We humans are incredible creatures, and among our many gifts is a built-in desire to evolve, improve, and transform.
In these final hours of 2016, many of us will make vows of what we’ll do better in the next twelve months. What dreams will we spark to life? What limiting habits will we douse?
Last night, I was in our living room teaching my son River how to make a fire in the fireplace when I realized the basic principles of fire craft apply to any big change we want to make in our lives.
This would be plainly obvious to a shaman, because their gift is centered on viewing the natural world as a mirror for our human experience. But it was a reminder that I sorely needed, and I hope this bit of insight serves you too.
We often make the mistake of rushing to improve our reality, whether it’s manifesting something new or healing something that has been holding us back. We don’t like delayed gratification.
Yet, despite our flashy gizmos and gadgets, everything on this planet still obeys the laws of the natural world. And nature doesn’t work that way.
You can’t simply throw a match on a hefty log and expect it to light. The result will be underwhelming, and chilly.
In the same way, if you want to accomplish great things in your life, you need to use your inner flame wisely, holding it up to the right things at the right time.
Any boy scout knows that the best way to start a fire is by igniting something that is easy to burn, like dried leaves or newspaper. You lay those simple pieces of fuel across the bottom as your base, and build a pyramid of small dried branches and underbrush over top.
Once your pile of kindling is burning strong, you carefully add larger branches, and then logs. In this tiered fashion, one small flame can ultimately burn through anything.
Create easy steps for your fire to climb, getting larger and hotter as it goes.
Next month, many of us want to start the year off with bold personal upgrades. But don’t fall into the trap of reaching for too much too fast.
You only have so much fire at any given moment, and trying to light those big logs in a blustery world is going to be tough. Where is your kindling? Where are those easy wins, those initial steps that you can ignite to gain momentum and leverage your gifts?
We tend to think we’ll be truly happy when we get the big thing we’ve been hoping for, immaterial or material. But sometimes simply stepping onto the path provides all the satisfaction and encouragement we need. One foot in front of the other, gaining momentum…
Then, when that herculean log is tossed onto your fire, you don’t struggle, but instead revel in the crackle of your flame transforming it into light and warmth for yourself and others.
This is the law of fire manifest inside of you.
You hold the flame. Where is your kindling?
Stay curious,
By Nick Polizzi from The Sacred Science