Hekate

My Hekatean Adventure

by Oracle Hekataios
Hekate Statue
Hekate, the Infernal Lady

My first time ever writing about Hekate can be found here. I even wrote an oracle one time and it can be found here. I should get back to writing those when they are for the community at large. These are trying times, and I know people want direction in their lives. Corporate oracles can be taken in and may speak to more than one individual. It might even be a prophecy to the world at large.

Note: When I mean prophecy I do not necessarily mean an oracle for the future all of the time.

I’d like to describe my Hekatean adventure, or how I and Hekate built our relationship all of these years.

Jason and the Argonauts
In 1963 a film was made titled “Jason and the Argonauts.” a film by Don Chaffey and featuring an actor named Todd Armstrong in the title role. Visual effects were done by the famous Ray Harryhausen of creature dynamation fame. The beautiful actress Nancy Kovak appeared as Medea, the High Priestess of Hekate.

I watched the film for the first time when I was 8 years old. I was immediately taken with the mythology. However, when I saw Medea, I fell in love. At first I wasn’t aware of who she was. But what enamored me was her dance in the Temple of Hekate and the depiction of the statue. The clip of the dance is below:

When Jason is captured, Medea struggles to figure out what to do. Then she prayed to the Goddess Hekate – “Queen of Darkness” – to aid her. It was a thrilling moment, as I was exposed to something exotic. They didn’t cover Hekate in my class lesson on Greek Mythology; and there was something about Hekate and Medea…

That night I had a dream. I dreamed a symbol came to me with regards to Hekate. When I woke up I drew it in my journal at the time. As I researched my dad’s library and the school library, I couldn’t find anything on the symbol or on Hekate. So I left it alone, wondering how I could reach her.

As I studied the occult growing up, I became interested in Witchcraft. I didn’t want to be involved in Santeria like my mom was. It just wasn’t something I wanted. However, my godmother read Tarot, could interpret symbols in the cup of coffee after it was drunk, and was able to contact spirits. Now that interested me. I just took it in a different direction.

I found a book on Witchcraft at my local library. There was a chant and spell you had to repeat 9 times while in the center of a circle. Keeping this a secret, I went in my backyard. I took our long hose and made it a circle out of it. I took some branches and made a pentagram out of that. I then sat in the middle. It was midnight. I repeated the chant to dedicate myself to the Craft and spirits. The wind whipped up and at the final saying a lightning bolt flashed across the night sky, and it began to pour. I quickly ran inside so the book wouldn’t get wet. It was done. I was a witch.

Pause
My life in the Craft, however, paused. We converted to a Holiness Pentecostal church (except my dad) and our spiritual direction changed. Well, in a way. I told you about some of my biography here, especially the book burning part. I kept hidden some of the books, especially Marion Zimmer Bradley’s “Mists of Avalon.” Truth be told, I became a fanatic. Well, outwardly anyway. I tried so hard to be ultra-Christian because deep down inside I was struggling with my sexuality and my penchant for Neopaganism and Witchcraft.  I wanted to be a witch. A Druid even. I wanted my spiritual life to make sense to me and to accept me for who I was. It was a very nervous breakdown time.

This entire time, every now and then Hekate popped up in my memory. I wanted to rewatch the film and see Medea dance and pray to that triple-headed statue. Little did I know at the time that Hekate is also the Goddess of witches.

Restart
When I left the church, I struggled spiritually where to go. I knew I needed religion in my life. There was absolutely no question about that. I needed a buffer for my skills in healing and prophecy as well as seeing spirits and sensing energy. Many of you reading can probably relate to growing up different, experiencing trauma, and knowing that your life was meant for more.

I studied what I could before becoming a Neopagan and, more specifically, a witch. I’ve already written how Druidry was my first foray into Neopaganism, and it helped me a lot. It brought me the peace that I needed with regards to Christianity and the path calling to me.

To be honest, I didn’t know what I was missing when I attained the grade of Druid (you don’t automatically become one, but train towards that specific office if you want to). I was happy. Content. But, ever the challenger, I wanted to know what it was to be a witch. When that happened, I remembered the Goddess Hekate and she made an impression again in my life.

Hekate and the Craft
I was given so much misinformation on Witchcraft in the beginning. The more I spent time around people claiming to be witches, the more I realized they treated every book by an author with a name as infallible. I read books, too, and my dad taught me to be a critical reader and always ask questions. Apparently asking too many questions around these witches was anathema, probably because it caused them to question as well. I don’t know. But this critical mind was always attacked for being a know-it-all. I even had “friends” I knew tell others that I thought I was better than anyone else, even better than the Gods! I lost a lot of people. I’m sure many of you have also lost a lot of friends because of misinformation or questioning people’s beliefs and values.

Be that as it may, at one point I began to write rituals. They were basic, but we all start somewhere, and there is nothing wrong with basic. Simple circle casting, calling the four directions, and meditations. As a witch, I now had access to some exposure to other authors in the Neopagan and Witchcraft fields who wrote about her. Of course, once again there was a lot of conflicting information on her. I had to dig and figure this out myself.

Unlike others, I didn’t really have an active altar or images of the Gods. I couldn’t afford it. I wasn’t entirely sure I needed it anyway. As a Christian, all you had to do was pray, and the Christian God was there. If he can do that, why not the Goddess? So early on I learned about talking to her and meditating. I had no scripture to lead me, but I had my imagination and will, and that seemed enough.

I finally felt her speak to me one day after years of doing this. I felt her nudging to lead dark moon rituals in a certain format. They were:

  1. Wash hands and face with purified water.
  2. Anoint foreheads with blessed oil (I used olive oil a lot).
  3. Create a circle, whether astrally with blade or with cornmeal, stones, or flowers on the ground in the physical.
  4. Honor the Four Directions.
  5. Pray to the ancestors.
  6. Pray to the Hearth Lady.
  7. Invoke the Gods.
  8. Meditate, dance, or just bow down with music chanting and worshiping.
  9. Thank the Gods.
  10. Thank the Hearth Lady.
  11. Thank the ancestors.
  12. Thank the Four Directions.
  13. Place a bit of food from every dish onto a plate. Grab some wine. Dig a pit where the ancestors are and pour the food and drink in there to feed them and thank them.
  14. Feast.

This was my format for years. The dark moons became my hosted celebration for Hekate. Then Hekate led me to learn a form of Stregheria, or Sicilian-Continental Craft. It was from the family of the late Dr. Leo Martello, a prominent figure in the early Craft movement here in the States.

As I was learning and doing, I felt ready to dedicate myself formally to her. So, one night on November 16th, 2009 when it was the dark of the moon, I formally told her that I was ready for us to be with each other, I wanted to be her priest, and to start my life with her there.

Visions
That night, I had a dream-vision unlike anything I have ever had. I astral traveled across from my home across a great sea. It was dark. I heard the waves and the thunder. It was if the astral realm was alive and potent with energy. As I flew, I looked at my arms and there were wings. I glanced at myself over the ocean and I was a barred owl! Strange I know.

That’s when I saw it – a great tree in the center of the sea. Was this the World Tree? It seemed so. The 7 Classical planets surrounded the tree (Mercury, Venus, the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn). The tree was large, old, and its roots went deep into the sea. I shapeshifted into something else, and followed a road less traveled beneath the roots. I followed a river and saw other rivers as well. Finally, there was a great lake along a certain route. Here, I was taken in and baptized in the Underworld. It was cold…colder than anything I had ever felt.

