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From: crm@rti-sel.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.misc
Subject: Re: Firewalking (reposting??)
Message-ID: <1133@rti-sel.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Jul-84 12:22:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: rti-sel.1133
Posted: Thu Jul 12 12:22:34 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Jul-84 07:11:31 EDT
References: fortune.3758 <236@scc.UUCP>
Lines: 28

In the Zen (and other mediatative) traditions, these little magic tricks
are usually considered to be cute, but nothing to get too involved in,
since they can become traps for the unwary -- i.e. it is too easy to get
into these slippery little tricks and stop working towards Enlightenment.
Firewalking is certainly on of these sorts of tricks.

BTW, someone has suggested that dampness on the feet has some effect to
make the firewalk possible.  Consider:

	1)  the feet are being pressed into the coals with considerable
	    force (as a guess, my feet would have about 12 lbs/ in^2).
	    This seems to suggest that a thin film of dampness could not
	    easily protect the feet.

	    In any case, one is cautioned (in Japan at least, with Shingon
	    Buddhist firewalking ritual) NOT to do it if you are not
	    confident, and/or your feet are sweaty or damp.

	2)  Steam scalds very quickly, and steam burns are *very* painful.
	    The only mechanism I can come up with for the dampness helping
	    seems to include some quantity of steam with considerable
	    direct heating right next to the skin.

Also, a question -- John Crane: who is this ``Rush'' you are quoting?
Sounds interesting, but I've no idea who the reference is to.

Charlie Martin
(..!mcnc!rti-sel!crm)