After months of deadends, a reliable source of seasoned lumber was located, and the first load of cedar logs was collected from Dunsop Bridge. A few hours with the chainsaw and hydraulic log splitter saw enough wood bucked and split for one firewalk. This was transported to the site and covered to keep dry untill the time arrived for the fire.
The inaugural "shenkido" firewalk was a tremendous success. Although I wasn't there, I saw the heightened energies of those who were able to attend.
The fire is prepared by building a lattice structure, which is loaded with kindling of wood and paper. The whole lattice is doused with vegetable oil prior to igniting. As the pile burns it is maintained by the fire tender, who ensures an even burn of the wood. when the all the wood has burned and been broken down into "coals" it is ready to be walked on.
Whilst this is happening the walkers are given a seminar, to explain the nature of the fire, the purpose of walking and the important issues invovled. In addition, the seminar focusses on learnt limiting beliefs and attitudes. These are generally things we have collected as young children, where we learned to connect situations with failiure or taboo. Also, clients are given a demonstration of arrow breaking, and given the opportunity to break arrows themselves. The breaking of an arrow represents the breaking of held, limiting, beliefs.
Once up at the fire, and to the accompaniment of drums and chants, the walking begins. I was able to attend the third firewalk at shenkido, and did not hesitate to walk across the fire. I was surprise to find it only felt warm, and although I walked across more than a dozen times during the session, I only recieved one slight burn, or fire-kiss, to one of my toes. Any fire-kisses can be compared to a reference chart to identify which part of the body was drawing the fires energy through the foot. Mine was the liver, which is hardly surprising. The "fire kiss" had gone away by morning, and at no point was it painful, feeling more like a nettle sting than a burn.
Another health benefit that I experienced was the complete disappearance of the dry and waxy skin that had been plaguing my right foot for the last 15 years or so, this problem has only recently started to reappear, and in a much lesser form, which is better than any other treatment I have ever tried. I am certainly looking forward to my next firewalk, and cannot recommend it strongly enough to anyone, it really is a fantastic experience.
SHEDOLOGY: GRASS ROOTS ENGINEERING.