Hail Hecate! Hail the dark goddess of witchcraft and the crossroads on the night of Hecate!
To some she is Hecate, others Hekate. For many, she comes without a name revealing herself by the howl of her hounds during times of great personal pain and loss. To others she is the triple goddess connecting us to the phases of life as the maiden, the mother, and the crone. While some observe Hecate on the Deipnon, the dark moon, others dedicate a specific day , November 16th, as a time to work with her energy for protection, wisdom, and guidance. November 16th is known as the night she haunts the crossroads with her hounds and we follow the glow of her torch to answer her call. On this night we are meant to leave an offering at the crossroads to Hecate and ask Her to keep us safe from the storms of life, or even better, just keep the damaging and dangerous storms away completely. You can also go to her this evening to get clarity on your path and to appease the dead who wander the earth behind her each night.
What is Hecate night and why we honor it?
November 16th is called Hecate’s Night. On this night she roams the earth with her hounds hearing pleas from us as we stand at the crossroads. This is also the night that new initiations are made for Witches who follow her and a time known for them to gain more access and clarity into her magical ways. The Night of Hecate is a time to celebrate Hecate, and her association with transitions and the crossroads. It’s a time to go to her seeking wisdom and guidance for the year ahead. To give gratitude and thanks for her protection and aid given to those who are oppressed, marginalized, or caught in-between.
Who is Hecate?
There is much to learn about Hecate from the written records, but for a witch to truly know Hecate, we need to experience her. Hecate is a complex goddess with a long history. Hecate is an ancient Greek Goddess often associated with the Underworld, witchcraft, necromancy, crossroads, the spiritual realm, and the moon and so much more. She is the Goddess of Witchcraft, a guide along the path, and the universal Keeper of the Keys. The Guide who leads us back to our soul. And she is a face of The Great Mother, creatrix and destroyer of all. She is a liminal spirit – she guards the thresholds between the human and spirit world. She is the bringer of power and healing. She spins the wheel of time, weaving her magic and mystery throughout. The fiery spark that lives in all the universe.
To learn more about her you can watch my detailed class with DiviNation Academy, to hear myths she is apart of, her different origins, and more below!
Hecate Correspondences to use for Offerings
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently, or a deity, like I will list below for you to use .Follow your intuition and use what speaks to you!
Planet- the moon
Animal-snakes, owls, hounds, sheep, crows
Element- Earth
Zodiac-aries, capricorn, scorpio
Sex-feminine
Symbol- keys, torches, the crossroads, the underworld, the wheel,, sword, 13
Stones/ crystals-obsidian, black tourmaline, moonstone, ruby, jasper, labradorite,
Foods-garlic, honey, eggs, pomegrantes
Tarot card- The moon
Hekate’s Night Ritual- Hekate’s supper
Hekate’s ancient devotees held dinners in her honor known as Hecate Suppers or Hecate’s Deipnon which is Greek for supper. This ancient festival that honors the goddess Hecate, traditionally was held on the night of the New Moon aka the dark moon every month for some. While others set aside one day of time every year on November 16th to hold theirs. This supper was traditionally known as a time to honor Hecate as the goddess of the crossroads, the underworld, witchcraft, and to purify one’s household and spirit in ancient Greece.
On Hekate’s Night, food offerings were given to Hekate and her hounds, that they loved from the correspondences listed above. These offerings of food were both enjoyed by those celebrating the feast AND left out by the front door (the “crossroad” between indoors and outdoors, between one’s private space and public spaces) or at a crossroad, on a (perishable) plate or flat stone, as an offering to Hecate as she roams the Earth by night with her sacred hounds. inviting her protection, wisdom, and guidance inside.
This Hecate night why not do the same? Prepare your meal, host your feast with your fellow witches if you would like, make your heartfelt petition to her, and then go to your front door or a crossroads nearby. Make your invocation and petition for her to answer as she roams by this night. Tonight is a good time to ask for her assistance to release something from your life. Once you do then walk away from your plate without looking back. Encountering or hearing a dog is a good indication that your petition has been heard by Hecate and her sacred hounds and you will be getting an answer back.
The second part to this feast is the aspect of charity. Charity was important when honoring Hecate because she is commonly known for being the goddess to guide and protect those who are lost, down trodden, and consider themselves broken souls. So, don’t forget to make sure to find a way to help others in a charitable way. This doesn’t have to be humans either your acts of charity can extend to animals as well. Especially anything that involves dogs like taking in a stray, donating to a wildlife preserve, or donating your time and money to the ASPCA. This practice shows compassion for those whom she looks after the most and/or her sacred hounds.
The last part if you want to keep it as traditional as you can is the purification and cleansing of your home and spirit. Historically, people would fumigate or “smoke-cleanse” the doorstep where the offerings were left, after they’ve cleaned up the remnants. Along with cleansing their home and property as well. If you held your Hecate Night at the crossroads and only left biodegradable items, you can skip this step at your threshold. But, I still recommend to cleanse yourself and the space where you held your dinner at.
Other ways to connect to Hecate
Other than hosting a Hecate supper, leaving an offering at your threshold, and going to meet her and her hounds outside at a crossroads. Here are some other ways to work with Hecate for the next 24 hours for Hecate night and even beyond. Remember; it’s important to approach her with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with her. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back.
Study and get to know more about her. Learn about her myths, legends, worship, and about the culture and region of Greece she comes from
Add her to an existing altar or create a new one just for her alone
Ask for her guidance using divination like a pendulum and tarot cards
Write a petition for protection read out loud under the light of the moon, then burn it, and wait for the sounds of hounds to be heard
Ask for her guidance in shadow work- If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here. And don’t forget to register for new 6 week workshop series Embracing your shadow here!
Care for her most sacred animals dogs in anyway you can
Include Herbs in any of your spells today like for protection, transition, and awakening your magic
Perform lunar magic and spells associated with the moon since it’s the planet she is ruled by
Do spirit work or graveyard magic since she is the gatekeeper to the spirit realm
Menstrual magic using your menstrual blood since she a goddess of life and death attaching her to our womb
Ask for her to hold the torch and light the way during womb healing
Threshold magic
Key magic to unlock things locked away and hidden
Black Candle Protection Spell With Hecate
One of Hecate’s most revered qualities is her role as a protector. She is often invoked in spells and rituals when seeking to safeguard oneself or loved ones from harm, whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual. Use this spell tonight to do just that.
What you will need:
A black candle
Oil of your choosing
A pin or something to carve with
A piece of black obsidian
garlic
mugwort
Lavender
How to perform spell:
First, once you have all of your supplies ready go ahead and get yourself into sacred container with your black candle sitting right in front of you. Focus on the situation or person you are seeking Hecate’s aid in protection from. Once you have the situation or person in your minds eye focus on the power of Hecate removing it from your life. Then with a deep breath take your pin and draw a symbol or sigil of Hecate into your candle while continuing to focus on what her aid and protection will feel like and bring. Next, take your herbs and mix them together and continue to focus on the sense of her protection. Once, they are mixed set them aside and grab your oil to anoint your candle. Once, your candle is covered in oil roll it in your herbs towards you calling Hecate’s protection to you and your life. Now, with your candle dressed in your oil and herbs set it back down in front of you. Focusing on the sigil/symbol you engraved into your candle light your black candle. As you light the black candle hold your piece of obsidian in your hand and focus on your intention of invoking Hecate’s protection. Visualize her presence surrounding you, a powerful goddess of the night, standing at the crossroads, holding torches that light your way. Say the following invocation or something similar that resonates with you:
“Hecate, goddess of the crossroads and queen of the night,
I call upon your power, your wisdom, your light.
Protect me now, as you’ve done before,
Shield me from harm, forevermore.
With this flame, I summon your might,
Keep me safe through the day and the night.”
Let the candle burn for at least 13 minutes or the rest of Hecate’s night as you envision a protective barrier forming around you. When you blow the candle out at the time that intuitively resonates with you, give thanks for Hecate’s fearsome protection she aided you with today. Then place the candle on your altar and come back and relight it at the next dark moon if you feel more protection from the situation or person is needed.
Orphic Hymn to Hekate (translated and sung by Melissaofthebees)
I call Hekáte of the roadside, lovely god where three roads meet.
In sky, on earth, and in the ocean, yellow gown upon her form.
At tombs she celebrates the Bacchic rites with souls of those long dead.
Daughter of the Titan Persēs, fond of solitude and deer.
By night, protectress of the dogs, she is a most enchanting queen.
Barking dogs announce her passing. She’s unbound and fair of face.
On her head the bull-horn headdress, lady, priestess of the world.
Ruler, damsel, and our nursemaid, wandering the mountainsides.
With her worshippers, she’s present, maiden at the holy rites.
Always gracious when one worships with a god-like bull-horned zeal!
Refrain: I call Hekáte of the roadside, lovely god where three roads meet
How to know she is calling to you this Hecate’s night
I get asked this question every time I write or teach about a goddess. Remember, signs and messages appear in many different ways and are unique to the individual. It’s ultimately up to you to discern by opening up your clares, paying attention and listening to your intuition. Also, remember you can choose to work with her as well even if you don’t feel her calling to you. You can be the one to begin building that relationship by reaching out. Below is a list of some ways that you may know she is reaching out to you and beckoning you to meet her at the crossroads this Hecate night.
The number 13 keeps popping up everywhere
You hear dogs howling at night from nowhere
She shows up to you in your dreams
You keep finding yourself at either figurative or literal crossroads
Hecate’s symbols are repeating: the key, crossroads, torch, dagger, Hecate’s wheel
You’re drawn to graveyards and cemeteries
You are in a situation you are seeking protection from a person or situation
You’ve had a spiritual experience (either positive or terrifying) at a crossroads in the woods
You work with Persephone, Hades, or other deities of the Underworld
You’re new to the craft and need guidance but don’t know who to turn to
You are ready to break free from an unhealthy cycle
Hecate comes into witches’ lives who are pregnant and dying (during major transitions in life)
You’re seeing a white dog(s) everywhere you go (in real life or on TV, etc.)
The triple goddess moon symbol is showing up often in your life
Hecate’s name keeps showing up in your daily life (in random conversations, books, TV shows, online, etc.)
You love working with animals, in particular dogs
Stray dogs tend to find you and want you to take them in
You feel you are apart of a down trodden, marginalized, or targeted group of people
You were born under a Dark Moon or on Hecate Night
You seeking aid in the fight for equality and equity
Spirits communicate with you and have your entire life
It’s for you to discern and decide if you will listen to her hounds howling and follow the glow of her torch light as a guide at the crossroads this Hecate’s night.
As the leaves begin to fall and the air turns crisp, the festivals like Samhain, Halloween, and the day of the dead beckons us into the realm of shadows, transformation, and magic. During these festivals its common for many witches and pagans to work with and celebrate deities that connect to and represent the energies central to the reflective and transitional celebrations. This season and it’s celebrations are full of magic, and there are many gods and goddesses who embody its transitional energy. Spooky season during Autumn, specifically the months of October and November, is a really important time in pagan culture and there are plenty of spooky gods and goddesses to work with or worship, depending on your practice, festivals, and celebrations. Let’s take a walk through the veil that is thinned now, allowing us access to our ancestors, the dead, and the otherworld. To take the time to pause, reflect, and truly connect to those who have come before us while we meet SOME of those deities together in this post today.
Persephone
In Greek mythology, Persephone is the goddess of agriculture, the spring, the Underworld, duality, and the wife of Hades. Prior to her marriage with Hades she was known as Kore, which means “daughter” or “maiden”. I find this to be crucial to her story and representation of rebirth, because, before she grabbed power in her marriage to Hades, the gods hadn’t even given her a name or her own place of power. Which makes no sense to me because she was born from two of the most powerful deities. Persephone is the daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. For her to have such little power, be sheltered, and not have her own place of power within the pantheon was in injustice she would rectify through the power of rebirth and duality by becoming Hades wife. Persephone’s journey into the Underworld each autumn mirrors the cycle of life, death, and rebirth that Samhain embodies. As the wife of Hades, Persephone governs the realm of the dead by his side with grace, compassion, and might. Persephone’s presence in the Underworld brings a sense of balance between life and death. While Mabon aka the fall equinox marks Persephone’s descent into the underworld Samhain marks her rightfully ascending to her throne as the queen of the underworld. Working with her this spooky season you can call her as guide into the underworld and communicating with the your ancestors on the other side. Along with using her example to ascend to your own throne and grab your rightful true place of power.
To learn all about this alluring, intriguing, and transitional goddess, and see her story in a whole new light. Plus meet her in a guided meditation you can watch my class all about her here!
Hades
Since we’ve named him already alongside his beloved wife we can’t forget about the Greek god of the underworld himself; Hades (pluto). Hades is the god and king of the Greek Underworld, which gives him power and control over the souls who reside there. Hades, name translates to “unseen” or “sightless”, which really connects him the energy of transition, rebirth, and the liminal space . Connecting to him during this time of year to allow us to walk in and out of the liminal space that is created during this spooky season by the thinning veil. Hades’ father Cronus attempted to swallow him whole to destroy him forever but, in the end he failed. Allowing Hades to truly feel comfortable in the belly of the darkness that is the underworld beyond the veil. Calling on him during this spooky season will give you a calm, reassuring, and compassionate hand guiding you to your loved ones who reside now in his lands.
To learn more about him and meet him you can watch my class on him with Divination Academy here.
Hekate
To some she is Hecate, others Hekate. For many, she comes without a name revealing herself during times of great personal pain and loss. To others she the triple goddess. There is much to learn about Hecate from the written records, but for a witch to truly know Hecate, we need to experience her. Hecate is a complex goddess with a long history. Hecate is an ancient Greek Goddess often associated with the Underworld, witchcraft, necromancy, crossroads, the spiritual realm, and the moon and so much more. She is the Goddess of Witchcraft, a guide along the path, and the universal Keeper of the Keys. The Guide who leads us back to our soul. And she is a face of The Great Mother, creatrix and destroyer of all. She is a liminal spirit – she guards the thresholds between the human and spirit world. She is the bringer of power and healing. She spins the wheel of time, weaving her magic and mystery throughout. The fiery spark that lives in all the universe. Working with her during this spooky season allows her to hold the torch for you as you walk to the crossroads with your ancestors by your side to choose your path for the next year ahead.
To learn more about her and meet her at the crossroads you can watch my class on her with Divination Academy here.
Osiris
Osiris is one of the most important deities in the Egyptian pantheon, he was the first son born to the god of earth geb and sky Nut. He was the Original ruler of the underworld until his wife Isis took over after his death at the hands of his own brother Set. Osiris was not only the ruler of the dead but also the power that granted all life from the underworld, from sprouting vegetation to the annual flood of the Nile River. He’s the god of fertility, resurrection, and the afterlife. Osiris is super important in the Egyptian underworld, called the Duat. He’s not only a god of the afterlife but, he is the one whom judges all the souls. When someone dies, their soul goes on a journey through the Duat, facing all sorts of challenges. Until The big moment at the end when the “Weighing of the Heart” ceremony takes place. They weigh the person’s heart against the feather of Ma’at, who stands for truth and justice. Osiris is there, watching and presiding over the entire thing. Being the one whom listens to the scales and judges each soul with fairness for all. Working with him this spooky season can give you a chance to look at the weight of your own heart through reflection and do the inner work to still try and tip that eternal scale in your favor.
Lady Hel
The ruler of Helheim. Hel Goddess of the Dead, daughter of Loki, is much more than a mysterious name and looming, shadowy presence. She is a deity of immense complexity, but one that is worth learning from. Hel, also called Hella and Hela, is the daughter of the trickster god Loki and the witch-giantess Angrboda in Norse mythology. Along with her brothers, the wolf Fenrir and the snake Jörmungandr, she was raised by her mother in a place called Járnviðr, the Iron Wood. She rules over the land of the dead, under one of the 3 roots of Yggdrasil, called Helheim. Yes, she is terrifying to behold, as the legends go, yet she brings transformation and paves the way for creation after destruction. When she manifests, she appears as a half-dead half-alive woman, showing the paradox between life and death. The polarity, that is needed for the Universe to continue on. Hel’s spiritual powers include death (physical and metaphorical), the afterlife, protection, transformation, omens, wisdom, mystery and ancestral connection. Work with her this spooky season to learn more about ancestors, shadow work, and to explore your fears about death and the afterlife.
