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Dear Deity (National Day of Prayer

By Stephen Prothero, Special to CNN

Dear Deity,

In the Milky Way, on planet Earth, in the United States of America, Thursday is our National Day of Prayer, so I am writing to ask You how to pray.

Seventy eight percent or so of U.S. citizens are Christians, so should we pray today to the Christian God? This seems to be the conviction of the folks at the National Day of Prayer Task Force, which pops up first if you Google “National Day of Prayer.” (By the way, do You Google, God? And if so do you ever Google "God"?)

The NDP Task Force refers to itself as “Judeo-Christian,” but it sure looks evangelical to me. It has been chaired since 1991 by Shirley Dobson, the wife of Focus on the Family founder (and evangelical stalwart) James Dobson. Its site quotes liberally from the New Testament, and one of its goals is to “foster unity within the Christian Church.”

A NDP Task Force press release begins: “Americans to Unite and Pray on Thursday, May 3rd, for the 61st Annual Observance of the National Day of Prayer." But will their sort of prayer really unite our nation?

Twenty four percent of Americans are Catholics, and God knows they don’t pray the way evangelicals do. Nearly 2% are Mormons and another 2% are Jews. And neither of those groups talks to You with the easy familiarity of born-again Christians.

And what about American Hindus and Muslims and Buddhists?  Muslims agree with their Jewish and Christian neighbors that there is one God. But how to pray as a nation when some believers affirm more than one God and some affirm fewer?

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Asclepius (Theos of Medicine)

Asclepius is a Theoi, though he began life as a mortal.

Asclepius is the son of Apollo and Koronis (a princess). His mother died before he was born, and he was still in her womb when she was being burnt on the funeral pyre. Artemis killed her after witnessing Koronis’ unfaithfulness to Apollo.

Apollo saved Asclepius from death by cutting him out of his dead mother, and took him to a centaur named Kheiron, who raised him as he did other heroes.

Kheiron taught Asclepius the field of medicine, and he excelled greatly.

With the knowledge given to him by Kheiron, and with the aid of gifts from the Theoi, he began to heal mortals. He did his job so well, however, that he managed to raise the dead. This made Zeus angry, since he believed that Asclepius was going against natural laws, and it was offensive, since he was a mere mortal. So, Zeus struck Asclepius with a lightning bolt. killing him.

Zeus, realizing that Asclepius was beneficial tot he human race, transformed him into one of the Theoi, and crafted his constellation in the stars, Ophiuchus.

In art, particularly statuary, Asclepius is depicted as a bearded man with a kind face. He bears a staff with snakes wrapped around it, a common healing symbol even today.

Asclepius’ healing sites and shrines survived even throughout roman times. The sick and ailing would travel to them, and spend the night there. In the morning, they would relate the dreams they had, supposedly involving Asclepius, and would be diagnosed or advised by the priests.

I am amazed. In just one day you have donated nearly enough to cover the expediting fee (just $20 short).. If you donated and haven’t messaged me about readings or 7 source courses, I will email the address you used when you donated tomorrow. Please claim your rewards, guys. I am asking for a way to make money in exchange for a service, and though I am grateful for your generosity, I want to make sure you are getting what you payed for.

Since i am still looking for work, I am going to continue this offer after I have passed my goal. If I can make enough to cover some bills, it would be amazing. I’ve always hoped I could turn the PRLP into something that I could justify as a part time job.

For those of you who have reblogged and boosted this post, Thank you, thank you for taking the time to that well. You have all taken what started as a terrible day and made it amazing!

Need to Raise $80 by Tuesday

As some of you may have seen, I am currently between jobs. While im currently looking for another full time job, I’m hoping to make enough money through the Pagan Reference Librarian Project to make ends meet.

I have Kerataconis, an eye condition that requires me to customized solid lenses. This morning, my right lens broke. Without it, I can not see to drive, cant go to job interviews, and struggle with basic things like cooking and cleaning.

Thanks to some accessibility extensions I can still work on this blog. For this week only, for a donation of $10 I will put together a page of 7 resources to be used as a self-directed course on a topic of your choice. These will include films, recorded university classes and lectures, books, and academic essays. If you wish, you can make the donation in the name of a Deity and I will create a page dedicated to Them, filled with in-depth resources,

Just 8 such donations will pay for my new lenses, and 12 will allow me to pay for a rush order and get them a few days earlier.

I am also still offering $5 tarot and stone readings, and will give sample readings as thanks for donations for anyone who can give even a little.

Donations are made through paypal. After you have made your donation, message me or send an ask about what you’d like in exchange.

Thank you. Anything helps at this point.

Arabian Paganism appreciation post

It seems like not many people are aware of the existence pre-islamic deities from the Arabian Peninsula!

So now! Here is a short prayer to Arabian pagan gods.

ALLAT (AL-LĀT)

Lady Allat, goddess of war and peace. Please, bring me prosperity and abundance. May my wishes come true, and may peace and calmness be around me. Great goddess of combat, aid me in my darkest and hardest times. Thank you.

Al-Uzza

Al-Uzza, Mighty goddess, protector of us all. Look over me when i am sad, protect me when i need it, help me when i am vulnerable. Sa'ida 'Uzza , Mighty blessed Uzza, thank you for everything.

MANĀT

Manat, goddess of destiny and time, the one who protects our souls and determines our fates. Protect me, even when i finish this life on Earth, and turn to your realm of Death. Beautiful goddess of Death and Fate, thank you for everything.

LIKE THIS POST FOR PART TWO!!!

Glory to Al-Uzza, the mighty goddess who protects us all from harm and evil.

Practitioner 1: Deity, please help me find love!

Deity1: Here you go my child, I'm giving you opportunities for you to find the love of your life.

Practitioner 2: Deity, i would like to work with you to improve my divination skills and learn new things! I would also like to ask you to help me find a new job, please!

Deity2: I accept your offer. I will gladly help you with that.

******

Me: Deity, can you help me with this please?

My deity: nuh uh you must work on this first, then that , then give me some of those ketchup flavored chips you got in your bag. Then we will talk.

‼️‼️‼️this is just a meme, this didn't exactly happen IRL the way i said it. This post is for entertainment purposes, and is in no way here to insult or bash people's experiences!!

I just had a dream...

i remember i was sitting on a sofa, and i remember a woman coming up to me (I don't remember her appearance , but a gut feeling told me she was an experienced witch) and she told me:

,,Gods aren't here for you just for exchange and work. Even when working, they are here for you. Gods care about you. They are real. They are here for you."

And even tho I don't really remember half of that dream. I believe that one of my goddesses visited me in it ❤️🫶🏻

I KINDA WANNA make one of those digital temples but for slavic gods instead , but i know they will flop and no one will want to see it 😔

I MADE IT Y'ALL!

@temple-of-perunika

I KINDA WANNA make one of those digital temples but for slavic gods instead , but i know they will flop and no one will want to see it 😔

"Paganism is very subjective and different to everyone and doesn't have rules so don't let anyone tell you what to do 🥰"

Which paganism? Celtic? Norse? Mesopotamian? Maybe Roman?

Paganism is a veeery broad term. You can't just generalize it like that!

People will say paganism this paganism that , then only talk about eclectic paganism with a dash of greek polytheism 😭...

ALL PAGAN PATHS HAVE THEIR RULES, EVEN GREEK POLYTHEISM. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN GET INTO HELPOL JUST TO GET AWAY FROM CONTROL AND RULES, DON'TTTT...

/NBH /NOTTARGETED

How to Discern Sign from Coincidence

I've noticed that in both on and offline witchy and pagan communities a lot of people's first question relating to deity work and communication is "how do I tell if something is a sign" so I wanted to share my perspective and how I vet something as being a sign or message from my deity or not. This is a pretty simplified 'checklist', but it's important to note that signs are not my main form of communication with my deity which is why I'm quite 'conservative' in identification of them!

How many times? Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence but three times may be a sign. This is a general rule I use for signs like angel numbers, specific animals or imagery or something similiar. Though it doesn't always apply - for example, if I see five crows on a nearby roof I don't see it as a sign because that is a very common sight where I live. But if I see three deer near my house in one day, that IS pretty mystical.

How unusual is it? If something 'makes sense' or can be easily explained by mundane reasons it is less likely to be a sign, and this can work in "levels". E.g. if I see a spider in the corner of my room, that's pretty unlikely to be a sign because that's just what spiders do. A spider running across a specific chapter in my book or tarot guide is still explainable but I'd probably check if it was meant to be a sign. And a sparrowhawk landing on my windowsill would almost definitely be a sign because they rarely come into the area where I live.

How does it make me feel? Sometimes I get a gut feeling that something is a sign or a message, even if it isn't unusual or has only happened once. This can easily be mistaken for 'wanting' something to be a sign so still vet and double check but the differentation does with time, experience and a growing relationship with a deity. Often, signs are clear that they are signs, because you're deity wants you to see them and so your intuition often drags your attention to the, and tells you that they're special somehow.

How do I confirm? I almost always vet signs and messages, typically it's just a quick tarot reading to confirm that something was a sign and what it might mean or represent. Often I'll also meditate or consider the sign to see what feelings or knowledge it inspires in me as well. Sometimes I don't need confirmation, I just know. But that has come with time and I would always check early in my relationship to my Mother Nature.

Important notes If something is just coincidence, that's okay, and it's still cool! So what if that crow wasn't a sign from a deity, you still got to see a crow! And so what if that fortune cookie message wasn't actually a message from your spirit guides, it can still be an inspiring and needed message! There is magic in the mundane and that's wonderful.

