The dark Goddess of Transformation

Listen to the words of The dark Goddess of Transformation; She who of old was also called among men Kali, Hecate, Cerridwen, Lilith, Persephone, Fata, Morgana, Ereshkigal, Arianhrod, Durga, Inanna, Tiamat, and by countless other names:

“Hear me child, and know Me for I am. I have been with you since you were born, and I will stay with you until you return to Me at the final dusk. I am the passionate and seductive lover who inspires the poet to dream. I am the One who calls to you at the end of your journey. After the day is done, My children find their blessed rest in my embrace. I am the womb from which all things are born. I am the shadowy, still tomb; all things must come to Me and bare their breast to die and be reborn to the Whole.”

“I am the Sorceress that will not be ruled, the Weaver of Time, the Teacher of Mysteries. I snip the threads that bring my children home to me. I slit the throats of the cruel and drink the blood of the heartless. Swallow your fear and come to me, and you will discover true beauty, strength, and courage. I am the fury which rips the flesh from injustice. I am the glowing forge that transforms your inner demons into tools of power. Open yourself to my embrace and overcome.”

“I am the glinting sword that protects you from harm. I am the crucible in which all the aspects of yourself merge together in a rainbow of union. I am the velvet depths of the night sky, the swirling mists of midnight, shrouded in mystery. I am the chrysalis in which you will face that which terrifies you and from which you will blossom forth, vibrant and renewed. Seek me at The crossroads, and you shall be transformed, for once you look upon my face, there is no return.”

“I am the fire that kisses the shackles away. I am the cauldron in which all opposites grow to know each other in Truth. I am the web which connects all things. I am the Healer of all wounds, the Warrior who rights all wrongs in their Time. I make weak strong. I make the arrogant humble. I raise up the oppressed and empower the disenfranchised. I am Justice tempered with Mercy”.

“Most importantly, child, I am you. I am part of you, and I am within you. Seek me within and without, and you will be strong. Know me. Venture into the dark so that you may awaken to Balance, Illumination, and Wholeness. Take my Love with you everywhere and find Power within to be who you wish.”

Hekates Night 13th August

August 13th is listed in modern Pagan calendars as being Hekates Night, a night sacred to Hekate. This purportedly ancient Greek festival is for propitiation, where we ask Hekate Lady of the Storms to not send any of those nasty storms among us. We are meant to leave an offering at the crossroads to Hekate and ask Her to keep us safe from storms, or even better, just keep the damaging and dangerous storms away completely.

So we will begin at the end, this is not an ancient festival and yet it also kind of is. Kind of. The struggle we have with this festival is that it is kind of based on an ancient festival, or two or three. It is also maybe based on ancient ideas, that have little to do with those ancient festivals. And it almost certainly exists as it does because of confusion over various things.

Or maybe it is completely made up and modern and we have all been finding coincidental connections that don’t actually exist. That is the problem right there, we can’t be entirely sure of who first said this festival existed in modern times. We can’t be entirely sure of why they said it existed. We can’t be sure who added the extra bits and pieces, nor why they did so.

The Modern Line

Hekates Night is mentioned in several modern Pagan books, by that name and sometimes not by any name, simply listed as a night sacred to Hekate. When these books cite other modern, but still older, books this makes the festival seem a touch more legitimate. Then you get a book by reputable or at least popular Pagan authors, they don’t even need to cite a source. They say it, it must be true.

“Her annual festival on August 13 (also that of the Roman Diana) was a propitiary one, to avert harvest-destroying storms.

The source was likely to be a book I do not have and haven’t read, Witchcraft Out of the Shadows by Leo Ruickbie. According to those who have read this book Leo notes in a side box that August 13th is a day the ancient Greeks would propitiate Hekate so She wouldn’t send crop destroying storms. He does cite a source and it’s one I was able to access through Open Library.

“[August] The 13th. Celebration of Diana and Hecate of the Moon in The Goddess Book of Days, Diana Stein (first published 1988).

The piece from Goddess Book of Days about August 13th

So here we can see the progression quite clearly. Going backwards we have numerous internet sites stating we must offer to Hekate at a crossroads to prevent storms from destroying our crops. Farrar and Bone, and Ruickbie seemingly don’t mention anything about crossroads offerings, but they do mention storms and crops/harvests and propitiation. Steins book on the other hand doesn’t mention storms at all, just protection for the harvest.

It’s like Chinese whispers.

Offering at the Crossroads

The crossroads offering is seemingly a later addition and it’s pretty obvious where it comes from – the Deipnon. Every lunar month, on the dark moon, we offer to Hekate at the crossroads to honour Her of course, but it is also a propitiation offering that in some ways asks for protection. On the dark moon She wanders the world as leader of the host of the Restless Dead. So we offer at the crossroads to feed Her and the dead and Her hounds I suppose, but also to give us some protection from the dead.

As a protective sort of offering it stands to reason that this would become part of a protection festival that has little to no details about what one should do for that festival.

The most interesting part of this festival, and actually kind of makes me really like the whole thing, is the part where it is about Hekate as a storm Goddess. As we can see, the storm part of the festival appears to have originated with Leo Ruickbie. Given that the source he cites doesn’t mention storms at all, we have to assume that even if this did somehow originate in an ancient festival, the storm part of it is a modern addition.

I suppose it makes some logical sense though, a festival to ask Hekate to protect the harvest… why? Others who have searched before me often show confusion over why Hekate of all the deities is the one being asked to protect the crops/harvests. She’s not generally noted as an agricultural deity, so why Her? I suppose the addition of protection from storms makes it seem a little more palatable to those who know Her as the Lady of Storms.

Her storm aspect isn’t mentioned very often – but it is actually a slightly popular one. Fact is we don’t have a lot of information about Her as a storm Goddess, nor much about any cultus that revolved around that aspect. But some fragments of history do exist.

The main tangible piece of historical evidence we have of Hekate being a storm Goddess – at least to some of the Greeks is from my favourite place in ancient Greece, Samothrace.

“In Samothrace there were certain initiation-rites, which they supposed efficacious as a charm against certain dangers. In that place were also the mysteries of the Corybantes and those of Hecate. The initiates supposed that these things save [them] from terrors and from storms.

So, She was given offerings, or sacrifices, in Samothrace, asking for protection from the storms – and from terror. But we can also go further. Though it isn’t generally outright stated, as an Oceanic deity, Hekate would have province over stormy weather – especially on the ocean and the shore. Add to the fact that She is also a Ouranic deity, this would seem to give Her even more rule over the weather. As Brimo, the angry one, we can also hazard a guess that She again holds sway over angry storms or any natural disaster really.

The storm aspect holds firm in reference to Hekate, but whether it should be part of this festival is another matter. As a note, I actually did check the climate and weather patterns for Samothrace – they have really nice weather during August, with rare showers and storms. But for the most part, August is not a stormy season, any storm propitiation would likely not have happened at this time of year.

Protection and Harvest or Crops

As noted above, one of the things people find issue with when it comes to this festival, is the idea of Hekate protecting the harvest/crops. Many people find the idea of Hekate and agriculture to be, well, just wrong. Some also find it difficult to understand why Hekate would be called on for protection. So we need to look at these aspects of the festival as well – do they fit Hekate or not?

“Hecate, the symbol of her varying phases and of her power dependent on the phases. Wherefore her power appears in three forms, having as symbol of the new moon the figure in the white robe and golden sandals, and torches lighted: the basket, which she bears when she has mounted high, is the symbol of the cultivation of the crops, which she makes to grow up according to the increase of her light: and again the symbol of the full moon is the goddess of the brazen sandals.

Or even from the branch of olive one might infer her fiery nature, and from the poppy her productiveness, and the multitude of the souls who find an abode in her as in a city, for the poppy is an emblem of a city. She bears a bow, like Artemis, because of the sharpness of the pangs of labour.

And, again, the Fates are referred to her powers, Clotho to the generative, and Lachesis to the nutritive, and Atropos to the inexorable will of the deity.

Also, the power productive of corn-crops, which is Demeter, they associate with her, as producing power in her.

In this one reference we can see that She is indeed linked to agriculture, as the waxing moon, “symbol of the cultivation of the crops” and also in Her association with Demeter, “the power productive of corn-crops”. This is only one reference, but sometimes that is all you need.

Protection is actually a more common thing when it comes to Hekate. The offerings given on the Deipnon are all about asking Her for protection – as well as being just offerings to Her, the dead and Her hounds. One of Her epithets is Apotropaios, which means “averter” and is in reference to Her being a protector, averting evil. She is also named Medousa, Protector and Pylake, Guard, Who Keeps Watch.

1Nemoralia – August 13th

There is an ancient Roman festival called the Nemoralia which was held on either the 13th-15th of August or over the full moon of August. This festival is in honour of Diana Nemorensis. Women would hold a torch procession to Lake Nemi, they would leave Diana various offerings as well as tokens of gratitude and requests for various help especially healing.

Diana was often heavily conflated with Hekate, both being named Trivia – indeed one can see in Diana the beginnings of the modern triple goddess. Hekate is of course a torch bearing Goddess, making this festival peculiarly suited to Her, even without the Diana conflation. Some, including Wikipedia, state that during the festival Hekate is also given offerings of garlic – but I can’t find the source of that.

This festival seems to have little to nothing to do with storms, harvests or propitiation and so doesn’t really match up with the modern festival very well in that way. But the date is quite significant and cannot be ignored.

