The Main Gods in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina

This is a collection of posts from my Patreon’s “Spirit Saturday”series, where I explore various Gods and spirits. This series of posts dealt with the main Gods in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina, most of which (with the exception of Asteria) appeared in the ancient cult of Despoina in Lykosoura. I have also added prayers as a bonus to some of the posts that didn’t originally have any when they were first posted on Patreon.

Anytos

The Titan or Kouretes Anytos is one of the Gods worshiped at the sanctuary of Despoina at Lykosoura. He appears in the magnificent group of statues depicting the main deities of the mystery cult, that was found at Lykosoura, alongside Demeter, Despoina, and Artemis. Pausanias notes that Anytos was believed to have raised Despoina although, sadly, he doesn’t go into detail regarding the myth. Unfortunately, besides the scant references in Pausanias, we know nothing else about Anytos. He doesn’t appear in other mythic cycles as far as we know, which lends credence to the opinion that he was a local Arcadian deity. Pausanias calls him a Titan, according to what the locals told him, but his statue depiction (man in full armor) and the appearance of the Kouretes on the Veil of Despoina (an incredible piece of the statue complex), aligns him more with the Kouretes than the Titans. It’s possible that both associations were a way for later antiquity traditions to “explain” his presence in the sanctuary, his obscurity, and potentially the loss of older myths or traditions that might have clarified his status further.

Since we don’t have any other historical information about him but he remains a major deity of the Arcadian Mysteries of Despoina (therefore equally important in the new Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina), we must develop new theories and a place in theology for him. Experiencing Anytos and becoming familiar with him through the Mysteries will surely help with that endeavor, by observing his revealed role in the tradition as well what he teaches us directly.

What I’ve personally learned and developed is still limited but it is my hope and belief that when more people practice these Mysteries and experience them, more light will be shed on Anytos too. In my experience, especially regarding his role in the First Stage of the Mysteries, Anytos is a gatekeeper and guardian God of the Mysteries. It is his action that begins the Mystery process by opening the gate to Despoina’s Cave and awakening the earth and the rejuvenating Waters. I am excited to revisit the First Stage as well as approach Anytos in other rituals and see how he responds.

Here’s a prayer to Anytos I created for the ritual preparation before the First Stage:

Prayer to Anytos

Great Anytos, Titan and Kouretes,

guardian and chosen parent of Despoina,

you who reared the great Goddess in the stead of kind Demeter,

you who opens the gate of the Mysteries,

and who awakens the earth and waters,

powerful one, attend this rite!

Look kindly upon me,

and stand guard beside me,

so none may sway me from my path,

and so I can gaze upon the Mysteries safe and protected.

______________________________________________________________________

Artemis

One of the most popular and well-known deities, Artemis is among the Gods that immediately come to mind when thinking about Hellenic polytheism. A highly multifaceted Goddess, Artemis was worshiped throughout the ancient world, and was syncretized and associated with many deities including but not limited to Diana, Hekate, Selene, Kybele, Bendis, Aphaia, and others. Her most common aspects deal with wilderness, animals and the hunt, girls and young women, childbirth, and the moon. Artemis also appears as a secondary deity in the mystery cults of Eleusis and Lykosoura.

Artemis is the twin sister of Apollon, usually depicted as the eldest of the two. She is almost always considered a daughter of Zeus and Leto, with an alternative parentage existing in the mythic cycles of the mystery cults, where she is said to be the daughter of Poseidon and Demeter. This also led to her association and syncretism with Despoina.

Artemis’ role in mystery cults might seem strange given her popular aspects but it is in her other attributes that we find the link to those associations: the aspects that allowed her syncretisms with goddesses such as Hekate and Kybele. Artemis fits the archetype of the Great (Mother) Goddess despite her virginal nature in myth, and her aspects as fierce protector and light-bringing (phosphoros) goddess are well-aligned with mystery, especially when it comes to safeguarding and leading up to it.

The details of her role in the Arcadian mysteries of Despoina are sadly largely unknown to us. Artemis features prominently in the cultic sculptural group of Despoina’s sanctuary at Lykosoura, alongside Anytos, Demeter, and Despoina herself. She also had a temple in the sanctuary’s vicinity dedicated to her as Artemis Hegemone (“queen”) which was the first thing you saw entering the sanctuary, according to Pausanias’ description. This mirrors the situation at Eleusis, where a temple to Artemis Propylaia (“before the gates”) and Poseidon Pater (“father”) is found before the main gate of the sanctuary. The inclusion of Artemis but not Poseidon in the sculptural group of Lykosoura (though there was an altar to Poseidon Hippios on the sanctuary’s grounds) and the position of her temple give us a potential hint for her role in the mysteries: that of guardian and guide of the initiates and initiates-to-be. She holds that role in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina as well, mainly in the First Stage.