The Underworld accepted me. I woke up.

Seven Days
For the next seven days, I had what seemed like a thousand flashes and memories. I was revealed the secret name of the Sicilian Goddess, and was taken to a life in a place called Samothrace (I looked it up later). I did not sleep at all. My mind was racing with so much information.

That’s when it happened: my dreams became gateways again. I was “awake,” after having slept for so long when I left the church. I had some gifts then, but I shut down completely when I left. This freshness from the Goddess awakened something in me I had not felt in a really long time.

On the 9th day after that initial dream-vision, Hekate came to me and asked me for a contract: I would become her oracle, and she would guide me. This would place me in a precarious position, as I learned that any initiation comes with its own costs. But I accepted. I was awake now, and I wanted to remain that way. I was far from perfect at that time. Far. From. Perfect. She didn’t ask me to be that way in any case. But I knew being an Underworld creature meant struggling with my Shadow quite a bit, involving dancing with my demons when need be. On their part anyway.

Conclusion
Herein I have told the tale of my travels in my Hekatean Adventure. Hekate has always been with me, but there needed to be a time when I, in turn, was ready for her. She never forced the relationship. She never pushed her agenda onto me. She only responded when I finally did, and it was then that I became contracted to her. The Underworld is a wonderful place, and I admit I am on the “dark side” when it comes to my occult workings. But that’s because we always need a balance, a harmony, between the light and the dark. Some of us go to one end, and others of us at another. But together, we can manage the energies and blend them when need be. So don’t be afraid of her, dear reader and fellow traveler. The Goddess is only scary to the uninitiated. She remains there. She called me to StrixCraft. She it is who stated that those called to her are of the Strix: the owls. We are her owl people. What’s next? That’s an enigma only your worship and travels with her will tell in time.

Eirene kai Hugieia!
(Peace and Health!)
Oracle

 

Honoring the Dead

by Oracle Hekataios
skull-765477_1280-853x1200
The Skull of the Dead

I have written about the ancestors here. Anyone who knows me knows that I look at our ancestors as the lifeline to my Craft. The accumulation of their knowledge and wisdom flows through me, and getting in touch with that empowers me. But how do we honor the ancestors? What’s an example we can use for veneration and shrines?

Who are the Ancestors?
When most people think of the ancestors, the first thought are those who are connected with us in blood. This isn’t wrong, and in fact is a stepping stone to understanding the ancestral link we carry with the past. I call this the Crimson Thread. The idea of the Crimson Thread is that it represents our unity with the beloved dead.

For many folks, the Crimson Thread is a simple lineage via on ethnicity/race into the past. With modern technological advances such as found in organizations like ancestry.com or 23andme, we are able to explore our lineage even further and see where our bloodline stems from. For others, it is a mishmash of various cultures. One isn’t better than the other, and in fact when we go back far enough, we are all mutts.

The beloved dead can be divided into different categories:

  • Family
  • The Shadowy Ones
  • The Heroes
  • The Collective

Family
Family lineage is the first introduction people have to ancestral veneration. Many start with the death of parents, grandparents, or others. There are photos and/or mementos and we place those on a mantle or a table that acts as a shrine/memorial. It is a simple way to remember, and keep in mind the power of Memory: that lifeline which keeps the remembered dead some immortality. For the family lineage, we typically keep those members who belong there and had a good relationship with. It is an idealized format. It also includes family by choice: adopted family, group souls, and even pets.

The Shadowy Ones
These are the relatives we would rather not remember. The ones who were abusive, psycho, or others which were harmful to us. Ones we would rather not be related to. These we would rather cut the Crimson Thread from. We don’t want to be associated with that side of our bloodline.

The Heroes
These are the dead whom we exalt to a status of what would be idol worship: celebrities who made a positive impact on our lives. Not limited to celebrities, it extends to anyone not of family relation who influenced us for the better: mentors, teachers, friends, neighbors, and others.

The Collective
The collective dead are the sum of our past. They are not immediate members of our family, but generations within generations within generations. These are the ones which group themselves together and go all the way back to our very first ancestor in Africa. Power resides here.

Working with the Ancestors
Certain criteria are needed to work with the dead:

  • Consciousness exists after the death of the physical body.
  • Communication between the living and the beloved dead occurs.
  • Influencing factors occur between the living and the beloved dead.

These three are crucial. Without these beliefs, there is zero point in forming a relationship with them. I believe that in our Craft and Occulture, ancestral veneration is a must if we are to claim our power and create a healing, vital, positive impact in our lives. Mind you, they are beliefs, subject to doubt. There is nothing wrong with doubt, and in fact healthy doubt keeps us sane. However, like Magic, it requires some faith to understand the workings of bloodline and see the synchronicity that occurs from veneration of the dead and watching the results in our lives.

Ancestral Shrine
If you want to interact with the ancestors, there are some things I have done which might help you. Mind you, the following isn’t necessarily a prescription so much as a set of ideas and a grounding framework from which you can launch your own praxis. I begin with a very basic foundation. The additions are up to you or whatever your particular tradition prescribes.

The Shrine
Pick a shelf, a table, a mantle, or any other flat surface you may have. If your space is limited, then I encourage you to use a dresser, a chest, a corner table, or anything you see which may be of use. You don’t need to complicate matters. In fact, as you continue to work and honor them, they may grant you blessings to eventually have more space. For now, use what you have. If you have a home and understanding family who would love to participate, leave an empty chair for them. You may also use a vertical space such as a cabinet.

Get a white cloth and place it on the flat surface. On it place a small glass for water. Water is the lifeline of who we are as beings in this world. The glass, when filled, reawakens their energies. Don’t leave it there for weeks though. Change out the water and clean the glass when you see it get dirty.

Place one candle on the shrine. I prefer tealights and votives. They don’t take up a lot of space like some tapers do. I’m also writing for people with small spaces in mind. If you have a larger space, use two candles and two glasses of water. If you have a table space, leave some food and drink for them which you will later dispose of.

KEY: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EAT FOOD LEFT FOR THE DEAD!!!

Continuing with the shrine, place photos and/or mementos on there. Be sure that the photos only have their image on there; no living members should be on the shrine. Why? If someone alive is on there, you’re telling the ancestors that this person is ready to join them.

KEY: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES PLACE PHOTOS OF THE LIVING ON THERE!!

Offerings 
As mentioned earlier, leave food and drink for the dead. Perhaps cook their favorite meal, or a family favorite if you have more than one ancestor on there. Place their favorite alcoholic drink, juice, cigars, cigarettes, or whatever you think will make the space homey. This is where they will visit you. This is a portal, and to attract them is the goal.

Other offerings you give perhaps may be reading from a book they loved, writing some hymns, or or engaging in an activity you know they would want to see you do (e.g. weaving, playing video games, talking to them from your heart, etc). You may also place fresh flowers they loved. To add, celebrating their birthdays or milestones in your life with them will certainly add to trust. The beloved dead yearn to communicate with us, and so offerings are an ideal thing to make and strengthen that connection.

Communication
Communing with the dead is simple: just talk. That’s right. Just speak to them. Tell them your wishes, your fears, and your goals. The ancestors are very adept at helping you make things happen…more so than deities I should say. Why? The ancestors have struggled to overcome life. Deities have not, and they may have demands which may be overwhelming. The ancestors, however, may not. The only demands I have ever had – which is overwhelming in and of itself – is to live my best life, and to honor their legacy by honoring myself.

