FAQ’s (A Must Read) – Temple of the Sea Born

The Basics

1 Why Hellenism and ancient Mediterranean practice?

(This material is still being expanded and revised, please check back to see the fully edited version)

Usually when I get this question it’s often with the unspoken continuation of, “as opposed to other, more popular, pagan traditions”. Indeed, it’s a worthwhile question to explore. Admittedly when one thinks about modern neo-paganism and spiritual movements, the first ones to come to mind are practices like modern Wicca, Druidism, Santeria, Voodoo, etc. Hellenism and ancient Mediterranean religions and magickal practices are often not as prevalent or even shunned due to some of the darker sides that have been associated with them (see FAQ on dealing with the darker sides of the religion and practice). That said, there were many reasons that I made a conscious decision to center the temple around a loosely fitting framework of the ancient practices.

In order to compare and contrast, I’d like to offer an example of a current neo-pagan tradition, however, before I even start the next paragraph, I will beg my reader’s forgiveness and a certain amount of leeway in making a point quickly for the sake of illustration. For context only, I’m about to give a very condensed and incomplete example of some of the more modern practices and beliefs today. Please don’t be offended at my cursory look if you happen to attune with any of them.

A modern witch’s coven might look like the following example. A small group of people who may focus on a dual Goddess and God, or potentially even a swapping of the traditional Father figure in favor of the more loving and nurturing Mother figure. Quite often this kind of group actually or theoretically will align with the ideals of the true nature of the word pagan, in that they seek a connection to the countryside and nature. They will follow the traditional agrarian calendar and symbolic Wheel of the Year (CLICK HERE to learn more about this if you aren’t familiar). Many seek to practice healing, energy raising, and magickal workings, but usually the practices are a small subset of the practitioners daily life. Much of the first inspiration and sources for these groups is only about a hundred and fifty years old when such figures as Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente started popularizing various spiritual and pagan beliefs and practices. Finally, when I think of modern pagan practices in very general terms, I often think of very loose connections to the everyday world.

Over the years, I’ve had the great fortune of having religious and spiritual conversations with a lot of people from all walks of life, religious and spiritual backgrounds, and varying and diverse beliefs and opinions. The thing I’ve found consistent throughout many who follow some kind of spiritual path, is the feeling that their chosen path called to them. The feeling that they finally “came home”. So it was when I found Hellenism and ancient Mediterranean religions and practices. Here are a few of the things that struck me as feeling close to my heart, soul, and spiritual experience:

Although I think we all want and need a connection to nature and that ideal of the country pagan; for many of us, including myself, that is not our daily reality. The turning of the wheel is a fulfilling way to celebrate the natural cycles of life, but it is often devoid of some meaning in that we aren’t as reliant on the seasons and the agrarian cycles in our modern day-to-day lives. Hellenism and the closely related Mediterranean areas, were often much more “metropolitan” if you will, with Athens being more like our modern reality than that of the Celtic tribes for example. Athens also had a calendar that honored the changing season, but also honored concepts and ideas that we are quite familiar even today. There were festivals and celebrations of labor and trade (think Labor Day). There were festivals and rites to honor the city itself and democracy (think founders day events and things like the Fourth of July across America). The Attic calendar felt, to me, very familiar and very approachable, while at the same time being a framework also for my spiritual and magickal practice as well (there are festivals and celebrations honoring different mystery schools).
Growing up Catholic, I always felt that I was a spiritual person, but never saw my internal spirituality fully realized in the church I knew. As I started to seek and question and mature in my spirituality, one of the biggest conflicts in me was that of being told that we were made in His image, when I knew that the meaning of the church’s interpretation carried the heavy hand of man with it; both in a literal and figurative way. He was portrayed as a white male, and yet some of the closest people to me on my spiritual journey were neither. In an attempt to find that balance I found myself in groups that had traded the one male figurehead for a female figurehead, but, it seemed, with as much contempt for the other as had been expounded by the established religion. In finding Hellenism and ancient religion, I finally found a connection to a pantheon of Goddesses, Gods, Heroes, and daemons who spoke to the world as I saw it and experienced it. Not only did they represent the energies of male and female, but also the qualities of love, nurturing, nature, home and hearth, etc. Not only did they have these qualities that I’d been seeking, but there was no attempt to gloss over the fallibilities that were also a part of my experience. When I felt anger or jealousy, I didn’t need to be forgiven by a vengeful god, I just knew that I was not alone even amongst the Goddesses and Gods. It isn’t an excuse to hind behind but a way to confront it from a point of power instead of shame.
For some the solitary nature or more traditional practices is part of the reason for following them. For me, and others like me, there was always a certain sense of longing for the same community dynamic as the religions I’d grown up with. Greek religious tradition allowed for a very personal connection to the divine in the form of household religious observances, while at the same time providing a framework for coming together to celebrate and commune.
Walk into any bookstore (save for a Christian bookstore), and you will likely find an entire section on metaphysical and spiritual books. Many of these books are published within the last twenty years and many of those are drawing from sources that might only go back a hundred and fifty years to the inception of what we might consider modern witchcraft or neo-paganism. I don’t necessarily have a problem with the relatively young nature of the material written about modern spiritual practice. My personal beliefs are that the energies we try to attune with and the ideas we study are part of the universe like gravity. If they truly transcend then they are there to be discovered by any seeking person of any time and thus we do not need sources from the time of the Celtic tribes to truly know the truths that they also knew. That said, however, it has been fascinating to study source material that goes back thousands of years and tells of the myths, practices, and energies that they knew from those who were more contemporary to them.
When you think about the purest forms of paganism, you think about people who practiced magick as a daily necessity and not so much as an attempt at spiritual reality. Modern paganism, however, is by its very place in this world more a sideline to our lives, like a hobby, than a true lifestyle. Although much of the rituals and celebrations of modern practices are concerned with attempting to get closer to that ideal, few choose to live that lifestyle. Hellenism and the practice of ancient Mediterranean traditions by their very nature encompass full lifestyle considerations that we can actually incorporate into our lives and embrace from a position of modernity.

