We just passed the third quarter moon moving from Cancer to Leo. This lunar phase can be awkward. It’s halfway between the wonder of the full moon and the potential of the new moon. This provides us with time to examine what hasn’t really worked for us and allow it to fall away so we can be free of any past burden as we decide which new direction we may desire next.
Let me introduce you to Goddess Hecate, who is associated with the moon and who is quite a nimble guide for this season.
Hecate was the Goddess that all the other Gods and Goddesses sought out when they needed advice because of her great psychic and intuitive wisdom. She is represented by crossroads.
Are you at a crossroad? What new direction are you considering?
Hecate was also the Goddess closely associated with the story of Persephone, who had been raped and abducted by Hades and dragged into the underworld causing her Mother Demeter to be so distraught that she ceased providing fruitful crops or allowing nature to thrive anymore. Hecate, being a wise woman and seer, was able to help Demeter understand her dilemma. In the final story, Persephane was allowed to return for part of the year, and this is why we have winter — the time she is still in the underworld.
Goddess Hecate is considered a crone and has been unfairly depicted as an ugly witch. Consequently, she has come to represent the more negative aspects of this archetype for some. However, this is not accurate or fair.
In fact, what Hecate represents is inner wisdom and the three faces of the Goddess for women: Maiden, Mother and Crone. This also relates to past, present and future, and the crossroads we may be considering.
Since Halloween or Samhain is coming up soon in the northern hemisphere, Hecate is a great witch for us to hold and reflect on as we let go of all the things that no longer serve us and allow them to be transmuted by dear Mother Earth.
Samhain is a holiday for trick or treating. And since the veil between worlds is thin, this is a good time for appreciating and honoring our ancestors, keeping in mind that we only need to retain the good, true and beautiful from them. We can let all the rest go. November 1 is also typically celebrated as the Day of the Dead, and connected to this theme, and it is a festive time too.
As you think about how you will be celebrating this year, you may want to include aromatherapy. A new portal blend that fits in beautifully with Hecate and Samhain is called “Vision,” for increasing intuition and inner sight. It contains essential oils of sandalwood, cedarwood and rose.
We can always use inner wisdom when contemplating a new direction. You can find all my portal oil blends in the Goddess Boutique.