Firework magic!

Where I live, if it's within about a month of the 4th of July, fireworks are fair game.  Day, night, weekend, weekday....it doesn't matter, and the sound of mini-explosions will be heard.  The intensity definitely ramps up the closer we are to the actual holiday, but the little booms and starbursts are to be expected for quite a while at this time of year.

The first couple of times I hear fireworks each year, I forget what they are.  I think it's a car backfiring, or a gun (both of which are not super unusual around here), and it's not normally until a few days have passed and I start to notice the regularity of the sounds that I remember it's fireworks.

I have always loved fireworks, both the big, spectacular displays that you get at formal events (or Disneyland), and the small ones that you buy for use at home.  Even sparklers bring me joy!  There is something about the bright flashing lights, bright colors, sounds and smells that I just enjoy.

I think that fireworks are often one of our earliest big magic moments.  When we are little, and we look up at the sky, and these huge stars of light burst into being, it feels like absolute magic.  We don't know the science behind them, we just know that they are beautiful and fascinating.

This is something we can tap into, using fireworks in our magic, either in actual physical form, or through the visualization of them.  There are lots of different forms of fireworks, but they are all (semi)controlled fire or explosions.  They are things that are prepared ahead of time, have some sort of trigger, often a delay, and then there is an initial explosion, followed by a cascading effect.

Let's consider using actual fireworks first.  There is a lot of power in the explosion, as well as a bit of time to keep focused attention as you are waiting for the fuse to burn down.  You can pick a firework that matches your intention, something that contains colors or a pattern that fits what you are working on.  Not all are large or flashy.  There is one that I was always fascinated by, that creates this snake of ash, which would be great for things that you want to grow.  Some shoot up into the sky, which would be perfect for anything you want to send out into the greater world.  There are ones that spin around on the ground, which would be fantastic for creating momentum.

Then you charge it like you would any other ritual item.  I wouldn't anoint it with oil, but you can draw sigils or write power words on the side.  You can place (non-flammable) items to be charged underneath the fireworks (or build a frame to support the fireworks over the items you are charging, so they are safe and protected, but still right there when the fireworks explode). 

Hold the firework between your hands and charge it with your intent.  Whisper your desires into it.  Then, make sure everything is safe, and light it.  As the fuse burns, feel your focus grow and then when the first explosion happens, let it go!  If you have something that has multiple cascading effects, then keep sending energy as long as it is going off.

You also don't have to be in charge of the fireworks yourself.  If you are going to a fireworks display, and you know the theme, you can prepare intentions to seed the show with.  If you have a focus item, you can hold it in your hand, as you watch the show.  If you have words to say, you can whisper them as the fireworks go off.

There is a meme that has been popping up lately, where sparklers are called 'angry incense', and I love it.  But in many ways, sparklers are similar to incense, with light and sparks instead of scent.  Sparklers are great for risting (drawing symbols in the air).  You can write your intention on a piece of paper and tie it to the handle.

You can also use fireworks as a model for how your spells unfold.  If you look at the picture of the sparkler above, it's sort of fractal in nature:  each spark bursts and sends off new sparks, some of which burst and send off even more sparks.  For a lot of spells and intentions, just sending them out to do their work, like a single mote floating through the air, is perfectly fine.  For others, using the model of a bank of fog, billowing out and surrounding everything works better.  But for some, imagining the unfolding of fireworks works best.

I also think of this model as a multiplier of the initial push.  You start with just one spark, but that divides and turns into three, each of which divides and turns into five.  Within a very short period of time, you have a thousand tiny motes of magic!

I also think that fireworks are good background for meditation.  When I would see fireworks, I always found it easy to loose myself in the moment, to sink into a space where I was calm and content.  It brought back the easy joys of childhood, where worry and strife don't linger.

Sometimes, I would visualize myself flying through the air, dodging in and about the fireworks (I watched a lot of fireworks at Disneyland, so Tinkerbell was right there, flying through them!)  Disney does a lot of good things with their fireworks shows, they all have a theme and music and words to guide you on a journey, and this is something you can do yourself as well.

You can find fireworks videos online, and some programs even let you design your own fireworks displays!  These are particularly cool as you have full control over the look of the fireworks, can add in music, and can create your own fireworks event for either meditation or spell work!

There is a lot that you can do with fireworks, and it is a fun thing to explore.  Call upon your inner child and stare at the sparks in wonder, and see what magic you can create!