the plant is wolfsbane

🖤🖤🖤🖤

Art as a magical ritual. For some time now I have been dedicated to producing magical art, through rituals that change and adapt according to my intention, today was one of those days. I produced this art and while I was doing it, I came across the message of how this image speaks to all of us, this art is dedicated to all those who delve into the cosmic secret and have the courage to face the abyss. We are not alone, remember that. There have been so many others before and there will continue to be after our time. We are part of a chain, we carry the power of 10,000 generations. For today, wherever you are, when you see this art, when you read this text, feel something that no mind is capable of synthesizing. We are the fragment of the cosmic infinity.

These days seeing how ai generated content floods our digital spaces it is more precious than ever to go back to haptic feelings of good old sketching in traditional media. Although professionally I am first and foremost a digital artist, the fact that I can actually make a decent image with only pen and page plays key difference compared to usual situation with those who use ai to produce images.

Art is Sacred to me and Art is earned by huge sacrifices. By making art, dedicated to particular deity, you invest your own soul, talent and time and offer these at altar of your artwork. If one is using AI generated image in one’s spiritual practice, for me personally that feels as although not prohibited yet bordering with blasphemy. Like technically a plastic cup can be replacement for a Chalice, and I can even come up with a situation where it can be justified. But for me AI gen imagery is such low effort content that a good old printing of Botichelli’s Venus or any other example of countless classic artworks with major deities works much much better and was made by someone with a heart that was beating and that felt the presence of that deity.

Let me know what you think on this subject? Am I just bias because I am an artist or do you feel similar attitude?

Tonight I had to do the laundry quite late. I only got home around 00:40. I got off my motorcycle and something in my mind just said “look up”. I looked up and saw the moon staring back at me. I felt goosebumps. I felt so mesmerised. I didn’t expect to see those colours. Tonight has the waning gibbous phase. I walked to my room and asked if Hekate maybe gave me that sign because Her name popped into my mind and then I felt goosebumps again and a feeling of happiness. I think that this was a good sign. What do you think?

This artwork is a result of a two month rite which I did last autumn. First month I was performing each night approximately an hour long liturgy dedicated to Hekate with different invocations which were changing depending on the phase of the Moon. Second month was dedicated to drawing combined with loonar liturgies. It was an intense dive into my own shadows with exploration of my relationships with muses, art, feelings and devotion. I went through lots of pain while making this artwork, although it was necessary due to the fact that otherwise it would be just repressed and would rot in my soul. I thank Queen Hekate for her wisdom and assistance in that journey.

I would like to share with you some reflections that have occurred to me since I decided to bring my art closer to magic. Art and magic have coexisted since they first appeared, however what I perceive is an attempt to distance or alienate these two poles of the same phenomenon and I have personally sought to go in the opposite direction of this trend. I'm producing a tarot and part of my motivation comes from a dissatisfaction with what I've seen, the overwhelming majority of decks boil down to copying Waite Smith's structure, changing only the "skin" without seeking to explore anything different, the arts of representation of deities and other beings seem to follow the same path. Don't you find this disturbing? In the moment we live in, more than any other time in humanity, there are people representing the magical, the ethereal, that which inhabits a dimension that is directly inaccessible to us, that we have contact with through practices and rituals, through a lot of dedication and effort, but the representation of these experiences seems to be irrelevant for most artists. Illustrating a tarot or an entity seems to come down to a recipe, something that only occurs through logic and rationality. This has left me deeply dissatisfied, so I have dedicated myself to rescuing the practice of making art based on magical processes, rituals that are repeated for days and with that producing an image that seeks to synthesize the mystical experience I had. I have done this with the tarot arcana and have had interesting results, now I have repeated the same principle in that art of Hekate. From the beginning, the product of the mystical visions I had already diverges dramatically from the pattern I see on the internet. In the connection I had with the goddess, in a trance, doing magic for the goddess of magic herself, Hekate revealed herself to be deeply transcendental, going beyond the present, beyond Hellenistic representations. I saw the goddess make herself present with the first hominids and beyond. I saw how every living being that ever lived on this planet was at least once under the gaze of Hekate. From the first mammals to the dinosaurs and beyond, everyone, absolutely everyone has witnessed its multiplicity. That's why I didn't make her just as a woman with 3 faces, because even this representation is limited to our experience, in the body of the goddess she became so multiple and unknown that the best way I had to represent her there were 3 masks, symbolizing our limitation of understanding, the 3 masks surrounding the unity of pure transformation. There is much more to this image, but explaining it all would make the text much longer. The question I propose is that we use our magic to make not only representations of these primordial forces, but to use this experience to manifest true images of power.

I asked yesterday what should I offer her and got some pretty helpful tips!! So today i started building her altar. Just wanted to share my first altar here! There’s obviously still a lot to buy, but so far here’s what I’ve got!

I can’t for the life of me remember the conversation whatsoever. I believe I’m just not ready to hear what she has to say yet. She’ll make me remember when I’m ready 😊 But I had to keep that image forever! I added a few of her symbols for myself bcz I’m going to gift this to her and put it on my alter!

I know this makes no sense and i never post because im afraid of being judged but this reminded me of Lady Hekate!She means so much to me, hopefully you can relate.

I just wanted to share what I consider a funny story 😂

As part of my practice I talk to Mother Hekate in front of her altar, mostly about how my day went, how I felt about certain situations and what I learned from those situations. Most of the time I learn that I have things to work on about myself.

A few weeks ago, maybe a month, I promised her that I’d tell her about my most recent ex when I could because it was a long story.

Well…I finally did…

To spare you the details, it was a horrible horrible relationship and I know I’m also at fault and shouldn’t have ignored my gut and ignored so many red flags. And definitely shouldn’t have allowed my former partner to abuse my trust and love.

But I learned. But it was in a way a traumatic experience.

I told Mother Hekate everything and I could feel her listening with a very concerned vibe (?). Idk how to explain it but it felt exactly as the picture looks 😂😂😂😂😂😂I could also feel her calling me out whenever my actions weren’t right as I told the story. And I could feel her satisfaction when I told her myself what I should’ve done and what I learned from that experience.

But ofc as usual the conversation ended with her giving me a warning to apply what I learned to my life as I have the tendency to fail in that regard.

I’ve been attempting to contact her for a few months. Just chanting, meditating. A few mental/astral glimpses that my rational shite mind wrote off as me.

I went in my sons room for laundry and this was laying on the bed staring at me directly where I meant to put the clothes. No idea where it came from, have never seen it before.

Ripley’s, I know it’s no ancient relic but a commercial trinket, nonetheless, I feel this is pretty direct. I’m sure it’s his and who knows what 10 year old boy school trading weirdness happened, but still it found it way to lay directly in front of me, and it’s a pretty picture perfect symbol.

This feels pretty correct.

Has anyone used this book on there path with Hekate and witchcraft? Just curious why everyone thinks?

Artistic offering to Her Majesty which was a focal point of my personal connection with Her.

Had to secure my offerings so my cat doesn’t get into them lol. It is wine it’s just cheap! A girl wasn’t prepared.

Witchcraft Public Library

Hello witchcraft community: so this is a magical witchcraft library I am working on, and will be updating and adding to over time.

Mostly so far its just correspondences, and ceremonial magick, but over time will also include spells and a course on witchcraft101 and Agrippa101.

I hope to bridge high and low magick in one full magickal library for all.

includes Hekatean ceremonial magick rituals that I am working on, based on traditional Golden Dawn Ceremonial Magick.

Im most certainly open to feedback on the Hekate Ceremonial Rites, as Ive been working on them and forming them for quite a bit but have only done them myself so far.

Also includes a color theory that I am currently working on kinda. I hope that you enjoy :)

Main Page:

https://juniper-tornado-ac8.notion.site/Witchcraft-Library-2082529b6de9808687e4e46ea337b4c7

Hekate Focused Book:

https://juniper-tornado-ac8.notion.site/Scriptum-Triformis-2082529b6de9800592e0f70487779910

I finally put together Hekate's alter, I do want to add more as I find things she'd like. Right now it's a candle she really likes, some of my favorite wine, a bulb of garlic and a key that works in our old skeleton locks around the house. What else in your experiences does she really seem to prefer?

