Astral_Anima

Hahahaha, and what if in another world you had a drive to kill? and 90% of the population had a drive to kill and the authority figures said it was healthy and normal? Then what would you believe? Even if it were in your DNA would you do it? Ejaculation activates the "stress" response, the sympathetic nervous system, it causes over-excitement and a HUGE imbalance of neuro-chemicals. It causes "highs and lows" just like certain drugs by over exciting the nervous system (actually kinda like processed sugar too) and the dopamine release so then we experience the "down" afterwards and we crave the "high" to bring us back into balance and then we get caught in a vicious cycle. Also having a physical drive to do something that harms us is usually called an addiction isn't it? (This just in, 90% of the world are now heroin addicts, in unrelated news the medical community has determined that heroin is a natural, normal behavior and necessary for good health.) We are NOT reproduction machines, we are creative spiritual beings. It's the stupid society that got everyone thinking they're nothing but physical animals who have no purpose but to eat, sleep, reproduce and buy the lastest technology. We are not (IME) just a physical body, we are spiritual beings who are inhabiting this body. This previous sentence is the basis of my beliefs so if you're trying to understand where i'm coming from read it a few times. The shame and guilt I felt was self-generated, yes, I purposely allowed myself to feel such things so it could act as a "feedback system" for my unconscious mind. Negative feelings are not bad, they are learning tools for us to know what NOT to do. Otherwise killing, stealing, lying, etc. wouldn't be in the Buddha's law or in any others, it's simply be "just smile" or "just be happy". But this world is structured, THIS world is dual (even though others may not be), therefore there are causes and effects, actions and responses. When you drop a heavy object, the NATURAL outcome is for it to fall to the ground. And yes I understand I could have tried to let go of my guilt and shame but doing so would mean letting go of my goals. And again I could have just let go of my goals and decided to "just live", but I don't think that's why i'm here. I don't think i'm here to "shut up and stay out of the way" I think i'm here to make a difference because I care. Therefore I have standards for myself and if I don't immediately meet those standards then I give negative feedback to my body-mind so that it understands what my goals are and transforms to allow me to do what i'm here to do. See the body-mind that we inhabit is actually quite powerful and we can program it to be whatever we want to experience. Personality is changable, thoughts are changable, emotions are changable, none of these things are the essence of our being, they are a product of our will. Now obviously the body-mind is resiliant to change. It takes some time and some discomfort to change the body-mind but if you know how, then you can be what/who-ever you want. Thus when you realize who you are and you decide who you want to be the body-mind can be programmed to become that. And that is what i'm doing. When I find an aspect of my self that is unfavourable then I give the body-mind negative feedback and replace it with a new system that better suits my desires. To all who said you can't use fire to control fire...Your poetics SOUND nice but I'm a living testament that it's possible. You simply need to now whats causing it. You can't simply use your willpower to heal from a disease, however if you understand what causes the disease you can use your willpower to do what's necessary to cure it. Likewise if you have the knowledge of what causes sex drive, you can use your will to stop doing the things that feed it and it will dissipate. For some reason we don't introspect enough. Maybe it's because society has forced us into family life and jobs and such time eaters and stressers that we can't relax and introspect. But when we understand how things work we have the power to control things. People seem to think that they can have power without knowledge, but knowledge IS power. Next, whether sex drive is "healthy" or not... well science (I BELIEVE, please correct me if i'm wrong) has shown that over ejaculating can drain one's energy and leave them in psychological imbalance. In TCM, Ayurveda and all of the ancient medicines it always says (for the LAYPERSON, the lowest of teh low) to at least LIMIT ejaculation and the limit gets stricter as you get older. For the more advanced they give sexual sublimation techniques that allow orgasm without ejaculation and some who find this all silly go for straight celibacy. Personally I find it to drain energy from the solar plexus, lower one's personal power. If you think about it logically it should only be used to reproduction. Since orgasm is separate from ejaculation and you can control when you want to (of course WE can't because of our unnatural and toxic lifestyle), there's no point in ejaculation. On "ego". Many people seem to equate ego with "spirit". If you choose this definition then my goal is to make the "ego" stronger. Here's the lay down. The body-mind creates experiences, yes? We experience them, yes? Well then if we have the ability to program our body-mind (which is proven) then we can control (to an unknown degree) what we experience. Now what you seem to be saying is to give up the spirits control and simply allow the body-mind to do what it wants and just passively enjoy. Well I like that, I agree with that, however when the body-mind is "out of line" it my job to step in and set it straight. Yes i'm a huge fan of love and letting go and just being, however there are conditions for that to work. It is my job atm to help bring those conditions back to this planet so that it's inhabitants can do just that. On top of that the planet itself, nature, is being destroyed. Our home, our mother is being harmed. Even spirits and powerful immortals "let go" and enjoy just "being" but when that way of life is in danger they pull their shit together and defend it. Thats what we are not doing. We're being irresponsible inhabitants of this planet. Now when you say get out of the way of our "nature"...what exactly IS our "nature"? is it what's natural? How do we determine what's natural? If a baby is raised to kill men and rape women and it becomes such a powerful behaviour and he has a hard time stopping is that his "nature"? If so then if nature is simply what we're raised as then I reject such foolishness. I pose that our nature either is loving, healing and protecting or it simply DOESN"T EXIST. To elaborate on the latter, our "nature" is whatever comes "naturally" right? Well science has shown that "natural" is dtermined by neuro-nets or familiarity with certain behaviours/responses. For example when you kill a man a neuro-net is formed. Every time you kill a man a neuro-net is enforced making it easier and easier to do. Thus it becomes..."Natural". Therfore we have control over what we want to feel natural, therefore nature is under our control. That is all -Astral P.S. The above are my beliefs and experiences.

Hey all, Just a quick question. I know reverse breathing is tightening the stomach in the in-breath and relaxing/expanding it on the out-breath. Any changes whether in/out through the nose/mouth? Thanks -Astral

Well I'm no "sexual master" but I do have experience in eliminating sexual urges and knowledge on expressing oneself sexually without losing energy. I guess I'll share a bit of what I know in that order. First off my theories on this go alittle beyond "sexual energy". People often confuse "sexual energy" as what causes a sex drive...I do not believe this is so. Sexual energy is simply the ENERGY that has the ability to create. When that energy is used for ejaculation thats how it's used, when it's used for creativity, thats how it's used, etc. Sex drive is a physical phenomena. It is not just a mental desire to be with a woman it is a PHYSICAL "urge" or "drive" and I do not believe it's healthy. Personally I believe that we should not have any phyical drives like that, but we should still be able to perform. Pop culture has you believe sex drive is healthy but performance and sex drive are not related. Sex drive is the body's desire to eliminate "something" through the semen/seminal fluid. Now what is semen made of? Well mostly proteins, sugars, minerals and DNA. It is my theory that when the body has an excess of toxic material or foreign waste, it tries to eliminate it through some kind of "solvent" whether it be urine, feces, phlegm, sweat or...semen. I too used to suffer with a seemingly uncontrollable urge for ejaculation. I'd beat myself up everytime it happened and curse myself and suffer massive shame/guilt. I felt out of control and pretty worthless. When I was 16 I became a vegetarian and I began to notice my drive for sex decreasing. At first I was worried I wasn't getting enough protein and my "performance' was going down, but I was still able to become aroused as well as I was before vegetarianism, it's just i didn't feel as much of a "need" to. Then I looked online about yogic "sattivic" diets. I began to follow it's guidelines and noticed even more of an increase. THEN one day after a night of porn/ejaculation and a super guilt trip I did my first fast on water alone for about 10 days which completely changed me (I do not recommend 10 days for beginners). Now after being on a raw foods diet not only have I found my sex drive GONE (while retaining performance and an actual increase in "staying power"), I also found my lust disappearing. Now when i look at females i can say "wow, she looks beautiful" and have no desire whatsoever to want any sexual relations with her. Now i'm not going to say it's ALL diet. Part of the drive is mental too (porn, TV, friends, internet, etc) but I am saying that the PHYSICAL drive is, imo, due to diet. I suggest you try a vegan diet thats low in protein with as much raw fruits and veggies as possible. Try that for 10 days and see if you notice an imrovement. Fasting also completely transforms the body AND mind (ime), and can bring some crazy changes and benefits. As for methods of expressing sexual energy without feeling "drained". Well first let me state you can express sexual energy through creativity because sexual energy and creative energy are the same thing, it's just their expression that differs. But anyway. There's obviously learning to "delay" long enough to finish the act without experiencing orgasm which CAN be done but it takes MAD mental focus. Multiple orgasm is tough, some people experience no drain, some people do, so thats not exactly surefire yet. Try checking this site out "reuniting.info" thats known as "karezza" which utilizes a different type of orgasm know as the "valley" orgasm which stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system(relaxation) rather than the sympathetic nervous system(stress) and thus actually BUILDS energy instead of releasing. The other is something i only have very LIMITED experience with but maybe another bum here will have more which is "multiples.com" which deals with having orgasms at will which basically SHOULD mean that you won't have to experience ejaculation. However because I never fully mastered this i'm not sure if the orgasm experienced is still a "peak" orgasm (the draining kind) or not. As for "masters", hoooboy, lol. If you're looking for healing there's ALOT of "healers" out there. I would look up Chunyi Lin of springforestqigong.com . His system is specifically for healing so I would trust his methods. As for teachers of the sexual practices...Well I know David Verdesi is said to be able to do some crazy shyt http://davidverdesi.com/eng/page/55/ And in Kunlun (book) there's a technique for "valley orgasm" but it is part of the kunlun system (spontaneous movement) and deals with that energy, so you'd have to learn that system and find a partner who into that kinda thing (good luck in this corrupted society). LAstly you COULD try to look up a "Tantra" teacher, but I'm not sure how legit they are as I've never really learned from one. The depression and drainage from ejaculation is described and explained scientifically on reuniting.info and i'd suggest dietary and lifestyle changes in the meantime while you sort out how you want to tackle this issue. But for now my personal recommendation is to change your diet to a more "pure" diet. In yogic philosophy there are 3 types of foods. Tamasic=sedative, Rajasic=stimulation Sattvic=calm check out this article http://www.yogachicago.com/jan05/diet.shtml Dairy should be unpasteurized if taken and most foods if cooked should only be "lightly" steamed or something. Try sprouting beans/grains instead of cooking Other than that avoid all animal products unless it's organic dairy. Also try to avoid foods with alot of "heavy" proteins. Try to stick mostly to fruits, veggies and sprouts. Also avoid stimulants like white sugar, fried foods, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, garlic, onion, pepper, caffeine(including commercial teas; go with herbal teas). Doing this, even if only for a few days, should bring noticeable results physically. Mentally, avoid porn, too much TV or internet. Do cardio every day (only has to be like 5-10 mins but make it intense) and get as much fresh air and sunlight as possible. Laugh alot to...it's fun XD Anyway, thats my two cents. I'm sure others will be able to offer other points of view as well. Whatever you do I wish you the best -Astral Edit: And on a philosophical note I would question why you WANT(have a strong desire) to enjoy sex. Think about what's involved. Is that really the source you wish to be drawing your pleasure from? The typical modern version of it carries many risks that you may wish to consider. It may be a blessing to not want such a relationship (and yet seeking more "fun" methods of expressing sexuality may eliminate some or ALL of those risks )

That depends on how deep you want to go with such an inquiry. Scientists say they can't find any reason why the human body should die, yet we see so much disease and death (usually involuntary) and premature aging. If fasting activates the "self-preservation mode" of the body imagine how long a "breatharian" (assuming that whole thing isn't just a myth) could "remain preserved"; or even just one who fasts regularly. It's been shown that calorie restriction diets extend life. It also (IME) retunes oneself with themself and their environment. One becomes VERY aware and sensitive. Also it's incredible for meditation. This whole subject could put one into a philosophical mind-fuck if they begin to question things like "what is food? what function does it serve? why do we eat? what are we? why do we age? why do we die? how does the body run? what sources of energy can the body utilize? what is our potential?" As for the Taoist take...I believe most "Taoists" would frown upon any great breakthrough or "pushing one's limits to realize truth". Most Toaists I've been exposed to want everyone to live in mediocrity. (not that there's anything wrong with that) -Astral

yeah what would one get out of increasing pre-natal jing? Perhaps other methods can be found based on the goals of the practice. It may be called different things in diff traditions, or the results that you're looking for may be achieved my methods with other names (instead of limiting yourself to one culture/terminology). -Astral

How much time u got fella?

http://www.americanyzy.com/content/Pre-Heaven-Power-Method-American-YiZungYue Hey all, Just browsing around when I came upon the concept of "pre-heaven" and "post-heaven". I know i've come across that somewhere before and I totally forget the diff so I googled it and this page came up. This guy talked about a form or "internal power" which uses the balls of the feet rather than the lower dan tien and other differences. Anybody ever heard of this guy or this "pre-heaven power"? Can anyone explain the diff between pre- and post-heaven? Thanks a bunch -Astral Edit: I think I read somewhere that "pre-heaven" chi was "yang" chi? not positive on this one.

...oh. lol, thanks for clearing that up. XD

Well if you do check it out, please let us know your impression of it and/or your experiences. Be curious to see what it's about. It says it's about "internal martial arts" which usually, to me, means "qigong" or "neikung", but as vortex points out he seems to focus more on "optimal body mechanics" rather than "internal cultivation". So it's not clear whether he's just saying that to appeal to the western crowd or what. -Astral

If you're into "intuitive" and "feel" stuff you may want to look into Yi-Gong or another form of spontaneous movement/adjustment qigong. It's all about intuition and listening to your "body intelligence" (ime). Also it's best not to get caught up in the idea that many practices are better than a few because usually it's the other way around. Most practices that are publically taught are only preparations for the "higher levels" so generally most public forms of energy work all aim to do the same thing. Just sticking with one solid practice or two complimentary practices will probably benefit you more than practicing a whole bunch of diff ones, otherwise you'll be "jack of all trades, master of none". Another fun practice that i've picked up and used is sungazing. Check out these two sight's below for more info. http://sungazing.com/652.html http://solarhealing.com/sungazing/ Lastly You may also want to try out a raw foods diet. It can be hard at first but I've found personally it's quite rewarding in terms of energy and positive outlook (you'd be surprised the link between diet and mental health). Best of luck, -Astral

