Ways of Worship: Hecate

Hecate, also known as “The Distant One,” is the Greek Goddess of the crossroads and witchcraft. She is also Queen of the Night, and is highly connected to All Hallow's Eve. She is commonly depicted as a three-headed Goddess, or the Greek version of The Triple Goddess, being the Maiden, Mother, and Crone depending on the season. Hecate is also seen to rule/have power over magic, the night, ghosts, necromancy, pathways, heaven, Earth, and the sea. She is one of the Gods who lives in the Underworld. Her Roman form is Hekate, although she is often confused for the Roman Goddess Trivia who is the Goddess of the crossroads and guardian of roads.

Hecate is the only daughter of the Titans Perses and Asteria. It's said that her parents gave her the power over heaven, Earth, and the sea. Hecate married Aeetes and together they had three children. The first two where daughters Kirke (Circe) and Medea, and the last was a son named Aigialeus. In lore, Hecate is seen in many larger myths, though she is often left out of the stories people remember. For instance, in the story of Hades and Persephone's marriage, Hecate led Demeter through the dark with one of her torches in the initial search for Persephone.

In the myth of the Titan War, otherwise known as the origin on the Gods where Zeus defeated his father Kronos and freed his siblings, Hecate is present and often left unmentioned. We all know Zeus to be the King of the Gods (and somewhat full of himself), but do we all know that Zeus honored Hecate during this time and continues to honor her? When Zeus took over from his father, he took all the Titans had and punished those who fought on the side of the Titans. When the war was done and the Gods began dividing up places to rule, Zeus gave her the entitlement she was born with as a share of the Earth and the sea. She received honors in heaven and even honors by the "deathless" Gods.

Altar, Offerings, and Symbols

General Symbols: Torch, new moon, crossroads, three-headed animals/statues, raisin and currant cakes, masks, candles, the number 3, stars, and the night sky.

Plants: Willows, dark yew, blackthorn, groves of trees, saffron, pumpkins and other gourds, raisins, currants, and any night blooming plants such as moonflowers or night lilies.

Animals: Snakes, dogs, horses, bats, owls, boars, and sheep (especially black female ones).

Colors: Black, orange, yellow-orange, and red-orange.

Scents: Cinnamon, honey, myrrh, mugwort, lime, lemon verbena, and Queen of the Night (a very light floral scent).

Gemstones/Metal: Sapphire, silver, gold, moonstone, black tourmaline, black onyx, hematite, smoky quartz, and any stone that is black, dark, or luminous.

Prayers

Things to consider praying for are strength in magic, to help choose the right path, anything magic related, protection, patience, understanding, help with ghosts, and decision making.

Prayer to Hecate

Hecate when I doubt,

show me strength;

When I am wrong,

show me the right path;

Light the crossroads before me,

that I may see my way.

Queen of transitions.

Guardian of doorways.

Hecate, bless my journeys,

Through dark and dawn, day and dusk.

Help me to bring into balance the forces within myself-Light and dark, above and below.

As a coin cannot have only one side.

I am not whole, one without the other.

Hecate Blessing

Hecate, beautiful crone of night,I call upon you to put things right.

Transform the negative thought, the fear, and painand help my life be whole again.