Master of Your Domain: Difference between revisions

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The human body is an amazing machine, the brain even more so. It is also a frustrating one at times, often acting as if it has ... well, a mind of its own. Many bodily functions are handled without our direct, conscious control, such as pulse and respiration rate, digestion, and even how we register pain. There are those who have sought to challenge the authority of the autonomic via [[Enlightenment Superpowers]]: ascetics and warriors, yogis and sadhu, Tibetan monks and Zen masters. Western science took the ball and ran with it to extract the concept of [[wikipedia:Biofeedback|"biofeedback",]] a method of consciously controlling normally automatic functions of the body. The real thing is extraordinary enough (see [[Real Life]] below) but, predictably, fictional works often exaggerate it to the point of [[Charles Atlas Superpower]].

For the more extreme cases, it's often [[Hand Wave~~|Hand Waved~~]] by [[90% of Your Brain]] and other cases of [[Art Major Biology]]. [[I Thought It Meant|The title is decidedly ''not'' a]] [[Seinfeld]] reference.

For the more extreme cases, it's often [[Hand Wave]]d by [[90% of Your Brain]] and other cases of [[Art Major Biology]]. [[I Thought It Meant|The title is decidedly ''not'' a]] [[Seinfeld]] reference.

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* [[Anne McCaffrey]]'s Dinosaur Planet books feature "Discipline": a full-featured body-control/pain-control/emotion-control/adrenal-control technique that many of the characters practice.

* [[Ursula K. Le Guin]]'s ''[[The Left Hand of Darkness]]'' has the ''dothé'' discipline which enables practitioners to deliberately unleash [http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/bodily-feats/adrenaline-strength.htm hysterical strength]

* In [[Jasper Fforde]]'s ''[[Shades of Grey]]: the Road to High Saffron'', {{spoiler|Jane Grey}} can consciously control {{spoiler|the size of her pupils}}, which means that unlike everyone else in the novel's [[~~Dystopia|dystopian~~]] setting, {{spoiler|she can see in the dark}}.

* In [[Jasper Fforde]]'s ''[[Shades of Grey]]: the Road to High Saffron'', {{spoiler|Jane Grey}} can consciously control {{spoiler|the size of her pupils}}, which means that unlike everyone else in the novel's [[dystopia]]n setting, {{spoiler|she can see in the dark}}.

* The Red Monks from Tim Lebbon's ''Dusk'' and ''Dawn'' have this talent alongside focused berserker rage/hate.

* The protagonist from [[Ben Bova]]'s ''Orion'' has complete awareness and control of every synapse in his nervous system.

* Justin Gilead from obscure 80s spies-chess-and-[[Shangri La]] novel ''Grandmaster'' by Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran had this in addition to a larger suite of [[Charles Atlas Superpower~~|Charles Atlas Superpowers~~]].

* Justin Gilead from obscure 80s spies-chess-and-[[Shangri La]] novel ''Grandmaster'' by Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran had this in addition to a larger suite of [[Charles Atlas Superpower]]s.

* This appears in many of Vonda N McIntyre's books, including both ''Dreamsnake'' and the ''Starfarers'' quartet. In each of them, some biofeedback ability, including the ability to render oneself temporarily sterile by altering the temperature of one's genitalia, is standard for most adults.

* [[The Dresden Files|Harry Dresden]] learns a few techniques from his interactions with Lash: mostly pain suppression but also uses yogic contortionist techniques to escape the thorn manacles in ''Proven Guilty''.

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== [[Web Original]] ==

* The ''[[ASH Universe]]'' has Aaron Zander aka Contact, a superhero whose power set includes a physics-violating version of this.

** It also has a Daredevil-inspired vigilante called Warden whose power is essentially "mind-over-everyone's-body" ~~-- including~~ his own.

** It also has a Daredevil-inspired vigilante called Warden whose power is essentially "mind-over-everyone's-body"—including his own.

== Real Life ==