Nate, on Six Feet Under, entered ecstatic oblivion via the Pacific ocean during Sunday's episode. It's not the first time, of course, that a body of water has been the metaphor for a final release, I suppose because of its spaciousness and the usual pleasure of swimming. But, as I imagine drowning, it's not an expansive event, but one which draws the attention of the drownee to a very small area of his/her own body. Not my idea of freedom from any kind of earthy bonds. Maybe only because it's not earth, but water, that it has such extravagant and poetic association with death in its dreamiest form.
Ruth Kazez
p.s. Nate was actually in bed, well sedated, just dreaming of the ocean when he flat-lined.
Nate, on Six Feet Under, entered ecstatic oblivion via the Pacific ocean during Sunday's episode. It's not the first time, of course, that a body of water has been the metaphor for a final release, I suppose because of its spaciousness and the usual pleasure of swimming. But, as I imagine drowning, it's not an expansive event, but one which draws the attention of the drownee to a very small area of his/her own body. Not my idea of freedom from any kind of earthy bonds. Maybe only because it's not earth, but water, that it has such extravagant and poetic association with death in its dreamiest form.
Ruth Kazez
p.s. Nate was actually in bed, well sedated, just dreaming of the ocean when he flat-lined.
In the "The Big Blue" (the European ending) the hero sets a new free diving record and then, instead of surfacing, he stays at the bottom and swims off with the angelic dolphins. One of my favorite movies.
"S. Quentin Quale" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
rtk said:
Nate, on Six Feet Under, entered ecstatic oblivion via the Pacific ocean during Sunday's episode. It's not the first time, of course, that a body of water has been the metaphor for a final release, I suppose because of its spaciousness and the usual pleasure of swimming. But, as I imagine drowning, it's not an expansive event, but one which draws the attention of the drownee to a very small area of his/her own body. Not my idea of freedom from any kind of earthy bonds. Maybe only because it's not earth, but water, that it has such extravagant and poetic association with death in its dreamiest form.
Ruth Kazez
p.s. Nate was actually in bed, well sedated, just dreaming of the ocean when he flat-lined.
In the "The Big Blue" (the European ending) the hero sets a new free diving record and then, instead of surfacing, he stays at the bottom and swims off with the angelic dolphins. One of my favorite movies.
I can't remember where i read this, but I recall an account of a diver who drowned, and was revived shortly afterwards. He described the event as one of calm submission, but eye witnesses described him thrashing mindlessly trying to free himself. I also have read a couple of times about the calm, sleeping sensation of freezing to death...
....what a morbid topic to drink coffee and wake up to!
"S. Quentin Quale" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
rtk said:
Nate, on Six Feet Under, entered ecstatic oblivion via the Pacific ocean during Sunday's episode. It's not the first time, of course, that a body of water has been the metaphor for a final release, I suppose because of its spaciousness and the usual pleasure of swimming. But, as I imagine drowning, it's not an expansive event, but one which draws the attention of the drownee to a very small area of his/her own body. Not my idea of freedom from any kind of earthy bonds. Maybe only because it's not earth, but water, that it has such extravagant and poetic association with death in its dreamiest form.
Ruth Kazez
p.s. Nate was actually in bed, well sedated, just dreaming of the ocean when he flat-lined.
In the "The Big Blue" (the European ending) the hero sets a new free diving record and then, instead of surfacing, he stays at the bottom and swims off with the angelic dolphins. One of my favorite movies.
I can't remember where i read this, but I recall an account of a diver who drowned, and was revived shortly afterwards. He described the event as one of calm submission, but eye witnesses described him thrashing mindlessly trying to free himself. I also have read a couple of times about the calm, sleeping sensation of freezing to death...
...what a morbid topic to drink coffee and wake up to!
Years ago I was plunged into very cold Lake Superior by some co-workers (I was on Isle Royale National Park) and it was observed by someone that "gee, you were down there a long time." I remember lying on the bottom, reflecting serenely on the choice to struggle to the surface or to gradually become one with the lake bottom, with waving lake grass gradually growing up through me. I decided to struggle to the surface,literally toward the light, which was rather further away than I had thought. After I was dragged up on the dock, I was cold and sore for at least three days, more like a week. I didn't spit up water--so it wasn't drowning--but I think the cold sort of shocked me into not breathing. Madelaine
"S. Quentin Quale" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
rtk <[email hidden]> wrote:
>Nate, on Six Feet Under, entered ecstatic oblivion via the Pacific ocean >during Sunday's episode. It's not the first time, of course, that a >body of water has been the metaphor for a final release, I suppose >because of its spaciousness and the usual pleasure of swimming. But, as >I imagine drowning, it's not an expansive event, but one which draws the >attention of the drownee to a very small area of his/her own body. Not >my idea of freedom from any kind of earthy bonds. Maybe only because >it's not earth, but water, that it has such extravagant and poetic >association with death in its dreamiest form. > >Ruth Kazez > >p.s. Nate was actually in bed, well sedated, just dreaming of the ocean >when he flat-lined.
In the "The Big Blue" (the European ending) the hero sets a new free diving record and then, instead of surfacing, he stays at the bottom and swims off with the angelic dolphins. One of my favorite movies.
I can't remember where i read this, but I recall an account of a diver who drowned, and was revived shortly afterwards. He described the event as one of calm submission, but eye witnesses described him thrashing mindlessly trying to free himself. I also have read a couple of times about the calm, sleeping sensation of freezing to death...
...what a morbid topic to drink coffee and wake up to!
Years ago I was plunged into very cold Lake Superior by some co-workers (I was on Isle Royale National Park) and it was observed by someone that "gee, you were down there a long time." I remember lying on the bottom, reflecting serenely on the choice to struggle to the surface or to gradually become one with the lake bottom, with waving lake grass gradually growing up through me. I decided to struggle to the surface,literally toward the light, which was rather further away than I had thought. After I was dragged up on the dock, I was cold and sore for at least three days, more like a week. I didn't spit up water--so it wasn't drowning--but I think the cold sort of shocked me into not breathing. Madelaine
Something similar to Madelaine's, but twas just an ordinary swimming pool. I was aware of being at the bottom of the deep end for a loooong time, yet without any sense of needing anything like say, air. There was just a strange restfulness in the pit of my tummy and , well, a calmness and total freedom to move about, remaining down there away from the normal restraints of having to breath. I only surfaced (seemed to take ages) because it was such an odd experience I decided not to stick with it. I have never being able to repeat the 'ability' since.
"S. Quentin Quale" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
>rtk <[email hidden]> wrote: > > > >>Nate, on Six Feet Under, entered ecstatic oblivion via the Pacific ocean >>during Sunday's episode. It's not the first time, of course, that a >>body of water has been the metaphor for a final release, I suppose >>because of its spaciousness and the usual pleasure of swimming. But, as >>I imagine drowning, it's not an expansive event, but one which draws the >>attention of the drownee to a very small area of his/her own body. Not >>my idea of freedom from any kind of earthy bonds. Maybe only because >>it's not earth, but water, that it has such extravagant and poetic >>association with death in its dreamiest form. >> >>Ruth Kazez >> >>p.s. Nate was actually in bed, well sedated, just dreaming of the ocean >>when he flat-lined. > >In the "The Big Blue" (the European ending) the hero sets a new free >diving record and then, instead of surfacing, he stays at the bottom >and swims off with the angelic dolphins. One of my favorite movies. >
I can't remember where i read this, but I recall an account of a diver who drowned, and was revived shortly afterwards. He described the event as one of calm submission, but eye witnesses described him thrashing mindlessly trying to free himself. I also have read a couple of times about the calm, sleeping sensation of freezing to death...
...what a morbid topic to drink coffee and wake up to!
Years ago I was plunged into very cold Lake Superior by some co-workers (I was on Isle Royale National Park) and it was observed by someone that "gee, you were down there a long time." I remember lying on the bottom, reflecting serenely on the choice to struggle to the surface or to gradually become one with the lake bottom, with waving lake grass gradually growing up through me. I decided to struggle to the surface,literally toward the light, which was rather further away than I had thought. After I was dragged up on the dock, I was cold and sore for at least three days, more like a week. I didn't spit up water--so it wasn't drowning--but I think the cold sort of shocked me into not breathing. Madelaine
Something similar to Madelaine's, but twas just an ordinary swimming pool. I was aware of being at the bottom of the deep end for a loooong time, yet without any sense of needing anything like say, air. There was just a strange restfulness in the pit of my tummy and , well, a calmness and total freedom to move about, remaining down there away from the normal restraints of having to breath. I only surfaced (seemed to take ages) because it was such an odd experience I decided not to stick with it. I have never being able to repeat the 'ability' since.
Aquachimp--Yes, that is a very similar. The sense of total non-striving was very spiritual, but I have no inclination to experience whatever that was again, especially the resulting 3 days of feeling cold. Madelaine aka Lazarus
