Post by wren on Oct 4, 2006 18:11:19 GMT -5
Author: Urania
www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usxx&c=trads&id=4310
Hellenism (Hellinikos Ethnismos) is an ancient indigenous tradition born and evolved in Hellas (Greece), is not simply a Religion and Cosmotheory, it is a certain form of human consciousness and an everyday ethos and is the most well-documented of the ancient polytheistic nature-Religions. It's above all a political and social "how to" theory that means to "haunt" the Every Day Life with its high principles: Dignity, Freedom, Beauty, Honesty, Variety, Tolerance, Candor...
Hellenism perceives Cosmos (KOSMOS, i.e. the Universe) as an ever-existing Being, which not only was not created by some "creator" God out of nothing (EK TOU MEDENOS), but on the contrary allowed the Gods themselves to be created through its procedures.
Hellenism understands Cosmos as APEIRON (Infinity) in great, wonderful order and therefore in Hellenic language Cosmos means also jewel (KOSMOS, KOSMEMA). Gods were born inside the Cosmos and live inside it -they are part of it. This is our real dispute with the so-called "Monotheism;" not the number of Gods (One or Many, Mono- or Poly-) but where the God or Gods stand in relation to the Cosmos. For the "Monotheists" the Cosmos was created by an ever -existing Being outside it, is a creation that has to obey the laws of its "creator". For us Hellenes, the eternal Cosmos emerges always from inside of itself and is the creator of all Gods, which have to obey its own laws. In the Hellenic Cosmotheory, these laws are :
ANTIPEPONTHOS: Untranslatable into English, but roughly meaning "all events influence others" thought without "cause and effect"
NOMOS: The entirey of the universal physical Laws
ANAGKE: Need and Fate, which all Gods respect and obey
Due to the eternal nature of Cosmos itself, the Hellenic perception of CHRONOS (Time) is not linear, nor circular through the OUROBOROS symbol (the tail-eater snake), but spiral and leading to APEIRON. Through this shape of Time, the annual circles, the lunar circles, the human (and all) life, and the art of Prophecy, are fully interpreted. History is never "repeated", just similar to the point that identical events happen but always under different circumstances. And the death of humans (and of all mortal forms of life) happens as the philosopher Alkmaion declared, simply "because it is impossible for the end of the circle to touch the beginning". In other words, because it is impossible for the old to become infants again.
For the Hellenic Tradition, or at least its part not yet influenced by the "moral" ideas brought over from eastern civilizations by some famous philosophers as Pythagoras and Plato, no such thing as the "karma" of the eastern exists, and no "judges" exist in the skies or elsewhere. All dead become automatically holy and then they are born again until through ARETE (Virtue) one day their PSYCHE escapes from the spiral of Time, thus becoming primitive God, DAIMON (Demon), a word with a positive meaning for Hellenes, in contrast with Judeo-Christian superstition.
Herakles (Hercules) is the ultimate symbol of this struggle of each mortal to make his / her way to Olympus, among the Immortal Ones. Hercules is the ultimate symbol for all Hellenes of the past and the present. No, we do not believe in METEMPSYCHOSIS (Re-incarnation) suffering or prospering in this life to pay for or be rewarded for the bad or good actions of previous lives, but instead simply in PALIGENESIA (Rebirth). This perspective distinguishes us from the theocratic dogmas that terrify their believers with "punishments" e.t.c. We love or hate completely outside the sin/punishment or karmic designs and dualisms. No dualism of "Good and Evil" exists in the Immortal Cosmos, nor such things as the miscellaneous "moralities" that all the dualistic dogmas spread among humanity. We become virtuous only because we choose to be such.
Our Gods are many and we understand them as completing the make-up of the Universal Sphere of Cosmos to its maximum potential and whole. Thus, from the DODEKAEDRON (Dodecahedron), a geometric shape (that fills up the sphere to its maximum) we imagine twelve planes, each one presenting a God inside the Cosmos and we define our Hellenic PANTHEON (PAN TON THEON, All The Gods) as Dodekatheon (Pantheon of The Twelve Gods). The Twelve Gods of ours live inside the Sphere of Cosmos and form its various behaviors. In the same way, the twelve Zodiacs represent twelve "energies" that reach Earth and live inside the humans and animals, thus forming various behaviors as well.
Our Twelve Gods are also called OLYMPIOI (the Olympians) not because, as many want to believe, they dwell on Mt. Olympus, as the mountains with this name numbered not one but eighteen throughout the Hellenic World. This is just a poetic conception, similar to the one that wants god Pan to dwell in the forests of Arcadia.
The word "Olympus" comes from the verb LAMPO (shining). Our Twelve Gods are the "Shining Ones", and the real "Olympus" is not a geographical but a spiritual place, where the Gods really exist. Another fact worth noting is that these Twelve Gods are not the same Twelve Gods for all Hellenes as some leave Dionysos out, some leave Hestia, etc., replacing them with others. It is the number that counts, not the names of the Gods which in any case number in the thousands- and we must underline here that Hellenism honors and worships not only conscious forces and energies of Nature (as almost all Pagan religions do) but also abstract Ideas, such as Harmony, Eunomia (personified Order), Justice, Freedom, Beauty, Tyche (Luck), etc. For Hellenism the Ideas are alive and have form and consciousness; they are real deities that simply show themselves through the functions of the human mind.
A basic ("for beginners") form of invocation of the Twelve Olympian Gods, a Pantheon that was worshiped at least since the 16th Century before the Judeo-Christian Era (they are named U-ru-pa-ja-jo in the Linear B inscription of Pylos), and openly until the 9th Century of our times (when the last remains of worship of the ethnic Hellenic Gods were exterminated in Lakonia, under the persecutions by "Saint" Nikon the so-called "Metanoite" i.e. "Repent") is the following: (The Gods are being invoked in "couples" according to the elements and functions that each "couple" supervises)
Hestia (the power or denization and of common ethos: all invocations start with her named first: " AF' HESTIAS"
The honored God or Goddess of the hellenic lunar month
Hephaistos - Hestia (alternatively: Hermes - Hestia)
Ares - Aphrodite
Apollo - Artemis
Hermes - Athena (alternatively: Hephaistos - Athena)
Poseidon - Demeter
Hera - Zeus
We must emphasize here that the "male" and "female" terms inside the Hellenic Pantheon have nothing to do with the sexism and dualism dwelling in the minds of followers of other cultures. Our Gods have no genitals. The existence of six Gods and six Goddesses inside the Hellenic Pantheon only serves to declare the total balance of all elements and characteristics inside the Sphere of Cosmos. Understanding the structure, nature and distribution of the Cosmos in this way, Hellenism comes in open opposition to one-sided and partial dogmas on Cosmos, such as "Monotheism", "Bitheism" e.t.c. We represent an ethos and a cosmotheory, both deeply admirable, for they NEVER allowed the existence of priestly castes, unquestioning obedience, fear or guilt (Hellenism knows nothing about the word "sin"), dogma, missions, or "sacred" books.
We follow our ancient calendar and festivals. The first day of the month is called Noumenia (new month) and every month is divided in three periods of ten days each. The first 10day period is called Istamenou (beginning month), the second Mesountos (mid month) and the third Legontos (waning month) with backward numbering, the twentieth day of the month is called Tenth Protera (preceding). Every day and every month is dedicated to one or more Gods/Goddesses, the Noumenia is dedicated to Hecate, the 3rd and 13th to Athena, the 4th to Dionysos / Aphrodite, the 6th to Artemis, the 7th to Apollon, the 23rd to Hermes, and the last three days to Khthonian (underground) Gods. We celebrate the annual cycle with seasonal festivals, like most ethnic/pagan traditions do, there are also rites for children naming, wedding, deceased ancestors, and many more.
Usually in our days when performing rituals we honor the same gods and goddesses of the ancient altar/temple where the ritual take place as our ancestors did thousand years ago (we are "lucky" to have "several ruins" of ancient temples and holy places scattered all over Greece, saved form religious destruction), also there are several common festivals for all Hellenes which represent ancient heroic acts (like the battles in Thermopylai, Marathon, and Salamina) and heroes are honored (like Leonidas).
Philosophy (which means lover of wisdom or truth) is an inseparable part of Hellenic Tradition and every one who follows this tradition must study and LEARN what philosophy is and "USE" it for her/his evolution and understanding of Divine/Cosmic laws. There are several philosophical paths which explore Nature, Cosmos and man's relation to them from different aspects and qualities (like Stoicism). Stoicism notes that is irrational to want that which is not God's will, so attune thyself with thy inner Nature and live happily.
The major Tenets of Stoicism are:
One to live in accord with Nature; worldly Nature and human nature.
The Unity of All; all gods; all substance; all virtue; all mankind into a Cosmopolis (Universal City).
That the external world is maintained by the natural interchange of opposites (poioun / yin, paskhon / yang)
That everyone has a personal, individual connection to the All; a god within.
That every soul has Free Will to act and that the action of the soul is opinion.
Simple Living through moderation and frugality.
That spiritual growth comes from seeking the good.
That Virtue is the sole good, Vice the sole evil, and everything else indifferent.
That the Cardinal Virtues are Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance.
That the path to personal happiness and inner peace is through the extinguishing of all desire to have or to affect things beyond ones control and through living for the present without hope for or fear of the future; beyond the power of opinion.
The sequential reabsorption and recreation of the Universe by the Central Fire; the Conflagration.
There are several organizations or groups (mostly in Greece) which are autonomous and since 1997 an organization (Supreme Council of the Gentile Hellenes) was founded aiming to defend, study and restore the Ethnic, Polytheistic Hellenic Tradition, Religion and Way in contemporary Greek society. Up till today, SCGH has sent more than 130 protests through letters to the Press and the Authorities, and have organized open, public rituals in ancestral holy sites throughout Greece, despite the intolerance of the Greek Church.
The SCGH is an umbrella organization fighting for the Hellenic Dignity in a country totally dominated by an intolerant culture and Cosmotheory, not only individuals but also Hellenic groups (that keep their autonomy though) and Hellenic journals participate in it.
SCGH is a founding member of the World Congress Of Ethnic Religions (W.C.E.R.).
Declaration signed from all members of WCER
All cultures as well as native religions and faiths should be equally valued and respected Each region and each people have their distinctive local traditions (native faith, world outlook, mythology, folklore etc.) which articulate their love of their land and history, and cultivate a regard for the sacredness of all life and the divinity of Nature. Just as Nature survives through a wide variety of species, so can humanity be allowed to develop freely and without interference along a wide variety of cultural expressions.
We share a common understanding of our position in the world, based upon our common historical experience of oppression and intolerance. Ethnic and/or "Pagan" religions have suffered great injury and destruction in the past from religions claiming they possess the only truth. It is our sincere wish to live in peace and harmony, and to strive for cooperation with the followers of all other religions, faiths and beliefs.
We believe that the dawn of a new era of individual and intellectual freedom and global exchange of views and information gives us an opportunity to start again to return to our own native spiritual roots in order to re-claim our religious heritage.
We are worshippers of Nature just as most of mankind has been for the greater part of human history.
True indigenous religions should give us love and respect for all that we see and feel around, to accept all forms of worship which emphasize sincere hearts, pure thoughts and noble conduct at every moment of our life, towards all that exists.
Let us be proud of our reborn ethnic religions. Our new Universalism induces people not to remain closed within walls of hatred and jealousy against those who are not inside our walls. Let us break these walls and expand the horizon and vision of the whole humanity.
WCER's motto is "Unity in Diversity" and is categorically opposed to discrimination, suppression or persecution based on race, color, social class, religion or national origin.
www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usxx&c=trads&id=4310
Hellenism (Hellinikos Ethnismos) is an ancient indigenous tradition born and evolved in Hellas (Greece), is not simply a Religion and Cosmotheory, it is a certain form of human consciousness and an everyday ethos and is the most well-documented of the ancient polytheistic nature-Religions. It's above all a political and social "how to" theory that means to "haunt" the Every Day Life with its high principles: Dignity, Freedom, Beauty, Honesty, Variety, Tolerance, Candor...
Hellenism perceives Cosmos (KOSMOS, i.e. the Universe) as an ever-existing Being, which not only was not created by some "creator" God out of nothing (EK TOU MEDENOS), but on the contrary allowed the Gods themselves to be created through its procedures.
Hellenism understands Cosmos as APEIRON (Infinity) in great, wonderful order and therefore in Hellenic language Cosmos means also jewel (KOSMOS, KOSMEMA). Gods were born inside the Cosmos and live inside it -they are part of it. This is our real dispute with the so-called "Monotheism;" not the number of Gods (One or Many, Mono- or Poly-) but where the God or Gods stand in relation to the Cosmos. For the "Monotheists" the Cosmos was created by an ever -existing Being outside it, is a creation that has to obey the laws of its "creator". For us Hellenes, the eternal Cosmos emerges always from inside of itself and is the creator of all Gods, which have to obey its own laws. In the Hellenic Cosmotheory, these laws are :
ANTIPEPONTHOS: Untranslatable into English, but roughly meaning "all events influence others" thought without "cause and effect"
NOMOS: The entirey of the universal physical Laws
ANAGKE: Need and Fate, which all Gods respect and obey
Due to the eternal nature of Cosmos itself, the Hellenic perception of CHRONOS (Time) is not linear, nor circular through the OUROBOROS symbol (the tail-eater snake), but spiral and leading to APEIRON. Through this shape of Time, the annual circles, the lunar circles, the human (and all) life, and the art of Prophecy, are fully interpreted. History is never "repeated", just similar to the point that identical events happen but always under different circumstances. And the death of humans (and of all mortal forms of life) happens as the philosopher Alkmaion declared, simply "because it is impossible for the end of the circle to touch the beginning". In other words, because it is impossible for the old to become infants again.
For the Hellenic Tradition, or at least its part not yet influenced by the "moral" ideas brought over from eastern civilizations by some famous philosophers as Pythagoras and Plato, no such thing as the "karma" of the eastern exists, and no "judges" exist in the skies or elsewhere. All dead become automatically holy and then they are born again until through ARETE (Virtue) one day their PSYCHE escapes from the spiral of Time, thus becoming primitive God, DAIMON (Demon), a word with a positive meaning for Hellenes, in contrast with Judeo-Christian superstition.
Herakles (Hercules) is the ultimate symbol of this struggle of each mortal to make his / her way to Olympus, among the Immortal Ones. Hercules is the ultimate symbol for all Hellenes of the past and the present. No, we do not believe in METEMPSYCHOSIS (Re-incarnation) suffering or prospering in this life to pay for or be rewarded for the bad or good actions of previous lives, but instead simply in PALIGENESIA (Rebirth). This perspective distinguishes us from the theocratic dogmas that terrify their believers with "punishments" e.t.c. We love or hate completely outside the sin/punishment or karmic designs and dualisms. No dualism of "Good and Evil" exists in the Immortal Cosmos, nor such things as the miscellaneous "moralities" that all the dualistic dogmas spread among humanity. We become virtuous only because we choose to be such.
Our Gods are many and we understand them as completing the make-up of the Universal Sphere of Cosmos to its maximum potential and whole. Thus, from the DODEKAEDRON (Dodecahedron), a geometric shape (that fills up the sphere to its maximum) we imagine twelve planes, each one presenting a God inside the Cosmos and we define our Hellenic PANTHEON (PAN TON THEON, All The Gods) as Dodekatheon (Pantheon of The Twelve Gods). The Twelve Gods of ours live inside the Sphere of Cosmos and form its various behaviors. In the same way, the twelve Zodiacs represent twelve "energies" that reach Earth and live inside the humans and animals, thus forming various behaviors as well.
Our Twelve Gods are also called OLYMPIOI (the Olympians) not because, as many want to believe, they dwell on Mt. Olympus, as the mountains with this name numbered not one but eighteen throughout the Hellenic World. This is just a poetic conception, similar to the one that wants god Pan to dwell in the forests of Arcadia.
The word "Olympus" comes from the verb LAMPO (shining). Our Twelve Gods are the "Shining Ones", and the real "Olympus" is not a geographical but a spiritual place, where the Gods really exist. Another fact worth noting is that these Twelve Gods are not the same Twelve Gods for all Hellenes as some leave Dionysos out, some leave Hestia, etc., replacing them with others. It is the number that counts, not the names of the Gods which in any case number in the thousands- and we must underline here that Hellenism honors and worships not only conscious forces and energies of Nature (as almost all Pagan religions do) but also abstract Ideas, such as Harmony, Eunomia (personified Order), Justice, Freedom, Beauty, Tyche (Luck), etc. For Hellenism the Ideas are alive and have form and consciousness; they are real deities that simply show themselves through the functions of the human mind.
A basic ("for beginners") form of invocation of the Twelve Olympian Gods, a Pantheon that was worshiped at least since the 16th Century before the Judeo-Christian Era (they are named U-ru-pa-ja-jo in the Linear B inscription of Pylos), and openly until the 9th Century of our times (when the last remains of worship of the ethnic Hellenic Gods were exterminated in Lakonia, under the persecutions by "Saint" Nikon the so-called "Metanoite" i.e. "Repent") is the following: (The Gods are being invoked in "couples" according to the elements and functions that each "couple" supervises)
Hestia (the power or denization and of common ethos: all invocations start with her named first: " AF' HESTIAS"
The honored God or Goddess of the hellenic lunar month
Hephaistos - Hestia (alternatively: Hermes - Hestia)
Ares - Aphrodite
Apollo - Artemis
Hermes - Athena (alternatively: Hephaistos - Athena)
Poseidon - Demeter
Hera - Zeus
We must emphasize here that the "male" and "female" terms inside the Hellenic Pantheon have nothing to do with the sexism and dualism dwelling in the minds of followers of other cultures. Our Gods have no genitals. The existence of six Gods and six Goddesses inside the Hellenic Pantheon only serves to declare the total balance of all elements and characteristics inside the Sphere of Cosmos. Understanding the structure, nature and distribution of the Cosmos in this way, Hellenism comes in open opposition to one-sided and partial dogmas on Cosmos, such as "Monotheism", "Bitheism" e.t.c. We represent an ethos and a cosmotheory, both deeply admirable, for they NEVER allowed the existence of priestly castes, unquestioning obedience, fear or guilt (Hellenism knows nothing about the word "sin"), dogma, missions, or "sacred" books.
We follow our ancient calendar and festivals. The first day of the month is called Noumenia (new month) and every month is divided in three periods of ten days each. The first 10day period is called Istamenou (beginning month), the second Mesountos (mid month) and the third Legontos (waning month) with backward numbering, the twentieth day of the month is called Tenth Protera (preceding). Every day and every month is dedicated to one or more Gods/Goddesses, the Noumenia is dedicated to Hecate, the 3rd and 13th to Athena, the 4th to Dionysos / Aphrodite, the 6th to Artemis, the 7th to Apollon, the 23rd to Hermes, and the last three days to Khthonian (underground) Gods. We celebrate the annual cycle with seasonal festivals, like most ethnic/pagan traditions do, there are also rites for children naming, wedding, deceased ancestors, and many more.
Usually in our days when performing rituals we honor the same gods and goddesses of the ancient altar/temple where the ritual take place as our ancestors did thousand years ago (we are "lucky" to have "several ruins" of ancient temples and holy places scattered all over Greece, saved form religious destruction), also there are several common festivals for all Hellenes which represent ancient heroic acts (like the battles in Thermopylai, Marathon, and Salamina) and heroes are honored (like Leonidas).
Philosophy (which means lover of wisdom or truth) is an inseparable part of Hellenic Tradition and every one who follows this tradition must study and LEARN what philosophy is and "USE" it for her/his evolution and understanding of Divine/Cosmic laws. There are several philosophical paths which explore Nature, Cosmos and man's relation to them from different aspects and qualities (like Stoicism). Stoicism notes that is irrational to want that which is not God's will, so attune thyself with thy inner Nature and live happily.
The major Tenets of Stoicism are:
One to live in accord with Nature; worldly Nature and human nature.
The Unity of All; all gods; all substance; all virtue; all mankind into a Cosmopolis (Universal City).
That the external world is maintained by the natural interchange of opposites (poioun / yin, paskhon / yang)
That everyone has a personal, individual connection to the All; a god within.
That every soul has Free Will to act and that the action of the soul is opinion.
Simple Living through moderation and frugality.
That spiritual growth comes from seeking the good.
That Virtue is the sole good, Vice the sole evil, and everything else indifferent.
That the Cardinal Virtues are Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance.
That the path to personal happiness and inner peace is through the extinguishing of all desire to have or to affect things beyond ones control and through living for the present without hope for or fear of the future; beyond the power of opinion.
The sequential reabsorption and recreation of the Universe by the Central Fire; the Conflagration.
There are several organizations or groups (mostly in Greece) which are autonomous and since 1997 an organization (Supreme Council of the Gentile Hellenes) was founded aiming to defend, study and restore the Ethnic, Polytheistic Hellenic Tradition, Religion and Way in contemporary Greek society. Up till today, SCGH has sent more than 130 protests through letters to the Press and the Authorities, and have organized open, public rituals in ancestral holy sites throughout Greece, despite the intolerance of the Greek Church.
The SCGH is an umbrella organization fighting for the Hellenic Dignity in a country totally dominated by an intolerant culture and Cosmotheory, not only individuals but also Hellenic groups (that keep their autonomy though) and Hellenic journals participate in it.
SCGH is a founding member of the World Congress Of Ethnic Religions (W.C.E.R.).
Declaration signed from all members of WCER
All cultures as well as native religions and faiths should be equally valued and respected Each region and each people have their distinctive local traditions (native faith, world outlook, mythology, folklore etc.) which articulate their love of their land and history, and cultivate a regard for the sacredness of all life and the divinity of Nature. Just as Nature survives through a wide variety of species, so can humanity be allowed to develop freely and without interference along a wide variety of cultural expressions.
We share a common understanding of our position in the world, based upon our common historical experience of oppression and intolerance. Ethnic and/or "Pagan" religions have suffered great injury and destruction in the past from religions claiming they possess the only truth. It is our sincere wish to live in peace and harmony, and to strive for cooperation with the followers of all other religions, faiths and beliefs.
We believe that the dawn of a new era of individual and intellectual freedom and global exchange of views and information gives us an opportunity to start again to return to our own native spiritual roots in order to re-claim our religious heritage.
We are worshippers of Nature just as most of mankind has been for the greater part of human history.
True indigenous religions should give us love and respect for all that we see and feel around, to accept all forms of worship which emphasize sincere hearts, pure thoughts and noble conduct at every moment of our life, towards all that exists.
Let us be proud of our reborn ethnic religions. Our new Universalism induces people not to remain closed within walls of hatred and jealousy against those who are not inside our walls. Let us break these walls and expand the horizon and vision of the whole humanity.
WCER's motto is "Unity in Diversity" and is categorically opposed to discrimination, suppression or persecution based on race, color, social class, religion or national origin.