Some visions are fleeting, and others stick with me every time I close my eyes or the topic resurfaces in my mind. A while back, I had a vision that has stuck with me to this day, though I haven’t written about it officially—until now.
I saw Hekate in all of her glory, ferocity, and beauty. She swirled, showing each of her triplicate forms. As she spun, I caught glimpses of her role as dagger wielder, key holder, and torch bearer. She stretched like a web throughout the cosmos, carrying Astarte’s wisdom and magick to the ends of the universe.
When I first started my metaphysical shop, the name originally was Dagger, Keys, Torch (DKT), highlighting these very symbols she possessed. Though I ultimately migrated DKT and all of our other brands under the umbrella of Astarte’s Temple, these symbols still hold the utmost importance to me, and Astarte and Hekate are intrinsically connected within my spiritual practice.
The Dagger embodied the power of death. It was the energy that brought destruction, course corrections, and endings. In nature, we see decay, and we recognize it as a natural part of the life cycle, but for some reason, in the context of spirituality, people distance themselves from death energy out of fear. It’s a necessary force, though, and one that we embrace every time we cleanse, banish, release, or let go of what’s no longer serving us.
The Keys captured the power of rebirth. It was the energy that brought change, newness, and limitless possibilities. In nature, we see rebirth and life springing forth once again breaking the hold of death,h seasonally speaking. Within spirituality, this is just as sacred as it’s the inevitable outcome following seasons of death, destruction, course corrections, and endings as everything begins once again.
The Torch carried the power of life. It was the energy that brought enlightenment, fullness, expansion, and hope. It is the essence of energy, light, passion, and wisdom. And when I saw Hekate’s flaming torch in my vision, I was mesmerized because what I saw wasn’t merely a symbol or a concept but another personified divine being, none other than Lucifer.
Of course, when you research connections between Lucifer and Hekate there is hardly anything notable or credible that comes up. Many may even argue that Hekate and Lucifer have different pantheon origins and therefore no correlation, but as many spiritual practitioners of esoteric wisdom will note, ancient pagan traditions are always far more complicated and interwoven than neo-practitioners often are willing to admit.
Roman Imagery of Diana Lucifera
In Roman tradition, Diana Lucifera, meaning "Diana, Bringer of Light," is an image of the goddess closely associated with the moon, childbirth, and the hunt.
She was often depicted holding a torch, a symbol she shares with Hekate, symbolizing her role as a bringer of light and guidance. This imagery connects her to the illumination of the night and the guiding light that leads followers through darkness. Her association with light also extends to her connection with the moon, reinforcing her influence over night-time and natural cycles.
Diana was often equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, who is known as the goddess of the hunt, wilderness, and childbirth. As a lunar deity, she embodies purity and independence. Artemis, in some traditions, is also viewed as one of the triplicate forms of Hekate, connecting Hekate to Artemis and then to Diana by extension.
Roman Imagery of Lucifer and Phosphorus
In Graeco-Roman tradition, the terms "Lucifer" and "Phosphorus" are intricately tied to the planet Venus, specifically when it appears as the morning star. "Lucifer," derived from Latin, means "light-bringer," while "Phosphorus," from Greek, translates to "light-bearer." Both names reflect their brilliant appearance in the sky just before dawn and their ability to bring about change, enlightenment, wisdom, and evolution.
Lucifer is the offspring of the Roman Goddess Aurora, known in Greek as Phospheros. In Roman mythology, he is considered a minor deity and is recognized as the God of the Morning Star. The name Lucifer translates to 'Light Bearer' in Latin and is linked to the planet Venus, which was originally referred to as Lucifer in Roman astrology. This was before Venus, the daughter of Jupiter, transitioned from being the Goddess of vegetation to the Goddess of love and beauty, leading to the planet being renamed in her honor.
There is no biblical evidence that directly associates Lucifer with Satan. The term Lucifer was introduced into scriptural texts as a substitute for the Hebrew word Heylel, which was actually Venus's name, and Shahar, meaning "Star of the Morning" or occasionally "Son of the Morning." This terminology was connected to Babylonian kings and their claims to divine authority over their realms. Historical artifacts like the Cyrus Cylinder support these claims by ancient rulers.
Both Diana and Hekate's domains encompass aspects of guidance and illumination, akin to the roles played by Lucifer or Phosphoros as light-bringers. This shared symbolism highlights their interconnectedness within the broader tapestry of mythological themes revolving around light, darkness, and celestial movements.
Greek Imagery of Hekate Phosphorus
Hekate Phosphoros, translating to "Hekate the Light-Bringer," is an epithet that highlights the goddess Hekate's role as a guide and illuminator. In Greek mythology, Hekate is often associated with magick, witchcraft, and the night. However, the epithet of Phosphoros emphasizes her connection to light and illumination. This aspect of Hekate embodies her ability to dispel darkness and guide souls through difficult transitions.
