Fire has played an important role in human life since the beginning of history. As a rule, it symbolizes eternity, warmth, love, spiritual enlightenment, hell, punishment, evil, witchcraft, martyrdom, sacrifice, persecution, home, protection, fertility, divine energy, purification and a state of spiritual closeness between man and spirit.
Fire in world religions and myths
Fire has been used in religious ceremonies and symbolism for hundreds of years. Sun-associated fire purifies and / or destroys, reveals spiritual power and therefore plays an important role in major rituals and religious ceremonies around the world.
In Hindu beliefs, Agni is the powerful Hindu god of fire, and fire is one of the five sacred elements that make up all living things. Fire is considered an eternal witness required for sacred religious ceremonies. In Christianity, fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and is often used in countless descriptions of hell.
In the Zoroastrian religion, the Creator created the whole world from fire, water, earth and all-nourishing ether. Fire is constantly used to refer to Ahura Mazda, the god of the Zoroastrians, including the fire in Yazd, which has been burning for more than two millennia.
Fire was important to agriculture; The use of fire in various rituals was widespread, in which torches, bonfires, embers, and even ash were believed to be capable of stimulating the growth of corn fields and the welfare of humans and animals.
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Fire in alchemy and astrology
In alchemy, fire is associated with the chemical element sulfur, and its symbol is a triangle pointing upwards. In ancient Europe, chemical scientists spoke of fire as a "transmutation factor" because they believed that all things exploded from fire and returned to fire. Alchemists have an important concept of fire as the “Element that acts at the center of all things”, as a unifying and stabilizing factor.
One of the most important alchemical symbols is the mythical Phoenix firebird, a symbol of the Sun, immortality, rebirth through fire and eternal life.
Paracelsus, an alchemist, physician, astrologer, and occultist, demonstrated the parallel between fire and life, pointing out that both must feed on other lives in order to survive.
Fire as one of the four elements
Fire, accompanied by water, earth and air, were recognized by Aristotle and Plato and the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 BC - 475 BC) as the four basic elements.
In his Dictionary of Symbols, JE Cirlo says that in Egyptian hieroglyphs, fire is also associated with the solar symbolism of flame and is associated with the concepts of life and health, since it comes from the idea of body heat. It is also related to the concept of superiority and control, showing that the symbol had by this time turned into an expression of spiritual energy.
In the system of Heraclitus, space is called "eternal fire". Heraclitus equates fire with God / Zeus as a divine ruling order, saying: "a thunderbolt rules all things," referring to the directive power of fire, an important element of which is the origin of all things, but at the same time it is the most fickle and changeable. Heraclitus noticed that all things are exchanged for fire and fire for everything. Fire turns to water and then to earth; The earth turns into water and then into fire.
Fire is a symbol of cleansing, which is a cremation custom in some cultures. The flame of fire, which is constantly changing, expresses life, therefore it is a permanent element of tombstones in the form of a candle, torch or torch. As a symbol of purification, fire manifested itself in the destruction of evil and plague.
Fire in art
Fire is often presented by artists as a purification. Painting by the English artist John Martin in 1852 is called "The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah." It shows the biblical story of the destruction of the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The destruction was wrought by God, who used sulfur rain and fire from heaven to punish people for their malice and uncontrollable depravity. In this case, the artist used fire to symbolize punishment, invincible destruction and misfortune.
It is believed that fire is a symbol of evil and unhappiness, and the bright flame of fire represents new thoughts or passion and sexual desire. Undoubtedly, fire has long been one of the greatest inspirers of people, especially among artists and possibly madmen.
MIKHAILOV ALEXEY