Tudor Monastery Farm

Really fabulous television and—for fan girls—a glimpse of Ronald Hutton! 

I just wonder how the Church, without schools or television, so thoroughly brainwashed (or enculturated, if you prefer) everyone to their doctrines.

Hestia - a little more

In an earlier post about Hestia, I wondered if she found the flame inside herself when she was trapped inside her father's stomach. Was it her sole focus and reason for surviving during her years in the dark?

I am no storyteller but I did get an impression:


Alone in the dark, gradually becoming aware of something… a tiny flame beside her. She cups her hands around it, holds it close to her heart, and begins to nurture it. 
A seed.

[EDIT: There is a midrash, that an angel comes to every child in the womb, bearing a candle by which it teaches the child Torah. Before the child leaves the womb, the angel touches the child's upper lip, leaving a dent there, a philtrum, and causing the child to forget all it has learned.]

Carolyn's "Wild Wisdom on Wednesday"

Carolyn Cushing, whose blog is Art of Change Tarot, has begun a new practice and is sharing it with her readers.

Each Wednesday, she posts a nature photograph accompanied by a tarot-like passage: what the image means to her, questions to ask yourself, and a contemplative practice.

The first image is beautiful! And the words are worthy of meditation.

Take a look at her nature awareness photos!

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Hestia - Part 3

Here are my responses to the last ten questions of the Thirty Days of Devotion Challenge.

I also added one question of my own: is there an aspect of this deity that you have neglected or failed to learn from?

XX. Art that reminds you of this deity

The Pre-Raphaelites seem to have focused on more glamorous goddesses, but this painting of two young women tending the household altar reminds me of Hestia.

John William Waterhouse

The painting is titled, Household Gods, and the artist intended to represent Rachel and Leia. (Really?)

XXI. Music that makes you think of this deity

There's a particular rendition of Pachelbel's Cannon that makes holiday meals feel very magical.

Lisa Thiel’s music (only the collections from the early 1980s) and Loreena McKennitt's music are both perfect for hearth tending. (Sometimes John Denver works, too.)

XXII. A quote, a poem, or piece of writing that you think this deity resonates strongly with

What words would Hestia resonate with? She might like Cold Mountain, but I'll have to think about this some more.

Ancient Greek texts to her or about her seldom resonate with me. However, here are two passages that I like:

Zeus, the mighty lord, holding the reins of a winged chariot, leads the way in heaven, ordering all and taking care of all; and there follows him the array of gods and demigods, marshalled in eleven bands; Hestia alone abides at home in the house of heaven; of the rest they who are reckoned among the princely twelve march in their appointed order. - Phaedrus by Plato

Hestia, in the high dwellings of all, both deathless gods and men who walk on earth, you have gained an everlasting abode and highest honour: glorious is your portion and your right. For without you mortals hold no banquet—where one does not duly pour sweet wine in offering to Hestia both first and last. And you, Argeiphontes [Hermes], son of Zeus and Maia... be favourable and help us, you and Hestia, the worshipful and dear. Come and dwell in this glorious house in friendship together; for you two, well knowing the noble actions of men, aid their wisdom and their strength. Hail, Daughter of Kronos, and you also, Hermes. - Homeric Hymn 24 to Hestia (trans. Evelyn-White) 7th - 4th century B.C.

I also like this contemporary prayer to Hestia, even though I don't see her as a protector of the home.


Lady.
Protectress of men.
Lady of the flames.
Eternal and divine lady.
Bless me with your presence!
(iskios.com)

Online, I found a quote about Hestia that comes from a contemporary novel written for teenagers. I think a goddess of the hearth might say this if she valued herself and the home she provides others.

Hestia shook her head. ‘I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that's left. Home. Hearth. I am the last Olympian.’ - The Last Olympian, by Rick Riordan

XXIII. Your own composition – a piece of writing about or for this deity

This a piece that I hurriedly wrote before a phone ritual that a friend and I did. It says things I’d never thought before. Is it what I hope she might do for me or what I recall that she did for me in the past?

Hestia is an archetype very near to my heart. She offers me safety and creativity, work, and rest. She reflects, but she is not a hermit. I can be myself in her sanctuary and, knowing myself, I am stronger when I go out in the world. She has friends and allies who can help and guide me when I leave her temple.

The smoke of her fire carries my prayers into the worlds. Her sisters visit, bringing their light and wisdom, too. She is the place of retreat and renewal even for the gods and goddesses. She is close to the F&SoL; blessing flows through her temple. She is the temple.

She is not an enclosed contemplative. She plans and works, and her activity is grounded in strength. Like the squirrel, she lays aside stores for winter; she also gathers favorite treats for guests and loved ones who may visit. She offers a healing space for the sick, nurturing space for the weary, and a sense of love for the lonely.

Grow strong in her garden. Then go out in the world, but always remember her. Offer her your best gifts. If you pray to gods, your first prayer and your first offering should go to her, lady of the hearth, goddess who is first and last, woman centered within herself.

XXIV. A time when this deity has helped you

In the past, I didn't think of Hestia as a real being outside of myself, so I never asked her for anything. If there is a goddess Hestia and if she has helped me, her assistance has gone unappreciated.

However, she may have helped me very recently. At one time, I was a decent cook, but I've lost that ability somehow. Even the simplest things confound me. Then, a week ago, I offered to make a lasagne for a friend because her mother had just died. Chaos ensued, but in the end, because I was doing it for love, the lasagne turned out fine. (In fact, her husband called it "insanely good.")

Robin Wood Tarot

XXV. A time when this deity has refused to help

My inner Hestia is gone. Once, I could make the shabbiest room pretty. People loved being in my home.

I discovered her absence after all my foundations had been shaken but before I realized they had been destroyed. All attempts to rebuild have failed.

Home once meant offering warmth to others and nurturing myself. Now it is only a cold, dark hiding place, with no Hermes to hold my hand when I step out the door or as I try to navigate the world beyond it.

XXVI. How has your relationship with this deity changed over time?

Hestia used to be a comfort and perhaps a source of strength. The loss of her traits feels like a betrayal—as if I've betrayed myself for not being who I used to be.

XXVII. Worst misconception about this deity that you have encountered

I’ve encountered nothing egregious or offensive. A saleswoman tried to sell me statue of Cybele, saying it was Hestia who would “drum and dance through the house.”

XXVIII. Something you wish you knew about this deity but don’t currently

I'd like to know her rather than know about her. (Encountering and engaging a deity is something Rhyd Wildermuth or Anomalous Thracian could do; unfortunately, I probably can't.)

XXIX. Any interesting or unusual UPG to share?

(UPG) She is a goddess of magic. One kind is the everyday magic of transforming a house into a temple. Another kind should be ordinary and every day. Doing her work puts you in a state that helps with intuition and divination. Seriously: dust your house or rearrange your altar before pulling out your tarot cards. It will help. A lot.

XXX. Any suggestions for others just starting to learn about this deity?

None, but I'm willing to hear some.

31. My question: Is there an aspect of this deity that you have neglected or failed to learn from?



Uncredited contemporary art at www.diannelaramee.ca

She is Stillness in Action.

I've felt her stillness when deeply engaged in a project. However, I've never asked for her to help me meditate and reach that quiet place that people say can be found in meditation.

Spiritual pursuits are within her realm. Jean Shinoda Bolen wrote that "Hestian women" often enter religious orders and the community runs smoothly with them attentively and unobtrusively doing their work. Hestia's love is expressed with restraint and she neglects nothing that matters but, like the many-armed divinities of India, inwardly she remains still and her introversion is directed godward.

Home is the place where Hestia is most felt, but perhaps she points to a more inward center, a place of inner stillness where one might encounter the F&SoL.

An Orphic hymn to Hestia states, "In thee the gods have fixed their dwelling place, strong, stable basis of the mortal race."


If I sought that inner stillness with Hestia’s help, I believe I would find it.

