Next class starts September 6, 2021.

This is a three term course that leads to initiation and a diploma as a member of The Mystai. 

The Mystai is based on the training ancient Mystai, the spiritual leaders within a temple, would receive. You will become trained in mysticism, magick, and healing. The Mystai is a deep journey into the mystical for healing into wholeness so that you can light the way for others.

The Mystai consists of the Three Keys of Hekatean Witchcraft: medicine, magick, and mystery. Each “Key” is a complete course for which you will receive a completion certificate. Initiation as a member of The Mystai occurs after successful graduation from all three Keys.

1: The Red Key of Medicine (Books of The Mystai 1 – 5; Months 1 – 8; September 2021 – May 2022; starts each September)

Awakening: The Book of Structure

Lesson 1: The Book of Beginnings

Lesson 2: The Book of Keys

Lesson 3: The Book of Time

Lesson 4: The Book of Hekate

Lesson 5: The Book of Names

2: The Black Key of Magick (Books of The Mystai 6 – 10; Months 9 – 16; September 2022 – May 2023)

Lesson 6: The Book of Honor

Lesson 7: The Book of the Inner Temple

Lesson 8: The Book of Symbols

Lesson 9: The Book of Magick

Lesson 10: The Book of Botanicals

3: The White Key of Mystery (Books of The Mystai 11 – Initiation; Months 17-24; October 2023 – May 2024)

Lesson 11: The Book of the Crown

Lesson 12: The Book of the Sacred

Lesson 13: The Book of Spells

Initiation: The Book of Mystery

Daily practice of The Unifying The Three Selves Meditation is a requirement, as is participation in several rituals, journeys and other ecstatic experiences.

Rituals of the Sacred Cave: All Mystai Candidates must participate in this annual ritual cycle that is the heart of the Keeping Her Keys tradition to complete the requirement of practica.

Year 1: Participant

Year 2: Pyradai/Assistant Firekeeper

Year 3: Pyrphorai/Ritual Firekeeper

Mystai students are required to share their written assignments with others in our private discussion forum, and to engage on others’ sharing of their experiences with the lessons. Minimum: once/month.

Students are expected to serve as Oratorai (Medicine Bringers/Panelists) in live classes, salons and workshops within The Mystai and The Covina Institute. Minimum: once/term.

With the completion of each Key, Mystai students must submit a final project that can be an article, artwork, or other creative expression of their learnings. 

Those interested in entering The Mystai must complete the application, which includes a written summary demonstrating suitability for the training. 

Applicants are required to hold certification/initiation in one training program within The Covina Institute, such as The Sacred Seven or Lampadia, have worked through the Keeping Her Keys book, or have completed a program of self-directed study in Covina, including completion of the Anassa course. 

In addition, applicants must have been a contributing member of The Covina Institute for a minimum of two months. 

The Mystai Is Right For You If:

• You are ready for serious  study of Hekatean Witchcraft to become a spiritual leader.
• You believe that Hekate exists as the primal force of sacred feminine energy from which all other  forces and spirits flow. 
• You are open to connecting  to the archetypal forces that flow from Hekate, The Witch Mother and  Mother of All.
• You know that the  sacredness of Hekate is contained within you, and that your journey is to  embrace your power as one of her chosen witches.
• You are willing to destroy the illusion of separation, which is the reunion of the world of the flesh  with the world of spirits, both within and without.
• You are confident in your  ability to remember your sacredness to manifest your purpose and live it.
• You are willing to connect  with The Mother through meditation, prayer, ritual and trance.
• You are willing to  experience ecstatic witchcraft through breathwork, botanicals, meditation,  dreams,  journeying, ritual, sacred movements and other forms of trance.
• You can spend about 30  minutes a day (on average) in study, meditation and practice.
• You can afford the  tuition. Each Key of The Mystai is $499.99 or eight monthly payments of 79.99  for members of The Covina Institute. 

This course consists of the required text, workbooks (guides), audio classes, recorded video lectures and live classes.

