17 June 2021
Snoring Context
My husband’s snoring reawakened my long-time theory of why snoring happens. Sure there are others, but I’m allowed to play with ideas too.
For some time, I’ve pondered what snoring might mean. So, I’ve come up with a theory. At its core, the idea suggests snoring is a protective mechanism from when we lived in caves or surrounded by unsafe environments. The more vulnerable we feel we are, the more likely the snore.
Writing just the analysis is coming up, I promise, as there were some days when notes simply don’t exist for me to write anything on. And the days were so dull anyway.
The Snoring Theory Begins
If I look up Louise L Hay’s ‘The List’, snoring’s possible cause is the ‘stubborn refusal to let go of old patterns’ (p.215). Annette Noontil, on the other hand, suggests it might be the ‘rebelling at what you are regrouping for yourself in the universe – not being devoted to self.’. My theory is a little more basic, perhaps, and goes back to ‘caveman’ days.
My theory goes to before personkind lived in communities, and there was a simple family dynamic of a woman, man and two children, one a toddler the other at the breast. The man went out hunting; the woman stayed home with the children and gathered whatever was available close to the agreed shelter.
Presuming if the man went hunting for several days, he might be on his own. By the way, the renewal of my interest in this topic – apart from the fact my husband snores regularly – is the reality show Naked & Afraid. The TV show puts a man and a woman out in a wilderness with nothing but a traditional item of choice to survive. It’s incredibly raw – no food, no water, no clothes for typically 21 days. My survival skills in those conditions would last until it was time for the first-morning tea! And that’s an optimistic view of events.
Let’s get back to my story. Back to a man and a woman separated for a couple of nights, it is unfeasible to go without sleep. So I’m going to follow the man’s journey for a moment. First, the man creates a boma, a protective shelter, or finds a cave his experience tells him is safe. Then, he builds a fire if he’s able.
The Vulnerability of Sleep
So, the man falls asleep and let’s presume the area where the man is sleeping has night predators. Loud noises tend to scare off these wild beasts. What is snoring? A loud noise. What does a cave do sometimes? It makes the loud noise noisier! Hence, providing a level of protection while the man is asleep. Snoring provides a small degree of protection from the beasts, hopefully enough to keep them at bay, while some valuable shut-eye happens.
The idea crossed my mind when our cats were kittens. As kittens, their exposure to noises of this kind was non-existent. Initially, when my husband began snoring, the kittens were startled by the sudden noise. The cats’ were particularly alert when the snoring was arrhythmical, lacking in regularity. It wasn’t just the cat’s who struggled with the times the snoring was arrhythmical! 💤
Also, my husband’s snoring gets louder and even more irregular (if that’s possible) the more vulnerable his situation, like when he’s sick. Thus, adding to my idea that those who snore do so when there is some vulnerability.
Ammunition to Snoring
Another part of the theory came together when the topic came up with my stepmother-in-law lamenting about my father-in-law’s snoring. Unfortunately, my father-in-law failed to see what the problem was because, being in the navy, he’d slept with a boatload of snoring men, and it never bothered him any.
Despite our tough adult exteriors, I believe we’re still children inside. Otherwise, why is it when you turn 50, physiology aside, you don’t FEEL any different than when you were a teen or in your 20s?
So, a boatload of seamen away from shore, away from home, heading toward a potential war makes sense most would be snoring. By the way, there’s another protective mechanism, and it’s the complete reverse of snoring – it’s silence. In the jungle, a wild beast can smell you, so silence is riskier. And on a boat, unless you trust everyone and the situation, snoring is a solid option.
Touching Moments
Being far from a saint, I have been in several relationships over the years. Some of the relationships were sexual, while others were simply physical companionship. And I’ve had this idea for some years, and during some of those relationships, when the snoring woke me or kept me awake, I would test the concept by seeing what happened if I touched them while they snored.
Again, I made some assumptions. The first was that touch; for most people, it was welcomed, at least by the ones I knew. Supposing it goes back to when we were babes in our mothers’ arms or lying in the cot and our parents lay a comforting hand on us while we slept. Likewise, I sought to do the same. It was amusing. Touch the shoulder gently, and the snoring stopped, lift the hand, and the snoring began. Stop, start, stop, start! It was like playing with a light switch.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t touch their shoulders long enough to get to sleep without falling asleep first.
With this theory, it’s easier to accept my husband’s snoring. I think of him protecting me from predators. Let’s face it; if you were a burglar and heard arrhythmic snoring, you wouldn’t know if my husband was waking up or going back to sleep. You’d think twice, wouldn’t you?
Anyway, I could write more, but I try to discipline myself to stop when time runs out. So I didn’t get to writing about the woman or when communities of cave-dwellers come together. Nor did I get to look up any of the ‘sciency’ facts on search engine-like. There are still a few days to go before the 365 days of Tarot finishes; when I’m seeking out ideas or even without needing to, I’ll probably revisit the topic.
Today's Cards
The Cards - Analysis
Carryover Cards
Two cards carried over from yesterday; Thunderbolt moved from Recent Past to Goal, and Postponement moved from Influence to Outcome.
Cross
Receptivity is in the Now influenced by Sharing. For a moment, there I had to do a double-take to make sure I had the right day because Day 166 began with the same two cards in the same order – weird! So what does it mean in light of today’s musings? I’m being receptive to new ideas and sharing them with you. But, of course, the argument presented is not fact because my “research” is minimal.
Hmmm. Thunderbolt in the Goal position? Thunderbolt means I’m looking to change things up. The reading might not go the way I thought it might along the snoring lines. Oh, well.
Abundance in the Distant Past is a contrast to Stress in the Recent Past. It makes you wonder what happened. If my goal is to change things up, and Thunderbolt suggests it is, then I think it might be the pain in my chest from the push-ups (Day 153). At first, it worried me. That’s the first thing to which all of these cards can relate. As you can appreciate, having chest pain can be stressful. My heart rate was regular, thank you iPhone app. So, with the heart rate stable, I just monitored the area for worsening, but it easy up, and I switched to squats.
Future Energy is Harmony. Isn’t that nice? It’s about me connecting with my heart – in this case; it seems quite literally.
Base
My Feelings are those of Awareness as I open up another aspect amid the Thunderbolt’s reshuffling. Now I would love to tell you what the reshuffle is, but my notes have run out 🤔.
Others’ Views show that I’m making progress and have completed an aspect of my life. Hence the card of Completion’s appearance.
Hope is that I don’t get depressed over the change and the corresponding fear is that Sorrow, like depression and despair, are the cause of the shift from Abundance to Stress.
Finally, the card of Postponement is in the Outcome position. So here I sit, wanting to delay uploading my writing until tomorrow. Guess not. It’s true; what difference would it make to do it now, since it’s late already?
References
- Osho, Osho Zen Tarot – The Transcendental Game of Zen, St Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-11733-7
- Hay, Lousie L, You Can Heal Your Life, Gift Edition, Published: 1st September 1999, ISBN: 9781561706280
