The nature of fire.
I am writing this in the car as we drive home from Joshua tree. I have been in the car a lot this last cycle, driving from Oregon trees to Malibu beach and down into the high desert.
There have been many things to reflect on in these hours on the road, watching nature change as the car speeds from one place to the next.
Fire is one of them.
Northern California was covered in smoke, Mt Shasta barely discernable in the haze, from wild fire as we winded down the 5 freeway. Central Cali was barren, beaten down by the heat of the sun and the brutal drought. The mountains around Malibu were also rather dry and the wind blew hot for October even on the beach. The desert was beautiful, cooler than the valley but the sun still offered triple digits. On my first night in Joshua Tree, we shared in a fire ceremony. Yes, fire is all around us.
This full moon, the second in four total lunar eclipses, has been on my mind, and she is also claimed by fire. Aries, cardinal fire, the initiator, the war God, our passion, aggression and personal flame. The Aries full moon is always an invitation to trial by fire but the lunar eclipse upgrades the heat from candle to wild fire, much like the ones that have been burning through my state.
The thing about fire is that it is so necessary. Life doesn't exist without the sun, humans would not have evolved without their ability to create and sustain a flame. Even the wild fires stimulate a kind of transformation in the earth that awakens new seeds and growth.
Fire is destructive, dangerous and volatile. Fire is creative, inspiring and powerful.
Not going to lie, I am a little anxious about the current climate politically, energetically, emotionally, spiritually, physically. The planet is changing, the fires of transformation are already burning bright and book ended by Mercury retrograde, we enter an eclipse cycle fueled by fire and water, Aries and Scorpio, Mars and Pluto, war and death and yet, also passion and re birth.
I have read so many interesting things about these energies swirling and spiraling, but as I, too, am a bit lost in the flow, unsure of where I am going, what I am doing and who I am, all I can offer is this contemplation on fire.
There are two sides to the flame, the face that burns and the one that fuels. It can be hard to discern which side is what so my best advice is to seek an intent of your highest self for the highest good that is beyond willing to burn away all that does not serve us any more and to feed the passion of your soul that lights you up greater than anything else.
Hold this intention and trust the process. Give yourself to the fire as the trees on the mountain do. Let go of the old. Have faith in what is deep inside, ready to be seen. It may take a while for the smoke to clear, but it will. And when it does, the transformation will be complete and beyond what we could have imagined. Fire is the power of spirit, after all.
This is a great full moon for purifying practices like mantra, yoga, sweating, drumming, dancing and fire ceremony. The eclipse is visible from America in the wee hours of the morning so if you can tune in and do your practices then, it's even more powerful. But intent is most important so carry it close to your heart and check in often in the days to come.
Many blessings and prayers for all beings, may the fire awaken the changes needed and clear away all that is not so that we can live in peace, love and bliss.
