Brandon J. Freels

Brandon J. Freels, Who the Hell is Brandon Freels? Future Tense Books, Portland 1996. © 1996 Future Tense Books, Portland

A question on migraine headaches – Excerpts from a Usenet Newsgroups discussion

"I am curious to know where most surrealists stand on the use of drugs (both illegal and legal), and the sensations brought about by the loss of blood to the brain (the headache). Are these manipulations of the mind (brought about by outside forces and internal loss), plausible to categorize under the surrealist experience?"

(Brandon J. Freels, Newsgroups: alt.surrealism, Re: Question on Drugs and Headaches, October 20, 1998)

"yes."

(J. Michael, Newsgroups:alt.surrealism, Re: Question on Drugs and Headaches, October 20, 1998)

"Migraine Headaches have been claimed by some sufferers to induce a trance-like state during which they experience enhanced creativity. [...] I say, take your inspiration from wherever you can get it... its quicksilver glimmerings mayn't be stored for long, so you must warehouse as many inspirational inspirations as possible. Just be sure to have a lot of aspirin on hand..."

(elag, Newsgroups: alt.surrealism, Re: Question on Drugs and Headaches, October 20, 1998)

"The reason why I posted my question is due to my own contradictory views. On one hand I see the use of drugs as unsurreal, because you are experiencing the drug, and not yourself --- but in cases of bodily transformations (headache, fever, etc) you are not experiencing yourself either, but the loss or gain of something into the body. But I also am wondering if one can not achieve the surrealist view by subsiding to what we consider today to be 'healthy,' or even a 'healthy mindset' therefore verifying the use of drugs, and any other effect on the body as a positive way to create the surrealist experience. So maybe now people understand my self induced confusion. It seems that the only surrealist experiences I have are based on some physical or mental trauma, and if this is so they why shouldn't the drug induced trauma be considered surrealist also? I simple don't know how to answer my own question."

(Brandon J. Freels, Newsgroups: alt.surrealism, Re: Question on Drugs and Headaches, October 21, 1998)

References

Freels BJ. Who the Hell is Brandon Freels? Future Tense Books, Portland 1996.

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