When I first met Astarte I had no idea how magical all of my future encounters with her would be. As the many-named goddess of the cosmos, queen of heaven, and lady of the mysteries of the universe, it's no surprise how glorious standing before her would be—but I can assure you it's even more overwhelming than you can imagine.
Astarte (also known as Ashtoreth, Asherah, Attoret, Anath, and many many many other names since the dawn of existence) is the great Canaanite mother goddess. Ba'el and El of the Canaanite pantheon were both recognized consorts of hers, and her reputation as a powerful force earned her the respect and worship of people all throughout the surrounding regions, including Egyptian kings. The worship of Astarte was even adopted into the Egyptian pantheon during the New Kingdom when temples were built for her in Thebes and Tanis, as she was venerated as a consort of Set.
Many people are surprised to find that her name is also maintained in Old Testament Christian texts where her well-deserved goddess status has been utterly demonized due to the altering of the texts to portray her as an entity leading the people astray from the "one true god" rather than recognizing her as the powerful and creative force of energy that gives them life. We won't focus on that today, though, as that's not the point of this particular article, and I could write novels upon novels of material on the crimes committed against our sweet, holy, and blessed Queen Astarte, but I digress.
One of my favorite encounters with Astarte took place in a liminal realm that encompassed what I can only describe as "all of time." The energy of every snapshot of time swirled around us like antique gothic picture frames with memories waiting to be played. I stood there by her side completely mesmerized by this powerful and beautiful great lady, the cloak of stars that she was robed in, and the surrounding impossible glimpses into countless moments in time.
Seemingly at random, a framed portal into another time would fly toward us hovering just out of arms reach. The interior imagery would come to life like a television screen playing its own unique channel. For a brief moment, I would watch as each scenario from the past, present, and future would unfold before my eyes. The imagery was vibrant, jaw-dropping, and more than anything mysterious.
We stood there, side by side, for what felt like lifetimes watching time ripple in every direction taking on a life of its own that was anything but linear. My human mind would've struggled to grasp what I was witnessing, but my spirit or higher self was the active consciousness in this realm and was uninhibited by my earthly preconceived notions about how time unfolds for us and what it all means.
And in the same way that it felt like lifetimes unfolded as we stood there, it also all felt like it happened in a mere instant with no pauses or gaps between these moments regardless of whether they took place in the "past" or "present" or "future"—instead all of these snapshots just were.
And I too just was.
And while I just was I absorbed every instance, simply awe-struck at magical happenings that couldn't be explained. Profound colors, music, words, shapes, forms, and things I'll never be able to put into words materialized as though I was there fully immersed in them. They wrapped around me as my arms floated outward, spinning me around like Cinderella being transformed for the Prince's Ball by her Fairy God Mother.
I wanted to understand what I was seeing. I wanted to take it all in—and remember it—but it was simply too much information. So, instead, I focused on how I felt—how the energy of Astarte and the ability to witness all of time both inside of it and outside of it made me feel:
Wonderstruck, like when giant snow flurries fall under twinkling nights in an unexpected holiday town where everything seems too good to be true, but no matter how hard you look for the flaws or the cons or the downsides, everything is simply magical and so you stick out your tongue and let a few snowflakes gently land on them bringing laughter and smiles to your face that can't be contained.
Astonished, as though the air in my lungs had been sucked out of them like a vacuum leaving behind an insatiable need to breathe, and just as I feel at my weakest like there's a black hole in my chest and I desperately need oxygen, I find myself standing on a mountaintop inhaling the crispest, freshest air I've ever tasted. And all I can do is gasp, sucking it all in, and savoring each breath.
Overwhelmed, as one would be if they wandered into a giant field free of light pollution where every single star, not just in the galaxy but in the whole of the cosmos, could be seen all at once, and just when you think it's far too beautiful to take in, every single one of these lights descends to where you are and sparkles all around you pulling your energy into the very center of their grand cosmic dance.
