willpower test

[Yoda]

I was flipping through "Heaven Lies Within" by T. Bernard and I found a willpower test: take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can (allowed to exhale only). The longer you can hold your breath, the better your willpower. If you can hold it until you pass out, you've got supreme willpower.

 

I'm sure that there are a few on this forum who can do this. I know a sales/business guru who says that the reason for his success is his willpower, and he tells a story from his childhood where he held his breath until passing out just before the curtains were drawn where he was to be the drummer in a grade school concert for the parents. He and his pals were just killing time until the show.

[Wayfarer64]

That happened to me in fourth grade, I guess I'd have been 10 or so... I woke up with a circle of little shoes in front of my eyes and a split lip from hitting the floor. It actually got me in some trouble with the teacher and I was admonished for being very stupid indeed...

 

Which goes to show that being stuborn/willfull is often seen as being stupid and silly...

[Spectrum]

nothing like party tricks

[Tao Parrot]

As the chemoreceptors in the medulla detect rising levels of carbon dioxide in the blood they signal the lungs to inhale. One can inhibit this signal with the cortex if desired, but at some point the medulla should overcome the inhibition. If this happens after passing out, the autonomic nervous system is probably not doing its job well enough.

 

At any rate, I'm not sure if this is really qualifies as a test of willpower.

[Wayfarer64]

I've always thought back on it as a test of my stupidity... I was found to have an ample sufficiancy in that capacity!

 

It was a dare to hold my breath for as long as I could. I foolishly went past my capacity. I didn't - until this thread -ever think of it as a matter of will-power. That actually gives the episode a silver lining, that I doubt it deserves...

Edited May 14, 2007 by Wayfarer64

[Trunk]

a willpower test

A test where breathing is losing,

and passing out is winning!

 

Sounds like another version

of "how to count chumps".

Bravery Tests and Tests of Will comprise some of the thicker chapters of that book!

 

C2F_CIt_X5s

[Wayfarer64]

What were Bubba's last words?

 

 

Hey y'all, watch this!

[xenolith]

This gentleman earned an 11.

[minus]

I was flipping through "Heaven Lies Within" by T. Bernard and I found a willpower test: take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can (allowed to exhale only). The longer you can hold your breath, the better your willpower. If you can hold it until you pass out, you've got supreme willpower.

 

I'm sure that there are a few on this forum who can do this. I know a sales/business guru who says that the reason for his success is his willpower, and he tells a story from his childhood where he held his breath until passing out just before the curtains were drawn where he was to be the drummer in a grade school concert for the parents. He and his pals were just killing time until the show.

 

 

Does it count if you're holding in a drag off a joint?

[fatherpaul]

actually i find the question of willpower to be a facinating one,

 

what is willpower? concentrated desire? thought? spirit? hmmmm.

i will reflect on this today, as i have nothing else to do.

good day all.

[Yoda]

Wayfarer,

 

Sure willpower can be used for good or for ill and your teacher stressed the negative aspect of it, but it's handy that you got the goods and passed the ancient yogic test.

 

Yoda

[fatherpaul]

having reflected all day on this thing called willpower,

i find it of no use.