Third Man experience
Mountaineers have written about a so-called "third man experience." What is it? Very briefly - in extreme circumstances they visualise talking to and receiving support from someone. All imaginary of course. This is not usually their climbing partner ( though in Messner's/Habeler's case this was) and hence the appellation "third man." We can assume that the experience is positive because chaps who experience this have survived to write about it. I had my own mini-third man experience on Mount Toubkal in 1979 in Maroc. During the night at the Neltner Hut (circa 3200m) I was feverish and I dreamt that someone came to give me paracetamols to make me better. By the morning the fever had gone. I am writing all this to make a plea to Third Men who might be out there in the East Anglia Region or the Cambridge area in particular - for f*** sake get over to my house and sort my night sweats out please. Last night I gave up sleeping at 3.25am. Pointless getting up every half hour to dry myself out. A decent night's sleep would me most welcome. Thanks.
posted by shafiur @ 10:39:00 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Hi Shafiur,
I’ve been meaning to send you and Laura a card since the new year but it hasn’t happened so I succumb to something techi and will have to use your blog to send all good wishes to Laura.
What an idea -- a third man. Maybe we all have one! Perhaps all we have to do is step out of our limited sense of self for a moment and in doing so (as this third man) become an observer. The distance provides an objective view of ourselves. The view reflects how much we identify with our limitation (this brings a certain freedom). The result might be another mountain safely climbed.
(Formulaic? Maybe, surely not in practise though)
(Easier said than done? Defo!)
(Garden route? Infinitely preferable)
But I’m convinced it’s the way people climb. And it seems you’re a good climber, I hope you are anyway and so does T.
Have a wonderful time in SA and a lovely day. Thoughts of good wishes are always with you.
T sends his best too.
Nirahnia
Thanks Beebs. And good wishes to you.
Belated response from Rotifer:
I remember Toubkal and the Neltner Hut: the walk up the valley from Imlil, the amorous German couple, the view from the summit, Crawford in his jellaba, the echo. I don't remember you mentioning the 'third man' experience at the time... fascinating. I do remember your pulse was still high the next morning, but you were fine once we got going back down the valley. Anyway, I hope he answers your call and helps you through. All the best...
Did you forget the scree run we did Riddel? Surely not.
Yes, I did - how could I ? it was my first scree run, and yours too, I think. It was fun, though probably not very environmentally friendly. I hope we didn't do too much damage.
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