The lost art of rituals - sitting by a fire
Yesterday, I had a real need to light a fire outside. I have a fireplace inside and usually tuck myself up warm and cosy and enjoy the warmth and glow of the fire from there. But, yesterday I was drawn to light a fire and sit outside under the stars and the moon, sitting among nature, immersing myself in the night sounds and the cold clean air by the warmth of the firelight.
Have we lost the art of ‘fire gathering’ and creating a fire to sit around and to simply ‘be’ outside together? …
“the best nights are usually unplanned, random and spontaneous”- love quotes
I had nothing to light the fire in, no fire pit or barrel or some fancy contraption bought at Bunnings. My mind briefly thought about driving to the shop and buying something for it, but then I quickly discounted that idea and decided to spend the time fossicking around and looking for rocks to make my own fire pit with instead.
It then grew into wandering down to my neighbours and inviting them to sit by the fire with me, and also inviting other friends along.
While slowing walking around the land finding bits and pieces to make my fire circle from I felt a calmness enter me and a real connection to the ritual that I was performing. None of this was intended when I started out - when the need to light the fire outside first came into my consciousness.
How much better does life get than sitting by a fire on a clear crisp night?
Before long the fire was burning and my neighbours and friends turned up with a platter of cheese and biscuits, food and drink and some bits of wood to add to the fire and we all sat around it watching the sun go down and the darkness envelope while gathering around the warmth of the fire letting it seep into our bones.
It was a wonderful way to connect and to be still and have heart felt communication flowing together in a relaxed atmosphere. It had been too long since this had happened.
For me, it was a ceremony to mark a change happening in my life. It was a turning point so, it now seems quite fitting that I was drawn to do this. For my friends, it was a reminder of how beautiful it is to sit around a fire together, and natural and easy it was.
How often are we drawn to do something but dismiss it because it seems like ‘too much hard work’ and opt for the easier road of pushing the air conditioner button and staying rugged up inside? We forget that life is not about making things easy and comfortable, but the journey to doing something that requires a little effort is actually what we need. - The journey, not the end result, The end result seems to be the big focus these days, ticking the boxes and clapping your hands to say, that’s done!
Afterwards, inside washing the dishes, I threw a tea towel at my friend to wipe up with. This reminded me of another ritual that we used to do that connected us and opened up communication together while we were ‘doing the dishes’.
But this is another story….for another time.
Being outside in nature at night, with friends, sometimes in silence, listening to the wind in the trees, the animals and birds that occasionally join us, the fire crackle while observing the stars and moon and the dancing fire was such a beautiful experience.
How long has it been since you have performed this ‘ritual’? …
