Fire is perhaps the most often referenced element within sacred practices from around the world. In cultures near and far, the belly is seen as the home of our life force, our passion, our drive, our digestion {of food, thought and feeling}.

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote of the “fire in the belly” to describe a person’s drive back in 1882, and today, science continues to prove the deep relationship between our gut and our brain.

When we work with the element of fire in our meditation practice, it is useful to reflect on the element of fire in the external world as well.

In reading about controlled burns of forest, two of the most often cited benefits are:

Fire reduces the risk of destructive wildfires.

In the same way, when we intentionally work with the fire element in meditation, we are preventing the wild flare-ups that are all too common in moments of high-stress.

Fire can be rejuvenating.

It returns nutrients to the soil in the ashes of vegetation that could otherwise take years to decompose.
The additional sunlight and open space in a forest can help young trees and other plants start to grow.

Likewise, when we burn away the stories that haunt us, we are left rich and fertile for deep healing and new growth.

In Winter Solstice ceremonies, fires are lit to call the light of the sun home.

In Indigenious ceremonies, grasslands along the river are burned to call the salmon home.

At first glance, fire can seem like a fearsome, raging torrent, but in actuality, it is lighting our path home and nurturing our rejuvenation.

So let’s burn.

Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we delve into the fire with a dharma talk and guided, 20-minute meditation practice.

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