Fires Rising 2018

     Wednesday May 30st
   through Sunday June 3rd

     Alchemical Fire Circles:
    Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights
    until sunrise the next morning.

  **A clean and sober event**

“Rhythm is the basis of life, not steady forward progress. The forces of creation, destruction, and preservation have a whirling, dynamic interaction.” – The Kabbalah

RangoliJoin us for the 14th Fires Rising, as we explore the archetypes and images of Alchemy as a metaphor for how to better understand ourselves and our worlds. We experiment with new ways of being in a safe and accepting context in order to discover how to live more harmoniously with ourselves and with others, transmuting our personal Lead into purest Gold. We give and receive, we listen and are heard, we step out of our comfort zones – and in the morning, we greet the rising sun.

Fires Rising seeks to nourish the mind, body, and soul. We stimulate our minds with thoughtful discussions and gentle playshops during the day. Our all-night fire circles fill our souls by turning Alchemical metaphors into rich sources of creative inspiration, as we turn our energies and experiences into rhythm, song, dance, and random acts of beauty. We nurture our bodies by pushing our limits gently, resting during the times of designated silence, and sharing food while being mindful of food safety.

We strive to remain fully aware and fully present to what is happening, taking personal responsibility for our own safety, healing, and entertainment. In that spirit, we refrain from alcohol and other mind-altering substances. Fires Rising is a SOBER event! Fire, Community, Creativity, and the Night are our active ingredients.

At night, we gather for all-night sacred drum circles. We turn our energies into song, dance, rhythm, and random acts of beauty. We we give and receive, we listen and are heard - and in the morning, we greet the rising sun. During the day, we co-create and beautify our ritual space, enjoy gentle playshops and classes to explain the alchemical metaphors... and we have designated nap times.

We strive to remain fully aware and fully present to what is happening, and we take personal responsibility for our own safety, healing, and entertainment. In that spirit, we refrain from alcohol and other mind-altering substances. Fires Rising is a SOBER event! Our active ingredients are Fire, community, creativity, and the Night.

All faiths are welcome here, and all ability levels – so whether you’ve circled this orbit before or you’re brand new to our laboratory, all we ask is that you bring your whole Self: your strengths and talents, your love and kindness, as well as your hurts. Bring on the didgeridoos, gongs, singing bowls, frame drums, incense, and oils. Bring on the drums, chants, spoken word, dance, painting, fire spinning, theater, and decorations – bring YOU, in your truth and creativity.

“The pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates.” – The Kybalion

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.4qf.org/attending/events/fires-rising#sigProId8590953b8c

Registration and Accomodations

Registering by May 26th:
Four Quarters Members $85
Guests $110
Registering on May 29th or later: $125
Children under 16 are loved, cherished and FREE. 

Registration covers your attendance at Fires Rising and your land-use/basic camping fees for Wednesday through Sunday afternoon. Additional services such as dorm space, car camping, in-camp car parking passes, fire rings, etc are available at a reasonable fee when you register.

Our In-Camp Dormitory is available for rent: handsome, hand-built bunk beds as well as private rooms. Accommodations are bundled with our Meal Plan; you must call the Office for reservations as space is limited. Handicapped, special circumstances? Questions about accomodations? Call the Four Quarters office at 814-784-3080.

Volunteers and participants co-create Fires Rising, arriving early on Wednesday to set up and build the Alchemical Container. If you can, do plan on arriving then; you will be glad you did! Saturday arrivals are welcome but please, arrive in time for the afternoon playshops. You are welcome to arrive before Thursday and stay later than Sunday. Early In and Late Out camping is $5 a night for Members and $10 a night for non-members.

Children under 16 are loved, cherished and FREE. And while Fires Rising is not anti-child, we are pro staying up all night! Supervised children are welcome, but no separate children's programming will be provided.

Meal Plan Information

Proudly announcing, the Meal Plan! Have you ever been to Fires Rising and had to choose between sleeping or making a proper meal? The Starvin' Artist to the rescue! The meal plan will serve two wholesome meals per day from Thursday morning through Saturday evening. Dietary options are Omnivore, Vegitarian, and Gluten Free. Please note the kitchen is *unable* to accommodate specific dietary restrictions. Meals offered are brunch and dinner; Pre-Reg only.

Thursday Brunch thru Saturday Dinner:  6 meals $90
Thursday Dinner thru Saturday Dinner: 5 Meals $75
Friday Brunch thru Saturday Dinner: 4 Meals $60
Friday Dinner thru Saturday Dinner: 3 Meals $45

Whether or not you join the optional meal plan:
~Please plan to bring any snacks you would like to eat throughout the day or night.
~Please also bring a store-bought, individually wrapped snack and/or food items to share at the Food Altar at night. Examples would be single serve packs of snack foods (chips, beef jerky, dried fruits), or single serving size juices. The Food Altar is a communal space to grab a snack in the middle of the night when your energy is flagging, and it is stocked by the attendees of Fires Rising. Four Quarters provides The Coffee Dragons, serving coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

“We are travelers on a cosmic journey; stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment.” Paulo Coelho

Fires Rising 2017 Outline schedule - subject to transmutation!

Fires Rising is a drug and alcohol free event. 
12 step support is available; meetings Thursday through Saturday at 4:30 at the Fox Altar

WEDNESDAY May 30th
Early Arrivals. Building the Laboratory & set-up.
Homecoming Fire.

THURSDAY May 31st
Building the Laboratory & Playshops.
First Night Alchemical Fire Circle: The Fire of the Four Elements.

FRIDAY June 1st
Playshops & Planetary Groups.
Second Night Alchemical Fire Circle: The Fire of the Seven Planets.

SATURDAY June 2nd
Playshops & Planetary Groups.
Third Night Alchemical Fire Circle: The Fire of Rhythm.

SUNDAY June 3rd
Packing up the Laboratory and Closing Ceremony.
Evening Leave-taking.

Attendees staying overnight until Monday are subject to late-out camping fee

($5 for members, $10 for non-members)




AirSMLFires Rising Orientation
An Alchemical Alignment

Finding Our Way ‘Round the Fire

"The Tao that is written is not the Tao"

This familiar quote reminds us that words can only reflect the actuality of the fire circle. We hope you will do your best to read this Orientation "between the lines" and meditate on the possibilities implied within.

The fire circle can be thought of as a microcosm of the daily world we live in. We define our Circle as a unique expression of that reality by ringing the outer perimeter with prayer flags, to remind us that the space within is Sacred, and co-created by all of our intentions. Please enter through the Smudge Gate, a place to be cleansed and purified. Breathe, center, and be aware that you are entering an extraordinary realm each time you step through. Linger a moment and prepare yourself to engage artfully with others, evoke healing energy, pray, do personal magic, or simply celebrate the multitude of blessings in life.

Read more ...

Considerations for
the Alchemical Fire Circle
at Fires Rising

WoodcutAlembecSMLLet us envision co-creating a safe, magical experience for everyone in the Fire Circle. In support of this vision, we offer these thoughts for your consideration.

· The area contained by the torches and prayer flags is Sacred. Please remember people are focusing on magickal work. To avoid distraction, we take conversations outside and away from the Circle.

· At the Gateway to the Circle, we may smudge one another or ourselves with sage smoke as a purification rite. All are invited to breathe, ground, center, and be aware we are entering Sacred Space each time we step through the Gate.

· The flow of energy moves around the fire. During moments when we wish to be still, we pause near the outer edge of the Circle, taking care to avoid standing between the drummers and the Fire.

Read more ...


EarthSMLThe Magic of Fire circle
by Jeff Magnus McBride and Abbi Spinner McBride

I. Fire Circle Introduction     II. Alchemical Traditions
III. Community Considerations        IV. The Elements
V. Observing The Great Work        VI. Metals & Planets



I: Introduction

    Since the dawn of time, human beings have gathered around the fire to make music, to dance, and to weave magic in the fire light. In the past fifteen years, there has been a resurgence in our Western culture for this type of ritual, a reawakening of the shamanic spirit. What is happening during the course of an all-night fire? After observing the ritual process for a number of years, and comparing stories and experiences with others, we have found that the alchemical model is a useful tool for understanding the all-night sacred fire circle ritual.

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Further Thoughts on Alchemy


firecirclealchemybookThe very nature of alchemical language is intentionally cryptic. Even our modern word gibberish comes from an Arabic alchemist's name, Jabir -- whose cryptic alchemical notes were incomprehensible to the uninitiated.

"Universal Fire Circle Alchemy explores the metaphors and symbols of alchemy to create an experiential laboratory for safe and sacred play. We enter the vessel as individual elements. As we dance the sacred fire, we separate ourselves from that which separates us from ourselves and others. Dancing the fire, we deepen our relationships and forge lifetime connections. By playing, praying and blending together, we share our heart songs, offering our joys and tears, individuals dissolving into a solution. As we refine our work and play, in the liquid embrace of rhythm and community, we discover the deepest mystery, a mystery that has been called the elixir of life, and the philosopher's stone. The Fire of Nature accelerates our growth, transforms our consciousness and lovingly evolves those of us participating in this Great Work. Alchemy is the magic by which we are transforming the leaden or heavy experiences of our lives into golden realizations and spiritual illuminations."
--J. Magnus McBride

"Alchemy is the ancient art of transformation. Alchemy presents a paradigm of transmutation, from the leaden to the gold, from the gross to the subtle, from the raw to the cooked, from the first matter to the philosopher's stone. It transcends all religious and cultural boundaries, and is an accessible map for seekers. By drawing on metaphors from alchemy, we are able to better understand the deeper workings of the fire circle."
--Abbi Spinner McBride

"Alchemy is the gentle acceleration of growth through the use of the fire of nature."
--Paracelsus

Read more ...

WaterSML


Drum Circle Etiquette
    by Gunga Doug

   There is a sacred relationship between the elements that create a fire circle. The drummers, singers, dancers, witnesses, our traditions, our ancestors and the Fire itself meld together in a dance of energies that is simultaneously greater than all its parts and as intimate as a trance. Each of these elements is a necessary part, and no one piece is greater than any other. It is the interplay of relationships between the elements that creates the magic, and opens the caldron of transformation that is the difference between a fire and a magic fire circle.

Read more ...

The People Behind Fires Rising at Four Quarters

Fires Rising is the shared effort of a group of dedicated volunteers from the Four Quarters membership who call themselves Co-Laborators.

Labor - It is hard work, putting on the Great Work.
Lab - It's an experiment, and Fires Rising is our Laboratory.
Orate - We gotta be ready to speachify, preachify, testify, and electrify!
Ora - That is Latin, and it means we gotta pray.
Collaborate - No one can do this all on their own, we have to work together.

Current Co-Laborators include Argon Jon, Aase, Xan, Gwen, and Dragonwolf.

Our Founders:

Fires Rising was brought to Four Quarters in 2004 by a group of people who came for four years to teach Alchemical Fire Circle technology.  We, the Co-Laborators, work diligently to continue their teachings and traditions.  You will most likely hear us talk about the four people below - their skills, talents, spirituality, rhythms, and songs continue to inspire us.  "I have such a teacher..." -Rumi

Further reference articles appear below.

SpinPortraitWebAbbi Spinner McBride

Abigail is a renowned musician and teacher of percussion, hand-drumming, dance and magic. She is a High Priestess of the Family of Fire, and she is the song writer behind many of the chants we sing. She has released several CDs of original music: Songs from the Center, Enter the Center, Fire of Creation, and Family of Fire.

 

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