01/01/01
Penny Sharp and Michael Sky, author of Dancing with the Fire, lead a firewalk for the Orcas community every New Year's Day. In years past, Michael would present a two-hour seminar to help walkers prepare. Now, we drum and Penny, above, leads songs to accompany building the fire and its burning from wood to coals. Below, even the canine gets in the act. Photographing a firewalk has two options: natural light or flash. With flash, the coals don't look hot, but with natural light, there's not enough light to illuminate the feet. Also, a flash would be distracting during the actual walk.
Michael Sky adds more wood to the bonfire. Below, the fire is raked out. Now there's not enough flame to illuminate the scene. Michael's only instruction to us was to sing and drum and dance more, "to build your energy, your self, as large as possible."
Soon after the coals were spread, people started walking. Those new to the circle got courage after seeing a few dozen go across. Even though I've walked at a half dozen firewalks, it's always scary to step on to the coals again. But I did.
That black wedge in the middle of the coals is the legs of a walker. Alas, it doesn't photograph. I was also asked not to photograph after this, as many consider this a ritual. I'd say most of the people walked, including some kids who have done it many times. (They frolicked in and out of the circle of coals like they were splashing in a wading pool.) Some people skittered across, some walked purposefully in 4-5 steps, but others danced, stomped, kicked, stood in it. Some people walked a dozen times, some didn't. Throughout, we sang and drummed to support the energy.
How does this work? Skeptics say that the skin puts off a layer of water, which turns to a layer of steam at the surface of the skin. Also, there's a layer of "insulating ash" on the coals. The ground was wet, as were our bare feet. So...sing a few songs and drum and walk across them. Go ahead. Nobody got burned, even though coals stuck to the bottom of the feet. I've done it maybe 6 times and a few times got a small blister.
I don't know why we can do it.