Why Fire?

August 2009
People fear fire. They think they’re going to get burned. They think fire is destructive.
For a while, fire was destructive to me. I used my fiery presence to rage dance floors as a means of blowing off steam, never really stopping to slow down and meditate on the actual issues in my life. They were so simple to make disappear; find some awesome music, get the fire torches, dance wildly, and light em up and enchant the audience when the moment strikes. At the same time, my partner was a phoenix; she let herself crumble to ashes and then ignited the birth of some meridian of ideas in a passionate flame. While slash and burn farming is a great technique for growing new crops on fertile land, the constant necessity to ‘burn up’ every situation didn’t work wonders for peaceful meditation and creation. While we gave birth to lustrous performances, we faulted in our inabilities to just chill out and relax.
My fiery nature of the previous school year led to a fall off a trapeze during an energetic night. May 22, 2009 at 4am I fell from a single knee hang off the trapeze at the House of Yes onto a wooden stage and broke the t11-t12 bones and joint in my spine. I was up on my feet and eating fire in 6 days due to my positive determination (and 12 daily vitamins and minerals!) to get back to life; and ready for my summer on the road. Either way, I knew I had to slow down. While many people faulted me for spending too much time in the air, or not being careful, I knew my fall was based on an accidental misplacement of my knee on the bar and not on my safety; it was a symbol though- that the fire that sat inside of me was boiling too hot. While the opposition to the point is never truthfully the answer, I searched for something new to ‘quit it.’
The Fire Massage arose out of my desire to show the world that they shouldn’t fear passion. Passion is the bliss of life; without strong convictions and excitement, you can walk through life without experiencing JOY. Indifference and calm convictions, while they reflect balance, they also lack energy. Who wants to be with someone who isn’t psyched about what they’re doing? Who’d buy art from an artist who lacks passion? Music from a bland musician? Watch performance of an emotionally void entertainer?
Symbolizing passion by fire torches, I found the easiest way I could help people add passion and energy to their lives was through bringing an intense, pure symbol of it within margins of their bodies. Building an alter with power objects and welcoming colors made this experience attractive to the random onlooker on the streets. While not everyone needs passion in their lives (some have an abundance), the diversity of fire as a healing source came clear. It can be a focal point for meditation in a strong way; it can be a bright light to follow, a cleanse to the mind, and a relaxation source. It can help balance abundance and dilapidated energies through its strong vibration and presence in the world.
Fire can bring strength, but too much strength can lead to overpowering, controlling, and aggression. I believe my back break was a symbol for me to balance my fire nature with my earthy Taurean roots. It came to me a tool to relate to the world with in a restorative way. It made my direction as a mind-body worker clear. It gave me a means to channel my aggressive sexual energy (to be blogged about). It came to me to give to you.