I was talking with a spirit-worker colleague, who is Ashkenazim though she worships a different pantheon of Gods, about my plans for the Starry Ram and she said, “No Jewish group is going to consider this legitimate, not even Reform Judaism. They turned Ašērah into a tree, and killed all of her priests!” This is a subject she feels very strongly about, and I won’t share the remainder of her diatribe or it’ll just throw petrol on the flames of the Sannion is a Nazi rumor.

“Well, if it’s any consolation no Polytheist group is going to accept it either. But whither my God goest, so go I. And what can I say, Dionysos loves the Jews. I keep finding traces of him in the region. It’s fucking crazy.” And then I rattled off a bunch of them, including stuff I haven’t touched on here because I’m still exploring rabbit holes. Also there was the whole exorcism I was preparing for, which severely reduced the time I had for research and blogging. “But hey, I’m used to people thinking I’m crazy. What kind of Dionysian would I be if people didn’t call me that?!” I was gracious enough not to add, “And the same people who criticize me now will be copying me in six months. And pretending it was their idea all along.”

I’ve been thinking about that exchange for the last couple days, and I’m concerned that I’m actually wrong in my snark. I’ve seen too many Palestinian flags and even open support for Hamas among the Polytheists of Tumblr, Tiktok and Reddit. Including Dionysians, I am sad to say. Some of the things they wrote churned my stomach and sent a chill down my spine. It takes a fucking lot to do that. So no, I do not think that we’ll see polytheistic Judaism become trendy. Hopefully handfuls of the devoted and curious. Enough to form a few minyānīm would be nice. And a marzēaḥ. What more does one need? But I don’t know what to do about the antisemitism in Polytheist circles. I guess they have never heard about شِرْك, and how the groups they’re cheerleading treat the كافر … apparently?

Although I’ve mostly been focusing on the history of Beith She’an and its Bacchic cults and mythology, as well as Dionysos’ interactions with Yahweh, Ašērah, Ašmedai, and Masṭēmā, among others, I suspect that a reconstructed pantheon of Israel, Judah, Samaria, and Edom (along with the Canaanite, Babylonian and Egyptian divinities who were incorporated into it) is going to be central to this whole Starry Ram thing. I don’t know that I’ll include all 70 of the bēnē Ĕlōhīm, but I don’t include all of the Greco-Italian Gods in the Starry Bull tradition or the Norse and Black Sea divinities in the Starry Bear, so I don’t think that’s such a big deal. I’m mostly sticking to the ones I’ve encountered and/or are drawn to research. It’s still producing fascinating results.

For instance, it looks like the early Israelites originally had a Council of Gods which was governed by ‘El/ʿElyōn/’Elōah and his consort Ašērah; they ruled over Qos, Aštārit, Qeteb, Deber, Mōt, Rešep̄, Anat-Bethēl and Ašam-Bethēl, Ešem-Bethēl and Herem-Bethēl, Ba’al, Šamaš, Nabû, Dagon, Yarikh, Hathor, Khnum, etc. and a relative latecomer who was the God of animals and vegetation, storms and war, volcanoes and madness, and went by Yah, Yahō, or Yahweh.

This God had a bitter (possibly sibling) rivalry with Ba’al, and after defeating a series of monsters to prove his prowess, challenged ‘El for the Kingship of the Gods. After defeating him, Yahweh absorbed his predecessor’s powers, attributes and names, and took Ašērah as his bride.

No wonder he and Dionysos get along so well! 

We did the exorcism over the weekend and it was a resounding success. You can read my wife Galina’s account here. She left out a lot of the couple’s rudeness, and a lot of the hardships we endured to help these fucking ingrates, but that’s alright. We struck a blow against the enemy and that’s all that matters. As many exorcisms as I’ve performed it’s always cool to see the power of our Gods manifest so strongly. I’m going to be offering my divination services later in the week to help recoup some of the costs of this, but for now I’m going to enjoy some well-earned relaxation and continue researching the history of Beit She’an and Jewish-Polytheist syncretisms like these amulets which invoke the Goddess Tyche alongside the Angels. Be well. 

I am proud to announce the winner of our Poetic Agōn for the Month of the Goat.

Since all of the entries were powerful and beautiful it was extremely difficult to make a choice, so I turned to divination and allowed Dionysos to choose the winner of his own contest, which was … drum roll please …  Fly The Raven’s entry.

Congratulations!!!

Shoot me an e-mail with your address and the book you’d like to receive as your prize, and I’ll have it shipped to you post haste.

If you didn’t have a chance to submit something, don’t worry — I am going to start doing these Agōnes quarterly, albeit with different rules each time. The next one will be in April, kicking off the Gold Season during which we honor King Dionysos and the Fairies & Goblins among his Retinue. 

O my wonderful Dionysos, may I love you
rather than the manifold blessings you pour out upon us,
or the marvelous deeds you have done for me and mine.
May I never stop striving to perfect the art of devotion,
for you deserve nothing less than my best, O Bakcheios,
my steadfast support and deliverer.
O savage one, Zagreus, may I meet my obstacles
ferociously, and tear to pieces my foes,
never doubting that if you are with me
I shall triumph, and be shown where
my weaknesses lie so that I may improve them.

Dionysos in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Dionysos in every eye that sees me,
Dionysos in the mouth of everyone who speaks with me,
Dionysos in every ear that hears me,
Dionysos surrounding and infusing me.
My Lord Dionysos, I pray, may I always
conduct myself in a manner worthy of one
who would be counted among your followers,
in this world and the next.

Lord Dionysos, protect me from spiritual envy.
Protect me from comparing myself with others, as the sisters of Semele did.
Protect me from dissatisfaction with your good gifts, as Lykourgos was.
Protect me from desiring what others have, like those Tyrsenian pirates,
Lord Bakcheios, whether it is their reputation, their beautiful shrines,
their relationship with you, how many festivals they keep,
and the plentiful offerings they make, or any other good thing
they possess or have done, may I not be ensnared by covetousness.
Instead let me be satisfied with how you have made me,
what you have given me, where you have guided me,
and leave it to you, Lord Bromios, to determine the quality
of the service I have rendered unto you. May they instead serve
as an inspiration to me, confident that I am offering as much
love and devotion as I can, and while always striving to be and do better,
spend my time giving you my best
rather than just wishing things were different.

Open the doors of your ears, NN, and listen
to the holy words of Orpheus the Thracian.
By the asseveration of this truth may you be free from misfortune.
By the asseveration of this truth may you be free from illness.
By the asseveration of this truth may all blessings be upon you.
Through the awesome power of Dionysos Agriotauros,
his wives, and siblings, and those who attend him in Nysa,
may these words secure your protection in every way, O NN.
Through the incredible generosity of Dionysos Agriampelos,
may all evil omens and untoward circumstances,
the baleful cry of birds, the malign conjunctions of the stars,
and all manner of disturbing dreams be rendered nugatory, O NN.
Through the unfaltering love of Dionysos Agriothumos,
may what is wrong be made correct, O NN.
Dionysos I pray, may those beings who suffer be free from suffering.
Dionysos I pray, may those beings who are in fear be free from fear.
Dionysos I pray, may those beings who are in grief be free from grief.
May the rains fall in due season; may there be a rich harvest;
may the world prosper; may peace prevail; may justice triumph;
may our leaders be righteous; may the people be wise,
act rightly towards their neighbor, honor their ancestors,
reverence the law and customs, and show kindness to the stranger;
may love for the Gods and hatred for what is wicked flourish in every land.
In the name of Dionysos; in the name of Dionysos; in the name of Dionysos
may everything in this prayer be fulfilled, and NN be saved.
NN, you are saved! NN, you are saved! NN, you are saved!

Here’s a fun idea: write a poem for Dionysos which includes the symbols for your birthday month and day. The winner will be chosen on Friday, January 23rd and receive a copy of one of my books.  

In addition to the Bacchic Orphic Zodiac the White Way has a Hemerology which determines the favorability of a day, its symbolic value, if and when it is suited for divination, which hymns and prayers to recite, which of our heroes or heroines to honor, medical prescriptions, what entheogens to take, etc. Mastering knowledge such as this is part of the extensive training which those chosen to serve Dionysos in this capacity must undergo. Here are some selections from the Hemerology.

According to Hesiod the favorable days of the Moon are: 

• 1
• 4 
• 7 
• 8 
• 9 
• 11 
• 12 
• 16 
• 17 
• 18 
• 19 
• 20 
• 27

According to Orpheus the illustrious days of the Sun are:

• 1 
• 2 
• 3 
• 7 
• 9 
• 11 
• 13 
• 14 
• 16 
• 17 
• 19 
• 20 
• 23 
• 26 
• 28
• 30

According to Melampos the sign of each day is:

• 1. Phallos (φαλλός)
• 2. Mask (πρόσωπον)
• 3. Cup (κάνθαρος)
• 4. Fawnskin (νεβρίς)
• 5. Ivy (κισσός)
• 6. Tree (δένδρον)
• 7. Thunderbolt (κεραυνός)
• 8. Double-axe (πέλεκυς)
• 9. Fennel staff (θύρσος)
• 10. Door (θύρα)
• 11. Mirror (έσοπτρον)
• 12. Knucklebones (αστράγαλοι)
• 13. Bullroarer (ρόμβος)
• 14. Whip (μάραγνα)
• 15. Net (δίκτυον)
• 16. Pinecone (κώνος)
• 17. Drug (φάρμακον)
• 18. Top (στρόβιλος)
• 19. Grapes (στάφυλος)
• 20. Wicker basket (λίκνον)
• 21. Wool (πόκος)
• 22. Egg (ᾠόν)
• 23. Puppet/doll (παίγνια καμπεσίγυια)
• 24. Apple (μήλα)
• 25. Ball (σφαίρα)
• 26. Rattle (κρόταλα)
• 27. Ox skull (βουκράνιον)
• 28. Hunting boot (κόθορνος)
• 29. Drum (τύμπανον) 
• 30. Heart (καρδιά)
• 31. Wheel (τροχός)

According to Mousaios the best days and hours for divination are:

• 1. At dawn.
• 2. At noon.
• 3. Do not use.
• 4. At dawn.
• 5. In the evening.
• 6. Do not use.
• 7. At noon.
• 8. Throughout the whole day.
• 9. Do not use.
• 10. Throughout the whole day.
• 11. In the afternoon.
• 12. Throughout the whole day.
• 13. Throughout the whole day.
• 14. At dawn.
• 15. Throughout the whole day.
• 16. Do not use.
• 17. Do not use.
• 18. At dawn and in the afternoon.
• 19. In the evening.
• 20. In the evening.
• 21. In the afternoon.
• 22. In the afternoon.
• 23. At dawn.
• 24. At dawn.
• 25. Do not use.
• 26. In the afternoon.
• 27. Throughout the whole day.
• 28. Throughout the whole day.
• 29. Throughout the whole day.
• 30. In the afternoon.
• 31. In the evening.

What is your birthday sign?

Most of the calendars we’ve used for the various iterations of the Starry Bull and previous Dionysian, Hellenic, and syncretic groups I’ve run have employed a lunisolar calendar, or some variation thereof.

The White Way is different in that it has a 7-day and 10-day week, with roughly 52 weeks in a year (except during leap years) broken up into 12 months of roughly 4 weeks like the calendar that most people in our contemporary Western societies are familiar with. 

Each month has 28 to 31 days; each day in a month is named after one of the Symbols of the Starry Bull tradition; each day in a Decad (10-day week) represents a Pythagorean concept; and each month in a year has a Dionysian animal associated with it.  

That’s a lot of information to bombard you with, so today I’m going to limit myself to just the months of our year and our “Bacchic Orphic Zodiac.”

January = Goat (τράγος) 
February = Wolf (λύκος) 
March = Deer (ἔλαφος) 
April = Bull (ταύρος) 
May = Fox (ἀλώπηξ)
June = Spider (ἀράχνης)
July = Leopard (πάρδαλις)  
August = Snake (όφις) 
September = Dolphin (δελφίς)
October = Ass (ὄνος) 
November = Bear (άρκτος) 
December = Swine (σῦς) 

What animal are you according to this system?

I’ve still got 4 comprehensive divination packages for 2026 available. I think we can all agree that the last couple years have been pretty crazy; it’ll be a lot easier to manage things with the information you’ll gain from one of these packages. They also make a good holiday gift for your loved ones. Just $50 for over an hour’s worth of divination. Act now; I’ll only be accepting requests through noon tomorrow. 

A reader brought this to my attention. Apparently if you ask ChatGPT “is Sannion a Nazi” this is how it answers:

No, Sannion is not a Nazi. He is known for his work in modern Paganism and Hellenistic polytheism, specifically focusing on the worship of deities like Dionysus. There’s no credible evidence to suggest that he holds or promotes Nazi ideology.

However, Sannion’s name has been associated with controversy due to some of the views he has expressed, especially in the context of the “pagan” and “folkish” movements. In some circles, there have been debates about the relationship between Paganism and far-right or nationalist ideologies. But it’s important to note that Paganism, like any belief system, can be practiced in a variety of ways, and not all forms of Paganism align with extremist political ideologies.

In fact, Sannion himself has been vocal about rejecting any form of white nationalism or fascism within the modern Pagan and polytheistic communities. He is typically seen as someone who supports religious pluralism and opposes racist or far-right politics.

If you’re hearing this rumor or question in connection with certain online discussions or figures, it’s always good to approach such topics with careful research and critical thinking. 

So that means AI is smarter than half the Hellenic community. 

Although I enjoyed the conversations we were having, I scrapped all of the posts related to the exorcism and won’t be mentioning it again until it’s over. (Assuming it actually happens, which is about 50/50 at this point.) I haven’t had a demon fight this hard to ensure that an exorcism didn’t occur … well, ever. I suppose I should be flattered. Instead I’m just annoyed and want this shit done and behind us. But probably not as much as the possessed woman and her husband, which is something I need to keep foremost in mind. As irritating as they’re being (and Gods are they irritating) this is a victimized couple who are way out of their depth, and the true enemy is a parasitic, predatory entity that’s doing everything in its power to ensure its own preservation.

The Kalends of January is coming up, and as is my custom, I will be divining with Dionysos for the new year. I am offering a comprehensive package consisting of multiple systems for $50. I am only making 10 of these packages available this year, so shoot me an e-mail at sannion@gmail.com to reserve yours today. They usually sell out pretty quickly, so don’t hesitate!

If you would like some divination done, but do not need a comprehensive package I am charging $15 a question or 3 questions for $30. Include your questions with your request.

Note: I only accept payment through Paypal.  

This year for Mōdranicht our household has decided to have a discussion exploring what virtues make for a woman of valor. I would like to extend this to all of y’all. Give me a list of your top 5 virtues. The best answers posted below will be read before our Dísir/Matronae shrine.  

I don’t recall if I’ve posted any of this batch of prayers before, but with Thanksgiving coming up it seemed appropriate to share them. Be well, have fun, enjoy good food and conversation, be mindful and appreciative of the blessings of the Gods, and don’t let the bastards divide us. 

May the son of Zeus
bring protection to this home.
May the husband of Ariadnē
bring passion to this home.
May the father of Charis
bring peace to this home.
May the brother of Hermēs
bring prosperity to this home,
this day and all days,
this night and all nights!

Dionysos Patrōos,
whose home is harmonious
and family flourishing,
we seek your wisdom and guidance
as we make decisions that affect our household.
Help us to make choices that honor you
and are in accordance with your principles,
and may we always have the best interests
of our loved ones in mind,
and behave towards them
with integrity, trust and compassion.

O Dionysos Phyletikos,
grant that I remain faithful
to all of my responsibilities,
never shirking those duties
to family, friend, and community
which are your special concern.
O Dionysos Skoidos,
help me to see my home
as a temple to the Gods,
and everything done in it
as a holy service.
O Dionysos Dikaios,
may my life be clean, and orderly,
and all of my interactions
with people filled with
kindness, understanding,
and righteousness.
O Dionysos Tritopatōr,
may I treat my loved ones respectfully
and always demonstrate
concern for their needs,
never violating the commitments I have sworn
or causing another to do likewise.