“Her fire is my spirit”

The flickering flame of the candle, the comforting sound of a bonfire, or the blazing rage of a destructive fire, always bringing with them the heat, and the change, that forms its nature. The state of matter is plasma, an ionized gas, a state of high energy. That is what fire mainly symbolizes: energy, lots and lots of it. Fire destroys, it causes change by consuming things, transforming them. There is a lot of potential; both for transformation and destruction.
Fire can be felt when you are truly passionate about something, feeling deeply about it. The experience of fire is one of challenge, of adventure, of danger, courage and victory, of growth, transformation and releasing. Fire is that which challenges you, confronts you and thereby leads you towards growth and change. Fire is the most challenging experience of the four elements.
The fire is her spirit. Let us go and seek that challenge.

Fire exercise

Choose a comfortable position. Take some deep breaths and relax. Close your eyes and go to your safe place. ...
Take some moments to enjoy the peace and safety you find here. ... As you look around, you see four doors, facing into four different directions.
You turn towards the red door. You open it: The handle is warm to the touch. Behind it, there is a desert of red sand. You step through the door. At first, the heat is oppressive, the sun beating down on everything in the desert mercilessly. But after a moment, you adapt to your surroundings, and the heat no longer weighs you down, but embraces you like a lover.
You turn and close the door behind you. At first glance, the desert looks featureless except for the rolling dunes visible in all directions. As you take your time so observe your surroundings, you realize that it is not empty. There are animals here, mostly hidden in the sand, but sometimes running along. In the distance, there is something raising from the dunes, clearly standing out, but of the same red colour as the sand, mixed with the orange-golden light that might be a reflection of the sun. You set out into that direction, through the heat, the glimmering air, under the sun. ...
You walk over the red sand, leaving a trail behind you, and the heat from the sand is even more intense than the heat of the desert air. You can feel the desert on the soles of your feet, but somehow, you do not burn. You walk on.
As you draw nearer to that single feature in a featureless desert, you realize that you are walking towards a wall, perhaps a huge circle of fire. You approach it, fascinated. There is nothing in that desert that could sustain a fire of that size, yet it burns. The red of the flames is mirrored in the sand, and the yellow of the flame in the light of the sun. A bright, intense blue is also visible around the flames, testifying to its heat.
You have almost reached the wall when you realize that there is someone standing in front of the ring of flames. It is a huge fierce salamander, built itself from fire and flame, and only slightly more solid than the wall.
It surveys you slowly. You feel pierced by the stare, as if a beam of even more heat is searing you. Then it speaks to you: “A sign, pointing towards the answer to your most important question, awaits you. Here is the challenge: cross the fire curtain, and it will be yours.” It watches you, but does not answer any further questions. So you go towards the curtain. The fire is burning steadily and you cannot see how thick the curtain is. The heat coming from the fire is somehow different than the heat from the desert, more active, more intense – and of course much hotter. You reach a hand towards it, and take it back quickly because the heat stings. But despite that moment, you are sure that you will be able to cross the curtain unharmed. So you take all your courage and step into it. The fire plays around you, licks at you, but does not burn you. Just the heat enters you, fills you completely, almost painful. Your next step takes you out of the curtain again, and you welcome the comparable coolness of the desert. In front of you, at the centre of a table, sits an object. Look at it. Identify it. Take it into your hands and examine it. ...
You hear the voice of the salamander again: “Here is the second challenge: do you know your most important question?” You look up, and you think there is approval in the eyes of the fire creature. It nods, and then it merges with the curtain of flame, and that curtain dissipates into the desert heat, flowing over you for a last moment.
You return to the door, and from there to your safe place. Return to your body. Welcome back.