The Temple of the Goddess Vesta is one of the famous religious buildings of Ancient Rome. It was erected in honor of the goddess Vesta, who personified the hearth, family happiness and comfort. The temple is located in the very middle of the Roman Forum, namely in its southeastern part. Also nearby is the Temple of Caesar.

History of creation

The temple was erected near the Tiber River during the reign of Numa Pompilius. This happened approximately in the 7th century BC. The Temple of Vesta, located in the Bull Market, has undergone restoration more than once. It first burned down in 394 BC, and the last fire was recorded in 191 AD. But the temple of the goddess Vesta in Rome finally lost its grandeur during the reign of Emperor Theodosius in 394, when he banned the pagan religion. The ruins of the temple were found in 1877 during archaeological excavations.

The Temple of Vesta has an interesting architecture for Ancient Rome. Finished in snow-white marble and surrounded by 20 columns, it was also distinguished by its unusual round shape.

In the center of the structure itself, the Sacred Fire always burned, which was a symbol of respect and worship of the goddess Vesta.

The House of the Vestals was attached to the Temple of Vesta in Rome, and the residence of the chief Pontiff was also located nearby and was part of a single complex.

Cult of the goddess Vesta

The Temple of Vesta in Ancient Rome is interesting because there was no statue of the goddess herself inside. Instead of her image, in the middle there was the Sacred Fire - a symbol of warmth and comfort, as well as the eternal strength and power of the unshakable Roman Empire. This is exactly what Vesta symbolized. According to legend, she rejected all the men who wooed her and vowed to remain a virgin for the rest of her days.

The priestesses of the temple of the goddess Vesta in Rome were the Vestals. Their original duty was to ensure that the fire inside the temple did not go out. Only daughters from noble families were taken as Vestals when they were 6–10 years old. They had to remain serving at the temple for thirty years before they were allowed to leave its walls and even start a family. Until this point, the priestesses of the temple were obliged to maintain virginity.

If a Vestal violated her vow, she was buried alive in a pre-dug dugout, leaving only a little food and water. The man who seduced her had no easier time - he was beaten with rods until his death.

Every June 9th there was a holiday in honor of the goddess Vesta. Residents visited the temple with gifts, and on this day they freed their donkeys from all work. The donkey was considered a sacred animal, since, according to legend, it was he who woke up Vesta when Priapus wanted to use her body.

How to get there

You can get to the Temple of Vesta by tram number 3 and get off at the stop called Parco Celio.

If you want to take the metro, the station you need is called Colloseo (line B).

You can also get to your destination by buses with the following numbers: No. C3, No. 60, No. 75, No. 85, No. 87, No. 95, No. 175, No. 186, No. 271, No. 571, No. 810, No. 850.

Ticket price

The ticket will cost you € 12.00. The discount ticket price is € 7.50. Children under 18 years of age, as well as elderly people over 65 years of age, are admitted free of charge.

People have long considered fire to be a sacred element. This is light, warmth, food, that is, the basis of life. The ancient goddess Vesta and her cult were associated with the veneration of fire. In the Temple of Vesta in Ancient Rome, an eternal flame burned as a symbol of family and state. Among other Indo-European peoples, unquenchable fire was also maintained in fire temples, in front of idols, and in the sacred hearths of houses.

According to legend, she was born from the god of time and the goddess of space, that is, she arose first in a world intended for life, and, filling space and time with energy, gave rise to evolution. Unlike other deities of the Roman pantheon, the goddess Vesta did not have a human form, she was the personification of a luminous and life-giving flame, and there was no statue or other image of this deity in her temple. Considering fire the only pure element, the Romans represented Vesta as a virgin goddess who did not accept the marriage proposals of Mercury and Apollo. For this, the supreme god Jupiter endowed her with the privilege of being the most revered. One day, the goddess Vesta almost became a victim of the erotic desires of the fertility god Priapus. A donkey grazing nearby woke up the dozing goddess with a loud roar and thereby saved her from dishonor.

Since then, on the day of the Vestalia celebration, donkeys were forbidden to be harnessed to work, and the head of this animal was depicted on the goddess’s lamp.

Vesta's hearths

Its flame signified the greatness, prosperity and stability of the Roman Empire and should not be extinguished under any circumstances. The most sacred place in the Roman city was the temple of the goddess Vesta.

It is believed that the custom of lighting an eternal flame in honor of the defenders of their homeland originates from the tradition of honoring this goddess. Since the Roman goddess Vesta was the patroness of the state, her temples or altars were erected in every city. If its inhabitants left the city, they took with them the flame from the altar of Vesta to light it where they arrived. The eternal flame of Vesta was maintained not only in her temples, but also in other public buildings. Meetings of foreign ambassadors and feasts in their honor were held here.

Vestals

This was the name of the priestesses of the goddess who were supposed to maintain the sacred fire. Girls for this role were carefully selected. They had to be representatives of the most noble houses, possess incomparable beauty, moral purity and chastity. Everything in them had to correspond to the image of the great goddess. The Vestals performed their honorary service for thirty years, living at the temple all this time. The first decade was devoted to gradual training, the other ten years they meticulously performed rituals, and last decade taught their craft to young Vestals. After this, women could return to the family and get married. Then they were called “Not Brides,” thereby emphasizing the right to marriage. The Vestals were revered with the same reverence as the goddess herself. The honor and respect for them was so strong that the Vestals even had the power to cancel the execution of the condemned man if he met them on the way during their procession.

The Vestals had to sacredly preserve and protect their virginity, since violating this rule was akin to the fall of Rome. The state was also threatened with disaster by the extinguished flame on the altar of the goddess. If this or that happened, the Vestal Virgin was punished with a cruel death.

History, family and state

The history and fate of the empire was so closely connected in the minds of people with the cult of Vesta that the fall of Rome was directly linked to the fact that the ruler Flavius ​​Gratian in 382 AD extinguished the fire in the temple of Vesta and abolished the institution of the Vestal Virgins.

The concepts of family and state in Ancient Rome were equal, one was considered a means of strengthening the other. Therefore, the goddess Vesta was considered the guardian of the family hearth. Researchers believe that in ancient times the king himself was the high priest of Vesta, just as the head of the family was a priest hearth and home. Each family considered this fiery goddess to be their personal patroness. The representatives of the clan maintained the flame of the hearth with the same scrupulousness as the vestals in the temple, since it was believed that this fire signifies the strength of family ties and the good of the whole family. If the flame suddenly went out, this was seen as a bad omen, and the error was immediately corrected: with the help of a magnifying glass, sunbeam and two wooden sticks, which were rubbed against each other, the fire was rekindled.

Under the watchful and benevolent eye of the goddess Vesta, marriage ceremonies were held, and wedding ritual bread was baked in her hearth. Here family contracts were concluded and the will of their ancestors was learned. Nothing bad or unworthy should have happened in front of the sacred fire of the hearth guarded by the goddess.

In Ancient Greece

Here the goddess Vesta was called Hestia and had the same meaning, patronizing the sacrificial fire and the family hearth. Her parents were Kronos and Rhea, and her youngest brother was Zeus. The Greeks did not refuse to see a woman in her and depicted her as a slender, majestic beauty in a cape. Before every significant undertaking, sacrifices were made to her. The Greeks even preserved the saying “start with Hestia.” Mount Olympus with its heavenly flame was considered the main center of the goddess of fire. Ancient hymns glorify Hestia as a “green-grass” mistress “with a clear smile” and call for “breathing happiness” and “health with a healing hand.”

Slavic deity

Did the Slavs have their own goddess Vesta? Some sources say that this was the name of their goddess of spring. She personified the awakening from winter sleep and the beginning of flowering. Life-giving fire in this case was perceived by our ancestors as a powerful force that manifests magical influence for the renewal of nature and fertility. It is possible that pagan customs in which fire is involved are associated with the deification of this goddess.

It was not difficult to invite the Slavic goddess of spring into your home. It is enough to walk around your home eight times clockwise, saying “Good luck, happiness, abundance.” Women who washed themselves with melt water in the spring were believed to have a chance to remain young and attractive for a long time, like Vesta herself. The Slavic goddess also symbolized the victory of light over darkness. Therefore, she was especially praised on the first day of the new year.

Who are the news among the Slavs?

This was the name given to girls who knew the wisdom of housekeeping and pleasing their spouse. They could be married off without fear: they made good housewives, wise wives and caring mothers. In contrast, brides were precisely those young ladies who were not ready for marriage and family life.

Gods and stars

In March 1807, German astronomer Heinrich Olbers discovered an asteroid, which he named after the ancient Roman goddess Vesta. In 1857, the English scientist Norman Pogson gave the asteroid he discovered the name of its ancient Greek incarnation - Hestia.

Vesta and the Vestals

Separately from others, we should talk about Vesta and her servants. Vesta was revered as the goddess of the hearth and family and was identified with greek goddess Hestia. However, unlike Hestia, whose cult among the Greeks was relatively modest, Vesta occupied the most important place in the state religion of Rome and was perceived as the guardian of the entire Roman community as big family, collected at a single city center.

In addition to the hearth, the sacred center of the house, the hallway, the so-called “vestibule,” was dedicated to Vesta. It’s easy to guess that this is where the well-known word “lobby” comes from, meaning a spacious room at the main entrance.

Vesta was the sister of Jupiter and was known for avoiding male society and maintaining her virginity. There is an old legend about how Vesta was molested by Priapus, the god of gardens, known for his lust. One day the gods, as well as nymphs and satyrs, gathered for a noisy feast. While the gods drank wine and danced, Vesta lay down to rest in the shade, enjoying the silence, and dozed off. Priapus noticed her and either did not recognize her and took her for a nymph, or recognized her, but did not show it. Drawn by lustful desire, Priapus began to creep up on Vesta on tiptoe. And then suddenly a donkey, grazing nearby on the bank of a stream, screamed. Vesta woke up from the donkey's cry and saw Priapus above her, whom she drove away in shame. That is why, on the day of the Vesta holiday, June 9, the donkeys were freed from all work and they took part in the solemn procession.

Satyr and sleeping nymph (fragment). Artist Y. Amigoni

Vesta was served by the vestal priestesses, zealously, like their goddess, preserving their chastity. The College of Vestal Virgins consisted of only six women, and service to the goddess required their complete concentration. The Vestals, the only Roman priestesses and priests, devoted all their time to performing sacred duties and even lived secludedly, in a special house at the Temple of Vesta, rarely going out into the city. Their first duty was to keep the fire on the altar, because people believed that as long as it burned, Rome would stand indestructible. The Vestals also cleaned the temple and made sacrifices to the goddess.

Vestals. Artist J. Rau

When one of the Vestals left the temple forever, a new one was chosen by lot from twenty girls of noble birth between the ages of six and ten. Thirty years of service awaited the recipient of this great honor. For the first ten years she was taught what she had to do, for the next ten she performed her duties, and in the last third of the term she passed on the knowledge to her young successors.

After thirty years, the Vestal Virgin could resign from her priestly rank and return to ordinary life, even get married. Few, however, exercised this right, preferring to serve the goddess until death, and those who did start a family were said to be unhappy in their marriages. There was even a belief that marriage with a vestal virgin promised trouble.

However, as a reward for their selfless service, the Vestals enjoyed great privileges and honors. The consul himself gave way to the Vestals when they met. The Vestals could manage their own affairs with their own hands, without a guarantor, which for the most part was not allowed to other Roman women. The Vestals went out into the street only accompanied by a lictor, and if along the way they came across a criminal sentenced to execution, then the sentence was lifted from this lucky person and released. The Vestal only had to swear that this meeting was accidental.

Vestal Virgin. Artist F. Leighton

The Vestals were inviolable, and even for a slight insult inflicted on one of them, the offender faced the death penalty. Only the Great Pontiff, the guardian of the sacred virgins, could punish them, who flogged the Vestals with rods for their offenses. The reason for the punishment could be that the Vestal Virgin carelessly maintained the fire in the temple, because this was the most important and everyday duty of the priestesses of Vesta. They told the story of how one Vestal Virgin, seeing that the sacred fire was burning out, prayed to the goddess and threw a piece of her robe into the flame, after which the fire, with the favor of Vesta, flared up again.

And yet, once a year the fire in the Temple of Vesta was extinguished and re-lit - on New Year's Day. It was believed that in New Year everything must be renewed, even the unquenchable fire of Vesta. It was ignited exclusively by rubbing two sticks - only such a flame was considered “pure.”

For only one offense, the Vestals were punished extremely cruelly: for the loss of chastity, because by doing so they betrayed their virgin goddess. A girl who broke her vow of purity was buried alive in the ground. To do this, a small underground chamber with an entrance from above was built in the earthen rampart at the Kollinsky Gate. There they left a bed, a burning lamp and some food so that Vesta would not be offended by the fact that her priestess, who was involved in the sacred mysteries, simple people starved to death. The condemned woman was carried through the forum in a closed litter, and the crowd followed her silently. The day of the execution of the Vestal Virgin was a day of deep despondency in Rome. Finally, at the shaft, the vestal virgin, shrouded with her head, was taken out and, when she descended underground, the stairs were raised, and the entrance was blocked and leveled to the ground.

Execution of the Vestal Virgin. Artist G. F. Füger

They say, however, that Vesta jealously protected her servants from slander and false rumors. So, a certain person accused the vestal Tuccia of losing her virginity and thereby, it would seem, doomed the girl to painful death. Tuccia, knowing that the accusation was false, and wanting to prove her integrity, prayed to the goddess: “Vesta! If I served you clean hands, make sure that these hands in a sieve bring water to your temple from the Tiber itself!” In front of the entire city, Tuccia scooped up river water into a sieve and, without spilling a drop, reached the temple that stood not far from the forum on the slope of the Palatine Hill. Thus Vesta justified her priestess before all Roman citizens.

The Temple of Vesta in Rome was built by the legendary king Numa Pompilius. This temple had an unusual round shape: it was believed that it follows the outlines of the hearth. In the center of the temple a sacred fire burned, which was also the embodiment of the goddess herself, since her statues were not placed in temples. Only occasionally was Vesta depicted as a richly dressed girl with a veil thrown over her head. Her attendants wore similar veils during ceremonies, but in the city crowd the Vestal Virgin was easily recognized by her snow-white tunic.

Vestal Tuccia collects water in a sieve. Artist G. L. Leroux

In the temple of Vesta, inaccessible to the eyes of ordinary people, were kept sacred relics, taken by Aeneas from the burning Troy: household penate gods who patronized the entire Roman community, and palladium, a wooden statue of Pallas Athena (Minerva among the Romans), which, according to legend, fell from the sky in response to the prayers of Ilus, the founder of Troy. Palladium was considered the talisman of Rome, protecting it from dangers.

No man had the right to cross the threshold of the Temple of Vesta and see these relics. They say, however, that in 241 BC. e. There was a terrible fire in the Temple of Vesta. Helpless Vestals, letting down their hair, cried loudly in front of the temple, seeing how the shrines so revered by all the people were perishing in the flames. Seeing their grief, the great pontiff Metellus begged Vesta to forgive his sacrilege and rushed into the burning temple. By his brave act, Metellus saved precious relics from the fire, but, as they say, he became blind: either from the hot flame, or because he saw something inaccessible to the gaze of a man.

Every city had its own temple of Vesta, and if its inhabitants went forever to uninhabited lands, they took with them a piece of the temple fire in order to light a flame from it on a new altar and enlist the protection of the good goddess.

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3.5.1. Who did the Vestals of Ancient Rome serve? The ancient Romans, quite in the spirit of their characteristic pragmatism, adapted to their needs ancient Greek mythology. Zeus became Jupiter, Hera - Juno, Asclepius - Aesculapius, etc. The introduction by Numa should be recognized as a clear innovation

Vesta, or Hestia, is the goddess of the hearth. In ancient times, every home, as well as every public institution, had a central hearth. This “eternal flame” symbolizes the goddess Vesta, thus she dwells in every home and every public institution.

Of the 12 Olympians, Hestia is probably the most reserved and modest goddess. In the chapter on Saturn you will read how this gloomy god swallowed all his children so that they could never overthrow him from the throne, but this trick did not help him. Hestia was eldest daughter Saturn; it can be assumed that her modesty is due to the fact that she spent the longest time imprisoned in Cronus’s womb. Or maybe she is reserved because what she represents is not connected with the personality, but with the spirit. The first assumption is justified mythologically, the second – mystically, and, most likely, both of them are true.

People have always gathered around the fire for warmth, shelter and to cook food. Fire provides food, warms and calms the body and soul, and unites people. Hestia/Vesta was considered the embodiment of just such fire. In general, she was symbolically connected with Gaia and was considered, for example, the spirit of a red-hot charcoal boulder, which was located in the center of the world, in Delphi and was called omphalos. Although it seems rather difficult to draw parallels between Hestia and the Greek Pythia or the Roman Sibyls - the prophetess priestesses of Delphi and Cumae - this association with the coal boulder at Delphi may serve as a basis for prophetic abilities, since the Pythians made their predictions by inhaling smoke from smoldering fires on a ritual tripod of coals.

To the goddess Hestia in ancient world they called out, probably, most often, because all the holidays began and ended with offerings to her. She was probably also considered the patroness of refugees and asylum seekers. Refugees from what? Most often from the elements - from the unpredictable vagaries of nature; the hearth in every house served as a beacon. The ancients also called upon Hestia to ensure the safety of the family, community, and city.

In Rome, Hestia was named Vesta, and not only did her name undergo changes, here she became, among other things, the patroness of the so-called Vestal Virgins (Vestals): a spiritual sister community that had serious political privileges even in patriarchal Rome. Nevertheless, the Vestals were subject to strict rules of “decent” behavior. They were priestesses in the temple of Vesta, their duty was to maintain the sacred fire in the central hearth of the entire vast Roman Empire. They also took a vow of celibacy, and this part of their lives was especially closely monitored. If they violated their vow of celibacy, their punishment was firstly to be publicly flogged (flogged) and then buried alive - regardless of whether they had sinned or not. at will or under duress.

Servants of the people, especially politicians, who are supposed to set an example of behavior for the population, if caught breaking their marriage vows, can also be publicly punished by the media, which will always add fuel to the fire, which has happened more than once since the days of the Roman Empire!

Thus, Vesta is another “virgin goddess.” In ancient times, the concept of “virgin” did not necessarily have a purely physiological or medical meaning, as it does today, it simply meant that the girl was not married. It is interesting that Vesta seemed to have some kind of special protection against the love arrows of Eros and the temptations of Aphrodite, which allowed her to easily maintain her chastity. But despite the fact that in her Greek and Roman incarnations she clearly strictly followed the vow of celibacy, her pre-Hellenistic image was most likely completely different. Drawing on the work of the poet Robert Graves, some feminist thinkers have suggested that the priestesses of the Temple of Vesta, although they did maintain the sacred fire, still entered upon necessity. sexual relations. These relationships did not end in marriage, but the priestesses gave birth to children. The child from such a sacred union was considered divine.

All this brings us to the final definition of the inner essence of the goddess Vesta. For most people living in a remote province, their home village is the center of the universe; If we project this metaphor onto a more personal sphere, then we can say that a person’s home is also the center of the universe - the same omphalos, navel, the central territory of a family or an entire clan. Throughout ancient Europe and the Middle East, this center of the universe was depicted as a huge tree - the Tree of Life, and although it is never directly stated that fire burns at the base of this Tree, it is often implied that fiery energy animates the Tree. This energy is generally considered to be of a feminine nature, like the Kabbalistic Shekinah.

The ancients believed: “As above, so below.” The cosmos was inside them, and if there was a Tree of Life at the center of the universe, then it was also at the center of the human body; this tree is, without a doubt, spinal cord, and the fiery feminine energy that animates the Tree of Life is present in the body in the form of kundalini, the “serpent power” that yogis and mystics use to achieve their goals. Many ancient deities in one way or another symbolize or embody this energy. We have already spoken in this context about Mercury (Hermes) and Venus (Aphrodite), and soon you will meet Lilith, who in many ways is also the personification of kundalini. This energy is present in us mainly in the form of sexual energy. A yogi or magician who wants to use the power of this energy for anything, observes abstinence for some time in order to gain control of this inner power, and it was for this reason that the priestesses of Vesta - the yoginis of the ancient Western world - remained celibate. They carried the kundalini energy of the entire Roman Empire; and although Vesta was a virgin, while Aphrodite and Lilith were libertines, they embodied the same energy.

Vesta is the fourth largest asteroid. Its discovery occurred on March 29, 1807. It is symbolic that the goddess Vesta is associated with fire and light, because the asteroid Vesta is so bright that it can be seen in the sky without the help of a telescope.

When Vesta has a strong position in someone's horoscope, that person may consciously choose the path of solitude and loneliness in life. In addition, Vesta - like Ceres - is often present in the horoscopes of single mothers in whose lives a man is not involved. This is somewhat reminiscent of the Immaculate Conception, and in this case it would even be appropriate to recall the universal archetype of the Madonna and Child. In the case of Vesta it will be a union of mother and son, in the case of Ceres it will be more likely a mother and daughter.

Many people who have chosen the path of spiritual quest for themselves do not spend their days in a monastery cell or in an ashram, but prefer to become pilgrims and find what they need in their wanderings. Service to something, commitment to something that gives meaning to life, is very important for people with a strong Vesta in the natal horoscope. This service could be a business career, a sports career, church service, or devotion to one’s home and family. Whatever path they choose, they follow it with purpose, dedication and sincerity.

Vesta is a goddess who always gives shelter and solitude. When compiling horoscopes, you can observe an amazing thing: many people gravitate towards the Vesta line - there they feel “safe”, there they find refuge and refuge. As a rule, people living on their Vesta lines have a wonderful life in their home, regardless of whether their home is modest or sparkling with luxury - in any case, when you walk into their home, you have the feeling of being in a temple home comfort.

On the other hand, if the location of Vesta in the natal horoscope is problematic, a person periodically has the feeling that he is constantly wandering and looking for a place to settle, a place where his real home is located, in which he will feel warm and comfortable. In general, a person is constantly looking for the home of his dreams, not suspecting that in fact, comfort, safety and refuge from all troubles are within us, and if we do not first find them within ourselves, then it will be very difficult to find them in the world around us.

Due to the dual nature of Vesta (Roman Vesta and pre-Hellenistic Vesta are different goddesses in spirit, as already mentioned), people with a strong Vesta position in the horoscope may encounter contradictions in their own attitudes towards sex. On the one hand, they are very sexual, whether it is expressed outwardly or not, but the memories of the harsh punishments that the Vestals were subjected to may be stored deep in the subconscious of these people, and they are so afraid to express their sexuality that it ends up literally buried deep inside their beings. In addition, a strict religious upbringing may complicate the situation.

It is important for people with a pronounced Vesta to understand that you can devote your life to another person, institution, corporation - but there is a subtle, but significant difference between devotion and sacrificing oneself. People like Vesta easily sacrifice themselves for the sake of what they sincerely believe in, but they need to ensure that their desire to give does not exceed the boundaries of internal satisfaction, so as not to overdo it, otherwise they may develop a pathology of sacrifice.

A lot of complexes can and often do arise in people with “unhealthy” Vesta, but especially in those with a tense aspect of Vesta with Saturn in the horoscope, since these are archetypally connected planets (Cronus swallowed his children, and Vesta stayed in his womb the longest). Interestingly, in the ancient astrological tradition Hestia ruled Capricorn, and now Saturn is considered the ruler of Capricorn, so people with strong Capricorn may experience some of the above problems. Both of these celestial bodies - Vesta and Saturn - value their dignity, traditions, order and decency of behavior. Both archetypes are distinguished by their extraordinary ability to self-discipline, so people with a pronounced presence of Vesta in the horoscope may notice a tendency toward perfectionism. Bearing in mind Vesta’s long stay inside Crohn’s, we can also assume that these natures are introverted and prone to introspection (this also applies to people with a strong Saturn).

