Keep the embers burning

In the days when the hearth was the center of the home, every night it was vital to the family that the embers stayed lit all night so that in the morning a new fire could be built for the day. According to Greek Mythology (see “Asteroid Goddesses” by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch) the Goddess Vesta, who is one of the 16 Asteroid Goddesses, was revered as the Goddess of fire and hearth. “The deeper meaning of Vesta is revealed through her central symbol, the hearth — the place in the center where the fire is maintained. The fire, central to the survival of ancient cultures, served as a gathering point for the community (the Latin word for hearth is focus).”

We can take the message that is being passed down to us by the Asteroid Goddess Vesta in today’s context, to look at all of the places in life and business that may have an ember that is about to be extinguished because of neglect. When we tend the ‘hearth’ or give our ‘focus’ to something we are building a fire that will last from day to day. The fire may be roaring hot at some moments or there may be a smoldering ember, never the less, it is equally important to maintaining our fire in the hearth.

The message that the Goddesses are sharing with us today is about the counting of our blessings and to be grateful for the riches that we hold in our life. If the ember is allowed to go out, you may find yourself without any matches to strike to get that ember going again!

One example that a young business owner found when examining their current goals is that so much attention had been given to one area of business while he had ignored another area …. the ember was just about to go completely cold in one of the most viable parts of the business. Another example is the Corporate Executive who gave all she had to the company job with little focus on how well her children were doing without her while she traveled out of town. There are many embers to stoke everyday that will keep many of your hearths alive and prosperous, however, there is only one ember that is imperative without which all of your desires will fall flat. The most vital ember is the one in your heart — the love ember is the one that will help you through the worst of situations, disappointments or break-up’s and will never be extenguished completely, even though you may feel it has died. The love ember is the one that when given even the slightest amount of focus, will flourish the most.

Take count of your blessings today and keep your embers burning bright!