Hekate
Pantheon: Greek
Hekate is known as the Goddess of Witches, Queen of the Night and the Torch Bearer who lights the way, among many others.
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Hekate is a powerful and dynamic Goddess who is primarily a matron Goddess and protector of all women, especially midwives, witches, healers and herbalists, and a protector of children and marginalized groups. In modern times, Hekate is most popularly celebrated for being the Goddess of Witches and Witchcraft. However, she is also a Goddess of the Underworld, the dead and spirits, night, magick and the occult, healing, pharmakeia (herbal medicine, which she was renowned for her knowledge and skill), the crossroads and the Goddess of liminal “in-between” spaces.
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The name Hekate literally translates “influence from afar”. She is thought to have originated from the Far East somewhere around the Black Sea. Hekate has also made an appearance in ancient Egyptian, Babylonian and Sumerian belief systems. She is an ancient Goddess.
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Hekate is often depicted as a Triple Goddess (maiden, mother and crone), appearing as three women facing different directions. Sometimes she was even depicted with a woman’s body and three heads, those of a dog, horse and lion. She is regularly accompanied by a pack of dogs and her horde of spirits.
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Zeus granted Hekate dominion over the Earth, the Underworld and the Sea, allowing her to travel between realms with ease. This was how she became Torch Bearer and Psychopomp, where she could guide souls to and from the Underworld. Most famous of myths, Hekate witnessed the abduction of Demeter’s (Goddess of agriculture, harvest and fertility) daughter Persephone (Goddess of spring and later on the Queen of the Underworld) into the Underworld. Torch in hand, Hekate assisted in the search for her. As a result, Hekate became the guide to trapped Persephone, lighting the way for her to travel between the Underworld and Earth to visit her mother for half the year. Thus, Persephone’s ascent to Earth brings spring, and her descent to the Underworld brings winter.
Correspondences:
Symbols: Hekate’s Wheel, torch, key, dagger, crossroads.
Animals: Dogs (primarily black), black cats, toads, snakes, owls and dragons.
Offerings: Honey (especially infused with lavender), fruit, dates, bread, almonds, wine, eggs, onions and garlic.
Plants & Incense: Myrrh, benzoin, dragon’s blood resin, patchouli, lavender, bay leaves, mugwort, dandelion, oak and poplar. Baneful (poisonous) plants: Belladonna, mandrake, monkshood, yew, water hemlock.
Crystals: Black Obsidian, garnet, moonstone, ruby, jasper, hematite, sapphire, gold and silver.
Colours: Black, red and white.
Times & Dates: November 16th is Hekate’s night. The end of each night. The dark moon. Night.
Numbers: 3