I had long schooled myself to be oblivious to pain.

I had neither doubts nor fears.

All the content of my mind seemed to be an absolute faith in the over-lordship of the mind.

This passivity was almost dream-like, and yet, in its way, it was positive almost to a pitch of exaltation.
I began my concentration of will.

Even then my body was numbing and prickling through the loss of circulation.