On eusebeia and dyssebeia

Today I would like to talk about two related terms that are very important in Hellenismos: eusebeia and dyssebeia. Let's talk about eusebeia first, because that is the one you will be striving after!

Eusebeia (εὐσέβεια) is a Hellenic word abundantly used in Hellenic philosophy. Its meaning is to perform the actions appropriate to the Gods. The word stems from εὐσεβής, 'pious', which in itself comes from εὖ 'eu' meaning 'well', and σέβας 'sebas' meaning 'reverence'. The root seb- (σέβ-) is connected to danger and flight, and thus the sense of reverence originally described fear of the Gods but is also interepreted as sacred awe and reverence especially in actions.  

The word was used in ancient Hellas to reffer to the practice of behaving as tradition dictates in one's social relationship towards the Theoi. Eusebeia is practiced by performing the customary acts of respect--in our case festivals, prayers, sacrifices, and (public) devotion--to the Godss. By extension, Eusebeia means to respect your elders and teachers (both religious and non-religious), to respect your environment as it is an extension of the Gods and under Their protection.

To the ancient Hellenes, depending on philosophical tradition, eusebeia meant not only to do right by the Theoi, but also to know and understand why these are the right things to do by the Theoi. To understand the cycles and purpose behind the rituals, to perform the rites with an understanding of the 'why' and 'how'. this is why I am so adamant about understanding ancient Hellenic culture and religious practice. this is why I consider myself a Traditional Hellenist. I feel you will learn more about modern Hellenismos from a research paper on the ancient Hellenic practice than form a modern 101 book. I feel you will learn more from studying the archaeological finds from ancient Hellas than from making a pretty shrine. All those modern things matter, and they make modern practice fun, but for me, they are not at the core of Hellenismos.

So, that brings us to dyssebeia (Δυσσεβια). Dyssebeia opposed eusebia. It's impiety, it's not performing the customary acts of respect towards the Theoi, or doing them mechanically, without proper faith (and understanding!) behind the motions.

Perhaps not surprisingly both eusebia and dyssebeia are also Goddesses. Eusebeia is the Goddess of piety, loyalty, duty and filial respect. Her husband is Nomos (Law), and, depending on the source, their daughter is Dike, Goddess of justice and fair judgment. Dyssebeia was the Goddess and personification of impiety. Not surprisingly, She is a daughter of Hybris (Excessive Pride) and sister of Koros (Disdain).

Anyone practicing Hellenismos needsto be aware of eusebeia and dyssebeia and the repercussions of both. Now, I need to make clear you can't practice eusebeia one moment and dyssebeia the next. Consider it a scale: true eusebeia to the extreme left and true dyssebeia to the extreme right. I doubt there is a single person who practices Hellenismos who ends up on either extreme, definitely including me. Your goal is to end up left of centre--as left of centre as you can manage. You do this by taking part in festivals, by practicing daily worship, by studying, by being respectful to the world around you and by striving for eusebeia every time. this will bring you one step closer to true harmony with the Gods and the establishment of kharis.

• Monday, January 25, 2016
  dyssebeia eusebia Hellenismos 101 hubris kharis personal

Revisiting 'Think as a mortal'

"Would you mind writing a bit about the eleventh delphic maxim? "Think as a mortal". Have you already written about that one? I just find it very interesting, but I would like to hear your thoughts on it as well..... :))"

I actually wrote about this maxim in my third post ever on this blog, although I didn't go very deep into it then. The post boiled down to the following meaning: remember your place, especially in relation to the Gods. Porphyrios (Πορφύριος) (234 - 305 AD), a Neoplatonist, said in his 'Introduction to the logical categories of Aristotle' that:

"...difference is that by which each singular thing differs, for man and horse do not differ as to genus, for both we and horses are animals, but the addition of rational separates us from them; again, both we and the gods are rational, but the addition of mortal separates us from them." [Ch 3, par 4]

Human kind is said to be a step above animals because we have the ability to think about our actions and predict the consequences of those actions, but we are below the Gods, because we are mortal, and the Gods are deathless. As such, we are encouraged to use our ability to think logically about our actions and choose wisely, but always to keep in mind that life is ending for us, and we have only a limited span in which to accomplish what we want to accomplish. Unlike the Gods, we do not plan centuries ahead; we have only a limited number of years, and our goals should reflect this.

