#maxtalk

This is a great question! I'm more than happy to answer this for you :)

Ways to communicate with deities without meditation

Method 1: Divination

Try communicating using divination! You can use tarot, runes, a pendulum, or any other type of divination method, set an intention and set up protections so only the deity you want to communicate with can talk to you, and then ask them if they want to work with you.

Method 2: Prayer

Research the prayer methods for the specific pantheon and type of deity you're trying to communicate with (for example, muttering a prayer quietly with hands on the ground for a Greek, cthonic deity) and ask them if they want to work with you. Pay attention to any physical sensations, such as your stomach filling with butterflies, or a gut feeling the answer is one way or the other, etc.

Method 3: Ask for signs

Along with the last one, you can ask for signs from the deity that they accept and want to work with you. Ask for something specific enough that it is noticeable and unique, but not something so specific that it's impossible for it to happen.

I’m going to say something controversial but truly madly deeply accurate: when he was active in IKON, Kim Hanbin was the most complete 3rd generation idol composer/producer. Amongst his peers at the time, there was no idol who produced this many good tracks (he participated in 100% of their title tracks and 99% of all their releases) with this much range. He doesn’t have the most credits with KOMCA but that is more to do with opportunity rather than lack of talent or material. 

I was going to write a whole essay about how great he and IKON are but I don’t even need their entire discography as examples. I can do it with one song and I’m not even going to cheat and use a famous title track. I’m going to go for a B-Side. Live version. In their second language (Japanese). 

Just Go, was released in 2018 with the Return album. Hanbin is the sole lyricist and I believe he wrote majority of the music himself but there is one other person co-credited with him. He was 21 years old when this was released. 

The studio version is flawless of course. The song is deceptively basic and simple. The repetition of those few piano chords sets the perfect foundation for each member’s unique performance to stand out. The production on this is so clean and minimalist bro, there’s nowhere to hide if any of the parts are terrible. 

This song is my favourite from them (yes, really) because the chords are so familiar in their major and minor keys. Even if you haven’t experienced love before, the familiarity of the song does provide something that sounds like either bittersweet nostalgia or resigned comfort (depending on how you feel about love haha). 

Secondly, every single part of this song went to the right member. One of the reasons IKON were brilliant was because Hanbin knew their strengths and wrote parts specifically with a member in mind. It’s not just a members tone of voice or their personality, it’s even as specific as how they deliver certain words. He spoke about this when he wrote their debut song (he also wrote on the debut songs for both Winner and Blackpink. You know, in his spare time.)

I’m sure you all know Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah’? The line about the minor fall and the major lift? Just Go does this over and over and it is so satisfying to listen to the back and forth between Donghyuk’s sweet clean falsetto and Bobby’s deep dirty rasp, then all the sudden BOOM! You’re hit with the bomb that is June’s powerhouse vocals. I don’t think he even needs a mic most of the time. The arrangement of this song is so effortlessly good that you almost think it’s by accident but no, it’s got Hanbin’s signature all over it.

Performing live is a litmus test for many kpop groups, especially ones that want to be taken seriously. Some groups struggle and some groups excel. IKON though? They are a live performance group. I’ve come to understand why YG insisted they tour so much; they absolutely shine live on stage. When you start preferring live versions to the studio version, that’s when you really know you have a legit music group. And yes, I absolutely prefer the live version of Just Go to the official studio audio because you do not get this kind of raw energy and emotion and it’s all these random ad libs and idiosyncrasies that makes a good group great. 

Apart from Taemin (who is a whole other level), I’m not really into that many Japanese releases that Kpop does. Just Go lost nothing in translation. The members perform it like it’s their actual first language and it’s not startlingly awkward enough for you to really notice that it’s not immediately korean. I used to be obsessed with how Bobby delivers his line, ‘He’s still in your heart’ in the korean version but it’s still just as good in Japanese. It lost absolutely nothing.

Haven’t tidied their altars in forever? They understand.

Don’t have the motivation to give them offerings? They get it.

You haven’t left bed for a long time? They still care about you.

Aren’t devoting time to them lately? They don’t mind

Forgot an offering? That’s alright. They forgive you.

Fucked something up? They’re not going to ditch you for your mistakes.

Decide to take a break from deity work? Totally cool, they’ll still be here for you.

So I'm a (minor) young witch and I want to learn how to get into hellenism. I'm looking to pray to Aphrodite, Ares, and Dionysus particularly, but also Hestia, Thanatos, and Hera!

I kinda want to be discreet about it, because my mom is very Christian lol.

Thank you for the help!

- Anon Ziggy

Hello! I like your little Anon tag, that's kinda cool! This post will be broken into two parts, the first is about Hellenism and how to get into it, and the second part about broom closet witchcraft.

==-🏺HOW TO GET INTO HELLENISM🏺-==

--=-==-=--What is Hellenic Polytheism?--=-==-=--

Hellenic Polytheism is the modern recreation of Hellenism, the ancient Greek religion. It is an open pantheon/practice, and anyone can get into it.

