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

In this combo episode, I walk us through the historical origins on Honoring Hekate on the Dark Moon, to modern practice, and then through a meditative journey.  

The historical practices conducted on the Dark Moon in propitiation of Hekate, focused on seeking her protection for the coming new lunar month. Known as Hekate's Deipnon (meaning "supper"), in parts of the ancient Mediterranean, households would engage in purification, create offerings, and leave them at a crossroads.   

I break down how to adapt this to our modern lives, from working with Hekate's Sacred Flame through the Triformis Ritual, cleansing through khernips, making meaningful offerings, and going on a Dark Moon Crossroads pilgrimage.   

Then I lead us through a meditative journey to Hekate's Garden where we leave our offerings on the Moon Altar at the crossroads.  

From "Keeping Her Keys: An Introduction to Hekate's Modern Witchcraft:" This is a time for expressing devotion to Hekate. The word “devotion” may seem odd to you, I know it did when I first heard it applied to a deity. Devotion means being committed to Hekate. Even that sounds a tad strange. What it means is that you have a relationship with her wherein you are committed to honoring her through various activities. Devotion to Hekate requires the same attitude being applied to ourselves. We honor both ourselves and Hekate by living a magical life, practicing witchcraft, and expressing our devotion.   

The Deipnon is the time we set aside as a special day for honoring Hekate. This can be celebrated in diverse ways. You can adapt the traditional Hekate’s Supper, you can create a personal ritual based on your understanding of Hekate or any other activity that makes sense to you. Any of the offerings previously discussed are appropriate. I typically go on what I call a devotional walk to the place where I perform my Deipnon ritual. During this walk, I’ll do various versions of the Three Keys chant, recite a list of epithets and some excerpts from the ancient texts. I also often do the Evocation of Hekate that you’ve been practicing.  

Watch with subtitles, read the transcript and more here: https://app.searchie.io/watch/jVDGMknnqW 

Ethics: https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics 

Study with me: https://members.covinainstitute.com/

Hekate's history is as complex as our personal experiences of her. From the Neolithic cave of The Great Mother through to the Roman depiction of her as the nefarious Queen of Witches, Hekate has travelled throughout the centuries, leaving a trail of mystery and magic behind her. In this first part, I discuss Hekate's etiology in The Great Mother, through to how the earliest Greek writers portrayed her, in religious and fictional sources, and practices associated with her (notably honoring her through a special supper/ritual on the dark moon), to first-hand records from magical practitioners, to the channeled text where she is understood as World Soul. I end up with how Hekate, and her frequent companion Artemis, were reinvented by the ancient Romans, and how the influence of the various solar god cults (such as Apollo) may have been involved in her transition to a rather nefarious figure.

Throughout the 1500 years of history I cover, there are themes that emerge from the different ways Hekate was understood, such as being associated with the underworld journey, thresholds, magic, misfits, and children (which is often overlooked today).

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Watch and read the transcript (click on the magnifying glass to open options): https://app.searchie.io/watch/jVDGMBvEqW

Ethics: https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics

Attune to the flow of land, sea, and sky to unify emotions, actions, and thoughts.

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Watch and read the transcript (click on the magnifying glass to open options): https://app.searchie.io/watch/mpqzX3PkDK

Ethics: https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics

I think we're all struggling right now. The world seems to be tilting sideways, from extremist politics that seek to strip our rights to the economic woes. And yet, there is the light in the darkness. In this episode, I talk about how Hekate can help us navigate these tough times by leaning into her darkness and light. Seeing her as a spirit that guides us through catharsis, from our personal unburdening to the global letting go of dysfunctional systems and toxic positivity, can be deeply healing.   

Get a candle: there's a ritual and meditation/chant at the end, based on this from the Keeping Her Keys book: Hail Hekate, Anima Mundi. Hail Hekate, Anima Mundi. Hail Hekate, Anima Mundi. She who is the very soul of the world, Within me lives the same spark, That fuels all of creation, And birthed the universe. Hail Hekate, Anima Mundi. Hail Hekate, Anima Mundi. Hail Hekate, Anima Mundi.  

Join The Covina Institute for the Keeping Her Keys Read Along, and the Hekate's Keys Program of courses. 

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Watch and read the transcript (click on the magnifying glass to open options): https://app.searchie.io/watch/3Eq56gLg2g

Ethics: https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics

In this combo episode, I talk about some of the so-called dark goddesses  that I write and teach about, the nature of the shadow and soul, within the framework of Hekate's triple nature. Then, in the spirit of Scorpio season, I guide you through a meditative journey to Hekate's Well in her sacred garden for deep emotional healing and reclaiming the dark goddess. 

Goddesses discussed: Hekate, Circe, Medea, Persephone, Demeter, Artemis and Selene.

Meditation starts at 12:03

Learn more about my books and studying with me at keepingherkeys.com

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Privacy and ethics HERE.

From Thessalian Enodia through the Greek version of Hekate to Diana Trivia, The Road Goddess is a compelling spirit who governs roads, children, women, the cast out, and guides us to the deeper world. 

Angela Natividad and I explore the ancient history of Enodia, from the oldest records to where the archetype of this goddess shows up today.   

IMPORTANT: Angela and I discuss potentially upsetting topics, including sexual aggression, patriarchy, extremist politics, and Christianity.   

Hekate’s association with roads stretches back to the earliest historical records.  In fact, Enodia is most often translated as meaning “in the road,” although sometimes it is defined as “of the way.” Perhaps the most descriptive version of its meaning is “she who stands on the road.” This title of Hekate and other goddesses, including one herself named Enodia, is interconnected with her association with the crossroads. This appellation undoubtedly morphed into Hekate’s Roman associations with roads, notably in the title of Trivia. In the classical Greek tradition, Trioditis refers to her specifically as goddess of the three roads.   

"In fact, traveling the road back to the origins of this title for Hekate is a rather long and winding journey. Enodia (sometimes spelled Einodia or Ennodia) was an ancient Thessalian goddess  whose became syncretized with Hekate and Artemis, and the Roman Diana.  There are also tangential connections between Enodia, Hekate, and Cybele, notably the evidence found in a rock throne in Rhodes. There is no way of disentangling the history of Hekate from Enodia or her frequent companions, Artemis, Persephone, and Selene. The ancients were no different in their practices than we are today. They adapted their daily rituals based on their understanding as individuals and as societies, demonstrating that there is a deeper archetype at work. Enodia is a spirit far deeper and more powerful than any name assigned to a face of the goddess. Enodia is the guide along the Mother Road, regardless of what else we may call her. " 

The above is an excerpt from my forthcoming book, "Entering Hekate's Cave: The Journey Through Darkness To Wholeness." Now available for pre-order. 

Find a video version, PDF, transcript link, and more here:

https://keepingherkeys.com/blog/f/hekate-enodia-goddess-of-the-road-recorded-class

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May we inspire you to journey with Enodia.

Privacy and ethics: https://keepingherkeys.com/ethics

Join me for this guided meditation to The Witches Realm, the spiritual home of witches just beyond the moon.

Samhain Blessings, Best Wishes for The Witches New Year, and Happy Halloween.

Learn more about my teaching and writing at keepingherkeys.com

Hekate (Hecate to some), is an ancient goddess who evokes magic and mystery. Often known as the Queen of Witches, the Regina Maleficarum, throughout history and before, she is entwined with the archetype of the witch, from the healing arts to malevolent spirits. Through secret rites under the moon, in singing songs to her and in cursing in her name, Circe, Medea, and others across the centuries have turned to their Witch Mother. Her ancient and contemporary witches are as complex as she is, bringing blessing and bane to themselves and others through their witchery.

- From Entering Hekate's Garden: The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft

Delve into Hekate's mysteries through applied depth psychology, ritual, natural magic, and personal development in The Covina Institute. 

Shielding from harmful energies, such as other's thoughts or emanations of toxic culture, is vital to healing. Yet we find equanimity through protection and openness. This meditation guides the listener through the process of self-protection and openness to nourishing forces, inspired by the "strong back, soft front," teachings of Roshi Joan Halifax.

This meditation is an expansion of the Unifying The Three Selves practice described in the Keeping Her Keys book, which is part of the Quotidia Daily Ritual.

Enter the mysteries of the deeper world by allowing the Sibyl within to awaken. 

Angela Natividad and I explore The Sibyl, from the classical antiquity to contemporary oracles.  Angela and I talked for over two hours, with about the first hour being an intro and the second more on specific Sibyls and bringing this archetype to the present day

The Sibyl was an ancient priestess of great prestige in many areas of the Greek and Roman worlds.  Their influence continued in Christianity right up to the Renaissance. There were many sibyls, including The Pythia (which was also a title referring to many prophetesses, pictured) and The Sibyl of Cumae. To the ancients, The Sibyllae were the chosen priestesses who held the sacred gift of prophecy. They prophesied the rise of Rome and predicted the birth of the messiah. So powerful were her words that her books were dearly guarded by the Romans. Michelangelo painted her on the Sistine Chapel. There were many other important sibyls throughout the ancient Mediterranean, predicting the rise and fall of empires accurately as well as responding to questions about the details of everyday life.  The Sibylline Oracles are a compendium of oracular writings attributed to ancient Sibyls, but more likely heavily adapted by early Christian writers.  As an archetype, The Sibyl persists today, from the popularity of astrology and tarot to the mysterious oracles spoken by economists.  

I dedicated an entire chapter to the sibyllic in Entering Hekate's Garden: The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft. Available from most major online booksellers.  

Join Covina to go deeper into your journey with The Sibyl. 

You can view the slides (art, references, etc.) and access the searchable video with transcript here.