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Alternative spellings :
Aranrhod and Arianrod.
Her name has been translated as silver-wheel, a symbol that represents the ever-turning wheel of the year. The wheel may also refers to the oar wheel upon which she carried the dead back to her heavenly northern land the Corona Borealis. Here according to some Welsh traditions the dead souls waited for the Goddess and her female attendants to decide their fate before being reincarnated.
Hekate offers powerful benefits to those who work with her energies.
She can…
Help us work with the subconscious and deep shadow work
Cut through illusions to true power
Guide and protect souls through the dark hours
Aid in rebirth and transformation
Help with important decisions that need to be made
Enhance our vision, for she can see into the past present and future
Be invoked for magic and divination
This much I know to be true :
I am Pagan. I’ve not labeled myself until now.
I consider myself to be a witch. Specifically, a sea witch as I have a deep affinity for the ocean (seashells, water etc.).
I am not Wiccan. I do not perform rituals, cast spells, or call the corners. However, I do acknowledge the wheel of the year/sabbats, and esbats to varying degrees.
I gravitate to Hecate and Arianrhod. I adore stars, astrology (Aquarius!), and the moon. I use tarot cards to gain a little insight.
Drawing is my form of meditation. Music (and singing) is how I feed my soul.
This is me.
November is the month of Hecate, a goddess of the ancient world whose name has become synonymous with witchcraft and magic.
Who is Hecate?
Hecate (also Hekate) is an underworld goddess brought to Greece by a Thracian mystic out of the wilds of Caria on the shores of ancient Anatolia. A popular cult venerating her as a goddess of childbirth arose in ancient Greece and she was integrated into their pantheon of gods. In later Ptolemaic Alexandria she acquired a darker reputation as a goddess of sorcery, becoming the ‘Queen of Ghosts’, in which guise she played a role in the work of Shakespeare and forever became associated with the wilder side of Paganism.
Is there such a thing as coincidence? Are we supposed to take certain things as a ‘sign’ or omen of what’s to come? Or is does everything happen for a reason? Or are our experiences things that were going to happen no matter what we do? I find myself contemplating those questions often these days.
When I began to really delve into researching about Paganism, specifically neo-paganism, witchcraft, astrology (though, I’ve always been a fan of reading my horoscopes because of my mom), and tarot divination, I found so many interesting coincidences, and/or associations, and as silly as they may seem to other people, I found them to be significant.
Maybe it’s just me, maybe I’m just reaching, but I can’t ignore all of those associations. (Also, correct me if I’m wrong w/ my associations!) All of this has really fueled my research into sea witchery, and witchcraft.
Goddess symbols, individualized for each goddess, were incorporated into the worship of the ancient goddesses, were often worn as jewelry, and also used in the household decor as talismans to seek the goddesses special gifts, blessings, or protection. A large number of goddess symbols have survived in statuary and other works of art.
Many of the goddess symbols come from the legends surrounding a specific goddess and were “characters” in her story. Other goddess symbols were derived from the rituals used in the ancient rites of worship of these pagan goddesses.