tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post1732328828611011588..comments2024-03-27T09:04:12.454-07:00Comments on Baring the Aegis: Adding modern festivals?Elani Temperancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-69554181966466621872020-05-23T08:58:13.540-07:002020-05-23T08:58:13.540-07:00You not practicing Heliogenna is really valid. Whi...You not practicing Heliogenna is really valid. While I'm not strictly reconstructionist in my practice, I also have issues with some modern festivals, especially when their rites seem to ignore greek understandings of the gods and their domains like the Helios and underworld line in Homer you mentioned. T. Mackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05483370553792727137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-17836412727488524612017-07-22T10:13:11.874-07:002017-07-22T10:13:11.874-07:00O dear, that story about Heliogenna is a bit stran...O dear, that story about Heliogenna is a bit strange. I my self am kind of easy going in that, I just celebrate with my (atheist) family Christmas on 24th and 25th December, keeping in mind that already a Roman emperor declared the 25th of December as a holiday and that around this period the sun gets stronger, is "reborn" or back from his travelling... actually, it is the Earth who turns back to the Sun... but whatever, I couldn't NOT celebrate Christmas with my family, because it is a family tradition and more important to me than my personal belief.<br /><br />I had actually a question: I've read that some Roman pagan holidays also were celebrated in Roman Greece: the Saturnalia (Κρόνια), the Kalendae mensis Ianuariis (καλάνδαι) and the Rusalia (ρουσάλια). The last two influenced the Slavic traditions (Koljada, Rusalii). But I quess, they do not play any role in Hellenismos? Or Sunday, being a free day thanks to emperor Constantine to make a day for both pagans and Christians?Sebbehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18416382440962420637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-78878888817885074282014-01-14T07:42:30.822-08:002014-01-14T07:42:30.822-08:00@M.A.P.: Thank you for your interesting words :) Y...@M.A.P.: Thank you for your interesting words :) Yes, I agree that we walk a fine line between Traditional and modern, just because we live in the modern era. I do not celebrate the Mysteries beyond daily libations to Demeter and Persephone out of respect for Them, especially because of what you lay out. In fact, I may observe many of the festivals, but I observe most of them in some way. <br /><br />The Heliogenna is something completely different, however; this is a festival that did not exist, has never existed, and has parts that actively go against the basics of Hellenic religion. I cannot get behind that, no matter how logical it may be to honour Helios. <br /><br />It's a difficult subject, and I have wavering opinions on it... but I still won't celebrate modern festivals without any historic ties.Elani Temperancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-25508780832155772722013-12-21T23:05:06.626-08:002013-12-21T23:05:06.626-08:00I understand your point entirely, however, I also ...I understand your point entirely, however, I also understand that new festivals are just as Hellenic recon as the old ones. I think an important thing to remember is that the majority of the known Hellenic festivals were local festivities. There were some that were Panhellenic in nature, but were very much tied to the area. The elusinian mysteries, for example, had a secondary celebrated area for people that couldn't travel so far but were entirely centered in Eleusis. The ritual calendars of Athens were not the same as the ritual calendars of Sparta. So I think it is a very Hellenic recon thing to do to celebrate the rituals of your area or "poleis". A Hellenic rite keeps it's reconstructive aspect, in my opinion, in the way it is celebrated. Not necessarily what or which Theoi is celebrated.<br /><br />I have issues with the Heliogenna for the miasma that Helios would gain by entering Hades. The Theoi despise the dead. And that is entirely uncharacteristic. However, a festival created in honoring Helios, Apollon, or another solar diety at this time of the year, seems entirely appropriate and true to Hellenic spirit. I would even go as far as to say that celebrating some of the onl Hellenic festivals today may shock and insult original Hellenic practitioners. I still celebrate the eleusinian mysteries in my New York City apartment because I want to attune to that celebration. But, I'm sure if we're trying to be as pure as you talk about, not one of us should be celebrating this unless we are doing it in the site of the old mysteries. Because that, like many other ancient Hellenic festivals, was tied to *that* site. <br /><br />So, in conclusion, I get your frustration with modern festivals being forced into Hellenic context and being called "recon", but I disagree with the hard-guard trad because it contradicts, in my opinion, what a true reconstructionist should do :)M.A.P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07248700843880364600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-57274765849040121602013-08-29T07:57:00.534-07:002013-08-29T07:57:00.534-07:00@Jonathan Agathokles: It's good to know I am n...@Jonathan Agathokles: It's good to know I am not alone :) I guess I just see more sense in finding ways to celebrate ancient festivals than in creating new ones...Elani Temperancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-74774251845111533472013-08-29T03:03:24.599-07:002013-08-29T03:03:24.599-07:00Elani, you're not alone in your struggle to ke...Elani, you're not alone in your struggle to keep things authentic - and yet understand that the religion also has to adapt to modern times, and that eventually modern festivals *will* emerge. SOme perhaps more successful then others. And off course our religion may evolve differently in different parts of the world, just like it did in ancient Hellas. I struggle to balance those two things also, so you're not alone ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-41307801404925144472012-12-05T23:22:00.687-08:002012-12-05T23:22:00.687-08:00My intention when writing never to insult. I since...My intention when writing never to insult. I sincerely hope that those who have integrated modern festivals into their practice enjoy these days very much. This is my blog, though, and becaue of that, I am allowed to voice my opinion. I rarely take stands like I did with this issue, but when I feel about an issue as strongly as I do this one, I am within my right to post about it, even if it's only moderately censored for easy reading. I recognise my own failing of temperance with this post (and a hand full of others), but that does not make them less true in my personal practice. You--obviously--do not have to care one little bit what I think about your personal practice.<br /><br />Thank you for posting and giving me a platform to explain.Elani Temperancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-73789559148241994052012-12-05T23:12:26.961-08:002012-12-05T23:12:26.961-08:00I... can see how that would work, and I can see wh...I... can see how that would work, and I can see why someone would want to offer libations to certain Gods on certain important days. Yet, I see that more as a prayer and additional honor to that Theos, than I understand making a secular event to the ancient Hellens (if they observed it at all, which is not the case with these two examples) sacred to a certain deity, or certain deities (so in this case, saying morher's day is a sacred day to 'deity x'). Mostly this is because I might associate other deities with mother's day than you might do, making it even harder to worship communally, even though we are far away.<br /><br />I hope this explination comes across; like I wrote, this is a 'heart' thing, not a 'head' thing, although there certainly went some thought into this.<br /><br />Thank you very much for your comment.Elani Temperancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-79875038231062507612012-12-05T15:57:31.360-08:002012-12-05T15:57:31.360-08:00What about re-purposing modern secular festivals l...What about re-purposing modern secular festivals like Mother's Day or the 9/11 memorial as festivals in honor of the Gods? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10898976480649452470noreply@blogger.com