Dancing the Fire
Fire. How powerful and indispensible it is, our reaction to it primitive. Wikipedia had much to say about its’ roots in human existence (evidence of cooked food found 1.9 million years ago but not used in a controlled fashion until approx. 400,000 years ago) but not so much its’ roots in our psychology. Freud believed that fire was a symbol of the libido (surprise!) and had much to say about dreams of poking fires. Fire offers warmth and safety (keeping pedators and Scottish midges at bay), is fuel for making our food more palatable and is also life giving. In the countryside, heather is routinely burned in a controlled manner. The new growth and life this encourages provides food for animal species.
On a personal note, I have recently moved things around in one of the rooms in my house (I call it the Indian room as it is a tribute to one of my favourite countries). I have created a reading area with a hammock chair, comfy reclining seat, beautiful Indonesian table, plump floor cushions and low book cases to enclose (full of interesting books). All of this looks toward the fireplace, place of cedar, alder and sparky pine destruction, place of warmth and mesmerising flames, dancing, seducing, drawing you into a world of fantasy. I am already looking forward to winter when I know I will love this cosy nook.
