Goddess of darkness and light,
Watching over land, sea and sky.
All that is revealed, and yet remains
Hidden, even in this bright light.
Moon Mother, Mother of All.
Wandering under her moon
With rattling keys,
Offering freedom from what binds.
Shining moon-torch
Is as near as my shadow.
Light, darkness, and the in-between.
Life, death, and what lies beyond.
Dark Mother, Moon Mother, Witch Mother.
My soul’s harvest offered,
Triumphs and tragedies,
Guide me to true illumination,
Opening the Gate of Autumn,
So that I may seek your mysteries.
I find Hekate in every day, each moment. She is simply present. Yet, this time of the year, when The Wheel spins towards darkness, she shifts forms, calling me into the mysteries. The Gate of Autumn is a homecoming for me. Back to my own “dark origins,” as the great Proclus wrote almost 2,000 years ago.
This is the season of release, of the descent into what I termed “the holy darkness,” many years ago. This is the sacred, velvet embrace of Hekate, calling us into her shadows for personal healing, connecting with spirits, and walking into the mysteries known only in her darkness. I feel more serious about my path this time of the year. Personally, I do an intense moon month long devotional cycle of extensive practice, while balancing teaching a deeply devotional course, known as The Via Hekate.
This article has links to content I’ve created about Hekate and autumn, a meditation with Persephone and Hekate, plus a hidden bonus.
The Hekate of Autumn
I wrote about Hekate as Guardian, evoking her underworld aspects, in the Keeping Her Keys book:
“The season of Hekate as Guardian becomes fully realized in September when the daylight starts to noticeably wane. The fall is a time of decay and decline when Her keys of growth are removed from the earth. As the daylight hours wane and the veil between worlds thins, She beckons us into the darker mysteries of ourselves and the universe. Black is the color of the fall. As the nights get longer, Hekate’s eternal torches burn brighter.
September is the month of Hekate as Guardian, Lampadios, and is the time of harvest. The dominant energy of October begins as decay and moves towards death as the veil thins into November. October is the month when the veil between worlds thins and our descent into darkness deepens, reflected in the role of Hekate as Nykhia, the Night Wandering Goddess who protects us from evil. For many of us, this month has multiple meanings that culminate in the celebration of Halloween or Samhain on October 31. It is on this day that we can celebrate our witchiness and honor Hekate as our Queen. The next day, November 1, is reserved as a day to pay tribute to our ancestors, whether our actual departed loved ones or others.
November is the month most sacred to Hekate as there are two sabbats in this month. The epithet for November is Chthonia, reflecting Hekate as the Goddess of the Underworld, the day for honoring Hekate as Guardian. Winter is celebrated as the time when the light begins to return. In this manner, Hekate as the Savior from darkness, Soteira, is the dominant energy of the month of December. The return of the sun is the dominant theme for December. In our personal development work and spell craft, we can harness the idea of “returning” to create fantastic energy. This is the last epithet associated with Hekate as Guardian for She truly reaches the apex of this aspect on the Winter Solstice.” - from Keeping Her Keys: An Introduction to Hekate’s Modern Witchcraft
In Covina, my online coven, we are having a special collective version of The Evocation of Hekate that you can find in the Keeping Her Keys book. This ritual has a deep history with autumn, dating back about twenty years. You can join Covina with this link.
The Via Hekate free preview class, with a ritual and meditation, plus more on the meaning of devotion is October 3, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET.
Articles about Hekate and Autumn
“Our culture avoids the darkness, running from its shadows, while I find my absolute truth directly within them. Perhaps, like her ancient sorceresses, I am simply not their kind. Like Circe and Medea, I am whole yet always divided between the spirit world and the corporeal plane. Different. A wild witch dancing with bones and spirits. To me, those who aren’t similar feel like the “other,” living in a completely different reality. However, they are the ones who provide the exact adversarial challenges I must conquer in order to claim another of my Mother’s Keys. Wisdom comes with a price. Witchcraft exacts a toll. I would never have it any other way.”
I’ve written about Hekate and this time of the year in several articles:
The Birth of Holy Darkness: “Autumn is where it lives. In September’s rain. In October’s wind... This is the Holy Darkness of Hekate.” Discussion on the call back to the soul’s home in Hekate’s Cave.
The Descent Begins: Hekate and The Spirit of October
The Unveiling of the Horde: “She comes in riddles and whispers... Spiritual death is a necessity of Hekatean practice.” Breaks down working with shades, poisons, and Persephone’s descent.
Welcoming Autumn: Hekate And The Harvest Moon
The Apotropaic Crossroads Supper: Focuses heavily on the historical crossover between modern Samhain intentions and the ancient Deipnon. Frames Hekate as both the midnight summons and our ultimate protection from the terrors of the dark.
Entering The Gate of Autumn: Meditation and Recorded Class
The Balance Axis: An experiential equinox/Mabon meditations. Explores the spatial transition between the external light of the summer solstice and the introspective, structural darkness of the waning year.
Hekate: December, The Winter Solstice, And The Promise of Rebirth
The Apex of the Guardian: Explores the final phase of the autumn descent, entering the Season of the Crone. Tracks the evolution of the dark vessel into the illumination of Hekate Soteira at the Winter Solstice.
Podcast Playlist: Hekate and Autumn
You’ll find a read through of The Evocation of Hekate from the Keeping Her Keys book, plus more on Hekate’s Torches, meditations for the season, and my musings in this Spotify playlist of episodes that are connected to Hekate in autumn:
Discover more on Hekate on YouTube, including a brand new class on Hekate and Animals.
Meditation: Entering The Gate of Autumn with Persephone and Hekate
Emphasizing self-connection and presence, this meditation celebrates the autumn equinox and the transformative power of seasonal changes. It invokes Hekate for guidance in self-discovery and healing, while highlighting the catharsis and empowerment found through the descent into her sacred cave. Persephone is introduced as a symbol of rebirth, and the cave is viewed as a primordial womb for healing. By grounding ourselves in nature’s rhythms, releasing burdens, and reflecting on the journey that led us here, we attune to season of release and darkness, awakening healing and empowerment.
Blessings of the Hekate of Autumn,
Cyndi