Hekate is a goddess who has grown in popularity in recent years. She is Queen of the Witches; goddess of magic, crossroads, the Underworld, and the moon. She was worshiped along with the Greek pantheon of Olympus, but Her origins are older and wider than that. With the recent resurgence of witchcraft, spirituality, and mystery traditions, it’s no surprise that Hekate is a name on many new witches’ lips. 

I have been cultivating a relationship with Hekate for many years. Her guidance has led me down enlightening and fulfilling paths (including building this website!). She’s helpful for developing your identity as a Witch, including opening your psychic senses, communing with ancestors, and for seeing the path and the journey ahead. I’ve found that She’s a wonderful Goddess for beginners to bond with, and then you can decide to continue your relationship with Her or move on to other deities. (We’ll dive deeper into who Hekate is in another post.)

Even if you don’t want to pursue a formal dedication to Her, it’s still a good idea to develop some sort of working relationship with Her so you can call upon Her when needed. Her role as Torch Bearer makes her a perfect guide for when you’re feeling lost or unsure on your witchcraft journey. I’ve found Her to be a welcoming Goddess to all those who need Her. (Just don’t be turned off if She’s not overly warm initially; it’s just Her nature, I promise. It’s not you.)

I always suggest to beginners (and some veterans who seem to forget) that it’s integral to introduce yourself to a god before evoking them for magickal work. You wouldn’t stop a stranger on the street and ask them to help you move, for example! Calling on a deity that you’ve never so much as whispered a prayer to before, and expecting them to help you, is a long shot at best. Luckily, it doesn’t take much to begin communicating with many gods, Hekate being one of them.

If you want to reach out to Hekate, whether to petition Her for help or to begin developing a relationship with Her, now is the best time to do it. I’ve always found November to be a sacred month to Hekate, partly because She’s got three sacred days this month (according to modern Hekatean traditions)!

November 16 is Night of Hekate of the Underworld (also known as Hekate’s Night). If you need to do some serious shadow work, perform soul retrieval, connect with ancestors, release energy that’s been hanging around, or otherwise dive into the darkness of your practice, this is the perfect night for it. The celebration begins at dusk on Nov 16 and ends at dusk on Nov 17.

November 30 is Night of Hekate of the Crossroads. This seems to be a day celebrated specifically within the Keeping Her Keys tradition of Hekatean witchcraft. November 30 is less a time of ritual and celebration and more a night for communing with Her. If you’re just starting on your journey and want to get to know Her energy a little more, this night is wonderful for that.

The third day doesn’t have a set date, because it’s whenever the new moon falls. The new moon of each month is sacred to Hekate, often recognized by performing a Deipnon (sacred supper) and leaving a plate of food for her at a crossroads (or your threshold if you can’t bring it somewhere). The ancient Athenian calendar was lunar-based, and it was traditional to honor Hekate at the end of each month. You can perform Hekate’s Deipnon at the new moon each month, but especially in November, when her energy is heightened from Samhain and the other two Nights devoted to her.

(This year, the new moon falls on Wednesday, November 23rd. You can find the new moon date for whatever year you’re reading this by visiting www.moongiant.com or downloading an app like Moon Pro)

Below is a list of 8 easy ideas for honoring Hekate. Many of them require little to no financial burden (depending on what you have around the house already). These ideas are based on historical study of Hekatean worship as far back as we can find, blended with more modern ideas and traditions. 

Once you begin working with Her, you may find a new way to honor Her makes itself known to you. Lean into that intuition. That’s Her letting you know how She wants to work with you.

For more discussion on Hekatean worship, make sure to join us in Discord, where we love to wax poetic about Our Lady of the Crossroads!

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