To learn more about her and meet her you can watch my class on her with Divination Academy here.
The Morrigan
The Morrigan is the Celtic Goddess known as many things and she takes center stage during spooky season specifically . The Phantom Queen on the battlefield. The crow that soars above the wreckage and ruin. The seeress, the warrior, the protector. Her presence is a reminder of the thinning veil between the worlds and the mysteries that lie beyond. The Celtic Goddess of War is mysterious and dangerous, and chooses who she aids carefully. the Morrigan is intimately linked to the concepts of fate and prophecy. In Celtic mythology, she is believed to possess the ability to shape and determine the destinies of individuals and even entire kingdoms. Her prophetic powers grant her the ability to foresee battles and events, influencing the outcomes and playing a crucial role in the unfolding of history. The Morrigan’s role as a weaver of fate emphasizes the delicate balance between free will and the forces that guide our lives both in this one and the next. During Samhain, She is said to guide the souls of the departed and can offer protection to those who seek her aid in navigating the realms beyond. Work with her during this spooky season to protect you as work with your ancestors and energies beyond the veil. If your lucky she may even allow you a glimpse into your upcoming year.
To learn more about her and meet her you can watch my class on her with Divination Academy here.
Lilith
For 4,000 years Lilith has wandered the earth. Lilith is a “Dark” Goddess, she is one of incredible power, charisma, and persuasion. She is a mistress of the divine feminine and a true seductress. She is a Queen of Darkness and understands the powerful energies that sleep in the night and can bend them to her will. She hears the dark whispers of the forgotten night. The sleeping Dark mother who calls to the creatures of the nights and nurtures them in blankets of moonlight. She is Lilith, the Dark Mother and she is incredible to work with!
She is a healer and a lover and one who can provide comfort and support to those in need. Her night energies provide rest and comfort and she can inspire those who work with her with dreams. She empowers those she works with. She can awaken our power and help us to claim who we are and our space and become the people we desire to be. She reminds us of our truth and the powerful individuals that we are. Lilith is not bad or evil. Lilith is the voice inside of you telling you to act when you feel you’ve been treated unfairly by the patriarchy. She is the voice that says it’s not only ok but good to enjoy sex and your sensuality. She is the voice calling for the divine feminine in each one of us to stand up and fight for our power. Working with her this spooky season while the veil is thin can help you to get in touch with your inner wild woman, your divine feminine and let her raging power out!
To learn more about her you can read my previous post all about her here.
cernunnos
cernunnos the Celtic god of the harvest is the heart of Samhain celebrations. Often depicted with antlers or horns upon his head, he is a symbol of the untamed wildness of the natural world. As the god of life, death, and rebirth, cernunnos perfectly embodies the cyclical nature of existence that Samhain celebrates. During Samhain ,cernunnos’ energy is palpable. He represents the harvest’s end and the descent into winter’s slumber, a reflection of the fading light and the approaching darkness. His influence extends to the realm of the spirits, as he guides departed souls through the veil between life and death. Work with him this spooky season to connect your heart back to the wild parts of who you are. while giving thanks for the harvest that will keep you alive during the long cold and dark winter months ahead.
Oya
Mighty Oya, a Yoruban Orisha or Goddess, of mighty transformation and change controls the rain, winds, and storms. She’s mothering, powerful, and has a strong desire to help women through their struggles to transform. Oya represents the crone phase of the Triple Goddess and is closely associated with death and rebirth, another symbol of transformation. Allow Oya to blow her winds of change around your life to bring about something greater this spooky season.
Dionysus
Dionysus is a Greek god most well known for his wine-loving ways, but there’s SO much more to him than what’s on the surface. He is the Greek god of wine, intoxication, sacred polarity, ecstatic trance, dance and theatrical performance, sacred hallucinogens, and masked processions and festivals. He is a very unique god in the Greek pantheon because, he isn’t thought to be one of the original Olympians. But, to have originated from Thrace as a titan and later was added to the pantheon. He not only wasn’t part of the original 13 deities of the Greek pantheon but, he is said to be twice-born. Before he became Dionysus he was born to Zeus and Persephone as their son Zagreus. His story is one of death, sacrifice, transformation, and rebirth which is why he is such a great deity to work with during this spooky season. Use him and his love of wine to help you connect to the deepest shadows of yourself to allow rebirth and connect to the spirits in the underworld.
If you would like to learn more about his first life as Zagreus, what his story means and how he can show up in your life join the Modgepodgemystic Mysteries my patreon community today where I share my journey with him.
Baba Yaga
To modern witches and Slavic pagans, Baba Yaga is a witch goddess who lives deep in a birch forest moving from place to place among the trees in her hut she calls home on top of giant chicken legs. From time to time when she needs to gather more supplies you might catch a glimpse of her flying by up in the sky from her magical mortar and pestle. She’s a wild and untamed old woman, often seen as a hag or crone, but can transform herself into a beautiful woman to manipulate or trick someone if she desires. Baba Yaga is a goddess of wisdom, healing, transformation, death, rebirth, renewal and autumn/winter. When healing is needed, whether it’s from colds/flu or emotional healing, Baba Yaga can offer healing often in the form of herbal teas brewed by herself. Calling on her during this spooky season can lead you through the veil to her skull fenced lined home. To peer into her cauldron and gain the most ancient ancestral wisdom she guards.
To learn more about her you can read my previous post here.
Santa Muerte
Santa Muerte, also known as the Bony Lady, “Holy Death,” “The White Lady,” and “La Hueseda” is a special saint with a deep connection to the essence of death. Santisima Muerte emerges from the depths of history, tracing her origins to the sacred traditions of the ancient Aztecs. Her compelling narrative intertwines with the tapestry of life and death, offering solace and guidance to those who seek her enigmatic presence. Today she is a female folk saint and deity in Mexican folk Catholicism and paganism. She is a personification of death, but is also associated with healing, protection, and safe passage to the afterlife. Santa Muerte is not just about death; she also holds sway over the spirit world and mystical dimensions. This allows people to connect with the spirits of the deceased and other mystical beings. Because death has the power to transform our consciousness, she’s considered a powerful spirit for magic, helping people develop wisdom, strength, and awareness.
During this spooky season she is the patron saint who is at the heart of The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos. Which is a national holiday when the souls of the dead are thought to return to enjoy the pleasures of life as well as the closeness of family and friends. Rather than a somber occasion, the Day of the Dead is intended to be a bright and joyous one. People gather to celebrate the spirits of their deceased loved ones and the lives that they lived. This celebration is not only believed to strengthen the bonds of the family but is also an opportunity to ask the dead for their assistance and protection. Work with Santa Muerte this spooky season to remind you of the love and joy you shared with your passed loves instead of making it a sad and somber affair.
To learn more about her you can check out this class all about her at Divination Academy.
How to connect to and work with these deities
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. But here are some ideas to get you started on ways to work with any or all of these deities of the fall. Remember; it’s important to approach them with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with them. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back. Don’t forget to check out my shop and for an eBook to help you explore how you view deities more and coming soon my deep devotionals prerecorded workshop series will be available for purchase.
Research, study and read about who they are, where they come from, and their myths and legends
Refresh your altar and add any of them to it. Or create a new one. Use any of the correspondences listed for each deity above that resonates with you!
Cast spells to help with personal transition or transformation allowing the deities of the transitional season to guide you through the process
Cast spells or host rituals including them to connect to, communicate with, or venerate passed loved and ancestors long since gone
Call on hekate/hecate at the crossroads to make a key decision in your life with the veil thinned
Practice liminal magic working with the veil and have your magic be amplified by the assistance of the deities who travel and/or live there the most
Leave offerings for them at graveyards, or cemeteries thanking them for protecting and guiding the souls who are resting there
Use their correspondences and energies in protection spells especially for ones for your home
Save them a plate and a seat at your dumb supper with your ancestors
add their sigil when you make a pentagram wreath and hang on your door, your hearth, or your altar
Prepare winter stores of food with kitchen magic and add their sigils to your recipes and jars to protect your food storage jars
Create a spell jar for them and add them to your altars or place them somewhere in your home
Shadow work focusing on death, rebirth, transition, and your relationship to your ancestral lines. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.
Call on them to be your guide as you walk through the veil to the other side
Envision them and their energy as you meditate and contemplate your relationship with life, death, and the afterlife
Invite them to your circle and castings when performing graveyard magic
Include them in your celebrations for any festivals like Samhain, all souls day , and dias de los Muertos
Ask them for assistance as guides into past life regression work, and healing generational wounds
Ask them to assist you with working through a grieving process and understanding death and dying
Add their sigil to your candles to be used during your candle ceremony to honor your ancestors this spooky season
Conclusion
However you choose to work with the deities of this spooky season, whether it be when celebrating Samhain, all souls day, or Dias de los Muertos be open and prepared for the darkness, rebirth, and transformation this season has. They will do this for you by being a guiding hand as you walk side by side with the ancients and your passed loved ones through the thinning veil. Leading you to a liminal space of healing, remembrance, and death. Allowing you to shed your current skin as a new cycle begins with their divine guidance and, support, until this new journey ends.
The legend of Medusa is well-known in greek mythology. It tells of a beautiful woman transformed into a gorgon: who some would consider to be a hideous monster with venomous serpents for hair. She is feared by many, especially men. This is because, she is incredibly misunderstood. Due to the fact that most of her myth and story isn’t commonly told and her tragic beginning many have tried to have lost in the waters of time. The truth behind the myth of Medusa doesn’t start with Perseus. It doesn’t even start with Medusa being cursed by Athena. It starts long before that, with the god of the sea Poseidon.
Because of her story many pagans and witches, especially women chose to work with her as a goddess. She’s a powerful symbol of transformation. Transformation of anger and pain into passion and drive, accountability for oneself and growing from it. Seeing ourselves for who we truly are at our core, and approaching your obstacles and challenges with ferocity. Her name says it all; “Medusa” means “guardian, or protectress”. As a Gorgon, Medusa also represents a primordial force of chaos and destruction, embodying the untamed and unpredictable aspects of the natural world. Her petrifying gaze can be interpreted as a reminder of the inherent danger and potential for devastation that exists within the natural order. She uses it to protect others, especially women. And to show others their true nature; if they choose to take from another something they have no right to take.
Let go of your fear about her and come with me to stare into the slithering snakes upon her head to learn the truth about her myth, how she is much more than a monster but, a goddess who was demonized, and how to work with her.
Who Is Medusa?
Most view Medusa as a monster and they would be partially correct, but she is a goddess as well born of divine blood. Medusa is a complex being whose name evokes different emotions: fear, awe, anger, fascination and even courage. Her name means “guardian” or “protectress”. Medusa was born to two sea deities Ceto and Phorcyos, along with her sisters, Euryale (The far springer) and Stheno ( the mighty or strong). For some reason I can’t quite figure out why, but Medusa was mortal unlike her sisters. Medusa was shockingly beautiful as a mortal. She had long, silky hair and a beautiful body. She was a devotee of the Goddess Athena. Medusa was loyal to Athena and vowed to follow her path.
Medusa The Guardian and Protector
Medusa is a very powerful goddess to work with for protection. I mean her name says it all; “Medusa” means “guardian, or protectress”. Medusa literally means the definition of power and being the powerful one. Not only that but, she was devoted to Athena and had learned many forms of protection while guarding her temple. Which allows her to lend her guardianship to those who seek it when they call to her. Don’t forget her origin either which adds even more power behind her protection. Born of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, it is often forgotten that Medusa herself is a goddess of the sea. Which is a place of immense power and has the capability to do serious damage to the earth and humans if it chooses to. Her rage which she calls on for protection, is as powerful as the most ravenous hurricane and has the ability to drown those who seek to harm her.
Medusa The Demonized Victim
Medusa’s story is the tale of the deep cut of society’s knife: creating, blaming, and demonizing the victim for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Medusa’s tale is unfortunately a common one in myths and legends especially for the greek pantheon. It’s a tale of a beautiful women being defiled by a man who decided he would take something without permission. But, with Medusa she gets victimized even further after her rape and is turned into, what many consider a monster instead of getting protection from the goddess she served. This happening to her, leads to her story being retold in a way that paints her as a monster instead of the victim and to many erases her trauma completely. Which eventually leads to her murder and many thinking she was just another monster being slain by a hero. Instead of a victim of multiple gods and society, whose rage is justified and used to protect others from befalling the same fate.
Medusa The Goddess Of Femininity
Medusa is also known as a goddess of femininity, fertility, and menstruation. During her story we see representations of all phases of fertility and the aspects of women from her vow of chastity, her loss of that through the violation of rape, her hair being turned into a symbol of fertility the snakes, and the birth of children at her death. We also see it in many of her descriptions as a maiden and being a very beautiful one at that. Medusa’s power extends to those who need aid in these areas, so seek her out if you’re looking for guidance while trying to conceive or experiencing any sort of reproductive health issues.
Medusa’s Connection To Snakes
When she is cursed by Athena she acquires her famous hair made of snakes, when she is transformed into a gorgon. This has great significance to who she is, what she represents, and the powers she holds. When we look at the symbolism of snakes themselves they represent; fertility, a closeness to the earth, and the continued cycle of shedding in life. We see these themes throughout her story and who she is. She goes through many different changes in her story. Where she sheds many different skins from a mortal temple maiden, to a violated victim, what some view as a fearsome monster, and finally a mother upon her death.
Medusa’s Birth and Sisters
As we dive deeper into greek mythology medusa’s’ origin, and family is something that for me seems to be unique to most prominent figures in the pantheon. I say this because, usually there is a plethora of information with many differences in details. But, with medusa we don’t have a lot of information about her origin and family and what we do have I can only find one place of difference in her family history. So, who is her family and what is her origin?
Medusa was one of the daughters of the primordial sea-god Phorcys and his sister and wife, Ceto, deities of the hidden dangers of the deep and large sea creatures, like the kraken. She had siblings as well, two sisters named; Euryale (The far springer) and Stheno ( the mighty or strong). The three of them together are commonly known now, as the three gorgon sisters. But, their origin and identities is where we have differences with her family.
In many of the stories, the sisters were all BORN Gorgons not turned into them, while in others only Stheno and Euryale were. In some tales, specifically Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the most commonly known version of her story. Medusa was born MORTAL and was turned into a gorgon, while her sisters were already immortal. In that version of the story her sisters were turned into gorgons alongside her since they attempted to protect her from Athena. All three of the sisters were close and they fiercely loved and protected each other and we see that in every version of the story. Even when medusa was murdered her sisters heard it, and immediately went to take chase of the killer. When they failed they went back to their island to mourn. It’s said to have moved Athena so much, that she modeled after it the mournful music of the double pipe, the aulos.
The Story Of Medusa
Medusa the Priestess to Athena and Poseidon
The story of Medusa first appeared in Ovid’s work. There are now two versions to the beginning of her myth and story. Let me tell you the most commonly known and accepted version first.
Medusa was a priestess to Athena. Athens is the goddess of war and wisdom. She is also one of the virgin goddesses. Part of the requirements of being a priestess to Athena would have included Medusa promising to remain chaste while in service.
One day while Medusa was out gathering water for service in the temple, Poseidon happens to come upon her and he sees her. Medusa was rumored to be incredibly beautiful. So, as to what happens next; something far to common in many greek myths; Poseidon sees her, wants her, and decides she is his to take even amidst her rejections. It is said that she ran to the Temple of Athena seeking protection.
I mean why wouldn’t she? It was nearby, she was a servant to her, she protected women’s Chastity, and her and poseidon weren’t exactly friends either. But, Protection isn’t what she got. Poseidon rapes Medusa on the floor of the Temple of Athena.
Athena comes and sees that her temple has been defiled. She doesn’t blame her fellow god though; she blames the mortal Medusa. Medusa’s sisters come to her defense and thus suffer part of the punishment. Athena curses Medusa with a head full of snakes, and that any man who looks at her will be turned to stone. This punishment turned Medusa into a monster that is isolated from the world of men thus she can never be near another man again for breaking her vow of celibacy.
