“There is a moment where everything becomes fire” says Heraclitus (a Greek philosopher). “The stars are flames … the sun being the brightest and warmer … the soul is the spark that sets alight the essence of the stars”.
The flame is the visible manifestation of the very principle of life. By extension it also portrays the divine spirit and feeds the imagination of the beholder.
The flame appears in virtually all cultures and has contradictory meanings. Indeed, if it can set alight the world it can also end with this same world. Krishna, in his eternal dance, is surrounded by flames and holds in his hand the flame that ignited the universe as well as the flame that devours all.
Now you take the floor : what do you associate with the flame?
Para mi la flama es la representacion mas clara del alma, de esa parte de divinidad que vive dentro de todos y que es la que realmente vive…y que no muere
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The blue flame of longing that burns for my soulmate.
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The Olympic Flame.
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In the ancient greek world the flame, played a major role in transmission of messages, not only during military operations- where the disadvantage that the messages could be altered and become a trap for the same sender- but also during peace decrees the central government, the new decisions, laws should be made known soon.Many ancient authors give numerous data for all these uses regular flame from the ancient Greeks, both classical and the Hellenistic period (Herodotus, Thucydides, Diodorus, Pausanias, Arrian, Polyainos and others).
But there is also another interpretation of the flame: the self who burnt by the passion for life … to love, to dream, but as the last breath. And for me this is the message. The life is the flame of everything.In every inspiration there is a flame!
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Flame:
Hot: can warm materiel – but if its too much can kill it,
Unpredictable – can disappear with first rain, or take over forest with first wind,
Live – it’s always living at the Sun and in the middle of the Earth,
Unique – its form and shape is never the same and always unique,
Light – can light your way or makes you blind.
I wrote nothing new…
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last night in northern Ghana, the flames of torches were raised up as the Light Festival was celebrated. This festival occurs twice a year, coinciding with the changes in the equinox and signalled by the passage of the moon.
People carry the torches and dance, chanting to a rhythmic drum beat. It’s a party… a celebration of beginninds and renewal, light and life…
all that the flame represents :o)
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5D
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transformation, evolution, the passage into a different dimension
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Dear WebCop & to an extent Rami,
You are perhaps both right… and at the same time very… wrong!
I have no need to explain and neither will I… but I can promise you this… that the “sensual passion” you imply has absolutely nothing to do with the “interaction” we both enjoy in this blog…
Sorry to disappoint you all ;-) keep dreaming…
Love, Paul
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F comme FORCE
L comme Lumière
A comme Amour
M comme Miséricorde
M comme Monde
E comme Energie
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“Krishna, in his eternal dance, is surrounded by flames and holds in his hand the flame that ignited the universe as well as the flame that devours all”
Flame: F L A M E
When I Googled a word called “flame”. My search took me to the Wikipedia which defines the term flame as, “A flame is the visible (light-emitting) part of a fire”.
F could be Fire
L could be Light
A could be Appearance
E could be Emission
Now if I want to define the flame, I would define it as- An element of fire which results into light of appearance after emission by burning itself.
May be, My first definition which I created in less than 25 seconds are wrong. But, to associate something with flame I need first to understand what the flame is.
By comparing now, definition of flame by me and by the Wikipedia- it results almost the same. Despite there might be some differences.
Anyways, What could be the flame? A burning image which is visible to our eyes. This image shows that you are alive. The image is not of others but yours and only yours. For example- Look yourself in the mirror. When you look at the mirror, what do you see? Your image. Your reflection. The visible part of you. This visible part of you is what the flame is. The visible part of the light. The light which is visible is flame. Similarly, in our lives flame is the visible part- a energy which drives us forward, backward, pauses or plays us in the way we want it to play.
Imagine you have mirror in your room. Will you look at mirror for 24 hours? Surely not, you will look at mirror only when you will desire. Similarly, when you have some desires, some passion, some burning ego inside you which you need to look at then you think of it and look at that “flame”. This result not into giving you what you desire but it might just result into your inner reflection and beauty.
Coming to the quoted text in the first couple of lines of this comment, Krishna is surrounded by flame and he is also carrying a flame. May be he is did so, to prove that- Flame will give the reflection of what the world is all about.
One hand carries the flame which ignited universe and may be other hand carries flame which will devours everything. This might be because whatever we do- has two perspectives of view.
