Vesta was the first born child of Saturn and Rhea and sister to Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto and the other asteroid Goddesses. She is one of the oldest and most cherished goddesses. Hestia, her Greek name, means “hearth”, symbolic of that what brings us together, gives us focus and captures our attention. Vesta is our animating principle.
The Story of Vesta
Vesta has morphed throughout time, depending on the culture who worshipped her. But at her core, she kept the sacred flame alive.
The Greeks worshipped her as Hestia. They built a public altar to her and kept her fire going. Families used this flame to build altars in their home. When a woman left her childhood home when she married, she built her own altar from the flame she took from home. Hestia symbolized protection, honesty, sincerity, hospitality, and the feeling that you were among friends.
The Romans adopted her as Vesta and built a temple to contain the City’s sacred flame. This fire could never extinguish. Priestesses, selected from the City’s most noble and finest, dedicated their lives to protecting this flame. They were called the Vestal Virgins and had many liberties and held high honor. Yet, they were to remain celibate, giving all their attention on keeping the fire alive.
Vesta in the natal chart
In our charts, Vesta points to our commitment style (sign) and suggests the area (house) where we are often compelled toward focusing much of our energy, time and resources. Here we revitalize ourselves through work, commitment, devotion and even sacrifice.
Demetra George has written masterfully on Vesta. These bulleted descriptions for Vesta through the houses are taken from her book Asteroid Goddesses: The Mythology, Psychology, and Astrology of the Re-emerging Feminine.
- 1st House Vesta is committed to finding one’s own identity and through achieving their personal goals.
- 2nd House Vesta represents dedication to generating resources to provide for and support themselves and/or loved ones.
- 3rd House Vesta is dedicated to one’s mind and furthering personal understanding while sharing information with others.
- 4th House Vesta is dedicated to family and home. Personal freedom is often curtailed due to family obligations.
- 5th House Vesta is dedicated to creative expression and children.
- 6th House Vesta reveals a dedication to work and efficient functioning.
- 7th House Vesta is dedicated to working on one’s relationships.
- 8th House Vesta is dedicated to the psychic/occult fields or to depth interactions with others.
- 9th House Vesta symbolizes a dedication to seeking the truth and conveying wisdom.
- 10th House Vesta indicates a dedication to one’s career or position in society. When close to the MC, it can indicate a spiritual destiny.
- 11th House Vesta connotes a dedication to group interactions and the need to participate in larger wholes.
- 12th House Vesta implies a dedication to selfless service and to the pursuit of spiritual values. This person requires time alone and retreat.
Finding Vesta in your chart
If you don’t know where Vesta is located in your chart, you can find it by following these instructions.
- Go to astro.com
- Click on Horoscopes, located to the left of the top banner
- Click on Extended Chart Selection
- Enter your birth data
- Next, find the section “Additional Objects” (bottomish/left)
- Select Vesta
When you update your chart, you’ll now see the glyph for Vesta.