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Hello! Decided to join after reading a lot of great discussions on here. In particular Zhongyongdoaist's posts on Neo Platonism, Agrippa and lost paradigms in reading medieval and renaissance texts have struck a chord. For example I am used to thinking of abstract flows of energy from reading texts on chakras, chi, the winds in Tibetan Buddhism etc. (though no expert by any means!) These texts tend to stay in modern culture because there is enough abstraction in them to shield them from the paradigm shift that occurred from medical discoveries of the last 200 years. However I am wondering if the four humors theory is taken abstractly, as imaginative ideals of the elements to be mixed in as a meditative meditational exercise, a wholistic play of symbols vs material medical knowledge, if the system is redeemable as a way of phenomenologically experiencing the world on par with the great Eastern systems. I suspect the answer is yes, to a degree, but it lacks the details and vigor of the Eastern forms as less time was spent in meditational retreats with people observing their mind for large uninterrupted periods of time. Curious to others thoughts on this!

The teaching of Gautama the Shakyan is that the impulses and choices cease in successive states of concentration, first the impulses and choices in speech, then in the activity of the body, then in the activity of the mind. The question is how to arrive at these states of concentration, of which Gautama said: Lack of desire even for the attainment of (any of the concentrations) has been spoken of by [me]; for whatever (one) imagines (a concentration) to be, it is otherwise. (MN 113, tr. PTS vol III pp 92-94)

Oh no problem, don't worry, also I'm sorry if I was rude I was just trying to understand your point of view, english is not my native language so maybe I used the wrong words I understand what you're trying to say, I agree with this part "The soul truly turns bright in someone who does not desire sleep, meanwhile a man who no longer relies on sleep to be alive truly starts to live in a way that is immortal." Don't worry about that, you're not insane, we are just sharing what we believe in, and we have very different opinions haha

Hi M44. Welcome to the forum. @Zhongyongdaoist maybe of interest:

Welcome!

I approach this from the perspective of someone searching for fundamental principles to explain x, y, z. Or someone searching for parallels in science which might apply to esotericism. The way boomers construct puzzles or do their newspaper crossword. (Youth today prefer sudoku or wordle.) You might want to try it, sometime.

I notice you saying it .... ( and I notice your attempts at giving it validity ; 'at some point ' ... more 'tone of being correct ' ) but I notice no one else ever saying it . I call bizzaro on that one . It seems like one of those overly head trip construct one can get from too much armchair and not enough field work ( theory / practice ) . .. and I mean worthwhile practice that gives everyday material benefit Sleep deprivation will not do that . No ... its a stage of 'energized enthusiasm ', is usually transitory ( except in the case of advanced 'genius ' ) and requires 'payback ' ( 'crashing' ) One the six spoked wheel it lies in the segment ruled by 'Bhakti Yoga' and 'Invocative Magick ' aka 'love ' ... heading towards the dark outer realm ( towards ignorance ) of obsession , but not in it , and heading out of the light inner realm ( towards enlightenment ) of the ' love section ' . Some of our greatest ( male ) heroes have been driven by their passion ..... it is a distinctive energy between Mars and Venus and without the driving Mars force , well, there is no 'passion' its more passive . Originally passion ( its roots ) meant to suffer or endure ... under that understanding , some women might agree with the above This is why I have never been a fan or practiced eastern 'tantra ' (of this type ) , its either totally mistaken and an old outworn sexist influenced load of rubbish ... or a different cultural mindset - either way , not for me . The western tantric view is not fraught with such inconsistencies . In short I would ask , if the container becomes full or is filling , what was the source ? Why not connect to the source and 'flow ' . To flow in and not out or to flow out and not in is not flow , and no flow means stagnation ..... 'pooling ' . If I draw in ki to my hara and extend out my hands ( let's say 'to heal ) , why would I stop ( ever ) drawing in ? No energy like this comes from another but it can be received direct and given to another or received from another .... but it all comes from a source .... why rely on a full bucket and worry and fuss and blame over it being depleted ... when you can just turn on the tap whenever you want water ? Unless you believe chi, ki or 'spiritual energy ' is generated by the person themselves ? The practices that seem like that are about making sure the 'hose' is allowing flow properly and the 'tap' is on .... and of course there is an outlet somewhere . The 'issue' that you are feeling a loss or drain should indicate lack of flow , or output beyond input . It isn't that the bucket is being filled and emptied that causes the problem ... you should not even need a bucket . But this eastern view is probably all mixed up with the physical process of ejaculation . . . a problem in the west as well . 'We ' consider that men and women contain both yin and yang . Do I need to go back to my point about old school sexism here ? I think I am glad the meaning is masked (although suggestive ) by the poor syntax ! Now I'm going to go 'Biblical on you ' " Actually Man lost part of his manliness so God could make the female body . A little diversion ; my brother informs me his grand daughter 'has my genes ' ... and here they where thinking I was the lone black sheep of the family ! She is attending Sunday school he informs me and ... Little Millie : " Why did God need to take Adam's rib to make a woman ?" Teacher : " Well, that's ... just what he did ... they way he did it . Why do you ask ? " " Well, he just said 'let there be Light' and there was light . He made this and that and everything just by saying so . But to make Eve he needed an Adam rib first ... and some dust and spit .... why didn't he just say " And let there be woman ? " Why is it different for making the woman ." Teacher : " Ummmm ..... look that's just what he did and it said so in the BIble . " - 'God' bless her ! ... and down the rabbit hole we go ... Silver vomit eh ? I seen that before ! don't leave out sexist , rude, comparing women to buckets , adopting a tone of being correct .... Yoiks ! .

This is amazing and groundbreaking ! Now I no longer have to waste my time ; searching for the right woman , paying money on dates , having a swish car , ( or even a shower ) , foreplay , condoms .... even 'being nice ' ..... all solved .... just wait until phone is at low power and place it on my LDT .... .

Oddball theory about this. Its possible human sex works similar to cordless chargers for phones. . Note the coil in the abdominal area ^. Surely many have noticed this before I did?

Done.