about

who we are

The Ontario Suspension Collective (OSC) is a suspension practitioner network in Ontario, Canada. Our membership is predominantly located in communities throughout southern Ontario.

While a relatively new initiative, the OSC is a project launched by members of the former +iWasCured, the first body suspension team in Canada that started in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Many of our members have been actively facilitating suspensions in Toronto and throughout southern Ontario for the past two and a half decades.

As a network of body suspension practitioners, one of the OSC’s primary objectivesis to actively dismantle the barriers people face when learning about and getting involved in the suspension community.

THE BROADER VISION
While it’s true that many of our members often work collaboratively to host public events, such as our Suspension Sunday events, the OSC does not organize as a team in the formal sense. Active practitioners within the OSC are encouraged to work with other members to establish smaller groups in their respective communities.

The OSC, in turn, supports these smaller groups of practitioners by providing learning opportunities — classes, workshops and events — lending equipment, connecting practitioners to potential venues and event spaces, and providing a forum for them to promote their events amongst suspendees and other practitioners should they need additional crew members.

what is “body suspension?”

Body Suspension

Why do People Suspend?

Body suspension is the practice of piercing hooks into the skin and using them to lift the body off the ground, allowing individuals to experience a unique state of being suspended in mid-air.

With roots in spiritual and cultural traditions worldwide, suspension has been used for purposes such as personal growth, community bonding, and ceremonial practices. Today, body suspension has become a profoundly meaningful experience for many people.

People suspend for many different reasons, and often it’s deeply personal.

  • It can be about pushing physical, mental, and emotional boundaries and finding empowerment in the process.

  • It can be part of a journey of self-discovery. Overcoming the fears and anxieties of suspension can lead to a profound sense of accomplishment and inner strength.

  • For some, it is a meditative or spiritual experience that offers clarity, peace, and a deeper connection with themselves.

  • Others see it as a form of artistic expression, a way to challenge societal norms, or simply an opportunity to experience the unique sensations and sense of peace that comes with leaving the ground.

Suspension holds different meanings for everyone who chooses to try it.

At the Ontario Suspension Collective, we provide a safe and supportive space for anyone interested in exploring this practice. We invite you to discover what suspension can mean to you—with the support of our community.

what we do