article
by Aristotimos
Growing up, I often felt as if I were guided or protected by an unseen friend. If I was unsure of what course of action I should take, I would pause and search for the small voice that always answered me. My parents called this the voice of my guardian angel. I was taught that the angel speaks to us through our conscience. This voice is still with me, although I recognize and honor it in a different form. I am most comfortable addressing it today by its Greek name, the agathos daimon.
The Greek term "daimon" means spirit. In the Hellenistic view, the daimon was less powerful than a god. It served as an intermediary, at times, between man and the higher orders. While a god may rule a whole province, such as the sea, a daimon might control a stream or tree. If the daimon was positive, it was called "agathos," or benevolent. Over time the view of this spirit became entirely negative. Daimon is the source word for the modern term demon.
In antiquity, the agathos daimon, or agathodaimon,
was androgynous. It was represented by a snake, which seemingly has no sex. It
was in the form of a giant serpent that Alexander the Great killed and revered
the daimon. He founded his city on the site (
The worship of the agathodaimon was and is mostly a private practice. Greek families poured out a few drops of wine to him after every meal. Small offerings were sometimes left out to the daimon, which appeared as a snake around the household. To honor the spirit, I pour out libations to him. I speak to him on a regular basis, asking for protection for myself and my home. I have also made a sculpture of a snake to serve as a visual reminder of my daimon.
Pindar, Socrates, Proclus and Plotinus mention their daemons as well. The spirit acts as a guardian against error and a guide in life. I feel more comfortable approaching my spirit with personal needs and desires than I do the gods. This holds especially true when I need quick results or small things that do not require drastic action. I have sent my daimon to friends in need when I could not be there physically. I have also used my daimon as a messenger in my prayers.
In late antiquity, the agathodaimon became associated with the sending of dreams and the practice of divination. Part of my own spiritual practice is divination. Since I was a child I have used the mantic arts in the form of a pendulum or holding "séances." Today, my primary form of divination is the tarot. My agathos daimon has been crucial in reading cards for other people. The spirit often gives me additional information or a new perspective in looking at the cards.
This concept of agathodaimon can become a modern practice for everyone. I do not believe that one needs to be a Hellenic or Roman reconstructionist to honor this spirit. The idea of a guardian or familiar spirit is almost standard to current shamanism practices. Ceremonial magick speaks of having conversation with one's "Holy Guardian Angel." Aleister Crowley believed that such a spirit dictated The Book of the Law to him. How we contact, honor and communicate with such a spirit is up to us.
Some would argue that the agathodaimon doesn't fall under the category of "household spirits." When I moved to the coast several years ago, my daimon was instrumental in helping me find and secure a home. My well-being and my personal belongings have been protected by the strong presence of my agathodaimon. While the spirit may not be tied to my ancestors or the land my condo is on, it does not mean he is an impersonal force of luck or fortune. The agathos daimon is to be found wherever my heart is. And where my heart is I make my home.
Sources
Jordan, Michael. Encyclopedia
of the Gods.
Nillson, Martin P., Greek Folk Religion.
Oenochoe. The Agathos Daimon. Neokoroi, Issue I, Winter 2003/2004.
Copyright © 2006 by the article's author