1/4/12

Goddess of the Week: Hestia

"Hestia full of Blessings" Egypt, 6t...
Image via Wikipedia
This goddess is for all of us.  It may be a new year, but, if you are like me, the distractions that keep you feeling scattered and piecemeal are old, old, old.  We need a goddess of focus.  We need Hestia, the Greek goddess of the hearth.

Thank you Sue Bender, author of Plain and Simple: A Woman's Journey to the Amish, for explaining that   the word Hestia means focus.  Hestia spent her time focusing on the hearth fire that burned eternally on Mount Olympus.  That's what you did with hearth fires: you kept them burning, if only just a few embers, because fires were a pain to start, and it was easier to keep what you had going than to begin from scratch.

I feel like I get more ADD every year.  Every bauble turns my head.  Every task takes forever to finish. I walk into rooms and I don't even know why I'm there.  It may be the curse of middle age, but I'm pretty sure that it has more to do with the fact that I so seldom think about what I'm doing.  I think about what I need to do or what I would rather do, but hardly ever about what I actually do.

Hestia reminds us that to keep the hearth alight you have to let go of distractions and simply focus.  Slow down.  Accept that sometimes you can do less, not more, and in this new year, accept yourself for the spark of light that you are.

Channel this goddess: when you are weighed down by distractions, when you feel pulled in a million directions.  Slow down: focus and shine.


Need a goddess?  I got goddesses!  Post a comment explaining what you want a goddess for and then check back in a few weeks to see what you got.  It's fun!  It's free!  It's the perfect way to commit to a New Year's resolution.




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24 comments:

Rois said...

Perfect for me! The last few months have lacked focus and just this morning I was thinking to myself "Get a grip on yourself and focus"

Today I will pick one thing and do just that focus and kindle.I read a Buddhist quote about lighting one candle from the flame of another and then the light never dies.Maybe if I focus on one thing it will help me focus on the next thing.

Desiree said...

Focus! I can work with that! I need that one, too!

Najma Velshi said...

Thank you Jean-your post is a great one for keeping grounded.
Best wishes for the New Year.

Unknown said...

I love Hestia, she's one of my faves. And I am focusing on the home a lot right now, so she is perfect for me!

PS: After being introduced to Seshat with your post a couple weeks ago, I now have her picture as my computer background as a reminder and inspiration to write!!

claire bangasser said...

This sounds like a fabulous goddess. Yeah, Hestia!

Thank you :-)

Margaret said...

Carrie: Glad you liked Seshat. Definitely keep on writing!

Pasadena Adjacent said...

Hand raised - army swinging frantically - me me me me - pick me

Star said...

Lovely post, lovely picture, thank you!

Star said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TheChieftess said...

Add a few hormones to Hestia's hearth and I think you've got yourself a winner!!!

Bec said...

You and me both - I walked in and out of my closet about 4 times this morning (I was already dressed) because I couldn't remember what I needed from there.

Olga said...

Hestia, one of my favorites. I try to channel her on a regular basis and I'm glad to see her in your line-up.

WritingNut said...

Awesome advice for the new year! I wish you all the best for 2012 Margaret :)

Anonymous said...

Focus, hestia, or concentration, on what is most important. Some examples of what is most important: eatin nuttin' nutt de best, and getting enuf R & R - even if it means having your breakfast in bed.

Shell Sherree said...

I sometimes feel like the more space I try to clear to make room for focusing on things, the less focused I become. I need Hestia. Thanks, Margaret.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Perfect bit for me to read this morning! Thanks, Margaret.

PS: Happy new year, my friend! Here's wishing you lots of great things in 2012!!!

Kristen said...

Hestia is good goddess to keep in my back pocket, oops I mean in the forefront of mind.

Can you find me a goddess please for a very difficult project resulting in cost overruns, threats and recriminations, and the potential for career damage. Heavy stuff. If there's not a goddess for me, can you put in touch with someone who does voodoo so I can turn things around?

Heather Foust said...

Focus it is just what I need! Do you have a Goddess of self confidence? I need one of them. Happy New Year!

Susan Campisi said...

There's a zen saying: think about what you're doing, not about what you're thinking.

Or something like that. The point is, focus! Thanks, Margaret. I desperately need Hestia.

Watson said...

Hestia is a good Goddess to start the new year with. Hope 2012 is full of good things for you Margaret.

Petrea Burchard said...

I like Hestia (and that Zen saying, Susan). She's been good to me lately, at least in the mornings when I write. I wish I could get her to clear off my desk, though.

Meri said...

What a great blog- I feel more like a goddess already! Cheers!
Meri
http://merigoesround.com

Margaret said...

Kristen: You are next.

Heather: You are after Kristen!

Meri: THanks for the visit!

Kristen said...

Thank you in advance Margaret!