Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 4 - Everyday Hellenism

Keeping bad energy, ghosts and spirits out of your life is an everyday practice. Hellenists do not have a word for religion because life and religion are inherently one. To be a Hellenist is to be religious. For this section, we will go into more depth on the world of ghosts and spirits, but first, we must know the difference between them.

The acknowledgement of the existence of ghosts goes all the way back to Plato and Sokrates. In the Dialogue of Phaedo, they talk about shadows and phantoms that sometimes wander around graves and monuments. It is one of the first recordings of a haunted cemetery.

A ghost is typically from a human who was once alive in physical form. In the past, I've heard some people suggest that a ghost can also simply be the energy of the physical person that was left behind in a given location, like a footprint. This might explain why people have sometimes reported seeing the same ghost in entirely different places.

However, ghosts have also been reported to directly attack or even talk to a living individual. So we would be led to believe that at least some ghosts have a form of consciousness, perhaps even an extension of the actual soul of the deceased, and therefore is far more than just simply loose energy. Ghosts are normally encountered in places they haunt, such as homes, buildings, traumatic areas, or cemeteries and other burial or marked grounds.

Some ghosts are even friendly or at least neutral, but can still cause uneasiness. And then some are outright terrifying and malevolent. The big question is, what is the reason for their place here and why haven't they crossed over into the next life? In the past, I have answered this question by saying that people have stopped paying Charon for a long time, and in ancient belief, a failure to do so means you must wait upon the shores for a hundred years. But there are many other theories, from being trapped to unfinished business. Maybe all are true in their own circumstances.

A spirit is a spiritual being that is from, and is living in, the universe. They are likely centuries, millions or billions of years old, and they are not human. In Hellenism, we love and are devoted to many good Spirits, such as the Agathos Daimon, which means Good Spirit. But not all spirits out there are part of Hellenism, nor are they all friendly. A spirit is fully conscious, intelligent and a free willed being with powerful abilities beyond the mundane reality. 

Such spirits can come from a variety of places, such as natural birth to the recesses of condemned realms like Tartaros. It's also possible for them to be conjured and sent by humans, although I am skeptical as to the success rate of this practice. Any human who thinks they can use their own power to tie down a powerful malevolent spiritual being and force them to their own will, is a fool. The spirit can turn on them at any time. Besides, a spirit or any higher level being probably doesn't have time to care about someone's petty squabbles with other people.

Most of the time when we encounter a bad ghost or spirit, or a ghost or spirit on their bad side, it's because we have upset them in some way. Ghosts and spirits can be hard to deal with, but not impossible, and I promote the idea that prevention is better than engagement. The Hollywood exorcist or paranormal gunslinger is really just a romantic looking for trouble, and you'll notice that sooner or later, they find it and wish they hadn't. Prudence and humility are hallmarks of Hellenic virtue. We are combative only when we have to be.

Method 1: Do Daily Sacrifice

There is nothing more powerful than the Gods, that's just a simple fact. They are the ultimate powers and authorities of the universe, of all things we can and cannot see. One way humans have gained their attention for centuries and strengthened relationships with them is through daily or frequent rituals and sacrifices. 

Method 2: Invoke Heroes

In the past, I have talked about the great benefit of having Patron Heroes in our daily lives. Several years ago, a friend of mine who lived a few cities over, called me in hysteria over a ghost that had been messing around in their apartment, and had just manifested before them for a few moments. One of the invocations I did during the house cleansing was to the Hero Bellerophon.

Noble Bellerophon, from the Divine stables, retrieve the white steed, and upon winged Pegasos fly from the skies, bearing your spear of victory and triumph over all that hinders goodness. Upon heaven's horse, advance the light of humanity, bringing peace and freedom once again.

Pray and offer to your Hero each day. When banishing a ghost, you can also pray to Hermes as the Psychopomp. He helps the dead move on to the next world for which they are destined. You can petition a Hero in similar ways as a God, through prayer and sacrifice. For Hero worship, you might also consider having a Cult Object. Sometimes the ancient Greeks claimed to have relics from Gods and Heroes, such as the bones of Theseus that were allegedly returned and reburied in Athens, or the Spartans who exhibited the shell of the egg from which Helen was said to have been born.

Although the term relic isn't the right word in our case in 2024, because a relic is what remains of something that existed long ago, and we simply don't have any of that now at our immediate disposal. That's why we have Cult Objects. This can be a recreation, reproduction, or a chosen object, often that exists for Heroes. For example, one might find a remake of the Shield of Achilles, the bow of Atalanta, or even coinage, shoes or clothing that were used during the time period and might have been worn by the Heroic person. As a personal example, my temple's Patron Hero is Ajax, and in the temple I have a dedicated remake of a small ancient Greek war helmet that Heroes like Him may have worn. It acts as an aid in bringing His presence.

If you have or find such an object, you can connect it to a Hero or Heroine with a prayer like this, Noble Hero/Heroine (insert name), upon this, a reflection of your holy (insert name of object), ordain as a symbol of your Cultus, to carry with it always your presence, power, blessings and memory.

You can carry the Cult Object with you or leave it in your home in a specifically designated area, but always treating it as precious and sacred. You might even house it in a small shrine where you give regular offerings to the Hero. If you decide to carry it with you, and you will find that a wonderful practice and experience, do not allow it to be thrown around or come into contact with pollutants or impurities. If you make this mistake, cleanse the object with sage and spring water.

Method 3: Meditations

Meditation can be an immensely crucial element to your health and protection, because it clears and strengthens the mind, which allows your connection with the Gods and Heroes to grow. A troubled and chaotic mind is the perfect victim and a very easy target for anything or anyone who wants to attack you. 

