In this video, I talk about offerings, sacrifice, and altar devotion as they have existed throughout history. Before modern witchcraft or organized religion as we know it today, people honored their gods through simple, consistent acts of care. Food, drink, incense, handmade objects, and time itself were given not as payment or fear-based obligation, but as a way to maintain relationship and presence.

I also touch on what sacrifice meant historically. To sacrifice was to make something sacred, to set it apart. In many cultures, sacrifice was communal and shared, not about loss or destruction. Most devotional acts happened at the household level through small altars, lamps, bowls, and offerings refreshed regularly as part of daily life.

This conversation leads into my latest clay work. Working with earth has always been part of sacred practice. Pottery, lamps, figurines, and vessels were among the most common devotional objects across cultures because they required time, attention, and intention. Making something by hand has always been a powerful offering.

This video is an invitation to think differently about devotion. You don’t need extravagance. You don’t need perfection. You need consistency, care, and honesty. Those are the things people have offered the gods for thousands of years, and they still matter now.

I also cover my decision to move out of Wix as a webhost. I'm working on transferring my domains now and have already moved Sanctuary of Hecate Brimo to Facebook. I will look to find another suitable host but for now, I just cannot continue to support this organization. Happy to discuss this decision privately.

I have added the individual cards from the reading below. I hope this post finds you well and happy.

Recommended reading - Hellenic Polytheism - Household Worship

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 When people ask what Hecate looks like, the short answer is: it depends. The ancient sources don’t give us one clean image. She's been called a towering woman, a Titan bearing torches and swords, protector of the crossroads, the howling figure in the dark with dog heads and fiery eyes. Some sources describe her hair and feet as made of snakes.

The Orphic Argonautica describes her with three heads, one of a horse, one of a dog, and one of a lion. Each has a long history of symbolic meaning: the dog as guardian of the underworld and companion at thresholds, the horse as a symbol of noble strength and movement between realms, and the lion for power, protection, and ferocity.

In the Greek Magical Papyri, she is invoked with fearsome imagery. Serpents in her hair, scales across her body, thunder and howling accompanying her steps. These weren’t just poetic images. The ancients believed what they wrote. Those performing magic saw her as liminal, powerful, and terrifying.

Animal-headed depictions of Hecate, horse, dog, lion, show up across magical texts and ancient art. Triple-bodied statues from Asia Minor and carved gemstones from the Greco-Roman period show her holding torches and knives, sometimes accompanied by cords, whips, or snakes. One of the first descriptions I ever read said, “her hair was like snakes.” That line stuck with me.

For six years, I wore my hair in dreadlocks as a devotional act. Snake-like hair wasn’t symbolic for me. It was lived daily as a way to remind myself of the image I wanted to present. Dreadlocks resemble and move like snakes. They sway with energy. They hold memory. And they change how people look at you.

Some folks, especially within the Black community, were warmer and more open. In other places, I felt side-eyed or dismissed. Electronics stores, car dealerships, you get the picture. But this practice wasn’t about anyone else’s comfort. It was about embodiment. Wearing my devotion made Hecate’s presence feel immediate, grounding me in her power with every step I took. When people asked about my hair, I told them. I told them it was for Hecate.

The documentation we do have is scattered across sources:

She's also been called the Black Dog, Black Bitch, and Brimo, which means “the Angry One.” These are titles for a deity who lives in graveyards and shadows. She walks between the worlds, torch in hand, sword at her side.

Some sources describe her as “black,” both literally and symbolically. She is tied to the underworld, night, death, ghosts, and decay. In ancient art, deities of the underworld were often drawn with darker skin. That could reflect the realm they ruled or the fear they inspired.

So was Hecate Black (POC) in a racial sense? 

Her earliest worship came from Caria, in southwestern Anatolia, modern-day Turkey. People from that region would have had olive or darker skin, curly or wavy hair, and features that reflect the Mediterranean and Anatolian world.

Her father Perses, a Titan of destruction, and her mother Asteria, “the Starry One,” are not described in terms of appearance. We know that even though she was of the Titans, she was depicted as human sized and often with knee length dresses and boots leaning towards the maiden vs. any other triple or lunar goddess construct. But if their myths are tied to that region, we can assume they looked more like Anatolian locals than Greek marble. This region was also very high in genetic diversity, leading us more towards an olive skinned wavy/curly haired people.

A few years back I created several images of the Goddess with darker skin and the feedback was not surprising. Lots of pearl clutching and warnings of how I was appropriating cultures not my own. 

For me, it’s more likely that she was a woman of color, with textured hair and broad olive skinned features rather than the Hellenized versions we often see today.

My journey on this path has always been about being present in your body, your story, your truth. This involves how I speak, how I appear, and how I represent Hecate in the world. If I don't embody what I aim to emulate, how can I ever reach the space I'm striving for?

She isn't always comforting. She's the one who meets you in the darkness when everyone else leaves. She's the one who brings the sword, the torch, and the key, challenging you to use them.

What do you think? 

We are aware that art and history are written by the victors. Do you believe this influences the images we have of Gods and Goddesses today? How does this affect your worship? Do you seek someone like yourself or culturally similar to who you are? I'm eager to hear some of the responses. 

Share your thoughts with me.

Here's your reading for Feb 1, 2026

It's been a while since I did a review so when I saw my mailbox this morning I was over "Joyed".

The only real negative I had about this deck was that the book was not in color. The cards are so beautiful, I found the pages a little drab. But that's really all! the rest of the book was full of useful information and data driven fact based information on each one of the cards. It was really a "joy" to read. 

If you’re looking for a tool that gently shifts your day from just surviving to finding delight, the Joy Cards deck delivers. At its heart, it’s elegant in its simplicity: forty-eight richly illustrated activity cards grounded in positive-psychology science, paired with a guidebook designed to spark what the authors call “joy gems” — those small, luminous moments that remind us stress and distraction don’t have to run the show.

From the first card pull, I appreciated how this deck makes the idea of joy feel accessible rather than fluffy. Each card pairs Lilamani de Silva’s radiant artwork with a simple action: stretch in the morning light, offer a genuine compliment, pause and notice the smell of your coffee. Others nudge you to move your body, reconnect to nature, or finally journal about what you’ve been avoiding. The guidebook explains how each practice is crafted to boost serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins — so you’re not chasing temporary happiness; you’re training your brain for long-term resilience.

Four Cards That Stood Out to Me

Be a Kid Again

This card was pure nostalgia wrapped in permission. When I pulled it, I stopped trying to be so productive for one afternoon and just played. I went outside, felt the grass under my feet, and let myself laugh without reason. It reminded me that joy doesn’t always have to be earned — sometimes it’s as simple as letting your inner child breathe for a while. We forget how healing it is to be silly, curious, and free, even for ten minutes.

Redesign Your Space

Pulling this card felt like permission to reclaim my environment. I spent an afternoon clearing clutter, rearranging my desk, and lighting one of my handmade candles. The shift was instant — my workspace felt like a sanctuary again instead of a staging area for chaos. Joy doesn’t always come from grand gestures; sometimes it’s a clear surface and a scent that feels like home.

Pay It Forward

This card resonated deeply. Its call to share your joy made me think of the Blessing Box of Goldsboro, where neighbors leave food and essentials for anyone in need. That afternoon, I filled a box with fresh fruits and veggies, along with gloves, hats, and other items to help someone through their day. There’s something profoundly grounding about giving back quietly — letting generosity become part of the rhythm of your life.

Celebrate You

This one stopped me cold because it’s so easy to celebrate others and forget ourselves. When Celebrate You appeared, I brewed coffee, sat quietly, and wrote down the ways I’d shown up for myself lately — surviving, creating, healing, growing. It wasn’t about ego; it was about acknowledgment. Joy blooms when you take a moment to honor the version of you that keeps showing up, even when no one’s watching.

How to Use This Deck

• Morning draws: Set a tone of joy before the day unravels.

• Midday resets: When overwhelm creeps in, pull one to pivot your energy.

• Weekend connections : Use with clients, circles, or meditation groups to turn simple acts into meaningful moment.

The Joy Cards stand out because they don’t demand belief in something mystical or complicated — just an invitation to notice, move, pause, and connect. They bridge the worlds of ritual and real life beautifully, making them an ideal companion for anyone seeking calm amid the everyday chaos.

I wholeheartedly recommend Joy Cards for anyone wanting to infuse daily life with more intention and ease. Whether you’re navigating transition, rebuilding after burnout, or simply craving more light among the shadows, this deck offers a grounded and playful way in.

Pull one card each morning, and you’re not just manifesting change — you’re designing it.

If you’d like to support my ongoing work with the Blessing Box of Goldsboro, you can do so by purchasing directly through my website, ByHerFires.com. Every order helps me continue stocking the boxes with fresh food, warm clothing, and kindness at the crossroads.

 For years, I carried words that didn’t quite belong to me. Bipolar. Borderline. They were the labels handed down by professionals who tried to explain why my moods seemed to rise and crash, why my energy came in tidal waves, and why I felt things so deeply. I lived under those diagnoses, trying to reconcile myself to them, but deep inside, they never fully fit.