This is part one of a thirty-day post project dedicated to the Goddess Hecate. To see a list of all the posts with links, please click - Thirty Days of Hecate on the menu above.
Who is Hecate?
Often labeled as the crone aspect of the triple goddess of Wicca, Hecate (Hekate) is a dark goddess. Hecate has been linked to the cosmic world soul by the Chaldean Oracles and hailed as the favorite by Zeus.
When we look at Hecate’s role in Wicca, we have to remember that Wicca is a relatively new religion, historically speaking. It is a 20th-century creation and has its roots in modern times. When we talk about the relevance of Hecate in that religion, we have to remember that she, as well as many other goddess figures, played a huge role in the background and the creation of the practice for some, and not at all for others.
First, let’s talk about spelling. Hecate vs. Hekate. Basically, both are correct. It’s what you feel. I am a member of the Covenant of Hekate, but when sharing my content, I use the “C” instead. Languages change and morph. I don’t think the Goddess really cares about the spelling. I think she would be more concerned with how you worked with those around you in her name, more so than if you used the letter “C”. I’ve heard her name pronounced “HEK uh TEE” or “EK u Teh”. I use “HEK uh Tea”.
The parents of Hecate are said to be Perses and Asteria, however, there are several different birth stories out there. Hecate was considered a Titan Goddess and was most favored by Zeus in some mythologies, and in others, she did not receive gifts from him, yet only demanded what was rightfully hers as the Goddess of the Heavens, Earth, and seas.
I lean more towards her being a part of the creation of the world. Predating the worlds of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. She was the womb that carried the seed of thought and life into being. So as I relate to others who see her as the Queen of Witchcraft or the only surviving Titan, a giant who was granted dominion over the world by Zeus, I also keep in perspective my own thoughts and remember that I feel she is the intermediary between life and death. The point at which we come in and take our first breath and the point at which our last breath is exhaled.
In all her titles; she is at the crossroads waiting for us as life ends. She is the beginning and the end. Hecate Soteira, the savior. Hecate Triodtis is at a crossroads. Hecate Trimophis, she is the three-formed. Hecate Brimo, the angry one. Hecate Perseis, the destroyer.
She is the goddess of magic and witchcraft. She is the keeper of the realm of the necromancer. Those who look to move on to the next life travel the border with her. She is the key holder of the underworld and those that wish to move on will need to move on with her assistance or join her to wander the night for eternity. She is Hecate Kleidophoros, the keybearer.
Hecate Phosphorus is a light bringer. Like Lucifer, she sheds light and knowledge around her. She is the keeper of knowledge or light. Her torches light the way to information that is there but hidden by darkness.
My work with Hecate is related most related to the crossroads. I believe she is a liaison between life and death. She is the “ferryman” if you will. I believe that her torchlight guides those who cross over. In order to see the other side, they need her torches and her keys to make the journey. She guides them along their way and ensures safe passage. Those who choose not to go, join her symphony and stay around her as a choir of sorts, to help guide others on their way. Some souls are not ready to move on and need to stay for some purpose. Those join her and wander the night until their destiny is fulfilled.
Hecate is not concerned with the mundane. She is not troubled by light bills or blown tires. I do not call upon her when I’m feeling fat or when I want to win a ball game. She is a serious Goddess for serious needs and troubles herself not with the desires of mortals. I am honored to be in a relationship with her and spend my devotional time to her in either works for the poor or works that bring me closer to her. Those often include working to educate those on the Goddess, working with the Covenant of Hekate on specific projects or working on a sanctuary I am creating on the back part of my property for her. I live in a very rural area, that is heavily Christian and there are no places of worship for the Goddess here. It is my goal to create the first CoH Sanctuary in NC.
So who is Hecate? She’s a Greco-Roman Goddess for sure, possibly earlier. She is considered by some to be the mother of the world as the womb of the cosmic soul. She is the keeper of the keys and the guardian of the crossroads. She has dogs, snakes, and polecats as her minions and hordes of souls follow her around the night. She is the Goddess of the Witches, of Magic and Night with a knowledge of herbs such as Mandrake and Belladonna.
I believe she is a firm Goddess, level-headed and very “matter of fact”. She is the voice of reason and the voice of “cold hard truth”. She is the voice of reality. Her decisions are not based on emotion and her guidance is invaluable.
Hecate embodies a strength and a desire to do the right thing, no matter the consequences.
Originally published on Blogger - 1/1/14 11:00 AM.
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