Dark Gods and Goddess

With Winter approaching we see the dark gods and goddesses coming out. Do you follow a particular dark god or goddess? If so which one? If not is there one that speaks to you or who you are drawn to? What is their story and why are you drawn to them? Do you feel them present more so in the Winter months?

I've always been fascinated by Hekate (pron. heh-kah-tee -- emph. varies). A lot of the following info is taken from hekate.org and is slightly rewritten (therefore not in quotes) but is not my original writing either.

Sappho described Hekate as "a handmaiden of Aphrodite, shining of gold." Hekate accompanied Demeter into the Underworld to retrieve Persephone nad afterward accompanied Persephone on her journeys. Hekate is considered a daughter of Zeus and Hera. Her inclusion in Greek myth may have stemmed from a Egyptian frog-headed goddess of childbirth (Hekat). Hekate is considered by some to be the mother of Circe with Hermes (messenger of the gods) as her lover.

According to this site, "Hekate's name has several possible meanings. 'She who works Her will' is the most commonly accepted, but 'the far-off one' or 'far-darting one' are also suggested. Such names suggest that Her power is far reaching. An alternative derivation, 'most shining one', is bourne out in representations of Hekate from the forth century BCE which show a young goddess of both beauty & power, carrying a torch & wearing a headdress of stars. 'Hekate' is the female equivalent of 'Hekatos', an obscure epithet of Apollo, with whom She is sometimes associated."

Hekate is a triple goddess associated today with the waning moon, divination and witchcraft. All wild animals and dogs are sacred to her and she is associated with "dark" creatures such as ravens or dragons. Her sacred plants include yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar and willow. She is traditionally called upon at Samhain but her festival is November 16. To honor her at any new moon, leave a food offering at a crossroads. She passes the torch of winter to Brigdh at Imbolc.

I'm not sure what it is about Hekate that I initially found so appealing. Probably because when I first started really getting into my Wicca studies, the "dark" or "left-hand" path was rarely mentioned except that it should be avoided for "true Wicca." And of course when I'm told not to do something, I like to do it.

Part of what I find appealing about paganism is that I may believe in one supreme deity but my refer to that deity by many names. Or I can specifically address an aspect of the deity, usually by giving it a name. I don't understand how one embraces witchcraft or Wicca without acknowledging the shadow as well as the light.

Maybe it's a rebellion of sorts against that one-sided thinking but I find myself increasing drawn to Hekate. I think she's been slandered through history. It could be part of the "dark=evil" way of thinking. In any case, I've always felt more magically alive during a waning than a waxing moon and I initially had trouble finding spells to perform at that time of month other than banishing spells. But I must say that my banishing spells work wonders. So there must be a power in there somewhere. I'm looking forward to invoking Hekate this Thursday (Oct. 31). If anyone wants to join me, there are rituals at hekate.org.

To answer the rest of the question, I don't feel dark goddesses or gods any more or less during particular times of the year. I think that's b/c I feel this aspect always exists and is no more or less powerful at any particular time. I choose to appeal to them based on the moon cycles for my own understanding and personification of their power.