Fire... what is it to your belief?

[wil]

Burning Bush, I am the light of the world...

People light candles...

There is the eternal flames... Unitarians...Zoroasters...Ascended Masters (more?)

Burning Bowl Ceremonies...

In the burner world we build temples...folks go in write thoughts on the walls, leave memorials, leave items they'd like taken to the skies...for some it is a release of old and/or it is a transference to the ethers, and/or cleansing and/or letting go of negativity...and more.

just spent three weeks with others building a temple and allowing the attendees to complete it with their additions in thought, art, items... and we burned it...

 

[wil]

It was glorious... What is fire in your beliefs?

 

[GuruZero]

Fire is very mystical...the very first Yoga I was taught was Agni Yoga. My former teacher explained that Agni is Sanskrit for fire. The burning bush representing God is very symbolic and powerful as fire just appears seemingly out of nowhere (well, we know that it is a chemical reaction of flammable material) but there is a metamorphosis of chemical reaction resulting an actual fire. The ancients were flummoxed by this thus the fascination still.

Starting into flames is very meditative, I do use it in my practice.

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Wife and sister-in-law feeding the flames during a home Pooja ceremony in Laoutoka, Fiji.

Here, a portion of the food (no meat) that will be eaten after the ceremony by those in attendance, is first being offered to God via the fire.

 

[Senthil]

Fire is an essential part of all Hindu ceremony. Waving of flames in front of the deity is called aarti, and the hand-held oil lamps can be single flamed, 5 flamed, or multi-flamed (called alankara deepams) up to over 100 flames. The priest waves the flame in patterns that trace letters, or have significance to the deity. In mystical schools, it is believed the deity can see the flame from that side, and is attracted to it, so aarti in itself is a form of beckoning, or calling. It's always accompanied by elaborate mantrams, and other sounds like bells, blowing of conch, or musical instruments. So just aarti in itself can be simple or elaborate. Sometimes, instead of ghee, camphor is burned.

Fire is also one of the five elements spoken of in the Vedas (along with earth, water, air, and ether) Agni is the fire God. In South India there are 5 famous elemental Siva temples, and it's a standard pilgrimage to visit all 5. The one that represents fire is Arunalestwarar Sivan temple at the foot of Arunachal Mountain, which is also famous for the great Advaitic Saint, Ramana Maharshi. On the eve of Karthgai Deepam in Novemeber , a huge flame is lit atop the mountains, and it can be seen for miles. On this eve, thousands of devotees will circumambulate Arunachala, considering the mountain itself as a spatika lingam.

Homas (called Havans in the north) are sacrificial fires used for many purposes. One is beckoning, and just as the deity can enter the stone image in temples, so too can the deity use fire as a temporary dwelling place. Each individual homa will be dedicated to a particular God, and the priest will invoke the one he wants to. Invocation is the part of the ceremony called sankalpam (dedication rite) where he chants the place, the time of day, the deity invoked, the sponsoring family, the nakshatra day, etc. The offerings (grains, fruit, ghee, wood, etc) are feeding the energy of the deity.

Standing, (called kuthavillku in Tamil) hanging, or sitting oil lamps (called dipas) are used daily in Hindu temples and shrines. Traditionally, it was ghee, but coconut oil, gingili oil, or these days any oil can be used as a substitute. On Deepavali (Divali) millions of small clay dipas are lit to signify light over darkness.

Here's a video of alankara deepams being offered at Varanasi ...

 

[wil]

Thanx for your replies... I know many Catholic who light a candle for folks... I don't know exactly why, or the ritual.

In Unity we light the Christ candle...and then light anything else from that...

 

[Nick the Pilot]

Hi Wil,

In Theosophy, fire refers to one particular state of matter that is much higher than either physical matter or astral matter.

 

[Aussie Thoughts]

What is fire in your beliefs?

Fire has great significance among the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. Everything from spiritual cleansing to land management and control.

Wife and sister-in-law feeding the flames during a home Pooja ceremony in Laoutoka, Fiji.

Here, a portion of the food (no meat) that will be eaten after the ceremony by those in attendance, is first being offered to God via the fire.

Ah yes... I've ruined many a CCD sensor filming Rot Katha. Bright flames and heat play hell with sensitive video equipment.

 

[Thomas]

"I am the light of the world" (John 8:12).

Vigil candles are a common sight in Catholic churches. I read somewhere the practice started in the catacombs when the faithful lit candles before the tombs of their dead.
The 'Paschal Candle' appears in the liturgies of the West, and not just Roman Catholic.

In the Catholic Tradition the paschal candle will bear the Chi Rho Christogram, and incense embedded in five nails in the candle, representing the five wounds: the nails through the hands, feet (traditionally 1 nail), the spear in the side and the crown of thorns.

During Lent all the statuary is cloaked and there are no candles except during liturgical services. At the Easter Vigil, from Maundy Thursday to Easter Saturday the church is in complete darkness, and then the Paschal Candle is lit at the Midnight Mass, at which point the Catechumen coming into the church, each have a candle that is lit from this.

In the Orthodox Communions, there is no direct equivalent. During Easter the priest carries a cross and Paschal Trikerion, a three-branch candlestick.

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Ah yes... I've ruined many a CCD sensor filming Rot Katha. Bright flames and heat play hell with sensitive video equipment.

Right you are. It was a Rot Katha. That's why I finally sold my 340. Stuck pixel clusters in the CCD sensor from filming them. I haven't had any issues with the SR1 though. CMOS doesn't seem to be bothered as much by the bright flames.

 

[Aussie Thoughts]

Right you are. It was a Rot Katha. That's why I finally sold my 340. Stuck pixel clusters in the CCD sensor from filming them. I haven't had any issues with the SR1 though. CMOS doesn't seem to be bothered as much by the bright flames.

Thought so. Diwali's another bright Hindu festival. Lots of candles and fireworks. CMOS cams fare much better, but they're not as good in low light situations. Of course you have complete control over exposure with an SR1.

 

[Namaste Jesus]

Thought so. Diwali's another bright Hindu festival. Lots of candles and fireworks.

We got a bit sidetracked there with shop talk, but getting back on topic, Diwali is one of my favorite times. The meanings of Diwali, its symbols, rituals, and the reasons for celebration are innumerable, but simply put, Diwali symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, righteousness over treachery, enlightenment over ignorance and most importantly light over darkness. Hence Hindus the world over light their homes with candles and lamps glorifying the light of God and symbolically lighting the way for the coming year.

In Fiji, the Hindu population goes all out. Placing candles everywhere inside and out on Diwali night as well as elaborate firework displays. In our place here Diwali falls in the winter months, so we tone things down a bit with just a single candle in every room, several smaller ones inside the Mandir and a large one at the steps leading to the entrance, which is left to burn all night.

 

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

In Judaism, fire plays a rather prominent role. We light candles to usher in Shabbos/holidays/festivals as well as usher them out, plus we light special candles to "remember" loved ones on the lunar anniversaries of their deaths as well as on specific festivals/holidays. We also have a special ceremony before Passover where we burn an offering of prohibited food (chometz.)

There might be other fire-related rituals, but I can't think of any right now.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine