#hearth

mossytreeelf:

1. Lay thorny branches on your doorstep to drive away evil.
   
2. Put thyme in your last meal of the day to have pleasant dreams.
3. Place coins and cedar chips in a box for an easy money spell.
4. The bark of the willow tree is a natural painkiller.
5. Put almonds in your pocket to recover a lost object.
6. Light candles throughout the house regularly.
7. Sprinkle oats over your garden (especially herbs) to ensure good growth.
8. Honey is a natural antibiotic and antibacterial. Got a cold sore? Put that stuff all over that. Got a cold? Eat a tablespoon every few hours.
9. Place lilacs all over the house to get rid of unwanted spirits.
10. Drink cranberry juice to get a good detox when in need of grounding.
11. Hang dill over your door to keep people who wish ill on you out.
12. Place half an onion in the room with someone who is sick to draw out disease.
13. Place morning glory seeds inside your pillow to get rid of bad dreams.
14. Pour salt in your bath (or shower floor if you don’t have a bath) to cleanse and ground yourself.
15. Use chili peppers to break a curse.
16. Plant rosemary next to your front gate or door for a little good luck.

I got a bunch of people lovingly chastising me for not including Hestia in my original line up, and upon reflection I realized I had left out a very important goddess. Perhaps not important within the heroic dramas and tragedies we are accustomed to, but Hestia was incredibly important for the average Greek citizen. Hestia was the virgin goddess of the home and hearth fire, where the families ate and congregated. She  oversaw cooking of meals, and sacrificial food for feasts. In my image she sits aside a giant hearth fire. In her right arm she holds a chaste-tree, (signifying chastity and virginity) while in her left hand she holds the sacred hearth flame. Under her golden wreath sits a veil upon the top of her head. to the left we can see the cooking pot and roasting meat, as well as mortals below offering and sacrificing food and wine in her honor. below her chair is a greek family.
And as always, if you want to share this image I would appreciate it!