For more information on suspension visit – http://www.suspension.org/

Often when we see a celebrity doing anything that is out of the norm or that might be somewhat shocking to the general public, it is easy to assume that it is simply a stunt to gain a little attention or a moment in the spotlight. I suppose it is a good lesson about making assumptions when we get a reminder that, although in the public eye, these are people with the same desires and feelings that we all have. For Dave Navarro, who recently performed his first suspension with Steve Truitt and Chris Glunt, the interest in learning more about suspension has been with him since first flipping through the pages of magazines and books which featured images such as Fakir Musafar‘s famous chest suspension photographs. It is a start into the world of body suspension that many of us are very familiar with, and it eventually led to him crossing paths with Steve at a performance they were both booked for. The suspensions Steve put on obviously had quite an impact and further fueled Dave’s interest in it; he later brought them on board to work with Jane’s Addiction as part of the live performance. Through this time together, Dave was able to begin asking questions about suspending, and later made the decision to try it himself. With their friendship and history of working together, I am sure the question of who to have put him in the air for the first time was an easy one. In this video by Todd Newman, and the accompanying photos by Ashes Wednesday, we get to see Dave go through a process we are all pretty familiar with as he moves from nervousness to happiness and everything between.

First time suspensions are one of my favorite things to hear people talk about, mainly because it is so unique and different for each person. Typically there are people who have an alright time and are satisfied, and then there are those who really love with the whole experience of it. Listening to Dave discuss what he was feeling and the overall impression the suspension left on him was wonderful; he is clearly in that second category. He initially chose to suspend with the idea that it was the next step for him beyond tattoos and piercing; a new way to push himself. Although he went into it with an open mind, Dave said that he was surprised that the experience was so different than what he expected. The overall pain was much less than he anticipated, but the mental and emotional sensations that come with suspending were what really amazed him. This intimate moment of having to put that incredible amount of trust into his friend really brought him in touch with what this beautiful craft is all about. In suspending, we are not only putting our bodies and well being in someone else’s hands, but often also letting them in our lives for a very personal and emotional moment. He said that he was left feeling awakened, centered, and with an overall optimistic and open outlook on the things going on in his life; he fell in love with it.

Although Dave chose to keep his suspension fairly private, I am really happy that he chose to let one of his friends film it. I think it does such a great job of not showing some well-known individual trying out suspension, but really just letting us see a guy who is taking his first steps into something that can be equally intimidating and rewarding at the same time. Many of us have been in that same position, and can feel everything that is going on because we know what that moment is like. Our community is definitely one that is an odd mix of people from every walk of life, with huge ranges in age, background, profession, and more. I think in a lot of ways it does make it easier for anyone to come into it; whether they are a face and name that are fairly known or a wallflower that keeps to themselves, there will be people in this community that accept and relate to them. It’s just one of the many things that makes it so incredible.

For those who are wondering, when asked if he would suspend again, I am happy to say the answer was a very confident yes. Congratulations on your first suspension, Dave. It’s wonderful to know you were in the hands of someone you are so comfortable with, and I hope that after waiting so long to try it the experience was everything you were looking for.