Why We All Need More Fireside Philosophy

Break from the noise and reflect by the fire

Have you ever sat around the fire with thoughtful friends and had a deep and meaningful conversation that stuck with you and changed your life philosophy?

Talking around the fire with good people is magical. The sacred circle brings out thoughts, questions, stories, reflections, wonder, insights, vulnerabilities, and feelings we rarely experience in day-to-day life.

Our world is filled with too much mind-numbing noise: 24/7 advertising, divisive politics, meaningless soundbites, vapid social media, quick-fix gimmicks, and more. In our noisy and confusing world, we need a place for real, honest, vulnerable talk that can open your mind and nourish your soul.

Sitting around the fire, we leave behind the noise of life. We open our minds and hearts and talk about everything from the stars to the meaning of life. We offer and receive each other’s deepest dreams, vulnerable feelings, and meaningful stories. We drop the need for social graces. We let our guard down and tap into a deep and genuine communal connection.

It would be good if we talked…not just pitter-patter, but real talk. We shouldn’t be so afraid, because most people really like this contact; that you show you are vulnerable makes them free to be vulnerable.

- Liv Ullman

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We’ve all had a memorable fireside experience: circled around a woodsy campfire, or sunk into lawn chairs beside a backyard fire pit, or nestled in the sand around a beach fire, or cozied in armchairs by a living room fireplace, or bundled up next to a wood-burning stove.

You stare into the flames, deep in thought as you listen to a friend share his story. Absorbed in the fire’s flickering dance, you’re lost in a trance, your mind wandering and drifting like puffs of smoke on the wind.

Every once in a while, the crackling wood pops a burst of sparks that swim toward the sky. The pulsing bed of embers radiates a circle of warmth, heating your skin as you slowly inhale the comforting scent of wood smoke.

Sitting there, hypnotized by the flames, you half-listen to your friend across the fire, carried away on his voice, half-registering his words, yet fully understanding his meaning. Your focus weaves lazily between his story and your own drifting thoughts.

Your eyes wander to the friends seated around you as the flickering shadows dance across their faces. They look familiar, and yet oddly different, their faces transformed by the flames, their features strangely repainted with every flicker of light.

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These fireside moments are sacred. They’re timeless and universal. They’re coded deep within our DNA and our souls. We started building fires 400,000 years ago, and some scientists believe communal fires sparked the rise of human culture.

Take some time to break from the noise and reflect by the fire.

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One small request: Please forward this to someone who would enjoy it. There’s an open seat by the fire :)

Please hit reply and say hello! I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels