The Fire Dancing Families — Nestinary
When one can dance on embers
In Bulgaria, communities known as Nestinars engage in the unique practice of dancing barefoot on flames.
These groups primarily reside around Burgas, a city on the Black Sea coast, within the Strandzha Mountain range, and live in small, tight-knit villages, with only a handful of families remaining.
The ability to become a Nestinar is passed down through generations, making it a hereditary role. Before passing away, the leader of the Nestinar community entrusts their position to their eldest child or son. The entire clan convenes, and the leadership is transferred to the chosen one.
The newly appointed leader then absorbs the wisdom and power of the previous one.
The Nestinar’s home is considered sacred, with sacred icons and saints playing a significant role. Saints Konstantin and Elena are revered for their ability to bestow the Nestinar’s unique powers.
Every May, the Nestinars celebrate with grand festivities in honor of these saints. It is during these celebrations that the Nestinars showcase their abilities to dance on fire and foresee the future.
On May 21st each year, the Nestinars come together for these celebrations, and the “magic drum,” an ancient instrument passed down through generations, is played.
This drum is over a century old and is a symbol of unity among the Nestinars from surrounding villages. As the drum beats, the villagers cease their dancing to make room for the Nestinars to perform their fire dance.
The Nestinars perform intricate and unusual poses, their faces transforming as they dance in a trance-like state. One by one, they step onto the fire, seemingly unharmed, and then, with a final step, they are enveloped in a protective mud bath.
Nestinar, the one leading the dance, then shares their visions with the gathered crowd, who often believe in the divine origin of the Nestinars’ powers.
Similar to the Nestinars, there are other fire-dancing families in Persia, though they are distant from Bulgaria.
The special thing about Nestinars is their ability to connect with a world that goes beyond what we can see or comprehend. It’s a mystery why only a a group of people is chosen to dance on fire, but there’s a story that suggests Nestinars are individuals with the ability to control fire, one of the four elements of Earth.
I think they might be the descendants of an ancient group of people from a distant part of the universe, who have come back to share their knowledge and assist humanity.
What are your thoughts?
P.S. The World Needs You!
