the fire element
The main qualities of fire are heat, light and transformation.
In the body, the primary firey location is the solar plexus, a group of nerves located at the centre bottom of the ribcage. Close to the stomach, liver and pancreas, this connects fire to the early stages of digestion as it combusts food to be transformed into heat and energy in the body. Fire is also represented in the thighs, and the head and eyes.
A lively, dynamic energy, fire is associated with doing or creating something outwardly in the world - "I can". Fire governs our general vitality and sense of get-up-and-go. Enthusiasm, exuberance and charisma are the results of healthy fire. Clear, bright eyes, revealing our natural spark are a sign of healthy balanced fire in the body.
The 3 fire signs are Aries, Leo and Saggitarius but as with all the elements, fire is present in each of us to varying degrees.
If you have ever set a fire in a fireplace or stove you will know that it first needs to be cleaned out, free of ash and charred remains. Then it needs to be fed with a steady supply of the right fuel, not too much and not too little. So it is when we feed our fire physically with the right kinds and amount of food, we foster a clean-burning, vibrant fire within.
Fire Way of Being
Dynamic, enthusiastic, vibrant, these firey qualities are easy to imagine when we picture a bright, warm fire. An open fire in a room draws the eye and the body, we can't help but gaze into it and want to sit nearby. This charismatic quality is reflected in people with strong healthy fire, making them attractive to be around. Balanced fire brings warmth to the personality and a natural expression of joy.
As with all the elements, balance is key. Excessive fire can disturb the physical body resulting in problems with the stomach, liver, pancreas or the eyes and head. Behaviourally, excess fire shows up as aggression, explosive anger and blame (directed outward, everyone else's fault). We descibe such behaviour as firey or "hot-headed" and it can really burn! Fire also has a protective function, connecting it to our personal boundaries. Good healthy fire means we can exert ourselves to protect and sustain our boundaries, if we feel invaded or attacked from the outside. Low fire is reflected in general low vitality, a lack of sense of personal power, and difficulty standing up for ourselves. This lack of assertion can cause feelings of bitterness and resentment to be harboured, these emotions are very toxic to the body.
Fire also has a powerful transformative quality. It literally transforms food in the body and anything burned in the fire will be changed for good. This quality is reflected emotionally in the ability to transform negative or difficult situations and move on. Think of the alchemical power of turning lead into gold, or the healthy scourge of a forest fire destroying disease and making way for new growth.
Firey Foods
Firey foods include all grains such as wheat, and foods with a bitter flavour, such as coffee and chocolate. Eaten in moderation, they stimulate fire and help to feed that get up and go. We often feel drawn to coffee or chocolate as as stimulant or pick me up when fire energy is low. Excessive consumption of firey foods can create imbalance resulting in ulcers for example. Excess can also dampen fire altogether, causing energy to be low in general. A lot of people today are intolerant to wheat, due to eating too many wheat-based foods. This can cause vitality to be low, feeling unaccountably tired, bloated, and a general feeling of discomfort after eating. If you are affected by wheat in this way, try a different grain and see if you notice a change. There are many alternatives available, such as rye, spelt breads and flours.
Fire and the Other Elements
Balanced Fire depends upon harmony and balance with Earth, Water and Air in the body.
- Fire is fed and fueled by Earth. Fire cannot manifest without something to burn. We burn fossil fuels such as wood and coal of the earth, and our bodies need a solid, sustaining diet in order to keep fire healthy. Firey people also require the emotional stability and groundness provided by earth. Earth in turn is stimulated and heated by dynamic fire energy.
- Fire and water have a dynamic relationship. Water is very sensitive to heat, freezing or turning to steam when exposed to extremes of hot and cold. Fire is kept in check by water, too much water will put fire out, too little and the fire can burn out of control, causing us to lose sensitivity and empathy with others.
- Fire feeds on Air in the combustion process. Healthy, balanced air fans the flames of fire, encouraging it and drawing it upwards. The nebulous airy energy of the mind literally feeds the active doing firey energy, causing inspired thinking to be translated into action and creativity. Imbalance in Air will affect fire, too much air and fire is destabilised or may go out altogether, too little and fire is weakened and starved.
