Hekate: Liminal Rites by Sorita d'Este & David Rankine
HEKATE: LIMINAL RITES
A Study of the Rituals, Magic and Symbols of the torch-bearing Triple Goddess of the Crossroads
By Sorita d'Este & David Rankine
At the crossroads of life, death and rebirth stands the Ancient Greek 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 acclaimed book, Sorita d'Este and David Rankine draw upon a wide range of historical, literary, archaeological and magical sources to present a detailed study of Hekate's mythology, worship, symbols, rituals and magical traditions. Bringing together evidence from Ancient Greece, Rome, the Greek Magical Papyri, the Chaldean Oracles and later magical traditions, they provide an indispensable guide to understanding Hekate and her enduring influence on modern witchcraft, polytheism and devotional practice.
2009, 194 pages, Paperback & Kindle editions available.
ISBN 978-1-905297-23-8
B&W 6.14 x 9.21 in or 234 x 156 mm (Royal 8vo) Perfect Bound on White w/Gloss Lam
Table of Contents
From the Three-Ways
In Her Service
Sacred Eleusis
Images of Hekate
Voces Magicae
Charms from the PGM
Charms for Love
Defixiones
The Armour of Hekate
Glimpses of Initiation
Herbs & Poisons
Sacred Bronze
Iron Nails & Rings
Hekate & The Angels
Coins
From Sleep
Oracles of Hekate
Offerings
Hekate Suppers
Invocation
Hymns
Animal-Formed
Necromancy & Reanimation
Death Magic
Underworld
Black Dogs
Serpents
The Strophalos
King Solomon
Fusions
Bibliography
EndnotesAbout the Authors
Sorita d'Este and David Rankine are internationally respected authors and researchers whose work has made a significant contribution to the study of magic, witchcraft, mythology, folklore, qabalah and Western esotericism.
Sorita d'Este is an author, researcher, publisher and priestess whose work focuses on the history and practice of magic, witchcraft, paganism, polytheism, mythology and folklore. She has written and edited numerous books exploring ancient gods and goddesses, devotional practice, magical traditions and contemporary spirituality. Her published work includes Circle for Hekate and Artemis: Virgin Goddess of the Moon & Hunt. She is the founder and Keybearer of the Covenant of Hekate and the creator of the Rite of Her Sacred Fires, an annual international celebration in honour of Hekate observed around the world.
David Rankine is an author, researcher and qabalist whose work focuses on ceremonial magic, grimoires, spirit evocation, qabalah and the history of Western occultism. He is the author or co-author of numerous influential books, including The Complete Grimoire of Pope Honorius, The Grimoire of Arthur Gauntlet, A Collection of Magical Secrets, The Book of Treasure Spirits, The Book of Gold, Climbing the Tree of Life and Practical Qabalah Magick. His collaborations with Stephen Skinner, including The Veritable Key of Solomon and The Goetia of Dr Rudd, helped bring important previously unpublished magical manuscripts to a wider audience.
Together they have collaborated on a number of acclaimed works, including Hekate: Liminal Rites, The Cosmic Shekinah, The Isles of the Many Gods and The Guises of the Morrigan. Drawing on decades of research into historical sources, magical traditions and devotional practice, their work continues to inform and inspire readers, practitioners and scholars around the world.
