What do you think?
Rate this book
Entering Hekate's Cave: The Journey Through Darkness to Wholeness
An in-depth spiritual journey through the truths and traumas of one’s past to a rebirth and renewal of personal wholeness.
To the ancients, the goddess Hekate symbolized the inner journey back to the soul.
Indeed, ancient philosophers identified her as Anima Mundi, the “soul of the world.” As such, she connects many archetypes associated with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. From her role as protector of roadways to her power as the bringer of death, she offers us keys for healing. Incorporating her personal experiences with those of her students, Cyndi Brannen weaves a supporting circle around the reader as they start their path towards soulful living, culminating in rebirth.
Blending symbolism, transcendent experiences, dreams, and natural magic with sound psychological theories and practices, Entering Hekate’s Cave guides the reader safely through the journey back to the soul.
To the ancients, the goddess Hekate symbolized the inner journey back to the soul.
Indeed, ancient philosophers identified her as Anima Mundi, the “soul of the world.” As such, she connects many archetypes associated with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. From her role as protector of roadways to her power as the bringer of death, she offers us keys for healing. Incorporating her personal experiences with those of her students, Cyndi Brannen weaves a supporting circle around the reader as they start their path towards soulful living, culminating in rebirth.
Blending symbolism, transcendent experiences, dreams, and natural magic with sound psychological theories and practices, Entering Hekate’s Cave guides the reader safely through the journey back to the soul.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2023
301 people are currently reading
1005 people want to read
About the author
Cyndi Brannen
7 books220 followersCyndi Brannen teaches and writes from the crossroads of spirituality and traditional wisdom, merging ancient knowledge with modern practices. Her work explores the journey through darkness to wholeness using the archetypes of the witch and Hekate. Her teaching focuses on personal healing through herbalism, rituals, meditations, and exploration of the deeper self.
She founded The Covina Institute, a soul school dedicated to the pursuit of wholeness through structured programs of study and transcendent experiences.
She founded The Covina Institute, a soul school dedicated to the pursuit of wholeness through structured programs of study and transcendent experiences.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 7, 2023
DNF at 63%
I have read two others of Cyndi Brannen's works. I am extreme frustrated and disappointed by this one.
If you read Keeping Her Keys, then you have read the first third of this book. The information, the exercises, all of it has been covered before. Some are lifted word for word from her previous books. She does not take the time to explain WHY you are doing these practices either.
The book is about going through Hekate's cave to find and heal the soul. The "cave" I question is barely discussed. This book is little more than the author's musings about how Hekate is connected to the darkness and can help heal the soul. Even though the book is split into chapters, it is really divided into sections about Hekate or other goddesses.
The editing is not great either. Brannen repeats herself as infinitum. At the start of the book, we enter the River Road. This sentence "The River Road. The river that is a road, the road that is a river." What is the point of this sentence?
After the "River Road", we go on the "Mother Road" which also has the same amount of repetition. There is no "cave" or inner journey till almost 40% into the book.
At the end of random chapters or sections she tosses out a stone that we can use to help our inward journey, but few of the exercises have little to do with self reflection or healing ourselves. We are meant to find an "avian ally" at the start of the book. This ally serves little purpose. Sometimes Brannen will say in the Practica to call upon our avian ally for guidance. That is the end of any instruction.
I almost threw my Kindle when she mentioned in one section that her students struggled with knowing what they were supposed to be doing during their "Awakening". It was as though the author lacked the awareness to notice it was because she wasn't actually GIVING guidance or instruction!
This book is clearly the author's thoughts about journeying to the soul, but it lacks cohesion and probably should've been written as a memoir instead of a guide. As a result, it is neither of these things.
Lastly, the author cites other BETTER inner journey books. "Journey to the Dark Goddess" is excellent. "Dark Goddess Craft" is another. She mentions the same deities and lessons from these books. The reader would be better off looking into those titles if a true, impactful soul journey is their goal.
