The Main Gods in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina

This is a collection of posts from my Patreon’s “Spirit Saturday”series, where I explore various Gods and spirits. This series of posts dealt with the main Gods in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina, most of which (with the exception of Asteria) appeared in the ancient cult of Despoina in Lykosoura. I have also added prayers as a bonus to some of the posts that didn’t originally have any when they were first posted on Patreon.

Anytos

The Titan or Kouretes Anytos is one of the Gods worshiped at the sanctuary of Despoina at Lykosoura. He appears in the magnificent group of statues depicting the main deities of the mystery cult, that was found at Lykosoura, alongside Demeter, Despoina, and Artemis. Pausanias notes that Anytos was believed to have raised Despoina although, sadly, he doesn’t go into detail regarding the myth. Unfortunately, besides the scant references in Pausanias, we know nothing else about Anytos. He doesn’t appear in other mythic cycles as far as we know, which lends credence to the opinion that he was a local Arcadian deity. Pausanias calls him a Titan, according to what the locals told him, but his statue depiction (man in full armor) and the appearance of the Kouretes on the Veil of Despoina (an incredible piece of the statue complex), aligns him more with the Kouretes than the Titans. It’s possible that both associations were a way for later antiquity traditions to “explain” his presence in the sanctuary, his obscurity, and potentially the loss of older myths or traditions that might have clarified his status further.

Since we don’t have any other historical information about him but he remains a major deity of the Arcadian Mysteries of Despoina (therefore equally important in the new Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina), we must develop new theories and a place in theology for him. Experiencing Anytos and becoming familiar with him through the Mysteries will surely help with that endeavor, by observing his revealed role in the tradition as well what he teaches us directly.

What I’ve personally learned and developed is still limited but it is my hope and belief that when more people practice these Mysteries and experience them, more light will be shed on Anytos too. In my experience, especially regarding his role in the First Stage of the Mysteries, Anytos is a gatekeeper and guardian God of the Mysteries. It is his action that begins the Mystery process by opening the gate to Despoina’s Cave and awakening the earth and the rejuvenating Waters. I am excited to revisit the First Stage as well as approach Anytos in other rituals and see how he responds.

Here’s a prayer to Anytos I created for the ritual preparation before the First Stage:

Prayer to Anytos

Great Anytos, Titan and Kouretes,

guardian and chosen parent of Despoina,

you who reared the great Goddess in the stead of kind Demeter,

you who opens the gate of the Mysteries,

and who awakens the earth and waters,

powerful one, attend this rite!

Look kindly upon me,

and stand guard beside me,

so none may sway me from my path,

and so I can gaze upon the Mysteries safe and protected.

______________________________________________________________________

Artemis

One of the most popular and well-known deities, Artemis is among the Gods that immediately come to mind when thinking about Hellenic polytheism. A highly multifaceted Goddess, Artemis was worshiped throughout the ancient world, and was syncretized and associated with many deities including but not limited to Diana, Hekate, Selene, Kybele, Bendis, Aphaia, and others. Her most common aspects deal with wilderness, animals and the hunt, girls and young women, childbirth, and the moon. Artemis also appears as a secondary deity in the mystery cults of Eleusis and Lykosoura.

Artemis is the twin sister of Apollon, usually depicted as the eldest of the two. She is almost always considered a daughter of Zeus and Leto, with an alternative parentage existing in the mythic cycles of the mystery cults, where she is said to be the daughter of Poseidon and Demeter. This also led to her association and syncretism with Despoina.

Artemis’ role in mystery cults might seem strange given her popular aspects but it is in her other attributes that we find the link to those associations: the aspects that allowed her syncretisms with goddesses such as Hekate and Kybele. Artemis fits the archetype of the Great (Mother) Goddess despite her virginal nature in myth, and her aspects as fierce protector and light-bringing (phosphoros) goddess are well-aligned with mystery, especially when it comes to safeguarding and leading up to it.

The details of her role in the Arcadian mysteries of Despoina are sadly largely unknown to us. Artemis features prominently in the cultic sculptural group of Despoina’s sanctuary at Lykosoura, alongside Anytos, Demeter, and Despoina herself. She also had a temple in the sanctuary’s vicinity dedicated to her as Artemis Hegemone (“queen”) which was the first thing you saw entering the sanctuary, according to Pausanias’ description. This mirrors the situation at Eleusis, where a temple to Artemis Propylaia (“before the gates”) and Poseidon Pater (“father”) is found before the main gate of the sanctuary. The inclusion of Artemis but not Poseidon in the sculptural group of Lykosoura (though there was an altar to Poseidon Hippios on the sanctuary’s grounds) and the position of her temple give us a potential hint for her role in the mysteries: that of guardian and guide of the initiates and initiates-to-be. She holds that role in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina as well, mainly in the First Stage.

Overall, Artemis is an incredible, complex goddess, and I cannot do her justice in a short post like this. Everyone interested in or drawn by her ought to focus on the aspects that call to them the most. The mystery associations and common ground with Hekate are where I feel drawn when it comes to Artemis. Others, especially women and girls, will have insights and connections to aspects of Artemis that are beyond me.

Prayer to Artemis

Great Goddess, twin sister of Apollon, blessed daughter of Leto,

before you stands a seeker of the Mysteries,

one who asks for your guidance and protection,

upon this twisting path of fate-exploring pursuits.

O Torchbearer, friend of Hekate, Light-bringer,

Huntress, Highest One, whose worship spanned the world,

you who is intimate with the mysteries and always stands guard to the seekers,

protect and guide me in this endeavor, this journey towards the Gods’ truth.

May the paths you tread and upon which we follow, always lead us to piety.

___________________________________________________________________

Asteria

Asteria is the Titan Goddess of the starry sky and specifically falling stars. She is famously known as the mother of Hekate and for turning herself into (or creating) the sacred island of Delos, where her sister, Leto, gave birth to Artemis and Apollon. In some versions of the myths, Delos is also where Asteria married Perses. Quails are sacred to Asteria throughout her mythic versions, whether because she turned herself into one to avoid the amorous advances of Zeus and/or Poseidon or because her sometimes son, Heracles, was resuscitated by a quail since it was sacred to his mother (the Phoenicians supposedly sacrificed quails to Heracles in remembrance of this occasion). Ortygia (“quail-island”) was also considered to be the ancient name of Delos.

There is little else known about her. Most of Asteria’s mythic appearances are either small mentions for cosmological genealogy (e.g. Hesiod) or centered on her role in the myth of Leto and her children. We also know nothing about her actual cultic presence though some try to connect her to dream oracles and astrology due to her associations with other Gods and her domain of the stars, respectively. In regards to dream oracles, there is an obscure Goddess named Brizo who was worshiped on Delos as a Goddess of dream oracles and patron of mariners and fishermen. Theoi.com mentions a potential but unproven connection with Asteria. The poet Callimachus in his “Hymn to Delos”, calls the island Asteria and names her “laden with incense”, “of many altars”, and “of many prayers” in addition to exalting it as the holiest of lands.

Faced with a dearth of practical information, the best we can do is innovate and extrapolate from what we have, such as “reverse-engineering” potential extensions of Asteria’s domains and ways to worship her based on Hekate’s own. Personally, in my own cultic practice, I revere Asteria as a Goddess of dream oracles but not of astrology, since I consider that the domain of Astraios (Titan God and father of the stars, planets, and winds). I also associate her with the Perseids meteor shower whose end coincides with the second stage of my Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina, being a type of anabasis (ascent) prepared, in no small part, by Asteria.

Prayer to Asteria

Resplendent Goddess, mother of Hekate,

Goddess of the Starry Night,

you who brings favorable dream oracles,

and blesses us with starlight,

light the way for us who climb ever towards the star-filled heavens,

and who seek mystery and truth, piety and honor, magic and connection.

Great Goddess, Titan, you who prepares the way and the initiate,

bringer of empowering force, holder of starlit secrets,

O Asteria, whose voice is the beckoning call of the heavens,

and whose gaze is the soul-mending light of the stars,

help us in our ascent and effort,

to become again kin of the Earth and Starry Heaven.

_____________________________________________________________________

Demeter

Demeter is one of the Twelve Olympians and a major Goddess that was worshiped throughout ancient Greece. She is most known for the mystery cults, especially those of Eleusis, centered on her mythic cycles and her mystical relationship with humanity. Demeter is primarily the Goddess of agriculture though like all Gods she is quite multifaceted. Among her aspects are those of the giver of customs, patron and benefactor of humanity, chthonic underworld deity, wrathful Goddess, bringer of fertility and plenty, and great initiator.

Her cults at Eleusis and elsewhere, including many towns and locations in ancient Arcadia, were often some type of mystery tradition, involved her agrarian and afterlife aspects, and could potentially be traced to Mycenaean or pre-Greek times in their origin. Both of Demeter’s daughters were intimately connected to her, both in myth and religious practice, to the point where the Mycenaean Greek evidence for Demeter is found, according to academia, in mentions of the “Two Goddesses/Mistresses”, a duo of female divinities. Demeter is also associated, either due to syncretism or cultic relation, with Artemis, Kybele, Hekate, and Isis.

As with the other Gods explored in these posts recently, Demeter features prominently in the Arcadian Mysteries as well as the New Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina. As the mother of Despoina and de facto Goddess of Mysteries in both myth and cult, Demeter’s role and significance cannot be understated. The great Goddess is the one who teaches us the sacred practices and secret rites, initiating us into the Gods’ mysteries. Her role in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina is a bit more indirect but ever-present: she’s akin to the earth, the immovable, living support that carries the initiate forward on their mystical journey and who first marks them as a worthy seeker of the mysteries.

