this mess is a place

The sun and all things in the morn, The echo of a lyre heaven-strung. The voice that beckons creation to harmony, The light that Phoebus casts, blinding. The peace that drips from the stars, The quiet of laurel burning in the altar.

português:

Sometimes you need to accept you will never finish a neat piece and just post it

Altar June 30 2026. Bit of a tour.

I moved all the Oikos Theoi (Household) to my main altar. So now I only have one altar plus my Kamidana.

On the left. Jar is Zeus Ktesios, purple bag is Agathe Tykhe, glass snake is Agathos Daimon. Statue in center is Zeus Herkeios and Hera Oikos. Right is the boundary Theoi: Hermes with his compass and coins, Apollo Argyieus, and Hekate. Hestia is up above and center of the whole altar (not in this photo). Her "hearth" candle is in the center. I'm very happy with their integration into my main altar.

The "health" Theoi/Diĝirene are in this corner. Hera Antheia she has flower earrings at the base of her statue because she "demanded" flowers on her statue if I was to have her on my altar, that was UPG many years ago but I dare not break it. Ninisina Gula is next to her, the snake she is holding is her son Damu. The white lady & black lord with a they/them bracelet is Nanaya. Hygeia has her purple lavender bag she "claimed" as well as a vanilla scented candle she "requested", I replaced her old big candle because it honestly really didn't smell like vanilla to me it was too faint. Asklepios, his statue has beads that represent the Asklepiades: Hygeia (again), Akeso, Iaso, Panakeia, Aigle; the blue tea candle is his wife Epione. There is also Athena, worshipped on my altar under four epithets but for the sake of this "section" she is Athena Paionia.

These gods get my morning prayer.

The box is for the heroine Pandora and daimon Elpis (hope), still working on how I will incorporate hero worship into my practice.

The other side.

Most importantly My Queen Ereškigal is upper left idol. On her is a pendant for Namtar her sukkal, the bracelet for Ninazu her son. Next to her the black statue is her husband Gugal-ana. He has the white beads of Ĝeštinana during spring & summer when she is a scribe in Kur. In front of them is Ereškigal's cuneiform plaque votive offering used for summer & fall: "Ereškigal Queen of Where the Sun Sets"

Also on this side is Damgalnuna, statue carrying water jug, and attached to her is an ancient replica of her husband Enki. The statue holding crops is Nisaba Gunida (though historically I believe this statue was a Canannite deity). The globe is Gaia & Uraš (yes, both), under the globe is a green stone for the current season Theros (summer). Nirah is the cobra snake, protector of my sacred space as he once protected Enlil's temple. Inana is here represented by the "burney relief", with the black beads representing Dumuzid during his time in the world of the living spring & summer. The red candle is a purification tool representing Gibil. On the wall is Enlil and Ninlil.

The pink saint candle is Mater Dolorosa I'm not sure if I plan to worship her but I placed her on my altar in case. She won't be a third tradition of mariolatry that I once tried, instead she will be worshipped as a hero Mariam in Hellenic hero tradition. This candle faces backwards usually so I don't get any questions.

Full Altar. The bowl on the left is the seasonal libation bowl for summer.

Gods I didn't mention in the close ups:

Ningirima Goddess of incantation is the bell that I ring when addressing the Gods (usually directly before a prayer or libation). On the wall: dagger is Ninĝirsu, the sun disc is Utu Ĝešnu'dikuda Zalage—Utu Shining Light of Justice— purposefully not worshipped as The Sun. The moon disc with stars is Nanna and his wife Ningal Si'iminbi. Athena under epithets: Erganê, Panhellênia, and Phrónēsis. Not really visible but at the foot of Athena is a fancy pen for Nisaba Geštug.

In the top photo you can see my devotional jewelry plate; it is removed during ritual. (Also I hadn't switched Ĝeštinana and Dumuzid's beads yet in that photo.)

If I choose to worship Zoë I'll probably tuck her statue out of sight as best I can as to avoid questions. Again I'm unsure of how my hero worship of Pandora, Mariam, and Zoë will actually develop.

Despite how overfilled this altar seems—like 46 if we count different epithets if they have different representations. The reason for this is, Theoi/Diĝirene are worshiped on specific days throughout the month, as well as some every morning (health), the rest simply listed each night with a short prayer. So while it may seem like a lot, when spread out over a month it doesn't feel that big. Altars/Shrines have always been a huge part of my practice, ngl I absolutely struggle when I don't have one.

All that being said, I only have a few idols ("cult statues").

"The Gods manifested themselves on Earth through the vehicle of their cult statues. Without exactly being the god, the statue was regarded as much more than his or her image, since it was imbued with (but did not in anyway restrict) the divine presence."— Gods Demons and Symbols by Black page 55-56

I had reconsecrated a few statues to be full fledged idols back in 2022, I have asked a few to return back to simple representations.

Now only 2 Diĝirene are fully consecrated as idols: Ereškigal and Inana. Gibil, Ningirima, Nirah should be based on function— I'll work on that probably during my "full altar" day on the 21st. So 5 in total.

Only 4 Theoi are fully consecrated idols— Hestia, Athena, Hygeia, Asklepios. Hera Antheia's old idol was consecrated but she is put away. I will probably consecrate her new one, no UPG but I believe she would like that. So 5 in total.

Thus despite this many Gods on my altar I still keep it manageable with only 10 idols. Any Theoi/Diĝirene/Daimon/Hero is very welcome to animate their representation fully as an idol if they so desire on their own (especially during ritual). I reaffirm this each month when I invite the gods to my altar after I clean and purify it.

"To Tethys-Thalassa, Thesis of the Sea"

I sing of the great Mother of the Seas, of Creation, of all things infinite and profound!

Untamable are you - the tides flow at your command, and no man can begin to measure or rival your strength.

Awesome and terrible you are, O goddess, for you are the ocean itself; all might and magnificence is yours,

You are the primordial Creation, the venerable, ever-flowing deep, sprung not from a mother's womb but from the very first moment of existence,

And ever since, you have relentlessly, tirelessly circled the sphere of life.

Ancient are you, yet never growing old, for you are eternal, and are eternity itself.

Your name is a great melody first sung at the beginning of time and never ceasing,

Your form is vast, beautiful, awe-inspiring, striking fear into weak-hearted men,

And adulation into the courageous, who sail upon your seas, who delve beneath your shadowy depths, who stand within your crashing waves with a spirit of pure reverence.

Terrifying are you, yet kind, for you are the waters in which all life finds its origin; all health-giving springs and rivers come from and return to you.

You hold all creatures of the deep as your beloved children, teaching and sheltering them, from the bright surface to the lightless abyss.

Even to men do you push and pull, rocking them in your embrace, testing their bravery, guiding them with your holy, mysterious ways.

All the oceans' colors, moods and depths are yours, for you are all-encompassing, O holy, mighty queen.

Hail to you, who is called Thesis, the font of creation, Tethys, the mother of life, Thalassa, the great omnipotent ocean!

I sing of you in awe and worship.