Becoming a Torchbearer

The Collegium

COVENANT OF HEKATE

Torchbearer Application

Information for Candidates

INTRODUCTION

The Covenant of Hekate is an international community of devotees of the Goddess Hekate. We work together to promote and share knowledge (experiential and historical) of the Goddess Hekate. This document is intended for existing members of the Covenant of Hekate who are interested in taking on the role of Torchbearer in our community.

The work of the Covenant of Hekate is possible because members of the community volunteer their time, knowledge and expertise to enable us to host events, projects, discussions and other activities towards achieving the primary aims of the CoH and a greater knowledge and understanding of the Goddess Hekate in the twenty‐first century.

Members who enjoy contributing and who wish to make a permanent dedication towards not only being a Devotee Member of the CoH, sharing in activities – but who would like to make a further dedication towards serving the community by hosting activities, might decide to apply to become a Torchbearer.

Being a Torchbearer is a function, describing someone who holds torches and shine a light for others wishing to progress on their journey.

In addition to being able to lead online activities for members, some Torchbearers may also host Sanctuaries. These are meeting spaces which are open to other members of the CoH (and other individuals with a shared interest in Hekate) at the discretion of the Torchbearer hosting the Sanctuary. These spaces are maintained by Torchbearers, with guidelines from the CoH, and are otherwise independent spaces.

What is a Torchbearer?

“Torchbearers are people who through their work and life have demonstrated a commitment not only to the Goddess Hekate; but also to the work of the Covenant of Hekate and our aims and goals”.

This definition is intentionally broad allowing for a wide range of beliefs, disciplines and activities to be included in the role of Torchbearer, therefore allowing each Torchbearer to contribute to the community according to their own personal strengths and chosen path exploring the mysteries of Hekate. The only caveat to this is that work undertaken as a Torchbearer and in the name of the Covenant of Hekate must be in line with the aims and goals of the community.

The primary aims of the CoH are:

To establish an international society through which the history and mysteries of the Goddess Hekate, as the cosmic World Soul, are studies, shared and experienced.
For each member to strive towards fulfilling their full potential in all that they are and all that they aspire towards becoming.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applications are welcomed from individuals who:

 Have been a member of the Covenant of Hekate for at least six months;

 Have a daily devotional practice to the Goddess Hekate;

 Have an active involvement in the CoH community, e.g. teaching, leading and contributing to projects, writing for the newsletter (Noumenia News) etc, and a desire to help develop the community and its activities into the future;

 Have a good understanding of the history, attributes and mythology of the Goddess Hekate and a desire to continue learning;

 Have an ability to respect the diversity of spiritual beliefs and perspectives held by other members, even when they are significantly different from their own;

 Have the ability to work independently, within the guidelines set by the CoH for different aspects of our work.

PREPARATION:

Once you submit your application questionnaire you will have six months to complete the rest of your work, with this in mind it is a good idea that you first ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria (above) and that you do some preparatory work to prepare the way. This will make your application easier (and more enjoyable) at all stages.

Having a good grounding in both the history and myth of the Goddess Hekate is essential for Torchbearers who may lead others in activities, learning and ritual into the future. Likewise, it is a good idea to have a good grasp of the diversity of experience, insights and ideas associated with Hekate, ancient and modern, through which to interpret experiences and to help towards understanding the perspectives of others interested in Hekate.

The following section is divided into Essential Reading, which all candidates are expected to read; and Recommended reading, which will help candidates form a more solid foundation.

Many candidates will find that they have already read some, maybe even all, of the books and websites on this list.

Essential Reading:

Websites:

 The growing archive of articles and other material available on the Covenant of Hekate website, www.Hekatecovenant.com. This will provide a grounding in some of the history of

Hekate, including some of her symbols, as well as insights into the work produced by other members. The Resources section http://Hekatecovenant.com/resources/ is essential reading, but Torchbearers should also have a good grasp of the CoH in general so a good read through the website will be a helpful reminder.

 Archive editions of Askei Kataskei eZine. http://Hekatecovenant.com/resources/ezine/

 Background reading on The Chaldean Oracles, Wikipedia is a good starting point ‐

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaldean_Oracles

 The Chaldean Oracles, available free in two different renderings at

http://www.esotericarchives.com/oracle/oraclez.htm and http://www.sacredtexts.

com/eso/coz/index.htm . Both are worth reading and spending time meditating on.

Books

 Circle for Hekate, Volume I; d’Este. This is an overview of Hekate’s relationships within the

Theogony family tree, the many goddesses she was merged with, the places she was worshipped, and the many symbols associated with her. Essential reading for candidates which will be very helpful with Stage 2 & 3 of the application process outlined above.

 Hekate Soteira, Sarah Illes Johnston. Essential reading for all candidates, as this book is the best study available on Hekate’s role in the Chaldean Oracles.

 Hekate: Her Sacred Fires, ed. Sorita d’Este. This anthology project led to the creation of the Rite of Her Sacred Fires, which directly inspired the creation of the Covenant of Hekate. As such this is essential reading.

Further Recommendations:

 Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds; Georg Luck. Excellent work, not specifically about Hekate, but very good for gaining a wider understanding of the historical magical context.

 Hekate in Ancient Greek Religion, Van Rudloff (history)

 Hekate: Liminal Rites, d’Este & Rankine. This is a collection of material on magical practices associated with Hekate. Recommended for candidates interested in magic.

 Hellenic Household Worship, Labrys (modern practices rooted in ancient Hellenic ritual practice, specifically aimed at devotion in the house).

 Lunatik Witchcraft, Shay Skepevski (modern ritual practice)

 Magic in the Ancient World; Fritz Graf. Excellent book which provides good background reading.

 Magika Hiera: Ancient Greek Magic & Religion; Christopher Faraone & Dirk Obbink (eds).

Excellent study of magical practices in Greek Magic.

 Roman Religion and the Cult of Diana at Aricia, Green (historical study of the goddess Diana in Italy)

 The Goddess Hekate, Ronan. (Historical study of Hekate, including much useful information on Hekate Soteira and in the Chaldean Oracles – unfortunately out of print and can be difficult to obtain).

 The Greek Magical Papyri (PGM) in Translation; Betz. Hekate is invoked in numerous of the spells included in the PGM, both by name and by other titles; this is by far the best rendering / translation of the PGM available at present.

 The Restless Dead, Sarah Illes Johnston. Essential reading for candidates interested in Hekate’s association with the dead, as well as the subject in a wider context within the Greek world.

 The Rotting Goddess, Rabinowitz (Mostly about Hekate)

 The Temple of Hekate, Tara Sanchez (modern ritual practice)

OVERVIEW OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

Stage 1

Complete an application questionnaire and share it with your sponsor.

Stage 2

You will be asked to produce an essay / article on a particular aspect of the Goddess Hekate by the Collegium. The subject matter will be decided by the Collegium depending on the existing knowledge and experience of applicants. When applicants submit their article, it will be reviewed by the Collegium and once accepted, applicants will be asked to publish the article in a public publication, which can be a blog, magazine or on a website. Applicants will be asked to also gift the article to the CoH community, where it be published at www.Hekatecovenant.com ( and possibly other CoH publications) once the application process has been completed.

The essay should be 1500‐2000 words long, and should carefully reference sources, as well as differentiating between personal experiences and insights; and factual history.

Stage 3

Once the article has been published by the candidate (or a date has been set for its publication) the candidate will be asked to do a specific daily practice for a lunar month. During this, candidates will be asked to create a ritual meditation specific to the ritual they will be given. Once this has been submitted to the Collegium and approved the candidate will be asked to perform the Torchbearer Dedication at the next New Moon.

Stage 4

The candidate is asked to prepare their commitments for the Dedication ceremony, this should be submitted to their Guide who will review it with the Candidate. The candidate performs the

Torchbearer Dedication and is welcomed by the community as a Torchbearer.

Stage 5

The candidate should submit a short biography at this point which will be included on the CoH’s website in the Torchbearer listing.

Torchbearer Application

Application form

Please copy and paste the following questions into a blank document or email and respond to each in turn making sure to provide all the information requested.

Please note: The Collegium is unable to process incomplete applications.

Please provide the following information:

 Your full name

 Current email address

 Nearest city, Country

 The date you became a member of the Covenant of Hekate

Please tell us, in no more than 300 words, the key reasons why you would like to become a Torchbearer in the CoH.
How would you describe the Goddess Hekate to someone who has never heard of her before?
Which of the 5‐Virtues do you currently find most challenging and why?
Which of the 5‐Virtues do you feel you embody most in your life right now and why?
When did you first learn about Hekate, and how has your understanding and knowledge of Her changed since that time?
Please provide a short introduction to the Goddess Hekate which could serve as an introduction to Her for someone who has never heard of Hekate.
Please share with us one quote about the Goddess Hekate from a historical text (hymn, mythology or literature) which you think is special.
Can you confirm that to the best of your knowledge you meet the eligibility criteria to become a Candidate for Torchbearer?
Can you confirm that you have read the required reading (websites and books)? Have you read additional books or websites which you found interesting or helpful? (This can be from the recommended list, or others you found by yourself).
Do you have a regular devotional practice to Hekate at the present time? Please provide a brief overview.
Please provide a brief overview of your spiritual path to date. In addition to your devotional practices, do you also practice magic, trance, divination or other practices in the context of your Hekate work?
Can you confirm that if you are accepted as a Candidate for Torchbearer that you believe that you will have time to dedicate to the study, work and practice outlined above in the coming months? (Candidates are given 6 months within which to complete their work).Sponsors/Mentors
A sponsor/mentor will help you navigate the steps to becoming aTorchbearer. Please reach out to them directly with the connect link below to inquire about becoming a student.

Keybearer – Deanne Quarrie, D.Min.
Language – English
Deanne’s Sanctuary Link Email

Keybearer Kenn Payne
Language – English
Kenn’s Sanctuary Link

Keybearer – Francine Derschner
Languages – Portuguese and Spanish
Francine’s Sanctuary Link

Torchbearer – Octavia d. Giordano
Languages – Spanish and Italian
Octavia’s Sanctuary Link – Email & Facebook

Keybearer – Christina Moraiti
Languages – Greek and English
Christina’s Sanctuary Link

Keybearer – Giovanna Diaz
Languages – English and Spanish
Giovanna’s Sanctuary Link Email