The Spirits of Fire in Mythology

The fire ... The fascinating dance of his tongues, full of charm and mystery, gave birth to many legends and myths directly connected with the emergence of the elements, as well as with the forces controlling it on the planet. If we consider the mythology of different peoples, we can trace the threads leading to the divine origin of fire. Power and unlimited power, contained in the elements, did not leave in the minds of people space for the origin of thought, that they themselves could get the spark from which the flame was born. The pantheons of the gods certainly had a deity controlling the dangerous elements, and the spirits of fire are found in many legends. Let them be written in different languages, but have a common ideology.

Spirits of fire - a kind of spontaneous or natural spirits. In most cases, these are forms of beings emitting heat. According to legends, fires and fires started from their hands, but despite this, they bear not only the function of destruction, but also renew the surrounding space. Spontaneous creatures include the spirits of fire, water, earth, air.

Salamander

Salamanders - in the traditions of the Middle Ages the spirits of fire, protecting the elements and being its embodiment. Live in an open flame, in any of its manifestations. Usually depicted as small lizards. There were people who considered the salamander not just a spirit, but also some kind of unusual substance of fire.

Legends say that, despite the nature of the spirit, his body is always cold, which allows him to sometimes put out the fire. If a salamander appears in the house (usually this happens in the fire of a fireplace or a stove) this does not mean anything bad. However, and good luck is not expected. If some beings openly influence the fate of a person, pushing him into a maelstrom of failure or bestowing a boon, the salamander is considered to be a neutral spirit. Sometimes it is called the alchemical spirit of fire.

Phoenix

Phoenix (from the Latin phoenix) is a bird mentioned in the myths of many peoples, capable of burning itself, after which it is reborn. In most legends, phoenix is often referred to as the cult of the sun. As a rule, it was depicted in the form of an eagle in a fiery red plumage with a splash of gold. Feeling the approach of death, the bird burns itself, flying into its native nest, and from the formed ash there is a chick. In some interpretations of legends, an adult phoenix rises from the ashes. As a rule, myths mentioned that this bird is the only representative of its kind. If we consider the phoenix as a metaphor, it is a symbol of immortality, an update that obeys a certain cycle.

In Christianity, this bird symbolizes resurrection, the victory of immortal life, unshakable faith and immutability. The bird is a symbol of Jesus Christ. One of the early periods of Christianity is painted with a frequent depiction of the phoenix on the gravestones, where he acted as the triumph of life over death, resurrection from the dead. The ancient Rusics had their own phoenix analogues, fire spirits: finist and Firebird.

Kagucuti

When Kagutsuti came into the world, he burned his mother Izzanami with her fire, which caused her to die. The deity's father, Idzanagi, succumbed to despair, deprived his son of the head of the legendary weapon Ame no Ohabari, and then divided the remains of Kagusuti into 8 equal parts. Of these, eight volcanoes were subsequently born. The blood of the fire goddess, dripping from the blade of Ame-no Ohabari, spawned a large number of gods, including Vatatsumi, the deity of the sea, and also Kuraokami, who has power over the rain.

The spirits of fire in Japanese mythology are important. The Japanese worship Kagucuti as the god of fire and blacksmithing. Believers revere him in the temple of Akiba, Odaki and Atago, from the time of its foundation, the main temple for the worship of the deity. Previously, the cult of Kagucuti had a huge influence. People were afraid of the wrath of the deity, tirelessly brought gifts and prayed to him, believing that they would protect the house and family from the fire in this way. To date, these rituals have almost exhausted themselves, but the people have preserved the tradition to celebrate the holiday of Hi-Matsuri with the beginning of the year, at the moment of which believers carry torches lit by the priest from the altar in the temple.

Hephaestus

The spirits of fire in Greek mythology are met quite often. The ancient Greeks worshiped Hephaestus as the god of fire, as well as the patron of the blacksmith's craft. It was believed that no smith could surpass his skill. When Hera gave birth to Hephaestus, she saw that he was a sick and frail child, and also limping on both legs. The goddess was horrified and immediately renounced her son, throwing him off the top of Olympus. However, the child did not die. Thetis, the sea goddess, brought up the child, replacing him with her own mother. Hephaestus lived at the bottom of the sea, where he learned to forge. Later, he learned about his real parents and sent as a present to Hera the golden throne that bound her with invisible fetters as soon as she sat down on him. In exchange for her release, he was given the right to choose a wife, a place on Olympus and began to enter the pantheon of the gods.

Ragor

Ragor is a fiery falcon, symbolizing an honest duel and honor in general. It is an allegory of straightforwardness and justice. Ragor is a metaphorical image of people who abandoned lies and cunning, hypocrisy and cunning. It was he who was on the banner of Svyatoslav Igorevich, when he in his campaigns wiped off the face of the earth the mention of the Khazars and their treacherous actions. Some mistakenly consider him a Slavic fire god . The only spirits of fire in the mythology of the Slavs, which can be called deities, are Semargle and Ingle.

Loki

Loki is the Scandinavian god of cunning, who was also considered the deity of fire, the son of Lauvei and the giant Farbauti. He perfectly mastered the magical art of changing his appearance, which he relentlessly uses to come to the aid of the gods or harm them. Has a tall, handsome, attractive appearance and a bold nature, but is naturally cunning and evil. I took part in the creation of the first people. Loki acts as the parent of the queen of the underworld Hel, the terrible dragon Ermungada, as well as the wolf Fenris. In mythological subjects Loki acts in the role of a captor-kidnapper, whose weapon is cunning and deception. He acts voluntarily or forced, sometimes benefiting the gods, and in another - harming them.