If you're new to paganism or witchcraft and want to work with a deity I will warn you to be wary and do a lot of research. Don't just assume: "I saw crows the other day, Odin must be reaching out to me." or "I found a bunch of rose petals on the floor so it must be aphrodite." Signs can mean a great number of things and if you truly believe it is a deity, vet and research source materials for that deity and pantheon. Ask for confirmation and take things slowly, it is very easy to trick yourself into seeing something you want to see.

Signs vary between practitioners and it's important to understand and respect that. What might mean one thing to you, means something entirely different to someone else - even if you're devoted to the same deity. While I always recommend checking original religious sources (if possible) for traditional omens and meanings, they will probably be quite unique to you!!

Tell me about some signs you've recieved from your deity or spirit guides (or whoever)! Mine tend to be animals or plants, which is definitely on brand!

I don’t know if it’s cultural/latent Christianity or just standard media illiteracy, but people need to seriously read up on the nature of mythology in ancient cultures. Like seriously.

So many people treat myths as factual accounts of events. I have never seen any literary scholar, anthropologist or historian make the claim that this was the way the ancients viewed their myths. It’s metaphor. It’s allegory. It’s symbolism. It’s a narrativised ritual. It’s artistic social, political, cultural commentary, instruction or expression. The claim that a myth should be interpreted literally is never made by serious researchers, because it

1) is inherently unprovable and unarguable, which renders it scientifically irrelevant.

2) it blocks off many more salient interpretations that can co-exist with other contradictory non-literal interpretations.

3) it does not seem consistent with the way myth was treated by storytellers and scholars of the time.

Myth is an inherently flexible medium. It’s beautiful and elegant in its manifold meanings. Stop trying to make it a literal account. It isn’t. Never has been. Do your research about the culture, the medium and the traditions you discuss, before making wild statements, before writing ahistorical retellings, or trying to cancel gods or the people who follow them, based on texts that were written (and before that orally handed down) thousands of years ago in a cultural tradition entirely different than ours.

STOP PROJECTING YOUR OWN LITERALISM AND REJECTION OF COMPLEXITY ON OTHER CULTURES.

It’s ignorant, it’s incurious, it’s incorrect and frankly disrespectful, racist and colonialist to insert your misunderstood notion of mythology in a culture that you have barely researched.

Some people need to be a bit less concerned with being seen as perfect paragons of moral righteousness, and a bit more with not spreading misinformation, cultural ignorance and media illiteracy.

loaded (genuine) question but. If people say the myths are just metaphors/not literal events, then how do we know what the gods are truly like (personality/powers/etc) and why do we treat them as real beings? did they originate from a myth itself or did people know of the gods existence and then create the myth based off of them? how did they find out all of the names and what they stand for without the myths? are the gods physical or metaphysical beings and actual gods, or are they aspects of nature (lightning, rain) that people have given names and personification? or not nature itself but rather the forces of nature being alive and THATS the gods? I’m having a hard time understanding what exactly gods are to majority of people and how *i* should perceive them. when someone says the gods are real, what ARE the gods? is it the same as when Christians believe in their god and say he is real and watching over people? or are these gods a completely different concept

additionally… if the gods are just nature or forces of nature to people then why do we call them gods and give them pronouns, names, personality rather than just referring to it as nature/natural forces?"

That is a loaded question, but a very interesting one!

The most important thing about deities and people's relationships/beliefs surrounding them is this: it is all subjective, because it is all belief.

For your first point about myths being metaphors: some people don't view them as metaphors. There are a few people who are "myth literalists" and believe that the myths of their religion are true and factual (one example would be Christian Creationists, who believe that the World truly was made in 7 days and that The Flood actually happened). Most people you'll interact with in pagan or witchcraft circles will agree that the myths are stories, that they reflect the authors and their societies beliefs more than any factual story of the Gods, but that doesn't mean there is no truth in them! For example, Zeus, from the Hellenic pantheon, is the King of Gods and the God of thunder and the sky - this information is gathered from the myths and stories of Ancient Greece, it is considered "fact" or "canon" within the religion. However, there are also many stories of him 'cheating' on his wife, Hera, and fathering many children (often by nonconsensual means) - many hellenists (and academics) will argue that this was representative of the power of rain and storms (creating fertile ground), and that as King of Kings many Ancient Greeks would have desired a story that put them, or their ancestors, as one of his descendants, these aspects of the myths may be seen as less literal by many hellenic followers, or simply as a product of their time. HOWEVER, the most important part is that it really just depends on the person and their beliefs, which stems from their research, experiences and general world view.

People treat their deities as real for the same reasons that Christians treat their God as real: because they believe He is. That is what faith is. That is how religion works - you believe they are real, even if you cannot prove it.

