#hecate along with being the goddess of magic and associated with the night is also associated with keys and crossroads

[onigirintarou]

Congratulations on your milestone, Hazel! You absolutely deserve a 100 followers and it is always such a pleasure seeing you on my dash 💜💜💜

And I would love to join your event! Can you maybe do Kuroo + Hecate (she always seemed like such a cool, badass goddess)? Since Hecate is typically associated with the night, do you think you could maybe write a drabble where reader and Kuroo get into some fun late night shenanigans and they both realize their feelings for one another? Thank you!

Late Night Drives

WC: ~900 CW: nothing, this is straight up fluff, Kuroo can't drive

“Kuroo, you really have to loosen up a bit,” you can’t help but mention after looking over at the driver’s seat to find your friend with his arms straight out and his hands exactly at 9- and 3 o’clock positions on the steering wheel.

“What do you mean? I’m loose! I’ve never been looser!” his voice continues to rise in pitch. “See this?” he says as he takes his left hand off the wheel. “So loose!”

You raise a brow at his antics. He was clearly losing it, if he ever had it to begin with.

The car begins to swerve left and right as he struggles to maneuver with only one hand on the wheel.

You would be more scared, but this is the fifth late night driver’s ed session you’ve held for your friend. Near death experiences were pretty much old hat by now. Getting flashbacks of your life got old quickly after the second time Kuroo nearly caused both of you to crash into a median.

“Kuroo,” you say sternly. “Put both hands back on the wheel.”

“Aye aye cap’n,” he responds shakily as his left hand darts back to the wheel. His knuckles turn white as he holds the steering wheel in a death grip.

You sigh in your seat as the car’s path stabilizes.

He spares you a quick glance. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. I don’t know how I can help you any better.” Your hand absentmindedly makes its way to pat the top of his thigh and the next thing you know your whole body is jerking to the side as Kuroo makes an abrupt stop at the side of the road.

“What the-?!” but before you can finish the expletive, he cuts you off.

“You make me nervous, okay!” he exclaims as he unbuckles his seatbelt.

You nearly sputter. “What?”

He shuts his eyes and groans into his hands. “I cannot believe I just said that.”

“Neither can I,” you respond. “Am I that bad of a driving instructor?”

He groans again. “No, it’s not that at all! Kenma was right.”

You lean over to rub small circles onto his right shoulder. “Hey, I’m sure he was but right about what?”

He mumbles something under his breath.

“You’re going to have to speak up, pal,” you tell him.

He takes a deep breath. “I’ll tell you, but I need you to drive me home so that if you take what I’m about to say like how I think you’re going to take it, I can just turn tail and run up to my apartment.”

You hold his gaze and can see the uncharacteristic fear and nervousness behind his eyes. “Alright,” you unbuckle your own seatbelt and open the door.

Silence from Kuroo Tetsurou is not something you’re used to, but you’ve driven for about twenty minutes now and the only thing that’s been keeping you company has been the sound of the radio. You’ve always loved driving, especially without the hustle and bustle of the typical daytime Tokyo traffic. Driving calmed you down, but with the oppressive silence, you can’t help but find your thoughts scrambling. What was it that he wanted to wait to tell you?

“You make it seem like magic,” he finally comments as you pull into his apartment’s garage.

“Driving?” you ask and he nods. “Well, it wasn’t always like this, but the more you do it, the more confidence you get. I know you’ll get there eventually, and even if you decide driving isn’t for you, you know I’m always willing to drive you around.”

He chuckles wryly. “You might want to reconsider that after what I tell you.”

You grasp his hand in yours. “I promise you I won’t.”

He gives you a weak grin before entwining your pinky with his.

“I think I might have non-platonic feelings for you,” he finally blurts out.

You’re glad you’ve already parked because you’re sure that you would have crashed your car.

“Define non-platonic.” He gulps as your eyes search his.

He groans and covers his eyes. “I don’t know. I think I’ve felt this way for a while now,” he starts. “But I look at you and I just feel like I belong. I want to go on dates where we argue about who’s going to pay. I wanna go on drives where I can keep one hand on the wheel because the other is holding yours.”

You don't know how to respond, so you don't.

"And now I've just gone and made a mess of things haven't I?" he mumbles morosely.

Your hands move to gently pry his from his face. You gently tilt his head so that he’s left with no other choice but to face you.

“Do you want to kiss me too?” you can’t help but ask with a teasing grin.

“You’re the worst!” he exclaims. He tries to move his hands back to cover the blush on his face, but you keep them in yours. “I can’t believe I’m pouring my heart out to you, and you think it’s a good time to joke around!” he complains with a pout.

You give his hands a soft squeeze as you laugh at the adorable flush on his face. “I’ll tell you a secret too. It's only fair after all,” you say as you lean in.

“I’d like to kiss you,” you whisper.

Hazel’s 100 Follower Event - OPEN

[mystical-sleepy-musings]

HEKATE

Greek goddess of witchcraft, ghosts, and crossroads

SOURCES

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

[Theoi.com|https://www.theoi.com/]

"Theogony"

Author:Hesiod

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

The triple faced goddess trailed with the howling of dogs resides amongst the crossroads lit only by a lone torch she impedes all who trample upon her grounds. She withholds the key to knowledge and gives it to only a select few whom she deems worthy.

|Who is Hekate/Hecate|

Hekate(Hecate is the Latin spelling) is the Greek goddess of witchcraft, magic, the night , ghosts, and necromancy. She also ruled over crossroads and is usually portrayed as a triple faced goddess with hounds and polecats in tow. The only child of the Titans Perses and Asteria . Hekate is shown holding torches and keys to the gates of the Underworld. Her name means "Worker from afar." Some ancient traditions (Hesoid's "Theogony") say she is a powerful Titaness who ruled over the three domains (earth sky and sea) and gave mortals wealth , luck and wisdom (she also took those gifts away when she felt the mortal did not deserve them) who then sided with the Olympians during the Titanomacy. Hekate kept her immense power even under the Olympian rulers who respected and honored her . The Romans known her by the epithet "Trivia," which was shared with Diana/Artemis, which means "Three ways" due to them being both protectors of travel and crossroads

|Myths|

Hekate was a major help to Demeter in her search for Persephone since she resided in the Underworld, so she knew what was going on . Hekate (along with Hermes) guided Persephone out of the Underworld with the help of Hekate's torches. When Persephone had to go back to the dismal place, Hekate kept her company. Another couple of myths involve the transformation of mortals into her familiars :The dog and the polecat. The female black dog was once a Trojan queen named Hekebe, who murdered a Thracian king and was stoned by the locals . The gods transformed her into the black dog and became Hekates familiar. The polecat was also once a mortal turned animal. Galinthias was a woman who was the companion of Alcmena, who was the mother of Herakles(Hercules). So when Alcmena was about to give birth the Moirai(The Fates)and Eileithyia (Goddess of Birth) witheld their help by crossing their arms in a favor to Hera who of course was jealous of Zeus being Zeus. So Galinthias fearing for her friends life and sanity told Moirai and Eileithyia that by the desire of Zeus, a boy has been born, and they uncrossed their arms, allowing Herakles to be born. Of course, the Moirai were not pleased and turned her into a weasel(polecat), which is mounted by the ears and gives birth through the mouth. Lovely. So Hekate being awesome decides to take on this writhy little creature as one of her familiars

|Worship|

Shrines to Hekate were placed at doorways to buildings since she was a liminal goddess. The home shrines were called Hekataions, which were centered around a triple faced Hekate facing in three directions on three sides of a central pillar. Dogs were her regular sacrifice animals during purification rites. The earliest documented worship of Hekate dates back to 6th century BCE in the form of a small terracotta statue of the goddess with an inscription of her name. Athens established worship of Hekate in about 430 BCE.

|Assocations/Representations|

She is associated with dogs cause in the Classical world, she is usually represented as a dog or accompanied by dogs. Hekates dogs in later times represented lost restless souls or demons, but mostly, it was a positive association connected with fertility and birth. The black female dog accompaniment comes from the myth of Hekabe. She is also portrayed with snakes and polecats as well. Hekcate was associated with plant lore , medical herbal concoctions , and poisons . Yew was very sacred to Hekate, and attendants draped yew around the necks of black bulls, which they sacrificed in her honor, and yew boughs were burned on funeral pyres "Taxus" the scientific name for Yew and " Toxos" the Greek word for yew was strangly similar to the word "Toxicon" (Greek for Poison). She is mostly represented as a triple faced goddess, but the earliest images of her were of a singluar figure. The 2nd century travel writer Pausanias said that Hekate was first portrayed as a triple faced goddess by the sculptor Alcamenes in the Greek Classical period .

