Hekate Ceremony
The Dark Moon, occurring on the astrological new moon, is a time that many followers of Hekate set aside to honor her. The Rite of the Dark of the Moon is focussed on evoking Hekate and performing a ritual in Her name remove negative energies, leaving offerings of food and drink and ask for blessings in in Her name. There are many different ways to perform a Deipnon ceremony, but most include preparation, cleansing, creating sacred space, the working and follow-up. In this article, I offer some recommendations including a list of correspondences and offerings appropriate for honoring Hekate at the Dark Moon or anytime.
A ritual bath helps to cleanse both the body and mind. Many followers purify their body prior to a Dark Moon ritual with a similar focus as those ancients transferring their bad energy onto the “scapegoat” (or “scapedog” in this instance). Ritual bathing using incenses and infusions in the water that will both attune and purify our energies prior to a working are part of the purifying process. There are many plants in Hekate’s Garden from which we can create incenses and infusions. Getting rid of bad energy – part of miasma in their ancient mindset – was a major component of religious activity.
After you take your ritual bath (or shower) make sure and dress in a clean, preferably Black robe or other ritual attire. Anoint yourself with any oil (olive oil will work if you have no other preference), focusing on crown chakra, forehead, heart, solar plexus, and the soles of the feet.
You want to activate your emotional Lower Self by anointing your feet, knees and root chakra. As you do so, allow your roots to dig deep into the earth. This will really boost your ability to co in a cross) in the earth. Then sit down in front of the triangle without the protection of a circle and make a mudra with your right hand (in case of gaining / increase magic) or your left hand (in case of a cutoff, or decrease aimed magic). The sigil and mudra form the sunthêmata, together with calling Hekate three times for help and guidance. Use one or more of the most proper names of Hecate for the overall magical purpose; specified in the ritual succeeding the ritual of Hekate.Now make a garlic offering by placing it in the triangle and start the invocation by imagining the proper psychosphere for communication. Your vivid imagination creates a medium for earthing the goddess as well as opening yourself up to the Hekate-channel so to speak. You manage this by utilizing the symbola of Hekate as thoughtforms which will constitute a sort of astral vessel or magnetic field to draw in the proper divine intelligence. No fear or doubt or cynicism may be felt or expressed.Take some distance from the triangle to make it easier to imagine a deep purple haze above the it.
The Ceremony:
Light your red candle.
Place both your hands on your heart (three heartbeats), your forefinger and middle finger of your dominant hand to your lips (three heartbeats), and then to your brow (three heartbeats). Now enclose your thumbs within both your hands (in fists) and raise both your arms to the heavens. Open your hands and with palm upwards in your left hand, bring your right arm to your side palm facing downwards. Recite (or read) your personal Hymn to Hekate. [Take three deep breaths, in through your nostrils and out through your mouth, make sure you are comfortable, repeat if need be]. “May my heart burn with desire for understanding” (touch heart) “May my lips speak words of illuminated truth” (touch lips) “May my visions be filled with divine knowledge” (touch brow) [Take three deep breaths, in through your nostrils and out through your mouth, make sure you are comfortable, repeat if you feel it necessary]
​
To protect against and dispel both literal harmful spirits which may be passing your way and unwanted or negative aspects within yourself, use a simple ritual gesture: With fingers on your lips, expel with a heavy breath out, visualizing the negative forces rising up through the body and leaving out of the mouth. To further activate the magical working, recite the following while focusing on what you want to dispel: “O Nyx, whose darkness holds all the mysteries in shade, O flame lit stars, whose golden rays with Luna light float near, Black Queen who knows the untold desire that works our will, Ekate Apotropaios Grant us your protection this night from harm & malevolence as we give honour to you.”
At the liminal space/doorway, offer a Deipnon (an offering of a meal) to the Goddess at the front doors of your home or by a local crossroads, in the hopes that She may, in passing, confer Her blessing. “Great Hekate of the Crossroads I honour you at this time of the dark of the moon Accept these offerings as thanks for the blessings you have bestowed on me May I be purified and protected Hail Goddess of the Darkness!” Slowly stand up and walk away in silence, without looking back. If not at a crossroads, walk directly into the home, closing the door, without looking back.
​
​In the home, take your bundle of purification herbs, and either burn them on a censer or dip them in a bowl of sacred water to asperge with. Use these herbs to purify both your home and yourself. While doing this, say: “Ekas, Ekas, este veveli!” (in Greek: “Εκας Εκας εςτε βεβελοι”) [Translation: Far, Far from this place be the profane]
You will need a ritual dagger, a small cauldron, an apple, a piece of black cloth, and a small amount of salt, in addition to your regular ritual items. Put the apple in the cauldron and cover the cauldron with the black cloth. Cast your circle as usual. With the wand in your power hand, tap the cauldron five times, say:
Hecate, Wise One, I ask your blessings.
Lift the Veil for me that I may greet my spirit helpers,
Long-ago friends from other lives, and those who are new.
Let only those who wish me well enter within this sacred place.
Uncover the cauldron. Take out the apple, raise it in offering, and lay it on the altar, say:
Hecate, your magick cauldron is the well of death and rebirth,
An experience each of us undergoes again and again.
Let there be no fear in me, for I know your gentleness.
Here is your secret symbol of life in death.
Cut the apple crosswise with the dagger. Contemplate the revealed pentagram in the core. Put the two halves back into the cauldron and cover them again with the black cloth, say:
Only the initiated may know your hidden Mysteries.
Only the true seekers may find the spiral way. May find the Light that leads to the Inner Way.
Put a pinch of salt on your tongue, say:
I am mortal, yet immortal.
There is no end to life, only new beginnings.
I walk beside the Goddess in her many forms.
Therefore, I have nothing to fear.
Open my mind and heart and soul
To the Deep Mysteries of the Cauldron, O Hecate.
Do a meditation on seeking the Dark Moon goddess. Listen to her messages. Be aware of any new guides and teachers who may come through to help you.
You will need a ritual dagger, a small cauldron, an apple, a piece of black cloth, and a small amount of salt, in addition to your regular ritual items. Put the apple in the cauldron and cover the cauldron with the black cloth. Cast your circle as usual. With the wand in your power hand, tap the cauldron five times, say:
Hecate, Wise One, I ask your blessings.
Lift the Veil for me that I may greet my spirit helpers,
Long-ago friends from other lives, and those who are new.
Let only those who wish me well enter within this sacred place.
Uncover the cauldron. Take out the apple, raise it in offering, and lay it on the altar, say:
Hecate, your magick cauldron is the well of death and rebirth,
An experience each of us undergoes again and again.
Let there be no fear in me, for I know your gentleness.
Here is your secret symbol of life in death.
Cut the apple crosswise with the dagger. Contemplate the revealed pentagram in the core. Put the two halves back into the cauldron and cover them again with the black cloth, say:
Only the initiated may know your hidden Mysteries.
Only the true seekers may find the spiral way. May find the Light that leads to the Inner Way.
Put a pinch of salt on your tongue, say:
I am mortal, yet immortal.
There is no end to life, only new beginnings.
I walk beside the Goddess in her many forms.
Therefore, I have nothing to fear.
Open my mind and heart and soul
To the Deep Mysteries of the Cauldron, O Hecate.
Do a meditation on seeking the Dark Moon goddess. Listen to her messages. Be aware of any new guides and teachers who may come through to help you.
In the temple space, face the west and in a ritual gesture raise your goblet/chalice to the heavens, then to your forehead, and lastly to your heart before pouring the libation to the Goddess, to the dead, and to the powers of the Underworld.
The libation may be poured directly onto the ground or, if you are inside, into a receptacle that you can later take them outside to pour onto the ground. While pouring the libation, recite the following: “Pass into the Earth and be drunk by the restless dead… be received by the rivers of the Underworld…be spilled upon the feet of our Goddess.”
​
Thank her and then Perform the closing as usual i.e. extinguish the flame, then place both your hands on your heart (three heartbeats), your forefinger and middle finger of your dominant hand to your lips (three heartbeats), and then to your brow (three heartbeats). Open your palms reaching towards the heaven, then reach down and touch the Earth.
​
You will need a ritual dagger, a small cauldron, an apple, a piece of black cloth, and a small amount of salt, in addition to your regular ritual items. Put the apple in the cauldron and cover the cauldron with the black cloth. Cast your circle as usual. With the wand in your power hand, tap the cauldron five times, say:
Hecate, Wise One, I ask your blessings.
Lift the Veil for me that I may greet my spirit helpers,
Long-ago friends from other lives, and those who are new.
Let only those who wish me well enter within this sacred place.
Uncover the cauldron. Take out the apple, raise it in offering, and lay it on the altar, say:
Hecate, your magick cauldron is the well of death and rebirth,
An experience each of us undergoes again and again.
Let there be no fear in me, for I know your gentleness.
Here is your secret symbol of life in death.
Cut the apple crosswise with the dagger. Contemplate the revealed pentagram in the core. Put the two halves back into the cauldron and cover them again with the black cloth, say:
Only the initiated may know your hidden Mysteries.
Only the true seekers may find the spiral way. May find the Light that leads to the Inner Way.
Put a pinch of salt on your tongue, say:
I am mortal, yet immortal.
There is no end to life, only new beginnings.
I walk beside the Goddess in her many forms.
Therefore, I have nothing to fear.
Open my mind and heart and soul
To the Deep Mysteries of the Cauldron, O Hecate.
Do a meditation on seeking the Dark Moon goddess. Listen to her messages. Be aware of any new guides and teachers who may come through to help you.