Finances Are Not Anti-Pagan

The issue of financial contribution still sometimes arises in the Pagan community; that is to say, paying for clergy and other religious services. Some people can even get quite angry at the mere mention of a priest or priestess asking a reasonable fee for a public speech, or a Seer charging a nominal rate for a reading. 

I too, like mostly everyone else, am against astronomical prices. I think service fees should stay affordable. In my own temple, there are two financial laws in the constitution that govern this part of clergy affairs, saying that excessive charges cannot be required or requested, and some services, such as prayer requests, are not allowed to carry any charges whatsoever.

My temple and property was bought and built by my wife and I alone. No one else contributed to it financially or physically. So I have certainly not lived off of the community at all. 

However, what we must also realize is that religious and spiritual leaders have to pay for things as well, and it was not, by any means, against ancient values or ethics for a community to support their religious establishments. In fact, it was expected.

I always tell people that the Parthenon wasn't built with Facebook likes, and Delphi wasn't financed through good cheer. We have the contributions and history of these structures and places because people put their money and labor into them. Delphi was one of the richest cities in the Greek world. Some cities even put their treasuries in that sanctuary. Delphi, at its peak, was probably literally a City of gold, silver and bronze. The Oracle never went without anything she needed, that's for sure. While it's true that not everyone came to Delphi with a carriage of money, everyone still gave what they could in support of the Oracle and the sanctuary that stood for Apollon. It was just as much an offering to the God as anything else.

When someone buys one of my books, the percentage that goes to me is their support to my continuance as an author and the service that my book has provided to them. When I am paid to give a speech, they're saying that my words and time are valuable and meaningful to the audience or the event. You are supporting the people, literally, who are working for you, and there is nothing immoral about that in and of itself. 

Now I'm not saying you should give 10% of your income or anything like that. We all have things we have to pay for, and things we want for ourselves. But giving a small donation for a service not only supports the clergy or provider, it ensures that they can continue providing services, because they don't have to be doing something else and trying to make money that way. You're literally ensuring that they can remain in their primary profession, which is to serve the religious and spiritual community. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

My Little Spot In The Universe Is What Matters

While I have not yet achieved all of the goals I have set out for myself in life, I have to say, without a doubt, that I am presently happier than I have ever been in my 40 years. That's progress. As I said, I'm not in all the places I want to be yet, and there are still hard days that come sometimes, but I have to note that I have far more good than bad. 

I have a beautiful and loyal wife and son who love me more than any other human being in the world, my own house, a clean bill of health, a good car, nice clothes, and a gorgeous temple I have finally built and operate as the Head Priest for the Hellenists and Greek Pagans of the world.

Except for my wife and son, my temple alone is the best thing that's ever happened to me. If I could spend every day for the rest of my life simply being its Head Priest and nothing else, it would definitely not be a wasted life. I think, in fact, it would be the best one I could live.

My small place in the universe is what I have to focus on, all I have to answer for, and it's quite easy to make it the most beautiful and prosperous place possible to myself. That's what matters, how you make your own life and the world that revolves around it. That's where your happiness and success is going to lie, not in the opinions, judgements or achievements of other human beings.

What matters is if you can look at your life and the things in it, and feel pleased by what you see and feel. Your satisfaction will be found in taking what the Gods and life have given you and making it the best you can. You may not be able to build a mansion, but you might can definitely build something better than what you have now. Make life beautiful.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 4 - Everyday Hellenism

Keeping bad energy, ghosts and spirits out of your life is an everyday practice. Hellenists do not have a word for religion because life and religion are inherently one. To be a Hellenist is to be religious. For this section, we will go into more depth on the world of ghosts and spirits, but first, we must know the difference between them.

The acknowledgement of the existence of ghosts goes all the way back to Plato and Sokrates. In the Dialogue of Phaedo, they talk about shadows and phantoms that sometimes wander around graves and monuments. It is one of the first recordings of a haunted cemetery.

A ghost is typically from a human who was once alive in physical form. In the past, I've heard some people suggest that a ghost can also simply be the energy of the physical person that was left behind in a given location, like a footprint. This might explain why people have sometimes reported seeing the same ghost in entirely different places.

However, ghosts have also been reported to directly attack or even talk to a living individual. So we would be led to believe that at least some ghosts have a form of consciousness, perhaps even an extension of the actual soul of the deceased, and therefore is far more than just simply loose energy. Ghosts are normally encountered in places they haunt, such as homes, buildings, traumatic areas, or cemeteries and other burial or marked grounds.

Some ghosts are even friendly or at least neutral, but can still cause uneasiness. And then some are outright terrifying and malevolent. The big question is, what is the reason for their place here and why haven't they crossed over into the next life? In the past, I have answered this question by saying that people have stopped paying Charon for a long time, and in ancient belief, a failure to do so means you must wait upon the shores for a hundred years. But there are many other theories, from being trapped to unfinished business. Maybe all are true in their own circumstances.

A spirit is a spiritual being that is from, and is living in, the universe. They are likely centuries, millions or billions of years old, and they are not human. In Hellenism, we love and are devoted to many good Spirits, such as the Agathos Daimon, which means Good Spirit. But not all spirits out there are part of Hellenism, nor are they all friendly. A spirit is fully conscious, intelligent and a free willed being with powerful abilities beyond the mundane reality. 

Such spirits can come from a variety of places, such as natural birth to the recesses of condemned realms like Tartaros. It's also possible for them to be conjured and sent by humans, although I am skeptical as to the success rate of this practice. Any human who thinks they can use their own power to tie down a powerful malevolent spiritual being and force them to their own will, is a fool. The spirit can turn on them at any time. Besides, a spirit or any higher level being probably doesn't have time to care about someone's petty squabbles with other people.

Most of the time when we encounter a bad ghost or spirit, or a ghost or spirit on their bad side, it's because we have upset them in some way. Ghosts and spirits can be hard to deal with, but not impossible, and I promote the idea that prevention is better than engagement. The Hollywood exorcist or paranormal gunslinger is really just a romantic looking for trouble, and you'll notice that sooner or later, they find it and wish they hadn't. Prudence and humility are hallmarks of Hellenic virtue. We are combative only when we have to be.

Method 1: Do Daily Sacrifice

There is nothing more powerful than the Gods, that's just a simple fact. They are the ultimate powers and authorities of the universe, of all things we can and cannot see. One way humans have gained their attention for centuries and strengthened relationships with them is through daily or frequent rituals and sacrifices. 

Method 2: Invoke Heroes

In the past, I have talked about the great benefit of having Patron Heroes in our daily lives. Several years ago, a friend of mine who lived a few cities over, called me in hysteria over a ghost that had been messing around in their apartment, and had just manifested before them for a few moments. One of the invocations I did during the house cleansing was to the Hero Bellerophon.

Noble Bellerophon, from the Divine stables, retrieve the white steed, and upon winged Pegasos fly from the skies, bearing your spear of victory and triumph over all that hinders goodness. Upon heaven's horse, advance the light of humanity, bringing peace and freedom once again.

Pray and offer to your Hero each day. When banishing a ghost, you can also pray to Hermes as the Psychopomp. He helps the dead move on to the next world for which they are destined. You can petition a Hero in similar ways as a God, through prayer and sacrifice. For Hero worship, you might also consider having a Cult Object. Sometimes the ancient Greeks claimed to have relics from Gods and Heroes, such as the bones of Theseus that were allegedly returned and reburied in Athens, or the Spartans who exhibited the shell of the egg from which Helen was said to have been born.

Although the term relic isn't the right word in our case in 2024, because a relic is what remains of something that existed long ago, and we simply don't have any of that now at our immediate disposal. That's why we have Cult Objects. This can be a recreation, reproduction, or a chosen object, often that exists for Heroes. For example, one might find a remake of the Shield of Achilles, the bow of Atalanta, or even coinage, shoes or clothing that were used during the time period and might have been worn by the Heroic person. As a personal example, my temple's Patron Hero is Ajax, and in the temple I have a dedicated remake of a small ancient Greek war helmet that Heroes like Him may have worn. It acts as an aid in bringing His presence.

If you have or find such an object, you can connect it to a Hero or Heroine with a prayer like this, Noble Hero/Heroine (insert name), upon this, a reflection of your holy (insert name of object), ordain as a symbol of your Cultus, to carry with it always your presence, power, blessings and memory.

You can carry the Cult Object with you or leave it in your home in a specifically designated area, but always treating it as precious and sacred. You might even house it in a small shrine where you give regular offerings to the Hero. If you decide to carry it with you, and you will find that a wonderful practice and experience, do not allow it to be thrown around or come into contact with pollutants or impurities. If you make this mistake, cleanse the object with sage and spring water.

Method 3: Meditations

Meditation can be an immensely crucial element to your health and protection, because it clears and strengthens the mind, which allows your connection with the Gods and Heroes to grow. A troubled and chaotic mind is the perfect victim and a very easy target for anything or anyone who wants to attack you. 

