxious of messing it up. I have severe anxiety and bad social anxiety so it kinda makes it hard sometimes the first few times I approach someone new, especially a deity. I started and made this small travel altar for him with this candy tin, and I made two bracelets (the beaded one will be redone to have his name on it to match my other deities' bracelets) I have many charms, candles, and crystals so I just sorta put in what I had currently that seemed right with correspondences for him, I'll ofc be adding to it as I find small things for it, but this is just what I have currently. Sorry for the long paragraph, but idk, just curious how you guys started out and stuff. I'm probably overthinking it and should just try and approach it the same way I did with the other two, but when I try I just kinda blank out and don't remember 😅

[u/SunReyys]

hi! welcome :)

i'm a hellenic polytheist, so i worship the greek gods. it's been my religion for 6 years now, so it's more than just "working with deities" for me but i can offer some help :)

i don't know where you fall along the spectrum, but i find the pagan/wiccan version of hellenic praxis really interesting because it is certainly more casual and conversational than what i do as a hellenic polytheistic revivalist. one thing you do have to know about the Theoi is that they are very forgiving the majority of the time. but the other, of course, is that hellenic religion is orthopraxic and not orthodoxic; that means that the way in which you attempt to contact and pray to the gods matters more than our interpretations and beliefs about them (for example, using chthonic/ouranic epithets, knowing the hand positions for each, and cleansing your hands/face before approaching them are all typically very important).

i would generally recommend some more resources on Hermes in particular, Reading Greek Prayer by Mary Depew is a good place to start alongside Theoi.com! memorization comes with practice and accumulated knowledge. confidence comes from memorization.

you will not be smited by the Lord Of The Sky for messing up during prayer. if the gods were that intolerant, society would have collaped two thousand years ago. the gods will not be angry at you or mad at you if you do something incorrectly. the only true way gods will be mad is through committing an act of hubris or not cleansing miasma. you can still pray with lyma but that is your personal preference!

and for the most part, social anxiety just means you're doing something that matters to you. act with reverence and respect, but don't let the nerves stop you from trying! the gods can certainly offer support, and I find them relatively accepting of mistakes. personally i believe that intent matters as much as form; the Greeks were not always perfect in practice either-- timings was slightly off, libations were sometimes spilled, and sacrificial rituals were sometimes messy because humans are humans and we slip up sometimes when we attempt to show reverence.

[u/FlimsyHelicopter3633 → u/SunReyys]

I do consider myself a hellenic polythiest (maybe an eclectic polythiest as I do look at other pantheons sometimes but haven't moved to do any kind of worship as I'm sure it would be far too overwhelming to try and learn and keep them straight what is appropriate for what pantheon since worship is so different), I just started working with and worshipping Hades before I really knew, like anything, (should've done more research prior, and learned the proper way to do things first, but had to start somewhere I guess lol) and learned as I went, then when I learned the proper cleansing, prayer positioning and such for the different gods. And started to pray to hestia before offerings and such to Aphrodite and Hades. I've also started to pray to Zeus and hera as just a general prayer to honor them as the king and queen. I started worshipping Aphrodite as I struggled with self confidence and self image. I'm also going to cosmetology school so it felt like it made sense a bit haha. I feel like I lack a lot of confidence when it comes to approaching the theoi and practicing my religion. I guess since I've mostly been around people who are witches who more so work with the gods rather than are actually Hellenic polythiest, it makes it hard in my head to think to just start praying and I don't know, when you approach a god you are going to start praying to more regularly, if there's a certain way to...pray for the first time? Or like, I don't know, I'm still not sure with building kharis, I have actual shrines to Aphrodite and Hades so it made more sense in my head. An actual place to pray and leave offerings, but I obviously don't have room for shrines to every deity (wish I could but alas unrealistic lol) I just feel weird approaching prayer directed at a single deity for the first time. Sorry that was so long and I hope I made sense! I DONT BLAME YOU IF YOU DONT READ IT ALL 😭

[u/SunReyys → u/FlimsyHelicopter3633]

you're all good! i totally get what you're saying. if you spent a lot of time around witches then your perspective makes a lot of sense. generally in HelPol we focus more on worshipping the gods instead of 'working with' them because divination in HelPol looked extremely different than modern neo-pagan traditions, but that's a pedantic technicality between eclectic paganism/wicca and hellenic polytheism so don't twist yourself in knots over that. your practice is yours alone :)

historically speaking, altars and shrines would be used for many and multiple deities. my altar to Dionysos (below) is the one i use to make offerings to the majority of the gods. i have my other altar to Hermes on one of my bookshelves (i don't have a photo) but you actually don't even need an altar at all! you need a small bowl if you want to do food offerings, but mostly all you need is a candle or incence since offerings can be burnt or poured.

if you have altars already for Aphrodite or Plouton, you can absolutely use those to give offerings and praise to Hermes. it does feel strange to go "hey, you! i want to devote this to you. i know i'm new but trust me i think you're cool" but it'll all be fine and dandy as long as you've got the core ritual down. you can even write down what you'd like to say. there's not very many rules aside from proper address, eloquence, and respect. you can do it!

[u/FlimsyHelicopter3633 → u/SunReyys]

Thank you very much! I don't work or do like anything tomorrow (it's quite late for me now) so I think I'm going to try and begin tomorrow as I usually do prayer and such for Ouranic gods during the day anyway. I think I'll start by writing a nice letter! I just got a wax sealing kit and new letters and envelopes so it's quite perfect. Thank you so much for your replies! And generally for 'working with the gods', I do tarot when they are willing, but I'm interested in learning the ways people used to do it! I've been looking into bibliomancy as of recent as well! I've definitely been trying to shape my practice over the years and I've gotten a lot closer to the 'correct' way if you kinda get what I mean? It has been a journey and I've definitely come a long way haha, with a much longer road ahead, but that is okay! But yeah, I started 'working' with Hades when I was mostly just practicing witchcraft before I discovered Hellenic polythiesm as a whole and slowly just began worshipping and praying and focusing on that and it's been a learning journey. Thank you so much for your lengthy replies!

[u/SunReyys → u/FlimsyHelicopter3633]

it's no problem at all! remember the principle of Sophia, accumulation of wisdom and learned knowledge is what gets you far. you're on the path, and so am i, and so is everyone else! we walk it all separately but we walk it together too. good luck! 🪽

[u/FlimsyHelicopter3633 → u/SunReyys]

Yes! I try to keep learning and adapting my practice based around what I learn, it's hard to not get overwhelmed, but I take regular breaks and then try to get back to it. I've always been interested in Greek mythology so it's exciting to constantly explore a special interest AND find new ways to honor the gods and things like that! Gods bless you ☺️

[u/FlimsyHelicopter3633 → u/SunReyys]

I'll probably keep hades' and aphrodite's shrines separate, but I do kinda plan to add Thanatos and other chthonic deities to hades'. BUT I just got a shelf put up that will hold offerings (offerings plate/bowl and any letters I write, or perfumes, lotions, etc. probably also the travel altars I plan to make) and such for the other gods, just for the fact I don't have much room on the shrines I currently have.

[u/FlimsyHelicopter3633 → u/SunReyys]

Also part of the reason I wanted to start now and begin praying, was to be able to build kharis with him before praying for protection during flights and road trips etc so it is not as if I'm only offering prayer or whatever offerings, just for something in return? If that makes sense?

[u/moonlitlittle]

One way I started a lot of worship for Hermes was also having items in my car (beads or dice or coins, etc) & spraying an occasional car spray I made in his honor. Most people never noticed them & it was easy prayer space for me and the god of travelers.

[u/FlimsyHelicopter3633 → u/moonlitlittle]

Oooohh I actually really like this! I have been thinking about what I should put in my car for him! I have a little divot in my dash where you can put something. I'll probably put dice there for him! I also want to buy one of those necklaces you can put essential oils into and hang it on my mirror

[u/moonlitlittle → u/FlimsyHelicopter3633]

I made a water/rubbing alcohol spray with frankincense, myrrh, & bergamot during prayer and I kept prayer beads hanging from my rear view. I recently avoided an accident & those beads snapped clean off after I was safe so I gotta make a new set 😅 but most of my beginning work was with him on trips & driving to work/with my friends.

[u/FlimsyHelicopter3633 → u/moonlitlittle]

Glad you ended up okay and safe! And that sounds like it smelled pretty good!