Fire lives. It eats, breathes, and reproduces. It is elemental. The same fire that burns in the Sun and in Mother Earth’s molten core is the very same that illuminates our candles, warms our hearths, and powers our forges. It is also the same explosive force that drives the internal combustion engine and is unleashed by the cataclysmic power of a nuclear bomb. Treated with respect, fire warms us, feeds us, and lights our way; but if mistreated, weaponized, or used without thought or care, fire becomes a force of pure destruction. This is also true of the internal fire of passion. If nurtured and treated with respect, our passions bring awesome blessings into the world, but if passion should become an obsession, destruction follows. The Fire Fathers teach us the secret of fire-keeping: We are fire, and fire cannot burn itself. Balance is the key. We hold in one hand the knowledge that we are fire-born and thus cannot be harmed by fire, while in the other hand we hold the wisdom that fire is a wild, elemental force to be treated with respect and care. Nurture the fire within and without.
Spirit of the Alleghenies 