Hail Unto Thee… Adapting Ceremonial Magick for Hekatean Practice

Known as Liber Resh, the Four Adorations of the Sun in Thelemic practice, written by Aleister Crowley, mark the liminal times of the solar day. At sunrise, noon, sunset, and midnight, the suns liminal moments and directions are honoured. This year I adapted these to fit my understanding of Hekate as the World Soul, using her epithets to connect to the energy of the liminal times of day. 

While I tried the Liber Resh as written, it wasn’t really resonate with me. Working with the Egyptian deities isn’t something I’ve done so there’s no connection or history for me there. This presented an opportunity for me as I wanted to continue practicing the Four Adorations as a part of my study and witchcraft practice. (Witch tip: working with an uncomfortable practice that isn’t actually causing harm can help you understand yourself, understand other practitioners, and connect to the gods in a new way).

In some Thelemic practice, the Four Adorations are performed daily. This doesn’t work for me personally, however I love aligning the solar energy. So I work with it at the 8 Sabbats of the Witches’ Wheel of the Year. The Four Adorations help us connect to the solar wheel, and the wheel of our life here on earth. 

One of the most profound experiences of this practice was on the summer solstice, because I was staying up to drum down the sun, and was able to do all 4 adorations as timed with the liminal times of the solar day.

Sunrise March 25, 2019

If you want to try working with a Hekatean Four Adorations, I share it with you here. Many thanks to Sara Neheti Croft for her fantastic epithets list, which I have drawn upon for years of magickal practice. I also mention particular grades used at each direction, which may be different than what others who practice Thelemic magick do – I am not a thelemic witch so I work with it as I need to. If you aren’t familiar with grades and their positions, you can always hold your arms up as though reaching toward the sun.

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Chosen Epithets:

Sunrise/East/Fire: Hekate Erigenea, daughter of the morning

Noon/South/Air: Hekate Iokheaira, one who shoots arrows (the arrow energy reminded me of that of wands/Air, and the directness that air and words can provide)

Sunset/West/Water: Hekate Einalian, of the sea

Midnight/North/Earth: Hekate Khthonia (of the underworld/ of the earth)

*I work with this orientation of the elements most of the time. If you don’t, Witch, Do You.

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At sunrise, face east (philosiphus grade/ Fire):

Hail unto thee, Hekate Erigenea in thy rising

Hail unto thee, daughter of the morning.

Hail to you who hast traveled the heavens to bring the dawn.

I welcome you into my soul, at the rising of the sun in the east.

(Sign of silence)

At noon, face south (practicus grade/air):

Hail unto thee Hekate Iokheaira, in thy midcourse

Hail unto thee who’s arrow blazes in the sky

Hail unto you who’s far shooting arrow directs the sun to my brow

I welcome you into my mind and my words, at the height of the sun in the south.

(Silence)

At sunset, face West (theoricus/ Water):

Hail unto thee, Hekate Einalian, at thy setting

Hail unto thee, queen of the sea

Hail unto you who’s horizon swallows the downgoing sun

I welcome you into my heart, at the ending of the day in the West.

(Silence)

At midnight, face north (zealator/earth):

Hail unto thee Hekate Khthonia, in thy hiding

Hail unto thee of the underworld in thy silence

Hail unto you who travels the depths of heavens in the darkness,

I welcome you into my home and my dreams, in the witching hour of the hidden northern sun.

(Silence)

 

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Want to read more about Liber Resh and Thelemic Practice? Start here. And here for indepth conversations about ceremonial magick and qabala.

For a qabalistic practice that incorporates Witchcraft, check out Christopher Penczak’s book, The High Temple of Witchcraft. 

You can follow more of my work at Living the Liminal on Facebook.