A flame has two living entity. One contains a lady and also, a gentlemen. The women perspective is to view a universe as a single. And Gentlemen perspective is to view the universe as different entity. (May be)
It could also be, A flame has two perspectives- One which admires and always agrees with whatever decision we make in our lives. Another which disagrees with whatever decision we make in our lives.
Now when we disagree with the decisions we make then it is because of the flame which devours and when we agree with whatever decision we make it might be just because of the flame which ignites.
Well- Let me stop “my burning flame” for this comment. NOW.
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Thanks Paul de l’autriche
now i remember
thanks
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There something going on between Thelma and Paul from Austria !!!
Fire of Passion,
Desire
Hmm… (Stop, no- no- OK)
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The Flame, whenever I see it burn…I think of a sacred thing, transformation and the violet flame which transmutes all it touches into higher vibrations of love and light. Blaze within this heart of mine.
“Sure, in the metaphysical world of alchemy didn’t it transform lead into gold.”
All flames desire to be violet, I believe.
Many Blessings.
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My dear Paul from Austria, thank you for your beautiful story and for reminding us ….HOPE.
LOVE,
Thelma
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I associate a flame with hell. However, I feel that the fear of going into the everlasting flames encourages an individual to pursue their dreams and follow the correct path, it allows him to submit to God’s will. This is shown by a simple physical example. If you touch a flame, you skin burns, which hurts. This pain tells you that you do not want to experience such hurt again. It tells you that you are alive and that you have the choice to touch the flame or not. Figuratively, you have the choice to follow the right path (avoiding the flame) or not (immersing yourself in it).
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I definitely associate flame with love… It is my first thought and it is intuitive but I think it’s very good connection…
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Flame is desire, love, energy, passion and curiosity. It it a friend when nurtured and monster when ignored. Its in everyone, its a key to understand destiny, but understanding the flame is important, important for wholesome exploration and consistency. All is One.
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The flame is a fascination.
A flame can mesmerize, hypnotize us, through its dancing, intense light.
A flame? One candle on a birthday cake. The crack of a match in a pitch black cellar when the electricity is playing up. My dad lighting up his pipe. Bonfire night. Camp fire on a beach. BBQ. Christmas. Wish-candle in church.
A flame? Light, happiness, togetherness, warmth, hope.
A flame? in English it also means a person you are in love with, the one who ignitions your heart…
A flame? what we search desesperately in everyone’s eyes…
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Divinity
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The flame is unwavering love energy that flickers to remind us of its different intnesities.
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The flame of the candle which I brought back of the church of O Cebreiro - where the wine changed in blood and or the ostie was transformed into flesh-
The flame of the candle lit on December 31st for all and the flame which consumes for a prayer, for our prayers and as that of the priest and as those of 2 friends who asked and lit the flame of the peace and the love
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Krishna - according to my opinion - holds the flame of eternal life,
it is purifying and releasing and burns all sins.
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The “Flame” of Hope!
The Four Candles burned slowly. Their ambiance was so soft you could hear them speak…
The first candle said, “I Am Peace, but these days, nobody wants to keep me lit.” Then Peace’s flame slowly diminished and went out completely…
The second candle said, “I Am Faith, but these days, I am no longer indispensable.” Then Faith’s flame slowly diminished and went out completely…
Sadly the third candle spoke, “I Am Love and I haven’t the strength to stay lit any longer.”
“People put me aside and don’t understand my importance.
They even forget to love those who are nearest to them.”
And waiting no longer, Love went out completely…
Suddenly… A child entered the room and saw the three candles no longer burning.
The child began to cry, “Why are you not burning? You are supposed to stay lit until the end.”
Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy,
“Don’t be afraid, for I Am Hope, and while I still burn,
we can re-light the other candles.”
With shining eyes, the child took the Candle of Hope
and lit the other three candles.
Never let the Flame of Hope go out.
With Hope in your life, no matter how bad things may be,
Peace, Faith and Love may shine brightly once again.
Love & Hope to all, Paul x
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Flame within is a creative force,helps to chase dreams and achieve it. the eternal dance you have mentioned here is not performed by Lord Krishna but Lord Shiva, one of the Hindu Trinity. The dance is called Tandava - a dance of destruction to construct new. Have an evolving year. I thank you for ‘the alchemist’ and ‘the zahir’, insightful writing helped me to overcome my blockages.:-)
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I am not going to try to give a definition of ”Flame”
Mentally the Flame brings me somewhere between NAZARIO and JOY
Emotionally the Flame places me under a self sustaining and all consuming drive to achieve love, success or revenge.
The Flame makes me think about the Zahir……….
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Savita,
quel bonheur de retrouver la flamme de l’amour , celle qui dure toujours
plein de joies remplissent mon coeur pour vous
bonheur pour 2009 , vous le méritez tant
sido
Savita ,
Which happiness to find the flame of the love, the one who always lasts
Full of enjoyments fill my heart for you
Happiness for 2009, you deserve him it so much
Sido
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The flame…. eternally soothing and yet burning. A flame in a “romantic” point of view is what separates a poet from a normal person, a flame gives inspiration, it doesn’t have to be an obvious visible flame, but rather an inner flame which one might posses.
In a daily life manner, a flame might be the beginning of something beautiful, and the end of it (with the rather famous “Burst into flames” proverb).
One can go on and on describing what a flame is and what it means, one could also base a whole book about it (something you already did Paulo), but it all can be broken down into simple words, simple enough to be understood, good enough to convey a message.
My words are…. The flame gives, and the flame takes away.
What are your simple words? :)
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la flamme de la bougie que j’ai rapportée de l’église d’O Cebreiro - où le vin s’est changé en sang et ou l’ostie s’est transformée en chair -
la flamme de la bougie allumée le 31 décembre pour tous et la flamme qui consume pour une prière , pour nos prières et aussi celle du prêtre et aussi celles de 2 amis qui ont prié et allumé la flamme de la paix et de l’amour
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Inspiration! Fire sets things in motion - it is the element that speeds things up and transforms. In the heat of the flame - one can see the potential of what can be and like moths we are drawn in.
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Love, Life, Anger, Passion
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A flame is not a fire. The fire is something that can be put out, or, if left unattended for long, can go out. The flame never dies. It is fire behind glass. It is the liquid ember of our souls. When two flames meet, and touch, they retain each certain elements of the other, such that they become mirrored, one to the other. They burn the same thereafter - the same pattern of light and color, flicker and flutter - no matter how near or how far, or how many hours and years apart they are. The flame is not a fire - not the fire of mere bodily lust that can consume and be consumed in an hour. Fire burns; the flame does not. The gift of the flame, once given, can never be taken back nor renounced. The flame is warmth without pain…love beyond loss.
Savita
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In her book “Dialogs with the Angel”, the hungarian writer Gitta Mallasz wrote that the Angel said that He was made of flames,and he was burning for the his love for God.
So the Angel suggested the medium to drink water, in order to “bear” his flaming presence in her.
Also Alfonso, the man in The Ppilgrimage, was burining for the higher Love:Agape.
Flames are only an epiphany (i.e. in greek a manifestation) of Love.
As everything has two faces, they can be positive, (if they bring energy), or negative (when they burn and destroy).
I’d like to know more about Agape, Mr Coelho. Can you tell me, please?
Have a week end full of “positive” flames.
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Flame = Spirit + Light
The Sowing of Meanings by Thomas Merton
See the high birds! Is their’s the song
That dies among the wood-light
Wounding the listener with such bright arrows?
Or do they play in wheeling silences
Defining in the perfect sky
The bounds of (here below) our solitude,
Where spring has generated lights of green
To glow in clouds upon the sombre branches?
Ponds full of sky and stillnesses
What heavy summer songs still sleep
Under the tawny rushes at your brim?
More than a season will be born here, nature,
In your world of gravid mirrors!
The quiet air awaits one note,
One light, one ray and it will be the angels’ spring:
One flash, one glance upon the shiny pond, and then
Asperges me! sweet wilderness, and lo! we are redeemed!
For, like a grain of fire
Smouldering in the heart of every living essence
God plants His undivided power –
Buries His thought too vast for worlds
In seed and root and blade and flower,
Until, in the amazing light of April,
Surcharging the religious silence of the spring,
Creation finds the pressure of His everlasting secret
Too terrible to bear.
Then every way we look, lo! rocks and trees
Pastures and hills and streams and birds and firmament
And our own souls within us flash, and shower us with light,
While the wild countryside, unknown, unvisited of men,
Bears sheaves of clean, transforming fire.
And then, oh then the written image, schooled in sacrifice,
The deep united threeness printed in our being,
Shot by the brilliant syllable of such an intuition, turns within,
And plants that light far down into the heart of darkness and oblivion,
Dives after, and discovers flame.
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