[city-witch-magix]

Greek Deities

These are basic notes to look at as a beginning, there are only 15 deities from the website I used and I want to make sure my sources are good, so any feedback with corrections or additions you think I should add to it are greatly appreciated :)

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love

Goddess of love and romance 

According to legend, was born fully formed from white sea foam 

Came to shore and was married off by Zeus to Hephaistos 

While being the goddess of love and romance, she has a vengeful side 

Items for Honoring/Symbols: sea, shells, dolphins, swans, apple, pomegranates, and roses

Ares, God of War

Son of Zeus and Hera

Was known for his battle skills and getting involved in other people’s disputes

Often served as an agent of justice

Goes into war with frenzy and chaos

Items for Honoring/Symbols: 

Artemis, the Huntress

Greek Goddess of hunting and childbirth, she will protect women in childbirth but will also bring death and sickness

Twin sister of Apollo and because he was associated with the sun, she became associated with the moon 

Items for Honoring/Symbols: statue of her on your lunar altar, you can offer meat (hunted yourself is appreciated), and honey cakes, in some cultures you can offer a lock of your hair, you can also “adopt” and clean a patch of woods or take care of wild animals, dedicate time to help women succeed in athletics

Athena, the Warrior Goddess

Has shown up to help many Greek heroes

Athena helps warriors make wise choices in battle that will help lead to victory 

Child of Zeus and his first wife Metis, a goddess of wisdom

Often portrayed with Nike, the goddess of victory 

Items for Honoring/Symbols: 

Demeter, Dark Mother of the Harvest

Goddess of grain and harvest 

Mother to Persephone

Items for Honoring/Symbols: 

Eros, God of Passion and Lust

Described as a son of Aphrodite and Ares 

Evolved into Cupid in the classical Roman period

Items for Honoring/Symbols: offerings like fruits (apples and grapes) or flowers that represent love are appropriate, if you honor him for fertility add some fertility symbols

Gaia, the Earth Mother

Known as the life force that all other beings came from, including the Earth, sea, and mountains

Gave birth to the first races of divine beings, including three Cyclops (Bronte, Arges, and Steropes), three Hekatoncheires (each have 100 hands), and 12 Titans lead by Cronos, these 12 became the elder gods of Greek mythology

Items for Honoring/Symbols: organize a cleanup of a local neglected area, plant trees or a garden, set up a recycling program, adopt a stream or highway to take care of, help educate people on how to conserve water, energy, and fuel

Hades, Ruler of the Underworld

Son of Cronos, brother of Poseidon and Zeus

When the three brother escaped from Cronos they divided up the world they inherited and Hades became the Ruler of the Underworld and the inevitability of death caused his kingdom to be vast and he eventually became the god of proper burial 

Items for Honoring/Symbols: 

Hecate, Goddess of Magic and Sorcery 

Watched over maidens going through puberty and their first menstruation because she was a goddess of childbirth 

Evolved into the goddess of magic and sorcery and elevated into her position of being a goddess of ghosts and the spirit world

Items for Honoring/Symbols: adopt a dog/ volunteer at a shelter (dogs are sacred to Hecate), take care of a deserted/neglected place that has been abandoned by everyone else, walk along a dark road at night offering prayer and hymns to her

Hera, Goddess of Marriage

Wife of Zeus 

Guardian of marriage and sanctity of the home

Known to fly into a jealous rage and use her husbands bastards to hurt their mothers 

Played a crucial role in the Trojan War 

Items for Honoring/Symbols: represented by cows, peacocks, and lions, offer fertility fruits such as apples

Hestia, Guardian of Hearth and Home

Watched over the home fires and offered sanctuary and protection to strangers

Honored with the first offering at any sacrifice made in the house

On a public level, her flame was never allowed to burn out and the local town hall served as a shrine to her and at a new settlement her flame was carried from the person’s old settlement 

Items for Honoring/Symbols: try keeping a candle burning in her honor on your mantle or in your kitchen, offer wine, olive oil, and fresh fruit, when working on domestic or home-focused projects honor Hestia through song, hymn, or prayer

Nemesis, Goddess of Retribution

She was invoked against those whose hubris and arrogance got the better of them and was a divine force of reckoning 

Originally she just gave out what people had coming to them, good or bad

Items for Honoring/Symbols: represented by scales or the sword of divine vengeance

Pan, the Goat-Legged Fertility God 

Looks over shepherds and woods, is a musician, and invented the panpipes

Leads the nymphs in dances and stirs up panic 

Items for Honoring/Symbols: 

Priapus, God of Lust and Fertility 

Considered a god of protection in rural areas

According to legend, Hera cursed Priapus with impotence as payback to Aphrodite for her involvement with the Helen of Troy fiasco

Tossed down to Earth when other gods refused to live with him because he was doomed to live his life ugly and unloved

Statues of Priapus often had warnings threatening trespassers, male and female, with acts of sexual violence as punishment

His link on the website is glitched and goes to Freyja

Items for Honoring/Symbols: 

Zeus, Ruler of Olympus

Ruler of all gods and is the distributer of justice and law 

Honored every 4 years at Mt. Olympus 

Is married to Hera but is not loyal to her and has many bastard children

He controls the weather, especially rain and lightning

Items for Honoring/Symbols: 

Source: https://www.learnreligions.com/gods-of-the-ancient-greeks-4590177  and any other links used for individual gods

[hekateanwitchcraft]

Crowned With Snakes and Branches of Oak: Hekate Brimo

This is a post specifically on Hekate Brimo, for Brimo as a general epithet and goddess, please read @nehetisingsforhekate’s post on Brimo.

The Name:

Brimo (Βριμὼ) is an epithet Hekate is sometimes referred to in Her chthonic manifestations, and this name means ‘angry’ or ’terrifying’. Hekate is also called by different names of a similar nature. She is called “δασπλῆτις” (Dasplêtis), meaning frightful or horrid, in Theocrates’ Pharmakeutria. She is also named “θεά δεινός” or “δεινὴ θεὸς” (Thea Deinos/Deini Theos), meaning dread goddess, or frightening goddess. This phrase is used in the Argonautica, referring to Hekate named as Brimo.

Historical Usage:

Brimo is most notably used to refer to Hekate in the Argonautica. She is called Brimo three times, specifically in the rituals of magic that are performed. This shows a trend of calling on Underworld deities specifically by their epithets when worshipping their chthonic manifestations, as well as the trend of magic’s association with chthonic powers. These passages are reproduced below:

“Medea, clothed in black, in the gloom of night, had drawn off this juice in a Caspian shell after bathing in seven perennial steams and calling seven times on Brimo, nurse of youth, Brimo, night-wanderer of the underworld, Queen of the dead. The dark earth shook and rumbled underneath the Titan root when it was cut, and Prometheus himself groaned in the anguish of his soul.” (132)

“Then he dug a pit a cubit deep, piled up the billets, and laid he sheep on top of them after cutting its throat. He kindled the wood from underneath and poured mingled libations onto the sacrifice, calling on Hecate Brimo to help him in the coming test. This done, he withdrew; and the dread goddess, hearing his words from the abyss, came up to accept the offering of Aeson’s son. She was garlanded by fearsome snakes that could themselves round twigs of oak; the twinkle of a thousand torches lit the scene; and hounds of the underworld barked shrilly all around her. The whole meadow trembled under her feet, and the nymphs of the marsh and river...cried out in fear.” (141)

These passages indicate that Brimo was a particularly frightening manifestation of Hekate. One which shook the earth as She emerged, and was attended by fearsome creatures. She even frightened the nymphs who resided in the place where She manifested. 

Brimo is also used as the name for Hekate in Lycrophon’s Alexandra. The passage has been reproduced below:

“O mother, O unhappy mother! thy fame, too, shall not be unknown, but the maiden daughter of Perseus, Triform Brimo, shall make thee her attendant, terrifying with thy baying in the night all mortals who worship not with torches the images of the Zerynthian queen of Strymon, appeasing the goddess of Pherae with sacrifice. And the island spur of Pachynus shall hold thine awful cenotaph, piled by the hands of thy master, prompted by dreams when thou hast gotten the rites of death in front of the streams of Helorus. He shall pour on the shore offerings for thee, unhappy one, fearing the anger of the three-necked goddess, for that he shall hurl the first stone at thy stoning and begin the dark sacrifice to Hades.” (1174-1188)

Here Hekate is called Triform, or three-formed, Brimo. This description of Hekate is also far from one of a peaceful and friendly goddess. Here She is described as angry, and being attended by frightening baying hounds. Thus, Brimo is used to indicate Hekate’s more horrifying manifestations in its historical usage.

Hekate Brimo in My Practice:

In my practice, Brimo is ‘the lowest manifestation of Hekate.” To me, this indicates that Hekate Brimo is the most fearsome, Underwordly version of Hekate. She is a terrifying goddess, crowned with venomous snakes and oak branches. She carries daggers and torches, and sometimes has snakes instead of legs. Her skin is grey and Her eyes are like flames. In Her wake, the ground shakes, and out of Her steps grow the most noxious flowers and roots.

Brimo is the name I give to any of the more dreadful manifestations of Hekate. She is called on for petitions for justice and revenge, and is the goddess invoked in harmful magic. Hekate Brimo is the version of Hekate I associate with the Restless Dead, and who I view as roaming the roadsides on the night of the dark moon. This Hekate is also what I equate with Her role as the Queen of Witches, but not necessarily as the goddess of magic more generally. Her association with magic lies within curses, spells for justice and punishment, spells involving the dead, and rituals which invoke the inhuman daimons of the Underworld, over which She has dominion.

Hekate Brimo is also closely associated with the Erinyes, or Furies, in my veneration of Her. These Underworld goddesses of punishment and justice are frequently associated with Hekate in the PGM, as well as other literature. In Statius’ Thebaid, they are invoked and propitiated together (along with Hermes). These goddesses also mirror Hekate Brimo’s appearance, with snakes in their hair and carrying flaming torches of yew. 

Hekate Brimo is honored with chthonic offerings: libations of milk, honey, and wine. She was also historically offered black sheep. These are burned in a pit, and once these offerings and rituals are completed, one must turn away and not look back. Hekate Brimo is also attended with the hounds of the Underworld, and dogs on earth are in tune with Her presence. Whenever I have done a ritual invoking Hekate as Brimo, I have heard dogs barking before, during, and after. She may also send snakes to you. Plants I associate with this goddess are oak, yew, and various poisons, mainly aconite and mandrake.

Brimo is the face of Hekate which most often captivates audiences, and is the one that should be feared and is the representation of Hekate who is given offerings in hopes of averting Her. This is not an epithet of Hekate to be called on lightly, and these invocations must be done with the utmost care and reverence. She is one of the most frightening goddesses in the Ancient Greek pantheon, and is the stuff of nightmares.

Sources:

https://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius3.html

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0227%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D1190

https://www.theoi.com/Text/LycophronAlexandra.html

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0450%3Asection%3D22

https://www.theoi.com/Text/StatiusThebaid4.html

Art: “Hecate” by Johfra Bosschart

[jaigny]

Hecate Blackwood for @magical-happenings​ ‘s Meet The Bachelorette

Age: Is unknown but looks to be in her early 20′s (23 yrs)

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

Features: Silky blue black hair, Lilac eyes, Round /Heart shaped face. Button nose and Heart shaped lips. Quite petite and short around 5′2′

Likes: Animals, Gardening/Floristry, tea, coffee, hot choc, hidden flowery fields in the dense forests (Lives in Granite falls Hermit lot as a fortune teller) Tarot and palm reading, Tea leaf readings with some delicious butter shortbread! And a really good grilled cheese. 

Dislikes: Idiotic sims, bad rumors, horrific visions, bad garden bugs! Deity meetings and very hot sweltering days.

Bio:

Not much is known really by Hecate, people that reside in Granite Falls say she’s a very interesting young lady they see every now and again as she shops for supplies but noone knows where she lives but know she also sometimes does readings of sorts when she visits town as a side form of simoleons. 

Some say that she’s a seer, or magical goddess of old and lives along the mortal plane in very solstice to collect ‘’bounties of sorts’’, Some say she’s a white wicca or a witch or even a mage due to the strange remedies she conducts like soothing balm for the local Granite Falls Ranger to sell in his supplies lodge for poison ivy and other types of plants and bugs that bite. 

Some are in awe of the stuff and always buy in bulk before leaving the camping grounds -- always asking the ranger to ring and let them know when more stock is available. Then sadly there are those that are afraid of the unexplainable -- even if its just a natural well grease plant balm -- hence the witch rumors.

But alas dear Hecate is much older then what she appears as she is the goddess who is associated with magic but also much more for example being a seer, she has visions, and can also see creatures of the night such as ghosts/spirits and hell-hounds and always does any castings at night, and makes her more advanced spells and potions during a full moon  Most the time during the day if you venture deep into the woods y ou may find a cute stone cottage and a woman outside gardening.

**Please let me know if she is chosen so l can give you her tray files**

[hetalia-pjo-au-hub]

Welcome to the APH Percy Jackson AU!

INTRO

Hello! Welcome to the APH PJO AU. We’re the creators, Wonder and Theo, and this is our first time running an au. You may know us from our involvement in the My Heta Academia AU as the muns of ask-hetaaca-nyoprussia and ask-hetaaca-nyogermany, as well as many others. Before we ramble about us, this is what the au is about: 

The APH PJO AU is an ask blog based group run by us (Wonder and Theo) that takes place in the Percy Jackson Universe at Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter where the countries are mortal demigods instead. 

In this AU, there are endless possibilities for which godly parent your muse has! This means that your muse can’t be a god or a normal human. This also means that your character cannot be the oracle; and only a second muse can be a satyr. 

The Hunters of Artemis are available! They are the only characters that can be either demigods or just plain mortal.

Hera, Artemis, and Hestia are not on the table for being godly parents. Hera won’t have relations outside of her marriage, and Artemis and Hestia are maiden goddesses*

*Athena is also a maiden goddess, but her children come out of her head

The Major Gods and Goddesses**

I. Zeus/Jupiter

-Zeus is the god of the sky, lightning and the thunder in Ancient Greek religion and legends, and ruler of all the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the sixth child of Cronos and Rhea, king and queen of the Titans.

II. Hera/Juno

-Hera is the Queen of the Gods and is the wife and sister of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon. She is known for being the Goddess of Marriage & Birth. Despite being the Goddess of Marriage, she was known to be jealous and vengeful towards the many lovers and offspring of her husband Zeus.

III. Poseidon/Neptune

-Poseidon was god of the sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses and is considered one of the most bad-tempered, moody and greedy Olympian gods. He was known to be vengeful when insulted. He is the son of Cronus and Rhea and was swallowed by his father along with Hades, Demeter, Hestia and Hera.

IV. Demeter/Ceres

-Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and presides over grains and the fertility of the earth. Although she was most often referred to as the goddess of the harvest, she was also goddess of sacred law and the cycle of life and death.

V. Ares/Mars

-Ares is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent and untamed aspect of war and is the personification of sheer brutality, in contrast to his sister, the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and generalship.

VI. Athena/Minerva

-Athena is the Olympian goddess of wisdom and war and the adored patroness of the city of Athens. A virgin deity, she was also – somewhat paradoxically – associated with peace and handicrafts, especially spinning and weaving. Majestic and stern, Athena surpassed everybody in both of her main domains.

VII. Apollo/Apollo

-Apollo is a god in Greek mythology, and one of the Twelve Olympians. He is the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin brother of Artemis. He is the god of healing, medicine, archery, music, poetry and the sun. He is the leader of the Muses. He also is a god of prophecy, and his Oracle at Delphi is very important.

VIII. Artemis/Diana (Hunters of Artemis)

-Artemis was the Greek goddess of hunting, wild nature, and chastity. The daughter of Zeus and sister of Apollo, Artemis was regarded as a patron of girls and young women and a protectress during childbirth

IX. Hephaestus/Vulcan

-Hephaestus was the god of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges and the art of sculpture. He was the son of Zeus and Hera and married to Aphrodite by Zeus to prevent a war of the gods fighting for her hand. He was a smithing god, making all of the weapons for Olympus and acting as a blacksmith for the gods.

X. Aphrodite/Venus

-Aphrodite is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, beauty, pleasure, passion and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess Venus. Aphrodite's major symbols include myrtles, roses, doves, sparrows, and swans.

XI. Hermes/Mercury

-Hermes is a deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Hermes is considered the herald of the gods, as well as the protector of human heralds, travellers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quickly and freely between the worlds of the mortal and the divine, aided by his winged sandals. Hermes plays the role of the psychopomp or "soul guide" — a conductor of souls into the afterlife.

XII. Dionysus/Bacchus

-Dionysus was the ancient Greek god of wine, winemaking, grape cultivation, fertility, ritual madness, theater, and religious ecstasy. His Roman name was Bacchus. He may have been worshiped as early as 1500-11000 BCE by Mycenean Greeks.

XIII. Hades/Pluto

-Hades, in the ancient Greek religion and myth, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although the last son that was regurgitated by his father.

XIV. Iris/Iris

-Iris, in Greek mythology, the personification of the rainbow and (in Homer's Iliad, for example) a messenger of the gods. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, she was the daughter of Thaumas and the ocean nymph Electra.

XV. Hypnos/Somnus

-Hypnos, Latin Somnus, Greco-Roman god of sleep. Hypnos was the son of Nyx (Night) and the twin brother of Thanatos (Death).

XVI. Nemesis/Nemesis

-In ancient Greek religion, Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia ("the goddess of Rhamnous"), is the goddess who enacts retribution against those who succumb to hubris (arrogance before the gods).

XVII. Nike/Victoria

-Nike, in ancient Greek religion, the goddess of victory, daughter of the giant Pallas and of the infernal River Styx.

XVIII. Hebe/Juventas

-Hebe in ancient Greek religion, is the goddess of youth or the prime of life (Roman equivalent: Juventas). She is the daughter of Zeus and his older sister, Hera.

XIX. Tyche/Fortuna

-Tyche, in Greek religion, the goddess of chance, with whom the Roman Fortuna was later identified; a capricious dispenser of good and ill fortune. The Greek poet Hesiod called her the daughter of the Titan Oceanus and his consort Tethys; other writers attributed her fatherhood to Zeus, the supreme god.

XX. Hecate/Trivia

-Hecate or Hekate is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches or a key and in later periods depicted in triple form. She is variously associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, night, light, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery.

**There are plenty of minor gods, and we are willing to work with muses that are children of the minor gods but please try to stick to the main 20 we have listed

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE PART OF THIS AU?

- You must apply according to the application form

-You have to follow the set rules

-You need to be a writer and/or an artist

-You need to have at least one visual reference of your muse. This does not have to be good or in the application, but it does have to be somewhere on the blog.

-You don’t have to be fluent in English, just decent enough to be understandable, as most interactions will he in English.

APPLICATIONS

There will be announcements as to whether or not applications are being accepted. The applications are to be submitted before creating a blog. The application form can be found here.

FAQ

“Can I join even if I’m not that good of an artist/writer/not that popular?” Absolutely! Your skill level and popularity don’t matter, just follow the rules and have fun!

“Can I apply a second time if I wasn’t accepted in the first application phase?” Yes, and we encourage you to do that!

“Is it possible to be part of this au even if I don’t know much/anything about Percy Jackson?” You can join even if you know nothing about the series, just please don’t appropriate the gods.

“Can I have two muses?” Yes, but you can only apply for one at a time, and have to have been part of the au for at least a month before getting a second muse.

“Is Discord needed?” No, but it is recommended as it makes interactions and event planning easier.

“Can I apply even if I know I will not be able to update regularly?” Yes, but update at least once a month. Real life comes first, but if something major comes up, talk to one of the mods. We will try to be understanding.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

It's important to mention that there are people who do follow/work/worship these gods, and that while this is an AU, some Pagan/Wiccan followers may not be too keen on how gods are presented in the PJO series. Please be respectful of their beliefs, and listen if they wish to further educate you. Please make sure that you do your own research into modern practices and interpretations as well, it is one thing to understand ancient practice and mythology, but another to understand modern practice. There are many resources and people online more than willing to help educate, please take advantage of that. And please understand that media portrays the gods and goddesses in ways that are not completely accurate and it is best to be somewhat critical when enjoying media such as PJO, Lore Olympus, Marvel, etc.. Followers of the pantheons should also understand that not everyone knows what you know, and to understand that this is an AU and does not reflect the true beliefs and practices one may come to learn and practice under their own deity work. Please be gentle and kind when correcting or educating those who are not practicing. This AU is not meant to be a completely realistic and accurate interpretation of the pantheon(s) and some wiggle room is acceptable when interpreting. Please only correct and educate if it is a common mistake. Please think critically before you jump in to correct, and remember that not everyone is involved on quite an intimate level of knowledge.

[eclecticgianttreedean]

Hekate (Hecate) Information

This post will be updated as new information comes along to me, however, this is mainly to serve as a page to hold all Hekate information so one doesn’t have to flip through hundreds of pages or browse hundreds of sites. 

If you have additional information, please feel free to contact me so that I may add it.

Allow me to preface the list that when I refer to my own personal accounts with Hekate, it will most likely be different from yours as well as anyone else. My beliefs, although Pagan-Wiccan, are still different and branch out in many traditions. My interpretations aren’t always traditional and may not come across as “correct’ to some, but this is how I’m receiving the energy of the guides I reach out to. We each receive and see (both visually and with our third eye) differently, therefore how I see the beautiful Goddess, how I draw her, how I describe her, and so on and so forth, will be different or at sometimes similar to either traditional descriptions or your own view. 

Without further blabbering, allow me to start my list of compiled information, take and use what you will, and as always, Blessed Be your being, your craft, and your energy in this universe and all lives before and after. 

Hekate, a History:

Hekate (or Hecate) has been associated with many things, most popularly--

Queen of the Night and Moon

Ruler/Practitoner of Spirits and Dead 

Keeper of Keys (especially one master key--The Skeleton Key--that holds access to all realms) 

Goddess/High Priestess of witchcraft and spellwork 

Queen of the Crossroads 

Bringer of justice (especially for women, sufferers of sexual assault, sufferers of injustice) 

Tiple Moon Goddess--The Crone The Maiden The Mother-- known for being present around mothers and childbirth/ fertility

Ruler over parts of the Sea, Sky, and (mostly) Earth

Additional keywords associated with her-- Goddess of Life, Death, Regeneration, Magic (Magick), Wisdom, Choice, Victory, Vengeance, and Travel.

She, in most cases, is known for being witness to every crime. 

Hekate (Hecate) is documented to have been derived from the Carians in Southwest Asia Minor, shortly then accepted in the Greek religion. She is also considered to have been derived from the Egyptian Heket ( Goddess of Birth, Death, Resurrection, etc).

Hekate is written to be the daughter of Titan Perses and (Nymph) Asteria. However, she is also written (in some cases) to be the Daughter of Leto, and in other cases even Zeus. In addition to this, it’s widely accepted that she may also be a cousin of famous twins Apollo (blessed by the Sun) and Artemis (Blessed by the Moon). 

She’s closely associated with Goddess Demeter, having witnessed the abduction of Persephone, and some documents and beliefs rumor them to be related as well, mother-daughter or other. 

Hesiod describes that Zeus honored Hekate above all else, he gave her gifts (sharing Earth, Sea, and Sky), as well as invoking her frequently. 

Hekate in Depictions and Art:

Hekate is typically depicted with two torches, three beings of both youth and old (Crone, Mother, Maiden), dogs and snakes at her side, keys either in hand or on her person, accompanied by the howling of Dogs (usually black dogs or even black cats). 

In most artwork, she is seen with her torches and a snake wrapped around her with hounds at her feet. On Greek pottery, she is typically painted carrying both torch and key, depicting her as the guardian of the Gate of Hades and Mother of the Night. She has been documented to have been painted on a vase being given a puppy, hounds being very sacred to her. 

Moreover, the modern art of her varies in style and depiction of both traditional descriptions and new interpretations with traditional elements. 

Favored People, Those She Most Closely Works With (Not Limited To): 

Midwives

Travelers

Witches

Healers

Herbalists

Those Seeking Justice (sexually assault and other)

Dog/ Horse Lovers

Those Who Favor The Night

Manifestations:

How she appears both in documented accounts and to you will not always be the same. She presents herself to me in my time of spellwork and communication very differently than she is typically depicted to manifest herself and appear to others. That’s quite alright! We all receive energies differently, we all communicate and see differently. No one person will have the exact same relationship with their Patron/Matron/Guide the same way as the next. Here, I will be listing how she is most widely known to manifest herself as well as how to presents herself to myself. There is no wrong answer here, everyone’s craft and their journey are different. 

Typically, Hekate is seen as a shape-shifter. She has been known to appear as either human or animal, usually either a dog or woman, however her presence is not limited to these two. She can be seen as an old crone or a young woman, and in these cases, her clothing, her voice, and her face are up to however you perceive her. She may wear snakes in her hair, or have them on her person, or she may even be a snake, cat, dragon, or dog, just as well as being accompanied by either. 

In my case, she typically appears to me with three black hounds paralleling her every step. My family dog always knows when she’s around and makes sure she is beside me for the spell and interaction. (My family dog is very fond of her). Hekate usually has ink-black hair pulled back in a loose bun with some curls framing her face. Her features are quite youthful and soft with a light but stern voice. I usually see her in silk, a deep purple dress with a black stork head by her chest and some feathers in her hair. She almost always has a triple moon on her forehead--and then we begin our work. 