Keeping Her Keys: An Introduction to Hekate’s Modern Witchcraft is required for all three levels. If you have previously worked through the 13 lessons the KHK book, then you are well prepared for The Mystai. There is no prerequisite for having completed the book ahead of time; you can integrate the teachings of the book with your lessons. I provide instructions for integration throughout the course. 

The Red Key requires Entering Hekate's Cave: The Journey Through Darkness to Wholeness A pdf version of EHC will be provided in the classroom. 

Entering Hekate's Garden: The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft, which can be purchased from all major booksellers, is required for The Black Key.

The final book in the trilogy, Entering Hekate's Temple: Ascending Into The Mysteries, is the text for Lesson 3. It will be available as a PDF.

Each lesson has a Book of Shadows that isn’t available anywhere else and features a major working, such as a ritual, journey, trance, spell, energy work, technique, personal development activity or other practices. You will be asked to complete one assignment on the content of the text and the one in the Book of Shadows for each lesson. 

How it Works

· Every six weeks, a Book of The Mystai is released, which includes the Book of Shadows, along with recorded audio classes and video lectures. Books are available as PDFs and as sections within the course Table of Contents. 

· One live class/month + one live ritual.

· In addition, there are supplements provided, including botanical monographs.

· All lessons can be completed directly within the course or by downloading PDFs of all the content. 

· All course materials can be downloaded so that you will have them always with you.

· Written assignments for each lesson must be posted in the course Activity Feed.

· To be initiated into The Mystai, you must complete the Inventory of Initiation which is a written record of your experience in the course. You write a summary of your experience of each of the lessons and reflect upon how the course transformed your life. Successful completion of this inventory, the Mystai initiation project (often called “The Mystai Thesis”), and the accompanying ritual will entitle you to identify yourself as a member of The Mystai. You will receive a signed certificate of initiation. 

Each lesson contains:

- Initio: the introduction of the lesson.

- Ratio: the systems required for practicing the key teachings of the lesson.

- Kleis: the key concepts that are the foundation of the lesson.

- Praeparatio: practices such as meditation, research and contemplation that prepare you for deep work in the mysteries and magick of Hekate.

- Practica: techniques for reconnecting to your sacredness and for deepening your relationship with Hekate.

- Animarum: sacred rituals, journeys and meditations for experiencing the mysteries of The Mother.

The lessons include the written books, as well as audio and video classes, and supplemental materials.

Lesson 1: The Book of Beginnings

With the spirit of The Nyssa, cross the threshold into The Mystai. A deep dive into the journey ahead is presented.

Concepts introduced in this book include lunar witchcraft, the spirit of beginnings (known as Nyssa), and the power of daily spiritual practice.

The sacredness of your Inner Temple is explored, through creating your own Cista Mystica and opening of your temple. 

Experience The Ritual Nyssa as you enter into the spirit of The Red Key.

Learn the fundamental ritual of The Mystai: the power of The Khernips Ritual.

Create the Death Walking Oil for anointing yourself as a Nyssa of The Red, the witch walking in the work of spirits, following Hekate’s torches into the unseen mysteries.
Complete The Deathwalking Ritual of Release

Lesson 2: The Book of Keys

With your sacred Inner Temple opened, go deeper into the magickal and mystical keys of The Mother. The power of cleansing and protection through botanicals is explored. Dandelion is the featured plant master.

The system of The Mystai, known as Ratio, is discussed in detail. This includes the three-formed nature of Hekate, the worlds and us.

The sacred serpent of our soul is awakened through our studies and within the Ritual of Animarum Luna Mystica (Drawing Down Hekate’s Moon).

Our sacred symbols that are gifts from The Mother, known as sumbola, are discussed, and you will receive and create your first one. 

Lesson 3: The Book of Time

Walk the Wheel of Time through this exploration of the power of Hekate’s Sacred Wheel. 

Learn how to practice timewalking and other forms of kairos magick.

Complete the Soul Retrieval Journey to walk back through time to retrieve missing pieces of yourself.

Create your own Wheel of the Year talismanic mandala.

Experience the kairos of Hekate through an automatic writing ritual.

Lesson 4: The Book of Hekate

This lesson reviews Hekate’s over 3,000 years of recorded history, including sacred texts, art and literature. Hekate in the present is very much our spiritual Mother who guides us, freeing us to understand and experience her as she presents herself to each of us in unique ways.

Hekate has shapeshifted down through the centuries and presents herself differently depending on our needs. Learn how to practice your own shapeshifting through animal spirit medicine in this lesson.

Lesson 5: The Book of Names

The power of the archetypal forces of Hekate are experienced through this deep dive into her many names. Known as epithets, these titles are potent evokers of her various forces, attributes and powers.

The Agape Phoberos Ritual connects you to the forces of love and fear within and without. A very powerful ritual that prepares you for climbing the stairs to experience Hekate as The Star Walker in her sacred hall for activating your higher self.

Enter her Cauldron of Rebirth through a powerful journey.

Lesson 6: The Book of Honor

Expressing our affection and gratitude to Hekate through practices, rituals and offerings is the focus of The Book of Honor.

The power of the Witches’ Sacred Vessel, the censer on which we burn our botanical medicine, is explored through thyme.

Guidelines for developing your own sacred text as an offering to the Mother as part of the Dark Moon ritual are included.

Performing The Dark Moon Ritual of Honor/Commitment to the Black Key. 

Lesson 7: The Book of the Inner Temple

In The Book of the Inner Temple, you’ll construct your throne, made of all the symbols and allies that fuel your witchcraft medicine.

The core of this lesson is the Cycle of Devotion Challenge, which strengthens your relationship to Hekate and your own powers through four weeks of commitment.

The magick of the Words of Power is experienced as part of this lesson.

Lesson 8: The Book of Symbols

Hekate has many symbols, from sacred headdresses (crowns, veils) to those mysterious keys. This lesson explores the power of symbols, then goes deeper by explaining how to use the symbols as part of sympathetic witchery. 

Fire dance in Hekate’s eternal flames through botanical witchcraft and journeying into her Hieros Pyr (The Sacred Fire).

Create your own poppets, powerful containers of sympathetic power that capture the fire of others.

Lesson 9: The Book of Magick

The Book of Magick presents the system of correspondences for Hekatean Witchcraft. By learning the nature of spirits and energies, we can craft powerful spells. The ways we work with spirits, forces and correspondences is explored in detail. Colors, numbers, and letters are included, along with higher-order sprits.

The Three Keys Ritual, a powerful spell for claiming your own keys, is the major undertaking of this lesson.

Lesson 10: The Book of Botanicals

Enter Hekate’s Garden to learn the power of her Pharmakoi, the Plant Masters who are the purveyors of our medicine.

Understand how the properties of botanicals, including their elemental and planetary characteristics, merge to create their unique medicine and personalities.

Learn how to experience the Wild Pharmakoi through a walking ritual.

Experience the power of the Pharmakoi Kyrios in a journey into Hekate’s Garden.

Lesson 11: The Book of the Crown

The Crown sits atop the head of Hekate’s Witches, activating our potent prophetic talents. This lesson connects you to the ancestral spirits of Hekate’s ancient Sibyls through practices and the beautiful Rite of the Sibyl/Commitment to The White Key.

Tarot is explored in depth. 

Cleromantica, the practice of casting bones and relics, for divination is explained in detail, so you can create your own coterie, if you so choose.

Lesson 12: The Book of the Sacred

We are the entirety of The Mother contained within one soul and body. This lesson explores the power of embodied witchcraft by going deeper into the power of Hekate’s Crown. Our soul power as a sibyl was activated in the last lesson. Now we allow the full power of the crown to descend upon us, as we claim the Sacred Seven forces as our own. 

Our witches’ mind is the portal through which we experience both the sacredness of the unseen world and our own physicality. Learn how Noetikeia, the power of the witches’ mind, can be a deep source of your medicine.

Lesson 13: The Book of Spells

The last book of The Mystai offers you the power of creating spells that achieve the results you seek. Witchcraft is creation, it is not begging The Mother for favors. In this lesson, learn how to use your amazing power to cast a spell that manifests what you deserve. 

The necessity of being in the flow of Hekate for effective spiritual undertakings, whether it’s a spell or a sacred rite, is the deep dive for this lesson. 

Ways to create super-charged witch bottles and binding spells that truly banish the profane are presented.

This lesson ends with the creation of your own Filth Eating Servitor, who will become your spiritual ally as you prepare for initiation.

Initiation is the greatest mystery. To claim oneself as a member of The Mystai is to stand before Hekate and her eternal witches, speaking our worthiness. The ultimate act of sovereignty. 

The process of initiation and The Rite of The Mystai are contained in The Book of Mystery.

“Shrouded in secrecy, ancient mystery cults fascinate and capture the imagination. A pendant to the official cults of the Greeks and Romans, mystery cults served more personal, individualistic attitudes toward death and the afterlife. Most were based on sacred stories (hieroi logoi) that often involved the ritual reenactment of a death-rebirth myth of a particular divinity. In addition to the promise of a better afterlife, mystery cults fostered social bonds among the participants, called mystai. Initiation fees and other contributions were also expected.”- from “Mystery Cults in the Greek and Roman World” by Kiki Karoglou.

The Mysteries at Eleusis offer us insight into how the mysteries of the Cave were experienced in Ancient Greece. Although Hekate is not explicitly part of most accounts, there is evidence of her presence. Perhaps the ancient Mystai knew her as Anima Mundi, the Soul of the World, replicating her role as mediator between the worlds.

When I had the vision for The Rituals of the Sacred Cave, it was not immediately apparent that they were a modern recreation of the Greater Mysteries. As they became fully formed, I realized that they were. A summary of the Greater Mysteries reveals that we journey through the same process as the ancients did. In addition, I knew from the outset with The Rituals of the Sacred Cave that they were to be made available to all who wanted them, as were the Eleusinian Mysteries.

The first part of the Greater Mysteries included cleansing of the body and a ritual sacrifice. The candidate had to shed their surface self, symbolized through each individual sacrificing a pig. The sacrifice was then buried in the ground. This represents the death of the former self, which we experience in the Deathwalking Ritual of Release.

The ritual of katabasis, which was the next part of the Great Mysteries at Eleusis, had the Mystai candidate travel through a cave in search of Persephone. This trek symbolizes our descent into the darkness to find the light of the truth. We are the one we seek, both light (Kore) and dark (Persephone). It is a necessary journey to return to our soul, through the darkness of the cave to reunite with ourselves. This is soul retrieval.

At the end of katabasis, the candidate goes through rebirth, entering the temple as Kore, the eternal child/maiden/youth, and receives initiation into The Mystai.

We become initiated into The Mystai through this journey progressing through the Rituals of the Sacred Cave. We become the High Priestess along the way, presiding over our temenos, the sacred space of our psyche, going deeper into our unconscious until we can truly follow Hekate’s flame within. In The Greater Mysteries, Iacchus was the High Priest, a son of Dionysius, who presided over the ceremonies. He represents the wholeness we achieve, becoming part of the numinous, when we take the journey through the Cave.

“Soul-making is allowing the eternal essence to enter and experience the outer world through all the orifices of the body … so that the soul grows during its time on Earth.  It grows like an embryo in the womb. Soul-making is constantly confronting the paradox that an eternal being is dwelling in a temporal body. That’s why it suffers and learns by heart.” From Conscious Femininity by Marion Woodman.

“This is individual inner work, and yet it takes us beyond our individual self into the archetypal world where the symbols that belong to all of humanity also change and transform. Here we may discover that we are working not just with the substance of our own soul, but with the anima mundi, the soul of the world. The light we discover in our own depths is a spark of the World Soul, and the world needs this light to evolve. When we make this connection within our consciousness and within our imagination, we begin to change the fabric of life.” – from “The Return of the Feminine and the World Soul” by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee.

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