This post is one of the parts of a guide for beginners, and new helpols!
Right now I will talk about one of the most important yet difficult things to decide: how do you choose a God/Goddess to worship?
We will meet the Twelve Olympians in this post, but I need to make a little precision first!
The Gods we all know more are the famous “Twelve of Olympus” but among them there is a difference: Ouranic and Chthonic.
Ouranic (οὐράνιοι – “of the sky/heavens”): These are the sky-aligned, upper-world gods, like the Olympians.
They are associated with light, order, life, growth, justice, protection, and public worship.
Offerings were and are usually burned, given in the morning or daytime
Libations are poured upward or into a fire
Worship is facing upward or toward an altar
Praying hands are facing the sky
Altars are usually raised
Examples of Ouranic Gods: Zeus, Hera, Apollon, Athena, Hermes (in his Olympian role or else he could be also Chthonic), etc.
Chthonic (χθόνιοι – “of the earth/underworld”): These are the earth-aligned, underworld gods and spirits.
They are tied to death, fate, mystery, ancestors, spirits, silence, transformation.
Offerings were buried or poured into the ground
Libations go downward
Worship usually happens at night
Praying hands facing the ground
Altars are low, close to the ground or pits
Examples of Chthonic Gods: Hades, Persephone, Hekate (in her chthonic aspect), Thanatos, the Erinyes, spirits of the dead.
Some Gods are liminal: they move between both realms. Like for example Hermes or Dionysus.
Who are the Olympians?
The Twelve Olympians (or Dodekatheon) are the best-known deities in Hellenism. They’re the gods of Olympus (high, luminous) and were widely honored in public worship across the Greek world.
They include:
Zeus – “King of the gods”, sky and weather (thunder, lightning, rain), kingships and rule, law, order, justice, oaths, governance, hospitality.
Hera – “Queen of the gods”, marriage and sacred union, Queenship and regality, divine law and family order, protection of women, fertility within the bounds of lawful marriage.
Poseidon – Oceans and seas, arthquakes (called the “Earth-shaker”), horses and horse taming, storms at sea, harbor protection, sailors, seafarers, and islanders, earth and fertility (older cult aspect)
Demeter – Agriculture and cultivated land, grain and cereal crops, fertility of the earth, sacred law and the rhythms of life, protection of marriage and rural communities.
Athena – Wisdom and intellect, strategic warfare (as opposed to Ares' brute force), crafts and weaving, protection of cities, laws and justice, rational thought and fair judgment.
Apollon – The sun and light, prophecy and oracles (especially Delphi), healing and medicine, music, poetry, and the lyre, archery, plagues and purification, reason, order, and harmony, youth and male beauty, shepherds.
Artemis – The wilderness and untamed nature; The hunt and wild animals: virginity, chastity, and protection of women; childbirth and midwifery (as protector of mothers and infants); The moon (in later syncretism); Young maidens and transitions into womanhood; Protection of children and purification
Ares – War and battle (particularly chaotic and bloodthirsty war, unlike Athena’s strategic warfare); physical aggression, rage, bloodlust; courage, violence, and masculine strength; warriors and soldiers; destruction and conquest; rebellion, impulse, and raw desire and fatherhood.
Aphrodite – Love (romantic and erotic); beauty and aesthetics; fertility and procreation; sensual pleasure and desire; attraction, charm, and seduction; marriage and union; the generative forces of life; sea travel and sailors (in some cults)
Hephaistos – Fire; metalworking and metallurgy; blacksmithing and artisanship; sculpture, invention, and design, craft and mechanical ingenuity, technology, and forges; volcanic activity; laborers and working-class people;
Hermes – Travel and roads; boundaries and transitions; messengers and communication; commerce, merchants, markets; thieves, trickery, and wit; luck and fortune, language and writing; herds and shepherds; gymnasiums and athletes; soul-guidance (psychopomp — guide of souls to the Underworld); initiations and liminal states.
Dionysus – Wine and grape cultivation; fertility and nature’s renewal; theater and performance; ecstasy and divine madness; mysticism and altered states; death and rebirth; liberation from social norms; initiation rites and sacred frenzy (Maenadism, Bacchic rites)
Some older traditions include Hestia, goddess of the hearth, instead of Dionysus. In a myth she gives the throne to Dionysus, showing her kindness and peaceful demeanor. Many modern practitioners honor all thirteen.
“Which God do I choose?”
When you’re just stepping into Hellenism, one of the first questions that hits is:
“There are so many gods. who do I begin with?!”
The real answer is that there is not any rule! I need to say that the tradition of choosing a God to worship comes from the influence of Christianity. Ancient Greeks worshipped mostly every God and Goddess.
And personally as a “Reconstructionist” I prefer to do it as the Greeks.
But surely its difficult! And not even I sometimes can do it like I want! So you dont EVER need to push yourself through something you dont want or dont feel like doing.
So how do you choose? I would advice to start reading about every God, specially if you dont know much about Greek Gods and mythology in general. Like I said earlier, the Gods you can worship are not only the Olympians, they are many: Gods, Titans, Spirits etc.
Once you read about some Gods, choose the one who you feel a connection to or you are more interested to.
I want to specify that its normal if you dont feel much attraction at first, or you dont achieve how much you want to worship! Its completely normal if you feel overwhelmed or you cant do what you want to do!
I say to give it time, it doesn’t matter the quantity but the quality. Worship also once a week or more, if you feel like you cant do much! The Gods WONT be mad.
“How do I begin to worship?”
I’ll give you a simple example.
The Olympians are a great place to begin, especially if you’re building a home practice. Here’s a simple structure you can use to begin forming relationships:
Each day (or each time you worship):
Cleanse your hands (khernips)
Light a candle or incense
Say something simple like: “Great Olympians, I honor you with respect and kharis. May you watch over my home and life. May my offerings be accepted.”
Pour water or offer food, flowers, or olive oil
Speak freely to the god(s) you feel drawn to.
No pressure. No perfection needed. Just presence and sincerity.
Also you don’t need a dream or a voice to confirm Their presence. You don’t even need to “feel something” every time.
The gods are bigger than feelings, and their relationships are built in slow, sacred time.
I hope I explained all well! I’m always up to questions! 💛
