A Key to Bind.

​Welcome back, traveler! We must get moving as we have a destination to reach before the dark of the moon.
 
Where are we headed?
 
Well…we are headed to a liminal space.
 
A veil between the worlds.
 
A sacred place.
 
 
You shall see…
 
 
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There are few deities in myth who have the power to freely traverse between the worlds. The gods are limited in their domains, really, but the ones who have the ability to move between the realms…theirs are the stories most interesting to tell.
 
In the pantheon of ancient Greece, Hekate is one such deity. She helped the goddess Demeter in her most desperate time of need.
 
You see, one beautiful day, many moons ago, the beautiful young Kore was joyfully playing in the meadows, gathering and admiring the wildflowers while in the company of some of her friends. She was naïve and unsuspecting that day when the ground suddenly shook beneath her feet, and she was forced to meet a fate which she did not choose.
 
The earth split and Hades appeared. He ripped Kore from her realm down into his. He retrieved her as his prize. She was to become his new wife--just as he had been promised by his brother, the great god Zeus. Hades had admired her from afar for some time and was unwilling to wait any longer. She was to be his. She was to become his queen.
 
Kore’s screams were heard by only a few before the earth closed behind her. Her actual abduction was seen by even fewer.
 
Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, and more importantly (for this story) the mother of Kore, was broken. She searched the earth for days without any luck. Her daughter was gone.
 
Hekate was one of the deities who heard the moment Kore was stolen away from this realm, and she approached Demeter, offering aide in any way she could.
 
Demeter, upon discovering that wicked pact which had been formed between Zeus and Hades, threatened to halt the progression, reproduction, and fruitfulness of all the natural world if her daughter was not returned.
 
It was Hekate who helped her discover this betrayal. She knew that the god Helios would have seen what she could not. It was Hekate who walked with Demeter through the veil to the lower world. It was Hekate who provided her torches, which can burn brightly even in the realm of the dead. It was Hekate who, once Kore was reunited with Demeter, was forever at her side, easing her annual transition from the world of the mortals to that of the darkened realm of her betrothed. Hekate has become Kore's most important companion.
 
Hades ensured that this cycle must always continue. Kore is bound to him eternally because he fed her pomegranate seeds before she was rescued by Demeter. The seeds were a safeguard for Hades, and her consumption of them means she cannot abandon him for any extended period of time. She must always return to the land of the dead. 
 
When Kore is with her mother, Demeter’s maternal joy rewards us. The world is bright and beautiful. There is abundance. We are fed. We are happy. But we must steady ourselves for the inevitable. Kore must leave; Demeter will mourn her loss. It is during this time, however, we must remind ourselves that Kore will return. Hekate will guide her back to us.
 
You see, without Hekate, we wouldn’t have the seasons. Demeter is so distraught in the absence of her daughter that she plunges the world into darkness until they are reunited again. Crops will not grow for months. Without proper planning, humans will starve and therefore the gods would, too. For we know life is a cycle. Their power feeds off of our devotion, doesn’t it? Without Hekate helping Demeter find her way to Kore, we would be in an eternal winter. Without Hekate helping Kore traverse the realms, we would all suffer. The cycle would be broken.
 
That is according to the stories handed down from ancient Greece, at least…
 
 
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As it is said in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter: “Gods are hard for mortals to see.”
 
So, we must go by the sounds we recognize and the landmarks we know….
 
Do you hear it--the hounds baying? We are close!
 
Ah, yes, there we are. We have arrived at the crossroads. Now, if you excuse me, I have to attend to an important matter. If you wish, you can follow me. In fact….here! Carry this torch for me. I need a free hand for digging, anyway.
 
Now, as you can see, I need a hand to dig with this here spoon and one to hold these keys. Once…I…get…deep enough…
 
Yes! That should do! Here…hold this spoon while I bury a key. Keep the torch high, though! I still need to be able to see that it is buried tightly. We can’t have it coming unburied, you know!
 
Perfect! Now…the other key will remain with me. Keys keep us connected. They are important. So are the crossroads….
 
 
Until next time,
Heather
 
 
Further Reading:
 
Homeric Hymn to Demeter
 
https://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Persephone.html
 
https://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Hekate.html
 
http://hoodoohillrootworksupply.blogspot.com/2013/04/crossroads-keys.html