A Journey to Greece to mark the 2,500th anniversary of Thermopylae
The Knowledge, Philosophy, and Wisdom of the Ancient Spartans
“The most ancient and fertile homes of philosophy among the Greeks are Crete and Sparta.. They (the Spartans) conceal their wisdom and pretend to be blockheads, so that they may seem to be superior only because of their prowess in battle, rather than by virtue of their wisdom.” Socrates
Join us on a sacred journey to Greece and the land of the ancient Spartans to honor the 2,500th anniversary of Thermopylae. Breathe and live the Spartan spirit in the homeland of these Warrior-Philosophers. A sacred journey is one of the corner stones of martial and spiritual development. As a pilgrim you become freed from the bonds of time and space and attachment of common life.
Our journey to Greece will provide a more intimate experience of the lore and magic of the ancient Spartan Warrior-Philosophers. We will travel from the site of Herakles First Labor to Sparta and then onward to Delphi and the Hot Gates—Thermopylae.
During your time in Greece, you will experience body/mind physical training in Sparta (Sparti), experiential spiritual exercises and training in various esoteric concepts connected with the ancient Spartans. Experience firsthand the sacred sites of Sparta, Delphi, and the sacred, hallow grounds of Thermopylae. Experience and walk the ANOPEA ATROPOS (PATH OF EFIALTIS). This classic route starts from I.M. Panagia Damastas, ascends the small plateau of Paliopanagia and ends at the square of Thermopylae village.
“ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!—Come and Get Them.”
The King with half the East at heel is marched from lands of morning; Their fighters drink the rivers up, their shafts benight the air. And he that stands will die for nought, and home there’s no returning. The Spartans on the sea-wet rock sat down and combed their hair. -A.E. Housman, from “The Oracles”
This is our second Gates of Fire Journey. Our first in 2006 honored my sixtieth birthday on the sacred and hallow ground of Thermopylae. This Gates of Fire Pilgrimage also includes an optional journey to mystical and mythical Transylvania—In Search of Dracula.
Honoring the 2,500th anniversary of Thermopylae
Wednesday, May 20, Day 1—arrive Athens, Greece. Lodging Apollo Hotel, Athens. Evening session for an over-view of our journey
Thursday, May 21, Day 2—after breakfast we journey to Sparti (Sparta). In route, special purification ceremony and session at Nemea, location of Herakles First Labor.
Arrive Sparti—Lakonia Hotel. Afternoon visit to the Museum where we discover an abundance of ascending serpent imagery. Ascending serpents symbolize the awakening of the serpent energy within us.
Both the Spartans and the Athenians considered themselves of serpent origin. The Temple of Apollo at Delphi, where Chilon’s maxim “know thyself” was inscribed, may have been located on the site of an ancient serpent temple. One of Athena’s symbols was the serpent. The Greek god of healing, Asklepios was also represented by an ascending serpent coiling around his staff.
Friday, May 22, Day 3—training session at the hilltop site of the step-pyramid structure and hero shrine of the Menelaion—late afternoon Initiatory Ceremony shrine of the Menelaion, New Moon —Lakonia Hotel.
The Menelaion was built in honour of Menelaus and Helen, the famous King and Queen of Sparta. Menelaus was the King of Sparta during the Trojan War and Helen was his Queen and would be “the face that launched a thousand ships.” Menelaion is the mythical home of the Dioscuri, Castor and Polydeuces, the twin sons of Leda and Zeus and the brothers of Helen of Troy. Castor, a great horseman, was the one of the twins who was mortal. An expert in the martial arts, he taught Herakles to fence. Polydeuces was a formidable boxer and being with the Argonauts, he was challenged by King Amycus 1 of the Bebryces in northern Asia Minor, who compelled strangers to box as a way of killing them, but, in this case, Polydeuces killed him with a blow. The cult of the Dioscuri was indigenous of Sparta.
Physical training is important in the martial arts, but what is mostly overlooked, and what is even more important, is to know ourselves and to train our mind. The importance of strategy and knowing ourselves has its roots here in Lacedaemon. “Know thyself” is essential for all people’s evolution of heart, mind, and spirit. This central Delphic maxim was attributed to Chilon, a Spartan Philosopher and one of the seven ancient sages of Greece. During our training, it was more than appropriate to honor not only the Lacedaemonian Chilon but furthermore, Athena, the goddess of the heroic, martial ideal, who personified excellence in close combat and strategy.
Saturday, May 23, Day 4—We will conduct physical, mind, and spirit training on the Acropolis of Sparta located below the ruins of the Sanctuary of Athena Poliouchos (Athena Guardian of the City), who is also called Athena Chalkioikos (Athena of the Bronze House). Our mind – spirit training continues on the ruins themselves.
Before arriving at our next destination, you’ll get a glimpse of mist-shrouded Mount Parnassus towering over its neighboring summits with its sheer peaks, storm-wracked trees, and above the timber line, its naked slopes.
Part way up the south flank of the mountain famous throughout the world for being sacred to Apollo, his brother Dionysus, and the muses lies a sort of a natural hallow, like an enormous theater built for Titans but populated by nymphs. It is surrounded on three sides by the sacred mountain itself and two enormous upright crags the Phaedriades or “Shining Ones.”
Here is suspended in space over the river valley, exposed to wind, air, and penetrating light, is Delphi sacred to bees and the most venerated place in all Greece, the place chosen personally by the god Apollo for his domain.
Sunday, May 24, Day 5—depart for Delphi. Afternoon free. Evening session discussing: Know Thyself – Γνώθι Σαυτόν, Nothing (in) excess – Μήδεν Άγαν, and Everything in moderation – Παν Μέτρον Άριστον.These were three primary maxims followed by the Spartans: It is little known that these three maxims are attributed to the Greek Philosopher Chilon of Sparta. These “teachings” were inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at the ancient oracle site of Delphi. These three form the foundational heart of the famous and mysterious E of Delphi. E is Zeus’ epsilon and “was over the tall gateway entrance to Apollo’s temple at Delphi, signifying divine breath or prophecy.”–Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
Monday, May 25, Day 6–we journey in the morning to Plataea.The Greek army that defeated the Persians at Plataea was led by Pausanias, the nephew of King Leonidas. After Plataea we stop at Levadia for our visit to the Oracle of Trophonius, named after the Greek hero with a rich mythological tradition, whose name means “to nourish.” The Oracle overlooks the river Herkina which bubbles up from the springs of Lethe (forgetfulness) and Mnemosyne (remembrance)—Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
Tuesday, May 26, Day 7—morning spiritual teaching and session at Apollo’s Temple; afternoon session at Athena’s temple; morning spiritual teaching will be conducted by my Delphi friend, Constantinos. His ancestors have lived in Delphi for an unknown time and he carries secret teachings and knowledge of Delphi, evening free—Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
Athena, the patron goddess of Sparta, personified wisdom and the heroic-martial ideal of excellence in close combat, victory, and glory.
Wednesday, May 27, Day 8—today, we hike the Delphi – Korykion Andro trail, which leads to the beautiful cave that was the mythological home of the ancient god Pan. The cave of Panos or Korikeio Andro, at an altitude of 1360m. on the southwestern side of Parnassos, amidst a beautiful forest of fir trees and magnificent views, was dedicated to the god Pan and the Corinthian Nymphs. It has gained worldwide fame, not only for its natural beauty, but also for the magic that the ancient myth provokes, in which, according to Aeschylus, the cave was a place of visit for divine spirits. (Additional Fee)
An impressive hike that will give us the chance to discover the unique location of Delphi in a natural amphitheater with a sea view.
