The wood burning looked just like a barbeque. I remember being surprised. I don’t know what I thought when I signed up for the fire-walking challenge, but I believe that some part of me sub-consciously expected the fire to be fake or safe in some way. Perhaps I thought it would be a projector or special types of wood which didn’t burn as hot as others. Maybe I thought they were going to line up lots of Quality street wrappers and shine bright lights underneath them for me to walk across.
The actual primaeval impact of the fire brought the reality of what I was about to go into my mind’s eye. I have had many forms of trials in my life, but this had a different feel. I was about to walk over a fire in front of a big crowd of people.
The whole event had already raised approaching 9,000 pounds. I wasn’t the only person taking part in the fire-walk. Many people who were taking part had never fire-walked before, many had or had learned the art of fire-walking in distant countries but each of us had our own different approach to prepare for the challenge in front of us.
The time for my fire-walk was coming round and I’d seen the people ahead of me using their own method of getting across the flames unhurt. Some people almost ran, some people made noises or used a mantra, as they chanted. I, however, had put myself into a state of inner calmness and tranquillity.
As I approached the glowing embers, I felt nothing but a sense of elation as my feet touched on the hot coals. As I continued to walk, I could feel heat beneath my feet, but no pain. There was a feeling of indestructibility as I continued from one side to the other. Only when I stopped, did I notice a hot coal caught between two of my toes and felt the searing, burning pain as I kicked it quickly away.
The fire-walk was over, but in my mind, I thought about the hidden capabilities that we all have, but hold back.