Life's Altar Blocks Are Always Drenched In Blood

When people hear that word, sacrifice, especially in an ancient Greek or Pagan context, their first thoughts are the common forms of said practice, whether it be a sacrifice in terms of something of great value given to a God or Gods, or the ritual sacrifice of a prized animal such as livestock, to those Deities. Normally, we conjure up an image of the goat or lamb being laid upon the altar, or at least led up to it, and their throats cut open as prayers are cried out to the Higher Powers, and the blood of the victim drenches the ground. Then perhaps some wonderful libations follow. It might even end with a Seer inspecting the entrails for a sign or omen from above.

Generally speaking, sacrifices of this kind are to gain the attention of the Gods for reciprocity, but I also think that something the ancients understood, and that we should still realize to this day, is that there is no blessing that doesn't require a sacrifice. Everything we do in life, we have to give our best. Nothing comes easy or falls into our lap. Anything good or valuable you want out of life takes blood, sweat and tears, pain, hard work, and giving up certain things for others so that you can attain said goal. Sacrifice is what makes life itself move forward for everyone and everything. Just because it's not an animal's head on a blade, doesn't mean it's any less of a dedication and devotion, or a loss of something you might prize in order to hope for something more or better.

People seem to make the concept of sacrifice into such a taboo topic, or at least, they certainly used to. But when I think about all of the things I have willingly given up over the last 14 years to be where I am now, it amounts to far more than a farm animal. In order to get my wife, son, a new home and a new life, I've had to go through over a decade of sacrificing everything I knew from my life prior, giving up my homeland and everything that might have been any inheritance, and enduring a thousand mile trip across the nation. I've had to give immeasurable time, energy and stress to raising a special needs child so that he could be the best man possible. I spent years doing everything I could, hard or easy, to finish my college degree, and finally have done it just this year. Not to mention periods that were stationary and, at times, seemed like they were never going to progress, which caused a lot of depression and anxiety issues. 

But there's also an additional question you must ask yourself, Is it all worth it? I would say that, deep down, I always knew it was. With each sacrifice I made, hardship I endured, or obstacle I faced, the Gods put that vibrating spirit in my heart that always had the hope that, one day, it would all come to fruition. And so it has. Life, of course, is not over, and hopefully won't be for a great many years to come. As we continue to drive the chariot that the Gods have given us, there will be more bumps and broken axles, more potholes and perils, and more rainy days to accompany the sunny ones. Life is ever changing. More sacrifices, in whatever form, will probably be made. But again, sacrifice drives the chariot on.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

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How A Hellenic Marriage Endured The Impossible

I certainly will never pass myself off as a licensed relationship counselor, but from my own relationship of the last 14 years, which was a Hellenic union and marriage, I know what creates strength and weakness, love and hate, union and dissolution.

I remember a long time ago a friend of mine, who wasn't a Hellenist or any religion as far as I knew, asked me to pray for her marriage, as it was on the verge of divorce. I said I'd ask Hera for help (Queen of heaven and the Goddess of marriage).

A few days later, my friend told me that her relationship had miraculously improved. I haven't heard from her since, and I hope things are still going well, but the first point is that when you put Hera at the center of your union, it will never break.

Of course, it was first Aphrodite, Goddess of love and passion, who brought my wife and I together. Still to this day, after the better part of 20 years of being together, we still have just as much passion for one another.

The hard part, at the beginning of our relationship, was that neither of our families approved. They either felt one wasn't good enough for the other, or that it was something that was happening too fast and hasty. But sometimes, that's the way the universe works.

So literally, we ran away together. We didn't care what others thought. She left her home, and I mine. We didn't look back either. For a short time, we were technically homeless until we managed to get into a hotel here and there, in which we stayed until our first apartment was finally secured.

When you want to be with someone and the opportunity to change your life for the better is there, don't bother yourself with the opinions of other people. Listen to what the Gods and your heart tell you. 

Some may be critical of spontaneous love, but I can verify that it is an indicator of the strongest kind. If you have to work to get someone to love you, it's just not meant to be. A natural connection does not require labor, nor can it ever be destroyed, just as energy itself cannot be.

When we rented our first apartment together in High Point, North Carolina in the summer of 2009, we were so poor that I was astounded they even gave us one in the first place, and as nice as it was to add. We literally had nothing but our laptops, clothes to sit on, and an air mattress for sleep. 

But we were as happy as we could be, even though we didn't have any material. We didn't even have good jobs at the time. Nevertheless, we were delighted just to be with each other in our own place, away from everything and everyone else. Therefore, I'd say the second phase is finding someone who is willing to run away with and love you for you only.

Of course, finding someone who only wants you for you may not be that easy if you're rich or well off. In that case, I really can't give advice because I've never been rich. But what I can say is that someone who wants you when you're poor, won't leave you when you're rich. So if you want a lifelong partner, get one either when you're poor, or who doesn't know you're not.

However, we could not have possibly guessed what was to come next, something that would change so many lives, including ours, forever; a severely premature baby. Even though Gryphon pulled through amazingly after being born at only 24 weeks, he still has issues he will have to work through throughout his life.

Why does this have such an impact on the marriage between my wife and I? Because over 80% of marriages with children with disabilities end in divorce or separation. Ours never did. That's not to say it hasn't had its difficult times, but the hardships uniquely made us stronger together.

When Gods like Zeus, Athena, Artemis and Apollon are part of your life, you realize that you have a duty and an obligation to others, no matter how difficult things may become at times. It was mine to love my wife and be there for my son, because I had assisted in bringing this union together and creating our child. My personal feelings and stresses are irrelevant when it comes to duty.

In short, Hellenism instills in you honor. Honor is the most important of all virtues, because without it, there is nothing you won't do under the right circumstances. Honor puts the personal to the side and brings to the top what is simply right and what is simply wrong. Would it have been much easier to leave my marriage? Quite possibly. But easy isn't always right, nor does it always make you better.

Additionally, the more you experience hardships and trials together, the more love and strength your connection will have. Don't run or recoil from challenges if they come. Instead invoke the Gods, take each other's hand, and push through them. Whatever you do, never see one another as the enemy or the reason for your troubles. You are in it together. Your partnership is supposed to help you manage things better. Use it.

Life is not easy. It's a full time job, full of stress, health and financial issues, and sometimes even legal concerns. But I tell you truly, the Gods and your love will bring you through all of it.

One might say, "Yes, but why bother? If it's been that hard a significant amount of the time, wouldn't it be better to just not go through it?"

The answer is, if you never want to change for the better and you don't want to get the most out of a relationship, then no, it's not worth your time. Otherwise, it's worth every step. You'll notice progress for the better, just as we have. Things have always improved slowly but surely. We are a world better off now than when we first met. It's not even a close comparison. For two reasons; the Gods and the refusal to give up.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Difference Between A Sacrifice and An Offering

In Hellenism and contemporary Pagan and Polytheism, we are familiar with the terms sacrifice and offering. 

Some people use them interchangeably, and I suppose on the surface it's not really a big deal, as some consider sacrifice to be anything made scared, but I think it's worth discussing that the two are not historically the same thing generally speaking.

A sacrifice is normally something of exceptional cost or worth to you, that you give up to the Gods, and in so doing, make sacred. 

In ancient Greek times, this would have encompassed livestock a lot, because they met the above criteria. Giving up sheep, goats, and cattle was, or could be, very costly to the livelihood of the average person.

Yet that willingness to still risk the loss in order to show love, admiration, and request favor from, the Gods, is what made it a sacrifice and a sacred act. The willingness to go long was believed to have grabbed the Gods' attention more.

Today, of course, it doesn't have to pertain to livestock because most people don't live that kind of life anymore. Now our costly sacrifices would be things like money, valuable properties, and our physical time and labor. Even large portions of food and drink, things that take a lot of effort to put together, would be sacrificial.

An offering, however, is a general gift, such as a votive statue, libation, a valuable, or some appropriate foods. They are things that are more readily available and not as costly; easy for pretty much anyone to obtain.

If I give a fresh bar of soap to Aphrodite for Her baths, a libation of olive oil for Athena, or burn incense to Zeus, those would be offerings. This is a bit contradictory to me, because I have normally called all of my burned offerings sacrifices, but to be more accurate, I should use the term offering: my burned offering.

Then again, if it were a huge portion of incense, it may be able to be called sacrifice, but that would take an almost comical pile. Not something normally done. 

Often these days, I find myself paying more attention to how I term things, especially publicly. In many cases, I felt the term offering had been used in the religious communities almost to the point of being cliche or monotonous, so I didn't really like using it a lot.

But as a Reconstructionist Hellenist, I find myself more and more concerned with historical accuracy and appropriate piety on a regular basis. It's a lifelong learning experience. Do I think the Gods are petty and care about which term you use? Absolutely not. But the properness sets the human mind correctly. 

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

In Another Solar System, Would I Still Call Him Helios?

The Sun is a God to ancient Greeks; they called Him Helios. Hence the terms mainstream still uses today that are named after Him, such as Heliocentrism and Heliotropium. 

Really, anything centered around the Sun could begin its term with Helio.

To Hellenists like me, Helios and Apollon are not the same Gods. I see Apollon as God of the sun and light, and Helios as the Sun itself.  Perhaps I will be considered the one to have coined the term "Extreme Polytheism" as a theological worldview.

Without the Sun, life would not exist. Not to mention that the Sun can actually cure humans of illnesses. The Sun obviously has a consciousness because it can intentionally move things from one place to another, or in and out of human beings. Put babies in this Divine light, and it will save them from jaundice. Stand in it on a daily basis, it will fight your depression.

But wait, can't it also give you skin cancer? Yes, it can, because within a God is also the power to destroy. Although most people are not harmed by an appropriate amount of sunlight. Quite the contrary, they are given life. Perfection is not needed in order to understand that the Sun gives far more benefits than disadvantages. 

It's no wonder that, for countless time periods, the Sun was worshiped across cultures as a God, because it is. Some historians and scholars still argue to this day that even Jesus is a sun god. But that is neither here nor there in this particular post.

Unlike the ancient Greeks, we today know that our Sun is not the only one out there. I suppose it's certainly possible that some Greek thinkers and scientists could have theorized such a reality as well, but not that there are 200 billion galaxies, and those are probably just the ones that we know of. 

There are, in fact, suns out there all over, some far larger than our own.  So if I were on another planet far outside the Milky Way, and there was a bright and wonderful Sun overhead like, or similar to, the one back home, what would I call it? The answer is still Helios.

Why? Because the power of Helios, like the power of all Gods, is not caged into a single body. That's why many of the myths show the Gods changing forms, and even changing the forms of the universe around them, at their whim. 

And for that matter, how do we know that every Sun isn't Helios? What if they are all His body or part of it?

Helios, at least in part, is a universal consciousness. For humans, the mysteries of the Gods dictate that we will never have perfect knowledge or even understanding of all things. Like I commonly tell people; I cannot tell you everything about the Greek Gods, but what I can tell you for certain is that they are real, because they've saved my family more than once.

Pick a nice summer sunset to sit and just look at Helios out there on the horizon, and think about the fact that the same Sun looked upon the dinosaurs, has watched over your entire life, and presided over all Eras and Ages in-between. And that's just the mystery and eternity of one of the Divinities. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Pendants From Greece Hold More Natural Power

In the modern Greek Polytheistic community, some people may not be too explorative about jewelry or necklaces, even if they are religious. 

In fact, with the exception of my own works, I haven't read a book on the topic that really puts any significance on it. I'm not being critical; it's just an observation.

But I am most certainly someone who loves anything I can carry with me that reminds me of, or connects me with, the Gods and Heroes, especially when its a remake of what once existed.

