| What does it mean to face the fire within? To tend to and sit with what’s burning and alive inside you? Your core desires and inner stirrings. The messages waiting to be heard. The choices, actions and conversations emerging from that sacred space within that may be challenging or uncomfortable to be with. What does it mean to be willing to release all that’s ready to be released into the “fire” so that you can allow space for new birth and possibility?
Fire-as a symbol- is an element of transformation, and it’s something I’ve been reflecting on a lot the past few weeks. Often, when the conversation of “tending to our internal fire” of what’s ready to be transformed in us comes up, it occurs inside the frame of needing to push through or force ourselves to grow. It’s easy for us to think and believe a limiting story that if we aren’t pushing, forcing and grunting our way through the “flames” we aren’t actually doing it right…aren’t transforming.
I know that that’s been my story in the past. So much of me “tending to my core desires” and “making uncomfortable choices” has come from a place of pushing or being hyper-vigilant and excessive about what’s required for my growth. Lately though, I’ve had a very different felt experience of what it means to tend to my fire within. Rather than pushing, it’s been about recognizing what’s ablaze within me, turning toward it with gentle attention, softening, and then from that space taking action. Bringing the qualities of love, patience, and curiosity to the blaze.
I’m sharing this with you because more than anything, I want you to know that you don’t have to prove or hustle in the service of transformation. That transformation comes in cycles and isn’t something that happens overnight. That what’s available for you now might be turning generously and tenderly toward what’s alive in you–whether it’s the conversation you’ve been avoiding or the choice you’ve been waiting to make–and soften, rather than pushing ahead, forcing yourself into override mode, or suppressing the authentic feeling needing to be expressed.
At this time of year especially, it’s easy to go into overdrive. To get swept up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and a new year thinking or believing that if you just push through what’s next with gusto and really drive your vision home with everything you’ve got, all will be well. But what I want you to consider is that perhaps tending to your internal fire can be about slowing, about softening, about taking your foot off the gas and tending to your vision with ease and excitement rather than expectation. That there are cycles and rhythms to everything and pushing into overdrive all the time actually does not serve our greater visions.
More than anything, I want you to know that there are new possibilities here when it comes to releasing what’s old and creating what’s new. That tending to your heart’s desires and to the transformation that’s ready for you requires your fire, but it doesn’t require your force.
I invite you to consider: what’s your relationship to what is “burning and alive” within you? What might open up if you chose to soften rather than pushing through into what you’re wanting to express and create?
If you feel inspired, share with me what’s resonating and what’s coming through for you… I read each response personally!
with love,
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