| Menu | Romano-Chrestic Mithraism | 4019.02 |
|
ROMANO-CHRESTIC MITHRAISM Romano-Chrestic Mithraism is a new religious movement. It adopts the identity of a neo-Roman religion, while looking to the ancient Persian tradition of Zoroastrianism for its ethical-philosophical foundation, and enhancing this with the wisdom traditions of the ancient Greek world. Our movement is Mithraic because its focus is on the god Mithra, who is the divine form of the human struggle to produce the Good Existence. It is Chrestic because it emphasizes Mithra's role as Chrestus - the Good One, the Useful One - the One working for the benefit of the whole community, rather than selfish advancement. It is Roman because it takes a neo-Roman identity, which represents for us the foundation of the common European or Western identity. BONUM ('The Good') ('Agathon' in Greek) Chrestic Mithraism is a religion that focuses on the GOOD. Our aim is to 'Produce Good' in the world. We rely on two main traditions to help us to do this - the Zoroastrian tradition and the Platonic tradition - while also seeking to develop new thinking and practices. THE GOOD ORDER ARTA is the concept of Good Order. Where there is Arta then the shape of the world is such as to produce the Good Life. Where there is Arta, then different things connect well together, and create the spark of life. Where there is Arta then the minds of the living beings relate with truth to the world they inhabit. Where there is Arta then the actions of the living beings are righteous and produce a good effect. ARTISTA means 'the best Arta'. Artista is the perfect order of things where there is the maximum flourishing of life, the maximum happiness, and the minimum of suffering. THE SENIOR TRINITY The Senior Trinity is our starting point in mapping reality. The Senior Trinity is made up of three religious beings which are: Zurvan, Mazda and Chrestus. ZURVAN is the Ground of Being. Zurvan is the ultimate foundation and source of all existence. Zurvan is the time and space within which is all that exists, and without which nothing could exist. Zurvan is the ultimate source of matter, spirit and energy, and Zurvan upholds the laws that control their manifestation. MAZDA is Wisdom. It is the active creative power in the world that derives from the activity of Mind. CHRESTUS is the ideal Good Lord that seeks the Good of the whole and the part. Philosophically it represents CHRESTON - the Good Power. Religiously it represents the god MITHRA. Mithra is the human-shaped Champion of the Good. Mithra is a fully divine being, not a demigod who derives in part from a particular human being. Yet Mithra has a human form - the form of a perfect human striving single-mindedly for the Good. As individuals we can encounter may different kinds of situations, and the best action to take will depend on our capabilities to act and the nature of the situation we face. Accordingly Mithra has many forms, many personalities, and many ways of acting. Yet Mithra will always come with the most helpful personality and perform the best actions for the situation at hand. TRIVIAE ('Three paths') The Triviae or 'Three developmental paths' of Chrestic Mithraism are the work that a Mithraist should do: 1. VIA CHRESTIFORMA ('Path of Chrestic Formation') This is the formation of a person into someone who desires to seek the Good and is orientated correctly to make the best attempt at successfully producing the Good. It is the shaping of someone into the character of Mithra Chrestus. 2. VIA ROMICA ('Path of Strengthening') These are activities that build up the productive ability of a person. This will involve strengthening capabilities, healing injuries and creating internal coherence. Romic activities will involve the different aspects of a person including the psychic (emotional) , mental (intellectual) and physical. 3. VIA GNOSTICA ('path of knowledge') The Gnostic Path can be considered a special case of the Romic path, and involves activities that help develop the Mind. The aim is to become fully able to discern the real truth of any situation and know how to act for the Good. One works to leave behind the childish mental world of illusion and become fully mentally adult. SCRIPTURA MITHRAICA - ('The Mithraic Scriptures') The is the Mithraic Bible. It consists of the writings which are considered the most important to give mental nourishment to followers of the religion. The Avesta - the traditional scripture of the Zoroastrians - forms the foundation of the Mithraica. To the Avesta are added many other writings. At present there is no definitive list as to what writings should be included in the Mithraica. One vision of the Mithraica sees it as composed of four parts - the Avesta, the Hellenica (Greek scriptures), the Parsica (Persian scriptures) and the Anglica (modern writings in English). THE DIVINE OGDOAD This is a still experimental expansion of the Senior Trinity into eight beings. These are: 1. Zurvan (lord of time and space) 2. Vaius (instigator of motion and change), 3. Gaeta (the living world), 4. Mazda (the wise creative power) 5. Tir (lord of the structure of the living world) 6. Virtas (characteristically masculine powers), 7. Anhita (characteristically female powers), 8. Mithra (champion of the Good). EXPERIMENTAL MITHRAIC FESTIVALS Festivals that are currently suggested are: ANHITAKANA - Festival of new life - March 21st (Spring Equinox) (the Mithraic Easter) ZARTUS NATUS - (Birth of Zartus (Zarathustra)) - Celebration of best mental ability - March 26th VIRTAKANA - Festival of youth and untrammeled life - May 1st TIRIKANA - Festival of the Good Society - Summer Solstice MITHRAKANA - ('Festival of Mithra') - Celebration of religious life and religious community - Autumn Equinox ATARKANA - ('Fire Festival') - Celebration of the free human spirit, the fire within - November 5th. YALDA - Re-birth of the Sun including: BRUMA (18th to 24th Dec) when the Sun is at its weakest and NOVUSSOL (25th Dec to 31st Dec) when we celebrate the growing strength of the Sun Ave Mithra Chrestus! Ad bonum tendimus et via artista est. Marcus Zartianus Updated February 2019 CE/4019 ME. |