What Is Body Suspension?
Body suspension is the act of suspending the human body via temporary piercings made just before the suspension process. The body is then raised either partially or completely from the ground by these hooks.
The hooks are typically fishing hooks that have been modified to suit the needs of suspension by removing the barbs and possible reshaping. The rigging used to suspend the person is nylon high tensile rope similar to what mountain climbers use. This rigging is then attached to a pulley system to raise and lower the suspended person.Types Of Body Suspension
There are several common types of body suspensions.
Chest (O-Kee-Pa) – Vertical Chest Suspension; Two hooks are placed in the chest and the body is suspended vertically.
Coma – Horizontal Face Up; Hooks are placed in the chest, abdomen, arms, and/or legs and the body is suspended horizontally.
Crucifix – Vertical Back And Arm Suspension – Hooks are placed in the back and the arms so that the suspended person appears to be hanging on a cross, with his or her arms held straight out to the side.
Resurrection – Horizontal Face Up; Hooks are placed in two rows on the stomach. Suspension gives the impression of rising from death as the suspended is all curved back.
Suicide - Vertical Back Suspension; Hooks are placed in the upper back and the body is suspended vertically.
Superman - Horizontal Face Down; Hooks are placed in the back, arms, and/or legs and the body is suspended horizontally.
Reasons For Body Suspension
Why would someone want to pierce their skin and be raised from the ground? The reasons are as diverse as the people who participate in body suspension.
Some use suspension as a form of meditation to gain a higher level of spiritual awareness. This clearly holds a strong meaning to the people participating in it. As there are a group of people who use body suspension for this reason this may be argued to be a rite of passage or the methodology to the ideology of body modification. Others use the process of body suspension to mark a significant event or a turning point in their life.
I imagine the most common reason to participate in body suspensions is that they just plain like it. In consideration to other body modifications stated in this blog, suspension is one of the more private ones even though it is practiced usually with a group of people. Using Roger's concentric circle model this practice would come into the private self, only disclosed with people close to you. Unless you otherwise openly admitted that you take part.
Body suspension requires experience and a team of people to perform safely. You should never attempt body suspension by yourself as you risk serious injury or even going into shock with no means of help.
A lot of things must be considered when attempting a body suspension. It takes care and experience to determine the proper number of hooks needed to suspend the full weight of the human body. Careful consideration must also be paid to placement to ensure the tissue will hold the weight of the suspended person. If too few, or poorly placed, hooks are used they will simply rip out of the skin causing serious tissue damage.
