A statement on the Indica controversy

 

As you know, last May I was awarded a fellowship grant for the development of my project “The New Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina” from Indic Academy’s Center for Global Polytheist and Indigenous Traditions led by Dr. Edward Butler. As part of my contractual obligations relating to that grant, I also participated in the online Conference for Polytheism Today and Tomorrow: Dialogues on Pluralism and Polytheist Art, alongside many others.

It recently came to everyone’s attention that Indica is associated with and has publicly shown support for the Hindutva nationalist movement (blog post linked for a very detailed run-down of thesituation – I make no claims of endorsement for the rest of the blog as I don’t know the author, but this particular piece checks out). I freely admit I had no knowledge of what Hindutva was (or that it even existed) prior to the recent controversy bringing these associations to light, seeing as I’m not Hindu or even interested in anything related to Hinduism or India. My association with Indica starts and ends with my contractual obligations to a grant facilitated for and by polytheists under Dr. Butler’s directorial work.

I am in a difficult position right now, because I am firmly opposed to any form of nationalism or right-wing conservatism while at the same time being contractually associated with an organization that, months after the beginning of my involvement, publicly endorsed such movements. In the intent of full disclosure and honesty, I want to make clear why I cannot simply end my professional association with Dr. Butler and the CGPIT/Indica before June 2022.

The grant I received has a project deadline of June 2022. The size of the grant was also equivalent to roughly half a year of rent for me personally, and my use of that money was solely for living expenses, as I explicitly outlined in my agreement with Indica. Indica has absolutely no intellectual rights or control over my project, which also has nothing to do with anything relating to Indica or Hindu matters. The fellowship contest was international and for any kind of polytheist, which is why I participated. My contractual obligations are simply to give two annual reports (one of them being in the form of my talk at the Conference recently) and to complete the project I undertook thanks to the grant’s support within the deadline (aka until June 2022 – evidently this obligation is to show that you didn’t just take grant money for other purposes but did indeed complete the project the grant for which you applied was intended to fund). Other than that, I am under no obligation to work with, support, endorse, or follow Indica’s line on any matter whatsoever. They also make no money off of me as far as I am aware nor have I given a single cent to anything Indica related.

I’ll be perfectly honest. I cannot return the grant money. It was spent on living expenses, exactly as intended (and it’s been more than half a year since I received it), and my financial situation does not allow for me to give such a big chunk of money back; it is simply not something I can afford. Knowing that, I will continue to fulfill my contractual obligations (and thankfully they are minimal as already explained) until the end of my deadline and completion of my project.

I am saddened by Dr. Butler’s stance on the Indica matter, although I can also understand it to an extent, as he is employed by them (while I am not and I still have some obligations, as explained). For what’s worth, Dr. Butler was nothing but helpful and supportive of me and my work, and made it clear everyone is free to have and enforce their own stance and approach on this matter. I am still grateful for all the help and the grant itself, without which my project could not have happened, and which I will strive to complete on time. Still, I cannot and will not associate with Indica past the end of my project and contractual obligations.

I hope I have made my precarious position on this matter clear and I hope everyone knows I will never willingly support any sort of nationalism.

My Plan for the "Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina" Project

As you probably know, I was recently awarded a fellowship grant by the Center for Global Polytheist and Indigenous Traditions of Indic Academy in the field of Reviving Polytheisms. The subject of my proposal was the creation of a modern mystery cult centered on Hekate-Despoina. Specifically, this will take the form of a book for the sake of convenience and accessibility. My approach in realizing this project, evidenced in the title of this post, is two-fold.

On one hand, I will carefully study the pertinent mystery cults of antiquity (the Arcadian Mysteries of Despoina, the Eleusinian Mysteries, the Andanian Mysteries of Messenia and others) with the intent of forming a foundation of factual, historical information upon which the new mystery tradition can be built. I have multiple goals in regards to this:

a) the examination of historical polytheism from the perspective of a contemporary polytheistic theologian (something which can confer new perspectives on the material beyond those of secular and monotheist academics),

b) noting patterns between different mystery cults, their commonalities and differences and utilizing that information for the creation of the modern tradition,

c) and conceptualizing a theological framework influenced by the historical material that allows both a seamless insertion of the new tradition in the diverse corpus of contemporary Hellenic polytheism as well as the cultivation of current and relevant polytheistic theology.

On the other hand, the project also has a practical side. That is the actual creation of a tangible mystery tradition which can be utilizing by practicing polytheists and which can offer much-needed nourishment of the soul and deepening of our relationships with the Gods.

Furthermore, I will strive to design a detailed outline of the ritual processes, including an annotated version with exegetical commentary for every part of the system. In addition, the last part of the project-turned-book will be a step-by-step guide for the actual and immediate application of the new mystery cult, including offering alternatives for accessibility, substitutions, and necessary adjustments.

Satisfying the need in polytheistic traditions (especially and specifically Hellenic polytheism in this instance) for legitimate and fulfilling mystical experience and inspiring others to pursue the same, is of vital importance to me. It is even a duty I have towards Hekate as Her devotee.

My plan and work right now focus on putting together a starting bibliography and examining relevant material. I will also be posting a lot of information and interesting stuff relevant to this project over at my Patreon!

Polytheist Devotional Arts Challenge: Week One

I am happily participating in the #DevotionalArts2021 challenge created by Michelle Simkins! I decided to do it one week at a time because I'm a little swamped with things to do. Here's the first week's prompts and what I wrote for each one!

Day 1: “Prayer”

Hestia Polyolvos I call, the firstborn of Kronos and Rhea, beloved Olympian, caretaker of every hearth and altar. Hear me, kind Hestia, shining one, first and foremost among the household Gods! As is your right since time immemorial, I offer to you this first creation, a hymn and prayer in love and reverence. May your gentle gaze continue to bless us and our homes.

Day 2: “Love”

Ὦ, δύναμι ἀμαιμάκετε…

Inscribed in gold and silver

Honeyed and caressed

In everlasting bloom

Resplendent in glorious light

Born of desire and beauty

Matured through bittersweet pain

Walking barefoot through thorny paths

Trembling in blind fear

Of a mind assaulted by storm-clouds

But evermore rejuvenated by a single drop

Of such divine ambrosia

Of such succulent nectar

That truly deathless part of humanity

Nourished by you

O, love, divine and mortal, ever dying and resurrecting

In hearts, souls, and minds,

Ὦ, πολύμορφε, πολυτίμητ’ ἀγάπη.

Day 3: “Offering”

An offering is a precious thing. Even if its material and monetary value is negligible, an offering is precious. A proper offering is a sacrifice, however small. It is a gift and a nourishment for the Gods and Spirits we so honor. I offer my prayers and hymns, my writings and drawings, my rituals and magics. I offer grain and water, wine and honey, bread and olive oil, flowers and stones, blood and fire and pain and time. Never have the Gods rejected an offering given in love and reverence. Giving offerings is among the holiest of practices.

Day 4: “Devotion”

One word

but a myriad,

wondrous layers of meaning.

Devotion.

Divine duty.

Holy purpose.

Devotion.

Heartfelt ἀγάπη.

Commitment.

Devotion.

Soul-transmutative ἔργον.

Transcendent relationship.

Devotion.

Privilege and labor of initiates and priests.

Lifelong journey.

Devotion.

Day 5: “Promise”

I have made many promises in my life as a polytheist. Some I have broken, some I have upheld, others I have honored above and beyond. I will make many more promises in the future. From a devotional polytheist perspective, promises are powerful bonds with our Gods. Promises should not be made lightly (though they aren’t as binding or strict as vows and oaths). Sometimes Gods can let us dissolve a promise, especially if it’s one made in error or if seeing it through would cause more harm than good. However, more often than not, I have experienced the Gods requiring us to honor most promises made, even the “bad” ones. Usually, this results in lessons; painful but important lessons. Responsibility is important and promises are sacred. Be careful what promises you make and to whom you make them.

Day 6: “Transformation”

He danced a slithering dance, swaying back and forth like a serpent before the altar. The only light came from the flames of the candles on the altar, which were arranged in a sacred pattern. He whispered secret names and uttered holy phrases. His serpentine dance became wilder but his mind had long lost contact with his body. In the soft glow of the candles, in the soothing darkness of the shadowy room, under the consecrated veils, unaware of his fervent dance, he saw the mythic cave and the Titan who opened its tartarean gate. Primordial water gushed forth and in the dimly lit room, fresh, cold water poured in a glass chalice. He continued to whisper the secret names and holy phrases. In soul-flight, he sought the obscured light. At last, he found it! The light entered the waters and the world was rejuvenated. Water purified and merged with light wet his parched mouth and throat, and he returned to this world, like a seed bursting in spring with budding life, renewed and reborn, filled with divinely blessed potency.

It was done. It had begun.

Day 7: “Ritual”

A Triskelion-Inspired Rite of Liminality

This ritual is meant to confer a liminal state to a place, as a preliminary step to advanced invocation, for the purposes of theurgic communion and henosis with the divine. I have removed certain Triskelion-specific elements, such as certain consecrated tools so this ritual is actually unfinished and shouldn’t work very well as-is. Instead, it is meant to act as an example for the necessary framework such a ritual would exhibit and it should be thoroughly adapted to the practitioner’s needs and Gods.

Materials:

Three white candles

Incense & censer (frankincense, styrax, or any herbal incense with lavender will suffice)

A key

Preparation & Process:

Have the ritual space be clean and prepare an empty surface, such as a desk, small table or other similar place. Put the key in the middle of the surface and the three candles in a subtle arc behind it, as if they’re surrounding it on the side across from you. Place the censer with the unlit incense in front of the key, on the side closest to you.

Purify yourself and the space in your preferred manner.

Say a hymn or prayer to the deity you will be invoking afterwards.

Start lighting the candles while saying:

O, holy light, transformative flame, pierce through the obscuring mists and reveal the presence of the Gods.

 

Light the incense and say:

O, smoke, winding like a serpent, made sacred with flame, fill this room and body with the subtle aether of the Gods.

Take the censer and move it clockwise so the smoke propagates throughout the room. Return it to its place and say:

Full is now this hall of the Gods with the blessed scent! They are and walk among us.

Take the key and raise it above the censer and candles so it is entangled in the smoke and reflecting the light of the candleflames. Say:

ASKEI KATASKEI ERON OREON IOR MEGA SAMNYER BAUI (3 times)

PHOBANTIA SEMNE

Keybearing Mistress of the Crossroads, World-Spanning Queen, Initiatrix and Guide, Liminal One, You Who Treads All Realms, Keeper of the Secret Names and Goddess of Mysteries, bless this place! Make it as your sacred Crossroads, make it an in-between space, a place fit to receive the full presence of Gods!

AKTIOPHIS PHERSEPHATTA SELASPHOROS

Open the Gate, Sunder the Veil, Break open the Tartarean Doors!

Rouse the land-daimons and the wind Gods!

Unite the deathless, Elysian Olympus and the fruitful, Chthonic Earth!

In your many Names, O Nameless One,

Protogonos, Titanis, Krataia,

this place is now found nowhere and everywhere.

It is not of Land, Sea, or Sky, yet it dwells in their midst.

Your touch rends space!

Your voice connects all realms!

Your power shapes the center!

I am a vessel, an instrument of your force, O Great One, and through me, with your power, this space is now a Crossroads between the worlds of Mortals and Gods!

So it is, so it is, so it is!

Your working space is now consecrated and transformed into a liminal realm. Continue with whatever theurgic rituals and invocations you have planned. Once you are finished and you want to restore the space to its original state, do this:

Snuff out the candles and say:

The holy light is gone. This Crossroads is darkened.

Remove the censer and incense and say:

The divine aether is gone. This Crossroads is emptied.

Remove the key and cover it with a cloth or inside a box or other safe place. Say:

The sacred omphalos is gone. This Crossroads falls apart.

Close your eyes and say:

ASKEI KATASKEI ERON OREON IOR MEGA SAMNYER BAUI (3 times)

PHOBANTIA SEMNE

O Nameless One, O Great One, You who transformed this place into your Crossroads!

Return it to its former state!

This Crossroads has neither Light nor Aether nor a cornerstone.

It crumbles away.

Your power recedes.

Your voice falls on deaf ears.

Your touch becomes but memory.

And this realm becomes as it was before, a place upon mortal Earth, 

a place upon the Land, under the Sky, by the Sea.

This Crossroads exists no more!

It is done, it is done, it is done!

Perform any additional closings and give any offerings you have. The rite has ended.

 

I'm Still Alive!

Wow. More than TWO years since the last time I posted. Since this blog's beginnings back in 2010, there has never been this long a period of inactivity from me. I won't make excuses or jokes this time since it seems I only repeat myself every year! That said, I will give an update of my life and path for the past two years for anyone (still?) reading.

In the last real post, two years ago, I listed the various reasons and happenings in my life between 2016 and 2017 that kept me busy. There have been plenty of major changes since then and most are directly related to the things I was taking about in that post.

Here's what's new with me. First, the bad things:

• I got a job at a warehouse towards the end of 2017 till the middle of 2018. While the company I worked for wasn't completely horrible, the conditions of the job itself were literally backbreaking. I was working overtime constantly, ended up in relentless pain that permanently injured by left thumb and worsened the state of both wrists, and the pay was, while the legal minimum, truly measly. All aspects of my life - mental health, social life, spirituality, art - took a huge hit. 

• Unable to endure the warehouse job, I managed to land a retail job in mid-2018. While seemingly better at first, especially in terms of time (less hours which meant marginally less money but way less physically crippling), it turned out to be even worse as the boss was an atrocious creature (I have trouble calling her a person) whose unpredictable, insulting, and demanding behavior left me in a constant state of extreme anxiety and exhaustion. For those unfamiliar, I suffer from chronic generalized anxiety and depression and I've fought for years to return to a more healthy state of mind and life. Those two day jobs, especially the retail one, took me many steps backwards in terms of mental health progress. 

• In the end, at the beginning of March 2019, I was fired after demanding to be paid the money my boss owed me. That, coupled with four months of stressful, and ultimately futile, efforts to get my money as well as solve a number of other major issues, nearly destroyed my religious and magical practice, reducing it to a mere shadow of a spirituality. I'm still dealing with the psychological (and financial!) aftermath of this past year and a half of bullshit, unfortunately.

•  The Hekatean group I was in that operated under the auspices of the Covenant of Hekate ended up disbanding due to inactivity and the departure of core members. I still maintain a good friendship with the couple that started it and we occasionally do rituals or magic together but we're no longer a formal group of any kind.

•  During 2018, I was also undergoing training for eventual initiation in the Aurum Solis. Unable to cope with yet another source of pressure and being truly drained of time and energy, I ended up stopping the training. While mulling that over, I realized I was seeking initiation for the wrong reasons and the personal revelations that realization ignited changed my thinking and approach on many things in my life, especially in spiritual matters.
   
• The Stardust Compass apparently went inactive some time during my disconnect from my practices. As such, I have completely let go of that particular system.

Now, onto the more positive stuff:

• My boyfriend and I moved together in mid-2018 and have been living together since then. It has been amazing but also very challenging, especially since it's the first time for both of us. Building and maintaining your own, truly independent household is both incredibly rewarding and stupidly difficult!

•  I continue to have a magical relationship with my best friend, although mundane life has caused it to wax and wane in activity.
  
• My relationship with the Witchfather has grown exponentially since the last time I posted here. The development of the Triskelion Path as a whole has also reached new levels and Hekate has elevated me to new strata of understanding I was not expecting. There will be much to do and share regarding the Triskelion in the near future.
  
• Finally, my art and writing have grown a lot, both in terms of quality as well as in terms of productivity. My goal is for 2020 to be a year of publications and full-fledged work in those matters.

So, that's the cliffnotes version of the past two years of my life! I will jinx this again and say I'm hoping to post more in the coming months. I've been inspired recently so I'm revitalizing my online presence in regards to religious/magical matters, such as making a Pagan/occult-focused Instagram account. I found that doing so helped keep me productive and accountable with my artistic goals so I'm hoping it will do the same for my religious and magical stuff. Here's to more content!

P.S. I've also changed my online name to Chelydoreus. It's my public "magical name" and, in an effort to shift my mindset to a more professional approach, I've decided to also make it my screen name.

Minor Amendments

There are two things I'd like to update on this blog (and, in time, go through all posts, tags etc and change them):

1. The part of the Triskelion formerly known as "the Wildwood Druidry" has been (tentatively perhaps) renamed to "the Wildwood Art". While all influences and info I've posted on it remain valid, I thought the name was lacking and didn't express it properly. It also had the risk of being misunderstood and cause unnecessary friction with actual Druids. So, Wildwood Art it is.
   
