SunDog

Lozen, If you can release your glute muscles, especially your medius and minimus, your SI joint often has an easier time of maintaining itself. Certain things can aggravate, such as leg length differences (true and apparent, which is when your own tight muscles cause the imbalance.) Helpfuls: trigger point release, stretching, chiropractic adjustment backed up with soft tissue release. And what Thaddeus said.

Trunk! I've been downloading and reading Mark's articles, fabulous. We also have a new computer in the house so I'm hoping I'll be able to dowload the audio, too. In a way, he scares the crap out of me because I get the feeling, no shitting around, this is the fast track.

Looking at it another way, here are the standard steps for goal-setting: Goal-Setting Worksheet When setting goals, play it SMART. Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and have a Timeframe for completion. Goals and Action Steps Timeframe Goal #1 _________________________________________________________ _________ Action Steps 1. ______________________________________________________________ _________ 2. ______________________________________________________________ _________ 3. ______________________________________________________________ _________ 4. ______________________________________________________________ _________ So if my 'Goal' is to become less slothful, my Action Step is to do so by being more proactive.

QUOTE freeform It's not about being 'proactive' or the specific words you use... it's the structure behind the words that's important. I know it may seem pedantic, but this is an enormously important point. Try this for me: dont think of a pink elephant! do it!... the mind works very simply: you have attention and you direct it - in the example with the pink elephant you have to direct your attention onto a mental image of a pink elephant so that you know what it is that you're not meant to be thinking of. You get whatever you put your attention on! If you point a child's attention to the possibility of jumping in the puddle, guess what the most likely result will be? it doesn't mean the child will definately jump in the puddle - but s/he is far more likely to. If you challenge a child to "walk around the puddle" then it's far more likely that they'll do that. Columbus had a goal... His goal was to get to India westwardly... If his goal was however "I don't want to go east" he really wouldn't get far. If someone wanted to quit smoking telling themselves "I dont need to smoke, I dont want to smoke, I'm not craving a cigarette"... the attention is constantly on smoking!... How much more likely would they be to accomplish their desire if their goal was "I want to have strong, healthy lungs, and be able to calm myself in any situation."? Freeform, Yes, hello, and there are how many bajillions of people in the world and you're trying to say that one mold fits all? I have a highly disciplined mind. I quit a heavy smoking habit by saying, I'm quitting smoking. I did it, done. No positive affirmations while doing so. Often fighting off cravings, and 'aware' of that very fact. Not all children will jump in that mud puddle. I can 'not' think about the pink elephant. I'm not saying your approach isn't a good one. Because I do like and appreciate it. What I'm saying is it's very helpful to always be flexible and adaptable in how you approach any goal. For instance, some people work very well with positive rewards when making small successes in achieving a goal. Others work well with negative rewards (aka punishments). Wording of a goal is also highly subjective to each person. That's why when working with a person on the topic of goals you discuss all options and let the person word his or her own goal. To then have someone come along and say, Hey, that's all wrong. You have to do it this way. Well, then the motivation just gets deflated and the goal is, poof, gone with the wind.

QUOTE(SunDog @ Apr 29 2006, 03:27 AM) * My goal, become less slothful. QUOTE Freeform Negative goals tend to bring about negative results... if the captain of the ship said "I dont want to get to africa" he would aimlessly sail around and not get to the right destination. Perhaps a better formulation would be "I want to be more proactive"... how would you know when you're proactive? perhaps you wouldn't have time to watch tv - and that's how you'd know... all the best, f QUOTE(Pietro @ Apr 29 2006, 08:41 PM) * I dunno why, but I expect that if the captain were to say 'I dont want to get to Africa' I would expect him to reach it as soon as he get slightly distracted. Especially if the boat is governed directly by the mind. QUOTE Freeform I completely agree... It's like if you tell a child "don't jump in the puddle!" guess what's gonna happen? laugh.gif Freeform and Pietro, been thinking about the negative wording of a goal. And first off, the word 'proactive' means nothing to me. It's too abstract for my brain. I spend time wallowing in the possible meanings for the word. I think it's tedious to quibble about this positive and negative aspect of words. Columbus didn't say, "I don't want to find North America." And voila. If this were true, we'd all just be saying I don't want to [insert thing really wanted.] And POW there it would be. Doesn't happen does it? In the end, the Tao is beyond words. The best we can do on the way is to use our intent, wordless intent when we're really resonating with the Tao.

