30 Days of Hekate – 1: A basic introduction of the deity
209 2016 (Note: Originally written in Summer 2015) Hekate is a pre-christian greek goddess who has been atributed with several meanings and names at
different times. Among others are her domains the starlit night sky, the sea and the earth. The poem Theogony (dating around 800 BC) tells us that she was seen as a primordial, pre-olympian deity of
high influence, protecting and aiding fishermen, shepherds, athletes, warriors, ‘politicians’ and children. Even this early piece states clearly that she has the power to give her favor and to take it, just
as she likes. She is said to guide the departed souls in and out of the underworld as well as to care for the lost souls who can not reach the realms of the dead because they didn’t have had a proper burial. She has been merged with the moon goddesses Artemis and Selene and some modern authors like Thomas Lautwein attribute her to be a complement to the sun god Helios as beeing responsible for the sun’s nightly journey underground from west to east. As a deity of nightly sun, moon and stars
she brings light into the darkness. In Athens her offerings were sacrificed to her at the home’s threshold or at crossroads.
In late antiquity she was held responsible for magic, oracles and all kinds of change in life and was
even said to be the cosmic worldsoul. That is the force connecting everything in the universe, amongst others the realms of the gods and humans. Through the ages she has always been connected with change and liminal times and places: thresholds, crossroads, the last day of the lunar month, the path between life and death. Although she has little recorded mythology herself, she frequently appears or is named in various ancient greek myths and plays, most notably in the famous myth of the abduction of the spring goddess Persephone. This suggest she was well known. In the famous Eleusinian Mysteries she
appeared. Even in later times she was often mentioned, mostly as responsible for evil witches, witchcraft and ghosts. She even appears in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth as queen of the witches.
In today’s modern (neo-)paganism she is commonly venerated as lightbringer, soul guide and goddess of wisdom, change, death and rebirth, protectress of witches and magic as well as the cosmic world soul. Especially her association with change makes her relevant to many people today, as the world around us keeps changing at an ever faster pace and her influence helps us to get along with it.
Several years ago I’ve done my own family’s genealogical research, so this article was especially fun to write. First of all, when talking about a deity’s family matters we have to keep in mind: we don’t have any tangible evidence. There’s no divine registry office on Olympos issuing birth certificates and no way for DNA tests. Whatever the sources tell us, it is not about what deities exactly are, but how they were perceived by their devotees over time. Also, deities are not human/mortal, the given genealogy is but a human concept and should in my opinion taken metaphorically.
Now Hekate’s genealogy is, well, complex and sources are contradictory. That’s due to the fact that
sources span over a time of ~1000 years and are as diverse as poems, magic spells and comments on epic stories. Parents The oldest source for her parents is Hesiod’s Theogony, the ‘Birth of the Gods’, from ~ C8 BCE. Here
Hekate’s mother is the Titan goddess of shooting stars Asteria, daughter of Koios (the northern of the four
poles
holding
the
sky)
and Phoibe (bright
intellect),
granddaughter
of
primordial
deities Gaia (earth) and Ouranos (sky). Asteria is sister ofLeto, the mother of Apollo and Artemis, thus making Hekate their cousin. Hekate’s father is the Titan Perses, god of destruction, who’s parents are Eurybia (daughter of Gaia and Titanic sea god Pontos, and responsible for the power over the sea) and Crius (the southern of the four poles holding the sky).
So metaphorically Hekate is daughter of the falling stars and destruction incarnate, granddaughter of bright intellect, power over the sea and the northern as well the southern pole. This perfectly fits with
some of Her own domains: her rule over sky and sea, her connection with the night, death and liminal spaces, being responsible for change, magic oracles and Her role as Axis Mundi.
