Who is Hekate?
Like many goddesses of the Old World, Hekate’s origins are mysterious. She is commonly known as a goddess of ancient Greece, a period which is generally understood to encompass 1200 BCE–500 CE, but she did not originate there. She may have originated in the Minoan civilization (2700–1100 BCE), or was at least influenced by gods of that culture. Evidence of Hekate worship has also been found in Sicily, Libya, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Syria. The town of Lagina is thought to be home to her most important cult center. In Roman times (800 BCE to roughly 500 CE), she was given many complimentary titles, including “savior,” “greatest,” and “most manifest.” The first writer to describe her was the poet Hesiod, who lived in ancient Greece between 750 and 650 BCE and wrote about Hekate as though she was already quite familiar—not only to himself but to his contemporaries, too, giving us a hint that we are looking at a very ancient goddess indeed.
 
 
Being a Witch Today
Witchcraft has existed in the corners of every society. A Witch could have been the grandmother who could cure a chest cold by waving a rosary over it, or the old blind man at the end of the lane who told a person’s fortune by tracing his finger on their palm. The individuals in these examples might not have called themselves Witches, but their power was feared and revered nonetheless. Even in this age of technology, science, and fundamental religions that often denounce such things, storefront psychics flourish and Witchcraft stores are easy to find. The Witch isn’t “back”; the Witch never went anywhere. But the Witch has become a prominent fixture, and, as in past years, remains connected to Hekate.
When the gods enter our lives, they move things around. But the consequences and chaos are often tough blessings—hurtful or restrictive elements we’ve become accustomed to get whisked away, and in time beautiful things replace them.
 
Cleansing Self of Negativity
On waning or new moons, select a black candle for your ritual (black because it absorbs). Before lighting the candle, run it over your body like a lint roller while saying the following chant:
In the name of the dark goddess,
the blessed mother,
The sacred serpent,
I shed this foul luck
Like the creature sheds its skin.
If there’s something in particular you want out of your life (a bad habit, a problem with a coworker, even a toxic relationship), etch onto the candle a word or two describing it, or the initials of the person you want to stay away from you.
Burn this candle every night until it’s burned all the way down. Remember to extinguish the candle when leaving the room or going to sleep. Relight the candle the next day, and every day following, until the candle has finished burning. When the remaining wax has cooled, take the remains to a garbage can at a crossroads (urban areas tend to have garbage cans on corners that are great for this kind of work) and break the wax in half, away from you. Throw the remains in the garbage can and return home without looking back.
Make an offering to Hekate afterward.