In summer 2023, I started doing a lot more research into working with deities. I don’t exactly remember how but somehow I just knew goddess Persephone was the one I was meant to connect to.

In late August or early September of 2023, I put a small little bowl together of offerings and drew her a sigil and made my first offering to her. (For context, I am in college, this was the weekend right before I started college.) I did not ask her for love. I asked her for guidance towards my best path.

Now mind you, I never got romantic attention or even any friends, I was very much a loner. But I went to this social club later that week because why not. And I met this person and we became friends and soon we started dating. Mind you, this person was exactly everything I would’ve ever wanted in a partner- literally my “dream person”. I felt like my luck had changed extremely rapidly and I did not trust it. My mental health was rapidly spiraling downwards.

In April, I did another offering to Persephone. I hadn’t done one a while. I asked for guidance towards my best path, nothing else. That same week, my partner decided to break up with me seeing as I was going through severe mental health issues and they thought being with me was not helping. (When I say severe, I did have to go to a psychiatric hospital at the end of this). This lead to a series of incidents that completely changed my life forever. I finally got the help I needed, but my ex had moved onto someone else.

In September of this year, I made another offering to Persephone, once again only asking for guidance towards my best path. That same week, I finally received a form of closure.

I still work with Persephone, and I believe the guidance she is giving me currently is more related to my career and academics. That being said, what was the reason that all this happened as soon as I started working with her? Is this person a karmic lesson or “the one”?

Hi! I was hoping to get an opinion on my.. well the closest thing I can call it is a lucid dream? I had this dreams several years ago.

I opened a wooden door and stepped through it, emerging out of a tree into a meadow of wild flowers. The whole meadow is surrounded by a vast forest of enormous trees. This meadow has become somewhat of a “mind palace” (I’m unsure if that’s the right term for it, it’s a safe space) for me across various dreams. I step away from the tree and start walking through the meadow, the grass and flowers coming up high on me. As I walk through I run my hands over the flowers and look around at my surroundings, looking at the mountains in the distance. I look around and look back just to find that suddenly I have a doe next to me. The doe’s head was just an ornately carved deer skull floating above its neck, its body was mostly in tact with fur but had patches of decay such as being able to see a section of its ribcage, exposed bone on its limbs. Flowers and vines, and moss covered and came out of these decayed areas and all over its body. The same flowers and moss covered the skull as well in patches. I think I even remember a fern on its back. It looked like a deer that had been reclaimed by nature. I didn’t feel scared or off put at all, just curious and confused about why it was there and even… comforted by its presence? Previously in the dream in other places in the woods I had been completely alone or seen things watching me from the shadows that put me on edge. But this doe felt like a friend. It walked alongside me through the meadow, staying next to me at arms length. It was so close I could have reached out and pet it if I wanted. We walked through the meadow of wild flowers together and then I came out of the dream.

Recently (as in the past two days) I’ve been using my cards to try to talk to Persephone and I got an indication that she wants to work with me and has tasked me with studying her myths and following. So upon learning the deer are associated with her, I consulted my cards to see if she may have had something to do with this dream. I got that it was a messenger/an attempt at communication? I suppose it should be fairly cut and dry at that point but I’d love some thoughts on the dream? Was this her trying to communicate with me? I’m very very new to working with deities.

Since I moved out of my childhood home, my altar didn’t make the cut, so I haven’t been able to work with Persephone like I used to—she’s mostly just in my thoughts now. Honestly, she’s kind of become my “Roman Empire.” Sometimes I feel like we’ve drifted apart because I don’t make offerings as often (frequent moves, starting a new job right after graduation, etc.), but that’s usually when she ramps up sending her symbols my way. It’s like she’s super persistent, even if I’m not actively reaching out.

I swear, I come across pomegranates multiple times a day, especially offline.

Is it normal for deities to be this assertive? Or am I the only one getting bombarded with signs like this? What’s everyone else’s experience with Lady Persephone?

Having a hard time today 😭

I just hope…that if you are too, you’ll see me like I see you ✨🌈🌊

I hope that if you see this, you’ll know you’re not alone. I am Here with you, holding your hand.

Feel my hand in yours, beautiful friend ✨🌈🌊

You are not alone. I see you, and you are worthy of being seen.

You are so precious and so beautiful, and it doesn’t matter if anyone else in your life can see your light 🔥

I do. Please know that I do, and that I am glad beyond belief to know you 🖤🗝️

Found this painting at my job and instantly thought of Persephone. It seemed like she really wanted it for her altar too bc I kept thinking about it and going back to it. Unfortunately the store was closed for the day and I couldn't get it but I'm hoping it's there tomorrow

I haven't tried burning it yet, though. Is there an auspicious day to worship Persephone?

