Hecate
Intention: Find your way at crossroads and thresholds
Offerings & Symbols
- A torch-style or black candle
- A key
- Garlic, honey, or eggs (traditional offerings)
- Incense such as myrrh or cypress
Culture: Greek (with earlier roots in Anatolia) Associations: crossroads, thresholds, moon, magic
Who is Hecate?
Hesiod's Theogony (around 700 BCE) gives Hecate great honor among the gods, with a share in earth, sea and sky. In later centuries she became closely tied with magic, night, ghosts, dogs, torches and keys, and with places where paths meet.
Symbols
Torches, keys, dogs, and the three-way crossroads, which is why she is often shown in triple form.
Associations
Crossroads and thresholds, protection, witchcraft and herbal lore, the dark moon, and guidance through transitions.
Historical practice
Offerings called Hecate's suppers (deipna) were left at crossroads at the new moon in the ancient Greek world.
Ways people honor her today
- Light a candle at a doorway or crossroads during a dark moon
- Keep a key or torch symbol on your altar
- Leave an offering in a way that leaves no litter and no harm to wildlife (a household altar offering is fine)
- Ask for guidance when you face a decision between paths
Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.