The second version of the beginning of her myth looks at the goddess Athena and what some call a curse a little differently. The initial telling of this myth depicts Athena acting out in anger and Athena punishing her. But, in this version Athena’s response is one from a place of understanding and concern. After all, Medusa took a vow of celibacy; she never wanted to be touched in the first place.
Instead of looking at it from the view of a curse look at it as a gift. Athena then gifts Medusa with a special weapon that frees her from the possibility of ever suffering such an assault ever again. From then on, men would fear the very sight of her, and Medusa would be protected from the unwanted touch of them. She wouldn’t have to deal with being violated, ever again. Those snakes on her head and her gaze to turn others into stone were truly a gift of protection and compassion in this version of the myth.
I also think that Medusa wanted the power of the snakes especially after what she went through. Though the transition may have been difficult, she probably chose to live this life in order to feel safe and protected. Medusa is all about finding your own inner power and using it. This power also allows her to protect others and stop them from having to suffer they way she had too.
Medusa and Perseus
In what is probably the most popular myth about the story of Medusa, the so-called hero Perseus was sent to slay Medusa.
The Greek “hero” Perseus is sent to take Medusa’s head in order to save his mother from marrying a selfish, evil king. Perseus was granted help by the gods in the form of divine tools. From Athena, Perseus received a mirrored shield. He uses this shield to gaze upon Medusa without being turned to stone and then he beheads her with a divine sword. A key note here as well, in most versions he waited until Medusa was asleep. But from Medusa’s tragic death springs new life and beauty; because every time the gods have sex a child is born. So at the moment Perseus cuts off her head, a Pegasus flies out of her body and is born. And the giant Chrysaor was born through the wound in her neck. Their father being Poseidon who had impregnated her during her rape. After the battle Perseus returns and gives the head to Athena, who in turn places it on her shield, protecting her as she goes into battle from than on.
Once this story comes into play it’s hard to imagine that Athena had good intentions in mind when cursing Medusa to begin with. Ultimately, it’s Athena’s tool that leads to her death. Why would a deity she served and gifted her with protection, than later provide the man with the tool to kill her? So, I will leave that up to you to decide how you feel about it.
No matter the point-of-view you believe of these tales, there is one common theme: Medusa befalls tragedies that no woman or man should have to suffer. As a result, she is persecuted further by the very goddess she sought to serve. Her rage is unmet, and her ferocity is as deep and as strong as the seas. It’s a story about society creating, blaming, and demonizing the victim for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Medusa’s Worship In History
Medusa and an image of a gorgan shows up in other cultures as well outside of Greece. People would carve her image over their doors to ward off evil and protect their homes. Medusa’s name in ancient Greek means “to guard and protect.” They recently discovered an amulet with the head of Medusa on it carried by a Roman soldier to England. Anthropologists believe that Roman soldiers would carry her image with them in their travels as protection. It’s even said, Medusa’s head was ultimately buried under the agora at Argos.
There is also the thought and belief that has become more popular recently, that there existed a matriarchal religion that she become the center of after her curse. Which is what led to her beheading, murder, and the demonization of her story after that throughout history. The gods sent Perseus to slay her and the threat to the very patriarchal religion and society of Greece.
What Is A Gorgon?
Medusa was transformed into a gorgon and is considered to be a gorgon goddess so what is one? It’s thought that the word gorgon comes from the word gorgos which means fierce or terrible which makes sense when you look at their description. Gorgons are described as winged serpentine creatures. Their bodies are covered in scales and they have large, round heads with snakes sprouting from them instead of hair. Most of the sources I have read claim those snakes are venomous as well. Some poets even went so far as to describe their boar-like tusks and massive lolling tongue. Their large eyes are not often remembered, for they transform you to stone at a moment’s glance. The gorgons originate from Greek mythology and we only see 3 mentioned by name in texts and poems; Medusa the queen and her two sisters. Other than that we do not know if others exist or its simply these three sister as a result of Medusa’s curse. I lean towards that others exist since we have similar creatures like Nagas in other cultures as well.
What Does Medusa Look Like?
It’s said that Medusa was incredibly beautiful before she was transformed. She has been described by the Poet Ovid as having a beautiful face and long, flowing hair. I have to note many poets wrote of the maiden as a seductress despite her chastity bonds. But, you have to remember who the author is and that most of them were men. So, was she really a seductress or just a beautiful young women confident in her own body? However, once transformed, Medusa’s appearance tremendously changed. She had been transformed into a gorgon and her appearance changed to resemble that. It was said though by some poets including Pindar that she still appeared as a beautiful women underneath the scales and snakes for hair, unlike her sisters.
Medusa’s Gaze
Medusa has many powers but, her most famous power: the ability to turn men to stone is probably the most intriguing. It’s very important to note that throughout all the myths and epic poems, I have read, there is never once a record of her ever turning any woman to stone with her deadly gaze. Which really shows us that she uses it as a way to protect women. To take vengeance upon those who have taken advantage of women and binding those who intend to do them harm. It also shows the emphasis on her power lying in the feminine shadow and her connection to femininity.
Her gaze not only is a powerful weapon men fear, but it has a lot of symbolism for those who work with her to ponder. Medusa’s gaze can represent the inability to face certain truths or confronting one’s fears. To the point they leave us paralyzed in life or stuck. Medusa’s gaze can also represent the contrast between romantic idealism and reality. Avoiding looking into her eyes can represent avoiding our reality and the reality of the cosmos around us. So, when we choose to gaze into them we become paralyzed by the overwhelm of reality.
Medusa And Duality
Since I am a grey witch every single energy I work with I look at how it can help me maintain balance and how it can represent the cosmic energy of duality. Medusa embodies the complexity and duality of human nature. On one hand, she is depicted as a monster capable of petrifying men. But prior to that she was once a beautiful woman who was betrayed by the goddess she served. This duality reflects the intricate nature of humanity, showcasing how individuals can possess both positive vs negative or wanted vs unwanted aspects within themselves.
She also shows us the complex duality that exist within being a victim. Being victimized, abused, or violated can push us into a place of darkness, despair and deep hurting. It can set you back in your mental health, your life, and your journey to healing. Which doesn’t allow you to transform into your true self. Or instead we can take that pain and darkness and turn it into personal power and our ultimate weapon to protect ourselves. Just like we see Medusa do. She could have taken the curse and hid away but, instead she uses it to protect herself and others who come to her seeking it with a rage as fierce as a hurricane.
Correspondences To Connect To Medusa
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently, or a deity, like I will list below for you to use. Keep in mind there isn’t written documentation in antiquity that will give you this list for her. This list is compiled by my own personal experience with her, and aligning with each of her energies we can connect too.
Animal-Snakes, reptiles,
Element-Water
Sex- Feminine
Symbol- snakes, Aegis, the sea or ocean, gorgons, the maiden, the pegasus, seashells,
colors- silver, green, black
Themes- protection, victimization, femininity, justice, beauty, the ocean/water, banishing, transformation, personal power, female empowerment, standing up for yourself, sisterhood, binding, paralysis, rage, fertility, menstruation, wisdom, feminine shadow, healing
Stones/ crystals- Serpentine, black obsidian, smokey quartz, aquamarine, bloodstone, Labradorite, malachite, black tourmaline, moss agate,snakeskin jasper, tigers eye
How To Know Medusa Is Calling To Work With You
I get asked this question every time I write or teach about a goddess and even though some consider her a monster, for many witches and pagans, myself included she comes to them as a goddess. Remember, signs and messages appear in many different ways and are unique to the individual. It’s ultimately up to you to discern by opening up your clares, paying attention and listening to your intuition. Also, remember you can choose to work with her as well even if you don’t feel her calling to you. You can be the one to begin building that relationship by reaching out. Below is a list of some ways that you may know she is reaching out to you.
You hear her name randomly throughout the day or think of her often
She pops up around you in your life like in tv, movies, games, social media, books etc.
You get gifted something that is related to her
You see the symbol of snakes or actual snakes often cross your path
If you live near an ocean and you keep finding big chunks of coral
She appears to you in a vision, dream, meditation, or prayer
You are going through a time of transition, and shedding of your identity
When you are trying to conceive
If you are having issues with your femininity and/or menstrual cycle
You need protection especially if you are a woman seeking protection from a man
Seeking justice against someone who has violated you
You are working on healing sexual trauma
If you experience an awakening at a cave and/or body of water especially the ocean
If you feel called to work in women’s rights or volunteer at a women’s shelter
You are going through a time where society or your family is ostracizing you
You are ready to stand in your own power
You have been paralyzed in life or stuck and are ready to move forward
You have a deep bond with your sisters or are looking to create a deep bond
You are recovering from domestic violence
Ways To Work With and Connect To Medusa
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. If you need help to figure this out you can purchase my eBook here on the Introduction to working with pagan deities.
But here are some ideas to get you started on ways to work with Medusa. Remember; it’s important to approach her with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with her. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back.
Study, get to know her
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a goddess like Medusa is to study all you can about her. I’ll be honest finding information on her can be a little scarce but, you can start by going back to the mythology section of this blog and go read the myths and stories she is in like; the different tellings of her rape, and being cursed, and her Murder at the hand of Perseus. Take time to consider how you interpret her story as well. Did Athena curse her and she turned it into a powerful tool of protection? Or did she give Medusa a gift to protect her from all men going forward? But, if that is the case why did she later gift perseus with the tool that led to her death? There is a lot to think about with her when learning about her, to build your relationship with her. Make sure to Learn about her sisters the other gorgons as well since they have such a fierce bond. You can even, study the culture, region, and worship of the people of Greece where she is from. The more you study and learn the better! When working with a deity it is all about building a true relationship with them and you do this first by getting to know who they are.
Dedicate Altar Space
Set aside some space in honor of Medusa. This can be an elaborate large altar or as simple as a small shelf or corner of a counter. Place a representation of Medusa there; be sure to cleanse the space before you invite her in. Include all of her colors, her symbols, and representations of snakes and any of her other correspondences you can use to connect to her. This will be a container that reminds you to connect with her and her energy. To allow you a container of protection, connecting to your power, and shedding your skin in transformation. Make sure when you create an altar for her that you keep poseidon far from it even though they both are connected to the oceans. I also don’t allow Athena near her either but, that will depend on your interpretation of her role in Medusa’s story. Remember to NEVER put a mirror or reflective item on her altar. It will turn her stone and it’s just disrespectful to represent the tool that led to her murder.
Everyone loves receiving gifts, and that includes deities like Medusa. You don’t have to give her offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. You can place these offerings at your altar or if you live near a body of water you can place them at the shoreline.You can even place them at the mouth of a cave if you have one available to you. You can also give her offerings when performing any work to connect to her like meditation, prayer, visualization, and spellwork. Below I will list some of the best offerings you can give her, but keep in mind these are just some ideas from my own personal experience with her and her corresponding energies. Just follow your intuition.
Seawater or representations of the sea
Pieces of coral
Plates of seafood and wine
snake skins or representations of snakes
seashells, driftwood, or other things found washed up on the shoreline
Evil eye charms
Any of the correspondences listed above like herbs and crystals that associate with her
sand
hagstone
Pearls
Seaweed
sea salt
Image or statue of her; especially of her gaze
Serving others in need especially women
Call on her during protection spells and magic
The Goddess Medusa is a known guardian, so she lends her aid to those who need her protection. If you are seeking aid or guardianship after a domestic dispute, a violation, or after being demonized, evoke the power of Medusa. With her ability to turn men to stone, when you call on her gaze for protection she is able to assist in some of the most potent bindings I have done. She can help bind those particularly, who pose a threat to women. She is also an intense force for justice and female empowerment which can be used in protection spells that challenge your enemies, allow you to face your deepest fears and to hex those who have abused or violated you. The goddess Medusa is a fierce force to aid you in protection. She rages with the force of a hurricane to assist you to stand up for yourself, seek vengeance, and break free from any chains, those who have hurt still bind you in.
Work With the Snake
Medusa is the goddess of snakes. The snake is her familiar and fierce protector. If you want to work with Medusa the snake should become an ally of yours. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to own one as a pet but, you can add them to your magical workings. You can work with them as a spirit guide or familar depending on your belief system. When working with them in that way, the snake or serpents can guide you to universal truths, cosmic knowledge, the shedding of skins, and profound healing. Lastly, you can even use the image of the snake in protection workings or snakeskins being added as spell ingredients, like in spell jars.
Shadow work To understand your own personal power
Just like with every other deity I have ever written or taught about shadow work is a phenomenal way to connect to and work with the goddess Medusa. I find that the most important thing Medusa will teach you is how to use your power. She’ll show you that you don’t need to be afraid of power and that the innate power you have inside of you is already strong and beautiful; you simply need to learn how to use it. She will show you through shadow work how powerful you truly can be, when you become the best version of yourself. When you don’t allow your emotions, past traumas, and the actions of others to drown you but, to empower you and fill you with rage!
If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here. And don’t forget to register for new 6 week workshop series Embracing your shadow here!
Meditation, visualization and Dream work
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into goddesses like Medusa is through meditation, visualization and dreaming. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess.. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. I have many classes on youtube as well on previous deities you can watch where I even summon and guide you to them in sacred container. In addition, ask Medusa to visit you in your dreams and teach you lessons that you currently need to learn. Then record every encounter with her in your journal, book of shadows, or grimoire.
Ward off the Evil eye
Because of Medusa’s fearsome looks, her image was used for centuries in ancient Greece to ward off the evil eye. We see her image used in antiquity on soldiers armor, pieces of jewelry, and above the doors of homes. So, you to can use her image as a way to ward it off still today. You can carry an image of her with you or wear an amulet with one on it. You can even place it at the threshold of your home or above your doorway.
Water based magic
Medusa is a sea goddess. Because of this, all water-related magic, including working with the sea, storm magic, water scrying, and elemental magic. Water magic encompasses themes of emotions, intuition, healing, and spiritual transformation. It allows witches to dive deep into their emotions, heal past wounds, and connect with their inner wisdom. You can connect to this aspect of her for guidance when you need strong feminine power and the innately intuitive energy of water in your rituals. Or for spiritual and healing energy for true transformation.
Mirror Magic
Mirror gazing is a profound and symbolic aspect of working with the goddess Medusa, as it allows you to connect with the essence of her reflective power. The mirror, as a tool in your magical practice, represents introspection, self-reflection, and the power of seeing beyond the surface. This practice serves as a potent gateway to tap into Medusa’s transformative energy while acknowledging her famous mirrored shield. To learn more about mirror magic and how to add one of my favorite types of magic to your magic you can read my guide here.
Prayers
One very powerful way to connect to a deity is through prayer. Things to Pray for: protection, power, healing from sexual trauma, aid with rage, justice, female empowerment, understanding and unlocking your own personal power, fertility, transformation, shedding an identity, breaking free from abusive bonds
Prayer To Medusa
This prayer is written by me and one I use especially during shadow work with her. You won’t find any written prayers from antiquity so, this is one you can use or you can follow your intuition and write your own.
I call to you dear goddess Medusa, the one who some call a monster But, I see your snakes as the protectors they are I call to you dear goddess Medusa now is the time for me to shed my skin To take my pain, my abuse, and violations committed against me and turn them into a fierce personal power I call to you dear goddess Medusa to show me the way through your gaze Guiding me into the depths of my emotions for healing and transformation and justice. Dear goddess Medusa guide me so I may leave the seas within myself ready to rage with the power of hurricane behind me. To stand my ground in the face of any adversity. To seek justice and vengeance against those who have abused and violated me. Lend me your hair of snakes to petrify those who wish me harm into stone for eternity.
Fight for women’s rights and empowerment
Lastly, In recent years, Medusa has become a symbol of female empowerment. A statue was erected in Manhattan outside of the courthouse where Weinstein was brought to stand trial for numerous acts of assault against women even! Medusa stands proud and strong, holding Perseus’ severed head in her hand. In this we see the symbolic representation of women standing up against their abuser, and ultimately getting the justice owed to them. So, one great way to work with and connect to Medusa is by Standing up for women’s rights in whatever way you can and invoking the fierce, protective energy of Medusa the goddess. You can do things like join your local pro abortion activism group, volunteer at a domestic violence shelter, lobby at your local government for pro women legislation, vote, or become a sexual assault advocate.
