Prayer of the Bear - Fire

Personally I have this thing about fire. I like it. From the open fires and camps of my youth, to the power of ritually lighting candles before a service, fire invites me into God. Many religions and ancient rituals use fire. Associations with warmth, hope, and the continuance of life, abound. But the power of fire is, thank God, beyond words. It invites me simply to enter into the flame of it and, often, into the darkness around.

Many of us live bombarded by words. From the moment I get out of bed, from remembering and making decisions regarding children to clearing the overnight emails, from reading the columnists to meditating on the scriptures, from organizing with staff to listening carefully to the person sitting in my office … my brain is going… frequently flayed by information and demands. The volume of noise can be tremendous. My experience is a very common one in our community.

Is prayer just another noise? Another demand?

Jamie likes to dive, anytime, any boat, any way. On a recent expedition to the Poor Knight Islands he spent at least six hours under and on the water, swimming and floating in this wonderful reserve. He enjoyed the colourful, uncontaminated submarine life. He enjoyed exploring, each patch of sea life being a little different from the last. He enjoyed the effect of the sun filtering down into the water. But most of all it was the six satisfying hours of being in a near noiseless zone. He returned home spiritually renewed.

There are a variety of renewing experiences that can happen every day: When one pulls open the curtains and inhales the rays of the morning sun… When one runs, cycles, or swims, and feels the body quiver with pleasure… When one sips and smells the aroma emanating from the cup… When the stirrings of rage against injustice pulsate through the bloodstream… When the warm wash of empathy floods over us… When the fire burns low in the hearth and the glow warms the soul… Each of these experiences connects us with the God who flows through us and beyond us.

They are prayer.