Caste system dawg. If the peasants get word that they have a choice whether to be a peasant or not and learn that they have the power to change then they'll revolt/flee for sure. Money: Lets create paper (which now has NO value since the gold standard is gone), and we (the rich) will decide what everything is worth and control the markets/economy and make people think they need this paper so when we make it more scarce they'll be more easily controlled. They'll surely trade any morals or standards they once had because they'll think they wont survive without it. Then we'll have them doing all the hard work because they'll believe it's the only way to survive. Industry: Lets study psychology and brain chemistry to determine products which will overstimulate the senses and cause people to become diseased and addicted. THEN after making that the "norm" people will no longer question why it happens and simply accept it as a way of life. After that we'll come out with "the best science has" a pill that will suppress the symptoms of their ails (which we caused) which will keep them hooked on that so they can function and cope with their disease. Media: Lets take advantage of the new "sub-human" consciousness of the people (thanks to the efforts of industry) and make songs with catchy rhythms and we'll put lyrics that play as mantras in their heads which will slowly change they way they think into what we want. Then we'll use TVs and Movies to create associates between the happiness they all want and the things we want them to equate with happiness. Since we don't want people becoming independent and self aware, we'll make it seem like getting into a relationship will solve all their problems. And if it fails because they haven't dealt with their own internal issues then we'll make it seem like the other person "just wasn't for them". We'll make "bad" seem exciting and "good" seem boring, that way morals will degrade and anyone who tries to resist our changes will basically be an outcast and under constant pressure to conform. We'll make self-destructive habits popular just to add insult to injury. Oh btw this was all discussed over a huge game of Risk -Astral

Well observed and well stated. The media controls not only those who have been in the system for a long time, but also anyone(most people) in it now. It's especially easy to program our youth nowadays. With overworked parents, TV and public schooling is the perfect chance to catch the break they need and let the friendly local government program our kids. Its sad because the answer is so simple, few of us see it. And for the few that see it VERY few do anything about it. But either way the current way of things is unsustainable and will crash. Then we will either return to nature and live peacefully or take the next step in destruction and...well continue destroying, lol. -Astral "Cause the cycle just gets sicker the more that we sip liquor and pray that it gets rid of our problems, it more bitter yo i'm not a bullshitter man all that glitters can't be gold we sold our souls for so little land now we gotta stop following these fake leaders stand proud and stop swallowing what they feed us"

yeah women like that jus creep me out, lol. This is kinda the feeling I get when I see people like that... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IehtHkjx3IY As quoted from the famous Mr Higgins (-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6sb-vOFqCU --), "let the others of my sex, tie the knots around their necks" Yes, most women and men are devolving at a rapid rate, and It's mostly due to society. remember they don't know any better. They're the equivalent of a crack addict. Their spirit is weak, they're experiencing stockholme syndrome. Alot of shit wrong, but...meh. Fight the ones that cause it, not the victims of it. It isn't their they're fault, they just don't know better...(damned kids ) Jus view them as a lost child...you wouldn't try to date/get with a child would you? I believe someone as observant and educated as yourself wouldn't disgrace yourself with filthy mudbloods and hold a higher standard for themself. -Astral Edit: oh and it's Venus, they "get freaky" well into their 2nd century on Venus XP

I'm sorry maybe i'm missing something but I believe Non has brought up a slew of good points that my observations support (and perhaps i've simply had some bad observation and experiences, but they remain what I have observed). From my personal experience and observations most women don't actively seek loving behaviour but rather seek other things that the media programs them to associate with love. So many women speak of love but what they really speak of are childish fantasies that they've had since being little girls. For example alot of women tend to rely (whether emotionally or physically or financially or whatever) on men and like to feel as though they're being "saved" or "helped" which is actually just draining the other party and spoiling themself. Another tendency is the abandonment of love during sex. It may start off loving but once the trance is induced their unconscious comes streaming out as they crave to relive certain aspects of their past which are FAR from loving. For example I've experienced girls who like "choking", being degraded, degrading, hitting, extremely "rough" sex etc. and I will say personally I don't feel comfortable doing these things because I believe it's re-enforcing certain..."things" deep in their psyche. For example dirty talk, what is the point of it? I can understand the idea of expressing how beautiful your mate looks, how good you feel, but the 'dirty' part of the dirty talk is like mantra. Especially in a trance state they are hyper suggestible, so when you say certain things it goes straight into their head and if they're weak (most seem to be) then it'll take root and they'll begin to believe all of this and it will ruin them from the inside spiritually. It's really no laughing matter, this world is alot darker than most realize, lol, but hey, someone gotta laugh and smile to keep the positive energy alive right? plus not EVERYONE is like that, just the vast majority, but I have faith in humanity, I think we're SLOWLY waking up. The above are my only my personal opinions and observations -Astral Edit: If you want to be happy there's one simply but veddy veddy pow-oh-foe rule...

Once you open your eyes there aint no going back to closing your mind Your chosen to shine Unknowingly frozen in time Even Xypher wished he could go back to the Matrix even though he knew that he'd be used and turned into a battery. I too have found that the world has little to offer in terms of fulfillment. Happiness is a choice and it comes from within. Once we realize that we don't chase relationships as 90% of people go into relationships thinking the other is going to 'make' them happy or that they can 'make' the other happy. Likewise we don't chase temporary 'stimulants' like drugs or sex or food, nor do we chase sedatives like drugs or sex or food (funny how that works, lol). Face it, society today is one based around stimulants and sedatives (often in one convenient package, lol). We chase cheap thrill because we're unfulfilled, and we make a social life around these quick fixes. So naturally a "happy" "healthy" person will feel like a dove in a flock of ravens O.o (such are jus my opinions/experiences) -Astral

This is a good observation, but ultimately an illusion. It is money that makes us feel this way and money doesn't have to be a way of life. It's modern society thats got us buying this lie. Its the ones that control money that want us degrading into people who believe this. And damn has it worked so far, lol. Clever bastards There will come a time where we will split. There will be those who return to nature's bosom and live off the land and those who follow society to it's next level of enslavement. I believe the raw foods movement helps prepare us for such a transition as I believe it is no longer avoidable. but we will seriously have to reflect and consider what it more important our addictions or our virtue. And yes I agree the sad state most women exist in. In fact I've found that most women nowadays (21 and below) seem to be similar to the stereotypical male. It saddens me to see humanity in such a state, but it's all the more reason to live as a testament that it's not the way it has to be. Remember to be the change you want to see in the world. Eventually those who can't cope with being human will be eliminated and sent to a different "playground" until they learn their lesson. -Astral

Everything- On a physical level cardio/breathwork and sunlight are important, yes. I'm not going to push this matter but i've also found that alot of "food" actually sedates the body/mind. Raw foods and fasting may not be for you but you may want to experiment with eating less or only raw fruits and veggies and exercising while the sun is up and eating "normal" foods when the sun goes down. Remember that everything you put into your body effects it (on that note you may also want to look into the "sattvic" diet of yoga). On a more spiritual level well this is a matter you'll have to figure out for yourself. Personally I have found that the stability of one's happiness is relative to their state of awareness and mastery of "mind". The mind is a CRAZY thing (try studying up on hypnosis and shamanism). One of the funny things about the mind is how unaware we are of it. For example. A general rule of the "unconscious mind" is that it doesn't know the difference between what it's told/sees and what really is; which is why the conscious mind acts as a "filter". Or you've heard the old saying, say something enough and you'll eventually begin to believe it? Well I can only speak for myself on this matter but I have noticed that there are "voices" in my head that sound like me but they aren't "me" talking. I believe everyone has them, when we talk to ourselves unconsciously. Well often times the mind will attach itself to an "idea" and begin to repeat it unless you can become aware of it and detach from it. For example you can feel really sad and worthless and your brain will repeat a phrase like "i'm so worthless" over and over like a mantra and your sadness will continue to increase the more you think of it. Then eventually we may begin to start believing this and it'll effect our life. Have you ever noticed when you're sad or angry and someone makes you laugh how you get angrier at them? It's because that negative pattern has been disrupted but is resisting. I mean think about it...everyone says they want to be happy so wouldn't they thank that person fro making them laugh? That is the unconscious mind, that is our lack of awareness. If we were to become aware of our goal of happiness at the moment that someone makes us laugh while feeling upset we'd notice the initial anger at them but instead of "react" we'd "respond" and perhaps thank them. But most people are a slave to their emotions, a slave to their mind. In this case "Awareness" is key. Learning to respond rather than react. To remain passive, notice how you want to react to situations and question why. 50% external 50% internal. I would pose it's ALL internal. Any external stimuli would only effect you physically, like getting hit with a baseball bat, the feeling of pain, etc. However it's your response to things that determines your happiness. For example, as a potentially sick experiment, I've trained my body to respond well to pain. I went from avoiding it, to craving it to not really caring whether it's there or not. Fun fun, but anyway. Check out these videos below. I've found them to be very insightful and helpful to me, perhaps they may also be of benefit to you. Sorry this is so long, lol. Hope you find your answers. -Astral

@ Sloppy- lmao, nice one XD @JohnC- I agree completely, this type of people appear on the outside to be "nice" but they're just energy vampires. In response to this silly thread...It seems alot of this still stems from priding oneself on being able to please women (in all aspects of the word). Most men still live under the heel of females. If you stop caring what women think of you, stop living your life for their approval and live YOUR life for YOU then the whole issue goes away. Women do not bring happiness and don't expect to bring them happiness. Happiness between a couple can only be SHARED, not given or taken. That is why "chivalry" is a failure. You cannot make anyone happy, you cannot "save" anyone by being romantically involved with them (obviously yeah it's possible, i'm saying it usually doesn't work ime), likewise you can't make yourself happy by relying on the false promises of the "ego" (having a girl will make you happy, pleasing a girl will make you happy). Everyone is responsible for their own evolution and enlightenment. The idea of pleasing a girl is like the idea of doing her math homework...sure it helps her out in the short run, but ultimately it deprives her of the lesson and thus deprives her of personal growth and independence. Thats one of the reasons I believe most women are so childish and immature is because they've learned that men will kiss their ass so they use their "charms" to get men to do what they want and don't have to mature, learn and grow. So next time you think you're "pleasing" a women by acting whatever way you are, understand that A.) If you're "acting" or changing the way you act just to get her approval you're a "sell-out" and will always have a collar and a leash. And B.) by conforming to what SHE wants you're depriving her of life lessons and personal growth. By trying to bring her happiness you're trying to cripple her emotionally. And yes most men get off on the idea of having women "addicted" to them and having women "dependent" on them. This is the least compassionate thing I can think of. If fact if I were Catholic I would call this sort of person a "demon" or "devil" because these types of people do nothing but hurt others while taking pleasure in it. Forget acting, forget being "good" or "bad" to win someone's approval. Think of the good of the individual. Dig deep. THINK about what will really help them and what will end up hurting them. And while you're at it, remember that cocaine makes you feel REALLY good when you first take it -Astral P.S. Over-Ejaculation has actually shown to damage the kidneys, lower the life-force and actually SHORTEN the lifespan. However non-ejaculatory sex has proven to increase the lifespan only because men aren't ejaculating, it's the same as if you were celibate.

And what is "boredom"? next time your "bored" consider why you're bored. Ask questions like "do i need to be doing things to be happy?" "Is happiness only from external things or from an internal state?" "Why am I uncomfortable sitting doing nothing?" I'll share my personal findings. I've found that when I'm alone, I'm exposed. I get to see myself for who I am and not who I may pretend to be in society. When I was younger I was somewhat "pushed" into isolation and it was hell at best. However from experiencing being alone and being still I learned what "boredom" to me was. To me loneliness and boredom come as a result of not loving/accepting oneself and from being shut off from one's emotions. Re-dullness, well yeah, lol, duh. The point, generally, with meditation is to relax the nervous system and learn to concentrate the mind. However the typical lifestyle of most people is over-stimulation. We have the over-stimulation of the taste buds and nose via cooked foods and artificial flavours/chemicals, over-stimulation of the eyes and ears via TV, internet and ipods, and of course all of this overstimulates the organs and nervous system. Now the funny thing about over-stimulation is that it leaves you with a "down-time". This means you get high from it then the high goes away and you're left feeling kinda shitty. But instead of realize the mistake one will go back to that overstimulating thing thinking it'll make them happy again, make them feel good (notice the similarities with a drug addiction). Then people tell you it's "normal" for this to happen so the guilt goes away and we have a society of addicts who'll never believe you when you tell them Meditation (imo) is not about dulling the senses/emotions, however I do think that it'll force some "down-time" in which you experience some of the negative effects of the over-stimulation one may receive on a daily basis. Likewise I've found that dullness in life is actually CAUSED by being out of touch with ones emotions. Now obviously everyone still "feels" but we usually don't "feel" to our fullest extent. Most of us learn at an early age to suppress alot of our feelings (because modern childhood is often very traumatic) and thus lose that vigor and "spunk" and turn to stimulants to feel alive again. Try meditation on the heart center (middle dantien). Try imagining a small flame or something very hot and imagine it burning away all of the unprocessed, repressed feelings and emotions, feel it melting away your social masks and pre-scripted responses and your societal programming until you're just you, just pure being and pure feeling. Or you could try a "water-path" meditation method. Kunlun was it for me; but generally these work more on the psyche and bring up alot of the "junk" one's "demons" so to speak, but ime leave you feeling 'alive' all the time. "Enlightenment isn't becoming emotionless, quite the contrary, it's embracing the full spectrum of human emotions. It's becoming 'truly human'." Anyway, these are just my opinions/experiences. You'll find your own way. Wish u the best -Astral

Well depending on why you're fasting... I've found emptiness meditation is great and that fasting compliments it quite well. I don't know about the middle dan tien (heart center if i'm not mistaken) in relation to hunger physically, but it's true that when you fast it'll open your heart center. You'll begin to feel everything and all the emotions you've suppressed will surface (kinda like kunlun). Once thats been dealt with however emotional eating ceases to be (if it was ever a problem) and after a certain period of time "habitual feeding" will also fade from the neuro-net. Personally I've found that we spend most of our life sedating ourselves, either with food, TV, video-games, porn, etc. and not alot of time actually LIVING. Fasting will show you what it's like to actually live and i'll say for me it was easier when I did nothing but sleep and play video games but eventually I had to experience life and I realized how great it could be but how terrible it was... Also if interests you or anyone else reading I believe the secret to fasting, liquid diets and even breatharianism is stocking up on micro-organisms. There was a study shown on this tribe(?) who were subsisting off VERY little during a time of no food and they found this tribe had a SUPER healthy GI tract and that the bacteria were producing upwards of 25-30g of protein a day using the molecule of the air to synthesize it. Oh and it now hit me, lol. Meditation on the upper elixer field (dan tien) behind the bridge of the nose and also the spot in the middle of your brain + sungazing. Basically I've come to conclude that there's 3 main ways to produce ATP (which exclude absorbing directly from the chi in the environment). 1.) Digestion. This is the best known and most common. However most foods take more energy to digest then the give in ATP. Thats why most food is a sedative. I've found the only foods that don't rob energy are raw foods excluding nuts and seeds that aren't sprouted and including raw milk, eggs and meat (even though I don't recommend raw meat). 2.) Breath. most of us don't use our full lung capacity so we depend more on digestion to bring us the needed ATP. Whatever allows one to fill their lungs more will lower any weakness or desire for energy. 3.) Sunlight. When the pinneal gland is stimulated it can absorb increasing amounts of sunlight and turn it into ATP. This is how people like HRM use sungazing to forego solid food. Also by doing this you can increase your energy to points where you would not believe. Sungazing + Kunlun/Celestial Nei Kung is like insanity. To stimulate the pinneal gland simply focus on the upper elixer field and the point in the center of your brain. Or allow sunlight to enter the lens of your eye (to be safe only during sunrise and sunset) Then of course you have methods like "skin breathing" ala Chunyi Lin where you breathe with your pores and absorb the energy directly from the environment. If by "hunger" you mean the rumbling and pains in your stomach...that isn't hunger (IME) that is your body breaking down and eliminating undigested waste (and the stomach and intestines shrinking down to their un-inflamed state). This is all I'll say for now. Best of luck to you, I know water fasts are hard but the benefits FAR outweigh the costs. I wish you Endurance. -Astral

