I got this lighter from my uncle in the fall of 2016. At the time, we were fasting in the Giant Mountains in Poland with a group of about 15 people. No alcohol, no cigarettes, no coffee, no internet, and of course, no food. Instead, there were herbal teas, singing circles, rhythm sessions, yoga, sex, and sensuality. My uncle, who led the retreat, used the fire to light the candle in the common room, where we gathered every morning before sunrise. Until the fire finally ran out, and he gave it to me in exchange for a cheap disposable lighter. For me, those days were a time of upheaval. It urged me forward. But my baggage was still far too heavy to make any progress. I was full of fears, prejudices, and self-doubt. And any distraction from this miserable state was fine with me. But fasting takes away many opportunities for distraction. You have to deal with what is there. And you have to be willing to lose something if you want to gain something. By the time the retreat was over, I had gained quite a bit.
A new perspective on life, for example. And this fire. A short time later, I packed my things and moved to Berlin, where I've lived ever since. I've since filled the fire with gas. But unfortunately, it's just as stubborn as my uncle, who gave it to me. Sometimes it works perfectly. Sometimes it's unusable for weeks.
