Firewalk Ceremonies

The path of the soul is a path of movement and transformation. To transform is to release fear and open one’s self to the pure potential that awaits our call. It begins with an intention, and grows as an honored awareness of who we are and who we can become. Transformation represents a transition from one state to another, much like the butterfly emerging from the chrysalis. 

Our own experiences and perceptions lead us to believe there is a reason or a need to transform our selves. Some people are quite content in their lives, not questioning the internal road blocks that may be in the way of personal growth and the attainment of a joyous life. We each see our lives through the filter or “lens” of our own experiences. This lens is made up of components that reside in the conscious and unconscious realms.

As we approach the process of transformation, our ego may raise road blocks. This is a natural occurrence.

One of our goals in the firewalk ceremony is to take a conscious look at our lens and decide if there are things in our life we want to release or transform. We will then rise like the Phoenix out of the ashes of death as we transform our lives with intention.

Firewalking

Firewalking is one of the oldest transformational tools known. It is most often used as a ritual of purification and healing. In native cultures, shamans walked on hot coals to purify their communities, and in the Middle Ages, Christianity embraced the mysteries of the firewalking ritual. We have a healthy respect for fire; it can save and destroy our lives.

This ritual is designed to transform and empower us. We will walk through life knowing that we have the power to change. We will be forever changed ourselves.

Karen Hefner is a certified firewalk facilitator, trained by Tolly Burkan and the Firewalking Institute of Research and Education.

Talisman Ritual (Optional part of the Firewalk Ceremony)

Another term for ceremony is ritual. Rituals help us to focus our intention and help us feel the experience, which allows an actual, tangible event to be stored in our memory. Human beings embody the physical plane; and as such possess a desire to interact with our environment in a physical way. Ritual provides an outlet for us to include our auditory, visual, and kinesthetic senses in bringing to life and sharing our emotions and desires. Rituals embodying transformation are common around the world.

If you choose to include the Talisman Ritual in your Firewalk Ceremony, we will bring the concept of transformation to life by creating a Talisman, then dancing it into the fire. From the shamanic perspective, the making of a Talisman is a powerful means by which to perpetuate the release of any energy in your life that may have been identified as limiting or misplaced.

A Talisman is an object which is created to hold or embody a belief. As we create it, we focus our intention on the thought, attitude, belief, characteristic, or feeling we wish to release. Ritualistically speaking, the Talisman is not just the symbol of an attitude or belief, but it actually becomes the attitude or belief. This is achieved by creating the Talisman with great care and intent. The process is performed in silence, in a space where you can give it your complete attention and concentration.

This ritual is based on a very old, Native American tradition, and was taught to me by Jan Engels-Smith, a shamanic practitioner. In her book, Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart, she reminds us:

The nature of ritual is that it supports change. Rituals are performed to make something happen, invoke spiritual power, or identify something as sacred. They are designed to transcend the linear mind, stimulate the senses, and open the subconscious to inner work, inner change, and transformation. (2004, p. 107)

The intentions you are placing in your Talisman are very private, and are not to be shared with anyone. As you work with the Talisman, the power will build until it comes time to release it into the flames. When you are not praying or working with your Talisman, it should be covered with a red cotton cloth. Red is a very sacred color, and by covering your Talisman, it is protected from outside energies. You should meditate with it, and sleep with it by your bedside.

Creating a Talisman

To begin the creation of your Talisman, go out into nature. Keep your intention in mind as you take a walk and collect sticks, grass, flowers, leaves and other objects. The stick should be in the shape of a ‘Y’; one side will represent release, and the other will represent renewal. Be certain that everything you place on your Talisman is burnable. During the firewalk ceremony, you will “dance” this Talisman and throw them into our sacred fire. The smoke will carry your intention out into the universe.