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Bare feet
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00:00:03,295 --> 00:00:06,215
walking on red‐hot coals.
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Voodoo priests casting a spell.
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00:00:10,552 --> 00:00:14,097
‐(thunder crashing)
‐And ancient ceremonies
used to ward off...
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00:00:14,097 --> 00:00:16,767
‐the Devil himself.
‐(screaming)
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00:00:20,354 --> 00:00:25,317
Can ancient rituals really
unleash incredible powers?
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00:00:25,317 --> 00:00:29,446
Physical powers?
Psychic powers?
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00:00:29,446 --> 00:00:32,741
There are many who believe
in the power of prayer.
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00:00:32,741 --> 00:00:38,580
So what about spells
used to conjure the dead?
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00:00:38,580 --> 00:00:41,458
Could they really work?
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00:00:41,458 --> 00:00:45,212
And if they do...
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00:00:45,212 --> 00:00:47,130
what does that say about
the physical laws
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00:00:47,130 --> 00:00:48,507
of the world we live in?
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00:00:48,507 --> 00:00:52,052
(chuckles):
Well...
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00:00:52,052 --> 00:00:54,554
that is what we'll try
and find out.
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00:00:54,554 --> 00:00:56,556
♪ ♪
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00:01:09,403 --> 00:01:13,365
SHATNER:
San Pedro Manrique, Spain.
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00:01:13,365 --> 00:01:16,326
June 23, 2018.
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00:01:16,326 --> 00:01:18,870
Here, as they have
for centuries,
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00:01:18,870 --> 00:01:21,415
villagers gather
for an evening festival
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00:01:21,415 --> 00:01:24,334
to celebrate
the summer solstice.
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00:01:24,334 --> 00:01:27,921
They engage in singing, dancing,
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00:01:27,921 --> 00:01:30,882
wearing elaborate costumes.
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00:01:30,882 --> 00:01:35,262
But for a select group
of villagers,
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00:01:35,262 --> 00:01:39,224
the festivities
aren't so... conventional.
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00:01:39,224 --> 00:01:43,270
Because their evening also
includes something
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00:01:43,270 --> 00:01:44,730
out of the ordinary:
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00:01:44,730 --> 00:01:47,441
a dangerous walk...
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00:01:47,441 --> 00:01:49,443
‐over fire.
‐(flames crackling)
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Now, I've seen many
fire walking rituals
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00:01:52,612 --> 00:01:55,282
in many different contexts
in a variety of countries.
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00:02:05,042 --> 00:02:08,587
They have this amphitheater
around the, the place where
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00:02:08,587 --> 00:02:10,922
the actual fire is,
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00:02:10,922 --> 00:02:13,925
and these men
walk on the embers.
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00:02:13,925 --> 00:02:17,971
It's five or six steps
from one side to the other.
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00:02:17,971 --> 00:02:20,098
And they do it barefoot
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00:02:20,098 --> 00:02:23,310
and usually carrying someone
on their shoulders.
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00:02:23,310 --> 00:02:25,562
(applause and cheering)
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00:02:25,562 --> 00:02:28,649
People often wonder,
is the fire walk really hot?
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00:02:28,649 --> 00:02:30,525
And the answer is yes.
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00:02:30,525 --> 00:02:34,696
Once the wood is first laid out,
the overall temperature
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00:02:34,696 --> 00:02:38,200
is between a thousand
and 1,200 degrees.
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00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,285
That's really hot.
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00:02:40,285 --> 00:02:44,331
More than enough
to burn flesh, certainly.
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00:02:58,470 --> 00:03:01,056
MICHAEL DENNIN: If you look at
the temperatures involved,
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00:03:01,056 --> 00:03:02,683
you're typically
talking temperatures
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00:03:02,683 --> 00:03:05,477
over a thousand degrees
Fahrenheit, and skin burns
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00:03:05,477 --> 00:03:07,562
at a hundred,
160 degrees Fahrenheit.
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00:03:07,562 --> 00:03:11,525
XIMENEZ:
Walking on fire
is very, very dangerous.
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00:03:11,525 --> 00:03:13,235
I mean, you're barefoot.
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00:03:13,235 --> 00:03:15,320
Just one wrong move
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00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,156
and you can be severely burned.
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00:03:33,255 --> 00:03:35,298
(crowd cheering)
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00:03:37,717 --> 00:03:39,678
SHATNER:
Walking on fire.
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00:03:39,678 --> 00:03:43,932
And at temperatures hot enough
to turn metal into liquid.
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00:03:43,932 --> 00:03:45,809
No one in their right mind
would do this
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00:03:45,809 --> 00:03:48,603
and expect to emerge
unharmed, right?
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00:03:48,603 --> 00:03:53,024
And yet, the people
of San Pedro Manrique
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00:03:53,024 --> 00:03:57,070
manage to do just that,
and on a yearly basis.
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00:03:57,070 --> 00:03:59,906
But how?
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00:03:59,906 --> 00:04:01,533
Walking across hot embers
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00:04:01,533 --> 00:04:03,201
is one of my favorite
physics problems.
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00:04:03,201 --> 00:04:06,955
The trick is making sure
the embers are hot enough
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00:04:06,955 --> 00:04:10,208
that you actually get
a very thin but very real layer
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00:04:10,208 --> 00:04:14,504
of water vapor between your skin
and the hot coals.
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00:04:16,339 --> 00:04:18,008
Some of these same firewalkers,
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00:04:18,008 --> 00:04:21,303
one day,
they walk across unscathed;
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00:04:21,303 --> 00:04:25,932
another time they try it,
they do burn their feet.
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00:04:25,932 --> 00:04:31,146
My experience tells me the
difference is in their mindset.
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00:04:31,146 --> 00:04:35,859
So at my fire walks, once we've
taken the group out to the fire,
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00:04:35,859 --> 00:04:37,778
and we're getting ready to walk,
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00:04:37,778 --> 00:04:41,323
first, I like to remind them
again about their intention.
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00:04:41,323 --> 00:04:45,118
And this helps motivate them
and get them across.
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00:04:45,118 --> 00:04:48,914
And then,
we raise people's energy
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00:04:48,914 --> 00:04:51,333
before a fire walk.
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00:04:51,333 --> 00:04:55,337
Firewalkers around the world,
regardless of tradition,
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00:04:55,337 --> 00:04:59,341
religion, they raise
the group's energy
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00:04:59,341 --> 00:05:01,343
before they walk.
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00:05:01,343 --> 00:05:05,055
So, this can be done with
meditation, chanting,
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00:05:05,055 --> 00:05:07,933
singing, dancing...
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00:05:07,933 --> 00:05:10,393
Whatever the case,
you want to get your group
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00:05:10,393 --> 00:05:13,605
into an excited, pumped‐up state
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00:05:13,605 --> 00:05:15,315
before the fire walk.
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00:05:15,315 --> 00:05:18,777
There is absolutely
something about
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00:05:18,777 --> 00:05:21,279
being in an excited,
uplifted state
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00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,907
that helps you
get across safely.
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00:05:23,907 --> 00:05:25,992
(crowd chanting)
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00:05:25,992 --> 00:05:29,746
So what actually happens
there psychologically
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00:05:29,746 --> 00:05:32,541
is there is this
emotional buildup.
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00:05:32,541 --> 00:05:36,461
There is this highly intense
arousal that's happening,
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00:05:36,461 --> 00:05:39,881
and so you have cortisol and
other sort of endocrine hormones
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00:05:39,881 --> 00:05:42,342
flooding the system,
which will help to block
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00:05:42,342 --> 00:05:44,094
some of the pain receptors.
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00:05:47,180 --> 00:05:49,015
SHATNER:
Water vapor?
95
00:05:49,015 --> 00:05:50,934
Mind control?
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00:05:50,934 --> 00:05:53,645
But can fire walking
without pain or injury
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00:05:53,645 --> 00:05:57,315
really be just a simple matter
of will power?
98
00:05:57,315 --> 00:06:02,571
Or does it require
something even more?
99
00:06:02,571 --> 00:06:04,948
We know we have the capability
to redirect pain
100
00:06:04,948 --> 00:06:06,825
or even to numb pain
just by putting ourselves
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00:06:06,825 --> 00:06:08,243
in the right mindset.
102
00:06:08,243 --> 00:06:10,954
But many of these firewalkers
don't even have blisters
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00:06:10,954 --> 00:06:13,373
or burns on their feet.
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00:06:13,373 --> 00:06:14,708
So, when you look at physics,
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00:06:14,708 --> 00:06:15,959
that's impossible.
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00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:17,294
If you touch something
that's hot,
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00:06:17,294 --> 00:06:18,461
you're gonna get burned.
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00:06:18,461 --> 00:06:21,089
So the question is,
are we dealing with
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00:06:21,089 --> 00:06:24,217
the magical force that
we have yet to fully understand?
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00:06:24,217 --> 00:06:26,553
HOBSON:
So in one study with
the San Pedro
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00:06:26,553 --> 00:06:28,388
Spanish fire walking ritual,
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00:06:28,388 --> 00:06:32,726
a team of anthropologists
were curious what happens to
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00:06:32,726 --> 00:06:35,145
a person's heart rate
for the individual
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00:06:35,145 --> 00:06:36,813
who's actually walking,
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00:06:36,813 --> 00:06:41,067
and for any individual
who is close to them?
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00:06:41,067 --> 00:06:43,820
Like a relative
or a family member.
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00:06:43,820 --> 00:06:46,031
(applause and cheering)
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00:07:03,673 --> 00:07:05,258
(applause and cheering)
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00:07:15,060 --> 00:07:17,854
HOBSON:
The surprising part is that
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00:07:17,854 --> 00:07:20,315
you will still have
a state of physiology
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00:07:20,315 --> 00:07:22,859
that's similar
to the individual, as if...
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00:07:22,859 --> 00:07:25,487
you are walking over the coals,
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00:07:25,487 --> 00:07:28,073
when in fact, of course,
you're not.
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00:07:28,073 --> 00:07:32,702
AXTELL:
It is so much more than just
an individual ritual.
125
00:07:32,702 --> 00:07:35,372
It is a community experience.
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00:07:35,372 --> 00:07:40,251
Yes, it is technically possible
to cross a coal bed unharmed
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00:07:40,251 --> 00:07:41,586
all by yourself.
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00:07:41,586 --> 00:07:46,508
But it is much easier
to experience a fire walk
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00:07:46,508 --> 00:07:50,887
surrounded by people
who are there to support you:
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00:07:50,887 --> 00:07:53,515
your family, your community.
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00:07:53,515 --> 00:07:56,685
Crossing barefoot over
thousand‐degree coals
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00:07:56,685 --> 00:07:59,562
doesn't make
any practical sense.
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00:07:59,562 --> 00:08:01,272
And even though
I've personally crossed
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00:08:01,272 --> 00:08:03,400
hundreds and hundreds
of coal beds,
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00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,444
I still don't
perfectly understand
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00:08:06,444 --> 00:08:08,822
how and why it works
like it does.
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00:08:12,534 --> 00:08:14,285
So what about you?
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00:08:14,285 --> 00:08:16,413
Are you willing
to take your chances,
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00:08:16,413 --> 00:08:21,167
slip off your shoes
and walk barefoot over fire?
140
00:08:21,167 --> 00:08:23,670
Well, if you are,
then perhaps you're also ready
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00:08:23,670 --> 00:08:25,880
to confront the unknown,
and see what happens
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00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:30,927
when you come face‐to‐face
with the power of voodoo.
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00:08:35,974 --> 00:08:37,642
JULIA BUCKLEY:
I was really pretty disabled
by the pain,
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00:08:37,642 --> 00:08:39,686
May 2012.
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00:08:39,686 --> 00:08:43,189
32‐year‐old author Julia Buckley
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00:08:43,189 --> 00:08:47,318
is writing in her office
when she experiences a pain
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00:08:47,318 --> 00:08:50,780
unlike any
she has ever felt before.
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00:08:50,780 --> 00:08:54,409
I was just at my desk one day
at work, typing away,
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00:08:54,409 --> 00:08:57,579
um, reached out
for a cup of coffee,
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00:08:57,579 --> 00:09:02,167
and suddenly, it was as if
my right arm was on fire,
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00:09:02,167 --> 00:09:05,378
as if someone had laid out
fireworks all the way
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00:09:05,378 --> 00:09:09,132
from my fingers up to my armpit,
and across to my neck.
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00:09:09,132 --> 00:09:12,093
I was really pretty disabled
by the pain,
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00:09:12,093 --> 00:09:13,595
'cause it was getting worse
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00:09:13,595 --> 00:09:16,097
day by day, week by week.
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00:09:16,097 --> 00:09:20,393
I couldn't do anything
with this right arm at all.
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00:09:20,393 --> 00:09:24,647
I saw three general doctors,
I saw eight specialists;
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00:09:24,647 --> 00:09:28,651
I was doing everything
that I was told to do.
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00:09:28,651 --> 00:09:31,821
So after two years, I was...
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00:09:31,821 --> 00:09:34,657
completely at my wit's end.
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00:09:34,657 --> 00:09:38,119
So I was pretty desperate,
and in quite a dark place.
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00:09:38,119 --> 00:09:40,622
SHATNER:
With her life virtually
in shambles,
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00:09:40,622 --> 00:09:43,124
Julia was willing to try
anything.
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00:09:43,124 --> 00:09:45,835
Turning away from
conventional medicine,
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00:09:45,835 --> 00:09:48,546
she began
to investigate alternatives,
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00:09:48,546 --> 00:09:53,343
and this led her down a,
shall we say, unusual path.
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00:09:55,386 --> 00:09:57,263
Voodoo healing.
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00:09:57,263 --> 00:10:00,892
I was reading a book
about voodoo.
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00:10:00,892 --> 00:10:03,103
And reading it, I hadn't seen
anything like it
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00:10:03,103 --> 00:10:05,021
in any of the other research
that I'd done.
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00:10:05,021 --> 00:10:08,817
I just got this impression
that the voodoo priests
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00:10:08,817 --> 00:10:13,071
were probably the people who had
the most, kind of, grasp of the,
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00:10:13,071 --> 00:10:15,824
the mind‐body relationship.
174
00:10:15,824 --> 00:10:18,743
And I just thought if anyone's
gonna be able to help me,
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00:10:18,743 --> 00:10:20,245
it's gonna be someone in Haiti.
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00:10:22,580 --> 00:10:24,874
SHATNER:
Still fighting
debilitating pain,
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00:10:24,874 --> 00:10:26,918
Julia Buckley flew to Haiti,
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00:10:26,918 --> 00:10:29,295
and once there, arranged to meet
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00:10:29,295 --> 00:10:33,174
with Richard Morse,
a voodoo practitioner.
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00:10:33,174 --> 00:10:35,760
BUCKLEY:
I had actually read
interviews and knew
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00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:40,723
that he was a voodoo priest
as well as a hotel owner,
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00:10:40,723 --> 00:10:42,725
and so I'd already thought,
"Oh, I need to try and ask him
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00:10:42,725 --> 00:10:44,978
whether he can, he can
do anything for me."
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00:10:44,978 --> 00:10:48,857
So, I checked
into the hotel, met him
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00:10:48,857 --> 00:10:50,567
and then we started talking
about voodoo
186
00:10:50,567 --> 00:10:53,236
and its capacity for healing.
187
00:10:53,236 --> 00:10:55,530
And so, I told him
exactly why I was there,
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00:10:55,530 --> 00:10:58,074
and I just said,
"Can you help me?"
189
00:10:58,074 --> 00:11:01,536
I think he said, "Are you,
are you sure you want this?"
190
00:11:01,536 --> 00:11:04,080
And I was like, "Absolutely."
191
00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,875
MORSE: No one taught me
how to do this.
192
00:11:06,875 --> 00:11:09,377
I didn't go to school
to do this,
193
00:11:09,377 --> 00:11:15,008
but I have a certain capacity
for something of this sort.
194
00:11:16,259 --> 00:11:18,553
My mom was a voodoo priestess,
195
00:11:18,553 --> 00:11:22,807
and my father's family
goes back to the Puritans.
196
00:11:22,807 --> 00:11:24,809
I like to call my thing
Puritan‐voodoo,
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00:11:24,809 --> 00:11:27,187
because I'm a mix.
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00:11:27,187 --> 00:11:30,273
SHATNER:
After learning
about her symptoms,
199
00:11:30,273 --> 00:11:32,150
Morse led her
into a dark room,
200
00:11:32,150 --> 00:11:34,903
one meant to summon spirits
201
00:11:34,903 --> 00:11:38,489
and extract
whatever was harming her.
202
00:11:38,489 --> 00:11:43,161
BUCKLEY:
There were candles and bottles
all around the room.
203
00:11:43,161 --> 00:11:46,372
There were strips of cloth,
different colored cloths
204
00:11:46,372 --> 00:11:48,708
that now I know represent
the different Loa, the spirits,
205
00:11:48,708 --> 00:11:50,084
all around the room.
206
00:11:50,084 --> 00:11:52,212
There were these
terra‐cotta pots
207
00:11:52,212 --> 00:11:55,673
that he said were filled
with the souls of the dead.
208
00:11:55,673 --> 00:11:57,467
And there were
these little bottles of
209
00:11:57,467 --> 00:11:59,260
what I found out afterwards
were holy water
210
00:11:59,260 --> 00:12:01,888
brought from shrines
all over the rest of the world.
211
00:12:03,223 --> 00:12:05,099
He went around me
a couple of times.
212
00:12:05,099 --> 00:12:09,312
Then he stopped at the back
of my neck and started feeling
213
00:12:09,312 --> 00:12:13,608
from the bottom of my skull
down to my neck.
214
00:12:13,608 --> 00:12:15,652
Kind of pressing on it,
almost like
215
00:12:15,652 --> 00:12:17,111
what a chiropractor might do
216
00:12:17,111 --> 00:12:20,490
before they really start
going for it.
217
00:12:20,490 --> 00:12:23,826
I was scared, because that's
where all my problems were,
218
00:12:23,826 --> 00:12:25,995
and I didn't want him
to hurt me, and I didn't want
219
00:12:25,995 --> 00:12:28,623
my neck to be cracked
or anything like that.
220
00:12:28,623 --> 00:12:30,041
I was terrified.
221
00:12:30,041 --> 00:12:34,295
He told me that he had found
222
00:12:34,295 --> 00:12:37,799
a demon in a shape
of a black cat on my neck.
223
00:12:37,799 --> 00:12:41,427
So when he had been dragging
his fingers down my neck,
224
00:12:41,427 --> 00:12:44,931
he was literally picking up
and detaching this black cat.
225
00:12:44,931 --> 00:12:46,933
He said he didn't know
how I'd got it,
226
00:12:46,933 --> 00:12:49,352
when I got it or how long
it had been there,
227
00:12:49,352 --> 00:12:53,106
but he said it was nasty
and that he'd got rid of it.
228
00:12:53,106 --> 00:12:56,276
It was only when
I got to the airport,
229
00:12:56,276 --> 00:12:58,903
decided I needed
a cup of coffee,
230
00:12:58,903 --> 00:13:01,531
and jumped up the stairs
to the coffee bar
231
00:13:01,531 --> 00:13:03,783
carrying my little
carry‐on suitcase.
232
00:13:03,783 --> 00:13:06,536
I was standing with the coffee
and I kind of looked down
233
00:13:06,536 --> 00:13:08,538
and thought, "Hang on,
I can't normally do that."
234
00:13:08,538 --> 00:13:11,124
And I checked in with my body,
and I realized, actually,
235
00:13:11,124 --> 00:13:13,001
nowhere is hurting right now.
236
00:13:13,001 --> 00:13:14,627
This is really strange.
237
00:13:14,627 --> 00:13:18,339
It was the first time
in nearly three years
238
00:13:18,339 --> 00:13:20,967
that I hadn't been in pain.
239
00:13:20,967 --> 00:13:23,761
SHATNER:
As far as Julia Buckley
was concerned,
240
00:13:23,761 --> 00:13:27,807
voodoo had worked, after
everything else had failed.
241
00:13:27,807 --> 00:13:30,059
But how?
242
00:13:30,059 --> 00:13:32,437
TOK THOMPSON:
Voodoo is a fabulously
interesting tradition.
243
00:13:32,437 --> 00:13:34,314
We see it in the Caribbean,
244
00:13:34,314 --> 00:13:36,149
primarily perhaps in Haiti,
although certainly
245
00:13:36,149 --> 00:13:38,359
in other places
around the Caribbean as well.
246
00:13:38,359 --> 00:13:41,696
It's a part of a much larger
assemblage of religions
247
00:13:41,696 --> 00:13:44,490
with a shared
sort of worldview.
248
00:13:44,490 --> 00:13:48,911
This traces back to West Africa,
and to several groups
249
00:13:48,911 --> 00:13:50,955
and several different
religions there.
250
00:13:50,955 --> 00:13:53,958
The West African religious
tradition was brought over
251
00:13:53,958 --> 00:13:55,918
via the slave trade
to the Caribbean,
252
00:13:55,918 --> 00:13:58,087
to the Southern United States,
where it flourished
253
00:13:58,087 --> 00:13:59,922
and took on different forms,
254
00:13:59,922 --> 00:14:03,926
and blended somewhat easily
with the Catholic faith.
255
00:14:10,308 --> 00:14:13,936
You can call it God
or you can call it, um,
256
00:14:13,936 --> 00:14:16,022
how you, how you want...
257
00:14:25,531 --> 00:14:27,533
(singing, chanting)
258
00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:42,048
(laughs)
259
00:14:44,634 --> 00:14:46,260
DAVID WHITEHEAD:
So it could be
260
00:14:46,260 --> 00:14:48,429
that when it comes
to these rituals,
261
00:14:48,429 --> 00:14:51,849
that there's something
about the nature of the ritual
262
00:14:51,849 --> 00:14:53,476
that actually activates
263
00:14:53,476 --> 00:14:55,895
something within
the participant.
264
00:14:55,895 --> 00:14:58,940
But the ritual needs
to be believed.
265
00:14:58,940 --> 00:15:00,608
It needs to be true
to the participant
266
00:15:00,608 --> 00:15:03,569
in order for it to work.
267
00:15:03,569 --> 00:15:06,614
So the pageantry and the
theatricality that's associated
268
00:15:06,614 --> 00:15:10,868
with these rituals,
that's where their power lies.
269
00:15:15,039 --> 00:15:18,000
SHATNER:
Perhaps one of the reasons
voodoo's followers
270
00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,003
believe in its incredible power
is because they know
271
00:15:21,003 --> 00:15:27,135
it not only can be used to heal,
but also to harm.
272
00:15:27,135 --> 00:15:29,053
We hear this phrase,
"voodoo death," you know,
273
00:15:29,053 --> 00:15:31,055
that people may have cast
a spell or done
274
00:15:31,055 --> 00:15:34,350
some kind of ritual that causes
the death of another person.
275
00:15:34,350 --> 00:15:38,312
And if we're scientific,
"Well, that's ridiculous.
276
00:15:38,312 --> 00:15:39,814
That has no
causal relationship here."
277
00:15:39,814 --> 00:15:41,524
But if we dig a little deeper,
278
00:15:41,524 --> 00:15:44,735
there have been cases of voodoo
deaths where someone has said
279
00:15:44,735 --> 00:15:46,237
something or done something
280
00:15:46,237 --> 00:15:49,073
that literally affects
another person.
281
00:15:49,073 --> 00:15:51,868
HOBSON:
Most scientists,
doctors or researchers
282
00:15:51,868 --> 00:15:54,704
would just call it an anomaly.
283
00:15:54,704 --> 00:15:56,914
A physical
or psychological anomaly
284
00:15:56,914 --> 00:16:01,294
that we can't quite explain
with the data
285
00:16:01,294 --> 00:16:03,838
or the information
that are presented before us.
286
00:16:03,838 --> 00:16:09,177
BUCKLEY:
I think there's a lot of value
in things being unexplained.
287
00:16:09,177 --> 00:16:11,095
Something like voodoo,
288
00:16:11,095 --> 00:16:14,515
you're never gonna be able to
have the proof of what happened.
289
00:16:14,515 --> 00:16:17,059
I don't know what happened
in that room and I was there.
290
00:16:17,059 --> 00:16:21,814
SHATNER:
Ancient rituals that can
not only cure disease,
291
00:16:21,814 --> 00:16:23,649
but cause it?
292
00:16:23,649 --> 00:16:26,319
It seems hard to fathom.
293
00:16:26,319 --> 00:16:31,699
But then, why did Julia
Buckley's pain disappear?
294
00:16:31,699 --> 00:16:34,327
Was it all in her head?
295
00:16:34,327 --> 00:16:40,082
Or can the answer be found
by examining another ritual,
296
00:16:40,082 --> 00:16:45,588
one that is a ritual form
of brutality?
297
00:16:50,885 --> 00:16:52,762
WHITEHEAD:
There's something about watching
298
00:17:05,149 --> 00:17:07,652
SHATNER:
What is it about the ritual
299
00:17:07,652 --> 00:17:12,657
of watching violent, sometimes
bloody sports combat
300
00:17:12,657 --> 00:17:14,992
that fascinates us?
301
00:17:14,992 --> 00:17:18,371
Is it merely because it fulfills
a human desire
302
00:17:18,371 --> 00:17:20,790
to witness
organized competition?
303
00:17:22,583 --> 00:17:24,669
Or, does it satisfy
304
00:17:24,669 --> 00:17:29,674
a much darker,
more primal need in us
305
00:17:29,674 --> 00:17:31,968
than we like to admit?
306
00:17:31,968 --> 00:17:35,680
HOBSON: There's much less
killing now in modern humans
307
00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:37,348
than there were in the past,
308
00:17:37,348 --> 00:17:40,726
but there still is
that little bit left within us,
309
00:17:40,726 --> 00:17:44,230
that when you go to a sporting
event and all of the rituals
310
00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:46,440
and all that mob mentality
is pushing
311
00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,318
an individual
to act out violently,
312
00:17:49,318 --> 00:17:52,863
well, it turns on
that little spark of violence
313
00:17:52,863 --> 00:17:55,032
that still exists within us.
314
00:17:56,659 --> 00:17:58,452
L.A. JENNINGS:
You may not realize it,
315
00:17:58,452 --> 00:18:01,664
but an MMA fight
is very ritualistic.
316
00:18:01,664 --> 00:18:04,375
The participation in the event
and the spectacle of it
317
00:18:04,375 --> 00:18:08,212
is part of a long history
of rituals.
318
00:18:08,212 --> 00:18:10,214
FRANK TRIGG:
When people get to the arena
for a fight,
319
00:18:10,214 --> 00:18:13,134
there is a specific procedure
that happens every single time.
320
00:18:13,134 --> 00:18:16,470
This procedure is set
specifically to get
321
00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:19,765
not only the fighters ready,
but to get the fans amped up
322
00:18:19,765 --> 00:18:22,602
so they can be the most hyped
that they can possibly be
323
00:18:22,602 --> 00:18:24,895
for this particular fight
when that fight starts.
324
00:18:24,895 --> 00:18:29,025
The song comes on, that starts
at about a level three.
325
00:18:29,025 --> 00:18:30,985
"Oh, fight's about to happen."
326
00:18:33,029 --> 00:18:35,281
Then both guys walk in, the
announcements are being made.
327
00:18:35,281 --> 00:18:37,116
ANNOUNCER:
Ladies and gentlemen,
let's have a nice round...
328
00:18:37,116 --> 00:18:39,910
TRIGG:
Now you're coming up
to a nine, a ten.
329
00:18:39,910 --> 00:18:42,038
"Oh, it's about to happen."
The ring card girl comes in.
330
00:18:42,038 --> 00:18:43,914
The first round is gonna get
started for this fight.
331
00:18:43,914 --> 00:18:45,082
The referee asks
if both fighters are ready.
332
00:18:45,082 --> 00:18:46,459
I want you guys
to have a clean fight.
333
00:18:46,459 --> 00:18:48,169
Follow my orders at all times.
334
00:18:48,169 --> 00:18:50,630
TRIGG:
Now you are amped up.
This is about to happen.
335
00:18:50,630 --> 00:18:52,381
The fight is getting ready
to go.
336
00:18:54,050 --> 00:18:56,844
You're so invested in this guy
that when he's fighting,
337
00:18:56,844 --> 00:18:59,513
you feel like it's actually
happening to you.
338
00:18:59,513 --> 00:19:01,390
This is an assault
on you and your person
339
00:19:01,390 --> 00:19:03,225
when this is happening,
so this is why the crowd
340
00:19:03,225 --> 00:19:05,645
gets so into it,
because they follow the hype.
341
00:19:05,645 --> 00:19:08,981
And the ritual portion of that
happens every single time.
342
00:19:08,981 --> 00:19:11,359
(horn honks)
343
00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:12,943
SHATNER:
Las Vegas, Nevada.
344
00:19:12,943 --> 00:19:15,571
October 6, 2018.
345
00:19:15,571 --> 00:19:19,617
Mixed martial arts fighters
Khabib Nurmagomedov
346
00:19:19,617 --> 00:19:21,911
and Conor McGregor
face off in what is touted
347
00:19:21,911 --> 00:19:24,288
as the bout of the year.
348
00:19:24,288 --> 00:19:27,500
20,000 fans watch
as Khabib locks Conor
349
00:19:27,500 --> 00:19:30,795
in a brutal chokehold
and emerges victorious,
350
00:19:30,795 --> 00:19:33,631
retaining the title
of lightweight champ.
351
00:19:33,631 --> 00:19:37,218
But before the closing ceremony,
Khabib gets enraged
352
00:19:37,218 --> 00:19:39,136
by the endless barrage
of trash talk
353
00:19:39,136 --> 00:19:41,222
from his opponent's entourage.
354
00:19:41,222 --> 00:19:44,141
That's when
the real fight begins.
355
00:19:48,604 --> 00:19:51,232
WHITEHEAD: Khabib Nurmagomedov
jumps up on the cage,
356
00:19:51,232 --> 00:19:52,983
jumps into the crowd
357
00:19:52,983 --> 00:19:55,653
and starts fighting
with Conor McGregor's corner.
358
00:19:55,653 --> 00:19:57,196
TRIGG:
Most fights have a closure.
359
00:19:57,196 --> 00:19:59,156
You have a winner,
you have a closing ceremony.
360
00:19:59,156 --> 00:20:00,741
None of that happened.
361
00:20:00,741 --> 00:20:03,327
It all got stopped
because the fight broke out.
362
00:20:03,327 --> 00:20:05,162
There's no closure.
The fight's not over, like,
363
00:20:05,162 --> 00:20:07,206
now they get to go out
in the streets,
364
00:20:07,206 --> 00:20:08,958
and everyone's been drinking all
night, and so you add alcohol,
365
00:20:08,958 --> 00:20:11,419
you add testosterone,
you add a blood sport...
366
00:20:11,419 --> 00:20:13,087
So people started fighting
out in the streets.
367
00:20:13,087 --> 00:20:14,463
And in that kind of situation,
368
00:20:14,463 --> 00:20:15,881
those kind of things
are gonna happen.
369
00:20:15,881 --> 00:20:19,218
(birds chirping)
370
00:20:19,218 --> 00:20:22,388
WHITEHEAD:
If you go to an ice‐skating
competition or a tennis match,
371
00:20:22,388 --> 00:20:23,889
you rarely hear about people
breaking out
372
00:20:23,889 --> 00:20:25,599
into fistfights in the crowd.
373
00:20:25,599 --> 00:20:28,310
So when we look
at what happened in Las Vegas,
374
00:20:28,310 --> 00:20:31,188
could it be that there's
something about the act
375
00:20:31,188 --> 00:20:33,899
of watching violent blood sports
376
00:20:33,899 --> 00:20:38,028
that brings us into some kind
of ritual in a way?
377
00:20:38,028 --> 00:20:40,823
TRIGG:
Everybody wants to see
378
00:20:40,823 --> 00:20:43,242
the most violent thing
that can happen to somebody.
379
00:20:43,242 --> 00:20:47,580
Everybody cheers
for the knockout.
380
00:20:47,580 --> 00:20:49,749
They don't even realize that
they're there for the violence.
381
00:20:49,749 --> 00:20:51,584
The don't understand
why they're actually there
382
00:20:51,584 --> 00:20:53,794
to watch this fight
until the knockout happens.
383
00:20:53,794 --> 00:20:56,422
We love watching violence when
it's happening to somebody else.
384
00:20:56,422 --> 00:20:59,717
And we've been doing it since
the gladiator times.
385
00:21:02,678 --> 00:21:04,388
JENNINGS:
Ancient Romans also loved
386
00:21:04,388 --> 00:21:06,640
fighting sports,
and gladiator events
387
00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,435
were unique in that
it wasn't trained,
388
00:21:09,435 --> 00:21:12,104
skilled athletes fighting
against each other,
389
00:21:12,104 --> 00:21:14,565
but it was often people who had
390
00:21:14,565 --> 00:21:18,986
committed a crime that made them
eligible for the death penalty.
