#nyx devotion

Nyx is the Greek primordial goddess of the night. Nyx is seen as the personification of the night and was commonly depicted as black or starry robed goddess who drives through the sky in a chariot pulled by horses. She had a veil of dark mists that was drawn across the sky to hide the light of Aither (Light), who is also one of her children. Hesiod depicts her as “wrapped in a vaporous cloud,” and as holding Hypnos (Sleep), her son, in her arms.

Nyx was borne from Khaos (Chaos, Air) and was one of the first gods who emerged at the dawn of creation. It was believed that Nyx was born at the birth of the cosmos and is one of the most ancient gods in Greek mythology. Nyx is the second ruler of the gods and she is the daughter and consort of Phanes. Nyx delivers prophecies to Zeus through the adyton, and she’s also described as being the nurse of the gods.

It was believed that Nyx was even feared and respected by Zeus himself. Zeus wouldn’t dare do anything to anger or upset Nyx. In an Ancient Greek myth, it’s stated that Nyx’s son, Hypnos put Zeus to sleep at Hera’s request. Once Zeus awoke, he was furious and chased after Hypnos, who fled to the protection of his mother, Nyx. It’s said that despite Zeus’s anger, he was “in awe of doing anything to swift Night’s displeasure.” There’s another myth where Zeus and Nyx had a brief interaction in which Nyx told him that she was displeased with his arrogance. Nyx then warned him to be humble and reminded him that she’s the goddess of the night and has her own divine power, who even Zeus should fear.

Nyx wasn’t as commonly worshipped in Ancient Greece as other Greek gods like Zeus and Aphrodite, but her influence was greatly respected. It was rare to see temples, cults, and altars dedicated to Nyx, but people would honor her through invocations and prayers, especially during the night. The Ancient Greeks saw her as an energy who was always present, and they acknowledged her through personal reflection rather than in a grand ceremony.

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Most notable epithets associated with Nyx:

★ Astæroómmatos: Greek word for “night” and since the night sky is filled with stars, Nyx is said to be star-eyed

★ Trophós: Nurse of the Gods

★ Melanópteros: Black-winged

★ Nyktophoros: Night-bringing

★ Khaosproelthon: “Nyx who precedes Chaos”

★ Khaosgenetor: chaos-born

★ Nyktelios: night revealing

★ Kelainē, Mélaine, Erebennē: dark or black

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Symbols and signs associated with Nyx:

☾ Night sky

☾ Stars

☾ The moon

☾ Owls

☾ Bats

☾ Nocturnal animals

☾ Black cats

☾ Moths

☾ Mist

☾ Veil (specifically a black one)

☾ Key

☾ Serpent

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Powers:

★ Controls darkness and darkness manipulation

★ Night (manipulation)

★ Rest

★ Endings

★ Dream manipulation and control over dreams

★ Shadow travel (umbraportation)

★ Chaotic energy manipulation

★ Power of Primordial Chaos

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Offerings to give to Nyx:

☾ Black, blue, or purple candles

☾ Dark chocolate

☾ Water

☾ Wine

☾ Dark liquors

☾ Beer

☾ Moonshine

☾ Bread

☾ Pastries and cakes (especially if they have cosmic symbology on them)

☾ Moon or star images or symbols

☾ Black coffee or tea

☾ Moonstone

☾ Owl feathers or imagery

☾ Imagery of a black horse or a statue of one to represent her chariot

☾ Herbs like lavender, poppy, nightshade, mugwort (herbs associated with mysticism, dreams, night, transformation, spiritual awakenings, and sleep)

☾ Dark berries or fruit

☾ Black feathers or wings or imagery of it

☾ Black cloak, veil, or fabric

☾ Skulls or skeletons

☾ Dark flowers

☾ Night-blooming flowers

☾ Incense

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Devotional activities to do for Nyx:

★ Take a walk at night (be safe)

★ Meditate at night

★ Go for a night drive

★ Read mystery books

★ Moongaze or stargaze

★ Go camping under the stars

★ Learn about astronomy and astrology

★ Watch documentaries about space and the night

★ Learn about a new star, celestial body, or constellation

★ Do divination (tarot, scrying, pendulum, etc.), especially at night

★ Sleep

★ Stay up late and do stuff in the night or work a night shift

★ Nighttime journaling or keep a dream journal

★ Make moon water

★ Create a playlist for her

★ Make art, music, or poetry/writing about her

★ Wear dark colors

★ Use a star or constellation app

★ Read the House of Night series

★ Listen to ASMR

★ Wear starry or cosmic clothes

★ Donate to an owl shelter

★ Make glittery galaxy/calming jars

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Teachings:

☾ Overcoming the dark and shadows

☾ Learning to be comfortable within the night

☾ Tapping into your dark feminine self

☾ Embrace the darkness

☾ Self-discovery

☾ Understanding your dreams and the messages that are being delivered to you

☾ Finding light in the darkness

☾ The importance of introspection

☾ Prophecy and oracles

☾ Cosmic balance and the interconnectedness of everything

☾ Creation and destruction

☾ Transformation and rebirth

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Important Dates:

There are no official holidays or celebrations that were had for Nyx and she’s not typically associated with the eight sabbats that are celebrated throughout the year. However, it seems like Nyx’s energy and attributes corresponds well to Samhain. Samhain is a sabbat that is celebrated on October 31st until November 1st, and it marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker part of the year. During Samhain, the veil is very thin and it’s easier to communicate with spirits during this time. This is the best time to communicate with ancestors and departed souls. Since Nyx is associated with rebirth and the cycle of life and death, as well as divination, and life’s mysteries, Samhain can be a really good time to work with her and to do rituals with her.

