A Day In The Life Of Anubis

Hades devotion 101

Lately, there has been a surge of newcomers to Hellenic polytheism circles, and there is definitely a vibrant discourse about Hades. It’s hard to tell whether it’s Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus webcomics or the SuperGiant Hades game, there are so many new practitioners making their first steps towards Hades nowadays.

Which is amazing.

Surprisingly, I couldn’t find a lot of guides, not on tumblr, not on reddit, tiktok is a dumpster-fire of misinformation, and youtube is a weird rabbit hole you'll easily get lost in.

This series of posts will hopefully help those who are making the first steps in getting to know Hades. We'll cover who he is, a bit about the context of Hellenic polytheism (because some of you might not be coming from that direction, or just starting out with this path as well), and some info about rituals, offerings, and devotional activities. I plan to end this series with a list of sources (not necessarily academic).

So just a few points to remember when reading this series:

There is no one true experience or one way of doing things. If you’re a revivalist Hellenic polytheist your practice will look different than a non Hellenic witch’s practice. You make your own choices, you claim your own titles.

There is a context though. Whether it be a historical context or a modern context, it’s important to know those. Myths are stories connected to actual cultures, what people say on social platforms is heavily affected by modern-day ideas.

Think critically but have faith. I know it sounds contradictory but it isn’t. Think critically about your experiences, what others say, what you read even if it’s academic material, and on what you believe in. But at the same time, allow your logic to rest sometimes. Not everything has to make sense, not everything is evidence-based. That’s the nature of faith. just make sure you walk between those two states and not stay stuck on one side.

It is what you make of it. there are no rulebooks or perfect recipes. Each of us is an individual, a tiny world of its own. One of my UPG’s (unverified personal gnosis) is that Hades appreciates individuality, meaning what you make yourself will probably be more special to him than what you take from someone else’s. It’s also not about elaborate rituals and extra formal prayers. but we’ll get to this.

On the next post: who is Hades

Knot Magic

Knots are an incredibly versatile tool to use in your spells. They allow you to cast powerful spells with pretty much anything you can tie in a knot. Some people will tell you that things like the material and colors that you choose heavily impact your magic but really, these things are only helpful if they speak to you. If color affects your magic a lot then by all means, choose a cord for the color but otherwise it isn’t necessary.

Possible materials to choose from include:

Rope

Chord

Yarn

Floss

Copper wire

Chains

Vines

Sinews

Scarves

Etc…

So, the basic premise is that as you tie the knot you’re binding your intention. You can think of the knot as an anchor point for an idea that you want to manifest.

What kinds of ideas?

Pretty much everything. I’m not joking, I can’t think of a type of spell that can’t be performed using a knot. Curses, binding spells, healing spells, protective spells, prosperity and luck spells, it can all be done with a knot. Traditionally, knot spells were heavily associated with air elemental magic and with weather spell casting.

What kinds of knots can be used in spells like these?

Absolutely any knot can be used to cast a spell. For quickies I like your typical overhand knot, for more complicated spells you might choose a more ornate knot or even an entire set of knots to make jewelry.

Along those same lines, needlework like knitting and crocheting can be used in the exact same manner. This type of knot magic can become very elaborate, including the use of various stitches, patterns and projects to achieve your intent.

Are there any bad things about knot spells?

Yes, unfortunately there are. Since knots are a physical representation of the spell, if the knot gets broken the spell is broken as well. This isn’t always a drawback however, it means that your spells are easily broken if you ever feel the need.

Now for my favorite part, examples! The spells below are spells that I’ve designed myself but they’re not particularly specific and I’m certain that I’m not the first person to think of them. As with most of my spells, they’re incredibly versatile. Change things in whatever way suits your practice and your intention.

Lovers Knots

Nobody freak out. This isn’t your average “make him love me” love spell. Instead this spell is designed to be made by a pair who are already lovers. It’s designed as an activity to bring you together and to remind you of each other when things get rough. Think of it as a magic reservoir of each other’s love for when you can’t be together or are having a spat. Each of you will make a bracelet for the other and place intentions into the bracelet you make. Your intention could be to protect them (love is excellent for protection), to tie the two of you together or to help solve a particular problem between the two of you. The important thing about this is that both parties participate and have discussed what they want out of the spell.

Here are a few knot bracelet tutorials as ideas :)

Friendship Bracelet

Another Friendship Bracelet

Beads and Braids Work Too

Pick one and get knotting! With each knot that you make think and meditate about your intention but this doesn’t need to be a somber thing. Laugh and chat with your lover and really get the love flowing between the two of you (breaks for kissing and stuff are a good idea if you want). Basically just use this as a chance to really get close with your partner. The emotion and energy that you have during this is going to stick so no being mad at each other or arguing or nit picking or talking about the dishes or anything. Take this time to just be in love.

