Nourish the Good Fire

Salamanders, Black Pepper, and Finding Inspiration in Fiery Times

Hello Everyone,

Today’s letter is about inspiration, something that some of us may be finding elusive.

The last few weeks have held intense energy, first the fiery entrance of the lunar new year, then the intensity of eclipse season, and while all the astrological energy played itself out in the skies, here on Earth, we have entered into yet another destructive war that is shaking the foundations of our society and the system under which we live.

I’ve felt the energy as a sort of inertia in my heart. I’ve had ideas for what I want to create in 2026 but every time I’ve tried to step forward I’ve been plagued by thoughts of “how can I talk about the flowers in my garden when the world is burning?” or “Why will people care about oracle cards, rituals, anointing oils and spiritual practices when everything we hold dear is being threatened?” And the big one, “who am I to talk into this abyss, sitting here in my comfortable home, far removed from the horror of war?”

But, as usual, my spiritual practices have illuminated my way through the resistance. Yesterday, I consulted the cards, asking the question, “ What do I need to do now?” And the answer I received was this:

Not knowing much about Salamanders, I did some research into their mythology, and what I unearthed was very illuminating.

In European folklore, salamanders were believed to be creatures that could live in fire without being harmed. The emblem of the French King Francis I was a salamander surrounded by flames with the motto:

“Nutrisco et extinguo”
“I nourish the good fire and extinguish the bad.”

I think that’s a motto we could adopt for ourselves in these fiery times, yes?

The Alchemical Salamander

During the Renaissance, alchemists adopted the salamander as the symbol of the fire element.

In alchemy, there were four elemental spirits:

• Gnomes — earth

• Undines — water

• Sylphs — air

• Salamanders — fire

For the alchemists, the salamander symbolised:

• Transformation through heat

• Purification

• The spiritual power of fire

• Endurance in intense conditions

To alchemists, fire was not only physical flame, but it also represented the inner fire that transforms the spirit.

Dear reader, the salamander is a symbol of the soul that can endure the fires of transformation.

And then pair that symbology with black pepper, and the message begins to become clear.

Plant Spirit Alchemy

Black pepper is a plant that awakens fire within the body. Pepper acts like a spark, an igniter, a catalyst; it accelerates transformation. Black pepper awakens dormant energy, stimulates movement and activates transformation through heat.

From a plant spirit perspective, pepper’s medicine often shows up as:

Clarity and sharpness
Pepper clears dullness and mental fog.

Protection
Many traditions use pepper for energetic protection and boundary setting. (How about that, fire as a boundary)

Activation
It wakes things up on every level, physically, mentally, and energetically.

Pepper is not a gentle plant ally. Pepper is an instant activator; their message is clear:

“Wake up. The fire needs to move.”

The Salamander Connection

If the salamander is the spirit of transformative fire, pepper invites that spirit into motion. This combination is the spark of conscious fire. It’s the fire that brings inspiration, that calls us forward to process our way through this mess and bring transformation to our inner and outer world.

As I studied the meaning of this card, these questions rose in me:

Is this not the year of the fire horse? Are you not living through a time of transformation? Are you not being called to create a new world out of the ashes of the old one?

Should I sit in indecision, wondering what my role is in all of this? Or should I harness the fire that surrounds me and, like King Francis, nourish the good fire and extinguish the bad?”

If there is one thing I’ve learnt in my 54 years of living, it’s this: You have to take the first step before the next one reveals itself. And also this: there’s no point in doing anything if inspiration isn’t behind it. Inspiration is the catalyst that unlocks the door to your passion, your creativity, your desire to get up every morning and do something.

So, for this next moon cycle, I invite you on a journey to open the door to inspiration. I will share rituals (most of them will involve fire, my favourite!), plant spirit medicine, tarot and oracle card readings and more, to help us wake up our inner fires and become our own alchemists. (The timing couldn’t be better! On March 20, we have our spring/autumn equinox, the beginning of the astrological new year, and the sun moves into Aries, bringing us all the fiery energy of the ram.)

If you are looking for a way to keep your heart open while the world feels heavy…
If you are searching for a spark of inspiration in uncertain times…
If you feel the quiet call to transform rather than withdraw…

Then come sit by the fire with me for a while.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll work with the medicines of flame and plant, with ritual, reflection and the wisdom of the cards, tending the small but powerful fires that burn within us.

Because the world may indeed be burning.

But so too are the fires of creativity, courage and transformation.

And like the mythical salamander, perhaps our task is not to flee the flames, but to learn how to move through them, nourishing the good fire and extinguishing the bad.

I’m calling this series The Fire Keeper Letters, and I’m excited to share the inspiration with you.

With Much Fiery Love,