The Order of the White Moon Goddess Gallery Presents

Hecate

 

A Level I Final Project for The Sacred Three Goddess School by

Initiate Autumn Faol Dreamweaver

(©2018. All original material in this work is under copyright protection and is the intellectual property of the author.)

 

A quote from Brene` Brown:

‘Only when you are brave enough to explore the darkness will you discover the infinite power of the light’

 

Hecate is that light in the dark

 

The Mystery of Hecate

 

Who is Hecate and from whence did she come?

Hecate Hecate Hecate

I need only to say her name to feel her strength and mystery.  I’ve always felt a strong connection to Hecate. Although, I don’t remember my first introduction to her, it’s as if she’s always been there.  She is both dark and light.  She’s the mystery within us that cannot be ascertained.  She is both the dark moon and the light of the full and all the stages in between.  When I began doing my research for my project I found there are many stories and myths but there’s no ‘main’ story or ‘myth’, she was just ALWAYS.  I’ve tried to summarize below what I connected with the most during my research.

 

Was there a beginning?

The Her-story of Hecate has evolved over time.  To some she is the Triple Goddess, ruler of the Heavens, Earth and the Underworld, to others she is the Queen of Heaven and now more recently she is known as the Crone of the Triple Goddess. 

Wikipedia states that Hecate is a Goddess of Ancient Greece.  There are different stories as to who her parents were though.  Some say she was the only child to Asteria (who was the Titan Goddess of the falling stars) and Perses (the Titan God of destruction.  Other stories say she was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and still others read that she is the daughter of Leto and Tartarus.

Her name comes up repeatedly throughout Her-story.  Linking her to the Homeric Hymns (a collection of 33 ancient Greek Hymns celebrating the Gods).  She appears in a hymn to Demeter.  Demeter has lost her daughter Persephone after Hades had abducted her and taken her to the underworld.  Hecate is the only one of all the God’s who hears Persephone screams. She helps Demeter locate her daughter.

In other accounts some believe that she and Artemis are one in the same.

In Wikipedia, we find that there is Her-story of her being worshipped in Thrace, which was once between Greece and Turkey.  Thracians were an ancient Indo-European people inhabiting Southeastern Europe.  She was also one of the main deities worshipped in Athenian households.  She was known as a protective Goddess that bestowed prosperity and blessings on the family.  

In post-Christian writings we find that she was a ruler over Earth, Sea and Sky and was seen as a Savior.  She was referenced as Mother of the Angels and Cosmic World Soul.

Her faces have changed over time. She has been seen as a beautiful young maiden and turned into ugly old women.  The Patriarch tried to denounce her in the old days. They tried to demonize her saying she was evil and dark, ugly, old and wrinkled. 

Afraid were they of the power of the feminine and the beauty and strength that the Goddess was and gave. It’s what the Patriarch has done to women throughout time to make them feel less than they are. 

They were correct in one aspect.  We ARE the ugly old crone, the beautiful young maiden and all of the in-betweens.  We’ve been forced into silence and repression, into hiding our “Truth”.  We were unable to publically worship the Goddess for hundreds of years and millions have suffered death and alienation over our beliefs in the Goddess, but it didn’t make Her go away or any less powerful.  I believe the contrary.  She has been with us the entire time, through every trial and tribulation.  She has been standing with us in the darkness.  As the facade of the patriarch slowly begins to crumble she will be there with her torches showing us the way and using her keys to unlock the doors that the Patriarch has shut us out of, and there will be “Truth”.

When to call on Hecate

You may call on Hecate all the time.  She is the Triple Goddess and represents all three stages of the moon.  She is the darkness within us that we refuse to see.  She is the darkened moon which is the true color of the moon; it’s the “Truthful” moon, as the moon has no light of its own, but only reflects the light of the sun. 

In this she is the “Truth”.  If you take away the light, if you take away the reflections of the mirror, if you take away your sight, what is left?  Darkness, truth, only then are you forced to see what’s really on the inside.

She teaches us not to be afraid of the dark because she will guide us through it.  In the darkness we can find our strength. 

Triple Goddess

·         Maiden, Mother, Crone

·         Birth, Death, Rebirth

·         Mind, Body, Spirit

·         New moon, Full Moon, Dark Moon

In the Maiden aspect you might call on her for new beginnings or when you’re at a crossroads and uncertain as to which way to proceed.

In the Mother aspect one might call on her for protection or nurturing, and you can feel the fullness of her guidance with the light of the full moon.

In the Crone aspect one might also call on her for protection but also for wisdom.

Regardless of how the human perspective of Hecate has changed throughout time, she was and will always be the Goddess who stands between the worlds, the light bearer of the cross-roads, the guardian and the gatekeeper of all the Cosmos, above and below, within and without for all time.

Many Names of Hecate

·         Queen of the night  

·         Goddess of the cross roads   

·         Goddess of Witch Craft

·         Queen of Nature

·         Triple Goddess  

·         Key Holder

·         Nurse of Children

·         Phosphorus (light giving)

·         Protector of Women

 

Symbols of Hecate

Keys

The keys have a few different interpretations.  To some they can represent that she has the ability to open that which is locked away or hidden. To others they can represent the keys to the underworld. 

The keys have also been symbolic of keys to the “household”, because she is also strongly connected with protection of women, children, hearth and home.

 Finally, the keys to the Cosmos.

 

Torches

In the past fire was always seen as divine or a gift from the Gods. Hecate was known as the “Light Bringer” – her torches are symbolic of divine light and illumination.  She brings the light to the dark so that we may find our way.

 

The Strophalo or Hecate’s Wheel

There’s limited information regarding Hecate’s Wheel.  An old Alexandrian test called the Chaldean oracle describes it as a ‘labyrinthine serpent’ which symbols rebirth.

When I meditated on the symbol as I was painting it (original picture is attached below), I felt that the center wheel that looks like a sun (which could also be a representation of Hecate’s light) was symbolic of our lives turning.  The three outer elongated shapes could represent the different paths we take along with the three faces of Hecate, Maiden, Mother, Crone, all encompassed within an infinite circle.

Animals associated with Hecate:

·         Dogs

·         Horses

·         Owls

·         Serpents

·         Crows

Crystals associated with Hecate:

(You’ll find that all of the crystals have very similar healing properties)

       Jet:                                                 

·         Ward off evil

·         Helps to clear aura of impure energies

·         Helps to cleanse other crystals

·         Help balances emotions

·         Protects against psychic attacks

·         Help release negative behavior patterns and release old emotional attachments

Smokey quartz:

·         Helps to Ground you

·         Helps relieve stress, anxiety and doubt

·         Neutralizes negative vibrations

·         Lifts depression and  fear

Black Tourmaline:

·         Repels negative energy, psychic attacks and spells

·         Helps to remove negative energies within a person or a space

·         Protects and heals on all levels, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual

Black Onyx

·         Absorbs and transforms negative energy

·         Prevents the drain of personal energy

·         Use when you need more physical strength

·         Helps to stimulate intuitive powers, good for magical work

 

Lapis Lazuli

·         Protection against physic attacks

·         Brings harmony and deep inner self-knowledge

·         Stone of Truth

 

Offerings to Hecate:

·         Bread

·         Honey

·          Cheese

·          Oil

·         Fish

·         Wine

·          Fruits (especially Pomegranates)

·         Milk

·         Eggs

Followers of Hecate would offer foods such as these to connect with any negative energy they wished to dispel.  Then they would take the items and leave them at a crossroads. 

Incense:

·         Myrrh

·         Bay Leaves

·         Juniper

·         Cypress

·         Lavender

·         Rosemary

·          Thyme

·         Dragons Blood

·         Frankincense

·         Citrus (Orange)

 

Personal Devotions and Art to Hecate:

A call to Hecate – written by Autumn Faol Dreamweaver

 

Darkened Moon, void of light

Shadows hidden, out of sight

The path before me cannot be found

My hands outstretched, I spin round and round

Confused, conflicted, ungrounded I stumble

My spirit sinks, my knees buckle

Cool Earth below I grasp in hand

I take a breath, I try to stand

Hecate, Hecate, Hecate

I call out in a whisper

Mother of darkness, Goddess of Witches

Protect me now so I need not fear

Lend me your light so my path is clear

 

Original Artwork by Autumn Faol Dreamweaver: I did this piece to represent a few aspects of Hecate.  The Keys that she carries to unlock what is hidden, the flames at the top to represent her torches and the triple moons to show the 3 aspects of her.

Original Artwork by Autumn Faol Dreamweaver: This is my representation of Hecate’s Wheel.

 

Inside Altar to Hecate:

·         Crows:  represent the sky, mystery and magic, seeing beyond the veil

·         Skulls: symbolic of underworld

·         Black: darkened moon

·         Ivy: earth

·         Honey: ritual food offering left for Hecate

·         Lavender: ritual herb for Hecate

·         2 candles: her torches

 

 

Outside Altar

Resources used:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecate

Art used:

https://pre00.deviantart.net/d836/th/pre/i/2014/210/2/6/hecate_by_annaiceflames-d7srbtg.jpg

https://wanderingwomanwondering.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/faces-of-hekate/

https://www.google.com/search?q=hecate%27s+wheel&client=firefox-b-1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYi4q1lPjYAhUKzlMKHVPcD9QQsAQIQw&biw=1366&bih=631#imgdii=sdsypdeWd1kisM:&imgrc=EJj215EnrXzbFM:

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