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| image with thanks to bmdo.org |
This morning I was
considering the element of fire in the context of relationship.
The Great Life, the
spirit of this element, is associated in many cultures with the bond between heterosexual
couples. In India the Lord Agni is invoked in matters of marriage, while Greek
Hephaestus is coupled in myth with the lovely Aphrodite.
In all cases the emphasis is on that
association between heavenly fire and the life giving forces of nature – the union
of masculine and feminine principles in the furnace of experience.
From the Celtic
viewpoint a balance must be found between Nwyfre, the power of the material and
sensual world, and Awen, the inspirational energy of pure Spirit. Neglect one
or the other and expect blocked flow, confusion and abuse of self or another.
Until I righted my life, quite recently, I seriously underestimated the
importance of that word Balance. Whether the imbalance demonstrates as stubborn
celibacy or sexual obsession, it is ultimately life-denying. When the scale is
evenly poised you can feel the difference believe me.
Gift of Hephaestus
Heart
Tender
Evoking
Life.
Lifting
Over
rolling fire- waves with you
Awareness
open
Greeting
Arousal.
Intimacy
Nears
at-one-ment with you
Laminae
shed
Obeying
Voiceless
Entreaties
to
Re-forge
this molten form with you.
The final part of
Chapter 13, Drawing from Life
It was a weary group
that journeyed back to Kerikeri and the evening dinner was a much more subdued
affair than the previous night. There was more work scheduled for the afternoon
of the next day. They were to shoot inside at the Hauru Falls Hotel which Rhona
heard was an historic watering hole, mostly still decorated in authentic
colonial style.
Almost immediately
after dinner people began to drift away in ones and twos, heading for their
motel rooms. Gracie had been yawning all evening so she and Rhona were among
the first to make a move. Joe had been sitting with them. He got up to leave at
the same time. Rhona noticed he looked exhausted too. Outside she said “I guess
you’ll have an early night Joe, but it’s only eight thirty, would you like a
night cap with us? Anna will be along soon too.”
Joe was quick to accept,
ruffling Gracie’s hair adding “Only if we won’t interfere with this gannet’s
sleep.”
Gracie nudged in
between them, taking one hand of each, mumbling about how she was so wasted she
would sleep through anything.
Rhona let them in to
the unit and followed Gracie to her room to say good night. She came back to
find Joe stretched out on the sofa bed. She saw he had already filled the tea
pot and set out three mugs. It confirmed her observation that he didn’t drink
as much as the other men in the party.
Rhona finished the
process before curling herself into the armchair near Joe’s head. He propped
himself up and took his mug from her. For a while they just sat. Eventually he
asked her if she worked full time. It was only a conversation starter but she
told him, told him about her secret painting too for some reason.
He shifted position
as he listened, getting his feet over the edge of the arm rest. Rhona waited a
bit before she said “Play fair. Tell me what you do.”
He tipped his head
back a little and closed his eyes, frowning slightly. He recited a list
“Conservation
architect private practice, poly-tech lecturer some of the time, a bit of
theatre, commercials, oh all sorts.”
Rhona reached over
and straightened his mug which was threatening to drop out of his grip. “Any
one of those could be a full time job on their own. No wonder you’re so tired.”
He opened one eye and
passed over his mug asking “Would you put that somewhere before I wear it
please?” He was being evasive again, but she obliged by getting up to put it in
the kitchen. She settled again and stayed quiet looking at the way his thick
hair waved over his temples.
Eventually he spoke.
“I’m tired because I didn’t sleep last night.”
Rhona tucked her legs
further under her on the armchair and asked “Strange bed?”
“No. Nervous I
guess.” She nodded and saw that he had opened both eyes and turned his head,
watching for her reaction. “I suppose you think that’s wimpish”
She shook her head, a
laugh starting in her eyes. “No I don’t. I think not giving me support on the
beach today was wimpish. I can’t believe you would have played the noble savage
for that little weasel.”
Joe leaned up on one
elbow. “You don’t pull your punches do
you?”
She grinned
mischievously “Not any more. I’m getting better at sticking up for myself, even
Gracie thinks so.”
“No kidding”, he said
with a grunt as he flopped over on to his back again.
Anna came in then,
closing the door quietly behind her. She said “Oh this looks restful.”
and went straight
through to her room, calling goodnight as she passed them. Joe broke the
ensuing silence.“I’m glad we don’t work until the afternoon. Did you hear
Justin offer the van for anyone who wants to go down to the Easter service
tomorrow?
Rhona shrugged “I
will stay here and have a quiet time I think.”
Joe sighed and rested
his hands comfortably on his chest. He seemed very near sleep to her. “I am
going home tomorrow evening after we finish. I’ll take my own car down and
probably leave from the Falls.” There was a pause, as if he was waiting for her
to comment. “I have a family obligation on Monday just south of Kawakawa.”
When Rhona asked “An
unveiling?”, he turned his head suddenly.
“How did you know
that?”
She shrugged. “Well
it’s the traditional time for it. Was it someone close?”
“Yeah, my uncle.” He
turned away and shut his eyes again. Rhona sipped and watched his hands rising
and falling on his chest, looking at the long narrow fingers on his square
hand. She found herself saying “Any way. You’re doing it again.”
“What?” he asked
lazily. His eyes were still shut.
“Distracting me from
the subject,” she answered.
His lips curled.
“Where were we?”
“You were about to
tell me what subjects you teach at the poly-tech.”
“Are you sure?” He
turned again to look at her. “Most people ask me what a conservation architect
does.”
Rhona raised an
eyebrow. “I know what a conservation architect does, so I’m not asking. Also
it’s obviously not a job you absolutely love to do, so why talk about it?”
He pushed himself up
and swung around to sit with his knees touching her chair and leaned towards
her. He was absolutely serious as he asked “Do you have the sight?”
She shrugged again.
“It’s only observation. If you loved your job nothing would stop you filling
your every waking moment doing it. Your head would be full of it and you would
talk of little else.” He sat studying her. It was uncomfortable, being under
such scrutiny.
He stood up and moved
toward the door. “I’m sorry, I should go. Like Gracie says, I’m wasted.”
“Sure”, Rhona got up.
She wondered what she had done to alarm him. He stepped out and stood looking
down at her a moment before raising his hand and wishing her goodnight. As he
left she called softly “Sleep easy Joe.”
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