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I was wearing on my right ankle--the one I had sprained at Angkor-- an Ace bandage, which it took me a while to undo. This made me
last on
line, but
flames were still leaping up high between
logs-- say, some eight or ten inches. The two youngsters just in front of me dashed across as fast as they could, but I decided to take my time and see what it really was like to walk on a wizard's fire. My first step, with my right foot, was a bit timid, and a bit off to
side, where there were no leaping flames. But then I thought, 'Well now, come on!' and seeing a nice fat flame right in front, I put my left foot down on top of it, squarely. Crackle! The hairs on
lower part of my leg were singed and a pleasant smell of singed hair went up all around me, but to my skin
flame was cool--actually cool. This gave me great courage, and I calmly completed my walk, strolling slowly and calmly right down
center of
road. Three more steps brought me to
end, and
hands of several Yamabushi helped me off. I went back to our seats, and
two ladies in our group were gasping at what I had done. I went out to one of
water tubs to wash my feet and get into my socks and shoes- -and it was only when I was putting on my right shoe that I noticed that
swelling in my ankle had gone down {The day might come when we see healers at work with sports personnel.}: all
pain had disappeared too. Around
remains of
fire in
center of
area a lot of little old women were standing who had gone over
fire, holding their hands out to
burning cinders and then rubbing their poor, aching backs--dear souls. It had certainly been a great and wonderful event. The courteous gentleman was greatly pleased that I had participated and invited us all to come back someday. We gathered our things and presently strolled away.
{The notes say he was told a month later that
layout of
fire had much to do with why
smoke behaved as it did. The authors ask a good question. Why make believe it was magic and not tell people? This is
way of power and manipulation but
fire work they did was already most impressive, so one might allow they simply thought
smoke was a part of
ritual and not
real point anyway.}
Two days later Joseph wrote to Jean about
event: 'When you come to Tokyo I'll show you three cute little fire holes in
suit, which I shall wear henceforth with secret knowledge.--The next day (22nd) I walked some eight or ten miles at Nara and Horinji--and
ankle is still good.'
Shortly after Jean had received her letter, she got a phone call from Aldous Huxley, who wanted to speak to Joseph. Jean, still full of
excitement of
account, told Huxley
whole story, how Joe was in Japan and had just firewalked. Huxley became excited and told his friend Gerald Heard, also interested in magic and
paranormal, who later contacted Campbell to get his firsthand account of
experience.
Campbell later learned that Fu-do Myo-o,
name of
patron deity of
temple where he had seen
'Ceremony, means 'very still, even in fire,' Sometimes
god is depicted as a red figure sitting in a fire, with one eye open and one eye closed, like
Norse deity Odin. Japan had already shown Campbell its artful surfaces, now she showed her mythic depths.” (12)
What a bunch of weirdos believing in such trash! No wonder Huxley and Campbell are
epitome of
New Age that wishes to get back to what Australian aboriginal adepthoods or nature-worshippers allover
world remind us is our true roots. Here in places where no journalists or empire builders have polluted
human environment we find talent and discipline that took hundreds of thousands of years to refine and yet science today has no explanation.
Does
consciousness within
atoms of
body choose to be there? Bucky Fuller writes that
finely crafted wood in an artisan's sculpture or furniture is there because it chooses this in some manner that involves us or our design leader
soul. The ability of these atomic level consciousnesses to be worked with in
case of
healing fire is greater than most firewalkers and indicates a cross matter communication. It is one thing for affinity to exist in
muons separated at
old Inco nickel mines in Sudbury, to communicate. When one is energized,
other moves; it was reported in
last year or so. It is another level entirely when these atomic and conscious forces do so almost independently with other bodies and kinds of matter they have no apparent innate similarity to. As in
case of de-materialization
atoms of
body are released from
intellectual and other bonds we place upon them through whatever holds us and keeps us from knowing
beauty of
next realms; or what we are part of (in
multi-dimensional soul, or as reported in past lives). If we really try to find explanations they are there! The conscious specialness humanity carved out for itself through ego and ignorance is not so great as those materially focused people would like it to be; and that begs
question of
great bard himself! 'To be or not, to be?' And where you place
punctuation allows a lot of different points of view in this question especially when you place
concept of righteousness after
last word by saying 'To be or not to be, Divine?'

Author of Diverse Druids Columnist for The ES Press Magazine Guest 'expert' at World-Mysteries.com