Fire

Fire

I had never expected the sonic boom escaping me as the liquid paraffin hit the flame. Fire breathing doesn't seem quite so loud when you are witnessing it as when you are actually doing it for yourself. There are many who have stopped their first try due to that sonic boom escaping their lips. This has only piqued my interest in the art more.

My friend current beau, John, is a professional pyrotechnic expert, who has done shows from Woodstock to Burning Man. I had always been interesting in eating or breathing fire, but it was something I didn't want to learn without someone being able to guide me through the process for fear of becoming a human torch (and not in that neat super-hero way). When I had learned what John did for a living, I thought I might seize the opportunity.

The process is actually quite simple: you start with a torchÐ'--cast iron or steel, usually; with a cloth tip dipped in liquid paraffin and bound with wire or another non-flammable binding. The torch is then lit, and about a shot-glass full of liquid paraffin is spit onto the torch, causing a gigantic burst of flame. Although it seems easy, mustering up the courage to actually be able to go through with it is a process in itself.

Fire eating/breathing was a common part of Hindu religious rites, and was used to show attainment of spiritual enlightenment. It was also used in the 1800s to initiate entry-level performers into the circus as a rite of passage. After attempting it, I can completely understand why. The experience is humbling, to say the least; yet at the same time, it manages to conjure up a power within you unlike anything elseÐ'--for a few seconds, you feel one with everything.

John was a great teacherÐ'--he walked me through step-by-step, making sure I was completely comfortable, and more importantly, safe, through the entire process. He warned me going into it that I had to be able to control my breath, since if I breathed in at all while blowing the paraffin at the fire, I could breathe the fire right back into my mouth, potentially burning my lungs. I may have backed out at this point, but John assured me that since I had been practicing yoga for years, I had enough practice doing a three-part breath. One three-part breath completely filling and emptying the lungs should give me enough time to remove the torch far enough from me to resume normal breathing.

After taking the proper precautions: changing into form-fitting clothing with no sleeves, tying my hair back, putting a tarp down, misting the area and myself with waterÐ'--I was ready to begin. Note