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My
Journey with Hecate
Initiate, Sisters in The Goddess Tree
I could not stop myself from turning around and looking, even though mother had warned me not to. As I watched in horror, mother, grandmother, and eleven other women were roughly pushed up on the platform. The women all stood proudly as a rope was placed around their necks. They were not afraid nor did they cry out for mercy. As if my mother sensed I was watching, in my mind I heard say, “Run child…RUN!”
Run I did, until the pain in my sides became unbearable, and it hurt to breath. Keeping to the shadows, I escaped into the woods. It was almost dusk, and I did not know where I was or where I was going. In the distance, I thought I heard howling. Walking now, my breath began to return to normal and the ache in my sides left. I heard howling again but this time it seemed closer. As I came out of the wooded area, I stopped and froze with fear. The hounds were right in front of me! I thought I was going to faint, when suddenly out of the dark sky came a woman riding in a box with wheels. She looked at me as she stepped out of the box and lovingly petted her hounds. Looking closer, I realized it was just one hound with three heads!
She said to me, “Do not fear me.” She tied what looked like reins to the hound or was it hounds? Turning to me She said, “Well, are you coming with me or not?” Still frozen with fear, I managed to shake my head yes. She offered her hand to me and said, “Come, ride with me in my chariot.” As I stepped into Her “chariot” an owl flew overhead and dropped keys into Her hands. She held them up for me to see and said, “The owl is my messenger, and she wants me to take you on a journey.” In an instant, after invoking the words, a huge shimmering gate appeared. As if there was magic in the air, the gates opened.
The hound looked back at us and, to my surprise; the heads were not of dogs but of three beautiful women. In one giant leap, the hound, the Lady and I, and Her chariot went through the shimmering gates. The Lady laughed as I struggled to keep my balance holding tightly to the sides of this box she called a chariot. We arrived in a place that was foreign to me. As if she could read my mind, she said, “I have come to show you where it all began, where I began.” Mustering my courage to speak, I asked, “Who are you?” She looked down at me, as she was a very tall woman, and said, “I am known as The Strong One, The Most Lovely One, The Distant one, The Queen of Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld.” Still looking at me she continued, “Those that do not fear me call me… Lady Hecate.”
“Where are we?” I asked, feeling a bit more comfortable with Her. “We are in an ancient land called Karia, the Black Sea Region,” she spoke with pride. “You have been chosen to keep the history of the Goddess alive.” She saw my confusion and continued, “We need you to keep women’s history alive; give women hope and let them know what freedom is.” I asked, “Me? Why me?” Lady Hecate looked off into the distance and quietly said, “Because it is written.” So many thoughts flowed through my mind. What is this Lady, this Lady Hecate, talking about? I am only 9 years old. What could I possibly do for women? I searched Her face for answers, and I began to notice it changing from a young woman to a woman that looked about my mother’s age.
Off in the distance I heard cries and shouts. Lady Hecate and I followed the shouts. There were many strangely dressed women hovering around something. Coming closer, I could see a very young woman in extreme pain. There was an older woman hovering over her. The older woman was chanting and waving a sweet smelling stick of smoke around the young woman. As the Lady and I drew closer, I could hear what they were saying. “Lady Hecate, be here with us now. Protect my daughter as she gives birth.” All the other women began repeating this chant over and over. On cue, Lady Hecate walked over to the women. I could tell they did not see Her. She touched the young woman’s brow and kissed it, then touched her big round belly. She began murmuring something in a language I did not recognize. The young woman instantly stopped her crying, and began pushing. Within minutes, she miraculously gave birth to a girl child. The older woman wrapped the baby in a blanket and raised the tiny baby in the air saying, “This girl-child has been blessed by the Lady Hecate. She will be called Acate’.”
Lady
Hecate returned to me and laughed as she saw my expression of awe and
wonderment. She commanded,
“Come! There is much more for you to see and learn.” I quickly followed Her.
The
night air had begun to get chilly, and I wrapped my torn and dirty cloak
around me. It was easy
to see where we were walking because the moon was big and bright.
The Lady and I walked quite a distance when She suddenly stopped
and stepped aside as if She wanted to show me something. We had walked to a road where three roads met.
I looked up in surprise at a statue that looked exactly like the
Lady Hecate, but older in the face.
Behind me, I heard the shuffling of feet. Turning I saw many women quietly coming towards the statue of
Hecate. They were carrying
something. It must have been
food because my mouth started watering and my belly began screaming for
food. I realized I had
not eaten in days!
I could smell fish, eggs, onions, and honey! I was about to faint with hunger when I heard someone say, “Lady Hecate, we bring you offerings of food on the eve of the full moon. Lady, please know that we do not fear you. We welcome and honor you. We ask that you bring us creative inspiration.” I heard the murmuring of “Blessed Be, Hail the Lady Hecate.” As they walked away, they sang, “Maiden, Mother, and Crone………” I began to understand why Her face had changed from that of a young maiden, to a mother. Looking at Her face, she now looked old…as the Crone. I could feel Her wisdom and Her power. She said, “I am the Triple Goddess. I know the mysteries of Birth, Life, and Death. You have been sent to be initiated into the mysteries.” At that moment, I knew. I knew why I was here with the Lady. All I remember before fainting was Her saying, “I am you, you are me, we are one. Blessed be.”
I awoke feeling well rested. I noticed we were not in that odd place anymore, but at the shimmering gate. This time, the Lady held two torches in Her hand, and she gave one to me. As we lifted the torches, the moon seemed to come alive. The moon wrapped us in Her light, and Lady Hecate told me that this was Her grandmother, Phoebe. Hecate said to me, “I am the Moon Goddess in all her phases… The New, The Full, and the Dark.
Especially the dark, for the dark is the moon’s true color. Divine wisdom comes from going into the darkness. There is nothing to fear in the dark, remember that.”
For
an instant I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was back in the land
I had grown up in. Somehow it had changed. I looked for the
Lady but she was gone. As I began to walk, I started wondering if
I had dreamed all this? I came upon a lake, feeling thirsty; I
knelt down and cupped my hands to scoop up some water.
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A
Ritual to Call on Hecate Ritual
created by CathyMoon urgency
and quick action are essential. Suggested
Items: Chant
to Call on Hecate Original
chant created by CathyMoon Hecate,
Hecate hear my call Maiden,
Mother, Crone to us all In
the darkness dwells the key Unlocking
light, setting me free I
am whole and I am pure As
we unveil Mysteries’ door Blessed
be… Meditate on these words and your intent. Focus on your scrying tool , being aware of any images, thoughts, or feelings. When ready, shuffle the tarot cards and spread 3 cards in front of you. Write your interpretations in your journal. Thank Hecate, blow out the candles, and open the circle.
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Original
Art Created
by CathyMoon Meeting
at the Crossroads
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Resources:
http://www.hecatescauldron.org/
http://www.tarotbyolympias.com/olylakegoddess.html Photos:
http://photobucket.com/
Photos #1, #2, & #3 Original
Art: Photo #4 – Wall Hanging
this page is the creative property of CathyMoon Initiate, Sisters in The Goddess Tree May, 2008 |
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