Common Ground to hold firewalk

There will be some hot feet in Oberlin on Sept. 8.

Common Ground, 14240 Baird Road, will hold the 12th annual Gregg Gilder Memorial Firewalk from 6:30-10:30 p.m., and spots are still available to take part.

Ken Fraelich, executive director of Common Ground, said he wasn’t exactly sure how the annual event got started, but it fits with the organization’s goal of providing experiential programs.

“We like to think outside the box a little bit as far as providing experiences for folks to do self-reflection. So, (firewalking) is really a workshop on personal growth and development.

“It’s a metaphorical workshop on facing fears.”

Firewalking has been used by shamans, priests and religious groups since ancient times, but the Gregg Gilder Memorial Firewalk is by no means religious, Fraelich said.

While firewalks are more common on the west coast, he said it is a fine opportunity to work on personal growth and development.

“It’s really transformational,” Fraelich said. “We’ve had people coming out who have had some traumatic experiences in their past, that they’ve been having a really hard time working through or letting go of and coming to our firewalk has given them tools and experiences to release or let go a lot of that.”

Fraelich said firewalking actually is the capstone on a series of activities to help people face those fears including walking on shattered glass and bending rebar using two people’s throats.

Despite what one would think, Fraelich said no one has been injured during these acts in years past.

“We’re very calculated and mindful (of safety), that’s why we have a trained and certified instructor,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realize the prep work we put in ahead of time and the things we build into that.

“(Our instructor) knows what he’s doing, we buy the right supplies and it’s done the right way. Nobody’s feet have caught on fire.”

Tickets for the Firewalk are $49 and usually sell out before the event.