POLLUTION AND PURIFICATION
HellenicGods.org "...with hands unwashed I dare not pour libation of ruddy wine to Zeus; nor is it in any way possible for a man to make prayer to the son of Cronos, lord of the dark clouds, all befouled with blood and filth." [1] Khǽrnips - (Chernips or Lustral Water; Gr. χέρνιψ, ΧΕΡΝΙΨ. Etym. χείρ, "the hand" + νίπτω, "I wash.") Iphiyǽnia (Iphigenia; Gr. Ἰφιγένεια): First I would cleanse them with ablutions pure. Ocean water contains salt, which in itself is purifying [3], and which symbolizes the Fire-Aithír (Aether; Gr. Αἰθήρ). Khǽrnips is placed near the altar in a vessel called a khærniveion (chernibeion; Gr. χερνῐβεῖον) or an ydrána (hydrana; Gr. ὑδράνᾱ). Sometimes khǽrnips is sprinkled with a wisp (aspergillum) called a pærirrantírion (perirranterion; Gr. περιρραντήριον), to purify or dedicate something or someone. Purification Using khǽrnips is symbolic of the Aithír or Water washing away míasma (Gr. μίασμα), pollution. Its use may seem similar to the basin of holy water found near the door of Catholic churches, but khǽrnips represents ritual cleansing, where the Christian holy water has more of a connotation of a blessing. In our tradition, the use of khǽrnips is the general means of simple purification: katharmós (Gr. καθαρμός). The ritual of washing hands is mostly symbolic; it is indicative of a change in attitude, as expounded in the oft-quoted phrase engraved over the entrance to the sanctuary of Asklipiós (Asklepios; Gr. Ἀσκληπιός) at Æpídavros (Epidaurus; Gr. Επίδαυρος):
On one level, we wish to be in an appropriate state when approaching the Gods through ritual, so we literally want to be physically clean and show due respect to the Gods, but ultimately, the act of washing hands is symbolic of attaining a type of purity which cannot be secured by the act alone. Nonetheless, using khǽrnips is a skillful tool to help us change our attitude. At the very least, we try, we attempt to be pure of heart, even if we cannot quite accomplish this change; our intention is to leave the profane behind.
Purification is a type of separation (διάκρισις) [6] of the profane from the sacred; therefore, we generally do not conduct ritual until we have washed with khǽrnips.
It is inappropriate to approach the Gods when we are unclean, in body or soul:
Khǽrnips literally cleanses our body and helps us purify our soul, but it has limitations:
How to Obtain and Use Khǽrnips in Ritual How do we acquire khǽrnips? What is the tradition? Distilled water, although very pure, is not quite appropriate. The ideal water would be that which is obtained from an unpolluted, flowing spring or from the ocean in an area where it is clean. If these are unavailable, use bottled spring-water. If you cannot afford bottled spring-water, tap-water is sufficient. In our tradition, we improvise. Light a candle and dedicate this candle to Æstía (Hestia; Gr. Ἑστία). Now, obtain fire from the Æstía-candle using a toothpick or similar; this flame represents the Fire of Life, the possession of the Goddess. Extinguish the fire in the water saying a simple prayer, something like this:
If you have a nice container, you can make and store khǽrnips for future use, or it can be made right before each ritual. Again, a simple prayer may be recited by each participant to help keep in mind the true purpose of the practice: "With this khǽrnips, I purify my body, my mind, and my soul; I wash my hands and my face, a time-honored custom performed before approaching the Blessed, Deathless Gods. Khærníptomai! (Be purified!)" The Use of the Pærirrantírion Concluding Remarks Concerning Khǽrnips, Pollution, and Purification It is worth repeating that, although we perform this little ritual, using khǽrnips is not magic; it cannot "wash away your sins," so to speak. The use of khǽrnips is an act of piety and should not be an expression of superstition or pretense; it simply represents the change of heart you are attempting to actualize, to be your best for the Gods. And it is valuable to point out that the idea of pollution should be approached with a rational mind. It is easy to develop an unbalanced and paranoid view concerning pollution, feeling that we must constantly be washing our hands or doing some other purificatory practice. But this is superstition and illogical. In ancient times, such an unreasonable approach was not uncommon, as the philosopher Thæóphrastos (Theophrastus; Gr. Θεόφραστος) characterizes in his essay on superstition:
One should be clear in one's mind that the Gods are benevolent and highly evolved beings and they are not petty, requiring us to do the absurd. Concerning míasma of a more severe nature, in the case, for instance, of someone who has committed a serious crime, such an act requires purification that lies beyond the efficacy of khǽrnips and such pollution requires a different conversation. GLOSSARY OF KHǼRNIPS, POLLUTION AND PURIFICATION Ænayís (enages; Gr. ἐναγής, ΕΝΑΓΗΣ. Adjective.) Ænayís is an adjective meaning to be under a curse, polluted, in a sacrilegious sense or as related to murder. The word is a adjectival form of ágos. Cf. Ágos. Agneftírion - (hagneuterion; Gr. ἁγνευτήριον, ΑΓΝΕΥΤΗΡΙΟΝ) place of purification. Ágnisma - (hagnisma; Gr. ἅγνισμα, ΑΓΝΙΣΜΑ. Noun.) Ágnisma is a purification. Agnismós - (hagnismos; Gr. ἁγνισμός, ΑΓΝΙΣΜΟΣ. Noun.) Agnismós is purification, expiation. Agnistǽos - (hagnisteos; Gr. ἁγνιστέος, ΑΓΝΙΣΤΕΟΣ. Verb.) Agnistǽos means to be purified. Agnistís - (hagnistes; Gr. ἁγνιστής, ΑΓΝΙΣΤΗΣ. Noun) Agnistís is he who performs the purification, the purifier. Agnízoh - (hagnizo; Gr. ἁγνίζω, ΑΓΝΙΖΩ. Verb.)—purify, wash, cleanse by water, consecrate. Ágos - (Gr. ἄγος, ΑΓΟΣ. Noun.) Ágos is a particular type of míasma, guilt, curse, and danger, connected with sacrilege, violating the sacred. Ágos is a type of pollution which is beyond the human realm and places one under divine curse, therefore, it is connected with sacredness, but in a negative sense; one is under the "protection" of the deity to whom you have offended. Aspergillum - See Pærirrantírion. Diákrisis - (diacrisis; Gr. διάκρισις, ΔΙΑΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Noun.) Plátohn (Plato; Gr. Πλάτων) in Sophistís (The Sophist; Gr. Σοφιστής) at 226d calls purification (katharmós) a type of division, which in Greek is called diákrisis. Stranger: There is no name for the first kind of separation; of the second, which throws away the worse and preserves the better, I do know a name. Thæaititos (Theaetetus; Gr. Θεαίτητος): What is it? Stranger: Every discernment or discrimination of that kind, as I have observed, is called a purification.
Stranger: Do we admit that virtue is distinct from vice in the soul? Thæaititos: Certainly. Stranger: And purification was to leave the good and to cast out where is bad? Thæaititos: True
(both trans. by Benjamin Jowett) We can say that there are two basic divisions of purification, that of physical cleansing, on the one hand, and on the other we have the purification of the soul, that which casts out vice and leaves Arætí (virtue or arete; Gr. ἀρετή). Enagis - See Ænayís. Katharmós - (catharmus; Gr. καθαρμός, ΚΑΘΑΡΜΟΣ. Noun.) Katharmós is purification, purificatory ritual for the Mystiria. Katharós – (catharos; Gr. καθαρός, ΚΑΘΑΡΟΣ. Adjective.) clean, unsoiled, pure, unpolluted. Kátharsis - (catharsis; Gr. κάθαρσις, ΚΑΘΑΡΣΙΣ. Noun.) cleansing from pollution, purification; Stoic cleansing