Fire-eating

Create the moment, remember the moment, and cherish the moment. ~Isaak Gelbinovich

My favorite moment from the Toastmasters conference I attended this weekend actually occurred after the event itself. As we were leaving, two of the presenters were practicing fire eating. That's right, the circus act type of thing. I was asked if I wanted to learn.

Why not?

Life is all about choices. It can be basic and grey, driven by fear or filled with experiences and colorful. I’m very blessed to have a life where I’m not worried about food or shelter. Instead, I can focus on creating a life filled with powerful moments and limitless snapshots. Some have an adrenaline rush like cliff jumping or trapeze school. But others are precious, like seeing Adi smile for the first time* or watching a group of high school students who’d never experienced anything outside of upper middle class America start to broaden their understanding of the world and take charge of their lives. It’s all about the journey. I never want to look back on my life and say “I wish I had done X when I had the chance but I was too afraid.”

The concept of fire-eating is simple. Limitations we face are often self-imposed responses to obstacles. The human mind and body are capable of so much more than we express. Fire is an influential symbol because we have experience with the power of fire. It cooks food, can destroy forests and houses, can burn a person, and brings needed heat and light. The concept of fire-eating says by overcoming fear and believing you can accomplish this task; you empower and equip yourself to take charge of your life in other areas.

I do want to make a note: I wasn’t alone trying this out in my apartment on a whim. Croix Sather is a motivational speaker/success hypnotist who frequently uses fire-eating in his presentations and has a lot of experience teaching participants how to eat fire safely. (Check out his website here) Before we even started practicing, he explained the physics of the process. Then he explained the personal implications, how the fire symbolized taking control of all aspects of my life. Throughout the experience he stood next to me, talking me through each step. I, however, had to be the one to actually put the fire in my mouth. No one else can do that, or anything else, for you.

As a side note, I think joining the circus might be my Plan B. I've got the trapeze down, riding on an elephant's head, cheetah taming, and now fire eating. Once I learn to juggle I’m set. Does the circus go to Australia and Antarctica? This could be my ticket to finish visiting all seven.

* For those who don’t know: Adi is a sweet young boy I met while working in a Romanian orphanage. All these years later he is still on my heart. For those who do know the story of Adi: Can you believe he is already 14? (He was five when I met him)