P. Sufenas Virius Lupus (his spiritual name) is a practicing polytheist and scholar. He is author of A Serpent Path Primer, Ephesia Grammata: Ancient History and Modern Practice, The Phillupic Hymns, The Syncretisms of Antinous, and other devotional books. Under his legal name of Phillip Bernhardt-House, he is author of Werewolves, Magical Hounds, and Dog-Headed Men in Celtic Literature. He is on the social science faculty at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington.
Here he notes that the Orphic and Eleusinian mystery traditions of ancient Greece were influenced by earlier Egyptian initiation rituals. The mythologies of these cults all refer to a journey into the underworld. In ancient Greece, virtually all persons of status in society were initiated into these cults. The rituals are not fully known, as they were protected by solemn oaths of secrecy. However, it seems clear from accounts that are available that the initiates found them to be a source of inspiration. Often initiates reported that they no longer feared death. He suggests that the rituals may have been a rehearsal, of sorts, for actual death. While some ancient traditions involved spiritualistic communication with the deceased, the mystery traditions seemed, instead, to entail communication with higher consciousness or deities.
(Recorded on July 2, 2016)
Published on July 6, 2016