Hecate

Although October 2019 has come and gone already, I still have witches on my mind (but really, when do I not have witches on my mind?). So, why not discuss one of the witches of all the witches - Hecate. You may not find her name familiar, but she is a pre-olympian Greek Goddess -goddess of magic and sorcery. Venerated as a mother goddess, many witches in the Ptolemaic period (and before and after) look toward her for strength, guidance, and power.

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Like many witches throughout history, Hecate was a complicated being. She was known for good and evil acts and the stories that surround her portray her as a complicated and dynamic figure. Her parents are said to be Perses, the god of destruction, and Asteria, the goddess of oracles and falling stars. After the fall of the Titans, she maintained her power over earth, heaven, and sea and the ability to travel freely to and from the Underworld.

Hecate never married and is considered a beautiful virgin-goddess whose children are her followers and devotees. She is typically depicted in maiden’s clothing, hunting boots, and with a torch in her hand. Sometimes she is also mentioned with both of her ghost hounds in tow. In art depictions, she resembles Artemis quite a bit. In some later stories she is depicted as a hag, although that seems to be linked more towards her association with witchcraft. 

However, she is also depicted as being three-bodied at times, with three hearts, and that is quite interesting. Sometimes they are the three heads and bodies of women, but other times it is the head of a dog, lion, and horse. She is depicted as a three-bodied to portray her ability to look equally at the past, present, and future, as well as her role as a crossroads goddess. 

She is also a bit of a trickster, but who would expect less from a goddess of the cross-roads? She is said to be the protector of hunters, witches, and children. But she is not afraid to exact vengeance or cause harm to those who have offended her. To protect themselves on a journey at night, people who yell her name when they came to a crossroads.

Her association with the torch is particularly interesting. Although Hecate does not feature much in Greek myths, she does play an important role in the search for Persephone. It is Hecae who walks Demeter into the underworld to search for Persphone after Hades captured her. As a reward, she became a minister to Persephone and a companion. 

The goddess of witch’s power has waned and waxed through the centuries and although she fell into obscurity, recently her importance has grown larger as we learn more about her portrayals throughout history.

If you’d like to honor Hecate in your own way, please note it is a personal and reflective experience.  For example, when you are in a calm and grounded space, try reciting a hymn, such as this Orphic one below, while focusing your energy on Hecate’s story and power:

I call Eiondian hecate,

Lovly dame,

Of earthly, wat’ry, and celestial frame

Sepulchral, in a saffron veil array’d

Leas’d with dark ghosts

That wander throu’ the shade;

Persian, unconquerable huntress hail!

The world’s key-bearer never doom’d to fail;

On the rough rock to wander thee delights

Leader and nurse be present to our rites

Propitious grant our just desires success,

Accept our homage

And the incense bless.

Wenceslaus Hollar - Artwork from University of Toronto Wenceslaus Hollar Digital Collection Scanned by University of Toronto High-resolution version extracted using custom tool by User:Dcoetzee. It is in the Public Domain.

Cauchemar

Cauchemar translates to ‘nightmare’ in french and it has links to several astonishing topics including nightmares and witches. In this blog post, we’re focusing not on nightmares but of the folkloric being known as Cauchemar. Cauchermar lore seems to be specific to Louisiana, but is a larger thread in the tapestry that is sleep paralysis lore.

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Cauchemar folklore is similar to ‘Old Hag Syndrome’ and sleep paralysis episodes. A Cauchemar only visits people in the dead of night when they are sound asleep. Cauchermars usually appear as witches but also sometimes take on the appearance of a devil or a humanoid ghost.

Typically, the person awakens when they sense a Cauchemar has entered their home or room. A creeping sensation will wake them in a sudden fright, ususally 

Devil’s Lake

Devil’s Lake has been inhabited for a whopping 15,000 years. Now, a picturesque state park in Baraboo, Wisconsin, Devil’s Lake has a long history that seems to suggest it has earned its name. The Ho-Chunk called the lake Tawacunchukdah, which, when translated, means Spirit or Holy Lake. As time continued, Devil’s Lake and its history began to draw whispers throughout the state, and the country at large. But what are the legends behind these strange anchors of land, and why has it so long thought to be a place so full of otherworldliness? 

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A park this big claims many monsters and strange sightings including Bigfoot, giant birds, and ghosts. However, one of the most pervasive legends is that of the Thunderbird battle. 

Thunderbirds are common through Native American history, some believe that they are remnants from another time and others believe that these spirits controlled the unruly water spirits of the lake. They are believed to be assets of mankind (think the Eagles from Lord of the Rings) and willing to come to their rescue in dire straits. At Devil’s Lake, it was said that an epic battle broke out between the creatures of the sky and sea. The Thunderbirds created a huge storm that damaged the sea creatures with thunderbolts. However, the sea creatures created dangerous waterspouts and threw large stones to bring down the Thunderbirds. 

The battle continued for days, and it is said because of this the cliffs were split and rendered jagged and steep. This also explains why the lake is surrounded by huge rocks and impossibly broken boulders. Eventually, the Thunderbirds came out on top and returned to the deep north, willing to come to the land’s rescue should the sea serpents ever rise again.