(Note: The Altar Within by Juliet Diaz is also a super helpful resource and is what I wish this book could have been like )
I have read two others of Cyndi Brannen's works. I am extreme frustrated and disappointed by this one.
If you read Keeping Her Keys, then you have read the first third of this book. The information, the exercises, all of it has been covered before. Some are lifted word for word from her previous books. She does not take the time to explain WHY you are doing these practices either.
The book is about going through Hekate's cave to find and heal the soul. The "cave" I question is barely discussed. This book is little more than the author's musings about how Hekate is connected to the darkness and can help heal the soul. Even though the book is split into chapters, it is really divided into sections about Hekate or other goddesses.
The editing is not great either. Brannen repeats herself as infinitum. At the start of the book, we enter the River Road. This sentence "The River Road. The river that is a road, the road that is a river." What is the point of this sentence?
After the "River Road", we go on the "Mother Road" which also has the same amount of repetition. There is no "cave" or inner journey till almost 40% into the book.
At the end of random chapters or sections she tosses out a stone that we can use to help our inward journey, but few of the exercises have little to do with self reflection or healing ourselves. We are meant to find an "avian ally" at the start of the book. This ally serves little purpose. Sometimes Brannen will say in the Practica to call upon our avian ally for guidance. That is the end of any instruction.
I almost threw my Kindle when she mentioned in one section that her students struggled with knowing what they were supposed to be doing during their "Awakening". It was as though the author lacked the awareness to notice it was because she wasn't actually GIVING guidance or instruction!
This book is clearly the author's thoughts about journeying to the soul, but it lacks cohesion and probably should've been written as a memoir instead of a guide. As a result, it is neither of these things.
Lastly, the author cites other BETTER inner journey books. "Journey to the Dark Goddess" is excellent. "Dark Goddess Craft" is another. She mentions the same deities and lessons from these books. The reader would be better off looking into those titles if a true, impactful soul journey is their goal.
(Note: The Altar Within by Juliet Diaz is also a super helpful resource and is what I wish this book could have been like )
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2025
I have real issue with the author saying that borderline personally disorder and PTSD are unhelpful labels as they don't deal with the root cause of the problem mainly a missing soul fragment. They go onto say that cognitive behavioural therapy can never ever work for the same reason. This is extremely dangerous thinking. And while the author maybe fine it could well lead a reader into spiritual psychosis or be the reason they stop taking meds or treatment. And yet it is an idea usually peddled out in spiritual books. It needs to stop and authors need to take more care when writing.
Honestly this has really ruined the book for me. Up until that point I was thinking of rating this a 4 or 5 stars. Obviously I can't in good conscience do that now.
Honestly this has really ruined the book for me. Up until that point I was thinking of rating this a 4 or 5 stars. Obviously I can't in good conscience do that now.
September 17, 2023
This book lasted far too long. It’s very repetitious without really saying a lot that’s very helpful. It is interesting, at least in some parts.
July 7, 2024
Did not finish at 62% I found it to be repetitive and I just couldn't get interested.
September 16, 2023
Amazing! I was deeply impressed by this book! It is well researched in terms of Mythology and Psychology, and has great suggestions for personal Rituals of transformation. This greatly deepened my relationship with Hekate and my understanding of the Eleusinian Mysteries, among other mythologies. The book also walks the reader through a personal Soul Retrieval, if they should choose to follow along with the ritual practices. Meanwhile it maintains a solid grasp on depth psychology without getting lost in the woo-woo sauce of toxic positivity or spiritual bypassing. This is the real work of Shadow Work and a rebirth process with Hekate. Well Done.
April 14, 2025
This is very much more of a self-help book than a Hekate book of witchcraft. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, this is certainly one of the better self-help books I've come across.Just would want to urge people to go through this book with care. This kind of journey probably will be best with a trained psychotherapist as a guide. Especially when it comes to the Shadow work.
I say this with my personal experience with shadow work. You will get the most out of it by talking it through with a professional.
I say this with my personal experience with shadow work. You will get the most out of it by talking it through with a professional.
