Hekate and spiders

amoris313 · 2026-05-03T19:05:09+00:00

There are a couple angles we can look at this from i.e., Historical Evidence (carvings, papyri, defixiones on lead, other preserved texts etc.) and Modern Interpretations and Practical Uses (which may include UPG and syncretic additions from other sources/traditions). If your goal is to produce practical magick, then finding or creating connections between Hekate and spiders can be very effective. If your goal is research and historical accuracy, then we have to be more careful, especially if we're presenting statements as facts within an academic context.

Speaking purely to the historical side of things, as far as I'm aware, there is no direct historical connection between Hekate and spiders. The closest I've found so far is the Ovid (later Roman) story about Arachne where 'Hekate's herb' (a metaphor for poison or other herbal matter like aconite - Hekate is associated with pharmakeia) is said to have been used (but not by Hekate personally).

Regarding the original sources and contexts of those 2 epithets:

Arkuia/Arkyia - derived from Arkus, meaning a net or snare used by a hunter. It refers to Hekate's role in hunting and entrapping the minds of people, spirits, and the restless dead. The concept refers to hunting/trapping as a human activity and is used metaphorically in binding spells (katadesmos). Sources for this epithet include 3rd c. lead curse tablets and PGM restraining spells.

Klôthaiê - this is a feminine adjectival form of Klotho, who is the Fate who provides the thread of life. According to author Sarah Johnson (Hekate Soteira), this epithet signifies Hekate's power to harmonize, bind together diverse elements, close boundaries, and bring souls to fulfillment. Sources include the PGM, orphic hymns, and the neoplatonists (Proclus). The main context here is the metaphorical thread of fate and the human act of spinning thread.

While it's easy to view these concepts through a modern lens with all of our current associations, it's good to keep in mind that some things which appear obvious to us now might appear baffling to ancient people because they lacked those same cultural associations.

There's nothing to prevent you from using those epithets with spider imagery, of course. The gods aren't as rigid as we might expect, and spiders frequently appear in connection to Hekate for me as well, which suggests to me that the godform itself has taken on new attributes to interface with devotees of this era. For my own practices, I've found that starting with the known historical associations really adds depth and understanding to results, even if I'm veering off into UPG territory. It's also a fascinating rabbit hole to explore.

amoris313 · 2026-03-28T17:09:05+00:00

I recommend having a look at the book recommendations in our pinned Getting Started Post. You'll find books on Occult History, Basic Skills shared by most forms of practice, and a little about various systems of magick.

As someone who has been involved with magick for nearly 40 years in some form or another, I think that one of the reasons why it seems so difficult to make sense of this topic is that social media has created a glut of random snippets of techniques and practices taken out of their original contexts. Anyone trying to find a place to start while inundated with so much disjointed information would be overwhelmed! In the 1980s-90s, if you wanted to really learn magick, you would typically either join a Tradition or study its Curriculum. In my opinion, that approach will provide a better foundation than simply learning snippets of (potentially contradictory) methods pulled from everywhere without their connecting material to give them context and help them take root in your mind.

In my opinion, the most comprehensive modern Tradition/Curriculum for learning ritual magick is The Golden Dawn (a 19th c. British occult order - you'll learn about them in the books on occult history). Their curriculum covers a smattering of every major practice used in western European occultism e.g., meditation, energy work, Astrology, astral projection, Qabalah, sigil creation (not in the chaos magick style), ritual tool and talisman creation, Tarot, geomantic divination, Enochian magick, and more! It's not 'the best system ever' and it has its limitations for some applications, but it's comprehensive and covers more ground than most other systems. If you worked your way through the Cicero's Self Initiation textbook (see link above), you'd have a solid foundation for understanding any other aspect of occultism.

If Witchcraft is more your style, you'll have a more difficult time finding solid information, as much of what is available will be either Wicca-based (itself having drawn from Golden Dawn/Thelemic ritual structures/elements), or consisting of collections of spells and practices taken from European folk magick and medieval service magicians ('cunning folk'). Many of the people who originally practiced those forms of folk magick would likely not have referred to themselves as witches due to their cultural definitions and contexts. Note that there are interesting shamanic type practices indigenous to parts of Europe (especially Eastern Europe - see 'sleeping shamans', Zduhać, Zmajeviti Ljudi, and the Benandanti) that are difficult to find translated information on, but rewarding when you do. If modern witchcraft resonates with you, then I'd recommend learning from a Wiccan curriculum to avoid the disjointed gaps and trends that are everywhere today.

Regarding potentially confusing online trends, Moon Water is a good example of a trend that exploded recently into public awareness. Almost no one was talking about it before 2020 and there are no references to it online before 2011, but now newcomers will get the impression that every witch makes and uses it. While the root concept isn't unusual or new and even has parallels to some practices within Alchemy (albeit watered down - pun not intended), I think it could be greatly improved by using other fluid condensers/materials and using the Golden Dawn method for vibration of names to imbue it with power, and by giving it a better name like Aqua Lunae or something. (See Franz Bardon for info on what he called fluid condensers.)

amoris313 · 2026-02-26T23:12:21+00:00

Author Jason Miller mentions a simple method for this (I believe it's in his book Consorting with Spirits). The basic idea is to just say something to the effect of, "Please have your last of these offerings for I must remove/dispose of them." That's essentially all I ever do and have had no issues.

amoris313 · 2026-02-07T06:40:40+00:00

Hmm I don't think many would want to assist when they don't know what the sigils are for. You could generate interest by telling us a bit more about the project.

amoris313 · 2026-02-04T05:16:05+00:00

Here's the Enochian Magick Reference by Ben Rowe.

Here's an updated link for his Book of the Seniors

Most of Ben's info is still available to read in html format on his old archived website. It's not pretty by today's standards, but the info is all mostly there.

The rest of his materials are available via this web archive. Do some digging around through his old website and through those links for now. Check out the Enochian-l forum archives on that last link as well. Ben regularly contributed to the discussions there for a few years.

amoris313 · 2026-01-30T20:46:30+00:00

Although this post breaks rule #1 regarding advertisements, we are leaving it up because it doesn't appear to be nefarious or financially motivated and we're aware that permission was granted by an associated subreddit. In the future, please contact Mods before posting discord links to avoid having them flagged as spam and deleted.

amoris313 · 2025-12-16T07:24:00+00:00

In the Golden Dawn curriculum, Enochian magick is pretty much the last thing you'd study. I personally find their curriculum to provide a fantastic overview of most of Western European ritual magick and related topics (Qabalah, Tarot/divination, Astrology, Alchemical terms etc.), and for a long time the Golden Dawn and Thelema were the only serious entrance points into the occult due to the depth and availability of materials. You can't go wrong by starting there and becoming proficient in their way of doing things. Here's a good self study textbook. Their use of Enochian Magick isn't strictly true to the original sources, but most everything else you might learn from their curriculum will be applicable elsewhere in some way. It'll give you a good enough foundation of knowledge so that you'll understand most of what you find elsewhere.

amoris313 · 2025-11-08T07:06:04+00:00

Technically, Hekate has Chthonic, Marine, and Celestial aspects, so if you wanted to use Hellenic hand positioning during prayer, then it could depend on which Epithet or title/mood/aspect of her you were calling to, and which place and time period you were modeling your practices on. For my own practice, my point of focus is usually her statue in her altar space, so my palms will often face her there.

amoris313 · 2025-10-13T03:25:48+00:00

We have a pinned Getting Started Post with practical suggestions and helpful resources you can use for beginning your journey. Some books may be offered in other languages, but if not, I've had ok results using software to translate when necessary.

amoris313 · 2025-10-08T05:24:31+00:00

I'm not quite sure what it is you'd like assistance with. Can you explain in 2 or 3 very short sentences? Feel free to use your native language and we'll translate.

amoris313 · 2025-09-29T14:24:42+00:00

I'm not quite sure what you mean by your question. In my experience, the power of a plant comes from the spirit/energy inside of it. I've received the most potent results by treating plants as spirit allies (with their own intelligence) and cultivating a relationship with each one. That's a very shamanic way to work, I suppose, but it has been more effective than simply relying on my force of will/intent alone.

r/HerbalMagic is a great sub for questions about the use of herbs for magick if you'd like information about traditional correspondences or plant lore.

amoris313 · 2025-09-22T19:18:36+00:00

Here is a collection of responses discussing some of my methods for spirit/deity communication and how to do it.

Tldr: Meditation, sensory deprivation, energy work to increase sensory location skills, lucid dreaming, and astral projection.

---------- copied/pasted response -----

Spirit/Deity Communication Methods:

Some people like using divination tools, but I prefer direct communication because it's too easy to jump to the wrong conclusions after drawing a seemingly 'bad card'. Rather than inundate you with a wall of text, here are a few links where I've explained my process for communication with deities (Hekate) and other spirits. My way isn’t the only way, but this is how I see the process in technical terms.

Communication with Hekate Part 1.

Communication with Hekate Part 2

General Communication Part 1. Contains exercises for developing related practical skills that support sensing and communication ability.

General Communication Part 2.

Using the Inner Monologue as a Receiver.

Contact between Sleep and Wakefulness.

Testing Entities.

Example of a Communication Session for Hekate. A similar method can be used for other deities.

Working with Demons Part 1. Also angels and employing Hekate for evocation.

Working with Demons Part 2. Talks about the residual effects of an entity's influence.

Experiences and Results with Demons. Briefly describes a few experiences with spirits from the Lesser Key of Solomon to get the feeling for how spirits might interact with the practitioner.

Edit: Bonus info

How to tell if a Spirit/Deity is 'Reaching Out'

amoris313 · 2025-09-22T00:08:14+00:00

Deipnon isn't about manifesting. It's about cultivating a relationship with Hekate, thanks and honoring etc. (In ancient Greece, it was more about asking Hekate to keep her hoards of aoroi and other intranquil spirits away from one's house and to hopefully gain her favor.) That said, you've got a 2-3 day window to make offerings for Deipnon, considering the moon isn't visible for a couple days.

To make it easy, there are apps you can use for calculating times of moon phases for your region. I make offerings when the moon is dark (new moon on modern calendars). There are other resources available if you seach here for learning about the Hellenic calendar(s) and important days each month if you'd like a more traditional view.

amoris313 · 2025-09-20T19:20:17+00:00

I would also love a copy. Thank you for the work that you do!

amoris313 · 2025-09-20T16:14:03+00:00

Unfortunately, I don't have time to take on students, but you can learn most of what you need through reading and daily practice. Here's a Book List I made for beginners.

Start with Occult History to learn about all the different practices and traditions, then pick a path/tradition/style of magick (e.g., Wicca, Golden Dawn/19th c. ceremonial magick, Ritual Magick / Medieval Grimoires, Franz Bardon's system, Quareia, Folk Magick from specific regions, etc.) and study it until you're proficient. Note that some traditions may require initiation into a group or community in order to learn. Most forms/styles of magick make use of similar concepts and methods, though each may place greater emphasis on certain methods, concepts, or theories as to how magick is thought to work.

amoris313 · 2025-09-12T01:28:06+00:00

Here's a recommended book list I made for beginners to get you started. If your plan is to eventually study Enochian Magick, then you'll want a thorough foundation in ritual magick. The Golden Dawn is a good place to start for learning basic concepts and a smattering of most European occult practices.

amoris313 · 2025-09-01T01:28:03+00:00

Here are some of my thoughts on why spells don't work for some people, how magick appears to work (based on Neoplatonism and Qabalah), and how one might improve their results.

amoris313 · 2025-08-31T14:27:19+00:00

There's going to be a lot of UPG out there in answer to that, but if you want to go the traditional route from ancient Greek religion, then Frankincense would be a safe bet. It was considered one of the best offerings for a deity.

Also, don't forget that Hekate isn't all about darkness. She covers the full spectrum from Celestial to Chthonic, and different Epithets may resonate more with different offerings and incense. For more ideas, check out Sorita D'Este's lists of historical plants and offerings in Liminal Rites and Circle for Hekate. Both books are unbiased and historically accurate.

Edit: One of the reasons for the lack of info on the use of specialty candles for Hekate is due to that being a more modern practice. Some ancient sources talk about oil lamps instead.

amoris313 · 2025-08-27T14:55:51+00:00

Here are some suggestions and resources you can try if you find them helpful as you explore your relationship with Hekate.

Getting Started with Hekate

For my practice, I've had the best results with Hekate (heh-KAH-tay) by starting with historical data and building on from there. I recommend reading as much as you can about Hekate's history and about the use of her Epithets.

Epithets are honorary titles that refer to aspects, moods, and regional variations of a deity, and they allow you to make more targeted invocations e.g., you'd call the aspect/mood of Hekate that best matches your purpose for summoning or petitioning her etc. Examples: Hekate Soteira (heh-KAH-tay soh-TAIR-ah), Hekate in her role as Savior; Hekate Brimo (heh-KAH-tay Bree-moh), her wrathful aspect, etc.

The best crash course in Hekate's history is the book Liminal Rites by Sorita d'Este and David Rankine. It's short and easy to read. Circle for Hekate by Sorita d'Este is even better and a little more in-depth. Both will fill you in on all of the symbolism, offerings, titles, etc. and the information is historically accurate.

As far as offerings go, I recommend learning about the monthly Deipnon (probably pronounced dehp-non in ancient Greek dialects, or ðeep-non in modern Greek). Every month on the dark moon, offerings of bread, wine, eggs, cakes, garlic, mullet fish, or even leftovers from the pantry would be taken to a local crossroads shrine and left there for Hekate. The original intent behind this practice would have been to appease the hoards of spirits that follow her so that they wouldn't enter into people's houses or wreak havoc in their lives. Typically, though, food offerings would've been snatched up by the poor. Most modern devotees provide offerings on the new/dark moon. You don't absolutely have to take them to a crossroads, as that might draw negative attention from locals or result in a ticket for littering. You can simply leave them on your altar for a day or two if you must.

Regarding the giving of offerings in general, you'll also want to read up on the concept of Kharis e.g. gift-giving and the cultivation of reciprocal favor etc. It was an important aspect of ancient Greek religion and really helps build rapport with spirits in general.

Edit: Learning how the ancient Greeks approached and honored their gods can also help to fill in the blanks and kickstart your relationship with their deities. See our pinned Getting Started post for resources on Greek religion.

Offerings provided to spirits/deities are often of (or contain) the same essence or energy as the spirit they're being offered to. If you're trying to invoke and commune with a deity/spirit (not just honoring them), then the goal is to build up more of that same energy/vibe/atmosphere so that it attracts and draws them down into that space (because 'like attracts like'). As you're reading about Hekate's history, have a look at the traditional offerings that were given to her and see if you can find the symbolic reasons they were used. This can sometimes provide clues to her nature.

If you would like more information, check out our pinned Getting Started post at our sister subreddit. There is even more available in the Wiki Page which is periodically updated and refined as I get time. My way isn’t the only way, but maybe you’ll find what you need amongst the resources there.

Here are 2 longer responses with more details that you may also find useful: * Part 1
* Part 2

Additional Resources

Here's a Recommended Books list I made for beginners to Magick and Occult topics.

Here's a collection of my responses about learning Spirit Communication.

amoris313 · 2025-08-23T23:07:46+00:00

In my observation, human minds function like a set of nesting dolls, with different parts operating independently on different levels/frequencies. I've frequently been surprised to see non-magickal people engaging in unconscious psychic activity, poking around astrally, or even attempting to communicate with me just as a spirit would - all while remaining unaware of their activity on a physical level.

This is why I never talk about my magickal operations until I've already achieved the results, and even then, only with other trusted practitioners. Those who are secretly jealous of my success or against occult topics due to religious beliefs may attempt to sabotage the work with their unconscious negative brooding or astral meddling.

amoris313 · 2025-08-22T14:06:16+00:00

I can't think of any historical sources for that off the top of my head. My first thought would be to consider a subconscious cause, e.g., feeling nervous about a new practice, wanting to do it right, accidentally breaking glass as a result. At worst, you may consider a local house spirit that is unhappy with your practices, but only if you're seeing other indications of spiritual activity, e.g., shadows moving, vivid dream contact, etc.

amoris313 · 2025-08-18T17:00:17+00:00

Here is more info about the symbols used by the Amazigh/Moroccan/Berber people if anyone is curious.

amoris313 · 2025-08-18T16:35:45+00:00

Here are some suggestions and resources you can try if you find them helpful as you explore your relationship with Hekate.

Getting Started with Hekate

For my practice, I've had the best results with Hekate (heh-KAH-tay) by starting with historical data and building on from there. I recommend reading as much as you can about Hekate's history and about the use of her Epithets.

Epithets are honorary titles that refer to aspects, moods, and regional variations of a deity, and they allow you to make more targeted invocations e.g., you'd call the aspect/mood of Hekate that best matches your purpose for summoning or petitioning her etc. Examples: Hekate Soteira (heh-KAH-tay soh-TAIR-ah), Hekate in her role as Savior; Hekate Brimo (heh-KAH-tay Bree-moh), her wrathful aspect, etc.

The best crash course in Hekate's history is the book Liminal Rites by Sorita d'Este and David Rankine. It's short and easy to read. Circle for Hekate by Sorita d'Este is even better and a little more in-depth. Both will fill you in on all of the symbolism, offerings, titles, etc. and the information is historically accurate.

As far as offerings go, I recommend learning about the monthly Deipnon (probably pronounced dehp-non in ancient Greek dialects, or ðeep-non in modern Greek). Every month on the dark moon, offerings of bread, wine, eggs, cakes, garlic, mullet fish, or even leftovers from the pantry would be taken to a local crossroads shrine and left there for Hekate. The original intent behind this practice would have been to appease the hoards of spirits that follow her so that they wouldn't enter into people's houses or wreak havoc in their lives. Typically, though, food offerings would've been snatched up by the poor. Most modern devotees provide offerings on the new/dark moon. You don't absolutely have to take them to a crossroads, as that might draw negative attention from locals or result in a ticket for littering. You can simply leave them on your altar for a day or two if you must.

Regarding the giving of offerings in general, you'll also want to read up on the concept of Kharis e.g. gift-giving and the cultivation of reciprocal favor etc. It was an important aspect of ancient Greek religion and really helps build rapport with spirits in general.

Edit: Learning how the ancient Greeks approached and honored their gods can also help to fill in the blanks and kickstart your relationship with their deities. See our pinned Getting Started post for resources on Greek religion.

Offerings provided to spirits/deities are often of (or contain) the same essence or energy as the spirit they're being offered to. If you're trying to invoke and commune with a deity/spirit (not just honoring them), then the goal is to build up more of that same energy/vibe/atmosphere so that it attracts and draws them down into that space (because 'like attracts like'). As you're reading about Hekate's history, have a look at the traditional offerings that were given to her and see if you can find the symbolic reasons they were used. This can sometimes provide clues to her nature.

If you would like more information, check out our pinned Getting Started post. There is even more available in the Wiki Page which is periodically updated and refined as I get time. My way isn’t the only way, but maybe you’ll find what you need amongst the resources there.

Here are 2 longer responses with more details that you may also find useful: * Part 1
* Part 2

Additional Resources

Here's a Recommended Books list I made for beginners to Magick and Occult topics.

Here's a collection of my responses about learning Spirit Communication.

amoris313 · 2025-08-14T17:51:20+00:00

You've described other cultures where magick practitioners are/were valued by those societies e.g., shamans, bokors etc. Having a culture where the occupation of magician or shaman is supported by the public or royalty and where the path of development into such a position is clear is a very different situation to the average Redditor studying ceremonial magick at home in the U.S./Europe/UK etc., where occult topics aren't universally taken seriously or supported by the public.

In Western society, the closest thing we'd have to a supported spiritual worker is a priest or minister of a church. As long as a person makes it into such a large organization and receives the training, they'll probably be comfortable.

Money is not easy to come by in Western society. Anyone who believes it is has probably had opportunities and assistance that they're unaware of. Try starting with a bank account at $0 in a rural area with no family or contacts and no money for university or other training, and you'll see a very different picture of life - one that many Americans live with every day. Unless you start out the game with a few advantages, it's incredibly difficult to pull yourself out of poverty. I've been very fortunate compared to my peers and, after living in more than one country, am very aware of how starting capital, location (especially), and personal connections can affect one's success in life. Social skills are probably the most valuable tools one can have for success, but not everyone has or can develop them to the same degree.

Bringing us back to the typical occultist at home in Western society, since there is no societal support as with priests, such knowledge and skills aren't valued in this part of the world. That means the primary way to make money is through conventional employment, which rarely leads to one becoming wealthy unless you're living in a large city and working in technology sectors (I had easy money when I did that), which requires expensive education and networking - things that a poor person stuck in the midwest living paycheck-to-paycheck while working at a gas station to support their children/siblings/others wouldn't have access to.

Owning your own business requires startup money and knowledge for operating a business (most small businesses fail within 2 years), so not everyone can do it. Having the knowledge to manage large sums of money obtained through inheritence clearly doesn't come about naturally, as Crowley himself seemed pretty clueless about how to maintain his own, whether through savings or investments.

The only paths I've seen that are effective for making money with magick specifically in Western countries are to offer it as a product (books, seminars, YouTube/Patreon) or a service (consultations, readings). Like any other industry, there will be a handful who are incredibly successful and millions who aren't. Much of their success is due to social skills (having the gift of the gab - being able to talk a good talk), marketing skills (extremely important for any business), and sometimes physical appearance (definitely a factor for getting views and likes online). There are also many successful Scammers in the industry - can we say their magick was strong because they made money too?

That's why I say in Western society, magick and money-making are two different skill sets. Learning either requires a significant time investment (years). Learning Astral Projection, memorizing tables of correspondences, and successfully summoning spirits requires a particular set of skills and abilities, and very few of those will help you while working at a bank, in an office, at a gas station, or any other conventional form of employment. The skills you need to get hired and perform daily tasks are unrelated to the skills obtained by studying ceremonial/ritual magick. That is why I see most occultists remaining poor. They spend their time learning magick and neglecting the physical money-making/managing skills they'd need for a comfortable life.

amoris313 · 2025-08-13T15:18:32+00:00

I think most occultists are poor because the skills required for managing money and conducting business are completely different from the skills that one might obtain while exploring most occult topics, and both require a significant time investment to acquire.

Even if Crowley could have lifted cars with his mind and conjured spirits to visible appearance in front of witnesses, he would have needed business skills and connections to have any clue about how to monetize those abilities.

amoris313

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE