A long time back, I floated on a Lake of Flames, a place where fire and water came together in perfect equilibrium in the dense heat of the tropical jungle. At night the waters reflect a Lake of Stars and when dawn breaks a glittering mantle of fire. Fire and water in breathtaking harmony.
Lately, I feel like my elements are out of balance. The last cold kick of winter has drawn a chilly dousing of rain and the damp is aching in my joints, it's got me longing for the heat. My inner fire needs to find a way back to the balanced synchronicity of the Lake of Flames but do I need to return to Malawi to do that?
Malawi lies deep in the warm heart of Africa and it's freshwater lake covers over one third of the country. The waters are so vast, violent gales occasionally lash it into a Lake of Storms. Livingstone "discovered" it for the National Geographical Society back when only the coastline of Africa was charted. Those early European explorers followed unknown rivers upstream, hacking their way through jungles in search of warm Savannah winds. Many stayed forever, beguiled by a lion's echo floating on a drum beat. It was their stories of adventure that had first drawn me to the Lake of Flames, perhaps my aching joints are just the African Sangoma witch doctor calling my bones back into balance.
Hwange
Surely there are other ways to counterweight my energies? Although I must confess, I'm still struggling to embrace my inner heat when I'm running with the yoga dogs. Balancing in up dog, down dog, lizard dog, fire hydrant dog, it all gets my temperature rising and when class ends I collapse from hot dog to dead dog onto my mat. Coincidentally, I just found out that the original yoga mats were made from tiger skins for their energetic powers. Before I stuff that 5000 year old yoga genie back in the bottle I have to ask, "What does that do to my dog Om when the Cat is the Mat?"
In Ayervedic medicine too much Pitta (fire) can make your joints ache. But how do I fight fire? With more fire? Or water? Or do I really need a Lake of Flames for a little of both? Could it be my chakras are out of whack? The yellow Manipura Chakra at the navel corresponds with the fire element. Blockages can lead to digestive issues and rheumatic diseases. But what do I know? I've been having issues with my Tapas for a while.
Instead perhaps I should channel the Gods for inspiration? Surt is the fiery volcanic giant from Iceland's Norse Mythogology, Vulcan is the Roman God of fire and metalworking and Hephaestus, the Greek God of fire and forge. Hephaestus (btw the only ugly God) created Cupid's arrows and Achille's armor in his man cave while he was married to Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, love and eternal youth. I guess I can see some sort of cosmic balance in that.
What about Tarot? The cards use the suit of wands (clubs) to represent the unpredictable energy of the Fire Element. It can help or destroy. It is inspiration, creativity and original thought and also impulsiveness and lack of direction.
Instead perhaps I should channel the Gods for inspiration? Surt is the fiery volcanic giant from Iceland's Norse Mythogology, Vulcan is the Roman God of fire and metalworking and Hephaestus, the Greek God of fire and forge. Hephaestus (btw the only ugly God) created Cupid's arrows and Achille's armor in his man cave while he was married to Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, love and eternal youth. I guess I can see some sort of cosmic balance in that.
What about Tarot? The cards use the suit of wands (clubs) to represent the unpredictable energy of the Fire Element. It can help or destroy. It is inspiration, creativity and original thought and also impulsiveness and lack of direction.
So maybe I should firmly root my feet onto the earth and simply look up to the stars for the answer? Astrologically speaking I'm a fire sign and to balance that element I need to be peaceful and calm and recognize a more passive approach to life. That's all well and good, but when I'm standing on the crust of a gigantic ball of lava hurtling through the infinity of space, my agoraphobic tendencies burn way out of control.
Feng Shui suggests I balance a lack of fire by placing wood in my south corner, it fuels the weak fire and gently reduces the water energy. Perhaps I should just move my wooden lady carving from Malawi over to the table and hand things over to her for a while. Maybe I won't have to hack my way back through the jungle like those early explorers to sail upon a lake reflecting the burning beauty of the sun. Perhaps I just have to be more aware about balancing the elements from my inner space to outer space.