Hi folks, this week there's only one festival: the Thesmophoria in honor of Demeter and Persephone. If you worship either of these, this holiday might be for you.

A reminder... you do NOT have to observe religious holidays to be a Hellenic Polytheist. You can celebrate the festivals that interest you, or none at all. However, some people find that observing holidays help strengthen relationships with their gods.

Celebrating Thesmophoria

This festival spanned three days, beginning on the 11th day of the lunar month Pyanepsion, extending through the 13th day. This year, those dates fall on Mon, Oct. 14 - Wed, Oct. 16.

Like the related festivals Skiraphoria and Stenia earlier this year, Thesmophoria is about promoting fertility. It celebrates Demeter Thesmophoria (Demeter the Law Giver), because she presides over the laws of seed and harvest that govern the agricultural cultivation of food. More metaphorically, the natural laws of fertility decide whether the "seed" of a child takes root in the womb as well.

More general information here...

From Hellenion

From Baring the Aegis

Sample Thesmophoria ritual (.PDF)

Mon, Oct. 14 - Day #1

This day was called "Anodos" (Ascent) and "Kathodos" (Descent). Married women left their homes and went to camp in a specified place to live in the ancient way, however that was defined at the time. There were separate camps for people who identified as women and those who identified as men. Sexual relations were not allowed during Thesmophoria.

People who identified as women ate on this day, but were careful not to ingest pomegranates in memory of Persephone's myth.

On this first festival day, the rotting pig remains that had been brought out of the rocky chasm during Stenia three days before were sacrificed to Demeter and Persephone. They would later be mixed with seeds and plowed into the earth to promote greater soil fertility.

What can we do on this day, in modern times? Obviously we will not have baby pigs available. Let's think of this more symbolically. Where in your life would you like more fertility, more growth, more creativity? You could ask Demeter and Persephone for help with those, and maybe focus this holiday on everyday actions that further that creativity.

Potential ways to celebrate

• Give offerings to Demeter and Persephone
  • Food or incense are fine choices
  • Pork is especially appropriate
• Offer libations to these goddesses
  • Clean water is traditional and inexpensive
• Go camping, in their honor
• Perhaps abstain from sexual relations
• Pray to Demeter and Persephone for fertility or creativity
• Devote any mundane actions that support your creative needs to these goddesses
• Recite a hymn for them

• For Demeter
  • Homeric Hymn #1
  • Homeric Hymn #2
  • Hymn by Callimachus
  • Orphic Hymn to Demeter Eleusinia

• For Persephone
  • Orphic Hymn

Tue, Oct. 15 - Day #2

This day was called Nesteia (feast of lamentation). People who identified as women abstained from eating on this day. They fasted in commemoration of Demeter mourning her daughter, and the famine she had caused in her misery.

Fasting from food is obviously not going to work for many of us. In modern times, we often must still go to work or school on religious holidays, so we must eat to maintain our strength. But just for today, consider abstaining from a non-food item such as your favorite video game, social media, or hobby. Perhaps use that time to pray to Demeter and Persephone, and contemplate their myths?

Potential ways to celebrate

• Give offerings to Demeter and Persephone
  • Incense is a fine choice
• Offer libations to these goddesses
  • Clean water is traditional and inexpensive
• Perhaps abstain from a favorite activity
  • Use the time to pray and meditate

Wed, Oct. 16 - Day #3

This day is called Kalligeneia (she of beautiful birth). Celebrating life and fertility is the theme. People who identified as women ate food today. They rejoiced and prayed to Demeter and Persephone, possibly in commemoration of Persephone's happy return to her mother.

What creative thing delights you today? Enjoy it! Wallow in the joy of creation, however you define it! Perhaps devote that activity as an offering to Demeter and Persephone, as you celebrate bringing life to things.

Potential ways to celebrate

• Give offerings to Demeter and Persephone
  • Food and incense are fine choices
• Pour libations to these goddesses
  • Clean water is traditional and inexpensive
• Enjoy a creative activity
  • Maybe devote it to Demeter and Persephone, as an offering?
• Thank them for providing new life, fertility, and creativity
• Recite a hymn in their honor
  • See list above, for Monday

That's all for this week, folks!

If you're celebrating this festival, how are you doing that? Afterward, did it go as you had hoped?

Tell us all about it in the comments, and Happy Thesmophoria!

says it all. im holding a fall feast for her, but curious of other ideas i could do

Hey everybody, Stenia is coming up, according to the ancient Athenian calendar. If you worship Demeter or Persephone, this holiday might be for you.

Before we dive into the details, you do NOT have to observe any religious holidays to be a Hellenic Polytheist. You can celebrate only the festivals that honor your deities, or none at all. However, some people find that observing holidays helps strengthen relationships with their gods, and help build community with other Hellenic Polytheists. Just know this is optional, for those who are interested.

Celebrating Stenia

We're reasonably certain that this festival was celebrated on the 9th day of the lunar month Pyanepsion, three days prior to a related holiday: Thesmophoria, which also honors Demeter and Persephone. This year, the date for Stenia falls on Sat, Oct. 12.

Stenia is a difficult holiday to observe in modern times because it's based on the ancient Greek defintion of gender as a strict binary. Nowadays, we're learning to discard that idea, but how do we then celebrate an ancient holiday based on the idea of binary gender?

Let's explore what the ancients did, then how we might adapt this holiday to modern times.

In ancient Athens, Stenia was celebrated by people who identified as married women. They left their husbands at home and camped outdoors, while refusing marital relations. While camping, the women engaged in purification rituals in preparation for the related festival Thesmophoria a few days later.

They also made coarse, sexual jokes in ritual honor of Iambe (or Baubo, depending on the myth), who cheered up the grieving Demeter with ribald humor during the search for her kidnapped daughter Persephone.

Additionally, certain female-identified people climbed down into the chasm into which they'd thrown dead piglets during a previous festival to Demeter (the Skiraphoria), and removed the rotting remains. Since these had been offered to Demeter and were considered symbols of fertility, the piglets' remains were now considered sacred. They would be mixed with seeds after the festival and plowed into fields, in hopes of a bountiful harvest.

Grossed out yet? Hey, I get it, but if we're interested in reconstructing ancient practices, then we do need to at least look at what they did. Even if we're obviously not going to deal with rotting pig corpses.

Now, how can we bring all this into modern times and still honor Demeter, Persephone, and perhaps Iambe or Baubo (depending on how you name her)?

The Gender Problem

Are male identified or nonbinary people allowed to celebrate this festival? How about people who haven't experienced sex, haven't had children, or don't wish to?

I especially like this quote from the Baring the Aegis blog:

There is no easy answer to this. The ancient Hellenes believed in the binary. Their entire society was based on that binary. It literally controlled every social interaction, every job, every ritual. It governed laws, politics, and even science and philosophy. It even dictated sexuality and the roles in homosexual contact. Ancient Hellas was divided in two.
 
Personally, I think the binary does not exist. As such, I tend to look at the function of rituals, and then give my opinion and advice... So what of the non-binary?
 
The Stenia, Thesmophoria, and Skiraphoria are all tied to the Eleusinian Mysteries and thus to the fertility of the land, agriculture, and harvest.
 
The Skiraphoria and Stenia, in my opinion, are fairly 'stretchable' when it comes to who can attend. Traditionally it was women only, but the focus is fertility of the land, so I see no issue for those who are non-binary and identify with the festival in some way to attend.
 
So how about the Thesmophoria? The Thesmophoria has an additional element: female fertilty [specifically], the act of human life growing in a uterus. So here the field is narrower. Do you identify with the biologically female side of reproduction? With motherhood? With pregnancy? Then join in. The same goes for cis-females, trans* women, those women who do not have children, and those women no longer physically capable of having them. It's a squishy line and it depends on the person.
 
My advice -- for anyone -- is to read up on the festival and look inside yourself to see if this is a ritual you can wholeheartedly celebrate.

Modern Offerings

Now obviously we didn't sacrifice baby pigs to Demeter some weeks ago during Skiraphoria, so we have no rotting piglets to haul out of a rocky chasm. What can we do instead? Well if you eat meat, you could cook some pork and offer some to Demeter, Perspehone, and/or Iambe. That's one possibility.

Another option is to abstain from sexual relations in Demeter's honor, and/or tell raunchy jokes or enjoy a risque video. Magic Mike, anyone? Ribald humor can help us laugh at the mess of life, and take ourselves less seriously. Lighten up! We're all doing our best to muddle through, rotting corpses notwithstanding. Hey, Halloween is coming up too, ghouls, skeletons, and all. That's how the cycle of life and death goes.

Purification rituals are also a thing for Stenia. What needs a good cleanup in your life? Maybe do that in Demeter's honor, while laughing at a podcast about the absurdity of life with Iambe?

