Alchemical Fire of Transformation
THE ALCHEMICAL FIRE OF TRANSFORMATION
Linda Stern of the Convocation of the Divine Feminine
Opening Prayer
Love Itself
by Em Claire
Please do not regret
All those moments that have brought you here.
If you are reading this-
Then your perseverance has been answered,
And a Grace is coming.
So for now…… hold on loosely to where you are.
And like knots on a rope
that mark your reaching,
hand over hand
You will continue to climb-
Sometimes through ecstasy,
Sometimes through white, hot, fire agony, but
Higher into evermore light.
This same formula over and over again.
Until that day you find yourself
Just a beacon.
Only Flame.
In a place
Where even love itself
Has come undone.
Good morning, fellow Fire Sparks! I am Linda Stern. This month at ICS we are connecting to the ever-burning element of Fire. Fire may not be one of those elements that you have connection to in the past, but know that Fire was instrumental in your birthing. Perhaps in the form of human passion involved in your earthly birth but definitely in fusion that birthed the Multiverse.
Perhaps, after our sharing, you will have a different way of feeling about the element of Fire. Fire has been thought of in many ways since the beginning of time and if there ever was an element that had multiple meanings, seemingly in opposition to other elements- it would be Fire.
Fire, the bringer of destruction burns everything, reduces everything, and consumes all. It is hell…. and yet… it guards the boundaries of Paradise Fire also cleanses and purifies. Sometimes Love is spoken of as an eternal flame. Fire is used for strong emotional feelings -such as love, hate, desire, and determination. How about courage under fire?
Fire provides light, provides warmth, used to cook, for protection, and in creation of tools to help us survive. Fire is an element in our universe’s creation. Fire is used in rituals all over the world. Fire can be found symbolically on spiritual paths as a symbol of the Divine. Fire is the action thought of as a symbol of transformation, transmutation, and transfiguration. Fire runs the gamete in our vast human experience from physical survival to the alchemical fire that burns in us all, for our enlightenment. That is a lot for one element to carry.... but Fire does.
I believe that the folks that end up here, in our congregation, at Interfaith, are in a process of using that Alchemical Transformational Inner Fire, not only for themselves but also for the world.
In ages past, fire has been a part of our species survival physically and flowed into our myths across the planet. Then, as we stepped from concerns of physical survival, we switched our attentions to emotional and spiritual survival. Our soul’s survival so fire took on a different role.
Fire brings the message that God is the Light of Lights, the transformer of our challenges into our triumphs. Fire is Divine. In every spiritual tradition there is a connection to the power of spiritual fire and here are a few examples.
In the Celtic pantheon, Goddesses that were Fire Goddesses had two sides. One of healing and another of working energies for a strengthening or transformation of a situation or person. Fire and healing could be something as simple as being close to each other by a fireplace or cooking herbal remedies. The Goddesses’ Fire energy symbolized the internal fire necessary for emotional, mental, and spiritual evolvement of our creative consciousness into a higher-level being. This year at Interfaith, we have acquainted ourselves with several archetypes- the Warrior, the Destroyer and the Mystic within who wield fire for our transformation into a finer quality.
In Christianity, fire represents among other things the Holy Spirit, purification, and Illumination. From Luke 3:16 "And John answered, saying, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, whose shoes I am not worthy to touch: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire."
And from Mathew 17 comes a reference to transfiguration or the body of light that is attained through deep and profound spiritual practice. “After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, his brother, and brought them up onto a high mountain- apart and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” Aglow with Divine Fire.
In Judaism the flame is a symbol of God’s relationship to the world and to humans. Fire is called “esh” and the word occurs 380 times in the written Torah. Its frequency alone is proof of the importance of the flame as a biblical symbol or metaphor.
The Fire of God is shown in the burning bush from which God spoke to Moses (Exo. 3:2-6), as a smoking oven and flaming torch in making the Covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:17), in a pillar of fire to guide his people, (Exo. 13:21), on Mt Sinai as smoke ascending like smoke from a furnace, (Exo.19:18), and in the flame on an altar. (Judg. 13:20). And this still leaves 375 more presentations!
In Hinduism, fire is one of five sacred elements of which all living creatures are made and considered an eternal witness essential to sacred religious ceremonies.
