Fire Reveals...

Fire Reveals... 

  
A few years back, my partner and I purchased a few boxes of odd candles at a close-out sale, and we were quite excited about the bargain. Sure there were no real sets of candles, but each one was interesting and, as some of you know, nothing warms a dinner table like a few lovely candles.  
 
One of the large pillar candles became a favourite and a regular guest at last winters’ dinners.  One night, as we were finishing the last bites of our lemon tart, we noticed two odd pieces of dark steel protruding from the soft wax of our familiar candle. After close inspection, it seemed to be some kind of a figure trapped in pillar of wax. 
 
As the winter went on, the candle continued to warm our gatherings, and we were slowly introduced to a black figure with its arms stretched upward. This figure was not elaborate. It was a simple, slim, humanlike silhouette made of tarnished steel. 
 
After many evenings of fire, the figure was freed. The wax burned away and all that remained was the simple figure. Beautiful in its simplicity and elegance. I could not help but think of this figure as our unadorned self. The one we have tucked away over the years. Hidden under multiple layers of hurts, shames, and fears. 
 
I reflected on how the personal work we do with the enneagram carves away what is not US, and, yes, as we live, we get too close to the fire. But eventually we realize that the fire of our lives, has a place. The bigger emotions and turmoil that we meet burns away many of the lies we tell ourselves.  Slowly over time, we are able to see who we really are, and what is really important to us. And we allow people to meet our True selves. Beautiful in their simplicity and elegance. 
 
It takes a full life to reveal it, but each joy, and each sorrow, along the way is not just important, they are necessary. As you live your life, are you allowing your True self to be revealed? Or is the best of you still hiding out in a waxy pillar.  

Dale
Inspired Enneagram