Beyond the Mysteries: The Way Forward

Disclaimer: This post deals heavily with spirit-guided gnosis, mystical experience, and conjecture.

It might seem weird talking about “beyond” the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina, when the book isn’t even completed. Yet, having finished the rites of the Three Stages, I do have to ponder: what’s the next step? The easiest answer to that is the Remembrance Cycle. The Remembrance Cycle is the name and form the Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina take after the mystēs has gone through the entire three-stage procedure once and fully. Every year after that, on the anniversary dates of the original three rites, the practitioner must perform simple rituals that commemorate the journey and spiritual transformation experienced during the exploration of the Mysteries. The name “Remembrance Cycle” pays tribute to Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory, whose blessing upon initiates allows them to fully absorb and retain all gnosis received and experienced during mystical processes. Memory and remembering play a major role in the Mysteries, echoing the mystēs’ affirmations that they are fully cognizant of their ineffable experiences and the divine origin of their souls.

But is that all? For many, yes. The Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina, including the Remembrance Cycle, are a self-contained, entire system of mystery practice. One can be entirely content and fulfilled in terms of spiritual and mystical experience with the tradition as-is. However, from early on I was given glimpses of further, potential paths to follow after the Mysteries procedures were completed, including a “fork in the road” which is still largely unknown to me. Part of that potential ahead was clarified somewhat during the Second Stage of the Mysteries, the Sidereal Journey. Coupled with admitting that the presence of magic (theurgic, hieratic magic) is something I can neither deny nor avoid when it comes to this mystery tradition, I realized that a path branching off from these Mysteries will be heavily magic-oriented; much more than the Mysteries rites are.

Unlike the clear instructions and gnosis received after each Stage was completed, which illuminated the next Stage, I’m only getting what can be described as flashes and very fragmented information. My assumption is that I need to coax these fleeting specters of gnosis through my tried-and-tested rituals for such matters, in order to clear up the path ahead. The only certainty, based on the crucial sign I received by Hekate on the culmination of the Third Stage, is that the path ahead branches off thrice, not unlike the rune Algiz in shape (I am only referencing the rune because of its design, not because of its meanings or any other reason). The magic-focused branch is one of the three but that’s the extent of what I can figure out right now.

Since the book is still a work in progress, I don’t plan to focus too much on that future path and its branches. I have the first iteration of the Remembrance Cycle ahead of me in the meantime, and finishing the book is the foremost priority. I do want to explore a little bit though, if only to shed a bit of light and figure out some of these nebulous pieces of gnosis.

Another thing that has been preoccupying me, related to the future and entirety of the Mysteries, is the tradition’s name. “Mysteries of Hekate-Despoina” is fine, albeit a roundabout way to refer to it, but it is also strongly tied to the book and the practices till now. The parts of the path ahead give me a strong sensation of being different, even if they are directly related and a continuation of the journey started with the Mysteries. I am thoroughly unsure what to call the tradition as a whole. If any of you have a flash of inspiration, do let me know. The Gods inspire all of us and messages that answer our questions often come from other people.

Exploring Identity: Hekatean, Hellenic, or something else? Part Two

Turns out I had a Lot to Say™ so this ended up needing two parts. In Part One, I got into the “something else” rather than explain why I don’t often self-identify as a Hekatean or Hellenic, despite occasionally and partially using both. Somewhat backwards of me but I hope you won’t mind terribly.

As I explained in Part One, Hekate is the central deity of my practice and overall Triskelion system. Understandably, one might ask “how are you not a Hekatean then?”. The answer is, well, I am! I do consider myself a Hekatean practitioner (devotee, witch etc) but I don’t often use it as an identifier unless I’m referring to the Hekatean community in general. The main reason for that being that despite Hekate’s monumental significance in my practice, She is far from the only important deity or influence. Limiting myself to identifying mainly as Hekatean would be a disservice to the other Gods and Spirits I follow and who are dear and important to me.

