Gemstone

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If you need extra strength while on a vegetarian diet, you can eat chia seeds and sprouted chickpeas.

You subconcious needed to catch up. Next time try to ground before doing more "spiritual" stuff. As OldGreen said, using your body as anchor is good. My recommendation is Zhan Zhuang practice:

A walk in nature is a great way to end a Zhan Zhuang session! It circulates the energy and softens the stiff legs. It helps to turn the openings you had in practice to realizations. And the mystical side of reality can more easily manifest itself. It feels really good!

I´ve had the best results in Chakra-work using the Kuji-In system, utilizing mantra, mudra and visualization for each Chakra. Using the Sanskrit mantras produced the best results for me. Recommended!

Don´t bring your life into your cultivation. Bring your cultivation into your life. From my experience (years of practice with these stances) you should have few distractions when training, If you play music, make shure it supports both relaxation and clarity of mind. For me Zen flute music does that. Try "Music for Zen meditation" by Tony Scott if you like to try it. There is nothing wrong with employing the postures while watching the news, brushing your teeth etc, but don´t count it as cultivation. It is training for the training.

Imagine that you have a tail and pull it in between you leg. Find a position where the lower back "sinks" and relaxes. This must be done over and over in the beginning.

I would like to second "The way of energy" by Lam Kam Chuen. It is the best foundation you can get, and it is better to start at the beginning. He has free lessons on youtube called "Stand still be fit" I think, if you would like to try it out. The other recommendations are excellent, some are not at beginner level though. God luck!

Take ice cold water and go in this order: wash your face, ears, neck, back of neck (most important, done twice), arms, chest and stomach. Ideally you should then rinse your nose with a neti-pot and brush your teeth. If this induces a sense of peace you know it is working. It should be done before cultivation, banishing, sleep etc.

I would say that you´re a fool if you don´t act on this! These things are very rare..

I think it is important to view the stances together as one form. If a stance is "locked", just smile more, sink a little deeper and don´t give in to the anxiety that rises from the friction. Meet it with relaxation. The empty stance at the beginning and end can be done how long/short you want. but the other stances should be done at equal length. The alchemy of the five phases. No need to overdo it.12 breath each makes a good beginning. Good luck!

In regard to Kunlun, surrender to the practice and it will over time open the heart. Outside of practice, identify more with the silence/emptiness than with the energy. Kunlun is well known for digging deep. The elemental standing set will balance things for you.

"Yoga Nidra" in the Shavasana position.

Yoga Nidra: http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Nidra-Meditation-Chakra-Visualization/dp/0738714461/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&qid=1359128374&sr=8-28&keywords=yoga+nidra The sound is not great, but not as bad as other reviewers say. The content, more than enough, makes up for it. There is a Nidra mantra which induces sleep: Shuddhe, Shuddhe Maha Yogini Maha Nidraye Swaha Try it ten times mentally and see the subtle influence on the mind. If you like it, take it to bed..

Ordered it yesterday! Her new book, "The way of the oracle", looks good to!

Welcome to the forum!

Thanks! I hope you will enjoy the exercises. I suggest you read the visions in a semifocused way, letting the imagination create the enviroment as you read. Then you will have a taste of what they will feel like when fully engaged. Good luck!

I would be very interested in your work with this system. I had such initial success with the foundational exercises in the book that I had to ask The I-Ching if I should devote myself seriously to it. I got the most positive reading of my life. Every single aspect of the hexagram, both changing and fixed, indicated good fortune. But... I´m raising small children, and don´t have a separate room in my apartment, so working with the realm of spirits is maybe not right at this time. I only consult The Oracle in matters of real importance, maybe once a year, and allways get excellent and clear answer. So I´m hesitant to go against it´s advice. You can se I´m torn here. Does the work affect the atmosphere of your house in any way? The ones close to you? Any input is welcome, either here or as private message.

Please do! I would like to hear about it. I also think that Goji would produce a good amount of alchohol.. To bad I don´t have space (or time) to put up a lab. But it is on my list!

Thank you Theurgy for interesting posts and links! Have you tried using chinese herbs for tinctures/elixirs?

I think Steve and Snowmonki are excellent sources of information in this thread! Many weird and strange (and wonderful) experiences can be had in this practice, so patience, curiosity and a playful attitude is good to have onboard. When the training gets tough a smile will soften things up.

The shaking of the legs are a sign of development and are normal in this type of practice. It can range from a slight tremble up to strong bouncing of the legs. It is often accompanied with perspiration. Although distracting, it should not be the focus of practice.

http://www.rexresearch.com/caro/caro.htm Photos of the process. Both the white and red Stone are obtained.

Welcome! I think you will like it here. Lots of information if you use the search function.