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Hellenic Polytheism : Household Worship?
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It's a book titled "Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship" written by LABRYS (a Hellenic Polytheist community based in Greece). I got my copy through Amazon - here's a link:
There are books for how to perform proper practice in your home (https://www.amazon.com/Hellenic-Polytheism-Household-Worship-1/dp/1503121887/) and of course you should be doing a lot of reading on things like the mythology (which are not literal events that happened but still have divine meanings for you to uncover) and perhaps the philosophers if you want to go down that path.
But as u/NoBlueberryPie put it, there is no gospel or "book" for Hellenism. It's not that kind of religion. There are multiple different creation stories depending on which school of thought or religious sect you belong to, different cosmogonies, different relationships between the Gods that contradict, etc.
There is a collection of rituals for certain occasions (really just a series of Orphic/Homeric hymns in an order and a suggestion of offerings) in LABRYS' Household Worship book. It starts with a ritual to welcome the Theoi into one's home.
As others have said though, something specific like this is absolutely not a requirement though - you can simply begin worshipping them in a way that feels natural to you.
With time, you will begin to learn more about Hellenic myths, rituals and ideals and can then incorporate those into your practice.
This is the book for you!
There is a practice where you see yourself as the god in order to get closer to them, but it’s not in Hellenism it’s in Buddhism I believe.
I also agree to not go with Cunningham in this. There is a really good book about Hellenism called Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship that is basically what the title says. There is also another book called Hellenismos, which isn’t bad but he suggests the use of sulfur as a fumigation, and aside from lighting a match, this really isn’t a good idea since it turns into hydrogen sulfide.
When I do my visualizations, they can take on characteristics of what other people look like. This is normal since our minds usually use faces we’ve seen or parts from them. So if this helps you then great, but don’t let the visualization of them keep you from immersing yourself. I would instead try to pull characteristics from them so you can make a face that is unique to you. It might take a few days of sitting down and working on this but it will happen.
"Books that I've found a 'majority' of followers recommending are: Drew Campbell's Old Stones, New Temples,"
Those persons need to update their resource lists, OSNT hasn't been required reading in at least 10 years. It was the first book on modern Hellenic practices, published circa 2000. However, it was in dire need of a rewrite and corrections which Drew Campbell was to do but he left polytheism entirely and converted to Christianity. He gave the rights to Hellenion but they never managed to get a revised second edition off.
At this point, its value is as a legacy item but ONLY if found in a bargain bin and NOT expensive copies that sometimes surface on Amazon and eBay. Hellenion was simply giving copies to new members, I don't know if they still do. And likely, if you search the name with "pdf", you'll still find copies floating around.
Right now, the best book on the subject of modern worship is Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship, published by Labrys.
Certainly, some books on the topic are Hellenic Polytheism, Household Worship, Smoke Signals for the Gods, Cults & Rites in Ancient Greece (chapter 10) and The World of Odysseus There are a lot of other books which deal with it more or less tangentially. Gatheing a decent amount of information can require a bit of digging around - vase paintings however are extremely useful as visual indicator of the process.
The most common sacrificial victims for a private household would have been pigs and poultry, since even in cities a small household could accommodate either (pigs could survive of household and garden waste, supplemented with barely). Sheep and goats were less common in the urban setting, and since goats produce milk and sheep wool they were more useful alive, probably only being sacrificed at the end of their fertility. The sacrifice of a bull, was usually only conducted by the state, since these were expensive animals to keep and rear. Horses were also sacrificed but usually only by the state and notably to Poseidon, by being thrown into the sea (Alexander the Great is said to have made this kind of sacrifice).
Smaller animal such as mice, voles, pigeons and fish were not seen as worthy to be sacrificed - so although they were more common as food in ancient Greece than today there was no particular ceremony for dispatching them.
The formula for the sacrifice is largely the same through Greece with some local variations. The animal would be taken to the altar, this could be short walk from the pen or perhaps further a field from the market or a farm, it was symbolically important that the animal go willingly without resistance (which was a bad omen). The participants and the animal would be purified, usually with water (a mix of sea and fresh water being common). Following this a hymn or prayer would be said invoking the God or Gods to receive the sacrifice. During this time, the sacrificial knife was kept hidden, usually in a grain basket to avoid frightening the animal. The head of the household would then slaughter the animal, by cutting the neck in such away that blood covered the altar. Once the animal was dead it would be butchered on the spot, with the portion allotted to the gods burnt on the altar, a final hymn and prayer would be made to the gods at that point, followed by the remainder of the sacrifice being distributed among the household.
The entrails such as the liver could also be inspected although this is usually done by a priest, I am not particularly sure how widespread a detailed knowledge of this form of divination was; but so long as the animal was healthy internally and externally then the omen was good and the sacrifice accepted.
Beyond this it is difficult to know exactly what the prayers were but since Greek prayer is largely formulaic, and with some written evidence the general form is inferred by different scholars.
The particulars of ritual animal slaughter and butchering are not mysterious, various indigenous cultures and some Jewish and Islamic groups still perform ritualised animal sacrifice in a largely comparable manner.
There is a decent article on Hellenicfaith, All meat comes from Sacrifice, the author is however in favour of modern hellenic polytheists using animal sacrifice but.
It should also be noted that some groups such as the Orphics and Pythagoreans advocated for a vegetarian lifestyle and the later Greek Platonist, Porphyry wrote On Abstinence from Animal Food - so while it may seem like the ethic of animal sacrifice and consuming meat were not huge topics for the ancient Greeks they were nonetheless considered and several famous Greeks were clearly against it.
There are subreddits dedicated to the study of most versions of historical paganism/polytheism, for the norse you may consider r/heathenry or r/NorsePaganism and for the celtic r/Paganacht or r/CelticPaganism.
The problem both Norse and Celtic paganism faces compared to the Greek, Roman and Egyptian paganism is the amount of historical written materials is much smaller, very little was written by the norse or celts in the form of books - so the majority of the information we have today comes via Roman & later Christian accounts, or in the form of short inscriptions with most useful information being found in academic books on the subject based on archeaology.
In the case of the Greeks and Romans we have literally dozens (if not hundreds) of sources from the periods in question (~500bc to 500ad), written by the pagans themselves as well as modern commentaryies.
A small selection of source on Greek/Roman and Egyptian religion I recommend are;
>Do I have to worship/devote things to all of the Gods?
No.
>Is there a specific way I have to pray or devote/offer things to them?
If you want to be traditional, which is recommended for beginners, yes. Check out https://hellenicfaith.com/do-ut-des and https://www.amazon.com/Hellenic-Polytheism-Household-Worship-1/dp/1503121887 for more information.
>Do I have to worship/pray to certain Gods over others?
Short answer: no. Longer answer: Hestia/Vesta is traditionally given honors "first" in rituals and offerings, but speaking personally, I have my own reasons why I don't incorporate her into my practice (yet).
All just my opinions...
The best resource for scholarly information on the Gods: https://www.theoi.com/
My personal favorite resources for Hellenism as I practice it: https://hellenicfaith.com/ and https://neosalexandria.org/
The best book for proper ritual practice at home: https://www.amazon.com/Hellenic-Polytheism-Household-Worship-1/dp/1503121887
Orphism: https://www.hellenicgods.org/
> What would really upset her and what would she do if I did something wrong.
Where are so many people (not just you) getting the idea that the Gods become upset with us, especially over something so small and innocent? Is this a holdover from the monotheistic grasp on the western world?
I'm not trying to shame you for not knowing better, it's just that so many people seem to have this strong fear about doing something "wrong" and incurring the wrath of the Gods. That's not what happens. You won't get struck down for not pouring wine with your left hand or something like that.
