ayoitsbbb

[ayoitsbbb]

Casually just changed my life no big deal

POLYCENTRIC POLYTHEISM: THE GODS IN COUNTERPOINT

Excerpt from an essay on Patreon.

Religious syncretism has simultaneously fascinated and baffled me ever since I learned of its prominence in the ancient Mediterranean. On one level, it makes sense; after all, different cultures were bound to see their own gods in those of their neighbors. But the more I read and researched, the more it seemed like the names or identities of the gods didn't really matter. I am reminded, for instance, of the goddess Isis in The Golden Ass, when she describes herself as being "worshiped by all the world under different forms, with various rites, and by manifold names." Does it really make a difference, then, whether one prays to Hekate, Artemis, Kybele, Rhea, or Isis? After all, these goddesses were all identified with one another at some point over the course of history.

I might have been stuck on this for many more weeks and months had I not recently learned of a more obscure form of polytheism: polycentric polytheism. Strangely, it took me six years of exploring polytheism and paganism to discover this polytheistic structure, which asserts that all gods are in every god, and that each god is supreme, containing all of the universe within themselves. This essentially allows every god to be placed at the "center" of things. In the Hellenic tradition, for example, Artemis, Hermes, or even Selene can be seen as the "ruler of all" instead of just Zeus, who is generally considered to be the universal sovereign. This structure—all gods in every god—stands in opposition to the more commonly accepted structure of pluriform monotheism, or all gods in one god, i.e. all gods are aspects or emanations of a singular divinity.

Syncretism makes a lot more sense when viewed through a polycentric lens. If all gods are in every god, then it's easier to see the "Isis" in Hekate or the "Hermes" in Anubis. And that is where the concept of counterpoint comes into play.

I'm not an expert on musical theory—I hardly know anything, to be honest—but it seems to me that a lot of music produced today employs counterpoint, weaving together two or more melodies or voices into a harmonic whole. In a polycentric framework, the gods are no different. Each deity is their own voice, their own unique melody, and they combine together to form the musical texture of the universe, so to speak. A single voice in a contrapuntal texture is a whole unit or "individual"; it does not require other voices to support or complete it. However, the inclusion of additional, unique voices enhances the musical texture in captivating ways and makes it more interesting to listen to.

The same, by polycentric standards, applies to the gods. Each god is supreme in their own right, but they're made stronger when they "sing" alongside each other. Their melodies reflect and complement one another while maintaining individuality. The end result? Our complex reality—and by extension, our multifaceted human experience. For comparison, imagine a world in which no other deity existed (or was said to have existed) except one. Our spiritual universe would be rather one-dimensional, would it not? We wouldn't have the colorful, diverse mythologies and many of the powerful archetypes we know and love today. Yes, there are plenty of monotheists out there who believe in a single divinity, but they don't exist in a vacuum; they are surrounded by the stories, signatures, and symbols of countless gods.

When we apply this concept to polytheistic worship, we have two main choices: we can listen to and appreciate the whole harmonic texture the gods produce, or we can focus on a few melodies that stand out to us. In terms of actual practice, most polytheists fall in the latter category, picking out melodies (deities) that appeal to or resonate with them and incorporating them into worship. It's impossible, after all, to venerate each and every god in existence. However, polytheists who subscribe to a polycentric framework can appreciate the whole through the worship of only a few. After all, all gods are in every god. The only thing that changes, it seems, is the manner in which one divinity manifests—or is "activated"—in another. A god like Hermes will likely manifest differently in Hekate than in Aphrodite, for example.

It's this ability to "activate" other gods within themselves that allows every god to reign as supreme. We might be tempted to limit the gods based upon the functions we have ascribed to them (e.g. Aphrodite as the goddess of love or Poseidon as god of the sea), but these functions—along with their associated mythologies and symbols—serve mostly to build the individual identity of the gods. Through a polycentric lens, all gods are capable of performing every function because they are perfect and contain the universe (and all other gods) within them. So one can pray to Ares for love or Hephaistos for a good harvest, and each of those gods will approach those functions in ways that are unique to them.

We modern thinkers might be tempted to dismiss the polycentric structure as pointless. From our perspective, we have firmly delineated the gods and their functions over the last couple thousand years, and those boundaries absolutely should not be crossed. After all, why have a pantheon of two dozen deities or more if they can all essentially perform the same functions? Would it not be simpler to worship one divinity at that point?

Sure, but polycentric polytheism emphasizes individuality, not function. When we reduce the gods to their respective functions, we strip them of their individuality. People deliberately choose to worship Aphrodite, not the abstract function of love. Why? Because Aphrodite is an individual: a unique being with a distinctive worldview. People worship Her to commune with that worldview; it is a melody with which they resonate. The same can be said of any other deity in human history, from the Great Mother Goddess to the Christian God.

The same principle occurs in the human psyche. All human archetypes dwell in each human, and we could, in theory, activate any archetype at any time and for any reason, if we wished—even if we wouldn't ordinarily associate that archetype with our personality or blueprint. A man can activate the Mother archetype, a woman the Emperor archetype, or an adult the Wounded Child archetype. So it is with the gods. Hekate can activate Hermes, Isis, Diana, or even The Morrigan if She wishes, along with every other god in existence. This is an excellent demonstration of the Hermetic Principle of Correspondence at work: as above, so below; as within, so without.

Some melodies move us; others fade into the background. Our tastes may change over time, or we may listen to the same melody for the rest of our lives. Maybe you've experienced the Apollonian melody to its fullest and are in need of a new worldview. Maybe the Hekatean melody is the only melody that will ever appeal to you. That's the beauty of the polycentric model: you can enjoy the sovereignty and individuality of any deity for as long as you need without ever truly "losing" your relationship with them—because all gods dwell in every god.

Music that doesn't employ counterpoint can still be pleasant to listen to. Maybe the listener enjoys the simplicity of a single voice or melody and is overwhelmed or overstimulated by songs that have too much going on in them. In spiritual or religious terms, we'd describe these people as monotheists or perhaps even monolatrists/henotheists, depending on their personal views. Not all polytheists subscribe to a polycentric framework, after all. Some may believe in a supreme deity (e.g. Zeus, Indra, Odin, the Great Goddess, etc.) with all other deities being subservient to them. Or some might be "soft" polytheists, believing the gods to be emanations of a single divinity or powerful, living archetypes that influence and inspire humankind.

There is a certain liberating quality about polycentric polytheism, however. Once we strip away the emphasis on function and hierarchy, we are free to focus purely on the deity's unique voice. Just as we know a person's job doesn't define them as a human being, a deity's function doesn't define them as an individual. Nature favors diversity, and that includes diverse worldviews—from the secular to the spiritual, and from the profane to the profound.

[ayoitsbbb]

fuuuuck i just realized that the future idealized version of myself cant exist without current me being the catalyst for change and doing hard things. has anybody heard about this

[ayoitsbbb]

Welcome your gay neighbor

Welcome your transgender neighbor

Welcome your poor neighbor

Welcome your disabled neighbor

Welcome your immigrant neighbor

Welcome your sick neighbor

Welcome oppressed neighbor

[ayoitsbbb]

Sometimes Hekate commands patience and resilience. Sometimes she needs us to go through obstacles and hardships to get to the other side.

And sometimes she holds me gently. She reminds me of memories framed in childlike wonder. She tells me I don't need to hope for her blessings because I already have them. She is there for me and trusting in her has brought me many opportunities, much clarity, and incredible community.

Khaire Hekate, my beloved goddess. My patron, my mother, my muse.