   
2. The second change, this one being more drastic, is a change in my Services. I'm simplifying the whole thing in the hopes of both attracting more clients who might have been intimidated by the seemingly complex page and info as well as to just make it easier and manageable for me. You can check the updated Services HERE.

Coming and Going Or Why I Can't Post Regularly To Save My Life

An entire year of inactivity on this blog after promises of regular updates and upcoming projects. And, out of the blue, I post an Aretalogy of Hekate as if no "dead period" had passed.

Rightfully, my readers, you would ask "what the eff?".

Honestly? I've been tremendously busy and, for once, it wasn't so much with mundane matters but predominantly with spiritual ones. The Three Days of Hekate from last year initiated (hah!) a veritable avalance of progress, duties, spiritual and magical work, and synchronicities without end.

Here's a brief description of my year between the Three Days and today just to show how engrossed I've been in my practices and path, in no particular order:

• After the Three Days of Hekate in late May 2016, I participated in a three-day Hellenic festival called the Prometheia in early/mid-July 2016. It was an indescribable experience and while I did write up a modest recounting of my experiences there, I haven't posted it since I feel it just doesn't do it justice. To give you an oversimplified idea of the whole thing: 3 days of free camping on Mount Olympus under Zeus' blessed oaks surrounded 24/7 by (mostly) like-minded individuals and all sorts of rituals, celebrations and other happenings. I was truly plunged in what could very well have been the daily lives of my Hellenic ancestors. Incense filled the air at all times, hymns could be heard at any given moment, I stood besides my co-religionists in ritual and I experienced the virtues of friendship, love (agape), hospitality and the ineffable Mysteries. I was present during naming ceremonies and I participated in private, deeply moving conversations with dear friends. I even ended up participating in an impromptu oracular ritual involving Hekate for the first time in my life and it utterly shattered any doubts or skepticism I had regarding oracles. I can only describe the whole thing as a truly magical experience. I sadly can't attend this year but, given how it's been going strong for over 2 decades (last year was the 21st festival!), I am certain I will get to experience it again in the future.

• My work with the Amaimaketon Vasileian Sanctuary of the Covenant of Hekate and the private magical/devotional group of Hekateans bloomed and culminated into official membership in the Covenant (after years of failed applications due to technical issues) during this year's celebration of Her Sacred Fires.
  
• I recently formed a powerful working relationship with my best friend after strong urging from our patron deities. This is the one thing I can't really talk about besides this short mention due to its very private nature. Nevertheless, it is one of the most demanding projects I have on my plate right now. 
  
• During ecstatic work with the Wildwood Art, I was approached by a figure that identified itself as the Black Goat of Mysteries, the Witchfather, the Man in Black, and the Devil of the Craft. Of all things that have happened to me over this past year, His appearance, call, and our work have been the most unexpected and unpredictable. In our considerably few interactions compared to beings I've worked with or worshipped for years (like Hekate), the Witchfather has been almost terrifyingly and tangibly real and manifested. His is a path I neither expected nor devised nor intended and though He came along with the Wildwood AND under the auspices of Hekate, He fits in neither NeoHellenic Witchcraft nor the Wildwood Art. Perhaps He is the "missing" leg of the Triskelion after all. My work with him so far has been... illuminating, to say the least.
  
• My work with the Stardust Compass has taken an unfortunate backseat, so to speak, during all this. It's still there, it still calls to me and itches my soul for involvement but I am stretched towards too many and too demanding directions. I have promised myself to return to it come Autumn because it sings a song to my spirit that fills gaps, however small or hidden, that nothing else does.
  
• I have been advised, both by Gods and fellow devotees/practitioners, to pursue training and participation in the Ordo Aurum Solis, something I had been mulling over for a few years now. While financial and spiritual reasons haven't allowed me to tackle it just yet, it is something I will definitely move towards and attempt as soon as possible.
  
• From a mundane perspective, I've been working on my comics and writing as well as devoting a lot of time to my relationship with my boyfriend (practically fiance). Living with family, good, supportive, loving family is not a bad thing but at the age of 26 at the time of writing of this piece, it is a bit too much. So, I'm working as hard as I can to gain my much desired and needed independence which will remove a lot of limitations on my life, especially on the spiritual/religious/magical part.
  

That's just the cliff-notes version of the past year. When I performed those transformative rituals during the Three Days, I knew they'd open up the way for a lot of new and challenging things. I just didn't think it would turn out to be this busy! Now, none of this is truly an excuse or justification for not posting on here. If anything, it reinforces my view that I'm a sloppy procrastinator when it comes to blogging. Still, I think I owed you, my readers, an explanation and an update of sorts for my absence. Let's hope I can keep some semblance of activity on here from now on!

Getting Organised & The Goals Ahead

Eleven years of study, research, and practice in the Pagan “field” can result in quite a mess of documents, books, writings, information, and resources. Add to that the academic pursuit of religious study (in the same “field”) and the various changes and evolutions of one’s personal path and you’ve got a chaotic hoard of information that needs to be organized, filtered and evaluated.

Part of that is finally designing a proper “grimoire” where I can include all sorts of things regarding the Triskelion. Since doing so physically (i.e. in an actual book) tends to be unviable since you can’t really guess how much space you will need for each section and binders get too messy for me, I decided to make it digital. Therefore, I’m compiling all Triskelion-related information in an OneNote notebook. At the same time, I’ll still use my current physical notebooks; I’ll simply use the digital “grimoire” as a “master textbook” of sorts. I will also keep recording relevant information in the Hekataion, as I am obliged to do in my devotional duties.

Here’s the outline I’m using:

Book of the Triskelion

Eisagogikon («Εἰσαγωγικόν» - “Introductory”)

Liturgy I: Hieratikon («Ἱερατικόν» - “Book of the sacred/of the priest”)

Liturgy II: Hymnologion («Ὑμνολόγιον» - “Hymnal”)

Liturgy III: Theologikon («Θεολογικόν» - “Theological”)

Hemerologion («Ἡμερολόγιον» - “Diary/journal/calendar”)

The Eisagogikon is comprised of the title page (which includes the declaration of intent for the book and a dedication prayer), a contents page, and an additional page with a summary of the Triskelion as well as a short bio of mine.

The Liturgy part is divided into three sections, because of how extensive it is. The first section is called Hieratikon and includes all practical material, such as rituals, spells, correspondences and so on. The second section is called Hymnologion and is a collection of hymns, chants, and incantations. The third section is called Theologikon and it includes information and writings on the Gods and Spirits of the Triskelion as well as Triskelion theology essays and articles.

The last part of the book is called Hemerologion and it’s a kind of “free” space: it has notes, a to-do list, a journal for recording my experiences, thoughts, and observations, as well as my religious calendar. I chose to include the calendar in the Hemerologion as opposed to the Hieratikon because of the need for revisions, design, and notes on its development.

In addition to making the Book of the Triskelion, I’m in the – long and arduous – process of checking, clearing, and organizing my resources (books, articles, writings etc). There’s a veritable nest of folders filled to the brim with material I have accumulated over the years. Moreover, I’ve got a huge number of saved bookmarks and most of them are uncategorized!

This kind of “Spring cleaning” is necessary because the clutter I’m dealing with all this time only serves to hinder me, especially when it comes to doing research (hunting for references and citations is hell when you don’t know where or even if you have what you’re looking for). My plan is to categorise my material and resources based on their general subject, such as “Research/Religious Studies”, “Triskelion”, “Paganism”, “Witchcraft” and so forth.

Beyond organization, I have a number of goals for the near future and many of them are relevant to this blog. For starters, I have two devotional projects underway, which will be published on this blog in time. They’re the Hymn Project and the Art Project. 

The Hymn Project is, as the name suggests, about writing hymns for a number of deities and spirits of considerable significance for the Triskelion. These hymns will be published here, in addition to exegetical exploration of the why and how behind them (e.g. meanings and reasons for the epithets used, intent and uses of the hymns etc).

The Art Project revolves around making paintings/drawings of various Gods and Spirits of the Triskelion, with the intent of honouring them as well as creating my own “sacred images” for the worship of those Gods. I will probably write interpretations and explanations for those art pieces as well.

Furthermore, I want to post on this blog at least twice per week and, more importantly, I want to stick to doing that, even when I’m not terribly motivated or inspired. I also have two more projects I’m working on, which will probably follow the Hymn and Art ones. These are a 101-type collection of articles and a series of religious research papers. As I’ve mentioned before, I might expand those and turn them into e-books. We’ll see.

Update: Blog Changes

Yes, another update post. Bear with me, this is a little important (if boring) because it deals with the way the blog will be structured and used from now on.

As things are right now, this blog is pretty messy and disorganised. I may not have enough posts here for things to be out of hand yet but I plan on changing that - big time - therefore I need to organise first and save myself future trouble as well as spare my readers from confusion and frustration.

Here's how things change:

Effective immediately (and retroactively!) all posts will be tagged with a particular category (or number of categories, if applicable) specific to their theme. I'll give concrete examples in a bit. First, let's take a look at the categories I have devised. Disclaimer: these are still subject to change so this won't necessarily be their final form (it probably is but I'm warning you just in case).

Reflections from the Mirror: this category will include any post that is "personal": personal experiences, personal opinions, posts related to my (religious) life and so on. Think of it as an online religious journal but tailored for public consumption.

Example: an upcoming post exploring my journey through the strata of Paganism and religion from when I first began and up to the current time (in honour of my 11 year anniversary since my first official ritual and the point when I said "this is who I am now").

Whispers from the Polis: this category will include posts dealing with regional practice and public religion and, specifically, my own approach as expressed through the Athenian Craft of my Triskelion path.

Example: rituals and experiences with local groups, religious work with local deities and spirits and so on.

Wanderings in the Forest: this category will include posts regarding "shamanic" spirit-work and, specifically, my practice and experiences through the Wildwood Druidry of the Triskelion.

Example: acquiring my familiar(s), forging relationships and alliances with spirits of the Wildwood, rituals and other practices "within" the Wildwood and so on.

Hekataia: this category will include posts dealing with magic in general, as well as my practice and exploration of the Hekatean Craft of the Triskelion.

Example: The Hekatean Pathworking, Greek Magic

Hieratika: this category will include posts about polytheistic theology in general, as well as Triskelion theology specifically.

Example: Thoughts on the Hellenic Religion, The Syncretic and Modern Character of the Hellenic Religion Today, Cosmology - The Triple World Model

Akademaika: this category will include posts about scholarly and academic matters as well as my own religious research and articles.

Example: Rebuttal to an Inaccurate Article on Hekate, Definitions, Academic Approach

Miscellaneous: this category will include posts that don't belong to other categories.

Example: blog updates, announcements, placeholder posts etc.

Obviously, various posts might belong to multiple categories and will be tagged in all of them (e.g. something might belong both to the Akademaika as well as the Hieratika).

In the near future, once the chaos (delightful though it is, in its own way) of the Greek Easter holidays dissipates and I have the necessary time, energy, and focus for the task, I'll tag everything appropriately and link them to their respective categories. This list has also been posted in a more abbreviated form on the "About the Blog" page for easier access.

Thank you for reading this and I hope this will make things easier for my readers (and myself!). It's only the first of many improvements and developments though, so stay tuned!

Update: Pagan Blog Project and more!

As you may have noticed, I haven't posted anything, not even for the PBP, for quite a while. I had a multitude of problems that stopped me from posting (from writer's block to a lot of stress and pressure with life shenanigans) but I am slowly catching up.

Here's what's up:

I chose to write and publish the post for the letter E, so I could stay within the PBP schedule (it's currently Week 2 for the letter E) before I started to post the letters I've missed. I already have drafts for the missed letters (namely B, C and D). The problem is they're rather complex and require quite a bit of effort before I can complete them (including research). Therefore, I can't promise you when I'll have them ready. In any case, I do believe it will be sooner rather than later.

In other news, I'm studying for my upcoming university exam period, I'm working on a new, academic-only, bilingual blog (it will have posts in both English and Greek), I'm taking Comic Art seminary courses (I just finished a four-month long cycle and will begin a second, more advanced, four-month cycle of weekly lessons), I'm working on a small webcomic I have on hiatus, and I'm trying to catch up on my personal research as well as practice my sketching and drawing.

As you can see, I'm rather busy so I really can't promise when I'll be able to write and publish the missed posts for the PBP. Worry not, though: I fully intend to publish them, even if it takes a while. I also want to write a number of other articles I want to post here which will be unrelated to the PBP.

Now time for a little self-promotion:

You can always support me by donating (you can find the Paypal Donate! button on the right side of the screen) or by hiring me for the spiritual services I offer via this blog. As you might already know, I'm an unemployed university student so every little bit helps me alleviate some of my family's burden as well as improve my daily life. :) Of course, even "just" sharing my blog and increasing my readers is a tremendous help!

If you're interested in my art-related work (still kind of amateur-ish), you can check my deviantART profile or my art-only Facebook page.

A note to any of my readers that want to request a service or even an art commission: regardless of my schedule and how busy I might be, the commisions and service requests I accept are my top priority both in terms of time as well as quality. You need not worry - I won't delay your request simply because of any schedule issues. :)

Finally, I want to close this post by thanking all of you, my readers, regular or not, for your support, whether that support is monetary or just reading my writings. Thank you!

Pagan Blog Project: E is for Entitlement

Entitlement is one of the more aggravating and widespread problems of the (overall) Pagan community*. It has a multitude of facets and tends to crop up repeatedly. In my experience, it appears the most among the Eclectic (Neo)Pagan scene, probably due to the scene's emphasis in individualisation, the lack of organisation and the - seemingly - large percentage of younger practitioners.

What is entitlement, though, and why is it so much of a problem?

Entitlement is having a right to something. It's not always a bad thing, although the term is used mostly negatively in the common vernacular. Feeling entitled means you believe you deserve a certain thing or result. In the way the word is used in this post, feeling entitled is believing you deserve a number of things whether you fulfill the requirements for said things or not.

There are many types of entitlement present in the Pagan community. Personally, I have observed entitlement in regards to knowledge, availability, recognition, training, gratification and others.

In the - nearly - 9 years I've been part of the Pagan community, I've come across people who demand that others hand out painstakingly acquired (or even secret!) knowledge "just because". The justifications range from "we're all Pagans so we should help each other" to "you're elitist snobs if you withheld knowledge". I've noticed similar behaviour from people who demand training or help while committing fallacies (such as appeal to emotion) as well as from people who want everyone to cater to their sensitivities and desires.

Entitlement in the Pagan community is a problem because there is very little anyone is entitled to within our religions. If one takes into account the fact that the Pagan community is actually a misnomer and an imaginary case (see note) and there are many, many different religions under Paganism, with their own limits, requirements and standards, then it becomes obvious that no one has a right to anything - at least not by virtue of association or "specialness".

No one has to cater to your sensitivities. You're not entitled to training, help, knowledge, acceptance or association simply because you want any of those things. Those things have to be earned (and for valid reasons - not mere desire or envy). Entitlement in the Pagan community is poisonous and problematic because it attacks the notions of hard work, effort, responsibility and progress.

Entitled people don't want to work to achieve their goals. They don't want to make an effort towards improvement. They don't want to build their spiritual and/or religious lives. They don't want to go through trial and error or to fight for their ideals.

Entitled people want to be handed everything for free. They want instant gratification. They want to be pampered and cared for regardless of their own worth. They want to be given everything without contributing anything. They want to have their pie and eat it too.

Unfortunately, entitlement stems from the flaws of our Western society, in many ways. It stems from bad education, from the issues of the demographic generations (such as the baby boomers and the millennials) and, last but not least, from social privilege. I don't want to go into the thorny subject of social privilege (not to mention, I don't have the qualifications to discuss it) but we can't deny that entitlement is rooted in it.

There are, thankfully, ways to battle entitlement. As Pagans we can strive to improve our respective communities; to choose and support our representatives carefully; to educate and improve ourselves where we fall short; to learn how to debate and discuss controversial issues without resorting to fallacies and fights; to reinforce the notions of hard work, valiant effort and co-operation.

These are neither easy nor quick solutions. However, few true and valid solutions are quick or easy.

____________

NOTES

*Pagan community: In truth there is no single, unified Pagan community. Rather, there is Paganism, which is a religious category, and countless communities within the belief systems that belong to Paganism. While those that identify as Pagans may feel a sense of connection to one another, even if their actual religious identities differ (e.g. Wiccans, Hellenists, Eclectics etc), the fact remains that "Pagan community" is an intentional misnomer utilised solely for simplicity's sake (instead of saying "the various religious and spiritual communities under the umbrella of Paganism").

