Firewalking and Board Breaking in Toronto Canada and International

What is Firewalking?

Firewalking is an ancient practice of mind over matter. In many cultures there is a ritualistic culture of walking over hot stones and hot coals. Each individual walks with purpose, overcoming the heat with their mind and proving that they have an internal strength that they did not know they have. Furthermore, we have a board breaking and arrow breaking offering that you can read more about below.

The Science Behind Firewalking

Rest assured – firewalking is dangerous. You are walking over hot coals, you can get burnt. Both Scott and Luke have experienced minor blisters on their feet as a result of walking on the hot coals. There is, however, an actual science behind firewalking, and why it doesn’t burn but it will have a degree of pain that each person will experience. But it is this overcoming that is often the catalyst to why people choose to firewalk in the first place. Luke Ashcroft leads this part of the workshop as he was formally trained by Tolly Burkan on how to safely build the fire and lead people through this experience. Tolly Burkan is also known as the person that taught Anthony Robbins How to Firewalk. Read More about Firewalking Theory and History Here. Here is a snippet from Tolly Burkan:

The conductivity theory says that because coals are poor conductors of heat, a firewalker’s foot cannot get burned in a coal bed, regardless of its temperature. The analogy used is of reaching into a hot oven to remove a metal cake pan. The air in the oven is the same temperature as the cake pan, yet one can reach an unprotected hand into the oven without injury because air is a poor conductor of heat. However, if you were to grab the pan itself, the result would usually be a burn; metal is a very efficient conductor of heat.

In 1994, physicist Bernard Leikind visited our Firewalking Center to illustrate this concept. He strapped two sirloin steaks to his feet and then walked across a bed of coals. The steaks were unaffected by the coal bed; they did not get seared. He then placed a metal grill in the coals. When it glowed red, he placed the same steaks on it. The metal, an excellent conductor, instantly seared the meat. He felt this demonstration sufficiently proved that the coal’s low conductivity meant that mental state had nothing to do with the firewalking phenomenon. From this demonstration, he extrapolated that it would not be possible for humans to walk on the glowing, red grill without searing their feet.

It has always been my belief that the crucial factor in explaining a successful firewalk is the person’s state of mind. The mental factor is what merits exploration. And even when a skeptical physicist walks on a coal bed without harm, he is helping to prove my idea that mental state is important. His belief in his own theory gives him the confidence he needs to successfully walk on the coals. That confidence itself is a mental state. I suggested to Dr. Leikind that we blindfold him and lead him in various directions near the coal bed so that he would have no way to prepare himself mentally before stepping onto the embers. He refused. He also refused to walk on the metal grill, so I assumed that at some level he too must have realized there was more to the phenomenon than the conductivity of the coals and simple physics.

Firewalking Explodes in the ‘90s

In fact, Dr. Leikind eventually discarded his conductivity theory when he said, in 2000, “Any claim that the temperature of the coals is not important… is simply preposterous.” He added, “It is my opinion that firewalking is an abnormally dangerous or ‘ultrahazardous’ activity.”

Dangerous? Sometimes. Yet someone in America recently walked on coals measured at 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit without injury! Obviously, physicists still do not fully understand the process.

Typical firewalks open to the public involve coal beds ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Dr. Ron Sato, faculty member of Stanford University’s Medical School and director of a nearby hospital burn unit, says that human flesh momentarily exposed to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit should sustain third-degree burns to the epidermis and dermis, charring the entire thickness of skin to a blackened carbon residue. Dr. Sato has treated people who have accidentally stepped on glowing coals and were so badly burned that they required skin grafts. When asked about people who voluntarily firewalk without injury, Dr. Sato says, “There’s no logical explanation.”

During the 1990s, separately and together, Peg and I trained over 1,000 firewalking instructors. Though we are now divorced, Peg worked with me for many years, so her approach is similar to mine. Therefore, up until 2003, all instructors that my ex-wife certified through the Sundoor Foundation automatically received “F.I.R.E. Certification” from the Firewalking Institute of Research and Education, which I established back in the ’80s.

Also during the ’90s, some people who we never certified thought that they could just go out and teach firewalking classes. The result of their inexperience was disastrous. Their attempts resulted in a number of people being hospitalized, and quite a bit of adverse publicity. If you yourself want to experience firewalking, I recommend that you only attend a firewalk that is being conducted by a trained instructor. Even though over five million people have now safely crossed the fire without injury, never forget that there is definitely an inherent risk in firewalking.

Today, the value of firewalking is readily apparent by the huge number of multi-national corporations that retain certified firewalking instructors to work with their personnel. The list includes companies such as Microsoft, Met-Life, American Express, RE/MAX International, Coca-Cola, and many other corporate giants. With the dawn of the new millennium, “reality” TV shows started adding firewalks to their programs. Firewalking classes have been featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal, in medical magazines, and in hundreds and hundreds of newspapers worldwide. Never before in history, has firewalking been practiced so often and by so many.

Here are the reasons why Firewalking doesn’t burn you

• Limited Time on Heat – Each staff member learns to control how they walk, and walks capably and with purpose across the coals. This means limited time in contact with the heat, and immediate air cooling throughout the walk.
• Slow Heat Transfer – The materials used to conduct the firewalk have a slow heat transfer, therefore the employee has time to walk across when they walk with strength and purpose.
• Pain is in the Mind – There is a part of pain that genuinely is in the mind. Therefore, before the walking event, we teach the staff member how to focus on their goals and their purpose, and to learn the power that they have inside them.

The skin on the foot is dense, and we are there with your staff members to ensure that they are able to walk across safely. Firewalking is also a spiritual event, capable of helping people get in touch with their inner strengths.

Get Your Group to Breakthrough their Fears with our Optional Board Breaking Experience

There are a number of different experiential activities that we can include in our training. If you want a confidence workshop, board breaking workshop or arrow breaking workshop we can add each or all to your team motivation event. We want your group to break through and be their best self. We all have limitations in our thoughts and at times these limitations cause us to doubt who we are and what we are truly capable of. The impact of poor self believe, low confidence and not living to your full potential is devastating to an organisation because their staff will be operating in fear and pride, rather than love, humility, courage and confidence. Breaking an arrow on your neck has been widely used as a breakthrough method for decades. The approach of both the arrow breaking and board breaking experience is outstanding for measuring breakthrough in mindsets and taking action for teams. So, here is how the Board Breaking experience works. For starters, breaking through a board is an incredible metaphor for breaking through a barrier that is holding you back in your personal and professional life. Anyone can breakthrough a board. We will teach you the strategy and techniques, but it’s more about the commitment and belief and mindset that we will inspire and empower your employees and team to know that they will breakthrough their barriers.

Is Firewalking and Board Breaking Dangerous?

Yes, Firewalking and board breaking are dangerous. Luke Ashcroft has been professionally trained in how to lead groups through Firewalking and he has led many groups through Firewalking. Often, people get small red marks on their feet from the heat. Sometimes, people get blisters and in some cases people have been seriously injured by participating in Firewalking. These are hot coals that we are walking on and they can get from 650 – 1100 degrees Celsius. We are thorough in our approach and every participant will understand the dangers. Sean White and each participant will agree to assume full responsibility for any injury or injuries, physical, mental or otherwise that you or any of the participants may sustain by participating in this workshop. Board breaking is dangerous. People have broken fingers, hands and more while board breaking and there are dangers to your health. Every member will need to sign a waiver if they chose to participate in the Board Breaking and/or Firewalking experience. These experiences are completely voluntary.

More About the Firewalk Experiences

The Firewalking Experience is not led by Breakthrough Corporate Training – it is outsourced to Luke Ashcroft under a separate company. The process is as follows:

• We will arrive early for our safety checks and setup process.
• Your staff arrive and we make introductions.
• We complete registrations for each staff member ready to participate.
• The Breakthrough Corporate Training staff will explain the value of firewalking.
• We’ll work on inspiring your staff members and get them to tap into fears and limitations that they will breakthrough. In addition, this motivational sessions on breaking through fear we will customised for your team and it can include us creating massive shifts for people. We will demonstration why this is so valuable.
• We’ll teach everyone how to firewalk and how to control their mind and body.
• The Breakthrough Corporate Training Team Led by Luke Ashcroft who will go over the hot coals first. Then one by one, each staff member will walk across the coals in a controlled manor. Wow – can you feel the excitement already?
• Throughout the process, the rest of the team will cheer them on.
• Once completed, we’ll celebrate and discuss what we’ve learned about ourselves. Wohoo!!! Way to go! See our Proposed overview below.

We’re confident that your staff will love the firewalking experience, and will learn so much about themselves and what they can achieve and accomplish.

Workshop Overview

Is your team hampered by self-doubt, lack of confidence and an inability to take control of their future?
Do you see a potential for your team to Breakthrough limiting beliefs?

Proposed Schedule – Session topics, start time and date can be discussed. We are happy to chat about any changes as well.

Luke Ashcroft and team arrive between 11:00am to set up.
Introductory Talk – 1:00 pm – 1:15 pm (15 Mins)
Fear Breakthrough Process© – 1:15 – 1:45 pm (30 Mins)
The process starts by teaching and coaching through our Fear Breakthrough Process©. We will lead each member of your group to understand the psychology of fear and limiting self-belief. Each participant will identify the limiting beliefs, fears and barriers that are holding them back from achieving their potential.

The Palace of Possibilities – Overcoming Limiting Beliefs© – (1:45 pm – 2:30 pm (30 Mins)
Possibilities are everywhere, but you may have found that your current idea of what is possible is holding you back.
This breakthrough session focuses on the limiting stories that we tell ourselves and a proven process to break the limiting patterns and stories and replace them with new empowering patterns and stories. This session will inspire you to breakthrough to new levels with your mindset and raise the standard of what you believe is possible.

The Ultimate Goal Setting and Envisioning Process© – 1:45 pm – 2:15 pm (30 Mins)
This process incorporates visualisations, coaching and pragmatic steps to establish the priority goals that will help you breakthrough to new levels. You will have a workbook where you can write your goals and vision.

Awaken the Wild Lion Within – (2:15 pm – 2:30 pm (15 Mins)
Do you ever feel like you are a caged zoo lion? You have all the food and medical attention and resources but you do have your freedom, unity, courage, ferocity and wildness! This riveting session leads you to uncover the areas of your life where you are playing safe. You will learn the 7 Powerful Keys to Create your Abundance Mindset© and you will awaken the wild lion within and experience the truth of who you are and the potential of who you will be.

Science of Firewalking and Safety Talk – (2:30 pm – 2:45 pm) (15 Mins)
Luke will explain the science of Firewalking and give a safety talk. This talk is mandatory for anyone who chooses to participate in the Firewalking activity.

The Optional Board Breaking Activity – (2:45 – 3:00 pm) (15 Mins)
In this optional activity Luke will lead your team through a board breaking experience. Participants absolutely are told about the dangers and risks and they must have signed a Voluntary Release Form. Each team member will write their limitations, fears and barriers on a solid martial arts board. After leading your team through a process of uncovering new and empowering beliefs we ask them to write those on the back of the board. Next, it is time to teach your team the physical skills to break a wooden board with their bare palm! We take skills and strategies from various martial arts to show your team how to harness their strength and focus it on breaking the board. Action time! Every team member gets the chance to break through their wooden board. This builds an amazing sense of camaraderie and excitement in the team as they witness their friends and colleagues smashing through their fears and limitations. Our experience culminates with writing down our action steps and strategies, personally and as a team, to breakthrough our fears and limiting beliefs.

The Optional Firewalking Activity – (3:00 pm – 3:15 pm) (15 Mins)
In this optional activity Luke will lead your team through the Firewalking experience. Luke and his team leads this activity in a controlled and safe way. Participants absolutely are told about the dangers and risks and they must have signed a Voluntary Release Form. The Breakthrough Experience with Firewalking reveals the limiting beliefs that subconsciously hold many of us back and provides a life-changing experience of overcoming those beliefs. Participants learn to identify limiting beliefs, replace them with empowering beliefs and then engage in a Firewalking activity, which serves as a powerful metaphor for their newfound knowledge. Participants will identify new levels of empowering realities within. The Firewalking activity will provide a powerful metaphor to remind the participants of their ability to overcome self-doubt, lack of confidence, limiting beliefs and fear.

Takeaways and Celebration – 3:15 pm – 3:30 pm (15 Mins)
Break – While on the break we will debrief with your leaders and we will clean up everything. Our cleanup may require up to 2 hours. We will clean up all sod and materials.