Question Collections post 40

I get a lot of questions from readers, and most of the time, the answers are fairly short. When I feel the question or the reply would be valuable to others as well, I make a post with a collection of them and post them in one go. Today is one of those posts.

"What is the difference between hellenic recon, hellenic reform, and hellenic revival? I haven't really been able to find good explanations of these terms in relation to their differences."

 

In general, I consider 'Revival' and 'Reformed' the same thing. Others probably don't, but I'll explain the difference between 'Recon' (which we call 'Traditional') and 'Reformed' Hellenismos. To start, there is no hard line—not in as far as can be defined beforehand; the distinction between 'Traditional' and 'Reformed' is a matter of intent.

The ancient Hellenes worshipped their Gods in a way they did not even have to think about. They were taught by their parents how a ritual was supposed to be conducted and what a festival looked like. Kids learned how to act in temples, and they played their parts in the sacrifice. The ancient religion varied from place to place and when details of a festival or rite changed, they changed because the polis wanted them to. The ancient Hellenic religion(s) were greatly tied to the ancient Hellenic culture(s). Yet, there were overarching ideals and ritual acts that a man traveling from Athens to Kos would recognize if he walked in on a festival there. In fact, it's likely he would have recognized the festival and could share in its intent. Perhaps not its execution, and perhaps not all the time (because of local mythology and deities), but most of the time, and in most of its execution.

 

'Traditional' thus means to practice Hellenismos in the spirit of the ancients. I keep in mind that man from ancient Athens and with everything I do, we wonder if he would recognize what I am doing as the worship of the Gods he worships at home. That does not mean you need a big altar out in your garden (although I do encourage it), and this doesn't mean you need to hold daily ritual (although I do encourage it), and it doesn't mean that you always have to worship in a group or with your family (but I do encourage it) in order to be Traditional. It means that whatever you do, you keep that man in mind and wonder if he would recognize what you are doing as an adapted and modernized version of his faith.

 

'Traditional', as such, has nothing to do with practices that link back directly to ancient Hellas; no one is claiming to trace a lineage back or to in any other way have a direct line into the ancient Hellenic religion. We take what we know from scholarly and original work and make a generalized framework that can be built off of and adapt that to modern culture. Then we flesh out our practice with ancient practices and ancient ways of thought that resonate with us.

 

'Reformed', then, is the incorporation of practices that are either completely new or were derived from ancient Hellas with so many steps in-between that it's become completely unrecognizable. The incorporation of modern witchcraft, for example, or patron Gods as defined by modern Paganism. Wiccan elements are also part of Reformed Hellenismos.

 

To get back to the intent I mentioned earlier; your practice is Traditional to the typical Hellenist if you adhere to the above: ancient practices in a modern context where the bare bones are as close to the generalized ancient religion as we can make them. If you wilfully bring in modern elements from other religions or traditions, we consider those parts of your practice Reformed, and there is no value judgement in that. One is not better than the other. they both have vlue. It's a personal choice.
  

I hope this makes the distinction between the two clearer, and that it gives substance and context to the terms. For me, the value in using these terms lies in more easily finding likeminded people to share worship with. Using these terms prevents a lot of hassle and aggravation, but in the end, they are just words. It's your practice that matters and in the end, we all worship the Theoi.

~~~

"I read your articles on the Kronia. Can you please tell me, what day it falls this year. Has anything been discovered that would need me to worship differently from your article. And how should I pay homage to the Kronos this year?"

As far as I am aware, the article is still accurate. The Kronia will be held from dusk on July 27 to dusk on July 28 in 2016. you can find last year's ritual for the event here.

If you are interested in honouring Kronos, next month, from dusk on March 23 to March 24, the Galaxia takes place. This rather obscure festival was held in many places in ancient Hellas, but most notably at Olympia. It was closely linked to the vernal equinox, which was used to date it. The Galaxia is a festival held in honour of the Mother (of the Gods), who in Hellenic mythology is Rhea, although the title is also strongly associated with Gaia and Kybele, who have similar functions. She was worshipped as the mother of Zeus and the Galaxia celebrated His birth just as much as Her giving birth to him. Kronos--as Her consort and His father--was most likely also sacrificed to, along with Hera, who as Zeus' wife deserved honour alongside Him. Our ritual for that can be found here.

~~~

"As I have been ordered by my doctor to lose a great deal of weight, I was wondering if you had any suggestions for which Gods or Goddesses I should pray to (I assume Heracles would be one of these) or which Hymn's of Homer I should recite. If you could get back to me, I would greatly appreciate your input."

Herakles would be a great hero to pray to, as would any Gods and Goddesses connected to battle, struggle and physical health. Ares and Athena come to mind, along with Asklepios and even Niké. Especially Ares is a God I pray a lot to when it comes to working out and getting in shape, Demeter might also be a good option to help make healthy food choices.

~~~

"I see that you have ideas about honoring certain gods, which can include their families..ie, Apollo, Artemis, Leto, and zeus , etc. Do you have any ideas of honoring Hera, daily and just to do something special for her, offerings or a devotional."

Do you do daily ritual now? Hera is included in mine. If you only wish to honour Hera, however, you can with a simple ritual.

- Set out a bowl of water

- Set out a bowl of wine and dilute it with water
 - Light a candle to Hestia with a match
- Drop the match into the bowl of water and use it as khernips to cleanse
- Wash your hands and face and flick the access water off over your shrine to cleanse it.
-  Recite the Homeric Hymn 24 to Hestia:
 

"Blessed Goddess Hestia, you who tend the holy house of the lord Apollo, the Far-shooter at goodly Pytho, with soft oil dripping ever from your locks, come now into this house, come, having one mind with Zeus the all-wise—draw near, and withal bestow grace upon my song."

 

- Pour some wine out to Hestia

- Light an incense burner with aromatic herbs like bay-leaf, chamomile, chrysanthemum, jasmine flowers, laurel, lavender, myrtle,  rose, sandalwood, verbana, etc. or add it to a sacrificial fire

- Recite a hymn to Hera, like Homeric Hymn 12 to Hera:
 

"I sing of golden-throned Hera whom Rhea bare. Queen of the Immortals is she, surpassing all in beauty: she is the sister and wife of loud-thundering Zeus,--the glorious one whom all the blessed throughout high Olympos reverence and honour even as Zeus who delights in thunder."

 

- Pour some wine out to Hera

- Say your prayers

- Blow out the candle and clean up

 ~~~

"Do you know any artist that does drawing or paintings or even statuary. Commissioned pieces. I have been looking for a long time now and figured to ask because I have been meaning to commission some pieces of Hera or other gods as I become more financially able."

About commissioning pieces... I only know of Lykeia. Any readers interested....? Leave your contact info in the comments!

• Friday, October 15, 2021
  Hellenic Reconstruction Hera household worship Kronia Kronos kybele personal Question Collections Post requested post

Question Collections post 39

I get a lot of questions from readers, and most of the time, the answers are fairly short. When I feel the question or the reply would be valuable to others as well, I make a post with a collection of them and post them in one go. Today is one of those posts.

"Hello there. I have always felt a weird connection to the old greek gods, even when I was a child and now that I am an adult I finally want to try out my spiritual side. I finally want to try out something, maybe a prayer or ritual, but I don't want to offend the gods on accident. So, do you have a tip for me? I really need your help..."

First off, let me say I am very happy to hear you are looking to find a way to start honoring the Theoi--the Hellenic Gods. I can understand how this could be daunting. I'm going to provide a few links to get you started on some reading and watching and from there on, I think you'll be more able to ask direct questions for which I might provide the answer.

The Beginner's guide to Hellenismos: Introduction
The beginner's guide to Hellenismos: Traditional versus Reformed
The Beginner's guide to Hellenismos: Ritual and sacrifice in Hellenismos
The Beginner's guide to Hellenismos: Ouranic versus Khthonic

These should get you started on the basic theory and thinking behind the practice of Hellenismos. then there is the practical side. For that, I'd like to reffer you to some of my videos, which show some of the basics. If you would like to read more about ancient Hellenic ritual and prayer (and adapting it to modern times), please see these two posts: Ancient Hellenic festival rituals, and their modern day versions and On prayers and hymns.

I want to leave you with a last link, one on hubris. You express a concern of 'doing it wrong'; I don't believe in that. This post explains why and it might offer some comfort and encuragement.

~~~

 

"I was wondering about the liquids used in libations. I currently use a dark red wine for my morning and evening rituals as well as for most of the festivals What I was wondering about was when it would be more appropriate to use something other than wine as a libation. I've read several conflicting accounts where the dead and Chthonic deities are not given wine as a libation and others where it is instead un-mixed wine. Also, how do you determine if a deity is chthonic?"

Ouranic deities tended to receive wine libations that were mixed with water. Khthonic deities received either wineless libations (water, milk, and honey, usually), or wine libations of unmixed wine. 'Ouranic' is a term that applies to Theoi and practices who reside or that are associated with Mount Olympos, home of many of the Theoi. As such, Ouranic deities are also referred to as 'Olympians'. 'Kthonic' refers to deities or spirits of the Underworld or the earth, and the rituals associated with Them. Then there are some we know from the ancient writings.

So, some examples: Apollon (ouranic) recieves mixed wine libations. Gaia (kthonic, earth) recieves water libations (usually khernips), or milk, or honey. Water for the nymphs (kthonic, earth), unmixed wine to Persephone (kthonic), milk (usually kykeon) to Demeter (kthonic, earth), etc.

~~~

"Just a few days ago was the Diasia, in honor of Zeus Meilichios. I've read that sacrifices to Zeus Meilichios are made as a holokaustos. This got me wondering, when else would you make offerings as a holokaustos? For the dead, certainly, but where else would such a sacrifice be appropriate, and how do you decide when to perform it in lieu of the more common sacrifice where you consume a part of it?"

Some definitions first: worship in ancient Hellas typically consisted of sacrificing at the altar with hymn and prayer. Holokautein (ὁλοκαυτεῖν) were sacrifices in which the sacrifice--domestic animal, fruits, cakes, wine, etc.--was utterly destroyed and burnt up, as opposed to thyesthai (θύεσθαι), in which the sacrifice was shared with the Gods in question and one's fellow worshippers. In the case of a latter animal sacrifice, the edible parts of the sacrificed animal were roasted or boiled and distributed for festive celebration, whereas the inedible parts were burned or placed on the altar, those being the Gods' share.

Let me now say that there is no list; well, I could probably make one but that would be highly impracticle and I would most likely forget two thirds of divinities and others who recieve(d) sacrifice. I can make a general working formula for you though: Ouranic deities (so any deity (!) who lives on the Earth, on Olympos, or in the sea) were honored with thyesthai. The Khthonic, or Underworld, deities, malign deities, heroes, the dead, ghosts and nymphs and their ilk recieved holókautein.

This distinction is very black and white, but there were variations, especially between city-states, but sometimes even within a single city-state. Context was important, but as a working model, the distinction above is useful. So, why this divide?

Sacrifices to the Ouranic deities were given to establish kharis: the act of giving to the Gods so They might give something in return. It's religious reciprocity. It is important to realize that even a sacrifice where the worshippers share in the sacrifice is essentially a holókaustos: the entire sacrifice is given to the Gods in question, but as part of kharis, the Gods do not take all of it, but give part of it back to Their worshippers to sustain them and reward them for their worship. So the entire sacrifice is property of the Gods as soon as it is dedicated to Them (a procession to the altar is sufficient for that, but hymns and prayers aid this proccess), but They share it with us. This way, kharis is established right away: I give to You, You give to me, and so we sustain and honor each other.

For holókautein, I am going to disregard the nymphs for a bit and come back to them later. Kharis need not be established with Khthonic deities: for us humans, we will go to the Underworld regardless of good standing. As with Ouranic sacrifices, the entire sacrifice belongs to the intended force as soon as it is dedicated to them, be it Underworld Gods, or the dead in any form (heroes, after all, are dead as well). As humans, we try not to get in contact with the Underworld, as it brings miasma with it: miasma describes the lingering aura of uncleanliness in regards to a person or space through which contact is made with the Gods.

If we were to partake from food that belongs to the Underworld (because we gave it to its deities), we would take something of the underworld inside of us, and as the myth of Persephone clearly states, this means you would become part of the Underworld itself. In my opinion, this is the main reason why we give holókautein to the Underworld deities and the dead.

As for the nymphs: they are a story unto themselves. We have very little factual information on the worship of nymphs. We know it took place, we know they receive libations (mostly of honey and water), and we know they had sactuaries which were sometimes tended to full time by self-appointed priests. There are, however, many forms of the nature spirits we call nymphs. Some are Ouranic in character, some Khthonic, so it varies what kind of sacrifice they got and get. Even more so, some source material (including Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles) features libations of water and honey to non-specified nymphs, but which seem to have an Ouranic character. As such, I tend to give holocaustal sacrifices to the nymphs, just to be on the safe side.

~~~

 

"What are your thoughts on libations to Heroes? Is there any difference in the ritual or offerings from the template you presented in your video? It feels appropriate to me to make offerings in honour of Emperor Julianos and Hypatia of Alexandria, and I want to be correct in going about it."

Heroes and heroines have a special place in Hellenismos, as they had in ancient Hellas. These were humans--most with at least a part divine heritage--who were considered so brave, so skillful, so extraordinary in their lifetime that they became revered. Some were priests or priestesses of a temple, some excelled in battle, others were skilled healers or good rulers. Once they passed to the realm of Haides, their names were remembered at least once a year on a special ocassion, because the ancient Hellenes believed that if the name and deeds of a person were remembered, they would live forever and potentially look out for those they had looked out for before.

Although linked, hero worship in ancient Hellas was not the same as ancestoral worship; heroes and heroines transcended family bonds.Archeological evidence suggests that hero worship was closer to Khthonic sacrifices in execution than Ouranic ones the further back in time you go; especially in the archaic period, it seems that hero worship consisted of destructive sacrifices--sometimes in the form of a holókaustos where the entire animal was burned, sometimes in a sacrifice where only a part (most often 'a ninth' of the animal) was burned and the rest remained on the altar for the heroes to eat from until gone.

The sacrifices were generally burned in an offering pit known as a bothros. The food offered to heroes consisted of meat, blood, and 'food eaten by men' like grains, fruits and other every-day dishes. These were usually offered to the heroes on a table--known as a trapeza--and the heroes were sometimes offered chairs or a bench to sit on. As time went on, the living began to eat part of the meal laid out for the heroes, joining them in celebration.

~~~

"This might be a stupid question but, well... How do you burn your offerings to the Theoi? I use ethanol (96º) as fuel, but libations, when poured, even small quantities, just put the fire out. Constantly refueling and relighting the fire distracts me from ritual and I'm considering just not burning my offerings, but I'd like to know if I'm doing something wrong. Thanks in advance!"

For me, the answer is to use a healthy pouring of ethanol, a small measure of liquids per libation, poured out along the edge so it can slide in from the side, and to use small chunks of sacrificial material when solid. The shape of your bowl might also have something to do with your issues: fire needs oxygen. In a narrow, high bowl that is a lot trickier than with a wide, low bowl like I use. Also: this issue was the exact reason Hellenic worship is supposed to include the whole family (at least). That way, one person can tend the fire throughout the ritual.

• Wednesday, October 6, 2021
  death Hellenismos 101 Heroes household worship Ouranic personal Question Collections Post requested post

Question Collections post 32

I get a lot of questions from readers, and most of the time, the answers are fairly short. When I feel the question or the reply would be valuable to others as well, I make a post with a collection of them and post them in one go. Today is one of those posts.

"This is a rather personal question but does your girlfriend participate in your festivals ans libations?"

My wife doesn't believe in the existence of any Gods. She supports my worship but she does not understand it, nor does she join in. If I ask her to do something simple like touch something to cleanse her of miasma, she will, but that is about where her involvement ends :)

***

"Is it appropriate to do nighttime daily rituals standing up next to the main household altar? Or have they got a more chthonic character?"

'Khthonic', when it comes to ritual and worship in general, has to do with the Gods being worshipped, not the time of day. Yes, the Khthonic Gods frequently received nighttime worship but not all nighttime worship is khthonic. As such, what you should look at are the Gods. Are they ouranic? Then the ritual should be ouranic in nature as well. Khthonic? Then a Khthonic rite. Khthonic rites should not take place on or even near the household altar, but household worship for ouranic deities performed at night is perfectly suited for the household altar.

I always do my nighttime rites to Selene, Hypnos, Morpheus, etc. before I go to bed, so at night, at my household altar. It is an ouranic rite. I invoke Hestia.

***

"In this time of the year, when I generally come home after sunset, I can still hold the daily ritual to the Ouranic Gods, which I do at daytime in other months?"

Well, sort of. The ancient Hellenes started the new day at dusk--so once it started getting dark. My nighttime rituals are my first rituals of the day, followed by my morning rituals. Technically, your nighttime rituals 'count' for the day after. If you would like to transition to this system now you come home after dark, do them twice on a day you are off, once in the daylight hours for that day and then once in the nighttime hours for the day after. Then you're caught up :)

 

***

 

"Hello I was wondering if Dionysus and Persephone count as Kthonic Theoí? If so in their festivals and libations should one worship and honour them in a kthonik way or a uranic way? Thank you."

