Reignite Your Inner Fire: Moving Forward with Purpose
by Diane Clark Manley

Yesterday, on the spring equinox (22 September), as the southern hemisphere reached its balance point, I felt this shift in energy. From this moment, the days will lengthen quickly, and the light will return with increasing strength, bringing new possibilities for growth and renewal.

Earlier this year, I released my Move Breathe Relax mini-course—a course that can be transformative in finding internal peace. After the creation of this course, I received an interesting observation: the three-letter acronym "MBR" evoked the word ember with an image of fanning the embers of a fire, reigniting it to rekindle our passion, spirit, and vitality.

It felt like a brilliant metaphor for moving forward with a renewed sense of purpose. What has burned away in the past, leaving ashes behind, has cleared space for something new. It's an invitation to breathe new life into your dreams—rekindling that fire within. Change is a constant in life, and now, as we transition through the seasons, is it time to reignite that spark of excitement within you?

A Time of Self-Care
The past three months have been a period of deep self-care for me. After birthing a course that took six months to create, I found myself exhausted, with little left to give. I needed to reconnect with myself, rediscover my excitement and passion, shift my energy, and redefine my purpose. And in the quiet space of Tranquillity—on my land—I found what I was seeking.

Fire: The Element of Passion
In the natural world, we recognise four elements—air, water, fire, and earth. Fire, in particular, represents passion. In the book The Wisdom of the Four Winds, Ahi (Fire) is described as the force of change that reveals our truths and helps us cast off burdens. Barry Brailsford writes:

"Let the flame reveal the truth of your journey... Cast your burdens into the cleansing fires of renewal. Fire gifts light that opens doors to the new. This is a journey into your excitement, the place where you walk your dreams and find your song."
— Barry Brailsford, p. 84-85

The Power of Rekindling
Imagine a fire that has burned low overnight. If you’re lucky, you may still feel a faint warmth in the ashes in the morning. But for the most part, it appears lifeless—grey, white, and speckled with bits of blackened wood. It seems like all has been extinguished. But is it truly gone?

To rekindle it, you need dry wood, the right kind of fuel, to get it started again. You may need to blow gently on the embers, or fan them, until that red glow begins to appear in the ashes. This is how you reignite your inner fire—patiently, with care, nurturing it back to life.

It’s Time to Rekindle Your Fire
It’s time to fan those embers of your soul back into life. Over the past few months, I’ve been clearing, creating, planting seeds, and reimagining what’s next. I’ve been nurturing my own internal fire after the long, cold winter, and I’ve been reminded that the key to rekindling my spirit is reconnecting with nature.

I’ve stepped away from screens and devices, allowing myself time to simply be. When I go into the garden, I often leave my phone inside (unless I’m expecting a call). It’s a time to listen to the whispers of Mother Earth and align myself with the rhythms of the land.

Creating Magical Spaces
On my property, I’ve been crafting different areas—each one a reflection of my vision for peace and tranquillity. There’s an orchard with a circle of crystals, in another area a cute wood dragon made from an old tree root, and in the south a ‘fairy ring’ formed from a tree that was once too big and had to be cut down. That tree still holds signs of life, and I hope to guide its new shoots into a circle that will surround its stump.

These spaces are not just for me but for my grandchildren and others who come here. My hope is that they will serve as a sanctuary—a place to slow down, dream, and simply be. A place without the rush, hustle, or bustle of the outside world. A space where we can reconnect with our inner selves.

Reignite Your Vision
From the embers of our past experiences, we can create something new. Just as fire transforms and renews, so can we. As we move forward in life, we must honour our need to find and maintain joy, excitement, passion, and peace—even in the toughest of times.

If you’ve been feeling disconnected, exhausted, or out of touch with your passions, know that it’s never too late to reignite your inner fire. The embers are always there, waiting for you to fan them into life again.

Take a moment today - to pause and reconnect with yourself. To move gently, breathe deeply, and relax. To envision what’s next on your journey. Your fire is waiting to burn bright once again.