There are many ways to approach and worship Demeter. My own way understandably relates mostly to her mystery facets but also her aspect as giver of customs: she who teaches civilized and religious life. To that end, I have a simple rite I perform twice per year, around the Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes to honor these aspects of Demeter. Here’s a slightly amended version you can freely adapt for yourselves:

“Venerating the Thesmophoros”

Ritual

Materials Needed:

Two candles (tealights will do)

Bowl for libations

Bowl with grain (barley, wheat, rye, or corn)

A representation of Demeter

First Spring flowers or fruits of the harvest, depending on the time period

A representation of a snake

Frankincense or styrax for incense

Purify yourself and your space in your preferred manner. Arrange the altar in the following way: the representation of Demeter is placed further away from you, with the candles on either side of it. The two bowls are placed in front of the candles and the incense in front of Demeter. The flowers/fruits are neatly placed throughout the altar’s surface. The snake representation is placed closest to you, in front of the incense.

Light the candles and recite the Orphic hymn to Demeter Eleusinia. Light the incense and pour a bit of water as libation while saying:

“Blessed is Potnia Sito, the Lady of Grain, most graceful of all the Gods!”

Take a moment to center yourself, breathe deeply and recite the Prayer to Thesmophoros.

Prayer to Thesmophoros

Great Demeter, Daughter of Kronos and Rhea,

sister of the shining Olympians, you who is earth herself!

I call to you, Thesmophoros, Giver of Customs,

you who taught us secret rites and the ways of the polis,

kindhearted Goddess, beloved mother of Kore,

look upon us with favorable eyes and plentiful hands!

Send your blessing, your abundance, your endless fecundity,

and keep us, Goddess, ever upon the path of mystery.

Pour the rest of the water as a libation. Say whatever words or heartfelt prayers come to you. Finally, give thanks to Demeter and end the rite by saying:

“Blessed is Potnia Sito, the Lady of Grain, and the fruits of her power and womb!”

_____________________________________________________________________

Poseidon

Poseidon, one of the most popular and well-known of the Greek Gods, is also an important deity of the modern Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina. His aspects and functions in the Mysteries are a little different from the popular image most of us have of Poseidon, and more in line with his Arcadian and older Greek cults.

Specifically, Poseidon is worshipped in the Mysteries under his epithets Hippios (“of the horses”), Epoptēs (“overseer”), Phytalmios (“plant nurturer”), and Krēnoukhos (“ruler of springs”) as well as the somewhat innovative Pēgaios (“of springs”). All of these epithets correspond to Poseidon’s connections to the ancient Arcadian cults of Despoina, which inform the modern Mysteries. The aspects of horse-God, overseer of the mysteries, God of nurturing and nourishing forces are all central to the ritual cycles of the Mysteries. Obviously, Poseidon has numerous other aspects and epithets, especially relating to the sea and earthquakes as is well-known, but the Mysteries specifically focus on some of his more obscure powers, especially given their connections to the ancient traditions of Arcadia. His function and importance is most felt in the First Stage of the Mysteries though he is present throughout the entire process of the Mysteries. Beyond those aspects, Poseidon is considered the father of Despoina through Demeter but also of Artemis, both in Arcadian cults as well as in the Eleusinian mysteries.

My personal experience with Poseidon has not been the most complex or pronounced. He is one of those Gods whose presence, while immense and felt everywhere as one would expect, especially in a country like Greece, had largely been a background thing for me, as opposed to a direct and extended experience. It is through the development of the Mysteries that I have come to know Poseidon better and to move beyond the false limitations placed upon him by popular belief. He is much more than just a sea god or deity of earthquakes. As a God whose cults reach back to Mycenaean times and who has a multitude of roles and aspects, Poseidon is rightfully a King of Gods, much like Zeus and Hades are in their own ways. The mythic division of the world between the three brothers has theological merit, if only as symbolizing the vast, sovereign power and stature of all three. I can only say, based on my recent but growing experiences with Poseidon, that it is a good idea to approach Gods whom you might have ignored in the past or whom you might not quite grasp or understand. You will be surprised by the results.

Prayer to Poseidon

I call upon the Earth-Shaker, Poseidon, son of Kronos,

the primordial Anax, King of Earth and Sea,

I call upon he who brings forth the rejuvenating waters,

creator of horses, God of the seafarers,

mighty brother of Zeus and Ploutodotēs,

hear my prayer and praise, you who is great among the deathless Gods.

In this journey towards the mysteries of your fierce daughter,

born as she was of wrathful Demeter,

grant us, O Poseidon, your boon and favor,

and allow us to partake of your life-giving waters.

____________________________________________________________________________

 

Pan

One of the few animalistic Gods in Hellenic religion, Pan is a God of wilderness, panic, shepherds, rustic customs and traditions, and prophecy. He is usually depicted as a companion of other Gods and his mythic and cultic origins, entangled deeply with his sometimes father Hermes, are lost deep in history. His representations as a man with goat traits of varying degrees are infamous and captured the minds and imagination of people and are believed to be one of the inspirations for the cultural depictions of the Christian and folkloric Devil. A mischievous God with aspects of liberation from mores, cognate with those of Dionysos, Pan was also strongly associated with hosts of daimons and spirits such as Panes (plural of Pan), Satyroi, Seilenoi, and the Nymphs.

Pan was worshipped throughout Greece and other places of the Mediterranean, mainly in grottoes, caves, and groves; human-built sanctuaries and temples existed, though they were uncommon. He was especially honored in Arcadia, where his cult was most widespread and believed to be his mythic homeland. Pan’s sanctuary within the wider sanctuary of Despoina in Lykosoura is of special significance for us, given the connection to the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina. In that sanctuary, one of the few specifically built for Pan, there was a sacred flame that was never extinguished. According to Pausanias, the local legend was that in very ancient times, Pan gave oracles in that sanctuary via nymphs and worshippers.

Pan’s connections to mysteries, the belief in Arcadia that he had equal power to the greatest of Gods and could answer any plea, and his syncretism with mystical deities such as Phanes-Protogonos and Dionysos all point to a powerful deity, obscured by the unknown element of the wilderness and his distance from civilized society. This God of the pastures, wild forests and ecstatic oracles who shows up in the most unexpected places also plays a role in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina, albeit a minor one. Specifically, though without going into much detail, he features in the preliminary rituals before the First Stage rites of the Mysteries. Despite the small role, his presence as the unfettered power of the Earth and of mystery is nonetheless crucial.

My personal experience of Pan is not one that can be easily put into words. It has dealt mainly with experiencing the outdoors, the forests and mountains of this land, and the many spirits that inhabit it. Here is a prayer I sometimes use when I invoke him, though I often forgo structured prayers and simply speak from the heart.

Prayer to Pan

I call to you, Pan, primeval one,

noble beast God of the wilds,

Nomios, Lyterios, Skoleitas,

breaker of chains, lover of nymphs,

companion of the Meter Theon and of the Liberator,

come Wild One, come Terrible One, come Great Pan,

heed this call, this hushed prayer,

whispered as a prey breathes lightly before a hunter,

mighty Pan, God of this earth, giver of plenty,

you who brings panic, you who brings inspiration,

friend of madness and guardian of shepherds,

commune with me!

___________________________________________________________________________

Despoina

The exploration of the Gods of the ancient Arcadian mysteries and the modern Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina wouldn’t be complete without discussing Despoina herself. An obscure and effectively nameless Goddess, Despoina was worshipped almost exclusively in Peloponnesos, and especially Arkadia where she was worshipped “above any of the Gods” according to Pausanias. We know next to nothing about Despoina herself besides her parentage: she is a daughter of Demeter and Poseidon, and sister to the mythic horse Arion – in some regional versions of the myth, Despoina herself might have been horse-headed. We also know that Despoina’s cults were focused on mysteries and even her true name was not divulged to non-initiates; “Despoina” simply means “Mistress”. She was also almost always worshipped alongside Demeter, to the point where there are ancient mentions to them as Despoinai: the Mistresses.

Her name functions as an epithet for a number of Goddesses, including Demeter herself, Hekate, Persephone, Aphrodite, and Artemis. Due to the obscurity of Despoina in ancient religion, it is next to impossible to reconstruct much of use in terms of cultic practice or lore. Indeed, we cannot even attempt the simplest of descriptions like “Goddess of…”, beyond perhaps “Goddess of Mysteries”. Therefore, we can only extrapolate based on the little information available and, more importantly for contemporary polytheism, rely on lived experience and interaction with her.

As is already known to all of you, Despoina is one side of the central Goddess of the Mysteries I am developing, the other one being Hekate. Hekate-Despoina, the syncretic form of Hekate and Despoina as one deity, is how the Goddesses came to me in regards to these Mysteries and the way Despoina has shed some of her obscurity: through Hekate, Despoina reveals herself. This requires considerable development of a working theology, both for the Mysteries as well as the Goddess herself. Who is she? Why is she so significant to mysteries? My own belief and theological theory, based on my research and experience so far, is that both daughters of Demeter (Persephone and Despoina) rule over different aspects of the mysteries of life, death, and the land. Persephone reveals the mysteries of the harvest, the changing of the seasons, and the journey of the soul after the death of the body while Despoina reveals the mysteries of the land’s rejuvenation and cyclic nature and the journey of the initiated soul while still embodied.

As Hekate-Despoina, Her influence and roles expand to infinity through Hekate’s fundamental liminality, and – in quite Hesiodic terms – Despoina joins in Hekate’s share of all divine domains. Hekate-Despoina is a composite Goddess, a phenomenon theologically analogous to Hermekate, Hekate-Selene-Artemis, the Egyptian Amun-Re and the Graeco-Egyptian Serapis and Zeus-Ammon. This syncretic approach is influenced heavily by Hellenized forms of Egyptian conceptions of divinity. Hekate-Despoina is a distinct Goddess in Her own right, but can also be interpreted as “Despoina-in/through-Hekate” or “Hekate-in/through-Despoina”; the “original” two Goddesses also retain their selfhood and distinct existence and are not lost with the emergence of the composite Goddess.

In conclusion, Despoina is an elusive Goddess of whom little is known but who commands the imagination and spirit much like Arcadia as an abstract fantasy commanded the imaginations of poets and writers. It is my hope that through the Mysteries, more people will be able to experience Despoina and she may yet reveal more of her hidden self. Finally, here is a prayer I use in my regular practices to honor her.

Basic Prayer to Despoina

Oh veiled Daughter, theriomorphic Goddess,

horse-headed, star-eyed, of ineffable names,

sister to and yet selfsame Persephone,

knowing shadow of countless Goddesses,

beloved Despoina, Mistress of Arcadia,

born of wrathful Demeter and chthonic Poseidon,

Mother of Mysteries, Scepter-holding Anassa,

you who spins the iynx wheel and spindle,

and moves all souls through cycles of initiation,

hear this prayer and plea, this praise to your honor,

cast, oh Despoina, a gentle eye upon your devotee,

and ever illuminate the path ahead with your obscured light.

You can also download this entire post collection through this Google Drive link.

 

 

 

"Polytheism Today and Tomorrow" Conference Paper

 Hello everyone! This is the paper upon which I based my presentation/talk for the Conference on Polytheism Today and Tomorrow organized by the CGPIT and Indic Academy. It has a few differences, mostly details, from the actual talk but this is the original paper the talk was based on. You can watch my presentation and the rest of the conference HERE.. My part starts around 2:01:25 and there's a group discussion I am part of, starting around 3:16:00. The recordings should remain on YouTube for a month.

My name is Stefanos Chelydoreus, I am from Athens, Greece and I am a polytheist, theologian, mystic, and practitioner of magic. My project, “The New Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina”, which is the topic of this paper, won one of the three fellowship awards from the Center for Global Polytheist and Indigenous Traditions this year (2021). Specifically, it was in the category of Reviving Polytheisms and its goal is the design and formation of a modern mystery cult. A small note before we delve into the project itself: I use the term “cult” in the academic and polytheistic sense of the word as “religious practice or tradition”.

The project I am developing is on the formation of a modern mystery cult. The goal is to complete a book that deals with this endeavor from both a theoretical as well as a practical perspective. It has three parts: historical examination, theological theory, and ritual practice. I will explain this in more detail but before that, I would like to talk a little bit about what inspired and moved me to work on this project and why I think it is a valuable contribution to contemporary reviving polytheisms, especially Hellenic polytheism.

Interestingly, this all started as a personal devotional experiment of mine. I have been devoted to Hekate for 11 years now (12 if you count the preparatory year). In fact, the anniversary of my dedication is this Sunday (October 31st)! In the interest of expanding further my devotional practice and relationship with Hekate, I asked Her, while in ecstatic ritual, to reveal to me the Arcadian Mysteries of Despoina and Her ancient Carian cults. Surprisingly, Hekate did just that, although it took a while to decipher the very cryptic messages. The information I was granted outlined a ritual process to be performed on the Full Moon of the Spring Equinox. This drew heavily from the Arcadian Mysteries of Despoina at Lykosoura, as I later found out while researching. I obviously cannot say that what I’m doing or writing is the actual ancient mysteries but I do believe the Goddess taught me how to revive them in spirit and merged with Her own particular Mysteries. After performing that ritual Hekate granted me knowledge of the next step, another ritual process to be performed on the Full Moon of the Perseids. I could already tell that this entire thing was bigger than I initially expected and highly mystical and theurgic. Before the time of the second stage rites came, the Center’s fellowship program was announced and after some encouragement from friends, I decided to expand my devotional experiment into a full-fledged mystery tradition. At the same time, this would allow me to achieve multiple goals at once. Firstly, I would be able to contribute a mystery practice to polytheists, something Hellenic polytheism specifically lacks today. Secondly, I would be able to demonstrate the value and significance of polytheistic theology. Thirdly, I would be able to examine and interpret historical information of the ancient traditions explicitly from the perspective of a modern polytheist. All of these have the same common idea: enriching and developing reviving polytheism further.

As far as the project itself, in the form it has taken now, is concerned, I must say it has already been quite rewarding, both as a process and as a product. Interestingly enough, it’s not a linear project where I write everything from beginning to end. Instead, the aforementioned three parts are developed concurrently, with historical research, theological writing, and ritual performance happening parallel and interconnected to each other. Let’s explore these three parts further though:

The first part is historical examination of ancient Greek mystery cults. The Arcadian Mysteries of Despoina at Lykosoura and Phigaleia, the Andanian Mysteries of Messenia, and the well-known Eleusinian Mysteries are the main traditions I am studying, with others, such as the Mysteries of the Kabeiroi or of Demeter at Pheneos and elsewhere, being secondary. The reason for this historical examination is to provide a basis for the theological framework that comes in the second part. By studying the ancient mystery cults, I aim to combat the extensive lack of information on the mystery traditions themselves through cross-reference and comparison. Studying many of them allows me to look for common patterns, practices, and approaches, which will let me create what can essentially be called the profile of a mystery cult.

With that information at hand, I can expand the second part, that of theological theory, further. This involves interpreting the historical data from the perspective of lived, experienced polytheism as well as synthesizing that information with modern, new theology and the concept of revealed knowledge – in other words, direct divine guidance. A living religion that considers its Gods reality recognizes that these Gods can and must have an active, direct involvement with their worshipers. It is also imperative for reviving polytheisms to not only rely on the past through the methodology of reconstructionism but invest in the future through innovation. The development of new theological currents and schools of thought is essential. This is what I try to do in the second part of the book. It is my hope that my attempt will incentivize other polytheists to do the same. I gladly welcome theological critique of my work if it means the creation and establishment of more polytheistic theology!

The formation of a theological framework in the second part, helps refine and adjust the third part which concerns actual practice. Theory alone, however interesting it may be, is not enough for a living polytheistic religion. Practice is what allows us to experience the Gods and to permit our religions to truly exist and grow. This entire project, too, would be meaningless without the practical aspect; the mysteries of the Gods must be experienced to be grasped, since in their true form they are ineffable and beyond our limited scope – definitely beyond the capacity of language and writing. With that in mind, the third part of the book will include a step-by-step guide for readers to put the rituals in the book into practice. The goal here is to help others experience the mysteries of Hekate-Despoina through a more-or-less standardized process. Repeatability and proper procedure can allow multiple people to go through roughly the same spiritual pathway of experience. Of course, no one will have the exact same results since the experience of the mysteries is a profoundly intimate matter and everyone is different. It also depends on how the Gods themselves react to one’s attempts; we cannot know who will be graced with revelation of the mysteries and who won’t.

At this point in time (October 28th), I have completed two of the three stages of the practical aspect of the mystery cult. The next and final stage is on the Full Moon of the Winter Solstice. I expect to be able to hasten my work after I have completed the practical part since I will have a full understanding of what the mystery cult will entail in its entirety. The plan is to complete the project by June 2022 which is the deadline in my fellowship agreement (ideally, it will be finished earlier) and I will spend the summer of 2022 working on self-publishing the book. I chose the option of self-publication almost immediately after the project began because I wanted complete control over this particular book as far as editing and omissions are concerned.

Finally, I would like to address two of the most commonly asked questions I receive regarding this project: why Hekate-Despoina and why a mystery cult? The answer to the first will be found in greater detail into the book itself but a brief explanation is this: the syncretic form of Hekate-Despoina is one I am drawn to due to my theory on Hekate’s cultic origins, a theory which is a core element of the theological foundation of this project. The Mycenaean roots of the ancient Arcadian Mysteries of Despoina, the connections and associations Hekate has with both the Mycenaean world and the Gods in the Despoinian Mysteries (Demeter, Poseidon, Artemis, Despoina herself), the obscure and mystery oriented identities, even holding “Despoina” as an epithet all point to ample capacity for syncretism between the two. As for why choose to develop a mystery cult for the project, my answer is simple: it’s what I feel Hellenic polytheism lacks nowadays, as already mentioned, and I also chose it because it among my primary specializations and fields of expertise. Mystery is always sought after by humans and there is vast interest in deep, profound, intimate experience of the Gods.

Patron Gods of Cities: The example of Athena and how I interact with such Gods

This is a well-known concept, at least on a surface level. Throughout history, Gods (and in Christian lands, saints) have been patrons of cities and places, often giving their names to the land they protect and sponsor. One of the most famous examples is that of Athena, the patron Goddess of the city of Athens. Pretty much everyone knows of the mythical contest between Athena and Poseidon to decide the patron God of Athens, and how Athena won by offering the olive tree to the people of the city.

 

What I want to discuss here isn’t the mythical perspective – or even the theological exactly – but the practical, the empirical. What I’ve experienced as a practitioner born and raised in Athens (who still lives here too!) quickly put my worries of the Gods being relics of the past to rest. When I was still in my first couple of years of polytheist exploration and was almost entirely focused on the Hellenic pantheon, I felt guilty. I was drawn to deities like Selene, Artemis, and Gaia, yet I felt no real pull from Athena, the Goddess of the very city and land I lived on! I attempted to cultivate a relationship with Athena and in my teenage naivete I call upon her for help with school. 

 

It worked! While I oversimplified her attributes as a Goddess of wisdom and strategy, she still delivered. I never failed an exam or pop quiz, even without studying, if I had petitioned her beforehand. You’d think this would mean I could worship Athena more intimately than the occasional observance on the Attic calendar or, at least, Athena herself would warm up to me and become more prominent in my life. 

 

Wrong! None of that happened. I still felt practically no connection; I continued to honor her on traditional dates but that was it. I didn’t experience the kind of interaction I enjoyed with Selene for instance. Puzzled, I prayed to Athena, asking why things didn’t work out. The response I got was swift: “I’m only doing what is expected of me towards you, an Athenian.” 

 

That terse but honest response changed my point of view and made me realize something extraordinary. Even after centuries upon centuries of people denying Athena worship, honor, and recognition, she still acted as patron Goddess of Athens and, therefore, protected and supported all Athenians. She aided me because she saw it as a duty of her position! This also explained why there was no deepening of the relationship; it was strictly professional, so to speak. 

 

This experience led me to experiment, in a sense, over the years by “checking in” with various deities and spirits known to be patrons of cities, towns, and other areas. One of my findings was that these can overlap and coexist within the same place. For example, while the entirety of Athens is under Athena’s protection, specific areas have their own “sub-patrons”. Athena has the highest and most potent influence but the many regions that make up Athens are autonomously governed by Gods and spirits. The eerie similarity between human governance and divine organization of patronage didn’t escape me. Perhaps this is were we learnt that from? Who can know for certain. Another interesting thing is that there can be, and often are, more than one “big” patrons! This is usually the result of multiple religions existing in the same place, therefore multiple beings influence the same land. Whether this is always peaceful or not is another matter. 

 

Knowing the patron Gods of a location is important to me because my personal practice has a considerable bioregional character: I work with the Land, I practice in harmony with the spiritual ecosystem of my physical environment. When I visit another place, especially outside of Athens, I make it a point to contact the resident patron deity and honor them, ensuring my safety and a welcome stay on their land. This doesn’t necessarily look like much to an external observer, especially if I’m not at a place where I can easily and safely practice openly. My go-to method is as follows: 

 

I do a quick search for info on the location I’m in, if I haven’t already done so before arriving. If the area doesn’t have direct information on a patron deity (whether current or in the past – evidently from Athena’s case, patron Gods don’t really abandon their domains), I look into patron saints and their associations with ancient divinities. In the rare cases where neither option yields the necessary information, I do this: I pray to Hekate and Hermes to either reveal the patron deity to me or contact them and ask them to make themselves known. Once I have established who the patron God of the area is, I give them a simple offering, usually a libation of water and a prayer expressing my respect and reverence. 

 

Usually, things end there. Most patron deities of places I’ve visited welcomed my actions (and I’ve felt a sense of surprise more than once – how sad that most are so used to human ignorance and neglect) but leave it there. Some barely acknowledged me at all and promptly ignored me after I was done. I consider it the spiritual equivalent of going through customs: you don’t really become friends with the airport staff checking your ID and luggage. 

 

I haven’t had any negative experiences with patron Gods of places but I’ve also been careful not to do anything that would offend them. That’s not a particularly hard task and any practitioner worth their salt should be respectful and mindful by default, in my opinion. If one were to be so unlucky as to elicit a hostile reaction from a patron deity, then my recommended solution would be a standard propitiation and appeasement. In other words, give good offerings, apologize sincerely, praise them, and make actual amends (i.e. fix what you broke). 

 

In conclusion, patron Gods and spirits of the land are, in my opinion and experience, an irrevocable and vital part of “spiritual ecology” and we should show our appreciation and reverence to them more often. We’re part of their land, whether temporarily or for life, and we should be aware and courteous towards them.

The Journey So Far

In lieu of recently celebrating the anniversary of my first, “official” Pagan ritual and the beginning of this life-long journey, I decided to write a post exploring my experiences and major milestones in my spiritual and religious evolution. I thought it necessary, lest I forget as I grow older: always remember your past so that you know what brought you where you are now, what the future might hold, and what mistakes you should avoid repeating.

I was always an odd kid, introverted and buried in books of fiction and fantasy. As far back as I can recall I was always enamoured with magic. This found an outlet beyond that of fantasy when I discovered a book in my grandfather’s library (a man of many talents and even more interests): Egyptian Magic, by E.A. Wallis Budge. The contents of this book utterly fascinated my 11-year-old self.

A bit of background info: I grew up in a decidedly Orthodox Christian country, where the only “choices” are Christianity or Atheism and where everything else is treated as either fairytales or something foreign and absurd. My family, with the exception of my maternal grandmother, are not religious (my mother and sister being, in fact, atheists) and I enjoyed as secular an upbringing as possible for a Greek. However, I was still exposed to the worldviews of Orthodox Christianity and (mild) Western secularisation, with all that entails. As such, and this being a time before the internet was widespread and easily accessible in Greece, I was ignorant of other religions, especially Pagan ones.

That book on Egyptian magic opened an entirely new world for me. Before I knew it, I found myself offering figs and water to Gods like Dhejuti (Thoth) and Bast, concocting “potions” with surprising results (such as making a “poultice” of sorts with mud and certain plants and grass that exterminated ant nests better than my grandfather’s chemicals), and weaving small spells inspired by that book which worked far better than I hoped or imagined.

This fascination persisted. When I turned 13, I was given a PC as a birthday present, along with an internet connection (I’m talking old dial-up internet, the kind that resulted in conversations like “Get off the phone, I want to check something on the internet!”). I immersed myself in the endless treasure trove of information that is the World Wide Web. I had already read the Da Vinci Code, which sparked my curiousity and fueled my doubts and skepticism towards Christianity. Soon, I decided to research the religion of the ancient Greeks, since we were never taught much beyond mythology at school. What I found enthralled me. I came across a Hellenic polytheist group, YSEE («Ύπατο Συμβούλιο Ελλήνων Εθνικών)», “Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes”), and studied practically everything available on their website. In the meantime, I found out about forums and Wicca. This new realisation that magic is real was almost too good to be true. I dived into the study of polytheism, witchcraft, and magic and I greedily consumed every bit of info I could find. Thanks to wonderful, knowledgeable people, mostly initiates of various Traditions and practices, I managed to shed my “fluffy-bunny fur” early on.

And thus came 2005 and my 14^th birthday. I had already decided that this was my life’s path. In order to make it “official”, I adapted the name-giving ritual from YSEE’s website and retook my given name (Stefanos) with its original, ancient Greek meaning of “garland” or “crown”. I named myself Pagan, polytheist, and Witch, and I dedicated myself to the study and practice of these things.

Around this time, I e-mailed the head of YSEE. I was deeply disappointed as I was treated rather badly; I was told I was “living miasma” because I dabbled in Witchcraft and magic, and because I am gay. This behaviour, along with the obsessively polemic and anti-Christian bias of YSEE, disgusted me so I abandoned it (I was never officially a member but from that point on, I stopped using their material or referring others to them). I ended up spending a few years in complete solitary practice, save for what semblance of community the internet provided.

Then, during 2009, I was hit by a powerful revelation. Three Goddesses – Hekate, Artemis, and Selene – made their desire for me to follow them and dedicate myself to them known.  I  was surprised and intimidated by this, especially by Hekate, whom I had never honoured or worked with before and for whom I even felt fear from what little I knew about Her. I performed many divinations and even requested help from good friends – and much more experienced practitioners. It was made apparent that I was called to devotional practice. However, I was asked to take some time to explore first. This was a truly God-sent message. After some time filled with study, rituals, and meditations, on October 31^st 2009, Artemis and Selene’s call all but disappeared. What remained, although empowered and crystal-clear, was Hekate. She asked that I prepare myself for a year: study Her, know Her, work with Her, experience Her, live Her, and then decide whether to devote myself to Her. Exactly one year later, on October 31^st 2010, I formally dedicated myself to Hekate.

This initiated (pun intended) huge changes and revelations. From that point on, on many occasions, I have felt the guiding hand of the Goddess and Her weaving of intricate plans. This persists even now and I suspect it will never end. Hekate has been the sole most important and deciding factor in my spiritual and religious life. She has shaped and continues to shape, everything about me.

Under Her wing, I found myself venturing forth to make more contacts, meet new people, and experience new things. I approached an Eclectic Pagan group in Athens, which sadly didn’t prove a fitting match. Through Hekate’s work, I got to know other devotees of Hers, and some years later met some here, in Greece. I also found another Hellenic polytheist group, Labrys, and was pleased to find it a much better community than YSEE.

Still, I strayed from all of that. Years of battling anxiety and depression made everything nigh unbearable. Unable to cope with fellow practitioners and co-religionists and even with my deities and spirits, I ended up abandoning almost everything: my practice, my writing, my dreams. The only thing that remained was Hekate’s aid: occasionally, I would have “good periods” when I attempted to regain what I had lost. This only helped to keep me somewhat “up-to-date” spiritually speaking, but that was enough and even necessary, as I recently realized.

The last year-and-a-half has been refreshingly fruitful, though! Thanks to treatment, I’ve been getting my mental issues in order (or, at the very least, making them manageable again) and this has had the positive effect of my being able to reinvigorate my religious practice. Specifically, since Summer 2015, I’ve been in a frenzy of inspiration, revelations, synchronizations, and improvement. My practice is almost entirely recovered and revamped. New aspects are being revealed to me and obstacles I could not overcome in the past are dissolved with barely any effort. In addition, I ended up reconnecting with a number of old friends and religious acquaintances and this has led to me acquiring a modicum of group practice and experience. There are definitely many things waiting for me in that direction.

As my recent posts will tell you, my overall practice is getting organized, cleared up, and stabilized, so to speak. I keep seeing old connections established again, old experiences and skills resurfacing, old knowledge returning and being relevant and useful again. This last year or so has been a time of true spiritual rebirth for me. I pray and hope it will continue and thrive.

That’s the summary of my journey so far. These past 11 years, I’ve gone from a kid half-playing at honouring Egyptian deities, to a teenager building his first polytheistic and magical practices, to hurdles and disappointments and the growing up that comes with late puberty, to a Hekatean devotee learning his place and role in the world, to a NeoHellenic Witch growing into an independent adult to, finally, the Triskelion practitioner, a Pagan, Polytheist, and Witch blessed to be himself. Here’s to further growth, improvement, development and the blessings of the Gods and Spirits!