Mysteries of Hecate

Mysteries of Hecate

April Waning Moon 2009

Adapted by Lady Annabelle

With Influence of De-Anna Alba

Needed: Scissors, Dark Moon Foods, Lace Veil, Cauldron filled with water, Drums, burning incense blended with dragonsblood and a prick of my blood.; Goddess amulets.

As with any Mystery, the experience of it marks a transition. Will something be given away? Will it be personal, public, or global? All of these may beat the heart of the Mystery of this ritual. Our Grandmother coven, Coven of Hecate was filled with masters of divination. This evening, we honor Hecate, meeting Her at the Crossroads to seek her wisdom.

This evening we go deeper within, as is fitting at the Waning Moon; we seek the gifts of Hecate, both in the forms of destruction and deep seeker in the ways of divination.

Now let us consecrate our temple by the elements, as in days of old, we do so in solemnity, but not silence.

Leaf consecrates the chalice with a pinch of salt and sprinkles the temple and the followers of the way as she walks the circle, saying:

By the power of water and earth do I make holy and sacred this blessed temple.

Erica carries the smoking censor around the circle, saying:

By the power of fire and air, do I consecrate and sanctify this sacred temple.

Lady Annabelle says using her athame:

With this blade do I conjure thee, O Circle, Cauldron of a Witch’s Power, Be Thou a Sacred Space of Love and Joy and Truth. (one drum beat)

It is done. The circle is cast and we are in a time that is no time, and a place that is between the worlds! (a bell is rung once)

Invocations of the quarters:

Again, a quieter more mysterious tone

Jennifer: The east (a bell)—rung by Erin

Steve: The south (a rattle)—shaken by Jodi

Tammy: The west (a tone) ---- chanted by Lady A

Karen: The north ( a drum)---- beaten once by Erin

Goddess invocation:

Lady Annabelle, wearing the veil.

Great Hecate, Lady of the Crossroads, Giver of the Mysteries, Runekeeper, etc.

God Invocation:

Steve:

Herne of the wild places, horned one, etc.

Now let us go deep; follow the sound of this drum as we journey deep into ourselves; walk along a dark road with just a sliver of the waning moon, curving to the left, but not enough to light your way. You follow along a path, using your intuition and your second sense of the woods, and you walk slowly, reverently, along this dark path. You feel you way along, trusting, and not in fear, but with an edge of anticipation. You know when you get to the crossroad you will see Her, She whom you have sought and never Seen, as her Mysteries are profound. As you pass along the path, you hear the baying of hounds, and it gives you a chill. Above you on the limb of a tree that you cannot make out because of the darkness, you hear the call of an owl, not once but three times. The hounds bark and bay again. If you have one, call your guide to be with you now.

Your guide comforts you, but tells you that you must go on alone to meet the Dark Mother. Your guide waves you on and tells you that when you come back your guide will be waiting right here.

You continue along the dark path, the stars and dying moon your only companions as you listen to the sound of the dogs howling, as if stirring images of the underworld itself; you hear the sound of a serpent hissing, then another.

Finally you come to the trivia or the place where three paths meet, and there you wait, as you are full aware that this is where Hecate will meet you. You wait and at last she begins to take form before you. Her white hair flows from the hood of her long black robe, and standing beside her are two stately hounds. At her feet are two coiled serpents. She tells you that she presides over three: heaven the earth, and the underworld. I am triple says she as I am great goddess of the waxing, full and waning moon. Strong magick is done where the three roads meet and may witches gather here to perform powerful rites. Know that all Mysteries take you to a new threshold, she says. What would you give up to learn these Ways?

Hecate reaches toward you and hands you a key. This is one of my sacred symbols she says. How will you use it? From underneath her robe she pulls a black cauldron: it is filled with water. Hecate reaches her hand into it and stirs it. She says look into the waters, and tell me what you see.

Finally, you hear the voice of your guide calling you back. You have spent long looking into the face of this ancient one. You slowly back away from her as her hounds begin to bay and the serpents hiss at you. You bow to the ancient Hecate as you leave her.

Following back along the path, you find you guide who helps you meander along in the darkness, hurrying back to this place where you find yourself right in this room.

Lady Annabelle:

Now that you have returned from your meeting with Hecate, ask yourself, what would you give up? What would you see gone—from your self, from our community, and from the world to make it better.

We will all conjure within ourselves the spirit of Hecate, and taking these scissors we will carefully snap them after stating what we would be rid of—and say together—cut (snip) it out (snip)!

This takes a boldness, and a strength to know what is best cut out; we build energy with the scissors, so please be careful as you use them and as we peak our power.

The nature of this working is such that we must be quite brief in our descriptions, such as hatred cut it out—child abuse—cut it out.

The snipping ritual.

Now all sit as we remove away the scissors.

The Goddess Amulets are brought out. Ruminate now upon what you draw. Intuit the meaning for you self and meditate upon it.

All share.

Cakes and ale.

Devoking the quarters.