As the long nights of winter approach, the torch-bearing goddess Hekate appears to us. She is the keeper of the crossroads, the guardian of thresholds, and the guide through shadowed places. November 16th marks a night of venerating this ancient goddess of death, magic, and liminal spaces—a time to honor her as the green life of summer fades and the earth sinks into dormancy. In this darkening season, we call upon Hekate to light the path ahead and to shield us as we move through the frozen stillness of winter.

Hekate the Lightbringer

Hekate is often depicted holding a pair of blazing torches, their flames illuminating what lies hidden in the darkness. In Greek mythology, she is the only deity who retained her power when Zeus divided the heavens, earth, and sea—a testament to her strength and autonomy. Her torches appear throughout myth: most famously, she uses them to guide Demeter through the night as the grieving mother searches for Persephone. In this way, Hekate becomes a literal and spiritual light-bringer—one who leads the lost and the sorrowful toward understanding and transformation.

Over time, Hekate also became linked to the moon, her triple form representing the lunar phases: maiden, mother, and crone. Each face of Hekate corresponds to a stage of the moon’s cycle and to a stage of life itself—birth, maturity, and death, perpetually turning. Her connection to the moon and torches alike reminds us that even in the darkest night, illumination can be found.

Mullein Torches

Just as Hekate’s torches pierce the night, so too can the humble Mullein plant be transformed into a source of flame and protection. Mullein is a soft, velvety herb long associated with healing, purification, and banishing negativity. Folk names include Candlewick Plant, Hag’s Taper, and Witch’s Taper—titles that speak to its magical nature and practical use. The tall, dried stalks of Mullein can be dipped in wax or oil to create natural torches, while the fluffy leaves were once used as lamp wicks.

Traditionally, Mullein has been burned to ward off evil spirits, cleanse sacred space, and promote health and vitality. The herb carries the energy of fire and light, making it a perfect offering or tool in workings that invoke Hekate. At Asheville Raven & Crone, Mullein Tapers are crafted and used for a variety of magical purposes—from protection spells to seasonal rituals of renewal and illumination.

Invoking Hekate’s Light

As we journey into the dark half of the year, we can welcome Hekate’s guiding flame into our homes. Lighting a Mullein torch in her honor is both a devotional act and a practical charm. Use it to purify your space, to banish unwelcome energies, and to petition the Goddess’s protection. 

Let your Mullein torch stand as a symbol of Hekate’s eternal flame—a reminder that the goddess lights the way even in the deepest night. With her torches burning brightly beside us, we move forward through winter not in fear, but in knowing that the light will always return.

Apotropaia, Propulaia, Triodia, Kleidouchos, and Enodia: these are all epithets designated to Hekate, the Hellenic goddess ruling over roads, thresholds, ghosts, the underworld, and much more. “Enodia” is the first epithet used in the Orphic hymn to Hekate, denoting its importance: “I call Hekate of the Crossroads, worshipped at the meeting of three paths, oh lovely one.”

Enodia or Ἐνοδία translates to “travel” or “in the road”; it is most commonly understood as “of the crossroads” when used in relation to Hekate. This epithet is used when referring to Hekate as a protective guide, and is deeply connected to crossroads, nocturnal travel over land, and protection for travelers. As Enodia, Hekate is Goddess of the night, guidance, protection of the home from outside dangers, the restless dead, and witchcraft. Due to her protective powers and her rulership of roads, images of Hekate were commonly erected at entrances of cities and along busy roads in ancient Greece. 

How did Hecate come to be known as Enodia?

As with many pagan deities, Hekate gained her Enodia characteristics through conflation and syncretism with other deities. Enodia is actually a distinct Thessalian goddess with cults across Thessaly, a region on the northeast coast of ancient Greece. She was also called Goddess of Pherai, the center of her most prominent cult.  The Thessalian Ennodia ruled over roads, ghosts, funeral rites, and the sovereignty of cities and groups of people. Due to similar rulership and attributes, Thessalian Ennodia became absorbed into the worship of Hekate across the wider ancient Greek religion.

Hekate Enodia is best represented in the Homeric myth of Persephone. Hekate observed from her cave the moment Persephone was kidnapped and alerted Demeter. Being the torch-bearing goddess, Hekate helped in the search for Persephone. Once she was found, it was Hekate who guided Persephone out of the underworld, being a liminal goddess who can travel freely between worlds. 

Enodia in our Modern World

In many ways, Hekate Enodia is the center of our modern renaissance of Hekatean worship, possessing characteristics that are attractive to modern pagans. As magic practices become more popular, naturally, we would propitiate the Hellenic goddess of witchcraft. Furthermore, being “of the road” can imply being an outsider, intentionally cloistered, or even having nefarious intent, as it contrasts with those who choose to stay within the safety of the home. As a female deity who freely roams liminal spaces, Enodia can represent liberation from patriarchal norms. These aspects speak to the witchy and pagan community as we choose a life path that exists outside of patriarchal standards. 

As we journey into the dark half of the year, you may call upon Hekate Enodia for spiritual guidance and protection. Samhain, the witch’s new year, is a great time to perform a home cleansing and protection ritual. As you waft incense or herbal smoke through your home, petition Hekate for her protection through the darkness of winter. Another powerful tool for your altar is the mineral Vivianite, known as the “crystal of death”. Vivianite is a mineral found in places of decay, such as graves and bogs. It is formed from decomposed bones, teeth, and iron-rich peat. Vivianite is a transformational mineral, and great for banishing negative energy. Its association with death and decomposition (transformation) makes it a powerful tool for working with Hekate. You can find vivianite, along with all your other spellwork supplies, in our Asheville shop or in our online store.  

This month, we dive into the ancient Sumerian pantheon with one of the oldest archetypes of the divine feminine. A precursor to deities such as Ishtar, Aphrodite, Venus, and the Virgin Mary, the figure of Inanna dates back to 3,000 BCE. Her image appears carved into ancient stone, and Sumerians laid out her mythology in numerous epic poems. Considered by some to be the first literary hero, the goddess Inanna has started claiming her well-deserved spot in the modern pagan pantheon.

Who is Inanna?

Inanna goes by several titles according to ancient texts, “Queen of Heaven” and “Inanna of the Evening” being the most used. She is a goddess of war and justice, but also love and sensuality. In Mesopotamian religion, Inanna came to be identified with the goddess Ishtar, although it is unclear as to whether Inanna is also of Semitic origins or if the two became conflated due to their similarities.

A Sumerian hym tells the story of Inanna’s visit to a magical palace called kur, and her desire to eat a sacred fruit of knowledge. When her brother relents, she eats the fruit, giving her the awareness of her own sexuality. 

She is featured in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the world's oldest epic poem written around 2100 BCE. In this story, Inanna proposes marriage to Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, counter to the courtship norms. When Gilgamesh refuses, she lashes out and sends the Bull of Heaven to kill him. Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu kill the bull, but Enkidu dies as punishment, and this leads Gilgamesh on his quest for immortality. 

Even more ancient is the tale of the “Descent of Inanna,” where Inanna visits her sister in “the great below”, who is grieving the death of her husband at the hands of Inanna herself. To get to the Underworld, Inanna must pass through seven gates, each of them stripping her of her symbols of power and protection. When she arrives, Ereshkigal kills Inanna and hangs her on a hook for 3 days. Inanna is revived by the god Enki, but in order to get out of the underworld, she must trade places with her husband. 

What can we learn from Inanna?

Within the mythology of Inanna, we find the archetypes of other divine female deities: Eve, who eats the forbidden fruit and comes to know “sin”, Persephone who journeys to the underworld and returns with the cycles of nature, and Venus, the evening star who embodies sensuality and female pleasure. 

The mythology of Inanna is one of the oldest records of a female figure seeking divine knowledge for herself and embracing sex and sensuality outside of the patriarchal norm. As a goddess of love, she helps us to embrace and fulfill our own desires, and to connect and build intimacy with others and ourselves.

Inanna’s sense of personal power and sovereignty recommends her to those seeking to build self-confidence, or those who feel trapped or controlled. Her support is also ideal for self-discovery and celebration. It is well documented that many priests of the cult of Inanna were androgynous men or two-spirited. As a result, modern, queer pagans may be called to work with Inanna.

Inanna is a fascinating study in the divine feminine archetype. As one of the oldest recorded literary heroes, she reaches out to us across millenia, and her gift of personal sovereignty certainly speaks to us today. 

If you take a look at a typical modern pagan calendar, you will come across, in the midst of various harvest festivals, a feast day dedicated to the Goddess Hekate on August 13th. We know Hekate or Hecate as a dark and powerful goddess: a goddess of death and the underworld, of crossroads and necromancy, and the patron goddess of witchcraft itself. 

Hekate as an Earth Goddess

How did such a goddess come to have her feast day in the middle of the harvest season? Typically, we don’t associate Hekate with agriculture. Her qualities lead us to celebrate her in the colder, darker months of the year, like around Samhain, so August 13th seems like an arbitrary day for honoring Hekate. While the links to an ancient Greek festival look tentative, we have several explanations for why August 13th became known as “Hekate’s Night”.

One record from Samothrace details a ritual sacrifice to Hekate at the Zerinthian cave, where devotees would offer up a dog for protection against storms and terrors. This would fit the description of Hekate as Lady of the Storms; however, August is not known as a particularly stormy month.

Porphyry wrote about Hekate as “the symbol of the cultivation of crops, which she makes grow up according to the increase of her light”. This is in reference to Hekate’s association with the moon phases (used for harvesting crops) as well as the fiery torches she carries, which give light for the crops to grow. 

Two Ancient Festivals

So, we have two sources that associate Hekate with storms and agriculture, which would explain her celebration during the harvest season; however, these still don’t quite explain why August 13th is important. Our last pieces of evidence are two historical Roman and Greek celebrations which took place around mid-August every year: Nemoralia and Kourotrophos.

Nemoralia was in honour of the goddess Diana, who is often conflated with Hekate throughout pagan history.. Furthermore, the day was celebrated with a procession of torches, which is quite suited to Hekate, the torch-bearing goddess.

Kourotrophos is celebrated in honor of the Goddess Kourotrophos, who protects children. She is heavily associated with both Artemis and Hekate, who are also celebrated during this festival. Whether these two festivals contributed to the fixed date of Hekate’s Night is impossible to determine. However, it wouldn’t be the first time a static date was established for a celebration with a historically changing date. 

Modern Celebrations of Hekate’s Night.

While we may never know the true origins of Hekate’s night, we can confirm that she was honored during this time in ancient Greece. Traditionally, these days were celebrated with processions, music, theatrical performances, sacrifices, and, of course, large and lavish feasts. 

In the modern day, we can use Hekate’s feast day to give thanks and make an offering to her. This is also an excellent day to work with her or petition her for protection. Witchcraft practiced on this day will be amplified if Hekate is included in your rituals, even more so when performed at a crossroads. 

Feast days are perfect for practicing some kitchen witchery, either by yourself or with friends and family. Infuse your food with magical intention as you celebrate Hekate’s night. Below, we have shared a kitchen magic spell, perfect for witches of all experience levels. All magical supplies can be found in our shop, and our experienced staff are ready to give guidance where needed. Happy Celebrations. 

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