The Birth Of Hecate

 

Under the ground, in the Underworld, there is a world of molten flame.  It is red and hot, like Demeter's red hot dress. Demeter obeys gravity's invitation to descend through the portal, the open chasm in the Earth's shell. As the heat intensifies as she comes closer to the center Demeter's face flushes and becomes red. Ahead of her, the path curves back and forth, her arms flow and undulate in serpentine dance-like movements that seem to mirror the movement of flames as she steadies her descent.  Demeter's red dress flashes and flows with fire, until it becomes like a glowing ember lighting up her face, her bare arms, glowing. Her body then transforms into ember and then into dancing ash. The ash of her body swirls upward and swoops back down on the currents of heat emerging from the center. She dances as ash—flying, floating, bits of ash sailing like white butterflies captivating the light. And so now, as she has become lighter and lighter, defying all force of gravity, she moves upwards, her diaphanous flow, a glowing mosaic changing forms on the way up through the wide tunnel of rebirth leading to the world above each fragment shines glowing white gleaming with a light all its own. Finally, she crosses the threshold to the surface, as she does her ashes, her bits of 10,000 butterfly wings,  coalesce into a new form, the form of a woman ready to encounter the next stage of life as a teacher, a deep witness able to see all forms through the dark. She is Hecate, her long flowing white hair cascades about her shoulders and flows into the world, her eyes twinkle with the fire of love itself.

        —Lorena Wolfman