 

Both Dionysos and Persephone are Ouranic deities with Kthonic epithets. An epithet is an attachment to the name of a God or Goddess, used to indicate either a specific domain of the Deity, a specific origin myth or region from which the Deity came, or an entirely different entity, through either domain or origin. Their worship, on the whole, is Ouranic, but in very, very speciffic cases, it can be Kthonic. Overall, you can safely assume that any God that has access to Mount Olypos in mythology is Ouranic and should be worshipped that way, unless the rite involves the underworld or the dead.

 

 

***

 

"Hello! Do you have any elaborate ritual to Athena and/or Apollo? :)"

 

I have a couple!

 

Apollon:

Delphinia. Pyanepsia, Oschophoria

 

Athena:

Panathenaia (first day, last day), Niketeria, Oschophoria

 

For all currently avaialble rituals by Elaion, go here.

 

***

 

"Is it possible to be a hellenic polytheist and worship norse gods as well!? I've been going back and again between the two for almost 5 years and i feel a strong conection with the Theoi and hellenic way of life as well as with Yggdrasil and the norse gods. Is there any historical evidence of greeks adopting northern gods or vice versa? Thank you!"

 

Yes, it is. Pure Recon on either might be troublesome, but it's possible to worship two pantheons and perform their worship in a traditional manner.  As for adoption of either by other side, I have not found any. The problem seems to be in the timeline. The Germanic people who were tied to the ancient Norse Gods rose to greatness about 200 BC, a lot later than the Hellenic age. Ceasar reached that territory during his (Roman age) campaign but I don't have any evidence at hand that the ancient Hellenes made contact with the Germanic people at all.

• Thursday, August 12, 2021
  Dionysos household worship Persephone personal Question Collections Post requested post

Question Collections post 15

Today I would like to share two questions (and my answers) which are related to each other in spirit. They both refer to the influence the Theoi have on the world, even though the spheres of influence differ.

 



 

"Yesterday I watched the film 'Agora' for the third time, I'm asking myself- what happened that the gods allowed for things so unbelievable to happen? For their sacred statues to be broken to pieces, their temples profaned, their followers persecuted and the wisdom that the Hellenists built up over more than nine hundred years treated in the way they were ... Why did they let those things happen, or did they? It's probably hubris to think that, but I'm just a little confused. Please, tell me what you think?"
 

You ask a question to which I can only give a complicated and speculative answer. I think that answer is two-part: our Gods are not all-powerful, and Their sphere of influence ends where humanity wants it to end. By-and-large, religion is in the heart of its followers. I believe that is how the Gods were created--out of the stories of man, which shaped the Gods, who made stories of Their own--and I also believe that is how They had to let these atrocities happen.
 

Humans at their very core are weak. They are scared. They tend to like the path of least resistance. Hellenism (and similar for the Romans) offered a world with Gods whom you have to work to please, and when you pass, you pass into a land of eternal shadow. It was a bleak outlook and a lot of work for, well, very little guaranteed pay-off. And then came Christianity, which was... simple. It offered a great reward at the end of the line, and a smooth ride through life without much effort. Show up at mass, don't fuck up too badly throughout life (or ask forgiveness) and voila! Set up for all eternity. Long story short: people turned away from the ancient Gods and flocked under the banner of the new one.
 

That leads me to the first part: our Gods are not all-powerful. There are things even They can't stop. Zeus had to let his son Sarpedon die, many Gods let loved ones and beloved heroes die, in fact. Most had to do so because the mortal in question refused to listen to Their advice. I have no doubt that the Gods would have liked to interfere in the destruction of Their temples, in the prosecution of Their dwindling worshippers--but humanity as a whole had made its choice, and that choice was to move on, to abandon Them and go with the new God(s) in town. And so They let them. The Gods can't make anyone believe in Them.

 

What happened to the ancient temples--to the ancient religion--we let happen. For whatever reason, we let it happen and in our religion, it is us who need to come to the Gods. When we stopped coming, They did not--could not--force us to come back, and so They let us go. But they are not the type to hold grudges. They may have been disappointed, may have been angry, but they are immortal. We are coming back to Them now and They accept us with kharis. We do not have to make up for our religious ancestor's choices. We just have to worship the Theoi as best we can, and They will provide the same things they promised the ancient Hellenes: a good life if you are willing to work for it.

 

 

"I was a Hellenist for awhile but felt called to research and follow other paths since then. Now I'm feeling like the Theoi are calling me back to Their worship. Do you have any advice about what I should do to make amends for leaving off Their worship and be welcomed back into Their good graces? What about the miasma of not worshiping Them for so long? What specific steps do you think I should take?"

 

Thank you for coming to me with your question. I am happy to hear you feel called back to the Theoi.
 

This morning, I answered a question by another reader. It had to do with how the Gods could have allowed their temples to be destroyed and their worship to dwindle. I want to tell you what I told him: that what happened to the ancient temples--to the ancient religion--we let happen. For whatever reason, we let it happen and in our religion, it is us who need to come to the Gods. When we stopped coming, They did not--could not--force us to come back, and so They let us go. But they are not the type to hold grudges. They may have been disappointed, may have been angry, but they are immortal. We are coming back to Them now and They accept us with kharis. We do not have to make up for our religious ancestor's choices. We just have to worship the Theoi as best we can, and They will provide the same things they promised the ancient Hellenes: a good life if you are willing to work for it.
 

The same goes for a personal return to the Theoi. They let you go because you chose to take your break, and now you have decided to return, They will welcome you. I am sure you have seen that scene in the movies or television series where the rebellious youth joins the family he rejected at the start welcome him back with open arms near the end? I always feel coming back to faith is like that--or at least it should be. Come back with an open heart, an open mind, and an open smile. Recite the hymns with all the emotion and love you can muster. Perform katharmos, apply khernips, but mostly cast fear and doubt from your heart. Those emotions disrupt your ability to worship and that is the worst miasma of all.
 

The Gods will welcome you back just like they accept modern worship after being abandoned centuries ago. They want our worship--need our worship--and if you truly wish for Them to be in your life, They will be. If it makes you feel better, make a special sacrifice to proclaim your wish to return to Their worship. I dare say They haven't left your life, so don't worry too much about that. Kharis does not fade, it just gets put on hold when no longer desired. Reclaim it, be worthy of it, and the Theoi will gladly accept your sacrifices.

 

Enjoy your time with the Theoi, respect Them, and respect their worship. They will welcome you back with open arms.

• Saturday, April 10, 2021
  Hellenismos 101 household worship personal Question Collections Post requested post

Question Collections post 12

 "When making our kathiskos, should we limit the food stuffs to less perishable items? I eat a lot of cheese and would rather not have a jar of honey, oil, water, and cheese sitting in my pantry for a month, I'm sure you understand. What do you think of a refrigerator kathiskos?"

The kathiskos is an offer jar of foodstuffs used to protect the household’s food storage. Typically, it has olive oil and water; the rest is up to the household. The kathiskos is dedicated to Zeus Ktesios, guardian of the household. The jar is typically emptied into the compost bin or garden and refilled with fresh foodstuffs every month, on the Noumenia.

The ancient kathiskoi were often unsealed, and I suspect that sometimes they would be tossed earlier than the new Noumenia or ingredients were carefully selected. Personally, I don't know anyone who has an unsealed kathiskos these days, because most Hellenists I know enjoy the tradition of keeping it for a month.

in all my years making a kathiskos, I have never shied away from using anything, and the worst the content of the kathiskos did was that the water turned a little murky. If you seal it up air tight, you won't have much of a problem--until you open it, of course. But I like to think of it like this: all the rotting and fermentation that took place in your kathiskos did not happen to your other foodstuffs. The worse the smell and the worse the status of your content, the better ;-)

"Hello! On your blog is says that the Panathenaia is from the 23rd of hekatombaion to the 30th. Does that mean it ends before the 30th begins or does the festival include the 30th day?"

It includes the 30th, unless the month only has 29 days, then the festival includes the 29th day, but doesn't stretch on into Metageitnion. The Greater Panathenaia includes the 30th, the two Lesser Panathenaia in-between include only the 29th.

"Would it be 'allowed' (seen as non-disrespecrful I guess) to make one alter for more than one god/goddess? Or are alters and shelves reserved for one theos only? Thanks :)"

Most shrines in ancient Hellas were, and even during festivals for a particular Theoi others were worshipped, so I don’t see why not!

"Is there a greek god of finding missing things?"