The Theogony mentions Hekate and Her family before it tells about the birth of Zeus and his siblings and their uprising against Cronos and the older generation of gods, making Hekate one of the Titans. Most later writers agree with this lineage, only comments on Apollonius Rhodius (after ~200 BCE) give
as Her parents: Zeus and Asteria, Nyx, Aristaios, or Demeter. A spell from the PGM (IV.2785-2870, see below) also names Zeus as Her father. Children Generally authors agree that Hekate had no children, as she is frequently called ‘maiden’ (see my article ‘Kore vs Crone’ for details). But can we assume that maiden equals virgin, or could maiden
simply mean not married = free and independent? Just a philosophical thought someone, I can’t remember right now who, brought up. Some individual sources nevertheless attribute children to Hekate:
Scylla: The notorious sea monster guarding the Strait of Messina between Sicily and Italy. A comment on Apollonius Rhodius’ Argonatica mentions the poem Megalai Ehoiai as source for Hekate’s motherhood. Scylla’s father is called either Phorkys or Phorbas, a minor sea deity. Kirke: The sorceress from the island of Aiaia, who turned Odysseus’ men into swine. While her parents are usually given as Helios (Titan of the sun) and Perseis, only Diodorus Siculus (early C1 st BCE) tells us Hekate and Aeetes, king of Colchis and son of Helios, are her parents. Medea: Also a sorceress and daughter of aforementioned Aeetes, wife and companion of Jason. Again it is only Diodorus Siculus who states Hekate as her mother. As with Kirke, it is interesting we have two sorceresses called daughter of Hekate, who herself is goddess of magic and witches. Perhaps ‘daughter’ is more a metaphor and both were rather priestesses (as Ovid in his Metamorphoses suggests regarding Medea) or devotees of Hekate than actual children. Even today several devotees of Hekate call themselves ‘Her children’. Regarding Hekate’s possible motherhood in general, the PGM spell ‘Prayer to Selene for any Operation’ (IV.2785-2870), which according to its symbolism obviously calls to Hekate rather than to Selene, calls Her ‘all-mother, who brings forth both gods and men’ and ’whose children are fair’. But this
could be due to a conflation with Rhea, as the same text also conflates Hekate with Selene (obviously), maiden goddesses Persephone and Artemis as well as the fates. Addendum: Neheti was so kind to let me know about his piece of information: Some scholars link Hekate with a less known goddess or nymph called Daeira. She was connected with the Eleusian
Mysteries and is said to be consort to Hermes Chthonios and mother of the heros Eleusis. But similar to the information given above about Hekate’s motherhood in general, this too is up to debate. Thank you, Neheti! (added September 7th, 2016)
30 Days of Hekate – 12: Places associated with this deity and their worship In this article, as part of my 30 Days of devotion project, I’d like to collect some places linked to Hekate and her worship, both actual ancient sites and places in general.
Sites from antiquity Agrae Plutarch (46 – 120 CE), in On the Malice of Herodotus, mentions the town of Agrea near Athens, a place also tied to the Eleusian Mysteries: ‘…that solemn procession which the Athenians even at this day send to Agrae, celebrating a feast of thanks-giving to Hecate for their victory’. He is referring to the victory at Marathon. Aegina In his Description of Greece, C2nd CE writer Pausanias writes about the island of Aegina, south of
Athens: ‘Of the gods, the Aiginetans worship most Hekate, in whose honour every year they celebrate mystic rites which, they say, Orpheus the Thrakian established among them.’ Also, a famous frieze of a three-formed Hekate holding torches and offering a libation was found here, Colchis The Orphic Argonautica gives a detailed description of a garden dedicated to Hekate in Colchis (at the eastern shores of the Black Sea, today’s Georgia), home to Medea and the place where Jason acquired
the Golden Fleece. Not only the garden is described, but also a rite performed by Medea, summoning Hekate and the Furies, to open its gate. We have to be aware that the Argonautica story is myth and
especially the Orphic Argonautica is full of initiatory symbolism, so this garden obviously never existed. But to me, especially because of the mythic and mystic symbolism, it is great to read. Eleusis There is evidence that Hekate may be worshiped in Eleusis in connection with the famous mystery cult worshiping Demeter and Persephone.
First of all, the Homeric Hymn to Demeter tells us about the mythical origin of the Eleusian cult. According to this, Hekate witnessed the abduction of spring goddess
Persephone and helped
Persephone’s mother Demeter finding her. Later in the story she became Persephone’s guide and
consort on her annual voyages between the realm of Hades and this world. In both instances, searching and guiding, Hekate is said (and depicted on various vases) carrying torches. One of Her
epithets is Dadouchos, torch-bearer. This is significant to Her connection to Eleusis, as (despite our general lack of information about the details of the mysteries) torch bearing priestesses are mentioned by C2nd CE resp. C4th CE Christian writers Clement of Alexandra and Lactantius.
Again it is Pausanias who tells us about this place: ‘The Eleusinians have a temple (…) of Artemis
Propylaia and of Poseidon’. This temple was located near the entrance to the main temple. Propylaia,
‘of the doorway’, is an epithet of Hekate and only here applied to Artemis. We know that Hekate was conflated with Her cousin Artemis (see below) and that She was linked with the entrances and thresholds. Also, Hesiod’s Theogony links Hekate with Poseidon.
Let me again emphasise that we have only sparse information about the actual rites performed in Eleusis. But looking at all this information it would be an immense coincidence if despite all this Hekate had no place at this sacred site. Ephesos At latest in 5th century BCE Hekate became linked with Artemis, whose most famous temple – and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – was in Ephesos.
‘And there is a Hecate of his at Ephesus, in the Temple of Diana there, behind the sanctuary. The
keepers of the temple recommend persons, when viewing it, to be careful of their eyes, so remarkably
radiant is the marble’ – Pliny the Elder, in his Historia Naturalis ~77 – 79 CE, telling about statues made by an artist called Timotheus. Lagina The most famous sacred place to Hekate was probably Her Temple in Lagina, Caria, near the city of Stratonikeia, which is now Eskihisar, Muğla Province, Turkey. The ancient region of Caria is one of the possible origins of Hekate’s worship.
‘In the district of the Stratoniceians are two temples. The most celebrated, that of Hekate, is at Lagina,
where every year great multitudes assemble at a great festival.’ – Strabo, Geographica (book XIV chapter II) ~20 CE.
Part of this festival was a procession, in which a priestess carried a key to the temple. Thomas Lautwein gives a detailed description of the temple complex. The frieze can be seen at the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul. Some, but not all of Her priests here were eunuchs, and one of the nearly 200 inscription tells us about a family of mother, father and daughter who were all priests at Lagina.
Samothrace The island of Samothrace is mentioned twice by Greek poet Lycophron (C3 rd BCE) in his Alexandra: ‘Zerynthos [in Samothrake], cave of the goddess to whom dogs are slain’ and ‘the maiden daughter of Perseus, Triform Brimo, shall make thee her attendant, terrifying with thy baying in the night all
mortals who worship not with torches the images of the Zerynthian queen’. He is supported by
Nonnus (Dionysiaca, C5th CE): ‘Zerynthos of the unresting Korybantes, the foundation of renowned Perseis (daughter of Perses), where the rocks are thronged with torchbearing mystics of the Maid.’ Thessaly Another frequently mentioned area and possible place of origin of Her worship is the region of Thessaly in northern Greece. Plato tells us:
‘The Thessalian women were very skilful in sorcery and poisoning. They stood in close relation to the
night-goddess Hecate; hence people ascribed to them the power to draw the moon from the heavens’ – Plato, Georgias, before 347 BCE.
In his 60 CE play Pharsalia, Lucan tells us how the Thessalian witch Erictho summons Hecate in necromantic rite and that Medea (who was Priestess and perhaps daughter of Hekate) came here to
collect poisonous plants. The Greek Magical Papyri as well as Horace (Epodes, 30 BCE) connect Thessaly with magic in general. Two of Hekate’s many epithets are Enodia (‘of the ways’) and Brimo
(‘snorting with rage’) and also link Her to Thessaly, as these where the names of local goddesses that were subsequently conflated with Hekate. Thrace Another possible origin of Hekate is ancient Thrace, which is today north eastern Greece, European
Turkey and most of Bulgaria. Hekate was conflated with Thracian moon goddess Bendis from C 5th BCE. She also features significantly in the Orphic Mysteries, so is the first of the Orphic Hymns
dedicated to Her. These Mysteries are centred around the god Dionysos/Zagreus who’s worship originated in Thrace, as e.g. Pausanias writes (although about Aegina): ‘Hekate, in whose honour every
year they celebrate mystic rites which, they say, Orpheus the Thracian established among them’.
Roman author Ovid in Fasti (C1st CBE to C1st CE.) mentions Her worship in Thrace:‘I have seen Sapaeans [a Thracian tribe] and your snow dwellers, Haemus [mountain in Thrace], offer the guts of
dogs to Trivia [Hekate].’ As does Lycophron in Alexandra: ‘Brimo Trimorphos [Hekate] . . . queen of Strymon (a river in Thrace)’. We have also a lot of images of a three-formed or three-headed goddess found in Bulgaria. Other sanctuaries to Hekate were found near the Agora in Athens and at the Temple of Apollon Delphinios in Milet. According to Byzantine historian John Malalas, emperor Diocletian build an
underground temple to Hekate at Antiochia. Other places that are attributed with Her worship are Argos, Colophon, Delos, Rhodes and Titane. I did not mention the abundance of depictions of Her
(statues, votive stones, on vases) that were found by archaeologists all over the ancient graeco-roman world.
Places in general Generally speaking, Hekate is associated with liminal places, places of transition, ‘places’ that are neither here nor there but in between. Caves Caves are said to be entrances to the underworld, the realm of Hades, where the dead dwell. We
already heard about the Zerynthian Cave on Samothrace. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter tells us that when Hekate heard Persephone cries, she was not only in a cave, but HER cave: ‘But not one of the immortal ones, or of human mortals, heard her voice (…) except for the daughter of Persaios, (…) she
heard it from her cave. She is Hekate…’ She guides Persephone on her annual voyages between the underworld and the world of the mortals, obviously through caves, caverns and underground tunnels.
Her epithets frequently associate Hekate with being underground or connecting the worlds above and
below ground. The most common is Chthonia ‘of the earth’ resp. ‘underworldly’, but I also found Rexichthon ‘earth breaking’. Scholar Theodor Hopfner interprets Her epithet Skotia ‘dark one’ as ‘dark because of being underground’. Crossroads Crossroads are liminal, as the road divides here. It is not going straight ahead, but the travellers can change their direction, while the very crossroads is no direction at all. This is in my opinion not only
literally, but also metaphorically a place of Hekate’s: changing the directions our life takes and decision-making are hers. Epithets hinting on Her connection to crossroads include Trioditis (greek) & Trivia (latin) ‘of the three-way’ and Tetraditis ‘of the fourway’. Also Her three-bodied and three-
headed appearance was connected not only by Ovid (see below) with Her role as protectress of the crossroads. This is what I found was written in antiquity about Hekate’s connection to crossroads: ‘Once every month, at the time of the new moon, dishes of food were set out for Hecate in the evening
at the places where three roads met’. – J. E. Sandys, Select Private Orations of Demosthenes (referring to Aristophanes?)
‘For it was in keeping to set up an image of Hecate, as they used to do, at the meeting of three ways in front of the gates.’ – Plutarch, Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata, late C1st or early C2nd CE.
‘You see Hecate’s faces turned in three directions so she can protect the triple crossroads.’ – Ovid, Fasti, late C1st BCE or early C1st CE.
‘Hecate whose name is howled by night at the city cross-roads.’ – Virgil, Aeneid (C1stBCE) Graveyards By its very nature as resting place of the dead, a graveyard’s connection to the realm of Hades is most
evident. The ancient Greeks believed it was a spiritual gateway: while the bodies of the dead stayed there, their ‘sprits’ or ‘shadows’ went to dwell in the underworld and by sacrificing libations at a grave
the bereaved could ‘feed’ the shade in the underworld. In the Greek Magical Papyri (a collection of spells from Egypt in Greek language in which Hekate features extensively) spirits of the dead where often seen as suitable otherworldly ‘mailpersons’ for spells and to get in contact with them it was
necessary to obtain their materia magica, that is parts of their bodies or from their graves. Some
spells should be performed on graveyards. Magical curse tablets were also deposited in graves so they could reach the chthonic deities or the spirits of the dead who should perform the action described on the tablet. All this also applied to places where someone died a violent death like battlefields or execution sites. Epithets connecting Hekate with the dead and graves include: Tymbidian ‘of the graves’ resp. ‘guardian of the graves’ (in Her Orphic Hymn followed by ‘who
celebrates the Bacchantic Mysteries with the souls of the dead’), Psychopompos ‘Soulguide’ (who guides the souls between this world and Hades), Tartarouchos ‘ruler of Tartaros’ and similar, ’Queen
of Ghosts’, ‘who’s realm are the paths of the Ghosts’, Ananke ‘necessity’ and ‘destiny’ (for it is every mortal’s necessary destiny to die), Nerteron Episkopos ‘custodian of the dead’. She is said to ‘feast in
