Vered’s Blog

I was sitting for my daily meditation and as it was the start of a new year I have decided to open a card from my favorite Goddess Oracle Tarot deck.

To my surprise the card that I got was of the Goddess Hestia. Out of all the Goddesses, she is the one that I still could not connect to. I couldn’t find what her message to a person like me was. Therefore I’ve decided to give myself a few days a go deeper inside and find out what is she representing for me. What is aspect of her energy should I take and learn from.

It was a journey on itself that was so valuable. After 3 days of putting a focus inward and trying to get the answer, the obvious, as always, was staring me in the face.

Out of all of the Olympian gods, almost none of them have as few surviving stories about their divine exploits as Hestia. Sometimes this is assumed to be due to her allegedly passive, non-confrontational nature. This supposed nature is illustrated by her giving up her seat in the Olympian 12 to prevent conflict.

But closer analysis shows strong hints that Hestia was a religious force of tremendous and ancient import. She is considered to be the first-born of Rhea and Cronus (followed by Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera and, lastly, Zeus); this is evidenced by the fact that in Greek (and later Roman) culture ritual offerings to all gods began with a small offering to Hestia; the phrase “Hestia comes first” from ancient Greek culture denotes this.

Unlike the other Greek goddesses, Hestia does not have a “story” . . . there were few adventures to record about her. She simply “is”. Unlike all the other goddesses, she was not depicted in traditional female form. She was a ‘presence’, a feeling; an essential energy of warmth and protection.

Few images of the goddess Hestia exist. A very “private person”, her symbols, the sacred flame and the circle, are usually used to represent Hestia in works of art. She was mostly represented on red figured vases wearing a veil and holding a stick or flower, sometimes seated, sometimes standing, but always in a pose of immobility.

Hestia’s brief stories are too scanty to instruct us. It is her traits, not her actions, that most define her. These virtues define the goddess Hestia: mild, gentle, forgiving, peaceful, serene, dignified, calm, secure, stable, welcoming, and, above all else, well-centered.

I realized that Hestia represents purity, sincerity, sanctity and safety. Hestia inspires women to get the greatest blessing of all which is an uncomplicated, enriching and contented life. Her message is – simplicity of life. Her symbol is her home. Not a home in the sense of cooking (although it can be) but home as the center of the heart, the place of your own being.

Hestia has come into my life now to remind me that it’s time to come home. Time to take care of my own physical body and make sure that it’s nurtured and taken care of. It’s time to take care of the simple things of life and not the busy whirlwind life that I normally enjoy. It’s time to realize that wholeness is nurtured when there is a strong place that I can call my Home.

As always, once that clarity came I was able to look at reality as it is and notice that the last few days I’m doing my best to ignore taking care of an injured foot I have and pushing myself to the limit in trying to catch up with all the office work that piled up in the last 2 weeks due to the fact that we were away giving trainings.

So today I have decided to do it differently. Stay at home and take care of my body.
My affirmations for today are:
• I walk in beauty
• I am healthy and happy
• My vital energy resurfaces naturally
• I enjoy the food that is good for me
• I am healthy in all aspects of my being
• I have the power to control my health
• At my centre there is a incandescent fire
• I am in control of my health and wellness

Have a healthy, centered day!