Blessed Flamma Vesta!

"Vesta, Bless this hearth and home. Bring health to our bellies and strength to our bones. Bless those whose arms are empty and long for a babe to nourish and bring up to love and honor the Goddess in her many faces. Bless those that hunger, and guide our hands to serve them. Bless us all with love and peace, and help us to remember you in all fires and flame." - By Jade, Order of the White Moon

Every March 1st, I honor the Roman Lady of the Living Flame and Her Priestesses, the Vestals.  Today is a day of renewal. In this post, I'll be explaining a bit about what the Flamma Vesta is and do a reading from the Goddess and the Priestesses to see what messages They may have for those who feel a connection.

Also as I typed this, Alicia Keys' Girl On Fire came on my phone.  Good ole shufflemancy!

What is the Flamma Vesta?  It's a day that's half inspired by the Roman New Year and half inspired by Debra Macleod's New Vesta Tradition.  For the ancients and many modern Roman Pagans, March 1st is their New Year.  February, or Februlia, is a month of death and purification, a time to clean up Rome.  This time is also connected to the Hearth and Home Goddess, Vesta, due to Her cleansing fires.  Vesta was and is an important Goddess, as She was also connected to city politics, as well as the home.  So March 1st is the day of renewal.  Renewal of Rome...and today, Renewal Home and Self.

I got the name 'Flamma Vesta' from the New Vesta Tradition.  I can't remember if the author calls March 1st the Flamma Vesta (her website used to be called Flamma Vesta) or if I felt that it was a great name, eitherway it's stuck and I've been celebrating the Flamma Vesta every since.  Here are the two books that helped to deepen my relationship with Vesta and Her Vestals:

• The New Vesta Secret: Finding the Flame of Faith, Home & Happiness 
• The New Vesta Home: How a Renewed Tradition Can Keep Your Marriage & Family Together

Macleod writes other Historical Fiction books about the Vestal Virgins, that may help one deepen a connection, as well.  

I like to celebrate the Flamma Vesta by kicking off my spring cleaning--physically cleaning and spiritual cleansing my home.  (February is a time when I tend to spiritual cleanse myself.)  I take time to clean and reorganized the Family Altar and the statues.  

Currently, my Vesta statue sits here with me at my desk, although Her Vestal's sit on the Family Altar with the Greek Hearth and Home Goddess, Hestia (you may see me hyphenate Their names because sometimes They appear to me as one Goddess and other times as separate Goddesses, therefore Hestia-Vesta).

For this holy day, I also may

• Celebrate by burning a Vesta yarn dolly made the previous year, and remaking a new one, to dedicate to the Goddess during the Vestalia in June.
• I smear blessed ash on my family's foreheads.
• Read one of the New Vesta Tradition books, Homeric Hymns and other collected prayers and poems, and/or First and Last: A Devotional For Hestia.
• No Sexual activities.
• One day, when I learn to make candles, I'd like to take a page out of the New Vesta Tradition and make devotional candles, using recycled blessed waxes from the year before.
• Pagan Veiling.
• Celebrate my healing and growth.
• Divination with Vesta and the Vestals.
• Offerings such as olive oil, bread, salted flour sprinkled into a flame, prayer and hymns, service, fiberarts, journeying to a Vestal Temple in the astral, lavender tea libation...

Speaking of divination, let's get on with it, shall we?

The Vestal who's stepped forward is Rhea Silvia.  The tool She has picked is the Everyday Witch Oracle by Deborah Blake and Elisabeth Alba.

Rhea, what is your message for the Community of Hearth Fox Oracle?

Inspiration & Courage.  Transformation & Change.

Well, I'd say those cards go hand-in-hand, eh?  According to the booklet, the first card is a Fire card, and the second is Air.  Traditionally the element of Fire is associated with passion, healing, creativity, transformation, mental processes, warmth, hearth, speed, destruction, south, and deities such as Vesta and Hephaestus.  The element of Air typically deals with communication, breath, wisdom, new beginnings, flight, inspiration, messages, the winds of change, east, and deities such as Hermes and Odin.   

"Whether you are seeking inspiration  for work or play or dealing with illness or grief, don't underestimate the power of your thoughts." Blake, page 61.

Rhea has selected the Magic option on page 63, which talks about getting yourself a carnelian gemstone.  A stone associated with fire, courage, motivation, creativity, and healing.  Blake says to sit with the stone and meditate with it.  Tap into its energies, and when you need that courage and/or inspiration, to ask the Spirit of Carnelian to help guide you.    

"There is no growth without change.  But change can be scary, and it requires us to takes risks and go outside of our comfort zones. [...] Isn't it better to willingly become a butterfly than to struggle to stay in the chrysalis forever?"  Black, page 53

Rhea has selected the Action option on pages 53-54.  Action says that in order to change to be a better you or to reach certain goals, you have to make changes to yourself.  It's like being bad with money, but wanting to be wealthy.  More than likely that wealth isn't going to just magically appear.  Especially if you want to become financially stable, that is going to require big changes on your part.  You'll have to learn how to budget and and save money.  To learn the differences between wants and needs.  Learn how to be frugal, but not stingy.  As you learn these things and make the changes, then you may become wealthy over time.  This is true to most things in life.  Big changes often require self sacrifices, motivation, and dedication.

What changes do you need to make in your life to become your best self, to achieve certain realistic goals?

Vesta steps forward.  She has picked the Womanrunes by Shekhinah Mountainwater and Brigid's Grove.

Vesta, how may we renew ourselves this spring?

The Egg and The Wand.  The Runes of Naming and Blessing.

Communication.  Courage.  Knowing Yourself.  Words have power, be mindful of how you speak to yourself and others; when it is time to speak and when it is time to listen. (pages 84-86).

Vesta is only hitting on the Boundaries part of this second rune.  Boundaries are an important part of self care and love.  As Hestia-Vesta told me years ago, one cannot pour from an empty vessel.  Protect your energy, your space, your rules, your health.  Be clear to others about them.  Enforce your boundaries when needed.  Page 129, also says to know when to be flexible with your boundaries.  When to bend and when to be solid.  

"Be courageous--you are braver than you realize. Be warm.  Be strong, my children.  Stronger than you want to admit, to see.  Yes, this is a challenging time, but challenges can bring about great growth.  You have the power within you, that spark, that flame.  Feed it.  Know when to speak, and when you do, speak up and be clear.  Stand in your truth.  Be willing to bend with the winds, for you may snap and break, for the winds of change are high and strong.  Roots deep and wide.  Trunk and branches sway and move with the winds.  Look at fire.  Strong, destructive, powerful, loved and feared...yet flows like air and water.  Even when held in place, it moves and dances with light.  When foolish, when uncontrolled, fire too can snap like an unbending trunk.  Moderation.  Knowing yourself.  These are important in your growth.  All of the message here can aid and guide you in renewal this spring."

Thank you Rhea.  Thank you Vesta.

I hope these messages resonated with you.  They sure did with me.  If they didn't, that happens.  With general community messages, they don't always apply to everyone.  But for a more in-depth reading or session with a particular deity or spirit, I offer my oracle services to you:

• Email /FB Messenger/Discord Messenger Session - $45 USD.  

If interested, I accept Paypal, Venmo, or something from my Amazon Wishlist.  With the Amazon trade option, you can get as little or as much as you like.  The trade doesn't have to equal the price of the session.  Email me at foxtorchphoto18@gmail.com or Hearth Fox Oracle FB Page if interested.

And if you're in the Dayton area of Ohio on March 25th, come on out to the Dayton Pagan Coalition Spring Psychic Fair in Huber Heights to see me.  I'll be there as a Reader!  The fair will also have other awesome Readers, Healers, Vendors, Workshops, and Food.  Come on out and support the community!

Hail Vesta! Hail Vestals! Blessed Flamma Vesta!

Thank you all for your support.

- Priestess Oracle Foxlyn Wren