Walking barefoot over hot embers has been practiced as a test of faith by man for at least 3,000 years but Northern business folk, being a sceptical bunch, have taken a little convincing.

Firewalking is about overcoming fear and uncertainty, according to life coach Lisa Clifford.

On Tuesday night this week she led Yorkshire members of the Institute of Directors (IOD) over a bed of hot charcoals.

The York-based firewalking instructor led a group coaching session at Hazelwood Castle hotel, near Tadcaster, which saw a group of high-flying managing directors take their shoes and socks off in the hope of "fighting the credit crunch with fire."

The 39-year-old Miss Clifford, a former top saleswoman who gave up her job for life coaching, told them: "Our limiting beliefs hold us back from achieving our goals and dreams.

"Walking across red hot coals literally removes those limiting beliefs and powerfully demonstrates how you can not only survive the credit crunch – but excel and have the life you want."

"Firewalking has always been practiced as a form of self development and healing."

But before the firewalking, the directors had to prove their determination by snapping a sharp wooden arrow, by placing it against their throat and pushing against a piece of wood.

Then they had to bend an iron bar, using only the same sensitive spot just beneath their voice box to push the bar against their partner's throat.

Almost all of the 20-strong group completed the risky tasks and all of them went onto complete two or more firewalks.
Afterwards they were full of enthusiasm for its confidence-boosting powers.

Nigel Sikora, managing director of Leeds-based consultancy Urban DNA, said his initial doubts about the firewalking exercise vanished after he had reached the end of the bed of embers.

And Nigel Green, managing director of Hudson's Office Furniture in Dewsbury, who did the firewalking course last year, said business sales had increased thanks to increased self-belief gained while firewalking.

"It has given me the confidence and self-belief to know we can not only survive, but thrive in this recession," he said.