Member-only story
A Skeptics Guide to Firewalking
On becoming fearless
A brilliant new moon illuminated our path as we walked through the chilly desert evening to the excursion site. Whispered chit-chat and nervous laughter wafted through the air. Smoke rose in the distance. My heart raced as my mind replayed every anti-alternative lecture I’d ever heard: “Be careful. If you open your mind too much, your brains will fall out.” “Make sure the risk is worth the reward.” “Yada, yada, yada….”
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Let me begin at the beginning.
Years ago, an acquaintance casually remarked that his girlfriend had once “firewalked.” “You mean, she walked barefoot across hot burning coals?!” I blurted out in total disbelief.
“Yeah.” he answered flatly, without a single trace of “Wow, isn’t that cool, crazy, or awesome,” in his voice. (apparently, it was impossible to rouse this guy!)
I was floored — and intrigued.
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I’d witnessed a couple of firewalking performances before, once in Jamaica and once in Fiji. They were both carried out by what appeared to be highly trained professional stunt-men, never (it seemed to me) by mere mortals —or average men and women! (In fact, I never saw a single female engage in this)
