Flame and fire have a primal, cosmic, and psychoactive appeal to our most ancient senses, and are a powerful tool for relaxation, connecting with spirit, and initiating life change.
In this short series on restoring wildness to the human psyche, we'll cover the first of several nonlogical tools: candleflame and fire.
The Mesmerizing Power of Flame and Fire: Unveiling the Deep Connection Between Fire and the Human Mind
As you gaze into a flame, feel its deep, almost hypnotic connection. This allure of fire is a profound bond rooted in the human psyche, a reflection of the centuries down through which fire has captivated, comforted, and inspired all those whose lives reach into our own immediate present. Fire's flickering flames ignite the imagination, stirring ancient memories and primal emotions. This relationship goes beyond the physical need for warmth and light, and touches something deeper in your soul, a connection to the elemental forces of nature.
The elemental allure of fire is as much about its mystery as it is about its power. As you watch a flame dance, you're participating in a sight as old as humanity itself. Each flicker and spark resonates with a part of your mind that is timeless, connecting you to your ancestors who gathered around fires for warmth, safety, and community. It's a shared experience, a collective memory, that continues to shape your relationship with fire and its transformative power.
Flickering Frequencies: Exploring How Fire's Visual Dynamics Induce a Reflective State
Consider the last time you sat around a campfire or watched the gentle movement of a candle's flame. You may recall most the shift in your mental state, a move towards reflection and introspection. This change is not just a coincidence; the visual dynamics of fire have a unique ability to induce a meditative state. The rhythmic flickering of flames operates at frequencies that are naturally soothing to the human mind, encouraging a shift from the everyday hustle to a more contemplative space.
The reflective state brought on by fire's flickering is akin to a trance, where your thoughts seem to flow more freely, unbound by the constraints of structured thinking. In these moments, you find yourself more open to introspection, creativity, and even spiritual connection. The fire's undulating light and shadow play a subtle dance, captivating your attention and drawing you into a deeper state of consciousness. It's a form of natural therapy, where the simple act of watching a flame can help unwind your thoughts, providing a sanctuary for your mind amidst the chaos of daily life.
Include in that the times when you are able to turn off the lights around you, and work or relax with only flickering flame. Note how the rest of the world recedes, visually, but also within perception; you are in a sacred space within your own thoughts, the flickering flames balancing out the shadows around you.
The Healing Resonance of Fire: A Gateway to Intuition and Psychic Space
The flickering of fire emits frequencies that resonate with your brainwaves, particularly encouraging the alpha state, which is associated with relaxation, creativity, and meditative calm. This alignment between fire's flickering and your brain's natural rhythms opens a gateway to your intuition and psychic space. As noted, relaxing in a time and place where you limit desk lamps or lights, and merely allow one or more candles to illuminate your surroundings, also completely changes the way you interact with the space around you.
In shamanic practice, it is theorized that the natural gathering around the fire, with its ability to trigger a trance-like and psychoactive state, provided early peoples with a natural connection with trance, spirit, and the spirit world as they gathered around the fire. I.e. that this was a natural state for humanity, and one that easily allowed greater movement into the world of spirit.
Spiritually, fire has also long been seen as a symbol of transformation and enlightenment. Its dynamic nature – the ability to transform anything it touches – mirrors one's own potential for change and growth. When you engage with fire, you're not just observing a physical phenomenon; you're connecting with a symbol of spiritual power. This connection can unlock deeper layers of your consciousness, allowing insights and intuitions to rise to the surface.
Candles: Fire Healing the Human Psyche
When you light a candle, notice how its gentle glow instantly changes the ambience of your space. The candlelight, soft and steady, creates a sanctuary of peace and contemplation. In this space, illuminated by the warm, flickering light, your thoughts can slow down, and your inner wisdom comes to the fore. The candle's flame, contained and calm, invites you to introspect and find clarity.
In your modern, fast-paced life, a lit candle (prefereably more than one) can be a simple yet powerful tool to allow you to pause and reconnect with spirit, guides, and helpers. Whether in moments of meditation, during a relaxing bath, or while reading (or writing) a book, the presence of a candle can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, guiding you to a place of inner peace and insight.
If you've felt too drained, strained, drawn-out or thready, calm practice with working with or around candles and fire (safely - see ideas below) can help you restore and reclaim your steady rhythm, especially in the dark winter months.
The Primal Wisdom of Campfires
Consider as well the larger and often more community-focused ideal of a campfire, the crackling sounds and the warmth of the flames drawing you into a circle of ancient tradition. Campfires are are a connection to your primal wisdom. As the fire burns, it invites stories, conversations, and a sense of community that is deeply ingrained in the human experience. There is a reason why sitting around a fire feels so instinctively fulfilling. It's a practice deeply embedded in your ancestral memory.
Campfires are a ritual of connection – to each other and to the earth. They remind you of a time when fire was the heart of human communities, a source of light, warmth, and safety. When you gather around a fire today, you are participating in this timeless ritual, reconnecting with a part of yourself that modern life often neglects. It's a moment to honor your ancestors and the wisdom they passed down through generations, kept alive in the dancing flames.
If you've felt too drained, strained, drawn-out or thready, calm practice with working with or around candles and fire (safely - see ideas below) can help you restore and reclaim your steady rhythm, especially in the dark winter months.
Embracing Fire's Energies in Daily Life
Incorporating the energy of fire into your daily life is more than merely nurturing and transformative -- I would maintain, and inspire you to try out, the idea that daily candlelight and fire are essential as part of reclaiming our humanity, the wealth and width of our human experience. Naturally, consider safety first. If you have children or pets, try large jar candles or any kind of candle where the flame is well contained inside a sturdy container. If it's dry or droughty outside, try alternatives to a firepit, or keep it well away from grass or trees.
Start by creating moments for fire in your routine – light a candle during your morning meditation, or enjoy the glow of a fireplace in the evening. These practices bring the elemental power of fire into your daily rhythm. A further addition to your "fire time" can be one of the many long videos that feature a firepit or fireplace, rich with the crackling sounds fire makes (and no music... just the sounds of the fire, possibly with other nature sounds). I've found that putting these on with headphones are incredibly relaxing.
If you feel so inclined, it's easy to begin to make your own jar candles out of natural beeswax -- and a lot more economical if you burn candles often! All you need are containers of choice (small glass mason jars are fun), wicks (try Amazon), an old saucepan you can devote to melting wax as a double-boiler (use mason jars to hold the wax, and put in saucepan over low hot flame until melted), and a source of pure, golden beeswax (try Etsy). (Also use rubber gloves to protect your hands from splashes.) There is a deep satisfaction in engaging in this ancient ritual, setting the wicks, pouring the sweetly golden melted wax, watching the miracle as it cools into freshly hand-made candles as the scent of beeswax fills the air. And you haven't even lit them yet! :)
Closing: Action Steps to Embrace the Flame
Create a Candle Workspace: Choose a time each day to light a candle or candles, using them as background to work, reflect, or simply enjoy the tranquility they bring.
Experience a Campfire: Plan an evening around a campfire, whether it's in your backyard or on a camping trip, and immerse yourself in the communal and introspective atmosphere.
Reflect with Fire: Whether it's a candle, campfire, or fire in a video, use the opportunity to reflect. Let the flames guide your thoughts and open your mind to deeper insights and relaxation.
Restoring your WILDNESS is a key step to reclaiming a rich and satisfying experience of life and your humanity.
How will you introduce candles and fire into your daily life as you #reclaimyourwildness?