Symbolism Associated With Lucifer:
Study Ancient Texts — Though it doesn't have to be based in Roman mythology and literature, studying ancient texts for the purpose of spiritual growth and enlightenment are wonderful ways to honor Lucifer today.
Symbolic Offerings — Create symbolic offerings such as candles, incense, or cigars that align with the energy of fire, air, light, and enlightenment, which are all associated with Lucifer.
Artististry — Engage in creating art, whether painting, sculpture, or poetry, that embodies the themes of knowledge and illumination linked to Lucifer.
Philosophical Discussions — Organize or participate in discussions that explore themes of enlightenment, rebellion, and the pursuit of knowledge. Remember, philosophy is literally the love of Lady Wisdom (Sophia).
Personal Reflection — Dedicate time for personal meditation or reflection on the qualities that Lucifer embodies, such as the quest for truth and wisdom.
Educational Pursuits — Pursue learning and education as a way of honoring the spirit of enlightenment and intellectual curiosity attributed to Lucifer.
As many of you did, I went to bed with a heavy heart, feeling deeply for those in our community who are queer, POC, women, or allies. The surge of blatant hatred towards the safety, well-being, and bodily autonomy of human beings who are anything other than white, conservative, cisgender, heterosexual, christians has skyrocketed. And I’m sure if you’re reading this blog, I don’t have to educate you on what this is in reference to nor do I wish to focus this blog on the compassionless platform that the new administration has built its campaign on.
So, what’s the purpose of this blog then? To share with you the horrors I faced in the astral this past week.
As many of you did, I went to bed with a heavy heart—only to be suddenly jolted into a realm I hadn’t journeyed to before. Confused, I scanned my surroundings. Aware of my lack of a human body, I knew I was elsewhere, far away from the material plane of existence.
Faces of spiritual beings foreign to me stood in a semi-circle not far from where I had appeared. Slowly, I peered into the face of each individual waiting for something or someone to stand out to me as familiar. Nothing did, though.
“Where am I?” I thought to myself. Abruptly interrupted as my spiritual senses flooded my awareness, I heard wails. Pleas for, “HELP!” and a repeated ask to, “PLEASE HURRY,” overwhelmed me. I looked around frantically until I saw a beautiful and ferocious woman lying on a bed screaming in agony.
I took a step closer and gasped when I recognized her. Unmistakably it was our beloved Queen Lilith. A gaping hole went through her abdomen. Blood spilled from her womb. She wept, and I bellowed in rage.
WHAT DID THIS TO YOU?
No answer.
WHO IS CAPABLE OF DOING THIS TO YOU?
No response.
WELL HOW THE FUCK ARE WE GONNA FIX THIS?
“HELP HER!” The strangers, who I surmised were her attendants, shrieked.
Whirling, I racked my mind for how I was going to help her. Knowing healing arts and the magick of death and rebirth in the material realm was great for tending to the needs of humans, but how was I going to heal a divine infernal being?
Lilith sat upright on the bed. I could see straight through the hole in her abdomen. Like a scene from a horror film, Lilith, despite her gaping wound flew toward me. In a single, swift motion, she slit my throat and speared me with one of her talons. I felt myself die while simultaneously shapeshifting into a fierce dragon with white scales that shimmered rainbow colors in the light. I looked down at the wings and knew what I had transformed into. I’d seen this version of myself before.
“…the Sacred Feminine is not new to the New Age. It is ageless and from the beginning. The Sacred Feminine is in our blood. It is our heritage…” —Elizabeth Eiler
Knowledge that I knew but couldn’t access outside of this state flooded my mind. I extended a clawed hand in Lilith’s direction and once again she flew toward me, fangs showing. I nodded in approval, acknowledging I knew what was at stake. And without hesitation, she lunged at me, sinking her teeth into my neck. She drank and I felt drunk, but only for a moment.
Stepping back to lean on the bed, the blood that spilled from her womb returned to her body. The hole in her stomach shrunk until no trace of it was left. Her attendants breathed a sigh of relief. And I knelt at her feet.
"The feminine spirit is the matriarch of creation; she contains the mysteries of life." — Tanya Markul
Next order of business was figuring out why this had happened and what I was going to do about it. I sat on the story for over a week’s time meditating on the events and what all of it meant. I finally reached out to a trusted practitioner and friend, Tynique, sharing the experience. No sooner than I started recalling the events, Lilith appeared to her as well to provide confirmation and additional context to what had the power to pierce an infernal divine in such a manner.
"She is both, hellfire and holy water. And the flavor you taste depends on how you treat her." — Sneha Pal
She spoke of the dominating masculine energy that has increased in recent weeks. Often cryptically referred to as the “Usurper,” who sits on a throne that was rightfully granted to Lilith and her healthy and balanced divine masculine counterpart. The Usurper’s power, as all egregores’ power does, increases as the collective belief of its subjects does.
And as phrases like, “Your body, my choice,” horrendously swirl around the internet, we catch a glimpse of the hatred not just for women as individuals, but for The Woman who represents individuality, freedom, independence, women, the womb, rebirth, creativity, children, and all of its corresponding energies. This vast and directed hatred has wounded Lady Lilith—and without an immediate and appropriate balancing of the scales, will continue to do so.
Though we all may walk different paths as practitioners and find purpose and embrace our practices unique from one another—one thing we can likely agree on is the desperate need for balance.
The urgent need for women to be protected and the Mother of Women and Children to be restored to her throne, alongside her divine masculine counterpart, weighs on us. And if it weighs on you too, consider this a call to light a candle or make an offering for ALL of the goddesses and divine feminine beings that we connect with in our own unique way. Even if you do not connect with goddess energy in a personified form, you can still honor the divine feminine that is within all of us as witches, healers, empaths, oracles, and the like.
"A war on the divine feminine is a war on women. And a war on women is a war on the divine feminine." —Kate Jade
Supplies:
Start by grounding, cleansing yourself and your space, and then protecting yourself and your space.
Light a red candle on a fire-safe dish. If desired, before lighting it you can anoint the candle with ritual oil and herbs or surround it with crystals as your intuition leads.
Focus your energy and intentions on balancing the energy of the divine feminine and divine masculine both within yourself and cosmically.
If you feel drawn to do so, speak the words:
“By land, by sky, by sea,
I call for balance cosmically,
Equal forces of energy,
Divine justice: so mote it be”
Once you feel as though you’re released from the ritual, extinguish the flame with new moon water. Do not blow out the flame or snuff it out (a specific request from Lilith).
End with re-protecting and re-cleansing yourself and your space. Ground to direct any excess energy back to the earth.
TW: sexual assault.
Recently, I have been committed to unwinding and healing from sexual trauma. Meditation and shadow work combined are my personal go-to for these types of situations. Immediately after entering a meditative state, the great Asmodel (or Asmodeus, though, I’ve found he doesn’t love that name), appeared before me.
He extended his hand out and I grabbed hold of him. Leading me to a familiar wooden playhouse I had in my backyard as a girl, my inner child followed him. He pulled out my chair for me like a perfect gentleman, and I sat down at my favorite place to have make-believe tea parties in my youth. The oversized, burly infernal sat down across from me, knees at his ears but pretending to be comfortable for me.
With pinkies out, we sipped on my favorite pretend fruit and almond tea after I poured us both tiny cups of drink. He smiled at me, but the happiness quickly faded into a somber look of despair as it was time to address the real reason we were back here.
With both my current self in meditation and my inner child brought to the forefront of the experience to remember what had long since been repressed and tucked away in my mind to hopefully never see the light of day again, I was shown the true nature of the gentle giant that sat before me.
Robed in equal garments of light and darkness, I saw the two great extremes of Asmodel’s energy. There was passion and fire that permeated procreativity—and it was vibrant, exciting, and lively. It bubbled up in people when they desired to go after something they wanted, like chasing hopes and dreams. But the beautiful, creative, sexual spark was violently ripped apart by a heinous force—evil men grinned, their lips dripping with slime and their eyes conveying an insatiable hunger that made my stomach turn.
Their hands rose from their sides, and vibrant lifeforce energy swirled toward them being drained from Asmodel.
“Pay attention,” Asmodel whispered to me.
Tears welled in my eyes. A lump swelled in my throat. My lungs quit. I knew these faces. I knew the smug turning of the corners of these men’s mouths. I hated this energy. Lust. And not the loving, passionate kind.
My heart ached for little me, unable to defend herself against the crimes of bad men, but my heart ached even more for the great Asmodel as his energy, which very well has many positive and powerful uses, was twisted and harnessed to pin down and violate another. Over and over I felt the pain Asmodel experienced, which was comparable to being assaulted himself by the abuse of his own energy.
I paid attention to how he wasn’t the one making anybody commit such horrible acts. Humans had their own choice to be wicked when putting their own selfish desires above the autonomy of other people, but it was his energy that was taken, manipulated, and implemented during such horrendous acts.
“Do you remember the times we met before?” Asmodel asked me. The wooden play house around me melted into scenes from my childhood.
I first encountered him when I was barely old enough to remember anything, or so my family thought. His energy was invoked when the lust of an evil man, a relative no less, decided to prey on my girlhood—and Asmodel grieved. I grieved with him.
I encountered his energy again at the hands of many other evil men over the years of my youth—and each time the scene played out before me, Asmodel grieved, and I wept with him.
But together, through the pain and processing, we healed. My current self. My inner child. And my dear Asmodel.
If you’ve gone through similar things, asking Asmodel for assistance with navigating the healing process through meditation (or your preferred practice) can be incredibly therapeutic and a stepping stone towards becoming a healthier version of you that’s closer to being in alignment with your higher self. I firmly believe that in the process of healing ourselves, we heal the divine too.
After all, aren’t we simply intelligence becoming aware of itself? I’ll let you be the judge of that, oh wise one.