> What other good resources are there other than theoi.com.
https://hellenicfaith.com is my personal favorite (https://hellenicfaith.com/aphrodite for specific information on Aphrodite) along with https://neosalexandria.org as a close second (https://neosalexandria.org/the-pantheon/aphrodite). For basic ritual formats, I cannot recommend this book enough: https://www.amazon.com/Hellenic-Polytheism-Household-Worship-1/dp/1503121887
> What does a daily worship to her look like.
Same as daily worship of any God: prayer, offerings, adoration. What that all consists of is mostly up to you.
Just...take a deep breath and relax lol.
And check out Etsy for relatively cheap statues.
Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship; author & texts: Labrys.gr
The gods aren't looking to guide a person. Hellenism is the person seeking to connect with the gods, you initiate the relationship. Modern persons focus in the domestic side of Hellenism which pertains to the oikos and oikia (house & home), honoring household gods/spirits and ancestors. Hellenic calendars differed from region to region (the most info remains of the Athenian calendar), but all were lunisolar and the new moon marked the start of each month during which was a 3-day observance. See on r/Hellenism: Beginner's Guide to the Three Monthly Festivals. There were also days during the month that were sacred to other gods.
In addition to the household gods, gods were patrons of city-states, places and occupations. There are likely patron gods of your occupation and interests.
It's a trend among Neopagans to pick a god or claim gods are specifically calling them to form a relationship, these notions are alien to traditional Hellenic religion. Also the Neopagan use of "patron" differs from how patron gods have been understood for centuries. The idea that everyone has to select a patron god is more Christian in origins, a variation on taking on a patron saint. Another error: calling patron goddesses "matron". Both gods and goddesses are patrons, the feminine form is patroness, " matron" means something entirely different.
A helpful book is <em>Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship</em>. Also use places like Google Books and Archive.org, there are a lot of older books that still have useful information and can be downloaded for free because they're in the public domain. Also try Academia.edu and Google Scholar to find helpful academic papers.
Hellenism is an orthopraxy ("maintain proper way"), so much the same is done regardless if which god/s are being honored (with some slight differences between categories of gods). Learn the basics of Hellenic ritual and go from there whether to begin a household practice noted above or in regards to a particular deity.
Most beginners have the same questions, so the forum's search too as it's the fastest way to get multiple answers.
Hellenism isn't what is often claimed on social media. It's not about finding a patron nor are the gods sending signs trying to get people's attention. It's not about pendulums, crystals, tarot or doing spells or "working with" gods (whatever that means, seems to differ from one claim to the next). Hellenism is modern restorations of ancient Greek folk religion, i.e., what was practiced in every Greek home.
Basically, focus on learning tradition first rather than on eclecticism. Then if you choose to dabble with New Age, Eclecticism, and woo, that's your choice but at least you began by establishing a solid foundation.
So, Hellenism:
In ancient times there were two primary aspects to religion: household and civic (community). Household religion pertains to the oikos and oikia (house & home), honoring the multiple household gods/spirits and ancestors. Hellenic calendars differed from region to region (the most info remains of the Athenian calendar), but all were lunisolar and the new moon marked the start of each month during which was a 3-day observance. See on r/Hellenism: Beginner's Guide to the Three Monthly Festivals. There were also days during the month that were sacred to other gods.
Core to Greek religion is reciprocity, a constant exchange between people and the gods, and cultivating kharis. Hellenic tradition is orthopraxic, so much the same is done regardless of which god(s) are honored at the time. There is a slight variation in how those offerings are made depending on the category of gods (e.g., celestial gods vs. underworld gods). Suitable food offerings are fruits, vegetables, grains, bread/honey cakes, olives, laurel (bay leaves); libations of water, wine (diluted or undiluted depending on the category of god), milk, and honey. Traditional incenses are frankincense, myrrh, aromatic herbs (e.g., bay leaf, flowers, sandalwood), and storax (the Greeks used a variety that we don't have but a modern substitution is benzoin which is aka Asian storax).
