Bhathen

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Thanks @Taomeow , had forgotten them, but your post reminded me of two fantastic soaps we had in our house growing up.

Though the topic is about not using soap, linking about the sesame oil bath procedure: https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/why-is-ubtana-applied-to-the-body-before-abhyangasnana Warm the oil (pour approximately ¼ cup into a mug and warm using a coffee-cup warmer.) Test the temperature by putting a drop on your inner wrist, oil should be comfortably warm and not hot Sit or stand comfortably in a warm room Apply oil first to the crown of your head (adhipati marma) and work slowly out from there in circular strokes—spend a couple of minutes massaging your entire scalp (home to many other important marma points—points of concentrated vital energy) Face: Massage in circular motion on your forehead, temples, cheeks, and jaws (always moving in a upward movement). Be sure to massage your ears, especially your ear-lobes—home to essential marma points and nerve endings Use long strokes on the limbs (arms and legs) and circular strokes on the joints (elbows and knees). Always massage toward the direction of your heart Massage the abdomen and chest in broad, clockwise, circular motions. On the abdomen, follow the path of the large intestine; moving up on the right side of the abdomen, then across, then down on the left side Finish the massage by spending at least a couple of minutes massaging your feet. Feet are a very important part of the body with the nerve endings of essential organs and vital marma points Sit with the oil for 5-15 minutes if possible so that the oil can absorb and penetrate into the deeper layers of the body Enjoy a warm bath or shower. You can use a mild soap on the “strategic” areas, avoid vigorously soaping and rubbing the body When you get out of the bath, towel dry gently. Blot the towel on your body instead of rubbing vigorously According to ayurveda: Sesame seed oil bath twice a week is beneficial to remove excess heat from the organs and to remove blockages from the nadis/meridians. According to the flow of energy in the ida and pingala; Saturday, Wednesday benefits men; Tuesday, Friday benefits women. The energy flow becomes balanced in all the three - ida, pingala and sushmana nadis. New moon days have an increased flow in the sushmana early in the morning. Herbal bath powder used in an oil or normal water bath can be dry chickpeas powder or a mix of herbs including rose, turmeric, cuscus, bay leaf, liquorice, basil, senna etc.

As practitioners, are there any instances or scenarios where acupuncture needs to be avoided?

These verses always come to mind....

I have been meditating consistently only for a few years now and is a daily practice. The meditation I practice seems to open up different layers of the mind and sometimes sudden insights come up to show me the entirety of a situation. Traversing through the past currently and healing taking place. Sometimes it just a silent traversal to some inner layer or experiences of sense withdrawal, awareness etc. might come up. The practice begins with a connection and prayers to the higher beings and the universe; ends with silence and a no-mind or rather a spacing of thoughts (depending on the energy level). Have begun to understand the need for balance in the body, mind and thoughts resulting in increased awareness. Currently working on that.

Maybe you could post the question publicly and follow up on the answer in a private discussion. You could choose to be silent after posting. Too many bumps ...

Thanks @dwai and @old3bob. I need more time to reflect on your replies. In a stage of 'ananda'/ continual bliss, I have felt a finger like surge in the location of the spiritual heart. As the experience became more blissful, it was like the size of the inner projection was increasing and was wildly dancing with joy. Maybe the experience was not enough for me to realise or understand deeply.

Katha Upanishad Nachiketa " Hidden in the heart of every creature Exists the self ...." "The thumb-sized being enshrined in the heart ...." Have been reading the Upanishads by Eknath Easwaran and would like to have a better understanding of the terms Self, Atman and Brahman and the relationship to the heart. What is that which you experience in the heart in total bliss?

Came across this poem:

Please use this if you like...(if your licensing for the picture permits)

Not him.

We have a Shaolin kungfu center a few blocks down with a well-respected Sifu, many students looking up to him as a father figure. A few years back, a lot of skeletons came tumbling out of the closet; messy relationships and a murder. Most of those involved have been training for around 15 years. Was something wrong in the kungfu training or was it not enough for the mind and just dealt with the body?

Homeopathy remedies are available and potency will vary depending on individual symptoms.

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@Taomeow Why did we come on this long journey only to go back to the source? Or is the destination something else?

Since I was new to the hexagrams, the absence of some of the hexagram numbers in the topics made it all the more confusing.

The "Yijing hexagram" subsection shows 79 posts but can only see about 12 posts inside. Is there something hidden?

Thank you @steve. I had wrongly assumed all along that the number shown was the "number of main posts."

This video was forwarded by a friend whose colleagues and family have recovered well from COVID through Dr. Chetty's consultation. If interested, ayurvedic treatment: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7553124/

Over 4,000 COVID-19 patients successfully treated so far – no hospitalization required, no deaths. This doctor has figured out a way out of the pandemic! This incredible interview highlights the future of COVID-19 treatment, available anywhere in the world. Dr Shankara Chetty (South Africa) has significant experience in managing COVID-19 patients in the outpatient setting, incorporating his research findings and a solid understanding of the disease. His background is in Biology and Microbiology with many years practicing as a Family Practitioner.

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https://www.lakshmanjooacademy.org/kashmir-shaivism/practice/

Was pondering the question of why masters choose different methods to exit this worldly realm? Is there a particular significance?