But how will the dead speak? They speak in various ways: synchronicity, divination, trance work, dreams, or automatic writing. Each of these are skills which, with time, can be developed. The dead will help you.

But What If…
But what if your occult activities aren’t making grandma happy because she was a Southern Baptist?  I get this question a lot, and it is a good one. I have generations of Roman Catholics in my family, and a bit of Holiness Pentecostal. However, I believe – based on my experiences – that these can be worked with. I believe that by addressing the Collective, grandma can remember her past and her lineage. This will bring about healing for you and yours. Grandma, after all, will know she is dead and be conscious about it. She’ll meet everyone else in the Collective. Being dead doesn’t make you a better person, but I believe it does help us in this day and age heal from the past.

Then again, to really give you something to think about, there is inherently nothing wrong with honoring grandma by putting a Bible on the shelf. She may be dead, but she will still help you. She’ll understand that much. Celebrate her triumphs, her goodness, and her faith. The Bible, although believed by many to be the inerrant Word of God, is also used loosely in Magic without the literalist baggage. I’m not saying grandma believed in using the Bible for Magic (unless you have conjure ancestors); I’m saying that making it comfortable for her and others in your bloodline to come to you is important. Remember: working with the dead isn’t just about you, but about instilling Memory in you to keep their legacy alive.

What about the Shadowy Ones? Those abusers with whom you eschew relationships with? I have a separate altar for them. Yes, an altar. On it is one candle. The candle is for me – to show that despite all, I am a survivor. Whatever happens with them in the afterlife is up to higher powers. I am not concerned about it. I don’t have to forgive anyone. I warn people about bitterness being a poison, which it is. But one can be unforgiving without being bitter. You just forget and let it go. I keep the Shadowy Ones there because I want to acknowledge that their spirits are there, but also that they cannot overcome my light. It is a ward, so to speak. I use a black altar cloth on that one. I only light it on the dark moon, during which the Goddess Hekate is active and helps with the train of the dead.

Hekate and the Restless Dead
For my personal religious calendar (also used in StrixCraft), I follow a lunar cycle. The end of one “moonth” (month) is the dark of the moon, when it doesn’t shine in the night sky. This day is sacred to the Goddess Hekate, the Lady of the Underworld, the Crossroads, the Dead, Witchcraft, the World Soul, and the Liminal Spaces. Because the dark moon is a transition time between one lunar cycle and the next, as a liminal being she guards that area.

For the Shadowy Ones, I believe they ride in her train and are taken to their destination, one I do not know about nor would I wish to. During this time, I also encourage you to clean your altars and shrines so that you can enter the next cycle prepared in cleanliness. The Goddess Hekate is also your protector from the Shadowy Ones. Remember that they cannot harm you when you connect with the Goddess. There are other beings of the Crossroads of course, and these will be specific to your traditions if you are in one.

I must add this as well: there might be times when the dead are restless and perhaps even the Shadowy Ones might be active to harm you. The Goddess, however, is Queen of the Restless Dead; she and your ancestors will ward you. It doesn’t mean you let your guard down. It means that your faith and connection will help you to be protected. When in doubt, seek out a specialist adept in exorcisms who can handle a haunting. I say this not to scare you, but to demonstrate how palpable ancestral working can be.

Generational Curses
Family curses, in my experience, happen more often than we would like. What is a generational curse? Simple. It is a vice or trait which creates a negative and perhaps even deadly impact from one generation of your family to the next. It can be alcoholism, mental illnesses like schizophrenia, early deaths, abusive behavior, or other. Generational curses can be healed with the help of the Collective Dead. It will take time and inner healing, but I encourage you to seek out an experienced spiritual guide to help you transition these pains. Doing it alone is never easy, and in fact may make things worse.

Conclusion
I didn’t touch on the Heroes and I realize that, but to be honest honoring them can be, in some ways, no different from your immediate ancestors or the Collective. In your Craft, ancestral veneration is powerful. The Crimson Thread unites you with your past, even your pre-Christian past that was conquered by Christianity. While yes your family was Christian probably for 2,000 years (at most), your pre-Christian practices go back longer. For me, my ideal connection to the Collective is a pre-Christian ancestor who is a spirit guide in all of this. For my immediate ancestors, it may take some time after grieving to release them to the Collective, but release them in time I will (they have to be prepared as well of course). When you honor and work with the Crimson Thread, you will be amazed at the results of your Magic and Craft. May the journey bless you, as it is well worth it.

Eirene kai Hugieia!
(Peace and Health!)
Oracle

 

 

Devotional Witchcraft

by Oracle Hekataios
unnamed
Devotional Candle

In my forthcoming book, “StrixCraft: Ancient Greek Magic for the Modern Witch,” I introduce the term “Devotional Witchcraft.” I don’t know if others have used the phrase, but I do like it. Devotional Witchcraft is something I particularly enjoy. I have found in my journey that it works quite well for me, and I think others as well.

Christian Devotions
The Roman Catholic church (RCC) had a significant influence in my life, particularly rituals such as the novena. A novena is a devotional act in the RCC where one performs a set of prayers for 9 successive days (or 9 successive weeks). Candles and prayers are lifted to Mary or any other saint depending on what is needed. The atmosphere of lighting a candle and doing some rote prayers with the rosary was very magical to me. Of course, at the time I did not realize that the RCC integrated a lot of pre-Christian polytheistic forms of worship and religious activities into its doctrines. The ritualistic air about the church was metaphysical in so many ways: incense, prayer, statues, the altar, the Eucharist, and the candles all played with my imagination. I loved it.

When we converted to the Holiness Pentecostal church, the outward trappings were gone. We first met in a middle school cafeteria, and then in a high school auditorium. There was no incense, no Eucharist, no ritual. Just a lot of heavy preaching, shouting, and dancing. I swear it was great aerobics. However, I noticed in reading some of their early material that formality wasn’t far away. As they grew (in their minds) in prestige, the more formal rituals began to occur. They would banish evil spirits and then invoke the angels of the four quarters into the space. Afterwards, they would invoke the Holy Spirit to “have his way.” So we carried that on into our solitary devotionals. One thing I will give Christianity its due is its emphasis on private prayers and devotions. They’re not the only religion to do so, but that was the one which first impacted my life, and so I am using them as my example. I have Jewish friends who use private devotionals, along with Muslim friends. I’ll have to relay the time I attended a masjid (mosque) for a time to renew my faith. Another blog post for another time.

Side note: I wish Jesus’ admonishing to keep all prayers private would actually happen and none of this “National Day of Prayer” or “Prayer at the Flag” in school nonsense. Anyway…

Coming to Neopaganism
I didn’t pay attention to how much devotions had an impact on my life. Due to the intense pressure to conform, after I left the church I looked back and simply viewed anything we were “asked” to do as a threat to my individual time. I put asked in quotes because it was really more of a subtle threat that if we didn’t draw “closer to God,” then we were drawing ourselves further away and we could end up in Hell.

I was reading everything I could which was available on the Occult at that time. All that I read eventually said the same thing: altars, deities, tools, seasons, magick. Older books mentioned spirits, ceremonial circles, drawings that couldn’t be figured out (aka sigils), and fancy stuff you needed at certain times and days. I was much too ADHD for that. As I explored further, I realized that my heart was drawing me towards the Druid path. Having eidetic memory and a drive to pay attention to Nature more (not to mention the images of Merlin and Gandalf as inspiration), I veered from general Neopaganism to Druidry.

Druidry
Druidry was really a homecoming for me in a lot of ways. There was a huge difference in how to understand morality and ethics, especially because I didn’t rely on a book to give me all of the answers to life. I was also angry at the church in general. It totally ruined my family’s life I feel. If I could go back in time, I would vote to NOT go to the church. I had an interest in witchcraft since I was in 5th grade; that was due to my father’s interest in the paranormal.

In Druidry, I met a lot of Christians who were also Druids, and they were finding the commonalities they both had. These Christians were very progressive, and felt a pull towards the Divine Feminine, environmentalism, and pantheism: seeing the Divine in everything which exists rather than the Christian doctrine of God being outside of everything. The only thing in the world, so the churches taught, was the devil seeking whom he may devour.

Druidry was really a complete healing in my mind, spirit, and body. It encouraged me to make contact with Nature spirits, look inward, meditate, and see the enchantment in the world around me. Druidry also taught me the value of developing the arts; in my case, writing. I practiced writing poetry and hymns. I practiced journaling. I practiced writing rituals. Crude at the beginning to be sure, but hey everyone needs to start somewhere. I think Druidry really gave me a sense of devotions by going out into Nature and meditating. There was no emphasis on candle magic, or poppets, or anything of that kind. It was all about self-development, which I valued and continue to value, sharing this philosophy into other practices I am initiated in. Druidry, to me, is the closest I came to being an actual Wizard in that archetype caricature.

Witchcraft
When I began learning to be a witch, I found that devotionals were nil. Or at least, the emphasis was. I can’t speak for the other traditions of Witchcraft which exist (e.g. Mohsian, Blue Star, Silver Crescent, Central Valley, Gardnerian, etc). I just know for me it was all about generalities: deities, tools, seasons, altars, and a connection with Nature (like Druidry). But, there was also a lot of training in Magick: candles, poppets, hexing, spells, intention, correspondences, and ritual structure.

As I continued to learn, I then made a dedication to my patron Goddess Hekate, the Underworld Goddess of Witchcraft, the Dead, the Crossroads, the Dark Moon, and the Torch Bearer. I’ll go into the details of that in a later blog post. Suffice it to say that performing a formal dedication to her changed my entire being and outlook.

Hekate
It would be a long while before I realized something, but Hekate guided me along the way. That something was how powerful and effective my life would be when I performed devotions. At first I didn’t call them that. I just said “I am going to pray.” It was tough using that sentence, because I felt myself go right back to Christianity with the whole “thoughts and prayers” thing.  But I felt empty. My spiritual lifeline was fading I felt.

I was experiencing a dark night of the soul.

Devotional Witchcraft
As I learned different paths, I found myself drawn to Hellenic Polytheism, working with the Greek Gods and Goddesses. As I asked questions and remained observant, I realized that Hellenic Polytheists were split into two camps: Reconstructionists (who worked hard to recreate the exact ways their ancestors practiced and believed), and Revivalists (who adapted ancient writings and discoveries to modern times).

I discovered that I was a bit of both.

By Hekate’s training, I learned to venerate the ancestors. I also learned a ritual script that helped me to purify myself and work with the Gods and the ancestors. As I continued my workings, I came to realize something: I hated the term “work” or “work with.” To me, it made it sound like the Gods and I were equal pals who could just chum it up and I could use them for whatever I needed.

That’s now how this works.

People who claimed to be witches (or maybe who are witches; it’s difficult in this occult landscape to not be accused of gatekeeping while at the same time trying to live up to certain standards and define just what a witch is) were proud of the word “work.” I know a lot of Heathens (or claimed to be Heathens) would say, “Ha! I don’t bow down to my Gods. I don’t grovel. I don’t beg. We uphold our virtues and walk with courage!” (Yes, real conversation).

Side note: Not all Heathens thought this way. Some admitted that they gladly bow down to their Gods who are greater than they.

That’s when I realized something: the semantic of the word “worship” brought up memories of Christianity. People equated the word “worship” with begging and groveling. But, after having been on my journey, I came to discover that what I lacked was devotions: routine times of the day, week, or year when I could sit with my Gods and spirits and just communicate.

So I sat down and thought about it for quite some time. I wanted to know if me wanting devotions was something left over from my Christian days and was irrelevant, or was it something many religions encouraged, and Witchcraft just didn’t encourage it? I mean, lots of Neopagan and Polytheistic groups had festival days to their deities. But, I also learned that lots of Neopagans and Wiccans had the viewpoint that the Gods existed only in the mind. They were “archetypes,” that is, mental constructs which explained Nature and the world. They weren’t real, just symbols. They weren’t about to bow down to a symbol.

But, that wasn’t my experience. I experienced the Gods and the spirits of the world as real, unique beings. Hekate is. My ancestors were. Other deities I encountered were. They couldn’t just be symbols, could they? It took a while but I found other occultists who felt the same way as I did. But they still didn’t like the word “prayer.”

Well, I did.

I had to remember from my Christian time that worship meant “worthy of acknowledgement.” Veneration. Honor. All of those were included in “worship.” I did not think of groveling or begging. Of course, even if I did, what’s wrong with crying before their altars every now and again?

Contact
So thus began my devotional journey. I included times to meditate to just breathe. To talk to them. To light a candle during certain times. To wash my face and my hands in a sacred act. In fact, I began to think of the Sacred and Mundane as one complete cohesive unit, not to be separated. All of life is sacred. Everything I did could be done in a holy fashion. Take time in the shower or a bath to relax and purge “goo” from your aura. In the morning say a prayer at your altar, shrine, or just wherever, in order to reconnect with them. True, they’ll never leave you. But it isn’t about them necessarily. It is about you, and what benefits you want to see from your life when you begin to create strong boundaries and view your life as a holy instrument.

Devotions are simply a way to treat our lives with a sense of Other. Of Enchantment. To view the world with eyes wide open filled with spirits, wonder, and honor. That tree has the spirit of a dryad. That spring flows with the blessing of a spirit. The ocean swells with the Old Sea Gods. Those squirrels are all related and belong to the Squirrel Spirit*, who has much to teach us. Take the awe of Nature home with you. The stars are the fires of the Elders who have passed away but watch over us in the bosom of the Star Mother.

Devotionals, I feel, help us to not plateau, and encourage us to come closer to our Gods and spirits. Don’t get me wrong: plateauing does happen, and there are steps to help us rectify and heal from that. But how we can enrich our lives in Witchcraft is by looking to the Gods and the spirits. Witchcraft, with its teachings on spells, can use devotions to weave throughout our Work so that we can become more effective as the people who we are striving to be. Based on my experiences and that of others, I feel that devotions in Witchcraft should supercede spellwork. Don’t get me wrong: spells have their place. We need to exercise our Will and shape our Reality. We need to know that we can affect others by manipulating energies and raising the Power. There is always that.

I just feel that if you have a bond with the Gods and the spirits, they will empower you and magnify your Magic. Their energies will be with yours. You’d be surprised at how high you can raise the Power when you are connected to them.

So if you are feeling low or disconnected, I recommend devotions. Write a hymn. Pray. Dance. Light a candle. Anoint yourself. Talk to them. They are real. Speak also with your ancestors and the spirits who dwell around you.

You are all connected.

Eirene kai Hugieia!
(Peace and Health!)
Oracle

*I realize I mentioned ADHD and the first thing which came to mind as an example is Squirrel. The irony is not lost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oracle of Hekate

by Oracle Hekataios
delphic oracle
The Delphic Temple of Apollon Image Credit by world-visits.com

On November 11th I fulfilled my annual contract with Hekate and became Her oracle. She spoke to the people present and gave prophecies. But She has a general message which I am sharing here:

“The winged shadow arises. Fog envelops the people. My people. But hearken! Light shines from the torches of illumination. 3 cycles of My silver light shall rise and set before the bushel is revealed and My spirit is poured among My devotees and worshippers. Arise My children! I am the tender-hearted Lady of compassion and strength. I am the Goddess who dispenses what She will and holds what She will from the unworthy. I am the Gracious One. Know Me, and you shall know my strength.”

Blessings,
~Oracle~

Hekate and Samhain

by Oracle Hekataios
Red Hekate
Hekate by Patrick John Larabee

As previously posted, Samhain is an important holy day in modern Druidry, Wicca, and some other witchcraft traditions. While a Gaelic festival, some modern witches have incorporated the meaning of this night with the worship of the Goddess Hekate. I say “worship” rather than “work with.” I hate the latter phrasing, making it seem as though the Gods and spirits are toys to be trifled with. One minute they are useful, and the next to be put away in some neat package of your mind until They are useful later on again. I consider that disrespectful. I’ll write a blog post on worship later on, but for now let’s return to the task at hand: Samhain and Hekate.

The Underworld
Below the soil of our world, where trees take root and caverns open wide, lies a place known as the Underworld. Many societies and tribes had their own versions of an Underworld, presided over by a God or Goddess that dealt with death, if not death itself. In ancient Greece it was Hades, who was later joined by Persephone: both were not a God and Goddess of Death so much as Those who reigned over the Underworld which held the dead and a host of spirits. Hekate is known by many names (called epithets). One of those epithets is Khthoniê, or “Of the earth,” aka “Underworld.” The world was seen to be divided into 3 separate realms: the land, the sea, and the sky. The land, or beneath it, was the residency of the Underworld, hence “Of the earth.” Khthoniê is another name for other Goddesses, such as Demeter and Persephone. Unfortunately, because some have matching names people tend to think that They are the same God/dess but in a different guise. They aren’t. It just means they share similar functions but perhaps differently. For example, when I worked as a bank teller, I was a teller. Other people there had the same title: bank teller. It didn’t mean we were related in some way or the same person. It just meant we shared the same functions. So when someone says Hekate is Demeter or Hekate is Artemis, the answer is “Nope.” We’ll be going through this in another post about polytheism. So for now let’s focus (again) on the nature of this post.

Queen of the Dead
Another epithet of Hekate was Anassa eneroi, or “Queen of those Below [Dead].” Again, Her Underworld status is well established. This means that Hekate is the ruling monarch of those who dwell there.  This was an epithet which Medea, priestess of the Goddess Hekate, called on when doing some magic. Apollonios Rhodios writes the following: (1)

To make the ointment, Medea, clothed in black, in the gloom of night, had drawn off this juice in a Caspian shell after bathing in seven perennial streams and calling seven times on Brimo, nurse of youth, Brimo, night-wanderer of the underworld, queen of the dead (Anassa Eneroi)…

“Anassa” is rooted in the Greek word “anax.” It has variously been translated as [tribal] chief or leader. The title of “Anax” was used in the Iliad for rulers such as Agamemnon. It was also a title, not just for monarchs, but for those of “lesser station” within the ruling household. Examples include the master of slaves, the lord of the stables, and the house-lord. (2). So while Hades and Persephone are the overall King and Queen of the Underworld, Hekate is also Queen; just with a shared influence and possibly that of a lesser station in the Underworld. “Lesser” is not synonymous with “less powerful.” Hekate is Lady of the 3 Realms of Land, Sea, and Sky. She is favored by Zeus and can do so much within Her power. If you want to know more, read the Theogony by the Greek writer Hesiod. Any copy can be obtained from Amazon cheaply. Hekate does have a lot to give, but when it comes to the Underworld, She doesn’t make the final say-so.

All of the Gods are limited within Their scope, as it should be. The only deity who claims to be omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent is the God of the Christians, Jews, and Muslims. I don’t need my Gods and spirits to be all of that. They aren’t and I am fine with it.

The Role of Hekate 
As can be seen by two of Her epithets, Hekate has a great deal to do with the dead. Since Samhain is a night or festival devoted to them, it is only right that many modern witches and even some Druids have called on Her to help them with ancestral workings. She is the Guide of the Dead, after all. They walk with Her and behind Her. She is the Lady to be called on, and from my experience She is only too happy to oblige.

Hekate has helped me in my ancestral workings. I’ve called on Her aid to open the gates between this world and the Otherworld: to guard them and then close them when I am finished. She keeps evil and restless spirits at bay. I often propitiate these spirits on the dark moon, leaving behind food and offerings at a local crossroads. I don’t look back. I believe the spirits witness it. Although no dogs have barked, they don’t need to. I practice my rites and I have seen results to this type of working by veneration and honor. I haven’t had any issues with wandering dead in my home. The only spirits in my house are those which I and my household have welcomed.

Conclusion
I think a connection between Samhain and Hekate are inevitable. Wicca, Druidry, and some modern witchcraft traditions have introduced Samhain to the Neopagan communities at large. This makes it a communal festive. The Goddess Hekate is no longer confined to Greece or ancient Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). Her worship has been revived and spread.

To combine the two isn’t cultural appropriation in my opinion. I say this because I’ve had a couple of people message me about Samhain and cultural appropriation of a Gaelic feis. I’m sorry, but that hasn’t been the case since the Celtic Revival of the late 19th – early 20th century, when Samhain customs were introduced to the States. If you would like to celebrate it your ancestral way then do so. I can see what you’re saying, but Samhain is a public festival now. I only hope that Neopagans can continue to bring honor to that holy day with respect and love, which happens. It is such a reverential day. Yes, some people do mix it with Halloween, and that’s just as fine.

The question comes about Dia de los Muertos: is it cultural appropriation to celebrate it? I’ll write that in a later blog post. Cultural appropriation and respect are important during this time (i.e. honoring the ancestors). Blessings to you and yours. May the Infernal Lady guard the gates and keep the restless and evil spirits at bay this Samhain. Hail Hekate!

~Oracle~

(1) Apollonios of Rhodes. (1989). Argonautica: Book III: 828. R. Hunter (Ed.). UK: Cambridge University Press. Original Work Published in the 2nd century BCE.

(2) Deger-Jalkotzy, S., Prof. & Lesmos, I. (Eds). (2006). Ancient Greece: From the Mycenaean Palaces to the Age of Homer. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Oracle of Nyx

by Oracle Hekataios
The Star Goddess
The Star Goddess
In Darkness is where Wisdom and Knowledge can be found. In the things we choose to ignore and not give any attention to – those are the very things that we should face and find the answers we always search for. We cannot runaway from the inevitable. Hekate teaches us to face the Dark and, not to confront it, but to embrace it. To unite and become integrated with our shadows, our fears, and ourselves.

In ancient times, Nyx was not only the personification of Night. She has a wealth of importance in the Witchcraft Traditions that are influenced by the Samothrakian and Orphic Mysteries. She is the First Mother, the Hermaphroditic Demiurge that masturbates to bring about the origins of the macrocosm. She is also the First Oracle, pronouncing Her utterances from Her Cave that exists at the very edge of the Kosmos. She is heavily linked to Underworld Deities such as Hekate and Persephone. But what does this mean?  It means She is there to teach us to dance to the rhythms of the universe as it whirls, that She is there to teach us that things in the background are ever-present. We transcend from Hekate teaching us to embrace the Darkness, to Nyx teaching us to live without fear and understand that the Darkness itself is Divine. Every part of us is Divine, and everything that we face, no matter how difficult and fearful, is something we must endure. Here is the pronouncement of the Nyx Oracle:
“I am the First Mother, the Dreamer whose Dreams weave the fabric of the Kosmos.
Raise your eyes and look into the Stars; My Body, My Being, is always Watching.
Out of Love I bore you, and out of Love I watch and embrace all that you are.
Raise your eyes and look into the Stars; I embrace you, hold you, always Watching.
I hold all things in Harmony, for Themis is my Daughter.
Raise your eyes and look into the Stars; they are my Light reflecting back to you.
In the Darkness Hope shines, patiently, from life unto life.
Raise your eyes and look into the Stars; Harmony and Balance burn and decay – to which shall you hold onto?
I am the Constant Void, the Eternal Dance, the Whirling Mother.
I am the Night that Breathes, and you, My Children, are My faces that shine from My dreams.”
Eirene kai Hugieia!
(Peace and Health!)
~Oracle~

Return from Hiatus: Polytheist Leadership Conference and Other Goings-On

by Oracle Hekataios
My model of Hekate
Hekate

Hi all,

This blog has been quiet for awhile, and I’d like to apologize to all of my readers for that. It’s been a tough few months for myself, both financially, spiritually, and physically. Just as a reminder, I suffer with a traumatic right brain injury and all of the side effects that come with it, including epilepsy. I was on one medication, but it seemed to have exacerbated some nasty stuff like vivid hallucinations. In addition, I had 2 or 3 episodes. So now I am weaning off of that one and starting on a new one. Taking both are currently affecting my energy levels, but still I intend to restart my blogging. I need to. Writing is my creative and cathartic outlet for many things, and also my way of remaining in touch with the goings-on of the blog-o-sphere. In addition, I get to share any major events happening in my side of the country as well as with my Temple.

For starters, the Summer Solstice came and went. It was magnificent. Our Temple honored Dionysus Dendritos and the Nymphai. The Solstice is significant in that it signals in our Calendar the end of the Bull Half of the Year and the start of the Wolf Half. That is, the Great Festivals give way from cultus to Dionysus to Hekate. Our Temple is named after Her, after all: Temple of Hekate: Ordo Sacra Strix. So I’ll be writing more about Hekate and how we at the Temple honor cultus to Her in forthcoming blogs.

Our Bomos during our Summer Solstice Festivities.
Our Bomos during our Summer Solstice Festivities.

Polytheist Leadership Conference
Now, as some of you may recall, I was trying to attend the Polytheist Leadership Conference which took place this past July 11 – 13. I missed out on it and told Sannion as such that I would. Sadly, I had other things to attend to. It would have wonderful had I been able to join this historic Inaugural setting, but I’ll work on ensuring that attend future conferences as best as I am able. In the meantime I have this blog. But from what I’ve been reading, it was excellent. You can read about the goings-on in the following areas:

Sannion doesn’t talk about any specific details of the Conference as of yet, but there are some tidbits in a question raised by someone following the Conference. You can read it here.

Galina Krasskova kept some continuous updates at her blog here. Just scroll down and take your pick, folks. There’s a lot to take in, as there should be. I’m jealous.

The Thracian will have some follow-ups coming along at his blog here.

PSLV (aka Lupus), as always, has detailed journalistic entries here. As with Galina’s, scroll down and take your pick. I’m salivating and very sad that I couldn’t attend. “Next time,” I keep telling myself. “Next time.”

Finally, Ruadhan McElroy pens some interesting experiences here and here.

I’m positive there are many more links and blogs talking about the Conference, but since these I follow I figure I’ll post them here. Like you all, I will be following in the days to come.

Impact
What are the ramifications from the Conference? What is it that we, as a people, are being asked to do? What have those who have gone and set themselves up as leaders of Polytheism planning to come forth with in the coming days, months and years? What are the plans for our respective Communities? Do we who did not attend agree on major points, or are there points to disagree on? Now, with the latter questions I tend to try and be careful on, because I’ve had my fair share of criticisms with people who are “armchair debaters.” They feel it is their task to not do anything at all while others do a lot of hard work. And then, they sit back and critique everything down to the last iota. Yet they never contributed anything. I’d hate to be viewed as one of those people, because I didn’t attend. But, we all have voices, and I take a small comfort in that my Work here with my Temple may be enough to let me have some allowance. I also consider myself pretty objective, yet passionate about my views. I don’t tend to take sides in debates very easily, but neither do I make the mistake of always seeing a “third road.” Sometimes the middle way is no way at all, and a side must be taken. Anyway, enough said. I say all of that to say this:

Lupus brought up something interesting, which I’ll quote some of it here. Hopefully it will not be taken out of context. For the full blog, please go here, where he posts a follow-up regarding the Thracian’s appearance on Wyrd Ways Radio. Here’s the issue/question/matter:

And the question is this: have we created a “polytheist echo chamber”? Despite our many disagreements, there is a great deal that we do agree on, and that we have found “unity” of purpose over as a result of all this. That’s a great and powerful thing, and in fact it’s the origin of the term “syncretism,” which I’m unsurprisingly in favor of heavily–!?!–and yet, Fox News is an echo chamber, and various other groups that are not looked on very charitably (with good reason!) are also echo chambers.

Are we at all in danger of becoming an echo chamber? While I don’t think so, realistically, I know that our newfound sense of common purpose and our enjoyment at having had such a great experience will likely prompt those of our critics who already find us distasteful and erroneous for various reasons to say that we’re only interested in our own opinions and hearing them agreed with and supported by like-minded folks. (And that makes us different to EVERYONE ELSE how, exactly?)

I’m beginning to move to the point of thinking that Wicca, Christianity, and all of these other things are perfectly fine for themselves, because they’re entirely different religions than our own. That is obvious, needless to say. I think that it might be more necessary, though, for us as modern polytheists to withdraw from the wider pagan community and umbrella in various ways because our religion and theological viewpoints are so vastly different to most of those, which will then allow us to preserve our autonomy and not be interfered with by their wishes for our conformity. If they can begin to see us as different religions, rather than as being under their umbrella, then there will be no reason for them to try and regulate our rhetoric, our practices, or anything else, in the same way that Hindus don’t do that and pagans don’t do it to Hindus, Buddhists don’t do that and pagans don’t do it to Buddhists, and some Christians don’t do that and pagans don’t (usually) do it to Christians, even though some of them do and would like to on both sides of that issue…

I don’t know…what do you all think?

Polytheist Religions
I don’t think there is any one simple response to this, as I don’t think there should be. What Lupus is asking is very relevant, and something that everyone should be careful of: the dreaded Group Think. Everyone starts to feel like they are so like-minded that suddenly the group becomes a place where ideas and innovations stagnate in the face of hardened dogma, and there lies a potential danger even for historically reconstructed Polytheist groups. Thankfully there are questioning Dionysians like myself who love nothing more than to enter an echo chamber and cause a little mayhem and chaos in order for people to see the systems which they have in place will always contain a flaw of some kind, and it’s necessary at times to ensure especially when Old Systems need to die for New Systems to arise. That’s just the cycle of energy: evolution and entropy. In my Temple, our teachings tend to illustrate this cycle between the Forces of Aphrodite and Ares: Love and Strife. In order for Creation to occur, Aphrodite brings forth Desire for the Four Elements to dance in rhythmic Harmony. This rhythmic Harmony is at the heart of all things. But lest matter implode upon itself, Ares must come forth and wield His weapon to separate the Elements into their pure states. However, by separating them into their pure states, destruction of matter occurs. It’s a constant flux and flow dance.

I say all of that to say this: I think there’s a flaw. Lupus groups all Polytheist religions beneath one umbrella in and of itself, when in reality that isn’t very simple. For example, taking the term by itself, Polytheism can be found among Christians and Wiccans. But I guess since most official denominations regard themselves as monotheist, perhaps we can’t include them? I don’t know. It seems weird that we ourselves (or perhaps me) can’t study some Christian denominations like Mormonism and Catholicism and say, “Yeah, despite what they say they are Polytheist.” I mean, we study other cultural faiths and do it all of the time. I don’t think Western religions should be exempt just because they try and say otherwise. Traditional Wicca, for the record, isn’t a religion. It’s a priesthood of initiates dedicated to specific tribal Gods and spirits of those Traditions. Neo-Wicca is a vastly different creature, but I don’t think I have space for that right now. I’m trying to focus on Lupus’ question, and giving an answer that I’m sure plenty will disagree with. Honestly, I’m okay with that! I really hope people do, because we need honest dialogue about these kinds of things. Now, while perhaps the vast majority (I’m guessing) of Polytheist-labeled faiths group themselves as “historically accurate,” there may be Temples and groups which will rise up and revive the worship of the Old Gods in their own way. There may not be any historical precedent for what they do, but they may claim to be Polytheist nonetheless.

As an example, many cults and groups of Sanatana Dharma (or what we Westerners call “Hinduism”) are considered more orthodox in their approach to the Vedas and other Scriptures. But there are cults and groups that fall under the umbrella of polytheism, henotheism, etc. within Hinduism and yet may not be considered “orthodox” by the majority. There may be gurus or saints that have their own revelations about the Gods, their own teachings about how they approach them, and so forth. (I need to stop here and say I honestly hope I am making sense and that I didn’t make a mistake in my insomnia to type this at 4am and it’s all gibberish). I guess what I’m trying to say is that I think rather than pull completely away from Neo-Paganism, we should find ways to have our own dialogues with our local Communities which may include Neo-Pagans. The problem I think is that Neo-Pagans have had a start since the 1960s, so inevitably now they are going to host gatherings under their label, whether large or small. But as Polytheist-labeled groups can start their own momentum, we need not exclude anyone. We can have our Conferences, Festivals and Workshops and be inclusive as well. We’re siblings anyway, worshiping the same or similar Gods but perhaps in vastly different ways. Not all Neo-Pagans are Deists, just as not all Polytheists are historically accurate. There are still some people, such as myself, who hold the label of a Neo-Pagan and a Polytheist. My Temple is labeled as Polytheist, however, because it’s important to distinguish that unlike the Neo-Wiccan groups in the area that are a venerable free-for-all, we carry structure, hierarchy and dogma. We even have our own set of sacred Scriptures that detail our own Mythology unique to our Temple. Thus, we are very different.

Getting Out from under the Umbrella
But just to make sure I’m saying something correct and not misreading, I agree with Lupus that insofar as the Greater Pagan Communities are concerned, there are organizations that tend to speak for the Communities as best as they are able (i.e. Pagan Pride, Cherry Hill Seminary, Circle Sanctuary, etc.), and they don’t speak for us. Or, speaking for myself, they don’t speak for me (I apologize to any Polytheist who enjoys those organizations and feels they do speak for them). We just need to be careful, I think, that again while having our own gatherings that we do not totally separate. It’s a precarious dance. Some of us, like I said, will walk in both worlds at the same time, being neither here nor there. Lupus in a blog entry described a brief presentation by the Thracian in which the latter spoke about regional cultus in modern polytheism. According to what I can gather (I’m sure more details will come later), the viewpoint that modern Polytheists can do is to look at different people, cults and Temples from how they worship Deities and if their approach to similar/same Deities are different, it’s because of regional variation. No one can speak for anyone. That’s how the ancient world practiced. We must keep in mind that Polytheism means plurality: a kaleidoscope worldview that makes room for many different universes and possibilities. For every fragment of the ancient world that has survived, perhaps hundreds are lost that we may never know of. We can never be truly sure how one person or group approaches the Gods is not an approved way. Neither can we speak for the Gods. Well, I can’t, short of blasphemy going on. Even though as an Oracle They choose to speak through me, I can’t just assume something. It doesn’t Work that way. I hate that.

Why All the Fuss?
If the aforementioned is true, then why all the fuss about rituals in Pagan Pride Day events? Why all of the kerfuffle when it comes to the differences between Polytheists and some Neo-Pagans? Here’s my honest answer, for what it’s worth: it’s because our ways are being questioned and threatened with exclusion, not the other way around. It’s because many Neo-Pagans desire Magick and to walk with the Gods, and yet when it’s in front of them, they fucking stomp on it because it doesn’t mesh with their semblance of reality. They only recognize it when they see pseudo-shamans who charge exorbitant amounts of cash for a weekend retreat to pound a few drums, paint their faces, find their Wolf/Bear/Eagle totem, and then suddenly they think they’re a fucking shaman. It’s because they don’t know the meaning of sacrifice – only reward. It’s because they think all rituals are the same, and everyone is the same, and we’re homogenized with them against our wishes. It’s because no one wants any controversy in the Pan-Pagan Movement. Traditional Wiccans get enough flack for being secretive and keeping their Mysteries to themselves. People want to come in, be a 3rd degree without any sincere training of what it means to touch the spirit world, and then claim a title without knowing just what that title entails. They see the gold tiara, not the thorns. They see the shiny fetishes as an excuse for their hoarding problem. They disrespect themselves, so how can they possibly respect the Unseen Powers they desire to know so much?

That’s why there is a fuss. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: we are different cultures, different tribes, different peoples. We’re not all the same, and that’s okay. We need to have:

Unification in Diversity!!!

Fuck. I missed a great Conference.

Eirene kai Hugieia!
(Peace and Health!)
~Oracle~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dionysus and The Sacred Bull

by Oracle Hekataios
Courtesy of http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/chauvet/venus_sorcerer.php
Cave painting from Chauvet Cave, France (c. 30,000 BCE). The Man-Bull and the vagina of the Woman.

The sanctity of the Bull as a symbol for the Sacred Masculine can be found as early as the Paleolithic cave paintings of Lascaux, Livernon and Chauvet in France. During the Bronze Age (4000 – 1700 BCE) the Spring Equinox occurred during the constellation Taurus due to the Precession of the Equinoxes[i]. Currently it occurs in the constellation Aries (the Sacred Ram). During the Age of Taurus the Myths of many cultures personified the life forces as a Bull that needed to be slain so that the Cosmos would continue. As a result, many cultures and religions celebrated their New Year on the Spring Equinox. The New Year would entail the sacrifice of an actual bull, reenacting the First Sacrifice that made the Cosmos possible, as everything that exists was said to be made from parts of the Bull. Cultures and religions that had these mythic motifs included the Persians, the Mesopotamians, the Minoans, Eastern Anatolia (where Phrygia was located), the Indus Valley, the Gaulish Celts, the Canaanites, and the Thracians. Interestingly, the Sacred Bull was also linked to the Goddess Hekate. In the Greek Magical Papyri, a collection of texts with spells and incantations dated from the 2nd century BCE – 5th century CE, Hekate is addressed in the Prayer to Selene as “O Night Bellower, Lover of Solitude, Bull-Faced and Bull-Headed One,” and “Bull-Eyed, Horned, Mother of Gods and Men.”

Dionysus and the Bull
Dionysus was also described as being “bull-horned.” In the Orphic Hymn to the God of the Triennial Feasts[ii], the hymnist writes, “I call upon you, blessed, many-named and frenzied Bacchos, bull-horned Nysian redeemer, god of the wine-press, conceived in fire.” Other hymns go on to say that He is “bull-faced.” Dionysus may have had origins in Crete, where the Sacred Bull was especially venerated. The Sacred Bull was linked to the symbolism of the Moon. A Zoroastrian prayer says that the “Moon is the Seed of the Bull.” Apis, an Egyptian God who is another form of the Sacred Bull, was illustrated with the Moon between his horns. Shiva is linked to the Sacred Bull, and drawings often show him with a Crescent Moon on His brow resembling horns. The Minoan Horns of Consecration sculpted to represent the horns of the Sacred Bull, I believe symbolize the powers of the Moon. The Egyptian God Ptah was said to incarnate as a black bull created by moonbeams. This connection of the Sacred Masculine to the Moon may be rather startling to find since many modern Pagans, familiar with Wicca, have come to symbolize the Moon as a solely female. As we are seeing, the ancient world was not so easily divided.

Photo courtesy of http://www.minoanatlantis.com/Minoan_Mirror_Web.php
Horns of Consecration (restored) in Knossos, Crete.

Minoan Sacred Bull
The Sacred Bull was particularly venerated in Crete, where representations of Sacred Bulls can be found everywhere. According to the Orphic Hymns, Dionysus was born in Crete. The name itself, Dionysus, was first found in Mycenaean fragments known as Linear B. The Linear B alphabet predates Greek by several centuries, and was found mostly in the Minoan capital city of Knossos. It is descended from the older Linear A alphabet spoken by the Minoans, and as of this writing remains undeciphered.  This language was formed after the language found in Linear A, confirming the Orphic Hymns that Dionysus may have originated from the Minoan Civilization. Or, perhaps an archetypal Deity like this has always existed in various forms in various cultures? What we do know is that in Minoan Crete He was given the name Zagreus, a title for a hunter who captured live animals. As Zagreus, He was identified as the Cretan Zeus. Carl Kerenyi[iii] stated that the title was rooted in Minoan Mythology.

Image Courtesy of http://www.andrewgough.co.uk/bee2_1.html
Bakkhoi women leading a bull to the altar.

The Sacrifice of the Bull
Rites depicting the Sacred Bull would always recreate the creation of the Cosmos and humanity by sacrificing a bull. The sacrificial death of the Sacred Bull was seen as a dismemberment of the God Himself. His flesh and blood, eaten by His worshippers, would be viewed as the God investing His very Presence into the bodies of His followers, granting them a portion of His Divinity (known as theophagy, or “God-Eating”). This omophagia (eating raw flesh) would ensure immortality. Such a sacrifice occurred among raucous festivals on the island of Crete every two years. At the height of the ritual when the Bull was killed, a basket would be held aloft showing the survival of the heart[iv]. In Orphic Myth, seven Titans sought to dismember the infant God. In order to escape, Dionysus shape-shifted into various animals, the last being a young Bull. They tore Him into seven pieces (diasparagmos) and ate His flesh. They were killed by Zeus, and the only surviving piece of flesh was His heart.

Cakes and Ale
The reenactment of the sacrifice of the God lives on today in the Cakes and Ale portion of many Pagan rituals, although many usually just see it as the “grounding” portion after performing a ceremony. Between the main part of the ritual and the end when announcements are made, Cakes and Ale are usually handled as a brief “snack break” that is there just because.  I wonder how many realize the significance of Cakes and Ale as the modern Pagan continuation of the ancient custom of the Sacrifice? To simply view the Cakes and Ale as a mere “add-on” in ritual removes the importance of the Cakes and Ale from its origins as the very embodiment of the Divine into humanity.  In ancient times the animals that were sacrificed were very often shared among the ritual participants. This was viewed as partaking of the essence of the God. This part of the ancient rituals was often the most important, because it symbolized the reciprocity between the Gods and mortals. The sacrifice itself was a gift of thanksgiving to the Gods so that Their essence was fed by hymns, prayers, worship and offerings. In turn, the Gods would bless the worshippers and renew their life force through the medium of the animal that was the God Incarnate. The cakes are the flesh of the God, and the ale is the blood of the God. What we have here is a return to our Classical Pagan roots in the Eucharist symbolism of the Cakes and Ale. In Roman Catholicism, the Eucharist (or Communion) is the belief that the wafer and wine literally become the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. This is merely a Christian adoption of what once was a Pagan ritual. In the third century CE, beneath St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican[v], a fresco of Jesus shows him with symbols from both Apollo and Dionysus. In this syncretic mosaic are written the words:

“I am the True Vine.”

Dionysus
In our Temple, our religious calendar places the New Year celebrations to take place at the Full Moon closest to the Spring Equinox for a public celebration, and a more private celebration typically for Temple members only held during the Spring Equinox itself. The Sacrifice of the Bull is very important, as in so doing we are reweaving the energies throughout the land itself, and we are participating in the First Sacrifice. We are also remembering that it was by Sacrifice that humans were created: from the ashes of the Titans and the blood of Dionysus Zagreus. Thus, by blood and ash we are ever participating within ourselves the suffering of the sacrifice. Our lives are a gift from tragedy, something that a God had endured, but we were the result.

Ritual is Memory: it is reentering the Sacred Dance and Rites given to us by Dionysus. In ritual we touch the very core of our inner being, bringing forward from the past the power we need to engage the present and ensure the continued existence of the future. That’s what sacrifice is all about: legacy. A legacy built on a continuous gift exchange which was first bestowed upon us. And we have that opportunity to always return it to Them.

Thank you, Dionysus.

Eirene kai Hugieia!
(Peace and Health!)
~Oracle~

Footnotes and Sources:

[i] As the Earth revolves and rotates, it also “wobbles” like a spinning top. This wobble causes the constellation that the Spring Equinox occurs in to change. Because there are 12 constellations, it takes 2167 years (1/12) for the Spring Equinox to rise in each constellation. A complete rotation = 1 Platonic Year (26,000 years).

[ii] The Orphic Hymns translated by Apostolos N. Athanassakis.

[iii] Kerenyi, Carl. (1976). Dionysus: Archetypal Image of Indestructible Life. UK: Princeton University Press.

[iv] Albinus, L. (2000). The House of Hades: Studies in Ancient Greek Eschatology. Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University Press.

[v] Morford, M.P.O., & Lenardon, R. (1999). Classical Mythology (6th Ed.).NY: Oxford University Press.