[ayoitsbbb]

To Zeus Eleutherios, the Liberator

Zeus Eleutherios, divine liberator of mankind

You who breaks chains and brings freedom to the masses

It is you who gives us the strength and the understanding to free ourselves from tyranny

And it is you who intervenes to free humankind from the yoke of slavery and oppression

In these times of trouble I turn to you, that you might grant to us your guidance and intervention now

To you I pray, oh lightning-wielding patron of the freedom struggle

I beg of you, bestow upon us the strength, the skill, the power, and knowledge to free ourselves

To free our world from the tyranny of fascism, imperialism, and zionism,

To overcome and destroy oppression in all its forms

Grant the people inspiration, that we might be able to rise up and defeat those who hold us down

That we might be delivered from all those who exploit, murder, and marginalize

Just and Revolutionary Zeus, who with your son Dionysos, carries the title of Liberator

May all the enemies of the people be laid low, may they be disarmed and disempowered

May they pay for their crimes in this life, in this generation, and not the next

Bring swift justice and vengeance on those who deceive us,

and upon the forces that render us complicit in violence and the destruction of our siblings

May all who defile the Sacred Earth with bloodshed and pollution be cast into the deepest depths of Tartaros

Oh great King of the Heavens, wolf-like and serpentine, avenging the wrongs and corruption of mortal leaders

It is to you I pray, that we shall arrive at freedom in our lifetimes

And that through your divine inspiration we may build the struggle to create a better world

Strike down with your shining scepter all those in power who subdue the coming of justice

That our path to freedom be one not far from us, but near at hand

Oh Lord Zeus, you who delivers freedom and justice, hear this my prayer

(Art by Heinrich Friedrich Füger)

[ayoitsbbb]

I just saw someone say with full confidence that they use AI to help decipher their tarot readings and I just??? You work and worship God's of the Arts and assume it's okay to use technology that takes away from ARTISTS? And not only that, boasts about it online as if it's a good thing that you are doing when this is also scientifically proven to hurt the Earth as well. It makes no sense to me, sorry.

[ayoitsbbb]

Materialism is literally inextricable from Greek religious practice because the ideal relationship between gods and humans is one based on mutual gift-giving.

[ayoitsbbb]

Just a little something I wrote:

"It is foolish to believe the Gods, being transcendent as they are, would be overly concerned with our mortal affairs. It is equally foolish to believe the Gods, being immanent as they are, do not concern themselves with us."

[ayoitsbbb]

When I die, I don't want to be embalmed. I don't want to be cremated, I WANT TO ROT.

I want my body to be buried as it is and an apple or walnut tree planted over me. I want to go back to being a part of mother earth and I want my body to feed that tree so that i can continue to care for my loved ones well after my death.

I want my grand babies' grand babies to pick the fruit of that tree, knowing their mammaw is buried underneath, feeding, and caring for them the way I would my own babies. I want them to climb into the branches like they were climbing into my arms so that I can hold them and let them know they are loved even after I am dead.

When branches die and fall from my tree, I want them burned to provide my family with warmth in the winter. I want the children to roast marshmallows and cook over the fire that is fed by the wood from the tree I am buried under. I want to never not be a part of the family bon fires. My children will drink beers and tell stories around the fire as we do now, always knowing Mama's spirit is there.

I grew my babies in my body fed them with my body as infants, and when I die, I want my body to continue to provide for and nurture my family for countless generations to come.

Also I don't want the government knowing where I'm buried

[ayoitsbbb]

I will perhaps have people mad at me for this, but it’s my passionate opinion that we, as Hellenists, or really any ‘pagan’ worshippers, should not demonize Christianity, & should not hold ourselves above other religions.

Not being Christian is now not the default, & in many ways, non-Christians are mistreated, however this was not always the case. There was a time when worshippers of gods familiar to us were the colonizers, & the oppressors, who martyred Christians.

On top of this, when you see yourself as inherently better than Christians, you are likely to fall into the fallacy of being unable to see your own Christian influences. Many of you speak of divinity in a way reflective of Christianity, many of you hold onto the idea of humans as inherently dirty. Sometimes, you’re influenced by other traditions & you don’t even notice- for instance, I’ve seen Wiccan practice touted as if it’s something ancient or inherent to Hellenism.

