Hecate. Witchcraft, Death, and Night Magic

Hecate is the Ancient goddess of witchcraft, forbidden magic, and necromancy. She presents herself before mortals accompanied by a terrifying retinue with torches in hand, alongside howling dogs, snakes, and the ghosts of the dead – such is her dark entourage, wandering the earth under the cover of night. She has many Faces, her powers are vast, and she is full of strength; her cult encompasses life and death – an eternal mystical transformation through the final rite of passage and rebirth in the womb of the earth. She can be benevolent and generous towards nature and her devotees, but at the same time, she is ruthless, responsible for all nocturnal atrocities and malefic rites. In ancient times, she was believed to empower witches with dominion over the forces of nature, reveal secrets of herbs and poisonous plants, and introduce her followers to the mysteries of lycanthropy and shapeshifting. In the Draconian Tradition, she is the keeper of the mystical point of intersection where all worlds, planes, and dimensions meet and intersect. Initiation on her path involves descending into the inner darkness, the personal "Underworld", where hidden knowledge about ourselves and our universe awaits discovery. She is the first initiator, psychopomp, and guardian, meeting the ambitious Neophyte at the Crossroads of Worlds, leading us into the Belly of the Dragon through the gates of the Night Side. This anthology contains all these images of Hecate and many others, introducing the reader to the magic and mythology of this enigmatic goddess. Here you will find descriptions of personal gnosis revealed in the works of authors, as well as references to her appearance in ancient knowledge and the magic of olden times. Like other anthologies of the Temple of the Ascending Flame, all of this is written from the perspective of a Draconian Neophyte, using a modern approach suitable for practitioners of the Left Hand Path.