_________
F&SoL = Force and Source of Life (term coined by Mary Belmore)

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Hestia, Part 1      (Hestia, Part 2)      Hestia, Part 3

Thanks to Rhyd for introducing me to the Thirty Days of Devotion Challenge. Here are links to his posts:

Arianrhod, questions 1, 2, & 3
Arianhrod, questions 4 & 5
Arianrhod, questions 6, 7, & 9
Arianrhod, questions 10 & 11
Arianrhod, questions 12 & 13
Arianrhod, questions 17, 18, & 19

Edit: Since I finished the Challenge, I've written several more pieces about Hestia. One is about the The Fool card in the tarot and another is about Hestia becoming a goddess of a larger community. Most recently, I wrote this candle lighting prayer to Hestia. 

Hestia - Part 2

This is the second part of my response to the Thirty Days of Devotion Challenge. (Here is the link to Part 1 of my response.)

XI. Festivals, days, and times sacred to this deity

Hestia may not have had a festival, but there were Roman festivals in honor of Vesta. They occurred in March, April, and June.

Vesta's March festival involved the extinguishing and rekindling of the temple flame. At any other time of the year, extinguishing the flame or allowing it to go out was considered a bad omen.

Vesta's April festival was established by the Emperor Augustus (the man who pretty much founded the Roman Empire and was probably more interested in politics and power than in religion per se).

Vesta's summer festival was held from June 7 to June 15. It began with a water drawing ritual. The water was carried in narrow bottomed vessels so it would never touch the ground. (Remind you of anything?! Sukkot?) The inner sanctuary of the temple was opened, but only to Roman matrons, who entered barefoot. The six active priestesses made salt (from sea water?) and added it to grain harvested in May (harvests in May?), to create cakes that were used in all temple offerings in Rome (presumably just the city, not the empire).

Mickie Mueller

What time of year would be right for Hestia's festival? She is in tune with the seasons and responds to them in her way: cleaning as springtime begins, gardening in summer, preserving the harvest in autumn, and sharing warmth, food, and stories in winter.

The only time I've celebrated Hestia was last Samhain; I could not enter winter without her. A friend and I created a ritual about accepting the descent into darkness and working for the return to light. We included the different stories of Inanna and Persphone. Although it was a long ritual with many different sections, both of us felt it was essential to keep the section about home and Hestia.

The ritual included seven candles. The large one, representing Hestia, was lit first. Near the end, we each lit two candles to symbolize Hecate's torches, whereas earlier, we had each lit one very small candle to convince ourselves that we do carry some light with us even when we descend into darkness. We didn't speculate on what exactly that small flame was, but perhaps that was the candle that should have been designated Hestia's.

XII. Places associated with this deity and her worship

The hearth of every Greek home and temple was sacred to her, as was the hearth in the inner shrine at Apollo's temple in Delphi.

The most important place associated with Hestia is my home.

Vesta's Temple in the Forum Romanum

However, I think there's also a place inside some people that is sacred to Hestia. It's expressed in the ability to listen to other people. Very few people have that place; it surprised me when I realized that hardly anyone pays attention the person right in front of them.

When I visited patients for a hospital chaplaincy course, I found that I had to do two contradictory things: I had to open myself up completely to the person in front of me (Hestia's front doors) and also put up a wall around a part of myself (Hestia's hearth?) so that I didn't pay attention to how I felt about their situation or how I would react if I were experiencing it. The focus had to be entirely on the person in front of me, and what he or she was feeling.

Another place associated with her might be a well-tended fire. It has been years since I stared into a campfire or a hearth fire. I remember… it was magical.

XIII. What modern cultural issues are closest to this deity’s heart?

Hestia is not overly concerned with "cultural issues." Hestia does not put her trust in causes or in the people organizing them. A person with a cause doesn't see the human being in front of him because he is only interested in his cause or his own appearance of righteousness. An agenda can blind you to reality. Hestia just continues doing what it is her nature to do, helping in her very small corner of the world.

She escaped the family politics and incomprehensible games of Olympus by giving up her throne to Dionysus. Her followers have an inner path to follow, and even if they can't name it, its pull is strong. Hestia's focus is caring for the people right in front of her and keeping her own flame burning.

