Question: Why are people with red hair so peculiar?

Guru: Red signifies fire. Now peculiarity is something uncommon or unusual. On the physical plane, fire burns and destroys. On the inner plane fire always illumines and transforms. So when the physical plane sees the result of the inner fire — transformation and purification — it feels that that is quite peculiar. Similarly, when the inner plane sees the functioning of the fire on the physical plane — burning everything to ashes — it also receives a peculiar feeling and experience. Earthly fire and Heavenly fire do not get along well with each other. Earthly fire is all destruction; Heavenly fire is all purification and transformation.

So when you are identified with earthly fire, the results of Heavenly fire are peculiar to you. When you are identified with Heavenly fire, the results of earthly fire are peculiar to you. The functioning of fire on two levels of consciousness is totally different. This difference brings about the peculiarity.