Sacred Fire: Meaning & Application

This discussion is for the study of the principles of the Sacred Fire ceremony. Paul Rafael has passed on these teaching at WAS in Vermont and WA. Here we can share knowledge about what it means, how to apply it and our Sacred Fire experiences. Does anyone have information or experiences with the Sacred Fire to share?

In this discussion I think it would be helpful to understand 'the wall of grief'. Anyone have experience to share regarding the 'wall of grief' and the Sacred Fire?

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Permalink Reply by Bird Lady on February 27, 2009 at 4:53am: I was part of the Sacred Fire Ceremony in Vermont! What a wonderful experience.

I still have some of those ashes from our sacred fire from Vermont, with which I mixed some of the sacred fire ashes of a Cherokee gathering in Ohio that same year. The Cherokee Sacred Fire was very special that year in that it was started in the pouring rain, and the magic bundle of seven woods burned in spite of water collecting in the fire pit! I had never seen a fire burn at the top with no coals at the bottom before - it was truely a sacred fire! The Cherokee can predict the future from the way the burning logs fall but on that night those logs stayed in the teepee formation until they burned out! Our Sacred Fire Starter Elder said he never saw that happen before! He has started Cheroee Sacred Fires all over the world too!

Some of both of the sacred fire ashes from Vermont and Ohio were added to our own fire at home and returned to to the can to use in another sacred fire ceremony some day.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sam Voight on March 23, 2009 at 7:13am: The Sacred Fire is a deep and wonderful living tool. There are many layers to its teachings. Please see my post in Sacred Circles - The East" for a story of the sharing of some of the teachings of introducing adults to the Sacred Fire, without giving it a name.
Sam; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jane Valencia on March 23, 2009 at 2:11pm: Thank you for starting this thread. My experience with the Sacred Fire was very intense. It seems that the ceremony burned me to the core of my being--where both my "illuminated" nature and the "dark matter" leaped forward. The illumination 'sang' to me and opened me to a series of new growth rings that pretty much guide me today. I ended up in a huge psychic wresting match with 'old stuff', but a song led me out ("While You Are Away", which Paul started singing) ....

Looking back, I see the whole weekend as speaking to me on a profound, archetypal level, just revealing the essence of my soul -- positive and negative. It fueled a relationship with Fire that continues to lead me further up and further in ....

Yes, for me it very much was an experience of walking into the Wall Of Grief, and finding a way out ....
And of witnessing the real magic of who all of us became with each other. Incredible, beautiful, terrible, and also joyful, exhilarating, and *fun* too! The stuff of life indeed!

Blessings,
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Permalink Reply by River on April 16, 2009 at 9:31pm: I am curious about this. Could you explain in more detail what you all mean by "sacred fire ritual?" it is new to me. What is it for, how does it go?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by deerwoman on April 17, 2009 at 4:47am: That is my question, also, River. It is a tradition of honoring the fire in all things and each other that is taught by Paul Rafael.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Tobin-coyote Song on October 22, 2009 at 3:05pm: ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Tobin-coyote Song on October 22, 2009 at 3:11pm: Two weeks ago at white Pine in Maine columbus day week end.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Tobin-coyote Song on October 22, 2009 at 3:14pm: ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Tobin-coyote Song on October 22, 2009 at 3:17pm: Jake Swamp with red cap on at tree planting ceremony at white pine; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by deerwoman on October 23, 2009 at 5:52pm: It takes a looong time for me to open up photo files...but I got a bit of a peek of the top photo & it looked like Paul Raphael is on the right. When I attended the Sacred Fire workshop with him at Vermont Wilderness School it was also in Oct. It was a very special experience. A couple of years ago, an acquaintance performed a spontaneous fire ceremony in which he included earth based Hebrew culture (?) and sang songs. It was great. I shared the song 'Lay me to sleep in sheltering flames...' Is that how it goes?

I hope to see your photos. Thank you for sharing them.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Tobin-coyote Song on October 23, 2009 at 6:55pm: Yes this was in Main at the white Pine 10th anniversary I got to hang out with Paul and Jake and Judy Swamp plus a lot of my wilderness friends .We are talking about fires in the spring .We have some different lineages to choose from. We need to pic one that fits for all of us.Hope to talk more.
Love
Coyote Song; ▶ Reply to This