Method 4: Reverse Psychology

If you think a spirit has been sent your way by someone else, there's another option you might consider besides combat. Around thirteen years ago, I received word that a dark magician who really hated me had not only conjured a spirit to come after me, but had enlisted the help of his friends. Through some light detective work, I actually discovered the name of the alleged spirit, as it was a common one among that kind of magic. But instead of preparing to fight, I gave the spirit a sufficient offering. I spoke out to the spirit by name and presented my offering with the following words, The people who send you against me, they call you for their petty squabbles, but I give you this gift. Be at peace with me.

If the spirit had indeed been sent against me, it accepted the offering and broke its deal with my enemies, because it never did anything to me. In fact, the spirit might have turned on the sender(s).

In ending this section, I would like to present a little information as well about the ancient practice of the Boundary Marker. In Hellenism, the establishment of the Marker greatly aids in protection of not only the home, but the entire property it sits on. Normally one is placed at the property line where the land ends and another begins, and one at the entrance of the front door of the house. If you're in an apartment, you can place it outside the front door as well and on the back of the patio or balcony if you have one. When I lived in South Beloit, Illinois, this is what I did. A white, Greek ionic column was the best for me, acknowledging the Gods who are part of the Marker, which are Hermes, Hekate, and Apollon. Additionally, you can have an altar in the center of your yard to Zeus of the Fence, who guards the inner sections of the boundary. Give regular offerings to the Gods who are part of them.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 3 - Securing The Home

Let's take a look at how to cleanse your home of negative energy first, since Energetics are the most common type of ailments. Although, keep in mind, this can also be used for banishment of ghosts and spirits in the home, as I have used it many times without a single failure in all kinds of situations. I call it the Hellenic House Cleansing Rite.

Before beginning any Hellenic rites or worship, always be clean and purified. Wash yourself in clean water (ideally purified or spring water). If nothing else, take a cleansing shower and put on clean clothing. Khnerip water for handwashing and purification can be created by lighting a bay leaf on fire and dropping it into a bowl of freshwater. And if you don't have any spring or seawater, you can combine sea salt with the water. 

Step 1: Invite Hestia into your home. Hestia is the Goddess of the home, hearth and family; She's basically your home's heartbeat. Light the flame of your hearth, which for most people today would be the stove. If you have an electric top that doesn't produce fire, place a candle in the center of the stove and light it, If you have a fireplace, even better. Create a fire there.

Step 2: Pray to Hestia

O' blessed Hestia, Goddess of the hearth, I ask that you shine forth in my home forever, and grant it peace and love, and lift me into the presence of The Dodekatheon, that I may know their mysteries, powers and wisdom.

(Note - The Dodekatheon means The Twelve Gods, as in the Gods of Olympos. They are Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Demeter, Artemis, Apollon, Athena, Hephaistos, Hermes, Ares and Dionysos.

Step 3: Give offering to Hestia. Burn the sweetest incense you have. Fresh frankincense is great (which is also a natural purifier), but whatever you use, make sure it's good quality and not cheap department store brand. These are full of bad-smelling chemicals.

Step 4: Pour a libation to Apollon, Poseidon and Hygeia, for you will need their help with the rest of the rite.

Step 5: Take a bowl of clean water. Spring water is best, but if you have to use tap, combine it with sea salt. Sea salt can be purchased very cheaply at your local grocer and is one of the most simple yet powerful purifiers. Mix the water and salt together. Once done, hold the bowl over the hearth about head level and recite the following prayer,

Blessed Apollon, God of light, and amazing Poseidon, God of the sea, bless this water so that it will drive out evil and shake loose from the bonds of oppression whatever it touches.

(Note - Why Apollon and Poseidon? Apollon is the God of the sun and light, and thus, a destroyer of evil and a purifier of pollution. Poseidon is the Earth Shaker, able to shake the foundation of anything. Please also take note that khnerips or any form of water for religious purposes should be replaced each time you do a rite or ceremony. Do not use the same water repeatedly).

Step 6: Take the bowl of water into each room, wet your hand, and sprinkle the water on every wall, floor and ceiling (not forgetting closets).

Step 7: When done with all rooms, light a stick of fresh sage, as its smoke releases cleansing properties and powers that will push out negative energy and thus make the area more inhospitable to negative entities. With the smoldering stick, draw the Star of Hygeia toward every wall, floor and ceiling. Hygeia is the Goddess of physical and mental health and protection, and Her symbol, even as far back as ancient Greek times, is the five pointed star. Modern Pagans call it the pentagram, but not pentacle. Draw the Star starting at the bottom left. As you draw it each time, say the words,

I draw the Star of Hygeia, to banish from this place all evil and ill.

Step 8: Bring the rite to a close with a final prayer to Hestia, as She is First and Last in general Hellenic rites,

With Hestia I end, for She is First and Last, home of the eternal Gods, forever be the Goddess of my home.

As time goes on, work on mounting a positive life as well. But if you ever do feel that the goal has slipped too far away, you can use this rite any time. In ending this section, I want to share an invocation that has never failed me when I have been faced with faltering on leading a positive life. During your day to day, if you feel attacked, dismayed or misdirected, it is useful,

Athena is my strength, my wisdom from above, my perseverance against life's toils. She leads me to Nike over my enemies, She gives me peace by Her glory, and when the day is done, She permits me peaceful rest beneath the shade of Her olive tree, for I am loved by Olympos who delights in the beauty of the universe. Athena, fight for me.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you in the next section,

Chris Aldridge.

Part 1

Part 2

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 2 - Self Care

As we begin to learn how to deal with these issues, let's start with the basics: cleansing and banishment for our personal selves.

The easiest way to stop Energetics from manifesting and gaining power is to live a positive life. It will accomplish two things. One, a strong build up of positive will push negative out, and two, it will make it harder for negative energy to break in. An inferior force cannot penetrate or contend with a greater one. Walk up to a wall and push as hard as you can. The reason it won't budge is because there is a greater or equal amount of force pushing back. You simply don't have the power to get through. It's the same concept with energy.

The problem is that living a positive life is not easy, especially in our Age. We are constantly bombarded with negative media and politics, not to mention that life can become oppressively stressful if we don't know how to deal with it. Therefore, living a positive life is, I find, a practice. The more you do it, the better you will become at it.

A vital part of living a positive life is to have the Gods in it. The Gods are first and foremost in the life of a Hellenist. A Hellenist never stops living a highly spiritual life, and an extreme benefit of this is happiness and positivity. In the past, I've heard Hellenists say that they worship the Gods simply because it makes like more blissful. This is absolutely true. When the Gods are always kept in our minds, lives and actions, we are elevated to a state above the mundane.

Purification Processes

Being purified or free of impurity (physically, mentally and spiritually), is to banish miasma from our minds, bodies and souls, and elevate ourselves above the reaches of toxicities that so often inhibit human life, progression, and separate us from the Gods. In order to keep yourself guarded against such pollutants, practice daily purification. Not just before rites, but throughout your day, starting in the morning, during the day, and before bed. It may sound painstaking, but it's actually quite simple, and will eventually become second nature.

The Mind

Your mind is of the most value to your physicality, for without the mind, the body is nothing. It's proven science that your thoughts and the state of your brain can and will effect your body and life for the better or worse.

Your brain soaks up everything that it comes into contact with, therefore it's imperative that you only expose it to positive atmospheres as much as possible. Forsake all willful negativity. If you do not have to subject your mind to it, then don't, such as negative media, people, and even your own negative thoughts. Refrain from excessive anger and needless confrontations, striving for peace and productivity whenever possible. Finally, contemplate nothing evil or immoral. We all have bad thoughts that come into our heads at times, but contemplation means to actually conspire with it. Just as keeping bad toxins out of your body is essential to bodily health, so is keeping them out of your mind essential to mental health.

The Body

Keeping your body healthy and purified on the outside and the inside is the purely physical part of continued purification. If you defile yourself, or willingly expose yourself to filth and harmful substances, it will create pollution. Take a shower or bath every day, put on clean clothes, and don't be exposed to unnecessary impurities. The body can be purified of miasma through simple washing and purified water, spring water or sea salt water, or it can be as extreme as using sulfur should you come into contact with a dead body, but the latter is an unorthodox case for most people today.

On a more basic level, regular exercise is exceptionally terrific for maintaining a healthy body, as well as mind, because it betters your mental state and brain functions. I'd recommend starting a simple jogging routine on a daily or regular basis, for a couple of miles each time. You'll be astounded by how much better you feel, especially if you pair it with healthier eating. Not only were the ancient Greeks very athletic people, Games themselves were religious events, and while there was no 2nd or 3rd place, every athlete was strong and benefited from the physicality of the training.

The Soul

Not only are our spiritual selves kept pure by our connections to the Gods, but piety as well maintains this cleanliness, which of course assists in Divine connections. Piety also keeps the physical and mental clean. So what is piety? It is not only acting rightly in ritual but also in thinking and speaking goodly and rightly. That is to say, simply respecting the Gods.

For example, I was once visiting a couple of friends, and while on the topic of Greek religion, they started insulting the Gods. I kindly got up and left, not only because I didn't want to be around hubris and impiety, but because I could feel the pollution and negativity starting to build in the room.

The simple fact of the matter is that you cannot be both devotee and defacer, not even in a humorous way. Yes, there were Greek playwrights who sometimes made fun of the Gods, but these people were not mainstream citizens (most citizens were not playwrights), and men like Euripides of Athens were not only scrutinized for heresy, but spent their final days in exile. It's probably why Plato said, "Wickedness in the soul makes one impure."

Purifying Sickness

We all get sick, whether it be a simple cold or a more serious infection. Once you have recovered, throw away the clothes you wore while you were sick, wash your body in sea water or sea salt water, and then rinse with spring water or purified freshwater, and end with a prayer and sacrifice to Apollon, who is the God of healing and purification. If you have a disease that cannot be cured, maintain it as best you can. Take medication for it as prescribed. In short, listen to your doctors.

In conclusion of this section, I do not want someone to confuse purification with germophobia. It's not about washing your hands until they bleed, for that would also be a pollution. It's about attending to obvious pollutants and toxins in life and preventing them in all their forms.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you in the next chapter,

Chris Aldridge.

Chapter One here.

Ancient Greek Guide to Cleansing, Banishment and Exorcism - Part 1 - Crash Course

Banishment, cleansing and exorcism are things I have been seriously involved with for many years of my life, even before I was a Hellenist. In fact, it was a successful Greek exorcism that officially converted me to Hellenism. It seems to be something I have eventually understood enough to be good at, and being a Greek Priest has only extended my experience and knowledge.

I begin by saying that the world of spirits and banishment isn't as cut and dry as monotheists or even some occultists may think. It's very complicated just like everything else. To a Christian, for example, everything is Satan and you only need Jesus to get rid of him. 

They actually have very little understanding of the spiritual world, which is why some of their most famous exorcisms have also been their greatest failures. We know it's not uncommon for a Christian to fail when trying to banish, cleanse or exorcise. No one is surprised when they go up against a spiritual foe and lose.

While most of existence is good, beautiful and gives most people no real worry, the spiritual world can harbor things that want to do people harm, just as the physical world can.

When the Olympian Gods came to power, they defeated chaos and disorder in the grand picture of things, along with many of the Titans who ruled before them, and even imprisoned some of the forces and beings in the prisons of Tartaros. To nature and civilization, the Gods brought all the good and beautiful that we have now. However, although largely subdued, disorder still exists and can even be created anew. Think of it like a prison in our society. Bad people are jailed, but there can still be bad people in the world. Really, the battle between order and chaos, good and bad, positive and negative, has always been happening in one form or another. It's a constant struggle for humanity and the universe.

There is no Devil or Satan in Hellenism, but we do believe that things can choose their own path. The being that is ailing a person or place may not even be entirely bad themselves, but are just angry at that person, or bound negatively to the location or object for a specific reason. Nothing with free will is absolutely evil, because it can choose to do good and therefore has the capacity for good, but it may not make that choice toward a given person or situation.

Chaos itself isn't inherently negative, but it can still at times disrupt the order of things enough to create problems. For instance, if a dam breaks and floods a town, the water isn't evil, the water is just doing what the water does. Sometimes the water can even create life after it is unleashed, but it can also destroy. Not everything is as simple as good v. evil. By understanding this reality, you will have a far better grasp, insofar as a human can, of the spiritual and physical worlds.

Energy

The most basic form of an invasion that someone can experience in their homes or lives is simple negative energies, or as I like to call them, Energetics. I would say these are far more common than people think. Perhaps they may even be the most common of all, and could explain several cases of hauntings and personal harassment.

Energetic manifestations do not have an independent will or really any form of individual consciousness. Like a battery placed in a car, it is there to perform a certain function and can be the result of many things. The energy could be left over from something of the past, sent by someone else, acquired by the victim, or even created by the victim's own negative emotions, attitude and actions. The ancient Greeks would have probably called this miasma or pollution that needs daily or regular cleansing, especially before a person enters a temple, sanctuary or performs religious rites.

Once the energy has implanted itself, it will begin its work, which if negative, will be to create dismay and hardship. You may find yourself feeling continuously depressed, angry, scared, frustrated or even sick for no apparent reason. The energy can also cause things to happen or could cause you to make them happen. The good news is that simple energy is the easiest to dispel. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed but it can be moved, redirected and transformed.

Ghosts and Spirits

The second kind of invasion is by a ghost or spirit, which can be human or nonhuman. If we are to believe some of the paranormal reports around the world, animals also have souls and can manifest in a ghostly form. Even evil or infamous people or monsters of the ancient Greek past may have had souls, which means their spiritual self could still exist. 

A ghost or spirit can take possession of a person, place or object, or attach themselves and begin bending things to their own will and causing harm. Unlike Energetics, these beings are self-aware (conscious). They know who you are and will act directly toward you. Because they have this self-power and will, they are harder to get rid of.

The ghost or spirit, if hostile, will normally make itself known in several ways. They can cause all the problems of energies but it will be more severe because there is direct intent through conscious effort. For example, there's a big difference between something falling off the shelf and something being thrown at you from the shelf.

The last thing to remember here is that it's also possible to come into contact with a ghost that is not intending harm but simply wants cohabitation for some reason. Think of a dead doctor who finds a living doctor they admire and wants to live on vicariously. Even though this can be benevolent, the being is still disrupting a natural order and needs to be sent out.

A ghost or spirit that is intending harm can make you feel very uneasy, terrified, throw or slam things, cause horrible smells and sounds, give you nightmares and blackouts, cause you to lash out at people and things, drive you to hurt yourself, give you hallucinations, or all of the above. The problem cannot be ignored. While it's entirely possible that all of these feelings and behaviors could be explained through the nature of one's own life and mental state, such can also be ruled out. If they persist after you have evaluated your home and taken proper medical care, perhaps it wouldn't hurt to see if you are being tormented by an outside force.

Other Beings

Finally, another form of invasion or attack can come from otherworldly beings that cross paths with our own world. You've probably heard them called things like faeries or natural spirits. While most are good, some can be problematic, even taking a dislike toward humans. They may have found and attached to you, been sent or are seeking revenge for some offense you made, like mistakenly or intentionally violating a sacred space. These beings mainly just demand proper respects. You don't normally have to worry about them if you know how to interact.

For example, when you enter natural areas, treat things with respect and be a person of humility. Don't litter the forest floor or throw things in waterways or rivers, don't act like you own the land because the truth is that you don't, and if you feel that you shouldn't enter a place or disturb something, listen to your instinct. We will cover how to deal with all of these issues later in this course.

I will end this chapter by saying that we all have days when bad things happen to us, or we just don't feel good. This generally in itself is not a sign of a problem. But when they are consistently happening, there is clearly a cause. One time may be coincidence, but ten consecutive times is not.

In the Goodness of the Gods, I'll see you in the next section,

Chris Aldridge.

How I Know He Went To A Better Place

Many people talk of having stepparents, but I have rarely heard them speak of step-grandparents. But that's how I would categorize it. His name was Jim, and he basically replaced my grandmother's original husband, the biological father of my mother, and thus, my biological grandfather. Nevertheless, Jim was a very unique person in my life, and the life of those around him.

Not only did he stay with and help support my grandmother and her house and property throughout his life, he also treated me very kindly, and he didn't have to. We didn't really have any contact in the late years, as I had gotten married and moved out of State, but when I was a teenager, Jim financially supported me in a great many ways, along with my grandmother.

Had it not been for him, I would have probably been unable to remain enrolled in my martial arts school, which was a big achievement and motivator in my early days. I can also say with absolute certainty that I never went hungry a day in my life while I was at my grandmother's house. Jim would always make sure I was fed, and so would she.

They were also very calm-minded people. They considered themselves to be the utmost civilized. They would not go to parties or do any kind of music or dance. They did not drink hard liquor, beer, or act up in any way. They would not even let their hair, nor mine, become "inappropriate" lengths. So they were modest, greatly sophisticated they were. 

Last spring, Jim died at the age of 74, after a long struggle with deteriorating health and eventually a stroke that resulted in cardiac arrest, leaving my grandmother, who is still alive, to live alone except for the regular visits from my mother. Shortly after his death, I had a dream about Jim that I've never had before or since. He was here in Illinois, in my living room, taking me by the hands, and dancing and smiling. To dream about him for the first time, and seeing him act in a way that he never would have in his previous life, made me realize that he had chosen to deliver a message to me. Wherever he is, I think he's in a much better place.

His death was by no means a blow to me, in the sense that he was someone essential to my life today. I mean, I will certainly always remember and appreciate him, but he also wasn't attached to me. Yet, he had always lived a rather isolated life with no real success, and his passing made me feel sorry for him. But for some reason, he decided to tell me that he was okay, perhaps because he saw me as a son he never had. Or possibly because he knew I'd tell everyone back home; maybe a bit of both. 

Every day and night of your life, don't close your eyes or notice off to the signs and omens that the Gods and other people can send. They are everywhere, and if you know them, can give you immeasurable peace.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Soul's Journey: Ancient Greek Afterlife from Start to Finish

"Not a man alive can send me to Haides until it's my time, and when it is my time, be I brave or coward, nothing can stop it." - Homer.

During my life as a Hellenist, I have more than once happened upon questions concerning the ancient Greek afterlife. What is it? Why would you want to go there? What happens? What are your goals? The curiosity and desire for possible knowledge never ends, and deservedly so. 

Especially in our time, it's only natural that people be exceptionally wonderous, for not much has been seriously written or thought about on the topic in over 2,000 years, certainly not in a serious religious context. Nevertheless, belief in the old Gods continues to rise and death impacts us all, from the passing of people we know and love to the realization that we will one day join them.

I intended to answer all of those questions and more. Although the interesting factor is that the afterlife is not the primary focus in Hellenism. We believe in an elaborate world full of possibilities, and yet, the beyond is not our primary target. It's also very relevant to say that not all Hellenists believe the same things about it. There is no holy book.

Using my own worldviews along with Greek myth and religion from times forgotten, I will attempt to paint the most vivid depictions possible, from the last breath to the final destination, if there indeed is one.

Section 1: Get Some Coin!

Bad news! Or maybe good depending on how you see it. You're about to take your last breath. Thanatos, the Spirit of death, is here. Hopefully, you're also being visited by Makaria, the Spirit of blessed death. 

But before now, did you ever stop to wonder what it's like to stop existing in your current form? What it's like to go to sleep for decades, only this time, to never wake again?

Some indeed are terrified at the mere thought. Bad news certainly, although Plato said that death isn't the worst thing that can happen to a man. The truth is that you're not dead, your body is. Death is not the ultimate end but a transition. It may, therefore, be inaccurate to call it the afterlife because life does not cease, it simply changes.

Take the air in one last time, then exhale. Your whole life flashes before you, then you blackout. All physicality has ceased. Your current life is over.

Since most people today are not Hellenists, I hope you left instructions. Your body, being dead, is now considered a pollutant upon the living, and anyone who comes into contact with it will need to later cleanse themselves with sulfur to purify their own body and life. Although in today's time, the undertaker will probably bear most of the burden.

At your funeral, coin of proper value will have to be placed with your body. Why? Because soon, in the spiritual world where you now stand, you will meet Charon the boatman, and you'll need that transcendental payment for him to boat you across the rivers, but more on that a bit later.

The good news about the money is that the exchange rate from ancient to modern time is very affordable for even the poorest of people. One coin, or obol, would be placed in the mouth of the body. Today, that value would be 10 USD. There are very rare $10 coins that can be purchased through the US mint, but it would be very costly and not arrive in time. However, paper dollars can be exactly exchanged for gold coin dollars at most banks. All 10 can be placed in the mouth, which would be the traditional method.

Why the mouth? It must have been believed that the mouth was the place from which the soul emanated, because part of the coin practice was to seal off the entrance the soul could use to return to this world. It makes sense. The mouth is where the very breath of life comes from. It was time for the soul to pass on and therefore had to be directed into the next realm. And so what better way to make sure the soul can retrieve the ferryman's fee?

I have also heard of coins being placed over the eyes or in the hand of the body, but I think that's more modern than ancient.

Coin Practice Continues Today!

Leaving coins for the dead has, in fact, never left the human condition. If you take a stroll through a large graveyard or cemetery, you may see a tombstone or marker with a variety of coins on it, especially if the deceased was military. The love of War Heroes is very ancient Greek. Heroism on the battlefield also wasn't only reserved for Kings and Generals. All of the Homeric warriors are Heroes, and a City or Locality in the ancient Greek world might even worship a soldier as a Hero if they came from, and died in service of, that City.

Coins left today on graves normally have several meanings depending on the value of the currency, usually having something to do with the visitor's relation to the dead person.

The Funeral

According to ancient Greek customs, your body must go through proper funerary rites. It must be washed and dressed in clean clothing or garments, something that, again, the undertaker would handle today. However, a female member of your family must anoint the body with olive oil.

"I anoint you in the good name of Hermes, the Guide of Souls, and for Haides, Receiver of the Dead."

Believe it or not, much of the same funerary customs in ancient Greece are still observed today in the West. All those years you may have spent as a Christian, not knowing you were performing Greek Polytheistic rites during the funerals of your friends or family.

The cleaning, dressing and laying out of the body for viewing with the feet facing the door and the head resting on a pillow, the area decked with funerary decorations, memorabilia, and emblems of mourning such as wreaths and flowers, the recitation of songs and prayers, accompanying the deceased to their final resting place, and even the feast or reception after, all originated from ancient Hellas. A laurel wreath should also be placed upon your chest. 

However, if it is all ancient Greek custom, your body will not be buried until nightfall, at which time you would have the pall bearers and a procession that includes friends and family. At the gravesite or cremation location, a final funerary speech would be given, hopefully in good praise of you.

The end comes when you are lowered into the ground or set ablaze in cremation. The only thing that will remain of your old self above ground is the tombstone or marker, although you are never completely separated from the living. 

In Greek belief, your grave is a direct link to you in the Underworld or afterlife, and libations can be poured down to you from that very spot. In fact, at the funeral, a declaration is recited to make your memory last forever, and then libations of water, olive oil, milk and honey are made, one for each declaration, then the vessels are broken onto the ground as the pourers turn away from the deceased.

Ideally, your friends and family will maintain religious honors for you each year. But that's their job. Yours is now to start your journey through the Underworld.

On The River Bank

The River Styx waits for you to cross it. While you stand upon the shore, think of all who have passed here before you, and even Achilles Himself who was dipped into the water as an infant. But why water or a river? How does this manifest into a reality of life after death? Simply put, water is not only the element of spirituality, but the eternal, recycling element of life through which all life must travel. Hermes Himself led you to the entrance where the river starts. Now you wait.

The Styx (Hate) in particular stands as a border between the world above and below, or rather, the living and dead. When Charon approaches you in his boat, you will hand over the 10 gold coins that were left with you by friends or family. You can now board and begin your journey, but don't expect to see all rainbows along the way.

If you do not have the coin to pay Charon, there's bad news. You will not be able to board, and you'll have to wait on the shores for 100 years. But if that is indeed the case, look at it this way, you'll have lots of company especially in today's time.

We might modernly interpret this to mean that those who do not cross with Charon, for whatever reason, remain ghosts. In fact, even Plato talked about the phantoms that haunted the tombs and cemeteries around his area in the Dialogue of Phaedo. 

The Underworld is divided by 4 other rivers. These are Akheron (Woe), Kokytus (Wailing), Phlegethon (Fire), and Lethe (Forgetfulness). All of the rivers have something that links them with death. The hate people have for death and dying, the woe and wailing that comes from everyone effected, the fire that destroys and purifies the dead and the living, and the forgetfulness that the soul goes through to forget its previous incarnation or mortal life (perhaps this explains why reincarnated people cannot readily recall their past lives).

Judges of the Underworld

You probably thought you'd be meeting Haides Himself here, but no. He's very Supreme and has lots of lower officers, if you will, to handle the duties necessary; people He can trust and who lived greatly enough to be able to adequately judge the deeds of men. You will eventually face the 3 Judges of the Underworld. They are Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Aiakos. 

These 3 Judges are also given access to different parts of the afterlife or Underworld. Haides entrusts His very keys to Aiakos. Rhadamanthys will be the one deciding if you get Elysion or not (some may consider Elysion to be the same as the Isle of the Blessed). And Minos who normally gets the last vote. 

The very interesting thing about Minos as a Judge of the Underworld is that we don't actually know who he is. Many automatically connect him with the Minos of Theseus, but historians now think that Minos was a dynastic title, not something reserved for only one person. The Minos of the Underworld is therefore technically not identified. Very fascinating and also a little unsettling, to my mind any way.

Where Will You Go?

With 3 Judges, it may not be outlandish to connect them with 3 commonly known realms of the afterlife. If you were a virtuous and pious person, Elysion is your reward, which is basically the ancient Greek version of heaven. It is nothing but an eternity of peace, beauty and bliss. If you were exceptionally bad, Tartaros will likely be your destination, which is the ancient Greek version of punishment and torment (although, as you will see, it's not eternal). Finally, someone who has been neither good or evil may find themselves a resident of the Underworld or reincarnation.

Er Tells All!

Toward the end of the 10th Book of Plato's Republic, the philosopher describes a man named Er, who had a near death experience, but returned to tell of the amazing parts of the afterlife he had experienced. It is truly a fascinating account, but also very lengthy, so I will do my best to sum it up adequately. 

Er was a solider who fell on the battlefield, but unlike his comrades, he was not completely dead. He recovered, but during the penetration of the other side, he was told that he was to return to the physical world and tell people what he had witnessed.

He described people coming down from heaven and up from the earth, the ones from below being unpurified and the ones from above being holy. The two classes talked with each other about both places, the earthly wanting desperately to reach heavenly, but could not because, presumably, they were still on their journeys below to make up for the injustices they had inflicted on others during their life, each injustice having to be repaid 10 times over.

Er then describes the fate of the most wicked of people, Tartaros. They, he said, had not paid a sufficient penalty and thus heaven rejected them as they tried to go upwards. They were bound by their hands and feet, lacerated, and dragged to the entrance where they would be thrown into the bowels of the gloom. But Er also gives the impression that even if someone is sentenced to punishment, they can ascend after they have served their time.

Er now talks about the many facets of "the light and whorl" which hold all things together in many manifestations, and the souls of the many reaching it over all of heaven and earth. And that among these things, people are given new lives to return to, not always human lives either. Once all was decided, they were immediately launched up into their new births. In other words, Er not only saw people in the bliss of heaven and the atonement of below, but also in reincarnation. 

