Blame it on doing the year-end inventory count this weekend! I had to stay alert, so I cranked up the music. And there he was, Eric Clapton, with his song Crossroads. Which got me thinking of the crossroads we face in our lives. Which then got me thinking of how we all must make choices when at the crossroads. And then, the goddess Hecate came to mind.
Hecate is considered a Thracian moon goddess by some and an ancient pre-Greek goddess by others. As a moon goddess, she is said to bestow abundance, protection and success. She has been associated with midwifery, birth, fertility, magic, the dark of the moon, wealth, education, ceremonies and the Underworld. Some also refer to her as the Queen of the Crossroads.
She was worshipped at places where three roads crossed; people left offerings at the crossroads for her. She was said to walk on nights when the moon was dark, attended by a pack of hounds. She carried a torch to illuminate the shadows. Hecate had the ability to move easily between the seen and unseen worlds. Some renderings show her with three heads signifying Past, Present and Future – all aspects to consider when making choices.
Author, film maker, theatre producer and counselor, Amy Sophia Marashinksky, has written many articles and books on feminine awakening. In her book and card deck, The Goddess Oracle, she has this to say about Hecate and choices:
“Hecate meets you at the crossroads when you must make a choice. Times of choice are not easy times. The challenges presented by choice necessitate a leap of faith from the person doing the choosing. Hecate says to let go of the idea that there are wrong or right choices: there is just choice. Have you been putting off making a choice because it seems to be too overwhelming or a “no win” situation? Does the choice bring up fear of the unknown? Does it seem better and/or easier to remain with what you know? …
“Sometimes a choice must be made, yet you are not ready. In such cases, the way to nurture wholeness is to acknowledge where you are and let it go. Trust that you will be able to make a choice when the time is right. Give yourself time and space. Don’t press, berate, or blame yourself. You need nourishment here. When you let go, suddenly clarity comes to show you what you need. Hecate urges you to embrace the Unknown. Know that whatever you choose will bring you something invaluable that you can use on your path to wholeness.”
Some people hesitate and procrastinate making choices because they don’t want to make a “bad choice”. “What if ..” and “Yes, but ..” are some of their favourite phrases and stalling tactics. Perhaps they lack confidence in their ability to evaluate the choices being asked of them. Perhaps they have given over their personal power to others to make their choices for them. Or perhaps not making a choice holds others hostage while they wait for an answer and this feels powerful to them. None of these approaches help foster personal wholeness or healthy, balanced relationships.
Learning to make choices needs to start early in life. The more practice one has the more capable one becomes. And when life’s crossroads appear, one has faith in one’s ability to choose wisely. Should you need help, just ask Hecate.