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Jun. 11th, 2004 12:56 pmwell, we're all suffering from a lot of repressive conditioning which you can't undo in just a mental way. most of it has to do with sexuality and sexual energy. if you get into any practises of other cultures you're bound to be involved with a lot of sexuality in other states and guises that aren't even acknowledged as being in existence in this culture. and a good shamanistic answer to why do these things? is BECAUSE IT'S FUN! it's more fun than getting on a bus and going to work in the morning. it's more fun than going to college and getting a ph.d. it's more fun for you, and it can sometimes be a lot of fun for people around you. i mean: what's wrong with that? is there a law against having fun?
experiencing ecstatic states: why would one want to experience an ecstatic state? well, you might learn something out of it. you might be able to help others. you might see other worlds. there may be all kinds of reasons, but basically you do it because it's fun! why not?
everybody has their own body, and if they only realized it, they're free to do with it what they will. i often think about this when i walk down the street and see someone who has an ideal body for certain kinds of things: "if they only knew what they could do with that body that would be sensational!" but they just wouldn't understand if you tried to tell'em.
in a more female-oriented culture like in india (as opposed to ours, which is very aggressive and male-oriented, with a great deal of suppression of the female nature in both males and females), it is considered perfectly rational to do things like alter and "mutilate" the body - that's a part of their tradition. their attitude is, "why not?" whereas we say, "this is crazy - why do that? especially if it hurts!"
i know the idea is odious and alien to our culture that one would deliberately impose restrictions on movement and freedom of the body, but mankind throughout history has always done this. the lessons that can be learned and the life that can be led by doing this far transcend what can be learned by being comfortable. being comfortable isn't necessarily living a "good" life - that's the myth but it's not true. living an uncomfortable life is sometimes more satisfactory than a placid, bovine existence.
excerpt taken from an interview with fakir musafar in re/search - modern primitives
experiencing ecstatic states: why would one want to experience an ecstatic state? well, you might learn something out of it. you might be able to help others. you might see other worlds. there may be all kinds of reasons, but basically you do it because it's fun! why not?
everybody has their own body, and if they only realized it, they're free to do with it what they will. i often think about this when i walk down the street and see someone who has an ideal body for certain kinds of things: "if they only knew what they could do with that body that would be sensational!" but they just wouldn't understand if you tried to tell'em.
in a more female-oriented culture like in india (as opposed to ours, which is very aggressive and male-oriented, with a great deal of suppression of the female nature in both males and females), it is considered perfectly rational to do things like alter and "mutilate" the body - that's a part of their tradition. their attitude is, "why not?" whereas we say, "this is crazy - why do that? especially if it hurts!"
i know the idea is odious and alien to our culture that one would deliberately impose restrictions on movement and freedom of the body, but mankind throughout history has always done this. the lessons that can be learned and the life that can be led by doing this far transcend what can be learned by being comfortable. being comfortable isn't necessarily living a "good" life - that's the myth but it's not true. living an uncomfortable life is sometimes more satisfactory than a placid, bovine existence.
excerpt taken from an interview with fakir musafar in re/search - modern primitives
