A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

September 2012 Suspension Campout

After posting the highly technical suspensions from Italy and Japan with intricate static rigging, it’s nice to see the other — and equally beautiful and profound — end of things. Cere just dropped me a message this morning to take a look at his page where he’d been collecting images from their Suspension Campout this past weekend — below are four of my favorites (whittling it down was nearly impossible). That reminds me, while I’m thinking of Cere and his band of merry misfits, a wonderful article was just published in The Atlantic that heavily features him. It’s titled “The Therapeutic Experience of Being Suspended by Your Skin” and is one of the most positive articles about suspension that I’ve seen to date in the mainstream press.

Anyway, I’m sure that this waterfall location will seem familiar to those who’ve admired previous outdoor Rites of Passage events. I don’t know what it is about water, but for me, it just goes so well with suspension. I don’t know if it’s the meditative quality of water, or the idea of being hung between sky and sea, or if it’s just the simple beauty of nature. But it really works for me. I also have enormous respect for people like Cere and the others in Rites of Passage and iHung and the many other suspension groups that are now well into their second decade of bringing something very special to people’s lives. They’re giving of themselves in ways that profoundly alter the course of lives for the better, but the world rarely sees it or thanks them for it.

There’s magic in this world because we create it.

2012campout1

2012campout2

2012campout3

2012campout4

I’m so moved by these pictures that there’s little I can say about them that won’t come off super-cheesy. I’m sure more pictures will show up in BME’s galleries as time goes by — please add your pictures via the normal channels!

Comments

2 responses to “September 2012 Suspension Campout”

  1. Caleigh Green Avatar

    fucking gorgeous pictures

  2. Madi Avatar
    Madi

    I love this setting. If I was going to do a suspension, I would defiantly want to be in a gorgeous place like this. 😀

Latest Tattoo, Piercing, and Body Modification News

  • Held by Hooks, and Each Other
    Facilitators and practitioners — the very people who bring so many suspensions to life — often pour their energy into others, quietly setting aside their own opportunities. Brenton and Brittany are one such example. Traveling all the way from Houston, TX, they came to the… Read more: Held by Hooks, and Each Other
  • When Tongue Piercings Meet Medicine
    In 2010, a German study was published involving subjects with tongue piercings. The tongue piercing was used as part of a device designed to relieve obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder affecting many individuals. Severely affected individuals may suffer from various long-term… Read more: When Tongue Piercings Meet Medicine
  • Suspended, Not Silenced
    There’s something undeniably powerful about watching someone working through the stages of suspension. We all build up ideas about ourselves—what we’re allowed to feel, how much we’re allowed to express, when it’s okay to break. For some, suspension is not about pushing physical limits its… Read more: Suspended, Not Silenced
  • A Nightbird’s Passage
    Some stories take their time, unfolding over decades, through life’s long detours and diversions. But dreams never rest until they’re fully realized. Even after 15 years, Robb knew there was still a suspension experience waiting for him. Something left unfinished, something essential. At the Ontario… Read more: A Nightbird’s Passage
  • What Lifts the Body, Shifts the Soul
    First suspensions are rarely just about the body—they’re a meeting point between the physical and the deeply personal. Stepping into this experience isn’t simply about trying something new, but about stepping outside yourself to a version you had always sensed was waiting. I’ve had a… Read more: What Lifts the Body, Shifts the Soul
  • Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry
    One of the most powerful things about being at a convention like OSC is the sheer concentration of experience, creativity, and capability in one place. When you’re surrounded by people who not only understand the technical complexities of suspension but are excited by the challenge… Read more: Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry