If we think of the ritualist as the axis mundi, then the three-world cosmology is perfectly recreated by the presence of the water (underworld), and fire (upperworld), and this is why these elements are the basic requirements of re-creating the cosmos for ritual purposes. Just as heat and water allow a tree (a common representation of the axis mundi in art and ritual) to survive and thrive, fire and water are two main elements necessary for humans to survive. Without heat and water, many die quickly. Fire and water are also powerful natural phenomena that transform whatever they touch. Water over time cuts through rock, and can create new biomes for life to thrive. While fire acts more quickly than water, its ability to transform is no less impressive. It is thought that the ability to harness the power of fire to transmute our food into something easier to digest was what allowed humans to evolve as rabidly and as far as we have [1]. In ritual, fire transforms our words and sacrifices into structures that are acceptable and accessible to the kindreds. Water acts as a purifier as well as the gateway to the dark underworld of our Ancestors, whose water, in the form of blood, flow through us. It is through fire and water that we connect with the three worlds in a manner that allows for meaningful communication.
1. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/06/invention-of-cooking-drove-evolution-of-the-human-species-new-book-argues/
1. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/06/invention-of-cooking-drove-evolution-of-the-human-species-new-book-argues/
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