More information about Stenia...

From Hellenion

From Baring the Aegis

Sample Stenia ritual (.PDF)

Potential ways to celebrate...

• Give offerings to Demeter, Persephone, and/or Iambe
  • Food or incense are fine choices
  • Pork for Demeter is especially appropriate
• Pour a libation for any of the above deities
  • Clean water is traditional and inexpensive
• Do any purification or cleansing rituals needed
  • Cleaning your personal space might also work
• Abstain from sexual relations, if desired
• Maybe go camping with frends, and have a weiner roast? (phallic symbol)
  • Get a little drunk and tell raunchy jokes?
• Pray to Demeter, Persephone and/or Iambe
  • Ask them to cleanse you of anything undesired
• Recite a hymn to Demeter or Persephone

• For Demeter
  • Homeric Hymn #1
  • Homeric Hymn #2
  • Hymn by Callimachus
  • Orphic Hymn to Demeter Eleusinia

• For Persephone
  • Orphic Hymn

I didn't find any hymns to Iambe or Baubo, as she was a minor deity not mentioned often in myth. But you could probably ask her help with becoming more comfortable in your sexuality, or with being less inhibited, since Iambe is said to have lifted her skirt and shown Demeter her genitals as part of the joke.

If you're celebrating this holiday, what are your plans? Afterward, did it go as you had hoped?

Tell us all about it in the comments, and Happy Stenia!

Im not sure how to put it but here we go. I'm starting working with Persephone and I'm still learning. Maybe it's weird question but I was wondering how Persephone sees the sexual relations of her worshipers. I was raised in catholic household so I sometimes struggle with feeling normal about my sexuality. Is there something I should know about Her view on exploring sexuality? I know Greek Gods were rather pretty open with their desires. Im sorry if that sounds weird or messy but Im really not sure how to describe this in another way

Hi! I'm also a devotee of Persephone (and Hades). I started my Kharis and devotion with her almost ten years ago but left because I had so many spiritual/existential crisis and then came back. I think that's the biggest experience I have because I searched for them (Hades and Persephone) in all religions I've stumbled...

I believe I was immature and needed to search for myself and question more stuff, learn more before coming back. It was basically a full transformation...Has something similar happened to you? Are there times where you feel like she's no close or have a lot of doubts? What are your experiences in general?

I have always wondered if the seasons we prefer/are born in influence how we relate to and communicate with Persephone since she is a large part of the “reason for the seasons”, but I’ve never met any devotees to ask.

For example, I was born in winter. Fall is my favorite season, but winter is a close second, then spring, and I have never liked summer (mostly for the heat, but I digress). The colder seasons have always agreed with me better, and while I love every aspect of Persephone, I’ve always felt a stronger connection to her chthonic side.

So, a question for all of you: What season were you born in, what season is your favorite/least favorite, and which side of Persephone are you drawn to/do you identify with most?

I started working with/honoring Persephone this year, so I’m still new but trying my best! For her descent into the underworld, I revamped her altar space to incorporate a new/darker cloth (it has cyclic imagery on it which I think is perfect), descent and shadow work candles, dark crystals, an insect nest that’s been abandoned, a necklace I made for her, and some dried flower petals. I hope changing its appearance and items for the season is alright, I feel proud of how it came out and wanted to share 🥹♥️ if anyone has suggestions on offerings or devotional acts for her descent into the underworld and during fall/winter, I’d love to hear them! Thank you! 🖤

My first altar. I loved putting it together 🫀

Felt called tonight. Cleaned up the altar and thought I’d share.

Couldn't do much this year so I threw together a few small things for Hades and Persephone for Mabon.

during this weekend, persephone goes to the underworld with hades and autumn officially begins. i have an altar on my bookshelf, but i feel it lacks something…what can i do to honor persephone during this change of seasons?

I used charcoal in my art class today and I honestly didn’t know who or what I was drawing at first until I thought of adding a pomegranate in the middle to fill space and then I realized I was pretty much drawing Persephone haha. So here is my unintentional art of her <3

I am very interested to know of any significance that my bloodline has with this. Recently I am guided and strengthened by hekate through this dark part of my life where i am lost. Any suggestions on what i could do to figure this out?

It seems appropriate. I love to garden but sometimes I could use a boost. Would I offer her a flower or basil leaf from my garden as tribute?

Hello!

I just started my deity work this week, and I decided to go with Hades and Persephone first.

Would I specifically ask Persephone for help with my love life? I'm having trouble healing and giving my partner space so he can also heal. Could I ask her to heal him, too?