People with Vesta dominant in their horoscope display an excellent ability to concentrate. Concentration is necessary for successful work in any area, but it is especially important for the practice of meditation. In the horoscopes of many yoga adherents, people who meditate and work with invisible energies (healers, mediums), as a rule, Vesta occupies a strong position. In general, a person with a strong and healthy astrological Vesta is one who has great inner strength and is typically dedicated to caring for others.

There are very few images of Vesta. This is not surprising, since it is difficult to embody in a visual image what represents the spirit or soul. However, it is believed that the image of the Virgin Mary is very close to the original idea of ​​Hestia. As often as Mary appears to religious people in visions and dreams, just as often they call on her.

Regardless of the visual representation of her, Hestia, as the keeper of the fire of life, has great importance in dreams and during sessions of activating the imagination. Artemidorus says that when powerful and successful people see Hestia in a dream, it is a confirmation of their power and high position and means that they will soon rise even higher. He goes on to say that for a mere mortal, the appearance of Hestia in a dream means the appearance of life itself.

Women (and men) who attended parochial school in their youth, especially Catholic school, often have dreams about this time of life. If the rules and restrictions on behavior in these institutions, as well as the teachers themselves, were too strict and punishments for disobedience followed immediately, years later the students are haunted by images of their stay in these schools. Naturally, the images that most often arise are of a mother superior or a sister nun, with whom the disobedient child had constant conflicts. These images can appear to people in dreams throughout their lives; Of course, more pleasant memories of this period can also reveal themselves in dreams - for example, young schoolgirls frolicking together, or religious initiation ceremonies, such as holy communion or even a Bar Mitzvah.

Since Vesta is not one of the seven major planets considered by classical and medieval astrology, there are no traditional healing remedies applicable to it. However, without any doubt, as a means of enhancing its centripetal, concentrated energy in life, we can advise the reader: light a fire. It could be ordinary candle or a blazing fireplace - Vesta’s presence in the world is always marked by a fire lit in the house.

The fire in the hearth is a symbol of another flame - internal fire. As we already know, Vesta is another personification of kundalini or “serpent power” - along with Mercury, Venus and Lilith. But in the case of Vesta, the association with corresponding spiritual practices is much stronger, and one of the best ways strengthening Vesta’s position in the natal horoscope is to “kindle the inner fire” through special breathing exercises and meditation techniques. If you are trying to achieve harmony with yourself, Vesta energy begins to work. Vesta is one of the few planets whose energy is so positive and useful in life that it can be strengthened completely fearlessly, regardless of Vesta’s current position in the natal horoscope.

Since Vesta was one of the most popular and invoked goddesses in Greece and Rome, and today invoking her can be very helpful in many situations. She was often approached before the evening meal, and offerings to her were most generous, because people felt under her protection. If you are looking for refuge, a secluded break from all your worries, you should call upon Vesta. If you need extreme concentration to complete any task, Vesta will help you here too.

As already mentioned, images of Vesta are quite rare; the obviousness of this fact was revealed again at one of our seminars on mythological astrology in Greece. Participants who identified themselves with this archetype or wanted to strengthen its energy in their lives searched all the souvenir shops that filled the town of Plaka; there they found images of Aphrodite and Athena, Artemis, Hera and Demeter in abundance, but not a single image of Hestia. How can they find an image that embodies the properties they are looking for? One way could be to create an altar, because the altar itself in a sense already symbolizes Vesta. Her energies are invisible, but her presence is felt. But building an altar or setting aside a special “sacred” place in or near the house is really not difficult; allocate as much space as you need for this purpose.

Perhaps someone will say that he has no extra space in the house, everything is occupied, and someone has to share his personal space with someone else, and it is really difficult for him to allocate even a little space just for himself. In this case, it is simply necessary to call on Vesta, because she gives anyone the opportunity to settle somewhere, concentrate and find themselves. If your personal space in your home (office) is very limited, then a corner of your desk or chest of drawers will be enough to place a candle or other objects that have a certain meaning for you. What kind of objects they will be is not important in itself, what is important is the meaning that you attach to them.

The goddess Vesta is found in the myths of the Slavs, Greeks and Romans, but she was revered everywhere in her own way.

Vesta Greek and Roman

In some legends she commanded fire, in others she was called the guardian of the empire.

The Romans were sure that Vesta was born from the gods of time and space, and therefore has the appearance of a flame.

In Rome there was a temple of Vesta, its priestesses, the Vestals, were chosen from among girls 6-10 years old, belonging to noble families, and had to maintain virginity for 30 years. If this rule was not followed, the Vestal could be walled up alive. The duties of the priestesses of Vesta included maintaining the fire as a symbol of stability and reliability. If the fire went out, it was considered a bad sign. Only once a year, on the first day of the New Year, the fire was specially extinguished and re-lit by rubbing wood against wood, and then transferred to new cities, communities, and colonies.
The cult of Vesta, dating back to the most ancient Indo-European traditions, one of the original ones in Rome, was closely connected with the shrines of the city: the palladium brought by Aeneas and kept in the temple of Vesta as a guarantee of the power of Rome, and the regia - the dwelling of the king. In private houses, Vesta was dedicated to the entrance to the house - the vestibule. Subsequently, Vesta was identified with the globe hanging motionless in space and containing fire, with fire as the purest element; she was ranked among the penates of Rome, because. The magistrates, upon taking office, made sacrifices to both the Penates and Vesta. Vesta was depicted by the Romans as a goddess with her face covered with a veil, with a cup, torch, scepter and palladium.

The Greeks called the goddess Hestia and revered her as the guardian of the sacrificial flame and family. Its main source was considered to be the heavenly flame of Olympus. She was portrayed beautiful woman in a cape that generously bestows life-giving power on petitioners. In ancient hymns she is famous as the “green-grass mistress”; people came to her with requests for the health and preservation of the family.

Because the beauty retained her virginity, swearing by the head of the supreme god Olympus to maintain chastity, Mercury recognized her as the most revered. The place of the goddess Hestia was located in the center of the house, sacrifices were made to her first, her hearth was considered a symbol of family life, the happiness of which was based on the chastity of the wife.

Slavic Vesta

The goddess Vesta among the Slavs is the harbinger of Spring. Our Ancestors always celebrated Vesta's day magnificently. U Slavic peoples Vesta personified the Aryan Family and was evidence that they had acquired the Highest Divine wisdom.

Vesta - Heavenly Goddess - Guardian of the Highest Wisdom of the Divine Ancestors, younger sister Goddess of winter Marena.

Goddess Vesta is also called the Patron of the Renewing World, the good Goddess of Spring, who controls the coming of Spring to Earth and the awakening of Nature on Midgard-Earth. The Goddess Vesta symbolized not only the acquisition of the Wisdom of Divine wisdom by representatives of the Slavic and Aryan Clans, but also the receipt of pleasant, good news in each Clans.

On this day, each representative of the glorious Family received important news from the Ancestors, as well as Wise instruction from the Divine Ancestors, in accordance with their Spiritual Development.

“The Goddess Vesta came to Midgard-Earth,

To Krasnogor new life brought,

The fire lit and the winter snow melted,

Fed the whole earth with living power

And she woke Marena from her sleep.

The Mother of Cheese, the Earth, will give life-giving power to our fields,

The choice grain will sprout in our fields,

To give all our Clans a good harvest..."

You could call the goddess into your home by walking around the house 8 times, while invoking good luck and happiness. There was a belief that women who washed themselves with melt water - a gift from Vesta - would be as beautiful and forever young as she.

Day of the Goddess Vesta (22 Daylet) – 1st day Spring Equinox. In honor of the goddess, a nationwide celebration was organized, pancakes were always baked, as a symbol of Yarila the Sun; Easter cakes, bagels, bagels with poppy seeds, as a symbol of the earth awakening after winter sleep; gingerbread cookies in the shape of larks and cookies with solar symbols. On the Day of the Goddess Vesta, it is customary to congratulate and pamper women and girls with gifts. This is truly Slavic Women's Day. On this day, all women and girls are beauties - Goddesses.