We will follow in the footsteps of the ancient pilgrims walking first in the forested forest on the Livadi Parnassos Plateau, then descending overlooking the olive grove, the Corinthian Gulf and the Peloponnese Mountains in the background. We will have the opportunity to see from above all the ancient temples. The route combines the magic of the mountain environment and the mystery of the ancient temples!. Afternoon and evening free.–Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
Thursday, May 28, Day 9–honoring and blessing journey to the Gates of Fire – Thermopylae; visit to Thermopylae Center for Historical Information and optional walk: the infamous Path of Efialtis. (Additional Fee)
The Anopea atropos was a path, a secret passage that started from the river Asopos and ended very shortly from the third strait of the Thermopylae.
In 480 BC In the battle of Thermopylae, the traitor Ephialtis, a well-known expert in the area, made known the existence of the Persian Emperor Xerxes, causing the Persian troops to cross the path of the Greek forces through this path. Surveillance of this secret passage had been undertaken, for as long as the battle had lasted, by about 1,000 hoplites sent there by Leonidas, who were taken aback, as they did not expect the Persians to attack through the Anopagus. Evening celebration dinner—Kastalia Boutique Hotel.
“Thermopylae is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot Sulphur springs. The Hot Gates is “the place of hot springs” and in Greek mythology it is the place where Herakles had jumped into the river in an attempt to wash off the Hydra poison infused in the cloak that he could not take off. The river was said to have turned hot and stayed that way ever since.
In the spring of 480 B.C.E., King Xerxes of Persia set forth to achieve what his father (King Darius) had failed to achieve ten years previously in 490 B.C.E.—the conquest of the Greek city-states with the final goal being the whole of Europe.
The narrow pass of Thermopylae was chosen as a holding action; to hold the pass in order to prevent the Persians from advancing further into Greece while Greek ships kept the Persian fleet in check at Artemisium. Diodorus elaborates on the nature of the land campaign by stating that the purpose of the defense was to forestall the Persians and prevent them from moving further into Greece.
The 300 Spartans and the other Greeks held the pass for three days… The result of day three of the engagement at Thermopylae is well known, even if the events and motives behind many of the decisions made on the day are not. Once the Persians had found a way around the Greek position, the defense of the Thermopylae pass was on a much more precarious footing. Regardless of why some of the Greek forces did not stay in the pass, and regardless of the tactics employed by those that remained, the outcome of the fighting on day three appears to have been anything but a foregone conclusion…” (excerpted from our forthcoming memoirs.)
Friday, May 29, Day 10—depart Delphi for the airport: Elefthérios Venizélos Airport, Athens. Depart to home or for our extended sacred and mythical journey to Bucharest and the intrigue and the magic of Transylvania.
Journey includes all teachings, transportation within Greece, hotels, breakfast daily, and an 2500th Anniversary Tee Shirt. Journey does not include meals other than breakfast, Korykion Andro trail, the Path of Efialtis, and airfare to Athens, Greece. Fee – $2995.
Optional extended journey to Romania includes all teachings, transportation within Romania, hotels, and breakfast daily. Journey does not include airfare Athens to Bucharest, Romania. Fee – $995
For further details and registration, please contact Rev. Dr. JC Husfelt (bigcatthatflies@gmail.com)
Transylvania – In Search of Dracula
Some say that Transylvania sits on one of Earth’s strongest magnetic fields and its people have extra-sensory perception. The area is also home to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and it’s easy to get caught up in the tale while driving along winding roads through dense, dark, ancient forests and over mountain passes.
Tales of the supernatural had been circulating in Romanian folklore for centuries when Irish writer Bram Stoker picked up the thread and spun it into a golden tale of ghoulishness that has never been out of print since its first publication in 1897. To research his immortal tale, Stoker immersed himself in the history, lore and legends of Transylvania, which he called a “whirlpool for the imagination.”
Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel was published in Romanian for the first time in 1990.
Count Dracula, a fictional character in the Dracula novel, was inspired by one of the best-known figures of Romanian history, Vlad Dracula, nicknamed Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), who was the ruler of Walachia at various times from 1456-1462.
Vlad Tepes was born in December 1431 in the fortress of Sighisoara, Romania. Vlad’s father, governor of Transylvania, had been inducted into the Order of the Dragon about one year before. The order — which could be compared to the Knights of the Hospital of St. John or even to the Teutonic Order of Knights — was a semi-military and religious society, originally created in 1387 by the Holy Roman Emperor and his second wife, Barbara Cilli. The main goal of such a secret fraternal order of knights was to protect the interests of Christianity and to crusade against the Turks. The boyars of Romania associated the dragon with the Devil and decided to call Vlad’s father “Dracul,” which in the Romanian language means “Devil;” “Dracula” is a diminutive, meaning “the son of the Devil.”
But while the fictional character Dracula is a creation of Bram Stoker, Transylvania has its own folk creations. For centuries, Transylvania was colonized by several transient populations that have shaped its history. Romanians, Hungarians, Saxons, Ottomans, Jews, and Roma Gypsies inhabited the whimsical territory of “the land behind the forests” (trans silvae), shaping the local folklore and giving birth to fantastic creatures, magic legends, and a fascinating tradition of storytelling.
One of the best-known legends is that of the Pied Piper, a mysterious character that is related to Saxon’s arrival in Transylvania.
Sanziene are gracious fairies that protect nature, represented by yellow flowers that bloom around June 24. Several rituals are related to this celebration. In the countryside, the Sanziene are represented by the girls of the village; dressed in white dresses and carrying flower spikes, they dance in a circle, recreating the whimsical atmosphere that surrounds the celebration.
The dark version of Sanziene are Ielele, charming fairies that live in the forests, lonely cliffs, or meadows, where they gather to dance the hora, a circle formed by their joining hands.
And then we have…. Strigoi, the Romanian vampires.
Transylvania is often associated with the land of Dracula and blood-thirsty vampires that sleep during the day and get out by night to suck the blood of their victims. But in the local folklore, vampires didn’t exist before the novel of Bram Stoker. Or at least, they weren’t called vampires, but Strigoi, undead souls that rise from their grave during the night and haunt the villages, feasting on the blood of the living. The Strigoi are usually assimilated with people who had a violent death or in the case of a Christian ritual that wasn’t fully respected during the funeral.
It is believed that they are afraid of the garlic and incense odor. In the villages that are supposedly haunted by Strigoi, locals grease their doors and windows with garlic and eat as much as they can. The little ones wear a necklace made of garlic cloves while they sleep.
Does Myth turn into Reality?
Friday, May 29, Day 1—late afternoon flight to Bucharest—Ramada Plaza Bucharest.
Saturday May 30, Day 2—depart for Brasov, the land of Dracula. Fringed by the peaks of the Southern Carpathian Mountains and resplendent with gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture, as well as a wealth of historical attractions, Brasov is one of the most visited places in Romania.
Brasov Downtown Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 on an ancient Dacian site and settled by the Saxons as one of the seven walled citadels, Brasov exudes a distinct medieval ambiance and has been used as backdrop in many recent period films.—Belfort Hotel, Brasov.
Sunday, May 31, Day 3—today visit Sighisoara, the birthplace of Vlad, and Bran castle, known as Dracula’s Castle. Because Bran Castle is the only castle in all of Transylvania that actually fits Bram Stoker’s description of Dracula’s Castle, it is known throughout the world as Dracula’s Castle.
Monday, June 1, Day 4— today we journey Sarmizegetusa Regia. Hidden in the dense forests of the Carpathians, Sarmizegetusa Regia is one of the oldest, most surprising and mysterious historical attractions in Romania. Sarmizegetusa had a sacred precinct—among the most important and largest circular and rectangular Dacian sanctuaries the famous Circular Calendar Sanctuary.
Tuesday, June 2, Day 5—depart Brasov for Bucharest airport, late afternoon flight back to Athens. And completion of Romania journey.