Article on Firewalking in Ithaca Times
Ithaca man teaches firewalking for empowerment
7/14/2010
Joseph Murtagh
Reporter
That human beings could walk barefoot across hot coals would seem to defy common sense, but for Tony Simons, a certified firewalk instructor who regularly holds workshops on firewalking, it is a way to break down psychological barriers and bring out people’s inner strengths.
“Firewalking can be extremely transformative for people,” said Simons. “It can really change your life.”
A typical firewalk workshop starts off with Simons giving some empowerment exercises that are designed to help participants conquer their fear. One such exercise, Simons said, involves writing down bad habits on a board, such as laziness or procrastination, and then breaking the board in two. It’s all in line with the overall purpose of the fire walk, which Simons said is to raise people’s courage.
“This isn’t so much about giving you courage, as helping you realize the courage you already have,” said Simons. “Firewalking helps people overcome their fear and self-doubt. And later in life, when you’re overcoming other challenges, you can think, ‘I can do this, because I walked through fire.’”
story continues:
http://ithacatimes.com/main.asp?SectionID=20&SubSectionID=74&ArticleID=12266
