In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole Fire back from Zeus (who had taken it away from us immortals) and restored it to humanity.
Fire is a primordial healing presence for all of us.
In the natural world Fire burns away deadwood and decay, allowing forests to be reborn into lushness. Likewise, our hearts long to burn away fear and worn-out patterns, allowing us a fresh start to rebuild life-sustaining connections’.
Here are some notes regarding the use of fire the ‘Soma Way’ especially when journeying in your own space that you have prepared:
Fire has played an important role in our development as human beings here on earth.
In nature it brings both destruction and rejuvenation.
Fire symbolises different things to different people, cultures, and beliefs including passion, birth, death, rebirth, eternity, hope, and purification. Eckhart Tolle put it that “the fires of suffering become the light of consciousness”.
‘Fire’ is integral to the ‘Soma Way’.
If it’s cold and you have an inside fireplace, you may wish to consider having a fire inside and asking your companion to watch over it.
About 3 or 4 hours after taking the sacrament and journeying, many of us get restless and feel the need to get up – for a while at least.
It can at this stage be quite an experience (a revelation in many respects) to venture outside and to experience the majesty and wonderment of the night sky; and to sit around a fire, spending time in quiet contemplation and reflection.
If you have a companion watching over you, they can start an outside fire ‘when the time feels right’ in preparation of you getting up.
Please view your fire as being sacred. Keep it pure and free from rubbish (including cigarette stubs!)
“One can enjoy a wood fire worthily only when he warms his thoughts by it as well as his hands and feet” – Odell Shepherd