The language of fire

I have wiled away many a blissful hour staring into a real fire, be it the small cosy glow from the hearth in my living room, the comforting crackle of logs on a campfire or the intense blaze of a roaring bonfire.  There is something so utterly mesmerising about the licking of the flames, dancing and leaping, gold, orange and red with bursts of blue and green. As a child I spent countless forevers looking intently into the heart of the fire seeing great cities alive and teaming with fire fairies, castles, secret pathways, caves and mountains.

Underneath the logs or coals there were secret lairs where dragons lay sleeping and grottos where sprites hid shyly from my prying eyes. Then there were moments where the fire would crackle and hundreds of tiny fire nymphs would spring up from the fire into the air, a spray of sparkle exploding into the dark. And then they were gone. I knew it was a little mean but sometimes I would poke the fire with the metal poker when my parents weren’t looking so as to make more fairies flee into the night from their castles inside the glowing embers. 

I found them so beautiful, enchanting, I still do. Fire speaks the language of my soul. Fire has been a deep comfort to me in times when I needed nurture and company, burning steadily all night and day, I tend it and it tends me. I sit beside fire and without words I tell it my woes and pour my heart out into it and fire just burns. The constant dance of the flickering flames gently soothe my heart, heat warming my body until I relax and I give in to the warmth spreading through my soul. I can lose myself in the glow and let my mind wander un-tethered by concern. The little leaps of flame spark my imagination and feed my creativity, coaxing me, leading me back into an easy flow. Lulled into a trance, resting deeply.

At other times fire has inspired courage in me and has marked moments of initiation and change. I have danced around huge fires, listening to the drums beat in time to my heart. The dark night all around but the blaze of the flames illuminating my face, my body bathed in the orange light, my body releasing all tension, all past. Throwing my past mistakes into the fire, letting my regrets and fears burn up in the inferno. Trusting the fire to leave me clean, risen all new from the ashes. Working up a sweat until finally I am throwing my clothes off, uninhibited, feeling the fierce heat on my skin, letting it through to my bones. Only the fire and me now, the heart of the world beating through mine, the cool night air on my back.

I have whispered my wishes into fire. I have waited patiently whilst the fire has heated the rocks for sweat lodges. I have sat in the dark lodge watching the glowing stones come in to the centre, seen the splutter of sparks as herbs are sprinkled on the stones. And then water on hot stones, filling the dark womblike space with steam. I have prayed my most powerful prayers in those moments, breathing the heat in, focusing all my body mind and soul to the moment. I once asked a Native American medicine man “what do I do if I get too hot or feel scared in the dark?” he said “pray harder”. So I did, and I found a deep peace and connection in the dark there, there with the fire crackling outside and the stars looking down on our little lodge. 

I have sat around fire with friends and with strangers, singing songs of hope and joy, sorrow and love. Stories were shared and meals, marshmallows and hot chocolate. I’ve cooked good food with good people over the red hot coals. The hushed intimate talks all night long in the firelight, the raucous belly laughter that made us weep with hilarity. Laid my head back just to star gaze for hours. Held hands and hugged friends, cried tears and been a shoulder to cry on. Had first tender kisses and felt love bloom beside the warm glow of the fire.

Fire brings us together, symbolises our shared heart, our communion. It speaks of comfort, safety and protection and also of change and bravery to face the challenges life throws at us. It brings us into community around it and bonds our hearts together. It is the fire inside our bellies that can destroy what needs to die and lets something new emerge. The fire in my heart makes me fierce about love, about loyalty, passionate about life, my family, my friends, my creative endeavours. When you let the fire in your soul burn bright you will always inspire a spark in others. The sparks of inspiration, of love that we spread in the world, these are our gifts to each other, exploding like fire fairies from the blaze of our hearts......