The Tree at the Crossroads, A New Year Rite of Vision and Release with Hekate

Hekate dances before a tree too immense to fully see.

I place three candles on the earth and light them.

I light these flames at the roots of the world tree.
Flame of the crossroads. Flame of the soul. Flame of the future.
Hekate Enodia, Hekate Phosphoros, Hekate Trimorphis.
Help me understand these messages.

I place The Hermit card (reversed) before the white candle and invoke Hekate:

Enodia, show me where I resist stillness.
Help me hear the wisdom that lives beneath the silence.

I place the Two of Cups (reversed) before the red candle and invoke Hekate:

Aglaos and Vrimo, illuminate the wounds I must heal.
Why is love withheld? How may I open to connection again?

I place the Knight of Pentacles before the black candle and invoke Hekate:

Psychi Kosmou and Hthonia, show me the gate that opens.
How shall I plant and nourish the seeds of growth?

I place a pomegranate, a key, and an offering cup near the candles.

I place the Four of Swords before the pomegranate and invoke Hekate:

Fruit of the Underworld, sealed and sweet,
I will not force the path.
Let the hidden potential ripen in silence.
Let me lay down the sword and welcome sacred rest.

I place The Magician card before the key and invoke Hekate:

Hekate Klidouchos, Keeper of Keys,
May I find what I need.
Teach me to use what I already carry.
Let will and wisdom meet.

I place the King of Pentacles before the offering cup and invoke Hekate:

I return the gifts that once helped me.
Help me release control.
Let my spirit grow where fear once ruled.

I inscribe a circle on the ground.

I place the Ten of Pentacles within the circle and invoke Hekate:

Show me what will take root.
What vision is ready to come into form?

I place the Death card within the circle and invoke Hekate:

Hekate of Many Faces,
Show me who I must become.
Guide me through the shedding.
Let the old self die with grace.

I await a vision...

I kindle fire in the cauldron and pour water into the basin.

I pass the Two of Wands (reversed) through the flames of the cauldron and invoke Hekate:

Cauldron of transformation,
Receive what I must release.
Hekate, help me name what is false and what I fear,
and give me strength to cast them into the flame.

I pour water from the basin over the Five of Pentacles (reversed) and invoke Hekate:

Water of life, water of mercy.
Hekate, show me what must be cleansed.
Let this basin carry away sorrow, shame, and isolation.
Let resilience and grace take their place.

I pour water on my hands and splash my face. Then I offer thanks to Hekate:

The flame returns to the root.
The path returns to silence.
The goddess remains.
May what was seen unfold in time.
Hail and farewell, Hekate,
Light-bringer, Key-holder, Guide through shadow.

Postscript

When I performed this rite, the visualization came quickly and vividly. I saw Hekate dancing before the World Tree which, in the darkness, was vast beyond sight. I recited Hekate's mantra and felt the damp earth and warm air around me. The candles flickered over each card. The pomegranate, key, and cup were real. I inscribed the circle with white chalk and felt Hekate communing with me.

When I laid down the Death card, I asked what part of me must die so I can live more fully. But then I noticed: The Ten of Pentacles had come first. Perhaps transformation isn't a prerequisite for change; perhaps change will begin to take root before I fully understand who I must become.

The Five of Pentacles, washed in water, offered hope. I saw the possibility of returning to a place of light, of finding a new home, within myself or elsewhere.

I gazed at The Two of Cups, its candle still burning brightly even though it had became shorter, and I asked Hekate to help me find love and connection and to heal whatever has kept me distant from others.

Something shifted. I felt a quiet turning and heard the beginning of something. Now I wait in stillness to understand the rest.

New Year's Tarot Spread

This morning, I began the year by performing a tarot reading using Arith Harger’s The Altar of Hekate - Rune Divination Method, a spread that invites reflection, transformation, and the wisdom of the liminal goddess. The cards are read in ten sacred positions, each one symbolically tethered to phases of ritual work at an altar.


Opening the Crossroads

Card 1 - White candle, new moon, our inner temple. Asking Enodia for advice and wisdom regarding the next cycle.

