Fire is an essential element in the design practice known as Feng Shui.  This ancient tradition seeks to balance the energy in a room or space by balancing five elements:  fire, water, earth, metal and wood.  The color red, triangle shapes or vaulted ceilings all capture the essence of fire.  Living in Colorado, which has been a blaze with fires this summer, the element of fire feels particularly prominent these days.  Especially since the recent Flagstaff fire in Boulder came within a few miles of my home.  I watched as multiple fire trucks rambled through my neighborhood and news crews set up camp at the corner anticipating a big event.

Neighbors packed up their cars, pick-up trucks and U-Haul trailers with their treasured possessions and waited.  Agitated and unable to sleep on the first night of the fire, I wandered into the living room where I found my daughter awake watching TV. We sat on our front steps for a while and watched as spot fires flared up on the nearby hillside, red glowing balls against the night sky.  A smoky breeze brushed across our faces and bare arms and the hum of chainsaws and shovels could be heard in the distance as firefighters dug a protective trench.

Fire is a powerful element.  It can be wild, unpredictable and destructive yet it is nature’s way of cleansing a forest, keeping it healthy.  In an earlier post I wrote about the soothing qualities of water, but too much relaxation can lead to stagnation. Stagnation isn’t good, in our lives or in our living spaces. In contrast, the spark and energy found in the element of fire is energetic and transformative.  The recent fires have certainly been unsettling but they have also helped clarify some priorities, burning away the unimportant stuff that crowds my life.