We were sitting around the fire one evening, when my young Maasai friend said: We, the Maasai, we come from fire.
We set quietly, watching the fire. His words touched me deeply and we both stayed with them.
Dada (=sister), he said after a while, do you know what is the meaning of fire for us? Fire brings us togetherness.
And so, in a casual conversation by the fire, he told the story of all of us. He could put it so simply and sincerely, because he is still living it as an every day reality, and not as an aching yarning for our original human living:
Togetherness by the fire,
In caves, deserts and forests, prairies and mountains.
Stories dramatically told to the children passing forward their tribe’s heritage.
Joyful singing and dancing after a bountiful hunt.
Healing chants and rituals well into the night.
We come from Fire. Fire brings us Togetherness.
I am very fortunate to have experienced this feeling, or a glimpse of it with some of the most ancient tribes of Humanity in East Africa.
That glimpse is a Fire brought to life from the glowing ember in my heart, that’ve been waiting to be re-kindled for ions.
But what can we do with this deep yearning in our Modern lives?
We all have this memory, a glowing ember of our original way of living.
Light a fire, begin creating your own togetherness in your own lives.
Here are three things to consider starting with:
» How many relationships do we have that are sincerely close and connected? Nurture those.
» How much do we make an effort to truly connect, listen, talk with “strangers”* through out the day? Try it more.
» When was the last time you lit a fire in your back yard? in Nature? Try it.
In our Modern life, it’s not easy to create Togetherness, or to sit by the Fire in the evenings… And yet, it is the cure for our deep yearning, our acute loneliness and separation from each other.
Just as we did that evening by the Fire, I welcome you to contemplate these words I have written for you, quietly and gently. The wisdom of the original peoples is rooted and earthy. I believe this Inspiration heals the wounds of the soul and can guide us forward.
We can’t go back, but we could, and must, create a new-ancient future for ourselves, and for the Natural world that we are supposed to be the Gradians of.
* None is a stranger- Most African cultures share this world view. And I feel comfortable saying, maybe also most indigenous cultures worldwide. We are all connected, coming from the same roots. Will write more on that another time.
Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments.