Overall, Artemis is an incredible, complex goddess, and I cannot do her justice in a short post like this. Everyone interested in or drawn by her ought to focus on the aspects that call to them the most. The mystery associations and common ground with Hekate are where I feel drawn when it comes to Artemis. Others, especially women and girls, will have insights and connections to aspects of Artemis that are beyond me.

Prayer to Artemis

Great Goddess, twin sister of Apollon, blessed daughter of Leto,

before you stands a seeker of the Mysteries,

one who asks for your guidance and protection,

upon this twisting path of fate-exploring pursuits.

O Torchbearer, friend of Hekate, Light-bringer,

Huntress, Highest One, whose worship spanned the world,

you who is intimate with the mysteries and always stands guard to the seekers,

protect and guide me in this endeavor, this journey towards the Gods’ truth.

May the paths you tread and upon which we follow, always lead us to piety.

___________________________________________________________________

Asteria

Asteria is the Titan Goddess of the starry sky and specifically falling stars. She is famously known as the mother of Hekate and for turning herself into (or creating) the sacred island of Delos, where her sister, Leto, gave birth to Artemis and Apollon. In some versions of the myths, Delos is also where Asteria married Perses. Quails are sacred to Asteria throughout her mythic versions, whether because she turned herself into one to avoid the amorous advances of Zeus and/or Poseidon or because her sometimes son, Heracles, was resuscitated by a quail since it was sacred to his mother (the Phoenicians supposedly sacrificed quails to Heracles in remembrance of this occasion). Ortygia (“quail-island”) was also considered to be the ancient name of Delos.

There is little else known about her. Most of Asteria’s mythic appearances are either small mentions for cosmological genealogy (e.g. Hesiod) or centered on her role in the myth of Leto and her children. We also know nothing about her actual cultic presence though some try to connect her to dream oracles and astrology due to her associations with other Gods and her domain of the stars, respectively. In regards to dream oracles, there is an obscure Goddess named Brizo who was worshiped on Delos as a Goddess of dream oracles and patron of mariners and fishermen. Theoi.com mentions a potential but unproven connection with Asteria. The poet Callimachus in his “Hymn to Delos”, calls the island Asteria and names her “laden with incense”, “of many altars”, and “of many prayers” in addition to exalting it as the holiest of lands.

Faced with a dearth of practical information, the best we can do is innovate and extrapolate from what we have, such as “reverse-engineering” potential extensions of Asteria’s domains and ways to worship her based on Hekate’s own. Personally, in my own cultic practice, I revere Asteria as a Goddess of dream oracles but not of astrology, since I consider that the domain of Astraios (Titan God and father of the stars, planets, and winds). I also associate her with the Perseids meteor shower whose end coincides with the second stage of my Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina, being a type of anabasis (ascent) prepared, in no small part, by Asteria.

Prayer to Asteria

Resplendent Goddess, mother of Hekate,

Goddess of the Starry Night,

you who brings favorable dream oracles,

and blesses us with starlight,

light the way for us who climb ever towards the star-filled heavens,

and who seek mystery and truth, piety and honor, magic and connection.

Great Goddess, Titan, you who prepares the way and the initiate,

bringer of empowering force, holder of starlit secrets,

O Asteria, whose voice is the beckoning call of the heavens,

and whose gaze is the soul-mending light of the stars,

help us in our ascent and effort,

to become again kin of the Earth and Starry Heaven.

_____________________________________________________________________

Demeter

Demeter is one of the Twelve Olympians and a major Goddess that was worshiped throughout ancient Greece. She is most known for the mystery cults, especially those of Eleusis, centered on her mythic cycles and her mystical relationship with humanity. Demeter is primarily the Goddess of agriculture though like all Gods she is quite multifaceted. Among her aspects are those of the giver of customs, patron and benefactor of humanity, chthonic underworld deity, wrathful Goddess, bringer of fertility and plenty, and great initiator.

Her cults at Eleusis and elsewhere, including many towns and locations in ancient Arcadia, were often some type of mystery tradition, involved her agrarian and afterlife aspects, and could potentially be traced to Mycenaean or pre-Greek times in their origin. Both of Demeter’s daughters were intimately connected to her, both in myth and religious practice, to the point where the Mycenaean Greek evidence for Demeter is found, according to academia, in mentions of the “Two Goddesses/Mistresses”, a duo of female divinities. Demeter is also associated, either due to syncretism or cultic relation, with Artemis, Kybele, Hekate, and Isis.

