Hellenic Polytheist Reconstructionists
Am I a reconstructionist? No. And I do think there is a difference between Recon and Revival.
Here is my feeling of difference, some are absolutely going to disagree with this but its my perspective:
"Polytheist Reconstructionism & Revivalism is the worship of a pantheon of Gods heavily influenced by the original religion that worshipped them. It is not a claim of continuity with that religion, or a desire to reinstate the ancient culture & its morals/laws. Reconstructionism attempts to be as close as possible to actual ancient practice without forgoing modern morals. While Revivalism attempts to remain close to the meaning of the ancient practice— allowing for heavy modern adaptations while still fulfilling the ancient practice purpose."
My entire practice has to be modified for my disability, I had dreams of recon but the methods I can't preform.
My zero spoon praxis is all modern:
My method of low spoon / no spoon libations is entirely modern and not at all how the ancient people would do it. Purpose: Doing libations is better than not doing them.
The idea of just invoking them. Saying "Hygeia" before a shower. Saying Theoi's names before a sip or bite to make it an offering. Etc. Purpose: Again literally anything is better than nothing.
Watching TV "with" the Gods (no I don't believe they're sitting next to me or anything). Purpose: keep the Gods in my life and mind, as they were ever present for the ancient people.
Defining "purity" as being clean with the clear ability to focus on the Gods even if in PJs. Definitely not ancient standard. I'd worship if sick if I can get all the symptoms under control (like cough medicine for example), have clean clothes, wash hands and face, focus. I'd worship on a period so long as I was clean and could focus. Etc. Purpose: while it is not the ancient standard of purity, purity is important so I had to have some sort of bench mark (its even more important in Sumerian but thats outside scope of post)
New Festivals (I usually write low spoon versions). I'm trying out some ancient ones but I find them hard to connect to (or at least don't have energy yet to appreciate them), I make my own right now. Purpose: The ancient people really liked festivals
I could go on, point is adapting ancient practices to make an attempt to meet the purpose is my goal. I'm not focused necessarily on using the ancient methods (well not yet I take things as my disability allows)
But without reconstructionists (many of whom are classicists) I would not know:
Miasma vs lyma. And this is important because I had met people who head veiled specifically to protect themselves from miasma because they thought it was that common and bad
Different methods of purity: just washing hands face; barley throwing; fire extinguished in water; few others
How to structure ancient prayers if you want to write them in that way. And how it is interwoven with Kharis.
Literally any ancient Hellenic Festival outside the book by Labrys (and I suppose Kosmos but I don't trust the author)
Debunks of modern Hellenic Polytheist things people are claiming are ancient when they are modern
Anything that requires translation from ancient Greek to explain the concept because either no English language translation exists or more often the English translation leaves out significant valuable information for religious practice.
Explanations of ancient texts and their context
Explanations of various Theoi beyond the "God of ___" one finds in website info blurbs
Book resource recommendations and often free access.
Website resources recommendations.
Journal articles & authors recommendations
If I didn't know the ancient standards and methods I would not be able to adapt anything at all and meet the "purpose"
........ literally being able to ask questions from people who have actual knowledge of the ancient religion and are willing to take time out of their day to answer
Reconstructionists do so much damn leg work in Hellenic Polytheism. So much. And so many people seem to refuse to acknowledge that. We take it all but never appreciate their approach. And many reconstructionists have been run off this website for no good reason.
I have seen a grand total of one person claiming to be recon who disparaged non-reconstructionists, and he was a xenophobic douche regardless. Beyond that I haven't had any recon disparage revivalism [edit: as in disparage the fact that it exists or claim its not Hellenic Polytheism]. Correction on information =/= hate. Pointing out something is modern =/= hate. Having different opinions =/= hate.
So to all the Hellenic Polytheist Reconstructionists: Thank you.
-dyslexic not audio proof read-
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