'Think as a mortal' is a reminder that we must not overstep our bounds. Like Arachne in the post I wrote before on this topic, we must remember our place and be content with it. We have been given a mind to think, and years to spend on this earth before Haides claims us, and we should make the most of that, without ever aspiring to be like the Gods. We are not Gods, we are human, and we must never, ever, forget that or risk hubris. Hubris--to recap--can be described as the act of willful or ignorant refusal to comply by the will of the Gods. It's a serious offense to the Theoi, and the Theia Nemesis had and has a full time job in punishing those who commit it.

The Theoi are always greater than us, and when we step out of line, They will put us back into it. Fear of the Gods has become something dirty--outdated--in the Pagan world, but within Hellenismos, fear of the Gods is not outdated at all; it's a cornerstone of the faith. Fear of the Gods, here, is not meant in the Christian sense where any sin committed is seen by God, and jeopardizes you place in heaven; here it is meant as a reminder of kharis: that the Gods look favourably upon those who honour Them properly. The implication here is, of course, that they do not look favourably upon those who do not honor Them properly, and this is correct, yet, committing hubris does not automatically mean that you will be punished by the Theoi; it simply means a drop in kharis.

Remembering our place as 'mortal rational animals' is exactly the goal of the maxim, in my opinion, and of all the maxims, I think it's one of the most important because it ties into both kharis and hubris; cornerstones of Hellenismos.

• Friday, June 27, 2014
  Delphic Maxims ethics Hellenismos 101 hubris kharis Nemesis Porphyrios requested post Star Foster's Delphic Maxims

On the incompatibility of Hellenismos and (Neo-)Wicca

I have a very short window to get a post up today--about half an hour--so I promise a longer and better post tomorrow. You have my apologies. In this short window of time, I would like to share in greater detail why, exactly, I progressed into Hellenismos. I want to share the story because I attended a small Pagan gathering last night and I was asked the question. Secondly, I was invited to a Mabon celebration last night where the main feature was a guided meditation to the Underworld to relive the story of Persephone and experience Her journey. If that concept does not raise the hairs on the back of your neck instantly, please read on to find out why it did mine.

My journey through the Pagan world started in 1999. I was thirteen at the time, and I discovered a little booklet about Neo-Wicca at my local new-age store. I was sold right away. By 2000, I rounded off a year-and-a-day solitary training based mostly on that book and I self-dedicated, a practice I continued every year. After that point, I walked a winding way through Paganism. I was Eclectic, but with a strong focus on the Hellenic Gods.

By 2010 I became aware that the way I was doing things, calling the Theoi into a circle, 'working with Them', summoning Them with my athame, was an incredibly disrespectful way to worship. Unsure of how to change my practice, I stopped practicing and became a bit of an 'armchair Pagan': studying, but not acting. I missed acting, though. I liked practicing--at least for festivals--so I compromised: I limited my work to the Horned God and the Goddess of (Neo-)Wicca, and studied the Hellenic Gods. It worked for a while.

Then, I was asked to aid someone with an issue. So I prayed and meditated and (UPG warning) felt Dionysos present Himself to offer help. I gladly accepted it, but decided on some actual ancient-practice research first, as I didn't want to anger the God who had just offered His help. I did the best ritual I could with limited information, and let me tell you, it was far from Recon. It did awake the fire in me to start doing it right, to leave behind--what I percieved as--the disrespect of my former practice, of summoning Gods, binding Them to circles and asking without giving the proper thank offerings.

I struggled with myself for a while longer, knowing that I was heading into Recon territory but not wanting to go there. For one, I wasn't quite sure if I was good enough, if I could devote the time and resources to it that I would need to, if I even wanted to be in that community, and if I felt comfortable leaving my own. I had also grown attached to my practice; as much as it wasn't working for me, it was still what I was comfortable with.

Then the Gods decided for me, and I progressed from questioning Eclectic to Hellenist in the span of a week. It was a whirlwind time and I found all the puzzle pieces slide willingly and easily into place: I knew this practice, I knew this frame of mind. This religion not only relected how I thought, how I worked, but it seemed absolutely destined that I would end up here eventually. It was exhilarating. I did a lot of things incorrectly in the beginning: I didn't have all the information I needed, but I firmly believe that hubris is only hubris if you are aware of your errors before you make them. In the end, I learned, and I am still learning.