the graves’ and/or on corpses, and let’s not to forget Her later conflation with Persephone, as wife of Hades the Queen of all dead. Thresholds The liminal place par excellence is the threshold, at the same time connecting and dividing the inside and the outside of the house, the city and any enclosed area. As such it had and in part still has symbolic significance not only in Hellenic culture but all over the world. Not only Her epithets like Propylaia ‘before the doors’ point out Hekate’s connection to the threshold, but Her worship was situated at this very place, as the sources tell us: ‘I have heard it foretold (…) that each citizen would have himself a little tribunal constructed in his porch similar to the altars of Hecate, and that there would be such before every door.’ – Aristophanes, Wasp (422 BCE)
‘Lady Hekate, before the portal of the royal halls [I.e. her shrine by the gates.]’ – Aeschylus, Fragment from a comment on Theocritus, Idyll (C5th BCE)
Waters Edge (to use Bekah’s wording) Finally, any body of water’s shore, any spring and any well can be seen as liminal, as here too two
worlds meet: our world above the surface where we as humans can breathe and therefore live and the world below where we can not (not without technical help, anyway). Also according to ancient Greek cosmology water too separated the world of the living and the world of the dead: crossing the ocean that surrounds the world leads to the underworld and even if going there through caves, the soul had
to cross the rivers Styx and Acheron. Some of the aforementioned curse tablets were found in wells as they were thought to reach the chthonic gods that way too. Beside the general liminal nature of water, Hekate is directly connected with the sea: Her grandmother Eurybia is the Titanic goddess of the mastery over the sea. Hekate Herself is attributed the epithet
Einalia ‘of the sea’ in Her Orphic Hymn and at least one spell in the PGM (IV.2785-2870) calls Her ‘Goddess of Harbours’. In Hesiod’s Theogony (C8th BCE) Her marine nature is mentioned four times: ‘to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea.’, ‘For as many as were born of Earth and Ocean amongst all these she has her due portion.’, ‘she holds (…) privilege both in earth, and in heaven, and
in sea.’ and lastly ‘to those whose business is in the grey discomfortable sea, and who pray to Hecate (…) easily the glorious goddess gives great catch, and easily she takes it away as soon as seen, if so she will.’
30 Days of Hekate – 18: How does this deity stand in terms of gender and sexuality? (historical and/or UPG) In contrast to other gods like e.g. Pan, Aphrodite or Zeus (who’s affairs are legion), Hekate’s own sexuality virtually nowhere features in ancient writings – apart from Her frequent attribute as being a maiden or later comments on Her possible motherhood. On these issues I already commented in my
article on Her family and in Kore vs. Crone. A related question I’ve been interested in for quite some time is this:
‘Is Our Lady Hekate especially attractive to LGBT* folks?’ To answer this question, I initiated a small survey in three Hekate related groups on Facebook: one secret and two closed groups. The questions resulted in 22 comments in total, 15 of them agreeing, 5
disagreeing, 2 were ambivalent. About half of the commentators read the question as: ‘ Is Our Lady
Hekate especially interested in LGBT* folks?’ While not my exact question, resulting opinions and ideas regarding this matter where quite interesting. Those who disagreed basically voiced two thoughts: 1) Hekate (and possibly any deity) would deem our mortal sexuality unimportant and simply doesn’t care. 2) Focusing on matters of our sexuality, even on the connected issues of equality and justice, is fuelled by our Ego and limiting the individual’s potential of transcending the material world and thus becoming one with the divine.
Those who agreed, including myself, pointed out this: Hekate is a goddess of the liminal, of crossing boundaries, just as most LGBT* persons frequently do as they don’t fit in most modern societies’ ‘traditional’ boxes regarding gender or family. Even if the
fact of sexual orientation/identity might not be the point, Hekate does seem to have a connection to outcast, lost and disenfranchised. This is mostly UPG (which is OK when determining a personal relationship to a deity), but we can also interpret these stories in this sense:
Hekate is said to be attended by the lost souls or night-wandering spirits i.e. the souls of those
departed who for what ever reason can not cross the river Styx to the underworld and are stuck between this world and the next. When Herakles was born, his mother’s friend Galinthias prevented Hera’s effort to hinder the birth, so Galinthias was turned ‘into a deceitful weasel (or polecat), making her live in crannies and (given) a
grotesque way of mating. Hekate felt sorry for this transformation of her appearance and appointed
her a sacred servant of herself.’ – Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses 29, between 100 CE and 300 CE.
Author Tara Sanchez suggests in her blog, that the story of queen Hekabe of Troy, who after the Greeks’ victory was turned into a hound and also taken as sacred servant by Hekate, may hint to
Hekate’s compassionate view towards ‘underdogs’ – we have to realise that the Troyans were defeated by the Greeks. A similar story is that of Iphigenia: she was chosen as a human sacrifice to Artemis, but instead ‘turned into Hekate’ (both told by Euripides).
I’d like to add that in antiquity Hekate also was believed to care about our everyday mundane
business, even things fuelled by Ego: Hesiod in his Theogony states that Hekate not only helps with basic acquiring of food, but also:
‘sits by worshipful kings in judgement, and in the assembly whom she will is distinguished among the people. And (…)the goddess is at hand to give victory and grant glory readily to whom she will. Good
is she also when men contend at the games (…helps him) who by might and strength gets the victory wins the rich prize easily with joy, and brings glory to his parents.’ I also was contacted in private by British artist Mima Cornish, who created the above picture of a weeping Hekate. She told me about her picture: ‘It was the Monday after the Orlando shootings and She gave me a sense of urgency that was most unusual. I do paintings of Her that can take months and months, that She can halt and make sure I miss a deadline for….all sorts! I basically had that afternoon and She wanted it posted by early
evening. It’s not to a standard that I’d usually be happy to share, but she was adamant that the message be shared as quickly as possible. …and that was one of Solidarity. That She felt the pain within the community and wept tears with them. I felt deep deep heartbreak from Her that this could have happened.’
When Hekate Calls: A Practical Guide for Answering Folding laundry doesn’t seem a likely setting for a profound spiritual experience, but, for me, it was. While folding towels I heard a firm voice say, “It’s time.” A vision of a lantern held high by a darkened figure appeared in my mind’s eye. Without even a thought, I knew that this was Hekate. Years later, I looked up after finishing the first draft of this blog to find a lantern overhead. How appropriate to wander into a cafe in an unfamiliar neighborhood and have one of Her symbols watching over me. This unexpected lantern is my personal reminder that I have been called by Hekate. I’ve always been intrigued by others stories of being summoned by Hekate. In these stories, the calling usually comes exactly when we need it the most, even if we don’t realize it at the time. These encounters are usually spontaneous, and have clear imagery associated with Hekate (like torches, keys, dogs). Often, this calling comes to someone who had little (like me) or no existing knowledge of Her at the time. Sometimes, the imagery is not mental but an actual out-of-the-blue event. Once during a ritual, a big black dog came bounding out of the woods, jumped up on one of the participants and planted a big, wet kiss of her lips. I knew what I had witnessed. Because these stories of Hekate’s call are usually quite similar, I find myself being skeptical of reported encounters that are vastly different. This article was inspired by one such report – where the individual said that Hekate came to them as a cat. I’m in no position to question the veracity of this – or any other – spiritual experience of someone else. But, it got me thinking about when Hekate comes calling.
I want to differentiate right now between being called and intentionally seeking out Hekate. For now, I’m focusing on being called. I will explore seeking Hekate in a separate article. Sometimes people are afraid of Hekate’s calling. They’ve heard a bit about Her – maybe that She’s The Dark Mother or Queen of the Witches. Perhaps they feel content with their established spiritual practice (or lack thereof). They might not have a clue who She is or what is going on. Typically, She persists with complete disregard for personal resistance or ignorance. This is the first taste of what devotion to Hekate is actually like: She is, after all, The Great Mother, Cosmic World Soul and The Savior. You serve on Her terms. This is different from a lot of modern pagan and/or witchcraft practices, where the gods can be summoned, ignored or manipulated. Hekate is immune to those activities. So, if you are feeling called, keep in mind that She is all powerful and that devotion will be different than anything you’ve done before. Part of that departure from a more mainstream pagan form of relationship with deity is that She expects certain things from Her followers. There isn’t a how-to manual on how to practice devotion, but there are ancient scripts and modern gnosis. Part of my belief, and that of many others, is that skepticism is one of the virtues expected of Her devotees. If you’re feeling called by Hekate, take the time to critically evaluate the situation. She doesn’t want blind acceptance. She requires conscious devotion. Oftentimes, Hekate summons us with the intensity of a religious conversion (since that is basically what’s going on). Afterward, we must contemplate the calling before going forward. If we find ourselves unprepared or unwilling, then we need to have a well thought out answer when we reject Her. If we walk blindly into devotion, then we are being ignorant and She is likely to reject us, having found us unworthy. If you aren’t ready for devotion right now, perhaps you can make an agreement with Her to delay things for a while. She may agree to it. If you’re hesitating, figure out why. Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering answering Hekate’s call: 1. How does Hekate appear to you?
