A suspension is defined as the act of hanging the human body from hooks that have been put through temporary body piercings. The modern practice of ritual body suspension is derived from the Mandan tribe, who were the original practitioners of suspensions.
There are many different reasons to suspend. Suspensions can be used to reach a new level of consciousness, for meditation, as a rite of passage or simply for the endorphin rush.
Those at suspension.org offer this explanation:
“There are many different reasons to suspend, from pure adrenaline or endorphin rush, to conquering ones fears, to trying to reach a new level of spiritual consciousness and everything in between. In general, people suspend to attain some sort of “experience. Some people are seeking the opportunity to discover a deeper sense of themself and to challenge pre-determined belief systems which may not be true. Some are seeking a right of passage or a spiritual encounter to let go of the fear of not being whole or complete inside their body. Others are looking for control over their body, or seek to prove to themselves that they are more than their bodies, or are not their bodies at all. Others simply seek to explore the unknown.”