She honors Gaia, but her realm is the home and it is from there that she does her part to "save" the planet. (If the powers that be thought that they could use her, Vesta might preside over a civic hearth for planet Earth. However, a real civic hearth for the planet would have to be dedicated to… Demeter? Hera? What do you think?) Hestia is neither optimistic nor cynical about that possibility; she just keeps doing the work that she knows is hers.

Hestia's realm is small, but she isn't. Why should she abandon her home when eventually everyone will need to return home, to his or her most central focus? The spirit of home is enduring, but it must be tended in real places, especially in your heart.

Hestia refused anything that might limit her freedom. She empathized with women who weren't free to do what they wanted. At her altar, they could speak their truths; she never lectured them or told them that they could be free inwardly no matter their outer circumstance, but her presence was an opportunity for them to feel that freedom.

She has a preference for convents and homes, but under the right conditions an office might suit her. She helps her followers quietly, from within; when people venture from her hearth without knowing other gods, they are vulnerable. If they've always looked within for guidance, they won't be able to see danger (and no donkey will be there to save them). The world may pull them from their center and they may even loose the ability to return to Hestia's fire.

Hestia is a queen inside her home, a beggar outside of it. She is the most important god but she must have a guard and a guide in other realms.

Uncredited, contemporary art
from pl.mitologia.wikia.com

XIV. Has worship of this deity changed in modern times?

Home rituals once done by the people who named her haven't been practiced for millennia. Her altars were abandoned. Formal worship of Hestia must be recreated from scratch.

However, anyone who has attended her/his hearth while feeling Hestia's presence has worshiped in the same way as all her other devotees throughout time: with a combination of focus and detachment that is or that creates a different state of mind.

The same four words appear on several internet pages addressing Hestia: purity, sincerity, sanctity, and safety. It feels good to ascribe my sincerity to her, however I don't believe that safety is an attribute or gift of Hestia.

She thrives in a safe space, but she cannot make the space safe. Her presence is a blessing, but not a protection. Contemporary feminism and martial arts classes haven't changed her.

XV. Any mundane practices that are associated with this deity?

No, only magical practices:

• Spinning wool and grinding grain
• Cooking meals and washing clothes
• Storing food for winter
• Cleaning and sweeping
• Keeping the outdoors mostly outside the doors
• Tending the household altar
• Making guests welcome
• Nurturing their spirits
• Homemaking

Hestia was also the patron of bakers.

XVI. How do you think this deity represents the values of their pantheon and cultural origins?

Presumably, a quiet woman who focused only on women's work was the cultural ideal in ancient Greece. What distinguished her among the Olympian deities? Perhaps it was her sacrifice for the sake of peace and her willingness to be alone.

XVII. How does this deity relate to other gods and other pantheons?

(UPG) She and Ganesha are close. Perhaps because his father beheaded him, Ganesha feels a kinship with Hestia who was swallowed by her father. Ganesha's mother, Parvati, created him to guard the doorway to her bath, so he may understand Hestia's need for a guard at her door. His many arms can do much while the rest of his body remains still, and that stillness in action is a quality shared by Hestia.

(UPG) Hestia and Thor are seldom companions, but when they work together there is harmony and understanding between them. Although he was considered a god of protection, Thor does not take the role of protector for Hestia. They share a connection with fire; his thunderbolts are preceded by lightning that may have been the source of fire for the earliest human hearths. To me, Thor and Hestia are gods of divination. We can hear Thor's messages in rolling thunder and we can feel Hestia's messages as a pull inside ourselves.

XVIII. How does this deity stand in terms of gender and sexuality? (historical and/or UPG)

Hestia and Demeter

Hestia never married or had love affairs. She voluntarily vowed to be unmarried and for her, this also meant being celibate.

To most people, romance is a game, but Hestia does not know that, which makes her vulnerable. This game could distract Hestia from her center or even destroy it. Her center is a steady flame, but fire is easily extinguished. She is a powerful queen because she tends her fire and remains near it.

(UPG) Hestia bonds with female friends. Those friendships are deeply satisfying because caring for others means keeping her hearth warm and nurturing. She seems to do nothing, but her fire forges relationships.

There is an untold story of how Hestia silently cared for Demeter after Demeter's daughter was abducted by Hades. (Oops! I just made that up.)

