Hekate: Goddess of Witches

by Courtney Weber

Overview

Learn the myths and legends behind this beloved goddess plus practices and suggestions for making Hekate part of your spiritual path.

Courtney Weber (author of Brigid and The Morrigan) offers an informed, accessible journey through the lore and history of Hekate, the ancient goddess of crossroads, ghosts, and witchcraft, and reflects on Hekate’s relevance today. Tools and techniques for incorporating this goddess into your personal journey round out the book.

Similar to her other works, Weber strikes a balance between the scholarly and the spiritual. Her exploration of Hekate combines solid research with practical, modern applications. The spiritual content is accessible to anyone with an interest in witchcraft, regardless of their faith or background.

Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of Hekate, exploring original mythology, historical context, and contemporary connotations, concluding with spells and personal rituals. The final chapter is a grimoire full of rituals, offerings, and other practices designed to help readers align themselves with this extraordinary goddess. The book also explores magickal ethics, what it means to be a witch in the twenty-first century, and best practices for successful witchcraft.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781578637164
Publisher:	Red Wheel/Weiser
Publication date:	08/01/2021
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	137,974
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.01(h) x 0.25(d)

About the Author

Courtney Weber is a priestess, witch, author, and tarot adviser. She is the author of Brigid, Tarot for One, and The Morrigan, and the designer of Tarot of the Boroughs, a modern tarot deck set in New York City. She has been featured in the New York Times, Maxim, Playboy, Huffington Post, Vice, and the Thom Hartmann Show, and cohosts the podcast That Witch Life. Follow her on Instagram at @thecocowitch.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Meeting Hekate 1

Chapter 2 The Witch in the Family 21

Chapter 3 Torchbearer: The Light in the Dark 43

Chapter 4 Ritual, Magick, and the Crossroads 61

Chapter 5 Goddess of Ghosts 83

Chapter 6 The Dangerous Goddess and the Dangerous Witch 105

Chapter 7 Keeper of the Keys 123

Chapter 8 Mother, Foster Mother, and Fertility Goddess 143

Chapter 9 Hekate's Grimoire 159

Conclusion 181

Acknowledgments 185

Notes 187

Bibliography 201

Editorial Reviews

06/07/2021

Tarot reader Weber (The Morrigan) sets out to explore explore “the old myths while offering contemporary reflections” on the goddess Hekate. She begins with a brief history of the goddess, going back to the sixth century BCE, when she was popularized as a guide of ghosts and lost souls, a guardian of the crossroads, and goddess of magic. References to mythology, poetry, and works of art show how symbolic items and animals have varied across cultures and time periods. Weber emphasizes that “magick is a creative process and thrives with personal touch” and suggests ways for practitioners to personalize the concepts covered using contemplative journaling. Different rituals to call on Hekate—partially based on ancient and folk practices—are outlined in each chapter, and each can be adapted to suit one’s needs. For instance, Weber suggests Hekate’s role as a torchbearer can be used in spells to guard the home or seek clarity during dark times, and her relationship with the dead can be used to call on helpful spirits or release psychological “ghosts” that haunt the mind. Additional ideas are collected in a grimoire at the book’s end. Weber’s accessible workbook is a solid primer on ways to call on the well-known goddess. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Hekate: Goddess of Witches is deeply personal, scholarly, practical, entertaining, sobering, and given as a heartfelt invitation to those that seek Hekate. It is a book for witches, those that would be witches, and for those trying to find their way back to their magick. It is a book that does not tell you what to do, but, like Hekate, it lights a torch, gives you the keys, and nudges you out to find your own way.

Ivo Dominguez

"Hekate: Goddess of the Witches is the perfect crossroads where three different roads meet: historical, mythological, and magickal. Courtney Weber preserves the rich and often confusing history of this complex multi-named, many-faced deity, while also incorporating her into a practical and modern witchcraft practice. Throughout these pages, you will learn how to connect, honor, and petition the ancient torch-bearing Titaness of witchery with beautifully crafted and soul-stirring spells and prayers."

Mat Auryn

I absolutely love this book! Courtney Weber has done an exceptional job of bringing us into the world of Hekate, Key Keeper, Goddess of the Crossroads, who opens doors, guards and protects with her black dogs! Now if I choose to work with her, I have a solid foundation upon which to build a loving, respectful and sincere relationship with her. A new way to enter into the crossroads of magick.

Najah Lightfoot

Courtney Weber’s lovingly produced Hekate does not merely discuss the Goddess of Witches. Instead, it speaks to what her worship entails and how rewarding that worship is. This book features the words of modern priestesses as well as those from ancient sources. Hekate is found in liminal spaces: if you hear the call of the torch, the key, the dog, or the moon, you’ll learn how to answer the call within these pages.

Amy Blackthorn

Well researched and full of personal insight, Courtney Weber delivers a haunting and powerful portrayal of Hekate for readers of all experience levels. Even after twenty-plus years of working with this beloved goddess, I found new information that I was able to add immediately to my practice and that makes this book worth its weight in gold.

Devin Hunter

From ancient temples to modern altars, Hekate is a goddess whose worship has stood the test of time. In Hekate: Goddess of Witches, Courtney Weber guides us to a new crossroads where the paths of history and Courtney’s own personal experience intersect with our own. You do not have to be a witch to find the truth in these pages. Courtney’s deep devotion to Hekate and her “sacred casual” writing style make this sometimes intimidating and elusive goddess accessible to us all.” 

Melody Wingfield

With insight growing from roots in history and tradition and a voice unafraid to share personal experience, Courtney Weber uses these keys to open the gate to the mystery that is Hekate. She is an excellent guide to help readers develop their own relationship to the Goddess of Witches as she shares her own beautiful journey with Hekate.

Christopher Penczak

Courtney Weber’s accessible workbook is a solid primer on ways to call on the well-known goddess.” 

From the Publisher