I am also thinking about my own birthday, and about the books I am going to request. This is a usual thing for me to post around any gift giving time of year. xD
I want:
- The oxford dictionary of classical myth and religion
- More plays, probably Aeschylus or Aristophanes
-A book on the role of women in ancient greece
The latter is a result of me wishing to read a little more on the subject of greek culture generally, but I don't know what books are good on the subject. So if anybody has any suggestions please let me know!
I also want to subscribe to Hellenion. I say that lots, but this year I'd be a full member and not a minor; so it would definitely be worth the money (which is a tiny amount anyway).
It has been a month since I made the resolution to try harder in all areas of my practice. So far this has been going very well. I'm taking things slowly and building a coherent practice from the ground up. All this really took was a change of outlook, discipline and taking small steps as appropriate.
Like far too many before me, I started practicing in what I believe is the wrong order. I focused on festivals, and to a much lesser extent, learning about deities and subjects that (whilst being useful) were not relevant to my daily life. It has taken two years of working backwards from that, to get to a point where I can begin to move forwards.
I am focusing on an integrated daily practice and household worship that I can do on a regular basis in a simple and rewarding manner. By establishing this vital core I can begin to branch out, and not fall off the wagon. I already knew what I had to do, I just had to have the discipline to do it.
Now, my practice has become as commonplace as brushing my teeth. Plus, I look forward to the part of the day when I can do my ritual, it is a time free from the other stresses of daily life, and a source of comfort. As each aspect of my religious life becomes stable, I can then begin to work on the other aspects.
This is helping me as a person too. I am happier when my spiritual life is in check, I am more emotionally balanced etc.
I'm happy that the problem I experienced when starting out is now starting to become less commonplace. In just two years the amount of information on household practices have increased tenfold. There are more resources available specifically for the hellenic polytheist community online, and there are even books in the works. This makes me happy!! ^_^
-Did one of my household worship rituals, additionally honouring Hermes, Athene, Aphrodite + Dionysos.
-Did another, also honouring Hermes, Athene and Aphrodite.
-Poured a libation to Aphrodite.
-Did a ritual in honour of Poseidon (and Amphitrite).
If anyone wants to add my regular life journal, its
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patch99329 ^_^I have been posting weekly blogs about my practice as an aid for myself. This has been going well; I really am doing a whole lot more in a week, and some of my househod rituals are become second nature and a source of comfort. This is something that I have wanted all along.
The next stage is to work on my monthly observances.
The beginning of the month is quite hectic for me because quite a few of the gods I honour have holy days within a short space of time, and before those there is the Noumenia and Hekate's Deipnon.
2nd- The Agathos Daimon
3rd-Athene
4th-Hermes
8th-Poseidon
9th-Persephone
I haven't always been good at always observing these days, and when I do, it is a ritual in the evening or something.
But now, I am going to try and make the entire day about them. I'll still do my evening ritual, but in the day I'm going to do little things to help keep my mind on the god in question. In this way, I hope to be more focused and generally enjoy the day more, and of course; shower a more appropriate level of devotion than I have in the past.
-Did one of my daily rituals (Household gods are honoured along with all the gods, the olympians and gods of my choice) honouring Hermes and Athene as thanks for help with an interview.
-Honoured Hermes on the 4th of the month, as he is honoured on that day.
-Poured a libation for Aphrodite.
I missed alot of days holy to certain gods at the beginning of this month, and didn't do all that much this week. Revision sucks.
I am honouring the gods I missed at a later date ^_^
Really, I love you American folks very dearly; but it's nice to be able to relate to people about rainy old britain. :D
-Did one of my general household rituals (see previous post, I honour several household gods, the olympians, and all the gods.) and honoured Zeus Ikmaios for the snow, and Aphrodite.
-Did another one of my rituals, and honoured Hermes as the protector of travelers.
-Poured a libation in thanks to Aphrodite.
-Did another household ritual, and honoured Zeus as averter of pollution, and Hekate.
-Cleaned and cleansed all my shrines of miasma with the help of the above deities.
-Observes Hekate's deipnon, praying for protection of my household, and the protection of those less fortunate that myself.
-Observed the Noumenia; honouring Selene, Apollo noumenios, the Agathos daimon, Hestia and others.
-Did a short ritua for Dionysos.
-Began reading 'Orestes' by Euripides.
In entirely unrelated news...there are 3 squirrels in my garden. ^_^
Myths are good for gaining a basic understanding of the gods, but they are so fantastical (and often set in a completely different age) that they tell you little about actual cultural ideas and religious practice.
Philosophy is hepful when developing a coherent worldview, or contemplating the nature of things. But the average person in ancient times was not a philosopher, and neither are most people today. Philosophy again, does not tell you -how- to practice, and is not necessarily a reflection of the mainstream culture and ideas at the time.
Other sources can be much more useful, if you read between the lines a little. I've recently been reading alot of tragedies and plays, and peppered throughout all the drama are mentions of the mundane. The characters refer to basic rituals and customs often, just by looking at how the characters interact, and what they say to each other; you can begin to understand some of the views held by the majority at the time (role of women, the place of marriage in society etc).
Texts written by ancient historians are similarly useful. They often comment on the customs of the people around them.
I have my classics lessons to thank for my interest in these texts, we read them in class (currently, we're studying the Persian wars) and I end up making notes for my own personal use alongside those about Xerxes or Darius. :D
I've read Herodotus, Aristophanes and Aeschylus, and this year we're reading many more. I plan to purchase the other plays by Aeschylus and Aristophanes at some point to read in my own time.
Arghh, fuck off, I hate everyone. *dies*
How do I turn off email notifications temporarily? To stop me smashing up my laptop.
- Did my 'general home worship' ritual that I try to do a few times a week. In this ritual I offer incense to all of the gods, then light a candle for the twelve olympians (recalling each of them by name), then pour a libation to Hestia, the Agathos Daimon, Household spirits, a god of my choice and then all of the gods.
-This week the gods of my choice were Athene in the first ritual, Dionysos and Hestia in the second later in the week.
-In the thirty minutes after the ritual in which I spend time sitting and thinking, I finished reading Euripedes' 'Phonecian women', which was good.
-I did a short ritual in honor of Dionysos.
-Prayed to Hermes numerous times for safe travel in the MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SNOW! I owe him some nice things for all his help. ^_^
-Prayed to Aphrodite. Whom I owe a libation.
Once a week or so, I'll make a small post, probably of little interest to anyone else; about what I have done to honour the gods that week.
If I have nothing to write, I haven't done enough.
This year my resolution is to really strive for excellence. I have to try so much harder than I have done so far in my worship. And I have to start living my values more and more each day.
Christmas is a family time, we always go to my Nan's for christmas dinner with family on my mothers side, and later move on to my aunts house for the night with my fathers side. The morning can often be quite stressful because my cousins are very young and hyperactive, and there is tension between certain members of the family.
So, for the past two years I have prayed to Hestia in the morning to ease family conflicts and for everybody to have a good day.
Both years, it worked. In conclusion, Hestia FTW. :3
In other news, I am now beginning to plan some festivals that will be occurring over the next few weeks. The first is lesser (rural) Dionysia, which I will celebrate on new years eve in conjunction with those festivities. In the days leading up to it I'm reading Euripides' Bacchae, because it is about him.
This will mark the beginning of a very Dionysos heavy season. It's been this way for several years now completely by accident. Several major festivals of his occur over the next few months, and it's difficult not to have him in my thoughts.
Today is 'sunset'. The time when Helios is descending into the underworld.
It is a day of remembering what has passed (both good and bad) this last year, and saying farewell to Helios. It is also a time of gratitude.
This morning, I greeted Helios and rosy-fingered Eos for the last time on his descent.
Later, I say farewell and express thanks for all the good things that have occured.
This has been a pretty amazing year. Some truly awesome things have happened, and some pretty damn bad things too. So many things have happened, that this year is quite probably the most important year of my life so far.
I have developed new relationships that are incredibly special to me, and strengthened old ones. Other relationships have ended or changed; but only for the better.
I encourage all of you to think about what has occured this last year, even if you do not celebrate.
I am working on my plans for Heliogenna currently!
As of last sunday, I have been a hellenic polytheist for two years now. That makes me happy. ^_^
There has been some good conversation on E-mail lists i'm subscribed to recently. Enjoyable reading!
I don't spend much time in the wider 'community' anymore because I can do without petty fighting. Now I avoid eclectic-y pagan circles simply because we don't have much in common and i'm thus uninspired to join in, and the militant 'omg evry1 iz doin it wrooong exzept meee' recons.
Instead I've just been lurking a whole lot in recon circles (ones that are full of regular recons that are normal people, not the above types haha). I may actually start taking part eventually, but...meh.
In addition, I'm considering becoming a member of Hellenion; for the resources if nothing else. But I'm not sure whether to become a member now, or wait until march!
Offered a rose scented candle, lavenadar incense, green tea and a hymn.
Now, I'm planning a festival that will happen in about a weeks time. It will honour her descent to the underworld, along with Hermes, Hekate and Hades.
Currently I have about 4 different versions of the Hades/Persephone myth in front of me to work with, and plan to read them all before designing a ritual. But I'm not complaining, because it is my favourite myth. ^_^
This is part of my project to fine tune a ritual calendar, and follow the cycles of particular gods I honour (if applicable of course).
Reccomendations, anyone? Anything hellenic pagany, or anything scholarly about paganism/ indo european religions/ ancient greece.
So far, I wish to get 'kissing the limitless' by T. Thorn Coyle. OK, this book fits none of the catagories above, but Thorn is a pretty awesome woman!
Today, I saw 'The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion' for just £3 at the garden centre. It pains me to say I was about 30p short!! It would have been an impulse buy, but I think it would have been worth it? Does anybody have this?
I'll get it soon!
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On a different note, I have about £6 worth of loose change that has been offered to Hermes. Now that I have changed the money box that I use for him to a little clay vase; i'm looking to get rid of this.
It's the poppy appeal time of year, so I'm thinking about just finding the nearest poppy money box and putting it all in there. xD
