Sacrifices to Kourotrophus, Athena Polias, Aglaurus, Zeus Polieus, Poseidon

So I checked all the posts that I made in the nearly three years that I've had this blog and I noticed that I didn't do a blog post for these festivals. So tonight we will be honoring the Kourotrophus, which I've covered before. It's Hecate and the other two goddess that you see in the triple headed statues that are usually on Wiccan altars. We also honor Poseidon, Aglaurus, who jumped off a cliff, this is the daughter of the mother that had the same name, for not heading the warning of the goddess Athena. Athena Polias, who's temple is known as the Erechtheion. and Zeus Polieus, who was the protector of the city.

Of course his temple hasn't been found.

So we honor them, along with our general offering to Athena, and we pour libation, burn incense, and give offerings. I hope that you all have a good one and may the gods bless you. 

The Athenian month of Skirophorion Begins (2016)

Tonight, at sundown, starts the last month of the Athenian year, Skirophorion. This has been a very interesting year and I'm glad that it's ending. So here are the holidays and festivals.

June 5: Nourmia
June 6: Agathos Daemon
June 7: Honoring Athena and Sacrifices to Kourotrophus, Athena Polias, Aglaurus, Zeus Polieus, and Poseidon.
June 8: Honoring Eros, Heracles, Hermes, Aphrodite
June 10: Honoring Artemis
June 11: Honoring Apollo/Libations to Zeus.
June 12: Honoring Poseidon and Theseus
June 16: Skira
June 18: Bouphonia
June 20: Full Moon (Honoring Hecate, Selene, and Artemis)
July 4: New Moon: Hena Kai Nea (Honoring Hecate)

Have a good month.

Hena Kai Nea (June 2016)

Once again the New Moon is upon us and it's time to honor Hecate and clean our homes up. Since I'm still recovering from shopping I will be making my ritual a short one. And this blog as well. I hope that you all will have a good New Moon and may Hecate bless all of you.

My Hellenic Altar for June

So I'm getting this out for the month of June. My completed June altar. The only thing that's changing is the Athena mini statue that I have on there. I was doing my ritual to her last night.

Attack of Mice

So this is going to be a short blog post as I have a busy day and don't have much time to really do anything that's not what has to be done today. I use to have barley, use to use it for offerings. Well, guess what? A little thing called a mouse discovered that I had barley and decided to eat through the bag and get into it. I'm going to get a tiny metal box on the third, along with two Greek mini statues, and I'm going to buy a new bag of barley and keep it in there.

And, yes, I've seen the little replica of Steward Little. And guess what, he isn't cute! And the freaky part, he looks right at me with those greedy little eyes and that twitchy little nose, saying, "I'm coming for your barley." I had to throw the whole bag out and I haven't even attempted to buy another bag. He's going to get his someday, I swear he will.

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.