Nympholepsy is one of a cluster of ancient Greek concepts
that are not well known or often spoken of, but give us some hints for
how one might practice spirit-work and shamanism within the Hellenic
polytheist tradition.
The word nympholepsy has a number of connotations. One general use
refers to an overall heightened awareness and increased verbal
skills, thought to be a gift from the nymphs, which made a man into a
poet. A more negative version of nympholepsy views possession by the
nymphs as an unwanted illness. Sometimes the word describes a
physical rapture, an abduction of a person by the nymphs.
Finally, a nympholept can mean a person who is exceptionally
devoted in a religious sense to the nymphs, one who keeps a sanctuary
for them and is inspired to prophesize. Historically, these
nympholepts occupied a marginalized role in Greek society like many
other
visionary types, and yet they often created and maintained important
cult sites for the nymphs that were visited by pilgrims. The
nympholept sometimes had a special relationship with one particular
nymph, a relationship that may have been romantic/sexual in nature. All
Greek nymphs were female, and all nympholepts we know of were
men.
Although I am female, I still sometimes think of myself a nympholept, for a few
reasons. First of all, I am very devoted to the Greek nymphs and in addition to my
small home shrine I am in the process of creating permanent outdoor
shrines in semi-wild places for them, that other people can visit and
leave offerings at. Secondly, I practice divination
and prophecy, which are closely associated with the nymphs
and were often attributed to nympholepts. Thirdly, (and here I
broaden my definition of nymphs to include many types of
daimones (spirits), some male as well, that are generally
termed fairies, or alfs, or land spirits) I have been personally
taken by the nymphs, and I have a very intimate relationship with
several of them. More on this relationship and my complex spiritual
life can be found in other sections of this website.
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