CarsonZi

Esoteric Acupuncture and/or an "Energy" massage will help for sure. I had a big blockage in my neck at the beginning of my kundalini journey and an energy massage loosened it to the point of partial-release. The difference in energy flow before and after was like night and day. I didn't sleep for four days afterwards as it let loose all my raging internal energies, but after a few days of silent integration in Deep Meditation the energy was integrated fairly seamlessly. Recently I started doing esoteric acupuncture and the acupuncturist located what was left of the blockage in my neck. She isolated it in the subtle body, and over the course of the next 4 days the tension was released to another beautiful inward opening. These two things (in combination with a daily sadhana) is what helped to release the blockage I had in my neck. Hope this helps a little. Love, Carson

I had a moment in my life that was a "turning point". I realized one day after some particularly troubling events, that I COULD be happy. Up to that point I had held my happiness as contigent on something external. I couldn't be happy unless the conditions were "perfect". At this moment I realized that happiness was possible in any situation based on how I "perceive" it. It took me several years from then to actually get to where this perspective was instinctual, but I can truly say I am happy now in almost every situation I come across. I wasn't before this revelation. Love, Carson

Sorry forestofsouls, but am I missing something? Where did I say that "nothing is necessary"? Personally my daily practice set looks like this: 10-15 minutes of postures, mostly postures from the Bikrams series but also with Plow Pose and a few Vinyasa postures as well. 3 minutes of Nauli Kriya 2 minutes of Navi Kriya 5 minutes of Bastrika Pranayam 5 repetitions of Yoni Mudra Kumbhaka 10 minutes of Spinal Breathing Pranayam while sitting in Siddhasana with Mulabandha, Uddiyanabandha, Sambhavi and Kechari Mudra (any one of the 4 stages) all engaged. (SBP is a root to brow visualization with slow deep inhales with an open throat and slow deep exhales using ujjyai breath, all through the nostrils) 2 repetitions each direction of Jalandhara Chin Pump (AYP style) 20 minutes of Deep Meditation using the "i am" or "ayam" mantra 5 minutes of Samyama with 2 repetitions of each of the sutras (Love, Radiance, Unity, Health, Strength, Abundance, Wisdom, Inner Sensuality, Akasha) with 15 seconds silence in-between 5 minutes of Targetted Bastrika Pranayam 10-15 minutes of silent rest I do this twice a day, once before breakfast and once before dinner. During the day I practice Mindfulness and Self Inquiry. The Self Inquiry method I use is "The Work" as written by Byron Katie in "Loving What Is". At night in bed I practice Yoga Nidra to fall asleep. This doesn't even go into the tantric sexual practices I am involved in both solo and with my wife. I don't believe that "nothing is necessary" for liberation but merely that nothing IN PARTICULAR is necessary for liberation. Liberation IS possible in this lifetime and IMO the only thing that is ABSOLUTELY necessary for this to occur is desire for liberation. That's all I was meaning. Hope this clears that little misunderstanding up. Love, Carson

Hi forestofsouls, From some things yes. From others no. I have been liberated of my addiction to heroin, methadone, methamphetamine, and marijuana. I have been liberated from most of my suffering. I have been liberated from trying to appease anyone but myself. I have not acheived "spiritual liberation" though. I still have the veil of seperation wrapped around my head. But the veil is thinner today then it was yesterday and that's all I can realistically strive for IMO. Love, Carson

Hi NeutralWire, I think it was said by the Buddha "Nothing in life is certain except that death is not partial". There will never be a "certain" way that awakens the kundalini energy in everyone. There are just as many paths as there are practitioners, and we all have different karmic obstructions, but all paths eventually end up at the same end point...union with Source. Nothing is necessary except desire for liberation. Not even kundalini awakening. Love, Carson

I know I'm not Scott but the picture is of Amma The Hugging Mother.

Hi Wayfarer. I loved this book....I haven't read it in probably 10 years now, but I still actively eat a ton of beets (for liver tissue rejeneration) and take "hot then cold" showers (to try and lower the bodies normal body temperature)because of the ideas expounded on in the book. Thanks for reminding me about this one....I think it is time to revisit this classic. Love, Carson

Hi mikaelz... I do semi regular fasts for spiritual purposes....usually once a month for the weekend....sundown Friday to sunup on Monday. I have done juice fasts before but what has been recommended to me and what I have found to work the best is doing a "grape" fast. Instead of drinking juice I eat grapes. I don't drink too much water either. Just eat a handful of grapes everytime you are "unbearably" hungry or thirsty. The juice from the grapes keeps you pretty well hydrated, and the hunger is usually fairly well abated by the grapes, so it makes it much easier....I find I still gain the same benefits of detox and spiritual focus from doing my fastings in this way. Yes I would agree with this. Likely the cause. Well, I usually combine my fasts with silence and a solo "retreat-like" atmosphere so perhaps I am not the best to ask, but YES, I find great benefit in fasting (and silent weekends). I find my body needs less sleep, my energy levels are higher naturally, my spritual focus is keen, and I am much more in-tune with my physicality....I would say the only drawback I find from doing weekends like this is that it can be a bit difficult to go directly back into regular life after. I personally find that I usually want to keep fasting and being silent on Monday morning, but I have to go back to work so it is not an option. (at least not the silent part) Hope this helps a little. Love, Carson

Best advice you could give to just about ANY question. I love it. YA Mu! Love, Carson