Method 4: Reverse Psychology

If you think a spirit has been sent your way by someone else, there's another option you might consider besides combat. Around thirteen years ago, I received word that a dark magician who really hated me had not only conjured a spirit to come after me, but had enlisted the help of his friends. Through some light detective work, I actually discovered the name of the alleged spirit, as it was a common one among that kind of magic. But instead of preparing to fight, I gave the spirit a sufficient offering. I spoke out to the spirit by name and presented my offering with the following words, The people who send you against me, they call you for their petty squabbles, but I give you this gift. Be at peace with me.

If the spirit had indeed been sent against me, it accepted the offering and broke its deal with my enemies, because it never did anything to me. In fact, the spirit might have turned on the sender(s).

In ending this section, I would like to present a little information as well about the ancient practice of the Boundary Marker. In Hellenism, the establishment of the Marker greatly aids in protection of not only the home, but the entire property it sits on. Normally one is placed at the property line where the land ends and another begins, and one at the entrance of the front door of the house. If you're in an apartment, you can place it outside the front door as well and on the back of the patio or balcony if you have one. When I lived in South Beloit, Illinois, this is what I did. A white, Greek ionic column was the best for me, acknowledging the Gods who are part of the Marker, which are Hermes, Hekate, and Apollon. Additionally, you can have an altar in the center of your yard to Zeus of the Fence, who guards the inner sections of the boundary. Give regular offerings to the Gods who are part of them.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Why Do The Gods Appear Mostly In Human Form?

I was asked this very intriguing question by someone on social media who had read my post about the Gods having biological genders. I found it fascinating that I had never given the topic a lot of thought before. Nevertheless, I thought it would make an excellent post topic, as it would be far too long for a social media comment section.

I think it's first important to note that the Gods, in the myths, sometimes changed into other lifeforms before returning to their original manifestations. Sometimes they even turned people or objects into different things. This is one reason I believe that the Gods are, at least in one respect, the consciousness of the universe.

But as far as human manifestation is concerned, I have always said and believe that it is we who look like them, not the other way around. We did not create Gods. They created us. But let us say that we are looking at this in terms of the Gods being the consciousness of the universe, at least for a moment. The Gods are actually beyond any comprehension humans can imagine, but we can at least take a theory and speculate on it.

We must conclude that the Gods can be whatever they want, and are therefore not bound to any one body or form. So the Gods come to us in a human form because that's how we, as humans, can best understand and interact with them. Not to mention that humans are the most blessed mortal beings on Earth, because we are the smartest and create the most love and beauty. So why wouldn't the Gods adore us enough to not only prefer the manifestation of the most blessed on the planet, but the ones that they themselves have blessed to be such? After all, as we are told, the Gods love to have relationships with us. Humanity is clearly chosen.

On the other hand, maybe the Gods really do look like that. Perhaps they gave the most blessed beings on Earth their own appearance. As a philosopher, I have always thought that sometimes the wisest thing I can say is, I don't know. But in order to hold onto my belief that it is we who look like the Gods, and not the Gods who look like us, I would have to say that the Gods gave us their most common images.

So perhaps what the Gods appear in is not human form, but their own entirely. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

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

Chris Aldridge.

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 3 - Securing The Home

Let's take a look at how to cleanse your home of negative energy first, since Energetics are the most common type of ailments. Although, keep in mind, this can also be used for banishment of ghosts and spirits in the home, as I have used it many times without a single failure in all kinds of situations. I call it the Hellenic House Cleansing Rite.

Before beginning any Hellenic rites or worship, always be clean and purified. Wash yourself in clean water (ideally purified or spring water). If nothing else, take a cleansing shower and put on clean clothing. Khnerip water for handwashing and purification can be created by lighting a bay leaf on fire and dropping it into a bowl of freshwater. And if you don't have any spring or seawater, you can combine sea salt with the water. 

Step 1: Invite Hestia into your home. Hestia is the Goddess of the home, hearth and family; She's basically your home's heartbeat. Light the flame of your hearth, which for most people today would be the stove. If you have an electric top that doesn't produce fire, place a candle in the center of the stove and light it, If you have a fireplace, even better. Create a fire there.

Step 2: Pray to Hestia

O' blessed Hestia, Goddess of the hearth, I ask that you shine forth in my home forever, and grant it peace and love, and lift me into the presence of The Dodekatheon, that I may know their mysteries, powers and wisdom.

(Note - The Dodekatheon means The Twelve Gods, as in the Gods of Olympos. They are Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Demeter, Artemis, Apollon, Athena, Hephaistos, Hermes, Ares and Dionysos.

Step 3: Give offering to Hestia. Burn the sweetest incense you have. Fresh frankincense is great (which is also a natural purifier), but whatever you use, make sure it's good quality and not cheap department store brand. These are full of bad-smelling chemicals.

