Friday the 13th, Eclipse Season + Making Offerings to Hecate
do you know the real history of this blessed day?
What’s up, swimmers?! Happy Friday the 13th.
Did you know that Friday the 13th wasn’t always the spooky day some celebrate today, but a day devoted to goddess worship and celebrating the creative cycle or life, death, and rebirth? It’s true! There are 13 lunar cycles in a full year and Friday was named for Frigga or Freya, the Norse goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, as well as Venus, the Roman goddess of— wouldn’t you know it?—pretty much the same themes.
Sadly, the rise of Christianity and Patriarchy took what was once sacred and stomped it into something evil.
The good news is that this is we’re free to reclaim it now!
A recent edition of
harkened back to a gorgeous write-up of how to offer a deipnon (pronounced dayp known), a feast or meal for the goddess Hecate, and I personally feel called to engage with this deity practice today. Making an offering to the crone goddess of magic and the crossroads, feels especially potent as we cross the threshold of eclipse season—which starts tomorrow, Saturday October 14, with a new moon solar eclipse in Libra.
Eclipses have long been heralded as chaotic portals, seasons in which Spirit takes the wheel of our lives and gives it a good spin. Most witches caution against practicing moon magic during these cosmic events, for the energy is better served for surrender than manifestation. But as Amanda so generously reminds us, “witchcraft is a folk practice based on personal relationship to the deities/spirits/ancestors/etc,” so we’re always encouraged to trust our guts and our knowings when approaching our craft.
I choose to not set intentions or do ritual work during eclipse season. Instead, I’m going to spend the season, and the new moon in Libra, communing with Hecate without petitioning her to do me any favors.
If this potent pause in your practice is leaving you chomping at the bit to do some magic, perhaps you can carve out some space today to wrap up whatever spells you’re still casting, and clear off your altar to create some sacred space. You can also work with the numerology of today, October 13, 2023, a five (5) day with overall twelve/three (12/3) energy to do some bibliomancy, pull some cards, or even make a list of all the spells you’d like to try once eclipse season is over!
If working with Hecate is intriguing to you, know that offerings to her are extra supported today, as she supports the number three (3). Sometimes referred to as the triple-headed goddess, Hecate can be found where three roads meet, in any of her three forms—maiden, mother or crone—and can be an incredible ally through transitionary periods of past, present, future; life, death, and rebirth. You get the numeric picture.
You can also read more about Hecate in my book, The Witch’s Book of Numbers.
Whatever you do today, I hope that you find ways to connect with yourself, the Universe, and your magic. May you always remember that you are both a creation and a creator, and that power is yours to wield in whatever ways feel rich and joyful!
Plus, it’s not too late to join us at the third annual Gathering of the Witches, a weekend of magic, inspiration, and transformation happening online from October 20th – 22nd!
I’ll be leading a workshop on The Magic of Numbers: Enhancing Your Witchcraft through Numerology, which is scheduled for Sat, Oct 21 at 11AM CDT. But there is an incredible line-up of teachers and speakers that is not to be missed.
If you do try a deipnon or make another type of offering to Hecate, I’d love to hear your experience! Drop a comment here or perhaps I’ll even try starting a Substack thread so we can share in a consolidated place! More soon!