By Annie King, Fire Chief

Here in the Sacred Fire Community, our Firekeepers play a crucial role.

They hold the space for connection, warmth, conflict and transformationin our gatherings. They represent the heart of our community to every new person who comes to warm up by the fire. They support the growth of community in our hamlets. The path of the Firekeeper takes true dedication and is a lifetime commitment.

In order to support their work, each year the Firekeepers come together in retreat. So far, these retreats have been offered in the  United Kingdom and in the United States. At the latest Firekeeper Retreat at the Blue Deer Center in August, the US Firekeepers were joined by Jeff Bartlett from the UK, Ana Cortes from Mexico, and Phil Roberts from Australia, bringing a beautiful international representation.

During this time, we metaphorically “sit in the fire” together. We share our hearts,  our joys, our concerns and frustrations, opening ourselves to this transformative energy. We are graced by teachings that leave us with inspiration, perspective, and much practical guidance.

At the last Firekeeper Retreat in the US,  the Firekeepers and the Executive Directors of the Sacred Fire Community came together in deep process. By the end of the Retreat, the need for a new commitment from the Sacred Fire Community organization and the Firekeepers to build a more supportive, respectful relationship and collaboration was clear.

To facilitate this process, we will be putting in place a Firekeeping Council, made up of one representative from each of our regions: the UK, Australia, Latin America, Canada, and the US, along with me, the Fire Chief – six representatives in total.  The Council will represent the beautiful diversity, richness and unique needs of the different hamlets to the organization. It is an exciting new support and voice for the Firekeepers and the hamlets they represent.

Discover our community fires.

Find your fire.

Learn about becoming a Firekeeper.