Hellenic Polytheism is a partially animistic religion, believing in nature spirits and treating all things with respect, including plants and inanimate things found in nature (rocks, the wind, water, etc.). The Hellenic Pantheon is made up of these nature spirits, the Twelve Olympians (link), the cthonic deities, and the lesser gods.

I recommend looking at this webpage to learn about traditional Greek religion. Keep in mind that while it's 100% okay to not do things exactly as they were done in the past, it is important to keep things in mind the cultural context and history of Hellenic Polytheism.

--=-==-=--How do I start?--=-==-=--

"Step one" on becoming a Hellenic Polytheist is to decide how you want to go about worship. Do you want to worship Greek deities, or do you want to work with them (link , link)? What is your view on cleansing yourself before interacting with the gods? Do you want to work with every god and deity from the Greek pantheon, or just a select few? Figuring these things out will give you a place to start.

As I mentioned above, some people decide to cleanse themselves before interacting with the gods. It isn't necessary, but it is a huge sign of respect. You can go about this the traditional way, by making khernips (link), or just by washing your hands and face.

The next big step would be to research the deities you want to work with. Find out what appropriate offerings are (like bay leaves for Apollon), their mythology, festivals for them (Aphrodisia for Aphrodite), associations with them (mint and Hades), and any customs that are common with them (honoring Hestia first and last).

I would also learn or at least read their traditional hymns and media (poems, plays, etc.) created for them. You can even make some for them yourself!

As for praying, here is a great video on praying in Hellenism, here is a great video on altars, and here is a good one on offerings.

--=-==-=--🤫 Secret Witch Tips 🤫--=-==-=--

This post is already a million words long, so we're going to rapid fire some broom closet witch tips.

Travel altars! These can be made in an Altoids tin, a small box, a shoe box, or anything else! Let me know if you need ideas on small things to go into a travel/mini/hidden altar.

Digital worship! Check out this post on virtual worship

Subtle witchcraft. Can be done through glamour magic, art magic, kitchen witchery, affirmations, taking care of nature, or any other small form of magic that makes you feel centered, connected to the earth and universe around you, or honors your guides and deities.

Get plants! Taking care of plants is a great witchy thing to do, and you can dedicate a plant to a deity and take care of the plant as an offering to them

Get e-books, read articles, watch videos, and listen to podcasts on witchcraft.

YES! First, asks are always open, and I appreciate you sending one! Secondly, of course I have some advice! Let's get into it!

(1) Decolonize your craft

Decolonizing your craft is essential to witchcraft. Making sure you don't take part in practices that are closed to you, and making sure that you don't use tools/methods/items that are sacred to cultures you aren't a part of is SO IMPORTANT!!! This is where I would recommend you to start your research. Here is an excellent article on what a closed practice is, but it doesn't go too deep into specific things that are closed. I think it's a good jumping off point.

Along with respecting and educating yourself on closed practices, knowing where your information is from and what biases that information may have (good or bad) is also important. This goes along with what materials you use and where they come from (is this ethically sourced, is this a closed item, who profits off of this item, etc.).

(2) RESEARCH A TON!!!

If you're on this blog, asking this question, you're doing this! Good job! If you search "BOS" on my blog, or click -> here , you can go to my "book of shadows" tag, and see lists of ways to start your own book of shadows (aka a ton of things to research and write down)

(3) Write everything down

Going along with that last sentence, write. stuff. down! Your craft will change and grow, and even if you're just writing what you learn in your phones notes app, you will be so happy that you have that later on. It's great to see where you came from and how far you've come, and who knows, you may need that one sigil you made 3 months ago, or maybe that random spell you wrote down ages ago is exactly what you need in your current situation. Just write things down, you'll thank yourself for it later.

(4) Don't feel like you need to fit into a box

This one is very important as well! Social media witches and pretty instagram witchcraft isn't how your craft is most likely not how your practice will look, especially not when starting out. Don't force yourself to have the most perfect altar, with allllll of these beautiful, expensive tools, and all the witchy clothes and decorations, etc. etc. etc. You honestly don't need anything but your intention to do witchcraft. Don't worry about having an "aesthetic" practice. It really isn't realistic for most people.

Also, witch "types" aren't set in stone. You don't only have to be a Green Witch, or only a Hearth Witch, or only a Sea Witch. These are just fun categories, and you don't need to commit to one or the other. I consider them mostly just tags that witches use to see the kinds of content they want to see, or to categorise themselves so others know their favorite things in their practice. If you NEED a label, but can't decide, "eclectic" is an easy thing to slap onto your practice that is all encompassing while still being labeled.

These are my biggest advice points. If anyone wants more, I'm sure I can think of more, I just wanted to get this out because I was excited to get an ask, haha.

For Hellenic Pagans and polytheists, and anyone else who celebrates, happy Thargelia.

This is a super rushed post to get this out on day one of the two day festival! Today, day one, is in honour of Lady Artemis, the older of the two divine twins.

Hey Anon!

Yes, totally! You can worship any deity (given that they’re not a part of a practice closed to you), without permission from the deity, and without prior relationships with the deity. You can also worship them without that relationship evolving into a working relationship!