Now, about the actual title topic of this post: there are many ways in which Hellenismos and (Neo-)Wicca/Witchcraft go together, but I personally believe there are more in which they do not. Take the example of a guided meditation into the Underworld: my first thought was 'oh good Gods, the miasma!'. My second thought was 'you have missed the point of the myth'. (Neo-)Wicca has a certain romaticism about it that the ancient Hellenes never ascribed to their mythology. I have long drawn out ideas about this, but it beyond the scope of this blog post--and most certainly beyond its time limit--but let me suffice in saying that, in general, I feel the myth of Persephone served three purposes: to explain the cycle of the seasons, to show the inevitability of (human) death, and to serve as a base for a mystery cult designed to deal exclusively with the fear of death and dying.

The Eleusinian Mysteries were not a cult for Hades in his Lord of Death role; in fact, I doubt they were mysteries for Persephone in her 'Queen of the dead' role. The Eleusinian mysteries were about fertility of the land, and had a decidedly 'upperworld' character, in which the initiates were prepared for death. We do not know this to be true, but I strongly feel there would have been no mock journey into the Underworld, at best the honoring of the dead.

I think the timing of the Mabon festival and the Eleusinian Mysteries this year--which occur on the same day--is wonderful, and I wish those participating in the celebration I was invited to a wonderful time. Yet, as someone who has experienced death and its miasma just a short while ago, I see no reason at all to repeat this exercise. It was a terrible feeling, and as a Hellenist, it would, indeed, be hubris to attend an event such as that. Incompatible, indeed, and I have made my choice.

• Saturday, September 21, 2013
  ancient Hellenic culture Demeter Eleusinian mysteries hubris Paganism Persephone personal progression

PBP: Niobe's lessons, and notes on mythology

Hellenic mythology is not known for being overtly subtle about its lessons, but very few are so apparently obvious about it as the myth about Niobe and her children. It is a story most of us know: Niobe, Queen of Thebes, daughter of Tantalos, gave birth to fourteen children, and boasted that she was far superior to Leto, mother to Apollon and Artemis, because Leto had only given birth to two children, and she to fourteen. Rushing to their mother's defense, Apollon and Artemis struck down the children of the Queen in a rain of arrows, and when her husband, Amphion, stood by his wife, Apollon killed him too. So great was Niobe's sorrow that she turned to stone, and the weeping rock still stands at the foot of Mount Siphylus. The retribution is depicted below, on the Niobic krater.

The oldest account of the myth is by Hómēros in the eighth century BC, recorded in the Iliad. Here, there are twelve children, a number later changed to fourteen in a lost pay by Aeschylus tiled 'Niobe', which was adopted by later writers like Euripides and Aristophanes. There is also no mention of a husband. From the Iliad:

"[N]oble Achilles returned to the hut and sat down again on his richly inlaid chair opposite Priam, saying: ‘Venerable lord, your son’s body has been placed on a bier and I shall release it to you as you wished. At dawn you may look on him, and carry him back, but now let us eat. Even long-haired Niobe eventually thought to eat, though her twelve children had been slain, six daughters, six sons in their prime. Apollo angry that Niobe had boasted of bearing so many children compared with Leto who had borne but two, killed the sons with arrows from his silver bow, while his sister Artemis killed the daughters. The pair slew them all, and left them lying in their blood, for nine days, since Zeus had turned the people to stone and there was no one to bury the corpses. On the tenth day the heavenly gods gave them burial, and only then did Niobe, exhausted by her grief, take sustenance. Now, turned to stone herself, she stands among the crags on the desolate slopes of Sipylus, where men say the Nymphs that dance on the banks of Achelous take their rest, and broods on the sorrows the gods sent her. Come let us too take sustenance, venerable lord:  in  Ilium you can lament your son once more, and grieve for him with a flood of tears.’" [XXIV:552-620]

Fourteen children and a husband are mentioned by later writers, but there is another huge difference with a previous account: there are survivors of the tale, most often a daughter alone, or a daughter and a son. In this account of Aollodorus, in book three of his Bibliotheca, for example, we find:

