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Alan's avatar

I've always found water quite sensual - the feeling as it flows past your body when you swim though it, particularly using front crawl, my fastest stroke. Its my main form of exercise now, particularly after finally admitting that continuing to play football was more likely to result in injury or heart attack than a call-up to the England team. More than that it's a focus of several sexual fantasies (I said I found it sensual), all of them unrealised of course and likely to remain so - yes I know water isn't a lubricant, or at least not a very good one, but then again maybe that's the point of fantasies ... and sensuality.

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Bill Billman's avatar

I haven't surfed as growing up land locked, but swimming has always been a joy for me. I seem to go into a zone and just swim. I forget my problems and focus on breathing and strokes. Now I scuba and had the same experiences as I know I will go up to the surface and survive... just remember not to panic...

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CC&D's avatar

that sounds really nice actually, how you describe your swimming. quite meditative. As someone who struggles with the sitting still of actual meditation, swimming might be a good alternative. Might give it another go from that perspective…

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James H's avatar

I like this. Your description of powerlessness under water mirrored my experience of dying in a car crash. Exactly.

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CC&D's avatar

Oh wow. So maybe both experiences somehow tap into the same "thing"? That's so interesting, thank you for sharing.

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James H's avatar

Acceptance as a kind of painful pleasure perhaps?

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CC&D's avatar

reading this immediately gave me goosebumps, which is usually my body hinting at some kind of truth

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