Step 4: Pour a libation to Apollon, Poseidon and Hygeia, for you will need their help with the rest of the rite.

Step 5: Take a bowl of clean water. Spring water is best, but if you have to use tap, combine it with sea salt. Sea salt can be purchased very cheaply at your local grocer and is one of the most simple yet powerful purifiers. Mix the water and salt together. Once done, hold the bowl over the hearth about head level and recite the following prayer,

Blessed Apollon, God of light, and amazing Poseidon, God of the sea, bless this water so that it will drive out evil and shake loose from the bonds of oppression whatever it touches.

(Note - Why Apollon and Poseidon? Apollon is the God of the sun and light, and thus, a destroyer of evil and a purifier of pollution. Poseidon is the Earth Shaker, able to shake the foundation of anything. Please also take note that khnerips or any form of water for religious purposes should be replaced each time you do a rite or ceremony. Do not use the same water repeatedly).

Step 6: Take the bowl of water into each room, wet your hand, and sprinkle the water on every wall, floor and ceiling (not forgetting closets).

Step 7: When done with all rooms, light a stick of fresh sage, as its smoke releases cleansing properties and powers that will push out negative energy and thus make the area more inhospitable to negative entities. With the smoldering stick, draw the Star of Hygeia toward every wall, floor and ceiling. Hygeia is the Goddess of physical and mental health and protection, and Her symbol, even as far back as ancient Greek times, is the five pointed star. Modern Pagans call it the pentagram, but not pentacle. Draw the Star starting at the bottom left. As you draw it each time, say the words,

I draw the Star of Hygeia, to banish from this place all evil and ill.

Step 8: Bring the rite to a close with a final prayer to Hestia, as She is First and Last in general Hellenic rites,

With Hestia I end, for She is First and Last, home of the eternal Gods, forever be the Goddess of my home.

As time goes on, work on mounting a positive life as well. But if you ever do feel that the goal has slipped too far away, you can use this rite any time. In ending this section, I want to share an invocation that has never failed me when I have been faced with faltering on leading a positive life. During your day to day, if you feel attacked, dismayed or misdirected, it is useful,

Athena is my strength, my wisdom from above, my perseverance against life's toils. She leads me to Nike over my enemies, She gives me peace by Her glory, and when the day is done, She permits me peaceful rest beneath the shade of Her olive tree, for I am loved by Olympos who delights in the beauty of the universe. Athena, fight for me.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you in the next section,

Chris Aldridge.

Part 1

Part 2

When Old Love Finally Closes

While I graduated from Columbia College of Missouri, most of my education took place in my home State of North Carolina, and in 2007, during my first year in higher education at the local community college, I met a Cherokee girl, and I was out of my mind in love with her. 

While we only officially dated for a few months, the sexual attraction was intense. We were still sleeping with each other as late as 2013. I eventually just assumed that I would simply always love her, even if she no longer wanted to actually be with me, and sometimes I would feel like a failure as a man because I was never able to make her happy enough to change her mind.

During my most depressive and challenging times, I would even cry about it all. While, in some ways, I desperately wanted to forever close the door, my love for her and the lamentation of a life I may have had, wouldn't let me. I suppose it was there for a reason, or maybe I just needed to grow more.

Being with her was also an honor in the sense of the human timeline. The reason I met her is because my ancestors came over here to America hundreds of years ago and met the Natives. You never think you're part of history, but you are. 

This, however, did not mean at all that I didn't love my wife. So many people wrongfully assume that love is finite. It is not. It's as plural as anything else. But unfortunately today, we are raised in a world that teaches us to hate that part of our humanity, although they don't do so with any other kind of love. We're told we can love all of our friends and family equally, but only one romantic partner is legitimate. The absurdity of that should be obvious.

But after I had the first total mental and emotional breakdown of my life back in May, it enabled me to close the door, because it was a huge wake up call to the things that are really important and valuable in my life. Not a long lost lover who is never coming back, but my wife and child who love me dearly and will never leave. Sometimes rock bottom puts things into clear perspective. 

I can say I no longer have feelings for her, and that I have moved passed. I'm actually really glad that it's done. I feel free of a heavy burden that's been chained to me for years. It shows that, no matter how hard it may be, you can get over it.

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

Chris Aldridge.

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 2 - Self Care

As we begin to learn how to deal with these issues, let's start with the basics: cleansing and banishment for our personal selves.

The easiest way to stop Energetics from manifesting and gaining power is to live a positive life. It will accomplish two things. One, a strong build up of positive will push negative out, and two, it will make it harder for negative energy to break in. An inferior force cannot penetrate or contend with a greater one. Walk up to a wall and push as hard as you can. The reason it won't budge is because there is a greater or equal amount of force pushing back. You simply don't have the power to get through. It's the same concept with energy.

The problem is that living a positive life is not easy, especially in our Age. We are constantly bombarded with negative media and politics, not to mention that life can become oppressively stressful if we don't know how to deal with it. Therefore, living a positive life is, I find, a practice. The more you do it, the better you will become at it.

A vital part of living a positive life is to have the Gods in it. The Gods are first and foremost in the life of a Hellenist. A Hellenist never stops living a highly spiritual life, and an extreme benefit of this is happiness and positivity. In the past, I've heard Hellenists say that they worship the Gods simply because it makes like more blissful. This is absolutely true. When the Gods are always kept in our minds, lives and actions, we are elevated to a state above the mundane.

Purification Processes

Being purified or free of impurity (physically, mentally and spiritually), is to banish miasma from our minds, bodies and souls, and elevate ourselves above the reaches of toxicities that so often inhibit human life, progression, and separate us from the Gods. In order to keep yourself guarded against such pollutants, practice daily purification. Not just before rites, but throughout your day, starting in the morning, during the day, and before bed. It may sound painstaking, but it's actually quite simple, and will eventually become second nature.

The Mind

Your mind is of the most value to your physicality, for without the mind, the body is nothing. It's proven science that your thoughts and the state of your brain can and will effect your body and life for the better or worse.

Your brain soaks up everything that it comes into contact with, therefore it's imperative that you only expose it to positive atmospheres as much as possible. Forsake all willful negativity. If you do not have to subject your mind to it, then don't, such as negative media, people, and even your own negative thoughts. Refrain from excessive anger and needless confrontations, striving for peace and productivity whenever possible. Finally, contemplate nothing evil or immoral. We all have bad thoughts that come into our heads at times, but contemplation means to actually conspire with it. Just as keeping bad toxins out of your body is essential to bodily health, so is keeping them out of your mind essential to mental health.

The Body

Keeping your body healthy and purified on the outside and the inside is the purely physical part of continued purification. If you defile yourself, or willingly expose yourself to filth and harmful substances, it will create pollution. Take a shower or bath every day, put on clean clothes, and don't be exposed to unnecessary impurities. The body can be purified of miasma through simple washing and purified water, spring water or sea salt water, or it can be as extreme as using sulfur should you come into contact with a dead body, but the latter is an unorthodox case for most people today.

On a more basic level, regular exercise is exceptionally terrific for maintaining a healthy body, as well as mind, because it betters your mental state and brain functions. I'd recommend starting a simple jogging routine on a daily or regular basis, for a couple of miles each time. You'll be astounded by how much better you feel, especially if you pair it with healthier eating. Not only were the ancient Greeks very athletic people, Games themselves were religious events, and while there was no 2nd or 3rd place, every athlete was strong and benefited from the physicality of the training.

The Soul

Not only are our spiritual selves kept pure by our connections to the Gods, but piety as well maintains this cleanliness, which of course assists in Divine connections. Piety also keeps the physical and mental clean. So what is piety? It is not only acting rightly in ritual but also in thinking and speaking goodly and rightly. That is to say, simply respecting the Gods.

For example, I was once visiting a couple of friends, and while on the topic of Greek religion, they started insulting the Gods. I kindly got up and left, not only because I didn't want to be around hubris and impiety, but because I could feel the pollution and negativity starting to build in the room.

The simple fact of the matter is that you cannot be both devotee and defacer, not even in a humorous way. Yes, there were Greek playwrights who sometimes made fun of the Gods, but these people were not mainstream citizens (most citizens were not playwrights), and men like Euripides of Athens were not only scrutinized for heresy, but spent their final days in exile. It's probably why Plato said, "Wickedness in the soul makes one impure."

Purifying Sickness

We all get sick, whether it be a simple cold or a more serious infection. Once you have recovered, throw away the clothes you wore while you were sick, wash your body in sea water or sea salt water, and then rinse with spring water or purified freshwater, and end with a prayer and sacrifice to Apollon, who is the God of healing and purification. If you have a disease that cannot be cured, maintain it as best you can. Take medication for it as prescribed. In short, listen to your doctors.

In conclusion of this section, I do not want someone to confuse purification with germophobia. It's not about washing your hands until they bleed, for that would also be a pollution. It's about attending to obvious pollutants and toxins in life and preventing them in all their forms.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you in the next chapter,

Chris Aldridge.

Chapter One here.