The Hermit reversed suggests that I'm resisting stillness and failing to listen to my inner guidance, that I'm not embracing the isolation and silence I currently need. I'm seeking sensible action and external answers when I should be seeking higher wisdom.

Card 2 - Red candle, red moon, the sacred flames of Aglaos and Vrimo. Illuminating the path to regeneration and helping defend against blocks to your potential.

The Two of Cups reversed suggests that I've never really accepted that no one will ever love me back. I'm not seeking romantic love, but the love with those around me who make up the fabric and melody of a meaningful life. I've never figured out what makes me so vile and unlovable. I've just had to accept that only a few people care and that the love I give is what I should focus on. This absence of connection must be healed in some way.

Card 3 - Black candle, dark moon. Purification of home and self before transition to next cycle; Psychi Kosmou and Hthonia reveal which gate will open for you.

The Knight of Pentacles indicates responsibility and duty, and the satisfaction of being responsible and dutiful. These qualities reflect who I am, but the other cards suggest I may need to redirect my energies. It may indicate continuing with my current situation, but tending it differently so sprouts of new life may begin to cover that ploughed field. I dreamed of a home last night and the night before. It may be time to nest and make a home in which I can grow.

Descent to the Inner Temple

Card 4 - Pomegranate of Hthonia to find yourself. Revealing the hidden fruit of the Underworld, your potential; don’t force yourself onto a path you’re not suited for.

The Four of Swords suggests that my potential can't be found through action now. I must lay down the sword and accept this period of dormancy. The pomegranate, symbol of the underworld, and this card ask me to be still, rest, and let the fruit ripen in silence.

Card 5 - Keys of Kliduchos. Revealing the keys to your soul, your journey, your hidden potential.

The Magician suggests I have access to all the keys and tools I need even if they feel distant now. Perhaps they will become visible to me in this season of stillness.

Card 6 - Offering cup. Releasing gifts that might prevent the unfolding and growth, unveiling the next cycle to gain confidence in it.

The King of Pentacles suggests that my attachment to material control and outward stability is a shield, but that it now cages me. I don’t need to give up security, but I must let go of my fear of losing it. I need to seek spiritual growth.

Vision from the Deep

Card 7 - The magic circle, active part of the altar. Obtaining a concrete image of what to expect in the next cycle.

The Ten of Pentacles suggests I will find a situation in which to become rooted and strong and giving. I will establish a foundation, reconnect with tradition, claim a place within a community, and gain a sense of belonging that will bless both me and others.

Card 8 - Hekate of many epithets. We are too fluid to be the same person throughout our lives; this rune or card shows the identity we must embrace for this cycle.

Death suggests that my old self is dissolving while a new one is rising. Hekate as psychopomp will guide me through this transformation. Like the figures in the card, I should surrender and welcome this transformation. My old identity cannot accommodate the future that is arriving.

Release and Return

Card 9 - Cauldron. Burn everything no longer needed on the altar, refine the vision you've gained, and keep that vision in the fertile silence of the Underworld for future use.

The Two of Wands reversed shows hesitation, fear of taking the wrong action. I should surrender doubt of this vision and wait trustfully in the fertile silence for the vision to come to fruition.

Card 10 - Water. Release the creative energies you invoked for this ritual, cleanse the altar and yourself. Dissolve the ritual circle and return to the flow of life and self.

The Five of Pentacles reversed represents emerging from scarcity, shame, and the ache of being out in the cold. It shows me reclaiming a sense of self worth. Let the water wash away old wounds and patterns of behavior that keep me isolated. Let resilience and self-trust flow into me, carrying me into a new future.

Turning the Reading into a Rite

How do I turn the lessons of this reading into a ritual. What ritual actions will solidify the vision in my mind and in reality?

• The Hermit asks: What kind of meditation will help me cultivate stillness and hear the voice of inner wisdom?
• The Two of Cups reversed raises the question: How do I face this ache in my character, this yearning for connection? Will it dissolve with the transformation that is coming?
• The Knight of Pentacles wonders: Would creating an altar space be sufficient to help me tend my life with more care and intention?
• The Four of Swords whispers: What kind of rest do I truly need, especially when illness has already taken so much time from gainful employment?
• The Magician echoes: What kind of stillness will allow me to recognize the keys I already possess?
• The King of Pentacles challenges: How do I transmute my desire for material control into a deeper search for spiritual growth?
• With the Ten of Pentacles and Death, I wonder: Is this transformation inevitable? Do I trust it to unfold, no matter what I do?
• The Two of Wands reversed urges me to ask: Is it truly possible to release fear? What symbol can I burn?
• And finally, the Five of Pentacles reversed asks: How do I release the old story of exclusion and scarcity that has shaped me since childhood? What symbol can I wash away?

Would candles, breath, and word be enough? Or is this a ritual that can only unfold in the astral temple, with Hekate guiding me and revealing the symbolic objects I must release?

Hekate Spread

This spread was inspired by The Hymn to Veiled Wisdom and conducted using the Tarot of Oneness by Robin Voisey. Each position is aligned with an aspect of Divine Wisdom and guided by a devotional question. The reading explores themes of health, guilt, creativity, fear, community, and divine trust.

1. Ζηρυνθία (Zirinthía) - Guide me through veils untold...
Question: What am I not seeing clearly about my health and burnout?

The Tower. I see myself falling from a great height, struck by lightning that flings me from the tower’s pinnacle. This is the card of unexpected disaster, often triggered by emotionalism and unclear thinking.

My current physical and emotional state may be unsustainable. The collapse I fear is not just external (job, health), but internal: outdated beliefs about success, productivity, and what “being well” means. The universe is removing what no longer serves me. Burnout may be the consequence of structures built from self-sacrifice or over-responsibility. Their fall is painful, but necessary.

Guidance: Embrace the fall. This is sacred demolition, not failure. Let yourself grieve and let go.

2. Βριμοῖ (Vrímo) - Shake perception’s core...
Question: What truth must I face about guilt and work?

Three of Swords. I see my reflection in shattered glass. My figure is a dark silhouette. My heart is black but glows red with pain. Is the image real or illusory?

I am deeply wounded, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Much of that pain comes from trying to "manage" rather than feel. I've been suppressing the extent of my hurt. The guilt I carry for resting, or disappointing others (especially my boss), is cutting deeper than the situation itself. The illusion is that I owe my well-being to others.

Guidance: Let yourself break. Cry. Name the pain. Stop gaslighting your own exhaustion.

3. Φωσφόρος (Phōsphoros) - Kindle fires of art’s creation...
Question: What is the role of the Eilat Tarot project in my life?

Synchronicity. A golden statue stands on a globe, reaching toward the sun. A radiant bird fills the sky, its light reflected in the sea. A single feather has fallen at the statue’s feet.

This project is not nonsense. It’s sacred play, mystical, intuitive, and not meant to be rationalized. I should trust its unfolding without demanding validation. The fallen feather is a divine sign: “You don’t need proof. You only need presence.” The golden statue may represent me, already standing on wholeness, still reaching toward meaning.

Guidance: Ask for signs. Stop overthinking. Your creativity is a prayer.

4. σωτηρία (Sotería) - Wisdom you bestow...
Question: What do I need to release to be emotionally free?

Seven of Swords. A predator waits above me on a tree branch. The world is dark and silent. I am afraid."

I may be hiding from myself. There’s fear-driven isolation here, born from trauma, perfectionism, or shame. I anticipate betrayal, so I prepare for it constantly. I don’t have to figure it all out alone. My inner predator is a defense mechanism, but it may be keeping love and support away.

Guidance: Release the need to protect yourself from everyone. Begin small, but practice vulnerability.

5. Ορίζοντα (Urízoda) - Knower of the unknown...
Question: Where will I find the loving community I long for?

Embodiment of Cups. (King) A crown and ship-shaped medal hang from a ribbon. A curtain parts. A fish leaps before the crown. Am I meant to wear these symbols?

Emotional maturity and self-acceptance are my path to community. It’s not about finding loving people, but about becoming someone who feels worthy of belonging. Community mirrors my emotional tone. The more I live in truth, the more authentic relationships will flow toward me. The leaping fish suggests a sign will come soon, perhaps through water, dreams, or feeling.

Guidance: Lead with heart, not armor.

6. πολύτιμος μου (Polýtimos mou) - Precious One, embrace me...
Question: How can I trust the divine and feel held?

Nine of Pentacles. A bird is about to alight on a birdhouse hanging in the trees. Does a home await me too?

This indicates a future of safety, serenity, and sovereignty. The birdhouse speaks of homecoming, both spiritual and literal. I am not as far from peace as I feel. Even now, something within me is already at rest. I only need to return to it.

Guidance: Trust the spiritual foundations you've built. You are already in communion, even if it feels quiet.

This spread appears to reveal a familiar arc of soul-work, unfolding in six movements:

1. Destruction of false structures (The Tower)
2. Acknowledgment of the wound (Three of Swords)
3. Opening to mystery and meaning (Synchronicity)
4. Letting go of control and fear (Seven of Swords)
5. Emotional rebirth into connection (Embodiment of Cups)
6. Return to grounded, graceful being (Nine of Pentacles)

This reading offers insight and initiation, a movement from collapse to wholeness, guided by the voices of different aspects of Divine Wisdom.

My Personal Shrine

At the heart of my personal shrine, Hestia, goddess of the hearth, holds everything together. I acquired this image from the back cover of my copy of a 1980s SageWoman Magazine. It represents my long and deep connection with her. When I stand before this image, I feel the comforting embrace of home.

To Hestia’s left, a small statue of Ganesha sits on a platform as a reminder of a significant moment on my spiritual journey and the hope for a second chance. Though I turned away from his call in devotion to my Jewish path, Ganesha, now silent, emanates a gentle benevolence. On Hestia’s right, a janut (a nod to Sofia Samatar’s fantasy tale) that I call Lara embodies the protective power that has shielded my soul through life’s battering waves.

Holy Mother Leah, a figure deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, shares qualities with Esau, my favorite biblical figure. Her portrait reminds me of the importance of forging a meaningful life without relying on the love or approval of others.

The image of Hekate on the right side of my shrine changes often, as I have many images of her. The left side of my shrine contains a pillar-like statue of Artemis, reminiscent of Asherah, and a delicate glass vase, like the one Hekate sometimes holds in one hand. The Artemis statue as well as a large, red-eyed serpent brooch, representing Nehustan, were gifts from my friend, Kesam. Ceramic cats, symbols of affection and grace, playfully explore the space, adding a touch of whimsy to the shrine’s solemnity.

Before the first candle flame flickers before Hestia, I invoke her in modern Greek: Estía, i próti kai i televtaía, theá tis estías. Estía, yemáti evloyíes, theá pou me akoúei. “Hestia the first and last, goddess of the hearth. Hestia full of blessings, goddess who hears me.” 

Next, I light the candles before Ganesha and Lara, reciting words of recognition and gratitude: “Ganesha of the benevolent gaze” and “Lara, protector of my spirit.” Then I light two more candles for “Hekate, teacher of sorcery” and “Artemis-Asherah.”

Next to my shrine, the glossy black stove top is where I kindle Shabbos, yahrzeit, and Hanukkah lights. My kiddush cup stands there during Shabbat and incense burns there during the week. A magnificent hanukkiah, also a gift from Kesam, towers at the back of the stove; it is a reminder of tradition, and its enormous size means it dominates my whole studio apartment.

A smaller shrine rests on my desk, featuring the same image of Hestia. A carved wooden Tree of Life, with subdued colors, shows the traditional attribution of Hebrew letters. A photograph of a reddish-orange ceramic image of Hekate with two torches to guide Persephone from the underworld reminds me of Hekate’s long history. A necklace bearing Thor’s Hammer serves as a testament to the thunderstorms that have brought me messages of significance. The wall is covered with photographs of joyous moments with friends and nature, as well as a replica of an antique Shiviti.

I perform rituals before various trays set against the northern wall of my home. The tray becomes an altar, holding the tools and symbols necessary for ritual and spell-craft. Seated in front of this altar, I transport myself to Hekate’s astral temple where I can take purposeful action to shape my life.

Hekate Enalía

Hail, Hekate Enalía, Queen of the Deep,
Ruler of surging tides and of playful waves rushing across the sand,
Of soft rains and roaring storms, of ancient wells and bubbling springs,
Of morning dew, of mists and fog, and the frozen embrace of ice and snow–
You who rule all waters coursing through the veins of the world, nurturing and transforming.

Hekate Enalía, Mistress of the Sea, I thirst for a vision of you.
You who command torrents and stillness alike,
You who teach us to navigate the untamed waters of existence.
Enalía, Ulu, and Eilat, your names resound through the ages,
Calling souls who remember our beginnings in the primeval sea.
I stand before you as a devotee of this place, this magical world.
Embrace me in your boundless presence and sing to me the mysteries of your realm!

As Queen of the Sea, you hold the keys to its secrets.
As Empress of the Watery Realms above, you pour your gifts.
Grant me understanding of your heights and depths.
Open the gates to your watery realms,
Cleanse me in your waters, whisper to me your healing melodies.
And as you bind and bend the currents of existence, favor me!

Behold! Your form rises, a torrent in the soft sky-glow!
Towering above me like a great tsunami,
Adorned with seaweed, cloaked in frothy sea-foam and iridescent shells,
Your majestic presence commands my reverence.
Sea serpents encircle your arms,
And your garments, as dark as the depths of your realm, billow around you.

Melodies flow from flutes and horns of white shell that you hold.
Enalía, Ulu, and Eilat, your names resound through the ages,
Your stories yet untold echo through the eons– let me be your songstress!

Hekate Enalía, Source of Life, who teaches water’s ancient refrain,
Embrace me in your boundless wisdom and empower me with your stormy grace.
O Queen of the Ocean's Depths, guide my journey through life's ever-changing waters.
Guide me to wholeness amidst life's storms.

This morning I had a wonderful ritual in the Gulf
with Enalía and the Seirínes!

Winged Ladies of the Sea,
In sand and foam, in crystal tone,
Your magic in my heart is sown. Io Heka Ilu Ho!

Hekate Haiku

Original:

Over the last few months, a rambling essay has become a haiku (mostly 5-7-5). The first two lines of each verse are about Hekate and the world, then a dash indicates a momentary break in my focus on Her, while my thoughts turn to my separate self.

Precious Ekáti
Hills blush in the morning light
        —I stand in rev'rence

Inhabit Your throne
“Io Heka Io Ho”
        —I beg Your guidance

Bestow your wisdom
Revealing blessings unseen
        —Pure prayer presented

Unending grace flows
Your touch transforms all beings
        —And my hands...

Keyholder, Sorc'ress
Torch-lit paths disclose delight
        —Honor You in deeds

Essence of the world
Light and darkness of this realm
        —I go beyond now

Together we stride
"Eghosé ethelésa," willingly I chose 
        —Evermore, will I follow



30 December 2025 Revision:

Precious Ekáti
Hills blush beneath dawn’s still breath
       —I rise in silence

Inhabit Your throne
“Io Heka, Io Ho!”
       —Guide my faltering steps

Bestow Your deep fire
Unseen gifts veiled in light
       —This prayer, made empty-handed 

Grace flows without end
Your touch awakens all things
       —Even these hands stir

Keybearer, Witch-Queen
Torch-lit paths through breath and bone
       —I serve through action

Essence in all things
Shadow and blaze intertwined
       —I cross the threshold

Together we stride 
"Eghosé ethelésa" 
       —Evermore, I follow

Hymn to Veiled Wisdom

                         Ζηρυνθία
Hyékati Zirinthía, guide me through veils untold,
Show me my path, time’s tapestries unfold.

                         Βριμοῖ
Hyékati Vrímo, shake perception’s core,
Reveal my desires and the purpose to explore.

                         Φωσφόρος
Hyékati Fósfore, kindle fires of art’s creation,
Ignite in me purpose and inspired dedication.

                         σωτηρία
Hyékati Sotería, wisdom you bestow,
Take me beyond, bound'ries I’ll let go.

                         Ορίζοντα
Hyékati Urízoda, knower of the unknown,
Teacher and friend, grant me wisdom to be sown.

                         πολύτιμος μου
Precious One, stand by me, embrace me tight,
Unveil the world’s secrets in your sacred light.