This reason also applies to my avoidance of “Hellenic” as a self-identifier although in this case, there are other reasons as well. To begin with, I have to say, being ethnically Greek means I am Hellenic anyway. “Hellenic” is an ethnonymic adjective for my people, our land, our culture and all we create (the Hellenic language, for example). We call ourselves “Hellenes”, not Greeks (though the latter exists in our language today as well as in antiquity: “Γραικοί”). We call the Gods my ancestors worshiped and named Hellenic or Greek: they are “of the Hellenes/Greeks”. Furthermore, I do worship and honor Hellenic Gods as well as study and utilize Hellenic sources for religious and magical practices (though not necessarily as a Reconstructionist would).

Technically speaking, I am a Hellenic polytheist. I don’t usually call myself that though. A big reason is my personal disdain with the local and international Hellenic communities and the tendency to equate Hellenic polytheism as a whole with Reconstructionism (which is a methodological approach, not a religion or religious practice in itself). In other words, I avoid self-identifying directly as Hellenic polytheist because I do not want to be associated with the related communities in general (that said, I know plenty of individuals who are excellent people and practitioners and do wonderful work to heal the Hellenic polytheistic communities – sadly moreso internationally than in Greece). The general disapproval of magic and mysticism in the Hellenic communities is another factor, given the importance of magic and mysticism in my own practice.

I have chosen a unique label for my religious identity (Triskelion Witch) and prefer to use more neutral labels when interacting with less in-the-know people, such as “polytheistic witch” or “religious witch” plus a brief mention of my devotional relationships, i.e. “devotee of Hekate, the Wildwood Court, and the Witchfather”. Even then, despite the rather common label of “Witch”, I still use another word to precede and clarify it. The complexity and multi-aspected nature of my praxis require a suitably unique and specific label. Fun fact, before it evolved to its current incarnation, I used to call the early form of the Triskelion system “NeoHellenic Witchcraft”. However, the growing importance of the Wildwood and the eventual arrival of the Witchfather made me reconsider the place of “Hellenic” in the main name for the practice.

Names are powerful. As a theologian and practitioner of magic, names are power to me. To name something properly, to know its true name, is to hold power over it. Taken a bit further into the mystical, to name something properly, to know its true name, is to truly know that thing. Properly naming yourself, your practice, your work means truly knowing these things. Dare to name yourselves.

Exploring Identity: Hekatean, Hellenic, or something else? Part One

This blog post is one among a handful that had been works-in-progress for a while and it was completed thanks to the support of my patrons over at my Patreon! I'm posting these articles as early access content there first and two weeks later they will be posted here. This is the first one out of the batch, with Part Two coming out tomorrow!

Let me start by saying that the title is a little clickbaity. I don’t talk about those particular labels specifically, but I used them because they are well-known and understandable. Tackling them would make this too long and I wanted to address some less explored labels, especially those that generate a level of “discourse” and reaction, such as “witch” and “religious”.


Identity is a complex and highly personal topic. Even so, we look to how others define and identify themselves for guidance and inspiration in figuring out our own identities. In addition, as a theologian I think it’s important to share definitions of terms, our identities and our religious labels. In my opinion, I believe doing so helps create clearer common vocabulary as well as increase the pool of accessible information for all fellow co-religionists and practitioners.


My identity has many layers and aspects, not all of which are immediately understood or recognizable by everyone. Let’s start from the way I self-identify “officially”: a Triskelion Witch.


Immediately, we see a label a lot of people recognize but few would agree on how to define: witch. The way I understand and define “witch” and, therefore, the way and reason why I call myself one is thus: a practitioner of magic, especially “low magic” and folk magic though not limited to that, who holds powerful relationships and alliances with spirits and entities, and who has a varied liturgical structure that can range from very casual to fairly ritualistic. Going with this definition, we can safely say that not everything I do and practice is witchcraft. Yet, I choose to call myself a witch anyway. Why?




Before I tackle that question, let’s explain the Triskelion part. A triskelion or triskele (from Greek “τρισκελής” meaning “three-legged”) is a triple spiral or three-pronged symbol that is commonly associated with Celtic cultures and motifs but which was present throughout the Old World (ancient Greece included). My choice of this symbol and its name as the label for my magical-religious system of practice is in reference to the tripartite nature of my system itself: it is comprised of the Hekatean Craft, the Wildwood Art, and the Witchfather’s Way; three distinct practices that overlap at points and are grounded on the common culmination of my experiences, divine & spirit relationships, and my journey thus far. You can read more about this elsewhere on this blog though keep in mind I ought to post a more current and accurate overview and explanation.


