Come to rest.
Set down the rest and come to rest...
Good, thank you.
Now...
Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, let your body soften.
Let your shoulders drop, your jaw unclench, and your hands rest gently where ever they are.
Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so, or simply let your gaze fall softly to the Earth before you.
Let us begin this journey inward - into the quiet temple of your being, where the welcome fires burn and the nurturing rains fall.
The Fire Within
Imagine now that you are sitting in a vast forest clearing. The air is cool, and the Sky above is painted with soft hues of twilight.
In the center of this clearing is a fire - a small but steady flame flickering against the encroaching darkness.
This fire is yours. It has always been yours. It was lit long ago, perhaps before you even knew yourself, and it has never gone out. A long line of Ancestors stretches out across the vast story of time - each kept this fire burning. Each gave of themselves to give this fire to you. That you may pass it on in time...
You are and always have been the caretaker of this fire...in this forest clearing.
Feel its warmth on your skin. See how it dances, alive and vibrant, its colors shifting between gold and amber, crimson and blue.
This fire is more than a flame; it is a Teacher. It is the spark of life itself within you.
As you sit before this fire, your fire, come to recognize and honor its many faces - Beacon, Hearth, Protector, Illuminator:
* The Beacon: This fire calls to those who are lost in the dark. It is a guiding light, unwavering and sure. In moments when you have felt adrift, this fire has been there - quietly showing the path back to yourself. Breathe deeply now and feel its steady glow within your chest, a reminder that no matter how far you wander, there is always a light to guide you home.
* The Hearth: This fire nourishes. Imagine now that a simple pot hangs above it, bubbling gently with sustenance. This fire transforms raw ingredients into nourishment, just as it transforms challenges into wisdom and effort into growth. Reflect for a moment on how this inner fire has sustained you through life’s trials - how it has cooked down your experiences into this rich broth of understanding.
* The Protector: Notice how this fire keeps the shadows at bay. Predators of doubt and fear linger at the edges of its glow but dare not step closer. This fire is your guardian. Its warmth reminds you that you are safe here, in this moment, exactly as you are.
* The Illuminator: Finally, see how this fire illuminates not just the world around it but also within it. The flickering flames cast shadows that dance on the Earth - a reminder that even in light there is shadow, and even in shadow there is light.
Beacon, Hearth, Protector, Illuminator...
Take a moment to sit with this fire within you...
Feel its warmth in your belly, its glow in your heart.
Know that it burns not out of anger or an urge to destruction but out of Love - a Love that is life itself; creation itself.
The Rainfall
Now, as you sit before this sacred flame, notice a shift in the air around you. A single drop of rain falls from the Sky above, landing softly on the Earth nearby.
Then another.
And another.
Soon, a gentle rain begins to fall - not harsh or cold but soft and nurturing, like a blessing from the Sky.
A Mother rain.
This rain does not extinguish your fire; instead, it feeds it in subtle ways. The drops sizzle as they meet the flames, creating steam that rises like incense into the fresh, evening air - a union of Earth’s elements in perfect harmony.
Let this rain be your metaphor for life’s challenges - the unexpected storms that arrive unbidden.
Notice now how your fire does not resist the rain but embraces it. The rain cools what is too hot; it tempers what might burn too brightly or too fiercely. It softens edges hardened by time and brings balance to what might otherwise consume itself.
In Eastern traditions, water symbolizes flow - adaptability, surrender, and renewal. As this gentle rain falls around you now, imagine it washing away what no longer serves you: old fears, lingering doubts, stagnant energy. Wearying worries, injurious jealousies, inescapable scars.
Feel the cool droplets on your skin as they cleanse and purify you.
With each breath in, welcome this renewal...
With each breath out, release what has weighed heavily on your spirit...
With each breath in, renewal welcomed...
With each breath out, a release of weight...
The Dance of Fire and Rain
Now bring your awareness to the interplay between these two forces: Fire and Rain
- Yáng and Yīn
- effort and surrender
- light and shadow
- heat and coolness
- action and stillness.
Notice - how they do not fight one another but instead exist in perfect balance:
* The fire reminds us to act with purpose - to burn brightly with passion for life.
* The rain reminds us to let go - to flow with grace through life’s changes.
* Together they Teach us harmony: how to stand firm without rigidity; how to move forward without force; how to shine without consuming ourselves or others.
Take a few moments now to reflect on where these forces show up in your own life.
Where might you need more warmth?
Where might you need more flow?
Where might you offer more illumination?
Where might you offer more release?
Where might you remember more interplay?
Where might you remember more wisdom?
Trust that just as nature finds balance between these elements, so too can you find balance within yourself.
Returning Home
As this meditation draws to a close, see yourself standing now before this inner fire, your inner fire once more - a little stronger than before, a little brighter perhaps. The rains have softened the Earth beneath you, making it fertile ground for new growth.
Have the rains softened the you?
Have the rains helped prepare the ground of your being for new growth?
Take one last deep breath here in this sacred space.
As you exhale slowly, know that this fire, your fire will continue to burn within you always - a source of illumination, warmth, protection, & transformation. Know also that when storms come again (as they surely will), they will only serve to strengthen your fire's glow.
When you're ready, gently open your eyes or lift your gaze back into this present moment.
Consider commiting to carrying with you into each of your tomorrows the wisdom of both fire and rain - the courage to burn brightly and the grace to flow freely.
Namaste 🙏
