The Blacksmith

Recently I had an opportunity to see a blacksmith work. Mesmerized; I looked at the strong metal being softened and shaped as the blacksmith desired.

That was an assortment of The Elements right in front of my eyes

The Fire – To burn the iron and make it red hot and soft and then even hotter to amber and yellow-orange (not white as white hot iron will be almost molten and not manageable by the blacksmiths tools and tongs.)

The Air – To feed the fire and make it more ferocious to ensure that the strength of iron succumbs to the heat and iron softens to being a malleable object and surrenders to be shaped as the blacksmith wants

The Water –  To cool the iron; after it is being shaped to blacksmith’s desire. The cooling in water brings the confidence and the strength back to the iron that had been softened by the heat

The Ether – That was where the smoke from the furnace and the heated iron flow into as the hammer struck the softened metal

The earth – The coal in the furnace feeding the fire and the metal all around and the clay to soften edges was the earth displayed all around.

Along with the elements was the Master, the Blacksmith himself; heating the iron to optimum level of heat and softness. Hot enough that it does not break when the hammer falls and also it does not become too soft to just give away under the blows.

All five elements working in tandem as per the Master’s plan. And the Master; the Blacksmith drawing, bending, upsetting, punching (**) and strongly yet meticulously forging useful and beautiful things out of the dull bars of iron, the “black metal” as the ancestors would call it.

The heat and the smoke and the smell of burning coal were in the air, it was somewhat stuffy and sticky in that workshop. But I guess I witnessed something great and very powerful in each blow. I could hear the music of the well-orchestrated almost rhythmic blows of the hammer on the yellow-orange iron. That was the music of creation.

For me that was the Zen moment of realization telling why it was important for the blacksmith to subject the metal to the heat before the form shaping blows of the hammer. Explaining Why parents have to be stern with their children from time to time during the growing years. And Clarifying why life is subjected to the hardships from time to time by the master Blacksmith. 

(** various steps in the process of metal forging)