Hecate

  • holder of heys

  • torchbearer

  • protector of witches

  • goddess of the crossroads

Hecate

Ἑκάτη

In ancient times, Hecate was honored as a protective deity, especially at times of transition, such as birth, death, and journeys. She was believed to guide souls through the underworld and guard the entrance to the realm of the dead. As a goddess of magic and sorcery, she was invoked by practitioners seeking her assistance in spells, divination, and rituals.

How she helps us find healing and strength . . .

Hecate, as a symbol of feminine power, wisdom, and sovereignty, offers valuable lessons for women today, particularly those navigating challenges, seeking empowerment, and embracing their authentic selves. Here are some lessons that modern women can draw from the archetype of Hecate:

  1. Embrace your intuition: Hecate embodies intuition and inner wisdom, encouraging women to trust their instincts and inner guidance. By listening to their intuition, women can make empowered decisions and navigate life's uncertainties with clarity and confidence.

  2. Embrace your darkness: Hecate is often associated with the shadow self and the darker aspects of human nature. She teaches women to embrace and integrate all parts of themselves, including their shadows, fears, and vulnerabilities. By acknowledging and accepting their darkness, women can cultivate greater self-awareness, resilience, and wholeness.

  3. Embrace your magic: Hecate is a goddess of magic, witchcraft, and the occult, symbolizing the power of transformation and manifestation. She teaches women to tap into their innate magical abilities and harness the energy of the universe to create positive change in their lives and the world around them.

  4. Embrace your sovereignty: Hecate is a symbol of independence, autonomy, and sovereignty, urging women to reclaim their power and authority in all areas of their lives. She teaches women to set boundaries, assert their needs and desires, and take ownership of their destinies.

  5. Embrace your role as a guide and protector: Hecate is often depicted as a guide and protector, particularly of women, children, and the marginalized. She encourages women to support and uplift one another, to be allies and advocates for those in need, and to use their voices and influence to create positive change in their communities and the world.

  • daughter of Asteria

  • daughter of Perses

  • companion of Persephone

Rape of Persephone

The story of the Rape of Persephone is a myth from ancient Greek mythology that explains the changing of the seasons. It involves several key characters, including Persephone (also known as Kore), Demeter, and Hades.

Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility, and Zeus, the king of the gods. Persephone was known for her beauty and innocence. One day, while Persephone was in a field with her companions, she was suddenly abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld. Hades took her to his realm, the Underworld, against her will.

Demeter, Persephone's mother, was devastated by her daughter's disappearance. In her grief and anger, she neglected her duties as the goddess of agriculture, causing crops to wither and the earth to become barren. The world plunged into an eternal winter, and humans and gods alike suffered from the lack of food and sustenance.

Zeus, concerned about the plight of the world and the gods' suffering, intervened and sent Hermes, the messenger god, to the Underworld to negotiate with Hades. Hades agreed to release Persephone, but there was a catch. Before letting her go, he tricked Persephone into eating a few pomegranate seeds. Eating the food of the Underworld bound her to that realm, ensuring that she would have to spend a portion of the year there.

Persephone was allowed to return to the surface and her mother, Demeter, for two-thirds of the year, during which time the earth flourished with vegetation and life. However, during the remaining one-third of the year, Persephone had to return to the Underworld to be with Hades. This period became associated with winter, during which Demeter mourned the loss of her daughter, causing the earth to become cold and barren once again.

The story of the Rape of Persephone is often interpreted as a myth that explains the cycle of the seasons: spring and summer when Persephone is with her mother and the earth thrives, and autumn and winter when she returns to the Underworld and the earth becomes desolate. The word "rape" in this context doesn't necessarily have the same modern connotations, as it originally meant "abduction" or "carrying away."

This myth was used by the ancient Greeks to make sense of the natural world and the changing of the seasons, and it also symbolized themes of life, death, rebirth, and the power dynamics between the gods.