Symbols and Association:

Key

Torch

Cauldron 

Knife/Athame

Broom

Moon Symbols

Number 3

Mirrors

Sacred Animals:

Snakes

Toads

Dragons

Cats (Polecats)

Dogs

Horses

Sometimes Cows and Boars

Ravens (on occasion)

Spiders

Centipedes

Stork

ferret

Colors:

Black

Red

Sometimes Purple

Orange-Yellow

Plants and Trees:

Garlic

Lavender

Mandrake

Poppies

Pomegranate 

Black Poplar

Dates

Yew

Mugwort

Dandelions

Mint

Oak

Cypress

Belladonna 

Honey

Myrrh

Saffron

Rosemary

Laurel Leaves

Crystals:

Black Onyx 

Smokey Quartz

Black Tourmaline

Marble

Moonstone

Silver

Offerings and Whatnot:

Eggs

Garlic

Honey/ Lavender Honey

Croissants/ Crescent-shaped things

Breads and Pastries

Black or Red candles

Incense

Keys

Dog fur

Bones

Herbs

Stones

Spellwork

Crossroad or Cemetary dirt

Sacred Times and Dates:

Anytime after nightfall is a perfect time to invoke the Goddess and/or begin spellwork. Specific dates have been known to be the last day of each month, Friday the 13th of any month (but most sacred is in August), and November 16th.

Invocations, to me at least, are very personal and heart heavy. I choose to write my own however if you wish for me to share I’ll make another post for them or add them onto this blog post.

This is all for now, 

Blessed Be.

[ohthatwitchagain]

Hecate

As a Greek, I was surprised when I found out even that Hecate (Εκάτη) existed. Why? Because in all the years that we were taught anything related to ancient Greece at school, not once was Hecate mentioned. However, she is a goddesses witch quite a rich and diverse backstory. 

Her name means "worker from afar" from the Greek word hekatos. The masculine form of the name, Hekatos, was a common epithet of the god Apollon. .She is was associated in various ways with crossroads, entrances, light, magic, the knowledge of medicinal and poisonous herbs, ghosts and necromancy.

The poet of Theogony, Hesiod, recognizes in her face the mighty Lady of the three kingdoms: earth, sky and sea. He also says that the goddess exercised her sovereignty from the time of the Titans before Zeus and his class came to power. The new ruler of the world honored her, leaving her in her original glory, and most of all giving her wonderful gifts, a share of the earth, the sea and the starry sky. Zeus, according to Hesiod, did not treat her violently, nor did he take away from her what the Titans had given her. Hekate also helps warriors in war and kings in the administration of justice. He brings honors to sports, protects hunters and fishermen and, along with Mercury, protects herds.

Aeschylus connects her with the Moon and presents her as Artemis-Hecate, while Euripides considers her the daughter of Leto, and first in Medea he presents her as the goddess protector of witches. Hecate is therefore connected and identified with Demeter, Persephone, Mercury and the Underworld, the Earth, Pan, Kyveli and Koryvantes. She was also associated with dogs, and often puppies would be sacrificed in her honor (do not do that).

It seems that Hecate was/is variously…

* The great mother goddess, giving birth to the sun every morning

* The frog-headed goddess of the primordeal waters (ancient Egypt)

* Midwife to the goddesses

* Symbol of the cycle of birth, death and rebirth

The triple goddess of the moon – waxing and waning. full, and new, or Clotho (spinning the threads of life), Lachesis (measuring life), and Atrophos (cutting the threads of life)

* One aspect of the triple-headed goddess representing three aspects of the moon – Hecate representing the dark side of the moon

* One aspect of maiden (Persephone), mother (Demeter) and crone (Hecate). *see Melia’s comment below this post

* A great witch, daughter of Aeetes, the magician, and a High Priestess (Colchis – now Georgia)

* Queen of the Underworld

* The chief goddess – queen of goddesses (what was Turkey)

* Goddess of the Night and giver of nocturnal visions, lunacy, ‘moon-madness’

* Goddess of crossroads – a point where three roads meet

Today, Hecate can be seen as a symbol of life’s cycle – as a mother and midwife bringing forth new life, as a guardian of death, and as the new moon follows the dark, a symbol of rebirth and renewal. In this sense, she is associated with The Moon Tarot card, where The Moon represents cycles, and unexplainable fear. As the ‘giver of nocturnal visions’ she is the goddess of ‘moon madness’. But stronger.

For me, it’s about being unafraid of change. It’s those root meanings in the Death card – finding the ability to stare death – whatever death means in context – in the face and pass through the transformation it brings. Realising that death is a necessary part of life, that one person will undergo many deaths and rebirths in one lifetime, and that these are a healthy, natural, scary part of our journey.

Info from:

The greek wiki page

http://blog.littleredtarot.com/searching-for-hecate-panakaeia-journal/

[celticpagans]

Gods and Goddesses

Pachamama - Pachi Mama, Patchi-Mama or Pachimama is the Quechan or Inca word for “Mother Earth” or more accurately “our mother in space and time”. Most cultures have an EarthMother concept and those of South America are no exception. But the word “Pachamama” goes beyond the name of a single Goddess, it encompasses a entire world view and way of life. It involves the belief that the Earth is a living being and the mother of all of Earth's life. In traditional societies, grown children were expected to take care of their parents and thus, it should be expected that we all care for Pachamama. Pachamama cares for her children as a mother cares for her young and does not turn away from them. If she fails to provide, it is because she is not well. Pomona - Pomona is a wood nymph, one of the Numia or place spirit, and the Roman Goddess of orchard fruit. Her name comes from the Latin word for fruit, the French word for apple is pomme (derived from the Latin). Quetzalcoatl - Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. He is a powerful and benevolent dragon-type entity associated with harvests, wild animals, the morning star (Venus), wind and rain. He is also a god of learning, reading, and books. Ra - Ra is the ancient Egyptian God of the sun. He is swallowed every night by Nut and reborn again every morning. Alternatively he travels through the underworld at night. In the Underworld he is imaged as a man with the head of a ram. In the upper world he is imaged as a man with the head of a hawk crowned by a sun disk. Saturn - Saturn or Saturnus is the ancient Roman God of agriculture, the sowing of seeds, wealth, the seasons, cycles of decay and renewal and the passage of time. Sekhmet - Sekhmet is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of war. She is imaged as a woman with the head of a lioness. Her name means "powerful one". Selene - Selene (suh LEE nee) Σελήνη is the ancient Greek Titan Goddess and personification of the Moon. Selene drives her chariot silver drawn by two white winged horses or bulls across the sky each night. Sometimes she is riding a bull or a horse. Seshat - Seshat is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of writing and measurement. She is imaged as a woman wearing a panther skin with a star on her headdress. Seth - Seth or Set is the ancient Egyption God of disharmony and destruction. He murdered Osiris and battled with Horus for the throne of Egypt. In earlier times He was associated with Eygptian royalty. He is imaged as a man with the head of a strange animal, known as the Set animal. (It looks a little like an ant eater to me.) Shu - Shu is the ancient Egyptian God who holds up the arch of the sky (Nut) so that the Earth and Sky are separate. Sobek - Sobek is the personification of the Nile crocodile. He is pictured either as a crocodile or as a powerful man with the head of a crocodile. Temples to him were located throughout Egypt where crocodiles were common. Some of the temples kept pools where sacred temple crocodiles were offered the best cuts of meat. These crocodiles became tame and were mummified after their deaths. Tammuz - Tammuz is the name of the ancient Sumerian God of food and vegetation. The name means "faithful son". He was the consort of Innana. Tawaret - Tawaret is an ancient Egyptian Goddess associated with women and childbirth. Her appearance is a composite with the head of a hippopotamus, the tail of a crocodile and the body of a lion, with features of a heavily pregnant woman. Like Bes images of Tawaret were often kept in the home as protective amulets. Tefnut - Tefnut is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of moisture. She is the wife of Shu and mother of Nut and Geb. She is often depicted with the head of a lioness. The Charities - The Charities or Kharities are the ancient Greek Goddesses of charm, beauty, creativity and fertility, but more specifically, they seem to be the Goddesses of pleasant things that result from peaceful gatherings of people, especially festivities. The Dioscuri - The Dioscuri (sons of Zeus in Greek) is the name given to the twins Castor and Pollux (Polydeuces) who were the brothers of Clytemnestra and Helen of Sparta featured in The Illiad and The Odyssey. Their mother was Leda, Queen of Sparta and wife of Tyndareus. It is said the Leda was seduced by Zeus in the shape of a swan and gave birth to an egg which held her children. Some stories say she laid two eggs, one containing Helen and Pollux and the other containing Clytemnestra and Castor and that Helen and Pollux are the children of Zeus and Clytemnestra and Castor the children of Tyndareus born a more traditional way. Other sources say that Castor and Pollux were born of the egg and Clytemnestra and Helen are the daughters of Tyndareus. Whatever their paternity, the brothers were very close and went everywhere together. The Graces - The Graces, from the Latin Gratiae, or Charities (from the Greek Charis pronounced kh á ris) are the Goddesses of harmony and accord. The Holly King - The Holly King is a masculine neopagan deity who holds court from midsummer to midwinter. His twin and adversary, the Oak King, rules the opposite half of the year. Thoth - Thoth is the ancient Egyptian God of writing and knowledge. He provided the gift of hieroglyphic writing to the people. He is also associated with alchemy and magick and is associated with the moon. He is depicted as a man with the head of an ibis and is also symbolized by the baboon. Turms - Turms is the Etruscan God of boundaries, trade and commerce, psychopomp and a messanger between mortals and Gods. Turms was associated with the Greek God Hermes and the Roman God Mercury. Demeter - Demeter is a Hellenic Mother Goddess, Grain and Harvest Goddess and founder of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Devana - Devana is the name of a Russian Goddess of the hunt who is said to roam the Carpathian forest. Diana - The name Diana comes from Latin divios meaning "heavenly" or "divine". Dionysus - Dionysus or Dionysos is the Greek God of the grape harvest, wine, revelry, festivity, processions, religious ecstasy, madness, drunken violence, epiphany, androgyny, homosexuality, transformation and rebirth after death. He brought viticulture to humanity and this was a major leap in the progress of civilization. Eostre - Eostre is the name of a Tuetonic Goddess about whom we know very little. It is only noted in the writings of Venerable Bede that the Germanic name for the month of April, Eosturmōnaþ (Northumbrian), Ēastermōnaþ (West Saxon), Ôstarmânoth (Old High German), was named for a Goddess called Eostre or Ostara whose feast day was celebrated in the spring and further speculated by the writings of Jacob Grimm . There is little to no additional information about the Goddess, though there is quite a bit about the feast day called Eostre or more commonly Ostara. There are no stories about her and she doesn't appear as part of the family of Gods in any Germanic pantheon. Erzulie - Erzuli or Erzulie is a family of Voodou Goddess/spirits or Lwa. Some believe all the Goddesses are aspects of one Goddess collectively known as Erzulie, while others hold that they are independent Goddesses all representing different aspects of the same idea similar to the Charities or the Fates. Estsanatlehi - Estsanatlehi is a Navaho Goddess from the Arizona area. Her name means "The woman who changes" or maybe "She who renews herself". She is also called "Changing Woman" by modern worshipers and has also been called "Turquoise Woman", and "Painted Woman". Estsanatlehi ages, but then grows young again. How this occurs varies by story but many view her as the personification of the changing seasons and the eternal cycle of life. She is the sister of Yolkai Estsan. Freyja - Freyja is the Norse Goddess of love, beauty, magic (seidhr), fertility, war and death. Her name means "The Lady". She is one of the Vanir, sister to Freyr, daughter to Njörðr and mother to Hnoss and Gersemi by Óðr. Geb - Geb is the husband and brother of the sky Goddess Nut and father by Her of Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nepthys. He is imaged as a man with a goose on his head, or as a man lying beneath the arch of the sky. Hades - Hades is the Greek God of the Underworld. The name relates to the Doric word Aidas meaning “unseen”. He was also known as Plouton meaning “rich one” as his domain also includes all of the minerals that can be found beneath the ground and the riches they represent. Hapy - Hapy is the ancient Egyptian God of seasonal flooding which allowed the people along the Nile to grow crops. Hathor - Hathor is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of happiness and protectress of the hearth. She is the wife of Horus and sometimes considered to be the mother of the Pharoah. Her name means "house of Horus". Hebe - Hebe is the ancient Greek Goddess of youth, the daughter of Hera and Zeus, as well as the wife to Heracles. Hebe was the Cupbearer of Olympus, serving nectar and ambrosia to the Gods and Goddesses, until she was married to Heracles. Her successor was Zeus' lover Ganymede. Hecate - For many modern witchcraft traditions, Hecate is the Dark Goddess and associated with the spirits of the dead, ghosts, the dark of the moon, baneful herbs, curses and black magic. For others, Hecate is the Crone Goddess, ruling over the third stage of a woman's life, that beyond her childbearing years when she can focus on deepening the skills and information collected throughout her lifetime, when knowledge and experience is refined into wisdom. Historically, Hecate has served many roles. She is an incredibly ancient Goddess with origins lost in the mists of time. Heqet - Heqet (Or Heket, Hekit, Hequat) is the ancient Egyptian frog Goddess of fertility. She is imaged as a frog, a frog-headed woman or a frog at the end of a phallus. She is the wife of Khnum and is associated with the flooding of the nile. it is Heqet who breathes life into a newborn baby. Some claim that Her priestesses were trained in midwifery, though there is scant evidence of such. Women wore amulets of a frog sitting on a lotus during the last stages of pregnancy to encourage Her blessings. Hera - Hera, Queen of Heaven Hera ( Ἥρα), Hēra is one of the Olympian Gods, the Greek Sky Goddess of women and marriage and the wife of Zeus, the King of the Gods. Hera is associated with the Roman Goddess Juno. Hermes - Hermes is the multifaceted messenger of the Gods. He is the Watcher at the Gates, a Thief in the Night, the mischievous God of Luck and the Psychopomp who guides souls to the afterworld, and also guides us through dream space. Horus - Horus is the ancient Egyptian protector of the ruler of Egypt. The Pharaoh was considered to be the living incarnation of Horus. After Osiris was murdered by Seth, Horus fought with Seth for the rule of Egypt. In the battle he lost an eye. This Eye of Horus became an important symbol of protection. After the battle, Geb proclaimed Horus the ruler of the living. Isis - Isis is the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. She is a powerful protective Goddess associated with the rulers of ancient Egypt. She is imaged as a woman with a headdress in the shape of a throne and is often depicted nursing the infant Horus. Iusaaset - Iusaaset was the consort and "shadow" of Atum in some stories about Him. She is the mother and grandmother of all the Gods by Atum. Her name means the great one who comes forth. Janus - The ancient Roman God Janus, or more properly Ianus, is the God of beginnings, endings, transitions, times, doorways, gateways, passageways, movement and travelling. He is depicted as having two faces because he sees both the past and the future and is looking both and where you've been and where you're going. He was ritually invoked by the priests at the beginning of each ceremony for all the other Gods as he reigns as guardian of the gates between worlds and thus intermediary between mortals and the divine. Juno - Juno is the Roman Queen of the Gods, Goddess of women and protectress of the state. She is often associated with the Greek Hera and the Etruscan Goddesses Uni or Cupra. Together with Jupiter and Minerva she was part of the Capitoline Triad of the primary Gods of Rome and is the mother of Mars the tutelary God of Rome. The month June is named for Her and the first day of each month, the Kalends, is dedicated to Her. Jupiter - In Roman mythology, Jupiter or Jove is the King of the Gods and the God of the sky and thunder. He has been associated with zeus of the Greek Pantheon. Khepri - Khepri is an ancient Egyptian God associated with creation, rebirth and the movement of the sun. He is often connected with Atum or Ra. His symbol is the scarab. Khnum - Khnum was a creator God who molded the first people out of clay from the Nile. He was originally the God of the source of the Nile river, but Hapy took over that role. Khnum makes infants out of clay and places them in their mothers' wombs. Then his wife Heqet breathes life into them when they emerge. Lucifer - Few names stir up as much controversy as that of Lucifer, a minor Latin God associated with the dawn star, or Venus, herald of the Goddess of the Dawn whose singular appearance in the Bible in Isaiah 14:12 which says "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" has forever branded His equivalent to the Christian Devil. This misunderstanding, as so many in the Christian Bible, comes from a translation issue from the Hebrew to Greek to Latin1. Footnotes 1. See commentary for Mormons at http://www.lds-mormon.com/lucifer.shtml Ma'at - Ma'at is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of balance, truth, justice and harmony. She is the daugher of Ra. Maia - According to ancient Hellenic Lore, Maia was the eldest and most beautiful of the Pleides, daughters of Atlas and Pleione. She is the mother of Hermes. In Roman lore she is identified with Maia Maiestas. Mars - Mars was the Tutelary God of ancient Rome, the Roman God of war, and one of the most important Gods in ancient Rome, second only to his father Jupiter. The month of March is named for Him and His feast days are Feriae Marti on March 1st and Armilustrium on October 19 Mary - Mary, the virgin mother of the man-God Jesus of Christian lore is honored by many Christo-Pagans and Christian witches as a mother Goddess. She is often referred to as The Madonna. She is the Queen of Heaven, the Bride of God and the Mother of God. Mercury - The Roman God Mercury, or Mercurius, is a messenger God concerned with trade and profit. His name derives from the Latin word merx which means ''merchandise''. Nabu - Nabu is the Babylonian God of wisdom and writing. Nabu writes the will of the Gods on the tablet of each human life. Neit - Neit, Nit, Net, or Neith was a war Goddess honored in the town of Sais. She was the patroness and protector of Egyptian soldiers and virgins. She was also associated with weaving. New Kingdom traditions say that she is the mother of Sobek and the protector of the royal crown. She is shown wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt, or a headpiece showing a shield with two crossed arrows and she carries a bow and arrow in one hand and an ankh in the other. Nephthys - Nephthys is the ancient Egyptian protectress of the dead, sister of Isis and Osiris, wife of Seth and mother of Anubis. Her name means "Lady of the Mansion". Nuada - Nuada Airgetlám of the Silver Hand (Also spelled Nuadu, Nuadha, Airgeadlámh) was the God-King of the Tuatha Dé Danann before they came to Ireland and for some time after. Nun - Nun or Nu is the eldest of the Egyptian Gods. He is the primordial waters of chaos and all that existed before the first land rose out of the sea. He is imaged as a man carrying a bark canoe. Nut - Nut is the sky Goddess whose body forms the vault of sky over the earth. She is the sister and wife of Geb and mother of Isis, Osiris, Seth and Nephthys. At the end of each day, she swallows Ra and every morning gives birth to Him again. Odin - Odin is the one-eyed All-Father of the Norse pantheon. His wife is Frigg, the Goddess of Wisdom. Odin carries out war and gives strength to his enemies. Thor was actually more typically associated with peace and abundance than Odin was, and tended to be a more primary god for the living. Osiris - The name Osiris is a Greek translation of the Egyptian word which may have been pronounced Us-iri, which means "Throne of the Eye". Ostara - The Goddess Ostara is a Germanic Goddess of springtime and the dawn. Her name is believed to be related to the word East, from which the light of dawn emerges. Pachamama - Pachi Mama, Patchi-Mama or Pachimama is the Quechan or Inca word for “Mother Earth” or more accurately “our mother in space and time”. Most cultures have an EarthMother concept and those of South America are no exception. But the word “Pachamama” goes beyond the name of a single Goddess, it encompasses a entire world view and way of life. It involves the belief that the Earth is a living being and the mother of all of Earth's life. In traditional societies, grown children were expected to take care of their parents and thus, it should be expected that we all care for Pachamama. Pachamama cares for her children as a mother cares for her young and does not turn away from them. If she fails to provide, it is because she is not well. Pomona - Pomona is a wood nymph, one of the Numia or place spirit, and the Roman Goddess of orchard fruit. Her name comes from the Latin word for fruit, the French word for apple is pomme (derived from the Latin). Quetzalcoatl - Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-AH-tl) is the feathered serpent god of the Aztecs and Toltecs. He is a powerful and benevolent dragon-type entity associated with harvests, wild animals, the morning star (Venus), wind and rain. He is also a god of learning, reading, and books. Ra - Ra is the ancient Egyptian God of the sun. He is swallowed every night by Nut and reborn again every morning. Alternatively he travels through the underworld at night. In the Underworld he is imaged as a man with the head of a ram. In the upper world he is imaged as a man with the head of a hawk crowned by a sun disk. Saturn - Saturn or Saturnus is the ancient Roman God of agriculture, the sowing of seeds, wealth, the seasons, cycles of decay and renewal and the passage of time. Sekhmet - Sekhmet is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of war. She is imaged as a woman with the head of a lioness. Her name means "powerful one". Selene - Selene (suh LEE nee) Σελήνη is the ancient Greek Titan Goddess and personification of the Moon. Selene drives her chariot silver drawn by two white winged horses or bulls across the sky each night. Sometimes she is riding a bull or a horse. Seshat - Seshat is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of writing and measurement. She is imaged as a woman wearing a panther skin with a star on her headdress. Seth - Seth or Set is the ancient Egyption God of disharmony and destruction. He murdered Osiris and battled with Horus for the throne of Egypt. In earlier times He was associated with Eygptian royalty. He is imaged as a man with the head of a strange animal, known as the Set animal. (It looks a little like an ant eater to me.) Shu - Shu is the ancient Egyptian God who holds up the arch of the sky (Nut) so that the Earth and Sky are separate. Sobek - Sobek is the personification of the Nile crocodile. He is pictured either as a crocodile or as a powerful man with the head of a crocodile. Temples to him were located throughout Egypt where crocodiles were common. Some of the temples kept pools where sacred temple crocodiles were offered the best cuts of meat. These crocodiles became tame and were mummified after their deaths. Tammuz - Tammuz is the name of the ancient Sumerian God of food and vegetation. The name means "faithful son". He was the consort of Innana. Tawaret - Tawaret is an ancient Egyptian Goddess associated with women and childbirth. Her appearance is a composite with the head of a hippopotamus, the tail of a crocodile and the body of a lion, with features of a heavily pregnant woman. Like Bes images of Tawaret were often kept in the home as protective amulets. Tefnut - Tefnut is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of moisture. She is the wife of Shu and mother of Nut and Geb. She is often depicted with the head of a lioness. The Charities - The Charities or Kharities are the ancient Greek Goddesses of charm, beauty, creativity and fertility, but more specifically, they seem to be the Goddesses of pleasant things that result from peaceful gatherings of people, especially festivities. The Dioscuri - The Dioscuri (sons of Zeus in Greek) is the name given to the twins Castor and Pollux (Polydeuces) who were the brothers of Clytemnestra and Helen of Sparta featured in The Illiad and The Odyssey. Their mother was Leda, Queen of Sparta and wife of Tyndareus. It is said the Leda was seduced by Zeus in the shape of a swan and gave birth to an egg which held her children. Some stories say she laid two eggs, one containing Helen and Pollux and the other containing Clytemnestra and Castor and that Helen and Pollux are the children of Zeus and Clytemnestra and Castor the children of Tyndareus born a more traditional way. Other sources say that Castor and Pollux were born of the egg and Clytemnestra and Helen are the daughters of Tyndareus. Whatever their paternity, the brothers were very close and went everywhere together. The Graces - The Graces, from the Latin Gratiae, or Charities (from the Greek Charis pronounced kh á ris) are the Goddesses of harmony and accord. The Holly King - The Holly King is a masculine neopagan deity who holds court from midsummer to midwinter. His twin and adversary, the Oak King, rules the opposite half of the year. Thoth - Thoth is the ancient Egyptian God of writing and knowledge. He provided the gift of hieroglyphic writing to the people. He is also associated with alchemy and magick and is associated with the moon. He is depicted as a man with the head of an ibis and is also symbolized by the baboon. Turms - Turms is the Etruscan God of boundaries, trade and commerce, psychopomp and a messanger between mortals and Gods. Turms was associated with the Greek God Hermes and the Roman God Mercury.

[tipsycad147]

Berchta: Ancient Alpine Goddess of Women, Children, and the Perchten

Berchta: Goddess with Ancient, Mysterious Origins

Berchta is a name that’s changed often over the centuries. A once widespread and greatly loved Germanic goddess, she still survives in German, Swiss, and Austrian folklore but under a different, more hideous guise. She is the leader of the Perchten. She is also known by Berhta, Bertha, Beraht, Perchta, Percht, Frau Percht, Frau Faste, Pehta, Perhta-Baba, and more. Berchta’s origins are ancient Germanic; however, one theory suggests she was worshipped by ancient alpine Celtic tribes before the Germanic tribes. Jacob Grimm writes of Berchta, and from his works we find most of our information on this obscure goddess. In his book Teutonic Mythology, Grimm writes of Berchta’s cult centred in Southern Germany near the Black Forest, through the Alps of Switzerland, into Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and into France and Northern Italy, before the rise of the Church.

She is likely much older as Grimm theorizes, because her attributes are seen in multiple goddesses throughout Europe. One specific Germanic goddess seems to be the same deity – Hulda (also known Huldra, Holda or Frau Holle). She is the Northern German aspect of Berchta (which we will explore later in this article). Berchta is associated with the ancient fertility goddess Nerthus, the Wild Hunt god Berchtold, and with Wodan (Germanic form of Odin). She might have been the same deity as Diana, Hecate, Abundia, or the Italian Christmas witch La Befana. Her name is still uttered at the Perchten parades in modern times.

Berchta: Goddess, Psychopomp, Shapeshifter

Goddess and Psychopomp

Berchta was a beloved goddess who protected babies, children, and women. Through Grimm’s writings, we see glimpses into a past Germany where Berchta was a psychopomp (a guide to the afterlife), caring especially for babies and children’s souls. Gently, like a mother, she leads them to the next life. In one tale of Berchta, in which a grieving mother spots her recently-deceased little boy following a group of children along a hillside. The children are following a motherly woman in a white gown. The boy breaks away to address his sorrowful mother. In his hands he shows her a bucket of water, which he says is his mother’s tears. Then he tells her not to weep for him, for he is safe and sound under the White Lady’s watch (Berchta).

Because of her association with the cycle of life-death-rebirth, Berchta wears a belt with three golden keys hanging from it. The 3 keys represent the 3 cycles: birth/death/rebirth of which Berchta presides over. She had long, black hair worn in braids on the sides of her head, and wears a long, white gown. This is why she has been referred to as the White Woman or Lady in White, etc. In later tales, Berchta appears as a hag or crone, an elderly woman in disheveled dress. This could indicate Berchta as a triple goddess – maiden, mother, and crone, or it demonstrates the demonetisation of her name with the rise of the Church.

Shapeshifter

Another major aspect of Berchta is her shapeshifting abilities. Berchta has been described as having the feet of a goose or one goose-foot. She also takes the form of a swan. This indicates another of her attributes involved protection of wildlife, but it also recognizes Berchta as a shapeshifter. This isn’t a far-fetched idea, since many of the ancient gods and goddesses were connected with the animal-world and were shapeshifters or deified land spirits. In this regard, Berchta was the “guardian of beasts”.

Birch and Evergreens

From my research in Germanic folklore and mythology, Berchta’s name is derived from the word birch, as in the birch tree. Berchta has a deep connection with the birch tree, which was a well-known representation of the goddess in Scandinavia. The rune Berkano is named for the birch tree, and is directly related to the goddess’ name Berchta, therefore this rune is sacred to Berchta.

Because Berchta was an alpine goddess, she lives under the evergreen trees and the holly tree is sacred to her. Other plants in her domain include mayflower (which she holds in her hand in some spring lore), flax (which she spins along with people’s fate), wild berries and, as mentioned previously, birch trees. Animals associated with Berchta include the goose, swan, mountain goat, cricket, owl, and fox. Any animal in the Alpine region is under her domain and protection (ibex, weasel, marmot, stork, etc). Berchta’s home is the mountains.

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Berchta’s Magical Associations

Plants  Evergreens,  Holly,  Birch,  Mayflower,  Wild berries

Animals  Goose,  Swan,  Goat,  Cricket,  Flax Owl,  Fox

Associated Deities  Wodan (Odin),  La Befana, Frigga, Holda, Hecate,  Diana

Frau Berchta shakes out her goose-down blankets to create the first snow of the year.

Berchta in Folklore: The Wild Hunt, Frau Holle, Mother Goose

After the Church’s rise to power in the Middle Ages, Berchta became less and less god-like. She was no longer worshipped as she had been before. Because of her widespread cult, the Church had no other option but to demonise her. They demoted her from a Goddess to a witch. Her name became a fairy tale…a piece of folklore…a name to be feared.

The Wild Hunt

One well-known legend in Europe is the Wild Hunt. The Wild Hunt is a procession of spirits, witches, and demons that ride through the skies on certain nights of the year, collecting the souls of the dead. Some tales say these are the souls of the recently deceased, others say they were fairies or devils. Berchta became one of the Wild Hunt spirits. In most tales, she became a leader of the Wild Hunt alongside Wotan or Berchtold. The Wild Hunt was a  folkloric derivation of an old pagan belief in god procession. The ancient pagan gods rode their horses in the clouds at night, either waging war with one another or, to the benefit of the people on earth, bringing abundance. On a side note, Odin is an early inspiration for Santa Claus as he was said to ride through the air on his steed – Sleipnir. And if we compare Berchta to the Italian Christmas Witch, La Befana, both rode through the air during the Christmas season bringing abundance. Also, if we think about Berchta as a psychopomp (guide to the dead), it makes sense why she was a part of the Wild Hunt, sweeping up the souls of the departed. The Wild Hunt might’ve become the Perchten.

Berchta and Holda

Berchta is another version of the Germanic goddess Holda. When Holda is mentioned in German folklore, her name is often substituted with Berchta, and vice versa. When the writer inquired from a modern day German about Berchta, she confirmed Berchta is still a part of their traditions. Berchta or “Frau Berchta” or “Frau Holle” shakes out her feather bed, creating the first snow fall each year in Germany (sketch of Frau Holle shaking out her pillow can be seen below). In Grimm’s Fairy Tales, there is a tale of Mother Holle. Mother Holle is a “fairy godmother” being who either punishes or bestows gifts on young women depending on their honesty and work ethic. This fairy tale relates to older Middle Age tales of Berchta leaving every-day items as a reward, such as wood-chips, which turn to gold for good, hard-working people.

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Berchtentag and Berchtesgaden

Berchta’s name is seen in two instances in modern Germany: Berchtentag, which is the Night of the Epiphany, and Berchtesgaden, a national park whose name translates to Berchta’s Garden. Berchtentag, also known as the Night of the Epiphany, is commemorated on January 5th or 6th, and is the twelfth night of Christmas. Berchta visited families on Berchtentag, and it was encouraged to leave out fish and gruel, cakes and milk, as offerings else Berchta punish in gruesome ways. How closely does the tradition of modern-day Santa Claus, leaving cookies and milk on Christmas Eve, resemble the ancient tradition of leaving offerings for the gods?

Berchtesgaden is a town in the shadow of the German Bavarian Alps. Scholars debate on the etymology of the town’s name; however, the writer believes the terms origins are clear – Berchta’s Garden. It is a beautiful landscape with green forests, tall snow-capped mountains, and is known for its local salt mines which have economically enriched the town since the fifteen hundreds. Grimm mentions salt mines were associated with witches, therefore associated with Berchta. In modern times, Berchta’s horde parades around Berchtesgaden to scare away the winter ghosts.

Mother Goose

Have you ever wondered where the story of Mother Goose came from? Some believe Mother Goose is a modern version of Mother Berchta. Berchta was flanked by geese, and her counterpart Holda is wears a goose-down cape. Berchta shakes out her goose-down blankets to create the first snow each year. She has goose feet or one large goose-foot in many tales. Because she is a guardian of children, a guide of babies’ souls in the afterlife, the good memory was passed down in the form of an old woman who kept children’s stories alive…in the form of Mother Goose. If we examine the modern depictions of Berchta, Frau Holle, etc. there is an uncanny resemblance to Mother Goose.

Berchtesgaden was once Berchta’s domain in Bavaria.

A Demonized Berchta and the Perchten

Berchta, The Demon Witch

Unfortunately, Berchta as the White Lady, gift-giver, guide and protector of babes, domestic goddess of spinning and women, was nearly stomped out when the Church rose to power. When the Church came against pagan customs that couldn’t be absorbed, the only way to get the “pagans” to convert was to use fear. So Berchta, the wise white lady, was demonised and turned into a crooked-nosed, belly-slitting witch and leader of the Perchten. There were tales of Berchta the witch who captured children and ate them, similar to the horrific tales of Krampus. There were tales of Berchta, the Christmas hag, who would stuff the bad kids into her giant sack. If she was displeased with her offerings on the Night of the Epiphany, she would slit the person’s belly open and stuff him or her with straw. Berchta’s ancient link to the Winter Solstice wouldn’t be snuffed out, so the Church had to frighten the new converts into believing she was a demon. An iron-nosed, hideous hag who would eat babies and mutilate people. This isn’t a theory. It’s a fact. The cult of Berchta was outlawed in Bavaria (where Berchtesgaden is located) in the year of 1468, according to the Thesaurus Pauperum. Leaving Berchta offerings during Christmas-time was also forbade and documented by church officials in the same century.

The Perchten

In addition to Berchta becoming a frightening Christmas belly-slitting witch, her consorts became terrifying demons – the Perchten. A tradition of dressing in hideous masks and taking part in parades around the Christmas holidays still happens in modern times in Germany (in Berchtesgaden), Switzerland, Austria, etc. The Perchten parade alongside Krampus, and the people believe it’s an old folk tradition to scare away the winter ghosts. The Perchten scare away more than ghosts!

Berchta, The Belly Slitter

The terrifying names of Berchta – the iron-nosed and the belly-slitter – while a part of her demonetisation, show an ancient shamanic tradition of initiation. What struck me as intriguing – Berchta’s act of slitting bellies and filling them with straw. Shamanic initiation involves the shaman going through a near-death experience, often with visions of losing limbs or being disemboweled, and then being “put back together” again. What the Church called “bad” people were people who rebelled or stuck with their original customs, and therefore Berchta would “slit their bellies”. Sounds scary but to ancient pagans was a wink to shamanic initiation. As far as her iron-nose, there’s a clear correlation with other ancient goddesses who were demonised, including the well-known Hungarian hag, the iron-nosed Baba Yaga (it should be noted this forest-witch sat at a spinning wheel and lived in a house atop a large bird foot).

If we view Berchta as the demonised, child-eating witch, then we are still keeping her name alive. But if we were to really dive into the depths of her name, her ancestral lineage, and beautiful history, we would see she is much different than modern church and folkloric distinctions portray. She didn’t eat children, she protected and guided them. She punished those who deserved punishment, but rewarded those were pure of heart. Her beauty and light can be seen in the wild and snow-capped peaks of the Alps to this day.

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