Hellinic - Newbie Trying to Learn

[MorganaRaven]

/Hello, I am new to the entire concept of Hellenism(I had no idea that following the Greek Pantheon was so in depth). I was previously just focused on learning about Wicca, but have come to find out so much more about what I believe in and wish to follow and do. I am looking for someone who practices witchcraft as well as follows Hellenism and is willing and able to help me find out where I can go to learn more though books or teach me themselves.

[Figment99]

/Hello, I am new to the entire concept of Hellenism(I had no idea that following the Greek Pantheon was so in depth). I was previously just focused on learning about Wicca, but have come to find out so much more about what I believe in and wish to follow and do. I am looking for someone who practices witchcraft as well as follows Hellenism and is willing and able to help me find out where I can go to learn more though books or teach me themselves.

Hi Morgana,
Yes Hellenism can be very complicated if you let it. It depends a lot on which aspect you wish to follow and practice. A site and group I recommend is Hellenion. They have a couple of different yahoo groups and facebook. Recently they did an online live stream ritual. Here is the site if you are interested. http://www.hellenion.org/

Personally, I honor the Greek deities, I pour libations, give offerings, read the myths, but I don't get more in-depth than that. There are many here that are way more knowledgeable than I am, but if you do have any questions I can always try to help, especially when it comes to the different deities. I enjoy doing that kind of research.

Good luck on your journey.

[Louisvillian]

I am looking for someone who practices witchcraft as well as follows Hellenism and is willing and able to help me find out where I can go to learn more though books or teach me themselves.

I have practiced Witchcraft in the past, and in a certain sense I nominally am still open to it. My main religion, however, is a syncretic Roman reconstructionism, wherein I also worship certain Greek gods and certain Celtic gods. I have also previously operated in a strictly Hellenic path, but it just wasn't for me; my religious leanings, while reconstructionist in method, draw me to more than one pantheon and culture.

I can recommend a few resources. First off, learn what you can about ancient Greek religion. Not just the myths, but the culture and history and practices. Walter Burkert is an academic titan in that regard, and his book Greek Religion is pretty damn seminal. Karl Kerenyi's works are also useful. Read the ancient myths, read the Homeric and Orphic hymnal poetry, read the ancient theatrical dramas. Scholarship and primary sources are vital, even if you're not aiming to be reconstructionist. It illuminates the mindset and history of the people who first worshipped these gods.

Second, look into books about Hellenistic revival practice. The most thorough are from the early 1990s, though I think most of Timothy Jay Alexander's works have updated editions from the mid 2000s. Household Worship put out by LABRYS is decent. Sara Kate Istra Winter has a few books about Hellenic practice and Hellenic festivals. There are a lot of devotional anthologies dedicated to various Greek and Egyptian gods, as well, published by Bibliotheca Alexandrina (affiliated, I believe, with Neos Alexandria).
This is another thing you'll find out pretty quick: different Hellenic groups have wildly different takes on the subject, and emphasize different things, and consequently put out very different content. The main ones in Greece are YSEE (which takes a fairly nationalist bent on the idea) and LABRYS (which is a bit more inclusive). Outside of Greece, Hellenion and Elaion are the most prominent; the latter is a touch more traditionalist and orthodox about things, but both for the most part uphold the Classical Athenian religion as a model. Neos Alexandria is a syncretic group essentially focusing on Ptolemaic Egypt, and so draws a lot on Hellenistic developments that occurred after the Classical period.

Third, read Elani Temperance's blog Baring the Aegis. She leans a bit on the traditionalist side, and I don't agree with her on a lot of things, but her logs are an invaluable resource into both theory and practice of Hellenism.

[Rodney_Dawn]

/Hello, I am new to the entire concept of Hellenism(I had no idea that following the Greek Pantheon was so in depth). I was previously just focused on learning about Wicca, but have come to find out so much more about what I believe in and wish to follow and do. I am looking for someone who practices witchcraft as well as follows Hellenism and is willing and able to help me find out where I can go to learn more though books or teach me themselves.

I am a devoted Hellene myself, and while I have occasionally practiced a form of witchcraft in the past, I have not doneso in many years. It probably wasn't what you were thinking of, working with Apollo when doing healing magick, but still technically witchcraft.

as for Hellenism itself, yes, it can be confusing for newcomers.  My advice is, take it slow. Learn all you can, and of course, when making your offerings ask the Theoi for guidance in terms of what they expect of you.  Some will expect more than others, but as long as you put forth an effort and  do the best that your living situation allows, you should be ok.
   I do highly recommend looking to Hermes for guidance, as He in my experience anyway, can be very helpful in finding your path.

[Helix109]

/Hello, I am new to the entire concept of Hellenism(I had no idea that following the Greek Pantheon was so in depth). I was previously just focused on learning about Wicca, but have come to find out so much more about what I believe in and wish to follow and do. I am looking for someone who practices witchcraft as well as follows Hellenism and is willing and able to help me find out where I can go to learn more though books or teach me themselves.

What I recommend you do is read as much as you can..Read all of the ancient Classics from Greece and Rome(to start off with), the Histories and then the ancient philosophers(down to the medieval Neoplatonists, Stoics and others). That has helped me for years. What I practice personally is syncretic Roman/Celtic/Hellenism/Hermeticism. In real life I often call myself a Jovist or Classical Pagan. Reality is there is, or was, no real name for Hellenist Religion. Christians had a lot of names for the Ancient Pagans, many of them insults which some eventually ended up being legal terms in some nations to describe, among other things, liberty oriented women and minority peoples (the Latin words Apostatrix and Negator come to mind.) There are some Renaissance authors that suggest belief in the Gods but history tells us that they weren't actively engaged in such practices. For example, Giordano Bruno was burnt at the stake for expressing Pythagorean belief (I've read some of his books). Marsilio Ficino was rumored to be a Pagan in some circles (one of his books tends to gravitate towards such beliefs). Also, one person from Spain, Francisco Sánchez, also was rumored to be in such circles. Something to think about.