Questions to explore another time:
Did Hestia find that flame inside herself when she was inside her father's stomach?
If so, was it her sole focus during her years in the dark?
XIX. What quality or qualities of this god do you most admire? What quality or qualities of them do you find the most troubling?

I admire her warmth and her welcoming manner. I admire her meditative focus and her ability to thrive when she's alone.

I like that she's not a fundamentalist's god. No one could define exactly what she stands for, so no one could ever tell you what you "must" do for her. The only way to worship Hestia is to listen to your own soul.

She discovered how to survive in her father's belly. She taught herself the means to keep her family placated. However, the written and unwritten rules of Olympian culture prevented her from thriving. Eventually she chose to live by her own light.

More than the other gods, she is aware of the need for community. That is why she is welcoming and why you can speak openly at her table. She needs her guests, too, but they may not realize that.

Many things trouble me about Hestia.

Her realm is safe, but it's limited. Other gods have a core of strength that remains with them wherever they go. Hestia must tend her hearth fire because her core could be easily extinguished. Other gods have accomplishments that are measurable and significant. Hestia's realm is considered mundane; it is unappreciated by most.

William Henry Snyder

For Hestia to function away from the hearth, she would have to put on a mask and function in ways alien to her. Right brain thinking can't express who she is, so by engaging in that kind of thinking, she would forget her own value. Hestia would have to lose herself to succeed outside her home. She would not survive for long without her steady, inner flame.

We don't know much about Hestia. Does she know herself? She relinquished her place on Olympus to Dionysus. Did she consciously choose to do that because she knew she wanted something else or did she ignore her needs solely to avoid conflict?

Hestia renounced marriage. Did she do so to protect her flame? She falls into the flow of homemaking and so she would also fall into the powerful flow of love more deeply and with more abandon than others do. If her partner weren’t committed to her and her flame, her misplaced love and loyalty would throw Hestia far from her center.

I wonder, though. When Hestia renounced marriage, did she know with certainty that there was no god who could have been a companion to her? Was there no one who wanted to sit by her fire?

However, Hestia does set an important example. She is sensible enough to be herself, no matter how many people (or gods) prefer spunky gals.

I think I relate to Hestia because we seem to share something. She is much more than the following description, but she would understand me.

ISFJs, or "Protector Guardians," are most concerned with taking care of people by keeping them safe and secure. They are modest caretakers who do not demand credit or thanks for their efforts. But while they are essentially compassionate—and in fact exercise more patience in dealing with people with disabilities than perhaps any other type—their reluctance to open up to strangers can lead others to misread them as standoffish. Only among friends and family may this quiet type feel comfortable speaking freely. ISFJs are serious people with a strong work ethic, not inclined to self-indulgence. They believe in being meticulous and thrifty. They work well alone. While they may enjoy taking care of others, they do not enjoy giving orders. - Wikipedia

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Hestia, Part 1      (Hestia, Part 2)      Hestia, Part 3

Thanks to Rhyd for introducing me to the Thirty Days of Devotion Challenge. Here are links to his posts:

Arianrhod, questions 1, 2, & 3
Arianhrod, questions 4 & 5
Arianrhod, questions 6, 7, & 9
Arianrhod, questions 10 & 11
Arianrhod, questions 12 & 13
Arianrhod, questions 17, 18, & 19

Hestia - Part 1

In response to the Thirty Days of Devotion Challenge, Rhyd Wildermuth has written several posts about a Welsh goddess called Arianrhod. Reading his posts and the thirty questions that inspired them, I immediately thought of writing about Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth. I dismissed the idea, but it stuck in my head and wouldn't accept any of my excuses for not writing. 


Here are my answers to the first ten of thirty questions originally posed by Ruadhán. (I've also added a thirty-first question, which will appear in the final post.)


I. A basic introduction of the deity

The ancient Greeks believed in a goddess of the home and hearth they called Hestia. There are few surviving images of her. She was, perhaps, represented by the fire in the hearth or the hearth itself. She was presumably a deity of household abundance, the well-being of a family, and the preparation of food.