As for your next part about where they came from: that again depends on the person.

Some people believe that the Gods predate their myths, that myths were stories created about them or dictated/written down by those they deemed worthy of hearing them. Other people believe that deities were created by the myths and belief (this is more similiar to my belief system, which I am happy to expand upon if requested).

Are the gods seperate to their domains? Are they their domains personified? Is Zeus a deity that controls the sky, or is he simply the Sky itself, named by the Ancient Greeks. Does Sol truly travel across the sky on a chariot, or is she just a different name used for the Sun in our sky?

I cannot answer that for you.

Your question: "how i should perceive them" is impossible for anyone but yourself to answer and I am sorry to tell you that, I know that it can be difficult and that sometimes all you want is a concrete answer and a step by step guidebook of "What to Believe in and how to do it Right" but that simply doesn't exist.

In pagan spaces, you will see people disuss or debate whether or not their gods are omniciscient or not (many citing myths as sources or using their own upg - unique personal gnosis), you will see people discuss how their gods appear to them and what they represent or mean. You will see a hundred variations on how to worship them or who they are. None of them are wrong but conversesly none of them are right - they are simply that person's unique faith and belief, and that faith can change over time.

From what I have seen, many people believe their gods to be real and as seperate beings who control their domains (i.e. Zeus is the God of the sky, not the sky itself), and that their myths are partially true, partially metaphorical, all within the context of the society they were written. Many believe that the gods have changed and evolved as times have gone on and that they are beyond our societal rules. But, there is no real "cookie cutter" belief.

If you wish to know, I can tell you my own personal beliefs, what they mean to me, and how I have come to hold them but I will not claim that they are correct and I can't speak for others. I'd definitely reccomend speaking to other pagans and immersing yourself in pagan communities.

You must decide for yourself what the gods are, but I am happy to help you find the tools to discover that.

How exactly does one go about creating a god?

Will and desire and faith. 

I mean, that’s basically what magic is. Strip away all the crystals and wands and rituals, and magic is believing in something so hard it makes the universe that way.

Prayer and ritual and spells - both the witchy kind and the religious kind - are just a way to make our brains focus hard enough, in the right way, to do that. 

So if you want to create a god…you want it. And then you believe it. 

(This is the hard part. It’s always been the hard part. You have to make yourself believe in the thing you’re creating. Spells don’t work if you don’t believe. Creating an energy construct - a god - won’t either.)

And I mean, I don’t think you have to do it all at once. The two deities I mentioned in that last ask - they’re beings who’ve existed in my and one of my friend’s stories for decades. (One in one of my stories, one in one of hers). But bit by bit you fall in love, in a way, with this being, the more you explore them, the more you understand them. The more you add to their mythology, their backstory, the things they rule, their personalities. And at least with me, you find yourself wanting them to be real. And then you find yourself whispering prayers or wishing so hard or finding a pendant of their symbol to wear around your neck, and you realise it makes you feel stronger and safer when you’re wearing it, and then you realise you actually believe.

I think you can sit down and design a deity if you want to. Why not? You can deliberately create something to believe in. Unless you believe that every god in every pantheon ever spontaneously came into being, that’s how all gods are created. And there’s the thing of, if enough people believe in a thing, it becomes real in a way that has nothing to do with scientific ‘objective’ reality (sometimes this is a bad thing). But it works on a personal level too. 

Make up a god. Envision the kind of deity you want to believe in, that you want to be real. And then fake it till you make it - act as though you believe, until one day you realise you do. 

And that makes it real, doesn’t it? 

Or are we talking on a metaphysical level? How can you objectively create a god? At that point, I have to say that I believe the human mind, properly focused, can do incredible things. Give someone a placebo and they can make themselves better, even though they received no actual medication. Like I said before, I think every culture on Earth has found their own ways of focusing the mind - through dance, drumming/music, singing, praying en mass, ritual, meditation - because focused, our thoughts can affect reality. And I think pouring enough energy and focus and will and want into a concept - into an energy construct - turns it into something real. Makes it real. 

We can create gods because we are gods, and we can alter reality if we try. I’ve seen too much magic not to believe that. I won’t blame you if you don’t. But that’s how. 

Pop culture magic/k basically takes the premise of, every pop culture figure is as equally a facet of the Ultimate as any traditional deity. You can pray to Hermione Granger for help with your exams to as much effect as praying to Athene. A god being ancient doesn’t make them more true than a modern one. It all comes back to stories, the stories that touch our souls, that make us believe. All divine faces are just masks of one Ultimate. If you identify better with Hermione, then call on Hermione. She’s no less real if she has meaning to you. She’s just as much an aspect of the same archetype.

Same applies to a deity you invent. 

I don’t know if I’m explaining this well at all. Please feel free to send another ask if you want me to clarify something.

Gotta love our Lord of the Desert. 🔥

Dua Set! Who overthrows A̶p̶e̶p̶

Polytheist & Pagan Asks

🙏 - Which pantheon(s) do you actively worship?

🌞 - Which deity(ies) are you closest to/do you worship the most often?

✨ - Do you believe in patron deities? If so, do you have any that you know of?

🌍 - Which pantheons do you believe exist?

📜 - Have you ever made an oath, vow, or contract with a deity? If yes, how did it go (you don't have to share)?

📿 - What are three things you're grateful to your deity(ies) for?

🖋️ - If you could say anything to your deity(ies) right now, what would you most want to say?

💌 - What is your favorite form of deity communication?

🎭 - What is an emotionally impactful or a silly worship-related experience you've had?

❤️ - What's one memory of your practice that you reflect the most fondly on?

🥂 - What is your favorite devotional act or offering to give?

🎉 - Do you celebrate any festivals? If so, which ones?

🫂 - Do you syncretize any pantheons with one another? If so, which ones?

🔮 - Do you delve into topics like the occult or the mysteries? Do you do anything esoteric?

⭐ - What is something you wish people outside your practice knew more about?

📖 - Do you like the way your pantheon is most often portrayed in media? Why or why not?

🏛️ - Do you have a favorite statue or temple to your deity(ies)? If yes, what is it?

🔥 - Do you have a favorite myth or tale from your pantheon or others?

🧭 - What led you to your practice?

🧿 - Did you have any other spiritual beliefs before discovering your current practice?

🪽 - Do you believe in angels and/or demons? If yes, do you worship or work with any?

🪄 - Do you practice witchcraft? If yes, do you keep it separate from your deity worship?

🪦 - Do ancestors or human spirits play a big role in your practice?

🐾 - Do animal spirits play a big role in your practice?

🌱 - Does nature - plants, nature spirits, etc. - play a big role in your practice?

💀 - Do you believe in ghosts? If yes, have you ever had an experience with one?

☄️ - Do you believe in astral travel/the astral realm? If so, have you been there before?

'Circle of the Sun' is one of the only extensively researched handbooks on the rituals of Kemetic paganism that is readily available on the market. Anyone seeking a closer relationship to the Egyptian deities will find this book immensely useful and informative. In particular, I enjoy that everything is simple to understand and nothing is left open-ended. For someone who is truly a newbie, you will have everything explained in clear words.

Some of what it contains includes:

- daily, weekly, and monthly prayers and rites

- magic, heka, and spells

- rituals for genuine Egyptian holy days

- how to self-dedicate as a solitary Kemetic, and how to choose a deity name

- hymns to all the major deities

- how to cope as a solitary Kemetic

and heaps more!

One of my favourite things about this book is that it contains a quick reference guide for the ancient Egyptian language. Whilst pronunciation is varied (we literally have no idea how some of these words were said), the spelling is relatively straight-forward. Words like 'beloved' and other praising terms make for simple prayers you can write yourself and having that guide there is super helpful.

The author has even included photos of her altar during different times of the year to give you an idea of what you could do. While mine altar is always set up how I like it, many new Kemetics struggle with how they should create an offering space that is suitable. (Hint: it's all suitable!)

There are also recipes to create your own incense, information about prominent deities... honestly, it's just a super informative book. Retailing at only $31, you can't go wrong.

Sharon LaBorde is a well-respected Kemetic recreationalist and has published a few other books as well, including 'Following the Sun', which is a practical guide to Kemetic religion and paganism. I haven't read that one, but it does differ and contain other information. Sharon's website says... "It includes major topics such as explanations of Egyptian history versus conspiracy theories, understanding the concept of ma'at (justice) and Egyptian ethics, how to build your own altar or shrine, crafting your own ritual garb and oils, and rituals and prayers for a variety of purposes. Now with expanded sections on ancient Nubia's relation to ancient Egypt, ancient polytheism and the Exodus story, and complete rituals for a Wheel of the Year. With a down-to-earth, easy to read format, this book is a must for anyone seeking to explore Egyptian Paganism."

I highly recommend this book to those who are curious! And I'd venture a guess that 'Following the Sun' is just as good.

'Circle of the Sun' is one of the only extensively researched handbooks on the rituals of Kemetic paganism that is readily available on the market. Anyone seeking a closer relationship to the Egyptian deities will find this book immensely useful and informative. In particular, I enjoy that everything is simple to understand and nothing is left open-ended. For someone who is truly a newbie, you will have everything explained in clear words.

Some of what it contains includes:

- daily, weekly, and monthly prayers and rites

- magic, heka, and spells

- rituals for genuine Egyptian holy days

- how to self-dedicate as a solitary Kemetic, and how to choose a deity name

- hymns to all the major deities

- how to cope as a solitary Kemetic

and heaps more!

