|  The Basics
What makes someone a Numinist?
Just sharing the common beliefs expressed in the CORE Statement, sharing a respect for the Virtues, making an attempt to live by those shared beliefs, and calling yourself a Numinist.
What is the CORE Statement?
The C(ommon) O(fficial) R(eligious) E(xpresion) Statement is a list of 12 points of common belief which forms the foundation of Numinism. Click here to read the CORE Statement for yourself...
What about these virtues? They are a list of 15 Latin words meaning things like Equity, Dignity, Respectability, Wholesomeness, Peace of Mind, etc. Click here to read about the Numinist virtues...
Why should I be a Numinist?
Well, because it feels right for you. Numinists share the belief that there is an underlying unity to truth and that no one religion will be right for everyone. Maybe Numinism isn't for you. Thanks for checking out the website anyway. Wish ya luck! But, maybe it is for you. If so, we would love to hear from you and we are ready to help you put our shared beliefs into practice..
I'm a Numinist. Now what?
Now, you make that honest attempt to live by the principles we share. You can do this as a solitary or you can seek out others who would like to build a Numinist community in your area. If you are a solitary Numinist, you might consider joining the online community that we are building. Go here to learn more about that. If you need some ideas on how to start a community in your area, send us a message using the contact us link on the left of this page. We can discuss what has worked for others.
Who or what do Numinists worship?
Numinists believe in the Unity of All. Above all, or at the base of all, there is the ONE. However, since this ONE is beyond all expression in language IT is difficult for humans to comprehend. Therefore, we look to what we can understand. In this world, we see the myriad facets of the ONE at work. The presence of the ONE is felt as a mysterious and magical power called NUMEN. That is what Numinists worship; that mysterious, magical, spiritual power which is the ONE. To understand this power more easily, our ancestors personified it. So, the bottom line here is Numinists worship the personification of Numen in its many forms. These we refer to as Goddesses and Gods; divas and divos. You can call them by Roman names, Greek names, Norse names, Celtic names, Indian names, etc. the Numen remains the same. Go here to learn about some of the Divos honored by Numinists.
How do Numinists worship?
Numinist worship comes in two levels; the personal level and the community level. All Numinist worship is designed to honor the Divos and Divas and to honor and strengthen the relationships that we have built with Them. Personal worship is a personal matter and the individual can develop his/her own traditions by following recommendations provided by the Numinist community or by creating his/her own rituals and traditions. Above all, Numinist worship should be meaningful and relevant to the practitioner. Community worship will be developed and performed according to the traditions established by the local Numinist community. To learn more about the specifics of Numinist spiritual practices go here.
What about MAGICK?
The CORE Statement is meant to be a very loose bond at the center of a varied community. While the CORE Statement doesn't specifically address the question of MAGICK, the use of magick is most certainly welcome in a local Numinist community. Our ancestors practiced divination, performed rituals to gain favors from the Gods and Goddesses, made charms to ward off malevolent spirits, and cast spells for various reasons. Numinists certainly still have that option. Just as the Ancients held public rites for the community and reserved some rites for those who seek a deeper knowledge, so may the framework of a Numinst community allow for various layers of knowledge. This is not to say that some knowledge is to be hidden from the masses, but rather that some people may embrace Numinism out of a desire to honor the Goddesses and Gods and not really have interest in magick. So, within the Numinist community there can be groups devoted to magick and groups who simply wish to share their devotion to the Divine or their love of Roman philosophy and culture. All equally valid and each offering their knowledge to the community; in the form of classes, presentations, rites, etc.
As far as magick goes, there are plenty of good books out there that explain its workings. A Numinist community may choose to host classes relating to the basics of magick to ensure that its Familias use the same terminology or similar traditions in their workings. But this is all up to the grove..
How is the Numinist Community Organized?
No exact official organizational structure is established by the CORE Statement. Each community is free to set its own rules and develop its own structure. However, here is one possible model for community structure.
The overall Numinist community will be made up of solitaries as well as groups. Solitaries must develop their own traditions just as groups must develop their shared traditions. In group organization, it is important to remember that the CORE Statement acknowledges a belief in democratic principles. So, the group must certainly uphold this belief.
A local Numinist community is an autonomous group called a FAMILIA or family. Within the Familia may be multiple GENTES or Clans, each devoted to a particular Goddess or God. The function of the Familia is to provide a unifying structure within which the Gentes can function. The Familia will perform unity related rituals, deal with community issues, such as finances, open rites, purchase of property, outreach into the external community, all issues which involve the local Numinist body as a whole. This in general can take the form of the honoring of the Divine Parents, who guide us along our path toward building a strong community and helping it develop spiritually by reawakening the hearth and home traditions of Rome. The common deities of the Numinist community are the common Gods of the Family and Household of Ancient Roman, such as Janus, the Lares, the Penates, Vesta, etc, as well as the Numina of Supreme Powers of Nature, the Earth Mother and Heavenly Father. The Gentes will be groups devoted to particular patron deities. They may or may not involve magick (that is up to the individual Gens). The patron deities may or may not be of Roman origin.Remember the Ancient Romans looked for similarities between their Gods and those with whom they came in contact and thereby accepted all Gods into their religion.
So, who runs these Familias?
Ideally the Divine Parents run the Familias. More practically, the members of Familia will run the Familia, according to democratic principles. The members set the rules and develop the traditions together, whether by committee or by consensus. But we recommend that a moderator or facilitator or sorts be appointed to oversee the whole thing. The term for this moderator is a Custode (guardian) and they are the representative of the Divine Parents.
Do I need a special name?
Many devotees to a new religion want to adopt a new name as a symbol of the profound change that their lives have undergone. This is not a requirement of Numinism, but it is certainly welcomed. Should you choose to adopt a more Roman name, we provide the following information to help you in selecting your new name. Numinism has no authoritative spiritual leaders to assign names to new devotees and the adoption of a new "temple" name is completely the choice of the individual. To learn more about choosing a "temple" name, go here...
On Your Way
If you have agreed that the CORE Statement and Virtues can form a workable foundation for your spiritual practice. If you have set up your larario and if you have started learning to perform Ritos and Culto at your altar and have begun building relationships with the Divos and Divas. If you have begun studying and developing your traditions, then you are well on your way to being a Numinist. If you need help getting started, please email us. We would love to help you find answers to your questions. To find other Numinists, please check the Community section to the left of this page.
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