As with the other Gods explored in these posts recently, Demeter features prominently in the Arcadian Mysteries as well as the New Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina. As the mother of Despoina and de facto Goddess of Mysteries in both myth and cult, Demeter’s role and significance cannot be understated. The great Goddess is the one who teaches us the sacred practices and secret rites, initiating us into the Gods’ mysteries. Her role in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina is a bit more indirect but ever-present: she’s akin to the earth, the immovable, living support that carries the initiate forward on their mystical journey and who first marks them as a worthy seeker of the mysteries.

There are many ways to approach and worship Demeter. My own way understandably relates mostly to her mystery facets but also her aspect as giver of customs: she who teaches civilized and religious life. To that end, I have a simple rite I perform twice per year, around the Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes to honor these aspects of Demeter. Here’s a slightly amended version you can freely adapt for yourselves:

“Venerating the Thesmophoros”

Ritual

Materials Needed:

Two candles (tealights will do)

Bowl for libations

Bowl with grain (barley, wheat, rye, or corn)

A representation of Demeter

First Spring flowers or fruits of the harvest, depending on the time period

A representation of a snake

Frankincense or styrax for incense

Purify yourself and your space in your preferred manner. Arrange the altar in the following way: the representation of Demeter is placed further away from you, with the candles on either side of it. The two bowls are placed in front of the candles and the incense in front of Demeter. The flowers/fruits are neatly placed throughout the altar’s surface. The snake representation is placed closest to you, in front of the incense.

Light the candles and recite the Orphic hymn to Demeter Eleusinia. Light the incense and pour a bit of water as libation while saying:

“Blessed is Potnia Sito, the Lady of Grain, most graceful of all the Gods!”

Take a moment to center yourself, breathe deeply and recite the Prayer to Thesmophoros.

Prayer to Thesmophoros

Great Demeter, Daughter of Kronos and Rhea,

sister of the shining Olympians, you who is earth herself!

I call to you, Thesmophoros, Giver of Customs,

you who taught us secret rites and the ways of the polis,

kindhearted Goddess, beloved mother of Kore,

look upon us with favorable eyes and plentiful hands!

Send your blessing, your abundance, your endless fecundity,

and keep us, Goddess, ever upon the path of mystery.

Pour the rest of the water as a libation. Say whatever words or heartfelt prayers come to you. Finally, give thanks to Demeter and end the rite by saying:

“Blessed is Potnia Sito, the Lady of Grain, and the fruits of her power and womb!”

_____________________________________________________________________

Poseidon

Poseidon, one of the most popular and well-known of the Greek Gods, is also an important deity of the modern Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina. His aspects and functions in the Mysteries are a little different from the popular image most of us have of Poseidon, and more in line with his Arcadian and older Greek cults.

Specifically, Poseidon is worshipped in the Mysteries under his epithets Hippios (“of the horses”), Epoptēs (“overseer”), Phytalmios (“plant nurturer”), and Krēnoukhos (“ruler of springs”) as well as the somewhat innovative Pēgaios (“of springs”). All of these epithets correspond to Poseidon’s connections to the ancient Arcadian cults of Despoina, which inform the modern Mysteries. The aspects of horse-God, overseer of the mysteries, God of nurturing and nourishing forces are all central to the ritual cycles of the Mysteries. Obviously, Poseidon has numerous other aspects and epithets, especially relating to the sea and earthquakes as is well-known, but the Mysteries specifically focus on some of his more obscure powers, especially given their connections to the ancient traditions of Arcadia. His function and importance is most felt in the First Stage of the Mysteries though he is present throughout the entire process of the Mysteries. Beyond those aspects, Poseidon is considered the father of Despoina through Demeter but also of Artemis, both in Arcadian cults as well as in the Eleusinian mysteries.

My personal experience with Poseidon has not been the most complex or pronounced. He is one of those Gods whose presence, while immense and felt everywhere as one would expect, especially in a country like Greece, had largely been a background thing for me, as opposed to a direct and extended experience. It is through the development of the Mysteries that I have come to know Poseidon better and to move beyond the false limitations placed upon him by popular belief. He is much more than just a sea god or deity of earthquakes. As a God whose cults reach back to Mycenaean times and who has a multitude of roles and aspects, Poseidon is rightfully a King of Gods, much like Zeus and Hades are in their own ways. The mythic division of the world between the three brothers has theological merit, if only as symbolizing the vast, sovereign power and stature of all three. I can only say, based on my recent but growing experiences with Poseidon, that it is a good idea to approach Gods whom you might have ignored in the past or whom you might not quite grasp or understand. You will be surprised by the results.