Why work with Medusa?
So, after all we have talked about why should you work with Medusa? Working with the goddess Medusa encourages you to dive deep into a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding and trust in your inner power. Embracing Medusa is fundamental for personal growth and transformation. Medusa’s mythology, is a testament to the enduring strength and resilience that resides within her. About taking what was meant to be a curse and turning it into an ultimate tool for protection. Through the things that befall her, being victimized, and her many transformations, she emerged as a symbol of empowerment and fierce protection. Teaching us that even in the face of adversity, our inner strength can prevail. By trusting your inner power, you are aligning with Medusa’s spirit of unwavering resilience, rage, and justice. This trust in your inner power becomes the driving force for personal growth, resilience, protection and empowerment, aligning you with the essence of the goddess Medusa.
Sekhmet, lioness goddess of Ancient Egypt, is the powerful precursor to the more docile, fun-loving Bastet. She’s known as the Lady of Terror, Mistress Dread, and Lady of Flame. Yes, she’s fierce and a goddess of war. But she also has a protective, healing side that many sources don’t tap into. Like a lioness, Sekhmet watches over her pride, and will hunt and defend as the need arises. Sekhmet, the Bloodthirsty, could be both a loving mother and a ruthless foe.
She is an ancient Egyptian goddess of war, healing, the sun, and plagues. She was also the patron deity of physicians and healers, and could at one time spread disease and cure it. Equally feared and worshiped, the lioness Sekhmet was without a doubt one of the most prominent goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon.
Sekhmet is an ancient Egyptian goddess of healing, protection and war. With the fierce powers of both a lioness and a cobra, she is seen as a powerful protector to those working in witchcraft. Let’s Learn about Sekhmet, Goddess of War and Healing and how to work with her energy in your spiritual practice and daily life.
Who is Sekhmet, the Lioness Goddess of Egypt?
Sekhmet is an ancient Egyptian goddess of war whose belief and worship was born in Lower Egypt. Next to Bastet, Sekhmet is the most important and influential of leonine goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon. Some believe that the Ancient Egyptian goddess Sekhmet was actually the goddess Hathor, which transformed herself due to the power of the Eye of Ra.. In some mythology, She is the daughter of Ra; in others, She is the daughter of Nut, the Sky, and Geb, the Earth.
She’s known as the Eye of Ra, one of his formidable daughters, of whom he employed to punish humanity when he got sick of us. (I’ll go over the myth in more detail later.) She nearly destroyed the entire human species with her wrath and fiery breath. Sekhmet is frequently portrayed as the embodiment of the Eye of Ra, meaning she was a personified enactor of Ra’s vengeance and a destroyer of his enemies. Sekhmet is a lioness, but she is also a representation of the blazing, hot desert sun. Her name likely means “strong”, “powerful”, “violent” or “mighty”.
Some sources see Sekhmet as a manifestation of the powerful creator god Ra. Her fiery breath not only destroys, but it creates. Many scholars claim from stories that her “hot breath created the desert”. In addition to using her fiery breath to destroy, she also has the power to call on plagues for further death and destruction. Sekhmet is a known healer, therefore granting life on the other side of death and decay. We see a sacred polarity with Sekhmet, as she indeed has a softer side and grants healing to those she deems worthy. In fact, at one point, Sekhmet’s physicians were the most well-known and beloved.
What is Sekhmet Goddess of?
Sekhmet is first and foremost a goddess of war and destruction. She is the Eye of Ra, and he called on her to exact his revenge and wrath in the old myths. It’s said that when Sekhmet rained wrath down upon humanity, the only way to stop her from destroying us was by pouring out red-dyed beer to trick her into thinking it was blood. She drank it and became intoxicated which stopped her. This was an act completed by Ra when he realized he had to stop her.
Sekhmet is also known to bring plague, or call on epidemics, yet has the power of giving life and healing to those she feels are worthy. The “Seven Arrows of Sekhmet” were feared by the Egyptian people and certain rituals were performed and offerings given to appease this terrifying goddess. Sekhmet is the hot breeze of the desert and a solar deity.
But despite the monstrously violent aspects of Sekhmet, she was also worshiped as a goddess of healing. This stems from her ability to invoke and manipulate plagues and diseases.
Not only can she brandish them as a weapon or a scourge of humanity, but she can also cure them and restore life to the afflicted. As such, Sekhmet, goddess of war and healing, is a patron of doctors or physicians. Her priests were known for being physicians: they were originally established to worship and honor Sekhmet to appease her. And to keep her wrath at bay. Eventually, they would play a crucial role in medicine by reciting spells and prayers to Sekhmet while also applying herbal remedies to those in need of healing. Amulets were worn in the shape of Sekhmet to appease her and to invoke her protection and healing. Her priests performed a rite known as “appeasing Sekhmet” to ward off pestilence and plague.
Sekhmet and Duality
She evokes a distinct sense of duality; of violence tempered by compassion. Like a lioness, she is a guardian and is fiercely protective of those in her charge. But paradoxically, she also wields a capacity for inestimable violence and terror.
In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, there are multiple mentions of Sekhmet as both a constructive and destructive force. But even in her destructive facet, she is, above anything, the keeper of cosmic balance or Ma’at. However, sometimes, she tried too hard to keep the balance between life and death, resorting to extreme practices to control the population. Plagues in ancient Egypt were often called “messengers” or “slaughterers” of Sekhmet, for they were supposed to follow her commands.
Sekhmet and the divine feminine
As women, we are told that showing our anger is not becoming, it is not lady-like, but anger, as every other emotion, is valid. Sekhmet represents the sacred rage that is ours, our true strength as women. Our anger is sacred and holy; it is the anger to change worlds — think Joan of Arc, Rosa Parks. Anger forces us to action. Use her to help you connect to your true divine feminine power and your rage to protect those who need protecting as a role of a fierce protective feminine energy.
Sekhmet as symbol of the state
Sekhmet is also known as a goddess of sovereignty. One of her roles was protector of the pharaohs, even beyond death — once a pharaoh passed away, Sekhmet would bring them to the afterlife.
Sekhmet as a dark goddess
She is the Goddess of the Sun, Lady of the Flame and Guardian of the gateway of rebirth. She is fierce but loving, protecting her own and those loyal to her, strong and powerful and will see hidden truths. Warrior, hunter and a healer.
Sekhmet will encourage you to live and follow your sacred path of inner integrity, help you to speak your truth and be honest and will empower you. She will help you with self healing and healing for others and will protect you.
A dark Goddess, she will help you with shadow work and to look deep within.
What does Sekhmet look like?
In Egyptian art, she was depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, and sometimes her skin would be painted green just as Osiris was. She carried an ankh sign on her left hand and a long-stemmed lotus flower on her right hand. Her head was crowned by a large solar disk, relating her to the sun god Ra, and an uraeus, the serpent associated with Egyptian kingship.
Often she was seated on a throne and wears a long red dress. This is why she is sometimes referred to as the Mistress of Scarlet or Mistress of Red Linen. The red dress is a nod to her wrathful nature and fiery breath. Sometimes she has symbols painted over her nipples, which are assumed to be illustrations of lioness fur OR a representation of stars in the Leo constellation. With which she is inherently linked.
There were some six hundred statues of Sekhmet erected at the glorious temple of Karnak, commissioned by Pharaoh Amenhotep III.
Her name
Sekhmet’s name comes from the adjective sekhem, meaning “powerful” or “mighty”, while the ending –t is a suffix for female names. Of her many epithets, all were equally terrifying. She is sometimes referred to in Egyptian texts as “She Before Whom Evil Trembles”, the “Mistress of Dread”, “The Mauler”, or the “Lady of Slaughter”.
History of her worship
Sekhmet’s origins are unclear, but she seems to have been born in the Delta area, where lions were rarely seen and were thus regarded as mysterious and magical beasts. According to the Memphite Theology, an important text engraved in the famous Shabako Stone, the lioness Sekhmet was the wife of Ptah, patron god of artisans, and the mother of lotus god Nefertum. She was also the firstborn of the sun god Ra.
Sekhmet was worshipped throughout Egypt, particularly whenever a wadi opened out in the desert edges. This is the type of terrain that lions are often found. Many of them having come from the desert in order to drink and prey upon cattle in the area. Some believe that the worship of Sekhmet was possibly introduced into Egypt from Sudan because lions are more plentiful in that region. Sekhmet’s main cult center was located in Memphis, and was part of the Divine Triad of Ptah, Sekhmet, and Nefertum (fig. 4). Sekhmet, as the wife of Ptah, the ‘Creator’, and their son Nefertum is also closely associated with healers and healing. Some scholars believe that Sekhmet’s worship might pre-date Ptah by at least several hundred years, but because of the shift in power from Memphis to Thebes during the New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC) the Theban Triad made up of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu resulted in Sekhmet’s attributes being absorbed into that of the goddess Mut.
She was also revered as the “Mistress of Asheru” in the Mut Temple, at Karnak, and her cult was strong in the regions of Luxor, Memphis, Letopolis, and all the Delta. At some of the temples there, she was offered the blood of recently sacrificed animals, in order to placate her rage. If her anger was contained, it gave her worshippers control over their enemies and the vigor and strength to overcome weakness and illness.
Priests would perform rituals before a different statue of this Egyptian goddess every day, to appease her considerable anger. This is the reason why so many different images of Sekhmet have survived to our days. In Amenhotep III’s temple there have been found as many as 700 statues of Sekhmet. In Leontopolis (the city of the lion, in Greek) some sources inform that there were tamed lions and lionesses kept captive as living images of Sekhmet.
Sekhmet was known to enjoy the taste of blood. Every year, on the feast of Hathor and Sekhmet, Egyptians commemorated the saving of mankind by drinking copious amounts of beer stained with pomegranate juice. The surviving records of such feasts talked about how they did so to worship “the Mistress and Lady of the Tomb, the Gracious One, Destroyer of Rebellion, Powerful with Enchantments”. During the celebrations, a statue of Sekhmet was dressed in red facing west, while one of Bastet was dressed in green and facing east. Bastet was considered to be Sekhmet’s counterpart or twin, and during the festival, they embodied duality, which was an important concept in Egyptian mythology. Sekhmet represented Upper Egypt, while Bastet stood for Lower Egypt. Bastet was the tame, good goddess, while Sekhmet was the Bloodthirsty, the chaotic and dangerous deity of war and love.
Such a bad reputation was awarded to this Egyptian goddess due to a myth in which she had threatened to wipe out humanity which we talked about earlier. The only thing that prevented her from ending humanity was getting drunk on beer which had been dyed red as blood. Thus, during her annual festival, held at the beginning of the year, Egyptians danced, played music, and intoxicated themselves in an attempt to soothe the wrath of the goddess. This ritual had another meaning, too, and that is to prevent the excessive flooding of the Nile, which ran blood-red every year carrying upstream silt.
Her Mythology
In Egyptian mythology, there is a long and interesting tale in which the story of Sekhmet is told. It is known as The Destruction of Mankind. This story is written on a funerary papyrus from the New Kingdom (1539-1292 BCE), and the tale it tells is extraordinary. At the beginning of time, the story goes, when gods lived among men, a rebellion aimed to overthrow Ra, king of the gods. Despite being a god, Ra had become old, and grew weaker every day, until humans decided he was not fit for ruling over them. Before this insurrection, Ra had been ready to give up the throne and return to the Nun, the primordial ocean. But now he was angry at humankind, and took one of his eyes which transformed into Sekhmet. He then ordered the eye to strike the seditious men with a heat close to the sun’s: “The desert was dyed red with the human blood, while the Eye was pursuing traitors and killing them one by one. It didn’t stop until the sands were covered with bodies. Then, temporarily satiated, Sekhmet returned triumphantly to his Father”.
Sekhmet continued to kill every man and woman in sight for the next few days, but at one point, Ra considered that it had been enough punishment, and decided to spare the rest of humanity. The problem now resided in how to stop Sekhmet from fulfilling her task. Ra ordered his Eye / Sekhmet to stop the killing to no avail for “his Eye had tasted human flesh and she liked it. She decided to kill again”. The only way to stop Sekhmet from killing was to get her drunk with beer, her favorite drink. Ra brought a red pigment from the desert and ground it into a fine powder, which he mixed with the beer. He then made seven thousand red-beer jars and poured them into the Nile. When Sekhmet saw the red liquid, she thought it was blood, so she drank it eagerly until she was too drunk and fell asleep. When the Egyptian goddess finally woke up, she had forgotten about her purpose of killing every single human being, and felt satiated. She then returned to her father, Ra, who welcomed her back and rewarded her for her services.
In one variant it is said that she drank until She fell asleep and She became Hathor again when she woke up.
In some versions of this tale, she becomes angry again when she finds out she was deceived, and she leaves Egypt until Toth persuades her to come back.
In yet another variant on this story, when Sekhmet awoke from her stupor, the first creature she laid eyes on was the god Ptah. She fell instantly in love with him. Because of this, she is usually portrayed as the bride of Ptah, god of architects and craftsmen, as well as mother to Maahes and Nefertem. The union between Sekhmet and Ptah epitomizes harmony: on the one hand, we have Sekhmet the destroyer, and on the other, we have Ptah the creator. As such, the marriage of these two deities symbolizes the balance and order of the universe.
When it comes to statuary, this is even clearer when we consider the fact that Sekhmet, goddess of war and healing, with her red robes was often depicted facing westward, while Ptah was clad in green and facing the east.
They are positioned as opposites, and yet together their duality is neutralized. They form a complete whole.
Why Work With Sekhmet?
Sekhmet is often sought out by those who are facing challenges, obstacles, or a need for protection. She is known to bring strength, courage, and the ability to overcome obstacles. Sekhmet is also associated with healing and renewal, making her a popular deity for those seeking to heal from physical or emotional wounds.
Correspondences
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently in like I will list below for you to use.
planet-sun
Animal-lioness
Element- Fire
Sex- Feminine
Symbol- Lioness, Lions, Sun, Sun Disk, Ankh, Egyptian Spitting Cobra, Septer formed from Papyrus (symbolizing the union of Heaven and Earth), Flames, Fire, Blood, Desert.
colors- Red, yellow, orange, gold
Themes- destruction, chaos, war, plagues, fire, royalty, and the afterlife
Motto- “I am pure strength. I honor my anger by giving voice to it”
Stones/ crystals- Red spessartine, Carnelian, Garnet, Red agate, Ruby, citrine,Cinnabar, tiger’s eye, fire agate, Zincite, orange calcite, bloodstone, amber
How to work with Sekhmet
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from.. However you incorporate deiteis in your practice is up to you. But here are our ideas to get you started:
To work with Sekhmet, it’s important to approach her with respect and reverence. She is known to be a fierce and powerful goddess, and may not always be easy to work with.
Study Sekhmet
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a goddess like Sekhmet, is to dive into their history and qualities. Begin by studying the myths, verses, and incantations featuring this fierce goddess. Read about her connection with Ra, syncretization with goddesses Mut and Hathor, and how she might be the predecessor of the cat goddess Bastet. Then read about the culture from which she arose. Then study some more. Keep a section in your journal and/or book of shadows dedicated to Sekhmet.
Dedicate Altar Space
Set aside some space in honor of Sekhmet. This can be an elaborate large altar or as simple as a small shelf or corner of a counter. Place a representation of Sekhmet there, be sure to cleanse the space before you invite her in. Include her color red, her symbols, and representations of lions and the sun and any of her other correspondences you can use to connect to her. This will be a space that reminds you to connect with her and her energy. To bring that ferocity and self-protectiveness to your daily life. To learn more about altar and how to work with them in your practice you can read about it here in my study guide on my previous class taught on the topic; All About Altars study guide.docx
Work with her as part of the triple goddess archetype
Many pagans and witches who work with the divine feminine work with that energy in the essence of the triple goddess. You can do this with Sekhmet as well. She is commonly known as being part of the Egyptian triple goddess with Hathor, Bast, and Sekhmet. Hathor is seen as the mother aspect, Bast the maiden, and Sekhmet the crone aspect. To learn more about working with the triple goddess archetype you can read my previous study guide here;Triple Goddess Study Guide.docx
Offerings
Everyone likes receiving presents. Sekhmet is no different especially since this was so central to her worship and mythology. Give her beer, pomegranate juice, representations of arrows, gold, and incense like frankincense, myrrh, and kyphi. You don’t have to give her offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. You can place these offerings at your altar space dedicated to her or when performing any work to connect to her like meditation, prayer, and visualization.
The best offerings for Sekhmet include:
Alcohol, especially red alcohol.
Blood, or substitutes like bloodroot soaked in wine.
Images of cats or lions.
Incense.
Fire, from bonfires to candles.
Milk.
Spicy foods.
Red gemstones.
Dragon’s blood resin.
Stand Up For Yourself
Women are beginning to realize they are their own people, and they have immense power in this world. They are beginning to claim their power and take it back.. And they’re beginning to stand up for themselves. If you find yourself in a situation or a relationship in which you’ve allowed yourself to be used or abused, Sekhmet is in your life to teach you to stand up for yourself. Invoke her power and energy to aid you in speaking your truth, being your own person, and standing in the sunlight of your own soul and personal power.
Protection Rituals
If you’re in need of extra protection at home or at work, or anywhere for that matter, call on Sekhmet to guide and shield you. While performing your protection rituals at home, such as cleansing, shielding, and warding, invoke Sekhmet’s energy to set up a barrier of fire around your home. She will only allow those with good intent to cross it. Wear an amulet dedicated to Sekhmet while traveling or leaving the home to keep her protective shield around you at all times. To learn more about protection you can read about it here in my previous study guide; All about protection study guide.docx
Obviously Sekhmet is a solar goddess and therefore she enjoys warmth, sunlight, and hot climates. So why not get out in the sun and do a little sunbathing like a cat? It feels great, gives you energy, and allows you to soak up the magical energy the sun has to offer us humans as the vital energy of our existence.
Connect with an Ankh/Sun Disk
Find an Ankh or a sundisk, you can even have a piece of paper with the symbol on it in your hands. Close your hands around the symbol or place on your heart space. Close your eyes and ask Sekhmet to connect to you through the symbol.
Perform solar magic
Like we just talked about, Sekhmet is a solar goddess so a very obvious way to connect to and work with her would be performing and working with any kind of solar magic. There are so many different ways to work with solar magic and the sun from meditating under it’s bright rays, making sun water, drawing down the sun and more. To learn all about solar magic and connecting to the sun and how to do so you can read about it here in my previous blogpost; https://modgepodgemystic.com/solar-magic-a-guide-to-harness-the-bright-vibrant-and-confident-magical-energy-of-the-sun/
Alternative Healing
Sekhmet was once a mother goddess of war and healing in ancient times. You can tap into her healing vibrations by learning a mode of alternative medicine. Consider taking a class or reading a book on herbalism, DNA activation, past life regressions, or energy healing modalities like Reiki.
Meditation, visualization and Dream work
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into goddesses like Sekhmet is through meditation, visualization and dreaming. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess.. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. You can even use listen to the guided meditation in my class below! In addition, ask Sekhmet to visit you in your dreams and teach you lessons that you currently need to learn. Then record every encounter with her in your journal, book of shadows, or grimoire.
Meditation to connect with Sekhmet
Find a quiet spot, put on some incense or an oil diffuser, light a candle and close your eyes. Take three deep breaths and relax. Hold your intention in connecting to Sekhmet. You could say this in your head three times, ‘My intention is to connect with Sekhmet.’
Imagine you are in a desert. Sand is all around you, the sun is high in the sky and its hot. In the distance you see pyramids. You start to make your way towards them as there is nothing else around. Although its a tiresome and long journey you know its worth it.
You finally get to the pyramids. There is one large one in the middle and two either side. You walk up the steps of the middle pyramid and enter it. Inside is quiet, painted with wonderful pictures and symbols. There is a door in front of you and you decide to walk up to it. It slides open and you hear a voice say ‘Enter’. So you enter and see a beautiful woman on a throne in front of you. ‘Who are you?’ the woman says. You answer her and state you are here to connect with Sekhmet. She nods for you to approach her and tells you she is Sekhmet. That is all she says and you wait in silence as you do not want to force anything. She then stands and starts to talk to you. What does she say?
Take this time to connect with her, listen to what she has to say and ask questions. When you have finished connecting and she has gone and ready to go yourself, take three deep breaths and come back to the room. Write down your experience. What did she say to you? Did you ask questions? Were they answered? What else happened?
Study the Lioness
Since Sekhmet is a lioness goddess one way to connect to her would be to study the lioness. If you’ve never watched the lioness move in the wild, now’s your time to. Watch videos on YouTube, documentaries on the TV, and read books about how lionesses hunt to feed their pride and defend their families. This is how the lioness moves, and this is how Sekhmet moves.
Move your body and be active
Sekhmet is a very vital, active goddess, and she appreciates action. You can take a martial arts class and dedicate it to her, or join a group to combat injustice.
Stand up for others
Sekhmet stands against those who don’t believe in equity, harmony, and reciprocity, so you can align yourself with her by helping to bring more justice and balance to the world.
Live according to the principles of Ma’at
In the legend of her enacting Ra’s vengeance, she destroyed people who didn’t live according to the principles of Ma’at. One of the best ways to work with Sekhmet is to live according to these ideas.
The seven principles of Ma’at are:
Truth, the ability to see between fact and fiction.
Justice, the state of equity between all things.
Harmony, the state of alignment and balance between all things.
Balance, both within an individual and with the world outside.
Order, the state of clarity and a lack of excess.
Reciprocity, the acknowledgement that what goes around will come around.
Propriety, performing correct actions to uphold truth, justice, harmony, balance, order, and reciprocity.
Shadow work
Just like with every other deity I have ever written or taught about shadow work is a phenomenal way to connect to and work with the goddess Sekhmet. With her being considered a dark goddess due to her destructive nature she has the ability to bring us into a very liminal space that is also steeped in duality with her connection as a healing goddess as well. When doing shadow work with her she is going to be able to shed some light with her burning fire on topics more focused on healing, past wounds, standing in your own personal power, justice, retribution, anger, and destroying barriers, bridges and things that no longer serve your highest good. To learn more about shadow work and how to use it in your life and magical practices you can watch my previously taught class on the topic here;
An Invocation of Sekhmet
“The Powerful, powerful in her existence, She that impurity fears. The one who’s face is beautiful, remarkable of image, who thrusts back sadness. The solar feminine disc, radiant, rejuvenating, illuminating the country. The Mistress of the sky, appearing in her sanctuary. Sekhmet, powerful against the enemies, inspiring terror in the rebels. The Mistress of Iunet, entering into her chapel, whirling and dancing in her temple.”
(translated into English by Kerry Wisner, 1999-2000, from the French text “Dendera – I Traduction” by S. Cauville)
A Prayer to Sekhmet
Behold, I smell the earth before the mighty one. Behold how I have kept the vigil in the shrine of Sekhmet. Behold, I am the child, the child of Sekhmet, the lady of the east. I am with her. I am one with her. I am Sekhmet and the flames of all those who praise her. I am the hand of the powerful goddess, wearer of the solar disc. I am the twice beautiful one, more splendid than yesterday. I am she who goes forth with Ra. I am she. My hair is the hair of Sekhmet, the golden one. My eyes are the eyes of the lioness. My ears are the ears of the goddess. My nose is the nose of she who can sniff out all evil. My teeth are the fangs, which can devour the darkness My neck is the neck of the divine goddess. My hands are the hands with long claws. My forearms are the forearms of the mighty one. My backbone is golden and it shines with splendourMy chest is the chest of the mighty one of terror. My Belly and back are the belly and back of Sekhmet. My buttocks are strong, as the goddess . My hips and legs are the hips and legs of the goddess My feet are the clawed feet of the lion goddess. There is no part of me that is not of the goddess. I am Sekhmet who cometh forth in the dawn. I am the power of Ra by day. I shall not be dragged back by my arms and none shall lay violent hands upon me, lest I destroy them utterly. Nether man nor god shall hurt me, nor shall the living, Nor shall the holy dead detain me. Nor shall the demons destroy me in battle, for I am Sekhmet And I shall eat off their faces. I am she who cometh forth. I am yesterday and I am the seer of millions of years. I am the power of the divine judge. I dwell in the east. I am the lady of eternity, the unveiled one. My name is created to defy all evil. I am the flame that shineth in the sanctuary. I am Sekhmet.
Prayer of Protection
Lady of the Burning Sands, Sekhmet, Mistress of Terror! May no enemy find me, May no harm approach me, Your sacred fire surrounds me, No evil can withstand Your Eye.
Prayer To Overcome Adversity
“O Sekhmet, Source of Strength and Mercy, I am beset by sorrow and many troubles; wounded by injustice and the offensive wrongdoing of others. Grant me the strength to meet adversity with quiet courage and unshaken will. O Sekhmet, Overcomer of All Enemies, Forgive my weakness and renew my hope. Place your protective mantle around me, help me remain steadfast and resolute in front of my enemies. Shield and defend me and my loved ones from the ravages of fear and anxiety. O Sekhmet, Who Rouseth the People Grant me the fortitude to show forbearance to those who would sin against me. May I allow no trial, however severe, to embitter my soul and destroy my trust. May my heart not despair of human good. O Sekhmet, I praise and honor Thee with gratitude for your help.
Sekhmet’s Message
I am the Sun. Powerful and bright. Full of energy and life. I am also the darkness and the mystery. I will protect you, help you to know your inner wisdom and find your true self. I will help you look at your shadow to help heal your issues and to face your fears. When you are ready, call to me, I will be waiting.
Sekhmet’s Message
Sekhmet ~ Be Strong: “You are stronger than you think you are, and your strength assures a happy outcome.”
“See yourself as strong and victorious. Do not complain about anything. Do not blame anyone or any condition. You are the embodiment of strength, not victim hood. As you rise above the old tendencies and see yourself in the new light of beautiful feminine strength, your life will automatically shift in miraculous ways. You will attract new opportunities, forms of abundance, and relationships to help you manifest your highest potential. Being strong means seeing yourself in the most favorable light you can imagine. Be real, allow yourself to feel genuine emotions, but most of all, be strong.”
How to Know She’s Calling You
What if Sekhmet was calling you to her? Here are some of the signs that Sekhmet is calling you:
Lions and lionesses start showing up everywhere: TV, radio, books, etc.
You hear the name Sekhmet over and over in random places and conversations
You are drawn to lions and large cats
Your occupation is in the medical field or alternative healing
Your zodiac sign is Leo OR is another fire sign like Sagittarius or Aries
You’re drawn to ancient Egypt and the Egyptian pantheon
You descend from the ancient Egyptians
Your phase in life calls for ferocity, standing up for yourself, or even justifiable wrath or revenge
The desert seems to call to you
You feel more aligned with the sun than the moon
You feel strong pulls to fight for social justice issues
You start seeing and hearing things about lions all the time
An encounter with a large cat (or even a lion) may be another sign that she’s trying to get your attention.
If you feel a powerful, protective, or even intimidating presence around you, that may be Sekhmet.
The sudden urge to take up a martial art or otherwise improve your offensive and defensive skills can be another sign of Sekhmet’s attention.
How Sekhmet will help you
Sekhmet will help you look deep within and give you the courage to look at your shadows. She will help and guide you through this healing process and give you strength and empowerment. She will help you speak your truth and empower you to be who you are meant to be and not shy away from the world. Helping you to become whole again, happy and complete. Call on her when you need courage and strength. When you wish to do shadow work. Call on her to help with healing yourself and others. Call on her for protection.
I will leave you with this poem about the power and identity of anger and the fierce protection of the burning flames that is Sekhmet. Just remember if you choose to work with Sekhmet she is fierce, has high standards, roars with protection, and will burn down anything that she sees as injustice and not serving the greatest good of all man. She is a fierce deity who will protect those who are part of her pride and bring about the most transformative healing with the cleansing power of flames.
Why am I hosting a workshop on Lilith soon? Why did I already teach a class on her last year and summon her? Why did I create a study guide already for her? Why am I writing this blog post for you all now? Many reasons! The main reason, I teach and work with the “dark” goddesses and she is the number one goddess I get questions about.
Lilith has become a popular goddess for witches to want to work with for many reasons, the ” dark” feminine is becoming more popular for witches and pagans to be willing to work with for one. Second, many people, women especially are starting to do the very challenging work of healing journeys related to sexual trauma. I want to take a moment here as well. In case no one has said it to you; and you are on that journey; I am so very sorry you have that journey to take in your life. But, Lilith is one of the best choices of a deity to have with you for assistance and guidance on that journey. I personally know this myself and you can find and read many many stories saying the same.
Other than that she is just all around an astounding deity to work for liberation of yourself in almost every way and area of life. How you see yourself, your connection to magic, your connection to the collective, truly connecting to your “dark”/ Shadow self, and allowing you access and permission to enact justice when it is needed.
My journey with her has been a long one crossing many paths, working with many different faucets of her and delving into untying her extensively knotted and complicated history. She has been a staple in my practice for many years now and has a place on one of my altars often. So, if you have ever been curious about her, if she has ever called to you in the night or during some of your darkest times, if you are a student who was in my class last year and have been craving more this blog post is for you!
Keep reading to go on a journey through her darkness and duality. Learn about who she is, her extensive history, how she affects us today, how to work with her, how to honor her, and so much more! This post will not be the only one either as there is just no way to encompass all that she is in one blog post so this is just the beginning of our journey with her! Let’s start with who Lilith is.
Who is she?
Lilith is a “Dark” Goddess, she is one of incredible power, charisma, and persuasion. She is a mistress of the divine feminine and a true seductress. She is a Queen of Darkness and understands the powerful energies that sleep in the night and can bend them to her will. She hears the dark whispers of the forgotten night. The sleeping Dark mother who calls to the creatures of the nights and nurtures them in blankets of moonlight. She is Lilith, the Dark Mother and the Dark Queen of the Night. She is incredible to work with!
She is a healer and a lover and one who can provide comfort and support to those in need. Her night energies provide rest and comfort and she can inspire those who work with her with dreams. She empowers those she works with. She can awaken our power and help us to claim who we are and our space and become the people we desire to be. She reminds us of our truth and the powerful individuals that we are.
She is very pro-independence and helping people to rise up in their power and increase their self-image and self-confidence. She is the protector of women and children (especially babies) and helps to empower people in all areas. She seeks justice and abhors slanderous gossip and bullying. She is gifted on the areas of divination, healing, black magic, necromancy, and bending dark energies to her will. She knows how to work with the energies of blood and the life force contained and can assist anyone who is called to work with her in learning these skills.
Her power and radiance shine on those who work with her and she has learned about the feminine archetypes and is empowerment for women, she understands greatly the darkness of all sides of these energies, the great empowered darkness. Her feminine energies though are not vindictive or damaging in any way to the masculine energies.
She is balanced and beautiful. She is one who seeks to empower women while still allowing them to be women. She can be vicious and violent, one who will defend herself and her family and one who will not let anyone push her around. She rises to the challenge presented to her and she will defend herself with the sheer might of the goddess she is.
She is all this and More. Lilith has incredible power and ability to see through illusions and uncover the truth of false accusations. She is a very powerful sexual and bold goddess who can work powerful sex magicks and sex rites.
Lilith, Feminism, Sexual Liberation and Witches
Let’s first touch on one of the ways that Lilith affects the collective as a whole; Lilith is an icon, symbol and representation of a dark goddess and feminine identity, feminine sexuality, liberation and empowerment. As the first woman of Adam (the first man – which in biblical Hebrew “Adam” אדם means “man”), Lilith has been forced to feel the pain of rejection, oppression and scorn for seeking equality and being denied to fully express herself, her true nature.
Lilith is like many dark goddesses who have been viewed to be feared, seen as hag-like, demons and scary, but rather this intense raw energy as a dark goddess can be “owned” and use protectively; a weapon that was once used against the Dark Goddess is now in her hands to defend herself.
Lilith may speak and come forth to women, but she may also come forth to men if she feels necessary. Anyone regardless of gender who feels a strong connection or the call of Lilith to awaken and liberate their sexuality, to revive or unleash their feminine side, can work with Lilith. Lilith (like many dark goddesses) may choose someone to work with when she feels the time is right; this may be at a younger age in your 20s or later in your 40s or 50s, whenever Lilith decides will be the right time.
Lilith’s extensively long history
Lilith has a long history that dates back far into Jewish mythology, Sumerian and Mesopotamia; a history that has often been cruelly unfair to a goddess and figure such as Lilith. I am going to do my best to sum up her very extensive history for you in this blog post, there really truly is so much to her history and so few know even half of it. If you want the entire detailed history you can read my study guide here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-gjqbHtFpVvAk3ArQ_LJAF1gtQzMcnAA/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107019596187888016346&rtpof=true&sd=true I wrote for my class with Divination Academy last year.
For 4,000 years Lilith has wandered the earth, figuring in the mythic imaginations of writers, artists and poets. Her origins lie in Babylonian demonology, where amulets and incantations were used to counter the sinister powers of this winged spirit who preyed on pregnant women and infants. Lilith next migrated to the world of the ancient Hittites, Egyptians, Israelites and Greeks. She makes a solitary appearance in the Bible, as a wilderness demon shunned by the prophet Isaiah. In the Middle Ages she reappears in Jewish sources as the dreadful first wife of Adam.
In the Renaissance, Michelangelo portrayed Lilith as a half-woman, half-serpent, coiled around the Tree of Knowledge. Later, her beauty would captivate the English poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti. “Her enchanted hair,” he wrote, “was the first gold.”1 Irish novelist James Joyce cast her as the “patron of abortions.”2 Modern feminists celebrate her bold struggle for independence from Adam. Her name appears as the title of a Jewish women’s magazine and a national literacy program. An annual music festival that donates its profits to battered women’s shelters and breast cancer research institutes is called the Lilith Fair. In most manifestations of her myth, Lilith represents chaos, seduction and ungodliness. Yet, in her every guise, Lilith has cast a spell on humankind.
Lilith in Sumerian and Mesopotamia
The ancient name “Lilith” derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits—the lilītu and the related ardat lilǐ. The lilītu dwells in desert lands and open country spaces and is especially dangerous to pregnant women and infants. Her breasts are filled with poison, not milk. The ardat lilī is a sexually frustrated and infertile female who behaves aggressively toward young men.
The earliest surviving mention of Lilith’s name appears in Gilgamesh and the Huluppu-Tree, a Sumerian epic poem found on a tablet at Ur and dating from approximately 2000 B.C.E. The mighty ruler Gilgamesh is the world’s first literary hero; he boldly slays monsters and vainly searches for the secret to eternal life. In one episode, “after heaven and earth had separated and man had been created,”3 Gilgamesh rushes to assist Inanna, goddess of erotic love and war. In her garden near the Euphrates River, Inanna lovingly tends a willow (huluppu) tree, the wood of which she hopes to fashion into a throne and bed for herself. Inanna’s plans are nearly thwarted, however, when a dastardly triumvirate possesses the tree. One of the villains is Lilith.
Lilith in the bible and Talmud
She than makes her way into Judaism and Christianity. Over time, people throughout the Near East became increasingly familiar with the myth of Lilith. In Judaism she is the most notorious demon. In the Bible, she is mentioned only once, in Isaiah 34. The Isaiah passage lacks specifics in describing Lilith, but it locates her in desolate places. The Bible verse thus links Lilith directly to the demon of the Gilgamesh epic who flees “to the desert.” The wilderness traditionally symbolizes mental and physical barrenness; it is a place where creativity and life itself are easily extinguished. Lilith, the feminine opposite of masculine order, is banished from fertile territory and exiled to barren wasteland.
While Lilith is not mentioned again in the Bible, she does resurface in the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran. The Qumran sect was engrossed with demonology, and Lilith appears in the Song for a Sage, a hymn possibly used in exorcisms: “And I, the Sage, sound the majesty of His beauty to terrify and confound all the spirits of destroying angels and the bastard spirits, the demons, Lilith. . ., and those that strike suddenly, to lead astray the spirit of understanding, and to make desolate their heart.”7
Centuries after the Dead Sea Scrolls were written, learned rabbis completed the Babylonian Talmud (final editing circa 500 to 600 C.E.), and female demons journeyed into scholarly Jewish inquiries. The Talmud (the name comes from a Hebrew word meaning “study”) is a compendium of legal discussions, tales of great rabbis and meditations on Bible passages. Talmudic references to Lilith are few, but they provide a glimpse of what intellectuals thought about her. The Talmud’s Lilith recalls older Babylonian images, for she has “long hair” (Erubin 100b) and wings (Niddah 24b).8 The Talmud’s image of Lilith also reinforces older impressions of her as a succubus, a demon in female form who had sex with men while the men were sleeping. Unwholesome sexual practices are linked to Lilith as she powerfully embodies the demon-lover myth.
Lilith in The Alphabet of Ben Sira
Until the seventh century C.E., Lilith was known as a dangerous embodiment of dark, feminine powers. In the Middle Ages, however, the Babylonian she-demon took on new and even more sinister characteristics. Sometime prior to the year 1000, The Alphabet of Ben Sira was introduced to medieval Jewry. The Alphabet, an anonymous text, contains 22 episodes, corresponding to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The fifth episode includes a Lilith who was to tantalize and terrify the population for generations to come. To some extent, The Alphabet of Ben Sira shows a familiar Lilith: She is destructive, she can fly and she has a penchant for sex. Yet this tale adds a new twist: She is Adam’s first wife, before Eve, who boldly leaves Eden because she is treated as man’s inferior.
Ben Sira cites the Bible passage indicating that after creating Adam, God realizes that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). In Ben Sira’s fanciful additions to the biblical tale, the Almighty then fashions another person from the earth, a female called Lilith. Soon the human couple begins to fight, but neither one really hears the other. Lilith refuses to lie underneath Adam during sex, but he insists that the bottom is her rightful place. He apparently believes that Lilith should submissively perform wifely duties. Lilith, on the other hand, is attempting to rule over no one. She is simply asserting her personal freedom. Lilith states, “We are equal because we are both created from the earth.”10
The struggle continues until Lilith becomes so frustrated with Adam’s stubbornness and arrogance that she brazenly pronounces the Tetragrammaton, the ineffable name of the Lord. God’s name (YHWH), translated as “Lord God” in most Bibles and roughly equivalent to the term “Yahweh,” has long been considered so holy that it is unspeakable. During the days of the Jerusalem Temple, only the High Priest said the word out loud, and then only once a year, on the Day of Atonement.
In The Alphabet, Lilith sins by impudently uttering the sacred syllables, thereby demonstrating to a medieval audience her unworthiness to reside in Paradise. So Lilith flies away, having gained power to do so by pronouncing God’s avowed name. Though made of the earth, she is not earthbound. Her dramatic departure reestablishes for a new generation Lilith’s supernatural character as a winged devil.
In the Gilgamesh and Isaiah episodes, Lilith flees to desert spaces. In The Alphabet of Ben Sira her destination is the Red Sea, site of historic and symbolic importance to the Jewish people. Just as the ancient Israelites achieve freedom from Pharaoh at the Red Sea, so Lilith gains independence from Adam by going there. But even though Lilith is the one who leaves, it is she who feels rejected and angry.
The Almighty tells Adam that if Lilith fails to return, 100 of her children must die each day. Apparently, Lilith is not only a child-murdering witch but also an amazingly fertile mother. In this way, she helps maintain the world’s balance between good and evil. Three angels are sent in search of Lilith. When they find her at the Red Sea, she refuses to return to Eden, claiming that she was created to devour children. Ben Sira’s story suggests that Lilith is driven to kill babies in retaliation for Adam’s mistreatment and God’s insistence on slaying 100 of her progeny daily.
To prevent the three angels from drowning her in the Red Sea, Lilith swears in the name of God that she will not harm any infant who wears an amulet bearing her name. Ironically, by forging an agreement with God and the angels, Lilith demonstrates that she is not totally separated from the divine.
Lilith in the Zohar
The next milestone in Lilith’s journey lies in the Zohar, which elaborates on the earlier account of Lilith’s birth in Eden. The Zohar (meaning “Splendor”) is the Hebrew title for a fundamental kabbalistic tome, first compiled in Spain by Moses de Leon (1250–1305), using earlier sources. To the Kabbalists (members of the late medieval school of mystical thought), the Zohar’s mystical and allegorical interpretations of the Torah are considered sacred. The Lilith of the Zohar depends on a rereading of Genesis 1:27 (“And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them”), and the interpretation of this passage in the Talmud. Based on the shift of pronouns from “He created him” to the plural “He created them,” in Genesis 1:27, the Talmud suggests that the first human being was a single, androgynous creature, with two distinct halves.
Centuries later the Zohar elaborates that the male and female were soon separated. The female portion of the human being was attached on the side, so God placed Adam in a deep slumber and “sawed her off from him and adorned her like a bride and brought her to him.” This detached portion is “the original Lilith, who was with him [Adam] and who conceived from him” (Zohar 34b). Another passage indicates that as soon as Eve is created and Lilith sees her rival clinging to Adam, Lilith flies away. The Zohar, like the earlier treatments of Lilith, sees her as a temptress of innocent men, breeder of evil spirits and carrier of disease: “She wanders about at night time, vexing the sons of men and causing them to defile themselves [emit seed]” (Zohar 19b).
The passage goes on to say that she hovers over her unsuspecting victims, inspires their lust, conceives their children and then infects them with disease. Adam is one of her victims, for he fathers “many spirits and demons, through the force of the impurity which he had absorbed” from Lilith. The promiscuity of Lilith will continue until the day God destroys all evil spirits. Lilith even attempts to seduce King Solomon. She comes in the guise of the Queen of Sheba, but when the Israelite king spies her hairy legs, he realizes she is a beastly impostor. The Zohar’s final innovation concerning the Lilith myth is to partner her with the male personification of evil, named either Samael or Asmodeus.
Lilith in Luciferian Witchcraft and Luciferianism
She encompasses the spectrum of divine feminine energies. She is the consort and lover of Samael who holds the title of Adversary. Many people think that Samael and Satan are the same being, but they are not. Samael is not a demon, he is an Angel, a dark angel and one who is not aligned with the group of Holy Angels.
He works with the Darker beings of the Outer Spiritual world, most specifically the creatures of the night and has deep connections and affiliations with those beings who are of darkness. He embraces and understands the darkness and is aligned with it. That is where his energy resides and he is the consort and lover of Lady Lilith and her King. He is not Satan.
Samael and Lilith have MANY children together, in fact, Lilith is the first of her kind and the mother of many offspring that are like her. She is a beautiful and incredible goddess of lust, passion, seduction, and pleasure.
Lilith in the Outer spiritual world was one who suffered great abuse and left what she knew. She ventured out into the world on her own relying only on her skill and ability. She met the Angel Samael, and they were smitten with each other. She grew and was infused with the power of the Dark Goddess. They completed each other’s energies and she embraced her empowered feminine qualities and stepped into the powerful Goddess and Queen that she is today.
Honoring The Darkest Aspects Of Lady Lilith
Lady Lilith, the enigmatic and powerful goddess, is a multifaceted being whose mythology encompasses both light and shadow. While she is revered as a symbol of independence, liberation, and empowerment, there are darker aspects to her lore that speak to the complex and often misunderstood nature of her essence.
As a figure who defies easy categorization, Lilith embraces the duality of creation and destruction, nurturing and wrath, desire and fear. In this section, we will delve into the darkest aspects of Lady Lilith, exploring her role as a succubus, a torturer of men, and a stealer of infants. It is through honoring and understanding these aspects that we can fully appreciate the depths of Lilith’s mysteries.
Lilith as Succubus: In some legends, Lady Lilith is depicted as a succubus, a nocturnal entity that seduces and bewitches those who cross her path. Her allure is both intoxicating and perilous, leading to both pleasure and ruin.
Lilith as Torturer of Men: In tales of retribution and justice, Lilith is known as a punisher of men who have wronged women or abused their power. As a goddess who refused to be subjugated by Adam, Lilith holds a mirror to patriarchal oppression and seeks to redress the imbalance. Lilith has a fierce determination to challenge tyranny and inequality.
Lilith as Stealer of Infants: One of the most fearsome aspects of Lilith’s mythology is her association with the stealing of infants. In ancient lore, Lilith was believed to be a child-snatcher, preying on the vulnerable and innocent. While this aspect is often viewed as malevolent, it may also be seen as a manifestation of Lilith’s wild, untamed nature that defies societal norms and conventions.
Lilith’s darkness is a reminder that we each possess both light and shadow, and that embracing our wholeness is an integral part of our spiritual journey. Allow Lilith’s complexity to inspire you to explore your own depths, to confront your fears, and to discover the hidden facets of your soul.
Lilith in Astrology
Lilith gives you the power you need to be YOU. For women, Lilith can show you how you can be your true independent self and find that power within you as a woman. For everyone, she’s your ability to think for yourself and say it. Your inner Lilith – the person who has their own mind and own power independent of anyone else – can be a source of hidden power that helps you become a stronger version of YOU. That makes Lilith an incredibly empowering position!
In practice, I also find people with strong Lilith in their charts tend to: be super feminists (girl power!) be super mystics (Lilith is a little – or lot – witchy) there’s usually a difficult relationship with the mother (perhaps linking to the “demon” and stealing babies part of the mythology)
What is Lilith, technically? Black Moon Lilith (BML) is the point in the Moon’s orbit that is farthest from Earth (the apogee). There are two versions of BML, Mean and True or Oscillating. The movement of BML is not too stable, so the Mean position averages out the movement, while the True or Oscillating position gives the actual position. You can look up both positions in your natal chart and see which position, Mean or True/Oscillating, resonates stronger for you personally.
Technically, in astrology, there are three different Liliths (just to make it confusing!): Black Moon Lilith, Dark Moon Lilith (also called Waldemath Moon), and asteroid Lilith (the only physical body of Lilith). Dark Moon Lilith tends to be a little darker while asteroid Lilith to be more symbolic of the story of Lilith. I personally mostly just use Black Moon Lilith unless one of the other two is super strong in a natal chart.
How can I find my Lilith positions? To find the locations of your Liliths for free, you can use astro.com. Click on ‘My Astro’ in the upper right, choose to use as a guest or create an account (to save your information), then input your birth data (date of birth, time of birth, and place of birth).
You should be directed to the ‘Free Horoscopes’ page; click on ‘Extended Chart Selection’, then click on Additional Objects, and then click on Lilith in the menu (gives the Mean BML position), and in the Manual entry box, type in h13 (Oscillating BML), h58 (Waldemath), and 1181 (asteroid Lilith), then generate your chart (hit the button ‘Click here to show the chart >>’).
Working with Lilith in Witchcraft
Working with Lilith in witchcraft can be for different reasons connected to who Lilith is and what she represents. In Luciferian Witchcraft and Luciferianism (a form of Theistic Satanism), Lilith is honoured as the consort of Samael. However, you don’t have to practice Luciferianism or Luciferian Witchcraft to work with or be called upon to work with Lilith. Lilith can be worked with to reawaken your feminine sexuality, your passion for life, to reclaim your personal power when you feel small or that the world is overbearing and looming over top of you.
If you feel that you have given away your power or that you feel victimized in any way, Lilith screams back that you have the power to stand tall in the face of anyone encroaching on your space. Here are a few ideas for witchcraft spells and magick involving Lilith or simply to work with Lilith:
Improving sexual relationships (to create balanced relationships)
Healing sexual trauma
Asserting independence and women/women’s rights
Fighting patriarchy/oppression/sexism placed on women
Boosting self-confidence and sensuality
To gain respect and/or recognition for contributions
Exploring and/or awakening your sexuality (especially if experiencing low libido)
Sex magick (feminine dominance)
Healing and/or managing menstrual issues and/or working menstrual magick
Working with the feminine shadow self or healing feminine shadow issues
Reclaiming your personal power and strengthening your voice
Handling or managing pre-menopause, peri-menopause or menopause symptoms
Feminine reproductive issues (especially with PMS, PMDD or other hormonal/mood swing problems)
Womb healing
Correspondences to Connect to Lilith
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be he zodiac energy the moon, an archetype energy , or a deity like I will list below for you to use.
