Heat and Hellenic Practices

I'm going to make this a short post as I'm dead tired and I don't really have time. So a couple of years ago I asked about LED candles during the hot months when all you want to do is get next to a AC and not leave. The people on the blog made it clear that LED candles weren't Hellenic and that they weren't allowed in Hellenic practices. Burning candles were the only acceptable thing for the gods. Can you imagine someone burning candles in 90 degree heat with no AC on, sweat dripping from your face.

And sometimes that sweat going right into the food that your offering, which you will most likely eat. My stomach just rolls at that thought. So what have I learned from that one mention of LED candles? The thing is that we don't live in a country where there's such a thing as mild weather. We live in a country, and world, that's going through Climate Change and rising temps. So should you have an LED candle on. Yes, you should.

I've seen photo's of people's altars with LED candles on. They seem very happy with the idea of having these little miracles of modern invention, something that is under the domain of Hephaestus, twinkling merrily away. And while we are reconstructionist, I don't believe that we should do everything 'like the Greeks did.' I believe there is room for change. The heat is something that always leaves me with a heat headache. Or worst, a migraine!

Do I need to put myself in that position of getting one, and later on getting sick, just so that I can do things 'like the Greeks did?' LED candles is a great way to have a candle burning without burning up yourself. On the topic of offerings during the hot months. If you don't want to burn incense, because it just makes your room hotter, then just go outside and pour a liquid libation to the gods. They will understand and I believe have no problem with it.

Happy Memorial Day

So today is Memorial Day, a day that we honor those that have died for our country. This is also the perfect holiday to honor both Athena and Ares, who are both connected to war. I will be doing a Hellenic ritual, during the day, to honor both gods and give an offering to those that have died for our freedoms. I will post a small photo of my Memorial Day ritual set-up later on today. Do have good Memorial Day and may Ares and Athena bless all that wear the uniform.

Another Greek Book by Rick Riordan

Well once again Rick Riordan is back with another book that has the Greek gods in it. It's going to be part of a five book series that suppose to put a cap on Percy Jackson's world. Apparently you can anger Zeus to the point that you get punished by being made mortal. We know that Zeus punished Apollo for trying to get him removed from his throne. He joined other gods when Hera wanted to kick Zeus off his throne for, I can't remember the reason.

I bought the book in e-book format on Friday and I'm just starting to read it. I do intend to do a book review once I'm done. Here's the photo. It should be a ton of fun.

You Don't Have to Offer Wine

One of the things that I noticed, going back to the Hellenic book that I bought last year, was the use of wine to most of the gods. Wine this and wine that! What if your a Hellenist that is under the age of 21 or even someone that is against drinking wine or even touching it? These people do exist and I think that it's only fair that they shouldn't be force to give wine just because a group in Greece says that wine must be given.

Wine was given to most Greek deities. Especially Dionysus! When you read a book from other there, and see that wine is to be offered, it's important to understand that they are telling you what was given to the gods back then. And I will admit that they do follow what was given, minus offerings that can't be obtained. Over here we have people that are recovering from abusing wine, beer, and other 'spirits.' We can't expect them to give wine when they have had problems with it in the past.

I think that water, milk, even grape juice would be a good substitute for wine. I don't believe that the gods are expecting you to give them wine just because it was given way back when. It's what you can give them that's more important. Personally this argument can be said about animal sacrifice. Even though it was done back then doesn't mean that the gods expect you to buy a large bull and sacrifice it to Zeus.

We live in the here and now. And not in the past!

My Hellenic Altar for May

So I"m going to show you my Hellenic altar for this month. It will change with each month.

My Artemis and Hephaestus Arrived

I was going to post this two months ago, but things happened that caused that not to happen. I ordered my mini Artemis and Hephaestus from Greece and it took a month for me to get it. So I got it in March. I'm going to include a photo of what they both look like since my camera sucks on taking photo's. And anything else for that matter.

Yes, Let's Think About the Children

So this seems to be something that's going around the blog world and so I decided that I would add my own to this discussion. There was an article that was done on Polytheist Pride. I do hope that I have gotten the title of the post correct. I really hate not doing it right. Anyway, the most controversial Heathen, and she is, talked about a woman that is a Hellenist that doesn't have a Polytheistic home and will not be raising her child in the religion.

So without turning this into a thirty-five hundred word blog post I want to talk about a few things that came up on the post. First of all, I agree that she should have shame. If you don't teach your child our ways then what's the point in what your doing? The big problem is that this comes from a neo-pagan misunderstanding of teaching your child your ways and forcing your child to follow your ways. Of course what they view as forced is most likely not even close to forced.

What Jeffs did is forced!

Another thing that they say is that they want their child to have a choice and so they don't raise them in their religion. They want them to have freedom to choose for themselves. I really find this a hard thing to even understand. What if your child wants to pray with you, get to know the gods? Are you really going to deny them that right? Are you going to wait until that child is an adult before you allow them to take part. By that time, they want nothing to do with your religion and are on a different path.

Of course you'll say 'this is what the god/goddess wanted them to do.' Instead of owning up to the fact that it was your fault that they don't follow your religion. You can go off and feel good that you didn't 'force' your religion on them. I hope you enjoy your false, feel good, feeling that you get at that. Though I will tell you that the gods won't be impressed.

I also agree that if we don't teach our children, our ways, that our religion will wither on the vine and die. This is how Christianity won. They denied parents the right to teach their children the ways of the gods, to do ritual, and they were all forced to go to church. This caused a break in tradition and the end of pagan belief. Having your child pray with you, burn incense, and learn about the gods isn't forcing religion on your child. Your continuing how the ancients did things.

Heck Heathens do the same thing and the reason that they do this is that they don't want their child to become a Christian or a atheist. Or worse, a anti-theist that has no respect for his, or her, parents. Another argument that was made was that I don't want my child marginalized. Oh I'm not sorry that you feel that way. Your job is to raise your child to be the best person that they can be. Including, and not limited to, religion.

Having your child raised as a Polytheist makes them stronger. Polytheism doesn't deny science and reasoning. In-fact the ancients created science. It was this science, and learning, that was deemed demonic to the church and outlawed. It was only when the church discovered that 'hay, people need to know things' that learning was allowed. But it was only the rich that could afford to learn and not the poor.

I'm also going to agree that other groups are marginalized in the world. But they still teach their children their religion. So why shouldn't we? 

Got Around to Getting a Hecate Statue

So two months ago I decided to buy a Hecate statue. I wanted a statue that stood up and didn't require me to put anything behind it. So I found one that had Greek clothes and looked better than the other ones that were out there. Trust me, some of the statues that I've seen are good but one is just beyond horrible. Trust me, you don't want this version of Hecate on your altar.



I still don't understand the need to have some horrible Neo-pagan representation of Hecate on your altar that will make fellow Hellenists wonder what the heck were you thinking. I also bought her (no, not the one that is above) because Hecate is a household goddess and I wanted to have a household goddess on my Hellenic altar. So I chose this one.

 


I will say that this has to be the best representation of Hecate that I've ever found.  I'm glad that I bought this statue and I just love everything about her. From her dress to the hounds.

I'm Back!

I know that it's been several months since I blogged and I'm very sorry. Things just happened and I really didn't have time to do much of anything. Yes, I know, it's a lame excuse but what can you say. I will be trying to blog more on here and hopefully have more interesting articles. I will be coming back onto my Youtube channel and doing more video's. Though I will tell you that they have to be important for me to do video's on.

Thanks for sticking around.