RITE 1: DE SIGILI Eii't days before the nen> moon: eA celebration of He~te's sacred sigil. eAs with each of these nine rites, before reciting aloud the words of the hymn, read them silent{y, and then re'Uiew the guidance given bel0111. See: The Sigil of Crossroads, Of the Forked Path, of divine divergence; And of that peerless She who guards them all And guides the traveler's choice: She whom we call Dragon,Voice, Terror, Torch,Bearer, Barking Bitch, Witch, Wonder, Ghost,Faced Moon; Nameless, Faceless, Fearless, Peerless Upriser, Deep Descender, World,Wrecker, Age,Ender, Eater of Filth, Cutter of Cords, Sewer of Souls: She whom it pleases to be called HEKATE! She who brings dole and delight as Patroness Of all progressions, successions, transgressions; She To whom the witches pray; who rules dawn, the day And dusk, but deeply loves the Night, And those who gather in it. Touch her sigil; know No limit. GUIDANCE On the opposite page is a sigil of Hekate. Having. washed your hands thrice, and having dusted them with cinnamon, sit down in a private place at a liminal hour (such as dawn, dusk or midnight), bringing with you a clean sheet of paper, a writing utensil that has never been used before, a fireproof bowl, and matches. After sitting quietly for a few minutes to let your mind settle, silently read the verse above to yourself. Then, on the clean sheet of paper, slowly draw the sigil, contemplating as you do its form and composition. The two tridents indicate mastery over the upper and lower worlds, while the vertical shaft represents Hekate·s ability to traverse both without impediment. The central X signifies both the earth's surface and the crossroads where opposing forces intersect. This is where she manifests. Having drawn the sigil, close your eyes and let your breathing slow. Picture the following: You find yourself on a plain covered by swaying blades of sea,grass. You are walking a sandy path. The air smells of salt. It is deep dusk, and a wet mist hangs heavily on either side of the path. Up ahead, you see that you are approaching a fork in the path. On either side of the fork a torch has been set into the ground, burning dimly through the mist. The torches flare as you approach. The faint smell of burning pitch mingles with the sea,air, stinging your nostrils. As you draw closer, you see that a tall pole has been set into the ground at the crux of the crossroads. Hanging by leather cords from the top of that pole are three thin pieces of wood; each is about the size and shape of the head of a shovel. As you approach them, the hair on the back of your neck prickles and the flesh of your arms rises to gooseflesh, because suddenly you see what they are. They are masks. Exhale. Open your eyes. Be in the place you are in. And look again at the sigil that you have drawn. Consider what has led you on the path that you now travel. It has forked once already, with the opening of this book. In eight days, it will fork again. At each fork, you will have to determine whether to continue on your chosen path. Each step you take brings you closer to She Who Waits, and farther from those things and people of this world which are not of her. It also takes you closer toward yourself: your secret self; your inner self; your subtle self; the self which no one knows but you - and her. So take this time to see that self, and contemplate its worth. For unless you find yourself worthy, you cannot continue. Everything offered to Hekate must be deemed worthy by the one who offers it. If you reach her altar, you must offer yourself. See that self, as if you were gazing into a dark mirror. Find its worth.If you are able to find that which is worthy in yourself, and are determined to continue on this path, do the following: on the paper before you, draw your initials, or a sign representing yourself, to the left of the Crossroads Sigil, then to the right of it, then above it, then below. Now you encompass her as she encompasses you. Look upon the sigil and your initials. See how it makes you feel. Register this feeling without judging it. It is information which will inform the choices you will make over the next eight days. When you are ready, put both of your hands on the sigil, covering it completely, and read in a loud, clear voice the hymn set forth above, three times. When you have finished, kiss the sigil you created, then light a match and burn it above the bowl, letting the ash fall within. When the ash has cooled, store it in a safe place, for it is sacred and will prove useful later. The first day's task is done, and you have begun your journey. Recommended Reading: Hesiod·s CTheo!flny, lines 4Il'452· This, like all recommended texts for the next eight days, is an ancient devotional hymn which is widely available, and may be obtained without cost. Read it before sleeping, and let the account of Hekate·s nature inform your drearris during this period of preparation.
RITE 2: DE NATURA Seven days before the nell> moon: 13eing a meditation on her titanic nature. Js 'With each of these rites, first revie'RI the hymn in silence, then JollO'RI the guidance at the hottom of the page. Once you have finished, read the hymn aloud. 0 hundred,handed Hekate; 0 Serpent with a thousand scales; far,Worker, Nothing,Shirker Face hidden by a saffron veil; This much have you made known: You are neither goddess (though it pleases some to call you so) Nor beast (despite your scales and crescent horns) Nor woman (though you may take a maiden's form) Nor human (though we aspire to call you mother, lover, kin) Nor any combination thereof or therein. What then art thou? What, then? What? TITAN. First Force! Primal fire that formed Out of the void; from the Abyss Came they: old embodiments Of Universal Law: some of cold And some of flame; some of generation; Some of gravity, and sound, and speed; Some of degradation. But your lot, Hekate Was greater than these by far; for yours Was not just Earth, Sea, and Stars, but The borders that divide them; not places, But the paths between, which fork and branch And subdivide. 0 ~een of Subdivision, Of Void and Voices; ~een of Choices And of their consequence: your sacrament Is decision. 0 Titaness unchained! Release the one who knows Your name! She who stands before you and proclaims: Gaia is titan, is great, but is ruled by Demeter; Pontus is titan, is great, but is ruled by Poseidon; Helios is titan, is great, but is ruled by Phoibos. But Hekate, titan, greatest of the great, is alone unruled; her path unchecked; her orbit uncircumscribed; her jurisdiction unlimited by divine decree; and therefore is it said of her: Protou oloi oi theoi tremoun: "Before you, all gods tremble ...:· As do I. As do I. As do I. GUIDANCE At a liminal hour, having washed your hands thrice and dusted them with cinnamon, sit somewhere private, bringing with you pen, paper, bowl, matches, and a white candle. Sit, breathe deeply, and gather yourself. When your ·mind has stilled, once again (as you will do each of these nine nights) draw Hekate·s sigil on a clean piece of paper, contemplating its meaning as you do. Write your initials on all four sides of it as before. Then light a white candle, and set it down at the sigih center. Once the candle is lit, stare into its flame, breathing deeply. The words you are going to read are few, but they contain an important declaration. They acknowledge Hekate·s titanic nature. The titans were primordial forces which preceded the gods; they embodied the ineradicable manifestations of Nature and Time. Hekate herself is a fourth,generation titan, which means that she is different from most gods, because she represents an older, more primitive order. But she is also different from the original twelve titans because (unlike them) she is not subject to the authority of the gods: she moves freely between worlds, realms, aeons, and dimensions. She is LIMINE, the Liminal One, who is neither any one thing nor its opposite, but is the path by which opposing forces are reconciled. She is the Connectrix, the Communicatrix, the Mediatrix; the one who opens the channels between this world and the worlds we seek, and facilitates the transmission of information, intelligence, wisdom, will, and indeed the very stuff of life. Before you read aloud the words of the hymn above, close your eyes, steadying your breath, and picture, in your mind·s eye, the following: You are standing again on a sandy path at dusk, with long blades of grass waving gently on either side of you in a salt, scented breeze. The breeze has blown away the mist, so that you can see the star,speckled dome of the heavens above you. Ahead and to your left is a ridge that borders a starlit sea; ahead and to your right is a dark wood. Between them is the crossroads where the sandy path splits left toward the ridge and right toward the woods. Two torches burn on either side of the forked path, and at the crux of the fork is the tall wooden pole from which hang three thin masks. They shift slightly in the breeze, and you glimpse the face of the first mask. See it in your mind·s eye: its shape, its structure, its unexpected beauty. Feel it affect you in some way. Feel yourself to be in some way changed by the seeing of that face. Know that face to be Hekate·s face. One of them. Look down, now, and in your mind·s eye see the sandy path beneath your feet glow softly with a symbol etched in blue light: the sigil of Hekate. You are standing on its center just as the candle sits upon the paper sigil. Inhale slowly, and as you do, see the sigil glow with a blue light. As you exhale, it burns even brighter. Do this three times. At the end of the third exhalation, see the glowing sigil rotate upright, so that its shaft aligns with your spine, and the upper trident points above your head to the heavens, and the lower trident points below your feet to the Underworld. See it glow with a blue and radiant fire, and feel yourself glow as well, filled with the crackling force that comes with proximity to her numinous essence, by which all things are made possible. Exhale slowly, and open your eyes. Be where you are again: in the room, at dusk, staring at a flickering flame. When you are fully present, cover the sigil with your hands and read the hymn aloud twice, envisioning the glowing trident - now invisible, for it is within you - glowing brighter with every word. Then, when the words have been spoken, close your eyes and exhale. Let the image of the glowing trident fade. In the stillness that follows, with your eyes still closed, reach out with your consciousness and sense the candle flame burning before you. You should be able to sense it, though you cannot see it: its wavering light; its faint heat; the space it occupies. Now extend that same outreaching consciousness to your left, to your right, above you, and behind you. Seek for another flame,like presence in the room with the subtle working of your senses. By so doing you may encounter another force, unseen but there, which may either remain, shift, or discreetly withdraw at your mind·s approach. Whatever it does, let it. When it finally dissipates, take a deep breath, open your eyes, and blow out the candle. As before, kiss and burn the sigil, and store the ash. The second step on your journey has been completed, and you are that much closer to the ninth night. Recommended Reading: Proclus· Hymn to He~te and 'janus. Let the words of this short and passionate hymn sink in before sleep.
RITE 3: DE POTENTIA Six days kfore the netP moon: 'Being a recital of He~te's manifold functions. Js before, re'Vie'W the hymn in silence, then read the guidance kfore spealfj,ng the hymn aloud. She exists! She exists! Ever and always, Hekate exists, And so the gods rejoice, for she enables their reign; And so the titans rejoice, for she ennobles their bondage; And so the mortals rejoice, for she conducts each soul to its destination; And so the Fates rejoice, for she is their Instrumentality - their Spindle, Loom and Shears; And so we rejoice, for her existence embodies nine sacred functions; namely, To destroy old and outworn forms, in order to make way for the new - and therefore is she known as REXICHTHON, Earth,Splitter; To ensoul the noetic mind,force that emanates from Lion,Faced Aion, the scion of Eternity; and to take such ensoulments from the Moon to Earth, whereby she ensures the souls· enfleshment in the bodies of men and women - and therefore is she known as ZOOTROPHOS, Nurturer of Life. To recover the lost, and re,unite the departed, and accompany the absent on their journey - and therefore is she known as ATALOS, Compassionate One. To reap the souls of the Restless Dead, and escort them to their peace, past Kerberos, Minos, Charon, Nyx, Styx, Aklys, and Aidoneos, the King of the Dead, to the place deep within the Earth where they receive their final judgment, and from whence they drift back to the Moon, her kingdom, where their lower, hylic souls are flensed from their higher, noetic minds, which then return to Aion in the Realm of the Stars - and therefore is she known as PYSCHOPOMP, Soul, Guide. To bind, restrain and secure her fellow titans imprisoned in the black pit of T artaros, which is as far below Earth as Heaven is above it - and therefore is she known as TARTAROUKHOS, the Lady of Tartaros. To grant increase, secure success, and send surcease from suffering - to benefit the breeder, the believer, the soldier, sportsman, lawyer, warrior, wife, witch, mage, mother and thief - and therefore is she called APOTROPAIA, Shield from Harm. To visit the unjustly imprisoned, and negotiate the terms of their release - and therefore is she called SOTEIRA, Savior. To devour that which is cast off; to want the unwanted; to seek out the unsought; to reach the unreachable and catch the uncaught; to touch the untouchable and claim the unclaimable - and therefore is she called BORBOROPHORBA, Eater of Filth. To revel in her own existence, celebrating her ineffable self, and therefore is she called EPIPHANESTATE, the Most Manifest One. KHAIRA * KHAIRA * KHAIRA HEKATE! GUIDANCE After reading the hymn above in silence, follow all steps from the previous day: at a liminal hour find a quiet space, wash thrice and dust with cinnamon, draw her sigil, and light a white candle at its center. But in addition, now light myrrh incense as well. When the smoke begins to waft upward, turn out all lights, leaving only the candle, and come to stillness. Breathe deep and steadily, focusing on the flame, until you quiet your mind. Having previously considered what brought you to this path, and having contemplated your own worthiness, now imagine what awaits you. Ask yourself what you seek, and think about the answer. You may be seeking healing, power, profit, freedom, respect, pleasure, wisdom, control, or transformation. But to receive it, you must first identify it. Above the entrance of the Temple of Delphi were engraved the words GNOTHI SAUTON - Know Yourself. Honestly make an attempt to do so: consider what you are seeking, and ask how you came to be without those things, and what would have to happen in your life for you to attain them. Then consider: which of Hekate's nine functions would satisfy your need? When you are ready, come to stillness, close your eyes, and let your breath slowly deepen. Picture the following: You are standing on the sandy path leading to the crossroads amid a field of saw,edged grass; to your left is the sea; to your right a dark wood. Feel the cool salt breeze brush your cheek, and hear the wooden clatter of the masks that hang from the pole. See the first mask shift aside, so that the second slowly turns to face you. Look at it. See that terrible face. Let it be what it is. Accept it. Breathe in the essence of that face, and exhale. As you inhale again, look slowly down to see in your mind's eye the sigil glowing softly under your feet on the sandy path. Breathe out and in three times, seeing it slowly rising, rotating upward until its axis aligns with your spine, imbuing your every bone with a blue and purifying flame. Now look up, and see the stars obscured by clouds which roll off the sea. They begin spiraling above you in a storm cell. As the cell coils, its center curls downward above your head. See a flash - a bright jag of lightning leap from its core, striking the tip of the trident which encompasses your head like a crown. Feel that divine fire illuminate and purify each limb, vein,artery, and neuron in your body, incinerating the coagulation of fear and weakness, leaving only that which is eternal, ineffable, and worthy. Feel yourself burn with incandescent fire. Know that the One Who Enables All is drawing nearer. Open your eyes, exhaling slowly. Return to this reality. Cover the sigil, and read the hymn aloud twice, taking care to pronounce the Greek epithets in each section carefully. The recitation of these names is a traditional technique to compel divine attention. When you have finished, close your eyes once more, and reach out with your consciousness to detect the warmth and light of the candle before you. Then extend your consciousness left, right, above, below, and behind you. Seek a presence akin to the candle flame, but different. Breathe slowly and steadily throughout. Be patient. If you sense a presence, register it, but do nothing. If you do not, simply register that fact as well, and accept it without judgment. Gradually withdraw your senses back into yourself. When you are ready, open your eyes, and as before, end the rite by blowing out the flame, kissing the sigil, burning it, and storing the ash. You are now a third of the way to your dedication. Let this knowledge, and the image of the divine fire vivifying each limb, strengthen your resolve, and deepen your will throughout the following day. Recommended Reading: Hymn to Selene from the Greek Magical Papyri. This passionate invocation of Hekate,Selene is one of a trove of spells excavated from a Greco,Egyptian sorcerer's tomb, and represents an invaluable example of an actual summoning of titanic powers by a practicing magician nearly two millennia ago.
RITE 4: DE FORMA 'Five days before the ne'nJ moon: J celebration of the forms and formlessness of He~te. Js before, read the text in silence, and then revietP the guidance carefully before speafing the hymn aloud. 0 lndominable Darkness that dwells In the heart of Light; 0 Formless Fire that informs The womb of Night; 0 woman astride an open grave Giving birth to life; 0 child with a dog·s face Whose left hand is a knife: POLYMORPHOS *POLYPROSOPO S APHRATTOS * APLETOS ANESSA * ANESSA HEKATE! 0 mile-high Bull who pulls the plow Through a field of stars; 0 Companion on the journey Whose touch heals journey·s scars; 0 infernal Flame whose heat Begins celestial wars; 0 Sound of three dogs barking With no apparent source: CALLEO SEH * CLOUTHI MEU * ANESSA! CALLEO SEH * CLOUTHI MEU * BASILEA! CALLEO SEH * CLOUTHI MEU * HEKATE! 0 Radiant Serpent who sheds the night To reveal her true complexion; 0 Six Hands crowning a flaming eye, Extending in every direction; 0 Mirror taking what"s without, within To forge unseen connection: 0 Tongue that tells the secret names With intimate inflection; POLYMORPHOS *POLYPROSOPO S APHRATTOS * APLETOS ANESSA * ANESSA HEKATE! GUIDANCE At a liminal hour wash thrice, dust with cinnamon, draw the sigil and burn myrrh, but this time light two white candles: one on the sigih center as before, and one on the trident pointing away from you. Having celebrated Hekate·s nine functions, the Reader will now celebrate her forms. Hekate is both Many-Formed (POLYMORPHOS) and Many-Faced (POLYPROSOPOS). She is also AZOSTOS (The Unconstrained One), which means that she defies definition. And yet by declaring aloud some of the Hekatean forms which prophets, poets and priestesses have identified in the past, the Reader thereby aligns herself with the wise, and thus comes one step closer to dedication. Toward the end of the rite are three phrases beginning with the words CALLEO SEH which translate to "I call you; hear me, ~een.'" They should only be spoken if the Reader truly wishes to draw the attention of the ~een ·of Night. If she is uncertain, they should be omitted from her reading. If she is certain, they should be spoken with great force. Before reading the hymn aloud, understand that Hekate is different from other spirits in that she alone, ever and always, comes 'When called. Those who persist on the Forked Path will, in time, both request her favor and compel her attention. But the ability to request, the courage to compel - these require the Reader to bravely invoke one of the oldest and most unpredictable presences in the world, and stand unashamedly before its devouring gaze. Therefore, before beginning this rite, steady your breathing, close your eyes, and see in your mind·s eye the following: You are standing at the sigih center on the sandy path that leads to the crossroads amid the sawgrass, beyond which the dark forest extends to your right, and to your left, the starlit sea. Look up and see the storm cell wheel slowly above you, heavy with the crackle of divine fire. Inhale and exhale deeply thrice, and imagine the sigil beneath your feet slowly rising up until it aligns with your spine and its upper trident crowns your brow. Again hear the crack of lightning and feel the vivifying rush of flame coursing through your veins. Then look down. Below your feet, the earth has disappeared. You hover in mid~air above the churning face of the sea. Beneath you, the waters beginning to rotate, mirroring the clouds which spiral above. Watch as they form a deepening whirlpool, which funnels deep into the sea's surface, leading down into darkness. Know, as you stare into the whirlpool's depths, that you are approaching something enormous: communion with an entity with no beginning or end; an inhuman force which perceives keenly the difference between confidence and weakness, respect and disrespect, purity and impurity. To rise up into the storm cell - to descend into the maelstrom - these are extreme acts which, once taken, cannot be reversed. To encounter Hekate is to near the nexus of our reality; to come to the confluence of time and space; to attain the axis of the world~tree whose roots, trunk and branches connect all things with their opposite. It is to pass into the singularity through which the future becomes the present, and the present, the past. It is to court oblivion - the oblivion which follows being disassembled, scattered, and reassembled into our newer, truer selves; the selves which, mirror~like, reflect the flame of her dark star. If you are willing to stride into the whirlwind, if you are willing to swim into the vortex, then you are ready to proceed. See yourself standing on the path that leads to the crossroads. Feel the weight of your flesh upon the architecture of your bones. Acknowledge your strengths and flaws. Know that the deity whom you are going to address does not require her devotees to cringe and lament their shortcomings. Instead, what will be needed is determination, courage, strength of will, clear~headedness, and the ability to invoke whole~heartedly and command without hesitation. If you know that you are capable of doing so - of braving both whirlwind and vortex, and she whom they serve - then turn your focus to the tall pole which stands at the crossroads· crux, and look at the third mask. See that face clearly. Know that face for your own. Take this mask between your hands, feeling the grain, the shape of it. Press it against your brow, eyes, lips. It is your face, now. One of them. Open your eyes with a slow exhalation, and become present in this reality. Then, when you are ready, cover the sigil with your hands and read aloud the hymn set forth above thrice. Do it with force and clarity. Know that by speaking these words you are rousing the She, Wolf in her den, the Dragoness in her lair. By calling on Hekate by name, and proclaiming knowledge of her forms, you will capture the attention of the l!!een of the Crossroads, who will henceforth attend yom progress closely. As before, once you have read the hymn, close your eyes and breathe slowly, sensing now the heat, light, and form of two candles before you, and then extending your consciousness left, right, above, below, and behind you to apprehend any other presence in the room. Take some time with this. After noting what you have (or have not) felt, open your eyes again, extinguish the flames, and kiss and burn the sigil. Your journey to the new moon dedication is half over. Recommended Reading: Homeric Hymn to 'Demeter, which gives a detailed version of Persephone's abduction by Hades, and emphasizes Hekate·s role as companion and ally to Persephone and her mother Demeter.