Various gods do have plants and animals that are sacred to them and it's nice if you have those things but it's not a problem if you don't, the generally accepted offerings are fine.
Theoi.com is a good place to get initial info on Hellenic gods and practices associated with their worship.
Some good online articles for an overview are:
A helpful book is <em>Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship</em>. Also use places like Google Books and Archive.org, there are a lot of older books that still have useful information and can be downloaded for free because they're in the public domain. Also try Academia.edu and Google Scholar to find helpful academic papers.
There are different types of offerings. There are food offerings, libations (liquids), incense, votives (objects), and hymns & prayers of thanks. You don't need to always offer food, you can give any one a combination of the above.
Most beginners have the exact same questions, using the search function on this subreddit can be a way to get a variety of answers very quickly.
IMO, the best way to start is with the traditions associated with a deity. In this case, Roman folk religion (aka Religio Romana or Cultus Deorum), or Hellenism (Aphrodite). These are pathways that were well-honed over centuries and modern reconstructions seek to reestablish those pathways in a modern context. Even if your practice doesn't stay traditional, this provides a solid starting point. Subreddits like r/RomanPaganism and r/Hellenism may also interest you.
Both Roman and Greek traditions are primarily orthopraxic ("maintain proper way") which means much the same is done regardless of which god(s) are being honored at the moment. Nova Roma has a lot of information on Religio Romana.
A good place to get initial info on Hellenic gods is theoi.com. It's also worth checking out Labrys.gr website, they have articles on household worship as well as on altars and offerings. They've also published a book, Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship.
If you knew how crappy ancient wines were, you wouldn't feel bad about it at all. 😆 Seriously, taste aside, overall it was significantly inferior in quality to any fruit juice you could offer instead. Technically you could offer wine vinegar as it's a better quality than ancient wines.
What Did Wine Taste Like Thousands of Years Ago?
Water is fine, which is much cleaner than most ancient water (it was safer to drink the crappy wine rather than water).
Some good online articles for an overview are:
A helpful book is <em>Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship</em>. Also use places like Google Books and Archive.org, there are a lot of older books that have useful information and can be downloaded for free because they're in the public domain. Also try Academia.edu and Google Scholar to find helpful academic papers.
An altar is a ritual workspace, it serves as a focal point and the place to interact with and make offerings to the gods. It doesn't need to be fancy, it needs to be functional. So it's very easy to "hide in plain sight", as it can be as simple as a couple of small dishes for offerings and object(s) symbolic or sacred to a deity.
In ancient times there were two primary aspects to religion: household and civic (community). Household religion pertains to the oikos and oikia (house & home), honoring household gods/spirits and ancestors. Hellenic calendars differed from region to region (the most info remains of the Athenian calendar), but all were lunisolar and the new moon marked the start of each month during which was a 3-day observance. See on r/Hellenism: Beginner's Guide to the Three Monthly Festivals. There were also days during the month that were sacred to other gods.
The most reliable way to learn and begin interacting with them is learning Hellenic tradition. Even if you don't stay traditional, doing so will give you a reliable base to go from. Learn about ancient Greek religion, read the myths and cultivate a practice using that information. Unlike mainstream religion which is orthodoxic ("maintain proper belief"), there is no central text forcing dogma to be obeyed, Hellenic religion is orthopractic ("maintain proper practice"), you build your relationship with the gods through practice and learning from what you experience. And much the same is done regardless of which gods are being honored at the moment, with some slight differences between categories of gods.
Some good online articles for an overview are:
A helpful book is <em>Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship</em>. Also use places like Google Books and Archive.org, there are a lot of older books that have useful information and can be downloaded for free because they're in the public domain. Also try Academia.edu and Google Scholar to find helpful academic papers.
There are different types of offerings. There are food offerings, libations (liquids), incense, votives (objects), and hymns & prayers of thanks. You don't need to always offer food, you can give any one or a combination of the above.
You may also be interested in r/Hellenism.
Hellenic Polytheism : Household Worship has a chapter on a wedding ceremony, I believe.
I would say the best book on modern practice would be Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship by Labrys, as another mentioned. You can find it on Amazon. Labrys also has some useful articles online:
Also use places like Google Books, Gutenberg.org, and Archive.org, there are tons of older books that have useful information and can be downloaded for free because they're in the public domain. Also, try Academia.edu and Google Scholar to find helpful recent academic papers.
We have centuries of research readily available for studying Hellenic religion. Universities and professors post syllabi, articles and reading recommendations online that you can readily adapt for your own studies. There are
Hellenic religion is orthopractic ("maintain proper way") so, much of the same is done regardless of which god(s) are being honored at the moment, with variations depending on the category of gods (e.g. celestial vs underworld). Some basic articles that give an overview:
A beginner's guide to Hellenismos
The last 3 articles are by Labrys.gr who also published the book Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship, which is a very good book for a beginner.
A good site for introductory info on all Hellenic gods is theoi.com. It has info about the gods' specific cults (if applicable) on their respective pages.
Hellenic religion is orthopractic ("maintain proper way") so, much of the same is done regardless of which god(s) are being honored at the moment, with variations depending on the category of gods (e.g. celestial vs underworld). Some basic articles that give an overview:
A beginner's guide to Hellenismos
The last 3 articles are by Labrys.gr which also published the book Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship, which is a very good book for a beginner.
A good site for introductory info on all Hellenic gods is theoi.com.
This book is pretty popular, and it includes cheat sheets over most of the popular deities. Looks like you found something that helps already, but just in case:
https://www.amazon.com/Hellenic-Polytheism-Household-Worship-1/dp/1503121887
IMO, the best way to begin a relationship with a deity is to start with the traditional way they were venerated, which is different from modern witchcraft. This gives you a reliable start, even if you don't maintain a traditional practice. In this case, that would be Hellenic paganism. Hellenic religion is orthopractic ("maintain proper way") so, much of the same is done regardless of which god(s) are being honored at the moment, with variations depending on the category of gods (e.g. celestial vs underworld). Some basic articles that give an overview:
A beginner's guide to Hellenismos
They also published the book Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship
A good site for introductory info on all Hellenic gods is theoi.com.
Hekate's one of the household gods. Traditionally, her shrine's kept outside of the door to the home but in modern times people set it up where it's feasible. The dark of the moon is special to Hekate who is honored by holding a ritual known as Hekate's Deipnon.
Though, of course, you can honor a god at any time. You can still leave the food offerings typical of the deipnon. Reading aloud a hymn to the goddess is also a given. Commonly, the Orphic Hymn to Hekate (there are various translations) but you can create one as well or find modern ones others have made.
It's important to note that in some instances, like this one, that you don't partake of any of the foods left for the deity, and should be disposed of afterward (left to nature, buried, bagged and trashed if no other choice).
Some helpful articles on Labrys.gr:
They also published the book Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship
IMO it's best to start at the very least with learning the myths and traditions associated with deities. With Hellenic gods, both in ancient times and today, the majority of religious practice occurs in the home. There are some things that are done regardless of which deity/ies are being honored at the time. So focus on becoming familiar with and creating your own household practice. This will give you a.solid base to work from whether you continue in a traditional manner or not.
Some basic introductory reads (articles) on Hellenic ways:
About Libations If you're able to buy books, Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship would be a good book to help in developing your practice.
A good place to get initial info on Hellenic gods and their cults is theoi.com which provides bibliographies on the primary (ancient) and secondary (academic) resources used. Perseus Project is also great for primary texts. To find additional research on Hermes, you can also find loads of free books on places like Google Books and Sacred-Text.com. Most are older books so you may find the style of writing to sometimes feel stuffy but many provide still useful information.
There are no "beginner gods" (so to speak) if that is what you mean. A young person in pagan societies was introduced to their gods from birth and grew up honoring them. No one can predict which you may have a special affinity for.
