Hekate

Hekate has been enjoying a major resurgence. She is referenced in movies and television series, and there are more books than ever dedicated to her, and her magic. Perhaps, it’s because she

has a cinematic name, but maybe it is something deeper than that. Hekate, in all her numerous aspects; mother, lover, protector, creator, and destroyer, and her dominion over the three realms of heaven, earth, and the underworld, and in her role as the Queen on Magic, may provide the more balanced divine role model sorely needed for modern times.

She is a primordial figure. Hekate is a pre-Olympic goddess, whose geographical origins link her to goddess worship of the Old Middle East and Asia Minor in the third and fourth millennia. In Greece, she was said to be the beautiful one, daughter of Asteria the star goddess, and of Perseus, the destroyer. From the fourth century BCE onwards, she became depicted in her tripled-bodied, or triformis form, in which she is still associated today. Originally, it represented her role as protectress, guarding the crossroads in every direction, but thanks to the celebrated poet, Robert Graves, in the 1950s her triplicity became synonymous with the crone or the harvested corn, which took further purchase in Wicca becoming the crone of the maiden, mother, and crone, symbolized by the dark or hag’s moon.

Today, on the dark or new moon, most modern Hecatean witches celebrate what is known as ‘Deipnon’ where they bring offerings of eggs, honey, wine, sweetbreads, pomegranates, and other such things to a three-way crossroads. Once the ceremony is completed, and the offerings touch the ground, they leave, never looking back, and returning a separate way from where they came.

Associations to Hekate:

Eight rayed stars – found engraved in her temples, and on accouterments like her headdress, or elsewhere on her body.

The Moon – the crescent moon, horns up, reminiscent of bull's horns.

Daggers – They can be used for sacrifice or defense. They are symbols of power.

Keys – as the key-bearer Hekate is the mistress of liminal spaces such as doorways, gateways, and entranceways, the key signifying permission to pass from one place to another.

Road and crossroads – Hekate is queen of the three-way crossroads. The center of a three-way crossroad is considered a gateway to the underworld.

Pillars – Hekate is often shown triformis standing around a pillar.

Herbs & Plants – some of the plants and herbs associated with Hekate are baneful, meaning psychoactive or poisonous, such as aconite or poppies, but others are associated with healing including verbena, basil, saffron, sage, honeysuckle, mustard, and maidenhair.

Stones and Metals – Hekate is associated with bronze, iron, lead, and loadstone, as well as meteoric stones. In Antiquity, jasper stones were carved with her image.

Torches – often Hekate is shown holding a torch in both hands indicative of her role in illuminating the mysteries, especially the chthonic ones.

Animals – Serpents and snakes, dogs – especially black dogs – the dogs that accompany Hekate are representative of the restless dead which travel with her. The barking of dogs often marks Hekate’s arrival.

Offerings to Hekate can include all the above as well as specially crafted spirit offering bags, oils, and incense. Some people wear symbols of her such as the strophalos, or consecrated keys, or jewelry with her image on it. Her sacred colors are black, red, and white, representing her dominion over her three realms; the heavens, the earth, and the underworld. She is the patron goddess of Mirall Bruja Occult Apothecary. In nomine Hekate.