Magic

It's happening all around us, all the time. Supernatural happenings in a natural world. But it's rarely glimpsed.

Lying on a bed of nails isn't magic. Not "real" magic. It's science involving the distribution of weight over many points. That's what keeps the Fakir from being impaled, which would be most undesirable for him. Yeah, he makes his money begging and laying along what is essentially a giant lawn aerator, but begging teaches one humility. And by performing his bed of nails schtick, Fakir is arguably earning his money. And if he were to become impaled, it would impair his ability to make money.