Sitting by Fire
In the old days, once the sun went down, the only
source of light people had, other than the changing
moon and firmament of stars, was fire. For millions of
years, we human beings sat around fires, gazing into
the flames and embers with cold and darkness at our
backs. Maybe this is where formal meditation first got
its start.
Fire was a comfort to us, our source of heat, light,
and protection - dangerous but, with great care,
controllable. Sitting by it gave us relaxation at the end
of the day. In its warm, flickering light, we could tell
stories and talk about the day past, or just sit silently,
seeing the reflection of our minds in the ever-
changing flames and the glowing landscapes of a
magical world. Fire made the darkness bearable, and
helped us feel secure and safe. It was calming,
reliable, restoring, meditative, and absolutely
necessary for survival.
This necessity has flown from our everyday lives, and
with it almost all occasion to be still. In today's fast-
paced world, fires are impractical or an occasional
luxury to set a certain mood. We have only to flip a
switch when the outer light begins to dim. We can