reconnecting with my faith one day at a time

Generative AI has no right to be in HelPol spaces .ᐟ.ᐟ

you're allowed to have quiet seasons. you're allowed to be tired. you're allowed to be mundane, and magical, and both at once.

your magic doesn’t disappear just because you’re not lighting candles every night. you're still a witch, even when the most you can manage is a cup of tea and a deep breath.

First and last, as you know, Hestia is goddess and protector of hearth and home. Eldest of her siblings, she refused to marry and instead tends the hearth of the Deathless gods of Olympus.

These are things that have either fallen under her purview historically or that I've come to associate with her. Anything with historical basis is marked with an asterisk (*) because, frankly, it's easier to point out the things that I know fall under that category than the things that don't (and there may be some things I miss regardless). Some things will have explanations or be otherwise expounded on, some won't. I intend on updating this post every so often as my understanding of Hestia evolves. This is quite personal, ofc, but I'm curious to see how others feel about some of these things, especially since at least some of them have for sure been influenced by the broader community. This is also a non-exhaustive list, especially regarding historical information, and is not meant to be taken as educational material. Again, this is a mix of personal gnosis/experience and what has stuck with me from researching her.

SYMBOLS, OFFERINGS, & VISUAL ASSOCIATIONS:

- Cats

This is both because of community associations I've absorbed and, frankly, because I grew up around them. There's a cat figurine I've had for, like, a decade+ and that I got from a childhood friend iirc, that lives on her altar. The comfort that comes from a cat choosing to sit near you while you work on something (and especially when they choose to sit on your lap or sleep with you) is a very specific feeling that I associate strongly with Hestia.

- Burned matches

- Chaste-tree*

- Oil lamps* (?)

- Candles

- Incense

- Fireplaces/the Hearth*

- Burnt oranges, reds, creams, teals, warm browns

- brick/braid imagery (like braided cord or bread braids)

- lavender

- Well-worn furniture, hand-me-down clothing, heirlooms, and home goods (ex blankets)

- "warm" spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc)

- Baked goods, home-cooked meals* (?)

- Tea

- Amazonite

Starting to associate Hestia with amazonite is actually what started my association of her with teals! I'd resisted it for a while because teal + orange/red is such a common color combination and I didn't want to base it off of that alone (even though that would have been Fine, Actually). I picked up a small vial of amazonite pebbles for her on instinct one day, and learned about Vesta's historical association with chrysoprase shortly afterwards, which finally cemented it for me.

Chrysoprase, while similar in appearance to amazonite, is a distinct stone. Likewise, Hestia and Vesta are similar, as they come from the same general region and, as such, are often syncretized, but are their own deities with their own domains, personalities, and the like, imo, despite how often they are conflated in modern popular culture. (ofc, many people syncretize them, and I think that's completely fair- I just personally don't. I do pay attention to some associations with Vesta to glean some ideas of what some of Hestia's might have been, though, because of the overlap in domains & geographical location).

DOMAINS & EPITHETS:

- Hestia Bulaea (Hestia of the Council)*

This epithet of hers is really important to me, actually, despite how little we know of it. The domain it covers, imo, also covers Hestia of the Community. Hestia of Just Government. Hestia of Righteous Rebellion when a government fails to do its job of serving its people. Hestia of Those Who Serve, Those Who Fight. Those who are points of contact for protesters, those who protect their neighbors, those who make eyewash or donate water or support bail funds. Hestia of the Ones Who Stay, who hold the line and do their jobs even when the ones they have to report to are trying to push them out.

- Hestia the Protector

Similar to Hestia Bulaea, but on a more personal level, and also an extrapolation of her role as protector of hearth & home. Hestia who will, as the Activist Witch puts it, burn everything to ash so you can rebuild. Hestia of Righteous, Cleansing Fire, of the embers that give you the room you need to grow.

- Hestia of the Homebound

Another extrapolation of her role as protector. I have chronic pain & fatigue issues for a couple different reasons, and so I can't do as much as other people can in most (if not all) areas. Not just when it comes to political action, but also being able to run multiple errands in a day/week, or cook, or keep my room clean, or even go outside for more than a few minutes at a time when the temperature is higher than ~75 F (~24 C). Oftentimes, my spiritual practice consists of three once-a-week candle offerings and a once-a-month altar refresh, because that's all I can manage. The importance of Hestia of the Homebound is harder for me to articulate than the others, but I hope you get what I'm trying to say here: a goddess who watches over those who cannot often (or ever) leave their homes, for any myriad of reasons. Who sees their limitations and doesn't think less of them for it, and who supports them through their struggles.

DEVOTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

- Cleaning or decorating one's home

- Decorating/building homes in video games

- Creating items for your home, for comfort or accessibility or both

- Learning how to build a fire

- Learning how to cook with fire

- Home maintenance (ie fixing/upkeep on appliances & furniture)

- Baking or cooking

- Altar/shrine upkeep

- Making, donating to, or spreading information about bail funds, mutual aid, or similar fundraisers

- Volunteering at or donating to soup kitchens or food banks

- Helping others move

- Helping those new to an area find resources or providing recommendations to them

- Comforting others in times of distress

- Acting as point-of-contact for a loved one (whether they're going fishing or headed to a protest- knowing when they're planning to be back & when to start looking for them or making calls)

- Voting; educating yourself and others about the voting process and relevant upcoming elections

- Fostering pets (providing them a safe place to stay while looking for a permanent home for them)

- Resting, when you're able.

- Asking others for help when needed; helping others when you're able.

SONGS, ART, ETC:

- several Paris Paloma songs, but especially the Cacophony version of "Labour".

- "The Truth is a Cave" and "A Kindling, of Sorts" by the Oh Hellos

- "Orange Juice" by Noah Kahan

- "Leave Luanne" from 35MM: A Musical Exhibition

- "Ribs" by The Crane Wives

Aphrodite isn't called Pandemos (of All People) so you can sit around and let the big names capitalise love and serve it only to those who can afford to pay past the persecution. Hermes isn't called Oeopolus (Shepherd) so you can sit around and let a bunch of power-hungry wolves lead a flock of influencable sheep. Apollo isn't called Paean (Healer) so you can sit around while wealthy corporations serve healthcare only to those who can afford not to die. Athena isn't called Ambulia (Counsellor) so you can sit around while the people are being fed propaganda against each other to divert them from the real enemy at the top. Dionysus isn't called Eleuthereus (the Liberator) so you can sit around while freedom is only granted to those whose skins have the acceptable colour while the others die in chains. Zeus isn't called Xenios (of the Foreigners) so you can sit around while the borders are closed to those who need it and only open to those who can give back the money.