Goddess Guidance – Hestia

As part of our work of reclaiming body sovereignty I offer a monthly Goddess Guidance reflection.  The images and card meanings are from The Goddess Oracle Deck by Amy Sophia Marashinksy. For each goddess, I offer a reflection on what insights/challenges/gifts are being we might embrace on our Body Sovereignty Journey.  Feedback and comments are welcome!

Hestia: Body as Home

I am what’s at the core 
of the indescribable, the elusive, 
the living presence that inhabits 
and transforms a building, a dwelling, an edifice, 
taking it from the realm of marble, stone, 
or wood and with 
its hearth fire lit, 
making it a home. 

From the deck: Hestia is the ancient Olympian Goddess of the hearth and home. She is thought of as the centre of the home, the community, the town, and the city. No meal could be eaten without her, for she is the very fire that transforms the ingredients into nourishment. It is time to focus on hearth and home. Wholeness is nurtured when you learn to come home to yourself and then create the physical manifestation – a home that will nurture you.  

My thoughts:
To me there is an immediate and powerful connection between Body Trust and the message of home this goddess brings. Hestia is offering us a gentle reminder to embrace our body as our sacred centre, our gentle place to land. It is a powerful Act of Body Trust to feel at home in our body and experience it as a place of comfort and safety.   We can be inspired by the transformational power of Hestia’s fire to transform our experience of our body through healing and reconnecting with our body using tools like mindfulness.  Body scan mediations are a helpful first step.  Learn more and find a body scan meditation here:  https://www.mindful.org/beginners-body-scan-meditation/

Questions for Reflection
Generally, what does home mean to you? What kind of feelings does it evoke? What do you need to feel ‘at home’?  
When do you feel most at home in your body?  When do you feel the least at home?
If you could wave a magic wand and suddenly feel completely at home in your body, what do you think that would be like?  What would you be doing?  What would be experiencing or feeling?
What do you think would be the next step you could take to feel more at home in your body – just as it is.
How can you feel more comfortable in your body?  Are you dressing in ways that are comfortable? Do your clothes fit?  Are they in a style that you like?  
How can you feel safe in your body? 

Note:
This can be especially scary or challenging work for some of us who may have experienced abuse or other trauma related to the body.  Be sure to be gentle with yourself and only engage in what feels safe and positive for you.  If you find yourself in overwhelm, consider connecting with a mental health professional or talk to someone you feel safe with.

Sydney is a psychotherapist providing online counselling with a focus on healing body shame. Her approach is grounded in Health at Every Size principles, supporting a reclaiming of Body Sovereignty, where we once again experience peace, trust and respect of our body. To learn more about Sydney and her approach, check out here website: www.sydneybell.ca or send an email: sydney@sydneybell.ca