Becoming Like a Consuming Fire

I believe in the power of revelry, and this has been a revelrous week for me.

I set goals, and I celebrate when I meet them. I create incentives and rewards to motivate myself to meet my goals, even beyond the satisfaction I get just from meeting them. As my goals grow, my revelry grows as well.

One of the incentives I created for a goal last year was that if I met it I would get a tattoo. I met my goal.

Some people questioned whether I was really serious about getting a tattoo, and other people questioned whether I was being a little crazy.

I thought about various possibilities before I settled on my final idea. I decided that the details of a labyrinth would probably hurt quite a bit. I do not mind a little suffering for my revelry, but did not want to go too far.

The idea I chose is from my favorite saying of the Desert Mothers and Fathers. These early monastics left cities as the Roman Empire was collapsing to be able to live without distractions in the wilderness. I value the clarity and depth of their sayings.

My saying is from Joseph, who said “You cannot be a monk unless you become like a consuming fire.” When someone else asked about the steps required to do that, Joseph stretched out his hands and the tips of his fingers were lit like candles. He replied, “If you will, you can become all flame.”

I told my story to a true artist, who listened and made a drawing on paper, then tattooed it on my arm.

As you can imagine, it is a very cool tattoo. It reminds me of the wisdom of the Desert Mothers and Fathers, and that being open is a very serious step forward.

I would be glad to show it to you.

What are you playing for this year?

[Image by robstephaustralia]