Calling on The Fates or Norns to aid in Divination

Honoring the Fates

Connecting with The Fates, also known as the Moerae, can be very helpful when you are doing any type of divination or dream work, or just wanting a clearer glimpse at your life to help you make better choices.  Since The Fates weave each person's "Life Thread", they can help you look into your life through dreams, meditation, or divination.
You can also look at any Three Card tarot reading in terms of the Three Sisters known as the Fates or The Norns... Past, Present, and Future.  Before drawing your three tarot cards, call upon each sister by name... Clotho (Past), Lachesis (Present), and Atropos (Future) and see what each card, or each sister, reveals to you.  If you wish, you can call upon the Nordic Norns for your tarot reading in a similar fashion;   They are Urd (The Past), Verthandi or Verdandi (the Present), and Skuld (the Future). 

The Dark of The Moon is a good time for Divination and Dream work.  The night before the New Moon, it is the night of No moon... the darkest night of the cycle.  In this time we experience a long period of darkness, and the night is not even illuminated by the moon... we can delve deep into the psyche and the inner, secret realms of the Night.  The Fates in Greek Mythology are the daughters of Nyx (Goddess of Night), so the dark moon is a perfect time to call upon them to help you see things more clearly.  Ask them to assist you in your tarot readings, rune readings, or to show you answers or clues in your dreams during this dark night.  Here in this blog post I have included some information on The Fates, along with a beautiful ritual for honoring them.

The following information is from the book, "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway and you may find it helpful in connecting with the Fates, The Norns, or The Wyrd Sisters before you try to attempt any ritual invoking them. 

THE FATES & THE NORNS-

The Greek Fates and Nordic Norns are very similar. It may be that these Goddesses all came from pre-Aryan cultures in the Far East, before these cultural groups migrated to their respective areas to settle. Although there is no record of sacrifices to The Norns, the Nordic clans held them in awe and high regard. In Greece and Rome, the Fates were taken very seriously. They were given sacrifices of honey and flowers. Well into Medieval times three rings were used in special rituals to invoke the Fates. The three gunas, or colored threads (white, red, and black), of India were said to run through every life as ordained by the Fates. Ovid, Theocritus, and others wrote of the same colored life-threads in Greek literature.

 * The Fates

The Greek Fates ("portions, shares") were also called the Moerae or Moirai and became known as the Parcae during the Middle Ages. These three serious daughter of Nyx (Night), were Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho spun the life-thread, Lachesis measured it, assigned the destiny, and added a portion of luck. Brooding Atropos with her shears cuts the thread at any time without warning. Not even Zeus would go against a decree by the Fates. The Goddess Nemesis was the only one who could influence Atropos to let the thread spin into a longer length. They were often accompanied by the Keres (Dogs of Hades) who were three beings with sharp teeth and robed in red. Although this trio was feared, the beings were also invoked at weddings for a happy union.

* The Norns

In many aspects, the Nordic Norns were quite similar. This trio of fate Goddesses live at the Well of Urd near one of the roots of the World Tree Yggdrasil. They are Urd (The Past), Verthandi or Verdandi (the Present), and Skuld (the Future).   The Norn Urd (Fate) was defined as "that which is becoming"; Verthandi (Necessity) as "That which is"; Skuld (Being) as "That which should become".  Predestination and predetermination were were unknown to the Norse.  They believed that what each person did influenced his/her future. 

The Norns were almost as important as the Aesir themselves.  In fact, these Goddesses were said to weave the destinies of men, gods, giants, dwarfs, and every other living being.  Each day the Norse Gods held their counsil at this Well in the presence of the Norns.  The fact that the water from the Well of Urd turned everything white may tie these deities to the three phases of the Moon. Certain records also speak of the helpers of the Norns, who were the Disir; in some writings these were called elves. The Hamingjes were like guardian angels to the humans. There were elf-maids who cared for unborn babies. The decrees of Urd were carried out by the Giptes. Other Disir oversaw certain families or clans. There were even supernatural women , not Valkyries, who brought the souls of the dead to Hel's realm. 

It is rare for a person to know exactly where their future is going, including all the sidetracks that invariably go on.  It is difficult to even get a clear glimpse of the broader picture.  Learning to work with the Norns and The Fates and Listen to their advice is important to avoid major pitfalls.  If they point out coming problems, and we manage to change our direction to avoid them, we have taken responsibility in the molding of our future.  If the problems revealed by the Norns seem to stay in our path regardless of our efforts, then we must work through them, learning the necessary lessons.

 * The English knew of the Norns by the name of the Weird Sisters. The Anglo-Saxons called them Wyrd; in Old High German Wurd. These Wyrd Sisters are quite likely descendants of the Greek Moerae or Fates.

RITUAL:

 This is from the book "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway. It is suggested for the Dark Moon that falls in December. I am not copying word for word except for the ritual and the info on the fates... I have done this ritual before and have added my own notes and thoughts.

* You will need; * 3 long cords (thick string or ribbon) - one white, one black, and one red
Your altar set up however you want for the Winter season and whatever candles or incense you find fitting.
You may choose to have three candles, one of red, one of black, and one of red, also, to represent the three sisters (The Fates/The Norns) or three candles of any color you wish... however you want to set it up is fine.

 * The Ritual;

 Call upon The Fates. You can call upon the Greek Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) or the Nordic Norns (Urd, Verthandi, and Skuld), or call on them as The Wyrd Sisters as they are known in English traditions.

* Take the three cords and braid them together. If you wish, make this long enough to be tied around your waist and in the future use the braided cord as part of your ritual garment, (or something to be kept on your altar at all times) As you braid, repeat this chant; *

 "Over, under, threads of Fate.

As in my life, so in all things.

Weaving the pattern, soon or late,

I see the result that action brings."

 (You may also choose to chant the names of the Fates between each repetition of the above chant.) When you finish braiding the cord, knot both ends and kiss the braid. Wrap it around your waist or drape it over your shoulders (or wrap it around your wrists and lift your hands upward) Visualize the Fates of Norns before you, lift your hands to them and chant;

"A new year dawns, the threads weave on,

to ultimately reveal my destiny.

Oh Fates of Life, I ask your aid

To clear my path and set me free.

Let old things die and blow away.

Let new come in to prosper me.

Oh Fates of Life I ask your aid,

To clear my life and set me free."

Sleep with the braided cords under your pillow and pay attention to your dreams.  And be prepared to do whatever is necessary and proper to straighten out your life and make your path smoother.

You may also choose to use the braid to wrap around your deck of tarot cards, or to wear around your wrist, shoulders, or waist whenever you do divination of any form, to help you connect with The Fates or The Norns during future readings.

12 Days of Yule, Day 2

Follow along with my 12 Days of Yule Blog prompts here;
http://journalyourselfawake.blogspot.com/2012/12/12-days-of-yule-day-2.html

Tuesday, Dec. 11, Day 2

Day 2; A Sunrise Prayer;

"The sun returns! The light returns!
The earth begins to warm once more!
The time of darkness has passed,
and a path of light begins the new day.
Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun,
blessing us all with its rays."

By Patti Wigington

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What does the Sun mean to me and what is my relationship with it in the Winter?  Here in the Arizona Desert, during the summer the sun is harsh.  With temperatures easily reaching well over 110 degrees, there are dangers in the summer.  Sun burn, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, etc.  The summer is the time we spend "hiding" from the sun, staying indoors where there is air- conditioning and protection from the sun.  In the winter months, there is a chill in the air and the sky can often be overcast.  But when the sun shines, or when the skies are clear, you can stand in the sunlight and almost immediately feel it's warmth. 

Today's blog prompt asked me to consider how I am spending time in the sunlight when I can.  Ironically, just yesterday my husband started work again.  Since we only have one car, this means that I am walking to work again.  So now I will have a little time outdoors each morning, collecting some sunlight!  I am happy for this!  First of all, happy that my husband is working again!  But I am also grateful for my opportunity to spend some time each day walking, it is a time of solitude that I really enjoy.  Even in the middle of the city, surrounded by houses, streets with cars rushing by, dogs barking at me... it is time for just me and my thoughts with no one else demanding my attention. 

