Invocation and the Rite of Hecate Hecate Mysterious Goddess of Darkness Hecate, the mysterious Goddess of Darkness and protectress of all Witches, is a personification of the moon and the dark side of the female principle. Her name is Greek, meaning "she who succeeds from afar," which links her with Diana, the virgin huntress of the moon.
In mythology, Hecate was the daughter of the Titans Perses and Asteria and She was believed to roam the earth and haunt crossroads on moonless nights with a pack of ghostly, howling dogs.
Like Diana, Hecate belongs to the class of torch bearing deities, and was conceived as carrying a burning torch to suit the belief that she was the nocturnal lunar goddess and a mighty huntress who knew her way in the realm of spirits. She controlled the phases of birth, life and death, and it is said that the secret powers of Nature were at her command.
Although dogs were the animals most sacred to her, Hecate was associated with hares in ancient Greece. The hare is a determinative sign defining the concept of being, and symbolic in consequence of elemental existence."
In art, Hecate is often depicted as a three-headed woman with hissing serpents entwined about her neck. For this reason she is called Triformis, a symbol related to the three levels of Birth, Life, and Death, representing the Past, Present and Future and to the Triple Goddess trinity of Maiden, Mother and Crone.
Hecate is a powerful lunar deity, and all rituals performed in her honor should be held at midnight on moonless nights or at moonrise on August 13, the major Pagan festival of Hecate.
Before beginning the following invocation and ritual, find a secluded spot in the clearing of a dark, quiet, wooded area and cast a circle of stones about nine to thirteen feet in diameter. At the north point of the circle, erect a small altar. Place a Goddess symbol on top of the altar and light frankincense, myrrh or jasmine incense before it. To the left of the Goddess symbol, place a black altar candle and a chalice of white wine. To the right of the Goddess symbol, place another black altar candle, a consecrated athame, a brass altar bell, a bowl of water and a dish containing sea salt. White elemental candles should be placed at each of the east, south and west points of the circumference of the circle. An elemental candle representing the north should be placed behind the Goddess figure on the altar.
The High Priestess, (or Solitary) lights the candles and then blesses the water by dipping the blade of the athame into the bowl of water Saying:
I EXORCISE THEE O CREATURE OF WATER
IN THE DIVINE NAME OF HECATE
AND I CAST OUT FROM THEE ALL IMPURITIES AND UNCLEAN SPIRITS.
SO MOTE IT BE.
The High Priestess then puts the tip of the athame into the salt and purifies it by.
Saying:
BLESSED BE THIS SALT IN THE NAME OF THE GODDESS HECATE. LET ALL MALIGNITY AND HINDRANCE BE CAST HENCEFROM AND LET ALL GOOD ENTER HEREIN.
SO MOTE IT BE.
The athame is returned to the altar and the salt is then poured into the bowl of water. The High Priestess traces the circle with her sword in a clockwise direction,
Saying: I CONJURE THEE, O CIRCLE OF POWER
THAT THOU BEIST A RING OF PROTECTION THAT SHALL PRESERVE AND CONTAIN THE POWER THAT WE SHALL RAISE WITHIN THEE; A SHIELD AGAINST ALL WICKEDNESS AND EVIL WHEREFORE I DO BLESS THEE AND CONSECRATE THEE IN THE NAME OF HECATE:
GODDESS OF DARKNESS
GODDESS OF THE MOON.
The High Priest lights a fire in the center of the circle and places upon it a cauldron painted with moon symbols and filled with a fragrant mixture of well water, rose oil, and honey. The brew is brought to a boil and then the High Priestess drops in a pinch of powdered moonstone, the feathers of a black crow, hoarfrost gathered by moonlight, and the mystical moon-ruled plants of nightshade and moonwart.
After all of the ingredients have been put in, the bubbling brew is stirred with a dry olive branch. The High Priestess stands before the cauldron facing North with her arms outstretched.
Says: I DO BID THEE O UNSEEN FORCES OF NATURE
TO GATHER ROUND ME IN THIS CIRCLE
FOR IN THIS MYSTICAL HOUR OF NIGHT I DO CALL FORTH THE GODDESS OF THE MOON.
I INVOKE AND CONJURE THEE, HECTATE, QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD AND PROTECTRESS OF ALL WITCHES. COME NOW INTO THIS CIRCLE OF FIRE AS I DO PERFORM THIS RITE IN YOUR HONOR.
Kneel before the altar, facing the image of the Goddess, take up the chalice of wine in both hands.
Say: IN HONOR OF THEE O GREAT GODDESS HECATE
DO I POUR THIS LIBATION AND DRINKETH THIS TOAST.
The High Priestess pours a few drops of the wine onto the ground in front of the altar as an offering to the Goddess. The High Priest then drinks from the chalice and returns it to the altar. He takes the bell and rings it thrice as the High Priestess takes the athame in her right hand, points it to the sky.
Says: IN THIS DARK AND MYSTICAL HOUR OF NIGHT DOES THE GODDESS HECATE REIGN SUPREME AND IN HER NAME DO I NOW GIVE PRAISE:
HAIL TO THEE, HECATE!
HAIL TO THEE, HECATE!
BLESSED BE!
After the ritual is ended, uncast the circle with the sword moving in a counterclockwise direction.
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