391
00:21:18,986 --> 00:21:20,446
And the death penalty
in this case
392
00:21:20,446 --> 00:21:23,949
was fighting against a gladiator
in the Colosseum.
393
00:21:23,949 --> 00:21:27,953
The Colosseum could fit up to
50,000 people, and they went
394
00:21:27,953 --> 00:21:32,124
for the pleasure,
the cathartic experience
395
00:21:32,124 --> 00:21:34,376
of watching humans being killed.
396
00:21:34,376 --> 00:21:37,004
WHITEHEAD:
We think of this life‐or‐death
397
00:21:37,004 --> 00:21:40,466
type of sport as being something
that's only in the ancient past,
398
00:21:40,466 --> 00:21:42,468
but there is still a sport
399
00:21:42,468 --> 00:21:44,220
where life and death
is involved,
400
00:21:44,220 --> 00:21:46,430
and this would be the sport
of bullfighting.
401
00:21:46,430 --> 00:21:49,308
(Spanish music playing)
402
00:21:49,308 --> 00:21:52,353
XIMENEZ:
Bullfighting in Spain
is not only a tradition
403
00:21:52,353 --> 00:21:54,480
or a show,
404
00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:56,732
it's, uh, actually
part of the culture,
405
00:21:56,732 --> 00:21:58,317
and it's the last part in which
406
00:21:58,317 --> 00:22:02,279
a very, very strict, uh,
dance happens around the bull,
407
00:22:02,279 --> 00:22:04,532
and this man, this matador,
408
00:22:04,532 --> 00:22:08,494
actually is risking his life
in front of you.
409
00:22:08,494 --> 00:22:10,496
THOMPSON:
The danger and the bloodiness
is a part of it.
410
00:22:10,496 --> 00:22:13,165
If the matador wins,
the bull bleeds to death
411
00:22:13,165 --> 00:22:14,750
in front of the spectators.
412
00:22:14,750 --> 00:22:18,462
Now, of course if the bull wins,
uh, the‐the matador gets gored.
413
00:22:18,462 --> 00:22:21,799
XIMENEZ:
In 2016, everybody was reminded
414
00:22:21,799 --> 00:22:23,759
about how dangerous
bullfighting is
415
00:22:23,759 --> 00:22:26,637
when Víctor Barrio
got gored to death by a bull
416
00:22:26,637 --> 00:22:28,848
in the middle
of a bullfighting season.
417
00:22:28,848 --> 00:22:33,310
This was just another
bullfighting festival.
418
00:22:33,310 --> 00:22:36,897
Uh, one of the hundreds
that are in Spain in the summer.
419
00:22:36,897 --> 00:22:40,067
And Víctor Barrio
was a experienced matador,
420
00:22:40,067 --> 00:22:44,446
and he was gored to death
right there.
421
00:22:44,446 --> 00:22:47,741
It was a shocking event
for the nation.
422
00:22:47,741 --> 00:22:51,078
It was a‐a reminder of
how dangerous this practice is.
423
00:22:51,078 --> 00:22:53,914
The possibility
424
00:22:53,914 --> 00:22:56,333
of a man dying before your eyes,
425
00:22:56,333 --> 00:22:58,669
it adds a layer of thrill to it.
426
00:22:58,669 --> 00:22:59,879
It's undeniable
427
00:22:59,879 --> 00:23:01,505
that it's just
part of the attraction.
428
00:23:01,505 --> 00:23:04,216
Think of it as rodeos.
Think of it as
429
00:23:04,216 --> 00:23:06,760
NASCAR races.
They have a layer of danger,
430
00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:08,429
of live danger.
431
00:23:10,431 --> 00:23:12,016
WHITEHEAD:
It's not just
432
00:23:12,016 --> 00:23:16,145
witnessing winning and losing
and some friendly competition.
433
00:23:16,145 --> 00:23:18,063
This takes it to the next level.
434
00:23:18,063 --> 00:23:22,860
And the question is,
what is it about human nature
435
00:23:22,860 --> 00:23:26,363
that would have thousands
of people wanting to gather
436
00:23:26,363 --> 00:23:29,158
in some Colosseum
or some modern stadium
437
00:23:29,158 --> 00:23:33,954
to watch this ritualistic form
of combat,
438
00:23:33,954 --> 00:23:35,831
and why they would actually want
to be involved
439
00:23:35,831 --> 00:23:37,958
in witnessing a ritualized form
of death?
440
00:23:37,958 --> 00:23:41,712
TRIGG:
It's really interesting
to watch the fans.
441
00:23:41,712 --> 00:23:43,964
People actually get
to a space where
442
00:23:43,964 --> 00:23:46,133
they lose social graces.
443
00:23:46,133 --> 00:23:48,218
They kind of lose themselves
in the event,
444
00:23:48,218 --> 00:23:51,055
which is why going to
a live event is so important
445
00:23:51,055 --> 00:23:52,890
for somebody that loves MMA.
446
00:23:52,890 --> 00:23:54,892
You'll see normal guys,
and it could be
447
00:23:54,892 --> 00:23:56,143
even someone
that you know personally.
448
00:23:56,143 --> 00:23:58,062
"Oh, he's a great guy.
He's a Christian.
449
00:23:58,062 --> 00:24:00,606
He's a super family man, doesn't
swear, hardly ever drinks,"
450
00:24:00,606 --> 00:24:02,775
but he gets to the fight
and he is cursing and swearing
451
00:24:02,775 --> 00:24:04,443
and throwing stuff down
at everybody.
452
00:24:04,443 --> 00:24:05,903
You're like,
"What? What happened?
453
00:24:05,903 --> 00:24:07,905
Oh, he's... That's his guy.
That's his fighter."
454
00:24:11,700 --> 00:24:14,203
SHATNER:
When we watch two men
fight each other
455
00:24:14,203 --> 00:24:15,788
for sport, or watch a matador
456
00:24:15,788 --> 00:24:18,582
stare down a raging bull,
457
00:24:18,582 --> 00:24:21,627
is there a "spark of violence"
458
00:24:21,627 --> 00:24:23,629
that gets unleashed
within all of us?
459
00:24:23,629 --> 00:24:28,467
A streak of barbarism that
becomes somehow satisfied
460
00:24:28,467 --> 00:24:32,805
by what is, in effect,
a ritual form of brutality?
461
00:24:32,805 --> 00:24:35,849
Perhaps the answer
can be found by examining
462
00:24:35,849 --> 00:24:38,811
another ancient ritual,
463
00:24:38,811 --> 00:24:42,356
one designed to cure,
not just a diseased body...
464
00:24:42,356 --> 00:24:46,026
‐(thunder crashing)
‐...but a diseased soul
465
00:24:46,026 --> 00:24:47,987
‐by casting out...
‐(screaming)
466
00:24:47,987 --> 00:24:49,613
...the Devil himself.
467
00:24:53,325 --> 00:24:55,327
Gary, Indiana.
THOMPSON:
In 2018,R:
468
00:24:55,327 --> 00:24:57,538
April 2012.
469
00:24:57,538 --> 00:24:59,790
Father Michael Maginot,
470
00:24:59,790 --> 00:25:02,292
the pastor of Saint Stephen,
Martyr Catholic Church,
471
00:25:02,292 --> 00:25:06,171
meets with Latoya Ammons
in her home.
472
00:25:06,171 --> 00:25:09,925
But this is not a common
pastoral house call
473
00:25:09,925 --> 00:25:14,179
because Father Mike, as he
is known by his parishioners,
474
00:25:14,179 --> 00:25:16,015
is also an exorcist,
475
00:25:16,015 --> 00:25:18,851
and he has been asked
476
00:25:18,851 --> 00:25:22,187
to rid this home of a demon.
477
00:25:23,981 --> 00:25:27,484
Latoya moved into
this particular house
478
00:25:27,484 --> 00:25:31,363
in Gary in November of 2011.
479
00:25:31,363 --> 00:25:35,159
She was the mother
of three children.
480
00:25:35,159 --> 00:25:37,995
And once the family moved in,
481
00:25:37,995 --> 00:25:40,205
they were noticing
all kinds of phenomena
482
00:25:40,205 --> 00:25:42,041
happening in the house.
483
00:25:43,083 --> 00:25:44,752
Flies were swarming
484
00:25:44,752 --> 00:25:47,337
in the middle of winter.
485
00:25:47,337 --> 00:25:49,715
(pounding)
486
00:25:49,715 --> 00:25:52,134
They would hear noises
through the house.
487
00:25:52,134 --> 00:25:55,929
‐(creaking)
‐Footsteps coming up the stairs
488
00:25:55,929 --> 00:25:59,266
from the basement.
489
00:25:59,266 --> 00:26:02,144
They would see shadow figures
pacing back and forth
490
00:26:02,144 --> 00:26:05,230
in the living room
and turn on the light
491
00:26:05,230 --> 00:26:08,233
and see muddy footprints
492
00:26:08,233 --> 00:26:10,277
left on the floor.
493
00:26:11,653 --> 00:26:14,740
Her children, uh,
were also exhibiting
494
00:26:14,740 --> 00:26:16,492
some really odd behavior.
495
00:26:16,492 --> 00:26:17,951
(indistinct whispering)
496
00:26:17,951 --> 00:26:20,746
One of the boys was seen
talking to an imaginary friend
497
00:26:20,746 --> 00:26:24,541
that resided somewhere
within the house.
498
00:26:24,541 --> 00:26:29,421
And reports also suggest that
the daughter was seen levitating
499
00:26:29,421 --> 00:26:31,423
several feet
above her bed at night.
500
00:26:34,468 --> 00:26:37,763
MAGINOT:
And so, Latoya was convinced
501
00:26:37,763 --> 00:26:41,725
something beyond explanation
was happening to her family,
502
00:26:41,725 --> 00:26:43,727
but no one would
really believe her.
503
00:26:43,727 --> 00:26:48,107
During that time, the children,
they were getting sick.
504
00:26:48,107 --> 00:26:50,818
And then
Child Protective Services
505
00:26:50,818 --> 00:26:54,196
were getting reports that they
were missing a lot of school,
506
00:26:54,196 --> 00:26:58,742
so they actually were
investigating, um, Latoya.
507
00:26:58,742 --> 00:27:03,247
She was saying that
it was demonic possession,
508
00:27:03,247 --> 00:27:06,667
and so they were giving her
psychiatric examinations,
509
00:27:06,667 --> 00:27:11,755
but they couldn't find any
psychological illness with her.
510
00:27:11,755 --> 00:27:14,216
SHATNER:
Not only did the authorities
fail to find
511
00:27:14,216 --> 00:27:17,636
any trace of mental illness
in Latoya's behavior,
512
00:27:17,636 --> 00:27:21,640
or any inconsistencies
in her story,
513
00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:25,018
they also witnessed an event
involving her son
514
00:27:25,018 --> 00:27:27,229
that made them realize
that something
515
00:27:27,229 --> 00:27:29,523
really was happening
to this family,
516
00:27:29,523 --> 00:27:32,401
something unexplained.
517
00:27:32,401 --> 00:27:36,280
During the family's
psychiatric evaluations,
518
00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:41,076
the youngest child began rolling
eyes in the back of his head,
519
00:27:41,076 --> 00:27:43,704
growling.
520
00:27:43,704 --> 00:27:48,375
And then the case worker,
as well as several members
521
00:27:48,375 --> 00:27:53,005
of hospital staff, witnessed the
boy walk backwards up a wall.
522
00:27:55,757 --> 00:27:59,636
MAGINOT:
When they witnessed the boy
walk up the wall backwards,
523
00:27:59,636 --> 00:28:00,888
yeah, they were believers.
524
00:28:00,888 --> 00:28:03,974
They knew there was
no explanation for that.
525
00:28:03,974 --> 00:28:08,103
And so, I got called
to investigate this case
526
00:28:08,103 --> 00:28:10,522
by the hospital chaplain,
527
00:28:10,522 --> 00:28:12,983
and I went to visit Latoya.
528
00:28:12,983 --> 00:28:14,985
It was a four‐hour interview,
529
00:28:14,985 --> 00:28:17,988
and it was in the midst of that
530
00:28:17,988 --> 00:28:20,282
that I placed the crucifix
531
00:28:20,282 --> 00:28:25,162
on her forehead
and she began to convulse.
532
00:28:25,162 --> 00:28:27,581
Then I took it off
and she stopped convulsing.
533
00:28:27,581 --> 00:28:31,877
And that's one of
the main things that fits
534
00:28:31,877 --> 00:28:34,379
the signs of demonic possession.
535
00:28:34,379 --> 00:28:37,841
After considering the evidence,
536
00:28:37,841 --> 00:28:41,094
I was convinced that
the only way to get rid of it
537
00:28:41,094 --> 00:28:44,097
was a church‐sanctioned
exorcism.
538
00:28:44,097 --> 00:28:48,268
And so I reported that, uh,
to the bishop
539
00:28:48,268 --> 00:28:49,811
and he gave permission.
540
00:28:49,811 --> 00:28:55,317
An exorcism is a ritual,
a spiritual battle,
541
00:28:55,317 --> 00:28:59,988
and so you need to somehow
upset the demon.
542
00:28:59,988 --> 00:29:02,658
One of the instruments
that I would use
543
00:29:02,658 --> 00:29:04,326
would be a blessed crucifix
544
00:29:04,326 --> 00:29:06,870
to put on the person's forehead.
545
00:29:06,870 --> 00:29:10,916
A second thing
is sprinkling holy water.
546
00:29:10,916 --> 00:29:14,711
There are three sections
of the rite
547
00:29:14,711 --> 00:29:16,880
where you're addressing
the demon
548
00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:19,257
and a second place
where you're addressing God,
549
00:29:19,257 --> 00:29:21,927
and you could do it in English,
550
00:29:21,927 --> 00:29:23,845
or else, you could
also do it in Latin.
551
00:29:23,845 --> 00:29:26,723
‐(speaking Latin)
‐In Latoya's case,
552
00:29:26,723 --> 00:29:28,809
when we were addressing
the demon in Latin,
553
00:29:28,809 --> 00:29:31,395
Latoya would be convulsing,
554
00:29:31,395 --> 00:29:34,898
but when we were addressing God,
she would stop convulsing.
555
00:29:34,898 --> 00:29:37,234
I'm the only one there
that knew the Latin,
556
00:29:37,234 --> 00:29:39,695
and‐and I found that
kind of amazing.
557
00:29:41,363 --> 00:29:44,908
A demonic entity will fight
for the territory
558
00:29:44,908 --> 00:29:47,035
that they have gained,
559
00:29:47,035 --> 00:29:50,205
but then, eventually,
it starts to lessen.
560
00:29:50,205 --> 00:29:53,208
With Latoya,
finally she fell asleep,
561
00:29:53,208 --> 00:29:57,421
and that was kind of
an indication that it left.
562
00:29:57,421 --> 00:30:00,007
Once she got cleared, um,
563
00:30:00,007 --> 00:30:03,844
then the children were also fine
after that as well.
564
00:30:03,844 --> 00:30:08,181
SHATNER:
What saved Latoya Ammons
and her children
565
00:30:08,181 --> 00:30:11,768
from their deep physical
and emotional torment?
566
00:30:11,768 --> 00:30:15,439
Was it really the spiritual
power of the ritual
567
00:30:15,439 --> 00:30:17,774
that Father Michael performed?
568
00:30:17,774 --> 00:30:21,695
Or was it the psychological
or psychosomatic effect
569
00:30:21,695 --> 00:30:27,451
that simply performing a ritual
had on Latoya and her family?
570
00:30:27,451 --> 00:30:28,910
Latoya's case
is really interesting
571
00:30:28,910 --> 00:30:31,288
because it's a case that
actually made national news.
572
00:30:31,288 --> 00:30:34,499
Herself and her children
were exhibiting symptoms
573
00:30:34,499 --> 00:30:36,835
that could not
be explained rationally
574
00:30:36,835 --> 00:30:39,546
by modern medical science,
but in the end,
575
00:30:39,546 --> 00:30:41,339
after all of their attempts,
576
00:30:41,339 --> 00:30:43,216
it was the exorcism itself
577
00:30:43,216 --> 00:30:45,469
that actually produced
the positive effect.
578
00:30:45,469 --> 00:30:48,346
We have evidence
of exorcism rituals
579
00:30:48,346 --> 00:30:52,142
dating back 3,000 years ago
in ancient Babylon.
580
00:30:52,142 --> 00:30:53,560
(shouting incoherently)
581
00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:55,562
CHAVEZ:
To those that say that exorcism
582
00:30:55,562 --> 00:30:58,523
shouldn't exist
in modern society,
583
00:30:58,523 --> 00:31:02,527
they really need to appreciate
just how successful
584
00:31:02,527 --> 00:31:07,157
exorcism can be as a ritual,
how it's able to help people.
585
00:31:07,157 --> 00:31:10,077
TZADOK:
Exorcisms are not just performed
by one religion
586
00:31:10,077 --> 00:31:13,080
or another, they're performed
by all the different religions.
587
00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:15,582
It happens everywhere
because we're dealing with
588
00:31:15,582 --> 00:31:18,376
the commonality of human souls.
589
00:31:18,376 --> 00:31:22,547
We recognize that the nature
of a possession
590
00:31:22,547 --> 00:31:27,719
is an earthbound soul
which is unable to
591
00:31:27,719 --> 00:31:31,932
or afraid to move forward
in its spiritual progression.
592
00:31:31,932 --> 00:31:37,813
And we perform rituals because
the nature of ritual
593
00:31:37,813 --> 00:31:41,316
is being an expression
of inner psychological
594
00:31:41,316 --> 00:31:43,527
ideas and beliefs.
595
00:31:43,527 --> 00:31:48,532
And therefore, as such,
exorcisms become
596
00:31:48,532 --> 00:31:50,784
a required practice.
597
00:31:50,784 --> 00:31:52,452
(growling)
598
00:31:55,872 --> 00:31:59,626
Can ritual really be used
to fight off evil spirits?
599
00:31:59,626 --> 00:32:03,505
You may say that notion sounds
too outlandish to even consider,
600
00:32:03,505 --> 00:32:05,715
until you realize that,
at one time or another,
601
00:32:05,715 --> 00:32:08,051
even you...
602
00:32:08,051 --> 00:32:11,096
have probably used a ritual
to connect with a higher power.
603
00:32:11,096 --> 00:32:12,514
It's called prayer.
604
00:32:12,514 --> 00:32:14,641
And there are billions of people
all over the world
605
00:32:14,641 --> 00:32:18,019
who believe that prayer
606
00:32:18,019 --> 00:32:21,439
is the most powerful
ritual of all.
607
00:32:27,070 --> 00:32:28,446
SHATNER:
Israel.
TZADOK:
You can have a gathering
of literally
608
00:32:28,446 --> 00:32:30,490
January 2018.
609
00:32:31,783 --> 00:32:35,495
Here, in what is known
as the Holy Land,
610
00:32:35,495 --> 00:32:40,000
the average temperature
is almost 90 degrees Fahrenheit,
611
00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:44,713
and water
is a precious commodity.
612
00:32:44,713 --> 00:32:47,257
But this is no average year.
613
00:32:50,844 --> 00:32:52,554
It's been almost five years
614
00:32:52,554 --> 00:32:55,015
since more than
a few drops of rain
615
00:32:55,015 --> 00:32:58,143
fell upon Israel's
thirsty sands,
616
00:32:58,143 --> 00:33:02,397
and the people
are beginning to panic.
617
00:33:02,397 --> 00:33:05,275
TZADOK:
The spring season
in the Middle East
618
00:33:05,275 --> 00:33:09,029
is the time
for the rains to come.
619
00:33:09,029 --> 00:33:12,073
As such, if the rains
are not there,
620
00:33:12,073 --> 00:33:13,533
you don't have your agriculture,
621
00:33:13,533 --> 00:33:17,204
which is a life‐and‐death type
of experience.
622
00:33:17,204 --> 00:33:18,371
Even in modern times,
623
00:33:18,371 --> 00:33:20,457
with all of our
modern technology,
624
00:33:20,457 --> 00:33:22,709
rain makes the crops grow.
625
00:33:22,709 --> 00:33:25,420
No crops, no food;
no food, no life.
626
00:33:25,420 --> 00:33:28,506
So when we have a drought,
627
00:33:28,506 --> 00:33:30,675
this creates crisis.
628
00:33:33,094 --> 00:33:35,096
SHATNER:
Israel is one of the wealthiest
629
00:33:35,096 --> 00:33:38,433
and most technologically
advanced countries in the world.
630
00:33:38,433 --> 00:33:42,771
It is also one
of the most religious.
631
00:33:42,771 --> 00:33:47,525
So when facing its worst drought
in close to 100 years,
632
00:33:47,525 --> 00:33:51,196
with the fate of the entire
country hanging in the balance,
633
00:33:51,196 --> 00:33:53,698
what is their solution?
634
00:33:53,698 --> 00:33:57,285
‐(praying in foreign language)
‐Prayer.
635
00:33:57,285 --> 00:33:59,829
TZADOK:
In our Judaic tradition,
636
00:33:59,829 --> 00:34:02,916
we have had
a long‐standing history
637
00:34:02,916 --> 00:34:04,793
that when there is drought,
638
00:34:04,793 --> 00:34:06,711
the chief rabbi of the country
639
00:34:06,711 --> 00:34:10,382
can call the entire nation
to prayer.
640
00:34:10,382 --> 00:34:13,468
And you can have a gathering
in Jerusalem
641
00:34:13,468 --> 00:34:17,347
of literally thousands
or tens of thousands of minds,
642
00:34:17,347 --> 00:34:19,391
souls, that will come together
643
00:34:19,391 --> 00:34:23,937
and pour out
their collective energy,
644
00:34:23,937 --> 00:34:29,359
calling upon God in heaven
to literally manipulate
645
00:34:29,359 --> 00:34:33,280
the forces of nature
and bring rain.
646
00:34:36,032 --> 00:34:40,245
THOMPSON:
In 2018, Israel was
in a major drought,
647
00:34:40,245 --> 00:34:42,163
and this was really beginning
to cause problems.
648
00:34:42,163 --> 00:34:45,458
At this point,
uh, Chief Rabbi David Lau
649
00:34:45,458 --> 00:34:48,086
organized a massive ritual,
650
00:34:48,086 --> 00:34:50,630
put out a call
for believers to come
651
00:34:50,630 --> 00:34:53,550
to one of the most sacred sites
in Judaism,
652
00:34:53,550 --> 00:34:58,013
‐the Wailing Wall.
‐(praying in foreign language)
653
00:34:58,013 --> 00:34:59,598
They went to the Wailing Wall,
654
00:34:59,598 --> 00:35:02,892
and you had thousands of Jews
praying for rain to come.
655
00:35:02,892 --> 00:35:05,812
(praying continues)
656
00:35:05,812 --> 00:35:07,981
TZADOK:
When the individual
Torah‐observant
657
00:35:07,981 --> 00:35:13,612
Jewish man wraps himself
in his tallit prayer shawl
658
00:35:13,612 --> 00:35:17,449
and puts on the boxes
of the tefillin,
659
00:35:17,449 --> 00:35:24,039
he creates for himself
a psychic bubble of energy,
660
00:35:24,039 --> 00:35:28,126
which unites the individual
mind and heart
661
00:35:28,126 --> 00:35:32,922
with the collective power
of the word of God,
662
00:35:32,922 --> 00:35:36,051
literally materialized
before him in the form
663
00:35:36,051 --> 00:35:37,636
of the fringes
of the prayer shawl,
664
00:35:37,636 --> 00:35:41,806
and literally in the form
of the scrolls
665
00:35:41,806 --> 00:35:43,892
that are upon his arm
next to his heart
666
00:35:43,892 --> 00:35:46,519
and on his head,
close to his mind.
667
00:35:48,647 --> 00:35:52,901
SHATNER:
It is one thing for us to
believe the ritual of prayer
668
00:35:52,901 --> 00:35:55,737
has the ability
to affect our world.
669
00:35:55,737 --> 00:35:59,032
But can the act
of praying actually
670
00:35:59,032 --> 00:36:03,203
connect us to a higher power?
671
00:36:03,203 --> 00:36:06,873
A ritual is a very predictable
sequence of, of events.
672
00:36:18,927 --> 00:36:21,596
But the interesting thing is,
if you have two things,
673
00:36:21,596 --> 00:36:22,972
you have a boundary
between them.
674
00:36:22,972 --> 00:36:26,142
And prayer and prayer rituals
might be a way
675
00:36:26,142 --> 00:36:28,853
of influencing that boundary
between the physical
676
00:36:28,853 --> 00:36:32,148
and the nonphysical in a way
that the nonphysical
677
00:36:32,148 --> 00:36:34,526
then interacts again
with the physical world.
678
00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,281
SHATNER:
To those more secular
and cynical‐minded,
679
00:36:40,281 --> 00:36:44,869
praying is a rather quaint,
if not irrelevant pastime.
680
00:36:44,869 --> 00:36:48,540
There's no reason
it should work, right?
681
00:36:50,583 --> 00:36:53,044
‐(praying in foreign language)
‐Except that in the case
682
00:36:53,044 --> 00:36:56,131
of ending
Israel's drought in 2018,
683
00:36:56,131 --> 00:37:00,093
many believe it did.
684
00:37:00,093 --> 00:37:04,097
‐(praying continues)
‐(thunder rumbling)
685
00:37:16,317 --> 00:37:17,736
(thunder crashing)
686
00:37:23,533 --> 00:37:26,411
AMIR HUSSAIN:
You can say that it's just
simply correlation‐‐
687
00:37:26,411 --> 00:37:29,831
yes, you prayed and yes,
three days later there was rain,
688
00:37:29,831 --> 00:37:31,416
but the one thing
didn't cause the other.
689
00:37:31,416 --> 00:37:34,294
I mean, that's
the scientific approach.
690
00:37:34,294 --> 00:37:35,795
The religious approach
is a little bit different
691
00:37:35,795 --> 00:37:38,673
to say, well, maybe we did,
maybe we did influence this,
692
00:37:38,673 --> 00:37:42,135
maybe God listened
to these prayers.
693
00:37:44,304 --> 00:37:47,932
(men singing, clapping)
694
00:37:47,932 --> 00:37:51,811
TZADOK:
In Judaism, there are rituals
that augment the power
695
00:37:51,811 --> 00:37:53,897
of the individual‐‐
696
00:37:53,897 --> 00:37:58,276
the passion, the desire,
the thought, the idea,
697
00:37:58,276 --> 00:38:02,280
creating, if you will,
a psychic field,
698
00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:07,160
which combines to give
great psychic spiritual energy
699
00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:11,748
for the fulfillment of that
which the individuals seek.
700
00:38:11,748 --> 00:38:15,710
But when we come together
as a collective,
701
00:38:15,710 --> 00:38:20,423
we find that it does have
the power to influence change.
702
00:38:20,423 --> 00:38:24,677
They prayed for rain.
And the prayers were answered.
703
00:38:24,677 --> 00:38:29,098
(praying in foreign language)
704
00:38:29,098 --> 00:38:32,143
SHATNER:
Of course, there's always the
chance that it wasn't prayer,
705
00:38:32,143 --> 00:38:36,064
but coincidence that saved
the Israeli people.
706
00:38:36,064 --> 00:38:38,399
The drought would have ended
at some point.
707
00:38:38,399 --> 00:38:42,529
But then, why take chances?
708
00:38:42,529 --> 00:38:44,697
Perhaps the faithful
know something
709
00:38:44,697 --> 00:38:47,575
that nonbelievers don't.
710
00:38:47,575 --> 00:38:50,203
And this could also help
to explain the rituals
711
00:38:50,203 --> 00:38:53,331
associated with the event
that, for all of us,
712
00:38:53,331 --> 00:38:56,876
really is the final frontier...
713
00:38:58,127 --> 00:39:03,466
...death.
714
00:39:03,466 --> 00:39:05,009
SHATNER:
Indonesia.
715
00:39:05,009 --> 00:39:08,221
High in the mountains
of the island of Sulawesi,
716
00:39:08,221 --> 00:39:12,851
the residents of a small Torajan
village gather for a funeral.
717
00:39:12,851 --> 00:39:15,937
But are funeral rites a sign
718
00:39:15,937 --> 00:39:20,567
that mankind has difficulty in
accepting the finality of death?
719
00:39:20,567 --> 00:39:25,029
Or is it because our
subconscious minds
720
00:39:25,029 --> 00:39:29,409
know that death is not really
an end, but a beginning?
721
00:39:29,409 --> 00:39:31,452
THOMPSON:
Every culture in the world
722
00:39:31,452 --> 00:39:34,539
has some sort of death ritual,
and studying those will tell you
723
00:39:34,539 --> 00:39:36,165
a lot about
what those people think
724
00:39:36,165 --> 00:39:40,169
of the afterlife,
about the soul, about society.
725
00:39:40,169 --> 00:39:44,173
So, in the Toraja communities,
when somebody dies,
726
00:39:44,173 --> 00:39:47,594
they preserve the corpse
so it doesn't rot, and then
727
00:39:47,594 --> 00:39:49,637
they treat it
as if it were alive.
728
00:39:49,637 --> 00:39:53,766
Even the term they use
for a recently deceased person
729
00:39:53,766 --> 00:39:56,728
in this state is,
actually, means sick,
730
00:39:56,728 --> 00:39:59,397
so they don't acknowledge that
the person has really died yet.
731
00:40:08,948 --> 00:40:10,867
They will talk to them,
they will fill them in,
732
00:40:10,867 --> 00:40:12,285
in what's happening
in the world...
733
00:40:14,370 --> 00:40:16,623
WHITEHEAD:
They do mock dancing sessions
734
00:40:16,623 --> 00:40:19,292
with them,
they parade them around.
735
00:40:19,292 --> 00:40:22,211
It's as if they're trying
to stay in touch with the dead
736
00:40:22,211 --> 00:40:25,131
or, or somehow
relate to the dead.
737
00:40:25,131 --> 00:40:27,800
THOMPSON:
What is the relationship
738
00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:30,929
between your body and your soul
and what happens at death?
739
00:40:30,929 --> 00:40:32,889
These are
the elemental questions
740
00:40:32,889 --> 00:40:35,808
that studying different funerary
traditions can tell us.
741
00:40:35,808 --> 00:40:39,145
So, all these different
traditions seem
742
00:40:39,145 --> 00:40:41,522
very, very focused
743
00:40:41,522 --> 00:40:43,900
on maintaining strong links
with the dead.
744
00:40:43,900 --> 00:40:46,527
Some cultures, like,
for example, Indonesia,
745
00:40:46,527 --> 00:40:48,863
you may do things with the body
746
00:40:48,863 --> 00:40:52,283
that to us may seem
very strange.
747
00:40:52,283 --> 00:40:54,827
But it's no different than
a funeral, where the person
748
00:40:54,827 --> 00:40:57,956
has been dead for ten days,
and the mortician
749
00:40:57,956 --> 00:41:01,793
makes them look like they're
alive and they're just sleeping.
750
00:41:01,793 --> 00:41:04,837
There's this amazing connection
that we have for the deceased.
751
00:41:04,837 --> 00:41:09,258
I can never call up my best
friend again who passed away,
752
00:41:09,258 --> 00:41:11,469
but I'm still in connection
with that person.
753
00:41:11,469 --> 00:41:13,721
I still think about that person.
754
00:41:13,721 --> 00:41:15,348
Sometimes I still talk to them.
755
00:41:15,348 --> 00:41:18,893
And I think these rituals
help us to understand
756
00:41:18,893 --> 00:41:22,188
that we're still informed
by these people.
757
00:41:22,188 --> 00:41:25,191
We're still in relationship
with those who have passed.
758
00:41:25,191 --> 00:41:28,319
It's just a different
kind of relationship.
759
00:41:30,530 --> 00:41:34,951
So, do rituals really work?
760
00:41:34,951 --> 00:41:36,452
Well, many of us certainly
believe they do,
761
00:41:36,452 --> 00:41:38,788
even if we don't know how.
762
00:41:38,788 --> 00:41:42,250
Whether it's to acquire
superhuman abilities
763
00:41:42,250 --> 00:41:46,838
or to ward off evil,
rituals help to connect us
764
00:41:46,838 --> 00:41:50,258
to a world
very different from our own.
765
00:41:50,258 --> 00:41:53,720
It's a world of the spiritual.
766
00:41:53,720 --> 00:41:58,933
It's a world
of the supernatural.
767
00:41:58,933 --> 00:42:01,185
It's a world of The UnXplained.
768
00:42:01,185 --> 00:42:03,563
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