Here in the desert, although the solstice represents the returning of the sun, and the days growing longer, it's really just the beginning of our "winter" season.  It doesn't really get cold here until January, which is also when we can expect more rain and winter weather.  But as far as what the sun represents on a spiritual level, I like to think of the Solstice as a perfect opportunity for rebirth on an inner level. 

The  third chakra, Manipura, is also known as the Solar Plexus and it is bright yellow in color.  It's great to visualize this chakra as a bright little sun, glowing right in the center of your body, just behind your belly button.  The Solar Plexus is the source of our energy, willpower, and drive.  As we welcome back the Sun this Winter Solstice, I think it's great to think not only of the rebirth of the Sun as the days lengthen, but the rebirth of our own innermost energy.  I will think of my walks to work as a time of "recharging by Solar Batteries", soak up the warmth when I can, and visualize it becoming energy that empowers my Solar Plexus chakra!  I also think I will add the "Salute To The Sun" Yoga sequence to my morning routine for the rest of the Yule season, to empower my body and help connect my mind, spirit, and body with the re-awakening of Solar energy!

Salute To The Sun

 

12 Days of Yule; Day 1

12 Days of Yule; Day 1

Follow along with my 12 Days of Yule Blog Prompts here;  http://journalyourselfawake.blogspot.com/2012/12/12-days-of-yule-day-1.html

Today's Prayer;

"Cold and dark, this time of year,
the earth lies dormant, awaiting the return
of the sun, and with it, life.
Far beneath the frozen surface,
a heartbeat waits,
until the moment is right,
to spring."

By Patti Wigington

Here in the desert, the winter is not the classic "winter" that they sing about in the Christmas songs.  It doesn't snow here, many of our trees are still green, so it can be difficult to connect with that "Winter" feeling.  But there is a chill in the air, the nights get pretty cold, and there are subtle differences.  It sounds different outside, there are no cicadas chirping loudly in the Palo Verde trees, no buzzing of bees, and many birds have gone further south for the winter (spoiled, aren't they?)  I don't hear the mockingbirds anymore.  There are no lizards or geckos crawling the walls of my house, and the un-ending stream of ants that was trying to invade my home all summer has mysteriously disappeared.  So even while I can't really connect with the songs about snow, and my picture of winter is quite different than my ancestors must have experienced in Germany, Ireland, and England many many years ago....I can still find ways to contemplate the winter and what it means for me here in the desert.  Today's blog prompt asks us to consider what has gone dormant around us, and what might also need to go dormant in our lives.  The Earth simplifies herself in the winter, shedding all that she doesn't need, reserving energy for the spring.  She becomes a minimalist.  So I ask myself, what can I minimize in my life?  What parts of my life need to "Hibernate" for a while?

I know that in my home, I have a lot of clutter and "things" that I need to let go of.  I had begun a room-by-room decluttering process in the fall, and I need to continue with that and really purge the closets and shelves of things I no longer need, use, or love. 

I need to let go of an attitude that creates procrastination.  This may seem counter-intuitive to winter dormancy, since a lack of procrastination would actually result in me doing MORE.  But my procrastination creates more stress, and I need to let that go. 

I drew a tarot card, asking what I need to release and how I can do it, and I got The Ace of Pentacles.  The Ace is about beginnings and planting seeds of prosperity, reaching out and grasping the abundance that is available.  I feel that this card is confirming my thought that I need to release my procrastinations and stress.  Although the earth lies dormant, some seeds of the spring are already in the ground, preparing for spring so they can grow.  I can take this time to plant my own "seeds" and prepare for the future.  I need to keep planning, and "planting" and even though I might not see the fruits of my labor right away, the process needs to begin now.  I need to let my financial fears and worries go dormant, and focus on the hope for better times that are on their way.  Today I will work on putting my fears to rest, and to know when the time is right to act.  I plant the seeds and expect the best!

The following is from "Around The Tarot in 78 Days" by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin;

The Ace of Pentacles says;
"There is a material opportunity in the making that is not yet fully formed.  You must be open and receptive  to material reward; good times could be awaiting you.  Now is the time to set the ball rolling on any venture or transaction, or to court prosperity by merely investing in a solitary lottery ticket."

Connect to your card;
Plant a seed -- whether literally or one of an idea.  Have a fresh start at something new.

You are blocking this card today by;
1. Not investing in your future security.
2. Turning down that lucrative deal you have been offered.
3. Not buying a lottery ticket.
4. Refusing the support you have been offered.

Meditation;
"Great oaks from little acorns grow." Allow yourself to be like the little acorn; know that you will grow forever upwards and fulfill your destiny.

Affirmation;
"I am the seed of all that can be created"

Hestia, Housework, and Headcovering

This post is going to be pretty long.  (yes, Longer than most of my blog posts, which admittedly can get pretty windy!)  But I've been working on it for a while now and it's something near and dear to my heart so please bear with me!  The upcoming theme for Pagan Blog Project is the letter H, and this fits perfectly with something that has been on my heart and mind for the past couple weeks... three "H" things actually; Hestia, Housework, and Headcovering!
For many years I wasn't particularly drawn to any one Goddess, God, or Pantheon.  I was content just calling The Divine, or Great Mother/Father, or "Lord and Lady".  Then my studies of astrology led me obviously to Greek Mythology and I really resonated with the stories of the Greek Pantheon.  At some point I stumbled upon Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth.  For the first time, I really felt connected to a specific Goddess.  I felt Her call me, I heard Her spirit from somewhere deep inside me and I finally knew what it meant to be called upon by a specific Goddess... something I had heard other Pagans, Wiccans, and Heathens talk about but had never fully understood.
Since then, I have heard the call of other Gods and Goddesses, they come to me at different times to teach me in their unique ways.  I may work with a different Deity from time to time, but in the end, Hestia is always there.  She is my Flame, she opened the door for me to understand that it is possible to work with specific aspects of The Divine - and through that understanding I have found myself working more and more with The Goddesses in all aspects of my life.  Following is some basic information about Hestia and her counterparts.  (If you are familiar with the history/mythology already and are pressed for time, you can scroll down to the section called "Me & Hestia"... but you might learn something here as well.)
HESTIA
Hestia was the first born of the Olympians, her sisters are Hera and Demeter, and her brothers are Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.  When her father, Cronus was told that he would be overthrown by one of his children, he swallowed all of them (except for Zeus... he thought he swallowed Zeus but only swallowed a swaddled rock).  Eventually, Zeus overcame Cronus and forced him to spit out his siblings... they were all "released" in the reverse order of their birth, so Hestia was last.  She is often referred to as "The First and the Last" because of this.  She refused to marry either Poseidon or Apollo, and eventually swore herself to perpetual virginity, becoming the domestic opposite of Aphrodite.  Zeus assigned Hestia the role of maintaining and keeping the fires of the Olympian Hearth.  Some stories make reference that Hestia could have gone to join her brothers and sisters on Mount Olympus and become one of the Olympians, but she didn't take up the offer and instead let Dionysus take the place as the 12th Olympian God, again attesting to her attitude of service and a degree of passiveness.
Hestia's name means "Home and Hearth" and she is The Goddess of The Hearth-fire, or Goddess of the Home.  Prayers and offerings were made to Hestia to keep the home fires burning, to keep the household strong, healthy, and warm.   The people responsible for honoring Hestia were usually the head women of the household, and it is believed that Honoring Hestia "both first and last" before every hearth fire was lit or each meal was prepared was probably a very common practice.
VESTA
Hestia's Roman counterpart is Vesta* - the Virgin Goddess of the Hearth, Home, and Family.  Vesta's presence was symbolized by the burning of sacred fires in homes and temples.  Vesta was particularly important to women, since the home fire (hearth fire) was the central source of Food and heat for the home... therefore Vesta / Hestia is the center of a Housewives' focus and gratitude. 
Although neither Hestia or Vesta had any children, their role in the Home and the household is very similar to that of a Mother Goddess.  She was seen as the great nurturer... as Fire represented not only the means to survive, but also represented wisdom, inspiration, focus, community, purity, power, and even divination.  In ancient Rome, some women would devote themselves to become keeper's of Vesta's temple and become "Vestal Virgins".  They would take a vow of celibacy and commit part of their lives to keeping Vesta's temple flame lit and tending to her temple.  Legend has it that if a convicted person crossed paths with a Vestal Virgin, he would be released from his penance.  The Vestal Virgins were known for being kind and graceful. After their time of devotion, a Vestal Virgin could choose to marry, it did not necessarily mean a lifetime of celibacy and devotion, though many probably chose to continue their life of service to Vesta even after their time had been fulfilled.A couple previous blog posts involving Vesta - New Moon Purification Ritual, and Vesta/Virgo.
(*note - by pointing out Vesta as Hestia's Roman counterpart, I'm not saying she IS end all/be all the same Goddess.  Some people get kinda touchy about this.  I'm saying that in each culture there are similar stories that blend the lines between Goddesses, Gods, myths, folklore, etc... because regardless of distance and time, the Human Experience is essentially the same...and I find that many different cultures and pantheons have "crossovers" and "Counterparts" who share very similar attributes and in some ways teach us the same things about our human nature.  Personally I see all Goddesses as different aspects and faces of The Divine Feminine, so I do see Hestia and Vesta as one in the same, but this is not to say that this is what others should see or feel also.  And this leads right into my next point, which may be controversial)
The Virgin Mother Mary (?)
Personally, I see a connection between Hestia and Vesta and the Hebrew Mother Mary.  Hestia and Vesta are both usually depicted as veiled or wearing some kind of head covering, as is the Virgin Mother Mary.  They are all virgins, although Mary did bear a child but the stories still depict her as a virgin anyways.  Vesta is represented in historical drawings and carvings with an Ass (donkey/mule), and the Mother Mary is also associated riding an ass from when she rode pregnant into Bethlehem.  Catholic nuns who devote their lives to service of God, wear headcoverings, and take vows of celibacy bring to mind the Roman Vestal Virgins. I recently found a votive prayer candle in the religious candle section of my local grocery store that depicts "The Sacred Heart of Mary", with a picture of Mary and the glowing heart within her chest is burning with a bright orange fire. Hmmm.  The connection seems obvious to me and even though I know most pagans are probably not comfortable working within the "Christian Pantheon", it's something worth considering.  (The Sacred Heart of Mary candle now resides on my permanent home altar to Hestia and Vesta)

My home altar to Hestia

Me and Hestia, hangin' out at home.
My personal relationship with Hestia comes from my own position as the "head woman" of my household.  As the housewife, mother, and wife, it is part of my daily life and responsibility to run the household.  My house (and many modern homes today) doesn't have a central hearth fire, or even a fire place.  The Greeks paid honor to Hestia with offerings of the fat from animals, which served as oil to keep the fire lit.  (Pretty simple and straight forward, yes?  Make an offering of Oil to the Fire and it keeps burning.)Today, we don't need to literally keep a fire lit in our home, but we do have certain things we need to do to "keep the home fires burning"... cleaning, cooking, paying the bills.  So I honor Hestia by attempting to keep my home running as smoothly as possible.  I like to re-create the "First and Last" concept of honoring Hestia by praying to her first thing in the morning and again at night.  Simply saying "Good Morning and thank you for this day." and maybe asking for help or blessings for the day ahead; and then saying a prayer of gratitude at bedtime.  I like to light an orange candle to do this, but it's not necessary - if I'm rushed for time or low on candles, just pausing to honor Her is enough.  If I really need an extra boost during the day, to tackle some household chore or for focus and motivation to clean house when I really don't want to clean, I might go to Hestia again... spend some time meditating with her, talking to her, praying to her.  She is pretty good at reminding me that my home is my sacred place in this world, and that in taking care of my home I am taking care of my spirit, my family, myself, and... as a bonus, honoring Her.  She is also pretty good at reminding me that serving others (namely my family) is a respectable and beautiful thing.  As a person who is "Domestically Disabled"; allergic to housework, NOT born organized, and easily distracted, Hestia has become my "Go-To" Goddess for motivation and support in all things household-related.  She is a big supporter of the FlyLady program and I think the FlyLady concepts of breaking down housework into Morning and Evening routines is something that Hestia is particularly fond of (which reminds me, I need to get back on my routines!)

Headcovering
And now we come to the final portion of my Letter H related blog post, although I did not have to force these concepts together, they all go together in my home!
A couple weeks ago, I was cleaning my bedroom and found this scarf that I have never worn as a scarf.  I have used it for a small altar cloth from time to time, or to wrap a deck of tarot cards in... but it had been stuffed in a drawer for awhile, unseen and forgotten.  When I found it, I paused, and felt that gentle urging of Hestia, saying "keep this out".  So instead of putting it back in the drawer, I put it on my altar, folded neatly next to my Hestia Statue.  I didn't know what on earth I was going to use it for, but I figured it's purpose would come to me if I just listened.
Maybe only one, or two days later, I stumbled upon a facebook conversation about Pagan Headcovering.  I was intrigued, I had never heard of or considered that headcovering, or veiling would be a pagan thing to do... except for in cases of the people who like to dress up in robes and hoods for ceremonial magick and rituals.  I learned that a lot of Pagan / Witchy women feel drawn to headcovering or veiling in their daily lives as a way of honoring and connecting to their deity.  And guess what Goddess kept popping up in articles, blogs, and conversations about Headcovering?  Hestia, of course!  The bells are going off in my head at this point, as I had just placed that scarf next to Hestia on my altar, trusting that she would let me know how she wanted me to use it...
I joined the facebook group called Covered In Light and met a wide variety of women who choose to veil, or cover their hair as a spiritual practice.  I started asking questions and reading discussions and learned that for each woman, there was a very different and very personal reason for choosing to cover.  Some find it very comforting.  As empathic people, wearing a headcovering can help you feel more grounded, and more protected from the unwanted energies of other people.  Some women commented that they felt more intuitive when covered; and spoke of wearing a headcovering when doing tarot or oracle readings or for going to ritual.  Some women felt it was a call to modesty, and a practice of declaring their status as either a married woman or as someone devoted to the Goddess.  Not all the women here were called by Hestia or Vesta, but there is quite a wide variety of deities and pantheons that seem to have brought these women to the practice of veiling.  Many women commented that once they started headcovering, they felt more connected to their Goddess, more feminine, sexier, more powerful, and more comfortable in their roles at home.  Some feel drawn to cover their hair/heads in public, while others feel drawn only to do it while at home.  The wonderful thing about the group Covered In Light is that through this diversity, all the women are supportive and tolerant of each other.  No one says, "This is how or why you should cover", but it is all about learning about eachothers' reasons and experiences, learning from each other, and supporting one another.
So I began that very day to experiment with headcovering and find out exactly what it meant for me.  I have discovered that if I put on a headcovering when I say my morning prayers to Hestia, I stay more focused on my housework through the day.  Feeling the scarf on my head reminds me that my daily tasks are a reflection of my devotion to the Goddess, to myself, and my family.  In other words, the headcovering keeps me mindful, living in the present moment.  It is very much like an active meditation.  I also feel more intuitive about what housework needs to be done.  Sometimes it's hard to know where to start in a home with three children where the messes abound.  But when I am covered - instead of feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, I tend to feel more peaceful and less worried about everything that needs to get done.  I'm easier on myself, easier on the kids, and happier with the progress I make.  It becomes less about how much I get done, and more about the loving attitude I come to each small task with.  Mostly I feel very comfortable with my head covered, but if I start to feel uncomfortable, I take that as a cue from the Goddess that my "work" is done.  I take the headcovering off and take a break to do something for myself - like read a book or play on the internet... so in this sense I feel that headcovering has made me more aware of how I take care of myself as well.  I'm overdoing things less, taking more time for myself, and feeling overall more connected with Goddess than ever before.

me, wearing my scarf with a headband

Another thing I have noticed when I am covered; I feel a lot more in-tune to not only The Goddess and Divine, but to messages from my family.  First of all, when I am covered and cleaning, I am having a lot more of those inspired moments when something I have been thinking about suddenly makes sense, or I get inspired ideas for art and craft projects, blog and journaling ideas, etc.  Today for example, I put on my headcovering and said my devotional prayers to Hestia, intending to get as much housework done as possible.  I got a little cleaning done, but the one thing that kept coming to mind was this blog post.  Different points I wanted to make, different thoughts of what to write.... finally I stopped resisting and just came to sit down and write!  I am feeling like wearing the headcovering takes that energetic flow from The Divine and my Higher Self that flows through the crown chakra, and instead of that energy flowing away from me; being covered helps pull those energies down into my third eye, throat, and heart chakras to be assimilated from there.  Before experiencing this, I would have assumed that wearing something on my head might block this flow from the Crown Chakra, but now I am experiencing quite the opposite.  It comes right back to the way that Covering just keeps me in a higher state of awareness; fully in the here and now.  I'm a lot more aware of what my children and husband are saying to me, what they need from me, and what they feel... but without their feelings overwhelming me.  As if the covering works as a kind of filter, I can understand my children's feelings without getting wrapped up in the emotion and frustrated by my empathy.  I'm becoming a better listener, and I'm also much more aware of the words I say and how I treat others when I am covered.
I'm personally not drawn to wearing the covering outside of my home or in public.  I don't feel like Hestia is calling me to cover at all times, but just when I want to feel more connected to my role as a housewife and mother.  For me, it is something that keeps me more centered and grounded while at home... although I have kept my scarf on to make a couple quick trips to the grocery store. 
When I first started veiling, I drew an Angel card from the "Daily Guidance From Your Angels" oracle card deck by Doreen Virtue.  This is the card I got; (This was the day after joining Covered in Light and only my second day covering)

I had been asking myself if this was really right for me, really something I needed to do or wanted to do.  This angel is Covered!  I looked through the deck and there is not a single other angel card that depicts artwork of an angel with it's head covered in any way!  Later that day I felt an urge to go to the mall and just walk around.  I didn't really have money to spend, but I just kept feeling that nudge to "Go!"  So I went, and found another beautiful scarf, on sale!  I knew it was my gift from the Goddess and the Angels for listening to my heart, so I bought it for myself.

feeling just beautiful!

Here is a wonderful prayer to Hestia that was written by another member of Covered in Light and I have been using it when I veil before going about my household duties;

"Hestia,
Keeper of the flame
Goddess of the Hearth
Gentle Hestia,
Eternal Virgin,
Sister, Daughter,
Veiled one
Bless this the hearth
Of Thy sister,
She who comes
Veiled before you
May the flame
Never be extinguished
May your blessing and spirit
Always abide here"
 ~ ZedralZ/Nar

And this is my own prayer that I wrote that I use to connect with Hestia each morning and night;

"Oh beautiful Hestia, you who are both First and Last, Goddess of the Home and Keeper of the Hearth Fire, may your Love and Light continuously burn in this home.  Show us each how to live in unity, peace and love.  Guide us each to bring blessings upon this home through the service of our own unique gifts.  Thank you, Hestia, for your lasting blessings and presence here!"

And I also wanted to share this one with you.... and Invocation to Vesta by Doreen Virtue;

"Beloved Vesta, please bring your flame of Divine Love into this household and light the fire of kindness, compassion, and understanding within everyone who lives in and visits this home.  Help us burn away any fears concerning love, and to feel warm and secure."

So I understand this has been an incredibly long blog post, and I truly thank and appreciate those of you who have actually read the whole thing!  This is a post that contains many things near and dear to my heart and I have been inspired to share with others!

In Love and Light,
Lady Josephine

Update 4/13 - Look, another blog about Hestia which also mentions Headcovering!  http://witchfire02.blogspot.com/2012/04/pbp-hestia.html