juliank

Agreed. No offense to your bro but he got too big. However basic compound lifts for the average man can be a huge boost to their health. I doubt Drew is in any danger of being close to looking like this. It takes many many years to get that big including some assistance from steroids.

Mantak Chia is an author that deals with sexual practice so is Bruce Frantzis and Daniel Reid. However, many men have followed some of the Mantak Chia methods and have hurt themselves. Sexual energetic practices as learned from a book is a very tricky proposition and one that I personally would not advise. You can certainly read some of these books and get a general sense and "atmosphere" of what they are talking about and apply that "awareness" mindfully in sexual practice but once you start getting into energy locks, breathing complexities etc things get dicey as learned from a book. Yes, I agree with you that it's not simply the emission of fluid that is the issue its the conditions that surround it that has a massive effect on the psyche especially one that is spiritually sensitive. In my first relationship with a woman who I loved very much I certainly emitted and never felt any sense of guilt or had any traumatic scarring from it. At least none that I am aware of. We were together for a very long time and I still think of her fondly. Sure I was tired all the time and in a mental cloud haha but I just thought that was "normal". You have crossed the rubicon my friend. Casual sex when you are trying to retain is not necessarily "wrong" but is energetically speaking unwise. I would advise for you to minimize and streamline your interactions with women, in fact not just with women, but with others in general even yourself. Sounds like you are already planning on doing that.

Tomer, Don't feel bad. You are human. It happens to all men. Remember you are attempting something that most men on this planet have never tried or think is crazy. Maintain awareness. Look into what conditions caused you to just let go if that's not what you actually wanted. If you really wanted to emit well then fine. But if you didn't and you allowed her to control the frame well now you know for the next time. The spiritual process is not a path of perfection but one of incremental progress and hopefully at some point even the idea of progress is removed. In reference to your question: Can I have many sexual partners and still get the strength benefits that is bestowed by brahmacharya or retention ? If you are ejaculating, no. Even if you are retaining it's still unlikely but some may say its possible. I personally would beg to differ. However its certainly preferable to ejaculating with many partners. The reason as to why I think its not possible is that retention; that is the preservation of vital fluids is only one reason as to why you are feeling increased vitality. Much of it has to do with the mind. If you are servicing 4-5 females how can you concentrate and not become scatterbrained in relation to your spirituality not to mention daily life. Remember everything is energy. Every thought form is an energetic component. When you are scattering thousands of thought forms to 1,2,3,4,5....females ad infinitum vitality is not optimized. However, if you are actually retaining and practicing Tantra or karezza with another female who is also spiritually cultivating then it can assist with your own cultivation. The trick is finding that female, and also learning the proper Tantric techniques from a guide, not some new-age charlatan or sexual deviant selling you a half baked protocol that he devised after a cursory reading of half a Mantak Chia book. As fas as Son of the Gods comment, yes prostate problems can become an issue if you are doing retention for long periods over and over. There are exercises one can engage in to prevent such effects.

I am currently on day 87 of my retention. I will draw up a long post when I reach 100 about my insights into the matter. I plan on posting the update on Old Chi's thread as his initial post and the subsequent posts solidified what had been a latent but unmanifested decision. I agree that preventing yourself from doing certain things as well as engaging in new activities increases mental and physical strength. It's been a long held passion and interest of mine to understand how this is all works on a cellular level. If you are interested in getting stronger both physically and mentally (as an addendum to your retention) you might look into hormetism. I follow many of the protocols outlined in this blog and it supercharges your retention as well as ameliorating many of the unwanted effects. http://gettingstronger.org/hormesis/

Tomer good on you for experiencing the first taste of retention. However, I must say from your writings that you are still in "taste" mode. A full 8 course meal awaits you if you wish it. It's not healthy to view other people as weak as that is just a mental projection that says more about your own internal perception of yourself than about others. Yes, its true that feeling more ALPHA is a byproduct of retention but its just that a BYPRODUCT, a skillful means but its not the goal. The goal if I may be so bold as to state one is absolute stillness, to move beyond the conditioned nature of the mind-body complex. But that's neither here nor there. It sounds to me like you are still young and experiencing women if it's done with a level of detachment isn't so bad. Just make sure to observe yourself and your own ego's reaction to women, and also to make sure that if you do feel STRONG well then brother use that strength to lend a hand to those who are weaker instead of casting a cold eye towards your perceived view of lesser beings. Also, use that new found vitality to enlarge your own being and its spiritual capacity and not only as a means to BE MORE ATTRACTIVE TO CHICKS. I don't mean to be harsh. I commend you on your path. Most never even reach this stage, I am sure much good will come of it as long as you observe yourself with detachment, wisdom and view these new found benefits moreso as a gift and less as something you own and hoard over others.

"well yeah but I was getting heat from the food digesting -- but yeah it's definitely not the same as tummo heat from fasting. ummm... so you're saying while fasting the muscles actually get more nutrients? Care to explain that one?" No, what I saying is that if you exercise while fasted your body will go into starvation mode ( a good thing) and increases cell energy output which drives muscle building. After your workout ( still in fasted mode) then your glycogen stores are fully depleted that's when you have your first meal of the day ( provided you are working out in the morning of course).and because you havent eaten anything AND just taxed your muscles that meal's nutrients will be fully maximized nutritionally to your hungry cells. There are tons of other benefits like longevity, clarity of thought, lowers your insulin response and on and on. Below is a good link. http://io9.com/5979523/why-you-should-starve-yourself-a-little-bit-each-day As far as getting tired after having a meal when you are crying for calories because you just worked out fasted a good carb/protein/fat breakfast should wake you up instead of tire you out provided you eat something healthy. I recommend fruit or beans, some lean protein source, ( yogurt, chicken, salmon) and some quality fat source ( coconut oil, almonds). Experiment. You may just be surprised.

Yes, breakfast slows me down as well. I do all of my physical activities in a fasted state. Google intermittent fasting if you are interested. Essentially I dont eat for 16-18 hours of the day and I have my largest meal after a workout. And taper as the day goes by. This takes advantage of your glycogen depleted state and gives your muscles the maximum amount of nutrients when it requires them the most. If you need a little bit of energy pre workout I recommend green tea.

Best of luck on being grain free ! You definitely feel a lot better without it. I've been on that tip for a while now and I have scoured the web for the best blogs on recipes. Whenever you get stuck on what to make sans grains these are awesome. http://www.paleogirlskitchen.com/ http://nomnompaleo.com/ http://stalkerville.net/site/chow/

YES If you have the time add in calisthenics like pullups, pushups, handstand pushups, and levers.

Taomeow, that's exactly the kind of wholesome comedy I am talking about ! There are no comics or films working in this vein. I think older films have this down, especially older Italian comedies. There is a funny comedian from Mexico called Cantinflas. He was often called the Charlie Chaplin of Mexico. Anyways didnt mean to derail this thread. It's just that if there is one thing that you can count on people sending you via email or chat is "check this out, this is so funny" and its usually like you said, sex, some form of violence, or celebrity related.

This is an awesome post. I have been considering laughter and it's spiritual significance in my own life for the last few months. My problem is finding short bursts of wholesome laughter that I can access via some form of media. Most comics or web skits all immediately focus on sex, or vulgarity to provide the laughs. I am no prude but much of modern comedy doesnt make me laugh for this reason as I feel it pulls my energy down. If anyone has any movies/comics/books that they would recommend please do ! As far as crying is concerned this is an easy one to access via music that has a personal significance. The other day I was listening to Vivaldi's 4 Seasons and although that piece is popular there are certain passages imbued with such absolute purity and deep abiding hope (especially during the Spring section of children laughing, birds soaring,the clear light of breaking dawn) that tears just well up.

Yup. Proper form is absolutely essential. Also proper breathing. Heavy and Light are relative but I agree that after a certain threshold it can lead to blocked channels. However it can also open channels if you are energetically mindful. That hormone effect you speak of can actually be channeled into deeper meditative states. I personally do yoga to integrate that testosterone spike after a session and then i meditate after that which smooths out the energetic shift. Works beautifully but is time consuming.

I have been lifting heavy weights over 5 years now focusing on powerlifting and olympic lifts. It's interesting how weightlifting indirectly activated my already nascent need for deep spiritual practice. There are certain trainers already mixing meditation with weightlifting directly. It''s a new approach that is going to skyrocket over the next decade imo. Chris Willits is a guy doing it. There are a few more. Anyways, I think since most of the people on these forum are already intermediate to advance energy practitioners it would be interesting to see how quickly one could get results from such an approach. I wont go into all the details but essentially it's what you do in your yoga practice, get locked into your breath and focus deeply on the movement of weight and visualize the chi energy that you are using to lift it and push through a rep. If you want more info on it check the link below. I am not affiliated in any way I just know about it since I've been interested in the fusion for some time now. http://www.mindfulstrength.com/our-program/ As far as getting started though Pythagorean the link below is the gold standard. It's free and if followed to a T will bring results. It's where I lead anyone who wants to start strength training. Diet and sleep are key. Anyways feel free to PM if you have any questions. http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ:Introduction

As one deepens in ones practice it is inevitable that one will start to notice just how massive discontent, anger, and dissatisfaction there are in others hearts. Especially when it comes to the workplace/school where as time passes people start to notice a certain peace and contentment envelop you. It may cause resentment in others or curiosity, some may be more drawn to you. Regardless, at that time is when one needs to feel a deep sense of peace and compassion for others. The ego is a trickster that will try and create a you vs the world wrt to spiritual progress. That very moment is when one must sharpen the knife of clarity and prostrate before the God of Gratitude and the God of Compassion. Honestly, the techniques that are outlined in these forums are powerful and if applied with sincerity of intent and clarity of purpose will bring results. It is I feel ones responsibility to project that energy outwards with discernment and work to transform others. Actions and maintaining a clean inner mental environment are key to this. I just wanted to write this as I feel a deep sense of gratitude for coming across certain spiritual techniques and having the wherewithal to apply them in this lifetime and also compassion for others who may not have peace right now or even know that it is possible.

Fluidity, That last paragraph was especially key for me. Know that truly and deeply that you are doing divine work by spreading that silence and peace even though others may laugh or as you said spit venom at you. Be grateful for the venom haha. One can even have a sense of humor about these things. I was thinking how in my meditation practice when a negative thought pattern arises I either acknowledge it and go back to breath, or sometimes I will laugh at it. Yes, I laugh at the thought form as if it's a naughty child trying to steal cookies on the sly, let it know that I see what it's trying to (bring the divine energy down) and I go back to breath. Well, I realize now that one can do the same with people ! When people spit venom at you or are trying to bring your peaceful energy down, one can laugh at them internally. Not in a malicious way of course, or in an arrogant haughty way, but with a spirit of amused knowingness, much like one laughs at a child who tries to feed his vegetables to the dog underneath the table ahah....

Love dogs. When I have the money/space I will get a saluki. The oldest breed known to man. There are etchings of the salukis next to Pharaohs in Egypt. If you are ever around one you will be blown away by their energy. Regal, graceful, loyal to a fault, pensive, athletic (40MPH running speeds) and a great friend.

As someone who had a problem with alcohol and was at the same time reading arcane spiritual texts I resonate with this passage. In fact I would go on binges then hole myself up reading spiritual masters while I dried out. I always knew that there was some affinity between both of these states even though I never talked about it. When I would be knee deep in my binges I would start quoting Kierkegaard, Lao Tzu and Li Po randomly at bars to strangers and friends. My conversations would become increasingly inspired by the spirit, I would engage in over the top generosities as if God was watching down on me. I would sit on the steps of monasteries and churches while drunk just because it seemed like the 'right" place to be. Everything Nikolai said in this post I had already discerned with myself many times over but I lacked the balls to make the full leap. I finally did and I'm not going back. That being said, I thought other drunks too were also on the brink of redemption but sadly i found that not to be true. Most of the ones that I tried to engage into spiritual topics with laughed at me or brushed my attempts aside. I agree, it's obnoxious to hear about God or spirituality when you are just trying to get your rocks off. I was different in this regard. Perhaps at a deep level I was self flagellating on purpose because I knew the sand in the hour glass was running out. I am glad when it finally did.

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” ― Rainer Maria Rilke

I wanted to say thank you to all of TTB as this website has been an amazing resource to address some of the issues I'm currently experiencing. I am a mid 30's male, physically fit, ( lift weights, yoga, run) and have been doing vipassana meditation going on 5 years. I have experimented with psychedelics, and had a bit of a drinking problem that I have recently rooted out completely. Which brings me to my question. As part of my commitment to making spirituality the number #1 priority in my life I have taken up retention. I am currently over 50 days. Old Chi's thread was the inspiration and I can attest to all of the benefits that have been layed out in that thread and many others. The retention part has not been an issue. That energy has been positively channeled into academics, work, personal relationships, vigorous exercise and meditation. Which leads me to my next point. Since I started doing AYP's Spinal Breathing prior to my normal 20-30 minute vipassana practice I have felt that K energy rising. I am at a place where it's undeniable now that it is activated BUT it's currently not out of control. After reading all the negative threads on AYP and on K I have to admit I had a negative minor anxiety attack where that familiar feeling of K rising and creating pressure and tension in the back of my head occurred. Thoughts are powerful. Both created within the mind and read is all I can say. I am going to give up Spinal Breathing that is clear. What I want to know is what I should do to PREVENT K from increasing or creating these pressures/tensions. Should I masturbate or find a mate ? Should I give up vipassana for a short time ? I now practice metta when I am out and about town, and I notice this helps. I have not tried MCO because again after reading all the threads I have come to the conclusion I cant learn MCO from the internet or that it would address my issue. At this point I want to do things that are eminently safe, boring even haha. I think I may have been in hasty in wanting "altered spiritual experiences" and now that I got a strong taste, perhaps even a spoonful, I am happy with just clarity, energy and enhanced feelings of love and kindness that I get from vipassana and yoga. Do not get me wrong I am not shrinking from dark night of the soul type experiences, it is just that enlivening K via AYP pranayama is obviously not the way to go for me. I know this is a long introduction. I say thanks to you all in advance for any type of advice. UPDATED I wrote this post last Saturday and since then gave up Spinal Breathing. That feeling of pressure/tension in the back of my skull subsided and is gone now. However, I find that my meditations have lowered in intensity since then. No more light streaming in at my third chakra as much. My retention is still strong at 55 days. Another thing, on Saturday night I went into deep prayer and asked God/Creator that if he choose to open up my K that it be done in the safest way. I know this may sound self aggrandizing/or deluded but I have always felt a strong sensitivity to energetic phenomena. In fact, this was at the root of my drinking problem. I binge drank to forget that what I wanted at my deepest core was spiritual realization. I am also curious is the Spinal Breathing simply an incomplete practice ? Obviously it does have some effect as since the very first day I did it immediate waves of energy enveloped me in my meditation. However, it felt that once it activated or enlivened the K I was no longer in control and it created a deep fear and anxiety within me. Anyways, I won't be toying with pranayama at all. As much as I enjoyed the feelings of deep peace and energetic enlivenment from pranayama perhaps it's best I just stick to Vipassana and (asana)yoga.

