Death Was A Pollutant, and For Good Reason

Even today as a priest, I am hesitant to attend or lead funeral functions, even though the body has already been properly cleaned and preserved. I am not saying I would not lead such a service for someone if they had asked me, but I would still be taking a bath with soap that contains antibacterial sulfur afterwards so that the strength of sulfur could purify me. Like ancient Greeks, I still believe death is a general pollutant on the living. Not because they are some kind of an affront, but simply because of the state of the body and the process.

Ancient times was not like the modern era, where you have Christian churches who fill themselves up with the tombs of dead bodies. Burials in ancient times may have sometimes taken place in the vicinity of a temple, but the Greeks would have never filled their temples with corpses. 

The first obvious reason is blood. Sometimes when a person is killed by something, they bleed. We know that blood can carry infectious pathogens, and the Greeks obviously knew as well that blood could carry contaminants because a bleeding body and other excrements coming from it could pollute someone who came into contact with it. Now after the corpse had been cleaned, purified and properly presented for funeral rites, the pollution may have been less of a concern. The undertaker, as it were, would have taken most of the burden.

However, the situation still did not become 100% foolproof. Death is a disruption of life itself. That's one of the reasons we become so sad and morbid when thinking about death or entering a funeral home, because there are two contradictory forces at play. The presence of death affects the ability to experience life for the living. Keep in mind, death does not pollute the dead. The person is already gone from the body. It's just their decaying physical presence that has remained here with us. This interference is an impediment on the natural order of the living around it, and thus, it can pollute the living.

This belief, on the other hand, was not to show any kind of hate or disrespect toward the dead. In fact, the Greeks believed firmly and fearfully the opposite, that if the body was not handled and buried properly, with the correct rites, it could make the Gods angry or cause retribution upon the entire community by the Gods or the dead themselves, as the Greeks believed the spirit of the deceased could end up trapped between the two worlds or be at unrest until they were properly buried. And once the funeral is over and the body is in the ground, the grave itself becomes a place for offerings to that deceased person, such as libations poured out upon the burial spot. Some believed the grave itself was a direct portal into the Underworld where the dead person resided, or simply to the dead individual themselves.

Therefore, I take special care when involving myself with the dead. I have never come into contact with a freshly dead body, the last time I remember attending a funeral with a body was in 1995 at my great grandmother's, and when I pass by a cemetery or a funeral home that is having a funeral at that time, I turn off my radio and place my hand over my heart to show respect to the deceased and their family. When I pass a funeral procession, I immediately pull my car over on the side of the road until it passes. Once again, to show respect. I would additionally encourage that painstaking effort take place to ensure proper rites and respect for that person.

In our time, I would say that cremation is probably the best way to have the least contact with the body as possible (if that was the wish of the dead). In fact, I have greatly entertained that option for myself when I pass on. I still want a tomb and a place of respect for my resting place, but I also don't want my body to slowly decay and rot, or be any kind of burden.

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

Sources:

Photo is Licensed under GNU Free Documentation License, and is in the Public Domain in the United States because its copyright has expired in countries where the copyright is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. No changes were made, nor does the author or provider endorse me in any way. File and author found here.

St. George - The Saint Copied From Bellerophon

The Day of Saint George passed back in April, and there are still images and articles about it going around on Facebook and cultural news websites. But one thing I have noticed since becoming a Hellenic Polytheist that probably most Greek Christians and other Christians around the world have not, is that he is copied from the ancient Greek Hero Bellerophon. 

As you can see in the pictures above, Bellerophon from the 4th Century BCE and St. George from the Common Era, the two are basically identical. This was probably done by the emerging Christian church to get the Greeks to convert more easily to Christianity. Of course, when that didn't work, the church used force, but that's not really the topic of this post.

Bellerophon was sent to destroy the Chimera, a vicious fire breathing monster that ravaged the countryside of Lycia, an area in Asia Minor (keep in mind that dragons also breathe fire, which was the monster that St. George battled). 

After being given the winged horse Pegasos by Athena, Bellerophon was able to attack the monster from the sky with His lance, with which He killed the monster, or in some versions, used the lance to shove a clump of led down its throat, which was melted by the monster's hot breath and killed it. Bellerophon was mainly the Patron Hero of Korinth, which was His birth City, although in His lifetime, it was actually called Ephyre.  

If there's something I would want modern Greek Christians to take away from this, it's the fact that they are following a religion that stole their birthrights and ethnic identities, and tried to wipe their ancestors from the face of the Earth with nothing less than genocide. 

And that, if they feel so inclined, they have the power and the right to return to their ancestral religions, and instead of St. George, call on the original that actually has Greek blood, instead of a Saint and an entire religion that is completely foreign to the Greek identity. When looking at the picture above, if you feel cheated as a Greek, you should. Christianity isn't who you really are. It's who you were indoctrinated to be.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Sources

Red-figure plate showing Bellerophon riding Pegasus and chasing the Chimera. Picture taken by a Baltimore painter at the Monsters: Fantastic Creatures of Fear and Myth exhibit in Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome.

