I was in a room of 30 people, stood in front of them with total commitment. In this moment each of them looked to me for guidance, courage and leadership.
They were about to walk fire for the first time.
Fifteen feet of fear. Searingly hot. Enough to melt lead, fry an egg…
Fear had shown up for everyone. Knees were wobbling.
Not just for them, bit for me too.
You see, I had a secret. This was the first time I had ever run a firewalk.
And there was no going back from this moment.
A few years earlier I had my first Firewalk experience, and form that moment I knew I had to learn how to train it myself and build it into the training I was already doing.
When doing it, what I had found extraordinary was how much fear I felt beforehand. How I was concocting reasons why I did not need to do it. Crazy reasons like ‘Oh I could do it anytime, just not today, it’s a Sunday, the day of rest!’
Yeah. Bonkers. But these thoughts were showing like crazy and as I was filled with dread.
Then I did the firewalk and immediately understood the power of the metaphor. How this experience was a reflection of other areas in life that caused me unnecessary or even unrealistic levels of fear. If I could walk, I could do those things too.
Sure, fear would always show up in the moment, but I would do them anyway as I AM A FIREWALKER!
Within a year I had run my first event which included a firewalk, just not led by me. That was with Steve Consalvez and it led directly to me doing his Firewalk Instructor Training over five days – an incredible event.
While searching for someone like Steve I had experienced other companies who ran firewalks. Some were great like Steve, others not so much. One treated the Firewalk like a kind of party game or trick at a pub. It was strange and very much in the opposite direction I wanted to go – to use as a metaphor for people to confront and overcome obstacles in their lives.
Some people use the word transformation in relation to firewalking. It’s kind of that, you know, transformation, though I do bristle at some of the woo-woo language some trainers and coaches use. I am never going to be the kind of firewalk leader that will talk about feng shui or vibrating crystals. I want to engage with, train and unleash the inner strength we ALL have. A strength that life can sometimes beat down, lock up and cause us to hide it.
My firewalks are all about her, that fearless version of us all… bringing her back out… and putting her BACK in charge.
Having run countless firewalks now, I remain in awe of how EVERYONE steps up to participate when they are called to do so. To face their fear in the moment. And to commit to exploring what their life would be like WITHOUT their own unique and personal fears in the future.
It’s magical when people get it. And act on it.
The number one outcome the day after a firewalk is people ask for a pay rise at work, or quit and look for something new.
OUTSTANDING!
So back to that darkened room for my first ever firewalk that I was running.
The event went super smoothly, you can watch the video above. And when I revealed to the group at the end that I was also facing my own fears too… as this was my first ever firewalk as an instructor… there was a joyous ROAR of approval.
The experience was as magical for them as it was me.
And to this day it remains so. Every single firewalk that I run teaches me something new. Always, it elevates my energy and spirits. And brings deeper meaning to my life.
It’s a win win for everyone.
I hope one day to lead you into the unknown, to face your fears, and to walk the fires with me.
Chris Jones
www.FirewalkExperience.co.uk
Firewalk instructor, best selling author and film director, Chris has been training people, making movies and writing books for three decades. When he is not running a firewalk, he is currently directing splinter unit on Mission: Impossible 8.