Astonished. Breathless. Baffled. Undone. Awestruck. Amazed. Bewildered. And the list could go on and on. After all, how would you feel if you witnessed such a thing in the presence of royalty?
The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School is an in-depth 3.5 year program that is currently offered virtually through The Star Village website and is coming soon to the physical location of The Star Village that we're building. Through this Wisdom School, you'll have access to learn more than 40 types of witchery alongside the ancient esoteric wisdom of the goddesses as viewed through multiple pantheons and spiritual traditions.
Unlike many virtual classes or courses, The Mystic’s Journey is an interactive gamified quest where you earn crystals as you learn, discover and unlock easter eggs throughout the platform, embark on side quests to learn about specific topics in a deeper way, and be a part of a forum to engage with other spiritual practitioners.
In addition to The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School, Kate Jade also offers a mentorship program called The Death Witchery that exclusively focuses on death magic.
A near-death experience in 2018 left me wary and cautious of any repeat events pertaining to my health. The events leading up to my hospitalization in 2018 were so quickly onset that I went from nearly no symptoms as I left for a holiday vacation to almost immediately returning on an emergency flight home where I was checked into the ER that night with sepsis, a double kidney infection, bladder infection, and uterine infection. Fraught with chills, sweats, shakes, severe pain, fatigue, and the like—I took any similar symptoms or issues incredibly seriously going forward.
I felt once again that deep-seated pain in my lower back. I knew this symptom: it was the beginning of a kidney infection and time was of the essence.
I told my husband and we quickly headed to a nearby urgent care. I explained to the doctor my concerns, and they watched as the pain I was experiencing made it more and more difficult to walk. They insisted on testing for a UTI, along with the flu and COVID-19. I had a flashback to my last hospitalization as the ER intake team insisted I must have a severe case of influenza despite recognizing the obvious symptoms of sepsis as an infection coursed through my veins.
At the urgent care, all of the tests they ran came back negative. The urine sample indicated no infection, and the flu and COVID-19 tests returned negative. I was frustrated because I knew something was wrong and to go home now would only shorten the window of time for this kidney infection to be treated before it would evolve into another severe sepsis case. Sepsis had a high likelihood of resulting in death and after having survived it once, these weren't odds I wanted to be up against again. With 1 out of every 2 patients with sepsis passing away during their hospital stay and 1 in 5 patients dying within the first year of being discharged, we found ourselves on our way to the emergency room for further testing.
My health was deteriorating rapidly. I could hardly walk on my own at this point. After being taken to a room, running additional tests, and starting antibiotics and pain medication—we finally had our answer. Sure enough, I had a kidney infection that had once again bypassed the obvious lower portion of the urinary tract and was nearly undetectable through basic urine samples.
If we had gone home after our urgent care visit instead of going to the ER, I certainly would've had a repeat sepsis scenario. We were eventually discharged and sent home with additional antibiotics to continue on—and upon climbing into my bed to try and get some rest after our exhausting hospital adventures, out of the corner of my eye I saw none other than Archangel Michael himself.
The encounter was nothing short of terrifying. As I struggled to catch my breath and cling to what little strength I had left, an otherworldly blue light began to fill the room. My dim surroundings were illuminated, penetrating through the darkness like a beacon.
Archangel Michael towered before me, radiating power and authority. His eyes bore deep into my soul as if on an important mission that couldn't be conveyed with human language and words. The sheer force of his presence seemed to send shockwaves through my fragile being.
My husband was in the bathroom as Michael began to speak to me. Fear consumed me as he spoke in a voice that transcended earthly sounds — a voice that resonated with both compassion and an undeniable sense of judgment. With each word that echoed from his lips, my heart pounded in my chest; every hair on my body stood on end.
The gravity of yet another brush with death hung heavy in the air as he nonchalantly mentioned that he had been sent to our home for protection and healing exclusively. My curiosity got the best of me and I began asking him questions that were abruptly interrupted with a reiterating statement, "I am only here for protection and healing."
But I had so many questions. I nodded in understanding and the angelic being grew silent standing brightly in the corner of the room despite all of the lights in our bedroom being off.
My husband came and got in bed beside me and stared in confusion in Michael's direction. He blinked a couple of times and rubbed his eyes, ultimately asking, "What is that?" while pointing to the corner of the room.
"Oh, the bright glowing blue guy in the corner?" I chuckled.
"Yes...?"
"That's Archangel Michael."
Indeed, encountering Archangel Michael at death's door for the second time was an experience drenched in fear and trepidation. The magnitude of his presence reminded me just how fragile our existence truly is and posed profound questions about life's ultimate purpose.
This time wasn't my time yet—always a sharp reminder that I must have quite a lot of work left to do if a being as busy and determined as Archangel Michael was needed to be stationed in my room.
The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School is an in-depth 3.5 year program that is currently offered virtually through The Star Village website and is coming soon to the physical location of The Star Village that we're building. Through this Wisdom School, you'll have access to learn more than 40 types of witchery alongside the ancient esoteric wisdom of the goddesses as viewed through multiple pantheons and spiritual traditions.
Unlike many virtual classes or courses, The Mystic’s Journey is an interactive gamified quest where you earn crystals as you learn, discover and unlock easter eggs throughout the platform, embark on side quests to learn about specific topics in a deeper way, and be a part of a forum to engage with other spiritual practitioners.
In addition to The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School, Kate Jade also offers a mentorship program called The Death Witchery that exclusively focuses on death magic.
Friday the 13th, a date that has long been associated with bad luck, superstition, and evil. But what many people may not realize is that it's a fascinating tale that goes beyond mere superstition and bad luck, finding its origins in the sacred goddess worship of pagan peoples. Being a less frequent occurrence in a given year, with the 13th of the month falling on a Friday an average of 1.72 times a year in the Gregorian calendar, there are a lot of conflicting beliefs depending on what your cultural background and beliefs may be. For some, Friday the 13th is a day to batten down the hatches and hide themselves away, and for others, it's a holy day in its own right, that is to be honored and embraced.
For us, at the Sacred Wisdom Society, we hold the latter view that Friday the 13th is a sacred day. The significance of Friday in this context cannot be overstated. Known as "Frigg's Day," it was actually named after Frigg (/frɪɡ/; Old Norse: [ˈfriɡː]) a goddess, one of the Æsir, in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about her, she is associated with marriage, prophecy, clairvoyance, and motherhood, and dwells in the wetland halls of Fensalir. She was the Queen of Asgard, wife of Odin, and mother of Baldur. Her name translated literally as "beloved" and she was held in very high status amongst the people of the time. Sound like any other Great Lady's you know of?
A quick Google search, regardless of your spiritual beliefs will highlight the origins of the naming of Western days of the week (much like how the names of the planets in our solar system line up with many of the gods and goddesses of ancient cultures—hmm—coincidence?) In many ancient cultures, Friday was considered a day to honor and celebrate Frigg, or the Great Goddess (singular), or all of the goddesses (plural), or the sacred divine feminine that's in all of us, or even simply the power of the womb to bring forth life.
The beliefs when paganism are vast, with people of many different backgrounds and traditions finding their own way to connect to divinity and the universe. What many pagans had in common, though, was a true reverence for nature and the energy that connects us all, often brought into existence through the goddesses we can connect to and understand on a smaller scale, who symbolized different aspects of life, such as the moon, animals, trees, liminal space, healing, elements, etc. This reverence for the divine feminine led to Friday being seen as an auspicious day for honoring these goddesses and our own role that we play in the grand universe that we live in.
The number 13 has long been associated with mysticism and sacredness in various cultures around the world. From ancient civilizations to modern-day beliefs, the significance of this number has captured the imagination of many. One fascinating aspect of the number 13 is its connection to lunar cycles. The lunar cycle, which spans approximately 29.5 days, represents the phases of the moon as it orbits around the Earth, with approximately 12-13 lunar cycles in a single solar cycle (one year). This alignment between the sacred number 13 and lunar cycles adds another layer of mystique to their significance, with many pagans recognizing this connection symbolizes harmony between celestial rhythms and earthly existence.
Furthermore, many ancient cultures revered both numbers separately for their own unique symbolism. The number 13 often represents transformation, rebirth, and spiritual growth. This, with lunar cycles’ association with feminine energy, intuition, and cyclical patterns found in nature, makes understanding why the number 13 is considered sacred even more intriguing.
Paganism played a significant role in shaping these beliefs surrounding Friday the 13th, which was a rare conjunction between the already beloved day of Frigg or the goddess and the symbolic number 13. Over time, however, as societal norms shifted and religious beliefs changed, these pagan traditions were demonized by those seeking to establish new power structures.
According to folklorists, there is no evidence for the superstition of an unlucky Friday the 13th before the 19th century. Rumors of Friday the 13th being negatively associated with Christian beliefs, such as Jesus Christ being crucified on this day took hold of people over the last couple centuries. Other links to 13 and Friday came about with a different view of the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas, with 13 people being present at the Last Supper, the Norse tale of the god Baldur dying after the god Loki, a 13th guest at a dinner party arrived and mischief ensured. But regardless of how these tales seemingly ended, they all played roles in the death and rebirth cycles told through stories at the time and were never intended to be bad omens of a Friday falling on the 13th of the month.
Even in modern times, pop-culture films have harped on the fears of people surrounding Friday the 13th, known as paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia, to further perpetuate narratives of freak accidents, serial killers being on the loose, and the like.
It is important to recognize, though, that behind this superstition lies a rich history of sacredness and reverence for the divine feminine. By understanding its origins in pagan goddess worship, we can shed light on the true meaning behind Friday the 13th — an opportunity to reconnect with our own spirituality and embrace the power of nature's cycles once again.
There are many ways to honor the divine feminine, goddesses, or even your own sacred feminine energy on Friday the 13th. Through rituals, self-care practices, and more, you can tap into the sacred energy of the feminine and foster a deep connection with the divine.
Rituals play a significant role in honoring the divine feminine. Whether it's through full moon ceremonies, lighting a candle and meditating, or performing sacred dances, these rituals allow you to channel your intentions and connect with the powerful energy that resides within you. By creating sacred space and setting intentions, you can invite the divine feminine to guide and empower you on your spiritual journey.
Self-care is another vital aspect of honoring the divine feminine. Taking time for yourself to nurture your mind, body, and soul is an act of self-love that aligns with the nurturing qualities associated with femininity. Engage in activities that bring you joy and help you recharge — whether it's practicing yoga or meditation, indulging in herbal baths or aromatherapy, or simply spending time in nature, find what works best for you.
Incorporating symbols of femininity into your daily life can also be a beautiful way to honor the divine feminine. Adorn your sacred space with images or statues of goddesses who embody qualities such as love, compassion, strength, and wisdom. Wear crystals like rose quartz or moonstone that resonate with feminine energy. Embrace flowing fabrics and colors that evoke feelings of femininity within you.
Remember that honoring the divine feminine is not just about external practices; it's also about cultivating a deep sense of respect for yourself as a woman or person who identifies with femininity. Embrace your unique strengths and gifts as they align with this powerful energy. Celebrate your intuition, creativity, and compassion — all those qualities that make up the essence of femininity.
By incorporating rituals into your spiritual practice, engaging in self-care activities that nourish your soul, surrounding yourself with symbols of femininity, and embracing your unique qualities, you can honor the divine feminine and invite its transformative energy into your life. Embrace the beauty of the divine feminine within you and let it guide you on a path of empowerment, love, and spiritual growth.
The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School is an in-depth 3.5 year program that is currently offered virtually through The Star Village website and is coming soon to the physical location of The Star Village that we're building. Through this Wisdom School, you'll have access to learn more than 40 types of witchery alongside the ancient esoteric wisdom of the goddesses as viewed through multiple pantheons and spiritual traditions.
Unlike many virtual classes or courses, The Mystic’s Journey is an interactive gamified quest where you earn crystals as you learn, discover and unlock easter eggs throughout the platform, embark on side quests to learn about specific topics in a deeper way, and be a part of a forum to engage with other spiritual practitioners.
In addition to The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School, Kate Jade also offers a mentorship program called The Death Witchery that exclusively focuses on death magic.
For years I had worked with and studied under the goddess Astarte and knew her by many different names, symbols, and epithets. Studying her mysteries and teachings was my whole world, and despite encountering and studying many other divine beings along the way, she was ultimately who I answered to at the end of each day.
Every day of my life, she was on my mind. I saw her in nature, music, art, food, animals, and kind people. With her, I felt emotions so raw and intense that I became gentler and more compassionate while simultaneously becoming stronger and less compromising on who I am at my core. Her eyes allowed me to see time differently, awakened a deep love for humanity, and gave me a new outlook on my own existence.
I was devoted to her and knew her as the Lady, the Great Goddess, the Queen of the Cosmos, the Ruler of Heaven, the Canaanite Woman, Lady Wisdom, and the original Holy Spirit. Often I saw her in the astral, and she would show me things more beautiful and breathtaking than my human mind could fathom.
In the astral, she looked like the most gorgeous divine feminine goddess you could imagine, robed in the cosmos themselves, every wrinkle of fabric cloaking her appearance as though it was woven out of the galaxies themselves. Somehow she embodied the whole universe in a personified form and I’ll most likely never be able to fully wrap my mind around it.
One particular night in the astral realm, I found myself somewhere new. I didn’t recall venturing into this place before. It was darker than other realms, as though it were dusk entering into the night. Beautiful columns and pillars rose up out of the ground around me and a cobblestone path laid under my feet.
I found myself wandering through ancient ruins with greenery overtaking much of the stone remnants. Every step I took revealed more forestry surroundings until I was in the center of a large circle of pillars. Spinning to take in every detail, I caught my breath when I realized I wasn’t alone.
A towering dark goddess stood just out of my reach. Her hood was drawn obscuring most of her facial features. Confused, I uttered the name of the goddess I’d long been familiar with—only to be sharply interrupted and abrasively corrected—
“HEH-KAH-TAY,” she hissed at me. The vibration of her voice boomed but it wasn’t an audible tone to be heard through the ears but rather a deep spiritual reverberation of what I can only explain as telepathic communication. My chest heaved at the mental “sound” and my mind spiraled trying to make sense of who this was.
It wasn’t a name I’d heard of before at the time. All I knew at that moment: this wasn’t the goddess I’d been working with for so long. This was someone entirely new to me and she commanded respect.
Stepping towards me, she insisted that we had much work to do and not a lot of time. She began teaching me the art of shapes and their form. She taught me about runes and sigils, and how to combine them to create entirely new magical configurations. I practiced drawing shape after shape after shape as she hovered behind me demanding I start over with each mistake I inevitably made.
“Again,” she would say. Again. Again. Again. And over and over, I would create. I would craft. I would practice. And over and over, she would fine-tune everything I made until it was the most powerful and accurate magical structure it could be.
I spent what felt like months, years, and decades of “time” with this goddess learning her magical rites in this liminal place. The relationship we developed felt like a rekindling of a connection that had already matured over lifetimes of work, but I still felt uncertain as to who she was. All I knew was that she was wonderful, I trusted her with my life, and she was teaching me things my heart had long been drawn to.
Upon waking up, I remembered every detail of the experience. I felt confused about time and realized only a few hours had passed since I’d originally fallen asleep. Wide awake, I pulled out my phone to do a Google search on this new goddess I had encountered.
I typed in: "heckatay goddess" — and my phone was flooded with results for Hecate or Hekate, the Greek Goddess of witchcraft, magic, and ghosts. Stunned that she was a real goddess and the name I had heard in the astral/dream state had proven to be legitimate, I felt a rush of emotions. I was in awe, fearful, worried, and yet my deep dive into who this goddess was began.
“When we are at a crossroads, or already in the Underworld, Hekate can rise up out of the deeper world, showing up in the cracks of our lives. She sends her emissaries—angels and hungry ghosts alike—to do her bidding. They occupy our dreams, invade our imaginations, and drop their uncanny hints until we pay them heed.”Entering Hekate’s Cave, Cyndi Brannen
And that's exactly what she did—and I was paying attention.
My research led me to an understanding of her as a primordial being, though many venerate her as a titan goddess. I discovered her roots ran far deeper than Greece, and that she was likely originally known to the Sumerian-Babylonian and Mesopotamian people, all of whom are closely connected to the Great Goddess, Astarte/Asherah that I had been venerating for so long as an original symbol of the Holy Spirit. Many of her symbols connected to things I had long loved and identified as sacred, such as snakes and the moon. As I came across her connection to wisdom and her epithet as the cosmic world soul, I realized that she truly was very much a part of the goddess Astarte I already knew and loved, but her role amongst the realm of divine beings was over the liminal space that connected the spiritual cosmic realm of Astarte to the human realm we all abided in.
“Hekate, as Anima Mundi, the soul of all the world, is the origin of all the forces and spirits. Hekate is not viewed as an embodied favor-granting goddess, but rather as the primal source. From the Anima Mundi flow the seven sacred forces of the Three Worlds and the four elements. These forces are the master forces in which all others, including the spirit of each botanical are nested.”Entering Hekate’s Garden, Cyndi Brannen
Hekate was everything I had already been aiming to embody in my devotion to Astarte, so welcoming her insight into my studies and life came naturally. It felt right. It felt necessary. And it was a defining moment, that changed everything and transformed me into the spiritual practitioner I am today. Hekate empowered me to begin the journey of taking everything I’d been learning from Astarte and practically applying it to help both myself and others.
“She is the darkness, and she is the fire.
She is the cry of “enough.”
She is the sigil written in stone.
She is the silent walking away of the betrayed.
She is the lonely raising arms to the moon.
She is the lie told to live the truth.
She is the secret circle drawing down her moon.
She is the poison that heals.
She is the bold stare into the mirror.
She is the blood shed to bring rebirth.
She is all those who dare to become.
She is the power that is our right.
She has returned.
Answer her call.
The time is now.
Speak the truth. Be healed.”
—Entering Hekate’s Cave, Cyndi Brannen
The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School is an in-depth 3.5 year program that is currently offered virtually through The Star Village website and is coming soon to the physical location of The Star Village that we're building. Through this Wisdom School, you'll have access to learn more than 40 types of witchery alongside the ancient esoteric wisdom of the goddesses as viewed through multiple pantheons and spiritual traditions.
Unlike many virtual classes or courses, The Mystic’s Journey is an interactive gamified quest where you earn crystals as you learn, discover and unlock easter eggs throughout the platform, embark on side quests to learn about specific topics in a deeper way, and be a part of a forum to engage with other spiritual practitioners.
In addition to The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School, Kate Jade also offers a mentorship program called The Death Witchery that exclusively focuses on death magic.
Many people’s spiritual stories start with a near-death experience. A taste of the “beyond” that can’t be explained by anything other than the acknowledgment that the spiritual realm is unlike anything we thought it was and is undeniably real. For me, my near-death experience was not the beginning, but rather one of many milestones on my spiritual journey.
Physical health issues have long been something I’ve battled, and though that’s not something I identify with or claim, it is the reality I’ve experienced for the majority of my years on earth this lifetime. In 2018, I was on vacation celebrating the holidays at the end of the year and preparing to take a flight from Chicago to New York City.
I’d long dreamed of NYC at Christmastime and couldn’t wait to see the magic and wonder of the buzzing city, but my health took an unimaginable turn the night before we were supposed to embark on part two of our trip. I kept telling myself and my husband that I was fine—maybe some cold medicine from the drugstore would do the trick. Or maybe a margarita with dinner, cause a little alcohol was sometimes useful in kicking sickness right as it was beginning.
It was when the pain set in, deep-seated in my lower back, that I decided to call my doctor. Maybe I had a rib out of place and could do some yoga or stretching to adjust things. To no avail, I found myself feeling sicker and sicker. I was nauseated, cold, and in severe pain. Maybe a nap would help. In the middle of the night, I was so unbearably cold I decided to stand in the shower to warm myself up.
Hours passed as I stood in the scalding hot waters, unable to alleviate the shivers that shook through my spine. My husband stepped into the shower to tell me that morning had arrived and we were going to miss our flight if I didn’t hurry and get ready—I knew at this moment I couldn’t fake being fine any longer. I couldn’t pretend to feel great and continue on with our vacation. It was time to take an emergency flight home—and against my will, check into a hospital.
Upon arriving back in our home city in Dallas, I still tried to make myself “be okay” but simply couldn’t. That night, I checked into the ER, and everything that followed was a whirlwind. Shuffled from an ER bed to a hospital bed to a CT machine and back to my hospital room it became clear—I was not doing good.
An infectious disease doctor was put on my case, and nurses seemed glum and focused on making me comfortable—and what I wasn’t told throughout this process but was relayed in private to my husband was that I had Sepsis. I had an infectious disease that had spread from my bladder to my uterus to both kidneys, and from there, straight to my bloodstream.
My body was pumped with antibiotics, I discovered I was resistant to Morphine and given Dilaudid (aka medical heroin), my veins rejected the PICC lines multiple nurses tried to place, my body was so swollen I had stretch marks on my sides, and things kept getting worse and worse. I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I wasn’t directly told that I had sepsis or how severe the infection truly was. All I knew was that I wanted to go home more than anything—because I absolutely hated hospitals and feared doctors and needles.
My husband sat on the edge of my bed one morning and took me by the hand to tell me even more bad news. My grandmother had just passed away—and if that wasn’t heartbreaking enough, I wouldn’t even be able to attend her funeral since I was dying myself and not expected to pull through. Family members were torn between leaving town to honor my grandmother’s memory and staying in the area because I was in such bad shape, and my husband assured them that somehow, some way I would have to get better with the words, “She’s going to make it. She has a lot left to accomplish.”
My entire stay in the hospital was riddled with terror. I feared closing my eyes, and I especially was scared to fall asleep or rest. Without a doubt, I knew the moment I did, it was likely I wouldn’t wake back up. I insisted on sitting upright in my hospital bed, which was incredibly painful with the double kidney infection, and begged the nurses for caffeine to help me keep the headaches at bay and my eyes open.
Halfway into my hospital stay, I began paying attention to the various spiritual beings coming and going from my room. Entities I was familiar with seeing since childhood. From gods to ghosts, the invisible realm was rarely hidden from me, but the spiritual activity on this particular floor of the hospital was extreme and horrifying. Technology in my hospital room glitched frequently. My call button didn’t work, my TV flickered off and on with static, and suffering people in surrounding rooms screamed in pain and horror as they themselves were dying.
A new spiritual being showed itself to me, though, and it was the most terrifying spiritual encounter I’d had up until that point. A tall shapeshifting entity made its way toward me, actively changing before my eyes until it was so close to my face, that I pulled back trying to get away from it. Its movement reminded me of a scene in a horror film as an unknown creature would get closer and closer to the main character as the lights flickered on and off making it difficult to track its movements. The most distinct form I remember the being shapeshifting into was a powerful feminine energy with the frightening head of a crow skull that resembled a plague doctor mask from history class.
She was surrounded by other beings that gave a strong death energy and I felt as though they were all somehow connected to my dear grandmother who had just passed on from the material realm to the beyond. This goddess of death with her crow skull head stretched her arms out to me with a large package that looked like both an envelope and a box at the same time. In fear, I continued to pull away from the goddess. What was the package? What would I be accepting? What was the cost? I wasn’t ready to die, I had so much left to do…
As I hesitated to accept the package, I watched as my sleeping husband, who had been in a chair by my side since the moment we checked into the hospital, got up and began carrying his pillow and blanket to a shelf in the hospital room. He woke up confused, indicating he’d been sleepwalking, something that I’d never witnessed him do before. I asked what he was doing and he began describing an entity that came to him handing him an oversized envelope of sorts and that he accepted it on my behalf.
I was shook.
From that moment forward, my hospital stay improved. I got healthier each day, practicing walking around the hospital, trying to keep food down and prove that I was going to survive this, and I was ultimately cleared for discharge a week after having checked in. In those final moments, as my husband was helping me pack up my belongings and prepare to leave, two nurses came into the room exchanging the following conversation.
Nurse 1: This young lady is going home today.
Nurse 2: I have all her paperwork ready to go.
Nurse 1: I was here the night she came in through the ER. None of us on shift that night believed she was going to make it.
Nurse 2: Is that so?
Nurse 1: She was going to die this week. The fact she’s going home today is a miracle.
Everything started to sink in for me at this moment. I hadn’t grasped how close to death I was—even though I knew I couldn’t close my eyes or go to sleep for my entire 6-day stay at the hospital. I didn’t process that I was septic and literally on death’s door—despite having an infectious disease doctor on my case who checked my blood work daily and had stated on multiple occasions that the infectious bacteria count in my blood was astronomically high. I didn’t understand the nurses’ job was to treat me as though I was on hospice—but that’s what the Morphine and Dilaudid were for—to make me comfortable in my “final moments.”
At one point during my hospital stay, people we knew had come to visit and check in on me, and their teenage son had stated that he felt a spirit of death on the whole floor of the hospital—and it wasn’t until I grasped exactly who The Morrigan was that I recognized the true nature of what was happening.
The Celtic Goddess of Death herself, The Morrigan, had paid me a visit, and had handed my husband and me a healing offer that shouldn’t have been “possible,” and yet, here I am today, a sepsis survivor (which claims the life of more than 50% of its victims), and the severity of my case was almost a guaranteed fatality.
The fear I felt accepting The Morrigan’s offer, but my husband knowing spiritually that what she had for me was not only life itself but a redirection toward my true purpose in life—someone who works with death and life energy to heal, to break ancestral trauma, and so much more.
I owe my life today to The Morrigan. And I am also forever grateful to my husband for seeing the potential in myself that I was too scared to see with my own eyes due to fear. My deepest and most sincerest gratitude goes to them both.
The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School is an in-depth 3.5 year program that is currently offered virtually through The Star Village website and is coming soon to the physical location of The Star Village that we're building. Through this Wisdom School, you'll have access to learn more than 40 types of witchery alongside the ancient esoteric wisdom of the goddesses as viewed through multiple pantheons and spiritual traditions.
Unlike many virtual classes or courses, The Mystic’s Journey is an interactive gamified quest where you earn crystals as you learn, discover and unlock easter eggs throughout the platform, embark on side quests to learn about specific topics in a deeper way, and be a part of a forum to engage with other spiritual practitioners.
In addition to The Mystic's Journey Wisdom School, Kate Jade also offers a mentorship program called The Death Witchery that exclusively focuses on death magic.