Ruins Of Theseus' Palace On The Akropolis

In some of my recent studies, I happened across a piece of mysterious information hidden in the pages of an old book from my temple's library, something that few people know about in the grand picture of ancient Greek history and archaeology. All throughout Mycenaean archaeology, we have uncovered all of the palace ruins of the main Trojan War Heroes, with Odysseus being the most recent and final one. 

But atop the Akropolis of Athens, the City that Theseus ruled, loved and defended so much that the Athenian motto became, "Nothing Without Theseus," it has been believed that the remains of Theseus' palace rest there. Sure enough, the modicum ruins of what was most certainly a late Bronze Age Megaron Palace still remain, the time period in which Theseus could have most certainly lived, and long, long before the Parthenon was ever even dreamed of. 

A Greek Megaron is not the grand kind of palace we would think of today that houses the monarchs of England. Rather, it is more of a Great Hall building, built in a rectangle that hosts an open porch, is surrounded by four columns, and in the center houses an open air hearth. There would have also been a throne or throne room for the King to sit. Throughout the life and history of the Athenian Akropolis, buildings rose and fell, and new ones were added, such as the Parthenon, so the only traces of this Megaron we have is basically the foundation. Nevertheless, we do know it existed, when it existed, and what it was used for; royalty. 

If you were a tourist in Athens around 400 BCE, and you had been so inclined to ask, the citizens would have probably told you all about the old Palace of Theseus that once stood on their citadel. To them, it would have been historical fact. You may have even been directed to the City's Sanctuary of Theseus just below the Akropolis, and the burial that they believed to be His. We know where this religious center stood as well. But the Palace of Theseus is an even greater mystery because there is so little of it remaining, due to the passage of time and the evolution of the citadel.

However, the Megaron that could have very well belonged to the legendary Hero still looks at us from the rocky history of the hill. We can walk upon the steps or floor that Theseus Himself may have, and all of the ancestors before us who walked in to consult or ask for His help. Today, there may no longer be a great throne at the end of the Great Hall, but upon those ruins, we can still look up to the heavens, on top of the sacred fortification, and pray to Theseus.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Ancient Greek Medicine and Healing for Modern Problems

At first notion, people today may assume that the physicians of ancient Greece are not relevant to modern medicine and the healing arts. But such a presumption is gravely incorrect. While some ancient methods such as bloodletting are shelved in the archives of error, mostly everything else the Greeks practiced gave birth to all of the medical fields we have today. And doctors have not forgotten this, because they still recite, at least ideally, the Hippocratic Oath of Physicians. Now it has been altered so much to fit personal preferences that I'd argue the modern recitation can no longer be called the Hippocratic, but the ancient Greek as the mortal father of medicine still holds sway over our minds and actions in the field.

Bringing ancient medicine back into our everyday lives is invaluable, whether one is actually a Hellenist or not. The history of healing in ancient Greece is very wealthy and diverse, and the adoption of it remains beautiful and powerful. 

To the Greeks, everything was religious and spiritual. The physical and spiritual worlds interacted on a daily basis. For this reason, the Greeks believed, one, that the best healing and medicine took place when the mind, body and soul were treated and balanced. Neither was left to neglect. One method through which the physical and spiritual body could be tended to was through the Asklepios Healing Temples. Asklepios is the son of Apollon (the God of healing), and is the God of physicians and medicine. These temples were built to Him for the purpose of healing the sick. Afflicted people would travel to these locations and sleep inside the building, where the God would either heal them or send them messages, signs or omens through dreams that would help them achieve recovery.

One's spirituality and connection to the Divine is proven to have immense healing powers, both for the mind and physical body. That's why religious people are less depressed than non-religious or atheists, and if you tell your psychiatrist that your religion helps you deal with your mental health issues, they will tell you to keep doing it as a form of therapy. The benefit of a balanced mind, body and soul is self-evident. Your bodily health will do little good if your mind and spirit is in tatters, and vice versa. All of the essential properties that make up the human body and experience have to be healthy.

Secondly, the Greeks understood that a person's health relied heavily on proper diet and exercise. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, said as much. Moderation, which means to have a healthy balance in all things, was at the center of Greek life. To neither starve nor overindulge, but to reach and practice healthy living consistently. When it comes to diet and exercise specifically, we may find it lamentable that most people today are seriously lacking in either one or the other. Obesity and laziness are epidemics of their own, and they cause the body and mind to decay and make them prone to disease and disorders.

For years, especially when it was summertime or warm enough, I would go on runs every night through my City. At one point, I reached 7 miles nonstop. This was part of my mission to lose the weight I had gained years ago and maintain a healthy body mass. Of course, I also had to combine this with healthy eating. It does little good to exercise if you're just going to put the junk right back inside you when you're done. It's like trying to pump water out of a boat with a giant hole in it. I lost the weight and had never felt better in my life, both physically and mentally. Since then, I have always recommended that people do simple exercise like running. Not only will it keep you healthy, it will give you a great outlook on life.

Third, it was not long before Botany and its medical benefits found its way into the Greek physician's world and that of their patients. In ancient Greek theology, mostly everything was a gift from the Gods, and miraculous plants would have been no exception. In fact, profound ones such as Oregano, were believed to have been planted by Aphrodite Herself, and in humans, the plant can help produce white blood cells that aid in recovery and strengthen immunity. There are so many wonderful benefits to Greek herbology that, if one is interested in adopting it for their life, I have put a link to an information site at the bottom of this post.

The Greeks knew that the answers to the ailments of life were placed in the universe around us by the Gods. They only needed to discover them. Everything the Gods give to humans, is Divinely blessed. The Gods love for us to live, and live to the fullest. Therefore, their gifts and blessings to us will aid in that goal.

Finally, the ancient Greeks began to perfect the practice of surgery. They advanced so well in this art for ancient times that they were able to treat and seal wounds, repair fractured and broken bones, remove bladder stones, and even treat cataracts (a condition that causes impaired vision). Necessity, as Plato would say, is the mother of invention. They had to figure out some way to address life's all too common problems, but what makes the Greeks so exceptional in this was that they rose to these challenges. They never gave up. That's the lesson we should take from them as well. Not just for our careers or education, but for the survival and sustainment of our blessed selves. 

All of us today would grow immensely by adopting most or all of ancient Greek medicine into our lives. The ancient Greeks certainly did not have all of the medical advances and technologies that we do today, but part of the Greek way was to take what was available to you and make it the best you possibly could, to make the best version of yourself and your City.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Greek Herbology

Sword of Ares Will Again Shed Blood Across The World

The Middle East once again rages with war, not only between Israel and Palestine, but now Iran since the Israeli bombing of their embassy in Syria. Which, I think, should be condemned and not defended or ignored. Neither Israel, nor any nation, should get a license to do whatever it wants without consequences, and to do so will only encourage more war later. We, the United States, also fight too many wars that are not our own, and care more these days for politics than a justified outcome.

But since my time as a Hellenist, I have come to see war as something that can be natural to human culture and the reality of life itself. Sometimes it can be the only way to resolve a conflict. It makes little difference how much you want peace if someone else wants you dead. You have no choice but to fight.

Since the beginning of the universe, war and conflict has been a factor in forging it. The creation of the world was anything but quiet and peaceful. It was violent, destructive, and pushed out one force so that another could take over. Sometimes, there has to be a fight.

Unlike so many people in modern society, we Hellenists do not see Ares as some loathsome or unadmirable presence. We love, worship and respect Him as we do all the other Gods. He has value, place and purpose, and He can also be a protector of justice and righteousness. But there is also something very important that the God of war wants us to remember, I think. 

Some wars are necessary, but perhaps most of them are not. We should never be quick to draw our swords or sound the cavalry charge with a light heart, because when Ares comes to the field, there will be war of epic proportions. He intends to leave no question as to who won or what happened. In my view, nations these days are an affront to Ares because they fight for gluttonous pride and selfishness. They fight over politics, power and money. 

Of course, there were times when ancient Greeks fought over land and loot, but many of their great wars were also for the cause of liberty and sheer survival, such as when they had to repel the Persian invasions. Sometimes war is the only thing that stands between good and evil, freedom and slavery, civilization and barbarism.

But the wars we see now make a mockery of the God, and that is why these nations have never known true peace. War is never pleasant, no matter the reason. However, I think that if a nation is always quick and haphazardly anxious to start a war, Ares may destroy them as well. To go to war simply because you want to kill, or using said war as a justification to exterminate or commit atrocities, is flying in the face of Ares, and that nation will eventually lose its standing.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Ancient Greek Art of Happiness That May Surprise You

We live in a world more depressed, anxious and unhappy than ever, which makes no sense because, historically, humans are living better than at any other time. We have far more in the way of necessity and luxury than our ancestors of a hundred years ago even dreamed of. Yet, we are led to believe they were happier. Why? While many of us are overworked and underpaid, the fact of the matter is that life is significantly better than ever before. Over all, there is no good reason for so many people to be so worked up. 

In my life as a Hellenist, there has been immense joy, but also a lot of unique hardships and challenges, some that the average person will never go through, such as having a premature child. But Hellenism has also taught me how to live happily, and it is that knowledge, in part, that I wish to share with the reader of this entry. 

Before I begin, I want to say that I think I am different than most other people who claim to champion the subject of happiness. I will not tell you that wealth and riches won't make you happy. As Dan Pena would say, "If you think money can't buy happiness, you don't know where to shop." These things certainly can bring you happiness, it's just that they are not the only things that can. There are many other avenues to the goal. A mansion is a wonderful way to have a home, but you don't have to have a mansion in order to still have a nice home. 

Now an art is always a practice throughout your life. I have certainly not mastered this yet. However, it has helped me internally a lot more than most people may realize. One beautiful summer day, I was driving down a Wisconsin country backroad when a revelation came to me that put most of my worries and fears to rest forever. Most of us find ourselves in mental and emotional anguish because we try to fight the universe. Life can get so hard and frustrating that we want to just swing at the air, knowing that we will hit nothing. In other words, it's out of our hands.

The Greeks believed in the concept of Fate. Now before you presume to know what I'm talking about, read further. Fate does not mean we have no control over our lives. It means we are created each for a unique purpose. Just because you haven't done what someone else has, doesn't mean you're stupid or worthless, or that you cannot accomplish other great things. It just means you have a different purpose.

I began to realize that there is a significant level of peace with accepting Fate. It doesn't mean you should sit on the couch the rest of your life or let your friend drown. It means to understand and accept that there are certain courses for our lives that we cannot change. The pivotal moments are already ordained. For example, it was meant for me to move from North Carolina to Illinois. That was my fate, and there's nothing I can do to change the fact that it happened or that I am now here. So what can I do? I can take this road that has been laid out for me, accept it, and do great things with it. 

Whenever you feel yourself getting mad, scared or frustrated, try saying this to yourself, Don't you fight the universe. You won't win. Just go with it. You may just find that this affirmation sends a wave of peace and wisdom over you that you've never felt before, and relieves you of the emotions that make you feel the worst. Secondly, you'll stop beating yourself up over successes that other people have, and that you yourself haven't achieved. 

When I wake up in the morning and have to take care of my son and work on my home and career, it gets tiring and annoying really fast. Sometimes I want to lash out. But I try to stop and understand that I am here for a reason. This is what Fate has laid out for me. The Gods are not against me, and neither is life. This is just where I am supposed to be at this time, so how can I take what I have been given and make it the greatest that I can? Or, at least, understand that the Gods are wise and be at peace with my life? Equally important, are there things in which I can find peace? For me, that's my temple. There will always be something there for you as well. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Love and Lust Are Equally Beautiful

When the universe came into existence, Eros was among the first to be born, which means that life and beauty came from both love and eroticism, for He is the God of both love and lust. People today act as though lust is something to be avoided and reviled, unvirtuous at best, but that's just our brainwashed minds talking, repeating the modernized social norms, mainly derived from Abrahamic cultures, to make us feel ashamed of our humanity. 

Love and lust are both equally valid and wonderful, and one can be found powerfully in the other. Diverse pleasure is the human experience. It allows you to accept everything as it is, and people as they are, without ruining your relationships or experiences.

For starters, no lifelong love begins with love. Most of the time, no one says I love you on the first date. It all begins with a lust. The person turned you on, caught your eye, struck your interest. Maybe you even had sex on the first encounter, and that's wonderful. When you receive someone to share intimacy with, it's a gift from Aphrodite, as well as Eros, and you should enjoy it. 

I know I have certainly had such experiences in the past. I have even been with women who I only had sex with once, which means it was lustful, and yet, I still care for them even to this day. Because you share something special with the person(s), and in your mind and heart, that will always mean something. In fact, throughout my younger life, I ignored several opportunities to have that pleasure with people, and I later had to work through the regret. You'll always regret the things you don't do. Take it from someone who knows, don't pass it up. 

Within lust, one can as well find that they love something or someone. Equally, within love there can be lots of lust. I dearly love my wife, but I still have the carnal desire for all that she is, which would be called lust. I love her body, her kiss, and her touch, and also notable, the lust drives the passion that has never died for the entire 15 years we have been together.

These are all powerful and important forms of sexuality and human interaction; sometimes one even hinges on the other. Somethings are meant to turn into lifelong love, and others are meant for pleasure's sake, for the benefit of friendship and attraction, and both of these can bring equal amounts of joy, beauty and support into your life. 

Life was, is, and always will be multifaceted. An individual is not meant to be just one thing, or experience one event, throughout their entire life. The opportunity to take part in all that life has to offer is not meant to be feared. We are meant to live fully. The Gods did not give us life, and send people and things into our lives, for no reason at all. We are meant to enjoy and find pleasure in all of that, to learn and grow, and define all that is part of our lives.

That is, if you accept that both love and lust are valuable. If you abandon one another just because of the kind of attraction and connection you have, you'll always lose all the benefits of that relationship. If you are of the mind that you should resent your humanity, you must first change that mindset, and realize that your humanity is blessed, not damned.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.