"Sacrifice to the deathless Gods purely and cleanly, and burn rich meats, and pour them libations and burn them incense, both when you go to bed and when the holy light has come back, that they may be gracious to you in heart and spirit." - Hesiod, Works and Days. (Translated by Evelyn White, 1914).
As a Hellenic practitioner, your religion is constant in your daily life, and central to everything you do. The Greeks had no word for religion because of this factor. Life was a religious experience. If it's not a specific Holy Day or festive occasion, Hellenists should have a basic, general spiritual devotion that they perform each day on a consistent basis, unless something prevents them from doing so. Before beginning any religious activity, one should be clean of mind, body and spirit. Therefore, take a bath, put on clean clothes, and don't bring negativity into the worship space or into your mind during the rite.
Traditionally, people would wash their hands in sacred water before doing anything religious. These could be found in fountain houses or sacred springs of a temple's or sanctuary's precinct. For us in modern time, we create the water using purified water along with either sea salt or the creation of what is known as khernips, which means "hand wash." Pour a cup or bowl of purified water, light a bay leaf and drop it into the water to create this. One can also use the water to purify offerings and to continue purification of themselves throughout the day, but it should be replaced once a day at least. Do not allow it to sit and be used indefinitely.
For this simple daily devotion, all you need is a cone of incense and the ability to pray. Any kind of incense will do, although our temple encourages frankincense for general burned incense offering.
With the incense lit, recite the three following prayers,
"O' blessed Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth, as you shine forth in my home and family today, may you grant us peace and love, and lift us into the presence of The Dodekatheon, that we may know their mysteries, powers and wisdom. May the incense please you."
"I also invoke Eros, who was born among the first, to bring life through love and eroticism."
"I pray to The Dodekatheon, the Highest Gods, and all the Gods, Spirits, Heroes, Deified Mortals and Ancestors of ancient Greece, may the incense please you."
"I pray to Zeus of the Home's Wealth. May you grant my family and I prosperity, posterity, abundance and safeguard. May the incense please you." (This is typically done at the shrine in your pantry, which is a double handled jar with white and yellow ribbon tied through the handles, filled with some of the goods from your pantry, though with things that are not subject to decomposition to avoid bugs and impurity. This is not meant to honor money, but tangible wealth and abundance. This can also take place at your main altar if necessary).
Once the basic prayers are completed, if you have a Patron Hero and/or a Patron Philosopher, you can include a prayer and part of the offering to them as well. Now take a short time to remain quiet and in a meditative state with the sweet fragrance that's burning around you. Feel, see and hear the Gods. Also note that if you have no family, or if your family isn't the same religion as you, you can simply change the prayers to a singular context for you personally.
End your time with a final prayer to Hestia. "I end with blessed Hestia, for She is First and Last. Home of the blessed Gods, house me forever in your great splendor."
Finally,
we move to the boundaries outside the house or apartment. The first
altar we encounter is that of Zeus Erkeios, which means Zeus of the
Fence. This is placed in the front yard at the property
line, just where the property begins and ends. Traditionally, it was
placed between the perimeter fence and home. You can use a small column with a small statue of enthroned Zeus on top, and here you venerate Zeus as the protector of your home and land.
At
the entrance of the property in ancient times, there also used to
stand an altar to Hermes, Hekate and Apollon Agyieus, which means
Apollon of the Streets, and Hermes and Hekate are honored as Gods of
the pathway and crossroads. When you leave and return to your home, a
simple offering should be given to all of these Gods, such as a libation. If you live in
an apartment with no yard, you can place a small column right outside the
front door up against the wall. Make sure all of the altars and tools
are kept clean. You can also place the altars on a shelf next to the
door.
Examples
of Leaving and Returning Prayers,
"Blessed
Zeus of the Fence, Hermes of the Pathway, Hekate of the Crossroads,
and Apollon of the Streets, guard and protect all that is mine as I
depart for the outside world."
"Blessed
Zeus of the Fence, Hermes of the Pathway, Hekate of the Crossroads,
and Apollon of the Streets, I thank you for your blessings and the
privilege to return to my home."
Note - Some Hellenic sources in the past have suggested giving Zeus the most prayer, and therefore naturally by default, the most offerings in daily rites, but this is not a mandate as Hellenism does not incorporate rigid dogma. The Gods consider different practices valid and pious as long as they are based on the foundations of respect and reciprocity of Hellenism. In short, when you read about the practices of one person or one organization, none of them are wrong, they are just another way among many. Also remember that purification is normally reserved for ritualized activity. In your daily life, such as at school or work, you don't have to wash your hands. You can simply pray.
Source
Labrys
– For The Resurgence Of The Sacred Hearth Of Hellenism, Hellenic
Polytheism: Household Worship, Athens, Greece, 2014.
Alexander Jay, Timothy, A Beginner's Guide to Hellenismos, LuLu, 2007.
