We offer workshops in which we explore Orphism, its teachings on the soul and their relevance to us and our lives. Who we are
The Orphic center was born of our mutual passion for the essence of the human soul, from its existence in language and mythology to our living experience of it. The Orphic themes of identity, memory, transformation, ecstasy and the archetypal manifestations of the soul exi
st at the crossroads of mythology, spirituality and psychology. It is at these crossroads that a father and son found common ground. We warmly invite you to join us and explore this wondrous region together, in the ancient texts, within ourselves and our shared experience. Apostolos Athanassakis
Apostolos Athanassakis is professor emeritus in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara, in ancient Greek epic, especially Homer and Hesiod. Classical mythology and historical linguistics claimed his attention throughout his career and from 2001 until 2011 he held the Argyropoulos chair in Hellenic Studies at UCSB. Among Athanassakis' publications, his translations of Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns and the Orphic Hymns stand out. For him, these texts contained the allure of the first images and the journey of the human soul since its earliest appearance in Homer. A poet himself, Athanassakis has also published four collections of his own poetry. Athanassakis' passion has always been teaching and inspiring his students. In his forty-four years at UCSB, he taught Homer, Hesiod and Greek mythology. Retired from UCSB since 2012, Athanassakis presently lives in Athens and spends his time lecturing, writing and enjoying spirited conversation over Greek coffee. Nikolaos Athanasakis
Nikolaos is a psychotherapist, counseling individuals and groups mainly in Greece and the Netherlands. His focus is on healing developmental trauma through working with the inner child and working in depth with the body through Bioenergetics, Gestalt Therapy and other approaches. He also has an affinity for incorporating archetypal dream work and ancient Greek mythology and philosophy into his work. Nikolaos is a therapist with the Power of Light Institute as well as an Essence teacher in training the Diamond Logos Academy in Greece. His passion and orientation is finding the conjunction where body and spirit meet in each person he works with. Orphism is a religious and spiritual movement whose roots are lost into prehistory. It was born of the fundamental human need to respond to such questions as “who am I” and “where am I-my soul, that is -going after death”. It is likely that Orphism originated on the shores of the Black Sea and followed the roots of the trade of amber, which reached Greece latest by 1700 BC. Indeed, Baltic amber has been found in the Mycenean shaft graves of the 17th Century BC. The religious ideas that moved south along with the amber trade stemmed from shamanism. Foremost among them are ecstasy, metamorphosis and even migration of the human soul. Orpheus, Dionysus and Ecstasy
Orpheus, from whom Orphism and its practices derive their name, belongs to legend. A master musician who enchanted even rivers and mountains, he descended into the underworld to bring back his beloved wife Eurydice, who died from snakebite and went to Hades. He charmed Cerberus, the hellhound, with his music and obtained her release. Metaphorically, Orpheus’ descent to Hades stands for his own death. The opening of the gates of the underworld implies his resurrection. The main God of Orphism is Dionysus, who first died at the hands of the Titans and then was reborn. Through their ecstatic rituals, his worshipers reenact and re-experience his death and resurrection. Dionysus is the god of nature, of ecstasy and of freedom. He is also a god of opposites: human and animal, peaceful and violent, alive and dead, masculine and feminine, sacred and profane. Dionysus is much like the shamanic shape shifter, changing form and moving between polarities, disregarding limits and possessing his followers without the necessity of a priest or intermediary, just the worshiper in ecstatic dance. The ivy is his emblematic plant and the power of wine is a natural force. Ivy leaves and vine tendrils envelop the practitioners of Dionysiac worship and unite them with the powers of nature. The next step into freedom, which is uniquely a gift of the god, is ecstasy, a state of soul and mind, which in a ritual context, frees the person from the bonds of artificial social structure. Ecstasy allows man to transcend his boundaries and become, even temporarily, possessed of God. This means that he can be a host to the god deep inside him. Ecstasy gives man the gift of metamorphosis; it frees him from the shackles of everyday life as well as of psychological wounds. It is for this reason that Dionysus is called “Eleutherios,” the god that frees. Orphic Beliefs and Practices