"Amphion married Niobe, daughter of Tantalus, who bore seven sons, Sipylus, Eupinytus, Ismenus, Damasichthon, Agenor, Phaedimus, Tantalus, and the same number of daughters, Ethodaia (or, as some say, Neaera), Cleodoxa, Astyoche, Phthia, Pelopia, Astycratia, and Ogygia, But Hesiod says that they had ten sons and ten daughters; Herodorus that they had two male children and three female; and Homer that they had six sons and six daughters. Being blessed with children, Niobe said that she was more blessed with children than Latona. Stung by the taunt, Latona incited Artemis and Apollo against them, and Artemis shot down the females in the house, and Apollo killed all the males together as they were hunting on Cithaeron. Of the males Amphion alone was saved, and of the females Chloris the elder, whom Neleus married. But according to Telesilla there were saved Amyclas and Meliboea, and Amphion also was shot by them." [3.5.6]

There are some very interesting revelations in this account: not only is there a reference to an older version of the myth written by Herodotos where the number of children is unevenly numbered and far less than the fourteen of later time, there is reference to a version by Hesiod as well, and here, the children are named--seven sons and seven daughters--with the names of surviving children provided as well.

The ancient Mount Sipylus (Σίπυλος) is located in what is now the Manisa Province in Turkey. It used to lay in the heartland of the Lydians. It is stated that here, the Rock of Niobe stands to this day. Quintus Smyrnaeus, for example, in the fourth century AD, describes the rock in 'Fall of Troy'. I picked this one because it is a beautiful account, but there are many older versions.

"Weird marvel seems that Rock of Niobe to men that pass with feet fear-goaded: there they see the likeness of a woman bowed, in depths of anguish sobbing, and her tears drop, as she mourns grief-stricken, endlessly. Yea, thou wouldst say that verily so it was, viewing it from afar; but when hard by thou standest, all the illusion vanishes; and lo, a steep-browed rock, a fragment rent from Sipylus -- yet Niobe is there, dreeing her weird, the debt of wrath divine, a broken heart in guise of shattered stone." [308]

Niobe, like others who have suffered divine retribution, teach us a valuable lesson in hubris: the Theoi are always greater than us, and when we step out of line, They will put us back into it. Fear of the Gods has become something dirty--outdated--in the Pagan world; these days everyone has Hermes on speed dial, and Hekate is always happy to be the patroness of an eager seeker. Within Hellenismos, fear of the Gods is not outdated at all; it's a cornerstone of the faith. Fear of the Gods, here, is not meant in the Christian sense where any sin committed is seen by God, and jeopardizes you place in heaven; here it is meant as a reminder of kharis: that the Gods look favorably upon those who honor Them properly. The implication here is, of course, that they do not look favorably upon those who do not honor Them properly, and this is correct, yet, committing hubris does not automatically mean that you will be punished by the Theoi; it simply means a drop in kharis.

When I first heard the story of Niobe, I was a lot younger and rightfully spooked. It was a modern interpretation full of blood and guts, where all children died, and the youngest daughter died right in the arms of Niobe. I wondered who these monsters were, these vengeful Gods, who took lives so easily and gruesomely. These are good questions. It is true that our mythology is sometimes hard to deal with, especially if you take the accounts literally. Murder, kidnapping, rape, war, infanticide, patricide, jealousy, genocide--sometimes, the stories are hard to read, and even harder to explain to others who lack the mediating frame of mind Hellenists have developed.

It is often encouraged to not take the myths literally, that the impact of these events can be lessened by seeing rape as an outpour of divinity, and murder as either a cleansing or a fanciful story, thought up by an imaginative writer. I am not one of the people who propagates this; I think taking the myths literally to some degree is not only good for your personal devotion, but also for your health. Our Gods are not cuddly; I firmly believe They do not always wish the best for us. Sometimes, They punish us for our actions, and sometimes, They withhold favor simply because they are in a fowl mood. That said, I do not think the myths should be held up as gospel: they were recorded by humans, and we can never capture the entirety of the Gods in words. They should simply serve a indicators of the character of the Theoi, and used as a guide for proper life, and proper worship. These are the stories of the lives of those we revere, and in that regard, they are priceless, and should not be whitewashed to appear more appealing to the masses.