Her name means 'hearth.' For most of human history and pre-history, the hearth was the central and most important part of a home. The fire in the hearth provided warmth, nourishment, light, and a sense of security. Today, even if you have a well furnished, centrally heated, living room, people tend to gather in the kitchen whether or not there are enough seats. The kitchen is still the center of the house and we are still drawn to the place where her presence is most focused. (The Latin word, focus, meant hearth or fireplace and was used figuratively for home or family.)

Her fire was sacred and it was considered unlucky for the hearth fire to go out or be extinguished. A newly born infant would be carried around the hearth fire. Supposedly, when young women married, mothers would transfer fire from their hearths to their daughter's new home. (However, it seems likely, that a newly married couple would have lived with the groom's extended family, in which case, there would already be a fire burning in that hearth.)

Hestia was neither a mother nor a wife. Yet warmth, comfort, and nourishment were attributed to her presence in the home.

In the Greek myths, Hestia was the first child of Cronus. He swallowed each of his children immediately after they were born. The last child, Zeus, escaped this fate and forced his father to disgorge the other children. Since Hestia was the first to be swallowed and the last to be released, she spent the most time in the dark.

She is credited with discovering how to build houses. And she mostly preferred to stay inside them.

Unlike household gods in other cultures, Hestia's realm wasn't restricted solely to the family hearth; she was also worshiped at the city's communal hearth. She was said to keep both running smoothly. (She must have kept a low profile in Athens; I can't imagine Athena sharing a city with anyone.) When Greeks founded a new colony, they brought fire from their former city's hearth for their new city's hearth. Her role, if any, in community politics is lost to time.

There's little information about the worship of Hestia, but obviously she was important: a sacrifice to any god, whether in the home or a temple, had to begin and end with Hestia's hearth fire.


II. How did you become first aware of this deity? 

I first learned about Hestia in a book called Goddesses in Everywoman: A New Psychology of Women, which a roommate loaned me when I expressed an interest in her religion: paganism. The author of the book identified seven psychological archetypes which she associated with seven Greek goddesses. Three of these were "virgin goddesses," active and independent, three were "vulnerable goddesses," passive and abused, and one, Aphrodite, was the "alchemical goddess."

The archetype that I most identified with was Hestia. (Interestingly, in a later book, Goddesses in Older Women, the same author claims that Hestia is the only archetype from her earlier book that remains active throughout a woman's life.)

Because I learned of Hestia from that book, I considered her only an archetype within myself. Recently it has happily occurred to me that the Hestia's energy might have a source outside my own psyche.


III. Symbols and icons of this deity  

A geranium branch?

• The hearth, where food was cooked and which warmed the house 
• Fire, which cooked food and was necessary for animal sacrifice
• Donkeys, which were used to turn millstones to make flour for bread
• On Greek pottery, Hestia is always still; fire isn't depicted in those images (perhaps because her fire is inside her heart?)
• Cranes, according to one list. Why? They do build nests and form flocks; there are even some that do not migrate. A few myths and fables about cranes are interesting to consider.
• Some images show Hestia holding a what looks like a staff, scepter, distaff, or large spindle, and might have indicated rank or domestic work.
• Household implements such as bowls, pantries, and keys. (Let's add a witch's cauldron to that list.)
• Veils, perhaps because she prefers to remain hidden and anonymous
• This list should include cats. What's a hearth without a cat? They aren't (too) demanding. They offer sincere love—not the showy phony kind—and they offer love when it's most needed. That sounds like the kind of love a hearth goddess would recognize.

IV. A favorite myth or myths of this deity 

There aren't many myths about Hestia. There is the story of her being swallowed by her father and the story that she stopped a war between Poseidon and Apollo by declaring she would never marry. (I suspect she would have made that decision regardless; the wrong spouse would have extinguished her flame.) There are different stories about why she gave up her seat at the Olympian dinner table to Dionysus.

My favorite story is the one with the donkey:

Roman goddess, Vesta

Hestia's mother threw a wild party to which she had invited the gods, nymphs, satyrs, and other semi-divine beings. Everyone drank too much, but while the other beings played or had sex, Hestia wandered away to take a nap on the grass near a river.

Priapus saw her asleep and decided to rape her. As he approached, a donkey brayed. Hestia awoke and, seeing Priapus, called for help.

Priapus was mocked and humiliated. (In revenge, Priapus used his giant phallus to beat the donkey.)

It seems odd that I like this story. It implies that it's dangerous for girls to go outside alone. (Okay, that's often true.) It implies that, except for Athena and Xena Warrior Princess, women cannot protect themselves. (Well, that's mainly true.) It promises that people will help a helpless woman. (That's completely false.) Maybe I like the story because it's funny that an ass makes an ass of a would-be rapist.

I was reminded of Hestia while reading The Mists of Avalon years ago. After Morgaine is more or less forced into marriage with an older man, she settles into her new home and gradually takes charge of it. Morgaine made Hestia seem like a goddess of power.

There should be a myth about the hearth fire itself. Hestia's flame represents stability and permanence and it is never destructive, but fire is not stable or permanent and it can be as destructive as it is useful-- if it is not contained by Hestia's hearth.


V. Members of the family – genealogical connections 

Hestia was the great grandchild of Gaia and Uranus and the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was the eldest sister of Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Poseidon, and Hades, and half sister to Athena, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, and Dionysus. One of her aunts was Aphrodite, and her nephews included Ares and Hephaestus.

That was hardly "one big happy family." Hiding in the kitchen and only coming out with delicious meals to placate the others would have been my first choice, too.

A Greek Herm

VI. Other related deities and entities associated with this deity

Hestia was the hearth inside every Greek home. Her counterpart, Hermes, was a standing stone outside every door. (You were supposed to rub the penis for luck.)

Hermes was the god of boundaries, thresholds, liminal places (or times), and transitions. Unlike Hestia, he was a comfortable outside the home, moving quickly and confidently. He was a trickster, but it is said that his deceits usually assisted mortals against the gods.

Hermes was also a guide and a guardian. I like to think of him guarding Hestia's door, guiding her when she had to venture outside, and therefore, indirectly protecting her inner fire.


VII. Names and epithets

Egypt, 6th c. Tapestry

Greeks called her "Hestia, First and Last." She was born first but was the last to be rescued from Cronus. She received the first and last of all sacrifices.

Homer called her "The Worshipful and Dear." I like that epithet.

Recently, I caught myself calling her "Sister." It seemed right, but it puzzled me. Don't gods demand more intimidating titles?

Greco-Egyptians called her "Hestia Full of Blessings." That has an agricultural ring to it that suggests her role may have extended beyond the home in that time and place.


VIII. Variations on this deity (aspects, regional forms, etc.) 

The Roman goddess, Vesta: 

The Romans had an equivalent goddess, named Vesta. (Did the Roman and Greek gods have a common cultural ancestor or did the Romans, admirers of Greek culture, conflate the characteristics of the Greek gods with their own gods?)

Statues of Vestal Virgins
in the Forum Romanum

Vesta was a state goddess and had a temple in the Roman Forum that is still partially standing. Her temple was run by the only female priests in Rome.

The role of Vestal Virgin doesn't feel very Hestian to me. (Understand that I'm basing that statement and the next solely on what I imagine ancient Rome was like.)

The Temple of Vesta served the empire, not the goddess of the hearth or the fire in anyone's heart. A Vestal Virgin was selected by others and functioned within the state religion. Her life, though privileged, was regulated. Her functions as a priest were defined before she began her thirty years of service. Finally (and I can't figure out why this bothers me most), marriage to a former Vestal Virgin was prestigious.

The Celtic goddess, Brighid:

Like Hestia, Brighid was a goddess of fire. In Kildare, Ireland there was an eternal flame tended by her priestesses; it remained lit in the Christian era until (I think) the British brought the Protestant Reformation to Ireland. However, she was primarily goddess of the forge—of the magic and creativity of poets, blacksmiths, and healers—not of the home.

Rachel's Teraphim:

When Jacob took his family and flocks away from his father-in-law's house, Rachel, stole her father's teraphim. It is unclear if they were representations of family gods, statues of ancestral spirits, or a means of divination. In any case, they were something she wanted in her home and believed it was her right to have. To the Matriarch, Rachel, the teraphim were as essential to her home as the family's fire was.

The Japanese Kitsune Fox: 

A household spirit and very cute! He sometimes causes mischief, but (I'm sure) he means no harm. Actually he's more like Hermes than Hestia. In Japan, his image guards the doors of temples, but instead of a huge penis, he has nine fluffy tails. (If you are in doubt, ask my boy cat: there is nothing more manly than a big pouffy tail. Nine? Wow!)

The Chinese god, Zao Jun (or Tsao Chun): 

There are many household gods in Chinese mythology. Zao Jun, known as the stove master, is said to be one of most important.

The Ryukyuan kami, Hi Nu Kan: 

The hearth spirit, central to daily spirituality, was represented by three stones kept in the kitchen.

The Catholic saint, Martha: 

A contemporary statue

Several years ago, I saw (and purchased) a statue that reminded me of Hestia. I assumed it represented a Catholic saint. Someone later told me that the artist intended to depict St. Martha, whose symbols are a broom, keys, and a ladle.

Even I know the story: Jesus dropped in unannounced at the home of Martha and Mary. Mary sat at his feet like an adoring groupie. Martha welcomed him, quickly prepared a meal, served him, and did all the work that a good hostess would.

Jesus liked Mary better. (I bet his attitude would have changed if Martha hadn't been there to prepare his dinner.)

Nienna:

I'm completely serious (and certainly nuts). I've been convinced of Ulmo's reality since I first struggled through The Silmarillion when I was twelve, and if Nienna isn't real, she should be.

Although she isn't a goddess of hearth or fire, she has the strength and compassion of Hestia. You can imagine Olorin (aka Gandalf) dwelling in her home and learning simply from her presence.

Mightier than Estë is Nienna, sister of the Feantúri; she dwells alone. She is acquainted with grief, and mourns for every wound that Arda has suffered in the marring of Melkor. So great was her sorrow, as the Music unfolded, that her song turned to lamentation long before its end, and the sound of mourning was woven into the themes of the World before it began. But she does not weep for herself; and those who hearken to her learn pity, and endurance in hope. Her halls are west of West, upon the borders of the world; and she comes seldom to the city of Valimar where all is glad. She goes rather to the halls of Mandos, which are near to her own; and all those who wait in Mandos cry to her, for she brings strength to the spirit and turns sorrow to wisdom. The windows of her house look outward from the walls of the world. - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion 

Other Deities: 

Here are lists of other hearth goddesses and other fire goddesses.


IX. Common mistakes about this deity 

I have probably made a few in this post. Feel free to let me know.


X. Offerings – historical and UPG 

Historical:

• sweet wine—so a kiddish cup full of Manischewitz or Schapiro's could do double duty? (Don't tell HaShem.)
• pigs (really? not a well-prepared brisket?) 
• the fat from animal sacrifices to any god (to paraphrase Leviticus, "All fat belongs to the Lady.") 

Not exactly historical:

• lighting Shabbat candles, taking challah, and immersing in the mikveh; the experience of those things feels very Hestian... 
• singing Eishet Chayil to the woman of the house on Friday nights. In some ways, the words reflect Hestia: "A woman of virtue… she watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness." However, the passage does not capture Hestia's inner stillness, her strength, or her independence from those who prosper because of her labor. 

Unverifiable Personal Gnosis (what a great phrase!)

• baking soda and vinegar applied liberally to all washable surfaces and poured down the drains
• a candle burning in the kitchen
• the welcoming of guests
• creating altars
• moving at your own pace under the guidance of nothing but your own soul

*

I address the remaining questions in parts 2 and 3:

(Hestia, Part 1)       Hestia, Part 2       Hestia, Part 3

Thanks to Rhyd for introducing me to the Thirty Days of Devotion Challenge. Here are links to his posts:

Arianrhod, questions 1, 2, & 3
Arianhrod, questions 4 & 5
Arianrhod, questions 6, 7, & 9
Arianrhod, questions 10 & 11
Arianrhod, questions 12 & 13
Arianrhod, questions 17, 18, & 19

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