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The ancient and powerful goddess Hecate loves herbal offerings. She is a goddess of herbalism and teaches plant lore to her followers. All of nature belongs to this chthonic goddess, but deadly plants are especially holy to her. Hecate was one of the most important goddesses in ancient Greece. In some myths she is associated with magic, darkness, and death and she is often portrayed as having three heads.
There are many herbs associated with Hecate, including mugwort, rue, hyssop, marjoram, fennel, thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender, wormwood, and dill. These herbs all have different properties and uses, so it’s important to know which ones will work best for you. Some people find they benefit from using them together. This allows the magic to permeate the space around you, giving you a stronger connection to Hecate.
Who Is Hecate?
The parents of the Greek goddess Hecate are Perses and Asteria, Perses alone, Zeus and Asteria, Nyx alone, Aristaios alone, or Demeter alone. She may not have had any children, or she may have been the mother of Skylla, Circe, Medea, and Aigialeus.
Her name means ‘Worker from Afar’. She was worshipped by the Greeks as a protector of travelers, especially those traveling alone.
She was associated with witchcraft, sorcery, medicine, healing, divination, prophecy, astrology, alchemy, necromancy, black arts, and the occult. She was considered a guardian of graveyards. She was worshiped during times of war and plague.
She was believed to be responsible for guiding the souls of the dead. She was said to protect children while they slept. She was called upon to help bring about justice in cases of murder. She was also known to give magical powers to those who invoked her aid. She was sometimes portrayed as having three heads and is a classic triple goddess.
Is Hecate a dark or scary deity? Some say she’s a dark goddess and it appears that reputation precedes her. However, people forget she’s a goddess of birth and life, too!
She helps bring healing to women in need of reproductive health and aids in the birthing process. Hecate is even known as a goddess of childbirth! She’s as much light as she is dark. She embodies all of these things and more.
Leave it to patriarchal society to take such a far reaching goddess as Hecate and reduce her down to a goddess of witches. She is a powerful deity and more ancient than anyone knows.
Don’t fear working with her because of how other see her. I can tell by my experience that I’ve only had positive, healing encounters with her.
Honor Hecate By Studying Herbs
Hecate is a great teacher. When you study her herbs, you learn their properties and what they do for your body. You can use them to heal yourself naturally, to enhance your magic, and to communicate with the gods.
You can make an offering to Hecate if you want to ask for something specific. If you want to get rid of a problem, then offer her a sacrifice and burn it on a fire altar. Make sure you clean out the ashes afterwards.
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Sacred Plants As Offerings To Hecate
The plants sacred to Hecate are first and foremost all poisonous and baneful plants. She teaches her followers how to respectfully and safely use these plants in magic and herbalism.
Hecate is a very protective goddess and doesn’t want anyone getting hurt. If you’re going to do an offering to her, make sure you don’t get yourself into trouble.
Other traditional offerings of baneful plants are associated with Hecate because they are believed to possess magical properties or be poisonous. Here are a few more popular herbs and plants that are associated with Hecate:
Yews
Yews were sacred to Hecate, goddess of witchcraft. Yew trees are associated with death, rebirth, and immortality. They are also used to make wreaths and garlands.
Hecate loved yew because it was a symbol of eternal life. It was thought to be an herb of protection and good fortune. The leaves of the yew tree were used to create protective amulets. Yew wood was used to make coffins and coffer boxes.
Things made from Yew can be used as an apotropaic offering to ward off evil, death, and bad fortune.
Thyme
Thyme is another herb associated with Hecate. It’s used for purification rituals and to ward off evil spirits. Thyme has a strong scent and is often mixed with other herbs to enhance its effect.
Sage
Sage is another herb that is sacred to Hecate. Sage is used to cleanse spaces and to remove negative energy. It’s also used to dispel ghosts and demons.
Garlic
Garlic is strongly associated with Hecate, as she favors offerings of garlic just like all chthonic deities do. Garlic is often used by witches to ward off evil spirits.
This plant is included as one of the traditional offerings for all deities of the underworld.
Cypress
Cypress is associated with Hecate because she is thought to be associated with death and the underworld.
Belladonna
Belladonna was used by witches because it could be made into poison. It also makes a beautiful ink that can be used to write spells and sigils. Be careful when you handle this poisonous beauty.
Talismans made with belladonna can be an apotropaic offering to ward off evil forms of love, death, and enemies.
Mandrake Root
Dogs were used to dig up Mandrake root. There are many references to dogs being used to find Mandrake root. The magical associations of mandrake root include love, fertility, and sexual potency.
Lily Of The Valley
Lily of the valley is considered to be one of Hecate’s favorite flowers. Lily of the valley is said to have been used by witches to attract love and prosperity.
Dandelion
Dandelion is used in magic to help heal the body. Dandelions are also used to protect against harmful energies. Other magical correspondences of dandelion include strength, courage, and power.
Hemlock
Hemlock is associated with Hecate because it is a poisonous plant. Hemlock was used in magic for transformation or to paralyze your enemies.
Mugwort
Mugwort is used to increase mental clarity and bring success. Mugwort is also used to clear away bad luck and negativity.
Mullein
In witchcraft, Mullein is used to banish evil spirits. It’s also used in divination and to call upon the dead.
Lavender
Lavender is a common herb for chthonic deities. It is associated with dreams and the underworld. Its purple color ties it even closer to Hecate. Lavender is a standard offering for Hecate.
Mints
All mints are chthonic plants and are associated with the underworld. Mints are used to cleanse space and to drive out unwanted spirits. Mints are another standard offering for Hecate.
During the full moon, we call upon Hekate to assist us in clearing our past, releasing our fears, and opening ourselves to new possibilities. We ask her to help us gain clarity in our lives, to help us transform our inner worlds, and to allow us to move forward with courage and confidence.
It is said that Hekate helps us to overcome obstacles and challenges that stand in our way, and to achieve our goals. In addition to being a benevolent Goddess, she is also a fierce warrior. When we summon her, we invite her to help us take charge of our lives, to lead us into battle, and to fight for justice.
I am an eclectic witch - I've been practicing since 1974. As a student of the occult, working with astrology, tarot cards, runes, and numerology, I found that this was a very comprehensive and well written text on working with Hekate during the full moon. Highly recommended. - Gail Sager
Great read - a must have for anyone interested in working with the Goddess during the full moon! Highly recommended! - Luis Meyer
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