DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS!

Really don't. You will burn your feet.

Firewalking is where you walk across a fire. Not a big flaming fire, more hot coals like. And they are HOT. This isn't something you do to impress your mates- though it does that very nicely- you have to go into it with the right attitude. It's about changing your relationship with one of the elements that you have always been taught will burn you, so you realise that more things are possible than you ever imagined.

How to do it

There are probably millions of ways, but this is one which is appropriate in this country. If you go to India they probably have all sorts of other rituals, but that doesn't matter for us.

The first ting to do is set up the circle. You might think this is a load of hippie crap, but bear with it. The circle should be about 20 paces accross. In the four directions, north, south, east and west you have four charlie sticks representing four elements: earth, water, fire and metal. You don't need one for air, it's all around you.

Charlie sticks are forked sticks about the height of a man. They are generally made of hazel, but ash and rowan are also good. You go into the woods and you cut your charlie sticks. While you're there you need to cut a whole load of hazel twigs which will be made into brushes, these are needed later.

The charlie sticks go in the four directions. Earth is in the north, Water in the west, Fire in the south and Metal in the east. This makes sense if you think about it. It does really. Now decorating the charlie sticks: For Earth, green and brown things. Bits of cloth, ribbons, candles and things like that. Flowers are always good. For water: blue, obviously. Fire:red and Metal: shiny stuff. Have fun with lots of bits and bobs, the more hippie/wiccan/new agey the better as this will get you in the mood for magic. Insence is also good: Not strictly necessary but it does make the place smell nice.

Now for the fire itself. For a circle of coals seven paces across you will need a cone-shaped pile of wood a metre across at the base and almost as tall as you, if you're not that tall. Ash is the best wood but this isn't particulatly important.

There is no particular ceremony attached to lighting the fire, but feel free to invent one. The more ritual, the better. It's probably best not to use petrol or meths because it a)will burn your face off and b)is not very mystical and will spoil the mood.

The fire will take a few hours to burn down. Now is the time to relax and have a smoke. If you smoke. If you don't good for you, it's a filthy habit.

As the fire is burning down, begin to build the feeling of other-ness by doing drumming or chanting or something. People who are familiar with hippie things will know; the River is Flowing, Earth My Body and things like that. Or just bang something in a rhythmical way, like a heartbeat.

When the fire has burned down, you need a long rake to spread the coals out into a circle.You get as hot as hell while doing this; it really reminds you how hot the coals are. To make a long rake: Tie a pole to the handle of a rake. While this is happening someone should sort out some buckets of water ath the sides of the circle for people who have walked to put their feet in. Don't panic: Sometimes a coal can get stuckl between your toes and burn you after you walk. This is what the water is for.

Four people need to take charge of a quarter of the circle; their job is to keep the coals in the right place using the brushes made of hazel twigs. They can also help people who have walked get to the water and things like that. They will be the ones who have built the fire and put up the charlie sticks; they are hardened hippies and know all the words to all the chants. You need these people if you are going to walk.

The Walking

The important thing to remember is not to go into this thinking 'I'm way hard, look at me!' or indeed with any sort of egotism. If you do, you will get burnt.

Those who want to walk stand in a circle around the coals, as close as they can get. There's chanting and drumming. what you are looking for is a path that opens up for you in the coals. No-one can say what this looks like: It's different for everyone. One thing is certain: Unless you see a path, you don't walk. It may help to walk with someone else.

There's no right or wrong way of walking: Some people do it slowly, someone even did a handstand in the middle once. People have walked across blind drunk and not got burned, and somertimes the people who have set it all up don't see the path and don't walk. I find that most people walk quite quickly though.

When you are walking, try not to think pleased with yourself thoughts. One woman I know thought,as she was stepping off the fire, 'I've done it!' and burnt her toe. However, afterwards you can feel as chuffed as you like!

You really do feel great after walking, but it doesn't change your life. You might think nothing will ever be the same again, but fire is still hot and all so don't try to tale things out of the oven with no gloves or anything.

You will have a slightly different perspective of what is possible, and a great story to tell. But really, Don't try it at home!