In the picture above, you can see my own that I recently purchased from Greece herself, Athens specifically. The coin is a replica of the Athena Tetradrachm, meaning it was worth the value of four drachmas in the ancient world, eventually working its way up to a standard form of currency. 

The silver mines were located probably in Laurium in the Athenian countryside. This particular coin originally came into being in the late 6th Century BCE. More importantly, the coin is a direct connection to Athena, not just by Her frontal image, but by the AOE on the back, 

AOE means Alpha, Theta, and Epsilon, or Of The Athenians. The coin embodies all that is Athena and Athens (the Goddess and Her beloved City).

After I received the pendant, I put a chain on it to wear around my neck during the day, not really giving it that much thought. I didn't even try to put any energy or blessings onto it myself. It was intended for purely cosmetic purposes.

But I noticed that when I wrap my hand around and just hold it, Athena's amazing presence comes over and calms me, no matter how frustrated, angry, sad or hopeless I may be feeling at the time. It's like a cure-all for the mind and emotions.

The only thing I can figure, as to the pendant's natural power, is that it is directly from the land of Athena Herself, and carries on that ancient connection that has existed for thousands of years. 

Not even pendants that I have bought of Athena in America and placed blessings upon have had this kind of natural, never-ending spiritual strength. And of course, when you have a pendant with this kind of natural power, adding prayers, hymns or other spiritual significance along with it will only strengthen it further for you, and perhaps others as well. 

I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting Hellenic jewelry for religious purpose, to consider Greek sellers. There is just a charm that you cannot get anywhere else.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge. 

Mythology/Theology: To The Greeks, There Was A Difference

If you've been a Hellenic Polytheist for at least five minutes, you've no doubt heard an argument that you'll hear like a broken record from people in the modern West who are vastly ignorant about the religion.

The first mistake modern people make is thinking all religions are the same, and thus, they assume that the ancient Greeks had a "holy book" of religion and myth. This is utterly false. 

Not only was ancient Greece a collection of City States completely independent from one another in government and beliefs, but there was no law dictating how someone could view the Gods or what stories they could accept or not.

In fact, it's kind of inaccurate to call it "The Ancient Greek Religion" because there were, in fact, many forms of ancient Greek religion and Cult. Sparta and Athens, for example, believed in the same Gods but did not have the same religion or culture. Not to mention the fact that there were cults everywhere that adhered to their own identities. 

So for instance, someone today might say that my beliefs on Artemis being gracious and kind to people is skewed considering the myth of Actaeon, but there's literally nothing in Hellenic religion which says I have to accept that story as literal fact or accept it at all. It's not like Christianity or Islam where the title of the religion depends on the acceptance of one written book or "testament."

We do know that we believe in Artemis as She is, of course. But I don't have to believe everything that everyone tells me about Her. I have the right to my own experiences and perspectives, and it does not denote me as a Hellenist. 

You can believe whatever you want about someone, but it doesn't change them. You can believe that Chris Aldridge is a shapeshifting, blood drinking vampire, but it does not make me one, nor does it make me guilty of said actions.

It's also true that not only could a given myth vary in detail from City to City, but many of them were handed down by word of mouth, which can change and modify with each teller, especially as the time and culture changes. 

In fact, some of the myths we accept today as Greek, were not even composed by the Greeks. The story of raped Medusa that people commonly call Greek in our time, was actually written by a Roman. The original story, which says nothing of rape or punishment, was written by the Greek Hesiod.

This is also not a modern change to Hellenism either. Greeks were not forced to accept a given story. Historically, it's accepted that around the time of the Hellenistic Era, the myths as literal facts began to waiver as a concept. 

But considering people like Plato and Sokrates, I think it began much sooner than that. Those men clearly believed in the Greek Gods but were also philosophers and not necessarily mythologists. They wrote about people's experiences with the Gods instead of taking written myths and saying, "Here's the 100% truth."

Hellenic religion can be hard to understand, but if you ever manage to grasp the core, it'll make perfect sense to you.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you at the next Herm down the road.

Chris Aldridge.

What If Mount Olympos Is The Unknowable Center?

Whether we host our own theories or read from ancient authors or poets, no one knows where Mount Olympos actually is. 

There are certainly mountains on Earth named after it, such as the one in northern Greece and the other on Lesbos. 

But Homer describes the real Olympos, the home of the Gods, as a place without wind, rain or snow. Such a place cannot be anywhere on Earth, or really, on any other planet either. 

Over 13 billion years ago, the Big Bang occurred, a massive explosion that sent untold sums of energy, power and consciousness outward, but what some people don't realize is that there is no point from which we can observe or conclude that it came from. There is no black spot, as it were, that was left over.

The universe has been in a constant state of expansion ever since, which can be studied from the exact same position anywhere in the universe. In other words, the center from which all things came and come is nowhere, but it is also right where you're standing. It is nowhere and also everywhere at the same time. This also means we know it's there, but yet we cannot see or touch it. 

What if that place humans cannot possibly reach, because only Gods can live there, is the home of the Gods? Could it be that the center from which all life past, present and future is expanding, is where the Gods reside? What if within or parallel to that unknowable center, is Mount Olympos? 

It would make sense being that the Gods control all things, can pass through the universe at their own wills, be anything that they choose, and conquer all of their enemies. In some of the myths, they even changed the very fabric of reality and transformed lifeforms into completely different ones at a mere whim. The centrality of all power is in their hands.

The theory of blackholes is also very interesting to think about when discussing Mount Olympos. The theory states that blackholes have the power to tear open time and space, and in that opening, the laws of nature do not apply. So what exists beyond that opening? What's there? To my mind, there is only one race of beings to which the laws of nature cannot impact; the Gods.

The theory of blackholes would also disprove the belief that even the Gods are subject to fate, because if everything is subjected to fate, that means fate is a law of nature, and as we have discussed, there are places where the laws of nature do not apply. Thus, there must be some things that are not subjected to fate.

