#einalian

It’s October. As Spirit Night/Samhain/Halloween approaches, we witches are being asked to turn our attention toward internal reflection. As nature dies and Persephone descends into the Underworld, we too are called to descend and pay attention to the life/death cycle of our being.

For me, this means more intentional spirit work. Of course, on Spirit Night and the following days, I pay my respects to my ancestors, increase my offerings to them and tune into their messages and advice for the year’s renewal. As the veil between worlds thins, though I’m also asked to pay my respects and increase offerings to my deities associated with Death and the Underworld to receive their messages and blessings, as well.

As I have written in previous posts, I was born under the Sun sign of Leo. Inherently, my magickal nature is in that solar and fiery sign. On the other side, though is my rising sign, Scorpio. What I am coming to realize is that as the seasons change and my fire diminishes, I am asked to tune into the watery lunar energy that is also a large part of me. My magick during fall and winter becomes less fueled by the Sun and generates instead from the Sea. I pause here to give a word about the deities in my Spirit Court. I didn’t know (or didn’t think I knew) any Underworld deities associated with the Sea. I hadn’t done enough research.

I asked all of them through divination – Lilith, Anubis, Persephone, Hades, Isis, Osiris, Serqet, and finally, Hekate – Who is pulling my energy down into the ocean at this time of year? I looked through their epithets and was surprised at how quickly Hekate sprang forth.

Now, you know when you know something but you kind of glance over it? I know that Hekate, the only child of Titans Perses and Asteria was highly exalted by Zeus over all other Olympians. I know that She was called upon in Greek households to protect and bestow blessings upon the family. I know that generally, She was helper of humanity overall (in Her earthly aspects). I know She is notorious for being a psychopomp, guiding spirits of the dead through the Underworld. I know She was one of the gods most concerned for Persephone and helped Demeter look for Her when She was with Hades. She’s famous for escorting Persephone to the Underworld to be with Hades on a yearly basis as a favor to Demeter (in her chthonic/Underworld aspect). I even had understanding that She “…received honor also in the starry heavens” and has authority in the sky as controller and unleasher of storms. Hekate is certainly a very powerful goddess!  

What I hadn’t read too much about is Hekate in Her ocean aspect. Here, I want to focus on Her epithet, Einalia – of the sea.  Let’s just start where She is most often referenced in this aspect:

“…And she conceived and bore Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honored above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honor also in starry heaven, and is honored exceedingly by the deathless gods.” Hesiod Theogony, line 415

” … and to those whose business is in the grey discomfortable sea, and who pray to Hecate and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker, easily the glorious goddess gives great catch, and easily she takes it away as soon as seen, if so she will.” Hesiod Theogony, line 440

My first question was, What is Hekate’s relationship to Poseidon, the “loud-crashing Earth-Shaker”? It’s interesting that Hesiod’s poem puts the Two together as being worshiped and having dominion over the ocean. Read, though that Hekate is particularly associated with the “unfruitful sea”, meaning those parts of the ocean that may not produce fish for sailors; that are in fact the burial grounds of those fish – the deep and dark portions of the sea where it is cold and generally unpleasant for humans. Poseidon has been known to reside at the ocean’s surface on the other hand, ruling over marine life and warm waters

and emerging from the waves on His horse-driven chariot. Hesiod notes that Both must be called on should sailors want either safe passage or a good catch for the day. He cautions that Hekate can take blessings away as soon as She gives them.

My second question(s): Why is there not more mention or worship of this aspect of Hekate?! For all the sea witches, water witches, mermaid lovers and others around, I see almost no mention of this Lady! Why wouldn’t you want to focus your meditations on diving deep – whether into our magick, our intuition, our emotions or our Shadow? Is Hekate not the goddess of magick, witchcraft, the moon (ruling over the ocean, duh) and other things we as witches move with and towards? Is She not a shining (torch-bearer, haha) guide?

Needless to say, I’ve found my guide. She’s already provided clarity about my own power and energy as the Wheel of Seasons turns. This year, I will focus on descending with Hekate into my own cold and dark depths as the earth shifts into its own. I’ll let Her guide me through my own caves and caverns to reflect on and to continue the Shadow work I’ve come so far with. I’ll be doing more divination for myself and work with my emotions, using lunar energy more intentionally. I also look forward to doing a lot more magick with the ocean and water from Spirit Night onward and I’ll be sure to keep ya’ll posted about how it all goes! 

Any sea or water-based practitioners, feel free to reach out!

🦈🌊🦀🐚🐬🐙🐋❄️

Sources: Hesiod, Theogony

He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honour also in starry heaven... - Hesiod, Theogony, Hymn to Hecate. trans. Evelyn-White.

I call Einodian Hecate, lovely dame, of earthly, wat'ry, and celestial frame... - The Orphic Hymns to the Musaeus. In transliteratred Greek: Einodian Hekaten, kleizo, trihoditin Erannen, Ouranian, Chthonian, te kai Einalian...

The above are the two best examples of Hekate and the sea. This tells us that Her bond with the watery depths dates back to Her earliest days.

She is a descendant of Pontos, the Sea, and is also closely connected with Poseidon. Later in the Theogony, we are told that with Him, she brings gifts from the sea.

Apollonius tells us that Hecate laid with Phorcys and became the mother of the infamous sea monster, Scylla. Homer said the creature's mother was Kratais, and Apollonius says that this is a gloss for Hekate. Semus of Delos says that Kratais is not Hekate, but Hekate's daughter with Triton.  Thus making Scylla Hekate's grandchild. The bond between Scylla and Hekate is made stronger by the fact that Scylla was known as the 'dog of the sea' and is said to be three-headed.

I am spending this week meditating on Hekate Einalian, and the experience so far as been difficult. Challenging. Plumbing the depths is not for the faint of heart.

Which makes me think it is no coincidence that Aphrodite too is sometimes known as Einalian.

Where Ocean washes the low lands, which see Einalian Cypris' sacred grove, stand we: Lo! fountains fring'd with alders whose brink The bright-wing'd Halcyons crystal coolness drink. - p. 323, MacGregor, Greek Anthology.

Aphrodite was, of course, born of the Sea. And it makes sense to me that love's ever shifting depths and flow and lasting stamina would come of the waters.

-------

Speaking freely, I think of the invisible currents that grab and take and pull upon us all. I consider the way that water flows, the way it wears down mountains. I think about the crashing sounds ceaselessly filling the air when I stand on the beach. The scent of salt in the wind when I travel down to the shore, and how it makes me think of tears. Delving into the Sea is not for the weak.

I think about how we are all descended of the waters. We are mostly water, and without it, we are vanquished swiftly, and painfully. I think about how dangerous the silence of the sea can be, and how true that is of the human heart.

  Sources: