Where Is The Akropolis Well of Poseidon?

The two incredibly powerful Deities faced off, Athena and Poseidon, battling it out for Patronage of the glorious City that would become Athens. 

The contest was simple, provide the greatest gift to the Athenians. We all know Athena won with the gift of the olive tree, and that Poseidon's saltwater spring, while great for sea navigation, was not chosen. The mark of His trident, where He struck the ground on the Akropolis and produced the water source, can still be seen today. But what of the spring itself? 

It existed well after the battle had concluded, and was documented late into Athenian history. Modern scholars and scientists have also admitted its reality in the Temple of Erechtheion on the Akropolis. The well was called The Sea of Erechtheus. In his chronicles of Greece, Paunsanias attests to the salty water of the well, which is astounding considering how far from the sea, and how high the Akropolis rises above sea level.

The Erechtheion temple rests on the north of the Akropolis, and still today can be visited and toured. The well lies abandoned as it is not used for any purpose today.

How did a saltwater well end up in this location? People can always find an alternative narrative they like in anything, if they look long and hard enough. But for me, its origins are obvious. Poseidon's mark is there and so is the spring. For me personally as a Hellenist, I find it fascinating each day that our religion is found everywhere. And the things left behind by the Gods are not only reminders of them, but also of human history.

Some might argue that water from the nearby sea eventually somehow pushed its way into the well, while leaving all the other wells in Athens alone for some reason. But entertaining that idea, could it be plausible that the contest was not a one day event? 

Maybe it was drawn out over a period of time, using the natural world as a means by which to accomplish the objective. Perhaps Poseidon's trident shook and began the process of this part of the earth becoming integrated with seawater so that His gift upon the Akropolis could come to fruition. Who knows these things? What I am confident of is the truth of it all.

I came up with this topic today after reading a portion of one of my history books on Athenian worship the other night. I find that few people go after the historical truth of these things, and even fewer realize they exist. But I suppose we all have our own callings in whatever it is that we do.

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

Chris Aldridge.

A Greek Sphinx Speaks In 2024

Archaeologists and scholars spent countless years trying to decipher the Greek writing on a Sphinx that originated from 3rd Century BCE Romania. In 1848, the statue was stolen and never recovered. However, a drawing remained, and today, the writing on it has finally been translated.

The Greek Sphinx was considered to be a fierce guardian and a creature of immense wisdom. Its wings represent heaven, its body the earth, and the mortal head a pathway by which to speak to mankind.

The writing on the statue simply says, Lo, behold, worship; here is the holy lion.

It first pretty much destroys the modern idea by some that the ancient Greeks didn't believe in worshipping, and that they were not highly religious people. To real historians and Hellenists, such a claim is beyond ridiculous, but there are some who actually believe and teach it.

In my own personal Hellenic life, I have put statues of Greek Sphinxes on my porch to guard the entrances to my home, and sometimes in the past, have even considered asking the Gods to send one to protect me or the ones I love. In ancient Greece, they were sometimes guardians of temples and cemeteries. They were not "bad creatures," as much as they simply had the capacity for wrath and weren't afraid to use it.

The Sphinx was a holy messenger to mankind, and endowed with the ability and desire to protect and guard even to the point of killing the passerby. How can a being of holy wisdom be so deadly, or why? Because ultimate knowledge is dangerous, and in some respects, isn't meant for mankind.

Perhaps the Sphinx in question is telling us to revere the Higher Powers, and never think that we are above, equal to, or don't need them in our lives. Because none of that is true, and to think otherwise will lead to our ultimate demise. I think that's a message that humanity DEFINITELY needs in 2024.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

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The Heart and Brain Think Differently. Why?

You'll find a lot of memes and jokes on social media about the struggle between the mind and heart, two forces that can find themselves at war, but only one wins out, sometimes the heart, sometimes the mind. But have we ever asked ourselves why that is? Why did the Gods give us a brain and a heart that think differently?

Generally speaking, the mind is logic, the heart is emotion, and for the most powerful mortal beings on Earth, the latter is extremely important to have. Sometimes what is carnal, isn't always humane or ethical. That's where the heart comes in. It gives us an essential part of our humanity.

The carnal part of our brain tells us things like, "Eat this so you won't be hungry," or "Get that money so you can buy the things you want." It's instinct, although that's not to say that the entire brain is carnal. On the other hand, when it comes to the heart, we find ourselves having empathy. 

