Hestia: The Goddess of Fall
When most people think of the Goddess Hestia, their first thought is usually something along the lines of, “Ah yes, Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth,” but they usually don’t know that much more about her.
And while they wouldn’t be wrong, what most people won’t think of is how deeply connected she is to the seasons of Fall and Winter.
To be fair, this connection is not immediately obvious, and I’m not even sure the ancients specifically saw her this way.
But after years of studying Greek Goddess Archetypes and how they relate to our everyday lives, it’s become abundantly clear to me that the energy of Hestia is the perfect fit for the energy of Fall.
You see, the Autumn season is a time of release and transition. It’s a time where we harvest what we’ve spent the last year cultivating and start to release that which is no longer serving us.
Just as nature sheds her leaves and prepares for the cycle of Death & Rebirth, this process is critical for humans as well.
The problem is that over time, we’ve been conditioned to think that we should function like machines instead of like nature.
We’ve been taught to believe in constant output, achievement, and productivity.
Rest, release, and even fallow periods are looked upon with shame, disgust, or even fear, as if they are somehow markers of failure or laziness.
One of the reasons why we have more people in America suffering with anxiety and depression than ever before is because we have this hustle, grind, struggle mentality that permeates our lifestyles. We are constantly trying to achieve, push, and keep up with the Joneses without ever really slowing down enough to enjoy our lives.
And this, if you ask me, is a tragedy.
So what does Hestia have to do with all of this?
As an archetype (or pattern that exists in the collective unconscious), Hestia represents our ability to focus inward and cultivate a deep, meaningful relationship within ourselves.
In other words, when you think about Hestia, I want you to think about being centered.
A woman with a strong inner Hestia knows who she is and what she wants. She knows what is most important in her life and that’s what she centers her life around.
She is calm, wise, and mature. She represents our spiritual core, our connection with something deeper that feeds us from the inside out.
In my mind, Hestia is the perfect element to work with during the Fall because she helps us cultivate a sense of discernment around what is working and what isn’t.
She is the psychic force that helps us see with utter clarity what we need to let go of, even if it’s hard or painful, because ultimately it’s holding us back or hurting us.
Hestia’s qualities perfectly mimic those of Fall:
Both ask us to turn inward
Both call us to let go of what no longer serves
Both remind us that even if there is grief, there is also beauty in transformation and release
So as we enter into the Fall season, I invite you to start turning inward and ask yourself:
What has been working in your life and what hasn’t?
Which habits, relationships, careers, or ways of being have run their course and need to be released?
And how can you make time to nurture the most important relationship you have: The one with yourself?