Approaching the Mysteries

by Rob Andrews

Frequently asked questions by those new to Hellenism are often very practical and direct. This site attempts to address many of the core questions with specific examples useful to individuals and groups. But some of the subtle issues of cultivating relationships between human and the divine are not best resolved with a single set of suggestions that apply equally well to every person and deity. For the individual seeking to cultivate a personal experience of the unspoken wonder of a "Mystery" experience, the information presented here may be of value in developing more clear ideas of one's personal expectations & experiences with respect to the deity or deities whose Mysteries one hopes to approach.

The self-learning lesson material on this page should be about right for a study period of between five and fifteen minutes daily for four weeks. Questions for reflection, self-dedication, and other extras provide opportunities for a few additional sessions of a few hours from time to time during this period.

Questions for Reflection:

What do you want out of life?
Have you had any 'life-changing' mystical experiences?
What would you expect to get out of participation in a Mystery School?
If you were guaranteed that participation in a Mystery School *would not* bring any material or social rewards, would you still be interested?
What deities and/or spirits and/or whatever appeal to you?
Do you understand why these beings appeal to you?
If you found out that much of what you believe about these beings is completely false, how would you take it?
What would it take for you to lose interest in the Mysteries?
If, after entering into Mysteries, you turned your back on the whole process, would you feel okay about the experience?

Self-Dedication:

Spend some time in reflection on the deity or deities.
Look up the best information you can reasonably find about the deity/deities and do some study.
Practice getting still and quiet, allowing your mind to settle, being tolerant of how difficult this can be.
In a place free from distraction, make appropriate offerings and express to the deity/deities your heart-felt wish for a deeper experience.
Open yourself to any initial impressions, both from within yourself (anything from doubt to hope to excitement, or whatever comes up - because it's all okay) and from the deity/deities. If nothing happens, that's just fine. You are sincerely dedicating yourself, not requiring instant, dramatic gratification of some kind.

Basic Exercises:

Each exercise is assigned for a given period of time, such as "daily for one week". Perform the exercise for the assigned period of time, then note in a learning journal how consistently you performed the exercise and any reflections on how you feel the exercise has affected you. If the exercise has additional instructions, carry out those and make appropriate notes in your study journal. Unless otherwise specified, carry out only one exercise at a time, then go on to the next exercise.

Plan in advance if you will need certain props, such as a string of one hundred beads to count chants, or a journal notebook and a private place to keep it.

In your journal, write out your most honest answers to the Questions for Reflection.
Choose an image of a deity and contemplate the image for five minutes before sleep each day for one week.
Light a candle or pour a libation for a deity after awakening for one week.
Pray before sleep for one week that the deity will guide you in dreams. *Immediately upon waking* record everything you can remember about any dreams.
Daily for one week, chant the name of the deity one hundred times. This can be at any time of day, but should ideally be at the same time every day.
Go to a solitary place free from distraction and chant the name of the deity one thousand times.
Without first looking back at your initial answers to the Questions for Reflection, write out your most honest answers to the questions again. After completion, compare your answers with the answers you wrote down for Exercise 1.
Even if you have done so already, perform the Self-Dedication. Record any reflections in your journal, but you can leave out deeply intimate details for which you may not have words.