For the Orphics, the body was a tomb and the spiritual entity we call the soul its prisoner. Orphism does not necessarily condemn the body, but it indicates that the body imposes material constraints on the soul and also teaches freedom from these constraints and, ultimately, resurrection. Vigilant purification of the human body was an Orphic practice. Orphics did not perform animal sacrifices; they respected animal life and abstained from eating meat. Violators of these taboos and of fundamental ethical laws had to undergo purification. Any transgressions would unavoidably drive a person into a cycle of punishment, both here on earth and even more so in the afterlife. Orphic Texts
In terms of Orphic texts per se, we have the Orphic Hymns which are most likely a product of an Orphic revival in Asia Minor (ca 300 AD). Essentially, they are prayers to various divinities whose attributes appear as lists of epithets. The purpose of these epithets is to provoke the powers of the divinities and to rally them in behalf of the initiates. The Hymns usually finish with a prayerful request for good health, a good end to life here on earth and prosperity. By contrast, we have brief Orphic texts, mostly inscribed on tablets of gold, originating from various parts of the Hellenic world and dating from the 4th century BC to the 2nd century AD. These texts express in powerful ways a fundamental concern for the identity of the human soul and its ultimate destiny in the afterlife. The themes of eternal memory, eternal life, purification and rebirth through metamorphosis are central to the early world of Orphic religion and practice. Orphism's Influence
Orphism’s spiritual messages, especially about the afterlife, were adopted into many mystery cults. Eleusis was one of them. Elements of Orphism certainly can be traced in the pre-Socratic philosophers whose ideas influenced Orphism itself. Akin to the Orphic practitioners, the Pythagoreans abstained from eating meat and believed in reincarnation. Empedocles also offers precious knowledge about Orphic ideas, as in the following fragment:
Once I was a young man
I was a young woman, too
then I became a bush and then a bird
and now I am a quivering fish
leaping out of the sea. Later on, Orphic beliefs influenced philosophy, especially Plato and the Neoplatonic philosophers. Plotinus offers the best example of this interaction. In turn, philosophical movements, such as Stoicism, exerted tangible influence on Orphism. Traces of Orphic belief can be found in Homer, Hesiod and the Homeric Hymns. The Bacchae by Euripides is a fundamental text for understanding Dionysus and the dynamics of ecstasy. What we do
Not much is known of the Orphic mysteries, as, in keeping with the practices of mystery cults, their “dromena,” what was said and done, were not revealed, leaving us with little knowledge of what transpired within their boundaries. However, the fragments and clues left behind provoke and inspire the imagination. Most of us lack connection to the ways of Orphism. One simple reason for this is that we were not brought up with them. Nevertheless, in all of us there is a world of images and symbols just below the surface of our conscious perception. Beneath our everyday sensory experience, there lies a deeper capacity to sense that which is not obvious. Underneath the ever-changing landscape of our emotional states is a doorway to union with the divine. Through connecting with these innate faculties which we all possess, with the right intent and conditions, we can expand our sphere of awareness and build bridges between us and the ancient texts. All ancient rituals were group activities. The Orphic Hymns were performed for gatherings of initiates and it was the collective dynamic that acted as a catalyst for the mystical experience. We follow this model and together we set out to explore Orphism and its history as well as its continuing influence on religion and culture today. Through ritual and invocation, through sound and movement we engage the senses, emotions and imagination so that we may open up to the realm of myth and mystery within ourselves. We also visit the ancient Greek temples and archaeological sites for on-site learning and reflection. It is our wish that the teachings of Orphism can serve as a vehicle for self-discovery and to help those that join us find ways to invite the soul back into their lives. The Orphic Center is based in Athens, Greece in Thission, at the foothills of the Parthenon. See our events page for any upcoming activities.
