Elemental Living - FIRE

A physicist, a mathematician, and a mystic were asked to name the greatest invention of all time.
The physicist chose the fire, which gave humanity the power over matter.
The mathematician chose the alphabet, which gave humanity power over symbols.
The mystic chose the thermos bottle.
 "Why a thermos bottle?" the others asked.
 "Because the thermos keeps hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold."
 "Yeah -- so what?"
 "Think about it." said the mystic, “That little bottle -- how does it *know*?"


Today I want to talk about an element of the earth plane and the spiritual realm. It is a powerful source of energy that enlightens, illuminates and inspires or can burn and destroy. It is something that needs to be fed, nurtured, and tended to or it will distinguish, if ever start at all. It is a primal force in our bodies, showing up as metabolism, and in out hearts as love, as well it is found in our minds as drive, intention, and desire. The Hindu/Vedic tradition has a diety called Agni, a symbol of communication and immortality, which comes from this element. In Greek mythology, the Titan Prometheus gave this element to humanity, which represents and forges our passion, zeal, creativity, motivation, spontaneity, intuition. It is FIRE.

Fire has four needed components to exist; as do we in our inward fire. It requires:
1) Fuel that will burn, which in Mind is the idea.
2) Heat to make the fuel burn, which in Mind and heart is the passion for the idea.
3)  Air or oxygen, which in Mind, heart, and gut is the imagination, intuition and love that feeds the idea we are passionate about.
4) Chain Reaction or a feedback of heat to the fuel to produce the gases used in the flame, which, in Life, is the intentional, conscious use of the Law to manifest the idea that is feed by our imagination, intuition, and love; which we are passionate about.

There are several stages of fire, both the element and the kind in our belly:
1) Ignition, where fuel, oxygen and heat join together in a sustained chemical reaction. In Mind, it's the idea which ignites passion and imagination.
2) Growth, where the initial flame ignites additional fuel; which, in Mind and heart, is that idea ignited passion and imagination.
3) Fully developed is when the fire has spread over much if not all the available fuel, temperatures reach their peak, resulting in heat damage, and oxygen is consumed rapidly. In Mind, heart, and gut, it is the imagination, intuition, love and time that is devoted to the idea that ignited the passion and imagination, et al.
4) Decay or Burnout is the stage where fire consumes all the available fuel, the temperature decreases, the fire gets less intense, the burning material cools, the oxygen available lessens, the fuel is removed, and/or the chemical reaction is broken. In Life, that is when we bring in a consciousness of lack, other's opinions of our idea that squashes it, and/or things or other ideas about life that get in our way steps us into the decay and/or puts out the fired idea we were passionate about.

Like fire, our ideas are or can be burning, fueling, igniting, or decaying. When it is decaying (and that can be early in the process or much later), this could happen:

I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming but
There's a voice inside my head saying
You'll never reach it,
Every step I'm taking, every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking     ~The Climb by Jessica Alexander and Jon Mabe 

To prevent that, here are three ways fire spreads, with both the element and the ideas we want to manifest:

 1) Conduction - heat energy passes through or within a material from direct contact with that material. In Life, that's when you start sharing the idea with others.
 2) Convection - fluid or gas flows from hot areas to cooler ones. In Mind, Heart, and Gut (the Divine Matrix), and in Life, that is when we are in harmony with idea, passion, imagination, inspiration and the allies it is shared with
 3) Radiation: Heat travels via electromagnetic waves in all directions, without objects or gases carrying it. Same happens in the Divine Matrix and life when the idea is shared both in the consciousness and physical realms.

More from the song:

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

Now the above lyric is not necessarily true or gonna happen, unless that is where your consciousness or general perception of your ideas lies; however it is always a journey. The ebbs and flows of enthusiasm are constant bedfellows, even in what are considered very successful ideas. Take these three examples:
Apple. Following the 1985 departure of Steve Jobs, till his re-hire 12 years later, the company operated at a loss, creeping close to bankruptcy. It is now worth $1 Trillion.

FedEx.  The company began in 1971, soon rising gas prices and logistics nightmares caused the  company to lose a million dollars a month, so that funds got as low as $5,000. Recent earnings were  $4.5 Billion.

Starbucks. Company first opened in 1971, Seattle, but it took 16 years to start expanding outside of town. It is now worth about $30 Billion.

The song again:

The struggles I'm facing, the chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down but
No, I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most

Yes, there may be mountains to climb, people or situations to get out of our way, a lack of education in this-that-or-the-other as far as marketing, logistics, etc. or a temporary lack of funds or of consciousness, but that is just part of the journey sometimes....emphasis on sometimes.

Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.    ~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

We can come back from those sometime setbacks in the fruition or passion of our idea. To do so we can:

1. Pay attention to the successes, no matter size

2. Reflect on Purpose:  remind yourself why

3. Say Goodbye to What Hasn't Worked

4. Take Time to Rest, Rejuvenate, Schedule Joy

5. Re-Imagine, Re-wonder, Get Curious Again

There is a light in the soul that is uncreated and uncreatable...  ~Meister Eckhart

IT is a thing that is unconditioned, universal, birthless, deathless, infinite; an energy that lies at center of our Being. It is our Self-hood.

My me is God: nor do I know my self-hood except in God.                       ~Saint Catherine of Genoa

What is our self-hood? In Indian mysticism, it is the divine core, the atman; translated as“the Self.” For the Gnostics, it is the portion of God that resides within each human being, the Divine Spark. Every time something is born, there is a divine spark - all individuals, all creatures, all of life. Self-Hood is That Divine Spark in You.

All the power and intelligence of the Universe is already within, waiting to be utilized. The Divine Spark must be fanned into a blaze of the living Fire of your own divinity.  ~Ernest Holmes, Creative Mind and Success

Let us take the time to re-fan the flames till our consciousness once again catches up to our idea, passion, and intention. Last bit of the song, the inspirational part:

But I Gotta keep trying,
Gotta keep my head held high, Just got to keep going
And I gotta be strong, just keep pushing on
Keep on moving, Keep climbing
Keep the faith baby, It's all about the climb

What are you climbing? Is it with having the perspective and assurance that the Universe has your back? Because, It does! At the end of play, Prometheus Unbound, by Percy Shelley, a character leaves Prometheus (the Titan who brought fire to humankind) with these words of wisdom:

To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite;           
To forgive wrongs darker than death or night;         To defy Power, which seems omnipotent;           
To love, and bear; to hope till Hope creates     
From its own wreck the thing it contemplates;
Neither to change, nor falter, nor repent;           
This, like thy glory, Titan, is to be                    
Good, great and joyous, beautiful and free; 
This is alone Life, Joy, Empire, and Victory.         

Here's to your victory, success, passion, joy, beauty and love – the fire in your belly made manifest!

You Are Ablaze With the Glory of the Divine.....Use IT.

Affirmation
I Am Ablaze With The Glory of The Divine
The passion I have for life burns with the power and presence of the Big Bang. In an explosion of Spirit, I spread my love, grace, peace, and kindness throughout the world.  I shine with pride and respect, illuminating any darkness with Light.  I face this day with joy in my heart, zeal and determination in my walk, and a fire in my belly to do great, live great and Be with greatness!              I Vibrate At The Speed of The Divine!