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Hi witch, I think you're experiencing something wonderful, and even if it's difficult I think you should keep on. It's hard to give you an advice, as I don't know exactly your situation. But I'd just say to trust yourself and keep following Thoth if you feel like What exactly makes you feel wobbly ? How do you "communicate" with Thoth ? do you do any special ceremony ? I've been always interested in ancient Egypt: it's a very interesting source of mysticism, that influenced many other religions, we can recognize a lot of interesting patterns. I'd actually like to join you in what you're doing, if I'd not live so far Another question, which version of the Egyptian Book of Dead do you suggest ? Be well

I totally agree

yeah, sounds really good, but at the moment I haven't much money. Anyway it's getting better: today I had to wake up early and I slept very well after a good meditation session

I meditate every day, it helped a lot: I feel like nearer to the source of the problem. I monitored my pulse and yeah, of course there's some imbalance but not so much: I mean, some fast pulsing without feeling anxious, but it disappear in little time. Still I don't sleep, even if my pulse is normal. Through qigong I've learned to calm myself, and it helped with insomnia. Johanniskraut and Baldrian are helpful, I used them in the past, but lately I feel better not using any help like that. if I do that it makes my 'paranoia' about sleeping bigger, looking for a trick to fall asleep, and it gets worst with the time. Acupressure is effective too and doesn't create this looking-for-smt-to-sleep effect. about the qigong form "Beating the Heavenly Drum", I didn't know it, I've found some info on the internet - do you have a good link/manual to suggest me ? hi Mandrake, you know what I mean when I say insomnia... Are you doing qigong everyday or are you planning to ? It has been very helpful to me, so start as soon as you can! Good luck too! An eyemask is a great idea, I was looking for one today but didn't find it. I'll try again tomorrow or build one by myself

Can you suggest me a qigong form specific for insomnia ? About darkness you're totally right: unfortunately here in germany shutters for the window don't exist. I have curtains but they aren't really effective: should I pack my windows with some cardboard ? thx for the tips.

It sounds interesting, I'll look more into it - thx!

Great stuff! thx

Retention should be about spirital advancement, that is not just a quantitative matter but especially a qualitative matter. You have to learn about yourself, how to handle your feelings, your body. Merely being able not to ejaculate for x time means nothing, and can be even harmful. It's part of the overall technique, but there are so many things to balance in our life... So "Retention contest" makes no sense at all for me I'd rather smt like "Staying in the middle" or "Swinging in the center" Cheers

what's the practice of dreaming ?

I don't know so much about my pulse... I'll try to more into it and let you know. About diet, I eat quite well: a lot of whole grains like oat, barley, rice, sometimes meat (mainly organic), vegetables, fruits. If don't have any special appointment next morning, everything's fine and I sleep very well - especially since I'm doing qigong. So I don't think it's a diet problem. Thanks for the tips, I'll try them out Good explanation, thanks a lot. I'll try both frequencies and report back. Great support in a difficult moment, thank you all

Thank you both for your advices I'll try with the triple warmer healing sound and see what happen. Phisical activity I'm doing a lot, that's even why my insomnia is going better, but sometimes little difference. I should probably really learn to meditate instead of going to bed, even if I feel tired. Which meditation do you advice in these cases ? I mean, when I go to bed is because I'm tired and it's difficult to keep concentration meditating. Cheers

I use to have the same problem as you, especially after qigong in the morning, here's my thread: http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/12252-cold-hands-during-practice Now I can say that it was an energy blokage problem: lately my hands are often warm; they turn cold again when I have an imbalance - insomnia, a cold, etc. If I meditate crossed legged, just 2 minutes of belly breathing and my hands turn warm again. Do you practice meditation every day ? If you do and you're hands start to be colder than usual, don't worry, it will solve by itself. I think you have to get rid of that cold, so the meditation process is actually working well. Just take care of you and of your meditation practice, like having a correct posture, good food, overall stability and balance (emotional, physical). Be well

No, never tried something like that, but sounds really interesting: don't you some links or more information about this machine ? and yeah, I think that cannot be a substitute for you meditating, but can enhance and help you in the practice, like binuaral beats file or flashing lights.

you're right, sorry for the mistake: thank you for the info, I'll look into it

I think that Aleister Crowley translated just the Tao Te Ching, even if he could not really speak good chinese, here: http://deoxy.org/taowley.htm but he used for sure the I Ching

here's quite cold too, snow still in the streets. Anyway I've started the thread because it was sunny and I felt the spring coming. Full moon is coming this weekend, it will be good boost too

great and simple explanation vortex, thx what I don't exactly understand are two things: - you need to know the path of channels, don't you ? - how are transmutation of energy and third eye related to your explanation ?

*bump* I'd actually like to know too if some of our Bums went to Wudang or not

that's the point: most of the people in the west want everything and still not happy. The "produce, consume, die" slogan is the consequent process and I think that we don't have just to enjoy every phase and let it flow: it's a degenerative process and as taoists I think we should leave it for a simpler alternative. Of course we have created plenty of good things and we can enjoy them, but what about the hidden cosequences ? like destroying our planet ? like creating poverty ?. There are plenty of problems that we indirectly create with our lifestyle, and we have to face it, somehow. On the other hand, we have to enjoy life and generate good feelings in order to make this world a better place, that's the only way. So happy new Chinese year, the black tiger will show us smt interesting, I'm sure

I don't know so much about Chinese new year and how they celebrate it, but I know really well how we celebrate it and how we used to do it(in Europe at least). Our materialistic way of living really emptied the meaning of this happenings, having too much and tasting nothing. We think that our society is developed but in my opinion we're destroying it and that's no development at all. My grandma, 60-70 years ago use to be really happy at Christmas just receiving some oranges or other special good food, and occasionaly little unexpensive toys. When I was little, 20 years ago, I received plenty of stuff, wanted always more and expensive - presents like a dress were shit. People has always given little presents and decorated their houses at chrismas time; they did with little money but with more feeling! Of course I'm talking in general, so still people that really feel Christmas even in our contemporary society. What I really mean is that when we think about our "developed" society we have to consider also what we forgogt, not just what we gained. In this meaning I think that days like Christmas were really smt special in the past, smt that really touched the feelings of everyone, while nowadays is just another opportunity to "buy 3 pay for 2" - Produce. Consume. Die. my 0.02€

Sounds interesting, I have to check it out. I read pirsig's book some years ago and I really enjoyed: maybe I should read it again now that I'm more into taoism. Thanks for the tip.

Hi, some weeks ago there was a post about an exercise that works as the inversion table: you actually stand with your hands on the floor, your body straight but inclined on the wall where you place your feet. I find the exercise quite good, now I'd like to have a look at the link that was in the post but I cannot find it with the search function.

thank you Reader, the link that I was looking for was actually inside the one that you gave me, here it is: http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/2006/12/quick-and-fun-arm-and-body.html thanks again