XD Physical teachers can only bring you so far, the universe is the greatest teacher fo sho. I believe that most "methods" are trying to do just this. For example in kunlun Max usually will state one of the benefits of Kunlun is that you're your own best teacher, you won't have to go searching in China or Tibet or India. I believe thats why he calls it the path of "No More Learning" because once you connect with the Celestial Energies you are guided by them and you no longer need a physical teacher. I believe thats the way it may have been intended. Even the corrupted modern-day Bible left behind a gem of the original teachings and that it "God is Within You" "The Kingdom of Heaven is Within You". I think the purpose of methods or teachers are simply to remind us what we already know in our heart of hearts. Thats just my current intellectual spin on it. But yea I do sense Spring Forest is a POWERFUL practice. My own experience has proven that to me, I just prefer kunlun cause I think it's more fun (and resonates stronger with me right now). But yeah i'm not going to try and say one practice is "better" or "worse" than another, it's just whatever fits your personal makeup 9and isn't fake, lol). Peace -Astral

Hey Cat Pillar, Max is the teacher of the "kunlun" art. Below are some links where you can learn more. Also I suggest you research this forum for experiences as well. One thing kunlun is known for is bringing up the unconscious "junk" for processing. It's very controversial on this forum, however I find the practice to be of immense benefit personally. Also certain arts are compatible with others if such a thing interests you. I am learning both Kunlun and beginning Celestial Nei Kung because the teachers say they work well together and are compatible (however it's not necessary to study both). The Teacher of Celestial Nei Kung is none other than 5elementtao from this forum. I would definately check out his site spirittao.com and thunderwizard.com for some good info and free techniques(try the HUUL breathe). Anyway, below are the videos and website of Max... http://www.myspace.com/video/536039937/536039937-videos/105089444 http://www.myspace.com/video/536039937/536039937-videos/105085386 http://www.primordialalchemist.com/kunlun-neigung/ There was also an interview that I couldn't find, I could only find a clip of it (below) http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/104597691 From my understanding the difference between qigong and neikung is that <qi> <gong> is <chi> <work>, while <Nei> <gong> is <internal> <work>. Usually qigong is just based on circulating chi around in your body, Nei-gung is more associated with alchemy and immortality. Spring Forest is Medical Qigong, It works on circulating chi and using it to heal yourself and others. Of course Chunyi Lin (teacher of SFQ) seems much more advanced and could probably teach many more things than what he is making publically available. But yeah look into things, try things, see how you feel about them. Pray to your spirit guides (they're there, just call them) or any willing immortals to help guide you. Talk to the teachers and students, get a good feel for the people and the practices. You'll find what is best for you. -Astral

