Hymn to Saturn

The Fumigation from Storax.

Etherial father, mighty Titan, hear, great fire of Gods and men, whom all revere:
Endu’d with various council, pure and strong, to whom perfection and decrease belong.
Consum’d by thee all forms that hourly die, by thee restor’d, their former place supply;
The world immense in everlasting chains, strong and ineffable thy pow’r contains
Father of vast eternity, divine, O mighty Saturn [Kronos], various speech is thine:
Blossom of earth and of the starry skies, husband of Rhea, and Prometheus wife.
Obstetric Nature, venerable root, from which the various forms of being shoot;
No parts peculiar can thy pow’r enclose, diffus’d thro’ all, from which the world arose,
O, best of beings, of a subtle mind, propitious hear to holy pray’rs inclin’d;
The sacred rites benevolent attend, and grant a blameless life, a blessed end.

[Orphic Hymn to Saturn, Thomas Taylor Translation]

Aphrodite, Hail to Thee!

Shimmering-throned immortal Aphrodite,
Daughter of Zeus, Enchantress, I implore thee,
Spare me, O queen, this agony and anguish,
Crush not my spirit

II

Whenever before thou has hearkened to me–
To my voice calling to thee in the distance,
And heeding, thou hast come, leaving thy father’s
Golden dominions,

III

With chariot yoked to thy fleet-winged coursers,
Fluttering swift pinions over earth’s darkness,
And bringing thee through the infinite, gliding
Downwards from heaven,

IV

Then, soon they arrived and thou, blessed goddess,
With divine contenance smiling, didst ask me
What new woe had befallen me now and why,
Thus I had called thee.

V

What in my mad heart was my greatest desire,
Who was it now that must feel my allurements,
Who was the fair one that must be persuaded,
Who wronged thee Sappho?

VI

For if now she flees, quickly she shall follow
And if she spurns gifts, soon shall she offer them
Yea, if she knows not love, soon shall she feel it
Even reluctant.

VII

Come then, I pray, grant me surcease from sorrow,
Drive away care, I beseech thee, O goddess
Fulfil for me what I yearn to accomplish,
Be thou my ally.

[The Poems of Sappho, see http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/usappho/index.htm ]

Hekate & Shooting Stars!

Each year around the middle of August here in the UK we experience the beautiful stellar experience that is the Perseids.  This amazing phenomena is named after the constellation Perseus, from where the shooting stars seem to originate.  At its height, which this year – in the UK – is around the 12th or 13th of August, it might be possible to see up to 60 shooting stars with the naked eye per hour – subject of course to clear skies, and being away from light polution will of course also help.

Those who are interested can read more about the Perseids at http://meteorwatch.org/2010/08/09/fun-facts-about-the-perseids/

So why do I link the Goddess Hekate to this meteor shower?  Well, firstly there is a modern festival which seems to have taken root in the last few years (based on an interpretation of when a modern festival with some tentative links to Hekate, may have taken place) on the 13th of August each year.  This falls in the middle of the Perseids each year, often around the time that it peaks in this part of the world. So that may, or may not be a coincidence.

Whilst Hekate is not specifically referred to as a “Stellar” goddess in the ancient world, she is described as having dominion over the “Earth, Sea and Sky” in the oldest known text which mentions her.  Whilst the “sky” may be interpreted as many things, the most likely is that it is a reference to the stars.  In this same text, that is the Theogony of Hesiod (circa 8th century CE, though some claim it is a bit later) we also find that Hekate is the daughter of the Goddess Asteria.

“Again, Phoibe came to the desired embrace of Koios. Then the goddess through the love of the god conceived and brought forth dark-gowned Leto.   Also she bare Asteria of happy name, whom Perses once led to his great house to be called his dear wife.  And she conceived and bare Hekate.”  (theoi.com)

Interestingly, the name Asteria can be translated as both stellar or as a falling-star!  Asteria was specifically linked to divination by stars (Astrology) and there are clear links between some of the associations given to Hekate in regards to divination in later times, and the attributes ascribed to her mother, Asteria.

