#hecatedeity

I understand why people might look at Selene and Hekate and say they are opposites, full moon vs new moon. Selene is bright, peace-loving, gentle. Hekate is dark, powerful, fierce. But the thing is, the unifying symbol of “moon” is much more powerful than the opposite phases of it.

They both know secrets -- Selene, like Helios, is said to see everything that passes below the heavens. They are both nurturing -- Selene is mother to fifty or more daughters, and Hekate is nursemaid, kourotrophos, caregiver. They are both lightbearers -- Selene in her holy radiance, Hekate with her torches. They are both associated with the night. 

And they are both sources of magical power. Hekate is well-documented as goddess of witches. Selene is held and bled by the Thessalian witches, of course, but I would submit that she can pass down her power voluntarily as well. Helios, her brother, is the progenitor of the two famous Greek witches any student of Classics will immediately name: Circe and Medea. Both are directly descended from Helios as daughter and granddaughter respectively. While both call on Hekate in some form, it cannot be denied that their divine blood, Helios’ blood, gives them power beyond that of mere mortals. Does Selene not carry the same divine influence as her brother? It would be beyond a reach for anyone to claim literal descent from the Titan goddess, but I think it’s worth considering whether Selene, like Hekate, can bestow her power and authority on mortals who engage with her through prayer, devotion, and spellwork. My experience is that she can and will. 

Trying to make family trees for Greek mythology is an exercise in frustration, I know. But Selene and Hekate are pretty consistently related in the same fashion: they are first cousins once removed. Selene is actually one generation closer to Ouranos+Gaia, and since Helios’ power seems to dilute through the generations (Circe = basically a minor goddess; Medea = maybe a goddess? maybe a mortal? who can say really), this would suggest that Selene has more of what we consider “magic” to dispense than even Hekate does. 

Hey friends! I’ve gotten a few asks lately about how to get started with Hellenic Polytheism, or how to get to know a particular deity, so I figured it was time for official FAQ!

About me: I’m a new devotee of Hecate, Hades, and Persephone, and a practicing Hellenic Polytheist. 

I’m super new to all of this - I’ve only been practicing for about six months, and most of that has just been me trying to figure out what the HECK is going on - so right now I’m just reblogging all the resources I find, and the prayers/devotional activities that resonate with me! 

“How do I get started in Hellenic Polytheism?” 

Here’s a great masterpost of resources! Read critically, question everything, and trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Don’t trust any person who claims to be speaking for a god - unless you’ve specifically asked that person to do so on your behalf - and don’t trust any deity who won’t listen to your “No.”

“How do I get to know (X) deity?”

I don’t feel comfortable speaking too much about my own experiences yet, since I’m so new to all of this, but I do reblog a lot of informative stuff!

Tags: Hecate | Hades | Persephone | Hellenic Polytheism 101

(Note: If clicking on these doesn’t work, the actual tags I use are #Hecate*, #Hades*, #Persephone*, and #HP 101, so you should be able to type those into the search bar.)

I also highly recommend @chironomy​‘s blog. Their Hades tag is what helped me learn about Hades in the first place! 

“Do you have advice for people who can’t be open about their practice?” 

First and foremost, stay safe. The gods understand that you need to take care of yourself, and they won’t be offended by you modifying your worship to fit the situation you’re in. You’re not wrong or lesser for practicing differently than someone else. 

There are a lot of ways to practice discreetly and cheaply, like keeping e-shrines on tumblr/pinterest, listening to devotional playlists, or making arts and crafts as offerings so that they blend in with the rest of your room. 

My favorite thing I’ve learned about the Theoi is that they honor our personal best - which is to say, do what you can, and trust that it’s enough. 

Triple Hekate and the Three Graces

Late 2nd century BC

Marble

Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Venezia

Hecate: Procession to a Witches’ Sabbath

Before 1620

Jusepe de Ribera (1591–1652)

Oil on copper

English Heritage, The Wellington Collection, Apsley House

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Stater of Lampsakos with head of Hekate

Greek; Classical Period, 387–330 BC

Mysia, Lampsakos (Mint)

Gold

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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Gem with the Good Shepherd on one side and Hekate on the other

Roman; Late Imperial, 250–400 AD

Jasper

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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