Symbols
Owl- Wisdom, intuition, connection with Lilith Serpent- Rebirth, transformation, feminine power Black Moon- Mysticism, hidden knowledge, Lilith’s energy Apple- Forbidden knowledge, temptation, femininity Crescent Moon- Goddess energy, intuition, feminine cycles Screech Owl- Night vision, divine guidance, Lilith’s presence Black Rose- Mystery, seduction, Lilith’s essence Bat- Transition, rebirth, connection with the night Dark Water- Depths of emotions, divine feminine energy
Crystals onyx red jasper obsidian red carnelian labradorite black moonstone black tourmaline jet garnet clear quartz All dark crystals (black and red) will work for connecting with Lilith. Clear quartz can be effective if no other crystal is available.
The Venus Symbol: Representing femininity and the divine feminine, the Venus symbol is a circle with a cross below it. This iconic symbol reflects Lilith’s role as a champion of women’s rights and a guardian of the feminine spirit.
The Raised Fist: A symbol of resistance and solidarity, the raised fist has been used by feminist movements around the world to signify strength and unity. Including a depiction of the raised fist on your altar honors Lilith’s revolutionary nature and her call for liberation and equality.
The Triple Moon: Comprising a waxing crescent, a full moon, and a waning crescent, the Triple Moon symbolizes the phases of a woman’s life—maiden, mother, and crone. It also reflects Lilith’s deep connection to the moon and her association with transformation and cycles of change.
The Equal Sign: Simple yet powerful, the equal sign stands for gender equality and the belief that all individuals deserve equal rights and opportunities. Placing this symbol on your Lilith altar reaffirms your commitment to justice and fairness.
The Snake: As a symbol of wisdom, rebirth, and healing, the snake is often associated with Lilith, who is said to have taken the form of a serpent in some tales. The snake also represents the shedding of societal constraints and the embracing of one’s true self.
The Wild Rose: The wild rose, with its untamed beauty and resilience, symbolizes Lilith’s free spirit and her defiance of patriarchal norms. It also serves as a reminder of the beauty and strength inherent in all women.
(Best) Day(s)
Wednesday Friday From just before sunset on Friday to the first three stars in the sky on Saturday evening is Shabbat in Judaism. Depending on your belief, cultural background or how you modernize the Jewish creation story, it may be personally decided to honour (or not) Lilith during the time of Shabbat. This may seem heretical, so you may choose whether Lilith can be honoured before or after Shabbat is over depending on your belief. This is a personal choice and only taking into consideration the cultural history and origin of Lilith.
(Best) Time of Day
witching hour (this can mean midnight or the time between 3 am and 4 am depending on your definition) (Best) Moon Phase
dark moon new moon
Sacred Days
Beltane / May Day (because of the sexual theme of the holiday) October 24 – some sources state this day as the day Lilith left the Garden of Eden and also as a Sumerian holiday to mark the end of the harvest February 29 (Leap Year every 4 years) – said to be the day when women can be loose/free to break (traditional) norms (e.g. old fashioned customs) and ask men out on dates; may not be so applicable in modern times, but can be in a sense a liberating day for forthrightness and breaking social limitations placed on women.
Ways to work with Lilith
Embrace the Moonlit Path Lilith, the Goddess of the Night, draws her strength from the moon’s luminous energy. To connect with her, bask in the moonlight, whether it’s under the silver glow of the full moon or the gentle embrace of the crescent. Engage in moon rituals, meditations, or simply spend time in contemplation under her celestial guidance. As you align with the lunar cycles, you will tap into the depths of your intuition and unleash the hidden aspects of your being.
Invoke the Queen of Shadows To work with Lilith, embrace your own shadows and fears. Light a black candle and call upon her as the Queen of Shadows. Confronting and accepting your inner darkness allows you to integrate and transmute these energies, empowering you to walk the path of self-discovery and empowerment. Trust in Lilith’s guidance as you navigate the depths of your subconscious, for within the darkness, you shall find your true strength.
To learn more about Shadow work and how to do it you can check out my Class on the topic Here and check you out the study guide in the resource section!
Celebrate the Wild Feminine Lilith embodies the untamed, wild, and unapologetic aspects of femininity. Celebrate and honor your feminine power by embracing your authenticity and standing unyielding in the face of adversity. Engage in activities that help you connect with your feminine essence, such as dance, art, or nature walks. Embody the Goddess of the Night within you, and let her energy inspire you to reclaim your sovereignty.
Create a Lilith Altar Design a sacred space dedicated to Lilith, adorned with dark-colored crystals, moon symbols, and images representing the night. Place offerings of dark fruits, red wine, or pomegranate seeds as a tribute to her essence. Meditate at this altar, seeking her guidance and strength, and watch as her energy infuses your life with purpose and resilience.
I don’t like to share my own personal altar and am working on being willing to do that so for credit here is the link where I got this one from https://images.app.goo.gl/nTXEztrS9dwbRrh68 But, I did teach a class on this already and am waiting for the video to be uploaded so until than if you need help you can comment on this article and keep an eye out I have an eBook I am just about done with for you on this topic!
Dance with Fire and Air In ritual and celebration, dance under the moonlit sky, invoking Lilith’s spirit within you. Let the flames of fire and the whispers of the wind be your companions in this dance. Moving your body to the rhythm of the elements, you connect with the primal force of Lilith, igniting your passion and embracing the free-spirited aspects of your soul.
Invoke Lilith in Dreams Before sleep, set the intention to meet Lilith in your dreams. Keep a journal by your bedside to record any visions, messages, or encounters you experience. Working with Lilith in the realm of dreams can provide profound insights, healing, and guidance as you navigate your waking life.
Explore Divination and Tarot Turn to divination and tarot as tools to communicate with Lilith and gain deeper understanding of your inner self. Choose tarot decks that resonate with the themes of the night, the moon, and feminine power. Engage in regular readings, seeking Lilith’s wisdom to illuminate the paths that lie ahead. If you need to get a start at Tarot you can check out this amazing free class series at the link here;
Confront Patriarchal Conditioning Lilith’s story challenges patriarchal constructs, making her a symbol of resistance against oppressive systems. Reflect on the ways patriarchal conditioning has influenced your life and choices. By dismantling these patterns and embracing Lilith’s essence, you empower yourself and support the collective shift towards equality and liberation.
Call on Lilith for Protection Invoke Lilith as a guardian and protector, especially during moments of vulnerability or when you seek strength in challenging times. Her fierce energy can shield you from harm and guide you through adversity, reminding you of the power you hold within.
Commune with Nature Spend time in nature to connect with Lilith’s primal energy. Seek solace in forests, beside flowing rivers, or under the open night sky. As you immerse yourself in the natural world, you become attuned to the rhythms of life and Lilith’s ancient wisdom.
If you want to start a journey or expand your knowledge on elemental magic and how to work with the elements I have a class coming up in mid march on this topic thru Divination Academy. Check it out at the link below!
Work with Lilith in Ritual Magick In your magical practice, incorporate Lilith’s sigils or symbols to amplify your intentions and spells. Seek her presence as you explore the mysteries of the night and harness her transformative energy to manifest your desires.
Honor Lilith in Rituals and Festivals Celebrate Lilith’s presence during seasonal festivals, such as the Samhain or Beltane, when the veil between worlds is thin. Light candles and offer prayers to honor her role as the Goddess of the Night, inviting her blessings and guidance into your life.
Mirror Scrying: Gazing into the Veil of the Night Embrace the ancient art of mirror scrying to connect with Lilith, the Goddess of the Night. Instead of staring at your reflection, dedicate a mirror specifically for scrying purposes. Call upon Lilith’s spirit as you peer into the depths of the mirror, allowing her to guide your divination sessions. Through this mystical practice, you can unveil hidden truths, receive insights from the otherworldly realms, and tap into the wild energy that Lilith bestows upon her devotees.
Air Element Magick: Embrace the Wild Winds Harness the untamed energy of Lilith by incorporating air element magick into your practice. Work with the wind’s flow by making and burning incense, engaging in smoke and cloud scrying, or crafting powerful storm magick rituals. As the spirit of the wind, Lilith’s essence is intertwined with the breath of life, and through these practices, you can attune to her primal force and explore the mysteries of the unseen world.
The Owl Familiar Spirit: Commune with Lilith’s Sacred Messenger The owl, synonymous with Lilith’s name in Hebrew, serves as a sacred animal and messenger of this enigmatic goddess. Connect with the owl familiar spirit or the Owl spirit guide in your practice to honor Lilith and delve into the occult mysteries she holds. The owl’s wisdom and intuitive prowess will aid you in understanding the deeper layers of the night and the secrets that lie within.
Sex Magick: Embrace the Lustful Enchantress Explore the domain of sex magick, ruled by the intensely lustful nature of Lilith. Whether in personal or partnered encounters, learn to manifest your desires and tap into the transformative power of sexual energy. Engaging in sex magick rituals can provide profound insights into your own sensuality and desires, fostering a deep connection with the Goddess of the Night and the alluring mysteries she embodies.
If you are interested in sex magic Keep an eye out for some Ebooks, woskshops, and other things coming you can have access too on the topics in the meantime check out my study guides here from the two classes I have taught already on the topic through Divination.
The Daughters of Lilith: Becoming One with the Enchantress In her demon form, Lilith is said to lead a horde of spirits known as the Daughters of Lilith. Delve into the study of this unique group of spirits and consider embracing your identity as a Daughter of Lilith, which is synonymous with being a witch. By aligning with this mystical lineage, you can connect with the ancient, powerful energies that flow through Lilith and explore the paths of witchcraft and the arcane arts.
Read about Lilith: Unveiling the Enigmatic Goddess Embark on a journey of knowledge by immersing yourself in reading about Lilith. Delve into a wealth of resources, from ancient folklore and religious texts to modern interpretations and archaeological discoveries. By diving into the depths of Lilith’s story, you will gain a profound understanding of her multifaceted nature, her significance in diverse cultures, and the wisdom she bestows upon those who seek her guidance.
Final Musings
In the tapestry of history and myth, the name “Lilith” weaves a mesmerizing thread, connecting ancient civilizations to modern seekers of wisdom. As we embrace her enigmatic essence, she reminds us of the eternal truths found within the depths of the night—the beauty of embracing our shadows, the strength in claiming our sovereignty, and the power in honoring the wild and authentic self.
Lilith, the Goddess of the Night, beckons us to wander through the realms of our own souls, fearlessly exploring the depths of our desires, fears, and dreams. She stands as a beacon of feminine strength and empowerment, encouraging us to reclaim our voices, defy societal constraints, and dance boldly under the moon’s gentle glow.
She is incredibly powerful and healing for feminine energies and as a Queen in her own right, helping both men and women to feel comfortable with their bodies and embrace themselves and their truth. She is a Divine Goddess and one of abundance and empowered feminine archetypes. She is incredible and beautiful to behold. She is a goddess of women embracing their femininity.
Lilith is a guardian of the night, an embodiment of the shadowy and mysterious aspects of femininity. She reigns over the realms of darkness and dreams, where the subconscious mind roams free and untamed. As a goddess of the moon, she presides over its phases, from the new moon’s hidden embrace to the full moon’s radiant splendor. Her lunar influence connects her to cycles of life, death, and rebirth, a symbol of eternal renewal.
She is balanced and beautiful. She is one who seeks to empower women while still allowing them to be women.
She can be vicious and violent, one who will defend herself and her family and one who will not let anyone push her around. She rises to the challenge presented to her and she will defend herself with the sheer might of the goddess she is.
In her divine form, Lilith exudes an air of untamed sensuality and allure. She is the enchantress who bewitches mortals with her captivating gaze and seductive charm. Yet, her allure extends beyond mere physical beauty; it emanates from her deep connection to the primordial forces of creation. Lilith represents the life-giving aspects of femininity—the generative power that births both galaxies and ideas alike.
As the embodiment of feminine sovereignty, Lilith challenges conventional notions of subservience and patriarchy. She stands tall and unyielding, refusing to be confined by societal norms. The goddess Lilith is the epitome of independence, self-reliance, and courage. She empowers those she works with. She can awaken our power and help us to claim who we are and our space and become the people we desire to be. She reminds us of our truth and the powerful individuals that we are.
If you want to learn some more advanced ways of working with her like; how to Summon her, how to do tantric prayer to invoke her, working with her sigils and womb healing You can purchase my eBook about her in the shop.
To expand your knowledge about her further and meet her in a guided mediation or if you’d rather listen than read; you can watch my free class with Divination Academy on YouTube below!
Suggested Reading:
The Black Moon Lilith series: Black Moon Lilith in the Zodiac Signs Progressions & Black Moon Lilith Natal Planets Conjunct Black Moon Lilith That Dark Lady, Lilith Intro to Black Moon Lilith Lilith the Witch Transit Black Moon Lilith Black Moon Lilith & Love Astrology Prominent Natal Black Moon Lilith When You’re Cut Off From Black Moon Lilith Houses Ruled by Black Moon Lilith Transit Black Moon Lilith in the Houses & Aspects
Resources sited: History: a. See Tzvi Abusch, “Gilgamesh: Hero, King, God and Striving Man,” Archaeology Odyssey, July/August 2000. b. But see David R. Freedman, “Woman, a Power Equal to Man,” BAR, January/February 1983.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, “Body’s Beauty,” in The House of Life: A Sonnet-Sequence (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press, 1928), p. 183.
James Joyce, Ulysses, chap. 14, “Oxen of the Sun.”
All Gilgamesh quotations are from Samuel N. Kramer, Gilgamesh and the Huluppu-Tree: A Reconstructed Sumerian Text, The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago Assyriological Studies 10 (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago, 1938).
Translated by Theodor H. Gaster in Siegmund Hurwitz, Lilith—The First Eve (Einsiedeln, Switzerland: Daimon, 1992), p. 66. Another translation does not mention Lilith’s name and reads, “Be off, terrifying ones, terrors of my night.”
Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotes are from TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1985).
These items may arise from Lilith’s association with darkness. Some translators and commentators have mistaken the etymology of Lilith’s name. Lilith, lylyt [tylyl], was not derived from the Hebrew word for night, lylh [hlyl], as they supposed. Instead, Lilith’s name originated in her depiction as a mythic Mesopotamian fiend and foe of Gilgamesh.
4Q510. See Joseph M. Baumgarten, “On the Nature of the Seductress in 4Q184,” Revue de Qumran 15 (1991–1992), pp. 133–143.
All talmudic references are to The Babylonian Talmud, trans. Isidore Epstein, 17 vols. (London: Soncino, 1948).
Raphael Patai, The Hebrew Goddess, 3rd enlarged ed. (Detroit: Wayne State, 1990), p. 226.
The translation is my own. The full Hebrew text of The Alphabet of Ben Sira is found in Ozar Midrashim: A Library of Two Hundred Minor Midrashim (New York: J.D. Eisenstein, 1915), vol. 1, pp. 35–49.
All references to the Zohar are to the edition translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon, 2nd ed. (London: Soncino, 1984), vol. 1.
David Stern and Mark Jay Mirsky, eds., Rabbinic Fantasies (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1990).
Joseph Adler, “Lilith,” Midstream 45:5 (July/August 1999), p. 6.
Rossetti, “Eden Bower,” in Poems (Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1873), pp. 31–41.
Judith Plaskow Goldenberg, “Epilogue: The Coming of Lilith,” in Religion and Sexism, ed. Rosemary Radford Ruether (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1974), pp. 341–343.
Pamela White Hadas, “The Passion of Lilith,” in In Light of Genesis (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1980), pp. 2–19.
Baba yaga is an incredibly fascinating witch and goddess. Her name alone just draws you in to learn more about her and pulls you into the slavic forest in search of her wandering hut on chicken legs. She will pull many in to learn about her but very few will actually learn her magic and walk her path with her. Some view her as simply a folklore character, others a witch, some a hag, and to others she is seen as an ancestral figure to honor as a goddess.
We can learn much from her when we are open to her wisdom. Her light is that of our ancestors, whose flame has been burning for generations. Death and rebirth are the domains of Baba Yaga, the Slavic goddess of regeneration.
Baba Yaga is staple of Slavic lore. She can be found in stories across several countries as a specific character, not just an archetype. What I find most interesting about her is that she is portrayed, almost equally, as a villain and a benefactor.
Who is she?
Baba yaga is seen in many folklore tales throughout the Slavic and Russian culture. Like I touched on before many see her as just that. A folklore character that has many myths and legends surrounding her of her doing dark things like eating children who wander into the woods. But, many others view her as a divine ancestor, a powerful spirit, an ancient earth goddess. Though her lineage is unknown and we do not know where or who she came from or her parents which is a reason she is seen as primordial energy and not being of this world of the underworld. She is also referred to as the keeper of the waters of life aka the fountain of youth and when I have worked with her she has shown me a door that only she has the key to and explained all knowledge of time is within it.
Her importance during ancient times
In ancient cultures, older women were seen as the keepers of family or tribal wisdom and tradition, and they were revered as such.
These knowing women were thought to be familiar with the mysteries of birth and death; as a result, they were qualified to care for the sick and dying, and they were endowed with the function of bringing life and death.
Her name
The first part Baba translates to old woman or grandmother. Depending on the region and people, this can be a term of endearment or even an insult. It essentially points to the fact that the woman is in her elderly years and may even be ugly or misshapen, to some. Which is where we see the connection and description of her being a hag goddess being so common. To others, it gives the woman a certain power and wisdom
Yaga, this part of her name is a little harder to translate and understand. There have been literally dozens of translations looking at various languages in Eastern Europe and Russia. Some include terror, horror, serpent, chill, witch and even dryad or wood nymph.
Her many images
Baba Yaga isn’t just one thing. She’s many: a monster, witch, hag, villain, divine grandmother, earth goddess, forest spirit, shapeshifter, light bringer, and to some she’s even considered a hero. According to Judika Illes, while Baba is of Slavic prominence, she may have once been the Scythian goddess of the hearth Tabiti. Though, I believe we can see her as many of the deities of the hearth. Including Hestia of Greek origin and Holda and Berchta of Germanic origin. We also can draw a connection to her and the celtic goddess Cerridwen with what she has to offer and her connection to herbal knowledge.
To modern witches and Slavic pagans, Baba Yaga is a witch goddess who lives deep in a birch forest. She’s the keeper of herbal and healing wisdom and grants her knowledge to those who are worthy and of whom seek initiation.
Baba Yaga’s myths over the centuries have turned her into the wicked witch of the forest, seen as ugly and old. This is more commonly a societal view of how many see elderly women set in their ways and often shunned by younger generations who value beauty and youth over age and experience.
The tales say Baba is an old woman with iron teeth like boar tusks. She has bear claws and wears a necklace of skulls, smokes a pipe, and sometimes has a golden or iron foot. In other belief, she’s a snake from the waist down. Some say she wears an apron and holds a key to life’s mysteries. She flies about in a mortar, holding a pestle. Sometimes she holds a broom with which to sweep away any signs she’s been about.
When she’s first documented in 1755 (that we know of), the writer says Baba has bony legs, iron teeth, and refers to misshapen or repulsive features. Including the old woman’s nose, breasts, buttocks and vulva. Baba appears in a list along with other Slavic deities, with all of the others compared to Roman deities. But not Baba she’s on her own. Which shows her sovereignty and power.
Baba Yaga is associated with the dark forests, death, rebirth, sickness, dying, but also healing, renewal, sage wisdom and advice that comes from experience and a long life.
Her wise grandmother’s energy is strict and harsh, but for your own well being.
Her energy is most strongly felt in the autumn, leading up to Mabon and Samhain as the leaves change color and the temperatures begin to get cooler.
Baba yaga and the liminal space
Baba Yaga is not quite of this world and the next as she remains otherworldly between the physical world and the spirit world/underworld.
A crone witch and often referred to as a goddess, Baba Yaga can be considered part of the dark goddess archetype.
She is seen as a liminal witch and not quite of this world due to her magical hut which is central to her mythology and who she is. Baba Yaga is found between the worlds, not exactly of the spirit world or the underworld and not quite of this world either.
Her connection to death, mortality, fraility can be connected to the same as ghosts who roam the Earth and the magick of the mythological forest creatures such as the Rusalka (русалка) and Leshy (леший).
However, even with Baba Yaga as a dark/crone goddesss she doesn’t reside in the underworld, but she is connected to what it represents.
Baba yaga’s hut
Baba Yaga’s home is strongly connected to her mythology, which is also associated with the familiarity of the home and our ancestral connections.
So, where is Baba Yaga’s house and what does it look like?
The tales say Baba Yaga’s house is deep in a birch forest. And that it sits atop a pair of giant chicken legs. Because it has legs, it can move. In other tales, her cabin sits atop the legs of a goat or spindle wheels.
Around Baba Yaga’s house, there’s a fence with skulls that sit on top. These skulls glow at certain times. And in her cabin, there’s a large oven akin to a cauldron. Baba Yaga is said to stretch out on top of this oven to warm herself, and in some tales, she’s so large that she can reach both corners of her home as she stretches out atop it. The cauldron in her home screams of Baba’s domain over magic, regeneration, ancestral wisdom and initiation into the magical arts and is where we see Cerridwen popping up again. During the day, a white horse and a red horse may be seen outside her hut. And at night, a black horse. It may also be surrounded by other wildlife including birds, squirrels, snakes, etc.
Baba yaga and Vassalissa the wise
Vassalissa the Wise may be the most well-known story featuring Baba Yaga.
One of the more famous of the Baba Yaga stories features the main character not as the old woman herself but a young maiden named Vasalisa.
In the tale of Baba Yaga and Vasalisa the Wise, Baba takes on her typical personality as the fearsome witch in the wood. The young maiden, Vasalisa, is sent away by her evil stepmother and stepsisters. They selfishly and sadistically hope that Vasalisa will die in the cold, dark forest. But instead, Vasalisa comes to the hut of Baba Yaga, and the old woman offers her life as well as shelter and food in return for Vasalisa’s hard work around the house. And any other duties the old woman might require.
For three whole days, Vasalisa toils over the chores (without complaint) and cooks the old woman her meals. With the help of a poppet she holds in her pocket that is a vessel for her dead mother’s soul. And each day Vasalisa is met with 3 horses on the old woman’s property whom she also saw while traveling in the forest before coming to the hut. There’s a white and red horse that appear during the day, and a black horse that appears at night. Baba also threatens to put Vasalisa in her cauldron if she doesn’t complete her chores each day. On the third day, Vasalisa is brave enough to ask Baba Yaga a question. Vasalisa asks about the three horses, to which the old woman replies:
“The white horse is my bright day;
the red horse is my red, round sun;
And the black horse is my black, dark night.”
At the end of the three days, Vasalisa is granted her desire to return home. Baba Yaga gifts her a skull that lights up to light her way home. When Vasalisa returns home with the skull, she sets it in her stepmother’s hearth. Immediately, the stepmother and stepsisters are so taken with the skull that they can’t break eye contact. In turn, this turns them to ash and Vasalisa is free from their evil ways. She takes the skull and returns to Baba Yaga in the woods. Upon which Baba Yaga invites her to learn her ways.
The blood red horse may be akin to a woman’s menstruation and initiation into womanhood
Ancestral magic: Vasalisa holds a poppet in her pocket with the energy or spirit of her dead mother that guides and helps her throughout her trial with the old woman in the woods
Birch forest: also a symbol of regeneration and renewal, as well as of the Goddess in many European traditions
Initiation process: successfully completing an ordeal that tests one’s patience and brings one to death’s door and back again
Correspondences
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently in like I will list below for you to use.
Sign- scorpio
Colors- red, white, black
Animals- snakes, horses, chickens, creatures of the forest, cat
symbols-mortar and pestle, broom, cauldron, skulls, flame
When to work with Baba yaga
Advice
Guidance
Healing (physical ailments)
Wildcrafting
Herbalism
Relationship advice
Hedge Witchcraft
Baba Yaga gives straight-forward advice, knowledge and wisdom to those who respectfully request and want to improve their witchery skills.
Her witchery expertise is in areas of herbology and wildcrafting (using wild and natural items found in nature and forests), along with hedge witchcraft. Baba Yaga can help to give wisdom and teachings when it comes to witchcraft (folk magick) and healing.
She uses natural items in forests and nature that bring healing in herbal salves, ointments and teas and herbs that can be used in folk magic.
If you work with herbs in your practice, you can work with Baba Yaga to help you perfect your craft and improve your skills and knowledge with herbs and healing with herbs.
In meditation, Baba Yaga can offer healing teas and herbs that can work to help ease discomfort and minor ailments such as upset stomach, minor colds, seasonal allergies, rashes/hives, headaches, etc.
If you’re looking for the right herb for a spell or natural healing, you can call on Baba Yaga to guide you to the right resources or materials.
How to know if you should work with her
“Be prepared. Baba Yaga is not an easy teacher. And she is definitely no pushover. She will challenge you, she will test you, and she will push you farther than you ever believed you could go. But, like a tough coach or a domineering drill sergeant, perhaps it’s because she believes in you more than you may believe in yourself. To work with her takes courage, intelligence, resourcefulness, and even a little bit of moxie, but if you’re ready for the challenge, you’ll reap incredible rewards—climbing higher, going farther, and doing more than you ever thought possible.” ~ Madame Pamita, author of Baba Yaga’s Book of Witchcraft.
You’ll know if Baba Yaga is calling you to her house and to her craft. But if you’re unsure, here’s a few signs she might send you:
The Birch tree keeps showing up in books, TV, etc.
You see Baba Yaga’s name everywhere online, movies, books, etc.
You’ve had a vision, dream or meditation in which Baba Yaga approaches you or you find her house in the birch forest
Three horses come to you as an omen (and an even bigger sign if there’s one white, one red and one black)
You might see a cauldron, broom, or spinning wheel as signs
Dreaming of skulls along a fence-line or in the hearth
If you’re going through an initiation process in life, at work, in a skill or spiritually
How to work with her
Here are just a few ideas of how to work with her and always remember it may look different and feel different for each and every one of us so just follow your intuition and your call.
1. Read and Research
The first thing I always recommend when getting to know a deity is to read as much as you can about them. If you’re not a reader, watch documentaries. Listen to audiobooks and podcasts. Whatever you can find about Baba Yaga will be helpful in getting to know her from a respectful, cultural perspective. She is featured in many fairy tales, movies, poems, and even in children’s books. Some books written from a modern witchcraft perspective include Madame Pamita’s Book of Witchcraft, Baba Yaga by Natalia Clarke, and a fun read called Ask Baba Yaga: Otherworldly Advice for Everyday Trouble by Taisia Kitaiskaia.
Some common myths to look into about her will be Maria Morevna, where she makes a deal to help Prince Ivan find his bride, only to sabotage his effort to keep his end of the bargain, which would have resulted in his death. And The Black Geese, where her only goal is to capture and eat children.
2. Set Up An Altar for Baba Yaga
Every deity and spirit appreciates their own space. Baba is no different. If you have a mantle or space near a wood stove, this is the perfect spot for her as she’s highly linked to the hearth in Russian lore.
When working with Baba Yaga, offerings of thanks should be made each time after making a connection with Baba Yaga or asking for her advice, guidance or help.
If you know some poetry or words in Ukrainian, Russian, Polish or any Slavic language, you can give thanks to Baba Yaga in these languages.
At your altar, you can leave tokens of appreciation and thanks to Baba Yaga such as:
Include objects that make her feel at home: a cauldron, broom, or mortar and pestle for example.
Decoration: wheat, traditional embroidery or rushnyky (traditional embroidered towels/rugs), matroshka (nesting dolls), pysanky (decorated Ukrainian eggs), skull decorations, bones (ethically gathered or sourced), images or statues of Baba Yaga and/or her house.
These offerings can also be left in forests at the foot of a tree or a special area that you dedicated outside for Baba Yaga.
3. Initiation Process
Baba will take you on a road to initiation deep in her forest. This process will be different for every devotee. You may be required to perform acts of service in her name, perhaps by aiding in preservation of the earth, forest, or wildlife. Perhaps through herbal studies. And she may even quiz you with riddles. Be open to learning, being patient, and working hard. Ask Baba Yaga how you can learn from her.
4. Work with herbs
Baba yaga is a master with herbs and plants as she is so at home in the forest. She has so much knowledge on herbal remedies and usages for alignments. Working with herbs and studying them especially the more dangerous one like Nightshade are a great way to connect to her and learn from her.
5. Shadow work
Since Baba yaga resides in the Liminal space, and is so connected to the primordial wisdom of the earth and our ancestors she makes one of the perfect goddesses to call on for shadow work. She is intense though one of the most intense goddesses I have ever called in during a shadow work session. When you enter her hut for a shadow work session you will go deep in the liminal space and be pushed further than have before to really get the answers the forest and your ancestors from the beginning of time have to offer you. So, be prepared for this journey with her she will push you and she will show you everywhere you made a mistake and caused your own suffering to get worse.
6. Call to her for discipline
Something I don’t see often from other witches is using her for discipline and structure. Baba Yaga is that overbearing, strict, I will slap your hand away grandmother type energy. Due to this attitude of strictness she has she is perfect to call on for situations where you need a little more discipline like quitting a bad habit or maintaining your schedule. You can do this by calling to her in spells and invocations when setting intentions for discipline and even calling to her while binding or banishing a habit you wish to stop. She suggests that when doing this you spin in a circle to signify and understand the difficulty it takes to break free of a cycle.
7. Work with her as the triple goddess
It is said that Baba Yaga has two other sisters, who are also Baba Yagas who live in Her hut. Baba Yaga becomes a Triple Goddess in this fashion, embodying the Virgin, Mother, and Crone. The “Keeper of the Water of Life and Death” is another name for Baba Yaga. So, if you work the triple goddess archetype you can use her as the crone representation alone or as all three. I have seen and done both myself.
8. Guided meditation to meet her
The purpose is to meet Baba Yaga so you my get to know the true Goddess. This meditation is best done during the dark moon. It is a solitary medition best done alone. Cast a circle if you like or just get comfortable in you favorite meditation position. Make sure the room is dark and you will not be disturbed
. Now let us begin.
You have entered a thick forest, but some how you know your way. You reach an opening in the trees. There before you is the home of the Goddess Baba Yaga. The fence is made of bones topped with human skulls. The house dances on chicken legs. It is a fearsome sight, yet you know there is nothing to fear. You reach the gate and ring the bell for her. In a harsh voice she asks what you want. With a pure heart you tell her why you wished to meet her. She flies out of her house in her mortar to greet you. How are you feeling? What are your impressions? Baba Yaga approaches and asks you to come with her for a ride. Do you hesitate? Go with her. Fly through the air in the mortar with Baba Yaga. Take note to where she takes you and what she tells you. Enjoy the feeling of flying! Baba Yaga will know when it is time to come back. When you return to her home, thank her and give her a gift. Does she give you a gift? If so, what is it? You know your way back through the woods.
Now you know the way and can visit Baba Yaga when needed.
Note: When I rode with Baba Yaga in her mortar the first time she ground me up into little pieces with her pestle. She then sprinkled the waters of life on me and I was back to myself. I felt refreshed, as if the unneeded traits were ground away. Baba Yaga came to me as a healer. She taught me all healers must be intimately familiar with the cycles of life and death. She remains guardian of both the underworld and the fountain of the waters of life
No matter how you choose to work with her if you even do just remember to show her respect, understanding and to express gratitude for all the wisdom she brings to you no matter how harsh of way she does it in. I will leave you with this poem written about her to help you connect and decide if she is a goddess you would like to work with.
Baba Yaga
Wild Woman
I walk in the forest
and speak intimately with the animals
I dance barefoot in the rain
without any clothes
I travel on pathways
that I make myself
and in ways that suit me
my instincts are alive and razor sharp
my intuition and sense of smell are keen
I freely express my vitality
my sheer exuberant joyfulness
to please myself
because it is natural
it is what needs to be
I am the wild joyous life force
Come and meet me
By Amy Sophia Marashinsky
To expand your knowledge about her and meet her in guided meditation or if you’d rather listen than read; you can watch my free class with Divination Academy on YouTube below!