In a journal entry <www.llewellynjournal.com/article/1056> dated 2005--05--08, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke states that "...it was [in] one of the many [magazines of]... the 1940’s and 50’s that imitated the success of the big magazines of the time – Life and Look.

"There was an interview of a successful author, William Seabrook, and there was a picture of a lady wearing a skin-tight leather mask or helmet that covered her head completely with only a mouth opening through which she could breathe. They experimented with what later was called “sensory deprivation” – the mask cutting off sight, sound, smell and even facial sensation. Wearing the mask for hours – later it was described as a “meditation mask” – she had various visions that turned out to be extra-sensory or pre-cognitive."

[Seabrook wrote]"...in 1940[,] a book titled [sic.]“Witchcraft, Its Power in the World Today,” which was the subject of the magazine story."

Since it is common knowledge that William Seabrook suffered from dipsomania,a condition that he probably knew, even prior to his travels to and the 1927 publication of "Arabia," was slowly killing him. However, he may not have been aware that he also suffered from neurasthenia, which is characterized by a hypersensitivity to sensory stimulation, such as light and noise.

His avid interest in changing or modifying the state of the mind, e.g. the "whirling Dervishes," certain painful practices of the Sufi, and voodoo, as well as his interest in full--head masks, aka. "Seabrook Helmet," may have been an expression of his search for permanent, non--drug relief from that condition, which may have been quite bothersome.

As an aside, I wonder if Nicola Tesla, too, had suffered from neurasthenia?

A quote made by Seabrook, which I recently read online, indicates that although he was being excoriated in the press for his curious behavior (an allusion to his sado--masochistic practices?)--- with Marjorie Worthington (prior to their marriage), they (the press) did not know the whole story.

Later, as one online source maintains, the "S/m community" would pick--up and incorporate some of Seabrook's ideas, practices and devices into what, in the meantime, has become "standard" BDSM practice/"dogma."

Indeed, a scurrilous magazine, devoted to BDSM, which was published in the late 1950s and early 1960s, called "Bizarre Life," featured two, perhaps more articles, about a practice they termed "Witch's Cradle" involving high suspension (evidently in someone's barn!)in thick, leather suits and full--head masks. The goal, stated in the article, was to achieve an altered mind state, based on sensory deprivation. One of my sources maintains that the article referred to William Seabrook.

I wonder if anyone on the "William Seabrook" thread could provide bibliographic references for either of the two, above mentioned magazine articles?

Hmmmm...