Vesta in astrology

Vesta with a diameter of about 510 km, was the fourth Asteroid to be discovered, being first
observed as a minor planet in 1807 by H W Olbers at Bremen. However, it must have been
seen many times before simply as a faint star.

Vesta's orbital period is 3.63 years, its distance from the Sun varying between 321 and 385
million km (200 and 239 million miles). Vesta's orbit is inclined at 7.1 degrees to the ecliptic.

The Roman goddess Vesta, whose Greek name was Hestia was the eldest sister of Zeus
(Jupiter) and the daughter of Cronus (Saturn) and Rhea. The Greek name Hestia means
"Fire" and she was the Goddess of the Hearth and tended the sacred fire on Mt. Olympus.
Her priestesses were the Vestal Virgins who kept the temple and white robes they wore
immaculately clean. If the fire in the hearth of the temple became extinguished, they were
severely punished. Should they break their vow of celibacy, they were buried alive in a
chamber. At the age of around forty, they could leave the temple and marry if they wished.

Vesta can emphasize eroticism or restrict sexual activity. In a positive way, its energies may
be channeled toward a higher spiritual, or tantric, mode of expression. If someone with a
strong Vesta in their chart is violated during an innocent stage of life, or simply wronged,
there can be deep sense of shame.

A high degree of emotional and physical sensitivity to ones immediate environment is often
associated with Vesta, and weaknesses and flaws are easily perceived. Vesta also symbolizes
commitment, concentration, focus, and sometimes tunnel vision. Service, sublimation,
devotion to work, isolation, autonomy and orderliness are also indicated. Frustration and
emotional wounds can easily generate illness, even though they have a remarkable healing
potential themselves.

In some ways, Vesta seems to correlate to the sign of Virgo, and to some extent, Scorpio.
Some Astrologer's consider that individuals with a strong/prominent Vesta often have
psychokinetic abilities (the movement of inanimate objects by the exercise of psychic energy)
which can be quite strong in youth.