Hekate: The Soul Guide For Troubled Times

Dearest Psychopomp,
I am ready to reunite
With the frozen fractals around my heart.
To stitch them together.
Each fragment an act of rebellion.
The action of choosing love.
Guide me into their brokenness.
Showing my hands how to heal.
I am not complete,
But I am ready to be whole.

The world is at a crossroads. This is Hekate's realm, where she can help us navigate the most turbulent times. I know it in my soul.

In this new episode Christen and I sit down for another conversation about Hekate as Psychopomp, The Soul Guide.

Psychopomp, which translates from Greek as “Soul Guide,” is one of Hekate’s most ancient roles. In our new episode, Christen and I explore the different ways we can experience Hekate as The Psychopomp. The first is how we can call upon her to help us find our way to our own soul, from soul retrieval work to past lives, and even more regular personal development. The second is her function as the one who guides souls between the living world and the deeper one. The final way is that she may share this key with us, enabling us to work as mediums, transmitting messages between the living and the other side, and as ones who can assist spirits in making the transition to the deeper world. A fascinating trio of topics to explore.

Our discussion delves into Hekate’s role as a psychopomp, guiding souls during the annual Psychopomp month in Covina, culminating in a soul retrieval ritual. I highlight her historical significance in facilitating transitions between life and death, while also addressing the evolution of psychology and the need to integrate soul work for deeper fulfillment. Our conversation touches on the responsibilities of those engaged in psychopomp work, emphasizing the importance of personal boundaries and self-care.

Understanding Soul

The Soul Guide is much more than the one who helps the earthly dead cross over the river to the other side, she is the midwife who assists new souls as they are born into flesh, and she reunites us with the fragments we lose along the way. Hekate calls us to take care of our own souls, and to see the soul in all things. Caring for our own souls and seeking to understand the soul in all things, draws us closer to Anima Mundi.

Soul Guide in Psychology Evolution

The etymology and historical context of the word “Psychopomp,” which translates to “soul guide” in English. However, the concept of the soul has evolved in psychology from its ancient roots to modern cognitive behavioral approaches. There is need to reintegrate soul work into psychology, highlighting the limitations of cognitive strategies in addressing deep-seated human needs and the yearning for something more profound.

Hekate’s Role as a Psychopomp

The role of Hekate as a psychopomp in ancient Greek mythology centered around her function as a guide for souls between the living and the afterlife. Hekate’s origins in Anatolia and her syncretization with Greek deities led to her association with crossroads, thresholds, and the underworld. While Hekate’s role in the Chaldean Oracles as the soul of the world, capable of guiding souls to higher realms. It may be that the Greeks attributed these roles to Hekate due to her foreign and mysterious origins.

Psychopomp Work and Boundary Setting

Hekate’s Hord refers to the ancient Greek belief that the restless dead, and other spirits, were governed by her. In ancient Greek mythology and evidence from religious rites, such as Hekate’s Suppers, she was seen as a goddess of the crossroads who guided marginalized souls, including those who died dishonorably, to the underworld. In our modern practice, we may experience different levels of Psychopomp work, including personal soul work, guiding living beings, and mediumship with spirits. The importance of boundaries and energetic hygiene for those drawn to mediumship is paramount because of the potential for burnout if proper precautions aren’t taken.

For an in-depth examination of Hekate Psychopomp, read the eponymous chapter in Entering Hekate’s Cave. Here’s an excerpt:

One of Hekate’s most ancient roles is as Psychopomp, which translates as “soul guide.”[i] According to the Greeks, the psychopomp guided the departed into the afterlife, whether it was the nightmarish Tartarus or the heavenly Elysium.[ii] Certain deities like Hekate and Hermes, her frequent companion, had the special ability to travel at will between the Underworld, the world of everyday life, and the heights of Olympus, so they could easily cross into the territory of the afterlife.[iii]

Hekate, in particular, was responsible for overseeing the restless dead and for guiding souls to the other side. There is a special relationship between Hekate and those who have suffered great soul loss at the hands of others. She held close to her the dead who were marginalized by society, especially women and girls who had died due to sexual violence or during childbirth. In modern terms, Hekate is a trauma specialist whose darkness welcomes our fleeting soul fragments that find refuge in her cave. She tends to them until we are ready to be reunited.

Hekate Psychopomp is much more than the one who helps the earthly dead cross over the river to the other side, however. She is the midwife who assists new souls as they are born into flesh, and she reunites us with the fragments of our selves that we lose along the way. She calls us to take care of our own souls, and to see the soul in all things. When we care for our own souls and seek to understand the soul in all things, it draws us closer to the archetypal web, to the very soul of the world. The shamanic and psychological practice of soul retrieval is the process of calling back pieces of our soul that were lost due to individual and cultural trauma.[iv] In my own work, I function as a psychopomp, lighting the way to the wholeness known only through the return to soul.

WATCH MORE ON HEKATE AND THE SOUL.

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Paid subscribers continue onto the Psychopomp Meditation and the link to view the slides from the episode.

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Psychopomp Meditation

Align your Three Selves with Hekate, the ancient psychopomp who bridges the living and the dead. Connect with her historical significance, symbolism, and our personal experiences that highlight her role in shadow healing and soul retrieval. This meditation guides through breath connection and visualization, fostering alignment with Hekate’s energy as we embrace healing and the sacredness of the night.

Download the PDF of the slides from our episode

Upcoming live healing circle JAN. 31 at 11:00 AM ET. ZOOM LINK.