January 23, 2023
Another lovely book by Cyndi Brannen on Hekate, I love how she goes over the epithets of Hekate as part of your cave work/shadow work. A wonderful read.
March 13, 2023
The book is nice but it does nothing more than scratch the surface.
September 24, 2025
There is a wealth of information here. Brannen has studied the Hekate and classical texts in great depth to give us twelve names or roles for Hekate that mark a journey of healing and wholeness.
I'll be honest, I found it a little scattered. I wasn't always sure whether what she was extemporizing on fit the name of Hekate she had assigned it. I think the rigidity of the structure of the book sometimes got in the way and there may have been more logical ways to organize the ideas.
Brennen also often conflates Hekate with Persephone, Demeter, Kore, Artemis, and other goddesses implying either a soft polytheism where all goddesses are facets of one goddess, or that this isn't really about the goddesses, their stories are just being used to illustrate points along the journey. At various times and in the conclusion Brennen describes Hekate as representing the anima, the female spirit that lives within all of us.
Brannen's audience for this journey is clearly women. Whenever she speaks directly to her reader it is to the way the reader has been affected by the patriarchy or traumatized by an abusive male partner—the binary is strongly assumed here—she has designed this journey through darkness to wholeness for women—but I would have been able to generalize it to my experience more readily if she hadn't been speaking to women so explicitly.
In one paragraph she refers to the "difficulty many women have with their anger" due to societal gender norms about women expressing anger, and then speaks directly to her reader saying, "I want you to stop second-guessing your anger. Listen to it instead. Give it the respect it deserves." (169)
I have no problem with the book not being for me. I'm a cis-gendered white male, I understand my privilege in this area, but I probably would have looked for a different book to introduce me to Hekate. One that was more about Hekate and less about what Hekate can do for me...not me but...you get the idea. I'm not sure that non-binary or trans-femme folks would identify with this journey either.
Some of the practica or exercises were useful and I can take them away with me. I think the main sequence of larger rituals are useful and I could adapt them into an interesting and fruitful shadow work sequence, but this book didn't really help me understand how to develop a practice or relationship with Hekate as a goddess of witchcraft.
I'll be honest, I found it a little scattered. I wasn't always sure whether what she was extemporizing on fit the name of Hekate she had assigned it. I think the rigidity of the structure of the book sometimes got in the way and there may have been more logical ways to organize the ideas.
Brennen also often conflates Hekate with Persephone, Demeter, Kore, Artemis, and other goddesses implying either a soft polytheism where all goddesses are facets of one goddess, or that this isn't really about the goddesses, their stories are just being used to illustrate points along the journey. At various times and in the conclusion Brennen describes Hekate as representing the anima, the female spirit that lives within all of us.
Brannen's audience for this journey is clearly women. Whenever she speaks directly to her reader it is to the way the reader has been affected by the patriarchy or traumatized by an abusive male partner—the binary is strongly assumed here—she has designed this journey through darkness to wholeness for women—but I would have been able to generalize it to my experience more readily if she hadn't been speaking to women so explicitly.
In one paragraph she refers to the "difficulty many women have with their anger" due to societal gender norms about women expressing anger, and then speaks directly to her reader saying, "I want you to stop second-guessing your anger. Listen to it instead. Give it the respect it deserves." (169)
I have no problem with the book not being for me. I'm a cis-gendered white male, I understand my privilege in this area, but I probably would have looked for a different book to introduce me to Hekate. One that was more about Hekate and less about what Hekate can do for me...not me but...you get the idea. I'm not sure that non-binary or trans-femme folks would identify with this journey either.
Some of the practica or exercises were useful and I can take them away with me. I think the main sequence of larger rituals are useful and I could adapt them into an interesting and fruitful shadow work sequence, but this book didn't really help me understand how to develop a practice or relationship with Hekate as a goddess of witchcraft.
January 6, 2026
I’m having an extremely hard time with this book. It may very well go into the DNF pile.
Firstly, the emphasis on cleansing your space and tools with sage or sweet grass. These two were not present, let alone ritually central in places where Hekate was historically worshipped. Greece, Anatolia, Thrace….no. We have so many other options for cleansing that don’t include closed practices or customs. Khernips would have been a good one.
Secondly, I had to put the book all the way down when she started talking about Hekate being the “crone” in the mythos of Persephone being taken to the Underworld. Because anyone who knows Hekate well enough to read up on the myths she’s involved in is very aware that Hekate was never seen as a crone figure. Hekate is a maiden. In every myth.
I am so so confused about why Cyndi Brannen chooses to reference historical texts and scholars while actively ignoring the information within them? I really get this is “modern” Hekatean witchcraft or whatever she wants to call it. But this is pushing way past the point of re constructionism.
This whole book mainly plays out as the author trying to flex that they’re in the psychology field. The info is all over the place, backtracks itself frequently, and puts too much faith into Jungian archetypes. Greek myths did not operate on archetypes.
Do yourself a favor here. Find a self-help or psychology book AND a book on Hekate. There’s plenty of books out there with a better understanding of the goddess.
Firstly, the emphasis on cleansing your space and tools with sage or sweet grass. These two were not present, let alone ritually central in places where Hekate was historically worshipped. Greece, Anatolia, Thrace….no. We have so many other options for cleansing that don’t include closed practices or customs. Khernips would have been a good one.
Secondly, I had to put the book all the way down when she started talking about Hekate being the “crone” in the mythos of Persephone being taken to the Underworld. Because anyone who knows Hekate well enough to read up on the myths she’s involved in is very aware that Hekate was never seen as a crone figure. Hekate is a maiden. In every myth.
I am so so confused about why Cyndi Brannen chooses to reference historical texts and scholars while actively ignoring the information within them? I really get this is “modern” Hekatean witchcraft or whatever she wants to call it. But this is pushing way past the point of re constructionism.
This whole book mainly plays out as the author trying to flex that they’re in the psychology field. The info is all over the place, backtracks itself frequently, and puts too much faith into Jungian archetypes. Greek myths did not operate on archetypes.
Do yourself a favor here. Find a self-help or psychology book AND a book on Hekate. There’s plenty of books out there with a better understanding of the goddess.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2025
This book feels a bit like "I am a devotee of Hekate, so anything I think is about Hekate." There is a good deal of recycled material, and some fairly bland Celtic paganism thrown in. For my part, one of the parts that made it most a slog was how much it dwelt on women's mysteries. I'm sure that will appeal to some other readers, but I venerate Hekate but am not a woman, so that's not helpful for me. Perhaps that might have been a part of her historical cultus, but there isn't actually a lot of reference to historic sources apart from the author's use of epithets constantly and references to her having read the Orphic Hymns. Ultimately, this covered some shadow work in a fairly shallow manner, with a lot of set dressing.
March 16, 2023
3.5
"Entering Hekates Cave" is absolutely phenomenonal. It's a bit more intermediate so if your looking for a place to start I'd suggest "keeping her keys" as it's a guide to modern Hekatean magick. It's perfect for starting out and working your way up.
"Entering Hekates Cave" is a deep dive into our shadow self and exploring Hekates Epithets and learning how to utilize them into our practice/lives. Cyndi has provided rituals,poems,and invocations etc.
The only drawback I had was when Brannen noted that several mental illness could be "cured" with inner healing and work, which I do not agree with.
"Entering Hekates Cave" is absolutely phenomenonal. It's a bit more intermediate so if your looking for a place to start I'd suggest "keeping her keys" as it's a guide to modern Hekatean magick. It's perfect for starting out and working your way up.
"Entering Hekates Cave" is a deep dive into our shadow self and exploring Hekates Epithets and learning how to utilize them into our practice/lives. Cyndi has provided rituals,poems,and invocations etc.
The only drawback I had was when Brannen noted that several mental illness could be "cured" with inner healing and work, which I do not agree with.
October 13, 2024
The book is well written, informative, and helpful. I’d recommend this to any of my friends. I took off one star as the author occasionally falls pray to that bad habit common in Witchcraft authors of snide or underhanded comments about the solar mysteries and never or rarely mentions men in her work. As a male witch who worships both solar and lunar deities perhaps it’s just a pet peeve of mine and won’t detract from anyone else’s enjoyment of the work. Again, the book was well written, and the author speak from a place of experience instead of research which would normally have ensured a glowing five star review.
June 20, 2024
The impact this book has had on me merits 5 stars, but the construction of the book and the difficult way Brannen has of explaining herself makes this a 4-star read for me. I had to read incredibly slowly and go back and reread sections to get the gist of what she was saying, and it was often that I had to get to the end of a chapter - or even a few chapters - to understand what she was meaning at the beginning. She just has a rather roundabout way of explaining things which does not help if the reader doesn't already have a base knowledge of the subject.
April 21, 2025
Tags: Shadow Work
2 Reviews about shadow work in one day, but here's a book for the seeker that is called to explore the shadow and doing it in a way that feels safe, loving and sacred.
Cindy guides you on the journey to the darkness of the cave, where it is safe to explore what has been hidden and repressed over the years. With guidance and care, she also carries the torch so the seeker finds their way back to real life, more whole and more healed.
Amazing writing that doesn't get lost in scientific terminology and that guides one on a true journey to wholeness.
2 Reviews about shadow work in one day, but here's a book for the seeker that is called to explore the shadow and doing it in a way that feels safe, loving and sacred.
Cindy guides you on the journey to the darkness of the cave, where it is safe to explore what has been hidden and repressed over the years. With guidance and care, she also carries the torch so the seeker finds their way back to real life, more whole and more healed.
Amazing writing that doesn't get lost in scientific terminology and that guides one on a true journey to wholeness.
August 30, 2025
This is supposed to be a witchy self help kinda book but it didn’t read as one. I didn’t finish. After leafing through reading bits here and there it was very confusing and long winded. The author should’ve been able to connect with the reader more rather than spewing things that didn’t fit together. She references so many different things that it is confusing and I am not entirely sure what anyone could possibly get from reading this beyond confusion.
January 2, 2024
I've hesitated to read this book, because "Keeping her keys" and "Entering Hekate's garden" were very tough reads for me. The wording was overly complicated and I thought Cyndi Brannen's writing style was just not for me.
This book though did not disappoint. Easier to read, heart-felt and insightful. I'd recommend this over her other two books any day.
This book though did not disappoint. Easier to read, heart-felt and insightful. I'd recommend this over her other two books any day.
November 30, 2024
3.5 stars, rounded up for GR
Honestly, this was really repetitive and read more like a memoir of sorts sprinkled with a lot of personal opinions rather than an actual guide. Snippets of good information and clever observations. I saw some other readers said this was rehashing some of this author's other books; this was my first book by this author and will likely be the last.
Honestly, this was really repetitive and read more like a memoir of sorts sprinkled with a lot of personal opinions rather than an actual guide. Snippets of good information and clever observations. I saw some other readers said this was rehashing some of this author's other books; this was my first book by this author and will likely be the last.
Read
June 28, 2025I clicked READ, so I could write a note to myself in this review section. I have not read any of this book. I heard about it at a women’s council retreat.
But the reviews seemed to recommend reading one of her other books or reading books by other authors on this topic and they are mentioned.
So this review is actually a note to myself to NOT buy this book.
But the reviews seemed to recommend reading one of her other books or reading books by other authors on this topic and they are mentioned.
So this review is actually a note to myself to NOT buy this book.
July 25, 2023
Audiobook
June 9, 2024
Excellent for any new witch.
July 21, 2025
this author is my favorite when it comes to learning about Hekate. She really knows what she's talking about and makes it practical.
September 6, 2025
I need to buy this. there are a bunch of quotes I want to reference to!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews