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theorganicdomino
Psychedelic ZenBuddhist


Registered: 09/03/04
Posts: 1,855
Loc: Here & Now
Last seen: 4 years, 1 month
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Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try...
#3924700 - 03/16/05 08:32 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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...riding on the London Eye whilst listening to "Brian Wilson's SMiLE".
I've never been keen on heights - think it has something to do with throwing myself out of the huge weeping willow in my parents back garden when I was a kid (yes I did say that I threw myself, I was kinda fucked up as a kid but I'm much better now ).
As my lovely wife and I are both soon to go for the 5g mushroom heroics, and in honour of what I learnt on the last trip, I made a pledge to myself that I would do something to face my fear of heights (I had my eyes closed about 50% of the time I was up the Eiffel Tower for fuck's sake - that's 50% of a visual memory I denied myself).
So I snuck out early for lunch (all in all I was late back and ended up having a 2 1/2 hour lunch break - oops!) went down to Waterloo, bought my ticket, lined up, nearly backed out but reached the gate , bundled onto the capsule and clung to my seat.
I was fairly fine (although my bum did not leave the seat) until just before the very top when I started to get that vertigo feeling, and everything in my vision wobbled and I felt a panic attack coming on - which is when I put on the SMiLE album.
As the opening track segued into Heroes and Villains I started questioning my fear and where it came from, I slowed my breathing and stood up, I cleared my head like I do in meditation and looked down at big ben and along the Thames. I felt an inner cheerleader voice hit me and felt a warmth flush through me, I had done it, no - I was doing it, I was truly doing something which a year ago would have given me a panic attack. From the top down I walked around the capsule and held on to the rail and peered down - a little shakey but confident that everything was okay.
Definitely one of those moments.
Thanks Brian Wilson, good, good, good vibrations. (If you haven't got the album do - it's not perfect but has some truly inspiring elements).
-------------------- "You've got to get hold of the thread of marching time, pull the fuck thing down, get on the end of it and pang yourself to the infinitude of absolute mind" Ken Campbell - Furtive Nudist "The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced" - Aart van der Leeuw
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Deadmaker
Stranger


Registered: 02/09/05
Posts: 5,471
Last seen: 7 days, 13 hours
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: theorganicdomino]
#3924760 - 03/16/05 08:58 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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I'm scared shitless of heights. 6 years ago I had an accident that involved falling about 75-100 feet. But this past summer I went skydiving and I plan on doing it again this summer. So, hopefully I can eventually get over my fear of heights that way.
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Irradiated_Feces
doomedgeneration


Registered: 07/11/03
Posts: 4,278
Loc: Great White North
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: Deadmaker]
#3924865 - 03/16/05 09:48 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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I'm not a huge fan of heights, but I thought the London Eye was pretty tame.
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grphish
the Modern dayPacman

Registered: 04/01/02
Posts: 1,687
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: Irradiated_Feces]
#3924913 - 03/16/05 10:08 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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it isn't about moving fast, its heights, you dumb fuck
-------------------- BoUnCy BaLL IS All SoUrCe OF LIGhT AnD HaPPiNeSS!!~! *bEEP* *beEP*
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EvilEwok
Stranger
Registered: 10/09/03
Posts: 574
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: Deadmaker]
#3924949 - 03/16/05 10:20 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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You saying skydiving brought back some memories of wierd ass skydiving dreams I've had.
-------------------- Now go Home.
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Irradiated_Feces
doomedgeneration


Registered: 07/11/03
Posts: 4,278
Loc: Great White North
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: grphish]
#3925238 - 03/16/05 11:51 AM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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I know its not about moving fast you fucking douche. I meant the feeling of being high, It didn't overwhelm me on it, I think because of the enclosure of it.
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IllicitAlchemist
Becoming one.


Registered: 12/24/04
Posts: 395
Loc: The hara.
Last seen: 11 years, 10 months
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: Irradiated_Feces]
#4548230 - 08/17/05 07:13 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Im pretty scared of heights, but recently got over it by crossing this log suspended 20 ft in the air on LSD, it was fucking NUTS, but i got across it without falling and killing myself so
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ToTheSummit
peregrinus



Registered: 08/22/99
Posts: 9,126
Loc: Las Vegas
Last seen: 12 days, 9 hours
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: theorganicdomino]
#4548258 - 08/17/05 07:19 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I was terribly claustrophobic as a child. Couldn't even ride in an elevator. So as a teen I started caving and conquered my fear.
Conquering fears is an awesome feeling!
-------------------- You invented the wheel....You push the motherfucker!!
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trendal
J♠


Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: Deadmaker]
#4548296 - 08/17/05 07:25 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I'm not too fond of heights, due to an always-present urge to throw myself over the edge (just to see what it would be like!) that I don't like feeling, but the thought of skydiving doesn't scare me at all - due to having a parachute on your back!
I've always wanted to go skydiving, and have recently found someone who will go up with me so we can both be skydiving newbs together.
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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Noetical
Flip Horrorshow

Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 9,230
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: trendal]
#4548329 - 08/17/05 07:30 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
trendal said: I'm not too fond of heights, due to an always-present urge to throw myself over the edge (just to see what it would be like!) that I don't like feeling
Holly fuck that is exactly what was going through my head when I was reading this thread. 
I'm the exact way, to me its this urge to let loose and just wooosh
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trendal
J♠


Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: Noetical]
#4548340 - 08/17/05 07:33 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Yeah exactly! Like you know it would be a fun trip down!
I get that any time I look over an edge more than 20' above the ground.
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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Noetical
Flip Horrorshow

Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 9,230
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: trendal]
#4548365 - 08/17/05 07:39 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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About two summers ago camping my friends were bickering about wheter anyone should attempt to jump off this 50ft cliff into a lake. They were all "... its too shallow ... and you'll probably hit the rocks ... we should make sure no one jumps off here"
I come down look over the edge once, back up and then just bolt off the edge. It just had to be done and it was fucking awesome.
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GratefulDead
Tripper

Registered: 08/14/05
Posts: 15
Loc: Kamloops, British Columbi...
Last seen: 18 years, 3 months
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: Noetical]
#4548411 - 08/17/05 07:47 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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I know what you guys mean about jumping off the edge to see what its like. I get that too, the other day i walked up this 255 foot crane where i work. It was intense. I was terrified but at the same time i felt like i was accomplishing something. The worst part about the climb was that you could see through the floor all the way down. It was a crazy experience and i'm glad i did it. I'm just never gonna do it again hahaha.
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trendal
J♠


Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: GratefulDead]
#4548462 - 08/17/05 07:56 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Lol yeah! I know what you mean!
I was at a friend's farm for a party last year, and he got me to climb up onto the top of his silo. Scared the shit out of me the whole way up, but I made it to the top and got a nice view of the countryside!
Generally I can push myself up as high as I want provided there's something to hang on to at all times. One of my old room mates worked for a silo installation company and he used to work on the top of the things with really NOTHING to hang on to! I couldn't do that...
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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Thin White Duke
Stranger


Registered: 10/20/04
Posts: 51,530
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Re: Scared of Heights?.....Then why not try... [Re: ToTheSummit]
#4548552 - 08/17/05 08:10 PM (18 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
ToTheSummit said: I was terribly claustrophobic as a child. Couldn't even ride in an elevator. So as a teen I started caving and conquered my fear.
Conquering fears is an awesome feeling!
I'm like that still. If my mates get into an elevator, i'll take the stairs.
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