Witchcraft with Goddess Hecate
Hecate is the goddess of crossroads, entrance-ways, light, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy & sorcery in greek mythology. She presents a mighty and strong goddess, which rules over parts of the sea, sky and earth.
For to this day, whenever any one of men on earth offers rich sacrifices and prays for favor according to custom, he calls upon Hecate. Great honor comes full easily to him whose prayers the goddess receives favorably, and she bestows wealth upon him; for the power surely is with her. For as many as were born of Earth and Ocean amongst all these she has her due portion. The son of Cronos did her no wrong nor took anything away of all that was her portion among the former Titan gods: but she holds, as the division was at the first from the beginning, privilege both in earth, and in heaven, and in sea.Ā
In witchcraft she is believed
ā³Ā to cleanse places (houses and familiar places especially), ā³Ā prevent ill-minded ghosts from entering a place, ā³Ā to support communication between two places, ā³Ā to spend light, ā³Ā to bring daily blessing, ā³Ā to give control as well as ā³Ā support witchcraft, necromancy & sorcery apprentices and ā³Ā lead or make a way to follow.
Symbols:Ā
ā³ twin torches,Ā ā³ triple-bodied,Ā ā³ number 3,Ā ā³ crossroads,Ā ā³ entrances & doors,Ā ā³ dogs,Ā ā³ poisonous plantsĀ ā³ keysĀ ā³ daggers
sacred animals:
ā³Ā dogs,Ā ā³ frogs,Ā ā³ polecat,Ā ā³ serpents, (also sometimes represented with cows, boars & horses)
plants:
ā³Ā medical & poisonous ones,Ā ā³Ā oak,Ā ā³Ā yew,Ā ā³Ā garlic,Ā ā³Ā cypress,Ā ā³Ā aconite,Ā ā³Ā belladonna,Ā ā³Ā dittany,Ā ā³Ā mandrake
āGreeks held the yew to be sacred to Hecateā¦ Her attendants draped wreathes of yew around the necks of black bulls which they slaughtered in her honor and yew boughs were burned on funeral pyres. The yew was associated with the alphabet and the scientific name for yew today, taxus, was probably derived from the Greek word for yew, toxos, which is hauntingly similar to toxon, their word for bow and toxicon, their word for poison. It is presumed that the latter were named after the tree because of its superiority for both bows and poison.ā
stones & crystals:
ā³Ā ones found at crossroads,Ā ā³ marble, ā³ glass-stone & ā³ sandstone, ā³ smokey ā³ quartz, ā³ onyx, ā³ moonstone, ā³ silver
offerings:
ā³ garlic, ā³ keys, ā³ dog fur, ā³ foreign coins, ā³ parts poisonous plants (!), ā³ frogs, ā³ bones, ā³ crystals, ā³ herbs, ā³ stones, ā³ spells
colours:
ā³ black, ā³ orange-yellow, ā³ yellow-orange, ā³ red-orange, ā³ (including all kinds of orange and lighter red)
scents:
ā³ mugwort, ā³ honey, ā³ myrrh
stuff:
ā³ shrine at a place where paths meet ā³ shrine near a doorway ā³ practice magic near crossroads ā³ be aware of ghosts & the dead ā³ magic to new moon ā³ candles either dark or fire-coloured ā³ cleanse rooms regularly ā³ take good care of your plants & study herbs, poisons and nature well ā³ light a torch and a small bonfire once in a while
(!) Please remember that Hecate is a goddess who can refuse to help or connect with you. (!)
