Welcome to
House of Zephyros
the Hellenic Temple of Circles of the High Sierras
Who We Are
House of Zephyros (HoZ) practices Hellenic (Greek) Pagan Religion, also called Hellenismos. Founded in 2015, our temple uses reconstruction of ancient rites as the foundation of a modern expression of this religion.
We believe that the Hellenic Gods (Theoi) are real, present, and active in the world. From Greece, the worship of the Theoi spread across the world, and our understanding of Them has evolved through the generations. We study ancient religion not to perfectly imitate it, but to understand it and translate it in the modern world. As the House of Zephyros, the God of the West Wind, we strive to embrace the movement, change, and evolution of our religion across time.
We support our members in their personal devotional practices and share an active community practice. Community practice is especially important to us: Greek religion was and is inherently communal, both at the household and the civic level.
Our Mission
- To practice Hellenismos as a living and evolving religion.
- To study the culture, religious practices, and beliefs of ancient and Classical Greece to understand how our spiritual ancestors experienced the divine.
- To use our understanding of the past to build a modern and relevant religion.
- To bridge the gap between the culture in which the Theoi were originally worshiped and the culture that we live in today through meditation, discussion, and education.
- To express the essential nature of Greek values within the context of modern society.
What We Do
HoZ holds a public, community ritual every month. Many of these rituals are inspired by ancient Athenian state festivals, and ritual actions vary based on the purpose of the rite and the Theoi being honored by it. These include praise and meditation with the Theoi, sharing their traditional stories, and divination.
Check out our calendar or message us for information about upcoming rituals!
We also sponsor many special events throughout the year, including:
- The Baccanalia: A celebration of Dionysios, God of Wine, at the CHST Beltane Campout
- Zephyros Devotional: A day-long retreat to Zephyr Cove at Lake Tahoe to commune with our temple patron.
- Hike to Hera’s Aerie: A half-day hike to a mountaintop shrine to Hera, Queen of the Gods, established by HoZ in 2020.
- PoseidonQuest: A four-day pilgrimage to Half Moon Bay, CA, to honor Poseidon, God of the Sea.
Our Values
Xenia: Hospitality
Our doors are open to people of all backgrounds, all types of Hellenic practitioners, and anyone seeking to learn. In our community space, we try to understand where individuals are coming from, honor their perspectives and their differences, and ensure their comfort as much as possible.
Parrhesia: Open Discourse
We welcome discussion and debate, but the basis of our discourse must always be respect. We support the right of every person to have their own voice and to speak their own truth. However, this does not include any form of hateful, abusive, or dismissive speech that invalidates the voices of others.
Sophia: Pursuit of Knowledge
We are committed to learning from the ancient sources, from the Theoi, and from one another. Our purpose in coming together is to share our knowledge, to teach, and to learn. We respect and welcome everyone’s unique viewpoints and perspectives.
Aidos: Humility
In our dealings with both humans and the Divine, we try to be humble. While our knowledge and personal gifts may be extensive, we recognize our own limitations. We do not presume to speak for the experiences, gnoses, or challenges of others.
Arete: Realizing our Potential
Whatever we do, we do our best. As we learn, we know better, and as we know better, we try to do better. By coming together, we work not only to live up to our own potential, but to support each other, our communities, and ultimately our society in making progress.
Our Stucture
HoZ is led by our temple priests. Within HoZ, priests are dedicated to one primary Deity within the Hellenic pantheon, but serve all the Theoi and the community. Priests are supported by Acolytes, dedicated members of the temple who do not necessarily serve a particular Deity.