Motivational “Walk the Talk” goes Wrong

According to ABC news channel dozens of people got burnt last month in Dallas Texas, with several being rushed to hospital in a fire walking event hosted by motivational speaker, Tony Robbins. Tony Robbins claims to motivate people to conquer their fears and use mind over matter to prevent being burnt as they walk over a prepared pit of hot coals, some measuring temperatures of over 500 degrees Celsius. The truth is more to do with physics than anything esoteric. Statistically the 30 to 40 people that did get burnt at the event was a mere fraction of the thousands that attended the popular seminar and organisers insist those that did get burnt walked either too slowly or stopped to take a selfie along the way.

From tribal and religious rituals to new age seminars, fire walking has become a right of passage for nearly three thousand years. Followers claim that walking over the fire pit is possible only through strength of mind or power of faith.

The fear factor is huge when attempting to walk over hot coals, as doing so is against everything our brains tell us. Motivational speakers and some religious leaders take advantage of this and convince followers that the brain (or God) can overcome anything including being burnt. This is a powerful and useful message but is a slight distortion of reality. Walking over a fire pit certainly gives a tangible sense of accomplishment after completing this seemly impossible task.

It is important to know however that fire burns, no matter how powerful your brain signals are. The secret lies within science. Coals, especially those covered with ash make very poor conductors helped by using specific types of hard wood. A brief encounter with these coals on the soles of your feet will not result in a significant burn, much the same as it is possible to pass your hand over a flame without getting burnt or to place your hand inside an extremely hot oven as long as you do not touch the metal rack (which is an excellent conductor of heat).