I don't trust people with mustaches.... Just kidding Love, Carson

Hi alfa, If you are trying to achieve an LSD-like state of mind, why not take LSD? If you are trying to acheive a "blank" mind I suggest trying the technique of "thought dropping" during the day with an addition of a twice daily practice of Deep Meditation to train the mind not to attach to thoughts. That said, a blank mind is not important. There will always be thoughts....but YOU are not your thoughts and knowing this will be key to learning to not attach to your thoughts. Meaning, it is not your thoughts that are the problem, it is you ATTACHING to the thoughts that can become a problem. So to answer your question, no, a blank mind is not important to acheive a state of mind similar to the state of mind encountered while tripping on acid. And if you are looking to "achieve" a similar state of mind to an LSD trip, I suggest forgetting meditation and thought dropping and just dropping tab. Why this particular state of mind would be important to you, I'm not sure. Perhaps you care to elaborate? Love, Carson

Namaste innerspace_cadet, I like that.^ To me personally religion is individual spirituality organized into rituals. And it is not only not necessary but is more of a distraction from the True Nature of things then anything IMO. Serj is very perceptive in his analogy. Anything that "just is" (and personally that is what I strive to be every second of every day) does not need to hold onto anything....not the body, not the feelings, not the perception, not the beliefs, and not the consciousness. Everything just is as it is and that's the way it is! haha. Oh to be a tree. Love, Carson Religion is a stepping stone IMO

Being "taught" does not equal "knowing". But you CAN "know" without being "taught".

It's all explained in the links. (and the books) To much info to post here. Sorry. Have a read if you truly are interested in understanding and not just arguing. Love, Carson

In my opinion Real Knowledge comes from within not from without. You can be taught something by a teacher, but until you realize what he/she is saying is right through personal experience, you only understand something not know it. So to say that a teacher is necessary is a bit of a catch 22. Guidance may be necessary in finding teachings that resonate with you, but attaching yourself to the one who "guides" you is just another form of attachment necessary to be broken. I think it is possible to achieve spiritual liberation without a formal teacher as I believe that anything and everyone can be a teacher if the state of mind is one of receptive curiousity and silent inner discernment. Love, Carson

Hi vortex, And what has been identified as the root cause of human population growth? A constant increase in food supply. Have you ever read "Ishmael" "The Story of B" or "My Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn? I think you should...or at least have a look at what his research is all about here: http://www.ishmael.org/Education/Science/index.shtml I think you will find it quite enlightening. Good luck. Love, Carson P.S> Another good link is www.dieoff.org .....this goes far beyond just human population growth.

Hi apepch7, I like this......^^^ But I would still answer the same as I would the old question: "Hold your tongue if you are angry". Speaking out of anger only serves to escalate things not de-escalate things. Speaking out of love even when in disagreement is (IMO) the only way to facilitate harmony between opposing parties. It's hard to "hate" someone when they are carrying on a truly "loving" disagreement with you. Love, Carson

WELL SAID!

Welcome WudangAlienAlchemist........

Yes they do....but there is a compassionate way of doing this...a way of exchanging ideas without having to have the ego so involved. Would you rather be right or would you rather be free? I'll admit I am wrong a lot of the time, and don't know everything. It's incredibly freeing to do this because I am able to find real Truth this way. I don't have to continually asert that I am right and you are all wrong and am able learn from everyone. There would be a lot less name-calling and angry postings if everyone took this approach. (not that my way is better than anyone else's, I just think it might be a little more peaceful maybe. Maybe not.) Love, Carson:D

Hahaha, thanks Wayfarer for the "heads up"! I guess I am a little bit used to the AYP forum and the moderation that takes place over there and am not used to people being allowed to be so derogatory and harsh on a forum supposedly here to promote conversation around spiritual practices. I hope that everyone here can take a step back when they are angry and just hold their tongues until they can detach a bit from their emotional state. Making anger filled statements won't solve anything. Violence begets violence and harsh words beget harsh words. Love is all there is, the rest is all confusion. I believe that too...I can tell who is here for "trolling/arguments" and who is here to learn. I'm not going anywhere. Love, Carson

All beliefs will ultimately be transcended by personal experience. Talk of "I believe this" or "I believe that" is all just that....talk. These "beliefs" eveyone is spouting off about here, are just ideas you have yet to have personal experience with. I suggest spending more time in silent awareness and less time talking about theory. Love, Carson

I too have avoided talking about The Book of Mormon in this thread because of my personal opinions on it, but since Wayfarer has already said most of what I would have said, I would like to take a few seconds to comment as well.... My wife and her entire family is devout Mormon. I have read the book front to back 3 times. I find what is written in this book to be pure manipulation of the basic human need for answers. Joseph Smith I believe had ideas of where he wanted to take his "religion" and I believe that the direction he wanted to head is where the Mormon church has ended up. Very different from what Christianity has become compared to how I think Jesus would have liked it presented. I think Joseph Smith would be very proud and Jesus would be mortified to see the states of their respective religions. I personally think (having had pretty extensive experience with Mormons and in the Mormon church) that Joseph Smith was trying to create a male dominated "sex" religion. The Mormon religion seems very much centred on creating an environment in which women are subordinate to their men, sex is not sacred between husband and wife (as the men are allowed many wives) and women are treated as though their main purpose is to serve and obey their husbands. (not to mention procreate like rabbits in order to create large Mormon families with plenty of converts and missionaries available) Women are only capable of reaching a certain "level" of heaven and in order to get to that point they have to be completely obedient to their husband's every demand, and have to pretty much bend over backwards in some pretty ridiculous and demeaning ways (IMO). The men on the other hand "thrive" on the hypocracy of it all, and take advantage of the women in the religion in every way imaginable. I am not saying that this is the way it is for EVERY Mormon, but from my personal experience this seems to be very prevalent (and encouraged) in their church. In my opinion Mormonism is the definition of a cult, not a religion. Hope this doesn't offend anyone too much. After all this is just my opinion, and is stated as such. (Everyone's entitled to their opinions right?) Love, Carson

Don't speak when you are angry.