One of my favourite things about this book is that it contains a quick reference guide for the ancient Egyptian language. Whilst pronunciation is varied (we literally have no idea how some of these words were said), the spelling is relatively straight-forward. Words like 'beloved' and other praising terms make for simple prayers you can write yourself and having that guide there is super helpful.

The author has even included photos of her altar during different times of the year to give you an idea of what you could do. While mine altar is always set up how I like it, many new Kemetics struggle with how they should create an offering space that is suitable. (Hint: it's all suitable!)

There are also recipes to create your own incense, information about prominent deities... honestly, it's just a super informative book. Retailing at only $31, you can't go wrong.

Sharon LaBorde is a well-respected Kemetic recreationalist and has published a few other books as well, including 'Following the Sun', which is a practical guide to Kemetic religion and paganism. I haven't read that one, but it does differ and contain other information. Sharon's website says... "It includes major topics such as explanations of Egyptian history versus conspiracy theories, understanding the concept of ma'at (justice) and Egyptian ethics, how to build your own altar or shrine, crafting your own ritual garb and oils, and rituals and prayers for a variety of purposes. Now with expanded sections on ancient Nubia's relation to ancient Egypt, ancient polytheism and the Exodus story, and complete rituals for a Wheel of the Year. With a down-to-earth, easy to read format, this book is a must for anyone seeking to explore Egyptian Paganism."

I highly recommend this book to those who are curious! And I'd venture a guess that 'Following the Sun' is just as good.

The Kemetic Calendar: Months

It's really difficult to talk about and find a decent Egyptian calendar. So difficult that honestly, I've just created my own at this point.

The Egyptian calendar had 365 days, just like the modern western calendar. It consisted of three seasons with 120 days each, with an intercalary month of five epagomenal days to keep up with leap days. Each season was divided into four months of 30 days each.

Below are the seasons, and months.

Akhet (Flood). Roughly September to January in AE, but I celebrate it from January to May.

Month of Djehuty (Jan. 1-30)

Month of Pa'en-Opet (Jan. 31-Mar. 1)

Month of Hat-Hor (Mar. 2-31)

Month of Ka-Hor-Ka (Apr. 1-30)

Peret (Winter). Roughly January to May in AE, but I celebrate it from May to the end of August.

Month of Ta-ib (May 1-30)

Month of Makhir (May 31-Jun. 29)

Month of Pa'en-Amunhotepu (Jun. 30-Jul. 29)

Month of Pa'en-Renenutet (Jul. 30-Aug. 28)

Shemu (Summer). Roughly May to September, but I celebrate it from the end of August to the end of December.

Month of Pa-Khonsu (Aug. 29-Sep. 27)

Month of Pa'en-Inet (Sep. 28-Oct. 27)

Month of Apip (Oct. 28-Nov. 26)

Month of Mosu-Ra (Nov. 27-Dec. 26)

The Epagomenal Days. These were five days at the end of each year to help balance out leap days. After these days were done, the new year was celebrated. Each of these days celebrates the birth days of the deities they are named after. For me, they take place from December 27-31, although in Ancient Egypt they most likely would have taken place in late July/early August.

Meswet Wesir

Meswet Heru

Meswet Sutekh

Meswet Aset

Meswet Nebet-Het

The King of Annwn

Brythonic Paganism Essays: Part I

The Usual Disclaimer: The tales of The Mabinogion and other surviving Welsh texts were once shared orally, passed down across generations, and over vast distances. By the time these stories were finally committed to writing, the Welsh had long embraced Christianity. As a result, what remains in these medieval manuscripts offers only a faint echo of the ancient beliefs held by the Brythonic or Romano-British peoples. Yet, by examining these stories in relation to one another, and drawing parallels with other Celtic or even Indo-European traditions, we may catch glimpses of the older beliefs that inspired them. What follows is simply theory, built upon these comparisons.

There are many contenders for the title of King or Lord of Annwn, the Otherworld in Welsh mythology. So many, in fact, that most Brythonic polytheists I’ve spoken to tend to agree that Annwn, like the mortal world, has multiple rulers. However, I believe these deities share too many similarities to be entirely distinct. Rather, I see them as different aspects or variations of a much older, singular god. Before delving into the gods themselves, let’s examine the key motifs:

The God-King is often depicted as a hunter, accompanied by the Cŵn Annwn—the hounds of Annwn—described as pure white with red ears.

He is locked in an eternal, seasonal conflict, where he can be seen as representing winter, battling against an opponent who embodies summer.

This struggle often revolves around a goddess who symbolizes spring, the earth, or fertility. This mythic framework is incredibly ancient, with perhaps the most well-known version being the story of Persephone in Greek mythology.

The conflict often involves a journey to the Underworld and escalates to such intensity that a mortal king must intervene.

