nomad

So while I sit in full-lotus meditating, the posture doesn't really hurt until I immediately get out of the position, during which it is my left foot that begins to hurt - because of the bend to get onto my thigh I presume - is this normal?

I'm drifting from the mindfulness of the breath meditations (or passive observation/shamatha-vipassana) because they're harder for me to concentrate with, as I am not actively exerting my mind. Visualization on the other hand is more active and is easier for me to use to attain a one-point concentration state. So my question is what are the best visualization practices that you can think of that I can eventually use to transition into that wondrous phenomena of the emptiness of pure awareness? As of now my goal is to just reach a state of samadhi and experience that, but I'm all boggled down. Thanks

I've read numerous books on the topic of meditation yet no one book clearly elucidated the difference between the two states - mainly, what in the world is a 'dhyana' and its relationship to entering samadhi(s)? I also don't understand why there are so many conceptual hang-ups when it comes to something so quasi simple as meditation, e.g. the various stages of absorption, skhandas, etc. I can't wrap my head around how the originators of these phenomena-in-words even came to their conclusions - that there are distinct demarcations between states and so on...? Is it that once these enlightened masters discovered the true nature of mind that some sort of layout was provided to them? haha Thank You

Thanks everyone. My problem isn't an addiction to masturbation - in fact I'd rather not do it, but I've been doing it again lately because it lessens the burn I find, even though it is just not as pleasurable as before. The thing is, when I abstain, I never get "wet dreams" so I think all the prostate fluid gets backed up causing all these problems. How am I supposed to dispose of seminal waste if I don't masturbate? I can't help but think it unhealthy not to masturbate... Pranaman, I'm interested in your experience. So you're saying the tip of your dick began to burn after you stopped wacking it? How long did it take for that feeling to subside?

I used to masturbate pretty regularly as a teen up until around 21, something like 1-3 times a day, sometimes even more, I was a voracious sexual beast. This past year I've been trying to cut down on the habit for cultivation reasons and for a variety of others (which I won't get into here). In short, I had no difficulty stopping, which perhaps my meditation sessions helped with. However there was a much larger problem looming on the horizon, something that I've never felt before until around the time I first began to abstain from the pounding of my trout. The problem is that my dick really feels odd now, like a perpetual, dull, inner burning. My uretha is a little bit red as well, but the sensations feel more internal - from the middle half to the top of my dick. When I get erections now, which isn't very often anymore -- seems like I lost my libido in the process as well -- the head of my dick really STINGS. It is painful and my erections are weaker than they used to be, and harder to sustain. This past week I've started up masturbating again daily (just once) in hopes of relieving this pain and it seems to be working a little bit, as erections no longer sting with such sultry displeasure. Is this a common hurdle to overcome? How can I get over this problem, I would rather just not have to masturbate anymore because doing so is still somewhat uncomfortably and is a chore now. Masturbating is just not pleasurable to me anymore, in fact, my sexual appetite itself has declined almost to brink of nothingness.

Ever since getting into meditations and all of this, I've been sort of growing apart from some of the past things that I used to enjoy. I do not enjoy watching movies or playing video games, going to parties, socializing, romanticising or anything anymore. I also don't enjoy my life anymore either - as it appears my increasing spiritual awareness has in a sense made me into a deadbeat. Is this normal to become so bored with life, or at least what seems like the frivolities of life? Even if I rejected spiritual practice, I could never go back to my old standard way of living...and I only meditate ONCE a day. I think it may be because I don't jerk off anymore, not like I even have an urge to anymore either. Depressing.

The thing is that you said to avoid the fruits with more than 4 (4!) grams of fructose -- do you know how many grams of fructose is in a can of soda? try 60! A banana has about 5 grams of fructose and is with a favorable ratio of glucose -- to tell someone not to eat a fruit like that often is just plain WRONG. The apple, which according to fructose concentration, would be the worst fruit to eat because it has 7 grams of fructose in it. Do you see how ridiculous that is? Besides, its typically obese people who shy away from fruit. Fructose is only bad when it is not in the form of fruits and vegetables and in overly high concentrations.

YEAH - go ahead and fear fruit! You will become a pansy then. I eat fruit all the time and have a 6% body fat, but I don't eat grains. I get my carbs from fruit and vegetables. Fruit has more than just sugar in them, cakes do not! NO ONE is going to get fat eating fruit. Quit reading the grain industry's propaganda that you see everywhere and just eat fruit. This is why America has its obesity epidemic. .....Also, you need to look at the calcium that fruit has. Calcium improves insulin sensitivity - you're looking at things too narrowly. Again, no one has ever gotten fat from eating fruit. Eat bananas all the time like a chimp and you're fine. Bananas are also rich in B6 and tryptophan - precursor to the wakefulness neurotransmitter 'serotonin'.

Fasting improves insulin sensitivity and really is the deciding factor in fat loss/muscle retention. Most people commonly mistake that for having a 'good metabolism' but it isn't, it is having one's hormones in check -- fat loss is 100% hormonal, having a good metabolism will only affect weight and not body fat. Obese people (diabeetus peepole too) are too insulin resistant and would benefit from an intermittent fasting/no processed carbs/grains diet...but with FRUIT. It irks me seeing people avoiding fruit...just eat a few pieces a day and hold back on the fucking fig newtons or cakes. I eat bananas all the time and according to my BMI, I'm underweight.

Well, I basically do something like that every day - as I skip breakfast, eat lunch around 1 and stop eating around 7-8PM the night before. So...what is that, like 17-18 hr fast... works good for me, I like the fasting feeling anyway - better concentration,

I don't care to develop 'supernatural' powers or anything - but even guys like John Chang don't do movement exercises - from my understanding, he just does still meditation. I'm not saying energy work has no effect, but maybe a large portion of the effect is brought about through supplemental meditation? Yes, I've read 'Tao & Longevity' so I know about the physiological functions of chi movements in meditation as per Master Nan.

Ok, hear me out. I regularly practice lucid dreaming, dream yoga and meditate (full-lotus, mind you ha) each night before sleep. I'm feeling conflicted now...with all the amount of reading I've been doing, both in the form of books and online resources. I read a couple new books each week - mostly all pertaining to this "metaphysical" stuff. I'm hounding these books and have developed quite a liking to reading... I just don't know if I should be incorporating more stuff right now, like Qigong, Tai Chi or some other derivative of energy work. I bought the complete guide to chi-kung book by Daniel Reid and will read that in a few days, but its main purpose for me really is to just get acquainted with the theory of practice as I don't know if I really want to engage in something like this as praxis. What's the purpose of it and why is it stressed so importantly here? Are the things I'm doing just not enough? I happen to believe controlling one's dreams to be one of the most important things to ever do, but Qigong...I just don't feel that way about...at this time. I don't follow any religion and do not claim to be a Taoist, but I appreciate some of the Taoism wisdom - hence why I visit here and read Taoist books.

I've been sitting in the full-lotus posture once a day - either for 20 or 30 mins each time. Anyone notice their feet falling asleep during it, though? Is this normal?

My intuition tells me that Drew is 37 years old...