If you want, when you’ve finished making the bracelet you can let it charge in sunlight or moonlight or say an incantation or prayer to a deity over it, whatever works with your practice. Now swap and wear your new lovers knots. 

If, for any reason, you wish to undo the spell, each knot in the bracelet must be broken. This can be done by going through and untying each one, by cutting each one or by burning the entire bracelet (if it’s flammable). A single knot left unbroken will still retain its power.

Despite being named “Lovers Knots”, this spell can be used by any pair of people or even a group! Friends, siblings and parents with their children can all modify this spell for their use. In a group you can have a rotation of sorts, each person begins a bracelet, makes maybe an inch and then passes it in one direction around the circle where the next person will make another inch and continue passing it. Each bracelet will have been made in part by every member of the group.

Luck Knot Spell

Another good example for the uses of knots in magic, this spell works a little differently than the last. Each knot is designed to be a pre-made “quick release” spell. You should choose a cord material that is easy for you to untie.

Prep for this spell however you like, cast a circle, consecrate your cord, call your deities, whatever. Now, pick a number for your spell, my first choice would be my lucky number but use whatever number associations you’d like.

Begin by creating your first knot. This knot is your anchor, it sets the framework for the entire spell, imbue it with the intention that each subsequent knot will be a holder. The idea is to have a spell attached to each knot and as the knot is untied, the spell is released and activated. Once you finish with your first knot you can start on the rest of them, with each that you make charge the knot with your intention, in this case, luck. You can do this in a number of ways, meditating, chanting, incantations and prayers all work. The incantation below is just an example of something I’ve used before.

Ex. Winds of fortune blow, let my good luck grow.

Finish up in your preferred way, close your circle, ground, thank any spirits that you work with, etc. You can now keep the cord with you and whenever you need a little burst of luck (before a test or interview, talking to your crush, competing, anything like that) just untie a knot.

If anyone has more questions about knot magic or specific spells then feel free to drop me a line :)

I think that the resurgence of love for Hades is reflective of how much Hades loves humanity. Even after his image was slandered by christian society, getting reduced to “the greek equivalent of Satan”, and being made into the villain of countless pieces of media- people still love and talk about Hades.

And as they should! He is Nekrôn Sôtêr (the savior of the dead). He accepts everyone into his realm indiscriminately and gives them a home to spend the rest of eternity in. He rules by love, not fear. He keeps all of the monsters and cruel beings locked in Tartarus where they can’t hurt us. He gave his wife equal power and authority to him. He is the god of all the beauty in the earth, from the fertile soil with nourished the seed-grain to the mined wealth of gold, silver and crystals.

I adooooore Hades! and so should everyone !

Witchcraft Exercises

Just a quick compilation of the posts I've made about exercises to help improve your craft. These can be used as journaling prompts, inspiration for activities, or as methods for pulling yourself out of a slump and recharging your witchy inspiration.

Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft

Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches

Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons

Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews

Prompt - Music to Witch By

Most of these are also available in the May 2021 bonus episode of Hex Positive (check your favorite podcatcher).

Happy Witching!

🌿the myth of minthe

King Hades, 

Lord of the dead, protector and saviour of the lost, the broken and those who are hurting,

Great King, Great Protector, 

Wrap you smokey love around me, help me through my struggles and hurts, hold me close. 

I sing your praise and hold you with me 

I worship you, and give you my heart. 

Hear my praise 💗

Reconnecting with your spirituality ✧̣̇˳·˖✶

Great for baby witches!

I gathered a few really simple rituals I do to reconnect with my spirituality after some time without practicing magic or when I feel like I lost my touch.

Firstly, it’s important to remember your place in the universe. If you’ve never taken some time to consider the nature around you, do that before trying anything else. Of course it’s ideal that you explore the nature that surrounds your home frequently, but it’s possible to connect with it while being someplace else. Ask yourself:

⭒ How do the seasons change where you live? Which changes can you see and feel throughout the year? How is it right now?

⭒ How does the moon influence you, in particular? Which phase of the moon is it today?

⭒ Which plants that are native to your region can you find around your neighborhood? Which ones are most abundant?

⭒ Which animals are native to your region? Do you see them around sometimes?

⭒ What’s the nearest body of water? In which direction is it located? How do you think it must be today? (The sea must be agitated because it’s a full moon, the river must be at high tide cause it rained, etc.)

