Children of Hekate

Children of Hekate are mysterious, intriguing, magnetic, and sensual artists who are forced to learn how to alchemize their pain into blessings and gifts for humankind, On the outside they seem to have it all; influence, power, charm, beauty, and success. However, underneath those layers of glory are usually whirlpools of pain that never cease to an end. The tragic but empowering lives of Hekate kids always make the most captivating stories to tell. 

Gifts

1. Sexy as FUCK and got rizz for daysssss
2. Naturally draw people in with their aura
3. Very gifted with magic and spells
4. Very intuitive people
5. Extremely creative people
6. Very in touch with their own emotions
7. They are very good at making you feel seen and heard
8. They spot people’s shadow sides very easily
9. They tend to know what the other person wants
10. People wants to get close to them or want to dig into their life 
11. They gain fans very easily
12. They are very emotionally understanding people
13. Good at making other people feel loved and cared for 
14. LOVED by the opposite sex
15. Exudes sex and can’t hide that
16. Their emotions really draw you in because they are very intense
17. They really care about the wellbeings of the underdogs
18. They are down to help someone for free
19. Their artwork speaks to people no matter what it is they put out there
20. Gifted astrologers because Hekate’s mom is Asteria
21. They are very good at turning their negative emotions into artwork
22. Takes good care of small animals and kids
23. Naturally protective and they are naturally fighters
24. They have the ability to walk out of any darkness imposed on them
25. They can fight through anything in life even if some people might take longer
26. They are some of the most empathetic people once healed from their traumas
27. A LOT of people want a piece of them
28. They can spot people’s shadow side very easily
29. They naturally have influence over others
30. Very gifted prophets
31. They have the power to push through any hardships in life

Common Themes in the Life of a Child of Hekate

1. They feel their emotions at an intensity most people don’t get to experience
2. Prone to developing mental health illnesses due to Hekate’s 3 form’s collective energy being overwhelming on the native
3. Experience the most emotional swings in life
4. Thoughts are so powerful they will always have a significant impact on their reality 
5. It’s best for them to not stick to one career path throughout their lifetime
6. Their manifestations are so powerful they need to be careful what they wish for
7. Extremely volatile self-esteem
8. Most of them grew up with fragmented families
9. Prone to negative thinking/bad self-talk
10. They need gentler treatment from people around them
11. Prone to victim mindset
12. No matter what happens in life, as long as they try hard, they will always be kept afloat 
13. They tend to get more help from people of the opposite sex than people of the same sex
14. Attracts jealousy very easily
15. They need to choose their romantic partners very wisely
16. Most of them are prone to falling for the hot but toxic partner
17. Their family can set them back for years 
18. They struggle with grasping the truth and getting a good sense of reality
19.  Maintaining good mental health should be their no.1 priority in life
20. They are either easily influenced by people’s dark sides or become the toxic one that influence others negatively
21. They are usually very genuine with their emotions
22. They are usually the black sheep of their family 
23. Probably made a contract to sacrifice their early childhood happiness for material success and magical powers
24. They usually got prominent sideral cancer, aquarius, and/or pisces placements in their chart. (usually a combination of cancer + something else)
25. Deep thinkers
26. Need HUGE amounts of spiritual protection to thrive in life
27. Treats animals very well
28. People who learned their lessons and worked on their shadow selves usually become VERY good parents
29. Extremely protective
30. Natural guides/protectors
31. A lot of them will always have a kind heart no matter what life throws at them

Challenges

1. Almost all of them face MASSIVE struggles with their mental health as they are influenced by all 3 of Hekate’s sides but that energy is often times too much for a human to handle
2. Extremely prone to escapism and unhealthy coping mechanisms
3. They are prone to drowning in their depressive feelings for a very very long time
4. They can be too emotional or vengeful to their own detriment
5. Prone to self-isolation or pushing everyone around them away
6. Prone to extremities 
7. They are usually born into dogshit biological families
8. Struggles with an intense amount of suicidal thoughts
9. Usually surrounded by bad influences in their early childhood
10. Too stubborn to change for their own good sometimes
11. Their negative thoughts can manifest into their actions very fast
12. “Becareful what you wish for”
13. They LOVE going for the popular boy/girl whos actually emotionally unavailable af just because it satisfies their ego (Medea’s lesson)
14. Extremely Stubborn 
15. Suffer from a lot of jealousy (at them or towards others)
16. Trouble expressing their vulnerabilities
17. Spiritually vulnerable and prone to being taken advantage of
18. People LOVE to disrespect their boundaries
19. Can suffer really deeply from sexual harassments
20. Prone to lashing out in very extreme ways that push people away 
21. Suffer a lot from betrayals, especially from their families
22. They have to learn to overcome a huge amount of darkness in life
23. They suffer a lot from the evil eye
24. Suffer from unwanted attention
25. Not the best at giving a good first impression
26. Controversial
27. A lot of them struggle with BPD, ADHD, Bipolar, and etc
28. People are usually dismissive of the emotions they struggle with are they are judgmental towards it 
29. They are usually not given the same grace they give to others
30. They tend to give to the wrong people until they learn their boundaries 
31. They attract a lot of problematic people to them 
32. Their vengefulness can cause them a lot of trouble in life
33. A lot of them face a horrible amount of abuse in their earlier life 
34. They have trouble putting their egos down to ask for help

Disclaimer: Everything written above stemmed from my own observations, I'm not claiming to be 100% accurate on everything

praise be to Zeus and Hera, beloved and righteous are thee

Zeus is called King of men and a just ruler of mortals—Hera is called Queen of Kings and guides the highest of mortals

Hera is called the Queen of the heavens and the weaver of the clouds—Zeus is called the thunderer and wrings the life-giving rains for all of earth to drink

Zeus is the protector of humanity, the beaten down and the lost, whom punishes cruelty towards the vulnerable—Hera is the protector of the most vulnerable in ancient hellenic society, women and children. She who looks softly upon the young and He who strikes without mercy

Zeus is the supreme God and King of life, mortal or not, on our lovely planet—Hera is His closest advisor, whose wisdom and words are trusted undoubtedly

I trust the Gods who cultivate Their love and extend it to Their admirers. Khaire Zeus and Hera ⚡🦚🌿

Hail Lady Selene, the goddess of the moon!

Separating Apollo and Artemis is against the very nature of what these Gods represent.

There are people within the Polytheistic community who attempt to claim that the Twins are somehow opposed to one another and split into two separate entities that never cross. That is plain incorrect both according to the general logic of how a Polytheistic worldview works and according to historical evidence.

Apollo and Artemis have been historically praised together. While both of course had separate circles of followers, as they represent two different aspects of the world, the day of Their birth was not treated as two separate but rather one large, unified festival.
The Sun and the Moon, effeminate masculine and masculinized feminine have never been set in opposition by the Ancients. Neither the Greco-Roman nor the preceding cultures note any sort of clash between the concepts. The idea of inexplicable competition and lack of mutual understanding between the Solar and the Lunar is closer to Christian concepts of the world than the Polytheistic ones.

Claims of separation are never made out of good intentions. There’s nothing good in assuring others that Apollo hates Artemis, and vice versa; he doesn’t and she doesn’t. They’re parts of the whole, They are intricate aspects of Cosmos.
In Polytheism, no God is comparable to another in terms of Their importance within the natural world, because Polytheistic Deities are all equal parts of said world. There’s no opposition or contest, especially between the Twins.

Poison's Guide to Hekate: Reading List🦋

Art created by IrenHorrors

🖤This list is numbered based on the order that I believe these books/sources should be read in. Obviously, you do not need to prescribe to this order but I think it's good way to structure your learning. Keep in mind that there are multiple sources out there that are not listed here, this is just a jumping off point!

🖤Reading List:

1. Circle for Hekate Volume 1: History & Mythology by Sorita d'Este- uses primary sources to explain the origins and historical worship of Hecate across the Mediterranean.
2. Keeping Her Keys: An Introduction to Hekate's Modern Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen- I posted an entire review of this book which describes both what I liked and found problematic (linked below).
3. Hekate: Her Sacred Fires by Sorita d'Este et al.- Discusses the experiences of many authors in relation to Hekate's history. It also includes a rite at the end to honour Hekate.
4. Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds: A Sourcebook by Daniel Ogden- cites evidence of witchcraft in ancient Greece and Rome using primary sources, beneficial for understanding ancient practices and beliefs.
5. The Greek Magical Papyri- mentioned in several of the previous books, good to have on hand for reference.
6. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter- one of the most famous stories to include Hekate, good for reference.
7. Hesiod's Theogony- the battle against the titans, for reference.

• All of these books are available (for free) as pdfs from zlibrary, the older books should also be available as free pdfs from project Gutenberg (both will be linked below).
• These are obviously not the only books out there but they are some of the ones that I have enjoyed and recommend checking out. Please cross reference and do your own research.

🖤Online Sources:

🖤PDF Websites:

🖤My Book Review:

*Image is from Pinterest*

Hekate Devotion

Hey friends, I wanted to share some of my personal ways of offering to the goddess Hekate since I work with her the most. I will be sharing both high energy devotion and low spoon devotion acts.

(her favorites are labeled with a *)

!There is a trigger warning for blood here!

Higher energy devotion

• Rituals in her favor (Bathing rituals, etc)*
• Routine praying
• Lunar rituals
• Small prick blood offerings* (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not attempt this if you are struggling with self-harm/suicidal urges, she wants you healthy and well.)
• Spirit work 

Low spoon devotions

• Smaller spells (Sachet spells, etc)
• Light candles and send her a tiny prayer*
• Make a music playlist for her and play it regularly* (See my playlist for ideas!)
• Sit outside at night, enjoy the comfort of darkness
• Love your animals*
• Chatting with her casually about your day*

Offerings

• Items: keys, animal photos, bones* (Be smart, sourced ethically and legally), graveyard dirt* (BE respectful), athames, divination tools
• Herbs: mugwort, lavender*, jasmine, dragon’s blood*, cinnamon*,
• Things of the arts (Occult books, poems, music, personal pieces for her*)
• Stones: Amethyst*, Obsidian, purple fluorite*,  moonstone, selenite, Smokey Quartz
• Incense: Myrrh*, cinnamon, dragons blood*
• Elements: Fire* (Candles), Earth
• Food: Honey*, Red wine*, dark chocolate*, pomegranates, black coffee, whiskey

There we go, and remember. If you are too unwell to offer her anything big, she will be grateful for any of your love that you can give her. She wants you happy and healthy, always remember that.

Deity Guide - Hekate

One phrase to describe this Goddess? It’s complicated!

Originally posted by butteryplanet

Who is Hekate?

Often called the Goddess of Witchcraft, Hekate (or Hecate) is a Greek goddess who reigns over many domains. She is associated with magic, witchcraft, the moon, necromancy, and spirits. She is also known to be the goddess of boundaries, crossroads, doorways, and, due to being a Goddess of these liminal spaces, became a Goddess of the darkness of the underworld.

Hekate was also worshipped as a hearth goddess, and was thought to protect the home.

The other two deities in the tripartite with Hekate are Persephone and Demeter according to some; to others, the other two are Artemis and Selene or Diana and Luna.

Specifically in Rome they would celebrate Hekate in conjunction with Diana and Luna as three aspects of the same deity.

Parents and Siblings

Parents could include:

• Perses and Asteria (most popular/common)
• Zeus and Asteria
• Zeus and Hera
• Nyx

Sibling could include:

• Chariclo from Pereses and Asteria
• Any of Zeus’ other children
• Any of Nyx’s other children

Lovers or Partners

• Some believe her to be a virgin goddess and is unmarried.
• Phorbus or Phorcys
• Aeetes

Children

(If you believe that she is not a virgin goddess)

• Aegialeus
• Circe
• Empusa
• Medea
• Scylla

Epithets

• Perseis
• Apotropaia, the one that turns away/protects.
• Brimo, angry/terrifying.
• Chthonia, of the earth/underworld.
• Enodia, she on the way/road.
• Klêidouchos, holding the keys.
• Kourotrophos, nurse of children.
• Krokopeplos, saffron cloaked.
• Melinoe
• Phosphoros or Lampadephoros, bringing or bearing light.
• Propolos, who serves/attends.
• Propulaia/Propylaia, before the gate.
• Soteria, savior.
• Trimorphe, three-formed.
• Triodia/Trioditis, who frequents crossroads.

Notes

• She likely started out as a singular deity, only becoming a tripartite in later literature.
• In her triple goddess form, she embodies the “crone”, Persephone embodies the “Maiden”, and Demeter is the “Mother”, one of the biggest examples of the “Maiden, Mother, Crone” trope.
• She was popular among the witches of Thessaly.
• Since the Romans assimilated her into their pantheon, Hekate is sometimes considered to be the same deity as Artemis and Selene.
• Though often depicted as dark or even crude, the older texts depict Hecate as warm, “tender-hearted”, and generous.
• That being said, in some texts she’s known specifically for being cruel.
• Archeologists have found “curse tablets” where a person would write out a curse on lead foil and roll it up before dropping it down a well.
• Hekate was often left offerings of dog’s meat.
• She is often depicted in art holding one or two torches or holding a key.
• Her name comes from the Greek word Hekatos, which means “worker from afar”.
• In Ancient times, she would often have shrines built for her in people’s homes and at crossroads.
• Despite being the goddess of witchcraft, offerings were sacrificed to her at household altars to ward off and protect individuals or households from witchcraft.

Modern Deity Work

Disclaimer - Not all of these are traditional or historic correspondences nor do they need to be. However, any correspondence that can be considered traditional will be marked with a (T).

Correspondences

Rocks/Stone/Crystals

• Obsidian
• Onyx
• Moonstone

Herbs/Plants

• Oak
• Yew
• Garlic
• Cypress
• Belladonna
• Yarrow
• Mugwort
• Dittany
• Mandrake
• Aconite (Hecateis)
• Saffron

Animals

• Dog (T)
• Horse
• Lion
• Polecat (T)
• Red Mullet

Symbols

• Torches (T)
• Keys (T)
• Black Dogs (specifically female) (T)

Offerings

• Cakes
• Fruit
• Honey
• Olive oil (T)
• (Ethically) Foraged herbs or plants
• Images or iconography of the things mentioned above

Acts of Devotion

• Once a month practice Hekate’s Deipnon. (T)
• Stand your ground
• Read or create hymns or poems for her (T)
• Study and practice herbology or foraging

Keep in mind that these are only some ideas for offerings and correspondences! Items and activities that connect you to her in a more personal way are just as good, and often better, than those you find on the internet. As with any relationship, feel it out, ask questions, and be attentive and receptive!

References and Further Reading

Hecate - World History Encylopedia

Hecate - Info please

Hekate - Theoi Project

Hymns to Hekate - Theoi Project

Everything You Need To Know About Hekate - The Collector

khaire, phoebus apollon, paean the healer, father foive!
if i have ever offered you incense, libation, devotion, or praise,
please hear and heed my prayer!

gracious radiant lord, healer of mortals and immortals alike,
you, your soft, gentle face, echoed across art of the ages, christlike,
it is you who has domain over healing and life,
and it is you who i ask to deliver me of pain and strife
that chronic illness inflicts upon my body.
how my mind feels foggy,
the blessed body i use to worship you with aches
my mind troubled with anxiety and heartbreak.
it is you, paean, father foive, phoebus apollo, to whom
i entrust to deliver me from the gloom
that illness has upon me.

phoebus apollon, paean the healer, father foive,
thank you for hearing my prayer!
blessed be your name, radiant lord! kharitos!