Intro to Hellenism

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  1. What is hellenism/hellenismos

    1. What is Hellenism? A brief overview

      1. Hellenism, or Ελληνισμος in Greek, refers to the modern revival and reconstruction of the ancient Greek religion, Hellenic Polytheism. It is a contemporary pagan religion seeking to honor and worship the gods of ancient greece. 

      2. Reconstructionist v.s. Revivalist, what is the difference?

        1. …

        2. Whichever you choose, it's important to research. Get information from trusted sources, rely on historical texts such as Homer, Hesiod, Pausanias, ect.., and archeological advancements. 

    2. Key Parts of Hellenism

      1. Polytheism - Hellenic Polytheism is a polytheistic religion, meaning multiple gods were worshipped

        1. Other names for Hellenism

          1. Dodekatheism - the worship of 12 gods

          2. Hellenic Polytheism/Polytheist

          3. Olympianism

      2. Religious practices

        1. Offerings

        2. Prayers

        3. Festivals

        4. Divination

          1. All of these were important to build Kharis (Kharis - relationship building and reciprocity with the Gods)

      3. Ethics

        1. Although there are no set rules, many Hellenists follow these Homeric Principles

          1. Kharis (Χαρις)- Grace, Favor, Reciprocity, Gratitude

            1. Kharis refers to the mutual exchange of favor and gratitude. It is the first step in building a relationship with Deities.

              1. We practice Kharis when…

                1. Giving offerings (libations, food, hymns, ect..)

                2. Say prayers

                3. Perform devotional acts

              2. In turn, the gods may respond with a blessing, guidance, or protection.

              3. The cycle of reciprocity reinforces piety.

                1. Remember the Latin phrase, Do Ut Des (I give so that you may give.) It perfectly encompasess the idea of Kharis

          2. Xenia (Ξενια)- Guest-friendship, Hospitality

            1. Xenia refers to the sacred law of hospitality, it outlines how we should treat others as hosts.

            2. The rules of Xenia

              1. The host must..

                1. Provide food, shelter and protection

                2. No questions until the guest is comfortable

                3. Offer a gift upon departure

              2. The guest must..

                1. Not overstay their welcome

                2. Show gratitude

                3. Not steal or harm the host

            3. Violating Xenia could bring Divine punishment from Zeus Xenios. Think of the Iliad, Paris is a guest in Menelaus’s home, and breaks Xenia by stealing away Menelaus’s wife, Helen.  

            4. In today's practice, it is unlikely we are able to practice Xenia like the Ancient Greeks, but we can still live by those values, treat others with kindness, show gratitude, and do no harm to those who show you kindness. 

          3. Eusebeia (Ευσεβεια)- Piety, Reverence, Proper Conduct

            1. Eusebeia refers to the proper respect for the Gods, the poli, family, ancestors, and the dead

            2. Eusebeia comes from…

              1. Performing rituals correctly, approaching the gods with clean hands and proper offerings

              2. Honoring your family, ancestors, and the dead

              3. Honoring community traditions

              4. Maintaining moral integrity in your daily life

            3. On the other hand, there is Asebeia or impiety

              1. Asebeia refers to defying or neglecting the gods, blasphemy

                1. Socrates was accused of Asebeia for his beliefs, leading to his trial and death.


  1. Arete (Απρετη)- Excellence, Virtue, Fulfilling Ones Potential

    1. Arete refers to the strive for excellence in all aspects of life, physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual.

    2. Arete focuses on being the best version of yourself.

    3. We see examples of Arete in…

      1. Heroes

        1. Heroes like achilles, heracles, odysseus

      2. Philosophers

        1. Philosophers like plato understood arete as wisdom and moral virtue

      3. Athletes

        1. Athletes who competed in games, such as the olympic games, sought to prove their arete

    4. In today's practice, we should practice Arete to be the best version of ourselves, not only for us, but for our Gods, we should strive to improve our morals.

  1. Hellenism isn’t a one size fits all, there is no set way to practice. Some may follow a reconstructionist path, while others blend modern pagan practices, it’s okay to experiment!


  1. What are the pillars/rules 

    1. While historically Hellenism does not have any set rules, there are Homeric Values. We see these values in Homer’s works The Iliad and The Odyssey. 

      1. Xenia

        1. AKA hospitality or guest-friendship, arguably one of the most important concepts in Hellenism. 

          1. With xenia, we are to treat the poorest with kindness. We see examples of Xenia throughout the Odyssey. The suitors violate Xenia while in Odysseus’s palace, eating his food, and 

      2. Kharis

        1. Relationship building, the second most important concept of Hellenism.

          1. Refers to reciprocity, I give [offerings, devotional acts, ect..] so you may give [a favor, granting a request, ect…]. 

      3. Eusebeia | Asebeia

        1. Eusebeia - Piety

        2. Asebeia - Impiety

          1. The concept of doing the right thing with respect to the Gods, their parents, their city, and the deceased.

    2. During your research, you may come across “The Four Pillars of Hellenism” based on Plato, while Plato was a highly influential philosopher, there is no real historical standing to back these “Pillars”. 


  2. Spiritual Impurity

    1. In hellenism, there is no concept of sin like other religions, instead, the greeks focused on spiritual impurities, hubris, and acts that offended the gods.

      1. Spiritual Impurities

        1. Miasma- 

          1. Murder

      2. Hubris- Arrogance toward the gods

        1. Excessive pride or thinking oneself is better or equal to them

        2. Hubris led to divine punishment

          1. We see this happen in myths like Arachne and athene. Arachne was punished and turned to a spider for her hubris, saying she was better than a god.

      3. Offensive acts

        1. Impiety


        2. Violating xenia


        3. Breaking oaths-

          1. Breaking oaths, especially ones swore on the river styx (the most sacred oath) could result in divine punishment. It was believed that Erinyes or furies would hunt the oath breaker and Zeus Horkios (zeus of oaths) would punish them

          2. Even today, oaths are a big deal and shouldn’t be taken lightly. They are a big commitment and require lots of thought before going through with an oath. FIX THIS

        4. Temple robbery



    2. Coming into contact with one of these three require purification before coming into contact with the gods.

So how do we cleanse?

  • There are different ways to cleanse spiritual impurity

    • Khernips 

      • Link to how to make khernips

    • Fire

    • Sulfur

    • incense

  1. Who is worshiped + jow (ouranic and chthonic gods, daemons, heroes)

    1. The main 12 olympos 

    2. Different gods were worshiped for different reasons, base on the epithets you resonate with or need

      1. Ex. you would give an offering to … if you needed help with …, rather than …

      2. While using epithets to identify specific attributes is helpful, they aren't necessarily needed. If you enjoy all the attributes of a certain god and want to worship every aspect of them, then go for it.



DIFFERENT PAGES

  1. Intro to hellenism

    1. History

    2. What is hellenism

    3. What are the rules

    4. Concept of sin

    5. Who is worshiped

  2. Household worship

    1. Who was worshiped pt. 2

      1. The common household gods were…

        1. Zeus herkeios - protected property boundaries

          1. Role

            1. Watched over the households physical boundaries (walls, gates)

            2. Protected from intruders, evil spirits, and curses

          2. Offerings

            1. Often had a small altar in the courtyard

            2. Offerings of wine, water, and animal sacrifices

        2. Zeus ktesios - protector of the storeroom

          1. Role

            1. Guarded the families food and wealth

            2. Protected from famine, theft, and financial ruin

          2. Offerings

            1. Water, grain, fruits, honey cakes (LINK HONEY CAKE RECIPE)

        3. Apollo agyieus - protector of doorways

          1. Role

            1. Warded off disease, darkness, and evil spirits

            2. Prevented plague and malicious magic

          2. Offerings

            1. A pillar stood at the entrance of the home with his symbol

            2. Laurel branches, incenses, hymns

        4. Hermes Propylaios and Hermes Stropheus

          1. These two go hand in hand

          2. Hermes Propylaios guarded gates while Hermes Stropheus protected door movements

            1. Role 

              1. Offered safe travels, communication, and protection against thieves

            2. Offerings

              1. Coins, small stones (herms), and honey

        5. Hekate - Goddess of the crossroads and household protection

          1. Role

            1. Watched over thresholds, gates, and liminal space

            2. Defended against restless spirits and curses

          2. Offerings

            1. Garlic, eggs, honey

            2. An offering was left once a month called Deipnon, a meal given on the new moon

        6. Hestia - goddess of the hearth and home (a symbol of family unity)

          1. Hestia was the the first and last deity honored in every prayer and offering

          2. Hestia kept the home spiritually and physically warm

          3. Offerings

            1. First portion of meals (thrown into the hearth fire, or poured onto the ground)

            2. Offerings consisted of wine, olive oil, and incense

    2. Daily household worship practices we can incorporate into our everyday lives

      1. Morning and e

    3. Setting up an altar


  3. Meet the gods 

  4. Different gods were worshiped for different reasons, base on the epithets you resonate with or need

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