Since you're posting on a Hellenic forum, I assume you're drawn to the Hellenic gods. Regardless of age, IMO beginners should start with learning the myths and Hellenic religious practices. Both in ancient times and today, the majority of religious practice occurs in the home. So focus on becoming familiar with and creating your household practice.
Some basic introductory reads (articles) on Hellenic ways:
A good place to get initial info on Hellenic gods and their cults is theoi.com which provides bibliographies on the primary (ancient) and secondary (academic) resources used.
It's good to supplement the above with learning more about ancient Greece to gain an understanding of Greek perspectives, philosophy, ethics, etc. I don't know your age or your levels of interest, so what and when and to what extent is up to you.
If you're able to buy books, Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship would be a good book to help in developing your practice. You can also find loads of free books about ancient Hellenic religion on places like Perseus Project (great for primary texts), Google Books and Sacred-Text.com. Most of these are older books so you may find the style of writing to sometimes feel stuffy but there many provide still useful information.
I keep a googledoc with all my sources and links that you can check out at your leisure, I recognise not everyone is in a position to buy a small library so most of the books listed are available online for free download but I recommend buying paper copies if possible.
My top recommendations on that list would be:
- Hellenic Polytheism, Household Worship
- Hellenismos Practicing Greek Polytheism Today
- Beginners Guide to Hellenismos
- Greek Religion: Archaic and Classical
- The Orphic Hymns: A New Translation for the Occult Practitioner
- The Greek Magical Papyri In Translation
- Thomas Taylor on the Wandering of Odysseus and Complete Works of Plato, Translated by Thomas Taylor (the Apology for the Fables of Homer in particular is worth reading, I believe it's in the introduction to the Republic)
One that isn't on my list is Theokrasis, it is an absolutely phenomenal book but it is currently only available in Portuguese (but I am working on an English translation).
These two were decent, quick reads
Hellenic Polytheism : Household Worship (Volume 1) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1503121887/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_MME54X20AXH634JVVQSW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Hellenic Polytheism: A Personal Guide for Ancient Greek Practitioners https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1387067702/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_T4F13TJ4JZ28T4686TJK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
This will tell you all you need to know: Hellenistic polytheism: household worship
You might like some of these modern prayers , too.
I think one of the main difference between a modern "mainstream" religion and classical greek religion is it relationship with it's mythology; today we view religion in general as somewhat anti-science because certain fundamentalists support literal interpretation of flat-earth, young-earth creation or some other myth which is contrary to the narrative of modern science.
In Hellenism we typically believe in the gods (that they exist), but not that the myths are facts; for instance the fact Zeus and company are not sitting on top of Mt Olympus did not stop the ancient Greeks building temples near the summit, making sacrifices or pilgrimages to the site. Likewise the negative character of some gods in the myths does not put off modern Hellenists, nor does the behaviour of the gods or heroes necessarily inform our morality or ethics.
What Hellenists view the gods as, or what it means to say they exist, differs between individuals and subgroups but most of us accept they are real being in some sense and ritual is one of the ways which we interact with the gods.
There are a lot of good books on the religion, such as Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship, Coping with the Gods: Wayward Readings in Greek Theology and the Balckwell Companion to Greek Religion .
Ultimately the mythology is a well known part of ancient Greek culture, but it is not the whole of the religion, and even saying the mythology is just fiction does not prevent you from being a Hellenist.
It's understandable that most people don't know much about the religion, because it is still relatively small scale and we're not actively trying to convert people; there is plenty of information out there but it's not well known. Many Hellenists will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Some good websites about Hellenism are https://hellenicfaith.com/hellenism/ and https://www.hellenicgods.org/.
Ares didn't have widespread cultus in ancient times, though he wasn't totally without honor and did give particular patronage among some (most well known, the Spartans).
It sounds like you've received some modern eclectic input which doesn't quite mesh with traditional Hellenic practice. When researching, it's best to rely foremost on primary (ancient) texts and secondary (academic) research in fields like classical lit, archaeology, history, etc. There is plenty of information to be found, it just requires using reliable sources. When researching gods, I strongly recommend sources on their mythologies and their traditional worship (both in ancient times and modern reconstructionism). That will give you a solid base to build regardless what manner your personal practice takes shape.
The gods are not personal "spirit guides", however there are daemons, lower than the gods but above man and are spirits in terms of personifications.
Generally, a good place for initial info on Hellenic gods is theoi.com as it gives comprehensive overviews compiled from primary (ancient sources) and secondary (scholarly sources), usually with a bibliography at the end so that you can pursue those works at length.
While it's common among Neopagans to "pick a god" that idea is alien to Hellenic tradition in which the pantheon as a whole is honored with specific address to particular gods for aid in something specific and to deities & spirits connected to the home. As such, much is done the same way for all the gods with some minor variations depending on what category of god and emphasis on any known objects or offerings that are favored by that deity. So incense is always a good option and frankincense in particular is a good choice in most instances. It's also the preferred incense to offer Ares per the Orphic hymn to him. Blood red wine would be the most appropriate libation and symbolic of the type of libation he received among the Spartans. Though other traditional Hellenic libations are also acceptable. You can also offer votive (object) offerings. The torch is associated with him so what could become a standard fixture on an Ares shrine could be an electric candle. As for food offerings, you can offer typical Hellenic food offerings though it's known that beef was a primary offering to Ares. You could specifically order from a butcher or make blood sausage which would be symbolic of the type of offering he received (the sacrificed cow's blood was also used as a libation, thus the dark red wine alternative). However, pre-made blood sausage is most often made with pork blood so an alternative would be to purchase cows blood from a butcher and make your own). But if needs must, any portion of beef would suffice.
A helpful book on modern Hellenic practice is Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship published by labrys.gr which also has some useful basic intro articles on their website.
Another thing to consider is whether you feel drawn to Mars vs. Ares. While they're referenced as equivalents, Mars existed among the Romans before Greek influence and, unlike Ares among the Greeks, Mars was quite prominent in Roman religion (he was second only to Jupiter). Mars is also a god of agriculture and in general known as having a more civil demeanor.
It's worth asking what you personally mean by "spirit work" and "deity work". People online tend to use terms with their own definitions, which can result in the person asking and those answering meaning widely different things.
If by "deity work" you mean venerating specific deities, my personal recommendation is to start with learning the traditional ways associated with those gods. From there you'll discover which way works best for you to cultivate that relationship: either per tradition or taking that info and seeing how you can fit things within a Wiccanesque way. It's quite common for Wiccans to find the former to be more fruitful for pursuing a relationship with a given deity.
For Hellenic gods, a good introductory source for overviews on their traditional worship and mythologies is theoi.com. In terms of practicing tradition in a modern sense, Labrys.gr is an ethnic Hellenic group that has some introductory articles on household practices and also published a beginners book which is recommended for those interested in Hellenic tradition. The blog Baring The Aegis is also helpful in learning to interact with Hellenic gods per tradition.
Hellenic Polytheism : Household Worship
Another great book to recommend.
You can use an electric or battery operated candle for an altar flame. Offerings can be anything from hymns, prayers of thanks, incense, food offerings and libations (water, wine, oil, honey). If you're not allowed to have anything lit, consider getting an electric or reed oil diffuser and offer essential oils in lieu of incense.
When food offerings are not burned, they can be buried or left to nature. Just be careful what you leave outside, be sure it's not anything toxic to animals. Also some things don't breakdown readily and can attract pests, so raking the oil to aerate and break down readily (e.g., oil, honey). If none of that is an option, you can wrap the offering remains in a paper bag or towel and dispose of in the trash, or add to a compost.
You don't need to have any representation of deities. But if you want, options range from statues to printed images to sacred objects/animals (figurines) associated with them. Even something simple as their names calligraphied or written in Greek can suffice.
A good place to get initial info on the gods is theoi.com. It's also worth checking out Labrys.gr website, they have articles on household worship as well as on altars and offerings. They've also published a book, Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship.
Hellenismos is polytheistic, so yes we honor and respect all the gods, even those we do not address directly by name.
Typically there are household gods and daimons along with ancestor worship. Labrys, a group located in Greece has a good overview here, the articles on the same site regarding altars and libations are worth a read too. They also published an introductory book to Hellenic practice, Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship.
It's not necessary to call upon each and every one individually (nor feasible). You can within your practice make a point of addressing all gods in general, as regularly as you choose coming up with your own hymn or pulling from ancient sources like:
"All you gods and goddesses I deservedly give great thanks to you since you have blessed me with this very great happiness and these joys." (Poenulus)
There are various sources you can pull inspiration from. There are also the hymns written by Plethon that address the gods collectively, or craft your own.
While the gods have dominion over respective areas, you can call on any deity you've cultivated a relationship with for their favor with an issue, it's not necessary to view them as compartmentalized only ever address "this god for this, that god for that" when a situation arises.
The first place to start is by learning. Read myths. Read the Illiad and Odyssey. Read up on the deities. Read up on the pillars and read up on the maxims. Pray. Make an altar. Offer offerings. Pray some more. Understand that you're just starting out so make baby steps. Check out blogs, YouTube channels, podcasts, books, articles, websites. Tumblr has a pretty good community. Theoi.com is pretty good. Center for Hellenic Studies has a lot of good sources, including the homeric hymns. Honor The Gods-Tumblr has some really good resources. Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship is a good primer book. Kharis: Hellenic Polytheism Explored is also really good. Tea With the Gods is a good Youtube Channel. And I've got a podcast called Hellenic Polytheism 101 thats on spotify, Google play, pocketcasts, breaker, radio public, and has its own YouTube channel here
Honestly, learning is the best place to start. It can be overwhelming, especially when you want to hit the ground running and do everything. Take baby steps. Learn. Then put into practice what you've learned.
This is a good book if you want some advice on how to set up a proper altar, what to offer him, how to worship him as well as the rest of the Theoi. Here's another site that might be of some use to you as well.
Daily worship was normal in antiquity, just as it is in India, China, and Japan today. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate. In a little while I'll go to my altar, call on the gods, and offer some incense, wine, and fruit. I'll thank them for their blessings and pray for a few things. Then the fruit become part of my dinner.
You don't have to pick a "patron" — that's a modern idea. Look at the lararia preserved in Pompeii or the pictures on-line of Hindu home altars — often half a dozen gods!
Some more links:
And one good book
Wicca is a British witchcraft and is not something that was practiced in other cultures.
The most reliable resources are those on the actual religions and myths associated with whichever deities you're interested in. Too many Wicca books are unreliable, either poorly researched and/or really just the authors' "UPG" (unverified personal gnosis).
Generally, the most reliable suggestions can be found among pagan reconstructionists who rely foremost on ancient ("primary") and modern academic ("secondary") texts. There's little doubt of their veracity and secondary resources are not based on UPG. (UPG can have its place, but is not a reliable place to start.)
A helpful quick intro on any of the Hellenic gods is theoi.com. In terms of modern practice per tradition, IMO the best book atm is Hellenic Polytheism: Household Religion, self-published by Labrys, a Hellenic polytheism community in Greece (there's also some info on their site). Also, a good online source is the blog Baring the Aegis maintained by a member of elaion.org.
Also, there is a lot of helpful discussion on r/Hellenism.
As for recommendations on Wicca, that can depend on whether you're looking into traditional Wicca or eclecticism. Though, even if interested in the latter, it's worth reading traditional sources as that can help you to become familiar with what's inherent to Wicca vs what's not which can then help you to better separate fact from fiction which is a common problem among books for eclectics. You can search through this forum for various suggestions on both.
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