After 2020, I’m sure many of us felt as if the world was on fire, and maybe we still feel that way this year. But maybe there’s something beneficial behind this fire. When you first see a forest fire, it is quite a discomforting feeling, but after all those flames die down and the embers cool, we start to see the Earth in a new light and perspective. For one, we have more space to imagine our visions and dreams. There are fewer things to block the sunlight, needed for growth. This is all, of course, if the forest fire does not get out of control. When it does, we are reminded of how cleansing can go too far and evolve into complete and utter destruction, shoving away any hope for new growth and restoration. Nature is a teacher of Truth.
Nature uses this force of fire to cleanse and heal, but how do we as humans harness fire for this same purpose? The answer is through fire-walking. This ancient technique involves walking over a path of hot coals and ash barefoot until you reach the other side. Its earliest known reference comes from an Indian story in the year 1200 B.C., but it has been practised by many of the world’s ancient cultures and still exists today. Why do this, you may ask? Well, many cultures did it for religious, cultural, spiritual, or rite of passage reasons. Today, it is used mostly to help people overcome one thing: FEAR.
The ashes and coals from firewalks are actually not great conductors of heat, meaning that they don’t transmit heat well to other objects because they insulate the heat toward the inside. This means that unless you stop walking or shove your foot down forcefully, the chances of you getting burned are slim to none. The worst most people ever end up with is a blister.
So, if we know this, then why are people afraid? Well, it comes down to our body’s natural response designed to protect us from what we have learned. We know that fire, although good, can cause harm when its power grows uncontrollably. So, to consciously subject ourselves to its power is a risk. However, the risk is actually small compared to many others we take in our daily lives. Driving to work, swimming, riding your bike; all of these come with much more risk than walking over fire.
This is what makes the effectiveness of firewalking incredible. There we are, knowingly deciding to walk over hot coal ashes, feeling the intense heat beneath our feet. We could stop, but then we remember that stopping presents more danger. Fear keeps creeping in the whole way. But with our minds right and the goal in sight, we press on swiftly with our heads held high. And when we reach the other side, we are stronger and feel much more empowered, knowing that we conquered that Fear.
Firewalking is basically like a FEAR-killing training session. It gives us the self-confidence and enlightenment we need to get our minds right for the real-world fears that come to us daily. Don’t get me wrong, when I say ‘FEAR-killing’, I don’t mean to say to kill any precautions or rightful careful acknowledgements as well. These can serve us well and get us out of sticky situations and making wrong decisions. It’s when these small careful thoughts are fed until they transform into their merciless goal-killing form called, you guessed it, FEAR.
Now you may say that your mind is just fine and you don’t need or want any ‘FEAR-killing’ practice session. And you may be right. Perhaps firewalking isn’t what would work for you. Everyone is different. But the main takeaway is to remember that our mind is constantly absorbing and learning information from our lives, and if we aren’t careful, FEAR can often creep in without us even noticing it. Because many of us live in a society where the FEARS are driven by more intangible things and fewer tangible, primitive things, we often forget that we are even on the battlefield against this relentless foe. Firewalking ignites (pun intended) that spark of belief that we can overcome any Fear that is holding us back by placing it in the centre of our minds through a tangible objective with a clear goal. It reminds us that we are in charge of what risks we take and don’t take.
This is a crucial part of the biohacking process. As biohackers, we all take risks every day, no matter how big or small, by experimenting with methods to bring out the best of ourselves overall. By proving to ourselves in a tangible and very real way that our belief is stronger than our FEAR, we get into our zone of self-discovery and further restoration and growth.
References and Research Studies:
- Firewalking as a Challenge to the Mind and Body: A study on the physiological and psychological responses during firewalking.
- Research Study: Johnson, R. J., & Prkachin, K. M. (1994). Firewalking as a challenge to the mind and body: a preliminary investigation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 79(3), 1376-1378.
- The Psychology of Firewalking: Examines the psychological aspects of firewalking, including its impact on fear.
- Research Study: Smith, R. A., & Weber, R. (1996). The psychology of firewalking: An empirical investigation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 26(3), 224-235.
- Understanding Fear and Risk Perception: A study that explores the psychology of fear and risk perception in different situations.
- Research Study: Slovic, P., Fischhoff, B., & Lichtenstein, S. (1982). Why study risk perception? Risk analysis, 2(2), 83-93.
- Firewalking and Fear Reduction: Investigate how firewalking can be used to reduce fear and build self-confidence.
- Research Study: Tosey, P., Visser, M., & Saunders, M. N. (2011). The origins and development of firewalking as a practice and a metaphor. Organizational Aesthetics, 1(1), 30-50.