RITE 5: SENSIBUS Pour days hefore the ne'JIJ moon: ellpaean to sharpen our apprehension ofher. SilentlY read the hymn hel(fiiJ, in 'Which each seme is attuned to Hektte' s presence, and then revie'W the guidance. When you have finished, speaft the hymn aloud, and note the changes that may come. Before me are two pillars - one of ivory, one of bone; Before me is a hole in the earth, leading to my home; Before me is a curtain of stars, through which I pass alone; Through which I pass, and pass, and pass - Never to return. EYES- I will see what the Sybil saw, and the Sybil Saw four black bulls shimmering through the flames Whose bellows rent the earth like a garment; I will see what Medea saw, and Medea Saw the crescent moon's tip Drip blood like a sacrificial knife; I will see what Solomon saw, and Solomon Saw a woman uncoiling within a ring of chalk, Six,armed like a scorpion, bearing two torches, two whips, two blades. DADOUKHOS*DADOUKHOS- Bless these eyes that they may see you All about - within, without - above and below, in all seasons. HANDS- I will touch what Persephone touched, and Persephone Touched a hand in the darkness Which led her to the light; I will touch what Clytius touched, and Clytius Touched a flame of unendurable heat Which burned away his impurities; I will touch what Jason touched, and Jason Touched dragon's teeth as smooth as seeds, And like black seeds, he sowed them. ATALOS * ATALOS - Bless these hands that they may feel you All about - within, without - above and below, in all seasons. TONGUE- I will taste what Dionysus tasted, and Dionysus Sucked warm milk from a black she,goat At dusk in a cave on Mt. Nysa; I will taste what Ladon tasted, and Dragon Ladon Licked poppy,broth from a juniper branch That cooled his fiery fury; I will taste what Odysseus tasted, and Odysseus Swallowed honey, wine and barleymeal Mixed with baneful herbs, yet lived and loved thereafter. APOTROPAIA * APOTROPAIA- Bless this tongue that it may taste you All about - within, without - above and below, in all seasons. NOSTRILS- I will smell what the titans smell when the titans Are raised from the earth, and what the titans smell Is blood. I will smell what the gods smell when the gods Are pulled from their orbits, and what the gods smell Is frankincense. I will smell what the dead smell when the dead Are pulled from their graves, and what the dead smell Is myrrh. ANGELOS * ANGELOS - Bless these nostrils that they may scent you All about - within, without - above and below, in all seasons. EARS- I will hear what Byzantium heard when Byzantium Heard hounds barking deep within the earth, Signaling the Macedonian approach. I will hear what the Theban sorcerer heard when he, Proclaiming himself a god, heard the hiss, pop and howl That came from his own throat. I will hear what Demeter heard when Demeter, Wailing at her daughter·s rape, heard from the cave A voice saying, ··Mother, why do you weep?·· PSYCHOPOMP * PSYCHOPOMP - Bless these ears that they may hear you All about - within, without - above and below, in all seasons. Before me are two pillars - one of ivory, one of bone; Before me is a hole in the earth, leading to my home; Before me is a curtain of stars, through which I pass alone; Through which I pass, and pass, and pass - Never to return. GUIDANCE With this hymn the Reader awakens her senses to the task before her: she will be experiencing things she never experienced before, and each sense must be prepared for the journey. It should be understood that the ancient Greeks believed spirits to be incorporeal, so that when they manifested, mortals would experience their epiphanies in different ways: some with visions, some with strange scents, some with surprising sounds, some with a distinct taste. This hymn opens the gateways of the senses, and prepares the Reader·s perception for the otherworldly encounters that await. Before reading this hymn aloud, do the usual - wash hands thrice, dust with cinnamon, draw the sigil, burn myrrh, and then light three white candles, one in the middle of the sigil, and one on each trident. Then settle your breath into a steady rhythm, dosing your eyes and envisioning the following: You are on the path before the crossroads, with the starlit sea to your left and the dark woods to your right. With three steady exhalations feel the sigil beneath your feet rise upright, aligning its axis with your spine, sending a rush of blue fire coursing from the base of your pelvis and up to the crown of your head. Look upward and see, over the course of five breaths, the great spiral of the storm cell above your head slowly unfurl and dissipate, revealing the night sky. There, set upon the cloak of night, are a familiar scattering of stars which resemble the headless hunter whom we call Orion. Letting your eye drift downward and to the left, see a smaller cluster of stars in the shape of the hound that attends him. This is (jmis :Jviajor, the Big Dog. Its stars are bright, but one star in particular flashes with a blue-green light, outshining all other stars in the sky. This is Sirius, the Dog Star, which the ancients believed had a baleful effect, for it heralded the season of heat and contagion - the Dog Days of Summer. It is closely associated with Hekate. See the star wink down at you like a celestial eye. Note the splendor of its radiant beams, which extend earthward like blue-green blades. Long and thin, they stretch farther and farther until they touch the earth, five of them, to the right of you, to the left of you, before you, behind you, and at your feet. They swing like searchlights, crossing each other, drawing closer and closer until they converge into a single beam, which strikes your eye with blinding blue,green force. Feel yourself vibrate with the power of that star's strength, trembling like a struck tuning fork. For a moment, be blinded by the light. See nothing as you inhale deeply, exhale, and inhale again more deeply still. Then, as you slowly exhale, envision blue,green fire flowing from your mouth in an unending stream: a wide belt of flame spreading out in every direction; splitting and splitting again, to curl back and encircle you in bands of light that twine together helix,like, encompassing you in a net of fire - a web of light. One of Hekate·s epithets is ARKUIA, the Netter. As such, she encloses, she encompasses whom she will. Some are supplicants; some are servants; some are prey. You are none of these - yet. You are the Reader, who will now call upon each of her own senses and bid Hekate sharpen each one so that you may come to know her presence, and be transformed. Exhale, and open your eyes. Each of the five sections of this hymn corresponds to a sense. Each begins with three examples of classical encounters involving Hekate in song and story, and each ends with a direct request to Hekate for a blessing. As you begin each section, touch the named body part - eyes, ears, etc. At the end of each section, as the final epithet is read twice with the request for favor, put both your hands several inches above the two flames on each end of the sigil,tridents, feeling their warmth enter into your body like a blessing. When you have finished reading the hymn aloud, end as before: close your eyes and extend your apprehension to the three candles before you, sensing the increased heat, light, scent and shape of them. And then extend your senses in all directions, to detect any other presence that may be in the room. Let each sense be keen to detect any scent, touch, sound, taste, or image that may appear. Be especially alert for the barking of dogs - Hekate·s most frequent epiphany. If you do encounter a presence, do not concern yourself with what to do or say. Simply abide in its company, breathing steadily and deeply, until you understand it to have departed. If no presence is discernible, do not be fooled: Hekate, above all other entities, comes when called. The ~een of the Crossroads in some form or other is present, even if indiscernible. It is her prerogative, for now, to remain unseen, unfelt. Respect her right, and her great power, and know that the hymn you have spoken will henceforth sharpen your sensibilities, so that you may come to recognize her company more . and more frequently until you are never out of it, and indeed are permanently transformed by it, like an insect preserved forever in amber. End the rite by blowing out the candles, kissing the sigil, burning it and preserving the ash. The dedication is now close indeed - as is the decision that you must make before taking that monumental step. Also close is something equally important: the discovery of Hekate·s will, before which all creation must yield. Recommended Reading: Orphic Hymn to He~te. This short, powerful hymn is replete with the epithets for which the ~een of the Crossroads was renowned
RITE 6: CANTICUM 7"hree days before the ne'W moon: 'Being a sacred song to attune oneself to He~te's 'WOrship, consecrate sacred space, and summon helpful spirits. 'R.ead the hymn and the guidance be/0111 silent{y, and then sing the hymn aloud. Ouranian - Einalian - Chthonian Everlasting Goddess; Ouranian - Einalian - Chthonian Everlasting Goddess; Ouranian - Einalian - Chthonian Everlasting Goddess Of mine: See within this circle, gathered in your honor; See within the circle three black dogs; See them lift their muzzles to the black moon, howling: Howling down your favor and love. Howling down your favor and love. Howling down your favor and love. Ouranian - Einalian - Chthonian Everlasting Goddess Of mine. GUIDANCE This is a song of consecration. Just as washing thrice and dusting with cinnamon are meant to purify the Reader's outer self, this song is meant to purify and prepare her inner self, while sanctifying her work space. Hekate's jurisdiction was recognized by her devotees as being celestial (OURANIAN), oceanic (EINALIAN) and earthly (CHTHONIAN), a fact celebrated by this simple hymn, which may be sung solo or as a round. The song invites the ~een of the Crossroads to help the singer consecrate a sacred space in order to make an offering, say a prayer, or conduct a ritual. The song should be learnt by the evening of the sixth day.On this evening, the Reader should take all the usual steps to achieve purity and focus: washing, dusting with cinnamon, drawing the sigil and lighting three white candles and incense. This time, however, set a small bowl containing spring water and salt to the left of the sigil. On the right, put a small branch of yew needles. Breathe yourself to stillness. Once you are centered and your breathing is slow and regular, take one of the lit candles and tip it over the bowl so that some of the hot wax drips in, saying as you do: Let fire and water blend; Let all impurities end; Let the veil rend, As the song I sing is sung. Dip the yew branch in the water, and asperge the four corners of the room. Then sing the hymn three times. As you sing the hymn, feel the soft crunch of the sandy path below your feet, and the light brush of sawgrass against either hand. Smell sea salt, the plash of waves, and the distant rumble of thunder. Visualize the crossroads before you; the torches, pole, masks. As each verse is sung, picture the sacred song flowing from your lips like a long banner made of fire, which splits and weaves about you in a helix of blue flame. When the hymn ends, let the stillness linger. Reside in silence for a while. We often learn more listening than we do speaking, so be content to sit for a few minutes in the presence of the three flames. The space you have created is sacred now, and because you are in it, a part of it - its creator, in fact - you are sacred too. See what that feels like, and whether it is different from how you feel at other times. Abide in the stillness. Extend your senses. If you hear a sound, feel a sensation, glimpse something, or receive an image in your mind·s eye, acknowledge it calmly and continue to breathe steadily. Your eyes may be open or closed. The important thing is that you be fully present in both the song and the silence that follows, and be aware of what is yourself and what is not, and content with both. When you decide to end your vigil, simply say to those powers or presences that may have attended your rite, "Thank you for your company. Now go in peace:· Burn the sigil, and blow out the candles. Recommended Reading: Hymn to the 1Mning Moon, from the Greek Magical Papyri. This millennia,old invocation gives an unsparing view of Hekate in her most fearsome lunar aspect.
RITE 7= FATUS 'T'Wo days before the ne'W moon: 13eing a method of determining He~te's 'Will by means of an oracle made of six stones. 1\ead the hymn belO'W silently, then follO'W the guidance. Stones, you are no stones, but two Tongues of the Sea; See the one who stands before you, for she Would be a black dog, Who serves the Black l.!!een. Hear my words, Hear my words, For this is what they mean: As Hekate led Kore from the earth in spring, So you must bring knowledge to me; When asked, answer truthfully; As you honor her, so serve me: Stones, you are no stones, but two Tongues of the Sea. AKHA AKHAKHA KHAKH KHARKHARA KHAKH Stones, you are no stones, but two Tongues of the Air; See the one who stands before you, and prepare To give voice to voiceless spirits That attend the Night Mare; Hear my words, Hear my words, For this is what they share: As Hekate questioned the Sun in autumn, So I will question you; When asked, answer me, to give the l.!!een her due; As you honor her, so serve me too. Now, prepare: Stones, you are no stones, but two Tongues of the Air. AKHA AKHAKHA KHAKH KHARKHARA KHAKH Stones, you are no stones, but two Tongues of the Underground; See the one who stands before you, and go down To the caves within the earth, And retrieve all that you've found; Hear my words, Hear my words, For this is how they sound: As Hekate made Hades in winter unlock his iron gate, So my call will draw forth . Fate In the form of six stones which give tongue to what awaits; As you honor her, stones, so to me be bound: Stones, you are no stones, but two Tongues of the Underground. AKHA AKHAKHA KHAKH KHARKHARA KHAKH GUIDANCE The purpose of this rite is to consecrate an oracle which may be consulted to learn Hekate's will. It requires six stones of similar size and shape, with three being light,colored and three dark. This oracle will be consulted at key points in the Reader's progress to confirm whether she is ready to ·pass on to the next phase of study. To consecrate the oracle, find a private place on the seventh day, and at a liminal hour do the usual - washing, dusting, drawing the sigil, lighting three white candles and myrrh - then put a bowl of salt water to the left of the sigil and the pouch of six stones to the right of it. Breathe deeply, and let yourself come to centeredness. Drip wax into the salt water and then asperge the four corners of the room. Sing the hymn that you learned yesterday to consecrate the space, visualizing a helix of blue fire forming around you as you do. Once you have finished, slowly take the six stones out of the pouch and line them up before you.Speak aloud your intention, saying, "In the name of Hekate, I now consecrate these stones to serve me, so that by consulting them I shall know the will of Hekate; once questioned, the dark stones coming to my hand will indicate YES, and the light ones coming to my hand will indicate NO." Then consecrate them. As you speak the first stanza of the consecration hymn, take one dark and one light stone, and first pass them through the rising fumes of myrrh, then pass them through the flame of the center candle, and then dip them into the bowl of salt water. These two stones will be the Tongues of the Sea. Once finished, call out the voces magicae (magical voices) at the end of the stanza, and then set the two stones down. Take the next two stones - one light, one dark - and consecrate them in the same way while speaking aloud the second stanza of the hymn; these will be the Tongues of the Air. Then do the same with the last two stones, speaking the third stanza; these will be the Tongues of the Underground. Once consecrated, return the stones to the pouch. Breathe deeply, close your eyes, and extend your senses to the candles before you, and then gradually expand to every corner of the room, listening, feeling, and searching with every sense. If you encounter an unexpected presence, reside in its company for however long it stays. If not, be content, and let the silence of the consecrated room calm you and strengthen your resolve - for tomorrow the oracle will speak. End the rite by singing the first six lines of the consecration hymn, then blow out the candles, and kiss and burn the sigil. Recommended Reading: Orphic Hymn to elfrtemis. This beautiful hymn sets forth the many names and attributions of Artemis, Hekate·s titanic first cousin, with whom she was often conflated.
RITE 8: ARBITRIUM One day before the nen> moon: The stones speaft What follO'Ws is the call to the titanic spirits residing -within the six oracle stones, -which -will reveal He~te's -will. ells before, silent{y read both the hymn and the guidance belO'W before proceeding -with this crucial step. 0 Earth! 0 you Daughters of Earth! 0 you Sons of Earth! 0 you Servants of Earth! 0 you Serpents of Earth! 0 you Powers of Earth! 0 you Prisoners of Earth! 0 you who dwell in darkness, In caverns unseen by the sun; In mile~deep lakes, in corridors That vein the vaults that run Beneath, beneath, beneath! Speak, now, with truthful tongues, Willful ones: You rulers, you rebels, You dwellers of the deep; 0 dark deceivers, Deceive not me! For by the ineffable name Of Hekate, Hekate, Hekate Do I adjure you: by the name Of TARTAROUKHOS Are you called, are you Compelled to come: Make these stones Tell truth! As the wind yields rain, As the waves yield foam, As the well yields water, As the quarry yields stone, So let these tongues speak And reveal the will of Hekate.KYNA * KORE * KYNA * BASILEA * KYNA * HEKATE TARTAROUKHOS*TARTAROUKHOS* TARTAROUKHOS AH EH AY EE OH EW AU GUIDANCE This is the eighth day of the devotional path, and tomorrow is the ninth. The ninth,day rite contains the dedicatory ritual whereby the Reader commits herself to Hekate·s path, with all the study, devotion, and work that attends it. But before that day comes, two determinations must be made. First, the Reader must honestly decide whether she wishes to take that step. And second, the Reader must discover whether Hekate grants her permission to do so. Hekate·s permission will be determined by using the consecrated stones. But before consulting them, the Reader must meditate on her own needs and desires. To begin this process, do the usual: purify yourself, and set forth the sigil, candles, incense, salt water, and the pouch of stones. Sing the consecration hymn, imagining a helix of blue fire encompassing you and your space; then let your breathing grow deep and steady. Now visualize the following: a sandy path, and the sigil on the path, and yourself standing at the sigil's center. See ahead of you that the path forks at a crossroads. The right branch of the crossroads is a narrow, rocky trail that plunges steeply into a dark wood. The left branch is wide and sandy, and curves gently back the way you came, following the ridge that looks out over a starlit sea. See the three paths, the crossroads that intersects them, and yourself standing just a few feet from its epicenter. Now consider yourself in your mind·s eye: see your physical features, fairly considering which you like and which you don't. We all have flaws and strengths. But you must find yourself worthy to proceed.If you find yourself worthy regardless of your flaws, then look past your flesh and see the subtle self that resides within you. This subtle self is transparent as gauze; it may look similar to your physical self, or quite different. This is your inner self. See it now: its form, its features; its color and shape. It, too, has flaws, and it too has worth. Looking at it, consider whether it is ready for the demanding journey that begins with the narrow path that leads into the woods, or whether it should travel - for the time being, at least - the wide, sandy path that leads back the way you came. Ask: does my subtle self need the challenging path of dedication, devotion and magical practice, or does it need to heal, restore, and strengthen for now, without undue strain or commitment? Understand that there is no wrong choice: only two paths, both equal, which are about to diverge. You need to choose one. Which will it be? Before you make your final choice, see past both your physical and subtle forms, to the spark that resides at the very core of both. This spark is a small flare of light as bright as a diamond: it burns with the same unquenchable flame that lights the sun and stars. It is found in all forms of life upon the earth. It is perfect, unchanging, and eternal. See this spark within your subtle self, and know that whatever you choose, this spark will always remain itself. It will never diminish, and neither will you. Make your choice. If you choose to forgo the steep and rocky path, then see yourself walk to the left, peacefully returning the way you came along the sandy trail that follows the ridge above the starlit sea. But if you would choose the path to the right - the narrow and rocky path, which leads into the woods - then open your eyes, and prepare to discover if permission to proceed will be granted. To determine Hekate·s will in this matter, take the pouch full of stones in your right hand, and move it slowly through the rising incense and candle flame, then with your left hand sprinkle the salt water on it. When you have finished,speak aloud the hymn set forth above. Chant the last three lines thrice. Afterward, breathe deeply, concentrate on your desire, and say, "Hekate, great goddess, greatest titan, do you grant me permission to dedicate myself to you tomorrow, and pursue the path of devotion?" And then reach into the pouch and pull out a stone. A dark stone indicates YES. If you pull out a dark stone, then thank Hekate sincerely in your own words, and then meditate on the great step you take tomorrow. A pale stone indicates NO. It is not a final refusal; it simply means that now is not the time for you to proceed; that there is more for you to learn about yourself, and your needs, desires, and the nature and worth of your physical and subtle selves. If you still wish to continue, take a few days of rest, and then begin again with the Day 1 exercise to start the nine,day process once more. When you arrive at Day 8, you may draw from the pouch again, and hopefully you will be granted permission to proceed down the path you choose. If you draw a pale stone again, you may try a third time if you wish, after another eight days of preparation. However, if you draw three pale stones in a row, it is probably not in your best interest to proceed, and you should consider pursuing another devotional path. Remember that a pale stone is not a condemnation. It takes great certainty and fortitude to devote yourself to Hekate·s path, and for a deity to tell a mortal to continue to prepare, and meditate and strengthen herself before committing to a challenging path, is not an insult. It is an act of love.
