“Umm, what’s a fire ceremony?”

This – and a very puzzled look – was the response I received when I told someone my day job involves leading fire ceremonies. These rituals are so much a part of my life now that I sometimes forget most people don’t know what I’m talking about.

So I figure it’s time to explain what they’re all about. Read on to find out the what, the why and the when of fire ceremony.

What is fire ceremony?

Fire ceremony has been part of world energy medicine traditions for eons. The idea is to ritualise the act of gathering around a bonfire or campfire.

Fire ceremony isn’t a bring-beers-and-make-s’mores occasion; it’s ceremony, and that brings with it a level of sacred intention. It’s a time to honour and let go of the past – an opportunity to come together to release blocks that are holding us back and to transmute old ideas, stories and beliefs.

Different traditions have different rituals that they use in the fire ceremony process. I draw on the traditions of the Q’ero people of the Chilean Andes, having learnt from the wonderful teachers of the Four Winds Light Body School.

Over time, the way I lead fire ceremony has shifted and morphed. As I have embodied the techniques I learnt, I’ve made these rituals my own. I see it as a natural part of the process – and something Source, fire and the energies I work with have shaped as much as I have.

Why fire ceremony?

Fire is powerful. By nature, it’s constantly transforming; it changes from moment to moment. It transmutes everything it comes into contact with – including our blocks, our dreams and our desires.

When we come to the fire intentionally, seeing what we want to shift in our lives, fire assists us.

Fire purifies, it cleanses, and it supercharges whatever we want to shift. If you have something from your past that you need to let go of, fire is one of the most effective tools for clearing it out. The same goes for manifesting: got something you want to create in your life? Bring it to the fire.

When do you do fire ceremony?

Fire ceremonies are most commonly held at the time of the new moon or the full moon. The new moon is a great time to set new intentions and welcome in new dreams, visions, people, ideas into our lives. The full moon is the ideal time to release and purify.

I also host fire ceremonies during the waxing and waning phases of the moon. They have their purposes, too: from watering what you seeded in the new moon to stepping out of overwhelm and getting clear on your priorities.

The exact purpose of each fire ceremony will depend on the astrological elements at play at the time.

All the same, we don’t have to understand what’s going on amongst the planets and stars to reap the benefits of fire ceremony. When we willingly let go by the fire, giving the flames what we are ready to release or what we desire, we relinquish control to something greater than us.

And that, my friend, is powerful.

Next up, I’ll be sharing fire ceremony how-tos. Read the post here.