And being that the Big Bang was not a single point explosion but a constant unknowable expansion, makes our universe a supernatural place, as one may commonly define as supernatural, in and of itself.

In short, there exists places in the universe in which only Gods could possibly live, and places that we know exist even though we cannot experience them with any of our immediate carnal senses. Yet that same realm can come here. In order for us to contact, it takes quietness, reflection and the perfection of one thing that can certainly transcend realms; our spirit, and in so doing, effect the physical world. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Have City Loyalty; Your Greek Ancestors Would Be Proud

There was no mortal establishment more important to an ancient Greek than their City State (Polis). It was not only their place of residence, but their nationality and the identity of their particular part of Hellenic religion. 

Someone from Athens or Sparta would have called themselves Athenian or Spartan, not Greek in the sense of an all in one national people. In fact, Athenians and Spartans would have probably taken grave offense if you had called them the same people.

To an ancient Greek, cities also didn't have to be highly populated. In modern America, we call locations with only a few thousand people villages, but the Greeks would have considered them cities still. While places like Athens eventually boasted huge numbers, many cities had at, under or a little over 5,o00 people. And so my location (Machesney Park, Illinois), which houses well over 20,000, would certainly meet the definition.

Yesterday as I was driving home through Rockford and back into the Park, I thought on things I wanted to buy, and although I was several miles from home, I wanted to try there first, because I like keeping as much of my commerce as possible in the place where I reside. So I took the extra miles for my City, because that's what a Hellenist should do.

Since I set up my temple in Machesney, I've become increasingly involved in the City's politics and services. I've even considered running for office, but never actually have. The national identity, and even state identity stage, is of course very important, but your City literally hits home. It's where you spend most of your time, where you experience your love life, home, career and where you pray to your Gods.

You may not realize, but your City is of the most importance, because whatever happens there, has the greatest chance of happening to you as well. If the economy tanks, you will feel the bankruptcy. If crime spikes, you may need a few more locks. If the environment isn't kept clean, it could come out of your faucet or garden. 

If something, good or bad, happens in a City or State 2,000 miles away, you wouldn't even know it if not for the news. But if it happens where you live, the ripples are on their way to you. 

Therefore, make your City good and protect it from the bad. Stand up for her and her people. Run for office, go to the Council meetings, voice your concerns, write your representatives, get involved in community projects, spend your money at City businesses, and something else you may not consider, be kind to your fellow citizens. The more supported and happier a people are, the better their City will do.

You don't have to be the federal President or join the Marine Corps to serve. The opportunity to be of invaluable service is before each and every one of us right now, by the simple fact that we live there.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

The Riace Bronzes: A Hellenist On The Unsolved Mystery

Most people have probably already seen these two statues, but know them by sight only, because there are no other details, not even that modern archaeologists can tell. No one knows who the statues depict or how they even ended up where they were found. 

For those who may not know, The Riace Bronzes refers to two magnificent bronze statues, believed to have been made in Attika or Argolis in the 5th Century BCE, and somehow ended up at the bottom of Italian waters in a place called Calabria. The pieces are not only notable because of their mystery, but because of their amazing precision and detail to the, apparently, human makeup. 

When the Greek Reporter released a recent article on the topic, it grabbed my interest because I love historical mysteries, not to mention that I am a devoted Hellenic Polytheist.

The first question would be, if the statues were made in Attika or Argolis, how or why did they submerge off the coast of Italy? Let us consider that the 5th Century BCE was the era in which the Parthenon was built. So there were magnificently well known artists in that area during that period, who could have been commissioned by people outside the region to make statues or buildings for them. 

We must remember that the most famous artist of the Parthenon was formerly the artist of the statue of Zeus at Olympia, which was one of the Wonders of the Ancient World. He had been called on, or hired, by Pericles for the Athenian Akropolis.

Even today, the best way for an artist to make a living is to find patrons. Without people who admire and are willing to buy your work, you travel the road of the starving artist. It's very well possible that these statues could have been made in Attika to be shipped to people or cities in other parts of the Greek world, and either fell overboard or went down with a sinking ship. 

They were obviously foundered while on the way to their location. People don't normally order expensive bronze statues only to throw them in the ocean. So although they were found near Calabria, we can't confirm that's where they were headed. Nevertheless, somewhere in the Western Greek World around that region is a safe bet.

Ancient Greeks began settling in this Italian area as far back as the 8th Century, which means the patrons, or whoever ordered the statues, were likely of Greek descent or at least had an admiration for Greek culture.

But who are the individuals depicted? I would theorize Greek Heroes. While Greeks settled in this area much later than the Heroic Age, Heroes of Greece were believed to have traveled to the area long before. Odysseus, and very notably Diomedes who commanded at least 80 ships in the Trojan War. 

After the war, He exiled Himself into Italy for fear of his life and even founded cities there, one of which is called Arpi, which is only around 3 hours away from Calabria's region itself. Who's to say that at least one of the statues didn't depict Diomedes and wasn't going to Arpi? Two perfectly depicted human images traveling together, I'd say there's a good chances we are looking at Heroes. Which ones, though, sadly remains unknown. But let's look upon the genius of the ancient Greek mind and marvel at what we do know about them.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

When The Soothsayer Showed Up The Scientist

Perikles is an ancient Greek who needs no introduction, but a very notable religious and spiritual event surrounding his life is easily passed under the radar. 

Perikles came from a very powerful and respected military and political family of Athens. Combined with his intelligence and love for discovery, he was destined for greatness. 

When it came time for his education, his parents, for some reason, decided that Anaxagoras should be one of his two teachers. Anaxagoras was the infamous skeptic from Ionia (the coastal region of Asia Minor). 