John Canard in his essay “From Heaven to Earth” in Hekate Her Sacred Fires gives numerous further reasons for the connection, which he links to the cycles of life, death and rebirth – a thought I share with him, just as much as we share our love for meteorites – stones which have fallen to earth from the stars.

I wonder how many of you who celebrate the mysteries of the Goddess Hekate around this time of the year, for whichever reason, also link it to nature’s own fireworks display?

May you all dance in Her Sacred Fires, if that is your path,

Sorita d’Este

The Rite of Her Sacred Fires – Ritual Text

What follows is the text of the Rite of Her Sacred Fires, which thousands of people all over the world will be performing in honour of the Goddess Hekate on the 27th of May 2010, as an act of devotion, sacrament and celebration!

I am making it available here in this format for those who are having difficulty reading, or downloading the PDF’s with the entire rite as given below from the official www.sacredfires.co.uk website of the Hekate Her Sacred Fires project.  (direct link http://sacredfires.co.uk/?page_id=64 )

For further information on the words which are non-english, search for “ephesian letters” on this website using the search function in the menu.

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The Rite of the Her Sacred Fires

Written by Sorita d’Este (www.sorita.co.uk) for the celebration of the completion of the anthology

‘Hekate Her Sacred Fires’ (www.sacredfires.co.uk) and as an act of devotion and gratitude to the Goddess Hekate.

This rite is intended for use on the Full Moon, Thursday 27^th of May 2010 by all those who wish to honour the Goddess Hekate and dedicate themselves towards a greater understanding of Her Mysteries .  It can be performed by itself, or as part of a longer ceremony, with or without a “formal” ritual space – that is up to individual choice.  It is preferable (though not obligatory) that the wording and actions of the ceremony as presented below should be kept the same and remain unaltered, though if for spiritual, magical or personal reasons you need or wish to change some of it, you are hereby given permission to do so with the proviso that you do not alter in any way the purpose of the ceremony.

Preparation:

Find a quiet place where you will be able to perform the rite undisturbed. You will need a candle (or another form of devotional fire, such as a lamp or hearth fire) and something with which to light it.  You may wish to consecrate the candle, or other materials you will be using in keeping with your usual tradition of working, otherwise please simply ensure that it is clean.

Prelude:

Make yourself comfortable, breathe deeply and find your point of balance, a balance of mind and soul and body, which will present you proud and beautiful to the world.  Breathe deeply and find your voice, the voice with which you will speak words of true and pure intent.  Breathe deeply and call upon the freedom within your heart so that you will be able to express yourself with purity of intent and with strength of desire.

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 and invoke the Goddess.
Invocation:
I invoke thee, Great Mistress of the Heaven, Earth and Sea,
By your mysteries of Night and Day,

By the Light of the Moon and the Shadow of the Sun

I invoke thee, Mistress of life, death and rebirth
Emerge now from the shadow realm to feed my soul and enlighten my mind,
Triple-formed Mistress of the three ways

I entreat thee, Key-bearing Mistress of the Nightwandering Souls

To bring forth your wisdom from amongst the stars

To bring down your starfire from the darkness between,

Creatrix of Light!

Goddess of the Shadow Realms! Light-bearing queen!

Whisper now your secrets!

Fire-bringer! Earthly-one! Queen of Heaven!

[Raise both hands with palms facing upwards to the heavens (three heartbeats) and then touch the ground palms downwards]

[Sit before the candle and prepare to light it]

[Take three deep breaths and allow your senses to awaken]

Say:

Hekate, companion and guide to the mysteries

I light this sacred fire in your honour,  [light fire]

Its light uniting the stars and stones, the heavens and the earth,

With this fire I express my desire for a greater understanding of your mysteries

Askei Kataskei Er?n Ore?n I?r Mega Samny?r Baui (3 times) Phobantia Semn?,
Great Hekate, who spins the web of the stars and governs the spiral of life

Guide me through towards pathways of understanding,

From Crossroad to Crossroad,

The Torchbearers and the Keybearers of your mysteries,

will always find one another,
[Now sit and watch the flame flicker and dance, allow yourself to focus on the different colours in the flame, the yellows and reds, the blues and whites, and the black.  If you wish you may decide to spend some time meditating on the flame, skrying for visions or omens.  Likewise, you may wish to extinguish it and keep the candle let your true self radiate brightly its beautiful mysteries from this
day on forth, the flame of the fires of Hekate burns on in your heart!]

I banish now the shadows of doubt from my mind,

Infused by the silence and warmth of our union

I feel your golden radiance within my heart

And the glory of knowledge on my brow,

I am a student of your mysteries.

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.

The Rite of Her Sacred Fires

Written by Sorita d’Este for the  Hekate Her Sacred Fires – www.sacredfires.co.uk

This ceremony is provided for FREE non-commercial distribution. You can pass it on, reproduce it, print it, publish it and perform it in public or private without permission from the author, providing that this text is reproduced with it.

Resources

More information about this Rite and the Hekate Her Sacred Fires project can be found at www.sacredfires.co.uk and on our facebook page www.facebook.com/hekatefires and examples of the rite can be found on our youtube channel www.youtube.com/hersacredfires (including a guide to pronunciation together with other useful resources related to the Goddess Hekate).

NB. Those who wish to perform the rite and film themselves doing do not need permission to do so, however, we ask that you please do not do so before the date of the ritual 27^th of May 2010 unless you have express permission to do so.  The purpose of this ritual is to unite all those who honour the Goddess Hekate on the Full Moon of the 27^th of May 2010 in a unique ceremony in which during that day hundreds, maybe thousands of flames will be lit for Her all over the world !  If you wish to put your name on one of the lists for the event, please do so through the events on our facebook page – www.facebook.com/hekatefires , or alternatively on the MySpace page http://events.myspace.com/Event/3979730/THE-RITE-OF-HER-SACRED-FIRES – both can be used to invite and help others become aware of this unique day for Hekate!

DISCLAIMER: The Editor and Publisher will in no way be held accountable for the results obtained by those who decide to participate in this ceremony.  Participation in The Rite of Her Sacred Fires, or any other act of spiritual or magical devotion, is one of personal choice and responsibility, therefore you do so entirely at your own risk.  Likewise, remember that Fire, beautiful as it is, can also be dangerous – so act with care and responsibility at all times.

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This rite, including version of it in other languages, can be downloaded as a PDF from the Hekate Her Sacred Fires project website http://sacredfires.co.uk/?page_id=64

Girls, Gods and Trance

“Shivering, they say, my face did change to something less than mortal, yet more mighty and beautiful than my corporeal form.  Taller they say I stood with a voice which was not quite my own.  I simply gave myself wholly and gave myself utterly over to the words and inspriation of Leto’s glorious son.”
(Bolina Oceanus, in her essay “For Lo! Apollo is within me” published in Priestesses, Pythonesses & Sibyls)

My previous two blogs looked a little at the Goddess Artemis and how she was venerated by men, something which is often overlooked by those who are reinstating the worship of the old gods today.  Likewise, the worship of her twin brother Apollo provides us with some interesting challenges to modern perceptions of gender within a spiritual and magical setting.  In modern practices it is more often a female Priestess who will open herself up to an invocation of a Goddess into her for the purposes of trance and oracular work.  It is still considered rather avant-garde in some circles for a woman to open herself up for possession by a God (or indeed for a male Priest to have a female Goddess invoked into him).   But why should such a thing be considered innovative today when one of the most famous oracles of the ancient world involved the possession of a Priestess by a male God for the purposes of prophesy?

The Oracle of Delphi was home to the cult of Apollo, twin brother to the goddess Artemis.  These two deities were born to the goddess Leto, through a union with the king of the gods Zeus.  The story of their birth is one an epic one.  Leto is impregnated by Zeus, who is of course married to Hera, goddess of marriage, who was not at all pleased with the news that her husband was to father children with another goddess (yet again, as Zeus often got himself into trouble for fathering children with both mortals and gods!).   She forbade Leto to give birth on solid land and wherever the pregnant goddess went she was made to move on and denied the right to rest and give birth to her children.  In one version of the story Hera instructs the Python of Delphi, a giant serpent, to chase Leto and prevent her from getting rest.  In the end she finds refuge on the floating island of Delos, believed to have once been the body of the star goddess Asteria (sister of Leto) when she, in an effort to escape the advances of Zeus, flung herself into the ocean.  In alternative version we are told that Asteria was turned into a quail by Zeus, when she flung herself into the ocean, or that Zeus helped Leto by turning her into a quail so that she could reach Delos more easily.  Either way, the quail seems to be a key theme in this myth.

When Artemis is born, she then (as she is a god, of course) helps her mother to birth her brother Apollo – and the two would always remain absolutely loyal to each other and to their mother.  As soon as they reached adulthood, they started the process of killing many of those who brought dishonour upon their mother when she was looking for a place to rest and give birth to them.  The first to suffer at their wrath was the Python of Delphi, who had been guarding the oracle there for many years.   The Python, described as a giant serpent or dragon like creature was slayed by the arrows of the twins and Apollo took over the shrine at Delphi, and became the God of the Oracle.

It was said of the Oracle:

“The oracle at Delphi never would have been so much frequented, so famous, and so crowded with offerings from peoples and kings of every land, if all ages had not tested the truth of its prophesies.” (Cicero, On Divination)

In her essay “The Pythia”  Caroline Tully wrote that:~

“A regular Greek priestess’ sphere of influence reached only as far as the temenos walls of her sanctuary.  The authority of the Pythia, or the Priestess of the Delphic Apollo, on the other hand extended much further into areas such as religion, politics, warfare and overseas colonisation.  This was unusual not only for a priestess, but for a woman in what was predominantly patriarchal ancient Greece”.
(Caroline Tully, from The Pythia, published in Priestesses, Pythonesses & Sibyls)

It is clear from these examples that the Oracle of Apollo in Delphi was a very important one, and that it held a lot of power, and that likewise women who held the office of Pythia there, were valued and honoured members of society, whose position gave them a high office in many affairs.  What however is interesting and something I personally believe modern Pagans who do trance work with the gods might wish to take notice of is that arguably the most famous of the oracular priestesses of the ancient world gained their prophesy from a Apollo, a male god.  This was not considered unusual at all in the ancient world and there are examples which illustrate that the pythia did not just speak ‘for’ Apollo, but was actually speaking ‘as’ Apollo:

“The Pythia not only spoke for Apollo, as other priestesses might presume to do for the deities they served, but spoke as Apollo.  Ancient authors believed that she was fully capable for channelling Apollo’s words…”
(Caroline Tully, from The Pythia, published in Priestesses, Pythonesses & Sibyls)

What is described in terms of history and academic research by Caroline Tully, is described in modern experiential terms by modern day Priestess of Apollo, Bolina Oceanus when she wrote in the same anthology:
 

“Becoming a Priestess for Apollo and allowing him to speak through me has allowed me to be free in ways I never expected I could be, but with it I have also been given a great responsibility.  I have to speak his words and I am not allowed to interpret them for others…

I have worked in groups where it was my role to assume the form of a Goddess and enjoyed those rites greatly, though I often found that something was missing or not quite right.  It was only when I first experienced Apollo speaking through me that I gave the matter much thought and realised some very obvious things.  in the ancient magickal and religious practices there were always specific deities who had associations with prophecy, whilst others had specific associations with for example agriculture, love, war or wealth.  This makes for an interesting point to consider, is it all that polite (or for that matter safe!) to invoke deities into ourselves who have no interest in prophesy?)”

(Bolina Oceanus, in her essay “For Lo! Apollo is within me” published in Priestesses, Pythonesses & Sibyls)

So, how do you decide which deities you will allow to possess you for the sake of oracular work?  And how do you test your results?

The Temple of Apollo

 This blog was originally posted to www.sorita.co.uk and is (c) Sorita d’Este 2010

Hekate and Dreams

Here in the Northern Hemisphere we are slowly nearing the Spring Equinox, after which the days will again be longer than the nights as the Sun grows in his power and strength. I am looking forward to the summer, with the hope that this year here in the UK we will have a better one than we have done for the last couple of years when wet and cold predominated even on the Summer Solstice!  The dark half of the year however does hold its own magic, when I see the Earth cold and frosted, covered in snow I cannot help but think of the Cailleach, who is of course the primordial Celtic Crone of Winter.  On a more personal level I find that the colder, darker months also awakens the need for more psychic and astral work, and especially dream work.  And this is of course also another area where the Goddess Hekate holds sway.

The function of Dream Oracle is one which Hekate shared with her mother (according to Hesio) Asteria, Goddess of the Night Sky.   There is some evidence to suggest that an alternative name for Asteria was Brizo and that the following passage from Pausanius (2nd century BCE)  refers to the Oracle of this goddess:

“From Oitylos to Thalamai [in Lakedaimonia] the road is about eighty stades long. On it is a sanctuary of Ino and an oracle. They consult the oracle in sleep, and the goddess reveals whatever they wish to learn, in dreams. Bronze statues of Pasiphae and of Helios (the Sun) stand in the unroofed part of the sanctuary. It was not possible to see the one within the temple clearly, owing to the garlands, but they say this too is of bronze. Water, sweet to drink, flows from a sacred spring. Pasiphae is a title of Selene (the Moon), and is not a local goddess of the people of Thalamai.”  
[Jones translation quoted here from Theoi.com]

There are many examples linking Hekate to spells and charms related to sleep.  In one such example from the PGM (Greek Magical Papyri) the charm given could be used both for revealing answers during sleep, or to cause someone else to not sleep.  These types of spells can be found in many different magical traditions and a very similar one occurs in the Jewish Sepher ha-Razim (Book of Mysteries) in which the head of a black dog which had never seen the light is used.  This spell which dates to the fourth century CE echoes not only the connection to dream oracles of Hekate, but of course that of the black dogs which were sacrificed to her, as well as a further connection to iron (a metal sacred to Hekate).  There are many examples of cross fertilisation from Greek magic into later systems, reminding us that viewing any system of magic, ancient or modern, in isolation, is a mistake when your quest is for knowledge and understanding. 

Another fragment, which we discussed in Hekate Liminal Rites in chapter 16 (From Sleep) is that from the fifth century BCE Greek poet Aeschylus who is sometimes known as the ‘father of tragedy’  as he also refers to Hekate’s influence on the realm of dream, when he wrote:

“but either thou art frightened of a spectre beheld in sleep and hast joined the revel-rout of nether Hekate …”
(Smyth translation)

From the same period in history we also have a reference to Hekate in a similar role from Hippocrates’  On the Sacred Disease:

“If the patient is attended by fears, terrors, and madnesses in the night, jumps up out of his bed and flees outside, they call these the attacks of Hecate or the onslaughts of ghosts”
(Ogden translation)

I hope you find these little glimpses in the world of dreams and of Hekate interesting, I know I do, especially in the light of how many people I have met over the years who had their first vivid experience of this goddess in a dream, or in a waking dream (sleep paralysis, cataplexy) often leading to very dramatic changes in their lives.  

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To find out more about Hekate Liminal Rites – click here
To find out more about the Goddess Asteria – click here