The god is also often depicted as a psychopomp—an entity that guides the souls of the dead to their final destination, much like the Grim Reaper. However, it’s important to note that Annwn wasn’t necessarily viewed as an “afterlife” by its original believers. Instead, it was more of a mystical realm, later misunderstood and conflated with Hell or Hades through the lens of Christian propaganda.

Arawn

Pwyll, King of Dyfed, embarks on a hunt and encounters a pack of white, red-eared dogs bringing down a deer. He claims the kill for himself, only to be confronted by Arawn, the true owner of the hounds, who is also hunting. To make amends for his transgression, Pwyll agrees to a request from Arawn: they will swap appearances and live as each other for one year. Arawn explains that he goes to war every year with Hafgan—a name meaning something like "summer song" or "summer white"—for rulership of Annwn. Despite defeating Hafgan in combat each time, Arawn always loses in the end. As Hafgan lays dying, he taunts Arawn to strike again, and Arawn, unable to resist, delivers the fatal blow—only for Hafgan to be magically revived.

Pwyll agrees to the plan and spends a year living in Annwn disguised as Arawn. Though he shares a bed with Arawn’s Wife every night, Pwyll honors the situation and never takes advantage of it. When the time comes to face Hafgan in battle, Pwyll defeats him but refuses to strike the final blow. With Hafgan dead, his followers recognize Arawn as the true King of Annwn.

Here, we see the recurring motifs of the hunt, the yearly conflict with summer, and the intervention of a mortal king. In this version of the myth, it is the King who travels to the Otherworld, not the goddess who is absent. While the myth lacks a love triangle with a goddess, Arawn’s unnamed Wife does play a role, with her honor preserved, this was included in the story for a reason. The psychopomp element isn’t explicitly referenced in this story, but other familiar themes remain.

Gwyn ap Nudd

Culhwch desires to marry Olwen, the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden. However, Ysbaddaden knows that he is doomed to die once his daughter marries, so he sets Culhwch forty impossible tasks. One of these is to slay the monstrous boar Twrch Trwyth, a cursed Irish king who now roams Britain as a destructive beast. Culhwch seeks help from his famous cousin, King Arthur, who agrees but warns that to hunt this particular monster, they will need the aid of Gwyn ap Nudd.

Gwyn ap Nudd - whose name means "White Son of Mist" - is somewhat preoccupied at the time, having just abducted the lady Creiddylad from her betrothed, Gwythyr ap Greidawl, whose name means "Victory Son of Scorcher." The ensuing conflict between Gwyn and Gwythyr grows vicious. In one particularly brutal act, Gwyn kills a captured knight, cuts out his heart, and forces the knight's son to eat it, driving him mad. King Arthur intervenes and orders the two rivals to cease their war. From that moment on, they are condemned to battle each other once a year, on May Day, until the end of the world.

Gwyn also appears in the poem The Dialogue of Gwyn ap Nudd and Gwyddno Garanhir in the Black Book of Carmarthen. It can be interpreted from this poem that Gwyddno, unaware that he has been slain in battle, meets a warrior (Gwyn) and asks for his protection. During the course of their conversation Gwyddno learns that the warrior has witnessed many battles and the deaths of many of Britain's heroes, and Gwyddno realises he is now one of those dead heroes as he is speaking to Gwyn ap Nudd.

Later traditions place Gwyn at the head of the Wild Hunt as the King of the Tylwyth Teg, the fair folk, the inhabitants of Annwn, where he rides his host on the night between October 31st/November 1st looking for the souls of the dead. He hunts with the Cwn Annwn, the same pack of dogs Arawn had.

Let's go through all this. We have two examples of a Hunt motif, the Hunting of Twrch Trwyth, and The Wild Hunt. Both can be seen as metaphors for Gwyn's role as a psychopomp, The Wild Hunt is explicitly about the souls of the dead being taken to the Otherworld, and Twrch Trwyth is no ordinary boar, he is a human soul transformed into a monster, and Arthur believes that only with Gwyn with them could they succeed.

We also have a war with summer over a girl. Creiddylad is of uncertain meaning, it could mean "heart-flood", "blood-flood" which is unclear to me, but Gwythyr being "son of Scorcher" seems to be a clear reference to summer, their battle is to commence on May Day, the start of summer, every year, forever. It's also worth noting that the Wild Hunt the night before November 1st is the start of winter. This was of course decided by the (not so mortal) legendary King Arthur.

A note on Gwyn's family: Nudd (pronounced Neathe like breathe) is a god who's name means mist. Getting lost in mist is a sure fire way of getting to Annwn, like a portal, and the Tylwyth Teg, or fair folk of whom Gwyn is king, are said to waylay travelers with mist and fog. Nudd comes from the older Celtic word Nodens, a god associated with healing, specifically but not limited to eyes, as well as dream interpretation. So here we see a god who is responsible for clearing or obscuring vision, both physically and mentally, like mist. Nodens is also closely linked to dogs, hunting and fishing. Lludd is another version of this name, and Lludd is given to be Creiddydlad's father, making her Gwyn's sisters as well as lover, but we don't know for sure if the medieval writers saw Lludd and Nudd as literally the same person, so it's really a matter of opinion.

