Not Super Fandom Related, But This Blog Is Already A Mess Haha. I Got Inspired To Do A Portrait Of Hermes

Not super fandom related, but this blog is already a mess haha. I got inspired to do a portrait of Hermes while doing some research about Greek Mythology. It was inspired by a portrait I found, so I decided to redo it in my own style as an exercise. I wasn't sure about which background colour to use so I thought why not both?

The original image I used for reference can be found in this article: https://littleelephantastrology.org/finding-hermes/

Happy Emancipation Day!

Here's a short write up I did about Emancipation Day for my local grassroots mutual aid collective. This will unfortunately be focused primarily on Canada because our area of influence is more local than international. Please be sure to educate yourself on what this day means in your region!

What is the Slave Abolition Act of 1833?

The Slave Abolition Act of 1833 was a British law that ended slavery in most British colonies, freeing over 800,000 enslaved Africans in the Caribbean, South Africa, and Canada. The law, approved on August 28, 1833, took effect on August 1, 1834. It did not immediately apply to territories controlled by the East India Company, Ceylon, or Saint Helena; these exceptions were removed in 1843.

Earlier, in 1793, John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (now Ontario), had passed an Act Against the importation of new slaves. This law promised freedom to children born to enslaved women at age twenty-five, but it did not free existing slaves. The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 later replaced this law, ending slavery across most of the British Empire.

Did it really free the slaves?

The Slavery Abolition Act had its flaws. It only freed those enslaved under age six. Older individuals were classified as 'apprentices' and had to work 40 hours a week without pay as “compensation” to their former slave owners. Full emancipation was not achieved until July 31, 1838.

While Canada often expresses pride in its relatively lesser involvement in slavery when compared to other British colonies, it wasn't the first to end it. The Independent Republic of Vermont was the first in North America to abolish slavery with its 1777 constitution. This came 16 years before Upper Canada’s partial abolition in 1793. Vermont was quickly followed by states like Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, and the U.S. Congress banned slavery in future Midwest territories in 1787.

What is Emancipation Day? What does it mean?

On March 1, 2021, the Canadian House of Commons unanimously declared August 1 as Emancipation Day. This date marks the beginning of the partial abolition of slavery across British colonies in various countries.

Why is Emancipation Day important? 

Neglecting acknowledgement of Emancipation Day allows Canada to evade its dark history and distort its legacy. We must hold governments accountable for the history of their crimes. It’s critical to confront the reality that slavery was a part of Canadian history and that its legacy continues to impact African Canadians today. While Canada often boasts about its role in the Underground Railroad and its “total” abolishment of slavery before the U.S, it must also face the uncomfortable truth of its own very real involvement in slavery. Emancipation Day is about confronting history with honesty. Acknowledging this day is essential for addressing past injustices and ensuring that future generations grasp the full, unfiltered truth of Canada's history, including the painful chapters that must not be forgotten or repeated. 

Emancipation did not end the oppression of Black people in this country. For those who suffered under centuries of slavery, emancipation should have signaled that Canada would become a place of respect and opportunity for their descendants. Instead, Black Canadians still face racism, discrimination, and prejudice in education, healthcare, housing, and the justice system.

The history of slavery and the stories of enslaved people and their descendants have historically been confined to Black communities. Recognition of this day on a national scale not only helps to validify the black experience, but also to clearly acknowledge our refusal to return to these oppressive norms. Integrating this crucial part of Canadian history into the education of all our children is vital for addressing anti-Black racism and its ongoing impact in our society to this day. A necessary step toward justice is issuing an official apology to the descendants of enslaved people, bringing this issue to the forefront of Canadian awareness and starting the path toward meaningful reparations.

Emancipation day allows us the opportunity to use the past to reflect upon the present. We must acknowledge the deep, ongoing trauma from slavery and segregation as the foundation of anti-Black racism that is still rampant in our justice system today. It is only through this acknowledgement that we can begin to form a dialogue which sees black people as an important, intrinsic part of Canadian history at all times, not just during black history month. 

Lord Ares e-offering!

i just love him so much, his energy is so calming and familiar <33 every time i feel him with me or visit his alter i feel so safe and relaxed like a dad or older brother giving you a big tight hug!

Hermes and Sea Grapes????

Alright everyone, I’ve got a new one for you. I just had a super strange, extremely potent, Hermes-related dream. Disturbing, but sort of funny if it wasn’t 5:30 when I’m writing this 💀. I can’t go back to sleep because the interpretation of this dream is bothering me to no end.

Dream Description: I was preparing an offering for Hermes on my kitchen counter, only for the TV to switch on. Startled, I went to go sit down and watch it. The TV was playing this Antiques Roadshow crossed with an old documentary from the 90s, where the narrator was examining frescos of Hermes and telling the viewer something I’ve literally never heard about Hermes- he doesn’t like sea grapes because for some reason, they make him feel inferior????

The narrator continues to describe an obscure myth that Hermes and a unknown sea god named MALAKAS of all possible names once competed to see who could create the most mischief in the world. For some reason, Malakas was gaining on Hermes by causing slightly inconvenient sailing waters that were just bad enough (???) and ended up causing numerous accidents that took the lives of several people on this coastal town.

Hermes got so pissed off, he turned this god into SEA GRAPES as a punishment and continued to CONSUME THE FORMER GOD. Hermes spat out the sea grapes because of how salty they tasted and threw them back into the sea which Malakas presided over. The taste was apparently due to how salty Malakas was when he was transformed. Horrified, I switched off the TV, only to find Totally Not Hermes dressed in a straw hat and shawl sitting on the couch next to me, saying “Good show, good show.” This disturbed me so much for some reason, I woke up crying 😭

I just wanted to share the first Hermes encounter I’ve experienced of this kind because I am genuinely so confused and overtired about this. HERMES, WHY??

An e-offering to my beloved Hermes Kharmophrôn <3

Ask away! id love some asks!! and if not I might just reply to it ngl

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?