The Sacred Element of Fire

Fire inspires us as it seems to spring directly from the divine. Early people regarded fire as power, as a destroyer, and a regenerator. The sung invigorates us each day and we feed on his fire for passion, action, and zeal. Fire is the giver of light and warms us all, man, woman, child, and animal. Fire feeds the passions of the human soul. The fire of the sun warms our hearts and illuminates our imaginations.

Fire Rituals

Fire, giver of light, source of illumination and warmth, is a basis for the following rituals.

Maui Magic

Maui was the trickster god of Hawaii for whom the pacific island was named. Hawaiian peoples were given the gift of flame by the fire giantess herself, Mahuika. However, since it had been handed to them as a gift, the people did not know how to start a fire on their own. Maui visited in the night and stamped out all the fires because he was curious to see what would happen. All the islanders were scared to go to the cave and ask Mahuika for more fire, so the trickster took on the task. Once there, however, Maui made more mischief and swindled the not-so-gentle giantess into giving up nine of her ten fingers, the source of her sparks and flames. Once Mahuika figured out the ruse, Maui was incensed and Mahuika chased him with a wall of fire.

In order to escape the inferno of Mahuika’s fire, Maui transformed into a hawk and flew away, using his power as a god to bring on rain to dampen the goddess’s fire. Sadly, the storm brought on flooding and the giantess was drowned. Her last act of generosity to the people of Hawaii was turning her stack of firewood into a forest. Mollified, Maui taught the islanders how to spark fire from the wood.

Personal Pilgrimage—How to Walk the Labyrinth

The labyrinth represented wholeness to the ancients, combining the circle and the spiral in one archetypal image. The labyrinth is unicursal, meaning there is only one path in and one path out. Put simply, it is a journey into the self, into your own center, and back into the world again. As a prayer and meditation tool, labyrinths are peerless; they awaken intuition.

Do your best to relax before you enter. Deep breaths will help a great deal. If you have a specific question in mind, think it or whisper it to yourself. You will meet others on the pilgrim’s path as you are walking; simply step aside and let them continue on their journey as you do the same. The three stages of the labyrinth walk are as follows:

Purification: Here is where you free your mind of all worldly concerns. It is a release, a letting go. Still your mind and open your heart. Shed worries and emotion as you step out on the path.

Illumination: When you have come to the center, you are in the place of illumination. Here, you should stay as long as you feel the need to pray and meditate. In this quiet center, the heart of the labyrinth, you will receive messages from the Divine or from your own higher power. Illumination can also come from deep inside yourself.

Union: This last phase is where you will experience union with the Divine. Lauren Artress says that as you “walk the labyrinth, you become more empowered to find and do the work you feel your soul requires.”

Walking Meditation

This is the simplest of rituals you can do every day of your life. As you walk, take the time to look and really see what is in your path. For example, my friend Eileen takes a bag with her and picks up every piece of garbage in her path. She does this as an act of love for the earth. During the ten years I have known her, she has probably turned a mountain of litter into recycled glass, paper, and plastic. Goddess bless! This is one type of walking meditation. This very simple daily ritual honors the earth and helps preserve life for all beings.