Growing a vision from tiny ember to vital fire one goal at a time
I recently killed a fire before it got a chance to catch hold. One of my favorite nature connection practices is primitive fire using a bow drill. The practice entails generating friction between two pieces of wood to get a glowing coal. You then transfer the coal to ignite a nest of combustible materials – dried grasses, inner bark of cedar, downy cattail fibers, etc. – which you then place in your fire area and slowly add small twigs and tinder until the fire is strong enough to consume sticks and, eventually, logs.
When this is done successfully, I’m left with a sense of quiet joy and wonder. I feel as if I’ve participated in an alchemical process: the transformation of wood and natural fiber into a dynamic dance of energy that provides an inviting warmth and light which beckons me and others to gather around to share time and stories.
Truth be told, I’m not always left with magical feelings. As mentioned above, I recently failed at this and was left disappointed, cold and lacking the fire that I was so eager to enjoy. I was able to get the nest ignited, but when I placed the bundle on the ground I did not have enough small twigs at hand to bridge the young flame into a healthy fire. The larger sticks I did place on top eventually smothered and extinguished the tiny embers. My failure analysis revealed that I had rushed one of the preparatory stages of the process and didn’t bring enough care to ensure success.
I share this story reflecting on the nature of what it takes to nurture a spark of aspiration into a healthy fire of dedicated activity. First off, we need to start where we are and gather the resources we have available to us. We need to take a small spark of inspiration and give it appropriate fuel little by little and coax it to grow.
When we are just starting out on a big endeavor, we need to have goals that match and slightly challenge our capacities to accomplish them – these are the tinder and twigs that will light easily. Accomplishing small, challenging goals with regular frequency builds the fire of our confidence. If we move too quickly, raise our sights too high too soon, ignoring some of the necessary ground work, the weight of those goals could outmatch the capacity we have to meet them. In which case, we become discouraged and feel like our efforts may never succeed at accomplishing something meaningful.
If we can match our goals with our resources and abilities – throw onto the fire the right size sticks at the right times – we can build success progressively. As the fire of our care and skills grow, we then add bigger goals to the fire until they ignite and fold their unleashed energy into the light and warmth of our own vitality. At this point our vision is something we are living and in a deep relationship with. We know how to tend it. We know what it needs and when to act and when to let the process unfold on its own.
Tending a fire from scratch is ultimately an exercise in patience, care, and a commitment to working towards transforming a vision into something that will tangibly benefit your world. When I first started out I thought it would just be cool to start a fire from friction. Little did I know the extent to which the light of that fire would illumine all aspects of my life.
I’d like to leave you with some questions to consider:
- What fires are you working to nurture these days?
- Are the goals you are working towards the appropriate size and type to ignite at this point in the process?
- What of your past failures can you fold into your learning that will better your chances of success?
If you feel called to share anything about the fires you’re tending in your life, I’d love to hear from you!