A Historical Study of the Rituals, Spells and Magic of the Torch-bearing Triple Goddess of the Crossroads by David
Rankine and Sorita d'Este
At the crossroads of life, death and rebirth stands
the Goddess Hekate. Honoured by men, women and gods alike, traces of her
ancient provenance reach back through the millennia providing clues about her
nature and origins along the way. Depictions of her as three formed facing in
three ways, sometimes with the heads of animals such as the horse, dog and
snake hint at her liminal nature, as well as the powers she holds over the
triple realms of earth, sea and sky.
The sorcery of Medea and Circe, the witchcraft of
the women of Thessaly , the writings of
philosophers such as Hesiod and Porphyry all provide glimpses into the world of
those who honored her. Her magical powers were considered so great that even
King Solomon became associated with her, she was incorporated into Jewish
magic, and merged with other goddesses including Artemis, Selene, Bendis and
the Egyptian Isis. Whilst for some she was the Witch Goddess, for others she
was the ruler of angels and daimons, who made predictions about Jesus and
Christianity.
Wherever you look, be it in the texts of Ancient
Greece and Rome , Byzantium
The temples dedicated to her and the important role
she played in the mysteries of Eleusis , Samothrace and Aigina all provide us with clues to her
majesty. The popular shrines at the doorways of ordinary people, offerings left
at the crossroads and guardian statues of her at the entrance ways to cities
and temples all attest to her status in the hearts and minds of those who knew
her mysteries. In this book the authors draw from a wide range of sources,
bringing together historical research which provides insights into the magical
and religious practices associated with this remarkable Goddess; in doing so
they provide an indispensable guide for those wishing to explore the mysteries
of Hekate today.
94 Pages. Paperback and Kindle editions.
Extracts from Reviews from Avalonia Books an
Independent publisher in the UK
“I found ever chapter interesting but my favourites
were ‘Hymns’ which includes Prayer to Selene for any operation,' Invocation’
which includes a description of a summoning of Hekate, ‘Defixiones’-a detailed
description of binding curses and ‘Charms from the PGM’ which includes a list
of charms in the Greek Magical Papyri’. There are some great mini-chapters
regarding Hekate's followers including Medea, Circe and The witches of Thessaly . I only wish some of the chapters had been a bit
longer though it does contain an extensive bibliography which has introduced me
to some books on Hekate that i had not discovered before.” C Norris, Amazon
Reviewer
“‘Hekate Liminal Rites’ is a truly fascinating read.
The authors’ writing is extremely well researched, and draws upon both accurate
and historical material throughout this work. However, unlike so many other
historical studies, this little book also manages to evoke such a presence of
Hekate that it is almost experiential; and I found it impossible to continue
reading without first lighting a candle (or three!!) for this deity.” Vikki
Bramshaw, author of Craft of the Wise.
“As with other works by these authors it is clear
that their intent is to illuminate the subject for the reader. The book is
clear and intelligible but does not seek to simplify the subtleties of history
nor to disguise interpretation as truth.” Magin Rose, Artist and Amazon
Reviewer
“It seems like someone should have done a book like
this before, but the thing is they have not. The research goes into areas that
other books on Hekate does not, and its clear that the authors must have been
familiar with the other key works and instead of producing something to rival
it they produced this book, which clearly compliments the work presented in the
other books. It focuses on the areas of spiritual and magical practice,
therefore making this a perfect book not only for scholars and students
interested in learning more about the Goddess Hekate, but also for
practitioners of magic today who want to be able to take inspiration from the
ancient practices.” Scarlet
River
“I say “excellent” in my title as if I’m comparing
it to something else or have the authority as a historian. I’m not a historian,
but I appreciated the historical representation of Hekate in this book. It uses
mostly sources written from the Greek Classical period into Antiquity (the
Christianization of Greece) to delve into Hekate’s functions, symbols, rites of
worship, and relevance in Greek society.” Mica Simonian, Amazon Reviewer
“Hekate is often called a three faced or three
headed goddess. The head in many of the illustrations were animals heads such
as a dogs head, goat head or a snake head to name a few. Hekate is also unique
in that she is named in charms that invoke Hebrew names for deity and also
angels and king Solomon. This is indicative of a crossover between Greek and
Jewish Magic. This is one incredible book one that I strongly advise getting” S Cranow , Amazon Reviewer
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