#asklepios

Roman anatomical votive of a left leg. The inscription reads: Tyche [dedicated this] to Asklepios and Hygieia as a thank offering

ca. 100 - 200 CE

there are so many little details i have been dying to dive into and you guys seem interested in a tour— i’m flattered, thank you!

🪽- first off, this triple angel figurine reminded me of the muses! each angel/muse is holding a lyre, a book, and a horn respectively. they’re so gorgeous, for sure one of my favorite pieces on my altar 💞💞

📦- the box in the middle, towards the back, contains my tarot cards. i was into tarot long before i was a buddhist or a pagan, so me and these cards go way back. it’s a trick box, so i’m able to lock it without any visible keyholes! pretty cool

🌻- the sunflower is for Helios. it represents the myth of clytie standing in one spot, turning her face up to adore Helios with such dedication she turned into a beautiful flower!

🐺- the wolf figure is for Apollon’s Lyceius epithet, and represents Him being both wolf-like and the wolf slayer. i named myself wolfe before i started worshipping Him, which i find cool

🐸- the singing frogs are also for Apollon! plain and simple, they make a pretty noise that i figured He would enjoy. singing is in the name!

🧘- the meditating buddha reminds me of many of Apollon’s delphic maxims, along with the natural balance the Theoi bring. the buddha will always be at the center of my practice and on all my altars

💰- all spare change i collect goes into my money bowl, which i will use only to buy offerings for Helios or Apollon! … i don’t get a lot of change, sorry guys

🎲- i haven’t used dice for divination yet, and i’m unsure if i will. but i have these dice here, so that they’re connected to my boys if i eventually end up using them! i figured it’s charging them, in a way?

🥀- i let petals of previous offerings dry out off of the altar, then scatter them back on once they’ve dried. i just get sentimental about throwing flowers away, and the look of it is gorgeous

☸️- my cloth has an eight part wheel on it, representing the eight fold path/the middle way. i do my best to practice hellenic polytheism in a way that encourages me to walk down the eight-fold path.

Devotional Acts

Symptom tracking (for chronically ill folks)

Masking around others, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE SICK HOLY FUCK MASK WHEN YOU’RE SICK IN PUBLIC

Advocate for yourself in healthcare settings, be that directly (urging your doctor to do tests) or indirectly (finding a different doctor). Also look into patient advocates and advocacy guides!

Treat patients kindly/take the time to know their case

Stay up to date on your vaccines (and if you haven’t, call your doctor about your childhood vaccine records! Usually just a phone call or two away!)

Eat healthy

Stay informed about medical news in your area (Covid rates, measle outbreaks, etc.)

Grow medicinal plants

Learn herbology

Keep a good hygiene routine

Learn first aid/CPR (Red Cross has online trainings and the YMCA usually has classes)

Rest

Volunteer at a hospital

Learn about the healthcare system in your country and in others

Donate blood/plasma

Check in on friends who are sick/post surgery

Exercise/PT/stretch/yoga

Identify your burnout signs and take steps to prevent burnout

Take care of your health

Get narcan trained

Learn about the human body (or animals)

Learn about ancient medicine

Food trains for sick and disabled people

Learn about pharmacology

Take your meds

Mobility aid maintenance 

Offerings

Mobility aids

Medical aids (blood sugar monitor, pulse oximeter, etc.)

Soothing teas

Scrubs

Healthcare work badges

Medications

Hospital discharge paperwork

Hospital bracelets

Water

Honey

Healing herbs (ginger, rose, mint, etc.)

Snakeskin

Snake imagery

Medical textbooks/notes

Face masks

Sculptures of once-injured body parts that have healed (historically accurate offering!)

Bowls

Braces/bandages

Ambulance imagery

Doctor imagery

Imagery of his staff

Medical tools (stethoscope, scalpel, forceps, etc.)

Dog imagery

First aid supplies (bandaids, alcohol, cotton balls etc.)

Asclepius

God of medicine, healing, rejuvination, physicians

Offerings :

Quartz

Citrine

White candles

Gold candles

Silver candles

Grey candles

Water

Honey

Olive oil

Herbal tea

Milk

Medicine

Snake imagery

Rooster imagery

Snakeskin (naturally sorced)

Feathers (naturally sorced)

Bandages

Plasters

Linen

Devotional acts :

Get vaccinated

Go for a medical check up

Practice self care

Learn first aid

Learn herbology

Write poetry about him

Read poetry about him

Pray for health

Visit someone in hospital

Volenteer to help sick people

Donate to medicinal charities

— Herbs and laurel, Hail to Kind Asklepios ! ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆

I turn to you, Great Healer and Saviour, for my girlfriend is sick with fever and the flu. May my humble words and offerings please you — i ask for your help ! Praise to you, Of the People !

"Asklepios, lord Paian, healer of all, you charm away the pains of men who suffer.

Come, mighty and soothing, bring health, put an end to sickness, then to the harsh fate of death.

O blessed spirit of joyful growth, O helper, you ward off evil, honored and mighty son of Phoibos Apollon.

Enemy of disease, consort of Hygieia the blameless, come as savior, O blessed one, bring life to a good end."