Keeping Her Keys: At The Crossroads of Modern Life and the Deeper World

I wanted to do something special for International Women's Day, and I can think of nothing better than starting our conversation about being embodied witches, my lovelies. However you move, from breath to adventure, I honor you on this day, and every damn one. As women, we are often told from the moment we are born (and sometimes even before) that we need to force our bodies into tiny little forms of what's acceptable. To not take up space. To diet, to dye our hair, to dress a certain way, to hide our beautiful flaws, etc. etc. etc. So much bull*. It stops NOW. Move your beautiful body however you are able.

In this "moving" conversation, I'm joined by Neesheta Patram-Arenson, Covina Movement Instructor, and the fabulous hosts of JenOsha and Lauren from The Witches Workin/out podcast. We touch upon so many aspects of being an embodied witch, from grief in the body to the deeper aspects of exercise.

There's a short meditation for returning to the body. too. Neesheta highlights the power of movement in healing, while Witches Working Out encourages listeners to use witchy practices while in the gym or engaging in physical activity. Trigeminal neuralgia is discussed along with taking up space with an imperfect body, self-care, grief and loss and breaking up with perfectionism. Finally, the importance of trusting our intuition and body while finding enjoyable forms of physical activity is emphasized, encouraging listeners to embrace the Temple of Good Enough. Don't forget to do your Squats For Hekate.

Watch with CC and view the transcript (click on the magnifying glass) HERE.

More about Dr. Cyndi Brannen HERE.

This meditation restores equanimity to beings through releasing fear (Phoberos) and embracing the energy of pure love (Agape). This meditation works with breath and the body-spirit essence, forming an internal system unlocking trust, security and firm boundaries. Within this energy field of pure love, we access agape energy, allowing us to embrace/release fear, as well as open up to memories, desires and the warmth of the Goddess. In this way, we can create a flow of acceptance, validation, healing power and rejuvenation, ultimately returning us to our truest selves.

This is a new version of the meditation for 2023.

Based in the Agape Phoberos exercise from the Keeping Her Keys book.

Watch the meditation with CC and transcript (click on the magnifying glass) HERE.

Learn more about Dr. Cyndi HERE.

This episode explores the powerful archetypal Great Mother Goddess, a figure that spans many cultures, times, and traditions. Focusing on Hekate as one face of this primordial goddess, and others, including Kybele, Demeter, and Kali Ma, discussing how SHE can be a powerful ally for healing our personal mother wound. The mother wound is something that we all carry in different ways, from the consequences of early childhood trauma, to the collective denial of the sacred feminine. Associated with insecure attachment, the consequences of bearing this injury are significant, often infiltrating all aspects of our lives. This painful burden shows up as mistrust, self-denial, lack of purpose, and in many other distressing ways.

We live in a time when the goddess is returning, from reclaiming The Madonna to connecting with Hekate, is occurring within many, and in mainstream western culture. This comes after centuries of being diminished due to the ubiquity of rational thought (part of patriarchy).  Restoring The Great Mother, whether you call her Hekate or otherwise, includes recognizing diversity and that we are all in need of healing. Finally, heeding the voice of the Great Mother is an invitation to not only personal healing, but to help restore balance to the world.

This episode goes well with Chapter 12, Psychopomp, in Entering Hekate's Cave.

Mentioned: The Greek Magical Papyri, The Chaldean Oracles, The Goddess and The Alphabet.

Keywords: Great Mother Goddess, Hekate, Kybele, Demeter, Moon, Bull, Torch, Dagger, Anima, Animus, Fertility, Dark Goddess, Healing, Mother Wound, Mother Complex, Symbols, Archetype.

Watch with CC and view the searchable transcript (click on magnifying glass):

https://app.searchie.io/watch/ZxN3bEJyD0

Learn more: https://keepingherkeys.com/

This is talk and meditation that introduces the listener to Soul Retrieval, as described in Entering Hekate's Cave: The Journey Through Darkness To Wholeness from Red Wheel Weiser.

Psychopomp, which translates from Greek as “Soul Guide,” is one of Hekate’s most ancient roles. Certainly, she guided Persephone through rebirth out of the cave, yet we can envision Hekate helping her call back the missing soul shards that shattered during her great trauma at the hands of those powerful men who brought about the end of her innocence. As Persephone learned to sing her soul once more, so do we. Our chorus becomes a beacon to the missing pieces of the soul in this lesson as we experience Soul Retrieval.

The Soul Guide is much more than the one who helps the earthly dead cross over the river to the other side, she is the midwife who assists new souls as they are born into flesh, and she reunites us with the fragments we lose along the way. Hekate calls us to take care of our own souls, and to see the soul in all things. Caring for our own souls and seeking to understand the soul in all things, draws us closer to Anima Mundi.

It is to Hekate as Psychopomp, and to our own ability as the guide of our own souls, that we turn to in this lesson as we experience soul retrieval. A shamanic practice as well as a psychological one, soul retrieval is the process of calling back pieces of our soul that were lost due to trauma.

Listen with transcript and CC HERE.

Go deeper by becoming a member of Covina.

Learn more at keepingherkeys.com

Ethics: https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics

Gather round the kitchen table with me and Christen for our conversation blending soul retrieval, kitchen witchery, and the ancient practice of Hekate's Supper.

This chat is rooted in the Psychopomp chapter in Entering Hekate's Cave.

We were both in the thick of wintry weather, so the warmth of the hearth was especially compelling, and our conversation reflects this.

We discuss how we are culinary psychopomps, chatting about the the sacredness of food and how it can be a source of nourishment and connection to our ancestors. From family recipes, and the importance of connecting to the departed in food preparation, to the ancient practice of leaving meals at a crossroads on the dark moon as an act of propitiation to Hekate, Christen and I go deep into the ways we can retrieve our souls right in Hekate's Kitchen. Ancient Hekate's Suppers, known as Deipnon, is a centerpiece of our chat; we dive into the context of these offerings, including the meaning of the ingredients, the significance of red mullet, and why garbage was an important part of the ritual.  Hekate's Kitchen is a place where we can become culinary psychopomps, connecting deeply to the food we make, practice kitchen witchery, honor ourselves and beloveds, and cultivate a soulful hearth.

Christen Bennett is an executive pastry chef living in the southern U.S. She's one of my fave humans, who also does the transcriptions for pod episodes AND is my partner in teaching pharmakeia in Covina.

Watch with CC and searchable transcript HERE. Click on the magnifying glass to open transcript.

Share your thoughts, and answer our question, "What does Hekate's Kitchen Mean To You?" HERE in Hekate's Crossroads, part of The Covina Institute.

I read from Ronan, Stephen (ed.), The Goddess Hekate, Chthonios Books; Hastings; 1992.

https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics

In this special edition recording, the amazing Carmen Spagnola, host of The Numinous Podcast,  interviews me about my new book, Entering Hekate's Cave, which provides the reader with  trauma-sensitive and spiritually-oriented healing practices rooted in the symbolism of Hekate's Cave and some of her many attributes.

Listen to The Numinous Podcast.

Watch this episode with CC and searchable transcript HERE.

https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics

I love chatting with the fabulous Amy Blackthorn. She's one of my favorite authors, bringing a wealth of knowledge and personal experience to her writing. 

We cover some hard topics, from my chronic illness and eating disorder to Amy's horrific injuries from an accident years ago. However, we equally bring JOY to the dialogue, how we stand in our power (even with the mainstream healthcare system), how to incorporate magick into your personal wellness/wholeness journey, and just generally enjoy each other's company.

We brought the magick, talking about working with the tarot and sigils for wellness, and Amy even shared a clever technique known as magic squares from her latest book, Blackthorn's Botanical Wellness, which complements my new offering, Entering Hekate's Cave.

The key takeaways from this discussion are that we must use our own inner strength and courage to support ourselves and each other on our journey towards wellness. It is important to talk openly about mental health issues, physical disabilities, and trauma, while having a healthy relationship with food. Understanding yourself and being compassionate to yourself is essential, while respecting the journey of others and not comparing yourself to them. It is important to focus on doing more of the things you love and less of the things you don't, to have conversations about behavioral health without expecting unrealistic standards and to prioritize small moments of relaxation and joy. Additionally, creating sigils is an important part of the magical process, which can be used to manifest desired outcomes and make beneficial changes in one's life. Finally, it is important to be honest about your experiences, to allow your own light to shine, and to trust in yourself and your magic.

You can watch the episode with transcript and CC HERE.

You can learn more about Amy HERE.

More about my work HERE.

I've been wanting to do an episode on gender and queerness for ages. Hekate provides a safe space for exploring gender and queerness, providing comfort and security for this amazing conversation between me and the fabulous Coyote Mae. Personally, hanging out with Coyote Mae is always healing for me, and I believe you'll concur after this episode.

Hekate's long history clearly indicates that, as a Goddess of crossroads, she is especially present for those of us who explore our personal intersections, in this case our gender identities and orientations.  Additionally, Hekate's governance over our personal journeys, in her role as Enodia, illuminates our unique journey. Hekate offers the key of reclaiming space from oppressive heteronormative, white male driven dominance.

Our discussion touches on topics such as mainstream Christianity, Catholicism's idealized view of Mary, the power of "dark goddesses," Jung's concept of anima and animus, the use of symbols such as the chalice and blade, CIS gendered men and the sacred feminine, and ancient goddesses defying gender expectations. Finding joy and being authentic however we identify deserves self-compassion and respect for others, along with honoring Hekate.

"Heteronormativity and traditional gender roles lurk everywhere in our individual psyches and in societal beliefs. Romantic love and sex are entwined with these biases and beliefs." - from Chapter 11: Paionios (The Healer) in Entering Hekate's Cave

Take good care of yourself,

And Hail Hekate, Goddess of Crossroads, The Journey, and The Marginalized.

View with CC and read the transcript HERE.

This meditative exercise is an excerpt from a class I taught earlier this week. It's absolutely one of my favorite practices. In Entering Hekate's Cave, I discuss kairos, the eternal nonlinear time of the deeper world: We open up to our soul’s vision, which perceives our inner depths and sees beyond chronological time. Skotia opens us up to the kairos, the eternal cyclical time of the goddess. We stretch back into the past to heal old wounds. We peer into the future to orient ourselves toward the foretold rebirth. And we stand very still in the darkness until our eyes adjust to it in all the forms she brings.

Join Covina to go deeper into your personal healing journey towards wholeness. LEARN MORE ABOUT COVINA.

I can't think of a better first episode for the new year than by illuminating Hekate's connection with the moon. The healing essence of the moon evokes the intuition, deep inquiry into the self, and connects us to our emotions. 

In the following incantation I invoked the spirit of Hekate Paionios (The Healer). The inspiration for this comes from an ancient verse in The Greek Magical Papyri. You'll find the complete version, along with an entire chapter dedicated to lunar healing in Entering Hekate's Cave, now available wherever books are sold.

On this new moon,

Help me, Paionios.

On this new moon,

I choose compassion, courage, and wisdom from this day forward.

Guide me, Paionios, so I may so live within your mercy.

On this new moon,

I commit to seeing the light in myself and others,

And to honoring the darkness in others and myself.

Show me, Paionios, so I can see from the soul.

On this new moon,

I dedicate myself to grace and peace.

Reveal them in me, Paionios.

Render me an instrument of love and healing.

May I be guided by your wisdom,

Protected by your strength,

And blessed by your fierce love.

I am free of limitations.

Safe, healed, and whole.

Hekate is an ancient goddess associated with the moon, symbolizing the connection between the divine feminine and the mysteries of creation. To the ancients, her association with the moon symbolized both her darkness and her pale light that shines through. The Moon Goddess represents the great Regeneratrix, with the phases evoking the cycle of creation (waxing), fullness (full), release (waning), and rebirth (new).  Along with her frequent companions, Artemis and Selene, they form a version of the Triple Goddess (Triformis), with the new (dark) moon as the liminal, the mystery, and the dark womb of the goddess.

Hekate is most strongly associated with the Dark Moon (astronomical new moon). From rituals in antiquity to today, the night when the moon is hidden evokes the spirit of mysteries. Hekate encourages us to go beyond what we see with the eyes and use our intuition, connect to our emotions, and look within, all spiritual qualities of the moon.

Watch with transcript and CC HERE.

Download the slides with art and quotes HERE.

https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics