The Fire Element – Fire Energy Balancing

Fire is light, heat, the Sun. Fire can flare up and get easily out of control. We speak of a “trial by fire” as a cleansing and growing experience. Fire has the quality of transformation. Associated with the 3rd chakra, the solar plexus, fire is the element of personal power, of will power. Fire under control can provide heat, warmth, and protection. Fire is the third “river of energy” which flows throughout body/mind. Its strength (or weakness) affects all other elements in powerful ways.

In essence, Fire is the heat and light of all things. A “fiery” person gets things done, but often at the cost of harmony. Fire in balance is the power to accomplish our will in our lives.

FIRE ELEMENT AND METABOLISM

Fire is associated with the five aspects of metabolism in the body. Hunger is fire in fire. A fire in the belly, a hunger for the truth. Sleep is ether in fire. Too little ether will provide no space for fire to burn. This results in either sleeping too much or not being able to sleep at all. Thirst is air in fire. A thirst for knowledge, for information. Glow refers to the luster on the skin and represents water in fire. A healthy person has a bioluminescence, a quality of the skin that is absent in illness. Laziness, earth in fire, is literally doing nothing because the fire has been buried.

FIRE ELEMENT AND THE BODY

Fire has its positive pole in the head, ruled by Aries, its neutral pole in the solar plexus, ruled by Leo, and its negative pole in the thighs, ruled by Sagittarius. Headstrong people are usually fiery in nature. The intense, overbearing, demanding, perfectionist reflects fire in the head. Anger and resentment, usually expressed in the form of ulcers, is too much fire in the belly. The liver is also considered an organ of fire. Problems with the liver may be seen in vision problems. Leg weakness often reflects a lack of downward flow of fire – its all stuck up in the belly and repressed there. Fire circulating freely permits us to move through life in a positive and exciting way.

FIRE  ELEMENT AND DIS-EASE

The medical profession currently diagnoses a disease by placing a label on a complex set of physical signs and symptoms. This label “encapsulates” the problem and places it in a category in which mechanical and chemical means may be used to resolve the problem. Polarity Therapy recognizes areas of dis-ease, areas where energy is not flowing smoothly. Dr. Stone stated “Causes are always in the Energy Field, never in Matter”. Lack of flow in the energy field may well invite dis-ease, however, it is a simple matter to encourage the energy to return to its natural, healthy state of flow. With this in mind, I now list potential dis-ease associated with the Fire element.

Problems in the following areas may indicate an imbalance of the Fire energies.

• Sleep Disturbances
• Immune system difficulties
• Stomach ulcers
• Liver problems
• Digestive problems
• Skin problems, including rashes, spots, and acne
• Smoking or drinking alcohol
• Migraine headaches
• Eye problems and disturbed vision
• Over-anxious or constantly worried

BALANCING THE FIRE ELEMENT

The Fire element is associated with the positive (giving) energy of the middle finger and second toe. A very simple way to encourage the flow of fire is to massage these digits. However, most of us have too much fire. Just look at a person who uses the middle finger in a gesture of anger! This is repressed, and expressed fire in action. In this case, fire must be calmed rather than stimulated. Massaging the ring finger (the water finger) will literally “put water on fire” to calm it down.

The fire element flows through a definite pathway within and around your body. Imagining this flow actually helps it move. As you perform the following imagery, note places where the fire seems easy to imagine, and areas where it seems more difficult. The difficult areas indicate blocks that will resolve with gentle encouragement. Visualize a stream of energy coming in through the bottom of your left foot. Run this energy up your left leg and let it cross over from the left hip to the navel (belly button) area. From the navel, take this energy up to the right shoulder, across the shoulder and up the neck to your right ear. Let the energy cross over the top of your head and come down to the left ear. Now guide the energy down your neck and into your left shoulder. From here, take it down to your navel and across to your right hip. Now let the energy flow down your right leg and out the bottom of your right foot.

The majority of folks who perform this exercise notice a definite resistance to the downward flow of energy. It is easier to bring the energy up and into the head than it is to allow the energy to flow down and out the right foot. This is reflective of our inability to “let go”. We take in and hold on tight! One client with sinus problems, couldn?t initially get the energy into the head. The flow went directly across the shoulders, thus cutting off the head entirely! With practice, the client was able to visualize the flow up over the head and down, and the sinus problems were greatly relieved.

SUMMARY

Balanced Fire brings energy and vitality to life. It allows the action necessary for you to carry out your will. Fire brings a “spark” to your projects and relationships. It brings a ?twinkle? to your eyes and a sense of excitement to your life. Fire under control provides protection and comfort. May you always have the fire of life burning brightly.

© 2010 Jill N. Henry, Ed.D. PT, APP
all rights reserved

REFERENCES

• Henry, Jill (2004) Energy SourceBook – The Fundamentals of Personal Energy. Llewellyn Worldwide Publishers
• Beaulieu, John (1994) Polarity Therapy Workbook. BioSonic Enterprises, Ltd. New York, New York.
• Campbell, Morag (1995) Quinta Essentia: The Five Elements. Masterworks, Devon, England.
• Stone, Randolph (1986) Polarity Therapy, Volume One, Two and Health Building. CRCS Publications, Sebastopol, CA.

And special thanks to my Polarity Teacher, Angela Plum, PhD, RPP, Academy of Natural Therapies, Marshall, NC