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Liber Khthonia: A Contemporary Witchcraft & Devotional Tradition of Hekate
A Contemporary Witchcraft & Devotional Tradition of Hekate.
Swirling all around us is the celestial energy of creation, ignited at the beginning of time. This energy is the pure power of manifestation, divine, and undying, it is the Witch Flame that gives potency to witchcraft and ensouls the entire cosmos. There is one Goddess Who carries the Witch Flame, Who anoints certain individuals with this creative power. She is Hekate, a millennia old Goddess worshipped and celebrated as the Soul of the Cosmos, Goddess of Crossroads, and Queen of Witches.
Much of what we know about Hekate comes from academia, and most cult traditions center around ancient traditions. Liber Khthonia: A Contemporary Witchcraft & Devotional Tradition of Hekate, by Jeff Cullen connects the ancient knowledge of the past with the relevance of the present sharing a practical, unique contemporary cult. He combines his decades of knowledge in ancient Hellenic cult with familial traditions, and experience in world religions presenting something that is rooted in antiquity, yet thriving.
Liber Khthonia teaches the contemporary witch how to connect with Hekate in powerful, physical ways bringing the dynamis of the Goddess into your life like never before. In addition to creating your personal cult, constructing potent cult objects, awakening sacred images, and empowering your Witch Flame, this book also teaches you rites of witchcraft straight from the author’s personal grimoire. This book breaks with the conventional Wicca based traditions that are widely available and lets the contemporary witch discover their own power through unshackled freedom driven by their personal desire, inspired by Hekate, and burning with the ethereal Witch Flame!
In this book you will find:
Introduction
History
The Mask at the Crossroads: Who is Hekate?
The Concept of Polytheism and Witchcraft in the Mediterranean
Cult Titles
Identifying and Refining Your Cult
Shrine or Altar
The Agalma (Cult Image)
Lustral Water and Sacred Fire
Tools of Hekate
Festivals and Sacred Days
Prayer and Rituals
Other Gods
Herbs, Roots, and Stones
Recipes for Sacred Incenses, Oils, and Potions
Witchcraft
Swirling all around us is the celestial energy of creation, ignited at the beginning of time. This energy is the pure power of manifestation, divine, and undying, it is the Witch Flame that gives potency to witchcraft and ensouls the entire cosmos. There is one Goddess Who carries the Witch Flame, Who anoints certain individuals with this creative power. She is Hekate, a millennia old Goddess worshipped and celebrated as the Soul of the Cosmos, Goddess of Crossroads, and Queen of Witches.
Much of what we know about Hekate comes from academia, and most cult traditions center around ancient traditions. Liber Khthonia: A Contemporary Witchcraft & Devotional Tradition of Hekate, by Jeff Cullen connects the ancient knowledge of the past with the relevance of the present sharing a practical, unique contemporary cult. He combines his decades of knowledge in ancient Hellenic cult with familial traditions, and experience in world religions presenting something that is rooted in antiquity, yet thriving.
Liber Khthonia teaches the contemporary witch how to connect with Hekate in powerful, physical ways bringing the dynamis of the Goddess into your life like never before. In addition to creating your personal cult, constructing potent cult objects, awakening sacred images, and empowering your Witch Flame, this book also teaches you rites of witchcraft straight from the author’s personal grimoire. This book breaks with the conventional Wicca based traditions that are widely available and lets the contemporary witch discover their own power through unshackled freedom driven by their personal desire, inspired by Hekate, and burning with the ethereal Witch Flame!
In this book you will find:
Introduction
History
The Mask at the Crossroads: Who is Hekate?
The Concept of Polytheism and Witchcraft in the Mediterranean
Cult Titles
Identifying and Refining Your Cult
Shrine or Altar
The Agalma (Cult Image)
Lustral Water and Sacred Fire
Tools of Hekate
Festivals and Sacred Days
Prayer and Rituals
Other Gods
Herbs, Roots, and Stones
Recipes for Sacred Incenses, Oils, and Potions
Witchcraft
328 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2020
27 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Cullen
8 books8 followersJeff Cullen is a self taught artist located in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in subjects of the occult and esoteric. Inspired by his mother and two sisters, he began his journey in Paganism in the summer of 1998 after a long childhood fascinated by witchcraft. Being raised in the wooded hills of Central New York, he spent a lot of time communing with Nature and Her spirits. He and his sisters would cast spells and weave magic in the deep woods, craft tools and runestones from Her elements, and construct temples in fallen trees. By doing so, he was initiated into Her mysteries through secret and personal rituals. After years of learning the Craft from the forest, he moved to Chicago where he began to seek guidance in many of the perils of city life.
Hekate, Goddess of Crossroads and Queen of Witches answered the call and he knew She was the secret guide behind many of the events of his life. Guided by his patron gods, Hekate and Pan, as well as minor workings with other deities and spirits, Jeff has become quite adept in witchcraft and divination through the art of rune casting. As he creates his art, he channels the deity or spirit in their most primal and sacred form which results in a dark yet unique creation.
Hekate, Goddess of Crossroads and Queen of Witches answered the call and he knew She was the secret guide behind many of the events of his life. Guided by his patron gods, Hekate and Pan, as well as minor workings with other deities and spirits, Jeff has become quite adept in witchcraft and divination through the art of rune casting. As he creates his art, he channels the deity or spirit in their most primal and sacred form which results in a dark yet unique creation.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 8, 2022
Congrats on being my first 1-star read of the year. I don't have the mental faculties after finishing this to better articulate why this book bothered me the way it did, but just as a short list
-conflates the Hellenic ideal of Hekate with Roman practices, often without elaborating when we've switched over, AS well as further mixing it with Christian topics such as hell and summoning demons - no, not daemons as known in Hellenic spheres.
-says that ethics in Witchcraft is imaginary because so many practices exist. At least Jeff get points for mentioning how many non-western practices will often be colonized, but that does very little to save the author and the irony is QUITE clear considering a few times it is mentioned he is initiated in Haitian Voudu... as (from what I've garnered) a white dude.
-says that the only real ethic code Western witches follow is that of Wicca which is,,, so incredibly false
-advocates for the collection/procurement of human bones, Ashes, and graveyard dirt, without ever really talking about the laws surrounding the collection of such or even how to do so safely????
-also advocates for using said human remains as spell ingredients vs the tools/companions they actually are
-says Modern day butchers who don't get purified will turn into soulless animal torturers. This is paraphrasing - barely.
All in all, I felt very wrong/odd by chapter 3 and the last couple of chapters were such an intense downward spiral. It's incredible he managed to keep all the batshit stuff for the end, though the misinformation is littered throughout the whole book.
-conflates the Hellenic ideal of Hekate with Roman practices, often without elaborating when we've switched over, AS well as further mixing it with Christian topics such as hell and summoning demons - no, not daemons as known in Hellenic spheres.
-says that ethics in Witchcraft is imaginary because so many practices exist. At least Jeff get points for mentioning how many non-western practices will often be colonized, but that does very little to save the author and the irony is QUITE clear considering a few times it is mentioned he is initiated in Haitian Voudu... as (from what I've garnered) a white dude.
-says that the only real ethic code Western witches follow is that of Wicca which is,,, so incredibly false
-advocates for the collection/procurement of human bones, Ashes, and graveyard dirt, without ever really talking about the laws surrounding the collection of such or even how to do so safely????
-also advocates for using said human remains as spell ingredients vs the tools/companions they actually are
-says Modern day butchers who don't get purified will turn into soulless animal torturers. This is paraphrasing - barely.
All in all, I felt very wrong/odd by chapter 3 and the last couple of chapters were such an intense downward spiral. It's incredible he managed to keep all the batshit stuff for the end, though the misinformation is littered throughout the whole book.
September 13, 2022
I don't follow Hecate, but this book ended up in my possession at any rate, so I'm sure there was some reason for it. It's not great, but it's decent and plenty of use can be gained from it.
The author talks mainly of his own experience as a devotee of Hecate and how his witchcraft practice has evolved over the years to become what he writes about in this book. There's a good bibliography in the back of the book, so I'm guessing the material here is fairly authentic, but as I said, I don't follow Hecate and know little about the goddess, so I can't say for certain if that's true. It just seems to be from the perspective of an outsider.
The author does talk about using human remains in some spells and rituals, though he makes note to acquire these remains LEGALLY, not by digging up bodies or any such nonsense. He also makes mention that collecting graveyard dirt is not necessarily legal and where he mentions poison plants, they're marked as being toxic with an asterisk.
On the subject of plants, where toxic plants or rare plants are spoken of, the author gives reasonable substitutions. I appreciate that, because, although it's true I can go digging around to find an alternative myself, having that info right there makes things a lot neater and faster.
I personally appreciate that the author doesn't shy away from telling off the concepts of Wicca (3-fold Law, what you cast comes back to you amplified, etc). It's highly refreshing to see somebody fearlessly stand up to such silly concepts. He's correct, such "morality codes" were not present in ancient practices and were, largely, introduced to the public by Gerald Gardener in the 50's. He says don't go casting curses willy-nilly, which is a philosophy I hold myself, but don't be afraid to blast a mofo if they deserve it.
Those that already have a practice with Hecate probably won't need this book. Those interested in learning about the goddess or are going to be working with Her and are newer to it may benefit from it. As for me, this is just another pagan/witchcraft/occult book that will be part of my collection and probably won't get used for actual ritual or spells.
The author talks mainly of his own experience as a devotee of Hecate and how his witchcraft practice has evolved over the years to become what he writes about in this book. There's a good bibliography in the back of the book, so I'm guessing the material here is fairly authentic, but as I said, I don't follow Hecate and know little about the goddess, so I can't say for certain if that's true. It just seems to be from the perspective of an outsider.
The author does talk about using human remains in some spells and rituals, though he makes note to acquire these remains LEGALLY, not by digging up bodies or any such nonsense. He also makes mention that collecting graveyard dirt is not necessarily legal and where he mentions poison plants, they're marked as being toxic with an asterisk.
On the subject of plants, where toxic plants or rare plants are spoken of, the author gives reasonable substitutions. I appreciate that, because, although it's true I can go digging around to find an alternative myself, having that info right there makes things a lot neater and faster.
I personally appreciate that the author doesn't shy away from telling off the concepts of Wicca (3-fold Law, what you cast comes back to you amplified, etc). It's highly refreshing to see somebody fearlessly stand up to such silly concepts. He's correct, such "morality codes" were not present in ancient practices and were, largely, introduced to the public by Gerald Gardener in the 50's. He says don't go casting curses willy-nilly, which is a philosophy I hold myself, but don't be afraid to blast a mofo if they deserve it.
Those that already have a practice with Hecate probably won't need this book. Those interested in learning about the goddess or are going to be working with Her and are newer to it may benefit from it. As for me, this is just another pagan/witchcraft/occult book that will be part of my collection and probably won't get used for actual ritual or spells.
February 3, 2021
A well-done book for modern devotees of the goddess Hekate. This book is solid, and contains a wealth of information and ideas, both historic and modern, to get your personal practice with Hekate off the ground and then some.
This book was worth purchasing and I highly recommend adding it to your shelves. This is possibly the best book on Hekate that is available on the market as of this review.
This book was worth purchasing and I highly recommend adding it to your shelves. This is possibly the best book on Hekate that is available on the market as of this review.
September 23, 2025
★★★★☆ 4.5 / 5 stars
Jeff did an amazing job with the book on The Goddess Hekate. It was informative about who she is as a Goddess, touches on her Epithets, how to establish a relationship and worship Hekate, rituals, invocation and more. The only thing that was a little overwhelming and extravagant is some of the rituals. I don’t really have access to shipwreck artifacts lol?? Its unfortunate that I don’t have the money to purchase all the herbs, tools and materials for some of the rituals, nor do I have a lot of energy to expend as a disabled practitioner, but hopefully one day down the road I will be able to preform them. I will definitely be referring back to this book often, especially when referencing herbs and doing rituals to honor the Goddess. Also very appreciative of the lack of Wiccan undertones, and deconstructing our Abrahamic Religion views. This is a real gem, thank you Jeff Cullen and Hail Hekate
Jeff did an amazing job with the book on The Goddess Hekate. It was informative about who she is as a Goddess, touches on her Epithets, how to establish a relationship and worship Hekate, rituals, invocation and more. The only thing that was a little overwhelming and extravagant is some of the rituals. I don’t really have access to shipwreck artifacts lol?? Its unfortunate that I don’t have the money to purchase all the herbs, tools and materials for some of the rituals, nor do I have a lot of energy to expend as a disabled practitioner, but hopefully one day down the road I will be able to preform them. I will definitely be referring back to this book often, especially when referencing herbs and doing rituals to honor the Goddess. Also very appreciative of the lack of Wiccan undertones, and deconstructing our Abrahamic Religion views. This is a real gem, thank you Jeff Cullen and Hail Hekate
September 15, 2025
As someone with chronic fatigue I don’t see myself doing any of these spells and rituals. I’m not sure who has shipwreck artefacts, shark teeth and some ‘lightening-struck oak bark’ lying around but go for it if you do 😂
Interesting book, enjoyed it and learnt a lot, but not for the sleepy witches.
Interesting book, enjoyed it and learnt a lot, but not for the sleepy witches.
June 1, 2025
I loved this book. It is different from many of the more contemporary reads. It is a combination of historical info and personal gnosis and practice. I really appreciate the authenticity of the author. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to learn more about Hekate and to find new ideas and ways of incorporating her worship and magic into your practice.
December 4, 2021
An excellent and thorough overview of working with Hecate. The book weaves the goddess’ history with personal experience and broader practices quite well. I also appreciated the fact this book challenges the conventional wisdom around baneful workings and even offers guidance in doing them.
November 6, 2022
I know this is a popular book on Hekate but it is definitely not for me.
I don't like Mr. Cullen's tone or style and this book really could have used an editor.
That being said, if his version of Hekate speaks to you, great, enjoy the book, but as I said it doesn't work for me.
I don't like Mr. Cullen's tone or style and this book really could have used an editor.
That being said, if his version of Hekate speaks to you, great, enjoy the book, but as I said it doesn't work for me.
February 7, 2023
Not really my cup of tea, because I see Hekate as much more than the Queen of spookiness. If that's your jam, you'll love this. Otherwise, you might be put off by the recommendations to get grave dirt, animal remains, etc.
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October 23, 2024An interesting book, the author did a good job sharing his beliefs and practices but also mentioning other traditions, lore, etc. It has many references to other books and a good bibliography, something that I LOVE in this kind of books. In this book you can find many examples of rituals and spells that you can take as they are, or if you are like me, let them inspire you. I find it to be beginner's friendly book.
Can't say I agree with everything of course, but my oh my it would be weird -and may I say fruitless- if we all agreed 100%!
Aesthetically it is beautiful and has an air of mysticism. I have the paper cover, it needs you to be somewhat gentle with it (like, don't shove it in a bag with 10 more things)
Overall I am happy with it, gj to all involved!
Can't say I agree with everything of course, but my oh my it would be weird -and may I say fruitless- if we all agreed 100%!
Aesthetically it is beautiful and has an air of mysticism. I have the paper cover, it needs you to be somewhat gentle with it (like, don't shove it in a bag with 10 more things)
Overall I am happy with it, gj to all involved!
July 20, 2025
4.5 ☆ Such a great book, I throughly enjoyed it. He shares some of the history of Hekate aswell as his personal experiences. I particularly enjoyed the prayers, insense/oil blends, and rituals he shares throughout the book. I think any Hekate devotee would love and make good use of this book. I'm excited to try some Jeff's rituals especially the dumb supper, awakening the icon, and making a vessel. It's just great work 👏
October 28, 2021
Extremely thorough, detailed and footnoted, covering Hekate's history and titles, tool-making, alter set-up, sacred days, Her associated herbs and stones, spells and many recipes for incense, oils and potions and more. Any devotee of Hekate should easily find much of value here both on a first read-through and as an ongoing reference.
May 8, 2024
There are some good prayers and rituals in here. Most of the knowledge present in the first half of the book I knew about, but I think the original content is clear and well written. It's also organized very well. I think this book is for someone who admires another's craft.
November 3, 2024
I feel like this book helped me a lot, but it's very extravagant at times. I know he says to tailor it to your own practice, but if you were to follow what he wrote without completely, you'd be spending an arm and a leg.
February 24, 2023
A wonderful book on Hekate. Beautiful art and original tech.
May 14, 2025
An excellent tome that gives a comprehensive overview on establishing a devotional practice to the multifaceted Goddess of Witches, Hekate. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews