Leo

Can it have monkeys?

I know I'm getting kind of off the topic here, but briefly the idea in the book is that in the modern world we all live on a summer schedule our whole lives and never get a winter. In the wild we would experience changes in day length, and would only have sugar (mostly from fruit) in the summertime and early fall. The authors claim that if you follow the introduction of electric lights and refined sugar through history, there is a direct correlation between the introduction of these things and all the modern diseases (diabetes, depression, etc.) Their recommendation, in a nutshell, is do whatever you want in the summer...eat tons of sugar if you want, and stay up all night partying...but as the winter comes, to sleep as close as you can to the day length cycle, and don't eat any sugar.

The info I got came from a book called "Lights out - sleep sugar and survival". It was written by research scientists, and they recommend weightlifting and yoga for their exercise choices. As I mentioned earlier, I don't know whether it is true or not, but I have no reason to doubt it - it seems to be well researched, and is extensively footnoted. In fact, I don't like a lot of their conclusions - for instance they recommend eating like a caveman, and I'm a vegetarian. But I weigh what they say, and take what knowledge I can. What they say about diet seems logical and well researched, so I use the knowledge to temper my behavior. The book has been criticized for it's colloquial style, but the information seems to be sound. As far as the purpose of endorphins - as far as I know their purpose being for blocking pain isn't in dispute, but I may be wrong. The times I have experienced endorphin release have been either from running to excess, or situations with pain and/or adrenaline (tattoos and fistfights come to mind )

One thing.... There is a theory that the endorphin release you experience from running is actually bad for you. The theory goes that in the wild, when we hunt we have a short burst of speed and that's it. If you're running for that long, you are probably running AWAY from something. At some point your body figures that you've run long enough and you're about to get eaten! So....you get a flood of pain killing endorphins so the "getting eaten" part isn't so bad. And too much of "almost getting eaten" isn't very good for your body (or your mental health for that matter!) I don't know if it's true or not, but it would help to explain some of the cases you hear about sometimes where the super-duper healthy marathon runner suddenly drops dead for no apparent reason.

That sounds very cool! What are the specifics? (mudra, visualization, etc)

Here is an easy remedy I have used for years for nausea and indegestion. It may or may not work for heartburn, but is worth a try. I used to give it to my mother when she had nausea from cancer treatments, and it worked when all the high-tech pills failed. Get some pure peppermint tea. Brew the tea in a cup with a saucer over the top until it is cool enough to stop steaming. The oils in the peppermint you are looking for are volitile, and will escape with the steam. When it is cool, add sugar (the sugar will bring out the mint flavor). That's it! If it doesn't work, at least you will have a tasty cup of peppermint tea.

Had to chime in here... Mrs Leo (who has not much interest in the Tao) was looking over my shoulder and saw this topic. I read about this in a men's magazine once, and with a mint in my mouth and a smile on my face thought I'd try it out. I thought I'd let her tell you what happened in her own words: "It was terrible. Burning painful itching. And no orgasm. Definitely Not. No fun AT ALL!" She does add that she has sensitive skin, so others MAY enjoy it. But watch out, guys, this one is definitely risky!!

I have, in my favorite places, a link that I have named "Best links page ever!". In all the time I've spent on the net, I've yet to see anything that even comes close to this...and most of the links are good, too! It is: http://www.7spheres.com/psyche/links2.html Happy surfing!

I don't know anything really about the new nominee...neither do most people, but I'm sure they will all chime in! I'm glad you said you were a Republican...I'm tired of the deadlock the Left seems to have on alternative spirituality (at times it seems hard to tell them apart). When I was younger I was a strict-constitutionalist reactionary (almost indistinguisable from my leftist buddies - funny how the far left and the far right often agree). Now as I get older and I become more middle-of-the road, I find myself going to the center, which in my case is conservative (not to be confused, necessarily with Republicanism). Gee, I guess my dad wasn't a complete imbicle after all. As for our leaders being isolated from the Tao...I don't think so...I think everything is a part of the Tao, of course, but we're also part of the context of our times, and who our leaders are is important. I also think that becomming a leader like that is very wrapped up in Karma. In the East, isn't there some idea of "King's Karma"? In the West we had the "Divine Right of Kings". Just because an idea was abused doesn't make it incorrect. Anyway, the Karma is how they BECOME the leaders....the Karma they create afterwords is, well...we shall see

Hello... I'm new here, but I've been reading for a little while... I used to make a lot of the "Paracelsian" elixers. It's a lot of fun, and makes you feel a little like a medievel alchemist (although it does make the neighbors wonder a bit). If anyone is interested, I can send them instructions. While I'm at it...I am extremely interested in links between Eastern and Western Alchemy. I know there was communication, I just don't know how much....anyone have any knowledge or theories?