It is worth noting too that James Frazer (Golden Bough) notes that Nemoralia is the festival that was eventually turned into the Feast of the Assumption, this doesn’t seem important at all until we look at the above quote from our oldest modern reference, the Goddess Book of Days. “The 13th. Celebration of Diana and Hecate of the Moon in pre-Hellenic Greece, to protect the harvest. Origin of the Assumption Day in the Church Mary cycle. “

Kourotrophos

The ancient Greek calendars were luni-solar. The years were marked by the solstices or equinoxes (region dependent), for example the first day of the year in Athens was the first new waxing moon after the summer solstice. The months thereafter were purely lunar, beginning on the first waxing moon, ending on the dark moon. This means that no matter how we spin it, the calendars back then can never match our calendar today. There was no August 13th, because there was no August. And even if there was an August, it would not be the same time as it is now, but instead would be based on the solstices and lunar months.

August generally coincides with the month of Metageitnion in the Attic calendar, this year Metageitnion began on July 25th and will end on August 22nd. On the 16th day of Metageitnion, this year August the 9th, the festival of Kourotrophos was (and is) held. Kourotrophos is the name of the Goddess who protects children and is also an epithet of numerous Goddesses, including Artemis and Hekate. Thus, for this particular festival Hekate and Artemis, as Kourotrophos, were and are honoured, offered to and sacrificed to.

Though this festival has nothing in common with the modern 13th festival, we can see something else that could match up. The date. Since the calendars don’t match up, the 16th of Metageitnion is on a different day in August (perhaps rarely July and/or September) each year. This means it isn’t impossible for the Kourotrophos festival to land on August 13th, in fact it is highly likely to have happened.

Whether this could have contributed to the date of Hekates Night is impossible to know. But fact is it wouldn’t be the first time a festival is given a static annual date based on a confusion over a yearly changeable date. I suspect this is what happened with one (or both) of the November festivals to Hekate, but with the Deipnon instead of an annual festival.

If we look back to the years before our first modern link was published in 1988, we can see that the full moon was on August 11th in 1984, and two days later would have been the Kourotrophos festival – the 13th.

Further Dating

There are two more possibilities or connections to the 13th and Hekate. The first is the possibility, though I call it the least likely, that the date is simply because one year the Deipnon fell on the 13th of August and people got confused thinking the festival always happened on the 13th.

The other is this interesting statement,

“The time was at hand when smoke fills Diana’s grove, Her sanctuary at Nemi, for a runaway slave made king, Hippolytus’ hidden lake glowing. Diana herself crowns Her ancient hounds, polishes up her arrows, and allows The wild creatures to pass in safety: all the land of Italy Celebrating the Ides of Hecate, and every hearth purified.” – Silvae, by Statius.

This is obviously in reference to the time of the Nemoralia, which happens over the 13th of August (or the full moon of August) in ancient Rome. But the interesting part here is how that particular time of the month of August is not called the Ides of August (or whatever name the month had back then) but is instead called the Ides of Hekate.

There are also two more curiosities that also coincide with this time of the year, though I don’t think they mean anything for this festival I find them interesting nonetheless. The first is that August 12 is usually during the period referenced as the dog days of summer, named for the dog star Sirius. According to Wikipedia (ever so trustworthy) the ancient Greeks associated this time with, among other things, sudden thunderstorms. Why is this of note, other than the thunderstorms mention? Because of the connection between Sirius and the Titan Perses – father of Hekate.

The second curiosity is the Perseid meteor shower which is during August and, this year at least, happens to peak on the 12th. The shower is named for the constellation they appear to come from, Perseus. Not that special, until you again consider the father of Hekate. He is not Perseus of course – but they do share a similar name. As I said, it means nothing but it is interesting anyway.

Hekates Night Conclusion

After this super long post, what have we discovered?

The middle of August coincides with many things that relate to Hekate. The Nemoralia festival, the Kourotrophos festival, possibly a Deipnon one year, the Ides of Hekate, and loosely the dog days of summer. Nemoralia is however the most likely originator for the modern festivals date.

The things observed in the festival all match with Hekate to some degree – She is associated with storms and protection from storms. She is associated with harvests. She is associated with protection and propitiation. She is associated with crossroads and is often offered to on them.

This festival is based on the dating of an ancient festival (or several of them). It contains aspects that definitely relate to Hekate. But the dates of the ancient festivals do not match those aspects celebrated in the modern festival. So, it’s not an ancient festival, even if it is based on ancient things.

The sheer number of ways that Hekate is connected to this time of year is notable. This may not be an ancient festival, this may be a bit of a mixed bag of a modern festival – but any festival named Hekates Night is definitely on the correct date, whatever its origins and meanings.

Hekate…

Epithets:
Aidônaia (Lady of the Underworld)
Anassa eneroi (Queen of those Below, Queen of the Dead)
Angelos (Messenger)
Antaia (the One in Front)
Antania (Enemy of mankind or Sender of Nocturnal Dreams)
Atalos (Tender, Delicate)
Brimo (Angry One)
Dadophoros (Torch bearer)
Despoina (Lady)
Epiphanestate Thea (Most Manifest Goddess)
Enodia (Of the Roads, Of the Paths)
Erodia (Gatekeeper)
Khthonia/Chthonian (Underworld, Of The Earth)
Kleidouchos (Keeper of the Keys)
Kleidophoros (Key Bearer)
Koure mounogenes (Only Begotten Maiden)
Krataiis (Strong One)
Kurotrophos (Protector of Children)
Liparokrêdemnos (Bright-coiffed, With Bright Headband)
Megiste(Greatest)
Monogenes (Only Child)
Nyktipolos (Night Wandering)
Nykipolos Khthonie (Night Wanderer of the Underworld
Perseis (Destroyer)
Phosphoros (the light-bringer)
Propolos (Guide, Attendant Who Leads)
Propylaia (the Guardian, The One Before the Gate)
Prothuraea (Before the Door)
Skylakagetis (Leader of the Dogs)
Soteira (Saviour),
Trevia/Trivia/Trioditis (Of The Three Ways, Of the Three Roads),
Tricephalus (The Three-Headed),
Trimorphis (Three Formed, Three Bodied),
Trioditis (Of the Crossroads),
Zerynthia (Of Mt Zerynthia)

Other Epithets
The Distant One
Queen of Night
Night Mother
Queen of the Ghosts
Queen of the Witches
Mother of Witches
Mistress of Magic
Most Lovely One
Prytania The Invincible Queen Of The Dead

Symbols:
torches, keys, rope, knife, dogs, snakes

Animal(s):
dogs, owls, crows, snakes, frogs, the toad (conception), snakes (guardian and underworld), dogs (guarding and hunting)

Offerings/Sacrifices:
yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar, willow, black dogs, black
bulls, black lambs, myrrh, civet, camphor, aloe, menstrual blood, red
mullet, bread, eggs, cheese, honey, garlic, apples, figs, pomegranate

Primary Cult Center(s):
Lagina, Miletus, Argos, Eleusis, Aigina

Festivals:
Hecatesia or Hekate’s Night (celebrated on different dates – August 13 or 16, November 16)
Dark Moon – last day of the lunar month (Deipnon)
Day of Hekate at the Crossroads (October 31 or November 30)
The last day of the calendar month
December 31 – Roman

Ways to honor:
Keep sacred the Deipnon and Her festivals.
Study Her history, search for the truth of Her origins.
Study magic and prophecy, particularly theurgy, as she is the
patron of that art.
Go for walks at night, or among strange places.
Aid fellow travelers and strangers, especially if they have dogs. (Or
are wild dogs!)
Appreciate the weird and uncanny.

Rituals:
A Simple Way to Honor Hekate by Pythia Hecateira
(copyright E A Kaufman 2010)

In whatever guise Hekate presents Herself to you, regular devotions are an important part of spiritual practice. A simple, basic way to do this is offered here for you.

You may perform your rite indoors or outside; if working indoors, take and leave the offerings and libation outside. Offerings of any of the following or combination thereof are suggested: garlic, eggs, almonds, barley, pomegranate and/or seeds, figs, dates, apples and olives as well as the wood and/or leaves of willow and yew. A libation can also made to Hekate. Prepare wine, cider or even tea, laced with honey, spices and herbs. I am drawn to use dark sweet spices such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and, for some reason, oregano. Prepare the offering plate and libation in advance.

Begin by sitting in some quiet place, lighting a candle and incense. I suggest calling out Hekate’s various titles as listed above under appellations – choose those that most resonate with your experience of Her; She presents Herself to each of us differently. Invocations, poetry and/or song may be offered as well as quiet contemplation. Petitions can be made and meditative or other workings done, including divination. When you have finished, take the offerings outside after making a blessing over them. The libation should be placed in an offering cup or chalice, placed on the ground and gently tipped over to flow into the earth. The offerings should be placed directly on the ground as well. These offerings and libation can be left at a place you find sacred. A crossroads is an especially powerful place to leave the offerings for Hekate; a quiet intersection, where you can place them safely, would be appropriate. A entranceway, opening in a fence or gate, as well outside your door would also be appropriate. When you have placed the offerings and made your libation, walk away and do not look back, especially if you have made some petition.

Give thanks, snuff your candles and have something to eat to ground the energy you have raised. As Dion Fortune said and I paraphrase, there is nothing like food to ground the magic and bring one back to the mundane.

Invocations, Prayers & Poetry:

I have included some invocations if you would like to include them.

The Orphic Hymn To Hekate
I invoke you, beloved Hekate of the Crossroads and the Three Ways
Saffron-cloaked Goddess of the Heavens, the Underworld and the Sea
Tomb-frequenter, mystery-raving with the souls of the dead
Daughter of Perses, Lover of the Wilderness who exults among the deer
Nightgoing One, Protectress of dogs, Unconquerable Queen
Beast-roarer, Dishevelled One of compelling countenance
Tauropolos, Keyholding Mistress of the whole world
Ruler, Nymph, Mountain-wandering Nurturer of youth.
Maiden, I beg you to be present at these sacred rites
Ever with a gladsome heart and ever gracious to the Oxherd.

Hymn to Hekate
Hail, many-named Mother of the Gods, whose children are fair.
Hail, mighty Hekate of the Threshold.
Shape the course of my life with luminous Light
And make it laden with good things,
Drive sickness and evil from my limbs.
And when my soul rages about worldly things,
Deliver me purified by Your soul-stirring rituals.
Yes, give me Your hand I pray
And reveal to me the pathways of divine guidance that I long for,
Then shall I gaze upon that precious Light
Whence I can flee the evil of our dark origin.
Yes, give me Your hand I pray,
And when I am weary bring me to the haven of piety with your winds.
Hail, many-named Mother of the Gods, whose children are fair.
Hail, mighty Hekate of the Threshold.
Proclus Diadochus (410-485 AD)
Hymn VI: To Hekate and Janus adapted by E A Kaufman 2008

Invocation to Hekate
Hekate of the Three Ways, I invoke You,
Maiden of the Land, the Underworld & the Seas as well,
Chthonia, Enodia, Phosphoros,
Propylaia, Atropaios, Propolos,
Kourotrophos,
She of the Saffron Robe & beautiful hair,
Nocturnal One, Keeper of the Keys,
Hekate, hear me.
Upon this night, the path is open.
Approach the Crossroads of the Worlds and be with me.
Keeper of Ancient Wisdom,
She who guides the Souls of the Dead across the River.
You who are
Black as Night, Red as Blood, Wise as time everlasting,
You who are the Pale Mother,
Be present at this my Hallowed Rite.
I bow to You, Lady.
With scent & flame I make offerings to You.
With honey & cider I pour a libation to You.
I have given my blood that You may know me,
Keep me,
For I am one of Your especial breed.
I bow before You, Hekate,
Come, Hear me, Know my Name,
Be with Me.

GODDESS BRIGHID and Her Holy Time of Imbolc

Deep in ancient history, all the way from the regions of eastern Europe and India to the British Isles, are the roots of the worship of Brighid. Her name is also spelled Brigit, Bridget, and Bride (pronounced “breed“). And it means “Fiery Arrow” or “Bright One”. She was always a Fire Goddess and also a Water Goddess. The largest Celtic tribe was called the Brigantes, and their name comes from the same root as the name Brighid. They had Fire Priests. Many place names and names of rivers and streams all over England, Ireland, and Wales have names with the same root as Brighid. She was, and remains, the most powerful and powerfully worshiped Goddess in the British Isles from long, long before the advent of Christianity.

Brighid is of the Tuatha De Danaan, the people of the Great Mother Danu, also called the Fae. She was probably originally a Sun Goddess. The story of Her birth is that She was born at sunrise, and a tower of flame burst forth from the newborn’s forehead reaching from the Earth to the Sun. She is a Fire Goddess.

Brighid is a triple Goddess, but not in the sense many think of as maiden, mother, crone. She has three aspects and all have associations with Fire and Water: Brighid the Healer and Midwife, Brighid the Smith-Craftswoman-Warrior, and Brighid the Inspirer of all arts particularly the written and spoken.

As Brighid the Healer, Her wells and springs figure prominently, as their water is considered holy and healing. She is a Water Goddess. In this aspect She is the teacher of herbal and plant medicine. She is the midwife for birthing women. She is the guardian and caretaker of household domestic animals, particularly cows. She Herself travels with 2 Sacred Oxen, and the white cow, the white swan, and the white wolf are associated with Her as totems. One of the symbols associated with Brighid is the white wand around which a snake is entwined. And this symbol pre-dates Asclepius, the Healer God of the Greeks whose symbol was a serpent coiled around a rod. Brighid tends trees and orchards and the Rowan is sacred to Her. No one in Ireland cuts down a Rowan tree without knowing there will be some misfortune befall him. And the beginning of February is the beginning of the Celtic Tree Month of the Rowan.

Brighid the Smith is mistress of the smithy fire, the anvil. She is associated with horses in this aspect. But this also extends to fine jewelrysmith workings – silver and gold – and any craft that a person might practice and seek to master. She was also then, the creator of swords, daggers, knives, shields and all weapons of protection, as well as cooking vessels and implements. The Hearthfire is sacred to Brighid, and its association with nourishment, food, and health of a family. It was also a place where people gathered together to tell stories, as the oral tradition was sacrosanct to the Celtic peoples.

And that leads to the third aspect of the Goddess, Brighid the Bard, the Inspirer of the Fire in the Heart and Mind, which produces song, music, poetry, stories, writing, eloquence, theatrical performances, and the harp. Although the oral tradition was extremely important to the Celts, and there were people who spent their lives gathering and remembering the stories of their people, Brighid is said to have invented “talking marks,” the Ogham, or writing. And since all of these are associated with the Element of Air, She is also an Air Goddess.

Her center of worship is Kildare, from the Gaelic “Cill Dara” which means Church of the Oak, which illumines a Druid past. This was built on a site which contained a perpetually tended flame. Her Eternal Flame. It was said to be an ashless fire, which indicates that it must have originally been made with tallow, oil, or even butter. Later, as wood was used to keep the flame alive, it was said that the ashes miraculously disappeared. The tradition is that there were 19 priestesses of Brighid, representing the 19 Year Cycle of the Celtic “Great Year”. Each priestess tended the fire in turn through a 20 day rotation. On the 20th day of each rotation, the fire was said to be tended by the Goddess Herself. It burned for centuries and for long after Christianity came to the Isles until in 1220, the Archbishop of Dublin decided that nuns tending the perpetual flame of Brighid, now St. Brigit, was too connected to pagan beliefs and practices and ordered it extinguished. After the death of the Archbishop, the nuns rekindled the ancient flame and it burned again without break until the Reformation around 350 years later, when the entire convent and church was closed. In modern times, several decades ago, The Flame was lit again, and is tended, by nuns.

Brighid is the Goddess associated with Imbolc, the holy days celebrated from the eve on January 31st until the night of February 2nd. It is the beginning of the first signs of Spring’s return. As a Goddess of fertility, household farm animals, plants, trees, She presides over the first buds of plants, the earliest flowers like the snowdrops, and lambs and calves which begin to be born at this time of year. That is why milk, cheese, butter are all set outside on Imbolc Eve to honor her and feed her oxen, as She is said to walk the land on Imbolc Eve.

Brighid’s cross of rushes, which was co-opted by the Church, is thought to have been originally a solar cross or sun wheel indicating the movement of the Sun in the turning of the great Wheel of the Year. People still make these today in the British Isles and Ireland and hang them over the front door for protection, laying the one for the previous year on the hearth fire. Many candles are lit all over the home to encourage and reflect the returning light of the sun, and bonfires are lit outdoors. Strips or squares of cloth are laid outside the door on Imbolc Eve or hung out the ground floor window for Brighid to bless as She passes, and they are brought in the next day to use when healing is needed throughout the year. Fabric bits or strips called clooties are also tied on branches of trees overhanging a Sacred Well or Sacred Spring as prayers to Brighid for healing (this custom happens all year round).

Some of the names referring to the Goddess Brighid are “Mother of All Wisdom”, “Bright One”, “Exalted One”, “Flame of 2 Eternities”, “Ashless Flame”. She is the Flame in the Hearts of All Women! May She bless you with Her mighty strength in this fragile season, in this liminal season as Winter turns to Spring and the earliest flowers of white and green venture forth from the snow seeking the Sun, our hearts greet them with a smile.

6 Witch Goddesses to Invoke For Magic, Empowerment, and More

In ancient times, there was a god or goddess for everything: war, love, fertility, protection, abundance, hunting, writing and healing. And yes, there were even gods and goddesses that presided over magic.

Here we discuss different witch goddesses from different countries.

1. Baba Yaga: The Slavic Witch Goddess

Perhaps one of the most well-known pieces of Slavic folklore is the story of the witch goddess Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga was once a well-respected and revered witch goddess in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. As Christianity spread, Baba Yaga was diminished from a goddess to an ugly old hag that lived out in the woods and ate little children. It is possible that Baba Yaga was originally a triple-goddess. Invoke Baba Yaga to tap into your wild side and connect with ancestors.
Baba Yaga: Slavic Witch GoddessBaba Yaga in her mortar and pestle vehicle.

2. Cailleach: The Winter Witch Goddess

Cailleach is a witch goddess from Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. She is the Old Woman, the Winter Crone, the Veiled One, the Old Hag, and the Old Crone. Cailleach is the epitome of the “old hag” archetype and has long been honored for her rule over winter weather. When it snows, people say the Cailleach has unleashed her magic on the land. The mountains are the winter witch’s domain, as legend says The Winter Crone made the mountains her stepping stones. Cailleach is seen as an ancestor to many people in Ireland and Scotland as well as a sister to some of the most ancient goddesses of Irish and Scottish lore. She is the embodiment of Winter and all that it brings: snow, ice, cold, death and then eventually rebirth.

3. Hecate: Goddess of the Crossroads

Hecate is a well-known witch goddess of Ancient Greece still worshiped by modern-day pagans. She is the lady of the crossroads with three heads or, alternatively, guarded by a three-headed white dog. Her dominion is the moon, menstruation, intuition, dreams, the cycles of life-death-rebirth and witchcraft. In Kala Trobe’s Invoke the Goddess, she writes Hecate is the “patroness of prostitutes, thieves, and beggars not to mention witches…and protects those on the outskirts of society. She represents the objective eye searing through the façade of mainstream society. She is the original socialist.” Invoke Hecate during periods of great transition in your life: pregnancy, new parenthood, new career, death in the family, etc.
Hecate: Goddess at the CrossroadsHecate, Witch Goddess at the Crossroads

4. Isis: Egyptian Goddess of Magic

While not referred to as a “witch goddess”, Isis was indeed an Egyptian goddess of magic, in particular ritual magic. She is as ancient as time itself, and henceforth is the embodiment of the Feminine Divine. In Egyptian mythology, Isis gains her magical knowledge by tricking Ra into telling her his many names. She gave birth to the god Horus by taking in the seed of her dead husband, Osiris. That’s how powerful Isis’ magic is. She knows how to shapeshift and is depicted with the wings of a large bird. Invoke Isis when learning Egyptian magic, to birth something anew from destruction, and to learn the secrets of motherhood and life.

