Firewalking has been around for a very long time and has a tradition in many different regions of the world. The firewalk is documented in the following countries and regions, among others: Africa, America, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Germany, England, Fiji, Greece, Italy, India, Japan, Nepal, Polynesia, Sri Lanka and Tibet.
The firewalk has probably developed in parallel at about 25 places around the world. And it is by no means to be understood as an East-West flow that originated in the Far East or Asia.
Regardless of how the firewalk came about and what its original intention was, it was usually practiced testing one's own faith or to approach God. Firewalking was often considered an initiation ritual, for example in the Far East, North Asia or the Fiji Islands. Rituals and ceremonies that included running on fire, for example, enabled young people to achieve a different social position. By the way, the probably oldest mentions of the fire run go back to the Old Testament (about 600 B.C.).
What is firewalking?
Running on fire as a whole is to be understood as a generic term. Basically, two types can be distinguished:
First, running over glowing coals and second, running over hot stones. Running over hot stones has its origin mainly in the Polynesian area and is still practiced there today. Running over glowing coals has been described mainly in India, China and Japan.
In addition, there are other manifestations such as "fire-handling" (glowing coals are taken in the hand) and the fire dance. In this article, firewalking means walking over burning coals.
When running on fire, the player walks barefoot over hot, glowing coal at about 700 °C.
In Central Europe, walking over burning coals is almost exclusively common. As a rule, this does not have a long tradition and is usually carried out in the form of seminars or workshops.
Firewalking aroused particular interest in the USA when journalists from National Geographic (1931 in Singapore) and the New York Times (1973 in Japan) first reported on these ceremonies. The first major scientific study on firewalking was then conducted by the University of London Council for Psychical Investigation.
In the early 1980s, Tolly Burkan, later the "father of firewalking" and director of FIRE (Firewalk Institute for Research and Education), indirectly learned firewalking from a Tibetan monk. Burkan spread fire running in the USA and trained many firewalking teachers.
The Mystery of Firewalking
The firewalk gives us many riddles:
First, there is the scientific side to firewalking. How is the human organism able to survive glowing coal at a temperature of 600-800 °C? Examples from everyday life show that even contact with a candle flame (500-1,000 °C) or a hot hot hot plate can cause burns. Why then is there usually no redness (first degree burns) or blisters (second degree burns) when firewalking?
Secondly, there is the cultural tradition of firewalking: where do the rituals and ceremonies in the various regions of the earth that are connected with firewalking come from that which is foreign to us? Why have such rituals developed independently of each other in different cultures?
My own experience shows that the fire run leaves behind an unusual quality of energy, motivation and happiness for a short time. Probably endorphins (happiness hormones) are released in a similar way to extreme sports (e.g. bungee jumping). Was the production of endorphins and the associated psychological change also decisive in the early days of firewalking? Third, there is awareness and mysticism: Everyone has probably heard of firewalking. But why does walking on fire have something mystical and mysterious? Isn't this due to the media coverage, which usually leaves a hint of mysticism?
This article takes up the scientific aspect of firewalking once again. At the end of this chapter, the findings of research are described.
Preparation
There are roughly two ways of preparing to run on fire: Either wood is burned into a pile and the resulting coal is raked apart, or wood is burned in large barrels and the resulting coal is then dumped. Pine and spruce wood are particularly suitable. Newspapers and sunflower oil are suitable fire accelerators.
The Firewalk
Now it's time. The fire walker stands at the starting point of the running course. The pants are slightly rolled up, shoes and stockings are taken off. This is followed by repeated, concentrated breathing and then the fire can be crossed. There are several ways and tricks to overcome the fear and awe of the embers. One possibility is to fix an imaginary point on the ground beyond the running track. This point is permanently fixed while running; the progress leads exactly to this point.
At the beginning, the crossing takes place almost automatically with large sweeping steps, so that perhaps four or five steps take place on the embers. With a little practice, the steps can be made smaller. This increases the number of touches of embers, which can be very appealing. This puts self-confidence and rationality to the test. Firewalking fills with pride and an unknown kind of energy. The resulting enthusiasm inspires and gives strength. You can feel the endorphins flowing through your body.
Please note
It must be made clear once again that firewalking is dangerous. Burns cannot be ruled out. Even third-degree burns have occurred. With good preparation for the firewalk (keywords: mindfulness and concentration), blisters and other injuries can be largely excluded.
If a fire blister nevertheless occurs, this should be assessed as positively as possible. Experience shows that accepting combustion has a positive side. Blisters are painful, but they are also the ultimate proof of a special performance - to have successfully walked over 700°C hot coals. Immediate treatment with a burn ointment or alternatively with a relaxing foot balm is highly recommended.
photo credit: Calamint FireWalk-4195 via photopin (license)
A meadow or field is particularly suitable as a subsoil for the firewalk. With tarred or gravel-covered surfaces there is a risk that the substrate heats up too much and thus poses a danger to the firewalker. In addition, it should be taken into account when selecting areas that they are as large and sparsely overgrown as possible. Otherwise the flying sparks of the shift fire could cause problems. A firewalk in high summer on a dry meadow is not recommended for obvious reasons.
Explanatory approaches
In the literature on firewalking you can find different explanations. Different approaches are also discussed on topic pages, in discussion forums and blogs on the Internet. Vilenskaya and Steffy ("Fire Walking - A New Look At An Old Enigma") offer a good and understandable overview. They distinguish five main attempts at explanation. In the following, these approaches are described on the basis of the two authors and supplementary literature. Exceptionally, non-physical approaches are also used here for explanation. Special attention is paid to the physical approach, which is much discussed in firewalking literature.
Trick and Deception
Firewalking is a trick. The soles of the fire runners' feet are prepared with special tinctures or ashes. In addition, the fire runners deceive the audience, for example by walking over the earth at the edge of the blaze or hiding their true injuries. These possibilities have been considered by older researchers, but have since been refuted by the results of recent research (observations, photos and experiments).
Psychophysiological interaction
Hypnosis and trance lead to changes in consciousness. With the help of hypnosis, heat can be tolerated without physical reactions (blisters, pain). Psychological experiences therefore influence the physiology of the human body. In addition, there is a social reinforcement by the group members. As physiological reactions to the changes in consciousness are under discussion:
Firstly, changes in blood circulation (heat is conducted away from the body periphery, i.e. the influence of heat is reduced), secondly, minimization of neuronal sensitivity through altered neurochemical substances and thirdly the ability of the nervous system to absorb and transform energy (hypothetically to this day). Overall, this is an interaction of mind and body in which relationships between psychological processes and electrochemical activities occur in certain brain regions (endocrine system, hypothalamus and cortex).
Mind over matter (power of thought)
Thoughts can change the physical laws of the environment. Telekinesis is often cited in connection with the idea of a changeable physical reality. There may be an unknown electrostatic cooling effect due to electrostatic fields, which allows safe fire running.
Power of belief
Firewalking is possible because every firewalker believes in something, no matter how incompatible the belief systems of the individual runners are. The firewalker and every human being direct their faith outward to a certain belief system (placebo, God, physics and spirits). It seems that without this external system it is not possible for man to use his individual power or his innate energy. Faith protects and strengthens the firewalker as he runs over burning coal.
Laws of physics
Two possibilities are repeatedly discussed within the framework of a physical explanation approach: the theory of low conductivity and the Leidenfrost effect.
Theory of low thermal conductivity
In heat exchange processes (contact between the sole of the foot and the embers) not only the temperature is decisive, but also the thermal conductivity and the heat content of a substance. Charcoal has a relatively low thermal conductivity and low heat content at high temperatures. Annealing steel, which has the same temperature, would cause very serious burns in the event of contact due to its high thermal conductivity. The relatively low thermal conductivity of red-hot carbon allows contact if it is short-lived and is not repeated too often. In relation to the fire, this means that a few steps with a contact duration of less than two seconds are physically and physiologically possible. This 2-second mark is probably a physiological limit up to which the body tissue can survive contact undamaged.
The theory of low thermal conductivity is therefore composed of three factors: first, poor thermal conductivity of carbon, second, short foot-carbon contacts and third, few contact repetitions (steps).
Leidenfrost effect
The Leidenfrost effect was discovered in the 18th century by the physicist Johann Leidenfrost. It occurs when a liquid touches an object whose temperature is above the boiling point of the liquid. A vapor layer (barrier with low thermal conductivity) forms around the liquid droplets, which prevents both direct contact between body and liquid and further evaporation of the liquid. This effect can be illustrated by touching the underside of a hot iron with wet fingers. The Leidenfrost effect allows a short contact without combustion consequences. Furthermore, the effect occurs when drops of water get onto a hot plate. The drops do not evaporate immediately, but "dance" on the hot plate. This is also due to the layer of steam produced by the high temperature of the hotplate. In relation to the course of fire, the Leidenfrost effect leads to the fact that foot sweat droplets are surrounded by a layer of steam and enable short-term foot-carbon contact.
It is noticeable that the two approaches overlap or build on each other. The phenomenon of low thermal conductivity also plays a major role in the Leidenfrost effect. Probably a combination of both explanatory approaches occurs in practice. But the opinions of the researchers differ on this as well. Hypotheses about other influencing variables such as callouses on the soles of the feet or the weight of the firewalker could meanwhile be refuted by experimental investigations.