Although, one must remember, that being skeptical of a present situation or belief does not necessarily make one an atheist. Anaxagoras could have believed in the Gods the same as anyone else, even if he didn't buy everything that everyone told him. For example, I can believe the Earth is a God without believing its flat. I can believe the Sun is a God without believing in geocentrism. 

Nevertheless, it is safe to say that Anaxagoras was not too fond of oracles and seers, nor did he like to think that natural events were, or could be, the cause of Gods. 

When Perikles was a student, the head of a ram was sent to him, probably to his home. But this ram was very distinct in that it only had one central horn upon its head. Presumably, it was taken to have a prophetic meaning, so a Seer was called upon to interpret it. They concluded that the central unified horn meant that Perikles would one day be first and foremost, the most important, in his City's politics. 

Anaxagoras, on the other hand, was determined to prove that it meant nothing by opening the ram's skull and showing that the horn was a deformity and nothing more.

While Anaxagoras certainly proved that the horn was a natural malfunction, his hubris made him ignorant, and in the long run, completely wrong. While he was carnally correct, the Seer was visionarily accurate. 

Perikles DID become exactly what the Seer had predicted. What Anaxagoras did not understand is that the Gods can use the natural things around us, no matter their state, to relay messages to us.

I'm not trying to tear down on Anaxagoras. I'm simply saying that, far too often, scientists and skeptics such as himself do indeed have a great deal of knowledge, but they also can't see beyond their own noses. Science, especially today, is all physical, and the physical can only see so far. The spiritual, however, has no bounds whatsoever. The scientist is knowledgeable, the spiritualist is wise.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Sources/Credits

*Picture- Anaxagoras by Eduard Lebiedzki. This work is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in countries where copyright is the life of the author plus 70 years. Work can be found here.

*Literary- Aird, Hamish, Pericles, The Rise and Fall of Athenian Democracy, The Rosen Publishing Group, New York, New York, 2004, pp. 24-25.

Know A Good Omen When It Comes

Omens and signs are talked about extensively in various religions around the world, and notably in that of ancient Greece. They've been proven true to immense glory, and also misinterpreted to perilous disaster. However, those were usually ones of great questions and inquiries. Many of us don't realize that good and bad omens can be sent to us in our general lives each day. They are so beneficial and yet so simple that we may not think about it. One of the unique things about the ancient Greek Gods is that they were always willing to counsel humans, but it was up to the human to take the advice or leave it. The Gods didn't impose it. So we must, to an extent, train ourselves to recognize that advice.

On the first page of Book II of The Odyssey, a man named Aegyptius speaks generally at the Assembly of Ithaka. The dialogue is nothing profound, simply of goodwill toward the person who had called the meeting, which was Telemachus himself. It says that Telemachus, despite his grave situation, immediately saw this speech as a good omen, and burst forth with his own passionate words to the men present. And of course, this helped set the course for the future.

But why would something so simple be interpreted as a favorable sign from the Gods, or from what Spirits or Heroes, it may be? Perhaps to philosophize on this answer, we should go to the later words of the philosopher Democritus. "Now, as of old, the Gods give men all good things, excepting only those that are baneful, injurious and useless. These, now as of old, are not gifts from the Gods."

I would say that it's simply the ability to recognize good, especially when you are in the midst of a turbulent time like Telemachus. I'll describe two sets of omens that I have experienced in my own life, one spectacular and one common. After my son had been delivered in the hospital NICU at 24 weeks, severely premature and his mother with life-threatening complications, the number 4 was his birthdate, 4 was his incubator number, and 4444 was my wife's discharge room number. This is the number of good fortune and prosperity. Sure enough, both my wife and son left the hospital in good health. A more immediate example in my life, I would say, would have been my release from my longtime depression and anxiety medications, which I talked about in the previous blog post. It seemed like a bad situation at the time, because no matter how much I tried, I could not get my doctor to refill it; not even a single word from them. But I think it was a sign that it was time for me to stop, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. 

You recognize good signs and omens by understanding that, whatever the Gods give, it is beneficial.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Athena, Athens, and Women's History

Women's History Month would not be complete, or fairly addressed at all, without recognizing the Divine Femininity of one of the greatest cities and civilizations to ever exist among humanity; Athens and the Goddess who rules it. When Athena defeated Poseidon in the contest for Patronage of the Polis, the matter was not settled then and there. The people of the City took a vote. It came down to one, cast by a woman, and Athena became the Goddess of Athens. In a City ruled by men, a female Deity was loved, revered and feared as the Head of State. Of course, this goes contrary to the history we are often told about women being treated as second class citizens in Athens, and such was absolutely not the case in other cities in the Greek world. So what is a fair and balanced examination of the life and amazing contributions that Athena's City gave to humankind and the women who made up influential parts of its population?

Of course we begin Athenian contributions to the world by citing democracy, and generally, human liberation. We should additionally consider that, according to Plato, the more you go back in the history of Athens, the more equalized men and women were. "Military training for both men and women was common in the very ancient days. Athena was adorned with armor - an indication that all female and male creatures that live together can pursue in common the special talents that are suited to each." - Dialogue of Critias. In Plato's time, there's history he knows that we may not today, or that may have been lost. The City, however, was not a universal manifestation of gender, as we are often led to believe. Different time periods had different societies, and probably for very different reasons.

Women may not have been considered equal to men in the later times that we commonly imagine, but that does not mean they were not highly valued or helped make Athens the renowned City of history. 

Religion defined the identity of ancient Greeks, and women held very important roles therein. Some of the most important festivals, Plunteria, Thesmophoria, and Panathenaia held women worshipers at center stage. Only women were allowed to undress and wash Athena's image from the Akropolis, and only women were allowed to place the new peplos on Her statue. And Thesmophoria was a woman's festival all together. We are also commonly told that women in Athens were not allowed to venture outside the home and interact with other women or men. This is not true. It was necessary for women to leave the home in order to run the household by buying from markets or getting resources from other natural areas. There were no online grocery orders. An historian's common sense tells us that the only time a woman could have stayed inside 24/7, or even a significant portion of the time, was if she had enough wealth to hire servants to do work for her. Then as now, wealthy people were far and few between. It was as well entirely possible for Athenian women to work and make money and to own inherited properties. And women who held priestesshoods were given the due reverence of said clergy along with pay and a portion of sacrifices.

In some cases, it may be difficult to discern the true views of an Athenian Statesman from the narrative that the City laws forced him to uphold. Perikles (495-429 BCE) wanted Athenian citizenship to only apply to those who were born of a mother and father whose families were Athenian. This would have increased the status of Athenian women, either directly or indirectly, by increasing their societal worth. Generally, women in Athens did not enjoy the same rights as men, but that's not to say that they did not make great contributions and have exceptional worth in the eyes of State. To say nothing of what we find when we venture outside of Athens into places like Sparta, where women were exceptionally more free and powerful.

Sadly, with the radical and forced Christian takeover of Greece in later centuries, the status of women plummeted to its lowest ever, not only in the Greek world, but around the globe where the religion took hold. Ancient Athens individually shows us many things that needed changing, but also that women can be leading clergy, women can help lead the City's most important observances, and Femininity can be Godly.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Sources

Picture: "Restoration of the polychrome decoration of the Athena statue from the Aphaea temple at Aegina, 490 BCE (from the exposition "Bunte Gotter" by the Munich Glyptothek). Photography taken by Marsyas - own work. Picture is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike 2.5 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.5). This picture was not modified in anyway, nor does the author of this blog post claim ownership or support in anyway; full disclaimer. Material located here.

Literary: Cooper, John M. edit, Plato Complete Works, Hackett Publishing Company, Indianapolis/Cambridge, 1997.

Literary: Connelly, Joan Breton, The Parthenon Enigma, Vintage Books, New York, 2014.

Websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Classical_Athens

Artemis Still Sends Bears To Protect Children (True Stories)

As many of us know, stories about children being saved by bears goes all the way back to the ancient Greek tale of the renowned Heroine Atalanta. To briefly recall, She was abandoned in the woods as an infant because Her father wanted a boy. But Artemis sent a mother bear to care for and raise the baby, who grew into the amazing Huntress we know of today in our myths and prayers. In some versions, it says hunters, also servants of Artemis, were the ones who found Atalanta, but the tale of the bear stands strong and unique among modern readers. However, what many people don't know is that Artemis has continued to send these powerful and deadly creatures to guard, protect and save the weakest and most vulnerable in Her forests. Such goes against the nature of these animals, obviously, but the Gods are, in part, the consciousness of the universe and can do, change or modify anything. Over the years. I have had the privilege of coming across many wonderful tales that occurred well into the Common Era.

Sarah Whitcher (June 1783)

Sarah was a four year old from Warren, New Hampshire who became separated from her family and lost in the woods one day while her parents were away. Search groups eventually came across her tracks at a place called Berry Brook, but also the tracks of a large bear directly behind her. They feared her dead because of this discovery. However, after four days, she was located alive and well, and on into adulthood, told the story of how a bear had come and protected her while she was lost. A book was later written about it called History of Warren: A Mountain Hamlet Located Along The White Hills of New Hampshire.

Ida Mae Curtis (1955)

Ida went missing in the Kootenai National Forest, Montana, when she was two years old. For two days she was lost in the woodlands under severe weather conditions. When she was found alive and well, she said a bear had guarded and cared for her the entire time.

Casey Hathaway (2019)

Casey was three years old when he went missing in the woods of North Carolina near his grandmother's house. Even the US Marines joined the search. After he was found alive and well days later, he told the story of a friendly bear who accompanied him while he was lost in the wilderness.

Even the strongest of skeptics cannot deny how unlikely it is for three children from different time periods to become lost in three different woodlands and describe the same survival story. My own son's life of miracles, as many know, doesn't involve being lost in the woods. Rather, he was in a NICU bed for over one hundred days, but I still have the picture of Artemis (among others of Apollon and Athena) that I placed on the windows of his incubator so many years ago, invoking Artemis and Her immense love and care for infant humans. With each day he grew stronger and defied the grim predictions of his doctors. I know I am forever in the debt of the Gods. Not even the sacrifice of a thousand bulls would be enough to repay them for all the wonders they have done for my family and myself.

I firmly believe there are many times when the Gods intervene in human life for a greater good or purpose. There are so many questions out there that I will never know the answer to. Sometimes people come up to me and say, "Well what about this, or what about that?" I probably ultimately don't know. But as I tell people, there is one thing of which I am certain: The Gods are real.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge. 

Does Medusa Shed A Tear Above My Temple Doors?

Click To Enlarge

Interesting things always happen in the life of a Hellenist, even if sometimes we may not understand them, or misinterpret them entirely. Hellenism is a life of learning, experiencing, and philosophizing. Above my temple doors has long stood a plaque of Medusa, although it was originally white, with a flawlessly smooth surface, and in actuality was placed not to only represent Medusa, but the Gorgon itself, as it is a powerful protective Spirit in Greek religion. In fact, Alexander the Great wore one on His breastplate. In the past, I have also pointed out the fact that the story of Medusa being a vilified rape victim who was turned into a monster is the Roman version. In Hesiod (the Greek), she is a natural born Gorgon (although she was the only one of them who could be killed, and therefore possessed a mortality about her) and there is no mention of a rape or a temple desecration whatsoever. 

Recently I was adding some additional paints to my temple areas. With some left over bronze, I decided to give the Medusa plaque some color. When finished, I noticed an incredibly straight line descending from the left eye, which I thought was strange since the surface of the piece is smooth and I made no additional marks with my brushes. The image appears to be shedding a noble tear as she overlooks the doorways. Of course, I could simply paint over it, but I have decided to let it remain. Could this be something symbolic? If so, what? What could it mean or what could Medusa be trying to tell us?