All right, so maybe what I'm really saying, is I want to relax more. Sung, here I come.

Cool. Thanks, Trunk. SunDog

Another question I had, do you have to be in the physical presence to receive transmissions? Or do the book, the audio, the video also work to some degree?

My goal, become less slothful. And I have this theory about television. Do you think all of these great Taoist meditations and exercises would have come about if the old Taoists sat around the tele?

I was out walking the other day in stormy weather. It got me to speculating. When we do energy work, not only are we getting better at the work, but we are also increasing and improving the body's capacity to work with energy as well as greater amounts of energy without burning out and blowing a weak link somewhere. So, do you think this means all energy? Say I got hit by ligtning on my walk, or tomorrow stupidly jammed a fork into toaster to get out the toast without first unplugging, would I be much better off because of my energy work, or just as dead or damaged? I think of the heat of summer and realize that heat is energy too, and I'm don't handle that any better than I used to...yet. I have a few techniques up my sleeve for this summer! SunDog

MatthewQi, wow, scars in the mouth. Sounds like the event was extreme. Glad you're still here! Cloud Recluse, et al, you've all got me thinking that under right circumstances these phenomenon--lightning and electricity--may be do-able. However, likely, not by me in this lifetime!!! I'll just stick with the heat energy. There are degrees of heat, rather than Whamo! only one option or one chance. SunDog

Interesting, and timely topic for me. I know someone who's just gone on meds for high bp. What else can she do besides the usual relaxation, physical activity, and good diet? I've been wondering that myself. Don't know that I could get her doing chi gung though. Darnit. Somewhere in the back of my head are some acupuncture points that are helpful. Haven't looked those up yet. SunDog

MatthewQi, rather than it not being anything, maybe your children have a few of your traits, too. That's a pretty amazing event. Do you have any recollections of it? A sensation? An emotion? A lifelong distaste for vacuuming? Or you simply went out and don't remember anything before, during, and after? Cloud recluse, hmm. Speculating here, I tend to do that: - Perhaps she began some energy technique earlier and it didn't activate until just then? - Or perhaps a person around her was doing some unasked for energy work on her from a distance? - Or maybe, because she's so sensitive, she happened upon a geographical location that was just perfect for the releasing of a block from her spine? - There's that 'grace' option too. She sounds quite extraordinary. SunDog

Thanks for the info, Freeform. Thaddeus, let me know how the releasing goes. And homeopathics are awesome too. May want to take something for the tendons and ligaments as well, depending on your specifics some possibles may be ruta, rhus tox, or bryonia. A handy little book on a this big topic is by Asa Hershoff, ND and it's called _Homeopathic Remedies._ SunDog

I've looked at the Chi Kung bible briefly, but have been holding back on a total read because I skimmed and dipped into one point where he says to help heal people he gets empathic, takes on their illness within himself, learns how to fix it, then goes back into the person to do the same. That in itself is a very dangerous and stupid practice. SunDog

Thaddeus, Thanks! When I was young I'd never heard of a sundog before. Imagine my surprise when I learned what they were--Sun rainbows. To stretch the iliacus get yourself into a stride position with a decent base of support. Both toes point forward, especially on the back foot, otherwise the muscle disconnects and doesn't get stretched. Get a stretch going in the groin on the side of the leg that's behind you. Keep your back in the tai chi flatish back position, then bring the arm up on the same side as the behind leg. Keep stable and secure, raise that arm over your head and arch that arm over to the opposite side with some torso movement. Your pelvis stays stable, but all of the torso mucles on that side get stretched. This is one of the few stretches that really get into the iliopsoas, which is comprised of the psoas, very deep, and the iliacus. To get into to release physically, first find the pelvic bone, which is in front but lateral. Work the abdominal tissue on the inside edge until it releases and you can comfortably get you finger under and against the inside of the pelvic bowl. The iliacus lines the pelvis. So get in there and get pressing on the sore spots. Not much to worry about except for that ligament. But not knowing you, I don't know how far you'll get, so just know that deep in the pelvic floor there is a nerve you should avoid, though it's not likely that you should get that deep. The easiest way to go about the releasing is to lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor or bed or couch. Take your two thumbs and press them nail to nail so they support one another, then slip them under the pelvic bone on one side until you feel like you've released all you can for the time being, then the other. Often, one side is worse pain-wise and tightness-wise, because of muscular imbalances that can occur for many reasons. A short glucosamine note, great stuff, but you need to take it for at least a month straight before the effects can be felt. And it's not a problem to continually take the stuff, good for joints and discs and stuff, just watch for contraindications, I seem to recall diabetes in relation to blood pressure, but a quick internet check can give you that info. Also, for some people the chondrotin molecule is too big to absorb. If it's taken with the glucosamine in such a person, both end up unuseable by the body. Pineapple (bromeline) is awesome. Also awesome, an epsom salt soak, 2 cups in the tub, though not with heart or kidney troubles or if you're that rare person that gets aggravated rather than physically relaxed by, also arnica cream or gel. On the latter, shop around, there are some really overpriced arnica products out there. Freeform, that sounds cool. What kind of tree is it the pycnogenal from? Sundog

Thaddeus, Anything specific that caused the trouble? Such as a certain drill that had you in flexion a lot? Is this back pain an ongoing thing? Any disc troubles? The sacral area's at the mercy of a lot of muscles. Check your quadratus lumborum, the deep muscles in the back under the superficial layer, and your entire glute area. If the glutes are sore, tight, knotted, get in there with a hockey puck, a tennis-sized hi-bounce rubber ball or Indian rubber ball and work it all out. Especially out to the upper side part of the butt. Tight muscles here will pull tight to the leg bone at the hip joint and cause all kinds of trouble with the sacral area as a result. It's a bit more difficult to get into the quadratus lumborum but any release can be helpful. A caution: No deep work on the bones including the spine at all, muscles only. Also, check your hip flexors. They may have been strained from that back bend. The hip flexores are in front. I suspect you may be having some trouble with these because you're having a hard time standing up. Muscles to focus on--illiacus is easiest, try to edge your fingers under the rim of the pelvis in front. Watch for the ligament that connects from the pelvis to the pubic bone. Don't apply pressure to it. It's like a thick string in dimensions. Also check your calves. Tight and knotted muscle here can cause pain in the sacral area. A good book to check out is Clair Davies _The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook_ available online at most booksellers. Stretches are good, but trigger point release will get you back on your feet much more quickly. Energy work along with is especially good. Sundog

Hello, I heard about the Tao Bums a while back, but being the procrastinator...make that long thinker...that I am, it's taken me a while to become a member. I have been reading some posts and think you're all tres cool, and truly on the path. I look forward to becoming a part of your community.

I've been doing energy work for a number of years. Started with Yudelove and Frantzis books. I've stuck with them, too, because both provide effective and detailed methods. I'm also one of those information hungry people, so I am always looking for other great practices that resonate with me. I do practice. Used to be daily, but I fell off the wagon after a spate of deaths and health crises in the family over the last two years. Sure, energy work can be incredibly effective during such chaos, but, man oh man, it's the hardest work there is. Right now, I'm working at getting back to a decent daily practice.