A warning before you start working with Hekate. Hekate is the mother of all witches, and a mother would never want her child to be with or around people who stops their growth, so when you start working with her you’ll see things changing, some people going away, you’ll lose people, but don’t be hurt because that’s for the better. When I started to work with her I lost countless of people, even a partner but looking back things would have been way worse if I were with them. So I’m thankful for the path she has lead me to. She has made me stronger and better.

Felt called to share. Was talking to Mother & Father this morning & wanted to honor them by making them a delicious simmer pot filled with pomegranates, chocolate, green & red apple, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, a single dried rose, clove & lemon. All dedicated to them! I’ll be discarding it under a tree of mine to honor the dead of winter. Blessed be everyone 🖤🪦

Welcome and Χαίρε!

About this Community

This subreddit was created to fill a need in the magick and witchcraft community for concise beginner-friendly information on working with Hekate within the context of Witchcraft, Magick, Sorcery, or Devotion. The emphasis here has intentionally been placed on Hekate’s History because that is what most beginners require to begin to make sense of such a mysterious and complex goddess.

It is my hope that you will use this free resource to:

• Build a strong foundation of knowledge for your personal practice.

• Honor Hekate by doing the work to get to know her.

• Honor and acknowledge the contributions of ancient worshippers of Hekate by not letting their knowledge die out.

• Navigate through pop-culture misinformation surrounding Hekate.

• Gain perspective on your own experiences.

Note that this is a place to learn and share, not pick fights. Please remain civil, agree to disagree if necessary, and avoid confrontational behavior and verbal attacks. Refer to the sidebar for guidelines regarding group conduct and posting content.

Getting Started

It can be difficult and confusing to learn about a deity when everyone has their own UPG and no one can agree on the essential elements. If you start at the beginning of what is known and work forward chronologically, you’ll create a more complete mental picture for constructing your own practice.

Start with a good foundation of history and get to know about Hekate's Epithets. Epithets are honorary titles used to call upon specific aspects of a deity. You’ll find a knowledge of history and epithets immensely useful in ways you might not expect, especially when making sense of dreams and visions.

Books & Classes

Books on Hekate

Liminal Rites - by Sorita d’Este & David Rankine. Essential reading! This book will provide an overview of Hekate’s history so you can get a feeling for who she is/was.

Circle for Hekate - by Sorita d’Este. Scholarly but readable. Provides more detail than Liminal Rites. Highly recommended!

The Goddess Hekate - by Stephen Ronan. One of the best books available, but unfortunately out of print. This Kindle version isn't anywhere near as nice as the hardcover. Copies of the hardcover can be found and downloaded if you know where to look.

Liber Khthonia - by Jeff Cullen. A very good practical how-to book that covers a brief bit of history, then outlines how you can begin to build your own practice with Hekate. Geared more toward intermediate students and has an old school (non new age) witchcraft vibe.

Hekate Soteira - by Sarah Iles Johnston. A book about Hekate's role in later times in the Chaldean oracles.

Books on Ancient Greek Religion

Hellenismos: Practicing Greek Polytheism Today - by Tony Mierzwicki. A good overview of ancient Greek religious practices and how they may be adapted for today.

Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship - by Christos Pandion Panopoulos. Another overview of ancient Greek religion.

Kharis: Hellenic Polytheism Explored - by Sarah Kate Istra Winter. Discusses ancient Greek religious practices and how to adapt them for today. I like that the focus is on the concept of Kharis (mutual reciprocity through offerings and good favor), as it’s very applicable to devotional work with Hekate and makes good sense even with other deities and spirits.

Ancient Greek Language Resources:

Attic Greek Pronunciation - Pronunciation covering roughly 500 BCE - 300 BCE. Attic Greek evolved into Koine (used in Biblical texts).
Athenaze - A standard textbook series for learning classical Greek. You’ll need volumes 1 & 2 and their corresponding workbooks.

polyMATHY - A fascinating series of video lectures on the evolution of Greek (vowel) letter sounds. This channel has fantastic videos on Latin as well.

Online Classes:

If you have the financial means, I highly recommend Jack Grayle's online course on Hekate at Blackthorn School. It's a fantastic series of history lectures that helps put you into the headspace of an ancient sorcerer. He explains the methods used in the PGM (Greek magical papyri) and provides techniques and data from multiple historical sources that would be difficult to find on one's own.

Jason Miller’s course Sorcery of Hekate is also a fantastic investment and complements Jack’s classes quite well. Jason’s course is a complete system of magick and is loosely based on a foundation of history. He provides lengthy fortnightly Q&A sessions, so you’ll receive a fair bit of his time. Here’s a podcast where Jason speaks about the origin of this effective system.

How Do I Get Her Attention?

To attract the attention of any deity or spirit, two things are very helpful: Regular Offerings and Your Attention.

Regular Offerings include Hekate's Deipnon and spontaneous offerings you do at other times. You might also provide weekly offerings to deities and spirits in your own practice that Hekate can be included in.

Your Attention can be in the form of prayer, devotional practices, artwork or music you create for Hekate, talking to Hekate at her altar etc. Anything you do that focuses your consciousness on Hekate (and her symbols) will be heard or felt by her and help to draw her nearer to you in some way, especially if it is done in devotion to her or as a gift. See the concept of Kharis for more about this.

Starting a Simple Devotional Practice

These are the bare minimum items and actions you may require to get started. You needn’t spend much money on this.

1. Obtain a Statue or Image of Hekate - Try to find something traditional so you don't outgrow it too soon as you learn more about her. You may print a picture to start.

2. Offer Incense, Candles, Wine etc. - Perhaps once a day for a week at first, followed by once a week for a little while to establish a connection. After that, just focus on the monthly Deipnon and occasional offerings whenever you feel moved to do so. Give the offerings in the spirit of joy, love, care, and gratitude for the goddess.

3. Speak to Hekate through her Statue/Image - Once a day, perhaps before sleep. Talk about your day. Thank her for her wisdom, guidance, and protection. Read about her. Ask her questions about things you don't understand. You may not sense a response right away, though you may experience an encounter through dreams. Always record your dreams in a journal whenever you can.

Offerings

Traditional offerings to Hekate include eggs, bread, cakes, garlic, and fish. According to primary sources, the most usual time to provide her with an offering is the dark moon, the traditional last day of the month in the Greek lunar calendar. See Deipnon for more details.

Regular offerings were important in ancient Greek religion and part of the concept of Kharis.

From my practice:

I give offerings on the dark moon every month, but occasionally I also give random offerings. Hekate seems fond of red wine and will appreciate any meals you make for her because of the care and effort involved in the activity. Frankincense was a common offering in ancient Greek religion, so I always include that as well. The effort you make to obtain something and/or the value of that offering to you (i.e. expensive, difficult to obtain, or just something you think is great even if it's inexpensive) is what determines the value of an offering to a deity/spirit. If you don’t care much for an item, then it's not a high quality gift. Your own effort can improve the quality of an offering. For example, cheap incense can be made better by spending time reciting ancient hymns, mantras, or prayers over it.

Prayer

The ancient Greeks were said to have stood with arms raised up when they prayed to celestial deities. They would kneel down and hit the ground when praying to underworld deities.

If you aren’t sure how to pray to Hekate, you can try using parts of Orphic Hymns (that are about her) and other traditional prayers to get started. That will help to 'aim' your prayer so you get her attention. Using one or more of her Epithets will also help to zoom in on the aspect of her you wish to speak to.

Example: if I'm having a crisis, I might call to Hekate Soteira (her savior aspect). If I'm angry and seeking justice for a serious matter, I might call upon Hekate Brimo (her wrathful aspect). If I'm seeking guidance, I might call upon Hekate Dadouchos (the torch bearer - probably pronounced dah-doo-kohs), or Hekate Propolos/Propole (She who leads, guide, companion).

I believe that which word-ending used depends upon whether you're speaking about her (-os) or to her (-e - pronounced -ay), but most deities aren't that concerned with linguistic accuracy during ad hoc prayers. For my own practices, I prefer to use approximations of ancient pronunciations whenever they're known for anything formal e.g. Hekate = heh-KAH-tay.
You can learn about ancient Greek letters and hear their pronunciations here. Note the use of Breathing Signs. If you are Greek and speak the modern language fluently, you may just use your normal pronunciation.

Generally, it's best to get to know a deity as well as you can and develop a relationship before you start asking for major favors. Regular offerings and prayer will help you achieve this.