'Literally', in this regard, does not equal 'historically accurate'. I very much doubt most of these events actually took place, but I do not doubt that they were constructed based upon actual events. I encourage placing the myths into their proper framework, a frame where the myths meet the society they were written down in, and are explained that way. Take the story of Niobe, for example. It might be that there actually was a woman, perhaps even this woman, who boasted that her great number of children made her superior to Leto. If these children died by way of battle or disease shortly after, the ancient Hellenes might have automatically assumed it was divine punishment for her hubris. Writers then do what writers do, and a myth is born. This is the way I encourage people to look at mythology.

Niobe is a powerful reminder to remember your place in the world. Her children were a gift from the Theoi--especially in a time where childbirth was often fatal for either the mother, the child, or both--and to then turn around and place yourself above the Gods because you possess something They have provided for you is just about the pinnacle of arrogance, stupidity, and hubris. It seems this situation will never apply to us, but at its base is a simple message: do not take the gifts of the Gods for granted: They can take them from you as easily as They gave them. We all have these gifts: perhaps it is good health after illness, wealth after poverty, love after lovelessness, hope after hopelessness; gifts from the Gods as part of kharis, in exchange for proper ritual and (regular) worship. This is the lesson Niobe teaches us, and it is one that should never be forgotten.

Image source: Rock of Niobe

• Friday, July 12, 2013
  Aeschylus Hellenismos 101 herodotos Hómēros hubris Iliad kharis Mythology 101 Niobe Pagan Blog Project Quintus Smyrnaeus

More on being grateful

It's been a while since I tackled one of the Delphic Maxims. Today I wanted to talk a little about Delphic Maxim number 106: be grateful (Ευγνωμων γινου). Gratitude is getting pretty hard to come by in this day and age. It requires the ability to regard the actions of another in such a way that you let go of your own preconceptions and desires.

As humans, we tend to want things, lots of things. Yesterday, I was looking at a video of 'The Marshmallow Experiment' on Youtube. It went a little like this: a child of a relatively young age, was sat down in a chair in front of a table and given a marshmallow on a plate. He or she was then told that, if he or she did not eat the marshmallow before the tester came back, the child would get a second marshmallow, and would be allowed to eat both. If the child ate the marshmallow, he or she would only have gotten two. What followed next were twenty excruciating minutes of children trying their hardest (usually, some gave in right away and ate the one marshmallow) not to eat the marshmallow. It's an exercise in delayed gratification. Here's one of the videos I watched, because it's pretty darn cute.

The point is: we want things. In the core of our being, our Id is running around like the little Sultana monster (I'm now realizing that might be a Dutch thing, but go with it), looking for food, shelter, love, stability, riches... whichever you desire the most. Somewhere along the way, the desire to have something might start to overrule our social graces; we become entitled. Because of our histories, our brains, our money, our place in the hierarchy, we are entitled to certain things other might not have or ever get. Because we're better, or wiser, or prettier, or whatever. We start to place ourself above others and are no longer grateful for the things we have and get, because we feel we deserve them for some reason.

This maxim asks us to remember that we are entitled to nothing, beyond what our thoughtful actions provide for us. What we do get--within that measure but especially outside of it--needs to be accepted in gratitude. This maxim ties in with kharis, xenia, most of the pillars of Hellenismos. It relates to mankind, just as it does the Theoi. What we receive from Them is valuable, and should be acknowledged as such. It's why we give sacrifice and votive offerings; we realize that fortune, as well as misery, comes from the Gods. 

So here is a reminder: to look about your life and see if you are grateful enough for what you're getting, either from your loved ones, your acquaintances, your enemies and--above all--the Theoi. Never become entitled. Especially towards the Theoi, it leads to hubris, and the Gods do not reward that kindly.

• Sunday, January 20, 2013
  daily practice Hellenismos 101 hubris kharis Star Foster's Delphic Maxims Xenia

PBP: You, in relation to Deity

Those of you who have been visiting this blog for a while are most likely aware I have a pretty Reconstructionistic approach to Reconstructionism. I came to Hellenismos from a Neo-Wiccan/Eclectic Religious Witchcraft path and have never been subject to the restrictions religion seems to have brought for those who came here through Christianity or other major religions. Because of this, I have no qualms in surrendering part of my autonomy to serve the Theoi (and other Gods, before my progression into Hellenismos). Today I want to talk about finding the balance between yourself and your Deities, a balance that is different for everyone.