Gronw Pebr

Gwydion, a magician, trickster, bard and potentially tree deity (more on this in a future essay), has gone to great trouble to bring about the birth of Lleu Llaw Gyffes, Lleu of Many Skills. This includes him stealing divine pigs from Annwn, given to Pryderi ap Pwyll by Arawn and magically impregnating his own sister. As a result Lleu's mother, Arianrhod, has laid three tynghedau on him, which is like a curse or a fate.

One tynged is that Lleu could not marry any woman of any race in this world. So Gwydion, along with his magically talented uncle King Math, created a wife for Lleu out of flowers and named her Blodeuwedd, meaning flower-face. Blodeuwedd and Lleu are happily married until one day, when Lleu is away from home, a hunter arrives.

His name is Gronw Pebr, Gronw the Radiant, and he requests shelter. Blodeuwedd, having never seen another man in her life other than her husband and her creators, falls in love with him. Gronw explains that in order for them to be together, Lleu must die. So Blodeuwedd discovers from her trusting husband the very specific and convoluted means that Lleu could be killed, which involves a spear that takes a year of Sundays to create. She tells Gronw about this, who goes about creating the spear.

When the time comes, Blodeuwedd tricks Lleu into the exact situation in which he can be killed, and Gronw strikes him with the spear. Lleu is "killed" but his body transforms into an eagle that continually rots, and flies away. Using pigs to sniff him out, Gwydion finds the decaying eagle perched in an oak tree, and with his gift of awen (divine talent and knowledge) sings Lleu back to life.

Lleu, Gwydion and Math return for vengeance, and this time it is Lleu who slays Gronw with a spear thrust that pierces the solid stone Gronw used as a shield. Blodeuwedd and her maidens flee, but as they keep looking behind them the maidens fall into a lake and drown and Blodeuwedd is transformed by Gwydion into an owl as punishment, a goddess of flowers cursed to never see the sun again.

This story is a lot more from the point of view of our summer representative Lleu, who's fleshed out far more as a god in his own right in the full telling of it. Lleu specifically is the god of light, as well as being "many skilled" and sharing many characteristics of the "divine son" god that will be explored in the next essay.

Gronw, by contrast, has nothing that indicates winter other than he opposes Lleu and his opposition takes a year of work. He also enters our story as a hunter. The circularity of this conflict is reinforced in the resurrection of Lleu, as winter defeats summer just for summer to return and defeat winter and so on. I am reminded by this resurrection by Gwydion of Hafgan's final strike, which revives him.

Blodeuwedd also gets far more attention in this story than the women in the other tales. A being who is a literal embodiment of spring, fertility and the earth, being made from flowers. It is likely that the owl transformation is a medieval invention. There are other animal transformations in this branch of the Mabinogion that I didn't mention here as they weren't relevant, which also seems to be an addition based on a trendyness of people who shapeshift in medieval literature. However, we also have the maidens falling into the lake, which I imagine is a remnant of the original, in which Blodeuwedd falls in, as the maidens are not really mentioned before so this is an odd detail. Lakes were seen as gateways to Annwn, so here we see Blodeuwedd fleeing to her Otherworldly lover. I personally take the owl to represent Blodeuwedd during the dark half of the year, when she is with her winter lover, awaiting to emerge from the earth in spring.

We have no psychopomping either, but we do have two references to swine herding which seems reminiscent of Culhwch and Olwen. King Math is certainly no mortal, but he seems to be a god involved with magic, judgement and punishment.

A note on Lleu's family: just as Gwyn and Creiddydlad are potentially siblings, so too are Lleu's parents Gwydion and Arianrhod. The story doesn't come straight out and say it, creating the characters of Gilfeathwy and Goewin as stand-ins, probably for the sake of Christian sensibilities. These two are never mentioned again or anywhere else as far as I know, and it is Arianrhod who is pregnant as a result of the whole thing, not Goewin. Some versions even have Arianrhod in Goewin's place as foot holder to Math. Lleu appears as Llefelys in another story, who is brother of Lludd (Nudd). This would make Creiddydlad, the Blodeuwedd-like lady of Gwyn's story, his niece, as well as Gwyn maybe his nephew.

This really nails home how these tales became so mixed up in their countless retellings over space and time before being written down. They spread out and became something unique then smashed back together time and again, but somewhere in there is the important truth. It can be confusing and frustrating, but bare in mind always:

The Gods are not their myths,

Embrace the mystery!