Is it dangerous?

[gerard]

I couldn't write the whole thing down so I tried to simplify the question. Sorry if the title doesn't sound too appealing

My question is:

Is it dangerous diving while "leaving" the body? I explain myself< diving trying to relax to an state where you no longer feel you are there. Could this lead to blackout?

I was practising this the other day but I stopped because I was alone and I feared the worst (or maybe not), but the feelings where great I felt very comfy, I felt like fish in the water but with closed eyes

Has anyone tried this before? I'd like to hear your opinions.

Regards, gerard.

[fuzz]

I haven't studied these aspects to the degree that some of our members(i.e. efattah) have, but from my own personal experience - yes.

I have dive partners who have to put their watch timers on because they relax to such a state that while lying on the ground(especially in deep water), they don't feel the urge to breath till it's nearly too late.

One of them passed out on the couch practicing while watching tv. I thought he was just taking a nap.

Unfortunately I still haven't reached this state of "out of body" relaxation as I seem to have too much anxiety/nervous energy welling inside me, but I'm still trying

[cliffgollus]

I agree with Fuzz, I think what you describe could be very dangerous. We all want to relax in the sea and move like fish, but we are not fish! or dolphin, or seals. We are human and simply do not have the capacity to fully enter the ocean like the sea creatures. I confess a real longing for such ability every time I go underwater. I wish not only could I go much longer but also deeper, that my movements would be with same ease, speed and efficiency of even a turtle!, much less dolphin, etc. Do others feel this same urge?
Take care, Cliff

[TMcKee]

I have to say that I am with you guys on this. When I do "deepwater" (12fsw) statics with my buddy, I get so relaxed I could nearly fall asleep on bottom. I hit bottom and I get in position and I close my eyes. Its a hell of a scary feeling.

[samdive]

"hell of a scary feeling" - really? the feeling of leaving surface life and this clumsy gravity hindered body behind for the whole new feeling of being someone else, something else - feeling my body purely as something that can start a ripple to push my fin or in the case of static, as barely there at all, is the whole reason I dive. It doesn't scare me in the slightest and I don't see how anyone could enjoy freediving if it did scare them. Can anyone explain things better?

I genuinely feel that when I dive my body disappears and I just take my soul down there...... but maybe I'm weird

Sam

[fuzz]

Can't speak for everyone else Sam, but I think the "scary" part is that you can get into such a relaxed state that it'd get you into danger. My friend can relax himself so well that he doesn't get his normal contractions - this can unfortunately turn dangerous. When you're down there and in this state of relaxed euphoria, time is warped and often not even a concern. The few times that I've reached this state(can't do it with any consistency), if it weren't for a casual glance at my watch, I could very well have stayed down too long and blacked out.

Basically, this state is what we all strive for, but despite its beauty - it must be controlled.

[TMcKee]

Im all about flying around down there. Like the guy said, it can get so relaxing that it could get you into danger. I sit back and enjoy the ride like the rest of you, but like it was said, it has to be controlled.

Tim

[Pezman]

I know exactly what you are describing. When I do deep-water statics, I wear a wet-suit and I hang upside-down from a 4# weight-belt with 1 finger. Sometimes I drift off exactly as you describe, which is what motivated me to come up with this (somewhat hit-or-miss) self rescue technique.

I figure if I do pass out, I'll just float to the surface. I've done a few rehearsal pass-out drills to be sure that I have a decent chance of rolling over on my back by the time I surface. If you have a buddy watching, just be sure to inform them that if you are surfacing feet-first w/ limp arms, it probably means something is amiss.

Still, I think that this technique is not very safe and I sure wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[efattah]

There is a great danger of falling asleep at depth if you get too relaxed. This is especially bad in cold/dark water.

I have nearly fallen asleep at 30-35m when doing long hangs in the cold dark water. My friend Tyler had his narcosis accident during a 45m dive when he tried to 'sleep' during the ascent because he thought it would save energy.

Eventually, increased CO2 causes literal narcolepsy (sudden falling asleep). This is only like under hyperbaric conditions, or while doing a pure O2 static on land. In other words, you are not likely to fall asleep during apnea on the surface.



Eric Fattah
BC, Canada

[Adrian]

I genuinely feel that when I dive my body disappears and I just take my soul down there...... but maybe I'm weird -Sam

Nobody's wierd Sam,

It's the "normal" experience of drifting deeper than the conscious thinking level of the mind deep into the Self. It's called transcending or Samadhi -- you see? it's part of your own nature, always there but hiding, like the other side of the moon. If it happens as it should (out of the water) it is accompanied with both the mind and body settling down to levels of rest deeper than deep sleep, with the beauty of it being that the mind, precisely because it is in such peace, experiences a state of unboundedness (a truly mental "no limits" state) where one can lose any sense of relative existence, meaning the perception of the body and surroundings. It's blissful nature makes it very hard sometimes to want to come out of this state, and if you are underwater, you might want to say, "Forget it, this is more interesting!

It seems that many on the forums here have a tendency to experience or to go towards that type of experience with glimpses of higher states of consciousness. Take a look at Umberto's quote on his webpage about losing his body and only being the sea. Then read the Upanishads (ancient Vedic books about the unfoldment of the Self, it's almost as if it's taken from there.

Who knows, maybe freediving is spiritual technology.

Adrian

[TMcKee]

There is no doubt that freediving is very spiritual. I love being underwater like I love nothing else on this planet. The breathing and stretching and general relaxation is like some arcane ritual.

Man I love this stuff!

[Skindiver]

anyone that is cruel to bears is wierd

Skin

[samdive]

I am NOT cruel to bears - he loves it!!! and yes he too can fall asleep under water.

"Freediving as spiritual techology" - I like it!

but back to the main message of this thread. Yes, I can be totally "out of it" when I dive and all the other things I described. The reason I don't think this is dangerous is that I still have a major survival instinct which kicks in at some point during any challenging dive. On any dive where I am pushing beyond the total comfort zone I do snap out of the "sleep" phase at some point, usually around half way back up on a constant weight dive (or once I get the tag if its a comp!) or when the contractions start making my head spinny on a static! I am trying to train to keep in the sleepy phase through as many contractions as I can (sensibly!) but it's not easy. I guess the real danger is for you lucky, lucky people who don't get contractions!

Sam