32. The Thrill of Now

Thrill n. a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement, sometimes manifested as a tremor or tingling sensation passing through the body.

Why do we get a thrill whenever we indulge in life-threatening activities? This includes extreme sports such as car racing, paragliding, mountaineering, freefall, bungee jumping and so on.

A roller coaster ride can be put in the same bucket (at least for me!), even though it is not that life threatening as others. What makes it thrilling to go through a roller coaster ride? You might have done the same ride before, but each time you get the thrill and aspire to go through it again.

The more the possibility (or your fear) of losing your life/property in an intentional activity, the more you are thrilled! Did you read property? Yup! Gambling also counts.

When you get the thrill, what's going on in your mind? Is there time or space involved? Or do you sense the NOW!? Other than you realizing that you are thrilled, do you have any other thought going on in your mind? (Note: If you are engulfed in fear at that time, then you are not thrilled yet!)

On second thoughts, do you have the thought that you are thrilled, when the thrill is happening? Or is this conclusion (that you were thrilled) an after-the-event-thought? Think about it the next time you get thrilled!

So, would it be right to conclude that when your thought-count is zero, you will feel a thrilling sensation up your spine? I would say, MEDITATE to get thrilled! No strings attached, or should I say, no thread of thought attached! =)