Knowing the natural spaces around you is what forms the solid base you need to connect with nature on a larger scale. There’s some simple exercises that help you gradually build a relationship with the world around you, starting small and expanding as you gain experience:

To start 𓆸

Choose a plant or a rock that you’re already familiar with, like a house plant you may have. Approach it like it’s the first time you really see it. The purpose is to gain some form of intimacy with it. Pay attention to its appearance, texture and smell (and if it’s an edible plant, its taste), and to the sensations it gives you. After trying it with a plant or a rock you already know, move on to one you’ve never interacted with before.

Connecting with plants 𓆸

This method is used by a lot of witches to gather information about a plant’s energy based on their own energy. Different people may perceive the same plant differently cause each of us have our own, singular energy that’ll interact with it. That’s why gathering information from personal experience is so important. A herb that is said to help with something might affect you differently than it does to most witches, that’s normal. So:

❀ Choose a plant you’re already familiar with and touch it in a way that makes you comfortable.

❀ Close your eyes and imagine your palm glowing with light. Focus on how that feels. Some people say they feel their hand tingle or warm up at that. Either way, imagine your palm’s energy vibrating, into the plant.

❀ Visualize the plant is glowing as well, and that both your energies are connecting into one. When you feel you’ve achieved that, concentrate on how you feel. Is it an specific emotion or sensation? Do any thoughts or ideas pop into your head? It can be a pretty vague feeling, that’s okay; it’ll grow into something stronger and more defined as you work with it, if you decide to.

❀ When you feel you’ve observed enough, be thankful for the plant’s cooperation and visualize your energy separating from the one emanating from the plant and retrieving itself back into your palm as it stops glowing.

❀ Open your eyes and let go. You might want to shake your hand around as if you’re trying to dry it off after washing your hands; some witches do that to make sure they’ve really disconnected.

After trying it with a plant you’re familiar with, repeat the exercise with one you’ve never interacted with before.

Grounding 𓆸

Connecting with the earth helps you stay balanced. If you’re feeling anxious and all over the place, you can discharge that excess energy into the earth; if you’re feeling lethargic, the earth can energize you. To do that, you need to ground yourself. Some spells and rituals are so draining that you need to ground yourself beforehand so it doesn’t take too much of your energy. Here’s a simple grounding method I think pretty much every witch has used before:

❀ Take a deep breath, slowly, three times. Be aware of your own energy going through your body. You may close of eyes, if you want. Focus on your chest, and visualize a beam of light in its center. Imagine that’s your energy source.

❀ Visualize a branch growing from that center and reaching downwards, into the earth. Let it go beyond your body and touch the ground. I like to imagine that I’m a tree and that my roots are digging into the earth, and take a moment to appreciate how deep and strong they are, and how strong and stable that makes me.

❀ When you feel you’ve formed a connection, you can let your energy work with the earth, and let go of any excess that’s stressing you or receive what’s lacking.

Connecting with the elements 𓆸

There’s several ways to connect with the 4 elements, and a lot of witches renew their connection periodically with an exercise. For that, gather something to represent each element. For the element earth, use fresh dirt, salt, a rock or a crystal. For air, use an object that’ll make an air current; preferably a hand fan. For fire, a candle. For water, a small bowl of water will do. Touch each object, close your eyes, and visualize their energy connecting with yours. (Since you can’t touch fire, obviously, hold out your hand over the flame, from a safe distance where you can still feel the heat.) Do that for a minute or two, and try to put into words what you feel. Be sure to disconnect yourself from an element before connecting with the next one. What I said about the plants goes for the elements as well: different people may perceive them differently, which is why you need to gather information from personal experience, and build your own relationship with them.

please pause your scrolling to look at this ancient egyptian figurine of a cat with kittens currently in the brooklyn museum

okay you may continue

Single Word Spells

Because I’m lazy and don’t like to monologue while I’m doing a spell, here’s a couple of the single word spells I use in my personal practice.

absum - to make something be concealed from sight

     ↳ def. to be away, be missing

advoco - summoning spell

     ↳ def. to summon

casso - destruction spell

     ↳ def. to destroy, make void

bellus - glamour spell

     ↳ def. beautiful, charming, handsome

explico - reveal information

     ↳ def. explanation, to unfold

mutare - transmutation

     ↳ def. to change

cessabit - calming spell

     ↳ def. to rest, be free of

uro - burning

     ↳ def. to burn, inflame

conturbo - invoke confusion

     ↳ def. confound, to throw into confusion

taceo - to silence

     ↳ def. shut up

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry