VESTA TODAY
Do you feel drawn to the “old ways”? Does a flame bring you peace of mind?
Perhaps aspects of ancient religions, or what you’ve found on this site or read in my books, has appealed to you on a deeper level - I’ve had many people say, “I had to burn a candle while I was reading!” Perhaps, like them, you’ve always felt a natural sense of well-being, reverence or inspiration when you look into a flame, but you’re missing a sense of structure to express or expand upon those feelings. If so, you’re not alone. Vesta’s eternal flame dates back many centuries, from distant antiquity to this very day. Its focus and rituals have adapted over the years to keep pace with the changing times, and many people, especially those who identify as “spiritual but not religious” or who embrace so-called neo-pagan beliefs, burn it in their homes: the Old World is indeed meeting the New World. In fact, Vesta has in many ways returned to its origins as a personal, home-based tradition that provides a natural spiritual focus – fire. Light it for comfort and inspiration. It’s worked for millions of people for millennia. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
A Lararium
A lararium or household shrine can be located anywhere in the home, but it is usually located near the entrance to bless the comings and goings of family members and to serve as a visual reminder that home really is where the heart is. Your lararium can be classical or modern, hand-made or manufactured. Some people prefer it to stand out from the home’s décor, while others prefer that it blend in. Your lararium should hold mementoes of family members, living and dead, as well as sentimental items. It may also hold a statue of Vesta or pictures of the Temple of Vesta. Because the ancient temple was dressed in laurel, you may wish to place greenery, fresh flowers or even a small herb garden that contains a bay plant on your lararium. Be sure to create a lararium that you love and that reflects your style and personality. It should make you happy whenever you look at it, and should remind you of the things that are most important to you.
A Special Vestal Candle
Vesta is symbolized by a flame. A pure amber beeswax candle that represents her flamma should be placed on your lararium. Burning beeswax releases negative ions into the air, which in turn purifies the air - and Vesta is a purifying spirit. Always ensure your Vesta-dedicated candles are pure beeswax (not cut with soy or paraffin) and are sourced ethically.
You can use a round, clear glass container to hold the flame, a tribute to the circular temple that once housed the sacred fire. Or if using a pillar candle, you can carve a ‘V’ into the wax to dedicate it to Vesta. Ideally, you will use a candle with a wood wick that crackles when it burns, a sound the ancients believed was Vesta speaking.
Spread the flamma…every March 1st, the date the Vestals renewed the flame in the temple, I create a small batch of hand-poured beeswax Vesta candles and gift them to like-minded people. To likewise honor Vesta, you can create or purchase candles and gift them to others on this day.
Offerings
In antiquity, mealtime and prayer offerings of bread or loose salted-flour were tossed into the household hearth or sprinkled directly into the sacred flame. Today, it is recommended that you place offerings in a bowl at a safe distance from your candle. This ensures a pure, clean and safe burn, while preserving your candle. You can make these symbolic offerings to the flamma at mealtime, as well as during meditation, prayer or times of reflection.
Alternatively, round salted-flour sacred wafers (which the Vestals used to make for offerings and rituals) can be created by mixing flour, salt and water and baking in the oven for a few moments. These wafers can be passed – cleanly and safely – over the flame as an offering to Vesta.
Libations
A libation is a liquid offering. The decision of whether to make an offering or a libation is a matter of personal choice. In antiquity, a libation of olive oil, milk or wine was sprinkled into the sacred fire (again, it is advised that you place the libation in a bowl: this will preserve the wax, which is important for reasons you will read about below).
Igniting Awareness
Fire has long symbolized eternity and the soul. Indeed, fire worship—including the deification of fire and flame-centered rituals—is the oldest form of spiritual expression known to humankind, one that continues today.
A simple modern ritual involves burning a beeswax candle in a dark, quiet room, while focusing on the amber sun-like glow of the flame and the fragrance of the beeswax. Since burning beeswax stimulates the pituitary gland, which in turn enhances intuition, this is a beautiful way to find greater self-awareness, inspiration and well-being.
Candle Burn Videos
We all need to take time for ourselves each day to relax. These candle burns - each of which embodies aspects of a Roman god - provide a wonderful focus to help you do that, while also exploring aspects of your own life, from love to finances. Click here to learn more and watch these beautiful videos.
Formal Candle Reading
Just like reading the stars, reading the flame and wax drippings of a Vesta-dedicated candle can help you find answers to life’s many questions. It can help you reflect upon your past, present and future, so that you can live a truly illuminated life. Click here to learn more about candle reading.
Read a Book
Immersing yourself in the ancient world, where Vesta’s fire first burned, is a powerful way to experience the history and rituals of the Vesta religion in an authentic way, and to develop a sense of reverence for it. My historical fiction novels are a good place to start.
For best effect, read with a candle burning nearby, preferably one with a wooden wick that crackles as it burns. How better to set the mood?
STAR GAZING
The temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum was designed in a circular shape to represent the orb of the sun, our planet’s star, as the source of all life. You may wish to spend more time doing what the ancients did – looking up, into the sky, especially the night sky, to wonder at the universe (this V symbol, for example, is the symbol for the asteroid called Vesta). Locate the constellations and learn the Greco-Roman myths behind their names.
Also don’t forget that when you look up, you’re seeing the ancient gods…sort of. The ancient Romans named the planets after their gods, and many are visible with the naked eye.
Learn Myths & Legends
Nobody told a story like the ancient Romans – except maybe the Greeks before them! Read about the ancient myths and legends the Vestals knew so well, and that we still tell today, from the Birth of Venus to the Fall of Troy. In this painting, Perseus is confronting Phineus with the head of the Gorgon Medusa. Those who set eyes on it are turned to stone.
Burning Incense
While most images or relief carvings we have of the Vestals show them tending to the sacred fire or making an offering into the fire, Vestals also burned incense to please Vesta with its fragrant smoke. You can do the same. Frankincense was commonly used in religious rituals by the ancient Romans, as were imported incenses.
A Personal Symbol
Common Vesta symbols for women and men are modern pendants in the shape of a flame or a “V.” Original ancient or reproduction Roman necklaces, brooches, pendants, bracelets, or glass beads can also be worn, as can gems that symbolize the flame, such as fire opal or Dragon’s Breath. There are affordable ancient and reproduction Roman rings for women and men, including soldiers’ rings that lend a certain machismo to honoring Vesta - Roman men often wore rings with an intaglio stone of a goddess. Wearing ancient-styled jewelry reflects the time when Vesta’s flame burned in the lives of millions of people. It’s also a fun thing to do. Finally, women in particular may like to wear white accessories, from pearls and scarfs to sweaters and handbags, to honor Vesta.
Let the Light Soothe You
A flame, the flamma, has always been a natural source of comfort. You can tap into that simple truth by just slowing down, taking some time for yourself, and burning a candle while you do. A little self-care by candlelight (the flowers here allude to the pink roses that currently grow in the ruins of the House of the Vestals) can go a long way to soothe your spirit.