Thanks for the responses. I am feeling much better now. It's a shame that I had that experience of pranayama as I feel it can be a real boost to one's practice. I have to view this though through the marathon/sprint analogy. Namely, that cultivation and spirituality should be viewed as a marathon and not as a sprint. There is something in our culture that accentuates this MUST HAVE NOW approach. When it's applied to spirituality it can create some real disasters. I was thinking of signing up to KAP but I got this 'vibe" from some of the threads and posts on KAP that "speed" is a factor. Perhaps, It's projection on my part but as much as I want a full K transformation I ask myself whether looking to find the BEST FASTEST way to do this may be totally misguided and could totally affect the outcome. I will try and find Attention Revolution and read it. I have seen it mentioned here and have meant to go out and get it. This idea of internal/external energies strikes a chord with me. Yes, perhaps due to retention one's mind tends to focus on how one is feeling internally and also how one's energy is being received or what one is receiving from others. I have not been in nature in some time and will definitely do this soon since I live near some great spots. For now, I will just resume my normal Vipassana practice with yoga as this seemed to be working fine on its own. I was just looking for something to boost my sensitivity to spiritual phenomena and came across kriya/pranayama and honestly that whole world fascinates me on an intuitive level. But I will just have to wait until a qualified teacher arrives on my path. At this point I will continue to read TTB and pick up bits and pieces of wisdom as they resonate with me. The knowledge and openness in this community is pretty awesome.

I didn't become scared of my "normal self". However, that familiar feeling of K rising post-spinal breathing through my spinal cord took over and enveloped me to such a degree that I could no longer control my thought process. Whereas that same energetic feeling had occurred before it wasn't as strong and had enlivened my being and set me at peace. The best analogy would be that of caffeine. In just the right amount it increases motivation, social fluidity and enhances pleasure. In the wrong amounts it creates anxiety, and wrecks ones ability to function. Although I like the idea of detoxing I don't think this was the issue. It was very clearly correlated to the spinal breathing practice. Once I stopped that I am back to normal. Also, I eat a nutritious diet, have no fluoride in my toothpaste or water due to filtering. I also do daily intermittent fasting. That said, I have no clue whether I have heavy metals in my body but I do try my best through lifestyle techniques to counteract the possibility.

I wanted to say thank you to all of TTB as this website has been an amazing resource to address some of the issues I'm currently experiencing. I am a mid 30's male, physically fit, ( lift weights, yoga, run) and have been doing vipassana meditation going on 5 years. I have experimented with psychedelics, and had a bit of a drinking problem that I have recently rooted out completely. Which brings me to my question. As part of my commitment to making spirituality the number #1 priority in my life I have taken up retention. I am currently over 50 days. Old Chi's thread was the inspiration and I can attest to all of the benefits that have been layed out in that thread and many others. The retention part has not been an issue. That energy has been positively channeled into academics, work, personal relationships, vigorous exercise and meditation. Which leads me to my next point. Since I started doing AYP's Spinal Breathing prior to my normal 20-30 minute vipassana practice I have felt that K energy rising. I am at a place where it's undeniable now that it is activated BUT it's currently not out of control. After reading all the negative threads on AYP and on K I have to admit I had a negative minor anxiety attack where that familiar feeling of K rising and creating pressure and tension in the back of my head occurred. Thoughts are powerful. Both created within the mind and read is all I can say. I am going to give up Spinal Breathing that is clear. What I want to know is what I should do to PREVENT K from increasing or creating these pressures/tensions. Should I masturbate or find a mate ? Should I give up vipassana for a short time ? I now practice metta when I am out and about town, and I notice this helps. I have not tried MCO because again after reading all the threads I have come to the conclusion I cant learn MCO from the internet or that it would address my issue. At this point I want to do things that are eminently safe, boring even haha. I think I may have been in hasty in wanting "altered spiritual experiences" and now that I got a strong taste, perhaps even a spoonful, I am happy with just clarity, energy and enhanced feelings of love and kindness that I get from vipassana and yoga. Do not get me wrong I am not shrinking from dark night of the soul type experiences, it is just that enlivening K via AYP pranayama is obviously not the way to go for me. I know this is a long introduction. I say thanks to you all in advance for any type of advice.