Well I think there are many ways to look at it, as there are usually numerous ways to view everything in the world and the spiritual realms. I reject the idea that it has anything to do with a sexual assault or unjust sentences because, as I stated earlier, that is not the Greek telling. The first is the simplest. I imagine it's painful, sad and demoralizing to have your head severed off. Secondly, it could represent the strife and endurance of Medusa, and more largely, the Greek people themselves, even in the face of centuries of oppression. Finally, it may signal to an oncoming foe that physical and emotional powers are tremendous here, and no amount of pain or terror will make them run. I imagine the tear could also be a representation of all of these three things combined. Of course, I do entertain the possibility that it is merely a painting error, but as I said, it would seem very odd given the structure of the image.

I was honestly a little hesitant to make this post at first, as I didn't want to seem like a starry eyed zealot who thinks their statues are sobbing. I do not. I think that, if it does mean something, it's a symbol to be interpreted. But in any case, I just couldn't get over the fact that it appeared so obvious, and strangely so. I therefore wanted to talk about it. I'm sure many other Hellenists and Pagans out there will have their own opinions, and I am delighted to hear them, that we may grow in enlightenment together.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

How I Know The Gods Love Humanity

When a Hellenist speaks of the love of the Gods, they may not intend it to be in the way mainstream religions think. Of course, I cannot speak for all Hellenists, but as for myself, when I say that the Gods love us, I largely mean that they are fascinated by humans, and in turn, this does create a certain level of affection. They are everywhere in our world, and with us constantly, sometimes whether we invite them or not. In my personal experience, the Gods have shown an affinity for my own family and I. I have talked about these cases many times, from the conversion to Hellenism that happened to my wife and I, to the recovery of our premature child and various other blessings the Gods have given us along the long and hard road called life. Additionally, I've also had the privilege and honor of seeing the Gods and Heroes brighten the lives of the friends and people around me.

But the question remains in the title of this post, how do I know the Gods love humanity? Simple, because they don't have to. The universe is so huge that it's beyond human comprehension. There are places and things out there far more beautiful and far more fascinating than we are, and yet the Gods still choose to be part of ours. Chances are, there is a world out there that puts Illinois to shame, and a lifeform that makes me look unevolved, but if I ask Hermes to accompany me on my travels today, there's a conceivable chance He will. The human being, and the world in which we live, hold a place in the hearts of Gods. I know the Gods love us because there are greater things they could focus their time on, but they choose to spend some of it with us.

And why is that? What is it about us that draws so much attention from the heavens, the Earth, and the Underworld? We humans in general, especially today, may not think much of ourselves. Sometimes we can get so used to something that we take it for granted or end up conceiving it to be dull. But the fact of the matter is that we have become extraordinary beings. For starters, we are the most intelligent and evolved mortal lifeform on Earth, and we can accomplish things that none of the others can. We can build magnificent temples and skyscrapers, travel to other planets, make amazing foods and medicines, produce mansions, machines, and breathtaking art, and even prolong our own lives as time goes on. The Gods love us because there are no others like us here. We make Earth glimmer in the solar system. 

So the next time you're depressed or thinking lowly of yourself, just remember, you're amazing enough that Gods are interested in you.

In The Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Secrets Of The Ancient Greek Treasury

Entrance To My Temple's Treasury

Over the last three years, I've spent a lot of time filming and talking about my Illinois temple, but I haven't really discussed one of its most beautiful and traditionally vital assets; the treasury, and what it means to have one in ancient Greek religion. We may assume that it's self-explanatory, but as with mostly all ancient history and modern adaptation, there's a little more to understand about it.

Before I reveal some of the secrets of my temple's treasury, it would be beneficial to discuss what a treasury is supposed to be used for. Take a visit to Delphi today and you'll see the remains of the Athenian Treasury, although I would argue that the entire City itself could have been considered one, because of all the votive gifts and financial powers that were funneled into that sanctuary and temple by the various City States. Greek treasuries found in sanctuaries or part of temples were used, of course, to house precious and valuable gifts made by the City in devotion to the God or Gods of the location. 

But it could also as well or additionally be used to store and protect the City's wealth and profit gained from war, conquest and trade. Some may have considered no better way to protect such vital necessities than to place them in the treasury of a God. Indeed, this would have been a completely accurate theory, as punishments were most harsh for stealing from a God or their sacred areas. I can but imagine the amount of money and beauty that were in those ancient safes. Today, not a spec remains, and certainly it is probably mostly because the Christians stole it, but it's also true that cities themselves would have looted one another in war. Hopefully, we Hellenists today won't have to worry about either.

Walk into my temple's treasury and you'll find everything from statues and trinkets to beautiful clothing and jewelry, and even bottled water from major rivers, given by devoted people who have traveled to my temple. Even gorgeous libation vessels have been gifted to our temple. The actual dollar amount that my treasury holds has never been calculated, but for a small country temple, I imagine it's a sustaining wealth. I keep it and the temple under heavy lock and key when I'm not there.

The Interior Of Our Treasury

But the true secrets and wealth of such a Greek wonder lie in the devoted themselves. Each treasury has its own unique character and spirit. The people who come to fill it throughout its life will also be unique in their own. This is where people will tell their stories to the Gods, to our community, to our clergy, and also to future generations. It is far more than a simple religious safe. It's a shrine to human life, and most importantly, the belief that we all matter and make a difference in this world.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

Chris Aldridge.

Becoming An Ancient Greek Priest In The 21st Century

Hellenism is sometimes thought of as a priest-free religion. This claim is both true and false. True in the fact that we do not have priests in the Christian sense. We are not dictators of worshipers or intercessors for Gods. No person needs us to connect with the Higher Powers. Anyone, being so inclined, can approach the Gods in prayer, sacrifice and divination. Anyone can also build or open their own temple or sanctuary. In short, no one needs a priest to be a Hellenist, at all. The Hellenic priest or priestess does not even spiritually own the temple or sanctuary in which they serve. It belongs to the God or Gods it represents. For example, in ancient times, you would not have been called the priestess of the Parthenon, but the priestess of Athena Parthenos. The temple is Her home, and only Her's. And while there was, at one time, an altar to The Dodekatheon (The Twelve Gods) in the Athenian Agora in 522 BCE, there was no temple to all of the Gods. Temples and sanctuaries were dedicated to one God or even one Epithet of that God.