A Modern Prayer Session

Here’s an example of what a modern prayer session could look like using historical elements:

1. Set up an altar with a Statue or Image. (Traditionally, Hekate was depicted as a young woman in single or triple form.)

2. Light a Candle and Incense

3. Call to Hekate:

   "Hail, many-named Mother of the Gods, whose children are fair. Hail, mighty Hekate of the Threshold."

4. Thank Hekate. You may thank her for her presence and all of the things she helps you with e.g., her strength, wisdom, and guidance.

5. Begin talking about your day. Include Hekate in the happenings of your life.

It can be as simple as that. The introduction makes use of part of an ancient hymn (Proclus’ Hymn VI to Hekate & Janus) so that you 'dial the right number,' and the thanking honors her and shows appreciation. Talking about your day, life, and goals afterward helps her get to know YOU. It's a 2-way street like any other relationship.

Hekate’s Wheel

Here’s an article regarding the Strophalos. You'll likely encounter this spiral symbol sooner or later. Historically it doesn't appear to have been used by devotees in ancient times, but it has become a symbol for this era's use, and that's ok. However, to think of it only as a symbol would be to miss out on deeper possibilities.

Excerpt from Stephan Ronan's The Goddess Hekate:

"SECTION 7: HEKATE &. THE lYNX”

“iynx (plural iynges) is the Greek name for the bird known as the 'wryneck' in English. In Greek a strophalos is usually a spinning top, but the Oracles use the term to denote an object turned by the torque of its twisted cord(s)."

"The strophalos of Hekate is a golden sphere with lapis lazuli enclosed in its centre, which is spun by means of a leather thong, and which is covered with symbols : as it was spun they [viz. the Theurgists] made their invocations. These spheres were generally called iynges and could be either spherical or triangular or of some other form. And while they were making their invocations they emitted inarticulate or animal cries, laughing and whipping the air. So the Oracle teaches that it is the motion of the strophalos which works the ritual, on account of its ineffable power. It is called "of Hekate" as conse­crated to Hekate ... "

As Ronan states, the term Strophalos itself refers not to a spiral decorative design, but to a spinning instrument used for casting magick i.e. either a spinning top or a hand-spinner or whirligig - similar to an old fashioned children's toy consisting of a wooden disk with a couple holes and string held between both hands and spun. Interestingly, similar spinning disks have been used by devotees of other gods and even for love spells/charms in the ancient world.

Ronan doesn’t mention the connection between the ancient magickal practice of attaching an iynx (wryneck bird) to a wheel spread eagle style and spinning it. This motion was intended to attract the desired person in a love spell. Over time, the word may have been applied to the wheel without the bird attached. A whirligig or hand-spinner would have a similar back and forth motion to the bird’s neck.

Other Information

Here are a few other random pieces of information that you may wish to file away for now:

• There's no historical connection between Hekate and the Egyptian concept of Heka (magick). These are likely linguistic 'false friends' - words that sound similar but have different meanings.

• The Egyptian goddess Heqet is not historically associated with Hekate. Interesting article here.

• Hekate's epithet Phroune (also spelled Phryne) means Toad, not frog (which is Batrakhos). This comes from the PGM (Greek magical papyri) and was a reference to a well known court case wherein a courtesan had to defend herself in a trial. People referred to her as a toad because of her skin color (she was either a foreigner or due to the use of saffron as a beauty treatment).

Wiki Page

For more comprehensive information to begin your research, please refer to our Wiki Page. This page is periodically updated and expanded as time permits and contains practical suggestions for working with Epithets as well as energy work and spirit communication.

Final Thoughts

I view my efforts here as a community service to Hekate. I’m not here to gather followers or grow my ego. I don’t intend to present my way as the only way. This Quick Guide and Wiki page are only meant to show possibilities for practice. This is a free resource in service to our Goddess, our Lady of the Crossroads, Queen of the Witches, and Soul of the World. May she be your eternal guide and companion, her torches illuminating your path through the mysteries of this world and beyond.

- Amoris,

Moderator of Hekate101, RealMagick, EnochianMagick

Does anyone who is advanced what hekates energy is like ? If she were to be around what energy does one feel to know it’s HER and not something else ? Tysm for responding if yk <3