From this we can define a Triskelion Witch as a witch who practices the Triskelion system. But many people might not be familiar with my personal system or might not even know what a triskelion is at all. Knowing this, I often describe myself as a “polytheist witch” or “religious witch” in addition to listing my main devotional relationships. These tend to be more recognizable to the wider community and thus people understand more clearly what I am. But it doesn’t stop there. I also label myself “mystic” and “devotional polytheist”, for example. To explain these, allow me to give you a brief summary of the Gods and Spirits I serve and how my relationships with them affect my identity.


My primary deity is Hekate. I’ve been devoted to Her since 2010 although I spent a full year before that studying everything about Her and forging the relationship-to-be. Pretty much everything I do or build is centered on Hekate or related to Her in some capacity. At Her request and under Her guidance, I started making what I came to call the “Hekatean Craft” I mentioned earlier. This became the basis of today’s Triskelion. Through my spiritual explorations of the Otherworld (or, more accurately, the Triple World), I was led by Hekate to interact with a group of spirits and divinities in a realm I call the Wildwood. These are the Wildwood Court. I don’t have a specific devotional date for them because our relationships have been less clear-cut than with Hekate, and they took much longer to take more concrete forms. I would say I started recognizing them in more-or-less the ways I do now around 2012-2013. Finally on 2016, through Hekate and the Wildwood Court, I attracted the attention of the being I call the Witchfather, who is the infamous “Devil of the Craft” as he is known in the traditional witchcraft community. My relationship with him is, perhaps disagreeably so for others, not particularly steeped in Christian imagery, and is of a primarily Dionysian, ecstatic approach. Perhaps this a way he would appear in a pre-Christian setting before gaining the devil associations (which still exist in my own relationship with him, mainly because I used to be Christian and thus affected by such imagery on the necessary levels for the kind of work the Witchfather engenders).


Now do you see why I call myself a Witch? There is an undeniably current of witchcraft and “witch-type magic” in my overall practice, even if it’s not alone. Still, it is central and fundamental, therefore it is a core aspect of my identity and its labels.


These Gods and Spirits and the relationships and pacts I have with them also explain why I would call myself “religious”, “mystic”, and “devotional polytheist”. My service to them is transformative, spiritually transmutative, socio-culturally transgressive and non-conforming, self-affirming and life-affirming, self-empowering, spiritually dedicated, molded through worship, devotion, and divine ecstasy. The experience of the Mysteries, devotional practice, and incredibly varied magic are vitally significant for me.


It is by examining my own practice and path that I arrived at the labels I use. I looked to what I was doing, what I believed in, how I interacted with my Gods and Spirits and what they govern and impart to me in order to be able to properly define myself in religious terms. I am “blank” because I do “so and so”, practice “this and that”, and believe “these things”. Personally, I am of the strong opinion that you create something first and then name it, especially when it comes to our religions. I believe so because our religious practices as well as ourselves change and evolve so much that they are almost never what we expect when we begin. When I started on this multi-aspected path, I thought I was a Hellenic Reconstructionist. The polytheistic part and the Hellenic part remained (and not just because I’m Greek) but everything else changed irrevocably. At some point early on, I also thought I would be an Eclectic “Wiccan” or some version of that. Yet my witchcraft journey made me something quite different (fond as I may be of traditional Wicca – the influence and lessons I treasure from initiates stay with me to this very day).


Identity is deeply personal. At the same time though, we must remain cognizant of the way our wider community utilizes and treats various names, labels, and terms. Sometimes this means following along. Other times, it means fighting against preconceptions and ignorance. In many cases, it may even mean we have to forge an altogether new name or term or label and make that known. I’ve certainly done all three in varying degrees. It is easy to use an identifier out of a need to belong. It is also easy to reject a label out of a need for rebellion. Both are rooted in important feelings and matters but they need to be examined carefully; they are also a highly personal subject that no one, save perhaps for one’s therapist, can truly help you solve.