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For the full post about Nyx, check out my Patreon (@starw0man4) and subscribe for more astrology, tarot, witchcraft, and Hellenic polytheist content

Nyx; Goddess of the Night.

(let me know if i get anything wrong)

version with moths below the cut

Translations of the Orphic Hymns from The Orphic Hymns; A New Translation for the Occult Practitioner by Patrick Dunn

I will sing of night, the mother of gods and of humans.

Nyx, the source of all things, 

Whom we may also call Kypris, hear me,

Blessed goddess shining in the dark sky,

Filled with bright stars, rejoicing in silent nights of sleeping peace;

Mirthful and happy, you love all-night vigils, mother of dreams.

You banish care, gently pushing away pains;

Giver of sleep, friend to all, night shining 

You lead your horses forth, and half the time, you wander the earth; 

And then, the heavens, wheeling about in your air-haunting hunt.

You send forth light into the depths, then flee to Hades;

For dreadful necessity governs all.

Now I call on you, happy, much beloved,

Hearing my supplicating voice,

Kindly come, and drive back the fears of night.

Primordial goddess of night

Requested by @ihavetoomanyfandomstobesane

Praise be , Mother Nyx of Astaeroommatos* , allow your new moon to plant the seeds of wisdom to guide us on our paths .

Praise be , Mother Nyx of Daimones* , for your seeds of wisdom have set the intention within us . Move us , with your dark insight . See us , with your starry eyes . Be here with us , and grant us the action to move forth in your honor and grace .

Praise be , Mother Nyx of the Deep and Silent Dark , for you fear no God nor man , you fear no shade of darkness . For you are the darkness , the light in-between . Extend your fearlessness to us , and let us be open to new beginnings .

Praise be , Mother Nyx , Bringer of the Night , for on this new moon you ask us to be ready to embrace the potentials that lie ahead . We are open to your intense yet embracing presence . We are ready to embrace the Unknown .

Praise be , Mother Nyx , my Goddess of the Cosmos , Unknown , and Shadow , for you have held my hand through my darkest moments . You have seen my darkest humanities , yet you remain unwavering and loving . See me now , and allow me to push through this dark time in your honor .

Blessed be / So mote it be / ( However You Wish To End The Prayer )

* - Astaeroommatos : [ the ] Night

Part 1 of my God and Goddess paintings! - Nyx, the Greek goddess and personification of night.

hi hello!

to start off, i would like to say that Nyx was the first deity that ever called to me, very early in my practice. I’ve been practicing for roughly 13 years, and she’s been with me since the very beginning.

last year began my training. i was in a coven that had no structure, and there were a few Otherwordly threats. I was one of the ones that stood up and dug in my heels against said threats. while the coven was not originally mine, Nyx pushed me to take the High Priestess role. I was the one who had been practicing the longest, and had more experience with the threats. She had me create certain things to house a haunted doll that was buried afterward, as we had no idea what sort of spirit/entity was inhabiting it, but it was wreaking havoc on several people within the coven.

that coven dissolved due to infighting and personal issues, so I created my own coven along with another person who was the High Priest. during this time, we spent quite a few months researching and putting together a game plan. I’m not going much into detail about this one, as it dissolved as well due to toxicity from several members.

i’m certain though that my training has been over these last 13 years without a lot of my knowledge. it has honestly seemed that a lot has come naturally to me, as if she had been preparing me for a long time.

before Nyx had spoken about my becoming a High Priestess, I had an idea for a novel that i wanted to write, but i only got a few paragraphs in. the premise was a newly ordained priestess holding an initiation ritual for her coven and its new members. i won’t bore you with that, as it’s not important, but i felt as if this was a sign, premonition, what have you about my future.

As for tips and advice:

Study! I cannot say this enough. Study up on your lore, study your deity, the lineage, the religious aspects, everything that you can!

Connect with your deity. Ask what they need/want you to do. This was a big part for me. There was, at least, daily communication (if not multiple times a day) during my training to figure out the best course of action.

During your training, leave offerings daily (if possible!). This will keep you in favor of the gods, as well as help strengthen your connection.

As i said previously, I feel as if my training was over the course of 13 years. Yours might not take that long, but it will take a while. Be patient and know that the outcome will be worth the time!

Suggested Reading:

House of Night series by PC and Kristen Cast (while, yes, this is a fiction series, the goddess that they worship in the series is Nyx, and the authors did quite a bit of research when writing the series. I’ve found that a lot of it is accurate! It also really helped me connect to Nyx in the beginning)

Nyx in the House of Night edited by PC Cast (this is a collection of the research that they did, as well as academic writings in Nyx!)

I would also like to suggest reading the Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer. You don’t learn a lot to do with Nyx, but you do learn about some of her children. Alternatively, the modernizations of these, The Song of Achilles and Circe by Madeline Miller.

This link!

History Cooperative