RITE 9: INVOCATIO 'The ne')lJ moon dedication. 13y spea"J.ng the fo//(fJI?ing invocation aloud, the 'R.eader formally involte the attention of He~te, and 'V(fJI?S to serve her - thereby ta"J.ng the first, most important step d(fJI?n the 'Forfted Path. Drink only water today, and eat little. Meditate throughout the day on the step that you are about to take, staying pure in mind and body as you do. Then, at midnight, in private, consecrate the space as usual by washing, dusting with cinnamon, burning myrrh and - this time - lighting three hlacft candles. After singing the consecration song, take a few minutes to deepen your breath and dose your eyes, turning your attention to any forces within or without which would distract you from your work. Visualize yourself walking the path that curves through the field of waving sawgrass. Arrive at the crossroads. You can smell the sea; the stars above you shine brightly. The torches that stand on either side of the forked path burn low. But the pole at the center of the crossroads is no longer a pole. It is a woman. You have called, and she has come. Kneel before her - both in your mind·s eye, and physically. Then open your eyes, and holding this book, read aloud the dedicatory hymn which follows. Read it three times. Each reading should be louder than the last. As you read it, let the meaning sink in, and personalize it - let the call to Hekate come not from your lips, but your soul. As the last word of the dedication is spoken, this book - 'The He~ta:on - will begin to quicken, to come alive. Finish the rite by drawing your personal sigil or initials above, below, tothe right and to the left of the circle on the following page, and then put a drop of your blood at its center (for those unable to give blood, the juice of pomegranate may substitute both here and in the rites that follow). This awakens the book. The drop of blood is its first meal, the opening of its first red eye. More will follow, and as each eye opens, the book will grow stronger, and more capable of performing its function, which is ever and always to enlighten, empower, and draw the Reader closer to Hekate. But before that journey is completed, you must take the first step on the Forked Path. This dedication is that step. Therefore, in the dark of the new moon, kneeling by candlelight, read the following dedication thrice, initial the sigil, and sign the pact in blood. BRIMO * BRIMO * BRIM! - Look down! I call you, ~een Without a Crown; Grave-breaker, you who burned to ash The titans in that unquenchable flame That gives no heat, no light: 0 ~een Of Night: Bright brilliant sphere: here I stand at the crossroads, calling With a borrowed cry: Rise, rise, rise Black Radiance: Come, Killer of Men, Seeker of Souls, Guide of What And Guard of When: Welcome, Three-Faced Force: Hound of earth; sky-bound horse; Lashing snake of the lonely lake and sullen sea! See the soul who gladly waits, offering Her hunger. BRIMO * BRIMO - Nameless name Uncast shadow; outcast flame That glares down from the darkened sky, Pull the gate and hear the hinge reply, As do 1: 0 Fearless Fire! Suffer My desire to know the unknowable, Seek the unseekable, touch the untouchable, Speak the unspeakable, and draw you down Like black rain. Unconstrained, ferocious She; ~een of Earth and Sky and Sea: See the soul who gladly waits, offering Her hunger. BRIMO * BRIMO * BRIM! 0 Prodigy of Nyx; of Destruction And the Starry Sky: World-Ender, Time-Bender, Glimmering Guide Who bears two torches into the Black; You: the only one who can come back. Rustle of oak, whisper of scales: Cracking brand bound with serpent tails; Dweller in darkness, haunter of lakes, Enthroned in the void that hunger makes. Unbound, ungirt, by dogs enchoired, Loved by the lost; by the dead desired, Found by the fallen, felt when alone Glimpsed when the moon is black as a bone. 0 Titaness! Unbound, unclaimed, Moon Of a thousand faces and names; you From whom nothing was taken; no chain Can bind the Kraken-Caller: So come! Howler, towerer, owl-like She Who treads the Abyss. Nightwalker Chthonie Whose herald is hounds: you, whose coming Groans the ground! Hear me, Blessed Bitch, Witch-Mother; Maiden; Huntress; Awful Other, And see the soul who gladly waits, offering Her hunger. BRIMO * BRIMO * BRIM! Invincible She! Rejector of Nothing: Reject not me! I call, you, ~een, on bended knee, And cry the name that's known to me: BRIMO * BRIMO * HEKATE!
Rite by Jack Grayle - Hekateon