Within witchcraft, often we speak of the elements in their separateness. That fire, earth, water, and air, are all separate from one another. Typically we see the teaching then tie them together with spirit, in the pentacle. In my experience, we are more likely to see the elements within one another, and have an experiential understanding of their mysteries, than to experience just a single elemental nature. Here I will discuss an embodied fire or passion, which expresses itself through our movement and use of rhythm for ritual.
Embodied Fire
The element of fire, in the view of astrology, is full of passion and energy, and those who carry the element of fire tend to be creative types, and potentially explosive with their actions.
With each element they can exhibit these helpful and harmful expressions, so this isn’t limited to fire alone. When I say “embody fire” I mean to bring it into the body, or call it into yourself. Our physical, etheric, and psychic body hold all elements within ourselves, and by specifically calling on the energy of fire we are able to carry it in a way that holds more balance. It is tempered by the presence of all other elements.
Using Fire to Build Energy
In a ritual space, movement can sometimes feel limited for a myriad of reasons. I encourage you to push through, and make use of the space you are in. I further encourage you to push through the self-consciousness that is often felt when we consider moving however we like for a ritual. When rhythm and movement are used in ritual, the goal can be raising energy to a cause, to enter a trance state, to banish something from oneself, for healing, for protection, for offerings to the spirits or deities.
So when you enter a ritual space, I would encourage you to rather than using your usual mode of energy raising, to try physical movement. I have used martial art moves for energy in a protection ritual, offered planks and burpees to Artemis, a sensual dance for love magick. When you are doing this sort of movement within a ritual context, the energy can be raised very quickly as the fire builds within you. Within the bounds of a magick circle, the energy can become quite hot and thick. Let this energetic fire build as much as you can considering your own ability, and when the movement is complete, send it out with a movement that lifts or pushes the energy out of you. After completing, you would finish your ritual according to your practice.
