js/dom and "this" referencing

According to DOM addeventlistener documentation the "this"  value changes to 
the
element from which the event was fired.

...so how do you (can you still)  refer to the "original this element"
(initially the value of "this" is associated with the window object?)

In particular, I want to  reference the value of "this" associated with an 
XBL binding after one or more onload events fire

......do you have to copy/save it as a global?

... or can it be referenced using the binding id?


if so how?