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Don't try this at home
THIS week's article carries a health warning - don't try this at home.
You will think that I'm completely mad, but I have never felt better or more excited or more determined to tackle life's challenges.
Yesterday I was involved in a day in Perth, called "Re-Creation Day." It was a day that was a show case for alternative and complementary therapies.
The people who attended could have taster sessions of all sorts of therapies: reflexology, massage, shiatsu, Reiki and many others. The visitors could also attend a wide range of workshops, which is where I was involved.
I was delivering a workshop on worry. It was called "The Antidote to Stinking Thinking." I have designed this workshop, because I have come to realise that worry is the most awful, useless waste of energy, and yet the majority of people keep on doing it.
Asking my group yesterday why they worried, there were very many different kinds of reasons. Once you start really examining worry, you can start to jettison a habit that you learned as a young person.
Giving it up is like giving up smoking. It is hard at the time, but well worth it when you come out at the other end.
I know I have an uphill battle getting chronic worriers to give up, but low level worriers can give it up as quick as a wink, and feel better for the rest of their lives.
Sounds tempting? When I had finished my workshop and delivered some new non-worriers into the world I decided to attend a workshop myself.
The one I chose was "Introduction to Fire Walking". I only chose it because I was intrigued to know how that introduction would be.
I walked on hot coals about 5 years ago. It was a grand occasion, and about ten thousand people did the walking with me, so although it was scary, I knew it was possible, and it wasn't a problem at all.
I did feel great afterwards though, and I believed that I would never really be scared of anything again. And that has been generally true, that is until yesterday.
Yesterday the very interesting lady introducing us to fire walking, set a very different kind of challenge.
The challenge was to break an arrow, while pushing it with your throat. It is hard to explain this without pictures.
This was the process. The instructor gave us a demonstration of the arrow breaking process. The tip of the arrow (about as sharp as a blunt pencil) was placed in the little hole in her throat just above the breast bone.
Someone held a breadboard with a little hole drilled in it for the feathered end of the arrow. That person was not to exert any pressure at all.
The instructor then took three deep breaths, held her breath and then with deep concentration pushed into the arrow! We the onlookers encouraged her with shouts.
We had to do something, or we would have stopped breathing with terror. My heart was in my mouth. I couldn't believe my eyes. I could feel my heart beating like a loon, and my palms were sweating.
While all this was happening, I knew I had to do it. I watched another person do it, and then, like someone possessed, I heard myself volunteering.
My heart was thumping; I was told I went as white as a sheet. I stated my intention, but also told the group that I was terrified.
Then I got into pushing position (shoulders ahead of feet, but feet planted firmly in warrior position). The arrow was placed in my throat, and the opposite end placed in the breadboard.
I took my three deep breaths, thought my thought, the group chanted, and I pushed as if my life depended on it.
To my enormous relief the arrow snapped, everyone cheered and I leapt off the ground, laughing and crying and hugging people all at the same time.
So weird, so exciting and so exhilarating. Honestly I hardly know myself today. Talk about "Feel the fear and do it anyway".
Of course I really DO mean - don't try it at home. I'm assuming that my readers are, a) not as mad as I am, and b) don't have arrows lying about.
Nevertheless the instructor was experienced, confident and very safety conscious.
I'm going for another "firewalk" and I will achieve the goal I set myself. Of that I have absolutely no doubt. I've broken an arrow with my throat!
- Jo Middlemiss is a Personal Life Coach who lives and works in Edzell. She can be contacted on (01356) 648 329.
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Weather for Brechin
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
