Ryan94

Thank you. Does that mean rice and sweetcorn are unhealthy too? What if the grains are fermented (like kvass or alcohol)?

Are all grains unhealthy, or just those which contain gluten? thank you

Thank you for an amazing answer as always

I have tried to learn the classical 5 elements and I just can't get into it. It's not as intuitive as the 4 western elements (it's a mystery why metal and wood aren't considered earth), and it doesn't make any sense to someone comfortable with the Western 4 elements. The wikipedia doesn't do a good job teaching the 5 elements (wu xing), and mainly just mentions their cyclic nature, which doesn't really mean anything (you can make a cycle of anything). There aren't particularly any good youtube videos explaining it either. Most sources give many reasons for the significance of the 5 elements, but never provide explanations/teachings to back up what they say. Does an organism really go through 5 stages of life in accordance to the 5 elements? Why are so many sources trying to awkwardly cram the 5 elements into the 4 seasons? So, I've come here in the hope that someone can teach a Westerner like me that the 5 elements are worth learning. I'm sure there is something interesting and useful in the 5 elements, I just can't see their use or significance. It also seems like an unnatural system to me. For example, metal overcomes wood, simply because a metal axe can chop wood (according to wikipedia). But if man didn't create that axe, how could metal overcome wood without artificial help? A system like this should apply without the intervention of man.

I thought you didn't like legumes, nuts or seeds? You said there was too many bad proteins or something

A lot of my diet is raw. Lots of greens. I also mainly have vegetables as soups. I refrain from dairy, garlic and onions and I try to not have grains too. what do you mean chi profiles? Sounds interesting.

Maybe the title wasn’t so clear. I feel actually ‘normal’ when eating meat. But when i’m on a strict vegetarian diet for a week, i feel like my body is ‘lighter’

I have no clue. I would have thought both meat and vegetables both contain the same Jing and Qi.

I just read from some posters on here that chickpeas contain a lot of jing. Searching this forum again, it seems to originate from just 1 or 2 people. Maybe they’re wrong, who knows. But food science and studies about it doesn’t inspire me with a lot of confidence. One day you hear on the news that red meat/chocolate/red wine/etc is incredibly healthy and one is supposed to have it once a day (or something like that), and after a few years they release a study showing the complete opposite trend and urging everyone to stop eating it. For example, this quotes no fewer than 10 studies showing how the consumption of soy can have health benefits: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453013000438 I personally don’t know well all of East Asia or their cultures, but I know that Sichuanese people love unfermented tofu and have it all the time instead of meat which is often more costly. Mapo tofu is Sichuan’s favourite dish, and they love adding large amounts of tofu to their hotpot, or anything really. All people there, young and old, regularly drink soymilk. If they have a higher unhealthy population than other areas in China, it doesn’t seem to be so and I haven’t heard anything about it. and here, comparing fermented soy and unfermented soy, the unfermented one seems to be better for one’s health, based on the results: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1349-7006.2010.01770.x/full

Aren’t chickpeas one of the best sources of Jing? And the study liking soy/tofu with all sorts of serious problems seems flawed. If it’s true, then how come most of east asia eats it and are still healthy (more or less) until old age, as much as anywhere else in the world?

Shouldn’t you move from the lower chakras to the top instead of going straight for the third eye? And what are your thoughts of Bhante Vimalaramsi who says metta, rather than breath meditation, is the better way to the jhanas?

Thanks, you were one of the accomplished people I thought of when I made this thread. the trouble is that when doing brahmacharya It is MUCH harder for me to be mindful. The same day or day after orgasm I am naturally calm and my mind is able to concentrate on emptiness. But after a few weeks of brahmacharya, the mind gets very energised, distracted and easily affected by outside influences (easy to get angry, anxious, full of lust, etc) and hard to get the mind focused on anything, let alone during meditation. Also, are you saying jhana burns your qi, just like orgasmic sex? I heard trataka also burns qi.

I’m not looking for platitutes or people yelling ‘go find a teacher’. I have read so many posts on this forum, and it is clear to me that there are plenty of people here who have opened their chakras up to their crown or third eye. I’m tired of reading book after book, listening to hour long youtube videos, practicing and feeling nothing, etc. But i won’t waste anymore time on ineffective practices anymore. Life is too short for that. I’m looking for: 1. Someone to write a step-by-step guide to cleansing the energy channels. 2. Someone to write a step-by-step guide to opening the chakras. I have the willpower, i have the time to meditate as long as I please. I am sorry if I sound like i’m asking for too much, but i’m fed up with wasting my time now. ————— edit: What I shall do every day: 1. Wake up when sun rises (varies on the day). Get ready to sleep when the sun sets. 2. No lustful desires throughout the day, no music, no watching tv, no sensual pleasures. 3. Lots of rice, yogurt, eggs, and red meat during the first three weeks to build up qi (jing), and strengthen my lower chakras. Afterwards a strict vegan diet of hot homemade soups. 4. Pranayama first thing after waking up. 5. Begin working out, toning my muscles, stretching and adapting to the lotus position. 6. Relax in the sun as often as possible, whenever it is sunny. 7. Something to open the chakras (please advise). 8. Something to cleanse the energy channels (qigong, pranayama, etc) (please advise).

Do you know how to develop the lower dantian then? Does closing all the nine gates suffice?

I was recently told this by a Buddhist who practiced metta. Just wanted to know what everyone here thinks.