Fire & Rain - Imagine the Shift of Opening Your Heart

Earlier in the week I dreamed I was sitting with a mother and daughter I know.  The mother inquired as to what I had been learning. I shared how lines from random songs had been showing up in my mind and if I only paid attention to the repeating line seemingly stuck in my head there was usually a message, a message I needed.

I recalled this dream upon waking and smiled because it's true. More often than not in the oddest of moments I'll find a particular line or phrase in a song going round and round in my brain usually holding a kernel of wisdom or truth for me. 

I then made my way outside to be with the sun as it rose over the neighbor's house and went about the morning's three W's - watering my garden, watching Nature and walking my neighborhood streets.  As I did I heard James Taylor's song "Fire and Rain" in my head in particular the line of the song that goes "Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain."  I had already forgotten my dream and only wanted to get fire and rain off my brain.

Then it happened.  After an hour of watering, watching and walking, the dream resurfaced and I got it.  I have seen fire and rain.  I've known and witnessed the fire of passionate people over lifetimes and I've felt and seen the rain of deep tears and grief as well. 

I have seen fire and rain, the fire of masculine action that often has led to the rain of the feminine's pain.

I also hold fire and rain. The holding of these two energies at times is my greatest challenge and yet my greatest gift.  Years ago I came close to burning out numerous times because my heart's fire was so impassioned regarding injustice.  Afterwards I went through a period of living on autopilot not engaged but going through the motions followed by drowning in grief over the unnecessary loss in the world.  Death is inevitable, but so much loss today is unnecessary be it from the cancers caused by our poor habits like my father's smoking or our chemically-laden, over processed foods, insecticides and pesticides.

As someone who cherishes Nature, the loss of animal life pains me deeply.  To see what feels like my children slaughtered for their fur or their hides and heads hung on walls makes me sick.  To know bears here in my own state are hunted for what reason other than to be able to say "I killed a bear" outrages me.  To know that people torture cats and dogs makes me want to torture and I am not a torturing person.  

My challenge is holding the fire of passion while asking not with hate but with compassion "Why? Why do you need an animal's fur for a coat or a hide and head to put on your wall?"  My challenge is to state with compassion "What you did is not okay. Who abused you?" to someone who's an abuser of an animal or another human.

Yes, I hold fire and rain and it is through both that I've come to experience the power of my heart or what I see in my friend Judi's painting "First Alchemy."

I awoke this morning thinking of Judi's painting* and the fact that it is time for fire to reign, the fire of passion and compassion, the fire born of an open grieving heart, grieving for what our ancestors have done and we continue to do to Earth while also feeling deep joy for the experience of living on such a beautiful planet. 

It is time for fire to reign so we can remember the power of our hearts and who we really are.  

Thank you James Taylor* for reminding me that I am a vessel of fire and rain.

Imagine the Shift of opening your heart.

-Dawn, The Good News Muse, 21 June 2012

dawn@imaginetheshift.com  

* "First Alchemy" is by Judith Prince. This image is from a note card replicated from the painting. Cards are available from Judi Draper, Nashville, TN. 

James Taylor link above will take you to info on his guitar lesson series offered on-line and I just learned he'll be playing Nashville's Bridgestone arena July 12th.