20 Days of Goddesses til’ Imbolc
Day 12 — Circe [Kirke] (Goddess of Sorcery, Transformation,Witchcraft, Herbalism, Empowerment )
Circe has been called the first witch. In reality she wasn’t the first witch, but she is one of the oldest that we have written stories about. The Ancient Greeks told her tales. Stories and myth of her magick are the stuff of legends. She’s known as Enchantress, Magician, Siren, Sorceress, Herbalist, Temptress, Transformer, Witch, Illusionist, Necromancer, Daughter of Hekate, Wrathful, Benevolent … Circe runs the gamut of aspects of the a Dark Goddess.
The tales of Circe reminds us that no matter the time, the culture, or the people, witches were (and are) believed to be trouble, dangerous, evil, or worse. Circe knows the magick of herbs. She knows how to work with the magick of the loom, knots, weaving, and possess the skill of spinning magick. These are some of the oldest forms of magick we know of. She knows the power of transformation. She is a true Goddess of mystery and magick, of sorcery (pharmakeia) who was skilled in the magic of transmutation, illusion, and necromancy.
She is a daughter of Helios, however, as a witch-daughter of Hekate (regardless of whether she is seen as Hekate’s biological offspring, as the Goddess of Witches, she is still her “daughter”) she is doubly associated with the Under World. She lived on the mythical island of Aeaea with her nymph companions.
There were ancient cults devoted to Circe that practiced necromancy and pharmakeia. Other ancient mythic witches besides Medea involved her in their magic (along with Hekate) . “Sisters of Kirke” include Simaetha, Helen, Calypso and The Sirens (Ogden, 2002). The Marsi were an Italian magical race descended from her. She was the original witch in Greek myth.
Circe summons us to boldly embrace the transformation found by speaking our truth. She taught herself to be a pharmakeia, expert in plant magic. She tamed the wild beasts on the island of Aeaea, including lions (panthers, etc.) and wolves. She took advantage of her isolation to develop her full capabilities.
Correspondences:
Sacred animal: Falcon, pigs, lions
Sacred plants: Dittany of Crete, moly, garlic, mullein, mandrake, juniper, night shade, alder, mugswoth. Reminder: she uses plants as a medicine or drug or spells
Sacred colors: blue (association to the nymphs), red, green (association to pharmakeia), golden (Helios’ daughter)
Cristal or metal: bronze, gold and onyx.
References:
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thewitchesnextdoor/2018/06/circe-a-witch-guide/
