Last night I was reading Aesop’s Fables to my four year old boy, Little Star.

His favorite story is Hermes and the Woodsman.

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Communication is a very important skill. Unfortunately, communication is at the root of many issues within the Hellenic religious community, when we attempt to discuss our religion with those from the greater Pagan community, and even when the greater Pagan community has discussions with itself. Words have meaning, and knowing the meaning of words is important to being able to discuss issues in a civilized manner, and being able to make your point. Of course, this is not a universal problem, but it is a big enough problem that it should be discussed. Therefore, I want to run down a few commonly used terms and phrases, used by Hellenics and Pagans alike, as examples of where communication starts to break down.

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Recently I have been studying more about the Greco-Bactrians and the Indo-Greeks due to my attempt to reconstruct Greco-Buddhism.

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The Great Serpent Apalala
(Greco-Buddhist Reconstructed Stories Series)

By Astalon

( Greco-Buddhist Reconstructed Stories is an adaptation of the known Buddhist stories from various Buddhist sutras and adapting into it known Greek elements. There is no large assumption jumps in attempting to reconstruct the stories. It is based solely upon known Greco-Buddhist syncretism )

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The Redemption of Tykhe Hariti
(Greco-Buddhist Reconstructed Stories Series)

By Astalon

( Greco-Buddhist Reconstructed Stories is an adaptation of the known Buddhist stories from various Buddhist sutras and adapting into it known Greek elements. There is no large assumption jumps in attempting to reconstruct the stories. It is based solely upon known Greco-Buddhist syncretism )

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I recently wrote a blog talking about how our monotheistic conditioning creates a need for Americans to feel “special”, “called” or “working” for the Gods. There seems to be a desire for some of us to feel that we are on some sort of Spiritual Mission, or have some sort of Divine Calling. I have warned against this line of thinking.

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In my attempt to bring back the practice of Greco-Buddhism I had always found it interesting that the most common depiction of the Lord Buddha by the Indo-Greeks is always that of Herakles Vajrapani on his right and Tykhe Hariti on his left.

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When speaking about Hellenismos, it is said that Hellenismos has no absolute or strict doctrine. While our religion is identified by a basic theology and the use of and adherence to specific traditions, sacred texts, and mythology, personal theologies are acceptable. Hellenismos though, at the end of the day, is more a religion of abstract ideas and values, developed through both personal and communal experiences (emphasizing the qualitative value of the practical, emotional, insightful, and ethical), rather than a formal doctrine, dogma, or canon.

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“Trust, but verify” was the United States’ mantra during the 1980s concerning the old Soviet Union and arms control. The principle is simple. Trust people are going to do what they say, but do not be so gullible to not verify that they are keeping their promise. This post issues a warning to those involved with so-called religious organizations to apply this standard. Any organization that asks you to donate money, time, or talent must be held accountable. We must trust, but we must also have the peace of mind that our money, time, and talents are being put to good use, and for the benefit of the organization.

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The performing of ritual sacrifice seems to be the most worrisome religious act for many who are new to Hellenismos. There is some fear involved in burning items as offerings to the Gods. Some misconceptions exist that the process is complicated or difficult. Among others, there is even an idea that the act of sacrifice is an out dated, antiquated method of worship that has no place in modern society or religions. In this post, I want to address the different forms of sacrifice, the different types, a proper method for performing them, and (in the process) dispel a few myths on the subject. While there is some crossover with the acts of libation and votive offerings, I am going to leave them as a separate issue, and discuss those at another time.

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