The Aims of the Covenant of Hekate
These 2 aims were established when the Covenant was formed by Sorita d'Este in November 2010. Contributors to the Hekate: Her Sacred Fires project were invited to become co-founders during the same period. They and all subsequent members agreed to these aims at the time of becoming a member.
1. To establish an international society through which the history and mysteries of the Goddess Hekate, as the Cosmic World Soul, are studied, shared, and experienced;
2. For each member to strive towards fulfilling their full potential in all that they are and all that they aspire towards becoming.
As we have grown as a community whose membership is so wide-ranging and diverse it has naturally become necessary to try and find a set of ideals to which all members feel they can adhere to.
The Covenant of Hekate is a community of people who are united through our passion for the Goddess Hekate, by her many names, in her many forms, and by her many faces. We are not a spiritual, religious or magical tradition, instead, we are a collaborative network through which information about both her historical and contemporary worship is shared.
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The 5 Virtues:
In 2013 members worked together as a community project and agreed on a set of Virtues which it was felt were most closely associated with the Goddess Hekate.
These virtues are:
â– Compassion
â– Courage
â– Temperance
â– Justice
â– Wisdom
The virtues chosen as it turned out were very similar to the Platonic Virtues of Antiquity, a set of ethics based upon the ideal state of being. As such the Five Virtues of Hekate lend themselves to being further developed and now form the basis for a Code of Ethics within the Covenant of Hekate which each member can contemplate, discuss and strive towards in their day-to-day lives and their interactions with other devotees, members of the wider community with which they are involved and even the Goddess herself.
This beautiful prayer was created by one of our members in Italy, it can be used as a daily prayer towards manifesting these virtues in your own life.
Prayer of the 5-Virtues of Hekate
Sacred Goddess Hekate
help me to manifest Justice in my actions
Temperance in my soul
Courage in my choices
Wisdom in my words
Compassion towards all beings.
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What are the Five Virtues of Hekate?
(This article was written as part of a group project by members)
Compassion
– Sympathy and/or concern for others who are suffering or find themselves in an undesirable position. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Compassion within their daily life and practice would desire to aid in the alleviation of any undesirable situation or at the very least not be a contributing factor towards it.
Real Life Example – You could try to help the homeless or less fortunate be they of the two or four-legged variety. Volunteering at local shelters or organizing food drives are great ways to learn and show compassion.
Courage
– Strength or character or fortitude to stand firm in your convictions and face adversity or distress without fear. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Courage within their daily life and practice may choose to stand firm against those who would choose to undermine their beliefs or convictions or to speak out against those who hurt and undermine others.
Real-Life Example – Try standing up for someone you or your friendship group may deem unpopular. Also when someone shows remorse for a wrongdoing some people will continue to be angry and unforgiving. Instead, state your position calmly (in itself an act of courage) and then allow the situation to pass.
Temperance
– Moderation and self-control are both acts of Temperance. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Temperance within their daily life and practice may choose to restrict some part of their life be that thought or action in an attempt to find a balance rather than choosing to allow extremes.
Real-Life Example – Try abstaining from certain types of food or drink or showing restraint in discussions online. An example would be to learn to hold one’s tongue and listen a bit more before jumping into an argument.
Justice
– Moral and physical rightness are both aspects of Justice, as is the sometimes contradictory act of behaving fairly towards other people. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Justice within their daily life would strive to act fairly, truthfully, and with personal integrity when dealing with others and themselves.
Real-Life Example – Try to treat others fairly, in action and tone be it online or in person. Try to not pass judgment on another based on your own feelings for a person, your understanding of the situation, or hearsay. There are often two (or more) sides to a story and the truth lies somewhere between. If the truth cannot be ascertained then try being impartial.
Wisdom
– To have the common sense, foresight, and understanding to think or act in a manner most objectively and beneficially to any given situation. A person attempting to develop the virtue of Wisdom within their daily life would strive to apply their knowledge and experiences in a prudent and practical way.
Real-Life Example – Try volunteering to share a topic that you are knowledgeable about with a local group or center. Offer to do a guest blog post or write an article for an eZine on a particular subject.