Spirituality in BDSM

[Spitman]

Spirituality is associated with a higher state of consciousness.

I agree with woodsman'sgame that there are two ways of looking at it. A religious person would say that a higher state of consciousness brings us closer to God. A non religiousness person could say that in a higher state of consciousness our brain is connected differently. Conscious states can be monitored by brainwave patterns as we perform different activities. There are multiple levels of conscious states.

It is just as possible to attain a higher state of consciousness in bdsm as in prayer. How this works is well documented. It requires something continuous or repetitive. Pain? Discipline? Sensual deprivation is a good one, conducive to meditation. Calmness in sensual deprivation is very similar to a trance state.

Sensations in a higher state of consciousness may be felt differently. Does this sound familiar?

In higher states of consciousness, because the brain is connected differently, we see problems differently. How many times has the answer to a problem popped into your head after a bdsm scene?

A religious person would say that in a higher state of consciousness we are closer to God. In Christianity there has long been an association between suffering and sanctity, but there I risk crossing into yet another topic!

BDSM is actually practised today by Shiite Moslems, various Christian orders and others in the form of self flagellation, for exactly the purpose I have described.

Yes, there are spiritual needs, and we are the poorer without satisfying them. A spiritual need is a need to spend some time in a higher state of consciousness, and can be satisfied in many different ways, as I have described.