The Heraklean Hope

The story of Herakles, if we are to accept part of the myth as at least metaphor, has always realized one profound thing for me in my life as a Hellenist. That is, the ideal that there is nothing you cannot come back from, nothing which you cannot make amends for and be a better version of yourself.

In at least one version of the myth that we are today familiar with, Herakles, in a fit of rage, killed His entire family, meaning wife and children. Now we don't know if that was literal or a metaphor to describe the severity of an offense. We should also take into consideration the fact that Herakles was probably a military veteran who could have suffered from PTSD, and didn't hurt innocent people out of His own free will.

But not even the worst crime man could commit meant that He was beyond redemption. The 12 Labors were His opportunity. They were near impossible feats, extremely dangerous, and probably expected to kill Him at some point. But if able to succeed, all of Herakles' crimes would be pardoned. He reached this goal, and was not only exonerated, but made a God, Zeus' own son. In ancient Greek religion, Herakles is worshiped as both a Hero and a God, and is actually considered to be the God of Heroes themselves. Quite an elevation from where He began in life.

When looking at my own shortcomings and mistakes in life, I often think about this story, and say to myself, What I have done isn't even remotely comparable. I know there's a way to put it all behind me. The life, tragedy and triumph of Herakles is not merely mythology. It's an affirmation of hope for all of humankind. There is nothing you cannot come back from, nothing which the Gods are not willing to forgive you for. You need only pick up your sword and start marching. 

Are you determined to kill the monsters? Do you desire to find the universal keys? Can you discover how to tame the wild beasts? And are you willing to even face death if it means you might survive free and accomplished? No matter what's in your past, if you wake up tomorrow and make yourself determined to fight any enemy, endure any pain, and face any fear to become a new person, the Gods will notice you.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

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.

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. 

Humans Aren't Gods, and Pagan Groups Need To Stop Telling People They Are

Many people come to Paganism out of a longing for the old Gods, to find community where they otherwise would not, and to reach their own unique sense of purpose and achievement. Most people find the Gods, their purpose, and equally important, themselves. These are all fantastic things. 

But perhaps in an attempt to raise people above the levels they came from, or out of delusions of grandeur, or perhaps even out of actual belief, there are Pagan systems that tell people they are Gods, equal to Gods, work with Gods, and are the same as Gods. 

Whenever I hear someone say they are a God, or that some other person is a God, if prompted I always say, "Oh, yeah? Make it rain." I don't respond this way to be a jerk, but to wake them up to an important reality that can become dangerous to neglect.

Our religious and social ancestors had no problem with worship or religion. In fact, to the Greeks, there was no word for religion because life was religious. They were not Christians nor Abrahamic, and yet, they still realized that their Gods were greater than themselves. They still prayed, worshiped and sacrificed to them because they held status, power and wisdom far above their own.

Humans are not the same or equal to the Gods. If we were, we would not be called humans. We do not take their places nor work with them, because we are not on the same levels at all. We are mortal, we hurt, we bleed, and we die. Gods do not. 

The idea that Pagans did not worship is simply incorrect at best, and a lie at worst. However, it did not mean they saw themselves as degenerates. Quite the contrary, they could be Heroic to the point of eternal glory. Simply put, the Gods had their place and mankind had theirs. Nothing deplorable about any of it.

There are many reasons humans should not consider themselves Gods, but here are the core ones to my mind.

1. Humans simply aren't. Truth has a place in human life.

2. It gives a false sense of achievement; people don't have to do anything else in life.

3. It can create dangerous self-righteous authority over other people and things.

4. Self-harm can follow from thinking you're something you're not.

5. To not give the Gods their proper place is an affront to the sacredness of Divinity.

It does not matter how big, strong or successful you are, you are not a God. But you also don't have to be. Who in the world ever thought or assumed that human beings couldn't be great as a human? 

Ikaros was, mythologically, among the first two men to achieve flight. That in itself was greatness. But because Ikaros failed to understand his proper place and tried to soar higher than a mortal should, he fell and drowned. 

It was not that he didn't reach greatness, but that he didn't acknowledge what greatness was for a man. He had achieved all a man could, filling his cup of glory to the top, if only he hadn't tried to make it hold more than it naturally could.

Imagine it. He could have brought the knowledge of flight to mankind, made himself rich, loved and admired for eternity. There would have been nothing inglorious about his life. If only he had understood the difference between Gods and men.

"Didn't some of the Heroes become Gods after death?" Yes, but it was after they had transcended the physical realm, and many of the Heroes were part Divine to begin with. And not all Ascended people are Gods either. They are more powerful than physical humans, but still not Deities. 

In closing, I will say that when it comes down to personal belief, should others really concern themselves with that? I'd say normally not. If someone believes they are Superman, who cares? But if they put on the costume and go to jump off a building, should we as a community tell them that they are indeed Superman and to go ahead? 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Why Live On? The Gods Give Us Plenty of Reasons

God almighty Zeus, I normally say, when I look at how depressed, anxious, angry and fearful people are in my time. 

Certainly, even the most positive among us have hard times, even if in a smaller measure. But when I see how hopeless and even suicidal my fellow human is, I can't help but ask, why?

Statistically, people are more fraught and unhappy than ever before in human history, which makes no sense on the surface because we have it better than any other time preceding us.

Our ancestors of 1,000 or even 100 years ago did not even have the vaccines we do today, to say nothing of readily available clean food and water, education, clothing, housing, entertainment, freedom and protection. Yet we would be led to believe they were happier than us. 

It's true that we are also probably more overworked and underpaid than they were at times, but even so, I find it so lamentable and disheartening when I hear people talk about giving up, saying things like, "Why live on? What's the point?" My friends, the Gods give us plenty of reasons.

When I say they give us plenty of reasons, I don't mean they write out a list and directly hand it over to each individual. I mean to say that the Gods and the world, being wonderful and joyful to delight in, beget life. The Gods are life. The world is a reason. 

 

The Gods gave you a body to perfect, not destroy. They gave you a day to seize, not sleep through. They gave you women and men to love, not neglect. You are part of the reason to live on. If you do your best every day, if you become as successful as you can, and if you get yourself strong, healthy and focused, you'll find purpose.

 

In some of Greek myth, you find that one of the purposes of humans is to please the Gods. If you're not doing your best each day, you're not pleasing the Gods. That may sound selfish, but let me explain more.

 

The Heroes became Heroes because they refused to accept failure, to settle, to sit at the bottom of the mountain instead of climbing it. And the laziness is why most people never became Heroes either.

 

It's going to get hard, it's going to hurt, it's going to anger you, and there's going to be times when it gets hopeless; keep your eyes forward. You don't think it's hard for me to work, write and practice martial arts every day? If you spend your life only doing what's easy, you'll see no reason to live on.

 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Soul's Journey: Ancient Greek Afterlife from Start to Finish

"Not a man alive can send me to Haides until it's my time, and when it is my time, be I brave or coward, nothing can stop it." - Homer.

During my life as a Hellenist, I have more than once happened upon questions concerning the ancient Greek afterlife. What is it? Why would you want to go there? What happens? What are your goals? The curiosity and desire for possible knowledge never ends, and deservedly so. 

Especially in our time, it's only natural that people be exceptionally wonderous, for not much has been seriously written or thought about on the topic in over 2,000 years, certainly not in a serious religious context. Nevertheless, belief in the old Gods continues to rise and death impacts us all, from the passing of people we know and love to the realization that we will one day join them.

I intended to answer all of those questions and more. Although the interesting factor is that the afterlife is not the primary focus in Hellenism. We believe in an elaborate world full of possibilities, and yet, the beyond is not our primary target. It's also very relevant to say that not all Hellenists believe the same things about it. There is no holy book.

Using my own worldviews along with Greek myth and religion from times forgotten, I will attempt to paint the most vivid depictions possible, from the last breath to the final destination, if there indeed is one.

Section 1: Get Some Coin!

Bad news! Or maybe good depending on how you see it. You're about to take your last breath. Thanatos, the Spirit of death, is here. Hopefully, you're also being visited by Makaria, the Spirit of blessed death. 

But before now, did you ever stop to wonder what it's like to stop existing in your current form? What it's like to go to sleep for decades, only this time, to never wake again?

Some indeed are terrified at the mere thought. Bad news certainly, although Plato said that death isn't the worst thing that can happen to a man. The truth is that you're not dead, your body is. Death is not the ultimate end but a transition. It may, therefore, be inaccurate to call it the afterlife because life does not cease, it simply changes.

Take the air in one last time, then exhale. Your whole life flashes before you, then you blackout. All physicality has ceased. Your current life is over.

Since most people today are not Hellenists, I hope you left instructions. Your body, being dead, is now considered a pollutant upon the living, and anyone who comes into contact with it will need to later cleanse themselves with sulfur to purify their own body and life. Although in today's time, the undertaker will probably bear most of the burden.

At your funeral, coin of proper value will have to be placed with your body. Why? Because soon, in the spiritual world where you now stand, you will meet Charon the boatman, and you'll need that transcendental payment for him to boat you across the rivers, but more on that a bit later.

The good news about the money is that the exchange rate from ancient to modern time is very affordable for even the poorest of people. One coin, or obol, would be placed in the mouth of the body. Today, that value would be 10 USD. There are very rare $10 coins that can be purchased through the US mint, but it would be very costly and not arrive in time. However, paper dollars can be exactly exchanged for gold coin dollars at most banks. All 10 can be placed in the mouth, which would be the traditional method.

Why the mouth? It must have been believed that the mouth was the place from which the soul emanated, because part of the coin practice was to seal off the entrance the soul could use to return to this world. It makes sense. The mouth is where the very breath of life comes from. It was time for the soul to pass on and therefore had to be directed into the next realm. And so what better way to make sure the soul can retrieve the ferryman's fee?

I have also heard of coins being placed over the eyes or in the hand of the body, but I think that's more modern than ancient.

Coin Practice Continues Today!

Leaving coins for the dead has, in fact, never left the human condition. If you take a stroll through a large graveyard or cemetery, you may see a tombstone or marker with a variety of coins on it, especially if the deceased was military. The love of War Heroes is very ancient Greek. Heroism on the battlefield also wasn't only reserved for Kings and Generals. All of the Homeric warriors are Heroes, and a City or Locality in the ancient Greek world might even worship a soldier as a Hero if they came from, and died in service of, that City.

Coins left today on graves normally have several meanings depending on the value of the currency, usually having something to do with the visitor's relation to the dead person.

The Funeral

According to ancient Greek customs, your body must go through proper funerary rites. It must be washed and dressed in clean clothing or garments, something that, again, the undertaker would handle today. However, a female member of your family must anoint the body with olive oil.

"I anoint you in the good name of the Hermes, the Guide of Souls, and for Haides, Receiver of the Dead."

Believe it or not, much of the same funerary customs in ancient Greece are still observed today in the West. All those years you may have spent as a Christian, not knowing you were performing Greek Polytheistic rites during the funerals of your friends or family.

The cleaning, dressing and laying out of the body for viewing with the feet facing the door and the head resting on a pillow, the area decked with funerary decorations, memorabilia, and emblems of mourning such as wreaths and flowers, the recitation of songs and prayers, accompanying the deceased to their final resting place, and even the feast or reception after, all originated from ancient Hellas. A laurel wreath should also be placed upon your chest. 

However, if it is all ancient Greek custom, your body will not be buried until nightfall, at which time you would have the pall bearers and a procession that includes friends and family. At the gravesite or cremation location, a final funerary speech would be given, hopefully in good praise of you.

The end comes when you are lowered into the ground or set ablaze in cremation. The only thing that will remain of your old self above ground is the tombstone or marker, although you are never completely separated from the living. 

In Greek belief, your grave is a direct link to you in the Underworld or afterlife, and libations can be poured down to you from that very spot. In fact, at the funeral, a declaration is recited to make your memory last forever, and then libations of water, olive oil, milk and honey are made, one for each declaration, then the vessels are broken onto the ground as the pourers turn away from the deceased.

Ideally, your friends and family will maintain religious honors for you each year. But that's their job. Yours is now to start your journey through the Underworld.

On The River Bank

The River Styx waits for you to cross it. While you stand upon the shore, think of all who have passed here before you, and even Achilles Himself who was dipped into the water as an infant. But why water or a river? How does this manifest into a reality of life after death? Simply put, water is not only the element of spirituality, but the eternal, recycling element of life through which all life must travel. Hermes Himself led you to the entrance where the river starts. Now you wait.

The Styx (Hate) in particular stands as a border between the world above and below, or rather, the living and dead. When Charon approaches you in his boat, you will hand over the 10 gold coins that were left with you by friends or family. You can now board and begin your journey, but don't expect to see all rainbows along the way.

If you do not have the coin to pay Charon, there's bad news. You will not be able to board, and you'll have to wait on the shores for 100 years. But if that is indeed the case, look at it this way, you'll have lots of company especially in today's time.

We might modernly interpret this to mean that those who do not cross with Charon, for whatever reason, remain ghosts. In fact, even Plato talked about the phantoms that haunted the tombs and cemeteries around his area in the Dialogue of Phaedo. 

The Underworld is divided by 4 other rivers. These are Akheron (Woe), Kokytus (Wailing), Phlegethon (Fire), and Lethe (Forgetfulness). All of the rivers have something that links them with death. The hate people have for death and dying, the woe and wailing that comes from everyone effected, the fire that destroys and purifies the dead and the living, and the forgetfulness that the soul goes through to forget its previous incarnation or mortal life (perhaps this explains why reincarnated people cannot readily recall their past lives).

Judges of the Underworld

You probably thought you'd be meeting Haides Himself here, but no. He's very Supreme and has lots of lower officers, if you will, to handle the duties necessary; people He can trust and who lived greatly enough to be able to adequately judge the deeds of men. You will eventually face the 3 Judges of the Underworld. They are Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Aiakos. 

These 3 Judges are also given access to different parts of the afterlife or Underworld. Haides entrusts His very keys to Aiakos. Rhadamanthys will be the one deciding if you get Elysion or not (some may consider Elysion to be the same as the Isle of the Blessed). And Minos who normally gets the last vote. 

The very interesting thing about Minos as a Judge of the Underworld is that we don't actually know who he is. Many automatically connect him with the Minos of Theseus, but historians now think that Minos was a dynastic title, not something reserved for only one person. The Minos of the Underworld is therefore technically not identified. Very fascinating and also a little unsettling, to my mind any way.

Where Will You Go?

With 3 Judges, it may not be outlandish to connect them with 3 commonly known realms of the afterlife. If you were a virtuous and pious person, Elysion is your reward, which is basically the ancient Greek version of heaven. It is nothing but an eternity of peace, beauty and bliss. If you were exceptionally bad, Tartaros will likely be your destination, which is the ancient Greek version of punishment and torment (although, as you will see, it's not eternal). Finally, someone who has been neither good or evil may find themselves a resident of the Underworld or reincarnation.

Er Tells All!

Toward the end of the 10th Book of Plato's Republic, the philosopher describes a man named Er, who had a near death experience, but returned to tell of the amazing parts of the afterlife he had experienced. It is truly a fascinating account, but also very lengthy, so I will do my best to sum it up adequately. 

Er was a solider who fell on the battlefield, but unlike his comrades, he was not completely dead. He recovered, but during the penetration of the other side, he was told that he was to return to the physical world and tell people what he had witnessed.

He described people coming down from heaven and up from the earth, the ones from below being unpurified and the ones from above being holy. The two classes talked with each other about both places, the earthly wanting desperately to reach heavenly, but could not because, presumably, they were still on their journeys below to make up for the injustices they had inflicted on others during their life, each injustice having to be repaid 10 times over.

Er then describes the fate of the most wicked of people, Tartaros. They, he said, had not paid a sufficient penalty and thus heaven rejected them as they tried to go upwards. They were bound by their hands and feet, lacerated, and dragged to the entrance where they would be thrown into the bowels of the gloom. But Er also gives the impression that even if someone is sentenced to punishment, they can ascend after they have served their time.

Er now talks about the many facets of "the light and whorl" which hold all things together in many manifestations, and the souls of the many reaching it over all of heaven and earth. And that among these things, people are given new lives to return to, not always human lives either. Once all was decided, they were immediately launched up into their new births. In other words, Er not only saw people in the bliss of heaven and the atonement of below, but also in reincarnation. 

Of course, keep in mind, this is a very, very brief description; one needs to read the account completely to grasp the true amazement of it all. 

Conclusion

I cannot say for certain what your journey will be, nor mine, when the time comes. But what seems to be a consensus is that whether your next life will be happy, hateful or neutral, or what you may have to go through to get to the life you want, depends on how you have chosen to live the life you're presently in. Keep this in mind always, before every decision, before every action, before every word. Live a pious and virtuous life.

What're my goals? I'd say to reach peace and happiness. That may take a very long time, but that's where I'm headed, friends. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Sources

Adkins, Lesley and Adkins, A. Roy, Handbook To Life In Ancient Greece, Oxford University Press, New York, 1997.

Hellenic Council YSEE of America, Hellenic Ethnic Religion: Theology and Practice, New York, 2018.

Cooper M. John, Plato Complete Works, Hackett Publishing, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1997.

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.

When Myths Manifest, The Meaning Maintains

I think the fact that ancient Greeks had religion and life intertwined goes beyond just religious devotion. It was and is because the world of Gods, Heroes, monsters and myths were clear in everyday life.

Today while I was maintaining my temple's outside sanctuary, I noticed a spider resting on the Athena statue, and there were no spiders on any of the other several statues surrounding it. 

If you click on the picture, it will enlarge and you can see the insect.

Certainly nothing unusual about a spider on an outside object, but Athena's was the only one that seemed to draw the creatures. Why would this be relevant to Greek religion and how in the world could it possibly expand the mind into universal thought?

Simple enough on the surface. In Greek myth, the story is that Athena created the spider, but how and why She did it is a fascinating concept and mystery, and also one that continues to have a valuable teaching for us today.

Arachne was an incredibly talented mortal weaver, and a maker of wonderous tapestries. So much so that no other human being could outdo her. Eventually, she allowed arrogance to take over her mind and proclaimed that she was greater at her art than even the Goddess Athena, who is the Goddess of domestic art.

Athena heard and accepted the challenge, although tried to talk some sense into Arachne first, giving her the opportunity to rebuke her arrogance and let it go. Arachne refused. The mortal woman weaved her best work, but Athena, knowing the beautiful things of heaven and beyond that mortals could not possibly see, created a far more glamorous piece.

Arachne was defeated. As punishment, Athena turned her into a spider, but not without her talent remaining with her. To this day, spiders continue to weave beautiful and elaborate webs. I find it to be like looking upon the remnants of an ancient battle, and the side that lost doomed forever to drag along the ruins of what they once were.

So walking along during a typical day in 2023 CE, what does seeing a spider on Athena's statue wish to teach the passerby? That the Gods are supreme, and we are not. The lesson, as common as it may sound, is to look upon this and know who the Gods are. Even if you're not religious at all, the lesson is know who you are, know your place, know your limitations. 

Wisdom, in short, is knowing you are not a God. Stop and reflect on this truth. But also on the understanding that you don't have to be a God either. You are still capable of great wonders within your own boundaries. 

The tragedy of Arachne is that her ruin did not have to be. She could have lived a very successful life, if she had only realized that her talent came from Athena, and that without the Gods, she was nothing. 

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.

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.

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 Hellenism Humbled A Man's Masculinity

I would not pass myself off as the most masculine of men. But then again, I don't know if there is such a thing. We all have masculine and feminine traits within us, it's just that normally one set is superior to the other. I grew up in a southern Christian region of the nation, in a religion where women are responsible for evil and a society where men are the superior sex (whether directly implied or mentally conditioned). All of us who grew up in my era, know that the worst thing a boy could be called was a girl. The sexism was/is real, and so was the sex supremacy. As a male, I assumed there would never be anything I would need from a female. Now that's not to say that I didn't like women, but I had always been taught to pray to a male God for anything of consequence. Being a man, we are taught, is the most important thing, and that anything which deviates from that is disgraceful. That's why feminine and gay men and transwomen are looked at with constant disdain while masculine and lesbian women and transmen are entirely ignored by criticism. The sexism and bigotry manifests itself in many ways, and those who promote it don't even realize they're doing so.

I think one of the reasons religions like Christianity are so focused on the walls of churches is because, when you step outside, the world yells at you that feminine Divinity is everywhere. All sorts of manifestations would align themselves along with the masculine. And so when I became a Hellenist, the entire world changed. It wasn't an anti-masculine reality, just one that realized the importance of femininity, and also how valuable those Goddesses and Heroines are to my life. When I need strength and protection, it's Athena I pray to. I may be a man, I may be a martial arts champion, and I may be tall and strong, but She's my Akropolis, and to feel Her power and presence, makes me realize, among other things, that strength and glory are not dependent on masculinity. Sometimes they come from the feminine. Not only does it open your mind to the universe and thus makes the mind more enlightened, but it grows your love for the Goddesses. 

Among the many lessons I have learned from Goddesses, such as Hera, Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, and Demeter, one that continues to stand out is that the feminine is an equal part to the essential stability, order, power and goodness of life and the universe. Their Divinity is also nothing to be scared of or feel threatened by just because they exist. The "war of the sexes" is really a modern social construct of sexist societies. It makes a man, no less of a man, to need a Goddess in his life, nor does it make a woman, less of a woman, to need a God.

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.