Ever wondered how people manage to walk on hot coal? Is it magic? Is it superhuman abilities? Watch Michael Shermer, editor of Skeptic Magazine, walk barefoot on hot coal without getting burnt and then gives his explanation of how people do it.
Click here to watch: Fire-walking
26 comments:
That was pretty coool :D Its mind over matter.
Hmm... Of course it isn't magic, or superhuman abilities. But its just a [not so] simple case of mind over matter. These people still end up with burns, but the fact is they force their mind to overlook the pain.
Not something I would take up lightly.
Why don't you try walking on a long plate of iron on top of the coals. Just think really hard, and Believe you can do it. The fact is you can't. The coals are safe Before you walk on them. If it was mind over matter you could walk across anything that is hot, which of course you can't.
These people may have had to undergo serious burns and cuts but will strong will power achieved their goal.
That was nice to watch but I am sure the people did get some injury but tried not to think of it and not show it.I would never want to do this no matter what!!
Aisha Bashir
10g2
Its total mental belief really! Anything is possible, you just need to believe in it and yourself! :P
Might do i if i get the chance, easy to say anyway, well see how i react if i was really put infront of the burning coal.
This is purely just mind over matter! its like all extreme cultures, you make your mind and body go into a trance. This trance enables your mind to ignore all painful sensations attacking nervous system.
Well, many people here says that its mind power. Now, I am not taking away credit from people who do this, it takes a lot of mental strength. But could there be the tiniest possibility that they are "cheating". Could they be wearing a piece of transparent heat resistant material on their soles, the type found in fire fighters clothes? Maybe?
Astonishing, Astounding, Staggering! I somehow don't think I can persuade my mind to believe that if I walk on fire, I will not get burnt or possibly only slightly burnt!
I don't know whether those people went to yoga sessions or something similar, because I really cannot work out how they managed to sway their minds to believe that they will not get severely burnt if they walk on 1200 degrees fire! Truly unbelieveable!
WWOOOOWWW!!! amazing!!! lol I dont think I can ever walk on fire. it must really take a lot of courage to take that first step. I do think being a physics student that it really has nothing to do with positive attitude and like said in the video coal is not a very good conductor of heat so if you walk fast and briskly over it you wont feel a thing. But I must say it must have some kind of positive effect after your done, that sense of achievement must be overwhelming I suppose.
very interesting!!
Cool. I believe that there is a great deal of pain that has to be endured, but I guess its just a strong mental ability to block out that pain. Maybe in the heat of the excitement or the adrenaline that courses through the persons body somehow blocks out the persons ability to feel pain. It would definitely be a great and unique experience to try!!
I think that these people do have that belief in them that they wont burn their legs if they walk on a 1200 degree bed of coal and thats what prevents them from getting burns on the feet. I can say this because, it is said that whenever you see someone who has met with an accident, the least you should do is to try to convince that person that He or She will be fine so that He or She doesnt lose hope and that persons mind is made to believe that nothing has gone wrong to try to lessen the burden or pain.
I think it severely has to do with the extrinsic motivation that they've received.
Walking on hot coals isn't obviously magic or super human abilities as I used to think as a kid. I think both of them are right. One should mentally be prepared, have belief in themselves and be convinced enough to do such a thing so that they would have the confidence and build up the 'if-he-can-do-it-so-can-I' attitude in oneself. At the same time, it is also ordinary physics. The coals are not as hot as they actually look so they don't really burn the feet like actual fire.
No one walks on coal for fun. It's for entertainment and with entertainement comes manipulation.
There's always a trick, you just have to figure it out.
What really caught my attention, was the whole 'having confidence' bit. The folks out there either directly adapted to a positive style of thinking or just simply trusted in the simple law of physics. Either way, both the parties were made to believe that the fire-walk was safe.
Just shows how much of a difference a positive attitude can make :) You know what they say, ' it's all in the mind.' :P
They say it's mind over matter, but how strong can one's mind me? Personally I believe that this IS possible, as I actually have family members who've done this o.O A lot of religions and traditions perform this ritual, and even though some people do end up getting burns on the soles of their feet, they're mind is set in a trance, somehow blocking them from feeling the pain.
I know that I would never be able to achieve something like this.. but I do believe that it's possible, as skeptical as others may be, some things just have to be accepted as real.
I believe anyone can walk on hot coal its just about facing your fears and believing in yourself you do not need supernatural powers to do so..and i guess there is a particular technique which people follow to walk on hot coal.
Hundreds of people have done it. So its not something superhuman or magical, I guess.
That was awesome, by the way.
You know, the idea of blood flowing in your soles and taking the effect of temperature away. It was awesome!
I mean, really, I'm inspired to try it after watching the video and if what Michael shermer said, that when you're in the right state of mind, it helps you cross the bed of burning embers safely, is true, then maybe even I am going to walk over hot coals, atleast once in my lifetime.
I'm more willing to go with Shermer's explanation. Although it's not hard to believe in the other explanation too, after all if the placebo effect can occur I don't see why people can't walk on coals and not get hurt due to their believe that the high temperature wont affect them.
It's a nice way to increase someones confidence. I like the idea.
Interesting and true. This, in some way, can toughen up someone's mind to become almost resistant to pain, because their mind can absorb it, instead of reflecting it.
As much as I would like to believe in this theory, which I do, just not in this case. I think what they try to do is make you believe that you are walking on fire but like Sanjana said, "The coals are safe before you walk on them.". Otherwise this indeed makes a really good exercise to boost confidence.
I've done it,
It's not that hard all it takes is the right mental approach and anyone can do it
(unless you a paraplegic)
Sanjana
Numerous students have pointed out in class that you simply copied the comment from the youtube site. Please don't do it again. It's embarrassing.
While highly motivational, the psychologists' theory seems extremely flawed to me. If you convince yourself that you can walk straight into a burning building without being burnt, will it happen?
Hundreds, even millions, of people have done this, and it's safe to say that not all of them had a belief that supported the "mind over matter" theory. My bet would be on the conductivity theory of coal, a lot more pragmatic.
quite interesting. i wouldnt have thought of trying to walk on coals before watching this video. not because im influenced by the mental preparations but because of the physics behind it.
i would definitely try this! its also a great confidence booster for some
Amazing......anything is possible if you believe in yourself!!
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