But the claim is false in the idea that ancient Hellenism had no clergy or leaders. There were absolutely priests and priestesses of temples and sanctuaries, and leaders in seership, prophecy and public rites. Priests and priestesses are servants of the Gods, caretakers of temples and sacred areas, protectors, advisors and counselors of their Demos (community), and leaders of rites and sacrifices to see that such functions are properly carried out. And last but not least, we never stop being students of Hellenism. Clergy are very valuable to Hellenism today for several reasons. We are a very small religion, even within Paganism and Polytheism, and therefore Hellenists may find little to no resources, support or education without dedicated and experienced practitioners. I can't list how many times people have called or messaged me throughout the years for help in practicing the religion. And while a practitioner can do anything on their own, it's nice and supportive to have someone to turn to for services instead of having to rely on someone like a Universal Minister who probably has no idea about Hellenism whatsoever.

Walking a little more down the ancient road, the first known record of ancient Greek priesthood comes from the Linear B tablets of the Mycenaean Age (the Homeric civilization that fell by 1199 BCE shortly after the Trojan War). It may be rather fortunate that Mycenae was destroyed by fire, because it preserved the clay tablets instead of decimating them. They tell us that priesthood was already well-rooted in society by this Era. Priests kept guard over temples and maintained the sole power to unlock their doors. In short, they held the only keys. Not just anyone was given responsibility or access, which shows that priests and priestesses were highly valued. Not only were they charged with the typical rites and sacrifices, but they also presided over oath-taking, marriages, and burials. Normally, clerical offices were assigned by sex - priests for Gods and priestesses for Goddesses. Although this wasn't always the case; the Oracle of Delphi is an example of the deviation from that norm.

In The Iliad, Book 1, the Trojan conflict begins with Apollon's Trojan priest, asking Agamemnon and the Achaeans to return his daughter they had captured. The priest made this petition in the most generous and humble terms. When Agamemnon refuses and treats the priest with hostility, Apollon becomes so enraged that He descends from Olympos and starts shooting the Greeks dead with His arrows. Only when Agamemnon returned the child and made proper sacrifice, did the Archer relent. This tells us that not only were priests and priestesses loved by the Gods, but Greek culture potentially paid a heavy price for wronging them.

If one wanted to become a priest in ancient times, there were several ways they could go about it. However, it wasn't a full time job. Clergy were normally chosen for a specific time or event. The first way, and probably the oldest, was by a hereditary line. If your mother or father held a priesthood during their life, the office could be passed down to you, along with the education of the office. The second way was through rulership. If you held an administrative power in the City government, especially as a Head of State, you could be tasked with certain clerical duties of that City. Various other ways to priesthood were elections chosen by lot, appointments, or even purchasing (the latter being the most rare). I would also say that someone is automatically the priest or priestess of a temple or sanctuary they establish.

If you've decided to become a priest or priestess, you likely feel it as a calling and even a duty. You would have to, because the commitment of dedicated clergy requires it. I've been a priest since 2010, and I can tell you that you have to commit yourself to seeing the best and worst of the world. You will do many other things with your life, but none will likely compare. It's a serious job you have to enjoy and feel responsible for, never taken with a light heart. The good side is that I get to lead rites, run my temple, write books and blogs, and do public speeches. The bad, or less than good side, is that I may have to do a burial for a child, go visit a dying person, or help the extremely ill and disabled. One might even find themselves visiting areas of natural disasters. I imagine that the Pythia didn't always have happy questions or easy advice to give. People had far more troubles in ancient times than they do now. She probably had to hear unpleasant things and counsel people as best she could, and also worry about what happened to people who misinterpreted her. Life at Delphi wasn't always the shining gold, silver and bronze gifts from the City States that decked the grounds. Yet she still did her job. If you're serious about it, it's not always an easy profession. You don't have to put yourself in danger, but there's a lot more that may call you than just the sunshine and roses. It can work on you, and the life itself always requires study and commitment, both to the Gods and your fellow man. That's why I get frustrated when I see people grasping for ordinations for mere prestige or because they want some kind of authority over something. 

However, I will still argue that being a priest is more delightful than anything else. Even though it was not a way of life in ancient Greece, I can think of nowhere else I'd rather be than in my temple, making sacrifices, and caring for all things spiritually dear. 

Along your path to becoming a priest or priestess, you should first consider it a priority to gain at least a basic knowledge of the religion and the clerical duties from credible sources, and understand that such a pursuit never ends; you are always learning. I always tell people that the easiest way to do this all your life is read, read, and read some more. Read every credible source you can get your hands on. Read Greek myth and philosophy as well. In fact, be steeped in it. There is a great wealth of diversity in the myths and the great thinkers of ancient Greece. It will help you realize your own beliefs and worldviews, and I dare say, turn you into a philosopher yourself. Finally, establish your own temple or sanctuary. That will be the most readily available avenue for you to enter the role of a priest or priestess. I did a blog post in the past on how someone can establish their own such community and keep it. To read, follow the link in the sources at the bottom of this post.

In ending this discussion, my goal is to make the reader realize that clergy is a journey, not a destination. Do you have the drive, wonder and love to take it? If so, then may Olympos smile on you. If not, that's okay too. Personally, I think the Pagan and Polytheistic communities have too many leaders and not enough followers. It's fine to just be who you are. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

Chris Aldridge.

Sources:

Burket, Walter, Greek Religion, Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, 1985.     

How To Build Your Own Pagan/Polytheistic Community