Of course, keep in mind, this is a very, very brief description; one needs to read the account completely to grasp the true amazement of it all. 

Conclusion

I cannot say for certain what your journey will be, nor mine, when the time comes. But what seems to be a consensus is that whether your next life will be happy, hateful or neutral, or what you may have to go through to get to the life you want, depends on how you have chosen to live the life you're presently in. Keep this in mind always, before every decision, before every action, before every word. Live a pious and virtuous life.

What're my goals? I'd say to reach peace and happiness. That may take a very long time, but that's where I'm headed, friends. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,

I'll see you at the next Herm down the road,

Chris Aldridge.

Sources

Adkins, Lesley and Adkins, A. Roy, Handbook To Life In Ancient Greece, Oxford University Press, New York, 1997.

Hellenic Council YSEE of America, Hellenic Ethnic Religion: Theology and Practice, New York, 2018.

Cooper M. John, Plato Complete Works, Hackett Publishing, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1997.

What's The Difference Between A God and A Spirit?

At Madison Pagan Pride last Saturday, I had the privilege of leading and teaching a workshop on ancient Greek charms, amulets and talismans. It turned into about an hour long class that ended up hosting a vast array of ancient Greek spirituality and knowledge with about 15 to 20 students. I received nothing but positive feedback from the people. I think everyone loved it. We couldn't have had better weather for the event itself. The Gods certainly blessed us with sunshine and comfortable temperatures.

But during my workshop, there was one question in particular that I thought needed a blog post. Someone asked me to explain what sets a God and a Spirit apart. This can be a bit tougher to explain than one may think. In fact, I myself had to contemplate for several minutes through the class while we explored other things, and I gave examples until I was satisfied with what I had told the person and the other students in attendance. 

There is certainly a fine line difference between a God and a Spirit, although sometimes there might be some disagreement. For example, people who view Nike as a Goddess and those who view Her as a Spirit, or those who think that Morpheus is the Spirit or God of dreams. Even though we might very well find a majority consensus on the two, Hellenism is not really based on a correct belief system, but rather a correct practice. Therefore, if the question is up for debate, and not laid down in Hellenic law, as it were, people can take one position or the other on who is and who isn't a Spirit, or even what constitutes a Spirit. 

On a basic level, one major difference between a God and a Spirit is might and influence. The God is far more powerful and encompasses a far larger spectrum, while the Spirit has a more centralized, simplistic focus. Think of the God as a tree and the Spirit as a leaf. The tree is a whole of the Universe, while the leaf, still just as real as the tree, is an essence of the tree or the Universe, almost a conscious energy, or even an extension, if you will. The leaf can also come down closer to the human realm and even connect you back with the tree at times. Or picture the God as the vast sea and the Spirits as seashells that swirl around in it. So I would imagine it as different levels of Divinity and power. Arete, for instance, being the Spirit of virtue, while a God of virtue is the highest consciousness and power of that realm.

What's interesting and important to remember is that while a God has the power to transcend into a Spiritual presence, a Spirit does not have the power to do the vice versa, because a Spirit is not a God, while a God has all the power to do anything they choose and become anything they want. That's why in ancient Greek religion and myth, Gods were sometimes referred to as a Spirit of something, such as when Orpheus calls Poseidon the Spirit of the deep. It's not that the God has changed from being a God, it's just that they can become and do whatever they want. The Spirit which is a Spirit by its natural being, however, remains a Spirit.

In the Goodness of the Gods,
Chris Aldridge.

In The Presence of the Gods: The Night That Changed Our Lives Forever

This is an experience I do not normally talk about, because I don't want to come off as a bragger. I always say that you can tell the difference between people who have had legitimate spiritual experience and those who haven't, because those who have will not brag, or try to use it to score religious, social or financial points. Those of us who have had real experiences in these realms, don't go around blowing our own trumpets. The only time I tell this story is when it is necessary to describe why my wife and I became worshipers of the Greek Gods. It's not something someone will usually find me discussing or trying to spread around on a consistent basis, because I don't feel the need to be personally validated or convinced of my experience, nor do I care if others believe me or not. In fact, the only reason I am telling it now on my blog and website here is because I feel I should make a reasonable post about it for my readers. They read my life story in my autobiography, but it doesn't describe this massive change, so I am going to tell one of the greatest stories of my personal life.

Many people in our time talk about experiences with their own deities, especially in the mainstream religious society, giving countless stories about how the Christian, Jewish or Muslims god came to their rescue in their time of greatest need, or showed them a way to enlightenment. We can hardly read mainstream religious material, or watch shows, videos or movies without hearing some story regarding these religions. And yes, some may be false or exaggerated, but they still exist nevertheless. And because there are so many of these stories, they overshadow the minority religions who can and do have stories of personal experience with the old Gods just as fascinating and spectacular if not more so. It is my own story of that genre that I now wish to share. Over the centuries, there have been countless attempts to remove the old religions and the old Gods from our world and the memory of mankind. Even as you read this, there are people continuing that effort.  From the closing of temples to the destruction of statuary and the literal murder and persecution of those who refuse to accept the new religion, there was and continues to be a religious genocide. But they have all ultimately failed, and two such places where they have failed is the United States and Greece, which is where my story comes from, as I talk about how the Greek Gods came to rescue the life of my wife and I one hot summer night in 2009.