2 Where does the Temple’s name come from?

The temple took it’s name in honor of the Goddess Aphrodite who, according to some ancient myths, was born of the sea foam.

3 Why Aphrodite?

Unlike many established monotheistic religions where “one true God” is the sole, and jealous, expectant recipient of one’s worship and praise, many polytheists believe that there are many such deities worthy of honor and adulation. In this context, as well as the ultimate personal nature of the spiritual experience, we often don’t need to seek out our deities, but rather recognize and accept them when they choose to give us favor.

As the idea of a temple and community started to form in the heart of the founder, the one deity that made herself known above all others was Aphrodite; her energy and countenance a beacon in a world that seemingly has lost its ability to love. She is also a Goddess of beauty, which in today’s world takes on an almost negative connotation as it is often linked to superficial judgements and materialistic shallowness. Her beauty, however, speaks to a timeless beauty that transcends. She is a guiding spirit of hope, light, radiance, beauty, love, passion, and renewal in a world that can often seem dark, cold, and lifeless.

Many of the articles and teachings of the temple speak to the relationships with all of the Goddesses and Gods, but Aphrodite becomes a focus in many cases. Since the inception of the temple her radiance and spirit have only continued to grow within. We hope you will continue to explore and learn more about her in all of her aspects (some are better than others). We also hope that through her you find beauty and love in this world.

4 What does θάμβος (thambos) mean?

The Greek word thambos can be translated to mean; wonder, amazement, and awe of the divine. There were no real words for what some neo-pagans might think of as magick, but the idea of thambos pervaded every aspect of life from the mundane to the truly magickal. Through our practice and celebration of life, the Temple of the Sea Born seeks to discover the θάμβος in everything we do.

5 Why a “church” format and not a more traditional neopagan small circle or support for solo practitioners?

Spirituality and a connection with the natural and supernatural world is innately personal. Many spiritual and neo-pagan traditions and practitioners have quite easily aligned with more intimate groups or solitary practices. In some circumstances the size of the group is dictated by a desire to adhere to perceived historical tradition. Sometimes group size is established by a desire to be more protected in one’s beliefs. Other times, such practices might come from necessity; not having a community close by or not knowing where to find one. For many this is a very fulfilling path and should be rightly respected for it’s ability to bring one in tune with their personal energies. For some, however, there is something missing.

For many who were maybe raised in traditional religious settings, the greatest loss was the sense of community and connection. Even for those who never experienced such a setting, there is often a sense of aloneness. Quite often, it is easy to feel the weight of the world and the universe in everyday matters, as well as matters of the spirit, when there isn’t support from a community.

A larger community won’t be for everyone, but it is our firm belief that the times we have weathered in the last few years and the future we look towards, cry out for community building and healing. We have seen the devastating effects of people being isolated and pushed apart. We’ve seen the demoralizing and heartbreaking realities of peoples feeling segregated or excluded as well as subjugated and abused. Strength both external and internal can come in numbers.

Because of the very personal nature of spiritual experience and the lack of strict structure and dogma within spiritual and neo-pagan circles, it is sometimes hard to build cohesion in larger groups. We solemnly hope and pray that the structures we are consistently building will help support all people on their individual journeys while brining together a strong community. The Greek and ancient Mediterranean traditions offer much in the way of inspiration in this cause. Each household had it’s religious beliefs and practices, but they also honored the greater community. We hope you will be inspired to bring your household and personal traditions to share with our community.

Membership

6 Who may join?

The Temple of the Sea Born is open to anyone who feels called by our core values and connects with the energy of ancient Mediterranean religions and spiritual practices. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, current or past religious experience, political beliefs, or personal philosophies. The only thing we ask of our members is that you actively seek to raise the energy of the group and are respectful of everyone while keeping an open heart and mind in all that you do within the organization.

7 What if I identify more with other traditions like Celtic, Nordic, African Diaspora, Native American, or South American traditions?

(In Progress)

8 Are there monetary commitments?

There are no long term commitments and only a few costs if you decided to become a member.

The Temple of the Sea Born is an organization that seeks to promote spiritual connection, community, and discovery. Our mission is not, and will never be, financial gain for the organization or any of it’s founders or leadership. That said, there is a certain reality that in our day and age, continuing the commitment to our guiding values requires a certain level of financial burden to the organization. There are no firm commitments or expectations placed on members after joining. However, it is through the generosity of those who enjoy the benefits of our community that we are able to continue in our mission. Like any other religious or spiritual organization your donations sustain us.

We ask for your voluntary support, and hope that the services and community we maintain will inspire you to give.

The few small exceptions are that we do have small fees associated with different levels of membership and initiation that cover the costs of administration, the materials included, and quite frankly acknowledges your commitment to the community. Please CLICK HERE for information on current membership fees.

There are also other ways to support the community. Volunteering, donations of non-monetary goods, and supporting things like our fund raisers and online referral programs can all greatly help the temple grow and sustain.

The finances of the organization are completely transparent and open to any member in good standing.

Beyond the Basics

9 How do we deal with the darker sides and legacies of these traditions?

As mentioned in the FAQ concerning why the temple focuses on Hellenism and ancient Mediterranean traditions; one of the big reasons is because we have quite a bit of primary and secondary source material detailing not only spiritual and magickal practice, but also the culture itself. That is the positive, and at times it’s also the negative. With the amount of information available to us, we can’t hide from the fact that the ancients believed and practiced certain things that we would be horrified with today; sacrifice, slavery, and the subjugation of women to name just a few. We also see, through our sources, a picture of very real human feelings and emotions within the Goddesses and Gods that aren’t always high and mighty, but often petty and trivial. In the stories and hymns of poets like Homer and Hesiod, we see Goddesses and Gods acting vengefully, jealously, and at times almost arbitrarily.

Also as mentioned in the FAQ regarding our basic views of Hellenism, there are many great things that we can learn from the ancients and lessons we can incorporate into our current, modern practices. Nevertheless, the question becomes, how do we reconcile the two opposite energies that exist in the life experiences and teachings of the ancients?

So much of western religion and spiritual practice is concerned with a perfection on the part of one entity or another. In the monotheistic teachings of Christianity, we see a perfect God figure who grants us absolution for our inherent imperfections that we can never overcome without his benevolence. In some neo-pagan world views, we see an idealized partnership with deities wherein everyone and everything has an innate perfection bestowed by a greater power that we might call Goddess or Spirit or any number of other things. So often we find ourselves trying to live up to the ideals of our chosen or inherited traditions only to feel somehow betrayed because our real-world life experiences don’t match up completely with the idealized perceptions of what should be.

Let me start with the second, and arguably lesser of the issues we face when confronting the Goddesses and Gods; that of their seemingly fallible, human-like emotions and actions. For me, I don’t find this something to overcome in our perception of them, but rather something to embrace. Within the vast majority of western religion, we find ourselves trying to live up to a standard that is far from attainable. We are admonished to continually strive to achieve godliness, whilst knowing and feeling that we will never even come close. In the internal struggle that is inevitable, however, we try to ignore the realities of very real energies and emotions that exist in this world while continuing to hurt those close to us with those very same energies. Instead of relegating those energies to a place where they grow and fester, but remain untouched, we can look to the Goddesses and Gods as mirrors into our very real and very natural emotions and start the conversation within ourselves as well as in the world outside our own minds and hearts. We can identify with them. We can accept the existence of those energies. And we can strive to work towards understanding and healing instead of suppressing.

As for the other parts of the ancients, those parts that seem so utterly against our very fiber of being, we must do the following:

Accept that, within every culture and time, there exist both good and bad. Where we struggle is when we can only see the black and white but feel tortured by the seemingly unsolvable dichotomies and questions that exist in the grays. Black and white is easy; gray is often an uncomfortable place for the mind and heart to go because within the grays lie our vulnerabilities and fears. Nonetheless, we must face the uncomfortable questions if we are to avoid being consumed by the shadows.
Practice forgiveness. This holds true for the people in our current lives who have hurt us and disrespected our unique beings, but it also holds true for the ancestors who we will always be eternally linked to. We don’t have to condone what they did or even forget. We don’t have to open ourselves up to continue to feel the pain and suffering. But, we do need to strive to practice forgiveness for our own peace as much as for the peace of the ages.
Seek the glory in survival instead of the suffering in victimhood. It might be hard to believe that we have triumphed, but in every small act of courage and strength in the face of our unflinching look to our past, we can stand tall and know that we are every bit the victors and heroes that the ancients also taught us to be. We follow in the footsteps of our ancestors. At times we see in them the divine qualities of the Goddesses and Gods, and at other times we see in them the darker sides. In either case, however, the footsteps have led us to our own unique place in the cosmic story. The question becomes, what do we take from their journey, and what legacy do we leave behind for future generations? Do we continue the story of darkness, or do we become the heroes of a future time? To fight it, we must acknowledge it. To triumph, we must first know our foe.