or conflagration of the universe by fire. Khǽrnips - (chernips; Gr. χέρνιψ, ΧΕΡΝΙΨ. Noun.) Khǽrnips is water for washing the hands, esp. for use before doing religious ritual. Kheiróniptron (cheironiptron; Gr. χειρόνιπτρον, ΧΕΙΡΟΝΙΠΤΡΟΝ. Noun.) A kheiróniptron is a bowl for washing hands. Khærníptomai - (cherniptomae; Gr. χερνίπτομαι, ΧΕΡΝΙΠΤΟΜΑΙ. Verb.) Khærníptomai is washing hands with khǽrnips or sprinkling with khǽrnips to purify or dedicate. This word can also be used as an exclamation while washing one's hands or sprinkling khǽrnips on a person or a thing: Khærníptomai! i.e., "Be purified!" Khærniveion - (chernibeion; Gr. χερνιβεῖον, ΧΕΡΝΙΒΕΙΟΝ. Noun.) vessel to wash hands. Khǽrnivon - (chernibon; Gr. χέρνιβον, ΧΕΡΝΙΒΟΝ. Noun.) Khǽrnivon the Homeric form of the word kærniveion. Miarós - (Gr. μιαρός, ΜΙΑΡΟΣ. Adjective.) Miarós is defiled, ritually impure or morally repugnant. Míasma - (Gr. μίασμα, ΜΙΑΣΜΑ. Noun.) Míasma is pollution, esp. ritual pollution. Pærirrantírion - (perirranterion; Gr. περιρραντήριον, ΠΕΡΙΡΡΑΝΤΉΡΙΟΝ. Noun.) A pærirrantírion is an aspergillum, a whisk with which to sprinkle khǽrnips. The word can also be used to refer to the aspersorium, the basin of khǽrnips itself. Prostrópaios - (Gr. προστρόπαιος, ΠΡΟΣΤΡΟΠΑΙΟΣ. Adjective.) literally “turning towards,” suppliant for purification who “turns to” a God (in antiquity sometimes to a king) to free him/her from pollution. salt-water - (Gr. ἁλμυρός ὕδωρ) Salt represents the Mystic Fire. Salt-water represents the Fire Æthír (Aether; Gr. Αἰθήρ). This is why salt-water is appropriate for use as Khǽrnips. Situla - See Aspersorium. Water-Fire-Aithír are all Synækhís Ousía, continuous substance (in contrast to Earth, the Mæristí Ousía or divisible substance). In Orphic literature, the three elements, Water-Fire-Aithír, have certain similar characteristics and are usually simply called Water (Ýdohr; Gr. Ὕδωρ). Ýdohr - (Hydor; Gr. Ὕδωρ, ΥΔΩΡ. Noun.) Ýdohr is Water, one of the two basic material kosmogonic substances. Ydrána - (hydrana; Gr. ὑδράνᾱ, ΥΔΡΑΝΑ. Noun.) basin for khǽrnips. NOTES:
[2] Evripídis (Euripides; Gr. Εὐριπίδης) Iphiyǽnia æn Távris (Iphigenia in Taurus; Gr. Ἰφιγένεια ἐν Ταύροις) 1191-1193, trans. Robert Potter, 1780. We are using the 1938 edition published under the name The Complete Greek Drama Vol. 1, Random House (New York, NY USA), where this quotation may be found on p. 1102. [3] The saying of Aristagóras (Gr. Ἀρισταγόρας), that salt is impure, is absurd:
[4] Porphýrios [Porphyry; Gr. Πορφύριος] On Abstinence From Killing Animals, Book II, Section 19, trans.Thomas Taylor, 1823.
[5] Plátohn (Plato; Gr. Πλάτων) Phaidohn [Phaedo; Gr. Φαίδων] 67b; translated by Benjamin Jowett 1892; we are using the 1937 Random House edition entitled The Dialogues of Plato, Vol. I [New York, NY USA] where this quotation may be found on p. 450. [7] Ἱπποκράτης (Hippocrates) Περὶ ἱερῆς νούσου (The Sacred Disease) 55-60,
trans. W. H. S. Jones, 1923. We are using the 1967 edition entitled Hippocrates II, Loeb Classic Library
148, Harvard Univ. Press (Cambridge MA, USA) and William Heinemann LTD (London),
where this quotation may be found on pp. 149–151. [8] Isíodos (Hesiod; Gr. Ἡσίοδος) Works and Days (Gr. Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι) 724-726, trans. Hugh G. Evelyn-White, 1914. We are using the 1936 edition entitled Hesiod: The Homeric Hymns and Homerica, published by Harvard Univ. Press (Cambridge, MA USA) and William Heinemann (London, England UK), where this quotation may be found on p. 57. [9] Miasma: Pollution and Purification in Early Greek Religion by Robert Parker, 1983, Clarendon Press (Oxford, England UK), p. 227. 
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