Open all three of your eyes.

Face south between 8.30pm and 9pm on a clear night this weekend. You’ll see a celestial triangle of three bright stars – Lyra, Cygnus and Aquila – also known as The Summer Triangle.

starry starry night

 

As the end of summer approaches, this trio culminate and reach their zenith, representing the triple female aspects of Hecate, the goddess of magic and sorcery. This is the season of the witch.

 

season of the witch

Whether she is seen with one or three heads, most often portrayed as having the keys to the spirit world hanging from her belt and accompanied by a ghostly three-headed dog, Hecate is the goddess of the crossroads, and is said to haunt these areas, which were dedicated to her in the Early Times.

If you are walking down a dark road at night and come to a 3-way crossroad, if you hear a dog bark…….you may very well feel a presence at your elbow. This is Hecate.

 

You can honour her this weekend by adopting a dog, as they are her sacred animal, or by cleaning and reviving an object which has been given up for lost, and bringing it back into use.

She presides over forgotten and abandoned places specifically. An auspicious time to clear out your closets.

 

As a powerful dark goddess she should not be casually invoked, but you can toast and celebrate her with this drink which has three ingredients and is pink.

 Pink is a very powerful colour, psychologically. Its associations are with femininity and women, but as it is a tint of the primary colour red it also affects us physically.

 Red stimulates us and raises the pulse rate, giving the impression that time is passing faster than it is. Red is the most powerful colour and represents aggression, dominance and the male aspect.

Pink takes these characteristics and subverts them completely.

This drink echoes that by using rosé wine (red wine’s feminine aspect) and transforming its usual form from liquid to Slushie to compound the charm.

 

Frozé à la Hecate

 3 shots lime vodka

1 bottle rosé wine

A punnet of strawberries

Reserve a strawberry to garnish

 (This makes 3 big drinks. You should be doing everything in threes)

This drink requires a little forward planning, as you must freeze the wine the night before into ice cubes. I am using disposable ice cube bags, because they are easier to fit into a crowded freezer.

 

When you have your pink wine ice cubes ready, put them into a blender, add the vodka, berries, and blend into an icy slurry The wine will not freeze absolutely hard, so it blends well. If you do have trouble blending it, add a little lemonade or Sprite.

 

You should serve it immediately in a chilled glass with a berry on the rim.

To toast Hecate, drink it in an environment which would be copacetic to her – pink in darkness, surrounded by lit torches or candles, wearing moonstones to stimulate your pineal gland and gazing upon the trinity of the Lyre, the Swan and the Eagle in the night sky.