We’re covering something new this Friday, in part because of Wednesday’s post on The Firebird, The Horse of Power, and The Princess Vasilisa. Today’s topic: fire!

Okay, so fire itself isn’t new. And in fact, we’ve talked about things associated with fire before: sulfur in particular, which was very important to ancient alchemists. And most people will know that fire is usually considered one of four (or five) elements, along with air, earth, and water (and perhaps space/spirit/quintessence/what have you). What more to it could there possibly be?

Tons, it turns out. From herbalism to folklore to astrology, fire is used as a category, a symbol, a sort of shorthand for things that have qualities like bright, strong, creative, destructive, regenerative, or bold. Some examples include:

  • magical creatures like the phoenix (firebird!) and the dragon, which are often used as symbols of strength and rebirth
  • sulfur, of course, but also other red, yellow, or black stones such as amber, tourmaline, sunstone, bloodstone, carnelian, and hematite
  • bright and often smelly plants like heliotrope, frankincense, allspice, basil, and pineapple
  • the zodiac signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius; people born under these signs are sometimes described as “enthusiastic,” “passionate,” or “quick”
  • the planet Mars and, naturally, the Sun
  • the pagan holiday Beltane, celebrated on May 1st

And on, and on, and on. And if this all seems a bit esoteric, just think of all the ways we still use “fire” in speech today. To be “fiery,” or “fired up,” to add “fuel to the flames,” to “burn yourself out,” to “have a fire in your belly” or a “baptism of fire” — this is another list that could be nearly endless. 🙂

Ancient alchemists had symbols for everything, somewhat akin to our periodic table today. The symbol for “fire” was simply a pyramid — a basic building block. So next time you light a candle or a grill or a fireplace, take a moment to think about how essential fire is to our world! (Just be careful not to burn yourself while you’re thinking. 😉 )

Selected Sources

The three major books I used today were Cunningham’s Encyclopedias of Herbs and of Crystals, and The Astrology Dictionary from Donna Woodwell. Sorry, no easy links for this post! However, I am sure there are tons of reference pages for “fire” on the internet . . . just try not to fall down any rabbit holes.