Monday, February 18, 2008

Contemporary Priestess Training

What would the training program look like for a contemporary priesthood of love, a priestesshood of sexuality? What should the new training program for Aphrodite’s priests and priestesses look like? I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this lately, and I’ve been sketching out some ideas. Very rough ideas, for the most part, but ideas that I think might eventually lead somewhere.

The program would have to be comprehensive, and it would really have very far-reaching influences. Aphrodite, after all, reaches into many aspects of human existence. We’d need to talk about the many faces and forms of love, including romantic love, familial love, friendship, physical attraction. We would want to talk about Her role in coming of age, marriage, childbirth, the home, politics, sexuality, war, and nature. We would have to talk about the Graces and the characteristics that They lend to mortal existence – splendor, mirth, good cheer. We would have to talk about Their connection to the Muses, and the interplay between Aphrodite and the Goddesses of inspiration. In fact, there is a world of mythology that we would really need to study and dissect in order to make sense of it all.

We’d probably have to start with some basics of Hellenic religious practice, to put Her worship into context. I’m not strictly saying that those drawn to Her service need to work in a Neo-Hellenic paradigm, but it does make sense that we understand those foundations before we individually chose to play with variations.

We would need to think about contemporary methods of expression of Her qualities, but we would undoubtedly want to keep the grace of a somewhat Classical approach.

So much to consider…

3 comments:

L.B. said...

And just to be obvious and difficult by giving you more to consider... how would the male priest training differ from the females? what parts would involve them training together? Would they be allowed to train together?

Anthea said...

I'm sorry. Something went wrong with my comment and I accidentaly deleted it :( But here it is again ;)

There's so much to learn about Her and to learn about being a priest/priestess of Aphrodite, that to me - as a priestess of Aphrodite - it seems it's a lifetime-project (growing through experience, different aspects in different stages of your life). But I wouldn't say no to a basic training program if there was one ;) It's a shame that we have no written material whatsoever on ancient priestesses of Aphrodite, and their training. Blessings, Anthea

Laurelei said...

LB -- You know, I'm not sure that I would differentiate among contemporary male and female priestly training, at the early levels. I think they would/should train together.

Anthea -- I wish there were references available to the old practices, and I agree that much has to come from living life. But I would think that a basic training would be a possibility. =)