#hekatedeity

[hestiashearthfire]

Hekate as more than a goddess of witchcraft 2024.

#hellenic polytheism #hellenic pagan #hellenic devotion #helpol #hellenic reconstructionism #hellenic paganism #hellenic polytheist #hellenic community #hellenic gods #hekatedeity

[melaninhuntress]

On this solstice we honor the Theoi who rule the sun and fire

Hail to Helios and Apollo. The former who personifies the sun itself, drives his chariot everyday to ensure the continuation of its cycle, and captures the nourishing aspect of the sun. The latter who shines the light on what must be done in our lives so that we may move forward with courage and wisdom and inspires us to own our truth.

Hail to Hestia for the keeping the fire of the hearths intact that we may take care of hearths (metaphorical and literal) in our physical homes and the hearths that we carry in our hearts

Hail to Hephaestus, Prometheus and Apollo for the creative fire that inspires us to create and innovate our lives so that we see how much we can achieve with our own hands and the fire in our hearts

Hail to Hekate as Torchbearer who inspires us to be the guiding light in the lives of those who need it the most and for some ignites the spark of one’s witch fire.

Hail Theoi!

#apollodeity #Apollo #apollon #Helios #heliosdeity #Hestia #hestiadeity #Hephaestusdeity #Hephaestus #Prometheus #prometheusdeity #Hekate #hekatedeity #summer solstice #hellenic polytheism #Hellenic #Hellenism

[earthendevotion]

I want to practice some divination as a devotional act for Hekate and Apollon, so if you'd like a reading specifically speaking to Hekate or another theos, DM me! 💜 It might take me a couple days to get to it, but I figure it's good practice and you all usually are up for it lol!

#hellenic polytheism #paganism #free readings #hecatedeity #hekatedeity #divination

[jessgoulder]

HEKATE

For More Like This Please Check Out My ETSY Store! :)

https://jessgoulder.etsy.com

#greek mythology #pagan #paganism #greek gods #hellenic polytheism #wiccan #hellenic pagan #greek myth #greek goddess #hecatedeity #hecate #hekatedeity #hekategoddess #hekate #pagan witch #witch #witchcraft #witchcore #witch aesthetic #witchy vibes #etsyseller #etsyshop #etsy #etsyfinds #small business #etsycanada #artemis devotion #artemisdeity #artemis deity #artemis cabin

[beneath-the-laurel-tree]

Hekate’s gentler aspects

#hekatedeity #hellenic polytheism #catnipandcards tiktok

[noxwithoutstars]

｡･:*:･ﾟ▹ Hekatedeic

Hekatedeic is gender related to to the Hellenic goddess Hekate, goddess of the moon, night, witchcraft, magic, necromancy, and ghosts. Her familiars are a black dog and a polecat, and she is often depicted with twin torches.

Pronouns can include:

lune/lunar/lunar/lunars/lunarself

shade/shadow/shadows/shadows/shadowself

magi/magic/magics/magics/magicself

Day 6 of Spirgender coining event. Prompt: favorite deity

[ ID: A digital watercolor wash of pale purples and peaches that loosely resemble jellyfish. Words are in dark indigo: “DNI IF: fit basic DNI criteria, gatekeeper/REG/exclus, anti-mogai, anti-lesboy/turigirl, trumpie, anti-aspec, anti-mspec gay/lesbian, anti-endo, proship/anti-anti, JK Rowling apologist, prolife/anti-abortion, anti-decolonization, TERF/radfem, anti-kin/anti-alterhuman, anti PNC & GNC.” End ID. ]

#Hekatedeic #lgbtqia+ #mogai haven #mogai coining #liom coining #coined by me #new term #new gender #nox's terms #nox's flags #SPXINcoining #spxincoining #lunarself #shadowself #magicself

[evergreen-everlasting]

From an offering to Demeter, Persephone and Hekate a few weeks ago 🌟

#hellenic polytheism #hellenism #hellenic pagan #hellenic polytheist #hellenismos #hellenic devotion #hellenic paganism #greek gods #hellenic deities #demeter #persephone deity #persephone* #hekate deity #hekatedeity #hekate* #hekate #traditional offerings #offerings #altar #hellenic altar #shrine

[thegrapeandthefig]

Spiritual protection in the Greco-Roman world

This was this week's hot topic, so I'm using the opportunity to make some things clear from a purely hellenic and historical perspective. Needless to say I am tired of seeing modern magical concepts being slapped on ancient beliefs and I am not writing this post unbiased.

Amulets Etymologically, the word amulet probably means "something that can be carried". It's, personally speaking, my favorite type of protection. Technically speaking, an amulet could, therefore, be a lot of different things as long as they serve two main purposes: tutelage (protection) and prophylaxis (preventive).

Let's go through some of the most common types:

Bulla: typically given to male roman children 9 days after birth. It is worn like a locket where other amulets are placed (typically phalluses).

Lunula: a crescent moon pendant worn by little and young roman girls until their mariage.

