Today please welcome author Devika Fernando from Sri Lanka. I enjoyed her previous book, When I See Your Face, and now look forward to helping celebrate her new one, Playing With Fire, as well as learning about the importance of fire in religion. Make sure to check out her website listed below.
FIRE IN RELIGION
Writing the paranormal romance novel “Playing with Fire” has got me interested in the many meanings of fire. I have written a post on people with the element fire and their typical character traits, and today I want to share some interesting facts on fire as a symbol in religion.
Fire worship
In many ancient religions and cults, worship of fire was an important part – and it seems only logical when you consider how new fire still was to people, and how destructive a force it could be. There was even deification of fire, meaning that the natural occurrence got turned into something mythical and into a god. Holy fires played an important role in an Asian and Indo-European context, supposedly having a cleansing effect. That is where the principle of cremation came from, essential to religious faiths like Hinduism. Interestingly, fire was believed to have a healing power and not (only) a disastrous effect. Fire in Hindu worship, in the form of Agni, was viewed as a “messenger between the people and their gods”. All around the world, high cultures such as the Inca and Aztec in South America practiced sacrificial fires. As for the Greco-Roman people, they believed in controlling fire and associated it with the safety of the hearth. The Romans and the Greeks worshiped goddesses by keeping a sacred flame guarded and burning forever. Fire was also seen as a means to forge something from iron. On the other hand, the powers of the element weren’t ignored. Just think of Zeus and his lightning. Over the course of time, fire turned from a positive to a negative symbol in religion. The Christians with their view of the fires of hell are only one example. One can easily assume that the hellish flames were chosen because of the heat, pain and destruction associated with fire. As a potent method to instill fear in people, the purgatory of hellfire still hasn’t lost its meaning. Surprisingly, fire is also a symbol of the Holy Ghost, presumably because it is connected to such a bright and awe-inspiring light. The Zoroastrian religion relies heavily on fire worship. The element is linked to the God of the Zoroastrians, Ahura Mazda. The ancient Iranian religion used it for ritual purification ceremonies and part of fire temples (alongside water).
Fire as a religious symbol
It is fascinating how many things fire can symbolize in religion and philosophy, and how contrary those symbolisms are. Here are some examples what fire stands for from a religious point of view: – Destruction and Renewal – Justice – Purification – Damnation – Illumination and Enlightenment. From the safety of a campfire and the solace of a light in the dark to the horrors evoked by lightning striking, a volcano erupting or a bush fire devastating plants, animals, people and buildings, fire can mean different things. That is probably why it holds such a special place in many religions. Ultimately, the balance between taming it and being ruled by it is reflected in the diverse beliefs.
PLAYING WITH FIRE
Teaser: If you’re playing with fire, prepare to get burned – or to fall in love.
Sparks fly when Felicia and Joshua meet. Discovering her inner fire and unleashing unimaginable powers makes her realize that all her life, she has been hiding her true self. When buildings burn and people are in danger, the tempting game of playing with fire becomes serious. Will their love and desperate struggle for control save her life, or will the fire magic turn itself against its mistress?
Author Bio:
Almost as soon as Devika Fernando could write, she imagined stories and poems. After finishing her education in Germany and returning to her roots in Sri Lanka, she got a chance to turn her passion into her profession. Having lived in Germany and in Sri Lanka with her husband has made her experience the best (and the worst) of two totally different worlds – something that influences her writing. Her trademark is writing sweet, yet deeply emotional romance stories where the characters actually fall in love instead of merely falling in lust. What she loves most about being an author is the chance to create new worlds and send her protagonists on a journey full of ups and downs that will leave them changed. She draws inspiration from everyone and everything in life. Besides being a romance novel author, she works as a self-employed German web content writer, as a translator, and as a faithful servant to all the cats, dogs, fish and birds in her home. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or thinking about writing.
Connect with Devika:
http://twitter.com/Author_Devika
http://www.facebook.com/devikafernandoauthor
http://www.facebook.com/devika.fernando.18
http://www.pinterest.com/devikafernando1/
http://plus.google.com/+DevikaFernando
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7980006.Devika_Fernando
Devika, thanks for visiting today. I enjoyed reading about fire in religion. Best of luck with this one and the whole series!
Thanks a lot for this chance and all the support, Flossie! 🙂
I enjoyed reading the information about fire in religion. The book sounds HOT!! 🙂 best of luck!!
Thanks a lot! 🙂