Reaching for the Flames
Solitary Witch Writer: Agate
Undulating rhythms flickering in the dark;
Flames burning images into the air;
Igniting my spirit,
warming my soul.
I want to learn how to fire dance! At the harvest festival this year in Fair Oaks, CA, Obsidian Butterfly danced with fire after the sun went down. Ive seen it before, probably the same group at a past festival, but this year we were closer. Watching these two women was like watching fire goddesses in the flesh. It was amazing and the first time in a while that I felt inspired.
I dont know if Ill actually learn how to fire dance, though it would be an adventure to try. There is an element of danger to it, fire is so unpredictable, but maybe thats what I need in my life: a little unpredictability.
I havent been writing as many articles lately because Ive had nothing to say. Ive learned nothing new and had little to get excited about. The fire dancers have been the first thing in awhile that felt alive and full of spirit. I looked forward to them from the moment I heard they would be there.
The festival itself was small and not much different from any other festival we attend: lots of vendors, some music and costumed attendees. We went through booths quickly, bought a few things, listened to music, and chatted briefly with a few people we knew. Oh, the we is Kindra, her four-year-old daughter Visha, and I. Visha was dressed as a witch complete with pointy black hat and spider web stockings; she was a hit with everyone. In preparation for the day, I finally got around to crocheting a goddess. I was going to make a shirt but didnt have the time, so I free-form crocheted a Cretan style goddess along with some brown leaves and twigs and sewed them to a shirt, I fit the harvest theme nicely.
We left the festival early to go to coffee and dinner, getting back in plenty of time for the fire dancers. The evening was cool and we sat on the grass enjoying the break in summer heat.
The performance was a ritual in and of itself. After dark, the dancers lined the path to their stage with tea lights. One dancer brought out a small lamp or pot with a large flame that she carried in the palm of her hand, and then the second dancer joined her.
Almost from the beginning, I got the sense of divinity as the first dancer lit her fans and began dancing. She also had rods tied to her waist that she eventually lit as well. Belly dancing as the fans floated around her, lit by her own flames, she was woman transformed.
Probably one of the most amazing sights is when they dance with burning balls that they swing about themselves. First, the music was slow and so was their dance, but as the rhythm picked up pace they swung the balls so fast that the eye perceived the flames as a solid circle of light framing the dancers.
Their last dance used tools Ive never seen before. This time they had rods attached to each finger and they almost looked like long fingernails. In fact, Visha thought they had set their fingernails on fire. These rods could splay out like fans or close tight to a single flame.
At the end of their performance, the audience called for an encore and didnt move from their seats. Just as we were about to leave, the dancers were in the audience asking for a light. Swinging balls in hand, they danced one more time for us much to our delight.
I think watching the fire dancers reminded me of when I first came to Wicca and it was all very exciting; something new to learn everyday, a new discovery made or even just a sense of specialness about what I was learning.
Lately theres been no specialness and Ive been trying to find a way out of stagnation, to light a fire beneath myself and get back that excitement I used to have, not only in my spiritual life, but in the mundane workaday life as well. How appropriate for that first thrill in forever to be fire dancers.
I wasnt the only one who was thrilled by Obsidian Butterfly; Visha says she wants to be a fire dancer when she grows up.
Obsidian Butterfly- http://featheredserpant.tripod.com/index.html