I hear ya on trying to find your way. Up until recently I was trying to find mine too. Although I'll tell ya, my teacher certainly didnt "find" me, I made the effort to learn what was out there and decided on what resonated with me the most. Most teachers who actively seek students really only have like 2-3 reasons to do so. 1.) They don't want their art to die. In the case of Wang Liping his teachers sought him out to continue the tradition of their lineage. 2.) They're really energy Vampires. They want to be worshiped, they want your time and your energy( and YOUR MONEY!!!). These are usually the ones who go about parading as "Masters" but when asked for "proof" or a demonstration of their "mastery" they give stupid excuses and say you should just be able to "know", basically the same thing with faith and religion. Anything that depends on faith for existence is an illusion/trick/lie. If they can't objectively demonstrate mastery then they have no right to mascaraed as a master. 3.) It's possible some may get lonely and feel isolated and disconnected and thus want to meet others who share similar interests. just a thought, no idea either way. Personally I believe a true "master" who cares about the individual's growth (and not their own social status) will give the student a practice and perhaps some minor guidance and leave the rest to the student. Ultimately the work is up to you. A teacher can say, sit in lotus pose for 4 hours while focusing on the lower dan tien and it takes 1 min, however for you the practitioner it may take a long time before you reach that level of ability (depending on your current state). It is my belief that genuine masters will simply give you a practice and leave you to do it (unless of course they're trying to measure your progress, or perhaps empowerments/minor healings) Likewise it's usually a good idea to know what you want out of your practice, why you do it. From my understanding there's two basic labels that paths fall under. Firepath & waterpath. Firepath, again from my understanding, is a "building" process. It starts by bringing energy from the earth up the spine. Usually it uses alot of "forceful methods" think kundalini yoga. It forces energy through channels, forces blockages open. However it takes alot of dedication and hard work. Think "Martial Arts". This is usually phsyically demanding but mentally pretty safe. Waterpath, from my understanding, is a dissolving process, instead of building up you're letting go. It starts by bringing the energies of heaven and celestial realms down through the crown and into the body. This is the opposite of force, you have to be able to let go of everything, just relax and let energy take it's natural course. This tends to be very powerful and very fast if one lets it. However alot of people (men especially) have trouble "letting go". From my experience this method awakens the bodily intelligence and allows energy blockages to dissolve and lets the energy "do its thang". This is usually physically pretty light, but causes powerful psychological changes very quickly. Think Shamanistic. A quick list of most of the practices that I've looked at and seemed worth it and powerful to me, based on my research. 1.) Spring Forest Qigong 2.) Mo Pai/Lei Shan Dao 3.) Kunlun 4.) Celestial Nei Kung (Also check out the "Thunder Wizard" link!) 5.) Stillness/Movement Neikung Talk to others and see what they recommend and why. Explore different paths and see what each has to offer until you find one that resonates strongly with you. Personally if you're looking for "flowing" and "effortless" I suggest you at least look into Kunlun and some of the talks Max gives. Also I would look into Vipassana (spelling?) or if it's you're calling perhaps look into the Essenes. Best to give energy arts a trial period (usually a few weeks) to give it a chance to work on ya. Anyway sorry to write an essay and strain your eyes if you've read this long. Best of luck on your Journey -Astral Edit: Concerning "ego". This seems to be a new age term that's almost as loose as the word "love". Most "gurus" use it to label any personality traits that don't appeal to them. Most "masters" prefer moldable clay, people with no ability to think or judge, with no personality because they're easier to control that way. Ego, to me, is simply being out of touch with yourself. I don't believe in becoming an "impersonal being" because if everyone becomes impersonal being then wouldn't that go against impersonal being's wishes to create personal beings? But anyway, don't get sucked into the whole "ego" thing. Use Vipassana, contemplate deeply the cause of all things. Constantly observe and question your behaviour, question your beliefs, question everything. Just make sure you stay grounded, lest you bump your head on the way down the rabbit hole

In response to Alwayson's statement that RB is the only known person and Frostofeemptiness's statement that siddhis are up to karma, I pose a question (which of course applies too all here)... What about those of the Lei Shan Dao? Certainly for those who have read Magus of Java, hearing of the now infamous level4 Mo Pai, think about what's involved. You gather energy in your LTT, then you force MORE energy in there, then you mobilize it, then you merge it with the base of your spine and all your "powers" come out. Base of the spine is known to be where the kundalini resides. Not to mention the whole "extremely painful" "risk of death" "Like having lightning running through your body" thing. It sounds to me like THAT is the REAL kundalini. Energy movement up the spine and even 3rd eye awakenings comes just from level 1 that stuff falls short in comparison to level 4. I'm sure other sects achieve it as well, but it seems to be just a step in the path, a beginning more than an end. Plus why kundalini? If you believe in karma, just be a good person, focus on virtue. If you're looking for immortality go follow one of the daoist schools and forget kundalini, jus follow your teacher (and hey maybe it'll come), if you're doing it for powers...well that should be observed. With great power comes great responsibility. If you're not in control of yourself, or don't trust you'd use them wisely then it's best to focus on virtue first or at LEAST simultaneously. The karma of cursing out a bad driver and shooting an energy blast at his car causing a 5 car pile up and maybe a few lives...o.O is GREATLY different. For most people it's probably better they don't have powers Thats just my personal take on things. -Astral

Well i'm not sure about theory, however i do have what I would call a similar experience...maybe. Idk about the throat or anything but I have a very strong "sumthing" (pulsation is actually a pretty good word to describe it) between my shoulder blades at heart level that started happening after I started kunlun. When I let it do it's thing (spontaneous practice) my arms move in the similar fasion of "The Bird" in 5 animal frolic and I tend to arch my back in pinch my shoulder blades. Insane laughter is usually followed, sumtimes with a feeling of extreme emotional insecurity. This is all me personally. I actually feel it pulsating right now, I was about to lay down and let it "run it's course". I'm assuming it's a heart opening or sumthing similar. On rare occasions I've felt this energy, in small trickles, reach the base of my skull but it's never fully cleared my heart area...prolly cause I don't practice regularly and repress alot of emotion. Another thing I notice is that I feel more "alive", "aware" and "present" when i let the energy thrash around. Also it's more powerful when i'm fasting...WAY more powerful, lol. -Astral