Not as far as I know, but in general, Gods and Goddesses whom you have built kharis with will help you when you are truly in need. From a purely personal perspective, Hermes would most likely be able to find your items, seeing as he’s been known to hide (and steal) items Himself ;-)

• Monday, March 22, 2021
  ancient Hellenic culture Hellenismos 101 household worship Kathiskos Panathenaia Question Collections Post requested post

Question Collections post 9

I get a lot of questions from readers, and most of the time, the answers are fairly short. When I feel the question or the reply would be valuable to others as well, I make a post with a collection of them and post them in one go. Today is one of those posts.

"Khaire Elani! I am a follower of your blog/youtube videos and just wanted to make my presence known. I was just going to ask you a quick question if you don't mind, will you be uploading any more videos on youtube? They've helped me so much as a Hellenic polytheist and I feel like you might have some more stuff to share with us newbies...it could be anything from ''how to decorate your altar'' to a quick basic ritual indoors (just a few tips) I hope you're doing just fine because you're my only media-like source on the internet about Hellenismos! :-)"

Thank you for your kind words. One of these days I will make new videos. I just need to find the right topics. I am of the opinion that a video needs to add something to the story, else I'd rather just write a blog post. Feel free to share more ideas and I will see what I can do and when. this goes for all readers, by the way, because I get comments like this fairly regularly.

"Do modern Hellenist sacrifice animals?"

Most don't. I know some who do, but these are mostly people who have a farm and would butcher the animal regardless. They use the opportunity to honour the Gods. There are a lot of ethical and legal issues interwoven with animal sacrifice now, and for many, it's simply not a possibility. On top of that, many would prefer not to kill an animal, even for religious reasons.

"Being polytheists, If one wanted to give worship to both the Olympians and the Aesir, albeit in their OWN distinct and separate ways so as to maintain a cultural integrity, is that possible. IE, though I would worship ODIN, I would never worship ZEUS with ODIN in the same rite. Vice versa for Hellenismos. What do you think of that kind of thing?"

On principle, I am not against syncretic worship. If you can stick with it and do both practices and all Gods justice, go right ahead. I know, though, that I would never be able to do it. Getting into a religion requires the adoption of a specific mindset; you have to live your life a certain way, practice religion a certain way, become a specific kind of person based on the ethics held in high regard in that religion. A lot of times, these ethics overlap, but in general, there will always be contradictions, forcing you to choose. On top of that, I barely have time to keep up with one religious practice, let alone two. If you can, though, more power to you!

"I had a question about your daily practice. When you strew the barley groats, is that a purification, an offering, or a mixture of both? Is the modern practice based upon the historical sprinkling of barley groats upon sacrificial animals, or was it more widespread in antiquity (i.e. performed before libations and offerings of incense) as well?"

How exactly household worship was handled in ancient Hellas is hard to say. The descriptions we have generally surround a specific event or festival. Still, almost all of the basic actions and the sequence in which they are handled match up throughout the accounts. I want to share a bit of the Odysseia with you, to show how the structure linked above was applied to household worship:

"Now when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, Nestor left his couch and took his seat on the benches of white and polished marble that stood in front of his house. Here aforetime sat Neleus, peer of gods in counsel, but he was now dead, and had gone to the house of Hades; so Nestor sat in his seat, sceptre in hand, as guardian of the public weal. His sons as they left their rooms gathered round him, Echephron, Stratius, Perseus, Aretus, and Thrasymedes; the sixth son was Pisistratus, and when Telemachus joined them they made him sit with them. Nestor then addressed them.

"My sons," said he, "make haste to do as I shall bid you. I wish first and foremost to propitiate the great goddess Minerva, who manifested herself visibly to me during yesterday's festivities. Go, then, one or other of you to the plain, tell the stockman to look me out a heifer, and come on here with it at once. Another must go to Telemachus's ship, and invite all the crew, leaving two men only in charge of the vessel. Some one else will run and fetch Laerceus the goldsmith to gild the horns of the heifer. The rest, stay all of you where you are; tell the maids in the house to prepare an excellent dinner, and to fetch seats, and logs of wood for a burnt offering. Tell them also to bring me some clear spring water."

On this they hurried off on their several errands. The heifer was brought in from the plain, and Telemachus's crew came from the ship; the goldsmith brought the anvil, hammer, and tongs, with which he worked his gold, and Minerva herself came to the sacrifice. Nestor gave out the gold, and the smith gilded the horns of the heifer that the goddess might have pleasure in their beauty. Then Stratius and Echephron brought her in by the horns; Aretus fetched water from the house in a ewer that had a flower pattern on it, and in his other hand he held a basket of barley meal; sturdy Thrasymedes stood by with a sharp axe, ready to strike the heifer, while Perseus held a bucket. Then Nestor began with washing his hands and sprinkling the barley meal, and he offered many a prayer to Minerva as he threw a lock from the heifer's head upon the fire.

When they had done praying and sprinkling the barley meal Thrasymedes dealt his blow, and brought the heifer down with a stroke that cut through the tendons at the base of her neck, whereon the daughters and daughters-in-law of Nestor, and his venerable wife Eurydice (she was eldest daughter to Clymenus) screamed with delight. Then they lifted the heifer's head from off the ground, and Pisistratus cut her throat. When she had done bleeding and was quite dead, they cut her up. They cut out the thigh bones all in due course, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, and set some pieces of raw meat on the top of them; then Nestor laid them upon the wood fire and poured wine over them, while the young men stood near him with five-pronged spits in their hands. When the thighs were burned and they had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest of the meat up small, put the pieces on the spits and toasted them over the fire."

In this piece, the barley has been written down/translated as 'meal', in other sources they call for groats. In Hómēros, Nestor started the sacrifice with the lustral water (called 'khernips') and the barley. In classical times barley seems to be employed somewhat parallel to the lustral water, as the barley was sprinkled or thrown on the altar and the victim during the prayer. In fact, the barley groats (or cakes, depending on translation) had become so prominent, that Herodotus noted their absence in Persian sacrifice.

"To these gods the Persians offer sacrifice in the following manner: they raise no altar, light no fire, pour no libations; there is no sound of the flute, no putting on of chaplets, no consecrated barley-cake; but the man who wishes to sacrifice brings his victim to a spot of ground which is pure from pollution, and there calls upon the name of the god to whom he intends to offer." [1.132]

Despite their prominence, though, the meaning of barley groats at rituals still remains obscure. We don't see them  described during libations at symposia, though, so they must have a purifying character for the animal sacrifice. As far as I can tell, every time the ancient Hellenes performed a full, sacrificial ritual, they strew barley. As such, I incorporate it as well. I hope this helps.

• Monday, March 1, 2021
  animals Hellenismos 101 Hómēros household worship personal Question Collections Post requested post

Question collections post 8

 I get a lot of questions from readers, and most of the time, the answers are fairly short. When I feel the question or the reply would be valuable to others as well, I make a post with a collection of them and post them in one go. Today is one of those posts.

"What kind of incense can I offer to Aphrodite? Thank you! :-)"

The Orphic incenses prescribe a hymn to Aphrodite, so as far as the go-to guide for incenses goes, the Orphic hymns aren't helpful. That said, there were a few staples. Frankincense (λίβανον) is one of them. Frankincense is tapped from the Boswellia sacra tree. The bark is stripped off, and the tree 'bleeds' tears of frankincense, which are allowed to harden before being cut off. There is great variety in quality--colour, purity, aroma, age, and shape--and, thus, in price. Another staple is Myrrh (σμύρναν). Myrrh is harvested in the same way frankincense is, and is commonly harvested from the species Commiphora myrrha. Myrrh gum is waxy, and coagulates quickly. It becomes rock hard very fast, and becomes glossy. The gum is yellowish, and may be either clear or opaque. It darkens deeply as it ages, and white streaks emerge.

Myrrh, especially, is connected to Aphrodite in legend. It's said that Myrrha (or Smyrna) was a young princess who refused to honour Aphrodite, and so She made her lust after her own father. Eventually, she was turned into the first Myrrh tree. Apollodorus, in his 'Bibliotheca':

"And Adonis, while still a boy, was wounded and killed in hunting by a boar through the anger of Artemis. Hesiod, however, affirms that he was a son of Phoenix and Alphesiboea; and Panyasis says that he was a son of Thias, king of Assyria, who had a daughter Smyrna. In consequence of the wrath of Aphrodite, for she did not honor the goddess, this Smyrna conceived a passion for her father, and with the complicity of her nurse she shared her father's bed without his knowledge for twelve nights. But when he was aware of it, he drew his sword and pursued her, and being overtaken she prayed to the gods that she might be invisible; so the gods in compassion turned her into the tree which they call smyrna. Ten months afterwards the tree burst and Adonis, as he is called, was born, whom for the sake of his beauty, while he was still an infant, Aphrodite hid in a chest unknown to the gods and entrusted to Persephone. But when Persephone beheld him, she would not give him back. The case being tried before Zeus, the year was divided into three parts, and the god ordained that Adonis should stay by himself for one part of the year, with Persephone for one part, and with Aphrodite for the remainder. However Adonis made over to Aphrodite his own share in addition; but afterwards in hunting he was gored and killed by a boar." [3.14.4]

"Hi, I watched your "making manna" video tutorial, and I couldn't really understand what you said was in the yellow glass bottle. What is it, and where can I get it?"

I had to watch my own video again to remember a yellow bottle, but I think I know what you mean. The yellow bottle is used to store my bio-ethanol, the burning agent I use when building a fire indoors. This is a form of biofuel (fuel derived from biological sources), and a variation of denatured alcohol. It's a clear, flammable liquid which burns without smoke and without scent. As such, it works very well for indoor use. Make sure to use a cast-iron or at least solid container to burn in!

"Is there a greek god of finding missing things?"

Not as far as I know, but in general, Gods and Goddesses whom you have built kharis with will help you when you are truly in need. From a purely personal perspective, Hermes would most likely be able to find your items, seeing as he's been known to hide (and steal) items Himself ;-)

• Monday, February 22, 2021
  Aphrodite Apollodorus Hellenismos 101 Hermes household worship Myrrha Mythology 101 personal Question Collections Post requested post

Question collections post 6

I get a lot of questions from readers, and most of the time, the answers are fairly short. When I feel the question or the reply would be valuable to others as well, I make a post with a collection of them and post them in one go. Today is one of those posts.

"In a video about Khernipd you talked about that you're supposed to have a shelf. Can i ask you why that is? I'm new to Hellenismos :)"

Ah, yes, the famous shelve. As far as I can tell, the shelve is a much-used item in Hellenismos. In 'Oh My Gods!', a recent documentary on Hellenismos, the shelve makes an appearance, for example. It's reminiscent of the niche in the wall that was used in ancient Hellas and serves to elevate the worship of the Theoi from the ground.

In ancient Hellas, an altar was called a 'bômos' (βωμός)--properly signifying any elevation--with an 'epipuron' (ἐπίπυρον)--a movable pan or brazier--used on top of the bômos so it could serve as an altar for burnt-offerings. The household hearth was used to make sacrifices as well, and thus served as an altar of sorts.

These altars were used for sacrifices to the Ouranic Theoi, but were rarely--if ever--used for sacrifices for the Khthonic Theoi. An 'eschára' (ἐσχάρα) is the term for a low-lying altar used in burnt-offerings for heroes, demi-Gods and (nature) spirits. It was sometimes located under the bômos. For Khthonic Theoi, an offering pit--'bothros' (βόθρος) in Greek texts--sufficed, although They were sometimes worshipped at an eschára as well.

Personally, I think a shelve works fine to worship to the Olympic Gods, but so does a table, chest, or anything else that you have handy. There is traditional and there is practical, and unfortunately when it comes to altars these days, what is practical is not traditional.

So, short answer: you use a shelve to elevate your worship off of the ground. Can you elevate your worship any number of other ways? Yes. This depends on personal preference.

"Would you say the orphic and eleusinian mysteries are a necessary part of hellenic polytheism? Im scared that I dont know anything much about them."

Let me start off by linking you to a very extensive introduction on the Eleusinian Mysteries I wrote a while ago. You can find it here. Orphism--a mystery cult or religious philosophy which claimed descent from the teachings of the mythical hero Orpheus--was mostly connected to Demeter, Persephone, Dionysos, life after death, and reincarnation.

As with all mystery cults, participation was optional. Many people took part because it assured some semblance of safety surrounding the afterlife, but definitely not everyone was initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries, and while Orphism was widespread as well, it most certainly was not universal.

Personally, I am hesitant about engaging in mystery cults. The whole idea of them was to follow a very strict set of guidelines to achieve a very particular goal. Since huge portions of these guidelines were lost to us, it seems futile to engage in the practice. That said, these cults have brought forth beautiful works of poetry, have introduced concepts that resonate easily with me and many others today, and there is certainly wisdom in them.

You do not have to follow mystery traditions to be a Hellenist. I know people, however, who try to reconstruct them. They do this because they feel drawn to this way of worshipping, and that's wonderful. Personally I believe everyone should feel free to worship in the way they want, and if that includes mystery traditions, then so be it. It's not for me, however, and it doesn't have to be for you either, if you don't want to.

"I'm interested to hear your feelings on using wine in ritual when you or someone in your group has issues with substance abuse. What would you use as a replacement?"

I grew up in a household where substance abuse was a big issue and I have always refused to drink alcohol, do drugs, smoke, or even drink coffee. Wine is the traditional libation liquid; as drinking water was often stagnant, wine was used to purify it, and mask the taste. All men, women and children drank water which had some wine added to it. Wine was believed to be a healer--and it is--so everyone drank it, sometimes more when they were sick. Now, that is the Traditional side of it; what you do as a modern Hellenist is allowed to differ due to the complications of our current society. One part of that is finding substitutes if wine is not something you want to consume--or can't consume.

I would never force anyone to drink wine if they have addiction issues. As wine pretty much was the ancient Hellenic equivalent of water, water is a good replacement. That said, it may feel a little to plain and personally I enjoy the fact that I libate wine because it has ties to the grape vine and Dionysos. So, as a replacement, I would suggest plain grape juice--as pure and sugarless as you can find it. It still has the same ties to the Gods, but without the alcohol. This is also what I used to do in my Eclectic Religious Witchcraft rituals when minors were around, or recovering alcoholics.

• Sunday, February 7, 2021
  ancient Hellenic culture daily practice Hellenismos 101 household worship personal Question Collections Post requested post

Question Collections post 4

"What is it like to live in the Netherlands being a lesbian woman and a hellenic polytheist? Are people open minded over there? Is there beautiful nature?"

I have been fortunate in not having found too much prejudice and backlash in my open style of living here in The Netherlands. Very few people understand my religious inclinations, and most think I’m nuts, but in general, they accept that this is what makes me happy and leave it at that. The Netherlands is a pretty progressive country, and it shows. That said, I have no idea if my religion has ever adversely affected a job interview or anything like that.

As for being gay; I’ve been open about my sexuality since high school, and while I’ve had my fair share of bullying and teasing, in general I have been fortunate in that regard as well. The Netherlands has marriage equality, discrimination based on sexual orientation is not allowed, and the older I get, the less issue people have with my sexuality. The older I get, the less I care about the people who do.

I am very fortunate to live in an area with exceptionally beautiful nature; even my back yard is wild and overgrown. I live ten minutes from a heath and forest. I am very, very, blessed with both.

"I'm a polytheist just getting past the theory and into the practice part of the faith. I've set up a home shrine/altar according to the guidelines from your videos and I'm ready to do a libation. I'm having a bit of trouble with my ethanol. I was doing a test light in my sacrificial bowl, and instead of a nice orderly flame like in your video, I got a small blue fire ball exploding out of the bowl. I wasn't hurt, but I'm worried that I might not be so lucky next time. Have you ever had problems with your ethanol flaring up? If so, how did you take care of them?"

I haven't encountered that specific reaction, but I'm using bio-ethanol as a burning agent, not raw ethanol. Make sure you use something that says 'safe to use in indoor fireplace' or something like that; it will say something about indoor use on the packaging. It could be that you are using something that evaporates too quickly, causing the rapid consummation of the liquid--and thus causing a fireball? Please be careful!

"What would be recommended to burn for the smoldering leaf, if you don't mind my asking? (For khernips) Thank you so much!"

I tend to use verbena or bay leaf for my khernips, but any smouldering herb or scented piece of wood would work well. Unfortunately, we don’t have a perfect guide left over from the ancient Hellenes, so I try to burn something that would be appreciated by the deity in question. Verbena is a good one, though, because it burns easily and gives off its scent right away. Make sure to check if the herbs can't negatively affect your health before burning!

"[H]ave you heard of Daimonia Nymphe? They're a group that plays music in the Ancient Greek style. They do a lot of Orphic hymns, and they're really useful if you want to hear the words spoken and pronounced correctly.

I have definitely heard of Daemonia Nymphe, and while they don't perform a genre of music I enjoy very much, I have listened to them exactly for the reason you describe. In fact, I made a post about some of their work a while back. For anyone looking to get a bit of practice on their Greek, Daemonia Nymphe is a great help! Thank you! 

"Is your calendar different from the one on the Hellenion site? Thanks for any explanation. I hope you are well."

I use the HMEPA (Hellenic Month Established Per Athens) calendar as the base for my calendar, and I have added a lot of events to it from my own research, mostly the events of the Mên kata Theion, 'sacred month', and many of the sacrifices I could find in Erchia, Athens, and several other city-states. I think I also ended up disagreeing on a couple of the dates after doing my own research, but in general, if it's on the Hellenion calendar, it's also on mine. I'm not sure how true that is the other way around, though.

• Saturday, January 23, 2021
  Hellenismos 101 household worship khernips personal Question Collections Post requested post

Possible prayers from the Eumenides

I really love Aeschylus' Eumenides play, and I also greatly enjoy the fact that it has prayers and parts you can use for prayers in it that one can use for their own household worship. Today, I will post some of the possible prayers in Eumenides. Enjoy!

"First, in this prayer of mine, I give the place of highest honor among the gods to the first prophet, Earth; and after her to Themis, for she was the second to take this oracular seat of her mother, as legend tells. And in the third allotment, with Themis' consent and not by force, another Titan, child of Earth, Phoebe, took her seat here. She gave it as a birthday gift to Phoebus, who has his name from Phoebe. Leaving the lake1 and ridge of Delos, he landed on Pallas' ship-frequented shores, and came to this region and the dwelling places on Parnassus. The children of Hephaistos,2 road-builders taming the wildness of the untamed land, escorted him with mighty reverence. And at his arrival, the people and Delphus, helmsman and lord of this land, made a great celebration for him. Zeus inspired his heart with prophetic skill and established him as the fourth prophet on this throne; but Loxias is the spokesman of Zeus, his father.

These are the gods I place in the beginning of my prayer. And Pallas who stands before the temple3 is honored in my words; and I worship the Nymphs where the Corycian4 rock is hollow, the delight of birds and haunt of gods. Bromius has held the region—I do not forget him—ever since he, as a god, led the Bacchantes in war, and contrived for Pentheus death as of a hunted hare. I call on the streams of Pleistus and the strength of Poseidon, and highest Zeus, the Fulfiller; and then I take my seat as prophetess upon my throne. And may they allow me now to have the best fortune, far better than on my previous entrances. And if there are any from among the Hellenes here, let them enter, in turn, by lot, as is the custom. For I prophesy as the god leads." [Pythia in the temple of Apollon at Delphi - 1]

"Lord Apollo, you know how to do no wrong; and, since you know this, learn not to be neglectful also. For your power to do good is assured." [Orestes to Apollon - 85]

"So now with a pure mouth I piously invoke Athena, lady of this land, to come to my aid. Without the spear, she will win me and my land and the Argive people as faithful and true allies for all time. But whether in some region of the Libyan land, near the waters of Triton, her native stream, she is in action or at rest, aiding those whom she loves, or whether, like a bold marshal, she is surveying the Phlegraean plain, oh, let her come—as a goddess, she hears even from far away—to be my deliverer from distress!" [Orestes to Athena - 287]

"I will accept a home with Pallas, and I will not dishonor a city which she, with Zeus the omnipotent and Ares, holds as a fortress of the gods, the bright ornament that guards the altars of the gods of Hellas. I pray for the city, with favorable prophecy, that the bright gleam of the sun may cause blessings  that give happiness to life to spring from the earth, in plenty." [Chorus of Eumenides - 916]

"Gracious and favorable to the land, come here, venerable goddesses, with flame-fed torch, rejoicing as you go—cry aloud now in echo to our song! Peace endures for all time between Pallas' citizens and these new dwellers here. Zeus who sees all and Fate have come down to lend aid—cry aloud now in echo to our song!" [Chorus of the processional escort to the Eumenides - 1032]

• Monday, December 28, 2020
  Aeschylus Apollon Athena Athens Delphi Erinyes Eumenides household worship hymns Orestes

Hellenistic activities to keep your kids entertained and involved

As new lockdown measures are sweeping the globe, those of you with kids might be running out of things to do with them. I'm going to describe some fun things to do with children to get them in the mood for a Hellenistic festival, and to help make them feel more included.

• let the children design their own Hellenic clothing, and have a fashion show to show off the designs
• pick flowers with the children and let them make their own wreath to wear
• assist the kids in writing a mythologically inspired play, and let them perform it; this play can be inspired by existing plays, of course
• play '20 questions' with the kids by having them stick a post-it with the name of a Theos or Theia on it on their foreheads and asking each other questions to find out who they are
• make temples of their own design with the kids; these can be drawn, fashioned out of clay, made out (or inside of) shoe-boxes, or with bricks and wood, if you have the resources at your disposal
• a similar assignment can be done  for altars, pottery, columns, statues, or ancient Hellenic houses
• Hellenic shields and helmets can be made out of cardboard
• how about drawing monsters on cardboard and cutting them out? They can play 'Hēraklēs' with them afterwards and vanquish them
• collect as many rocks and other markers as you can find and lay out the lines of a temple behind, so they can play at being priests and priestesses
• alternatively, the kids can make a labyrinth and find the heart of it, like Theseus when he went to hunt for the Minotaur. Having them find their way out is also an option, of course
• cook as much Hellenic food together as you can stomach and have a tasting party
• let the kids read and study the Hellenic alphabet, and compose coded messages to each other. Use clay or plaster to create a plaque the students can carve their name into. Use a paperclip as a hanger (apply to the plaster or clay while it hardens) so the plaque can go on the wall. Stone fleck paint or simple gray paint can be used to 'stonify' the plaque afterwards.
• make ancient Hellenic coins out of clay, carving images into it, or using the clay to make a mold that you can pour tin in. Note, tin fumes are poisonous and is has to be melted! Don't let the kids do this themselves!
• host Olympics with kids-appropriate sports like long jump, sprints, relay races, and things like frisbee throw, space hopper races, and rope jumping competitions

As you can see, there are a thousand-and-one things to do with children that will teach them about ancient Hellas, and make a festival day extra special. Besides, most of these things, I would love to do myself; the space hopper races, especially!

Image taken from: Culture24

• Saturday, November 7, 2020
  ancient Hellenic culture community Elaion festivals Hellenic Reconstruction Hellenismos 101 household worship

Repost: Hestia and Khthonic Sacrifices

"Just a random question - do you happen to know if a portion of chthonic sacrifices was offered first to Hestia?  I had always heard that She received the first and last portion of all sacrifices, but given the difference between Olympian and Chthonic sacrifices, I have to wonder.  Any light you can shed on the question would be appreciated!"

There are records that at least in some parts of ancient Hellas, Hestia was always sacrificed to first and last in state festivals, and I have adopted that for my household worship as well; many modern Hellenists have. That said, there is a difference between rituals held for the Ouranic deities and the Khthonic; most notably for this question, in the altar used.

In ancient Hellas, an altar was called a 'bômos' (βωμός)--properly signifying any elevation--with an 'epipuron' (ἐπίπυρον)--a movable pan or brazier--used on top of the bômos so it could serve as an altar for burnt-offerings. The household hearth was used to make sacrifices as well, and thus served as an altar of sorts. It was named after the Theia of the home and hearth: 'hestía' (ἑστία). Some state-owned altars--especially when they were simply large fires--were named 'hestía' as well.

These altars were used for sacrifices to the Ouranic Theoi, but were rarely--if ever--used for sacrifices for the Khthonic Theoi. For Khthonic Theoi, an offering pit--'bothros' (βόθρος) in Greek texts--was used. Bothroi were usually dug when the occasion called for it, and closed up afterwards. As written previously, the Khthonic Theoi received special nighttime offerings of black animals, unmixed wine and special libations of milk and honey. Animal sacrifice was always done in a holókaustos--a sacrifice where the entire animal was burned and none of the meat was saved for human consumptions.

State festivals were almost always held for Ouranic deities, and they included a feast, consisting of the meat of the sacrificed animal. This wasn't possible with sacrifices to the Khthonic deities; there was no meat to feast on--and no occasion to feast. This matters, because our primary evidence on the topic is one of the Homeric Hymns to Hestia:

"Hestia, in the high dwellings of all, both deathless gods and men who walk on earth, you have gained an everlasting abode and highest honour: glorious is your portion and your right. For without you mortals hold no banquet, -- where one does not duly pour sweet wine in offering to Hestia both first and last." [XXIX]

It is my personal opinion that Hestia was not honoured (first, last or at all) in Khthonic rites. In fact, I think as few as possible Gods were called in these rites, and all of them had a Khthonic character. I think this is tied to the practice of miasma--after all, contact with the Underworld (and thus the Khthonic Gods) was a major source of it.

Within Hellenic practice, miasma describes the lingering aura of uncleanliness in regards to a person or space through which contact is made with the Gods. Next to piety, being ritually clean is one of the most important things to adhere to within Hellenismos. Miasma occurs whenever the space or person comes into contact with death, sickness, birth, sex, excessive negative emotions and bodily fluids. It also comes from a lack of contact with the Hellenic Gods. As a note, I should say that not the actual acts of dying, sex and birth cause miasma but the opening up of the way to the Underworld (with births and deaths) as well as contact with sweat, blood, semen, menstrual blood and urine.

Our Gods are immortal and are sometimes called the Deathless Ones. It's our duty to uphold this sacred name by making sure no Gods but psychopomps (guides of the dead) come in contact with death even if it's through us. If we can not respect Their purity, They might be inclined to withhold Their gifts from us. As such, I cannot even phantom inviting Hestia into a ritual with a Khthonic character.

• Tuesday, October 20, 2020
  ancient Hellenic culture Hellenismos 101 Hestia Homeric Hymns household worship Khthonic requested post

Hekate's crossroads

Hekate is extremely important to me in my household worship. Like some of the early ancient Hellenes, I view Hekate as Hesiod's Hekate, the single-faced Titan, who rules in heaven, on the earth, and in the sea. She is a Theia of childbirth--to both animals and humans--and it is She who bestows wealth on mortals, victory, wisdom, good luck to sailors and hunters, and prosperity to youth and to the flocks of cattle. Yet, if mortals do not deserve Her gifts, she can withhold them from them just as easily. After the Titanomachy, Zeus bestowed upon Her the highest of honors. This is the Goddess I honor daily during my nighttime rites, but I do integrate some later practices and thoughts about Her; including Her role as protector of the house and 'crossroad Goddess'.

Personally, when I hear 'crossroad Goddess', I think Supernatural's crossroad's demon. I think it's exactly this modern view of supernatural forces at crossroads that makes it difficult to understand Hekate's role as a Goddess of crossroads. I therefor don't use the tem 'crossroad Goddess', because it is somewhat deceiving; Her imagery would have stood at crossroads, and offerings were left there for safe travel, but the crossroads Hekate was most valued for protecting was the crossroads leading from the street to he home; a 'T'-shaped crossroads where Hekate ever vigilantly watches over the threshold. 

In this incarnation, She is a Goddess of purification, expiation, and protection, associated with thresholds and gates, both reaching back to the Underworld association. This view of Her dates back to about the fifth century BC, where Hesiod's views date back to about the seventh century BC. I wrote about the development of views on Hekate in this blog post about Her, and She has been worshipped in many ways throughout the ages.

As Cara Schulz so eloquently puts it in her talk about Hekate, Hekate guards the home from forces outside of it--both from natural and supernatural forces. Ancient Hellenic (especially Athenian) homes were walled off to create a courtyard; the only entrance to the home was a single door, and a single threshold. This was where Hekate's influence was felt. As such, Her influence is stationary; where Apollon and Hermes' protection extends to journeying and travels. Her worship is more domestic, at least for me.

There were statues of Hekate placed at three-way crossroads not leading to homes; these served the same purpose as 'threshold statuary', though; protection and purification. Much later, Christian, sources, warn followers away from 'placing devilish charms at springs or trees or crossroads' to alleviate illness. 

In modern household worship, Hekate's role is generally considered as an averter of evil; a protector who keeps misfortune, illness, danger, and bad luck away from the oikos. This is why She often shares shrine space with Hermes and Apollon, near the entrance to the home, or at the crossroads from the street to the driveway; a crossroads, indeed, but very different than some might imagine.

• Sunday, September 13, 2020
  ancient Hellenic culture Hekate Hellenismos 101 household worship requested post

Repost: Do I have to sacrifice to the Twelve Olympians every day?

I was recently asked if 'one should give liberations to the 12 daily? Or can you rotate depending on the calendar?'. They explained reading on the Theoi pantheon page that 'These twelve gods demanded worship from all their subjects. Those who failed to honour any one of the Twelve with due sacrifice and libation were duly punished.', and now they were slightly worried.

Within Hellenismos, the Gods rule supreme. We are here to serve and honour Them, and in return, They provide us with what we need to survive. This practice of kharis is one of the pillars of Hellenismos. Not complying with the will of the Gods is called hubris. Hubris, in dictionary terms, means excessive pride or arrogance and comes from the Greek (hýbris, ὕβρις). For me, hubris is not an adjective but a verb. It describes the act of wilful or ignorant refusal to comply by the will of the Gods.

Human kind is said to be a step above animals because we have the ability to think about our actions and predict their consequences, but we are below the Gods, because we are mortal. Unlike the Gods, we do not plan centuries ahead; we have only a limited amount of time to live, and our actions reflect that. We are encouraged to use our ability to think logically about our actions and choose wisely.
I have read on some Hellenic websites that the Gods do not intent to harm us in any way. They wish to help us better our lives and would never punish us.

I think there is overwhelming evidence of the contrary in ancient Hellenic practices, in mythology and in modern day UPG. Odysseus spent twenty years simply trying to get home because he had pissed off the Gods with his hubris; hubris killed many mythological people, amongst which all fourteen of Niobe's children, Tántalos, and even Íkaros, who flew too high towards the sun; many festivals included elements of appeasement; and building only on my own UPG experiences, I have definitely been told to remedy a situation in which I was displaying unintentional hubris, or else. Saying that the Gods will never (or always) do something is a clear example of hubris, to
me.

That said, the Gods do wish the best for us. As long as we honour them as we should, they will provide for us abundantly. Does this mean you have to give honours to all the Gods every day--because there are many more Gods than the twelve (or thirteen, depending if you count Dionysos)Olympians? No, I don't thank so.

Literary and artistic evidence from ancient Hellas shows that daily worship centred around the oikos, the household. The courtyard of the home often held a bômos, a free standing, raised, altar where the majority of household worship took place. Some houses also had a wall niche, an indoor worship area, either in a room especially designated for worship, or in the main family room. These altars were used to worship the Ephestioi (Εφεστιοι), the most personal of the household Theoi. These almost always included: Hestia, Zeus Ephestios (Overseer of the Hearth), Zeus Kthesios, and Agathós Daímōn. Worship of these deities was highly personal, and many other Theoi could be added to this worship list. There was no definite list everyone had to follow. The only list there was, was the festival calendar, and through that, most of the 'major' Gods were worshipped throughout the year.

In my opinion, offering a libation to the Gods on their special days is enough to appease Them; what matters is that They are at the forefront of your mind, and that you speak of them with pride and respect. The Theoi need to be a part of your life--an important part. Think of Them whenever you act, whenever you speak, whenever you think, and you will honour Them simply by being a good human being. Ethics is a huge part of Hellenismos, and along with regular active worship, you will built kharis just fine with the Theoi, even if you don't pour libations to the Olympians every day.

• Sunday, July 26, 2020
  ancient Hellenic culture daily practice Hellenismos 101 household worship personal requested post

How to pronounce the names of the Gods in Greek

I post this once a year or so especially for solo practitioners and/or Elaion member who take part in our Practicing Apart Together rituals. Many practitioners like to pronounce the names of the Gods in Greek but aren't sure how. The sound library of greek-gods.info has you covered!

The library has sound files of the names of Titans, Olympians, many of the other Gods, mythological creatures and heroes, in both Greek and English. I especially love listening to both files for one name, and spotting the differences. Let's just say that there are plenty.

• Monday, February 10, 2020
  Hellenic Reconstruction household worship

Repost: Tending the hearthfire

A large part of my Hellenistic household worship consists of tending Hestia's flame. Back in ancient Hellas, most religious activities surrounding the household revolved around the central hearth, which was the physical manifestation of Hestia. The male head of household, the kurios, presented slaves, children and his new wife to the heart fire so they became part of the oikos and fell under the protection of Hestia and the other household Gods.

While Hestia has little mythology to Her name, Her worship was a vital part of ancient Hellenic religion. For one, Her flame connected every single Hellenic oikos to each other and the state. All the household fires were lit with a flame from the prytaneion (Πρυτανεῖον), the structure where state officials met and where the city kept a fire for Hestia burning day and night. Every single heart fire in the city or town was linked to that central one, and that central fire was linked to the city from where the settlers of the new village, town or city came. This network of fires, which were never allowed to go out, brought all Hellens together.

Hestia is a very female-oriented Goddess. Caring for the household was a task solely intended for women and it is because of this, very few stories about Hestia were made or recorded; the male-dominated culture cared little for Her. Yet, it was also the kurios who traveled to the prytaneion for a bit of Hestia's fire when the fire within the oikos flamed out.

Personally, I keep a flame burning on my main shrine for Hestia at all times. I keep a live flame when I'm home and awake, and an electrical one when I'm out or asleep. I would love to keep a live flame at all times, but I don't exactly have a stone building to keep it in. That one's going to have to wait a few years or so. From this flame, I light the candles in my home, and the sacrificial fire I burn twice a day and on festivals.

I truly feel that tending a flame for Hestia should be a vital part of every Hellenistic's practice. A bold statement, I know, but there is so much ancient Hellenic foundation for it that it's hard to ignore. In fact, when Hellenismos gets bigger and starts forming communities, there should be a prytaneion at its center, with a fire being continuously kept.

Hestia's fire is a great way to form a community, to come together and rejoice in the Hellenic faith. When I look at mine, I envision Hestia's fire being tended to around the world, and feel just a bit closer to Her and other Hellenic practitioners. I truly hope tending Hestia's fire is something you'll consider adopting into your own practice, if you haven't done so already.

• Tuesday, January 7, 2020
  ancient Hellenic culture community Hellenismos 101 Hestia household worship Pagan Blog Project

Repost: How to pray to the Khthonic Gods

"I know you aren't supposed to kneel to the Ouranic Gods, but what about the Chthonic Gods? I've seen that their altars are meant to be ground/floor level so would we kneel but still raise our arms? Or how would that go really? Because I see them needing to be praised as well, but technically they are Underworld Gods and would be metaphorically below us, so by raising our arms would that be offensive to the Ouranic Gods?"

Khthonic (from Greek χθόνιος khthonios, 'in, under, or beneath the earth', from χθών khthōn 'earth') literally means 'subterranean'. It refers both to earth deities like Gaea as to underworld deities like Hades. earth deities usually received worship like the Ouranic Gods (although not always) while Underworld Gods received a different type of worship (although not always).

For these Khthonic Theoi, an offering pit--'bothros' (βόθρος) in Greek texts--was used. Bothroi were usually dug when the occasion called for it, and closed up afterwards. Khthonic Theoi received special nighttime offerings of black animals, unmixed wine and special libations of milk and honey. Animal sacrifice was always done in a holókaustos--a sacrifice where the entire animal was burned and none of the meat was saved for human consumptions.

Hómēros in the Odysseia writes Circe advising Odysseus how to perform a libation to the dead:

"Draw near then, as I bid you, hero, and dig a trench two feet square, then pour a libation all around to the dead, first of milk and honey, then of sweet wine, thirdly of water, sprinkled with white barley meal."

The ancient Hellenes shaped a 'negative' (part of a) ritual by a reversal of normal practices. As normal practices dictated the practitioner stand before an altar with their hands raised, it's quite logical that they performed ritual to the Khthonic deities on their knees, hands down on the soil, sometimes beating down on it to draw the attention of the deities residing below. Where women wore their hair up or covered for standard ritual, they wore their hair down in Khthonic ritual.

Worship of the Underworld Khthonic deities was reserved for special occasions--mostly vengeance, death, and purification surrounding both. If the Underworld Khthonic Gods were worshipped in a state festival, They were generally worshipped in their Ouranic epithets.

• Saturday, December 21, 2019
  ancient Hellenic culture death Hades Hellenic Reconstruction household worship requested post

Repost: The rings of household protection

There are many household Gods in the Hellenic religion and without some background knowledge about how ancient Hellenic houses are built up, it can become a bit of a conglomerated mess when trying to worship all in modern times.  Which God watches out over which area? And where should you place your shrines in a perfect world? And in a realistic world? Why don't we try to suss things out today, hm?

Ancient Hellenic homes were simple structures, made from clay, wood, and stone. The roofs were covered with tiles, or reeds, and the houses had one or two stories. Most houses were small, just a few rooms, with a walled garden or yard in the middle. Others, like the house above, were much larger. They were not solely homes, but often doubled as offices, shops, entertainment areas, and as a place of worship. In many cases, a large wall with a single door connected the house to the street, while insuring maximum privacy tot he occupants of the house. Rooms at the front of the house often served as store rooms or work shops. Other rooms in the house served as bedrooms, as a kitchen, bathroom, and smaller store rooms. Symposia were held in special rooms, reserved only for men. The only women who entered the male-only rooms were serfs. These rooms were called 'andron' (ανδρών). Female-only rooms were called 'gynaikon' (γυναικῶν).

The courtyard of the home often held a bômos, a free standing, raised, altar where the majority of household worship took place. Some houses also had a wall niche, an indoor worship area, either in a room especially designated for worship, or in the main family room. These altars were used to worship the Ephestioi (Εφεστιοι), the most personal of the household Theoi. These almost always included: Hestia, Zeus Ephestios (Overseer of the Hearth), Zeus Kthesios, and Agathós Daímōn. Worship of these deities was highly personal, and many other Theoi could be added to this worship list.

Hestia was represented by the hearth fire that was always kept burning. If it went out, the male head of household would go to the prytaneion (Πρυτανεῖον), the structure where state officials met and where the city kept a fire for Hestia burning day and night, for a new flame. All fires in the house were lit from this one fire, so Hestia would watch over everything and everyone inside the house. Zeus Ephestios was and is a more active defender of the home. He shields the actual structure of the house. Where Hestia watches over the occupants, Zeus Ephestios guards the very walls, the roof, the floor, and any possessions inside the structure. He was worshipped at the main altar.

Zeus Kthesios guards the pantry, and was honored there as well, where he had his own shrine, often adorned with a kathiskos. Agathós Daímōn and the ancestors were also worshipped at the main altar, although they may have had small shrines to themselves, especially in the case of wall niches.

In the courtyard of the house, the Herkeioi (Ἑρκειοι) were honored: those of the herkos or front court. Most notably, this was Zeus Herkeios (Ἑρκειος), protector of the enclosure of the house.

Just outside the house, and especially near the gate to the street, small shrines and altars were placed in honor of the less personal protectors: Apollon (sometimes in his epithet of 'Aguieus' (Ἀγυιεύς), protector of the streets, public places, and the entrances to homes), Hermes Propylaios, Hekate, and especially in Sparta, the Dioskouroi. Hēraklēs sometimes took the place of Apollon.

Zeus Herkeios' altar stood in the courtyard and He, from the inside of the house, protected against anyone wanting to harm the house or the family living in it. These altars were most often pillars, on or around which the offerings could be placed. Hermes, Apollon, and Hekate were represented by a pointy four-sided post. The top was reserved for Apollon, the bottom often held a niche where Deipnon offerings could be placed to Hekate, and Hermes' face (and sometimes his genitalia) was sometimes carved into the post. Hermes sometimes got his own post, called a 'herm', which was a rectangular post, with His face carved on top, and his genitalia carved out on the front.

So how does this translate to modern worship? The structure of houses has changed--many people don't even live in a house but in an apartment without a garden. So, how are the areas divided then? Let's start with a picture of a house with a garden, leading to the street:

The house itself is 'circle' one. It's the realm of the Ephestioi. Their influences reaches right up to the walls. If you live in an apartment, this circle encompasses your entire home. This is where your bômos is, where you might have a pantry shrine to Zeus Kthesios, where you might have a shrine for Hestia if you don't have a fireplace, and so on. This is the main circle of worship.

Then we move out to the garden: anything from the house onward that still belongs to you. In an apartment, this would be the balcony if you have one and arguable also the elevator or staircase and hallway leading to your apartment door. This is the domain of the Herkeioi. You could set up a small shrine near the front door to pour out some libations into. Do you live in an apartment? A flowerpot or plant is a perfect way to hide your little shrine. Do you want to bring things together even more? Zeus is whom is honored here most, and his sacred tree is the oak. Why not plant some acorns and water them with libations of water? This second 'circle' spans the area from the house to the street.

The third 'circle' is not a circle at all: it's a barrier. Just like ancient Hellenic cities often had gated walls, so does the home. There where the driveway, garden fence or building door meets the street, Hekate, Apollon and Hermes (amongst others)  stand tall to guard against any harmful influence from outside. It thus stands to reason that your shrine for Them belongs at that spot.

This third is of course the most tricky of shrines. It's a very visible spot and if you live in an apartment complex, you might not even have the option to put anything of yourself there. I have a friend who lives in an apartment in New York. She has a little mailbox in the entry hall, close to the outer door. At the back of it, she'd put a little bowl and leaves small offerings there whenever she goes to collect her mail. Inventive, hm? Another option would be to 'pull back' this barrier to the door of your house and make a shrine just inside or outside of it. That's what I did when I still lived in an apartment.

I hope this makes things a little clearer and you have a few more handholds to base your worship on.

• Monday, December 16, 2019
  ancient Hellenic culture Apollon daily practice Hekate Hermes household worship personal requested post Zeus