- a goddess of crossroads, magic, poison, and the undead
- Hecate’s name means far-reaching one, and hints at this goddess’s wide influence over a variety of earthly and supernatural affairs
- Hecate belongs to a group of deities known as protectors of the oikos, or household
- Hecate mediates between realms: inside the city and outside, the realm of life and the underworld, the household and the world.
- Hecate is heavily associated with the crossroads, the place where multiple paths intersect. She, along with Hermes, is responsible for fate that travelers meet on the road, therefor it would be wise for any traveler to make offerings to the goddess in hopes of a safe journey.
- when a human makes a sacrifice, that human invokes the power of Hecate herself and it is her decision whether to bestow fortune and happiness upon that person
- Hecate watches battles and determines whom she will grant the glory of victory to
- known for her closeness to both medicines and poisons
- The Queen of the Night, she influences events in the heavens, on the earth, and at sea, thereby guaranteeing that she touches life whether it flies, swims, or walks.
- Her association with medicine and poison give her dominion over sickness and health, as well as mind-altering states brought on by psychoactive substances.
- Hecate helps facilitate altered states of mind, watching over individuals as they travel to the inner depths.
- Hecate’s most important aspect, however, is that of the boundary-walker. Like many other deities of liminal spaces, Hecate can often be polymorphous, taking a different shape based on the situation. She is a fluid and mysterious goddess. Some fear her, some revere her, but all should respect her as she tends to the places that delineate the known from the unknown. She appears in triplicate, and three is an appropriate number for the goddess of boundaries: inside, outside, and Hecate, the one who travels freely in between.
- Symbols:
- Hecate’s Key is a key to the underworld, Hecate unlocks the secrets of the occult mysteries and knowledge of afterlife.
- The Rope, sometimes referred to as a cord or scourge, symbolizes the umbilical cord of rebirth and renewal.
- The Dagger or Athame is a symbol of ritual power. It cuts away delusion and brings empowerment and trust to our judgment.
- Torches: Hecate is often shown holding two torches, symbolic of her role as guide and initiator - the torches continue to be an important symbol of her mysteries, the fire and the light of illumination, not of darkness, but of light.
- Hecate’s Dogs: She often took the form of a dog, as well as taking on dog companions.
- Hecate’s Sigil: The strophalos is a spinning top, or wheel, used in Magic. It is an emblem of the goddess Hecate. The symbol is said to be the depiction of a labyrinthine serpent around a central spiral. The labyrinthine snake is representative of rebirth and renewal and relates to the three faces of Hecate.
- Triple Moon: Hecate is a Triple Moon Goddess connected with the dark aspect of the lunar disc. The Moon has no light of its own, being a dark body. The light that comes from the Moon is reflected sunlight. Hecate is often seen as a part of a Triple Moon Goddess where she embodies the dark face of the New Moon. Hecate was represented in triple form from the early days of her worship.
- Crossroads: Boundaries limit us in our day to day life, providing obstacles that we must traverse in order to grow. As the Goddess of Crossroads, Hecate’s role in mediating boundaries, as well as her association with the underworld, make her a goddess of a mystery that’s plagued humans for as long as we’ve known of it: death.
- Hecate’s Associations: Crossroads, entrances, Magic, Witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy and sorcery. She is also considered the protectress of flocks, sailors, and Witches.
- Symbols: Torch, currant cakes, crossroads, candles, number 3.
- Animals: dogs, horses, sheep, owls, and bats.
- Gems: Sapphire, moonstone, black tourmaline, onyx, hematite.
- Colors: Orange and black.
- Genealogy: Daughter of Perses and Asteria.
- Offerings: Apples, Almonds, Cakes, Garlic, Grapes, Dandelions, Mushrooms, Oak leaves, Feathers, Moonstone. Other types of offerings popular with Greek deities are bay leaves, fruits, flowers, incense, libations of wine and milk and honey. Incense for Hecate: Myrrh, Dragon’s Blood, Benzoin, Cinnamon.
- In summary, Hecate is a goddess of guidance. She is a watchdog for those in need of her, keeping bad influences from crossing over a household boundary. Given her dominion over the underworld, the sea, the sky, the earth, as well as the fates of travelers (of whom we all are), Hecate is enjoying a newfound resurgence in reverence as people re-discover the immense power and protection that this goddess affords those that please her.
- Full Moon Working: scrying, blessing and amulet work x
jan 5 2022 ∞
jan 5 2022 +