The spark of inspiration for this short essay came from a conversation on our forum, and a misunderstanding regarding the concept of kharis that is currently spreading through some “Hellenic polytheist” online groups. Subsequently, I provided a list of quotes (here) from several scholarly sources explaining this concept, and now would like to meld those thoughts into a coherent statement regarding this essential concept.

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One of the words we often hear or read in discussions regarding Hellenismos is “virtue.” The modern use of the word means moral excellence and the living of one’s life by a set of moral and ethical principles. Greek ethics is not so much the condemnation of individual personal behavior, but is more in line with a set of guidelines of what one should do rather than should not. Virtue ethics emphasizes character, rather than specific rules, as the key element of ethical thinking, and the Greek concept of virtue is very closely linked to the idea of excellence and ideals. This is in a way that goes beyond what many would consider moral or ethical issues. Virtue is not a complicated concept, but it is one that every practitioner of Hellenismos must strive to understand.

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I would like to share a summary of a conversation I recently had with a friend, and fellow Hellenist. He is finding himself out of favor within certain circles of Hellenics, Religio Romana, and “progressive” Kemetics. These circles would prefer practicing an open-ended, complex mixture of beliefs, rather than a reconstruction of the culturally specific religions they claim to adhere.

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Have you ever wondered about what it means to be happy? The United States Declaration of Independence states that all people have the right to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” as a self-evident and unalienable right. What does that mean? What is happiness?
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