KM's Coven Hekate Ceremony
The "New" Moon is when we of the KM's Coven gather together in honor what is commonly known as "the Queen of the Witches", which is known as Hekate. Hekate is Borboraphorba, the Eater of Filth. She takes all that defiles her children willingly. Evidence of this is found in the ancient practice of releasing miasma, what spiritual filth was called by the ancient Greeks, onto the ritual sacrifices and then disposing of the resulting waste as an offering to her.
Hekate is the most important goddess of magic in our craft. She is the one who rules the realization of astral forms into Earthly manifestation, and vice versa she bridges our aspirations to the astral realms and beyond. She is also revered as the governess of liminal regions (particularly gates), twilight and the wilderness. It's said that the Romans imported Hecate from Greece, but that originally her true lore was an Anatolian goddess. Her most important sanctuary in Greece was Lagina, a theocratic city, state, in which the goddess was served by eunuchs. Hecate is called upon as a magical supervisor and given the veto in making the operation successful or without effect and to protect the operator conducting the ceremonial rite.
Hecate rules all aspects of divination. In the Chaldean Oracles (2nd, 3rd century CE), she is associated with a strophalos – usually translated as a spinning top, or wheel, used in magic. “Labour thou around the Strophalos of Hekate.” Hecate is also important to us because she is a goddess of plant-lore. The yew (Taxus) was sacred to her and she is also associated with the elderberry, poppy and cypress. The goddess was said to especially favor offerings of garlic during ceremony, but a number of other plants (often poisonous, medicinal and/or psychoactive) are also associated with Hecate. These include aconite (also called hecateis), belladonna, dittany, and mandrake. It has been proposed that the usage of dogs for digging up mandrake is further corroboration of the connection of this plant with Hekate; indeed, since at least as early as the 1st century CE, there are a number of attestations to the apparently widespread practice of utilizing dogs to dig up plants associated with magic.
To Hekateans, the underworld represents the home of our Mother. Our birthplace. The nourishing womb to which we return to honor her and ourselves. The womb from which we can be reborn. Before rebirth into our beautiful wholeness, it is necessary to give her our filth, from bad habits to negative self-talk. All these things are evidence of spiritual toxicity. The dirt, the pain and the fears, in these lie the release of that which no longer serves. The underworld is sacred. We descend to find our nourishing medicine, but we can only consume it after we release the miasma that keeps us full of shit.
For those of our members in the area KM will be hosting a Ritual as well as a formal ceremony in honor and reverence to Hekete at our south valley sanctuary on each center aspect of the moons phases. One of KM's confederated associations are hosting a formal ritual for the sabbath in which our members are also welcomed to attend, however please know that they are requesting a financial contribution per person, here is what they say: *Cost $10: Used by Priestess to purchase materials (candles, oils, keys, etc.) for future rituals." *Temple of Hekate rituals have been very popular since time immortal and are a very magickal and memorable experience in which if able you really Should consider partaking in, but know that this specific event they say: "DUE TO LIMITED SPACE, we can only accommodate 20 attendees. RSVP by calling the Raven's Wing and reserving your space (503) 946-8951. RSVPs are ONLY ACCEPTED BY PHONE, not email or Facebook." A rather known disposition when conducting a ritualistic ceremony, *To honor the energy of the Circle, we will not be accepting guests more than five minutes after ritual begins. If you are interested in participating in the planning of future rituals, please contact temple Lead and Hekate Priestess, Roxanne.