Fascinum, tintinnabula and other phalli: the symbol of protection par excellence, found in many shapes and forms. The tintinnabula is more potent, as it also has bells, which are considered apotropaic as well. Bells could also be put around children's and animal's neck for a similar protective effect.  

The Eye (mati): still widely in use, it appears as soon as the 6th century BC on Greek cups. Sometimes added on the phallus for a double protective effect (also true for wings).

Gorgoneion: Often worn simply as a pendant and easily found a bit everywhere, from house thresholds to carved on bullae.

Hercules' Club:  late Antiquity amulets shaped like wooden clubs and most common in Roman Germany between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. An examplary speciment bears the inscription "Deo Herculi", thus confirming its link to Hercules hero worship.

Amulet strings: Mostly seen for Athenian children. It is a cord with several amulets attached to it that is worn diagonally (or on the chest) instead of around the neck so the child can't choke on it.

Garter and waist amulet strings: Mostly worn by Greek women. Their function is debated, but it seems that amulets that were worn this way might have had something to do with easing childbirth, menstruation and sexuality in general (eg. to avoid miscarriages or, the opposite, as a contraceptive).

Coiled snake ring/bracelet: Common protection for young Roman women. 

Depiction of gods on medaillons and other objects: quite a straightforward way to put yourself under the protection of a deity. Helios and Semele together seem to both have been a popular choice.

Coins: Especially old reused coins, sometimes pierced in the middle but not always. This is especially the case for coins which have the image of a deity or hero (Alexander the Great got very popular for this function). Other notable examples include Fortuna, Nike or Helios. The image on the coin matters more than the coin itself.

This is not even an extensive list, but it's worth noting that when we're talking about the ancients, we're talking about people who have been put under some kind of magical protection since their first days of life. I personally have used 2 types of amulet cited above so far, a silver coiled snake ring which I worn until it broke, which I replaced by a fascinum. This one travels with me, as I keep it with my apartment keys but I have 2 consecrated phalli in my apartment that also serve a purpose: one to Dionysus and one to Priapus. The latter being by definition, a protective deity. 

Protection starts at the threshold

I know this can be hard to pull off, but in ideal conditions, you’d want to have a small altar or shrine by the main door of your place. Amulets are meant to follow you around, but protecting your space is just as important. In one of the ridiculous arguments I’ve witnessed this week, someone said, and I paraphrase, that “you could have negative entity living in your house and fucking your life up” when trying to honor the gods, which is “why you should banish". The problem here is banish against what? If the answer here is "negative spirits", then, by hellenic standards, this is a whole other process that: 

1) Doesn't happen at the altar 2) Protects the household on the long term instead of a one shot thing

This, alongside other elements of ancient greek theology, is why you don't need to "protect yourself when you approach the gods" and other ridiculous claims I've seen. If you need to protect yourself in such manner, it means you never either 1) developped kharis with a deity to protect you or 2) took care of protecting your place. 

The first protection for a typical greek door would be an aniconic pillar dedicated to Apollo Agyieus aka "of the street" because that pillar was outside of the house. This Apollo, protector of entrances is also called Thyraios in later sources: 

Apud Graecos Apollo colitur qui Θυραῖος vocatur, eiusque aras ante fores  suas celebrant, ipsum exitus et introitus demonstrantes potentem. The Greeks worship Apollo under the name Thyraios and tend his altars in front of their doors, thereby showing that entrances and exits are under his power.

-Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.9.6

It's important to note that the same epithet is attested for Hermes, which makes total sense since he and Hekate are also traditionally linked to the protection of thresholds (represented by hekataia and herms). 

Why am I insisting so much on doors? To quote Johnston: 

"Divinities who guard the entrances to cities or private dwellings would be expected to avert all sorts of dangers that might threaten those dwelling within, from burglars to mice, but in ancient Greece (like many other places), they were particularly expected to ward off unhappy souls and other demonic creatures, who were believed to congregate at entrances for two reasons. First, because inhabitants vigilantly used protective devices to keep them out, these creatures were imagined to lurk near entrances, patiently awaiting those rare moments of laxity when they might dart back inside."

It's important to note that the protection granted by threshold deities, whether it is Hecate, Hermes or Apollo is that it concerns both the mundane and the spiritual, restless spirits are one thing but it seems to extend to general ills.

Conclusion

I should add, before wrapping this up, that there is an evolution in time with how the Ancients considered their protection to work. As such, between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, amulets weren’t so prevalent. The gods were considered the only ones who had the ability to protect. After the end of the 5th century onwards, there is a gradual shift towards a more “DIY” approach to protection, where human action is considered impactful, thus making the use of atropopaic amulets relevant. 

