Pagan Paths

Hellenismos, otherwise known as Greek Reconstructionist Paganism, is the traditional, polytheistic religion of ancient Greece, reconstructed in and adapted to the modern world. It's a vibrant religion which can draw on a surprising amount of ancient sources. Baring the Aegis blogger Elani Temperance blogs about her experiences within this Tradition.

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Trusting the Gods

A lot has changed for me over the last few months. I took the leap of faith needed to finally embrace Hellenismos, I started to blog and now, I have joined PaganSquare as a regular blogger. Especially the last one came as a complete surprise.

I have known for a least a year, I would be transitioning to Hellenismos. It was inevitable. Even when I first started out, I connected almost solely to the Greek pantheon. When I called the God and Goddess, I used the names of the Theoi. The Greek pantheon offered such a beautiful mix of endless power and possibilities, offset with Gods who erred, that I could relate without even trying. It was easy to see why these beings were Gods and how They related to my life. Yet, back then, I was also firmly trustful of the God and Goddess, and letting Them go proved hard.

As I went through my life and progressed from Neo-Wicca to Technopaganism, Hedge Witchcraft and eventually on the Eclectic Religious Witchcraft, I realized that I was heading towards a crossroads. Oh how fitting, that term, because it was Hekate, Goddess of Crossroads, who eventually opened my eyes to the truth I had been denying; if I wanted to properly honor the Theoi, I needed to let go of the Neo-Wiccan framework in which I had been forcing Them, and let Them be their own Gods and Goddesses. I needed to start worshipping Them in a way which They were used to, a way designed especially for Them.

And I did.

From one day onto the next, I left behind everything I had been doing and started a daily, Hellenic, practice. It's been one of the best decisions of my life. Daily practice gives me stability and keeps me ever mindful of the Gods. I have come to realize that much of what I have always done, believed and practiced are close to Hellenismos. This is why the transition was easy. I simply put my faith in the Gods and They showed me that I really did not need to change anything in myself, just in my practice. I already lived my life with Their ethics in mind, I already saw the importance of family, of piety, of a daily connection to the Gods.

Trusting the Gods is not easy, but it's one of the pillars of Hellenismos. To do otherwise would be hubris. As I trusted the Gods when I transitioned into Hellenismos, I also trust Them now, as I join the ever-growing community at Pagan Square. I trust that this is the right thing for me to do at this time and, in the process, I hope to convey some of the fundamentals of Hellenismos to seekers and those who may simply be interested.

Thank you for taking this step with me. Feel free to comment, ask questions and offer any other type of feedback. The Pagan community is endlessly varied and I look forward to sharing with you, my little corner of it.

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Tagged in: Hellenic Hellenismos
Elani Temperance is a twenty-seven year old woman, who lives with her partner in The Netherlands. She has been Pagan for a little over twelve years and has explored Neo-Wicca, Technopaganism, Hedge Witchery and Eclectic Religious Witchcraft before progressing to Hellenismos. Although her home practice is fully Hellenic, she has an online Neo-Pagan magazine called 'Little Witch magazine' (www.littlewitchmagazine.com) in which she and several co-writers try to cover the whole gamut of Neo-Paganism. Baring the Aegis is also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BaringTheAegis

Comments

  • Anne Newkirk Niven
    Anne Newkirk Niven Monday, 30 July 2012

    Welcome, Elani! I'm looking forward to seeing your posts!

  • Elani Temperance
    Elani Temperance Monday, 30 July 2012

    Thank you, Anne! It's a wonderful place to be invited into. I'm looking forward to blogging here!

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