Recently, I was invited to spend a few months exploring myth and writing my own mythopoetic story. I enjoyed a deep dive into Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Japanese mythology. We were encouraged to discover a myth or mythological being we resonate with and use it as a template to write our own myth. The discovery of my Goddess was one at first I found myself feeling annoyed with, like, of course this would be by Goddess - but after time with her she has become my girl. I like to think of myself as a Modern Day Hestia. So without further ado, let me tell you a story…
Hestia, by many, Greeks themselves, refer to her as the “Invisible Goddess.” If you read Greek myth or visit Greece, you will see Hestia has no large (or small) temples, statues or mythological tales of adventure or sorcery…she is often forgotten, not mentioned, well, as I said, “invisible.”
According to most stories about Hestia, she seemed totally at peace with this arrangement, embracing her role as tender to the hearth and home. Acquiescing to her more powerful brothers, sister and the system she had been born into…truthfully, twice.
Hestia, nobly, found purpose in her duty, calling – even taking a vow to never marry or bear children herself….However, Hestia did not always feel this way, and this part of her story has remained locked away in the depths of Mount Olympus, until now, when our time and our human recklessness is in dire need of her superpower more than ever…this is where our story begins…
It was a typical Monday on Mount Olympus. Hestia, who recently celebrated her 21st birthday the evening before, was up before dawn, preparing the kingdom for the morning call with breakfast prepared for each of her siblings. Carefully selected, prepared and placed before the throne of each of her famous God and Goddess brothers and sister – four in total – Zeus, Hera, Hades and Poseidon.
As on cue, her rather rambunctious, boisterous siblings entered the breakfast hall taking seats at their thrones and without a moment of pause devoured their breakfasts, spilling drink, and crumbs and leaving quite a mess as they loudly left the kitchen to go out into the world and do all the super big, amazing things that Gods and Goddesses do all day. Lying on the table, Poseidon had forgotten his Trident (again) that Hestia would need to drop off at the water’s edge before heading on to complete her full day of tasks.
No one thanked Hestia, or for that matter even noticed her absence. As she had already ate her toast and tea and was upstairs tidying up her siblings’ beds and rooms for their arrival home later that evening. Hestia had a rather full day ahead of gardening, laundry, tending to the fires in the many hearths of not only their kingdom but in the community as well. She had shopping, baking, mending and visiting of new mothers in the village with gifts of food and clothing but most importantly, her time. You see, Hestia spent much time just sitting with the villagers in Mount Olympus, getting to know the in and outs of their daily lives, what it was like to be a common folk in this rather tumultuous Mount Olympus, with all its wars, battles, and rules.
However, today Hestia had this nagging feeling she could not shake – she could not name it, it felt foreign inside of her. It had been visiting her mostly at night when the kingdom was deep asleep. It would make her pace at night under the moonlight of her stone window. Then, one evening, this feeling was given a “name” by the serpent that slithered into her room. This black and orange snake manipulated Hestia to understand what she was feeling was bitterness and exhaustion at being the invisible goddess with no real superpowers. He deceived her into believing she had no worth. He taunted her with thoughts of inferiority.
She began to ruminate that while her siblings were out living amazing lives she was stuck back in this never-ending utterly mundane existence always tending to the needs of everyone else so they could live these big lives. Hestia couldn’t throw lightening bolts, part seas or control weather, she didn’t possess superhuman strength and unlike her sister who could choose, she was always invisible.
She was a tenderer, a tender of all things and was always in the background, her work and her worth feeling not valued. The snaked hissed to her, “just stop..” and my goodness, she did.
Hestia scribbled a note “I quit” and packed herself a basket with bread, apples and a blanket and left everything as it was. She felt free. Excited. And left on her own adventure into the Forest of Mystery to spend time with all the woodland creatures that she had sought solace and guidance as a young girl. She was gone for what would feel like to the rest of Olympus an eternity, it was only actually 2 days.
You see in that two days, Mount Olympus fell into chaos and crisis. The fires in the Kingdom, with no one tending to them, extinguished. Food was not prepared, everyone found themselves cold, hungry, and unable to tend to the many tasks that kept the kingdom running. Without Hestia’s presence, her siblings could no longer fulfill their duties – Zeus, weak with hunger, couldn’t throw his lightning bolts, Poseidon who always forgets his trident, could not part the seas or control weather.
Hestia, during this adventure heard a call to return…she heard of the chaos and disorder ensuing at her home and quickly realized that if she allowed the God and Goddesses’ home to be untended, uncared for it would soon spill into the villages and put the entire kingdom at peril. She realized she had been tricked and seduced by the serpent and she remembered, she remembered her superpowers. While maybe not they are not flashy or bold, they are subtle and as essential as the air we breathe –
Hestia returned to Mount Olympus and was greeted by humbled brothers and a sister. They realized Hestia’s worth and from that day forward made sure to thank Hestia for all she did to make the kingdom run. There would be no Mount Olympus without the Hestia.
Hestia remembered – she remembered her superpower was creating magic in the home – that there is magic in the mundane - Hestia’s superpowers were selflessness, kindness, compassion. These superpowers gave Hestia actually more real power within the kingdom than her siblings whom most villagers just feared.
Greeks beheld Hestia close to their hearts and she became a very important Goddess in the everyday life of the Greeks. Despite her Goddess status, she was relatable and put them at ease – made them feel seen, heard and was said to be more in touch with what was actually happening in the kingdom on a daily basis. This connection was key to peace in the kingdom.
While today you may not see statues or temples in Greece for Hestia, in many homes you will find hearths or candles that remain lit to honor Hestia and to remind us of the sacred, quiet, selfless work of tending to all the fires we keep burning.
Until tomorrow,
xx, Victoria