Further reading: 

Faraone C., The Transformation of Greek Amulets in Roman Imperial Times, 2018

Habib R. R.,  Protective Magic in Ancient Greece: Patterns in the Material Culture of Apotropaia from the Archaic to Hellenistic Periods, 2017

Johnston I. S., Restless Dead: Encounters between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece, 1999

Kerr M. D., Gods, Ghosts and Newlyweds: exploring the uses of the threshold in Greek and Roman superstition and folklore, 2018

Porto C, V.,  Material Culture as Amulets: Magical Elements and the Apotropaic in Ancient Roman World in: Philosophy Study, 2020

#hellenic polytheism #hellenic paganism #hellenic religion #hellenic polytheistic #hellenismos #ancient magic #greek magic #hekatedeity #apollodeity #hermesdeity #witchcraft #witchy #i can't believe yall made me write this

[percabeth4life]

Is Hecate an underworld goddess? I read it somewhere... that she's associated with Persephone. But I can't remember where.

Oh yeah, she’s a Chthonic Goddess 100%. She’s the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy.

Her connection to Persephone comes from how she helped Demeter search for Persephone when Hades stole her.

#anon asks #life answers #hellenic chat #yeah she's major underworld Goddess #hekate #hekate deity #hekatedeity

[teawiththegods]

Maxmilián Pirner - HEKATE (1901)

#Look i found Hekate! #hekatedeity #hekate #this is a pretty bitchin painting i gotta say

[royal-wren]

For @aaronieroarruruerie

Good Tempered Deichteira Nykteria, guide me down the path where I am meant to be. Keep me sharp, Noeros Hekate as  wisdom is bestowed by your great understanding, as you break every gate and eliminate every boundary holding me back. With you I know I can learn all I can while you speak of autonomy, that one can get anything so long as they are willing to cross lines.  Help me not stress as I ask of your might, your cunning with  great delight as you gift clear thought that helps grant me light  even by night to never lose sight of every goal I reach for by  walking this road. Keep me connected with every step and  speak to me ever more as you teach me your hidden knowledge. Make me the best I can be and help me learn more senses  past the basics that some never push beyond. While others feel intimidation and fail to turn and reach out to you I take this step, so in night come, Panopaia. Companion of mine, crack me open to all the possibilities with your hand in mine. I relinquish  in search of better gifts with another night in your comfort while  I say goodnight, another day, another lesson to learn and  another reason to give thanks to you.

#hekate #hekatedeity #hekate* #hecate #hecate* #my writing #is this a garbage mess smashed together? perhaps.

[hestiashearthfire]

Deipnon. Missing my grandma today. Love you always.

#hellenic polytheism #hellenic pagan #hellenic devotion #helpol #hellenic reconstructionism #hellenic paganism #hellenic polytheist #hellenic community #hellenic gods #prayer #deipnon #hekatedeity

[antheiasophia]

Hymn to Hekate

Hail to thee, O Hekate,

Our Lady of the night

Guide to those who've gone astray

And bearer of the light.

We hark to hear the Muses sing

Of your exalted name,

Revered by our almighty King

And mortals all the same.

Great Mother, cloaked in saffron robes

We pray your strength to lend,

You stand with us at all crossed roads,

And at our journey's end.

With ease you walk between the worlds,

The winds dance to your tune

With magic in your fingertips

You wait beneath the moon.

#hekate #hecate #goddess #hekatereligion #hekatedeity #hekate devotee #hekate prayer #hellenic pagan #hellenic polytheism #hellenismos #poem #devotional writing

[aesthetics-for-the-gods]

Self indulgent aesthetic for Hekate, Greek goddess of magic, the night, and crossroads featuring tarot, crystals and candles, and a vaguely eerie late night pic.

All images are my own, please don't repost or remove this caption!

#hekate #hellenic pagan #hecate #mythology aesthetic #greek mythology #hellenic deities #hekatedeity #hecatedeity #myth aesthetic #aesthetics #deity aesthetic

[jessgoulder]

In 1962 in the day. Constanta (antique Tomis) is an open find, which they call treasure of sculptures. This find is extremely interesting because on the one hand it shows very well preserved examples of local art, and on the other it presents a local cult / sanctuary whose sacred images were specially preserved. It is also addressed in the then publications that most likely the sacred images in question were buried to be preserved from the Christians in the 3-4 c period, stacked up so that they would lean on each other and put up in a specially dug pit for purpose. Several images of the goddess Hecate - of overturned tiles and of three-dimensional statues of the goddess indicate that she was possibly the leading deity in this cult or in the sanctuary in question, from which the images came from.

#hekate #hecate #hecata #trivia #hecategoddess #hekategoddess #hecatedeity #hekatedeity #greek paganism #hellenic polytheism #titaness #witchcraft #new moon #necromancy #black magic #crossroads #greek goddess #greek goddesses #greek deities

[crimsonsongbird]

Prayer to Hekate

Hekate, Mother and Mentor,

I thank you for the blessings you've given

And for the lessons I have learned.

I am grateful for your guidance,

Encouragement and support.

If not for your steady hand and brilliant light,

I might not have found the strength to stand and continue on.

I thank you for all you've already given and for all you have yet give.

Thank you and hail to you, Mother.

#my prayer to hekate #upg #prayers #hekate deity #hekate #hekatedeity #references ;; prayers #hellenic paganism #hellenic polytheism #my prayers #my work