Prayer to Poseidon

I call upon the Earth-Shaker, Poseidon, son of Kronos,

the primordial Anax, King of Earth and Sea,

I call upon he who brings forth the rejuvenating waters,

creator of horses, God of the seafarers,

mighty brother of Zeus and Ploutodotēs,

hear my prayer and praise, you who is great among the deathless Gods.

In this journey towards the mysteries of your fierce daughter,

born as she was of wrathful Demeter,

grant us, O Poseidon, your boon and favor,

and allow us to partake of your life-giving waters.

____________________________________________________________________________

 

Pan

One of the few animalistic Gods in Hellenic religion, Pan is a God of wilderness, panic, shepherds, rustic customs and traditions, and prophecy. He is usually depicted as a companion of other Gods and his mythic and cultic origins, entangled deeply with his sometimes father Hermes, are lost deep in history. His representations as a man with goat traits of varying degrees are infamous and captured the minds and imagination of people and are believed to be one of the inspirations for the cultural depictions of the Christian and folkloric Devil. A mischievous God with aspects of liberation from mores, cognate with those of Dionysos, Pan was also strongly associated with hosts of daimons and spirits such as Panes (plural of Pan), Satyroi, Seilenoi, and the Nymphs.

Pan was worshipped throughout Greece and other places of the Mediterranean, mainly in grottoes, caves, and groves; human-built sanctuaries and temples existed, though they were uncommon. He was especially honored in Arcadia, where his cult was most widespread and believed to be his mythic homeland. Pan’s sanctuary within the wider sanctuary of Despoina in Lykosoura is of special significance for us, given the connection to the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina. In that sanctuary, one of the few specifically built for Pan, there was a sacred flame that was never extinguished. According to Pausanias, the local legend was that in very ancient times, Pan gave oracles in that sanctuary via nymphs and worshippers.

Pan’s connections to mysteries, the belief in Arcadia that he had equal power to the greatest of Gods and could answer any plea, and his syncretism with mystical deities such as Phanes-Protogonos and Dionysos all point to a powerful deity, obscured by the unknown element of the wilderness and his distance from civilized society. This God of the pastures, wild forests and ecstatic oracles who shows up in the most unexpected places also plays a role in the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina, albeit a minor one. Specifically, though without going into much detail, he features in the preliminary rituals before the First Stage rites of the Mysteries. Despite the small role, his presence as the unfettered power of the Earth and of mystery is nonetheless crucial.

My personal experience of Pan is not one that can be easily put into words. It has dealt mainly with experiencing the outdoors, the forests and mountains of this land, and the many spirits that inhabit it. Here is a prayer I sometimes use when I invoke him, though I often forgo structured prayers and simply speak from the heart.

Prayer to Pan

I call to you, Pan, primeval one,

noble beast God of the wilds,

Nomios, Lyterios, Skoleitas,

breaker of chains, lover of nymphs,

companion of the Meter Theon and of the Liberator,

come Wild One, come Terrible One, come Great Pan,

heed this call, this hushed prayer,

whispered as a prey breathes lightly before a hunter,

mighty Pan, God of this earth, giver of plenty,

you who brings panic, you who brings inspiration,

friend of madness and guardian of shepherds,

commune with me!

___________________________________________________________________________

Despoina

The exploration of the Gods of the ancient Arcadian mysteries and the modern Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina wouldn’t be complete without discussing Despoina herself. An obscure and effectively nameless Goddess, Despoina was worshipped almost exclusively in Peloponnesos, and especially Arkadia where she was worshipped “above any of the Gods” according to Pausanias. We know next to nothing about Despoina herself besides her parentage: she is a daughter of Demeter and Poseidon, and sister to the mythic horse Arion – in some regional versions of the myth, Despoina herself might have been horse-headed. We also know that Despoina’s cults were focused on mysteries and even her true name was not divulged to non-initiates; “Despoina” simply means “Mistress”. She was also almost always worshipped alongside Demeter, to the point where there are ancient mentions to them as Despoinai: the Mistresses.

Her name functions as an epithet for a number of Goddesses, including Demeter herself, Hekate, Persephone, Aphrodite, and Artemis. Due to the obscurity of Despoina in ancient religion, it is next to impossible to reconstruct much of use in terms of cultic practice or lore. Indeed, we cannot even attempt the simplest of descriptions like “Goddess of…”, beyond perhaps “Goddess of Mysteries”. Therefore, we can only extrapolate based on the little information available and, more importantly for contemporary polytheism, rely on lived experience and interaction with her.

