Posted by FERAL EXCRETIONS on July 26, 2002 at 02:41:08:
Yes, this information I am about to present is from a book. It brought me back to a time when I thought practicing forms was and became an addiction for me.
'Recent advances in neurochemistry show that the human brain carries its own consciousness-altering drugs, including hallucinogens such as dimethyltryptamine. In terms of natural selection, it seems unlikely that they would be present unless their capacity to alter the state of consciousness could confer some advantage for survival. It would appear that Nature itself has made a decision that an altered state of consiciousness is sometimes superior to an ordinary state.
Similarly, we now are learning that many of our finest athletes enter an altered state of consciousness when they are making their greatest achievements.'
This is where I had to stop and regress to my time in the 80s when I was practicing for 4 hours a day 6 days a week.
I recall the Instructors making mention that everyday should be done to the best of our capabilities.
Personal best leads to ones greatest achievements. I have to be honest with you all. I didn't leave the school until I had accomplished something better than the day before.
I mean it got to a point I didn't have time to stop and eat at times, visit friends and relatives. My practicing became the most important thing in my life at that time.
I might have finally came to a conclusion to my question on the addictive behavior I demonstrated back then.
I really wasn't afraid of the Instructors. I made fun of them with others while changing. So, it wasn't fear that kept me involved in the society. It had to be the altered state of consciousness I had obtained from the work outs. I would give examples of awareness that I had experienced but I am sure others have had the same experiences as well.
I have to say I believe this theory because of my investigations into modern day Shamanism. It's all about awareness. Awareness, is something I been always been attracted to. I just didn't realize that is why I am attracted to martial arts. It's the awareness one obtains through the long durations of movement. Especially if the movement was intended for the internal arts.
If people say that the movements of CMQ are lame compared to what is available. It looks like I am about to start up my investigation into the movements of the internal arts.
P.S.
I have also experienced this same awareness when my movements come out of me naturally when I have to defend myself our others.
*; =qq(