Pagan Blog Project

I've wanted to try the Pagan Blog Project for a while and now I can finally begin properly. I'll be participating in the 2014 Project so you should expect the first post (for the letter A) on January 3rd!

Changes to the Services

Hey everyone! I've made a small change to the Services. I increased the price for the Consultations (from 15, 25 and 35 to 25, 35 and 55 dollars respectively) as well as the How-to Guides (from 7, 12 and 15 to 10, 15 and 20 dollars respectively). This won't affect any clients that requested any of those things before the change. I do promise no hidden fees and I mean it. That includes retroactive price increases (big no-no in my book).

However, I was forced to raise the prices for those services since they turned out to be far more work than I had anticipated, which made their price too low as a result. I hope this won't be seen as money-grabbing since I assure you, it's much, MUCH cheaper than paying me by the hour. Believe me, I've done the math, much as I might hate them! ;)

Thank you and here's to more clients!

Services are now available!

Exactly one month after I posted my "A Milestone and Important Changes" post, I finally have the "Services" page up! You can find it here.

Feel free to ask any questions you might have via comment or e-mail!

I sincerely hope this will be a good start. I really want to offer to the wider community in a more professional and individualised manner. Of course, I need some compensation as well and in this case money is the best one.

You can also make a donation using the button on the right, under the "Followers" section. All money received goes towards helping my family and for my living expenses. :)

I will definitely keep writing blog posts and such. I am also always available for a chat. :)

May the immortal Gods favour this effort of mine.

A Milestone and Important Changes

Hello everyone! I have something important to announce and it amused me a lot that at the same time I chose to write this, the blog also hit 7500 views and 50 (!!!) followers! Wow! 7500 views and FIFTY followers! How did that happen? :D It amazes me that so many people find my writings interesting enough to read them to such an extent. Thank you all so, so much!

I take this as a good sign for my decision. Here's what's going to change:

As I am sure most of you know, the economy of Greece is going downhill fast. Financial issues crop up one after the other and things are pretty tough. I thought long and hard on what assets and skills I have and which ones I can utilise to try and earn some money. Since a significant part of my life is devoted to spiritual matters, I thought I should explore my options there as well. It took me quite a bit (years, in fact) to come to terms with my decision but here it is.

From this point on, I will offer spiritual services for payment. What are those going to be? For starters, divination, spiritual consultations and how-to guides.

What kind of divination?

I am versed in two divinatory methods (cards and pendulum). For cards specifically, I use a Greek-themed deck called Deste and, more recently, the WildWood Tarot deck (which proves to be immensely fitting for my style and has increased the accuracy of my readings). I intend to offer set prices depending on the type of readings (i.e. the spreads and number of cards) I will perform, as opposed to the time the readings might take. Pendulum readings will be featured as optional double-checking for the card readings and their cost will be a small addition to the card readings' price.

What sort of spiritual consultations?

As a theologian-in-training, researcher and practitioner with 8 years of experience in religion, spirituality and magic, I can provide in-depth explanations and help regarding those fields. Specifically, I am capable of informing and advising you on anything pertaining to the Hellenic religion or, at the very least, pointing you towards sources that can cover what I do not know well enough. I can also help you find or narrow down the paths that fit you as well as guide you towards knowledgeable people and sources dealing with a great variety of systems, from Mesopotamian religions to Wicca and from Kabbalah to shamanic spirituality.

Consultations also involve divinatory readings in order to gain a more spherical point of view of your situation and make sure we're working on the path your Gods and spirits point towards. These readings will not be charged extra; their cost will be part of the consultation's final price.

What kind of how-to guides?

I can guide you step-by-step in the following fields: matters of the Hellenic religion, witchcraft and spirit-work (aka communication and interaction with spirits). These how-to guides can also be part of your consultation. In that case, depending on their complexity, there might be a bonus "fee" for them that will be added to your consultation's final price.

How am I offering all these things?

Through the internet! In other words, through extensive e-mail correspondence. And remember: for divinatory readings, I charge by the reading, not the hour! That means you can request as many or detailed explanations as you want (within logical limits) and the cost won't change! For the consultations I will adjust the price depending on the amount of help required and how much work I have to dedicate to answering all your questions.

I guarrantee I will always give it my absolute best, no matter if it's a 10-minute reading or a complex consultation requiring hours upon hours of research and interpretation!

Payments will be submitted via Paypal.

ALL COSTS will be decided between us beforehand. You WILL be informed of any possible bonus costs upfront. There will be NO hidden costs or "sudden" fees.

I also have a Paypal donate button, which you can find on the right side of the blog, underneath the "Followers" section!

ALL payments and donations go towards supporting my family, my studies and daily life. A huge thank you to everyone that supports me in any way whatsoever, even if you "only" spread the word. Even that seemingly small action can benefit me immensely!

The Syncretic and Modern Character of the Hellenic Religion Today - Personal Thoughts (To be revised)

The ancient Greek religion was never a truly unified whole. Indeed, it was so diverse that many academics in the field of Religious Studies speak of Greek 'religions' [1].


Every region and era had significant differences in their expression and version of the Greek religion when compared with other regions and eras of Greece. The form of the Greek religion in Sparta was very different from the Athenian one, even during the same time periods [examples needed]. Of course, we wouldn't speak of a Greek religion if we didn't have major and important similarities and common ground. However, in this case, I want to focus on the differences to show and explain why I consider the modern Greek religion (especially Reconstructionist Hellenism) to be syncretic and truly modern.


