Comments on: Question of the Month: Fire http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/ LitPark Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:30:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: SusanHenderson http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5399 SusanHenderson Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:44:04 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5399 Wonderful story, Daryl, a back row devotee stepping forward. Wonderful story, Daryl, a back row devotee stepping forward.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5398 Anonymous Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:13:58 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5398 First thing that comes to mind, about fire, are Jeff Probst's words on Survivor; "Fire is your life." My strongest experiences with fire occurred during the 10 years I was involved with the Siddha Yoga lifestyle. Fire was used as a tool of ritual every single day. During the times I lived in the ashram, you would get out of bed, light a candle and wave it before your photos of the gurus. You would also do this before you went to bed, and before you would sit for meditation or had special prayers. When people would start a work shift in the ashram candles would be waved before the gurus and bhajans would be sang. There were some ceremonies where women dressed in saris would wave large candelabras blazing with fire before moortis of Hindu saints. All the time we were taught to recognize that these flames were representations of the flames of love in our hearts, not only of love for the guru, but for all mankind. One time at the beginning of a 4:30 a.m. kitchen prep shift I was offered the opportunity to "wave the flames" before the photos of the gurus. First and last time this ever happened, as I was sort of a back row devotee. A feeling of power seemed to descend upon me and as I looked into the flames as I was waving them before the gurus, it felt like I merged with the flame. Like my being became the flame, like the essence of fire and god consumed me and I felt purified in my identity with the flame, and all that was around me. This experience drew my consciousness deep into my awareness of the events that unfolded that day, as I became a living, breathing, walking flame. One of the most fantastic rituals performed in Siddha Yoga ashrams is called a "yagni", or fire ritual. For seven days, Brahman monks chant before a fire pit, feeding it with ghee, fruit, and offerings of the sins of the world. Unfortunately, I was never able to attend a yagni. First thing that comes to mind, about fire, are Jeff Probst’s words on Survivor; “Fire is your life.” My strongest experiences with fire occurred during the 10 years I was involved with the Siddha Yoga lifestyle. Fire was used as a tool of ritual every single day. During the times I lived in the ashram, you would get out of bed, light a candle and wave it before your photos of the gurus. You would also do this before you went to bed, and before you would sit for meditation or had special prayers. When people would start a work shift in the ashram candles would be waved before the gurus and bhajans would be sang. There were some ceremonies where women dressed in saris would wave large candelabras blazing with fire before moortis of Hindu saints. All the time we were taught to recognize that these flames were representations of the flames of love in our hearts, not only of love for the guru, but for all mankind.

One time at the beginning of a 4:30 a.m. kitchen prep shift I was offered the opportunity to “wave the flames” before the photos of the gurus. First and last time this ever happened, as I was sort of a back row devotee. A feeling of power seemed to descend upon me and as I looked into the flames as I was waving them before the gurus, it felt like I merged with the flame. Like my being became the flame, like the essence of fire and god consumed me and I felt purified in my identity with the flame, and all that was around me. This experience drew my consciousness deep into my awareness of the events that unfolded that day, as I became a living, breathing, walking flame.

One of the most fantastic rituals performed in Siddha Yoga ashrams is called a “yagni”, or fire ritual. For seven days, Brahman monks chant before a fire pit, feeding it with ghee, fruit, and offerings of the sins of the world. Unfortunately, I was never able to attend a yagni.

]]> By: SusanHenderson http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5397 SusanHenderson Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:34:46 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5397 This is unrelated, but someone on FaceBook had reminded me of one of my favorite books when I was a kid - Robert Louis Stevenson's Child's Garden of Verses with illustrations by Brian Wildsmith. It's so marvelous, I wanted to link to some of the pages: http://www.vintagechildrensbooksmykidloves.com/2009/08/childs-garden-of-verses.html This is unrelated, but someone on FaceBook had reminded me of one of my favorite books when I was a kid – Robert Louis Stevenson’s Child’s Garden of Verses with illustrations by Brian Wildsmith. It’s so marvelous, I wanted to link to some of the pages: http://www.vintagechildrensbooksmykidloves.com/2009/08/childs-garden-of-verses.html

]]> By: SusanHenderson http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5396 SusanHenderson Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:24:02 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5396 Let me link Joan Didion - it's a good one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374531382/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0374521727&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1T7Q4P9YGGVXJ89MHFXQ Let me link Joan Didion – it’s a good one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374531382/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0374521727&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1T7Q4P9YGGVXJ89MHFXQ

]]> By: Carolyn_Burns_Bass http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5395 Carolyn_Burns_Bass Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:23:35 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5395 I remember that horrible San Diego county fire (I live about an hour up the 15). The hills are still scarred by the flames in many areas. The Santa Ana winds provoke all kinds of ill behavior and brings out the devil in some people. The local Indians called them the devil's breath for good reason. Joan Didion captured the essence of the Santa Anas in SLOUCHING TOWARD BETHLEHEM. I remember that horrible San Diego county fire (I live about an hour up the 15). The hills are still scarred by the flames in many areas. The Santa Ana winds provoke all kinds of ill behavior and brings out the devil in some people. The local Indians called them the devil’s breath for good reason. Joan Didion captured the essence of the Santa Anas in SLOUCHING TOWARD BETHLEHEM.

]]> By: Carolyn_Burns_Bass http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5394 Carolyn_Burns_Bass Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:56:52 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5394 Oh, yeah. I also meant to say that I love how you worked up to the fire. The clouds billowing across your pretend sky was sublime. Oh, yeah. I also meant to say that I love how you worked up to the fire. The clouds billowing across your pretend sky was sublime.

]]> By: SusanHenderson http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5393 SusanHenderson Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:54:43 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5393 The trick is trying to find the baking soda when there's a fire... You should make bacon for breakfast this morning. The trick is trying to find the baking soda when there’s a fire…

You should make bacon for breakfast this morning.

]]> By: SusanHenderson http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5392 SusanHenderson Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:53:18 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5392 That says so much that they still have that old thing! Thanks for the TS Eliot quote. That says so much that they still have that old thing!

Thanks for the TS Eliot quote.

]]> By: SusanHenderson http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5391 SusanHenderson Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:50:56 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5391 I hope this is in your book, Carolyn - wildfires as cheap entertainment! All the stories here are going to give me phobias around Christmas time... I hope this is in your book, Carolyn – wildfires as cheap entertainment!

All the stories here are going to give me phobias around Christmas time…

]]> By: SusanHenderson http://www.litpark.com/2009/10/05/question-of-the-month-fire/#comment-5390 SusanHenderson Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:48:14 +0000 http://litpark.com/?p=1287#comment-5390 Write this up and send it somewhere because the Hawaiian Tropic ending is brilliant - and funny, if it weren't so heartbreaking. xo Write this up and send it somewhere because the Hawaiian Tropic ending is brilliant – and funny, if it weren’t so heartbreaking. xo

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