We refer to the physical structure of where we hold our ritual as the laboratory. The center of our lab is our fire. Immediately around the fie is an open space used for offerings of movement, song, story, drama and wonder. This area is bounded by a ring of torches we call the Mars Line. On the South side of the Mars line is our Furnace. Outside the Mars Line, is open space for conspiring, several Altars and Temples. All of this is bounded by a line of Prayer Ties. Beyond the Prayer Ties is our Nesting Area.

Laboratory = Lab(or) + Oratory

In Fire Alchemy, our laboratory is a very special place. This is where we work, play and pray together. In the broadest terms, all of physical reality is our laboratory. For our rituals the laboratory is everything inside the line of Prayer Ties.

Some typical definitions for laboratory are:

• Any place, situation, set of conditions, or the like, conducive to experimentation, investigation, observation, etc.;
• A place for practice, observation, or testing.
• A region resembling a laboratory in as much as it offers opportunities for observation and practice and experimentation;

In our usage of the word, Laboratory has two parts: Lab and Oratory.

• Lab, or Labor
  comes from another Latin word, laboratus which is "to work"
   
• Oratory
  comes from a Latin word, oratorium which is a place of prayer

In our rituals, a laboratory is a place of work, observation and prayer.

Co+Lab+Oratory

Wait, what about the 'our', the 'we', the coming together that turns 'you' or 'me' into 'whee!' ? Since this is a collaboratory space - we buid it and make it what it is together, we need to add the 'co' for company, compassion, communion, consideration, co-creation, co-operation, co-inspiration of our Co-Lab-Oratory.