“I could never have imagined the impact Fire would have in my life. I began to train as a Sacred Fire Firekeeper around 2014, and was then initiated in December 2019.
“The most massive change in that time has been that I no longer repress my feelings: I can now feel them and let them flow without fear that I’ll get sucked down in a whirlpool that I won’t be able to get out of. It’s been a major transformation, and has allowed me to “burn off” my isolationist and self-doubting tendencies.
“Since I began my relationship with Fire, I’ve also taken my passion and skill as a Red Seal chef to serve within the non-profit Loving Spoonful which supports food sovereignty in marginalized communities. In this way food (like Fire!) is used as a vehicle for creating connection. I’m also involved in a biannual Weather Ceremony in Northern Ontario, and was able to support and nurture a life partner in her last years.
“I’ve watched similar transformation in others who come to our fires, and even those who can’t attend regularly mention their gratitude, just knowing that the monthly fires are available. That is why I am excited to think about us Firekeepers coming together from around the globe, for the first time ever, paving the way for even more Firekeepers to be trained and more people to be served in this way.”