The words magnetize and attract were added to meanings associated with the element fire which is represented by the color red.

Sitting around a campfire, sooner or later, everyone gets quiet. They are mesmerized, lulled into a comfort and peace. The campfire has intoxicated and captivated everyone. The captivation has happened since the initial thought of “let’s build a fire!” Whoever did so had enthusiasm, even a sense of pride “I know how to build a fire.” “Great fire!” others say as they pull up a camp chair or log to sit on. People are magnetized to the sight of the fire, the aliveness of it, the warmth, the display of sparks and light and the glow cast onto everything and everyone around it.

Never been around a campfire? Bet you’ve been drawn to a smell in the kitchen; bet some online advertisement or sidebar tidbit captivated your attention and you clicked.

The element of fire is, in some ways, the most prevalent in our emotions and life. My mother was recently given a FitBit for her 87th birthday. She’s pretty healthy, walks 1/2 to full mile most days (weather being the conditioning factor). As she told me about her thousands of steps, she giggled and had glee (fire). Her complexion got rosy (red). As she  reported wanting to accomplish step goals, having this on her mind through the day and reviewing her accomplishment or lack into her sleeptime, I heard stress. She did not. This is a perfect example of the fire element (red) also. We are drawn to something, food or a person for example; but the relationship has its joys and challenges. That’s fire. Get too close, and it’s no bueno (no good). Too distant, and the enticement, the fun is missing.

This meditation cycle continues to slowly build the mandala that is being worked toward. The mandala is one of contemplative understanding and pondering as much as a visualized rubric. The off-the-cushion pondering and observation of each component is the more significant meditation. Training in inner complexity trains one to notice the outer complexity of life that usually is an entanglement. Ah, red again.