The Greek Gods are not merely myths as many consider them to be. They were real before and during ancient times, and they remain real in our own time, immortal and deathless, and the rulers of heaven, Earth, and the worlds and realms beyond those. Nothing escapes their authority or their blessings, for it is theirs, and always has been and will be. If you don't agree with my beliefs, that's fine of course. I do not express my beliefs or tell my stories with the intention of trying to change that of someone else, nor to tell them that they are wrong. But it is certainly what I hold as the sincere truth of my own heart, mind, body and soul.

The event took place shortly after my wife and I, my fiancee at the time, moved into our first apartment together in North Carolina in the summer of 2009. At that time, she was a Wiccan of ten years and leaned more toward a Norse Pagan persuasion, but she also knew of the Greek Gods and considered herself to have a relationship with Athene. I considered myself to be a "Christian Wiccan," or more accurately, a "Christian Witch." Even though I knew of the Greek Gods as the only alternative religion I had heard of through my years in school, I retained the Christian belief system I had been exposed to all my life and combined it with the emerging practices of magick and witchcraft that I so dearly loved. I didn't see any reason why I couldn't practice magic and be a Christian, for to my understanding, the bible and the Christian religion was full of magical practices, just in the name of its own god instead of any other. Now there were Christians back then who told me I wasn't a real Christian, I am sure that many Christians would still say that, and that's fine, but the fact remains that I was extremely loyal to Jesus and the Christian belief system. And there are many Christian denominations out there all telling one another that they are not real Christians either, so I didn't think too much of it when people told me I wasn't one, for I was sure I could find someone to tell them the same thing.

Because we had just moved in together and completely left our old lives, we had little money. I was unemployed and my wife only had a part time retail job. So we had to go to thrift stores to get the things we needed for our apartment, which there's no shame in at all. Many times, thrift stores can have very nice things. Although this particular thrift, which shall remain nameless, was unlike any I had ever entered. When you walked in, you could sense that there was just something very, very negative, even perhaps evil, about the place. It just was not a pleasant feeling at all, but rather a feeling of extreme uneasiness. It's not unreasonable to think that such places could possess negative influences, energies or beings because you never know where the items therein originated. They could have been involved in violence and other bad things, or could be the property of a deceased who is very angry that their stuff is being sold. There are several problems that could come with random belongings of others that have been taken or discarded. Nevertheless, we really didn't give it much thought at the time. We just wanted to get a table and chairs for our kitchen, and after a short time, we found a set and went on our way back home.

On into that evening was when things turned weird and terrifying for us. A presence began to manifest in our home which can only be described as a serious and aggressive haunting. Some kind of spirit or negative influence had entered our home, probably having followed or latched onto us from the item we came into contact with and then attacked when we took it to our home. Whatever this thing really was, it made itself known by slamming doors and filling us with fear, saying that it was not going to leave until death was brought on us. Not only could we feel and hear its hostility, we could hear its voice and it talked to us as plain as any person would. 

Me being highly Christian, I began an exorcism, calling on Jesus and also Saint Michael, the biggest enemy of Satan, to kick the spirit out. However, not a single prayer of mine worked. In fact, the situation became more and more desperate with each passing minute because the creature grew more and more powerful, or so it seemed. One thing is certain, it laughed at me in everything I did and every prayer I prayed. 

My wife told me that she could tell that the spirit feared the old Gods, and how she knew that I did not know. Perhaps she was closer to the Greek Gods than I was at the time. But at this point, I was willing to try something different because nothing I was doing was working. So I decided to turn my prayers to the Greek Gods, particularly to Athene and Apollon. Athene is the great warrior Goddess and defender and Apollon is the God of Light who averts evil and purifies ill. So I prayed to them, my wife joining me, simply asking for them to please help us. After what seemed like a few seconds of praying to these Greek Gods, my wife described an image of a lady with a spear and a male of light appearing and confronting the spirit. To quote her exactly, "Athene grabbed him by his tail," and stabbed him, then Apollon's light filled the area and cleansed away all the impurities. Then, almost as fast as it had begun, the time of terror came to an end.

Needless to say, my wife and I cuddled closely in the bed for the rest of the night, sometimes fearing the spirit might return, but it never did. It was gone, and so was our former religions. The next day, without even verbally confirming it to ourselves, we became ancient Greek. It was a given after our experience, especially with me, because the god I had spent years serving and defending never showed up, while the Gods I had given nothing to, gladly extended their hands in help in our time of desperate need.

Now, of course, I cannot tell you what this thing actually was beyond all doubt. Was it an actual spirit? Was it just bad energy? Or was it simply the manifestation of negative and stressful emotion and pain? After all, we were under a lot of stress at the time, which can also make a person vulnerable to outside aggression in many forms. Or could it have been a combination of the three? The truth of the matter is that I don't know, but what I do know is that the Greek Gods annihilated it, and we would go on in life to receive ever greater blessings from the Gods, such as when our premature son was expected to die but didn't, and all the great things they have brought to our lives and bad things they have kept from us.

I knew that each time I would tell this story, there would be Christians who would not only tell me I wasn't a real Christian, but that what really happened was not that the Greek Gods came and rescued us, but that it was actually Satan tricking us, that he was the one who removed the demon of his to trick us. The theory of this ultimate conman is reverted to sometimes more than the name of his counterparts. But what I found to be interesting about this claim was the fact that Jesus said the exact opposite in the bible, because Jesus plainly stated that Satan cannot cast out Satan, because it would divide his kingdom (Mark 3:22-27). By the words of their very own religious and spiritual icon, no, it wasn't a trick by this alleged Satan, because Satan would not drive out his own presence. The simplest answer is probably the right one, that the Greek Gods are real, they are authorities of goodness, and they came to restore goodness and order once more as they have done for so many years in Greek religious belief.

In the Goodness of the Dodekatheon,

Chris.