As is already known to all of you, Despoina is one side of the central Goddess of the Mysteries I am developing, the other one being Hekate. Hekate-Despoina, the syncretic form of Hekate and Despoina as one deity, is how the Goddesses came to me in regards to these Mysteries and the way Despoina has shed some of her obscurity: through Hekate, Despoina reveals herself. This requires considerable development of a working theology, both for the Mysteries as well as the Goddess herself. Who is she? Why is she so significant to mysteries? My own belief and theological theory, based on my research and experience so far, is that both daughters of Demeter (Persephone and Despoina) rule over different aspects of the mysteries of life, death, and the land. Persephone reveals the mysteries of the harvest, the changing of the seasons, and the journey of the soul after the death of the body while Despoina reveals the mysteries of the land’s rejuvenation and cyclic nature and the journey of the initiated soul while still embodied.

As Hekate-Despoina, Her influence and roles expand to infinity through Hekate’s fundamental liminality, and – in quite Hesiodic terms – Despoina joins in Hekate’s share of all divine domains. Hekate-Despoina is a composite Goddess, a phenomenon theologically analogous to Hermekate, Hekate-Selene-Artemis, the Egyptian Amun-Re and the Graeco-Egyptian Serapis and Zeus-Ammon. This syncretic approach is influenced heavily by Hellenized forms of Egyptian conceptions of divinity. Hekate-Despoina is a distinct Goddess in Her own right, but can also be interpreted as “Despoina-in/through-Hekate” or “Hekate-in/through-Despoina”; the “original” two Goddesses also retain their selfhood and distinct existence and are not lost with the emergence of the composite Goddess.

In conclusion, Despoina is an elusive Goddess of whom little is known but who commands the imagination and spirit much like Arcadia as an abstract fantasy commanded the imaginations of poets and writers. It is my hope that through the Mysteries, more people will be able to experience Despoina and she may yet reveal more of her hidden self. Finally, here is a prayer I use in my regular practices to honor her.

Basic Prayer to Despoina

Oh veiled Daughter, theriomorphic Goddess,

horse-headed, star-eyed, of ineffable names,

sister to and yet selfsame Persephone,

knowing shadow of countless Goddesses,

beloved Despoina, Mistress of Arcadia,

born of wrathful Demeter and chthonic Poseidon,

Mother of Mysteries, Scepter-holding Anassa,

you who spins the iynx wheel and spindle,

and moves all souls through cycles of initiation,

hear this prayer and plea, this praise to your honor,

cast, oh Despoina, a gentle eye upon your devotee,

and ever illuminate the path ahead with your obscured light.

You can also download this entire post collection through this Google Drive link.

 

 

 

My Plan for the "Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina" Project

As you probably know, I was recently awarded a fellowship grant by the Center for Global Polytheist and Indigenous Traditions of Indic Academy in the field of Reviving Polytheisms. The subject of my proposal was the creation of a modern mystery cult centered on Hekate-Despoina. Specifically, this will take the form of a book for the sake of convenience and accessibility. My approach in realizing this project, evidenced in the title of this post, is two-fold.

On one hand, I will carefully study the pertinent mystery cults of antiquity (the Arcadian Mysteries of Despoina, the Eleusinian Mysteries, the Andanian Mysteries of Messenia and others) with the intent of forming a foundation of factual, historical information upon which the new mystery tradition can be built. I have multiple goals in regards to this:

a) the examination of historical polytheism from the perspective of a contemporary polytheistic theologian (something which can confer new perspectives on the material beyond those of secular and monotheist academics),

b) noting patterns between different mystery cults, their commonalities and differences and utilizing that information for the creation of the modern tradition,

c) and conceptualizing a theological framework influenced by the historical material that allows both a seamless insertion of the new tradition in the diverse corpus of contemporary Hellenic polytheism as well as the cultivation of current and relevant polytheistic theology.

On the other hand, the project also has a practical side. That is the actual creation of a tangible mystery tradition which can be utilizing by practicing polytheists and which can offer much-needed nourishment of the soul and deepening of our relationships with the Gods.

Furthermore, I will strive to design a detailed outline of the ritual processes, including an annotated version with exegetical commentary for every part of the system. In addition, the last part of the project-turned-book will be a step-by-step guide for the actual and immediate application of the new mystery cult, including offering alternatives for accessibility, substitutions, and necessary adjustments.

Satisfying the need in polytheistic traditions (especially and specifically Hellenic polytheism in this instance) for legitimate and fulfilling mystical experience and inspiring others to pursue the same, is of vital importance to me. It is even a duty I have towards Hekate as Her devotee.

My plan and work right now focus on putting together a starting bibliography and examining relevant material. I will also be posting a lot of information and interesting stuff relevant to this project over at my Patreon!

Simple Offering Ritual

Regular practice is one of the cornerstones of an effective magical life and path. I used to struggle with it a lot when I was still new to these things and I think I underestimated its importance subconsciously. Over the last few years, my regular practice has expanded and I maintain it more consistently. The degree of improvement in my skills, my spiritual sensitivity, and my relationships with my Gods and Spirits has been staggering thanks to regular practice!

As part of my regular devotionals, I perform a simple offering ritual to my Gods. Feeding the Gods and Spirits is paramount in a living, evolving, and thriving religion like the Triskelion; the influences of my Hellenic polytheism and animism are undeniably present in this concept.

 The ritual itself is performed on a weekly basis. The process is quite simple: once per week, usually on Mondays, I place on the altar a bowl of grain (barley or wheat usually) with herbs, a beeswax candle, and a cup of water (replaced daily). The herbs are specific to the religious calendar period we're in at the time or, if I'm performing special work that week, the herbs are associated with the work at hand. The beeswax candle is lit during devotional prayers every day and extinguished afterwards to avoid fire hazards. I start the ritual with the Orphic Hymn to Hekate and continue with personally crafted prayers to the Wildwood Court and the Witchfather. The bowl of grain & herbs and the cup of water are presented and their purpose proclaimed. After that, I take a few moments to focus and spiritually open myself to any potential messages from the Gods as well as to ensure the offerings have been well received (a very simple divination afterwards is performed to double-check). Finally, I give thanks to the Gods and end the ritual. Also, when replacing the water daily, I say a small prayer to accompany the renewed offering.

A Hekatean Pathworking

In this post, I will do something a little different. I’ll move away from scholarly pursuits for a while and give you something more practical. A hymn for evoking Hekate as well as an intermediate-level pathworking designed for contacting and interacting with Her. Note that this requires prior experience with pathworkings as well as a working relationship and familiarity with Hekate.

Originally, this was supposed to be a submission for the Hekatean Prayerbook, a project by Skyllaros of The Crossroads Companion. Since, however, the project seems to have been abandoned (or, at least, placed in a long hiatus), I’ve decided to publish my submission here (I’m clearing my backlog material) and should the project restart in the future, I can submit something else.

Hymn of Evocation of Hekate

Khaire Hekate! Hail Goddess of the Mysteries, Key-bearer of the Inner Gate! I call upon you, upon your infinite names, Mistress of the In-between, You who guides us in the path of self-discovery! Hear my words, Hekate, and attend my rite. Skiaia Anassa, Potnia Mysterion, Pneuma Aniketon, Great Goddess of the Crossroads, You who wields arcane power without end. Come to me, Hekate, allow me to feel your presence and commune with you. Hekate, Queen of the Witches, Lady of the Restless Dead, stand by my side! May your favour always be with me. May the honour I offer satisfy you. May you grant me, Hekate, gifts unparalleled. Genoito!

Terms

Khaire = Welcome, Hail (“Χαίρε”, pronounced “KHE-re”)

Skiaia = Shadowy One (“Σκιαία”, pronounced “skee-E-a”)

Anassa = Mistress, Lady, Queen (“Άνασσα”, pronounced “AH-nah-ssa”)

Potnia = Lady, Queen (“Πότνια”, pronounced “POH-tnee-a”)

Mysterion = of the Mysteries (“Μυστηρίων”, genitive case, plural, pronounced “mee-stee-RHEE-on”)

Pneuma = Spirit (“Πνεύμα”, pronounced “PNEV-ma”)

Aniketon = Invincible, Undefeatable (“Ανίκητον”, pronounced “ah-NEE-kee-ton”)

Genoito = May it be, so mote it be, (“Γένοιτο”, lit. may it become, pronounced “YEH-nee-to”)

Hekatean Pathworking

Purify yourself in your preferred manner or in the methods of your tradition. Sit comfortably, ideally against a wall. Close your eyes. Begin performing the four-fold breath exercise: while inhaling, count to four, as fast or slow as you prefer. Don’t exhale immediately – instead hold your breath while counting to four again. Then, begin exhaling and, at the same time, count to four again. Hold your breath once more and count to four. Repeat as many times as needed to allow your body to relax and your mind to concentrate. If breathing exercises for entering light trance don’t work for you (or you have a medical issue that renders them unwise), you may use any similar methods you prefer. The goal is entering a mild trance state.

Once you have focused on your breathing and relaxed enough, visualise a dark-coloured cloak. Feel the cloak in your hands, see it in your mind’s eye. Wear the cloak and spend a few moments visualising yourself wrapped in it. The cloak will help shield you from unnecessary distractions. If, at any point, you feel the pathworking slipping, focus on the cloak and spend a few moments visualising it again. That should reaffirm your hold on the pathworking itself.

Once you have worn the cloak, look around you, always with your mind’s eye. You’re in a shadowy place, you cannot see anything – only yourself. Start walking. Notice how the shadows and darkness begin to dissipate after a while. You see a dirt road beneath your feet. Look around you. The road is surrounded by endless lines of trees. It’s a road running through a mighty forest.

Walk further ahead. Soon, you come across a crossroads. You look at the roads that spring from it – there’s no destination in sight. Your destination is the crossroads themselves. Now is the time to commune with Hekate Herself.

Recite a hymn or invocation of your choice. You can prepare one beforehand, you may use the one I have provided above or allow inspiration to guide you while in the pathworking. Once you have recited the hymn, chant Hekate’s name repeatedly. Keep doing so until what you experience in the visualisation changes. At this point, the results will vary among individuals. Try to approach Hekate in whatever way She might manifest Herself in that crossroads. This is a good time to mention any requests or voice questions you might have.

Should Hekate not manifest is some discernible way, repeat the hymn or say a small prayer (heartfelt is always best) urging Her to appear before you in what form or way She sees fit. Should that fail again (make sure you keep trying for a little while), end the pathworking in the way I have given below and try to figure out the lack of contact through divination (or, perhaps, appease the Goddess through offertory rituals).

Once you have finished your business with the Goddess, you may begin your return. It is not advisable to explore any further, neither the forest nor the other roads. This realm is Hekate’s own crossroads, the incarnation of all liminality and progress. To intrude further in this domain is to challenge the Goddess Herself; if nothing else, it’s hubristic. If you feel you can explore further or Hekate Herself tells you to, so be it; just be aware of the risks.

If you choose to exit the pathworking, retrace your steps. Follow back the road you came from until you find the dark place again. Untie your cloak and let it fall or vanish from your shoulders. Focus on your breathing (or other preferred method of exiting trance) and slowly ease yourself back to normal consciousness. It’s best that you get up and move around a bit, reaffirming your connection with your body and the physical plane. You may also eat something solid to further reinforce the return, especially if you’re feeling light-headed. Salty foods are the best for this due to salt’s natural grounding properties.

Note that this particular pathworking requires a moderate degree of experience with pathworkings. If you’re inexperienced in pathworkings – also called meditational journeys or extensive visualisations – you might want to try a few others first. Otherwise, you can perform this pathworking, minus the invocation part, a number of times until your grasp on the visualisation is satisfactory (i.e. the pathworking is flowing comfortably without you forcing it to develop).

Pagan Blog Project: C is for Cosmology (Part 1 - The Triple World Model)

Disclaimer: This post is not scholarly-minded. This is my personal system's cosmology and as such it is not found in any particular book or source (although it is obviously inspired and influenced by many different things).

NeoHellenic Witchcraft has a specific religious cosmology that acts as a theological foundation upon which the spiritual meaning and drive of its ritual and liturgy rest.

This religious cosmology is manifold in its aspects and not thoroughly explored or defined. In other words, I have not – yet – recorded all of my theories and beliefs even though I do make use of rituals that hinge, spiritually, even on some of the unexplored parts.

Currently, I recognise two main aspects of this cosmology: the Triple World model and the Hierarchy of Beings. The former deals with “physical religious cosmology”, i.e. the division of the layers of existence (the various worlds and realms), although it is symbolic rather than literal or even mythical. The latter deals with the “cosmology of being”, i.e. the division of the various entities and beings of existence (ranks, groupings etc). This, too, is more symbolic than literal. Both, however, have practical applications in ritual and spirit-work.

Before I define the Triple World model, I need to provide a bit of context and introductory information on my philosophical theories regarding existence, the world and the universe. This will mostly take the guise of brief definitions (which will be added, in the future, to my blog’s glossary). Note that certain terms might be used differently in here compared to common vernacular or scientific terminology.

Existence: The entirety of All-That-Is. Everything that ever was, is and will be, including time itself. Every concept, object, being or idea, physical, spiritual or mental.

The One: The state of existence prior to the Big Bang. The Great Monad, the First-And-Only, the amalgamation of All-That-Is in complete, homogenous and perfect union. The Cradle of Potential and the eternal, underlying state of Being (here meaning “existing” as in the verb “to be”).

The Great Division: The multi-dimensional and multi-layered process that is known as the Big Bang in scientific cosmology. The process of transformation of the One, the changing of the Great Monad into the Many, the Great Crowd – Singularity becoming Plurality.

The Many: The current state of existence (post-Big Bang). The Great Crowd or Great Plurality, the Ever-changing and Ever-progressing Cosmos in infinite, coherent and co-dependent unity.  A Sum rather than a Monad. The realisation of potentials and the eternal, experiential state of Being.

Universe: the entirety of the physical realm – all of space and time, from the tiniest subatomic particle to the greatest galactic supercluster.

Cosmos: all realms, physical and spiritual. All worlds and layers of existence, including the universe.

Realms: The various dimensions or layers of existence such as the physical realm, astral realm, specific dimensions like the realm of Hades, Olympus etc.

World: A synonym for realms, although sometimes taken to mean more fully developed and independent dimensions. Often also means clusters or groups of realms.

Now that the main cosmological terms have been defined, the Triple World model can be presented.

In the Triple World model, the entire Cosmos is divided, as the term suggests, in three types of groups of realms. These are called the Upper World (or Upper Regions), the Middle World (or Middle Regions) and the Lower World (or Lower Regions). The spatial modifiers are allegoric. An important thing to remember is that the Triple World model is a form of categorisation for the sake of philosophical simplicity and organisation, not an attempt at a cosmological and religious “theory of everything”. It intends to simplify the exploration of cosmological subjects so that others can understand how I perceive such matters. Therefore, it is not theologically applicable or (mis-)appropriative of any religion’s cosmology neither an attempt at homogenising – superficially – the cosmological tenets and realms of any religious system.

The Upper World is an allegoric grouping of all realms that share characteristics of being “heavenly” or “celestial”, “godly” and “transcendent”. Realms such as Olympus, the place of residence of many Hellenic deities, the Christian Heaven and the Platonic “world of ideas” are all of the “Upper World” type.

The Middle World is an allegoric grouping of all realms that are connected to or associated with the physical realm (in other words, the physical universe where we reside in). Realms such as the astral realm, the Otherworld(s) of folk belief systems, the spiritual concept of the “Veil (between/of) the Worlds” or the pocket realms of regional spirits and minor deities of places are all examples of “Middle World” types of realms.

The Lower World is an allegoric grouping of all realms that deal with the dead, fallen entities or rest and liminal transformation (such as many types of initiations, deep trance spirit-work, the process or “afterlife” between incarnations etc). Realms such as Hades, Tartaros, Hell or the kabbalistic Abyss are all examples of “Lower World” types of realms.

As I mentioned earlier, the Triple World model has practical (i.e. liturgical) applications as well as philosophical ones. Philosophically, it allows for an organisation of cosmology (the categorisation of realms into types or groupings for simplicity). Liturgically, it echoes the mystical symbolism and power of the number 3, especially in the way that number is expressed in Hekate’s triple form and nature as a liminal Goddess of the Crossroads. The Triple World model mirrors the three domains of Hekate, the Triad of Hekate’s Seal, the three faces of Hekate, the three Crafts of NeoHellenic Witchcraft, the three milestones of a human soul’s journey (birth, death, rebirth), the three main rites of passage (birth, initiation*, death) and countless other things.

The archetypal qualities and attributes of the Three Worlds can be accessed and utilised in ritual, especially in initiatory and other mystery rites as well as rites of journeying and trans-dimensional spirit-work (i.e. spirit-work that deals with multiple realms).

In ritual symbolism, the Triple World model is represented by the Sigillum Axis Mundi, the Seal of the World Axis. The Axis Mundi, also known as the World Tree – another significant and multicultural symbol –, is central to the Triple World model, symbolising the embodied authority of Hekate, the Anima Mundi (World Soul), over the Three World as well as the allegorical ladder or gateway that Hekate’s followers can utilise for their spiritual and mystical work in the many realms.

Just like the Three Worlds correspond to many things, including three of the main ritual tools of NeoHellenic Witchcraft (the Triad of Hekate’s Seal), the Axis Mundi also corresponds to a great many things, some symbolic, other mythical and yet other practical. Ritually, it is connected to the Minor Anima Mundi, the Torch of Hekate, which is one of the main tools of NeoHellenic Witchcraft and lies in the centre of Hekate’s Seal. It also corresponds to the Hermetic Rod, a wand-type tool associated with Hermes, his kerykeion and Wind (both the classical element of Wind and the Wind Gods [Theoi Anemoi]). The Hermetic Rod is heavily connected to the spiritual and liturgical concepts of movement, travel and progress, reflecting the World Tree’s role (among others) as a gateway and road between the many worlds.

The World Tree’s three levels of “branches”, “trunk” and “roots” also correspond to the Upper, Middle and Lower Worlds respectively. In the physical renderings of the Sigillum Axis Mundi, the symbolic markings of the Three Worlds are drawn on these respective levels.

Next time, we will explore the “Hierarchy of Beings”.

*Initiation: Including but not limited to spiritual and ritual/religious initiations as well as any other major transformative events and progresses in one’s life (such as marriage) excluding physical birth and death. Rituals and events that are also called rites of passage (such as cultural observances of the progression into adulthood) fall under “initiation” in this case.