In Circle for Hekate – Volume I: History & Mythology, the author draws together scholarly research from a wide range of sources, highlighting the manifold and universal nature of this extraordinary goddess. The book serves as a comprehensive introduction to her many myths and legends, viewed through the Divine Ancestry attributed to her in Hesiod’s Theogony (800-700BCE), as well as an exploration of her conflation with other goddesses, archaeology, literature, and iconography.

Hekate’s worship was never limited to one geographical region. Her presence is well attested in Greece and Turkey, as well as Egypt, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Russia, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Sicily and Southern Italy. She has possible links to Minoan Crete, her most famous temple stood in Lagina, and she was a popular goddess in ancient Athens. Her history reveals many fascinating stories: how Hekate Phosphoros saved ancient Byzantium from an invasion by Phillip II of Macedonia (father of Alexander the Great); and how a visit to her temple in Ephesus influenced Julian the Apostate, the last Pagan Emperor of Rome.

Hekate was connected to Artemis, Demeter, Persephone, Isis, Diana, Despoina and other significant goddesses, appearing in single-and triple-bodied forms, as well as theriocephalic emanations with the heads of various animals. She shared the symbols of the torch, whip, snake and dagger with the Erinyes, and wielded the key to the Mysteries, wearing variously the modius, polos, kalathos and Phrygian cap.  She shared paeans with Dionysos, stood with Hermes at the throne of the Phrygian Kybele, and sat next to Zeus in the cult of the Empty Throne. Far from being an obscure goddess, her torches illuminated the Mysteries at Eleusis, Samothrace, Aegina and Ephesus, leading the way for initiates.

Suitable for reading as a standalone text by those fascinated in the history and myths related to Hekate, Circle for Hekate: History & Mythology also serves as background reading for those wishing to pursue a more practical understanding of the goddess, providing a clear contextual foundation for practice. Subsequent volumes in this series build upon the foundation provided in this first book to include devotional rites, meditations, contemplations and charms, giving readers the opportunity to develop their own personal understandings and relationships with this goddess.

About the Author
Sorita d’Este is an author, researcher and priestess who has devoted her life to the Mysteries. She is the author of numerous books on both the practice and history of magic, plus mythology, folklore and witchcraft. 
In late 2000 she co-founded the StarStone Network with David Rankine, which was dedicated to the study of Initiatory Witchcraft, Ceremonial Magic and the Mysteries of Hekate. With him she co-authored Hekate: Liminal Rites (2009), a compendium of magical practices historically associated with Hekate. With contributions from students, friends and practitioners from around the world she compiled Hekate: Keys to the Crossroads (2006) and Hekate: Her Sacred Fires (2010). In 2010 she wrote the Rite of Her Sacred Fires, a simple devotional ceremony which has become a worldwide annual celebration in honour of Hekate, celebrated at the Full Moon of May each year by many hundreds of people and now translated into 30 languages. She is also the Keybearer and founder of the Covenant of Hekate – www.hekatecovenant.com.
Sorita lives on a hill in Glastonbury from where she works as a publisher and writer. She is often distracted from work by her son, her love of gardening, and interesting visitors from different spiritual and esoteric persuasions. 

At the crossroads of life, death and rebirth stands the Goddess Hekate. Honoured by men, women and gods alike, traces of her ancient provenance reach back through the millennia providing clues about her nature and origins along the way. Depictions of her as three-formed facing in three ways, sometimes with the heads of animals such as the horse, dog and snake hint at her liminal nature, as well as the powers she holds over the triple realms of earth, sea and sky. The sorcery of Medea and Circe, the witchcraft of the women of Thessaly, and the writings of philosophers such as Hesiod and Porphyry, all provide glimpses into the world of those who honoured her. Her magical powers were considered so great that even King Solomon became associated with her, she was incorporated into Jewish magic, and merged with other goddesses including Artemis, Selene, Bendis and the Egyptian Isis.

Whilst for some she was the Witch Goddess, for others she was the ruler of angels and daimons, who made predictions about Jesus and Christianity. Wherever you look, be it in the texts of Ancient Greece and Rome, Byzantium or the Renaissance, the Greek Magical Papyri or the Chaldean Oracles, you will find Hekate. The magical whir of the strophalos and the barbarous words of the voces magicae carry her message; the defixiones, love spells and charms all provide us with examples of the magic done in her name.

She was also associated with the magic of death, including necromancy and reanimation; as well as prophetic dreams, nightmares, healing herbs and poisons. The temples dedicated to her and the important role she played in the mysteries of Eleusis, Samothrace and Aigina all provide us with clues to her majesty. The popular shrines at the doorways of ordinary people, offerings left at the crossroads, and guardian statues of her at the entranceways to cities and temples all attest to her status in the hearts and minds of those who knew her mysteries.

In this book the authors draw from a wide range of sources, bringing together historical research which provides insights into the magical and religious practices associated with this remarkable Goddess. In doing so they provide an indispensable guide for those wishing to explore the mysteries of Hekate today.

About the Authors

Sorita d’Este and David Rankine are esoteric researchers, mythologists and modern-day magicians who have between them authored more than twenty published books on magic, mythology, folklore and the occult.

Sorita is the editor of the anthology “HEKATE KEYS TO THE CROSSROADS” and the author of Artemis: Virgin Goddess of the Sun & Moon. Together they have produced titles such as Visions of the Cailleach, The Isles of the Many Gods and The Guises of the Morrigan.

HEKATE – Keys to the Crossroads A collection of personal essays, invocations, rituals, recipes and artwork from modern Witches, Priestesses and Priests who work with Hekate, the Ancient Greek Goddess of Witchcraft, Magick and Sorcery. Hekate is one of the most fascinating Goddesses of the Ancient World. Loved, feared, hated and worshipped by people throughout history, the Witch Goddess of the Crossroads, facing three-ways, with her three faces, remains an image of power and awe in the modern world today, amongst those who understand and respect her power. This book “Hekate: Keys to the Crossroads” brings together the experiences and perceptions of more than twenty modern day Witches, Priestesses and Priests all of whom work with this awesome Greek Goddess in the UK today. Through their essays, rituals and artwork they present a unique view into the realms of this multi-faceted and popular Goddess. Part I – Hekate’s History, Myths & Powers Here author and Priestess, Sorita D’Este, presents a detailed and comprehensive study of the history, myths and powers of Hekate. This invaluable section offers the reader insights to some of the roles, relationships and powers Hekate held in the Ancient World. Part II – Hekate’s Witches This section contains essays by sixteen Witches, Priestesses and Priests who work with Hekate on a regular basis. Each contribution is as unique as the person who wrote it, clearly illustrating through both their differences and similarities that the many faces presented by Hekate in the ancient world continue on today in the twenty-first century. Hekate is a Goddess of transformation, initiation, childbirth, death and rebirth. She is the Mistress of Magick, Witchcraft and Sorcery. She is the key-bearing Goddess of Night who illuminates the paths through the mysteries with her bright torches, guarding the entranceways and guiding travellers through the realms of Heaven, Earth and Sea. Powerful and respected by Gods and mortals alike, she has the power to bestow gifts and blessings upon those who call upon her with honour and truth. Part III – Recipes, Rites & Rituals A collection of modern invocations, pathworkings, incense and food recipes, together with a group mystery play of the Abduction of Persephone by Hades in which Hekate plays a key role. Combining the best of research with a wide range of experiences this compact volume opens doorways in to many of Hekate’s realms. It is a unique journey – enchanting, funny, scary, magickal and daring, challenging and informative. Whether you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with the perceptions you will find within, one thing is certain: there is always more to learn and experience when it comes to Hekate

Op reis met de tarot gaat uit van de Rider Waite Tarot van Arthur Edward Waite en Pamela Colman Smith. Als Rozenkruiser en lid van de Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn waren beiden ingewijd in de (hermetische) kennis van oude culturen en mysteriën. Corrie van Hese Balten heeft zich decennia verdiept in die oude kennis en deelt deze in dit boek. Zij duidt de kaarten onder meer naar symboliek, numerologie, de elementen, licht en schaduw. Ze gaat in op de universele wijsheid per kaart en laat die volgen door een persoonlijke bespiegeling. Voorts biedt ze per kaart een visualisatie (Grote Arcana) en een oefening (beide Arcana’s), die je inspireren en uitnodigen om buiten je comfortzone de diepte in te duiken. Om je spirituele kracht en natuurlijke gaven te herwinnen. Om jezelf te helen, te transformeren en te versterken. Om je angsten te doorzien en obstakels die je tegenhouden je unieke licht te schijnen, te begrijpen. Om je pijn in kracht te transformeren en te ontdekken hoeveel wijsheid je zelf al in pacht hebt.

Met Op reis met de tarot overstijgt Corrie van Hese Balten het reguliere tarothandboek. Het leest op onderdelen als een spirituele ontdekkingsreis, het is ook een werkboek en kan zelfs op zichzelf als orakelboek worden gebruikt.

De Maan beroert ons innerlijk, beïnvloedt onze gevoelens en prikkelt ons intuïtieve weten. De afbeeldingen op deze kaarten werpen licht op je onderbewuste en geven de zachte fluistering van je ziel een stem. De teksten (een stelling, een vraag en een actie) maken je bewust van een actueel thema en zetten je aan je innerlijke krachten te ontwikkelen. Waar je aandacht heengaat, volgt je bewustzijn en waar je licht op werpt, dat wordt zichtbaar. Deze mystieke kaarten geven je handvatten om je dromen te verwezenlijken en stimuleren je te zijn wie je bent in al je kwetsbaarheid, kracht en grootheid.

Gebruik deze kaarten van Petra Stam als een gids of inspirator op je aardse en spirituele pad. Ontdek je potentie en onderneem de actie die nodig is om die te versterken. De kaarten resoneren met wat jij onbewust al weet, maar nu bewust kunt worden en neerzetten in de wereld.

Het spel bevat 66 Maankaarten en enkele kaarten met gebruiksaanwijzing, leggingen en tips.

Dit werkboek nodigt je uit om dertien manen lang bij te houden welke ervaringen je hebt tijdens de nieuwe en volle manen, wat je droomt, wat je doet, welke Maankaart je trekt of welk advies je krijgt, en wat hierbij je gedachten en gevoelens zijn. Tevens is er aan het eind van elke maanperiode ruimte om te reflecteren. Zo breng je in kaart wat jouw onderbewuste je te vertellen heeft. Hierdoor kun je keuzes maken die jouw leven meer in overeenstemming brengen met wat je in je hart wilt.

Sir James George Frazer originally set out to discover the origins of one ancient custom in Classical Rome – the plucking of the Golden Bough from a tree in the sacred grove of Diana, and the murderous succession of the priesthood there – and was led by his invetigations into a twenty-five year study of primitive customs, superstitions, magic and myth throughout the world. The monumental thirteen-volume work which resulted has been a rich source of anthropological material and a literary masterpiece for more than half a century. Both the wealth of his illustrative material and the broad sweep of his argument can be appreciated in this very readable single volume.

“Joseph John Campbell (March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American Professor of Literature at Sarah Lawrence College who worked in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work covers many aspects of the human experience. Campbell’s magnum opus is his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949), in which he discusses his theory of the journey of the archetypal hero found in world mythologies. Since the book’s publication, Campbell’s theory has been consciously applied by a wide variety of modern writers and artists. His philosophy has been summarized by his own often repeated phrase: “”Follow your bliss.”” 

Eerst zien, dan geloven; dat is de houding waarmee de meeste mensen in het leven staan. Maar de wereldberoemde psychotherapeut dr. Wayne Dyer toont in zijn nieuwste bestseller overtuigend aan dat deze mensen zichzelf op die manier te kort doen en zich zo verrijkende ervaringen onhouden. Dyer draaitde zaken om; onder het motto éerst geloven, dan zien’ ontslit hij een heel nieuwe wereld, waarin het lven hgeen strijd meer is, maar waarin een positieve kacht ervoor zorgt dat iedere dag een opwindende gebeurtenis is vol dagelijkse wonderen.

Tenmnste, voor wie het leven letterlijk wil be-leven in plaats van te jachten van het ene denkbeeldige doel naar het andere. Iedereen kan er immers zelf voor kiezen die positieve wereld te leren kennen door gevoelens van angst, schuld, rancune, agressie en twijfel achter zich te laten en open te staan voor een nieuwe sunthese van harmonie, evenwicht, vrede en liefde.

Het mysterie van de donkere maan van Demetra George: een boek vol inspiratie voor alle vrouwen die hun leven met de maan verder willen verdiepen.

In Het mysterie van de donkere maan belicht Demetra George de spannende, donkere fase van de maancyclus. Een fase die erop wacht om in het licht te worden gezet; een mysterieuze tijd, vol wijsheid en helende kracht. Zoals de maan elke cyclus weer haar donkere fase heeft, zo kennen wij ook donkere periodes in ons leven. 

Demetra George laat zien hoe de maan je hierdoorheen kan gidsen en welk potentieel voor vernieuwing er in verscholen ligt. Aan de hand van rebelse godinnen als Medusa en Lilith komt de krachtige, vrouwelijke symboliek van de maan tot uitdrukking. Je wordt uitgenodigd met je schaduwkanten aan het werk te gaan, om vervolgens sterker tevoorschijn te komen. 

Een boek vol inspiratie voor alle vrouwen die hun leven met de maan verder willen verdiepen. 

“De bedoeling van Het mysterie van de donkere maan is om anders naar de duisternis te gaan kijken. Hopelijk komt de lezer tot de conclusie dat de don­kere fase van iedere cyclus een fase is van herstel en vernieuwing en niet een van angst en onwetendheid; een tijd van mysterie, wijsheid en genezende krachten – allemaal geschenken van het mysterie van de donkere maan.” – Demetra George