Re-Storying the World: The Magic Of Fire
While
Spring Equinox is dedicated to the East and to the element Air –
and therefore Wind and sound – it takes place in the sign of Aries, the
cardinal FIRE sign that signifies primal fire! It is the original
spark of the divine that finds itself in human form – and searches
for its IDENTITY. Fire helps us to see!
All the elements – Air, Fire, Water, Earth – are channels for communicating with Spirit. Fire, though, symbolizes the life-giving and vital force of life within us. It is our kundalini energy within our bodies as well as our connection to Spirit.
Fire is dynamic, both creative and destructive, transformative and energetic. Fire can burn down forests or cook a meal, soften metal to be forged or light our way in the dark. Fire can hurt us or heal us, inspire us or fuel our anger.
Ancient peoples knew that fire was magical, and although we have alternative methods to warm ourselves and cook our food and light our way, we still are easily captivated by the magic of an open fire, where we can see visions in the flames.
There are many gods and goddesses of Fire, but for now, let’s work with four archetypal patterns of this Primal Fire Energy.
1. Pele – Original fire She who shapes the Sacred Land
2. Prometheus – gave fire to humans. Consciousness
3. Hestia – the communal hearth fire. Community
4. Brigit – Creative Fire. Creativity
These four archetypal patterns are found throughout the world, because they are part of Mother Earth’s cosmic laws of life. These archetypal patterns appear to us as gods or goddesses, symbolic representations of energies that we can relate to.
While archetypes are collective energies that shape life, each of us can connect with them on an inner level and ask them for help. As Caroline Casey says “Co-operators are standing by.”
So let’s take a quick look at our four archetypal patterns of Fire.
PELE: She Who Shapes The Land
Pele (pronounced peh-leh) is the goddess of fire, lightning, wind, dance and volcanoes. Otherwise known as ka wahine ai honua, the woman who devours the land, Pele’s home is believed to be Halemaumau crater at the summit of Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Her fires devour the land with her lava flows which then become new land. Out of her destructive energies comes new life.
According to many of her legends, any volcanic eruption in Hawaii is attributed to Pele’s longing to be with her true love. Pele was known for her many lovers and violent breakups with them. So she’s still looking for that true love.
Pele is the daughter of the Earth goddess Haimea and Kane Milohai (creator of the sky, earth and heavens), and was born in Honua-Mea in Tahiti. Pele was sent away by her father because of her difficult temper and for seducing her sister, Namakaokahai’s, husband. Pele’s older brother Kamohoalii (the king of sharks) provided Pele with a large canoe which she and her brothers took and paddled across the Pacific Ocean, eventually coming to Hawai’i.
After many battles with her siblings all along the island chain, Pele finally arrive on the island of Hawai’i and settled on Kilauea’s fiery mountain.
Pele is known to be a wanderer and is often sighted around the islands, either as a beautiful young woman or as an old crone. If she comes to you as a crone, it is a test of your generosity. So watch for her.
So why would you invoke Pele? Her fires and lava streams destroy what’s grown on the land, but then they provide us with new land. When you want your fires to create something concrete, turn to Pele for help. If you want land to create your vision upon, call on Pele. Just watch your step with her – she is known for her violent passions. This is the intense passion of love that can bring the greatest joy and the darkest emotional devastation. This is a primal and often violent energy of fire, coming up from the depths of the Earth. Handle with Care!
As with all archetypal energies, you’ll need to bargain with Pele for her help. Energy exchange is always a two-way street.
Prometheus: Gifter of the Fire of Self-Awareness
Prometheus (forethought) was the Titan god of Fire in Greek mythology. He was the god who realized there was no creature yet on earth who could house the Spirit and in turn work to create something more in life. He was a trickster and crafty, and knew that the seed form of consciousness was within all of life, so he took some clay, moistened it with river water and shaped it into the image of the gods. Then he took both good and evil from the animals and put them into his creation’s heart. His friend, the goddess Athena, breathed the divine breath into this creature and brought it to consciousness. Humanity was now aware of itself. And Prometheus became their guide and protector.
Once the other gods became aware of humanity, they demanded sacrifices from them. To protect humanity, Prometheus tricked Zeus into choosing a sacrifice of bones and fat instead of ones with meat, which then became humanity’s portion. Zeus in his anger at being tricked, took away fire from humanity.
But Prometheus took his fire and gave it back to humans. And he was punished for it by being chained to a rock on a volcanic mountain, where Zeus’ eagle ate his liver each day – and it would grow back each night. The Greeks believed the liver was the seat of emotions, so it indicates that Zeus was trying to cure him of his kindness and emotional attachment to humanity.
At some point in his punishment, Chiron the great teacher, who was wounded by a poisoned arrow but could not die because he was immortal, offered to take his place.
Prometheus is seen as the bringer of fire and civilization to mortals but also their preserver, giving them all the arts and sciences as well as the means of survival.
So in many ways, Prometheus symbolizes humanity’s self-awareness, our ability to strive and grow and become like the gods.
If you pick Prometheus to connect with, acknowledge his suffering as your own to become a more conscious human being.
Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth Fire
This is part of the Homeric hymn to Hestia:
Hestia, in the high dwellings of all, both deathless gods and men who walk on earth, you have gained an everlasting abode and highest honor: glorious is your portion and your right. For without you mortals hold no banquet, —where one does not duly pour sweet wine in offering to Hestia both first and last.
Hestia was one of the oldest matriarchal goddess, and was the Greek goddess of the Hearth. She had no temple nor image except for the fire itself. She was the communal fire in a home or community and she symbolized the home place – where we belong and are nurtured. Pythagoras said that the fire of Hestia was the center of the world, the navel of the world wherever it was found.
She was the fire that glowed at the center of a home or community, and she received the richest parts of sacrifices and was honored before all the other gods. She was the primal fire of creation.
All prayers and offerings began and ended with her since she is the guardian of the innermost center of ourselves.
If you choose to connect with Hestia, you are seeking the connection of community and a sense of your own place in the web of life. Honor her with reverence for the warmth, light and presence she brings to you.
Brigit: Celtic Goddess of the Creative Fires
Brigid was a goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann. She was a daughter of the chief of the gods, The Dagda, and was known as a goddess of healers, poets, smiths, childbirth and inspiration. Her name means "exalted one". Her connection to fire also connects her to the Sun.
She was another Goddess of Fire and the Hearth and was a patron of warfare or Briga. Her soldiers were called Brigands, who were later called outlaws by Christians, such as Robin Hood’s merry men.
Brigit, as the Celtic goddess of Fire, was a triple goddess who ruled with her sisters the arts of healing and smith craft as well as poetry. She was such a popular goddess that the Catholics had to turn her into a saint when people refused to stop worshiping her.
She is the goddess who is celebrated at the cross-quarter holiday of Imbolc on February 1st the old Celtic first day of Spring. There was an ancient ‘college’ or shrine at Kildare, where her 19 priestesses kept an eternal sacred flame burning. She always was more than a Catholic saint, constantly re-emerging as the Great Goddess of fertility in both people and animals.
Once again, we have a deity who uses fire for creation and to help humanity. As patron of smiths, she helped men turn raw metals into tools and weapons. As the patron of poetry, she inspired poets to write stories, and she supported the bards who were the memory keepers of the Celtic people. As patron of healing, her healing springs were venerated by the people who received miraculous healings from them.
If you decide to call on Brigit with help for your creative vision, make an offering to the fire and look for a vision. And in return, offer to be a brigand/outlaw who stands by the people in their need.
Fire is such a powerful element of life. With all the gifts it bestows, we need to honor all that it does for us and for life itself.
While Aries is the Primal Fire of Creation, if we look at the houses in our natal charts, we find that they each belong to the elementals.
So if Aries is in your 1st, 5th and 9th houses, you get a double dose of Fire. You have energy and vitality to spare. You want to create something, do something, journey somewhere where you’ll finally find your Self.
Aries Fire in an Earth house – the 2nd, 6th and 10th houses – creates pottery and useful tools and crafts. These are the houses where you can use your fire to create something that is tangible and which lasts.
Aries Fire in an Air House – the 3rd, 7th, & 11th houses – helps you spread your ideas and creative vision as well as your enthusiasm abroad. Communicate, teach, network, find your tribe.
Aries Fire in a Water House – the 4th, 8th, & 12th houses – will fire up your passions. Putting your intention toward the inner dimensions of life, you will ignite your imagination. Become someone who is ‘imagining’ the new story into being. Don’t be the actor, but rather the creator of the New Story.
May the power of Fire
Inspire you to
Create community
Discover your passions
And welcome you back home!
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