Hekate is a triple moon goddess of the Greeks, ruler of the three realms of the Underworld, the Earth and the Sky. She is guardian of the crossroads, especially where three roads meet, and protects lonely travellers who are out at night.

Card 1 is the significator: look through the deck until you find a card that you think represents you or your situation. It can reflect how you feel this day, or can be one you are particularly drawn to, though you may not quite know why. Even if you just like the picture on it, pick one that attracts you somehow. This is the card you pick for yourself.

Card 2: shuffle the deck like you normally would. When you're satisfied, lay this card face up beside the first. This is also you, but it is the card the Gods pick for you. Make these first two cards work together as a whole to represent yourself. Find their similarities and their differences.

Then lay out the cards face down as per the diagram at right.

There are several ways to interpret this spread, which can be used at the same time within the same spread or seperately:

Each arm can represent a choice, a path that is open to you;

Each arm can represent one of Hekate's realms, the Underworld, Earth and Sky. The Underworld arm (cards 4-16) pertains to the hidden, buried or subconscious aspect of the situation, what your dreams are telling you; the Earth arm (cards 3-15) signifies the concrete here and now, health, the facts of the matter; and the Sky arm (cards 5-17) represents your thoughts and hopes, your mind's take on things.

Each arm can represent one aspect of the goddess: maiden, mother, crone, which represent three aspects of yourself. The maiden represents your independent self, or ego; the mother how you relate to people (relationships, friends, family); and the crone represents your inner wisdom or intuition, which can be something you already know but aren't listening to. The cards will tell you which arm is which, usually quite clearly!

Turn each card face up, one arm at a time, from inner to outer cards.

The first card in each arm represents the choice or the path itself.

The second is the root, the basis, representing your motives, hidden and known, for why you would or would not choose this path. In other words, the pros and cons of this path.

The third is what you have to work with on this path, the facts and your feelings: what you're dealing with, the problem.

The fourth is a plan, some advice, your conscious dealings, what you can do about it.

The fifth card is the unexpected, the gifts from the tricksy gods: blessings, strange circumstances, things found by the side of the road.

 

All art here ©2004 Thalia Took, aka The Artist Formerly Known As Mary Crane.
You are free to borrow the images here for your own personal or religious use. If you use any on your
personal non-commercial website, please credit the work to Thalia Took.
If you can link back to this site, I'd appreciate it. Always ask permission first for any other requests for use of this art.
Obscure Goddess Online Directory text ©2006 Thalia Took, and please do not reproduce it.
Questions or comments? E-mail me.