Foxfire Magic
For those of you who have not heard of or seen foxfire, it results from the bioluminescence produced by certain fungi as they break down dead wood on temperate or tropical forest floors. It can cause dead tree stumps to glow in the dark. Because we rarely venture into the forest at night, few have ever seen it.
Some animals, like fireflies and jellyfish, also have bioluminescence, but we don’t expect light to emanate from a dead, rotting stump in the forest! Like the rabbit emerging from the magician’s hat, foxfire holds a wondrous fascination for any of us who come across it. And it can become a source of inspiration for those who do.
In many cultures, this cool, blue-green light has become associated with foxes, hence the name “foxfire.”
- In Japan, a mythical fox called a “kitsune” has up to nine tails that produce a red flame when wagged. This light is supposed to lure humans into exposing their weaknesses.
- In Finland, lights of the Aurora Borealis are said to come from a fox wagging its tail at night.
- The Apache believe a fox stole bioluminescence from fireflies to give the power of fire to humans.
Similar to the incongruity of coming across a glowing tree stump at night, seeing a magician pull a living rabbit from a seemingly empty hat also surprises and delights us. The phrase “S/he really pulled a rabbit out of a hat!” has become a metaphor for doing something unorthodox to achieve an unexpected or improbable result.
Thus, I chose to share this sculpture with you to invoke something surprising, unexpected, and delightful in your New Year. It suggests we can seek out a special kind of light in the darkness to inspire what may seem impossible.
We all look for a fresh start each new year. This year, let’s consider how the foxfire of the kitsune myth can lure us to become sufficiently conscious of our negative habits to magnanimously transform them into a deeply luminescent connection with our world and each other.
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