Although the calling is something that most people can’t forget, it makes sense to think about and record how She appears to you: what symbols are present? What else is in the vision? What type of vision is it (auditory, visual)? Was there a real-life display (like with my friend’s encounter with the dog). Get it all down before you start researching things (if it’s not already too late). I think your personal representation of this vision is far better than what you’ll read anywhere. 2. What does She want?
Hekate comes to us when She feels that we can serve Her well. She has something in mind. If there isn’t clear information about the specifics, spend some time in contemplation analyzing the contents of the calling. Trust me, She’s not as ambiguous as She initially appears. Is She calling you to a longterm relationship or a short-term association? I’m wary of thinking that She wants a fling with anyone, but it is possible. If you’re not used to a relationship with a deity that has expectations, the notion that you are in Her service may take a bit of adjustment. Hang in there. Remember that to whom much is given, much is expected. 3. Is there another possible explanation other than being called as a devotee?
This is a bit tricky to discuss, but, here’s the idea: is it actually Her calling you? Could it be a projection of your own desires? Perhaps wonky metaphysical forces? You’ve got to sort this out if you aren’t 100% certain, and even if you are. 4. What do I already know about Hekate?
Way back when I was called, I was resistant. What I knew of Hekate was the mainstream pagan version as a dark goddess. At the time, I was a member of the Fellowship of Isis and a big fan of Artemis. Devotion has been vastly different than being a fan girl. Take some time to record your ideas and knowledge. Don’t go poking around the internet too much before doing this. It’s important to record what you already know. 5. What are my current cognitive and emotional states?
If there’s one thing I know for sure about being a devotee, is that She demands we have our emotional and cognitive act together. However, She often calls us at our most desperate. Take some time to explore that old witchy adage “know thyself.” Are you depressed, anxious and/or distressed? Are you harbouring harmful thoughts like resentments, grudges, or bitterness? If you’re going to become a devotee, you’ll need to work on these things. A virtuous life is one of constant conscious self-improvement. 6. What is going on in my life that relates to being called?
When the time is right, Hekate appears. It just might not be convenient. In my case, I was at a major crossroads in my life – my marriage had ended, my health was poor and my career was suffering. I think that She often comes when we stand naked, bruised and crying at the crossroads. What’s going on in your life that potentially reflects a crossroads? 7. How does this calling correspond to my own personal needs and goals?
You’re here at the crossroads, so what do you need to go forward? How would answering this call help you? This has got to be a mutually beneficial relationship even though it will never be equal. 8. Am I able to serve Her well?
I’ve thrown around the words “devotion” and “virtues” a lot. Basically, becoming a devotee means that you’ve accepted Hekate as your sovereign, and will do things to honor Her. It doesn’t mean an exclusive monotheistic relationship, although mine is. Living a virtuous life curries the favor of Hekate. Having integrity is vital. Can you live a life with integrity? Can you honor Her through your life? 9. How would my life change as a devotee?
Devotion to Hekate requires doing things. Study, research, offerings, etc. are all necessary. Of course, the flip side of this is that you’ll become a better person with a better life. Remember
it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. Take some time to envision how your life would change. These questions are just my suggestions for answering Hekate’s call, you should handle this however you feel led. One more thought – if you’ve made it this far, then you’re probably already well on your way to being a true devotee (if you aren’t already).
Read more at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/keepingherkeys/2017/10/when -hekate-calls/#3mGFbgrp7piAorvE.99