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Ethos
I am an eclectic polytheist. I worship Anglo-Saxon, Babylonian, Gaulish, Kemetic, and Roman deities. I honor them in five divine pairs during a seven day, weekly devotional cycle, without annual festivals, mystery traditions or magic. My rituals are simple, minimalistic, and pragmatic. During my rituals I honor their sacred names and present sacred offerings. It is my sincere belief that the gods understand our deepest, unspoken desires better than we do - without the need for rigid ceremonialism or obscure occult practices. Through sacrifice, and the reciprocity that flows from that, change occurs in the life of a devotee. Everything else is just a distraction from this essential, universal relationship.
Virtue
In much the same way that there are many gods and goddesses of value, there are also many different virtues that have value in the way I lead my life. As far as I'm concerned, one virtue should ever be considered the most important. Morality should be viewed holistically like any other aspect of life. Virtues are not moral absolutes. Virtues are ethical abstractions - expressed differently in each situation, and are determined by the individual above all else. An important exercise of virtue, therefore, is to determine which morals are most valuable and actionable - with the guidance of the gods and ancestors. I believe that one should be open to changing core virtues over time. The good we do in the world is yet another expression of the spiritual devotion that motivates us to maintain altars and leave offerings upon them. Strong relationships with the divine should encourage every person to do good in the world. Moral goodness can be as private as worship, as public as volunteering or as personal as time with friends and family.
Theology
The gods are immanent manifestations within the world, but are also transcendent. They are manifestations of aether - the spiritual foundation of the four sacred elements that created the world. The divine power that unfolds from aether can manifest as any divinity it chooses to - from any culture or pantheon. In my practice, I engage in devotional rituals in honor of the gods and goddesses from an array of cultures. The most important focus of spirituality is cultivating devotion and gratitude towards the divine. The devotion I have for the gods and ancestors are manifest not only in my prayers and offerings, but also my friends, family and service I do in my community.
Ritual
My polytheistic ritual practice is highly minimalistic and pragmatic. It involves a purification, invocation, oblation, prayer and closing. My rituals follow a seven day devotional cycle - with an array of divine pairs honored on each day of the week. This is done in place of public festivals or mysteries. Sunday honors solar gods and flamming gods. Monday honors lunar gods. Tuesday honors martial gods and plutonic gods. Wednesday honors mercurial gods. Thursday honors celestial gods and aquatic gods. Friday honors gods of desire and Saturday honors terrestrial gods. Using a twenty sided dice, you can also divine which array of six gods or six goddesses, from one of the aforementioned ten sacred domains, is the one that you are meant to focus on in a given moment - both during and outside of ritual.
Praxis
O Gods and Goddesses, purify my mind, body and spirit, and keep away the profane. Let it be so.
As fire in the darkness shines, let the sea with the ancestors guide, the land with the spirits give, and the sky with the gods rule.
[On Sunday] O Bealdor and Sunna, Shamash and Aya, Resheph and Shapash, Belenos and Belisama, Horus and Hathor, Apollo and Aurora, be present!
[On Sunday] O Weland and Eostre, Girra and Ninirigal, Kothar-wa-Khasis and Kotharat, Gobannos and Vesunna, Ptah and Sekhmet, Vulcan and Vesta, be present!
[On Monday] O Mona and Sceadu, Sin and Ningal, Yarikh and Nikkal, Artaios and Artio, Khonsu and Bastet, Men and Diana, be present!
[On Tuesday] O Tiw and Hretha, Ninurta and Gula, Ba'al Hadad and Anat, Camulos and Brigindo, Set and Neith, Mars and Minerva, be present!
[On Tuesday] O Hama and Hel, Nergal and Ereshkigal, Ba'al Mot and Ba'alat Mot, Cernunnos and Erecura, Anpu and Anupet, Orcus and Prosperina, be present!
[On Wednesday] O Woden and Eostre, Nabu and Tashmetum, Gupan and Ugar, Lugos and Rosmerta, Thoth and Ma'at, Mercury and Fortuna, be present!
[On Thursday] O Thunor and Modru, Marduk and Zarpanitu, El and Asherah, Taranis and Matrona, Amun and Amunet, Jupiter and Juno, be present!
[On Thursday] O Wade and Wachilt, Ea and Damkina, Ba'al Yam and Ba'alat Yam, Nodens and Sequanna, Nun and Naunet, Neptune and Salacia, be present!
[On Friday] O Ing and Frig, Dumuzi and Ishtar, Attar and Astarte, Sucellos and Nantosuelta, Osiris and Isis, Liber and Venus, be present!
[On Saturday] O Beowa and Erce, Enlil and Ninlil, Dagan and Shalash, Teutates and Epona, Khnum and Heqet, Saturn and Ops, be present!
I honor you on your sacred day.
O Gods and Goddesses, my life is yours. I give so that you may give. May you be favorable.
If I have pleased you, make manifest my tacit desires, and ostend the sacred.
[Remain in silence]
If I acted in error, please forgive me.
May you recede in peace. Farewell.
Mythos
Before the creation of the world, there was only aether. Though hidden and formless, aether desired manifestation. Brilliant, celestial fire emerged from the desire of aether - becoming the golden sun, the silver moon, and brilliant stars that shine within the darkness of the abyss. Brilliant, celestial fire created the sea, land and sky. The sky formed blowing winds, clouds, and the overworld. The sea became rain, lakes, rivers, and the underworld. The land became mountains, valleys, and the middleworld. The hidden aether that nurtures all of creation became manifest within these primordial forces as gods and spirits. After many ages, living creatures emerged in the oceans. Eventually, these living creatures came onto dry land and inhabited the four corners of the middleworld. Along with plants, fungi and animals, many humans would come to populate the middleworld. The pious among them would come to honor nature spirits in the middleworld, blessed deities in the overworld, departed ancestors in the underworld, and the sacred, numinous aether that permeates all of creation.