The following is an extract from the foreword of Hekate Her Sacred Fires “Before we begin…” by Sorita d’Este, and it explains some of the reasons and the way in which Hekate Her Sacred Fires was born…
Also see the other articles in this section.
Dear Reader,
Her Sacred Fires was born in the fires of my temple sanctuary in November 2009, when during a ceremony in which I explored the mysteries of the Seven Wandering Stars I invoked the god Dionysos. Chanting his name and epithets, I implored him to give me a vision for a query I had about the work I was undertaking and in which he would play a central role. I continued the invocation vibrating divine names and then hearing a rhythm which sounded both familiar and extraordinarily alluring, I started moving, dancing and spinning myself into a frenzied state of reverie. I am not sure how long I was dancing for, but I continued until I eventually dropped to the ground both exhausted and elated, my eyes transfixed on the flames of the fire burning next to my altar which continued the dance I had started.
Those flames seemed much larger than they could possibly have been, or maybe it was that I had become smaller in that moment, which it is I will never really know. Perspective and discernment thereof, at moments such as those never really seem to be important. The dancing flames intensified, moving with purpose and with intelligence, flickering beings of red, white and black, beckoning me to look and see.
Before me formed an image of the world as a map and marked upon it were numerous markers in the form of small torches marking numerous locations. Instantaneously I comprehended that these torches represented the torches of the goddess Hekate, and the “small torches” which it was said would burn with the cakes left for her at the crossroads as offerings at the Hekate Suppers. Then I knew, that the exploration of her mysteries would once again take centre stage in my life, even though I had planned to do something else for the year ahead of me.
By the time I had returned to the house and my office that night, I knew what I had to do. A project that would follow on from Hekate Keys to the Crossroads which I had compiled and published in 2006, but this time instead of bringing together the voices and experiences of people who all came from one country, I had to find individuals who represented the flames of Hekate all over the world.
I knew this project would have to be something unique and completely different from my previous efforts, reflecting the fact that Hekate stands at a global crossroads of traditions and people from all over the world.
My aim was thus to try and present a cross-section of the views currently held around the world in different pagan, spiritual and magical traditions in regards to the goddess Hekate. As such, my own views on Hekate do not necessarily concur with those of the contributors included here. Through diversity I hope to challenge all the readers into gaining not only a wider perspective on the mysteries of this one goddess, but also of magic and mysticism as a whole. It is in our differences that the beauty of new experiences and knowledge can be found.
Books are magical things. They have the ability to change your world, in ways which can be of earth shaking magnitude – or often in more subtle ways. How much, if at all this book will change you, is not for me to say, but it is my hope that you will allow yourself to approach each contribution with an open mind and allow yourself to step across the thresholds between worlds known and unknown, to experience the goddess Hekate from the perspective of the contributors.
The men and women who contributed to this book are extraordinary people who have all, in one way or another encountered the Torchbearing Goddess of the Crossroads in their lives. Their views are as unique as they are, reflections of their individual experiences, and sometimes also cultural, social and educational differences. Indeed, it would be a great disappointment to me as the editor of this volume if I found out that everyone who read it, agreed with absolutely all the ideas and visions expressed herein.
When back in 2006 I decided to put together a collection of material related to the goddess Hekate, the work was mainly drawn from individuals I knew worked closely with the goddess Hekate and from folk who were members of one the Alexandrian lineaged Craft covens I had founded in London with David Rankine in late 2000. The resulting project Hekate Keys to the Crossroads really was something we put together just for us, as a way of sharing our experiences and ideas – and was originally inspired by some of the excellent ritual material and essays several of the initiates created. Over the months and years which followed the publication of Keys to the Crossroads, many people asked me when I would be doing another such anthology, but I always dismissed the idea as I wished to focus on my work in other areas and my research into the historical origins of Hekate.
In May 2009 Hekate Liminal Rites was published, which contains some of the research David and I had done over the years regarding the magical and ritual practices associated with Hekate from historical sources. This work showed a broader perspective of Hekate through exploring a significant cross-section of the numerous references to her found throughout the ancient world. It is part of a much larger long term project I am working on – but it will likely take many more years of research to complete!
As editor of this and numerous other anthologies, I am acutely aware of the fact that some of the contributors are more skilled with written words than others. This is very understandable when taking into consideration that many of the contributors to this volume have written in their second or even third languages in order for their visions and views to be included in this project. I have made only essential changes, and in all instances I tried to preserve the “voice” of the writer, after all that is what this project is about – expressing diversity to encourage the expansion of horizons.
What is of the utmost importance to me as the editor and compiler of this book is that you the reader will know and understand that the work presented in this volume was not brought together by me, but by the guiding light of the flaming torches of the goddess Hekate herself. Each contribution helped shape the project into a whole, and the whole could never be complete without all its parts.
It has been a long and challenging few months putting this together, maybe amongst the most interesting, exhausting and testing months of my life. The lesson I have taken away from this is that I should never, ever say “never ever” when the gods might be listening, especially not when it comes to Hekate.
But really, I knew that already.
Blessings,
Sorita d’Este
Wales, 2010
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