Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1.1 9/4/83; site scc.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!pesnta!scc!steiny
From: steiny@scc.UUCP (Don Steiny)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Firewalking
Message-ID: <247@scc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Jul-84 13:17:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: scc.247
Posted: Tue Jul 17 13:17:50 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Jul-84 04:12:21 EDT
References: <398@astrovax.UUCP>
Organization: Santa Cruz Computer, Aptos, Calif.
Lines: 45

***

> 2) using the firewalking mental techniques will not let you escape the
> consequences of any of a large number of other normally painful acts,
> such as putting your feet on a less hot object (say a hot skillet) or
> receiving an electric shock, etc.

	This is not correct.  The "mental technique" used is hypnosis.
Hypnosis has long been used for pain control and for altering autonomic
functions like the formation of blisters.  Thus if you burn yourself
on an hot skillet, you can influence the pain and the formation of
blisters. 

	Milton Erickson, M.D. was considered to be the best medical
hypnotist.  The book "Uncommon Therapy" by Jay Haley is an academic
discussion of his techniques sprinkled with facinating case histories.
Two other books: "The Patterns of the Hypnotic Technique of Milton
Erickson, M.D." Volumes one and two, explore the actual methods
Erickson used.  The books contain facinating case histories and
an exerpt from a book by Erickson where Erickson and Aldous Huxely
explore hypnosis.  The books are by Richard Bandler and John Grinder.

	One person mentioned that firewalking was a trick in Zen and
that students should not get caught up in the tricks.  This is also
true with Yoga.  This is important.  It is not an end it itself.
We each have many possible states of "mind".  Most people have
times when they are incredibly confident and others where every
action seems doomed.  There is a strong connection between
how we believe things will turn out and how they turn out.
We each have times when we are in touch with all the personal
resources necessary to see us through a situation and others
when we do not.  The idea is to be able to get in touch with
a resource state when it is necessary.

	The mental preperation that is involved is convincing the
participants that they can walk across the hot coals  without
injuring themselves.  If a person already believes that, no
additonal preperation is necessary.   For the rest of us ...
The goal is to learn how to convince onesself one can do things,
and learn how to change ones beliefs.

					Don Steiny
					ucbvax!twg!scc!steiny
					ihnp4!pesnta!scc!steiny
					fortune!idsvax!scc!steiny