Depending on your Tradition (and I'm just going to assume that since you're reading this, you have allowed the Gods in your life), you will describe your relationship with the Gods in a myriad of ways; work with, commune with, meet with, talk with, worship, appease, etc. I serve. I worship, too, and I appease. Sometimes, I talk to the Theoi, but above all, I serve.

Funnily enough, I'm not a submissive person. I'm a caring person, true, and I will gladly put others ahead of myself, but I do that from a place of personal strength and confidence. I choose to put others' needs ahead of my own at times, but I claim my own space and rights when I need to. I have boundaries that no one ever crosses, unless I allow them. I learned to do this the hard way, when I was still a child. Yet, when it comes to the Theoi (and other Gods before Them), I seem to be completely without boundaries.

This means that--when it comes to the Theoi--I say 'how high' when They say 'jump', regardless of what is requested of me. It also means that I put my faith in Them. When I pray and sacrifice to Zeus the Thunderer for a day without rain as I do my rounds outside, I don't bring an umbrella. I trust that Zeus will either honor my prayer through kharis, or will have good reason not to. Who am I to go against His wishes and stay dry, regardless? To me, that is hubris.

One of the most controversial posts on this blog, 'How far would you go to appease the Gods?', was so controversial because of this notion. While this extreme is important in my relation to Deity, there is no reason why your practice should be the same. If you're in a Tradition where 'working with the Gods' is a big thing, you'll most likely give up a lot less of your autonomy to the Gods. Your relationship is more personal, more equal, than many Hellenists will ever have (although, I guess, there are exceptions to that as well, within the Hellenistic community).

I think it's fair to say that practitioners of Reconstructionistic Traditions always give up more of their autonomy to the Gods than their non-Reconstructionistic counterparts within the Pagan community. This is one of the reasons why Reconstructionism is not for everyone. I'm not doubting anyone's faith here, but a Recon approach forces you to to really believe in the Gods. If you secretly think They aren't real after all, or are archetypes or constructed personas, you're going to burn out. A Recon approach is a lot to take on if you don't have faith.

The Pagan community is wonderful, especially because of its many facets. The question of who serves whom is largely Tradition based, but where you fall on the scale depends greatly on your person. To know where you stand on this issue may be helpful in your practice, especially if you're trying to build any type of relationship with Gods. Asking yourself (and Them) about Their nature, your role in Their worship, Their role in your life and the relationship between you and Deity are essential to a healthy and fulfilling religious life. Some of these questions are questions we'd rather not ask ourselves, because we fear the answers, but being truthful to yourself and the Gods is one of the first steps to kharis and trust. Don't avoid the hard questions; they teach us the most about ourselves, our lives, our worship, and our Gods.

• Friday, December 14, 2012
  Hellenic Reconstruction Hellenismos 101 hubris kharis Pagan Blog Project Paganism

Revisiting hubris

I've been pondering hubris again. Hubris--to recap--can be described as the act of willful or ignorant refusal to comply by the will of the Gods. It's a serious offense to the Theoi, and the Theia Nemesis had and has a full time job in punishing those who commit it.

When I started out on the Hellenistic path, I took to the web. I visited several forums, some of which were completely Hellenistic. It was a short visit to most of those; Hellenismos can be very fledgeling-unfriendly. Those new to the faith are warned that they must not perform ritual until they fully understand what they are doing, they must not... well... do a lot of things. It seems most of those 'do not's' are linked to hubris; the Theoi will punish those who perform Their rituals wrong, because the fledgeling practitioner thinks they don't have to study in order to approach the Theoi.

It's a nice sentiment, but I don't think it holds especially true. This is personal opinion, but it is based upon our basic societal and biological structure--the same one the ancient Hellens helped build: it's not hubris if you perform the rituals to the best of your abilities and the best of your knowledge. This includes having done your research, of course, but we all miss things.

Knowledge comes to us in bits and pieces. As we develop from babies into adults, we find teachers for everything. Like our parents did not punish us for doing something we could not possibly have known was the wrong thing to do, the Theoi will not either. This does not mean you can simply do what you will, call it Hellenismos and laugh at everyone for spending years researching mythology, ancient Hellenic culture and the classics.

