The Night of Hecate; Meet the goddess of witches at the crossroads

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
• Colors-Red, black, silver
• Herbs-lavender, mandrake, dandelion, yarrow, wormwood
• 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
• Work with deities of the underworld like Persephone and hades along side her
• 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)

You can listen to it here!

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.