Brahman is Fire and Agni is the Fire God that presides over the great events that happen in a person’s life. Worship of the Hindu gods was many times through fire rituals. Any offerings that were given to the gods were placed in the fire and Agni would transport them to the other gods. Agni is mentioned more times in the Vedic hymn that any other deity. An acknowledgement of the importance and power of the transportive element of Fire.
In Buddhism light or fire is the symbol of truth that dispels the darkness of ignorance. Fire is included as an element of the Buddhist Mandala. Its outer ring is called The Ring of Fire. This Ring of Fire symbolizes the edge of the universe, beyond which lies chaos. To begin the mystical journey, one must leave this outer world of chaos, and pass through the flaming barrier, this outer circle- to enter the sacred enclosure of the mandala. Its purpose is not to terrify a person, but rather to show that the flame of the wisdom contained within the mandala can burn away ignorance for transformation.
J.C. Cooper, in his Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols discusses “baptism by fire.” He calls it a restoration of primordial purity by burning away the dross of common life by passing through Fire. This fire burns away impurities to reach Paradise. Much like the Buddhist Ring of Fire in their mandalas or is it ancient Alchemy.
In spiritual traditions, one of the meanings of fire is divinity, BUT fire is also about transforming ourselves into more refined or enlightened Beings. I believe it’s about remembering that we already are that finer material, that we already are the gold hidden in our core. Perhaps our gold is hidden from years of conditioning and worldly actions, but nevertheless, we are the gold. The symbolization of Fire in world spirituality is ultimately aimed at spiritual transformation.
Spiritual Alchemy is a transformation and it is deeply connected to Fire. In fact, Fire is Alchemy’s transforming element. Alchemy of course has a history with chemistry, but the mystical arm refers to the alchemy of the soul or spirit. Just like other spiritual traditions, Alchemy has many levels of meaning. Spiritual alchemy refers to inner transformation— specifically, certain actions to aid in freeing the spiritual essence that is buried within. The practice of inner alchemy involves the transformation of the individual from unconscious ‘raw material’ to the ‘finer material’ of self-realization and divine illumination. A core goal of many spiritual paths.
The commonly known end result of alchemy and spiritual alchemy is gold. Gold represents the awakened self and is attained thru a 7-stage process. The first step of the alchemical process is fire.
Spiritual alchemy is an ancient system in which the alchemist seeks to understand his or her own soul, by passing through a transformation. The deeper esoteric work of the alchemist was always about personal awakening and union with the divine mind or higher self. Again, much like other spiritual paths.
In alchemy there is the use of five elements - fire, water, air, earth and ether (spirit). And in the realm of alchemy, fire rules. This is because fire is the element of transmutation par excellence, the key to changing things from one state to another.
In alchemy, fire is the force that rarefies and refines, as well as causing total transformation. The alchemical idea of transmuting base metals into gold is just a metaphor for the deep inner Work. Fire is used to burn away aspects of our inner self that prevent us from being a part of our realized and higher self. The Fire of Life and Spirit, helps us to see clearly our limiting characteristics and to take steps to burn or wear them down. And then…. to reconstitute ourselves into a purer form—which allows for the possibility of accomplishing our maximum potentials in life.
In Alchemy, the first step is called Calcination, which is the term given for the heating and pulverizing of raw matter to break it down. In spiritual Alchemy, this stage refers to ‘cooking’ or ‘baking’ in the fire of life. Life naturally adds fire for the cooking of our being. I have said many times in my life……“It’s not soup yet” when a process I am going thru is not done. I can feel it- the simmer, the boil, the burn.
Our ego-personality and our essence can be in conflict with each other making our evolving process longer and more heated. In our early years, our egos do serve us, in protection and survival, but our ego becomes a problem as we seek to mature into spiritually awakened adults. The more we try to hold onto a limiting part of us, the more life will gradually hammer us—‘cooking’ us until we are……sufficiently humbled, asking “Is it hot enough?” “How about now….is it hot enough now?” A hallmark of this stage is a growing willingness to be wrong about our own core issues. The expression from A Course in Miracles, “Would you rather be right or happy?’” speaks, in a simplified fashion, to this.
The ego-self cares primarily about being right—you know what I mean…..right that we know best, or right that we are not good enough, or right that we are too good, or right that we are a powerless victim, or right that we cannot trust life or love.
But our soul’s essence can be refined in the fire of life’s transforming experiences through our deep inner work, which can transform us into our more enlightened self. Deep inner fireworks!
One more additional step here with alchemy and perhaps all spiritual traditions. Transformation of the self really only works when we also have an intention to help transform the outer world as well- to shine the light or fire of our being outward in order to realize our highest callings in life and help the world do the same.
Fire is exciting and frightening at the same time. Change is exciting and frightening at the same time. Our true potential is exciting and frightening at the same time. The internal Fire can transform us into a state of being that allows us to accomplish the impossible- or what we thought was impossible.
Our Internal Fire can burn away what is no longer needed so we can progress to another, more enlightened, state of being. The fire process is like melting away the impurities that hold back our personal gold. We are all a work in progress- a glorious grand amazing wondrous and light filled work in progress going from one state of being to another more evolved state of being. It is not that we are fixing anything, we are the beauty and love of the universe and the Multiverse. We are just transforming. We are perfect in our true God-Self, for at the depth of our core, we are Love, we are the Living Light!
If you find yourself in the fire right now, trust that it's supposed to be like that to help your soul evolve. Have faith that everything in your life including Fire, is where it needs to be to stimulate the growth of your consciousness. Have faith in the universe that created you. All in the Universe is in this process; all is awakening to its true potential. It may take being filled with fire at times to get to where you are going but it is a great opportunity, this gift of becoming.
So, what opportunities for change and deepening does your fire offer you now? When we attune our prayers and practice to the energy of spiritual fire, to the strength of spiritual fire, to the purity of spiritual fire, we can use this knowledge for deep inner work and spiritual transformation by living in the flame of life!
So just for a moment, again close your eyes. Feel where you are right now in your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual life. Just feel that. In the distance, see a flame, a fire in whatever presentation or size you imagine. It might be a candle flame, or it might be a column of fire, whatever you imagine - See it undulate and be fed by the air around it in a dance of life.
Now see the flame coming towards you, closer and closer and now closer. Not an adversary but a collaborator. Imagine what you would like to transform in your life with this beautiful and powerful internal fire. Reach out and invite the fire to become one with you. Embrace the strength of fire in your life right now for your transformation.
FIRE RITUAL and Meditation
Fire Ritual Meditation for ICS Linda Service August 2013
With your eyes still closed, imagine your connection with the element of Inner Fire- See the flame, hear it sizzle, taste the difference in the air around you, smell it’s burn, feel its heat. See how your life force feeds the flame in a dance of life. Feel the fire, the burning fire. Your Inner Fire is your collaborator, your helper to burn away the dross of your life, burning away the things that are holding you back from living your true potential. Or igniting the spark that propels you farther than you ever imagined. Our Inner Fire is our collaborator that can transform us into Gold.
This Inner Fire can help transform your life with its beautiful and powerful force. So again, imagine what you would like to transform in your life with this beautiful and powerful internal fire. Reach out and invite the fire to become one with you. If you want, have the fire jump to your hand and allow it to travel to your heart and ignite you in the next step in life. If this is a little too much of a move, then just admire the fire and salute its strength- your strength. Have it burn away what is no longer needed to transform ourselves, our lives, our world and our multiverse. Embrace the strength of fire in your life right now.
Now open your eyes and select a candle. Light this candle to symbolize the fire that burns in us all as a partner for our spiritual evolvement. Go to the alter and light the candle you have selected from the central flame. Have this action symbolize your commitment to living in the flame of life for transformation.
When we attune our prayers and practice to the energy of spiritual fire, to the strength of spiritual fire, to the purity of spiritual fire, our spiritual transformation can be illuminating for ourselves and the world.
CLOSING PRAYER
Masai Fire Prayer
Thank you Holy One, for your gift of fire.
It is through fire that you draw near to us every day.
It is with fire that you constantly bless us.
Holy Creator, enter into this fire today
with your power and bless it.
Make this fire a worthy thing that carries your blessing.
Let it become a reminder of your love.
A reminder of life without end.
Make the life of these people here baptized with fire.
Make the fire shine for the sake of your people
And a thing that shines for Your sake.
Holy One, welcome this sweet-smelling smoke that brings to you our hopes and prayers.
And also make life sweet smelling.
A thing sweet smelling and holy that rises to You.