Performing rituals incorrectly only becomes hubris when one knows the proper way of performing them, has made a commitment to performing them correctly, and still chooses not to. This is where the 'willful' comes in. This means I feel the Theoi frown just as much upon inaction when the practitioner possesses the required knowledge, as when the practitioner does perform ritual, but incompletely or half-heartedly. Consciously not studying so you can keep doing what you're doing is just as much hubris as performing the rituals willfully incorrectly.

What I read a lot on the internet is people putting their own needs before those of the Theoi. 'It sounds like a lot of work', 'I don't have time for that', 'I don't have room for that'. Modern religion allows those excuses. Within non-Recon Pagan paths, you simply adapt your practice accordingly. As Recons, we do not have that luxury. Reconstructionism requires a shift in thought from a me-centered practice to a Theoi-centered practice. This means you do the work, you make time, and you make room. Period. To not do so, is to commit acts of hubris, day in, day out.

I encourage any new practitioner to go for it. Read up on the basics, get your tools together the best you can and follow the basic steps--procession, purification, prayers and hymns, sacrifice/offerings, prayers of supplication and thanks. Keep studying and adjust your practice accordingly. If you discover you have been doing something incredibly bone-headed, offer words and offerings of supplication. Apologize for your error, explain you did not know any better and you will do right by the Theoi from this point on. Hold yourself to that promise.

We all make mistakes; there is nothing wrong with that. The willingness to learn and the ability to adapt accordingly are what staves off hubris and fosters kharis, the cornerstone of Hellenismos. Hellenismos is not difficult. It takes hard work and dedication, and the willingness to learn, but the basic practice is fairly simple. Once you get that down, you're set. Just go for it. The Hellenistic community can be a bit difficult to deal with, but there are a good few of us who are very nice and welcoming. Me included. Minding your actions to avoid hubris is very important, but it should never keep you away from honoring the Theoi in ritual.

• Wednesday, November 14, 2012
  ancient Hellenic culture daily practice Hellenic Reconstruction Hellenismos 101 hubris Paganism

Hubris, Recon and Hellenismos

Of all the differences between Recon paths and other (Neo-)Pagan paths, I think the notion of hubris is the most controversial. Sure, everyone who works with Them, respects the Gods but there is a big difference in the respect--and fear--level between Recons and non-Recons.

I'm not exactly sure how this is for other Recon paths but for Hellenismos, avoiding hubris is the foundation of faith. 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 willful or ignorant refusal to comply by the will of the Gods.

Within Hellenismos, the Gods rule supreme. We are here to serve and honor Them, and in return, They provide us with what we need to survive. This practice of kharis is one of the pillars of Hellenismos. But it's there in all other pillars as well.

Ethike Arete - living an ethical life, as proclaimed by the Gods in, for example, the Delphic Maxims
Eusebia - the actual practice of honoring the Gods, a huge part of which is piety
Hagneia - being ritually pure, out of respect to the Gods
Nomos Arkhaios - bringing back the old practices and customs out of respect for the Gods
Sophia - bettering yourself so as to better serve the Gods and not offend them through ignorance
Sophrosune - controlling yourself and your actions so as never to cross any of the other pillars or the Gods
Xenia - being inviting to guests under the protection of Zeus Xenios, as it is the Gods' prerogative to send us whoever they want. As Euripides describes in Medea: "What God or Deity listens to you when you are a perjurer and deceive Xenoi [foreigner or city-guest]?"

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.

Being aware of hubris comes with a certain fear of the Gods. When talking about this to non-Recon practitioners (even when I wasn't Recon myself, yet), I often encounter either a knee-jerk reaction as this reminds them too much of the Christian faith or I'm told that the Gods are beings of pure love and light. Every time someone says the latter, I feel Hades' head exploding and can practically envision Ares punching someone, just to prove them wrong.

To me, the Gods are their own beings, far more powerful than we are. We are not divine, we are mortal. One finger snap from Them, and we're toast. I know others see this differently, but it is the foundation of my faith and practice. It is why I offer to the Gods, why I practice the pillars, why I go through my days in the way that I do. I go out of my way to avoid hubris, judging by the ancient sources and mythology. I keep my mortality firmly in my mind. It's not the (religious) life for everyone, but it is mine.

• Tuesday, September 4, 2012
  Ares Ethike Arete Euripides eusebia Hades hagneia Hellenismos 101 hubris Íkaros kharis miasma Niobe nomos arkhaios Odysseia Odysseus sophia sophrosune Tántalos Xenia