Vivienne Moss - Pagan Portals--Hekate: A Devotional

First published by Moon Books, 2015

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Text copyright: Vivienne Moss 2015

ISBN: 978 1 78535 161 7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015943098

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The rights of Vivienne Moss as author have been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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For Kelvinthe love of my life, and my daughtersthe light of my life. Thank you to my mom and my five sisters for your continued support, and my brother, who rests in the arms of Jesus. I love you all

And of course, for Hekatemy Eternal Queen.

May we fly on the Wings of Enchantment

Thank you to Elle J. Rossi of EJR Digital Art, LLC for the cover art.

Hekate: Have I not reason, beldams as you are,

Saucy and overbold? How did you dare

To trade and traffic with Macbeth

In riddles and affairs of death;

And, I, the mistress of your charms,

The close contriver of all harms,

Was never called to bear my part

Or show the glory of our art?

[From William Shakespeares Macbeth]

As the storm looms on the horizon, I stand safely on my porch awaiting its arrival. There is an ominous feel to this storm and I shudder with thoughts of its destructive force. With a hushed breath I pray: Hekate, Lady of Storms, I beseech You, keep my home safe from harm. Guide this wayward storm away from my loved ones. Hekate, My Queen, the One I adore, as Your storm approaches I bow my head to You in reverence and trust that You will keep us safe

She heard my prayers that night and has answered many more. Of the Gods I honor, it is Hekate, Queen of Witches, whom I call upon most. She is the perfect companion for my magical workings, bringing a certain flare and charm that other Gods lack. It is to Her that I turn for the protection of my home. Hekate has been worshipped as a household Goddess since antiquity. As a Cottage Witch I find working with Hekate to be very rewarding. The relationship we share has been enchanting and life-changing. It is not always easy to honor the Night Queen. She loves to throw challenges in my path, trying to trip me up in Her most bewitching way. I can feel Her laughing at me at times, shaking Her head in amusement. Often times a struggle, the challenges She sets for me have helped me to become a better magical practitioner and Witch.

A Cottage or Hedge Witch is one who lives on the borders of this world and the Otherworld. When she rides the hedge she often meets Spirits, both kindly and malevolent. Having Hekate as guide and companion is a wise choice to make. As the Crossroads Queen, it is She who opens the Gates and raises the Veil for us to travel to the Shadow-Lands.

It is as the Witch Mother and Lady of Crossroads that Hekate comes to me the most. She is a psychopomp, guide of souls. Hekate is Anassa Enveri, Queen of the Dead, Pale Mother, Lady of Bones, and Queen of Ghosts and Shadows. As Phileremos, Lover of Solitude, She haunts the cemeteries and deserted Crossroads, awaiting the lost souls to guide them home. I call on Hekate when working with my Ancestors, for She is the Opener of the Gate. Witches all over the world and in times past and present have called on Hekate for Necromantic workings.

This book is part devotional, part grimoire. Throughout these pages I will share my thoughts and feelings on Hekate, Queen of Witches. I know others will view Hekate differently, and that is okay, for we are all unique beings. While I have come to know Her as Soteria, the Savior and World Soul, it is in Her more organic form that She most often appears to me. She is Hekate Chthonia (of the Earth), Nykteria (night-wandering), Antaia (sender of nocturnal visions), and Nerteron Prytanin (Mistress of the Dead). She is my Dark Muse, bringer of inspiration. This is not an academic tome, nor one that is set in historic tradition. This is a modern view of Hekate as seen through the eyes of a solitary Hedge Witch. At the end of this book I will include a small snippet of Hekates history along with correspondences and some of Her many epithets.

May Kalliste Hekate bless this tome

Hekate,

You are the allure of Autumn and the madness of Winter.

You are the smell of damp earth after the passing of storms.

You are the Ravens flight and the Owls call.

You are the soft glow of Sunset and the hoary light of the Moon.

You are the crisp breath of a Midwinter morn and the soft sigh of Springs awakening.

You are the silence of Death and the enchantment of Life.

Hekate, My Queen, You are..

[Vivienne Moss]

I first heard Her in the realm of my dreams. She was softly calling to me, beckoning me to follow. I silently shadowed Her, unsure of where we were headed. I heard birdsong in the distance and the crashing of waves. She led me to a seashore where we stopped by the entrance of a secluded cave. As I stepped into the cave a soft glow of welcoming light enveloped me. There were ancient markings on the stone walls, symbols both arcane and unfamiliar. On the floor of the cave was a small altar decorated with skulls, feathers and all manner of found baubles. Fruit, honey, and wine were laid out pleasingly, ready for this shrouded figure to consume. I looked deeply into Her primeval eyes, knowing instantly who She was. Hekate, Queen of Witches. She had claimed me as Her own. I awaken from my slumber, embracing my new self. Hekate, I whisper, I am Yours.

Many times I have traveled to Hekates cave in Spirit Flight. She is always shrouded, Her features hidden. Only the depths of Her eyes can be seen. They go on for eternity, full of knowledge and, sometimes, sadness. She has seen all; the beginning of Earth and the slow destruction of these sacred lands. Hekate is one of the first of many Gods to inhabit this world. She is as ancient as the Starry Heavens and Her reach is far. She dwells on the borders of this world and the Shadow-Lands, Her cave safely hidden at an ancient Crossroads. It is so ancient that no memory of it survives. You can only find it during Spirit-Flight, or Hedge-Riding, much like the Witchs Mountain or Benevento.

She visits my Dream-World often, leaving hints of Her esoteric knowledge in Her wake. As I ride the currents of eternity to Her hidden cave, I feel the rush of Death pass me by. The once hidden Shadow-Lands materialize, figures emerging, both uncanny and obscene. Feeling the tug of forgetfulness, I steady my senses, bracing for the Night Queen to arrive