5. Morgan Le Fay: Fairy Witch Goddess

Shrouded in legendary mystery, Morgan Le Fay has been a prominent character in the Arthurian legends. She was the sister and aid to King Arthur himself. In some of the legends, Morgan Le Fay saves King Arthur by whisking him off to Avalon after a fatal battle. In her witch goddess form, Morgan Le Fay is an elemental master and herbalist. Part fairy, she was a priestess of Avalon and consort to the Lady of the Lake. Moreover, she possessed the ability to cross into other worlds and realms. Invoke Morgan Le Fay, fairy witch goddess, when working with fairies and elementals, parting the veil, and casting magic with herbs.
Circe: Witch Goddess of Aeaea; transformation, sorcery, potions and herbs.Circe, Witch Goddess of Aeaea

6. Circe: Witch Goddess of Aeaea

A name that’s come to be popular in modern times, Circe is a nymph and goddess of Ancient Greece. Her father, Helios, sends her to exile on an island called Aeaea. Circe is a goddess of transformation and is best known for her skill with potions, herbs, and animals. She is a kind goddess if you treat her right, but if wronged, she will transform you into a pig or other animal. Read about her in Homer’s Odyssey or in the new fictional novel Circe by Madeline Miller. Invoke Circe for justice against abusers, to learn the art of transformation, and to work with herbs and potions.

More Witch Goddesses

I did not go into full detail on every witch goddess in mythology. Suffice it to say there are many witch goddesses to learn from and invoke. Here are others I did not discuss: Diana, Aradia, Artemis, Minona, Nephthys, The Badbh, Irodessa, Freya, Maria Padilha, Cerridwen, Jezibaba, Lilith, Befana, Kybele, Herodias, Leto, and Medea. Some are hated and some loved. It is a theme that dates back centuries—do we love and revere the powerful woman or do we hate and exile her?

6 Witch Goddesses to Invoke For Magic, Empowerment, and More

In ancient times, there was a god or goddess for everything: war, love, fertility, protection, abundance, hunting, writing and healing. And yes, there were even gods and goddesses that presided over magic.

Here we discuss different witch goddesses from different countries.

1. Baba Yaga: The Slavic Witch Goddess

Perhaps one of the most well-known pieces of Slavic folklore is the story of the witch goddess Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga was once a well-respected and revered witch goddess in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. As Christianity spread, Baba Yaga was diminished from a goddess to an ugly old hag that lived out in the woods and ate little children. It is possible that Baba Yaga was originally a triple-goddess. Invoke Baba Yaga to tap into your wild side and connect with ancestors.
Baba Yaga: Slavic Witch GoddessBaba Yaga in her mortar and pestle vehicle.

2. Cailleach: The Winter Witch Goddess

Cailleach is a witch goddess from Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. She is the Old Woman, the Winter Crone, the Veiled One, the Old Hag, and the Old Crone. Cailleach is the epitome of the “old hag” archetype and has long been honored for her rule over winter weather. When it snows, people say the Cailleach has unleashed her magic on the land. The mountains are the winter witch’s domain, as legend says The Winter Crone made the mountains her stepping stones. Cailleach is seen as an ancestor to many people in Ireland and Scotland as well as a sister to some of the most ancient goddesses of Irish and Scottish lore. She is the embodiment of Winter and all that it brings: snow, ice, cold, death and then eventually rebirth.

3. Hecate: Goddess of the Crossroads

Hecate is a well-known witch goddess of Ancient Greece still worshiped by modern-day pagans. She is the lady of the crossroads with three heads or, alternatively, guarded by a three-headed white dog. Her dominion is the moon, menstruation, intuition, dreams, the cycles of life-death-rebirth and witchcraft. In Kala Trobe’s Invoke the Goddess, she writes Hecate is the “patroness of prostitutes, thieves, and beggars not to mention witches…and protects those on the outskirts of society. She represents the objective eye searing through the façade of mainstream society. She is the original socialist.” Invoke Hecate during periods of great transition in your life: pregnancy, new parenthood, new career, death in the family, etc.
Hecate: Goddess at the CrossroadsHecate, Witch Goddess at the Crossroads

4. Isis: Egyptian Goddess of Magic

While not referred to as a “witch goddess”, Isis was indeed an Egyptian goddess of magic, in particular ritual magic. She is as ancient as time itself, and henceforth is the embodiment of the Feminine Divine. In Egyptian mythology, Isis gains her magical knowledge by tricking Ra into telling her his many names. She gave birth to the god Horus by taking in the seed of her dead husband, Osiris. That’s how powerful Isis’ magic is. She knows how to shapeshift and is depicted with the wings of a large bird. Invoke Isis when learning Egyptian magic, to birth something anew from destruction, and to learn the secrets of motherhood and life.

5. Morgan Le Fay: Fairy Witch Goddess

Shrouded in legendary mystery, Morgan Le Fay has been a prominent character in the Arthurian legends. She was the sister and aid to King Arthur himself. In some of the legends, Morgan Le Fay saves King Arthur by whisking him off to Avalon after a fatal battle. In her witch goddess form, Morgan Le Fay is an elemental master and herbalist. Part fairy, she was a priestess of Avalon and consort to the Lady of the Lake. Moreover, she possessed the ability to cross into other worlds and realms. Invoke Morgan Le Fay, fairy witch goddess, when working with fairies and elementals, parting the veil, and casting magic with herbs.
Circe: Witch Goddess of Aeaea; transformation, sorcery, potions and herbs.Circe, Witch Goddess of Aeaea

6. Circe: Witch Goddess of Aeaea

A name that’s come to be popular in modern times, Circe is a nymph and goddess of Ancient Greece. Her father, Helios, sends her to exile on an island called Aeaea. Circe is a goddess of transformation and is best known for her skill with potions, herbs, and animals. She is a kind goddess if you treat her right, but if wronged, she will transform you into a pig or other animal. Read about her in Homer’s Odyssey or in the new fictional novel Circe by Madeline Miller. Invoke Circe for justice against abusers, to learn the art of transformation, and to work with herbs and potions.

More Witch Goddesses

I did not go into full detail on every witch goddess in mythology. Suffice it to say there are many witch goddesses to learn from and invoke. Here are others I did not discuss: Diana, Aradia, Artemis, Minona, Nephthys, The Badbh, Irodessa, Freya, Maria Padilha, Cerridwen, Jezibaba, Lilith, Befana, Kybele, Herodias, Leto, and Medea. Some are hated and some loved.

It is a theme that dates back centuries—do we love and revere the powerful woman or do we hate and exile her?

Working with the Enchantress Pomba Gira

Pomba Gira (pronounced pohm-ba shira), is Brazilian female spirit found in the traditions of Umbanda, Quimbanda, and Candomblé. She is revered by initiates and noninitiates alike as she is quite easy to relate to. Her imagery in her many manifestations is related to urban or street life and the everyday animal instincts and desires of people (vices, lust, indulgences, etc). She is very human, with concerns of the flesh and material nature, and shares in our human weaknesses. Pomba Gira, as well as the many exus, are often considered amoral because they will fight the fight of justice and will destroy enemies without concern for morality and do so with complete and utter self-service in mind. This is one reason why she is considered dangerous to work with because she is called upon by people of varying moralities. The person who works with her can energize her dangerous nature or her helpful nature, depending on how she is petitioned.

​To work with Pomba Gira involves a ritual called a trabajo. This ritual is similar to the trabajo of the exus, with some specific differences. All trabajos, like any ritual, include a specific intent, a specific location (usually a female crossroads) and specific offerings. Some other magickal correspondences are as follows:

Food: honey, flour, palm oil
Drink: anisette or champagne
Color: red and black
Place: female crossroads
Scent:Red roses, cigarillos
Time: Midnight
Day: Monday or Friday
Container: metal or clay vase

Pomba Gira is often called the Sacred Whore. She was originally thought to be a Kongo deity unique to Brazil. Some say she is the wife of Exu and shares many of his characteristics. Some say she is a separate Orisha and a female path of Exu. She is a powerful protectress and is often called “the last chance”. She will help you when you are desperate, down on your luck and no other Spirit will cooperate. She is very powerful and very dangerous. She always gets paid in advance and nonpayment will bring great suffering to those who cross her. She is always willing to sell you what you need for the right price positive or negative. She works fast and to the point so it’s always a good idea to be very sure of what you ask for.

pomba gira spell for quick money
You will need :

1 red tea light
1 pack of long white cigarettes
1 box of matches
3 red roses
1 bottle of Gin { airline bottles work well for this}
1 piece of pink paper
1 piece of red fabric

Write out your petition on the pink paper. Be sure to be specific about the amount of money you need and what you need it for. Fold the paper 3 times. Lay the petition on your altar. Lay the roses on the paper.

Light the red tea light. Open the matches and make sure 3 are sticking out of the box. Open the cigarettes and pull 3 half way out of the pack and lay them next to the matches. Open the Gin and place next to the roses. Ask Pomba Gira for help. Let the tea light burn out. Take everything wrapped in the red fabric to a T road or crossroad. Thank Pomba Gira for her help.

​A significant study on the cult of Pomba Gira, this is the most comprehensive work in the English language on the Devil’s mistress, whose Brazilian cult has bewitched so many. It is a book that those seeking congress with the current of strong female magical sexuality have long desired. A beguiling spirit, Pomba Gira gives solace to the broken hearted, vengeance for the wronged, and a fierce path for those that would take her as muse. In Pomba Gira Frisvold gives explicit workings, baths and waters, her songs and chants. Her plant allies among the nightshades are described in a full herbarium. The attractions and dangers for both men and women who make cult to her are presented, as are her many faces. Pomba Gira has origins in the witchcraft of Portugal, the Basque Country as well as Congo and the native influences of Brazil. The witchcraft fusion makes her cult particularly accessible to Westerners whose own traditions share much ground with Quimbanda. Frisvold carefully unravels the skeins, revealing her origin in historical figures such as Maria Padilha, but more deeply still through archetype and myth to the very essence of her skin shedding nature. He finds the origin of her name in Congo, the cult of divine possession amongst the slave camps of Brazil, and brings us through to her more modern manifestations and his personal work with the Queen of the Fig Tree in Hell. As an initiate and devotee, he gives an insider’s view with the same respect and experience he demonstrates in Palo Mayombe: The Garden of Blood and Bones. We walk through the Queendoms of Lyre, Cemetery, Sepulchres, Streets, Crossroads, Wilderness, Soul, Oceanshore and Calunga. The workings of twenty four different Pomba Giras are given, from Cigana the gypsy to the split skull face of Rosa Caveira. Through the razor blades in honey, the cigarette smoke and the sweet anisette spilt in the graveyard, Pomba Gira takes seductive shape.

The Descent of the Goddess

In this world, the Goddess is seen in the moon, the light that shines in darkness, the rain bringer, mover of the tides, Mistress of mysteries. And as the moon waxes and wanes, and walks three nights of its cycle in darkness, so, it is said, the Goddess once spent three nights in the Kingdom of Death.

For in love She ever seeks Her other Self, and once, in the winter of the year, when He had disappeared from the green earth, She followed Him and came at last to the gates beyond which the living do not go.

The Guardian of the Gate challenged Her, and She stripped Herself of Her clothing and jewels, for nothing may be brought into that land. For love, She was bound as all who enter there must be and brought before Death Himself

He loved Her, and knelt at Her feet, laying before Her His sword and crown, and gave Her the fivefold kiss, and said, “Do not return to the living world, but stay here with Me, and have peace and rest and comfort.”

But She answered, “Why do you cause all things I love and delight in to die and wither away?”

“Lady,” He said, “It is the fate of all that lives to die. Everything passes; all fades away. I bring comfort and consolation to those who pass the gates, that they may grow young again. But You are My heart’s desire — return not, but stay here with Me.”

And She remained with Him three days and three nights, and at the end of the third night She took up His crown, and it became a circlet that She placed around Her neck, saying:

“Here is the circle of rebirth. Through You all passes out of life, but through Me all may be born again. Everything passess; everything changes. Even death is not eternal. Mine is the mystery of the womb, that is the cauldron of rebirth. Enter into Me and know Me, and You will be free of all fear. For as life is but a journey into death, so death is but a passage back to life, and in Me the circle is ever turning.”

Generic Goddess Invocation

I invoke thee and call upon thee, Mighty Mother of us all,
bringer of all fruitfulness; by seed and root, by stem and bud,
by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love do I invoke thee.
Envelope us in thine encircling arms, 0 Loving Mother,
And aid us in our quest this night.
As we ask it; so do we pray it. Blessed be.

Generic God Invocation

I invoke thee and call upon thee, Divine Consort of our Lady.
By the Fruit of the Harvest, by the grain and the chaff,
by Life and Love do I invoke thee.
O Mighty One; descend to aid us in our quest this night,
As we ask it; so do we pray it. Blessed be. 

A God/Goddess Spell

You will need the following items for this spell:

Your voice and alone time
Say this 4x

Gods and Goddesses hear my plea
its my greatest wish so i hope to be
A god of nature,life and fury
Blood and war may stay indoors
Drama may come to me
i will deal and delete these horrible feats
So let me be a god and mote it be

God/Goddess Spell’

You will need the following items for this spell:

Your voice and alone time
Say this 4x

Gods and Goddesses hear my plea
its my greatest wish so i hope to be
A god of nature,life and fury
Blood and war may stay indoors
Drama may come to me
i will deal and delete these horrible feats
So let me be a god and mote it be 

Gods, Fae, Elves, and Ancestors: Are They All the Same?

Gods. Fairies. Elves. Ancestors. The deeper we go into our pagan history, the more we see a blurring of the lines between the spirits. In fact, many of the sagas, legends, and lore point to the idea that our pagan gods, and the beings we call fairies and elves, might have once been living, breathing human beings. And therefore, our ancestors.

Ancestors OR Gods? Which is it?
I’ve recently been exploring the idea that our gods and fairies were once our ancestors. That our labels for the gods and the other spirit races like the fae stems from a deep-seated belief in our ancestors and ancestor worship. And that many of our “gods” and what we know as fairies today were actually living, breathing human beings like us at one time.

In the Celtic and Germanic traditions, the lines between spirits are blurry at best. You’d think the more you read and research the clearer these beings’ nature would become. But in fact, it becomes more complex and muddy. And the legends point to the idea that these three – gods, faeries, ancestors – are all one-in-the-same.

My thought process is – all of these spirits arose from the same place and somewhere down the line someone started separating the three via personal lore. But, at one time, everyone followed a more ancestral type of belief system which is where the gods and fae originate. Essentially, if we strip away the titles and words that we as humans have put on these beings, do they come closer to being the same thing? Or not?

Odin as Man and Ancestor
It is possible that a person named Odin lived an actual human life in ancient times. This is even mentioned in the Sagas, that Odin was a real king from somewhere in Eastern Europe or possibly the Middle East, who migrated to Northern Europe and conquered many peoples. Because of his legendary status, and because of a strong ancestral religious system, the people ended up deifying their ancestor, a.k.a. the King Odin. Many Germanic royal bloodlines claim Odin as their divine ancestor, even to this day. In the myths, Odin creates man and woman from driftwood then breathes life into them. And we call him the Allfather.

From the Ynglinga Saga, Verse 2:
“The country east of the Tanaquisl in Asia was called Asaland, or Asaheim, and the chief city in that land was called Asgaard. In that city was a chief called Odin, and it was a great place for sacrifice. ………….Odin was a great and very far-travelled warrior, who conquered many kingdoms, and so successful was he that in every battle the victory was on his side. It was the belief of his people that victory belonged to him in every battle.

It was his custom when he sent his men into battle, or on any expedition, that he first laid his hand upon their heads, and called down a blessing upon them; and then they believed their undertaking would be successful. His people also were accustomed, whenever they fell into danger by land or sea, to call upon his name; and they thought that always they got comfort and aid by it, for where he was they thought help was near.”

Freyr as Ancestor, God, and Elf
A great representation of the blurred lines between gods ancestors and the elven beings is the Norse God Freyr. Freyr is considered an ancestor to the Ynglings, a royal bloodline of Old Sweden. In addition, the Eddas written by Sturluson in the 12th century, depict Freyr as a god AND as a King of Alfheim…or Elf Home.

Linda Raedisch explores the idea of Freyr, an earthly god and Elf, being even older than the worship of Odin arising from the Nordic Bronze Age. Then when the Aesir (sky gods) took over as the main Norse pantheon, Odin and Thor grew in popularity, washing out the older earthly gods. Yet Freyr’s veneration continued, even at the Temple of Uppsala in Sweden during the Christianization of Scandinavia. So his name was just as powerful as Odin and Thor.

Elves as Ancestors and Gods
The words Elf, Alf, Alfar have Germanic origins and are related to Alba and Alb in Proto-Germanic, translating to Light or Brilliant.

Many names in the Middle Ages stem from words that meant Elf or Elven, and some we still use today. Albert, Alfred, Aubrey, Avery, Alvin, Alfric (and if you’d like to hear Medieval names that mean elf just watch The Last Kingdom, there’s a dozen or more of them – Alfric, Alfred, Aethelfled, Alfwyn, etc.) These names were particularly common with royalty.

In modern Norse paganism, the Alfar are our ancient, elevated male ancestors and the Disir are ancient ancestral goddesses or elevated female ancestors. In addition, these beings are considered of the Elven race. Each Norse Germanic family and individual has its own Alfar and Disir guiding and protecting them from the Other side. Though don’t get it twisted – the alfar AND the disir could be downright vicious, particularly the Disir of whom required sacrifices.

There’s a story about how during the Christianization of Scandinavia, a man in one family decided they wouldn’t sacrifice someone for their Disir at Disablot, and instead would sacrifice a bull. The Disir came down from the mountain in the distance, wearing black hooded cloaks, knocked on the door, the man answered the door and they un-alived him and left.

The Disir are guardians of the bloodline, can grant prosperity, but also control the fate of the individual. They are likened to the Norns of whom control the destiny of the Universe. In fact, we could say the Norns are the Disir of the gods and the Universe. Interestingly, the Norns are often described with different names and being different entities including goddesses, ancestors, and even trolls.

The Practice of “Sitting Out”, Utesitta
There is a sacred practice in Norse tradition where the individual would seek guidance or visions by sitting on top of a mound, which was often a burial mound of an ancestor. But it’s also mentioned as seeking guidance from the Alfar and the gods.

To quote Linda Raedisch in her brilliant book The Old Magic of Christmas, “the ancient Scandinavians regarded the Alfar as a distinct class of beings, though there is some fluidity among the bloodlines of elves, gods, norns, and even humans.” she also goes on to say “if the elves resemble us, it is because they are us, or rather, were. The human who stumbles upon a procession of elves or an impromptu elvish feast is often startled to recognize someone he knows among them: someone who has died either recently or years before. The elves, then, are the dead – not the quietly resting dead but those who, for whatever reason, have taken up new lives on the other side of the veil and at times might come strolling back through it.”

Alfablot and Disablot
First, I’ve written an entire blog post on Alfablot its origins and how to celebrate. I’ve also written a blog post on Disablot. ( Which you can find in our guide section ) Alfablot is essentially the elven blot or sacrifice, often taking place during the Winter Nights or the end of Autumn leading up to the Winter Solstice. This was practiced in Sweden, we know for sure, and the Disablot is the Disir blot or sacrifice which also takes place during Winter Nights. There is another disablot called the Disting that occurs in February too. All during a time when ancestors and elves were both “active” in later lore.

Fairies and Ancestors in Celtic Lore
Now let’s travel to the Celtic lands and notice all of the similarities between their gods and faeries and the Norse gods and elves. In fact, our good friend Linda Raedisch often comments in her books about the resemblances between the two peoples and how they likely arise from the same peoples if we go back far enough.

Mounds are the Tombs of Our Ancestors:
We have a similar theme here in the Celtic lands as in the Norse, where ancestors are buried in the earth, often in mounds, of which later on become the dwelling place of the Fae or Tuatha. I.e. portals to Elfhame or the Elf-land.

For example, Knockma Hill in Galway, Ireland is notably an ancient world site. Scholars say just as important to world history as Stonehenge or Newgrange yet not as widely recognized. And it is a hill that’s been used for thousands of years (it’s older than the pyramids) as a ceremonial burial ground. Where it gets interesting is that, in addition to being a burial place for the dead, later on in Celtic lore it also became a place of the Fae. Specifically the Elven King Finvarra, also called the KING OF THE DEAD, makes his home in this hill. King Finnvara is known to have liked the human ladies as lovers and even tried stealing a local one to make his wife.

Here we start seeing the idea of fae and elves as ancestors and as interbreeding with humans. In addition, in the same hill, there are at least 5 ancient cairns…one of which MIGHT be the cairn of Queen Medb (Maeve) who is a legendary Queen of Ireland who would eventually morph into a Fairy Queen in later lore. Again, a potentially real person buried in a mound becomes a Fairy Queen later on. In addition, she is considered a divine ancestor or mother of certain Irish lines.

The Celtic Otherworld and Afterlife: Tir na N’og
The faeries and Tuatha are said to live in the Celtic otherworld, right? Well, the old stories and lore also said that when people died, their souls might go to the Otherworld, as well. Tir na N’og being one example, which translates to the “Land of Youth”and is featured famously in the tales of Oisin and Niamh. There are other names for this seemingly same place including Mag Mell (Plain of Delight) and Emain Ablach (Isle of Apple Trees).

The Tuatha de Dannan live in Tir na N’og and are featured in many old Irish myths called the Immramm (voyage) tales. These heroes who reach this otherworld do so through entering ancient mounds, travel across the sea to the farthest unknown places, go down under the water, or go through the mist to reach it. And there they might meet the Tuatha, the gods, and their ancestors.

Manannan Mac Lir is the ruler of Tir na N’og, a sea god of Celtic lore, the first ancestor of the human race and the KING OF THE DEAD.

Celtic Fairy Queens, Goddesses, and Heroes as Divine Ancestors
There are ancient families and septs/clans of Celtic Irish folk who claim descent from many of their legendary heroes, gods, goddesses, and faery queens. If you have Irish ancestry, you might find your family is one of them.

The idea of royal lines claiming descent from gods/divine beings is nothing new and isn’t solely Norse or Celtic but spans cultures. The Ancient Egyptians, for example. Here I should state again, is this because these “gods” were actually real people at one point and became deified ancestors? I believe it’s highly likely.

The Medieval Irish sept called the Dairine (stemming from the Corca Dhuibne pronounced way-nah) claims descent from the Cailleach, a goddess/hag but also from Danu.

And the Dal Cais (Dal-cash), originally the Deisi people, claim descent from Flidais (Flee-aysh) a goddess/fairy queen.

Lugh is a Celtic god who is also part of the Tuatha De Dannan. Multiple Irish clans claimed Lugh as their god and ancestor. If your ancestors were part of the Eoganachta, Lugh is your divine ancestor. One connection lies in the King Lughaid who claimed descent from Lugh, as well as Irish clans that claim descent from Cu Chulainn (coo-hoo-lin). This legendary hero claimed descent from Lugh, henceforth Irish clans connected to him are also descended from Lugh.

Signs Hekate is Reaching Out

Are you looking into working with a deity? Do you feel particularly drawn to Hekate’s figure? If you are approaching a big breakthrough, she might be calling you.

Get to know Hekate
Hecate is one of the lesser-known Greek goddesses. The abilities attributed to her in Greek mythology are many, and they are mysterious. That is why, even nowadays, some myths around her present her as an evil goddess. Certainly, some of her powers and characteristics can be associated with the Underworld. However, some of her domains undoubtedly belong to the realm of life. She has extensive powers and many divine duties. She is considered to be the goddess of the night, light, crossroads, liminal spaces, childbirth, ghosts, necromancy, and the moon. Today, we know her mainly for being the goddess of magic and witchcraft.

According to mythology, her divine duties include ushering souls from the physical world to the underworld and vice-versa. She is, therefore, a liminal goddess. As such, she was given the title of goddess of gateways and borders. In this aspect, those “in-between” spaces are under her domain. She is also called the goddess of crossroads. To represent this, she is frequently represented as a triple goddess. For example, she is most commonly seen as a triple feminine figure, or as a woman holding a three-headed dog.

Hecate’s calling
Hecate is known to call people even when, more often than not, some witches are afraid of working with her. she may call you despite you knowing very little about her -or even if you do not know her at all. This goddess tends to be persistent and does not care about the resistance or inexperience of those she wants to call.

As we know, Hecate’s domains include crossroads. Not unexpectedly, she often calls people who are going through major life changes. This is why she is believed to call pregnant and dying people predominantly. She also likes calling young witches, as she likes to teach her craft using old-school methods. This is, of course, not true for everyone. You might be invited to work with her at any age.

However, if you are standing at any kind of turning point, she might lend a hand to help you. It might come across as an inconvenient time to embark on something new. But she will empower you to burn bridges leading back to those things that no longer serve you.

This is a deep, internal process. When something inside you starts breaking, her power seeps through the cracks and starts lighting up your soul. But Hekate is loud about what she wants. The work might be inward, but she will not leave room for doubt. If she wants to call you, you will notice subtle, yet unmistakable signs from her. You just have to pay attention.

6 signs Hekate is trying to get your attention

Black dogs
Dogs are sacred to Hecate. They are her animal companion and she is frequently depicted with one. Repeatedly coming across large, black dogs can be a signal from her. However, this sign can manifest in different ways. For example, you might hear dogs howling or barking a bit too frequently. If these sounds seem to come out of nowhere, they might be her hounds calling you.

Keys
Hekate is the goddess of gateways, and keys are one of her symbols. Of course, we handle keys on a daily basis. But if you unexpectedly come across keys while running errands, or find a long-lost bunch of keys, it might be a sign.

Torches
In most representations, Hecate is holding torches. This is related to her soul-guiding and gate-keeping duties. Unlike keys, torches are not frequently seen in our daily life, so spotting one without actively seeking it could be a sign.

The number 3
Hecate is often represented as a triple female figure. This is the representation of crossroads, one of her domains. In Greek mythology, she is also connected to the three realms of the Cosmos: earth, sea, and sky. Therefore, 3 is a sacred number when it comes to Hecate. If you notice it around you often, take note. It could be a message from this goddess.

Crossroads
Hecate will likely call you when you are standing at a crossroads. But not only metaphorically! If you have a strange experience while standing at a crossroads, especially in a forest, pay attention. A symbol, a vision, a channeled message… that could be her calling.

Symbols
Sometimes, the calling is even more obvious. If straightforward symbols, like Hecate’s wheel or triple moon imagery, appear around you repeatedly, she might be trying to call you.

What to do when you are called by Hecate
Receiving these signs from Hecate herself might be overwhelming. Maybe you sense that she’s trying to get through, but you are not completely sure. That is normal, especially if you have never worked with deities before.

At this point, being open to signs is more effective than actively looking for them. If you suspect that Hekate wants to work with you, taking notes might be useful. Keeping a detailed log of these signs will make them tangible and can help you understand them better. Write down if they are present in dreams or real life. Mention every symbol you notice. If you have a vision, jot down any other elements present. If you are undergoing any kind of change in your life, explain that, too.

Of course, it is difficult to discern what is really a sign. However, this is when faith comes into play. Remember that Hecate works from the inside out. If you have an unexplainable gut feeling, you are most probably correct. Trust her guidance and she will show you the right direction.

First steps working with Hecate

If you are ready to start working with Hecate, you can start small and work up progressively. Here are some ideas to start your journey.

Include her in your altar
Having her picture on your altar or lighting a candle for her is a good place to start. You can add elements as your confidence grows.

Work with Moon cycles
You can start by cleaning your home during a Full Moon as a cleansing ritual. Make sure to intention your actions.

Help animals
Hecate is deeply related to Nature and animals in general. Even when she is mostly seen around dogs, other animals like snakes and polecats (similar to ferrets) are also included among her symbols. Working in your local shelter or with strays is a nice way to connect with her.

Take care of your plants
This is a rather easy way to start understanding Hecate’s work. She is an herbalist and honors medicinal herbs and plants in her craft. Learning to work with these elements can take long study sessions. However, bonding with your houseplants is an easy starting point.

Do shadow work
Hecate is the connection between light and darkness. She walks in life, death, and anything in between. Working with your shadow will spark a close connection between you and this wise, mysterious goddess.

Practice green witchcraft
Devote time to including herbs and elements from Nature in your practice. Not only will you feel closer to Hekate. You will also learn a new craft.

The Ancient Midwinter Deer-Mother Goddess.

Female reindeer are unique with regard to other deer species in that they grow and shed antlers. This attribute is part of the mythology and spirituality of the shamanistic Sámi people who tell a story of how at the winter solstice the Deer Mother Goddess flew through the sky in order to help the dying midwinter sun find its way back and begin the process of the returning light.

Male reindeer shed their antlers before midwinter so the association between rebirth and antlers is very much a feminine trait in these traditions.
While some stories remind us of the connection between the world tree, Yggdrasil, and the branched horns of the deer, an often overlooked symbolic connection is the shape of the antlered head of the female deer and the uterus.
Another place we see this depicted in ancient goddess cultures is in the relief’s of the Goddess Hathor and the horned cow.
Incidentally, within Nepalese shamanism, the world tree of immortality is called Kalpa Vriksha, and it looks even more like antlers because the roots of the tree face upwards.
The reason for the roots touching the sky is to show how growth comes from, and returns to, the upper realms.
Many ancient standing stones and carvings depict the deer goddess holding the moon and stars within her antlers.

Although Cernunnos might be a more familiar horned figure, there is much less evidence for his historical worship than there is for the various horned Goddesses of ancient Europe and Asia.
The anthropologist, Karl Schleiser, noted that the deer shaman was one who could traverse all three worlds associated with ancestors and spirits.
So, not only did the reindeer fly to the upper and lower worlds, but it was also seen as a spirit animal which might help those in the middle world. Perhaps,(and this is a personal observation), this is why the deer goddess was so important to people at the time of the year when life was so full of hardship?

The ability of the Deer Mother Goddess to both nurture and sustain life, and the weakened sun until it regained its strength, is a motif which recurs in all of the animistic doctrines, if we can call them that.
This instinctual knowledge was also notice by James George Frazer when he studied ancient native traditions and beliefs.
Although his work, The Golden Bough, certainly shows its age, (and Frazer’s colonialist mindset!), he understood the connection between ancient totemism and inner wisdom very well when he wrote that indigenous peoples, “…conceive of life as an indestructible kind of energy, which when it disappears in one form must necessarily reappear in another, though in the new form it need not be immediately perceptible by us; in other words, he infers that death does not destroy the vital principle nor even the conscious personality, but that it merely transforms them into other shapes, which are not the less real because they commonly elude the evidence of our senses.”

The reason why this is important is because, in her many incarnations, the Deer Mother Goddess was a symbol of much more than the hope of a new spring and the rescue of the winter sun; she was a reminder of the belief that the soul itself was eternal and that even after death there awaited a new rebirth.
When the Scythians moved into Northern Europe and mixed and traded with those already living there, they brought with them their knowledge and practices related to Asian shamanism, as well as the Gods and Goddesses associated with the land, sky and constellations, including the Deer Mother Goddess who incarnated in various forms, depending upon the people who recognised her eternal aspects and nature.
Professor Richard Seaford also reminds us that following Alexander the Great’s conquest of Western Asia, there followed a further syncretism of shamanistic beliefs within the various philosophical and spiritual traditions already existing in Europe.
This resulted in the incorporation of shamanistic ideas within the mystery schools, of which the greatest was the secret knowledge of the invincibility of the soul and the life that awaits following the trials of the afterlife.

The main sun goddess of the indigenous Sámi people is Beaivi, a deity strongly associated with a white female reindeer. At midwinter, a white deer is sacrificed to her in order to ensure the health of the land and herds.
She is also associated with healing mental illnesses which were believed to occur when the sun disappeared from the sky during the winter. For the Sámi, this might be as long as 40 days, so this is interesting in terms of our own knowledge regarding daylight, mental health and vitamin D.

Beaivi shares other characteristics with horned goddesses associated with midwinter in that she flew through the sky as a deer, but also pulled a sleigh, sometimes made of antlers and bone. The goddess Saule of the indigenous Lithuanian people was also said to traverse the sky in this same manner and leave gifts by dropping amber down into homes as she passed overhead.
We have come across other ancient goddesses with similar attributes in previous posts, such as La Befana, for example.

So, we have various ancient Goddesses who flew through the sky at midwinter leaving gifts for households and bringing new light and life.
We know today that the earliest evidence for shaman indicates that they were female, and that the practices and iconography moved into Northern Europe and the Mediterranean regions following the various migrations of the Scythians, and the conquests of Alexander the Great.
Although it might seem as though these beliefs and traditions have been forgotten, in fact they have survived in ways not always apparent.
But, also in ways very familiar, as we shall see in the next post in this short series.

CERIDWEN

Ceridwen is a Welsh sorceress, a white witch with the power of Awen. She can brew life-altering potions, to change her form, and to inspire knowledge and beauty in others. In some tellings of her legend, she is a goddess of creation and inspiration, giving her further powers. Her symbols are:
cauldron, pigs and grain

Ceridwen is a name of Welsh origin, originally rendered as Kerdwin or Cyrrdven. Its exact meaning is unknown, due to the fact both parts of her name, Cerd and Wen, could have multiple meanings. Wen most likely means “woman,” but if originally derived from gwen it may be interpreted as “fair”, “blessed”, or “white.” Cerid can be translated as “bent” or “crooked”, but could potentially mean “poetry” or “song.”

Ceridwen is a powerful Welsh sorceress, and one of the most powerful witches in Celtic mythology. A mother and a wise woman all at once, she is blessed by the gift of poetic wisdom, inspiration, and prophecy, called collectively Awen in Welsh lore. This power comes from her magical cauldron, where she brews great potions to help others. She has many of these abilities herself without the cauldron’s power. She also has a magical throne, from which she derives her sovereignty and some of her powers.

Potions brewed from her cauldron range in effect, such as changing the appearances of others, allowing the imbiber to shapeshift, or give the gift of Awen itself. Though her potions grant the gift, they are also quite dangerous. After the gift is given, a single drop of the potion has the power to kill. Ceridwen is thus careful with whom she gives her potions to, as she wishes no harm on others but knows that power comes with a price.

Ceridwen is a white witch, meaning that she uses her gifts and her cauldron to help others. While this is largely altruistic, at times she does use it for the benefit of those immediately around her, such as her intention to help her son Morfran. When her ploys backfire or go awry, she can let her anger get away from her, but ultimately finds herself before she does anything drastic.

She is sometimes depicted as a mother or a crone figure, varying depending on the ages of her two children. She resides at Bala Lake, also called Llyn Tegid for her husband.

Depending on the translation Ceridwen can also be seen as a goddess, specifically a creator or sovereignty goddess. Her story was recorded centuries after it was first told.

In this form, modern neopagans worship her as a prominent deity of wisdom and creation, though sometimes liberally mixed with other goddesses.
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Ceridwen is married to Tegid Foel, translated as “Tacitus the Bald,” a powerful leader who resides at Bala Lake. They have two children: a daughter, the beautiful Creirwy, and a son, the hideously deformed Morfran Afaggdu, whose skin was burned and mind was warped. Morfran later appears as a warrior in the court of King Arthur.

By way of sorcery, and perhaps by accident, Ceridwen becomes the mother of a third child, the famed bard Taliesin. Carrying all the gifts of his mother, he is advisor to many rulers of Britain, a powerful druid and bard, and a figure that is often depicted as a precursor or regional variant of Merlin.
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Family Tree

Consorts

HUSBAND

Tegid Foel

Children

DAUGHTER

SONS

Creirwy

Taliesin

Morfran Afaggdu
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Ceridwen appears primarily in the Book of Taliesin, a story sometimes included in the famous Mabinogi. It is her only appearance, but one of the most famous in according to reception

Ceridwen and her husband Tegid Foel worried over the life their poor son Morfran might live in his current state. Deformed and lacking any wit, Ceridwen thought to use her cauldron to make him at once beautiful and wise. She began to concoct a potion in her cauldron and set a blind man, Morda, to tend the fire beneath while a servant boy, Gwion Bach ap Gwreang (meaning “son of Gwreang”) stirred the pot.

They continued in this role for one year, upon which the potion was completed. But Ceridwen withheld important information from them: only three drops of the potion held the power to make the imbiber beautiful and wise. The rest was a deadly poison. Upon finishing the final stir, three drops fell onto Gwion’s thumb, which burned him. He put his thumb to his mouth, and at once became beautiful and wise.

The boy knew that Ceridwen would be angry with him and fled. Catching herself before she fed the potion to Morfran, she chased Gwion in a rage. Now gifted with the same knowledge of magic as Ceridwen, Gwion transformed himself into a hare and ran. Ceridwen became a greyhound and pursued him. He then became a fish; she transformed into a hungry otter. Again, he changed shape, becoming a bird. And again, Ceridwen transformed into a hawk.

Finally, knowing that she would catch him, Gwion transformed himself into a single grain of wheat. Ceridwen, using her magic (or being a goddess), found the grain and ate it. But the potion had another effect, and Gwion did not die. Instead, the grain took seed and Ceridwen became pregnant. Though she thought she would kill Gwion when he was reborn, she ultimately relented when the child was born, more beautiful than anything she had seen.

Instead, she resolved to push the child out to sea. Placing the boy into a leather-skin bag, he was eventually found by Prince Elffin ap Gwyddno, who in turn raised the boy as a prince. He named him Taliesin, and he grew to be a wise bard and advisor to kings.

Elsewhere in the legends of the Celtic world, cauldrons of inspiration are highly common, making Ceridwen’s cauldron one of the most archetypal symbols of power. The cauldron is also a symbol of the Underworld.
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The Circle of Ceridwen series by Octavia Randolph uses a character sharing the same name as Ceridwen in a historical setting, but draws in elements of Norse and Germanic MYTHOLOGY.

HOLDA, GODDESS OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE

Mother Holda, an ancient Germanic Goddess, has many surviving stories. She is connected in several ways to our contemporary concept of Santa Claus. She was a teacher, a spinner, a wise woman. She was a Fate Goddess, a Protector and Guide of the souls of the dead to their new life in the next world. Even in modern day, when it snows, people say that Mother Holda is shaking out her down comforter.

An old Germanic tradition that survives is the laying out of an offering of a bowl of milk and food for Holda by the hearth fire on the eve of Her festival day, December 25th. The custom evolved to the setting of a place for Mother Holda at the table the meal before the family went to Christmas Mass, leaving her a bowl of milk when the family left the house, then carrying it outside to pour on the ground or leave for the animals after the family returned. This custom seems very close to the leaving of cookies and milk for Santa by the fire, doesn’t it?

Holda is the Queen of Winter in Her Crone aspect. The snow flies as She shakes out Her cape or Her down comforter. Goddess of Prosperity and Generosity, gold coins drop from Her cape when She unfurls it. But She also holds people to standards of hard work and industriousness. She does not brook laziness. Holda, or Frau Holle, travels in the winds with the souls of the dead, mostly children and babies. She can be heard howling with grief as she bears the babies’ souls tenderly to Heaven.

Holda is connected to the 12 days of Christmas because Her festival days beginning on the evening of the 24th of December began a 12 day party that lasted to January 6th, the Festival Day of Her sister Goddess Perchta, the winter hag Goddess. The Catholic Church assimilated both these Solstice festivals in northern Europe as Christmas ending in Epiphany (commemorating the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus – bringing gifts).

In Her Mother aspect, Holda appears as the body of the World Tree – front half woman, back half tree – who gave birth to humankind. The name Holda, or Holle, is also associated with the holly plant or tree, which has been used for centuries to decorate and protect the home for this season.

This Northern European Goddess Holda (Hulda or Holle) is a Triple Goddess who as Maiden appears as beautiful and stately, flowing blonde hair shimmering and shining like the light of the sun, with a white, or red and white, goosedown cape. She flies through the night sky on the night of December 24th bringing gifts and joy. Her name means, “kind”, “merciful” or “gracious one”. It was She who determined who was “naughty or nice”. She rewarded the industrious and kind with good health and good fortune, and punished the lazy and selfish.

May Holda bless you with much good health and good fortune in these days surrounding the Rebirth of the Sun.

“Solara”

In the realm of Solara, where the golden rays painted the skies and the warmth of sunlight infused life, lived a faerie named Solene. From her radiant sanctuary amidst the Amber Glade, she felt an intrinsic connection to the sun’s energy and the life it nurtured.

One luminous day, as she basked in the gentle caress of sunlight and the vibrant hues of dawn, Solene discerned an ancient alignment unveiling the elusive Solar Nexus—a realm whispered to hold the secrets of solar harmony and radiant enlightenment.

Driven by an unwavering admiration for the sun’s brilliance and the yearning to unravel its deepest truths, Solene embarked on an illuminating journey. With the sun’s gentle rays guiding her path and the warm aura of sunlight emanating from her wings, she bid farewell to her radiant sanctuary and embarked on a quest into the heart of solar enlightenment.

Guided by the echoes of warmth and the gentle whispers of the solar realm, Solene traversed through radiant pathways and luminous gateways. Along her solar odyssey, she encountered trials—a solar trial of balance that tested her understanding and a radiant enigma demanding her solar intuition.

At the heart of the Solar Nexus, Solene faced her ultimate challenge—a guardian draped in the radiant threads of solar balance, keeper of the realm’s solar wisdom. Embracing the solar energies within her spirit and drawing from the solar wisdom gained during her journey, she unraveled the guardian’s enigmatic riddle, earning passage into the radiant sanctum.

Within the Solar Nexus, amidst the harmonious symphony of sunlight’s elements and the gentle harmonies, Solene witnessed the solar harmony—the radiant ballet of interconnected sunbeams, the whispers resonating through the solar realm, and the solar unity that embraced the luminous tapestry. Immersed in this radiant brilliance, she communed with the essence of solar enlightenment.

Empowered by the solar revelations and attuned to the sun’s balance, Solene returned to her radiant sanctuary, forever transformed by the solar wisdom she had obtained. Though she carried no tangible relics, her essence shimmered with the radiant brilliance of the Nexus and the solar truths etched within her spirit.

Her return was celebrated by the golden hues of sunlight, each sunbeam harmonizing in unity with newfound solar conduct. Solene had become a luminary of solar wisdom, guiding her realm toward a radiant existence in harmony with the sun

Baduhenna

Baduhenna is a Frisian Goddess of war. Sadly nothing much is known about her but she has been described by Tacitus. Badwa is the proto-Germanic word for battle. Interestingly enough, there is also a Celtic battle Goddess known as Badb, she appears in the form of a crow on battlefields to guide fallen warriors. So you can compare Baduhenna with some sort of Valkyrie. Henna means leader/protector,her name means either protecter of battles, leader of battles or the driven into battle.

Tacitus described the following:

“Soon afterwards it was ascertained from deserters that nine hundred Romans had been cut to pieces in a wood called Baduhenna, after prolonging the fight to the next day, and that another body of four hundred, which had taken possession of the house of one Cruptorix, once a soldier in our pay, fearing betrayal, had perished by mutual slaughter.

The Frisian name thus became famous in Germany, and Tiberius kept our losses a secret, not wishing to entrust any one with the war.”

When Tacitus’ work was rediscovered in the 16th century, people started looking for the location of the grove in the Netherlands. At first it was thought that the location of the grove lies in modern day Frisia near the place Beetgum (baduheim), named after the Goddess. No archeological findings have been found there however that links the place with the grove.

In the 1980’s archeologists discovered a destroyed Roman fort near Velsen. The fort was destroyed in 28AD which is the exact same year when the battle of Baduhenna took place. This fort was most likely Castellum Flevum and so the Baduhenna grove must be nearby.

Skeletons, coins, pottery and weapons have been found at Velsen which fit the time era of the Frisian uprising in 28AD. The most probable location of the grove is Velserbroek, 3km away from the discovered Roman fort. We know that there was a place of sacrifice in Velserbroek.

Both velserbroek and Velsen are located in Kennemerland, The Netherlands. Kennemerland was once part of Frisia, now it lies south of West-Frisia. Daggers, spearheads, horse gear and parts of shields have been found as offer gifts. This looks like fitting objects to give to a battle Goddess. Both places have also been inhabited by people since 3500BC so an existing place of nature worship could have developed into Baduhenna’s grove during the iron age.

It is quite sad to see how this Goddess has been almost completely forgotten amongst the Dutch/Frisians and of course other Germanic people. Hopefully with the rise of modern heathenism, we can restore her worship again. Velserbroek is certainly a place worth visiting.

Hecate

For many Wiccans, Hecate is the goddess most associated with Samhain. (The pronunciation of her name varies. Some say Hehkah-tay, some say Heck-a-tay, and a very few say Heck-ate. Most of the Wiccans I know say Heck-a-tay.) She’s not a Celtic goddess at all; she’s Greek, and pre-Olympian, but the Romans knew her, and introduced the Celts to her when the Caesars’s empire extended through Western Europe and into Britain. In Her maiden aspect, She’s a Moon goddess, in Her mother aspect She’s a goddess of magic, and as a crone, She’s an Underworld goddess. (She’s not the only Greco-Roman goddess known in Wicca’s homeland, either— Diana, a very strong manifestation of Maiden energy, is also a favorite of modern Witches.) One reason Hecate’s associated with Samhain is that Her Crone aspect is well developed. She’s a goddess of crossroads, of choice and change and turnings. In Greece and Rome, She was the goddess to whom both the living and the dead turned for purification,and expiation—a graveyard goddess. Janet and Stewart Farrar, in A Witches Bible Compleat (Magickal Childe, 1984), say that “Hecate is the Dark Mother, in both the positive and the apparently negative sense. She can send demons to torment men’s dreams; she can drive them mad, if they are not well integrated enough to cope with her; but to those who dare to welcome her, she brings creative inspiration.” According to the Farrars, one of her symbols is the torch, “which illumines the unconscious and reveals its treasures.” (It was Hecate, not Satan, who Shakespeare’s wonderful trio of witches worshiped. She’s a Triple Goddess of past, present, and future, whose visionary and divinatory powers are quite appropriate to Samhain.)

Charge of the Goddess

One of the aspects of Wicca that sets it apart from most other religions is beautifully illustrated in a single line of the oracle commonly known as “The Charge of the Goddess,” wherein the goddess states, “All acts of love and pleasure are mine.” When many other commonly accepted spiritual paths place so much emphasis on asceticism and sacrifice, it can be a challenge to fully embrace the sentiment of pleasure as a form of religious expression. The goddess does not demand sacrifice of her devotees; rather, she invites us to love. And while fasting and deprivation can certainly prelude a mystical experience, it is important to recognize that a spiritual revelation can just as equally be accompanied by sensuality. Think of love and pleasure not just in terms of gratification, but as divine gifts from the goddess who claims them as her own. Love is a powerful emotion and has been called “the calling card of the goddess.” It is often in the pursuit of love that devotees discover her and are motivated to call on her for aid. Whether it concerns one person making room in his or her life for another or a love-struck worshipper seeking divine intervention in securing another’s affection, the goddess has always been invoked by those seeking her assistance in promulgating amorous desires.

Bru nà Boinne

In addition to their agricultural significance, cattle also had a divinatory role at Beltane. The appearance of a white heifer was considered very auspicious, a manifestation of Bóand, goddess of inspiration and abundance who is credited with establishing the fertile Bru nà Boinne, the Boyne River Valley in County Meath, Ireland. Her presence signified an assurance of human health as well as the good health of the cattle. One of her particular associations is the white cow. In Nordic culture, Beltane was referred to as thrimilci—the day upon which cows could be milked three times in one day.