Tonight in class I focused on the Fire element in an attempt to approach the concept of the Void, since no other element came close to that concept. This was my observation during the meditation.

The descriptors of fire that came to mind were living, consuming, death, transition (another term for death in many philosophies) and void (hoping to get that to fit). From these words I began to think the following:

Fire is living death.
Its very “existence” is the process of death/transformation. By Fire Wood transforms to Earth and Air – the ash and exhaust. By Fire Air transforms to Earth – the air fueling the burning of wood partially becomes ash. By Fire Earth transforms to Metal – minerals become gems. Note: Air and Water are one and the same element. An interesting note specifically about Water: By Fire Water is not consumed but only changes phase. In all phases it is still Water.

Above I quoted “existence” because of the following statement semantically contradicts the previous statement.

Fire is Void.
Fire is the only element that has no existence. It is only an expression of a process between other elements. It never was. It never will be. It is for the infinitesimal ‘now’ and passes. The many ‘nows’ of its passing is its expression witnessed as a flame. Hence Fire is the existence of non-existence; a state of being that is not. The Void.

Fire is Yin Yang.
This perception of existing non-existence, and Fire’s action of simultaneously making many few and few many (referring to molecular recombining), and reducing something large into something small (i.e., a log to ash) while simultaneously expanding something small into something large (i.e., a log into plume of smoke and exhaust) and other similar bi-directional processes, has lead me to view Fire as the quintessential element of Yin & Yang. Fire is the perfect balance of opposites. If at any point during the process of Fire there comes imbalance, the Fire is extinguished.

Fire is Life.
Wind or current is the “Fire” of Water/air, as wind/current does not itself exist, but is a process or expression of the element. Growth and decomposition is the “Fire” of Wood, as these too are a process or expression of the element. The “Fire” of these elements is their life. Otherwise, they would be either Earth or Metal. So I would say that Fire is life.

Fire is Existence.
Earth exists because of Fire. Metal exists because of Fire. Water exists because of Fire. Wood exists because of Fire. From the Fire of the Big Bang, the Fire from the stars/sun, the Fire from the belly of the earth, and the Fire of the process of life. All is because Fire is. Without Fire nothing would be.

Putting this all together, I have come to the perception that…

Fire = Yin/Yang = Life = Existence = Void.

So, what’s the point? There is none.