The Miracle of Stored Sunlight. Fire by Friction.
I forced myself to breathe slowly, gently, nurturing the small glowing coal that I had made by literally rubbing two sticks together. It felt like an eternity, but it was just a few seconds later that it burst into a flame.
My life was different now, he was right. I actually did feel a shift as the small bundle of tinder to burst into flame before my eyes. It was like an ancient rite of passage. Something inside was different.
This past weekend, I learned how to make fire by rubbing two sticks together, in a small day long retreat near Connellsville, Pennsylvania. Fire by friction, it’s more than just a survival skill. When taught by Mr. Twenty Twenty, it becomes a life changing experience.
In class, it takes about 15 minutes for him to demonstrate from start to finish the process of fashioning 3 pieces of wood into what he calls the fireboard, spindle and handhold.
In trained hands, those three pieces of wood will in under a minute give you a smoking ember, that will grow into a fire. As I learned during this amazing training, it is an experience that will stick with me for a lifetime.
Hundreds of his students have learned this elusive skill, and have used it not only to make fire without matches, but have also used it to become more successful by igniting the spark within.
“When you are in a rut, or just can’t seem to get a project completed, I tell students to stop trying to make it happen, and to take a break. Go get your fire kit, or start from scratch and go outside to make a fire. I guarantee you will have a strong positive shift.”
He says, the reason why making fire gets you out of a rut, is that the exact same mental processes that are preventing you from experiencing success, are the same exact processes you will experience while you are focused on making fire.
“Since you are making a fire when your life doesn’t depend on it, it’s relatively easy to notice and release the blocks that were holding you back elsewhere in life.”
When asked, Twenty Twenty says that other activities could be used the same way, but that there does seem to be something special to firemaking.
“Fire by friction is a primal experience. It’s about more than just your survival. Every skill I train people in, will help you survive, and it will open the door to a deeper awareness of your mind and spirit. People have gone to nature, and used natural living skills and to become more aware of their mind and spirit for centuries, maybe even forever. Obviously it works.”
Tonight as I sit here, I can’t help but look up from my keyboard and smile. Sitting on a shelf above my desk, I can see my fireboard, spindle and handhold. I know with these three pieces of wood, I can start a fire, I can break out of a rut, and that I can re-ignite the fire within.
I have to admit, an afternoon or a weekend with the man who changed his name to the number of perfect vision just might be what the doctor ordered. I will treasure my experiences with him for quite some time.
Even if I never have to use my new found and hard earned skills to survive, I strongly suspect that I can use them to change my mindset and my day anytime.
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