extraverted Sensing as Fire

[cindypope]

My daughter is a 23 year old esfp and she has a lot of fire in her. Always strong willed, and can be very reactive. She was a competitive gymnast, and loves sports but also very girly but almost masculine? Has lots of kinesthetic intelligence. When I was teaching her to drive as a teen this old man got in our lane in a neighborhood and she got in other lane and he cut back and I was panicked ( infp here) and she somehow cut across him barely missing his car to an open space in a yard and saved us. I was utterly amazed at her innate timing and action. She is now a top sales person and likes to live on the edge 'making her own money', commission, as, she likes to say with no ceiling on her. Definitely is hard to pin down..kind of a wildfire.

[victorangeles]

I completely agree with your Tie to Se and fire, from my personal perspective Si matches with earth, since it's more solidified and grounded, and Si isn't seeking for external stimulus. Ne is like air, it exploratory and goes everywhere, can be excited by anything unlike fire. Ni is like water, in the sense to how it is deep and reflective.

[PirvuCatalin]

Bless you Sherman! I love elements talk. You've really hit home with me here :) (Yay!)

Even though I'm not an Se user, I have been a keen observer and student of fire throughout my life. If you're anything into genetic mapping, there is a living wisdom system that originated out of Human Design (which is a fusion and synthesis of the I-Ching, the Chakra System, Astrology, Genetics, the Kaballah all rolled into one) called the Gene Keys (its author is Richard Rudd) which brings a more poetic touch to the wisdom.

In this system, there are 64 "Keys", numbered acording to the Hexagrams which directly translate to triplets of nucleotides or "Codons". Now these 64 Codons are grouped into "Families" or Codon Rings as Richard Rudd calls them.

All codons in a codon group code for the same Aminoacid.

There is one such "Codon Ring" called the "Codon Ring of Fire" which consists of the 1st and 14th Keys (the genetic equivalent of the 1st and 14th hexagram of the I-Ching), which code for the aminoacid Lysine. I happen to have both of them as genetic imprints in my birthchart. So while I may not be linked to Fire by Personality type, I am linked to it by my Soul's Signature

Like any good ENFP, I start things for the sheer joy of starting them and leave them at that, but take their spirit with me on my journey. Such was the case with my first ever blog. It was called "Primordial Elementz". I started it in 2011.
There are just 5 articles there, but guess what... they're all meditations and personal metaphors on the subject and nature of Fire (gee, I wonder why *chuckling to myself*)

I'll leave you a link here in case you don't have anything more personally relevant to do than peer into the mind and heart of 26 year old me. If you read, I hope it's at least entertaining (back then I didn't write such long twisted posts as I do now)


Nowadays, based on my contemplations of both Se and Fire, it is the same for me. For me, in archetypal terms, Se most definetly equates to Fire.

What I have to add to the discussion are two separate threads which to me are both about fire, but they don't really cross.

The first is more Structural, and it has to do with the way Se combines with the two other functions.
I too have looked at functions in and of themselves, and that has helped me understand their individual quintessence on its own terms. But lately I find my contemplation takes me to another place. Se, like any other function, is never on its own.

I like to imagine A Circle of all the functions grouped as groups of 2.

So for example we have The Data-Gathering Perceiving Functions, that's Se and Ne one next to the other, each with 45 degrees out of 360. Then we have the Data-Structuring Perceiving Functions, that's Si and Ni. Then of course we have the "Decision Framework" functions, that provide us with the rules of "How we should go about making decisions", and that's Fi and Ti (frameworks for personal (value based) or impersonal (non-value based) decisions), and last but not least the "Decision Implementation" functions, that's Fe and Te.

But now every slice of 45 degrees coresponding to a function is not really a uniform slice. That is to say Se, Fire is not the same fire no matter what. There's actually two variations, depending on what Fire is paired up with.

So you have Se - Ti Fire, whether Se dominant Ti auxiliary or Ti dominant Se auxiliary, and you have Se - Fi Fire, again regardless of whether Se is Dominant or Auxiliary.

It's still Fire in both instances, but it has a different quality. And this also gives us a way of seeing which function any function naturally goes well together with. In this case, Se can only be paired either with Fi or Ti, whatever the configuration.

So if it's an STP, that is Se + Ti, there you go, you have your basic Blacksmith formula
If it's an SFP, you have a cook or if we are to get more metaphorical it may also be a Bard (ESFP bard that ignites the fire in a the party's hearts by his songs of bravery).

We can play with it however we wish, the thing is to keep creative and not become rigid.



The second thread is about Fire itself, and Se as Fire.
Fire is a young element. But it is also the element that ripens us. Under its influence we mature, we grow into our own personal Power and also Responsibility. And it is also an Alchemical Element.
Although Se is presented as a very Physical and Instinct Oriented function, and there is indeed merit to those asociations, in its more metaphysical role, the role of Fire is that of Spiritual Catalyst. It burns away matter and raises its vibration onto the higher planes, converting it to Spirit.

If we talk in terms of Robert Moore and David Gillette's "King, Warrior, Magician, Lover, Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine", Fire is the Warrior's element. But the warrior has a link on the diagonal with the Lover, the most spiritual and mystical of archetypes.

I want to infuse what I feel is some much needed concrete spirituality into Se and into Fire. There is a Spiritual Impulse behind fire. Its purpose is to see the whole world burn and convert it to Spirit. The first hexagram of the I-ching is the hexagram of Heaven, in direct opposition to Earth, but also inseparable from it.

There is a deep Spirituality of Fire, but it's not an esoteric spirituality so much as a spirituality of Form. Life is the Teacher, Matter is the Teacher. The hardships are the fire that purifies us, and we are metaphorically either the Sword that is being Forged under Hephaestus's Hammer and Anvil, or the Sacred meal of the Gods cooked until we are just ripe.

Se is truly a harsh mentor, and the Trial by Fire is not an easy one. For me, this is a function of prime importance to any man, but also to many women, and I personally feel this Se as Fire needs a lot of inner contemplation, both mental, emotional and even cellular, for it may hold the key to recovering the legacy of the Divine Masculine, which i feel there is a real need for in today's society.


Thanks for taking the time to take this in.
Blaze a path for others to Follow. I find it fitting that you started with fire.
And keep in mind: no matter how many or few views or comments you have, by doing this you are a light onto yourself and others. Remember these early days and their spirit. This tiny ember you are holding now, this is what will blossom into a Blaze if you keep at it.

Light begets light and warmth begets warmth, and you sew both. So they must return to you multiplied.
Bless

[ZeriocTheTank]

I totally have to continue this series. I'm curious to see what you come up with. While listening to you talk I was imagining Chandra from Magic the Gathering. She's a character who truly lives in the moment, and it is quite the ironic that she solves everything with fire. If the first fire blast doesn't work she'll try a stronger fire blast. I might be dumbing her down a bit, but she has been rather successful. A character like her with her hot headed temper and reliance on her pyromancy could use some self reflection to temper her flame before it consumes too much.

[rayjackson]

I love the comparison to fire!! According to my recent personality test results I am an extreme esfp. I run a small business and have experienced first hand the results both good and bad of my impulsive nature!

[roku]

Completely agree. As INTJ with Se as an inferior function, I think Se grip with all it's spreading fire is Hell.

[germainmaria]

excellent metaphore and analysis, great stuff, impressed, how to live with it is hard. the rage for living, living on the edge, "la rage de vivre,

[aq]

Is the infp being unrealistic related to high Fi or Ne? and by trying to improve Si and Se can we become more realistic? i really struggle with not being rational all the time. i think about a lot of possiblities in an unhealthy way, and i kinda get paranoid.

[ateebahmed]

Istp here. I like your take on this, but I have always felt se type was more corresponding to the element Earth (ie extension). Si, I feel is rock and Se sand. Se types are have the ability to use tools/environment as part of themselves. Also earth is solid/concrete and corresponds to Se's ability to have a realistic perspective. I personally tie fire with Ni (will power)

[BJSchumacher]

Great video! I totally agree. Leo ENTP. I spit fire for days yo!

[TheTygertiger]

Funnily enough the word fire comes in the most famous catch phrase of the most famous ESTP in the world. Only it's not referring to the actual element fire: "You're fired!" (Donald Trump).

Fire is also an element of the legendary phoenix bird, a symbol of rebirth and revitalization. That could be seen as tying into his other slogan "Make America Great Again". So yeah, I think you're onto something here. (I'm ENTP, by the way.)

[dominick]

Being my inferior function, good servant but bad master is acccurate✅✅✅