Modern Hellenism is the product of centuries of historical and archaeological research and discovery as well as decades of theological and comparative religious studies. As a result, we have gained an accumulation of knowledge from nearly all eras and regions where the Greek religion flourished. This very fact is what makes Hellenism today a modern and syncretic product. But why?


The ancient Greek religion was alive and naturally evolving. Modern Hellenism is a rebirth from the sum total of known Hellenic information. Due to that, it unites a previously very diverse and regionally autonomous whole of religious versions and practices into roughly one homogenised, and thus syncretic, religious system. Obviously, variations will certainly exist (and they do) because the interpretations of the archaeological evidence and primary sources and the theories expressed by comparative religious studies are subject to opinion and diverging points of view. Also, the variable of actual religious experience modifies further the map of modern Hellenism, birthing almost as many diverse expressions (in its own unique and new way, through the filter of current times) as its ancient forefather.


This results in a religion with the Gods of the Archaic and Classical ages, the practices of the Hellenistic age and the religious understandings of the Alexandrian and later Roman eras. Also, it has the tendency of mixing regional practices, albeit with a prevalent disposition towards the, better documented, Attic forms (creating a peculiar practice of interpretatio attica).


Another difference is the introduction of philosophy in the religion itself as a kind of theology (possibly a remnant of Christian/dogmatic perception of religion, which dominated and still influences the young, modern Hellenism). This, in my opinion, is a faulty approach, since the various philosophers simply expressed and taught to their students (and not all followers of the Greek religion) their personal interpretations and beliefs regarding deity, the world, spirituality, religious practice etc.


The ancient Greek religion was a non-dogmatic, orthopraxic religion. Not an orthodox one, thus not rooted in belief but, rather, in practice and methodological piety. Indeed, in many works [citation needed], even of philosophers, it appears that the only 'real' - so to speak - requirement was proper, pious participation in the practical side of the religion. In other words, the public and household latreia. Understandably, this means that any given philosopher's theories cannot, in good conscience and historical accuracy, be used as theological treatises applicable to or religiously normative for all modern Hellenists and Hellenes.


It is obvious, I believe, when looking at these great differences even briefly, that modern Hellenism is indeed a product of this era and a result, a 'child' of the sum total of the ancient Greek religion and modern points of view and understandings, as well as, naturally, the influence of abrahamic monotheism and dogmatic approach in theological matters. It is not, therefore, a continuation or evolution, per se, of the old religion. Rather, it is a new 'beast' altogether: a phoenix born from the ashes of the old, dead creature and fed with new substances, creating a new being, not a true child and a continuation of the 'genes'.


Such a mix of information and methodology is, undeniably in my eyes, syncretism.

____________

References:

[1]: Burkert, Walter. Αρχαία Ελληνική Θρησκεία: Αρχαϊκή και Κλασσική Εποχή (translation by Nic. P. Mpezantakos & Aphrodite Avagianou, Kardamitsa Publications, Athens, 1993, - English title: Greek Religion: Archaic and Classic - Original title: Griechische Religion der archaischen und klassischen Epoche, Vol 15 of the Die Religionen der Menscheit series, Verlag W. Kohlhammer, 1977.) Introduction, Chapter 3, p. 41, in the translated Greek edition

Supporting the Community

Community. A controversial topic. Do we have a community? Are we simply divided? Is there anything that ties Pagans with ATRs, Asian and Native religions? If you ask me, I'd say yes and no. However, I'm not going to analyse this subject now. I want to draw your attention, my readers, to something else, yet still connected to the idea of "community".

Projects. Research projects. Practical projects. Efforts, from outstanding people among us, to give, to provide, to develop and help grow. Projects like new books that satiate needs and fill gaps in our religions. Projects like new stores that supply us with much needed ammunition: both ingredients and materials and human connections. Even in this era of the Internet and insta-information, people still use stores, moots, cons and other physical places to hold events, meet people and further relationships and community spirit. It's irresistible, the allure of face-to-face contact.

Why am I telling you all this though? Ah, because I want to bring attention to certain wonderful efforts from people I recently "met" but who captured my interest and my mind. One of these is completed and you might ask, why bother mentioning it then? Because it's an excellent example of how much projects can succeed when they have our support - our collective support.

First is Tamara Siuda, an Egyptologist as well as founder and leader of Kemetic Orthodoxy, a reconstructionist branch of Kemeticism. Her project, the Ancient Egyptian Daybook, will be the accumulation of her long research on the ancient Egyptian calendar. Truly a marvelous book, both for academia and actual followers of the Kemetic religion. Her Kickstarter fundraiser concluded today with an astonishing $17,144, multiple times its original goal of $3,000! This unbelievable success was realised through the wider (Pagan and non-Pagan) community's efforts. We banded together, we spread the word, many donated. This shows that despite all our issues, problems and obstacles, we can be supportive, we can provide new, valuable material and more than anything, we are invested in our future.

And with this success, I want to inform you of a new project. Three amazing people are coming together to open a Hoodoo/Conjure store in Kansas City, Missouri. I personally know one of the three (sadly, only through the Internet - for now), the extraordinary Houngan Matt. However, I am also aware of Professor Ames and his work with Papa Matt on the Traditional Conjure Podcast. Unfortunately, I don't know Mambo Julie. I am certain though, that for Professor Ames and Bozanfe (Houngan Matt) to work with her, she must be a true and amazing person.

Donating to this fundraiser will help these three powerhouse practitioners open their shop (which will also have an online presence, if you're worried you won't be able to buy from them!). If you can't donate though, don't fret! Spreading the word is just as important!

Go then! Donate, promote, spread the word. Let us support and aid those among us who begin such aspiring projects! Let's all help make our community better and better!