Hekate: Goddess of Witches

Hekate, as a figure from Greek mythology and Goddess associate with witchcraft, has a long and varied history often punctuated by mis-characterizations and poor scholarship. In defining Hekate as a Goddess of witches, Courtney Weber has made a choice that grounds the reader in a particular perspective and eliminates whole reams of confusing scholarship. Weber's writing comes across as if sitting with a dear friend and learning about what she's been up to this last year.

Weber works with Hekate and I found her intimate perspective enlightening; a form of personal gnosis that revealed much more about the deity than dry research could provide. All ritual and magical practices are provided with the sense of, "Here, this worked for me and might for you as well. If not, please modify it to suit your needs." Nonetheless, the book is loaded with well-cited information although I would have liked a comprehensive bibliography.

Focusing on a different aspect of the goddess in each chapter, Weber looks at Her roles as Torchbearer, Goddess of the Crossroads, Keeper of Keys, Mother, and Spirit Intermediary and offers rituals to help the reader better connect with each aspect. It concludes with a short grimoire of several spells and rituals involving Hekate for various needs.

Some readers may be put off by Weber's stance that baneful magic has its place. Weber is "curse-positive," noting that marginalized and oppressed people have long used curses to defend against injustice and defeat their oppressors. Still others may be offended by the notion that Hekate, despite being a mother goddess, is not just for those born with a womb but is accessible to non-binary and others.

Newcomers to witchcraft will enjoy Hekate: Goddess of Witches as much as those of us who have been practicing for longer. This is a book for your library, one you will return to time and time again as your practice deepens.

~review by Lisa McSherry

Author: Courtney Weber
Weiser Books, 2021
pp. 238, $16.95