That is why I recommend a well-rounded approach. Like I said earlier, look first at what you do. Then look to your Gods and spirits (if any, though if you’re reading my writings, you probably believe in and interact with Gods and spirits in some way). How do these affect you? How do they shape who you are? What would something like that be called? Following that, look to the various communities. How do they identify one another? How do individuals label themselves and others? Where and what causes conflict and reaction, and why? Then take all conclusions, thoughts, and further questions these raised, and try to mold them into something. What shape does it take? Perhaps no current name you’re aware of exists that fully applies to you. Or maybe many different ones do but they can’t be easily combined. Or maybe you are right at home with “stereotypical” or mainstream labels. All that is fine. What matters is that when you identify yourself, to others, in your work, to your Gods and spirits, to your mirror, you feel yourself.

I'm Still Alive!

Wow. More than TWO years since the last time I posted. Since this blog's beginnings back in 2010, there has never been this long a period of inactivity from me. I won't make excuses or jokes this time since it seems I only repeat myself every year! That said, I will give an update of my life and path for the past two years for anyone (still?) reading.

In the last real post, two years ago, I listed the various reasons and happenings in my life between 2016 and 2017 that kept me busy. There have been plenty of major changes since then and most are directly related to the things I was taking about in that post.

Here's what's new with me. First, the bad things:

• I got a job at a warehouse towards the end of 2017 till the middle of 2018. While the company I worked for wasn't completely horrible, the conditions of the job itself were literally backbreaking. I was working overtime constantly, ended up in relentless pain that permanently injured by left thumb and worsened the state of both wrists, and the pay was, while the legal minimum, truly measly. All aspects of my life - mental health, social life, spirituality, art - took a huge hit. 

• Unable to endure the warehouse job, I managed to land a retail job in mid-2018. While seemingly better at first, especially in terms of time (less hours which meant marginally less money but way less physically crippling), it turned out to be even worse as the boss was an atrocious creature (I have trouble calling her a person) whose unpredictable, insulting, and demanding behavior left me in a constant state of extreme anxiety and exhaustion. For those unfamiliar, I suffer from chronic generalized anxiety and depression and I've fought for years to return to a more healthy state of mind and life. Those two day jobs, especially the retail one, took me many steps backwards in terms of mental health progress. 

• In the end, at the beginning of March 2019, I was fired after demanding to be paid the money my boss owed me. That, coupled with four months of stressful, and ultimately futile, efforts to get my money as well as solve a number of other major issues, nearly destroyed my religious and magical practice, reducing it to a mere shadow of a spirituality. I'm still dealing with the psychological (and financial!) aftermath of this past year and a half of bullshit, unfortunately.

•  The Hekatean group I was in that operated under the auspices of the Covenant of Hekate ended up disbanding due to inactivity and the departure of core members. I still maintain a good friendship with the couple that started it and we occasionally do rituals or magic together but we're no longer a formal group of any kind.

•  During 2018, I was also undergoing training for eventual initiation in the Aurum Solis. Unable to cope with yet another source of pressure and being truly drained of time and energy, I ended up stopping the training. While mulling that over, I realized I was seeking initiation for the wrong reasons and the personal revelations that realization ignited changed my thinking and approach on many things in my life, especially in spiritual matters.
   
• The Stardust Compass apparently went inactive some time during my disconnect from my practices. As such, I have completely let go of that particular system.

Now, onto the more positive stuff:

• My boyfriend and I moved together in mid-2018 and have been living together since then. It has been amazing but also very challenging, especially since it's the first time for both of us. Building and maintaining your own, truly independent household is both incredibly rewarding and stupidly difficult!

•  I continue to have a magical relationship with my best friend, although mundane life has caused it to wax and wane in activity.
  
• My relationship with the Witchfather has grown exponentially since the last time I posted here. The development of the Triskelion Path as a whole has also reached new levels and Hekate has elevated me to new strata of understanding I was not expecting. There will be much to do and share regarding the Triskelion in the near future.
  
• Finally, my art and writing have grown a lot, both in terms of quality as well as in terms of productivity. My goal is for 2020 to be a year of publications and full-fledged work in those matters.

So, that's the cliffnotes version of the past two years of my life! I will jinx this again and say I'm hoping to post more in the coming months. I've been inspired recently so I'm revitalizing my online presence in regards to religious/magical matters, such as making a Pagan/occult-focused Instagram account. I found that doing so helped keep me productive and accountable with my artistic goals so I'm hoping it will do the same for my religious and magical stuff. Here's to more content!

P.S. I've also changed my online name to Chelydoreus. It's my public "magical name" and, in an effort to shift my mindset to a more professional approach, I've decided to also make it my screen name.

Coming and Going Or Why I Can't Post Regularly To Save My Life

An entire year of inactivity on this blog after promises of regular updates and upcoming projects. And, out of the blue, I post an Aretalogy of Hekate as if no "dead period" had passed.

Rightfully, my readers, you would ask "what the eff?".

Honestly? I've been tremendously busy and, for once, it wasn't so much with mundane matters but predominantly with spiritual ones. The Three Days of Hekate from last year initiated (hah!) a veritable avalance of progress, duties, spiritual and magical work, and synchronicities without end.

Here's a brief description of my year between the Three Days and today just to show how engrossed I've been in my practices and path, in no particular order:

• After the Three Days of Hekate in late May 2016, I participated in a three-day Hellenic festival called the Prometheia in early/mid-July 2016. It was an indescribable experience and while I did write up a modest recounting of my experiences there, I haven't posted it since I feel it just doesn't do it justice. To give you an oversimplified idea of the whole thing: 3 days of free camping on Mount Olympus under Zeus' blessed oaks surrounded 24/7 by (mostly) like-minded individuals and all sorts of rituals, celebrations and other happenings. I was truly plunged in what could very well have been the daily lives of my Hellenic ancestors. Incense filled the air at all times, hymns could be heard at any given moment, I stood besides my co-religionists in ritual and I experienced the virtues of friendship, love (agape), hospitality and the ineffable Mysteries. I was present during naming ceremonies and I participated in private, deeply moving conversations with dear friends. I even ended up participating in an impromptu oracular ritual involving Hekate for the first time in my life and it utterly shattered any doubts or skepticism I had regarding oracles. I can only describe the whole thing as a truly magical experience. I sadly can't attend this year but, given how it's been going strong for over 2 decades (last year was the 21st festival!), I am certain I will get to experience it again in the future.

• My work with the Amaimaketon Vasileian Sanctuary of the Covenant of Hekate and the private magical/devotional group of Hekateans bloomed and culminated into official membership in the Covenant (after years of failed applications due to technical issues) during this year's celebration of Her Sacred Fires.
  
• I recently formed a powerful working relationship with my best friend after strong urging from our patron deities. This is the one thing I can't really talk about besides this short mention due to its very private nature. Nevertheless, it is one of the most demanding projects I have on my plate right now. 
  
• During ecstatic work with the Wildwood Art, I was approached by a figure that identified itself as the Black Goat of Mysteries, the Witchfather, the Man in Black, and the Devil of the Craft. Of all things that have happened to me over this past year, His appearance, call, and our work have been the most unexpected and unpredictable. In our considerably few interactions compared to beings I've worked with or worshipped for years (like Hekate), the Witchfather has been almost terrifyingly and tangibly real and manifested. His is a path I neither expected nor devised nor intended and though He came along with the Wildwood AND under the auspices of Hekate, He fits in neither NeoHellenic Witchcraft nor the Wildwood Art. Perhaps He is the "missing" leg of the Triskelion after all. My work with him so far has been... illuminating, to say the least.
  
• My work with the Stardust Compass has taken an unfortunate backseat, so to speak, during all this. It's still there, it still calls to me and itches my soul for involvement but I am stretched towards too many and too demanding directions. I have promised myself to return to it come Autumn because it sings a song to my spirit that fills gaps, however small or hidden, that nothing else does.
  
• I have been advised, both by Gods and fellow devotees/practitioners, to pursue training and participation in the Ordo Aurum Solis, something I had been mulling over for a few years now. While financial and spiritual reasons haven't allowed me to tackle it just yet, it is something I will definitely move towards and attempt as soon as possible.
  
• From a mundane perspective, I've been working on my comics and writing as well as devoting a lot of time to my relationship with my boyfriend (practically fiance). Living with family, good, supportive, loving family is not a bad thing but at the age of 26 at the time of writing of this piece, it is a bit too much. So, I'm working as hard as I can to gain my much desired and needed independence which will remove a lot of limitations on my life, especially on the spiritual/religious/magical part.
  

That's just the cliff-notes version of the past year. When I performed those transformative rituals during the Three Days, I knew they'd open up the way for a lot of new and challenging things. I just didn't think it would turn out to be this busy! Now, none of this is truly an excuse or justification for not posting on here. If anything, it reinforces my view that I'm a sloppy procrastinator when it comes to blogging. Still, I think I owed you, my readers, an explanation and an update of sorts for my absence. Let's hope I can keep some semblance of activity on here from now on!

Days of Hekate II: The Nomen Rite

On Saturday 21^st of May, I performed a rite for which I was preparing for months.  The reason behind such lengthy preparation was that the Nomen Rite was as important as my dedication to Hekate and, in some ways, even more binding and serious for me. It was a long, intricate ritual, lasting a bit more than 2 hours, making it one of the lengthiest rituals I have ever performed in 11+ years of practice. It was also rather taxing and demanding in terms of invocations, maintenance and work. Truly, it ought to have been a group ritual, with at least two more people to help but, alas, the Triskelion is a solitary path (for now?).

The Nomen Rite, as the name suggests to those familiar with Latin, was my naming ceremony. In this ritual, I took a special name – a “magical name” for the first time in my entire Pagan life – that was revealed to me by Hekate and the Wildwood Spirits, and one I had to take if I was to commit fully and truly to the Triskelion and open up all channels and gates for the road ahead. At first, I was only aware of one name I had to take but during the preparatory period, I was “told” that it had a supplementary name-title indicating “where my heart was born”. 

I’ve mentioned this before here, and now I can finally talk more about it. Specifically, divination and spirit communion explained that I can, now, reveal the Great Spirit that has been aiding me in this work as well as a good deal of the Rite itself and a part of my name: the supplementary name-title. I am under oath not to reveal my “core name”, sadly. I also cannot share details of the Nomen Rite such as the invocations used or my Naming Oath (although I can tell you roughly what I swore). The Spirit that has been aiding me is the Heron and my new name is Chelydoreus, taken after the name of the village where I’ve spent nearly every summer of my life, the place where my maternal grandmother was born and raised, the place I consider my true home: the village of Chelydori, between Mt. Evrostini and Mt. Chelydorea, where Hermes found the tortoise he used to fashion the lyre, according to myth.

The Rite itself was deeply potent. Here’s the outline of the ritual: 

1.       Preparation:

·         Self purification

·         Space purification

·         Gathering necessary tools, offerings, etc.

2.       Casting the Magic Circle.

3.       Invocation of Hekate:

·         Hekataion Hymn, Orphic Hymn

4.       Invocation of the Wildwood Court:

·         Invocation of the Four Guardian Spirits

·         Invocation of the Heron

·         Invocation of the Horned One and His Lady of the Moon and Forest

5.       Rite of Manifestation of Hekate's Seal

6.       Main Working:

·         Declaration of the ritual's intent

·         Naming Oath (Όρκος Ονομαστικός, Sacramentum Nominis)

7.       Offerings, libations, hymns and prayers of praise

8.       Red Meal*

9.       Closing.

*Red Meal: Yes, this is indeed like the Traditional Witchcraft practice. The name and way to perform it were revealed to me by the Wildwood Spirits and after researching it out of curiousity I was shocked to find that it is an already existing and established rite - I thought it was a unique request from the Spirits!

One of the peculiarities of the ritual was that, even though the presences of the Gods and Spirits invoked were stronger than usual, I got very little in terms of communication and practically nothing in terms of epiphanies or revealed gnosis, despite my continuous requests to be shown what comes after this and what I should do from now on. After a lot of effort and communion, Hekate finally had a message for me: “You know what it is that must be done following this and We have nothing more to impart at this time.” In other words, we’re not going to spoon-feed you everything, you’re way past that stage. Do your own dirty work. Duly noted!

The offerings were nothing spectacular, sadly, but both divination and my intuition pointed towards them being very well-received, which made me very glad. Feelings of insecurity and inadequacy are some of my biggest personal “demons” and being told that even the small things – the only things – I am able to offer are happily accepted is a much needed reassurance.

This whole Rite and the naming itself primarily served as a dedication, of sorts, to the Triskelion. I committed myself fully and formally to this path and system and to the Gods and Spirits that come along with it. No more excuses, no more feeling bad about “dry spells” or periods of inactivity, no more arm-chair occultism. Moreover, the days after the Rite I found myself more open and sensitive to the Otherworld and receiving a lot more revealed gnosis that before – or, at the very least, more detailed and complete gnosis as opposed to the bits and pieces I was getting before. Indeed, other workings and divination confirmed that many spiritual “gates” within me and in my path had been opened and certain aspects of my work are finally accessible to me. In many ways, the Nomen Rite was a kind of spiritual initiation akin to what I experienced during my dedication to Hekate and felt very much as the – somewhat overdue – next step from the dedication.

That was the Nomen Rite or, perhaps more accurately, the Nomen Experience. I have a lot of things to still share here, beyond this; my account of the Three Days of Hekate is still not complete. I also have many other writings and work to finish and post. Until next time:

I am CHELYDOREUS, devotee of Hekate, practitioner of the Triskelion, Polytheist, Witch, Pagan, a student of the Mysteries indulging in the Great Work.

Days of Hekate I: Her Sacred Fires

Every year, during the days close to the Full Moon of May (usually the three days before and after it), an international event takes place in many shapes and forms. I’m talking about the Rite of Her Sacred Fires, a rite in honour of Hekate, and a really good example of devotional ceremony for this particular Goddess. I owe a great deal regarding my own relationship with Hekate to the anthology and Rite of Her Sacred Fires since they acted as the necessary catalyst for me to explore my patron Goddess further. She taught and continues to teach me many things through the experiences and wisdom of fellow devotees.

I have been performing the Rite for 5 years now, the past four as a solitary. This year, however, I was blessed with being invited by good friends – devotees and priestesses of Hekate themselves – to celebrate together. We were seven people participating in the rite in total, and we gathered at night. The energy was vibrant and everything just felt right. The ritual itself was potent. The leading priestess added some parts to the rite as instructed by Hekate Herself. Here’s a rough summary of what we did:

We began with the ritual opening used by Labrys, the community we are all familiar with (some of the people present at the Rite are long-standing members). Then, two women invoked the elements in the four directions and created a magical space for us to work in. Following that, the leading priestess, the women that performed the elemental invocations and another woman – who is dedicated to Artemis – invoked Hekate in a manner revealed by the Goddess Herself: the priestess stood in the middle of a triangle of sorts, with each of the other women standing on what would be its points. The three women drew the energies of Hekate Ourania, Chthonia, and Einalia, while the priestess invoked Her with the Orphic hymn. Afterwards, the priestess – with help from one of the women – led us in meditation to commune with Hekate. While we were in the meditation, she would bring each person individually in front of the altar and guide them through the actual Rite of Her Sacred Fires, which takes the form of a ceremonial pledge of devotion to the Goddess and Her mysteries. After that, one of the participants recited a prayer requesting protection and aid from Hekate for the refugees in Greece. We did the Labrys ritual closing, although the women decided to not bid farewell to the elements and to leave the ritual “open” for further work in the following days. The priestess passed the sacred flame to all of us one last time, we vibrated Hekate’s name three times and the ritual ended. We had a small feast/meal afterwards, made with foods sacred to Hekate.

There were a number of interesting experiences during all that. First, I perceived – with my eyes closed and while still in meditation – every person around me as possessing an inner flame that burned white, almost translucent in its lack of colour. Every individual that completed the actual Rite of Her Sacred Fires had their flame dyed a colour unique to them (I saw purple, red, light blue, and greenish blue before the demands of the ritual and the meditation made me lose focus of this vision). Second, I had the curious experience of perceiving the ritual in the physical realm and at the same time Hekate and the meditational space in the spiritual realm. While this didn’t have physical visual effects, I was simultaneously experiencing the Rite of Her Sacred Fires physically and Hekate’s private work with me spiritually/mentally. It was a bit disorienting but exceptionally powerful. I was also whispering all sorts of “mini” invocations and prayers throughout the whole ritual. Third, the pet dog of the leading priestess and her wife became agitated and active at select portions of the ritual, such as when the priestess described Hekate’s animal retinue during the meditation (especially when she mentioned the dogs) and when we vibrated Hekate’s name all together at the end of the ritual.

This ritual was important to me for a number of reasons. First of all, it was an additional confirmation that my getting involved with these wonderful people is right and guided by Hekate. Furthermore, it helped me open spiritual channels and prepare myself for the very intense and demanding work that awaited me the following day. Finally, it allowed me to experience the Goddess in a mystical way together with fellow devotees and celebrate Her wondrous gifts and presence.

I am deeply thankful to my friends for granting me all this and even more thankful to Hekate for bringing us all together. Here’s to more and greater work in the future!

A Communal Celebration

The other day, I had the pleasure to participate and experience a Noumenia ritual with Labrys, an Athens-based Hellenic polytheist group. We gathered on Filopappou Hill, at midday, around the stone altar Labrys has erected near the Heroon of Mousaios. The ritual, following Labrys’ format, was powerful and beautiful. The khernips passed around for pre-ritual purification had rosewater mixed in it, granting it a divine fragrance that instantly placed you in ritual mood. During the hymn to Hestia, the small fire one of the members leading the ritual had lit grew haunting and intense. The many libations poured upon the altar seemed to be thirstily absorbed by the stones warmed by the Sun and by the dry earth. The many different kinds of incense burnt heartily released blessed smoke, which swirled in spirals and columns and naturally fumigated the large circle of participants. The Orphic hymn to Mousaios was especially potent; many participants commented on the power of the hymn and its beauty afterwards. I felt that the numerous deities invoked with that hymn made their presence known to varying degrees, something that was especially moving and impressive, given the sheer volume of Gods and spirits called. At one point during the libations, a rogue bee approached the altar, sat on a libation oinokhoe (wine jug) for a bit, and then took flight again, circled the altar and disappeared. I took that to be an auspicious sign from the Gods that the ritual was well-received, something that improved my already great mood further.

After the ritual was completed, we had a small feast all together, partaking of wine and various foods, in honour of the Deathless Ones that graced us with their presence and blessings. That was one of my favourite parts of the ritual, and something I much like about Labrys in general: they really do make you experience the feeling of a community, even if you don’t fit 100% with everyone present. Before, during, and after ritual, we’re all part of the same community, co-religionists worshipping the same Gods, and that’s the most important thing in my eyes. This is also one of the biggest reasons why I always recommend Labrys, even if I don’t (yet, perhaps?) feel I can become a full member or fit in completely. They provide an indispensable service to all local Hellenic polytheists, that of a tangible and true expression of the polis religion, as it should be in modern times.

Following the celebration, I was invited by some friends in Labrys to watch their rehearsal for the Attika Dionysia, a modern celebration in honour of Dionysos, organized and performed by the group. The – long! – rehearsal at Tritsis park in an open theatre was beautiful and inspiring. I will definitely try my best to attend the Attika Dionysia and I am certain I will see quite the spectacle if the rehearsal was any indication! I got back home, nearly 12 hours later (I was out from 10 am to 9 pm!), sun-burnt, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted but excited, satisfied, content, and filled with hope, spiritual “buzz”, and a desire for more.

It was a wonderful experience and one I plan on repeating many times in the future. The people at Labrys are exceedingly hospitable and kind, going out of their way to accommodate and help anyone and you’re immediately made to feel welcome. I don’t know if my involvement with Labrys will be beyond that of a “religious acquaintance” or if it will develop into something deeper and more complex but, either way, it will definitely benefit me greatly.