Sometimes I see people lamenting the fact that there are churches instead of temples, saying outright that it would be better if everyone was a Hellenist. I feel people forget what it was once like when there was only temples- it was not free, it was not safe for women, for foreigners, for the lower class. Believers in the Theoi did not become more moral then Christians solely though their faith in the Gods.

We have just as much potential to be harmful, bigoted & cruel as Christians. If you do not deconstruct, & if you hold anger against others for their faith, you are not breaking a cycle, you are continuing it.

[ayoitsbbb]

[ayoitsbbb]

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i never see things in black and white

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i smile everytime i hear dogs barking

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i am a witch

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i value balance

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i love the natural world

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i understand the need of changing even don't liking it

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i love my solitude

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i love moon and the stars

i am an Hecate devotee, of course i love research for Her ♡

[ayoitsbbb]

I don’t know why people are so afraid of modern implications in Hellenic polytheism. Yes, the foundation of our religion relies on the ancients, but even the ancients themselves would’ve adapted with the times had they been allowed to do so. There’s no shame in transformation and adaptation.

Whilst there is no religion without the foundation the ancients laid out for us, there is also no future for us if we do not adapt. Period.

[ayoitsbbb]

Something I think about sometimes is the fact that Hephaestus is disabled. Or at the very least, chooses to represent himself that way. I don’t believe a god could be meaningfully injured, but perhaps he intended a symbology in his clubbed foot?

The Greeks often conflated physical beauty or perfection with moral goodness. Wholeness of body was considered very important, & Hephaestus’ disability conflicts this idea. He has difficulty walking, & yet he is a god, above mortal standards of beauty.

I believe he is intended to be a moral guide for us. If gods can be disfigured, then the gods will not judge us mortals for being so. Your disability is irrelevant in the face of the gods, for they do not expect perfection, only your best.

He is also the paramour of Aphrodite. Beauty & disability, side by side. Could the message be any more clear?

[ayoitsbbb]

Child soldiers exist, war is not an adult topic.

Children die, death/murder is not an adult topic.

The Troubled Teen Industry exists, child trafficking is not an adult topic.

Children get raped, sexual assault is not an adult topic.

Children have alcoholic parents, addiction is not an adult topic.

Children get beat to the point of hospitalization at school, that level of violence is not an adult topic.

That when these things get into "kid friendly" media at all, they tend to be heavily censored is about protecting adult control over kids, not about protecting children.

[ayoitsbbb]

Absolutely be political in your worship.

Aphrodite isn't called Pandemos (of All People) so you can sit around and let the big names capitalise love and serve it only to those who can afford to pay past the persecution. Hermes isn't called Oeopolus (Shepherd) so you can sit around and let a bunch of power-hungry wolves lead a flock of influencable sheep. Apollo isn't called Paean (Healer) so you can sit around while wealthy corporations serve healthcare only to those who can afford not to die. Athena isn't called Ambulia (Counsellor) so you can sit around while the people are being fed propaganda against each other to divert them from the real enemy at the top. Dionysus isn't called Eleuthereus (the Liberator) so you can sit around while freedom is only granted to those whose skins have the acceptable colour while the others die in chains. Zeus isn't called Xenios (of the Foreigners) so you can sit around while the borders are closed to those who need it and only open to those who can give back the money.

The Gods stand with the oppressed, and so should you.

[ayoitsbbb]

I feel it's important to clarify that miasma isn't something that the everyday person should worry about.

Miasma is not just "pollution," but defilement.

It is something that you incur only when you've acted grossly outside of religious/moral norms, and thus, isn't something that you or I need to remotely fret over as regular-degular worshippers of the theoi.

It is lyma—literally dirt that is washed away with water—that we have to wash away when approaching the gods. Not miasma.