Hekate : Meeting the Goddess of the Crossroads
The ancient goddess Hekate is known in a variety of aspects, most notably as the goddess of the crossroads, witchcraft, and spirits of the dead. Join Melissa Madara for a deep dive into the winding, snaking history of the howling, nightmare goddess in all her various epithets, examining how her cult emerges and shifts through history to deliver her to us today.
This lecture will examine Hekate’s pre-historical origins, her rituals in the PGM, her demonization in the Roman empire, and her evolution into the decaying goddess of witches that we know today. We will explore her sacred plants, the songs and chants attributed to her name, her rituals, and her varied mythology & interpretations.
Image Wikimedia Foundation
Bio
Melissa Madara is a occultist, author, and educator, teaching magic and witchcraft from a historical perspective. Their work deals with the healing power of myth, divination, and immersion in the natural world, with an emphasis on plant folklore and historical formularies. Melissa is the curator of Moon Cult, an online community of curious witches who learn and practice together. Find Melissa’s interviews in the New York Times, Vice, Broadly, Teen Vogue, or Refinery 29, or see their published works in Fiddler’s Green, Venefica Magazine, or their two books, The Witch’s Feast & The Witch’s Workshop. Follow Melissa at mooncvlt.com or on IG @saint.jayne
Curated & Hosted by
Amy Hale is an Atlanta based writer, curator and critic, ethnographer and folklorist speaking and writing about esoteric history, art, culture, women and Cornwall. She is the author of Ithell Colquhoun: Genius of the Fern Loved Gully (Strange Attractor 2020) and is currently working on several Colquhoun related manuscripts. She is also the editor of Essays on Women in Western Esotericism: Beyond Seeresses and Sea Priestesses (Palgrave 2022). She has contributed gallery texts and essays for a number of institutions including Tate, Camden Arts Centre, Art UK, Arusha Galleries, Heavenly Records and she is a curator and host for the Last Tuesday Society lecture series.
don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day