Let's start with an example from my own life, so that the reader may better understand this universal truth. I have a very cute cat named Rosie, who we adopted from a local animal shelter a year or so ago. She is a valuable asset to our family at times, but she also has her many problems. The trouble she gets into will sometimes make me incredibly angry to the point that I want to get rid of her, but here's the thing, I can't. No matter how much I want to pick her up and toss her out my door, my emotions create empathy and love, and make me realize that such an action is not only cruel, but very wrong and dishonorable. 

More so, the Gods are able to appeal that ethical side to me because of the fact that they enabled me with the emotional capacity for empathy and compassion. If I had no emotion, I could do whatever I wanted to other living creatures and indeed the world around me. No matter what the Gods or humans told me, I would be unable to feel or understand it.

The same goes for other people. The reason we don't abandon our children, spouses or loved ones is because our emotional states will not allow it. Our ability to love and feel keeps us moral and honorable. 

The Gods gave it to us because it was necessary for our survival and the prosperity of everything around us. Realizing this about ourselves is crucial to beginning to understand the genius of the Gods and the intelligence behind our natural existence. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

None Are Without Opportunity In Hellenism

Life is hard, and sometimes, downright unfair. In my view, no culture understood how this plays into human life more than the ancient Greeks. But they also realized that said factor does not have to take away from life's grandeur. 

A week ago, I was walking out of a convenient store, and on my way to the gas pump, I noticed a man who was probably about 5' 5", bald on top, and a pot belly, or at least what we would consider to be oversized. He was not fat, he just had a husky midsection. In short, he's probably not going to be making a magazine cover for the Sexiest Man Alive series, ever.

I'm not at all trying to talk down on him for something he mostly can't help, I am simply trying to make the following point. I thought to myself in the moment, that, even if I were like him, Hellenism would still be able to make my life purposeful. 

One thing Hellenism has taught me is that every life has value and a destiny of their own. No one is here for nothing, and no one is worthless. It would not matter my circumstances. I could still be a Hellenist or a Hellenic Priest and live a beautiful life in service to the Gods. I might be encouraged to lose weight and get a better job for my own health, but the Gods can still be delighted in me.

Far too many people don't realize how wonderful it is just to be alive, and to be able to fully experience all of that beauty as a human being. When I first came to know the Gods way back in 2005, I was so poor I didn't even have a bank account, living with my parents or grandparents, and working dead end minimum wage jobs. But the Gods still opened my mind up to the immense wonder of the cosmos and the everyday things around me. They gave me a love that I would have not had otherwise.

One may not have the most beautiful or expensive things, but what Hellenism makes us realize is that we can take what we do have and make it beautiful. I've never had a palace, but I've always made my home gorgeous and comfortable. I've never had a million dollars, but I've always lived strongly. And I've never been the most attractive man, but I've always found loving partners. Success is not always found in being the best, but in taking what you've been given and making the best of it.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Have You Really Thought About How Wonderful Life Is?

The longer we live with something as a routine, the more we either tend to take it for granted or not give it a second thought. I think that's the primary cause of taking things for granted, even of getting bored. It's the same with the simple fact of being alive. We've been doing it for decades every single day, and so we end up going through the days as if they were mere motions, not realizing the wonderful blessing the Gods have given us.

When I was a young man, especially as a teenager and young adult, I was overtly in love with life, and for so long over the past few years, I have wondered how I could get back to that mindset. It was the time when I was the poorest and most unaccomplished, but I still loved the world, life, and the Gods once I came to know them.

Why? I think it was because I simply understood how much of a blessing it was to be able to experience life every day. To see the beauty of nature, eat amazing food, wear colorful clothes, travel to new places, meet interesting people, feel the love of those who loved me, learn new things, read a new book; to kiss a new girl. It was all wonderful, and brought a smile to my face. That's not to say I never experienced sadness. We all do. But I somehow did not let it define me.

However, the older we grow, the more we tend to fall in love and obsession with all the things that rob us of our smile when we fail to achieve them. We even fall in love with things that destroy us. And eventually, we find ourselves in a situation of never-ending strife. It's no wonder than our nation is depressed and anxious.

Each day, I try instead to get up with a love for life and a heart grateful to the Gods, because that's what truly matters. Instead of saying, "I have to go to work," say, "I get to go to work." Instead of saying, "I hate this house, " say, "I have a comfortable place to live. That's not to say you can't have goals of improvement if you want, it's simply the practice of realizing what a wonder it is to be alive each day. Of all the people who could have been born instead of you, the Gods chose you.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Can Heroes Pray For Mortals?

In ancient Greek religion, Heroes form a wonderful and unique part of our spirituality, whether they be Heroes from ancient times or Heroes from one's own personal family who met the criteria. While Heroes do provide a bridge between humans and Gods, they are not merely intercessors, like saints would be to Christians.

Heroes have their own individual wills, personalities, powers and can act entirely of their own accord. Whereas saints do not. They have no ability to act on their own powers. We can worship a Hero and ask for their help entirely as the individual that they are, whereas a saint simply relays one's prayer to deity as their one and only function. Secondly, Heroes do not have to have lived perfect lives. Their Heroism just has to outweigh anything else.

However, the fact that Heroes can have their own functions also means they can do what they are able, and praying is one of those. They no doubt prayed and sacrificed to Gods during their human life, and quite possibly know a said God or Goddess far better than we might at the present time. Most certainly, the Heroes are very practiced in ancient Greek worship and therefore know how to connect with the Gods. It's wise, in my view, to ask a Hero to pray for you. It's certainly not foreign to ancient Greek belief to think that the Gods can act through Beings below them, as it were.

In my personal life, I have 3 main Heroes (which is not to say that I don't pray to others). Those 3 are Theseus, Bellerophon and Ajax (my temple's Patron Hero). I find Ajax to be the one for my interceding specifically, probably because of the nature of His Patronage in my life. But sometimes, when I'm in a very difficult or scary situation, I'll simply say, "Ajax, please pray for me." I might also include, "remember my past sacrifices to you and please pray for me."

And as always, immediately after I finish that one short sentence, calmness and a strong sense of love and assurance descends upon me, as if from the heavens themselves. It's an incredibly unique and beautiful feeling. Of course, asking a Hero for this kind of assistance is all about increasing your chances of gaining the attention of the Gods. Apparently, Ajax can do that extremely well for me, because it never fails to be immediately helpful in changing how I feel or interact with a situation.

Equally important, it's also about devotion, piety and humility, which will always get you a long way with the Gods and Heroes. Some people think they can order Gods around, coerce Gods, and some people even think that they are Gods. But when I say, "Ajax, remember my past sacrifices to you, and please pray for me," I am saying also that I am mortal and there are things which the Higher Powers can do better than me. I am humble in your presence and trust in you. I realize your place above me and accept it as a wise person would.

So in short, I enjoy this as part of my own personal practice. Of course, that's not saying that anyone else has to adopt it for their own. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Has The Labyrinth of Minos and The Minotaur Finally Been Found?

I'm sure you've heard many stories, legends and myths. Theseus slaying the Minotaur, which means, "Bull of Minos," is one of those religious stories that has stayed with mankind since it was told thousands of years ago. When Sir Arthur Evans unearthed the remains of the Knossos Palace on the island of Crete in 1878, he named the civilization Minoan, after King Minos. Because of the grandeur of the palace, it was thought that Minos must have surely lived there, and a search for the famous labyrinth beneath it began, but was never found. Because of the many hallways of the palace, it was theorized that perhaps the building itself was the labyrinth, but this was never proven.

However, Greek archaeologists have recently unearthed a groundbreaking find, standing atop a ceremonial hill on the island. Upon clearing the ground for a new airport radar station, they discovered an eight walled labyrinth, dating back to about 4,000 years, which roughly places its youngest days in the Greek Heroic Age, when Theseus was thought to have lived. Could this have been where Minos eventually imprisoned his monster and where one of the greatest battles of human civilization took place to free humanity from tyranny and human sacrifice?

In the very early days of the structure, it was definitely used for worship and sacrifice, as smaller findings have revealed, although at this point, the sacrificial victims discovered have all been animals, but who knows what else they might uncover as the excavation continues? And the fact that it was built atop a very high point overlooking the populations below, makes me think it may have been royal. Minos could have also placed the structure at such a remote location as to keep the monster away from civilization.

Theseus has always been my Patron Hero in my life as a Greek worshiper. Like Heinrich Schliemann, I know the old stories are true, it's simply a matter of looking until we find them.

It's my hope that this new archaeological find will bring more interest, research and validation to ancient Greece and the realities that the people in it lived with and defined their lives by. A link to the article can be found HERE.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.