In human cultures across the world, fire maintains a high status of sanctity. It is used as a spiritual purifier- as in the process of smudging with sage or other botanicals. Fire is even a symbol of renewal- it is a destructive force, yes, but without the destruction, the burning away of what once was, there can be no rebirth or renewal. A wildfire clears the dead litter from the forest floor and allows necessary nutrients to return to the soil, enabling a healthy, vibrant start for new plant growth, and for some forest plants, this is their only means of reproduction.
In the same way, sacred fire ceremonies can help clear the underlying litter in one’s mind and spirit. It burns away the clutter.
During a fire ceremony, all my senses are engaged with the experience. My eyes are focused on the dancing flames. My ears are attuned to the crackling symphony and the accompanying mantras. I feel the warmth of the fire on my skin. I smell the smoke wafting up into the air. I engage the tongue with the repetition of the mantras (OK, no so much taste, then). It is a deep meditation that burns away the outside world, if only for an hour or so. Meditating in any other setting does not clear away the clutter of the mind quite like a fire ceremony.
But it’s more than just a sensory meditation. The intention behind the fires is not only healing or purifying myself but healing others and the world in the process. By offering prayers that are carried upward and outward into the world is akin to setting my own intentions to carry peace into the world after the fire is over.
In a way, the fire ceremony is a reset to remind me of what I want to do to make the world a better place, or on a more personal level, what I want to accomplish in my own life. Offering a coconut to the fire is like making a commitment to my intentions.
All who come to fire ceremonies may come for different reasons, with different intentions, and we all experience the fire in our own way. It can be meditative, inspiring, renewing, uplifting, thought-provoking, spiritual, social. I leave a fire feeling a mixture of all these. It’s hard to explain, but the fire has a powerful effect I can’t deny.
To learn more about Sacred Fire Ceremonies at Madhukara, visit this link: (https://www.madhukara.org/attend-a-fire-ceremony). Madhukara is hosting an Intro to Sacred Fires on Saturday, May 20th. Join Us! Sign up here: (https://www.madhukara.org/events/intro-to-sacred-fire-ceremonies).
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