Maddie

I experimented with mudras today during meditation. The Gyan mudra made me sleepy, and dizzy. The "meditation" mudra seemed to wake me up after I switched to it, but can't say I noticed any difference than simply just resting my hands on my legs like I usually do. Is there a good mudra to help you to focus in meditation?

Wow I use gemstones a lot, as in I usually always carry them with me. Today I forgot to do so and felt a HUGE difference!

Do you have access to a good TCM doctor? If so TCM could help you a lot with anger. The herbal formula Long Dan Xie Gan Wan is very good for clearing out Liver fire which makes you feel angry. http://www.activeherb.com/longdan/ . Also try pressing your Liver 2 points for a while until you feel calmer. (Its in the web between your big and second toe)

The last few posts seem interesting, but could I ask you to dumb it down a bit cause I'm a bit lost :-/. That seems to be the case often in Buddhism at first with some new concepts I feel like a total moron and it can take me a while to "get it". Ok so I'll break it down into a few questions cause I'm confused. What is the purpose of Mantra? I've tried out various mantras. Currently my practice consists of doing the Zhunti mantra and mindfulness meditation (separately). I don't want to give the impression that I think they are the same thing. I did the Zhunti mantra this morning, and mindfulness this evening. Just as an aside I experimented with mudras today to see what they could contribute to my practice. The first one I tried was the Gyan mudra. I felt very sleepy, dizzy and out of it while holding this mudra. Then I changed to the meditation mudra with the thumb tips touching and quickly felt less sleepy. This evenings mindfulness session was very tedious, seemed like it took forever, but I guess that's how it goes sometimes. I tried to do to the best of my understanding observing my thoughts and simply taking note that they were there. I hope thats the right idea. At other times during mindfulness I do the "buddo" clear your mind method. Why is it that sometimes meditation can seem relatively easy and feel quick, and other times like this evening it seems like slow torture?

Basically the title says it all. I know that Karma can be calculated by astrological means, I just wonder if anyone here knows how, and if there is a simple way to explain it? I realize this is asking a lot.

This whole "no-self" concept is confusing to me. Jack would you mind elaborating on it?

Ok another question that is kind of related. Is anyone familiar with Planet meditations? There is this one guy at my school who is a yoga instructor. Last fall he taught these planet mantra-meditations to harness the power of the various planets for various purposes. Does anyone have personal experience with this? For example if you want to increase your luck but you don't have a lot of merit and/or you do have a lot of bad karma, is doing a Jupiter meditation going to help much?

According to this article by Brodi mantra practice can be used to quiet the mind. http://www.meditationexpert.com/meditation-techniques/m_mantra_japa_meditation_techniques.htm Though the meditation I was using in regard to my last post was mindfulness of the breath, and observation of thoughts. The mantra I'm currently doing is the Zhunti Mantra. So I alternate between mindfulness and mantra.

I've heard just a little bit about the Kleem mantra, that it's supposed to attract material things to you, including women. In practice I've also noticed that its a very relaxing sound. Does anyone have much experience with this sound?

This is why its so important to get a good diagnosis before taking herbs. Ginseng is a good example. Asian Ginseng is yang while American Ginseng is yin. If you are yin deficent then taking Korean Ginsing will make you feel just as you described.In this case then I'd recommend American Ginseng as it builds yin.

Joe, I use two techniques to still the mind. The first one is mantra meditation, where I just focus on the mantra being said to the exclusion of everything else. The other is the mindfulness technique that Dawg referred to in his thread about the spirit world (how I wish he would post again lol). I focus on the breath going in and out and mentally say Buh-doh. Buh on the inhale and doh on the exhale. When I find my mind wondering I just bring it back to that practice over and over. Spotless. I'm not sure if I quite understand what you meant in your last post about changing computers? This morning I did a two hour Vispassana session. I felt like a sports commentator about my own mind. I did not get involved with the actually content of the thoughts, but noted that I had them and what their content and quality was, as well as how they were being felt by me. I did notice when paying attention to how they were being felt that I felt a lot of pressure and sensation in the center of my chest going all the way up to the center of my throat.At one point I became aware of a thought/feeling that was quite unpleasant which felt like "I am nothing, I have nothing". I was able though to stay objective and observe it. Then after a while of observation of that thought the oddest thing happened. Added to my observation and commentary of "I am nothing, I have nothing" was "there is no I, there is no nothing". It made no sense to me, yet at the same time more sense than anything ever had. I still don't understand it, but it was interesting and I'd like to understand this.

Qi stagnation explained as the organ not functioning properly is a partial explination which I have been taught at my school. But it goes beyond just that. Stagnation along any point of the meridian can cause all sorts of other symptoms such as pain, heat, phlegm, ect.

Thanks to all who have been contributing good advice on this thread, I've found it to be very useful. Ok so on to issue of the day lol. Yesterday afternoon I sat in Shamatha in half-lotus for 2 hours. Thats the longest stretch at one time I've done, as I usually do several hours a day lately but break it up into hour long sessions. Well it seems that since, including this morning I feel kind of out of it and spacey, plus my knees are quite sore. Is this normal?

The main reason I keep saying that it depends on your diagnosis is because in TCM you can have several different types of pain. Usually sharp stabbing pains are what is called blood stasis. If this is the case then this is a good formula for that. http://www.activeherb.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AH087 But not all things are blood stasis. If its not blood stasis then those herbs might not do a whole lot. Also going to a TCM practitioner they can do acupuncture and cupping as ChiDragon said.

Ok if you came into my clinic and based just upon the things you said here I would say you have a Spleen qi deficiency. Two main indicators for this are sugar cravings and worry / lots of mental activity. Sweet is the flavor of the Spleen and sweet cravings indicate the Spleen is deficient. That on is pretty straight forward. The other factor all the mental business and worry (about doing this or that or being good enough) is also a Spleen issue. I'd also say there is some Liver qi stagnation as stress can cause the Liver qi to stagnate and then the Liver can attack the Spleen further depleting it. My recommendation would be the herbal formula "Xiao Yao Wan". It is good for building up the Spleen and relaxing the Liver. I would also recommend sticking with the qigong but not being so hard on yourself about it (self-compassion is very important). You might also want to consider Buddhist Anapana meditation where all you do is focus on just one thing (often the breath) and nothing else. This will have a great effect of quieting your mind, and helping you get over the habit of feeling like you have to "do something".In this practice you let things happen as opposed to do things. Do with out doing.

Yea that helps a whole lot! Actually doing this seem a bit trick, but at least now I understand what your supposed to be doing better anyways. I suppose that explains why I've favored Shamatha because that one I get. Yea as far as Vispassana goes I was focusing too much on the content and it was stressing me out. So are you saying when a thought comes up you see where and how you feel it, but not to pay attention to the content of the thought?

As far as I'm aware there are generally two basic types of Buddhist meditation. One where you still the mind, and the other where you observe thoughts. I had been trying a little of both of them, but had noticed that the observing thoughts meditation sometimes would make me feel emotional unrest. Should one do the still the mind meditation for a while first before the thought observation one so that they have a nice quite mind, and so thought observation does not bother them?

I always feel more energetic when I embrace a submissive female... lol jk.

Whats that?

My best guess might be that the time with retention may have helped to alleviate your Kidney deficiency so that you get the Liver qi flowing with out the negative side effects of Kidney def.

Oh no need to apologize this helps keep me sharp on past classes so I'll be on top of it when licencing board exams come up ;-). You are correct in saying that probably the largest difference in organ function between western medicine and TCM is the Liver. In western medicine the Liver does so so many things, from being your bodies chemistry station, to storage of all sorts of vital things, to filtration and on and on. In TCM the Liver also has several functions which are to store the blood, help maintain the smooth flow of qi throughout the body, and nourish the sinews. As far as blood storage goes this is another contradiction with western medicine. Western medicine says that the spleen is the primary blood storage organ, while TCM says its the Liver. This partially explains PMS in women. If they do not have enough blood (called blood deficiency in TCM) when its time for their monthly cycle the uterus requires too much of the Liver's stored blood, thus leaving the Liver blood deficient. The Liver's emotion is anger, and blood is a yin type substance which is cooling and calming. With not enough Liver blood, the Liver heats up and then the person feels angry. Ok I digress lol. Another important function is helping the smooth flow of qi throughout the body. Again this is why the condition of Liver qi stagnation produces stress and frustration. Stagnation causes friction which causes heat, and once again you have that Liver heating up and causing anger, pain is possible too. Nourishing the sinews is also an important Liver function. The finger nails (toes too) are considered an excess of the tendons and their health is a reflection of the health of your Liver. One other thing. The Liver houses your ethereal soul called the Hun. This has a lot to do with planning and decision making. According to Daoism the Hun is the only part of you that continues after death. Anyways that' probably more than you wanted but as you can see the function of Liver in the west and TCM is quite different.

Well in TCM formulas are usually prescribed as opposed to single herbs, as a formula works in a synergistic way for greater effect. So what you would probably want is Shou Wu Pian which is a formula for this and thus more effective. A pretty good company I often refer patients to is active herb due to their reasonable prices, and high quality (no I don't own stock in this company lol). In TCM their are usually 3 main ways to take herbs. 1. Patent formulas in pill or tablet form. This way is the most convenient but the weakest potency. With that being said I usually take my herbs in this form and have good results. http://www.activeherb.com/shouwu/ 2. Granule form is in the middle as far as both potency and convenience go. Its kind of like instant coffee and does not really taste all that great. Here is a link to the single herb if your interested in that, though I'd rather take a patent formula as opposed to a single herb granule, but here it is. http://www.activeherb.com/shouwu/ 3. Raw herbs are the most effective and least convenient way. For this you'd probably need to go to a TCM practitioner and get them. They taste horrible, but you definitely get quick results.

That depends on how you look at it. If you make a literal organ to organ comparison then there are a lot of discrepancies. But if you look at the TCM view of looking at each organ system as a system or function rather than only as a literal organ then things make more sense. I have a classmate who was previously in regular med school, and especially at the beginning of school this was a real struggle for him. A good example is the spleen. In western medicine it is just considered a large organ of the lymphatic system that stores and processes red blood cells. You can even have it removed and still live a pretty normal life. In TCM the Spleen is the extremely important as it with the Stomach is in charge of the transportation and transformation of food and drink. With out the Spleen in TCM you could not live. Discrepancy? If taken literal yes. But if you view the "Spleen" in TCM as the overall function of your digestive system as a whole and you don't take it literally then there is not a discrepancy. I hope that makes sense.

Good news, yes it does. Bad news.. if your 22 and already getting greys you most likely will need to take it as a regular thing.

Yes Liver qi stagnation can cause tightness and oppresion in the hypocondriac region, so that makes sense. As you've stated since this has been a long term thing, its might take some time to see results, which I know is not what you want to hear when your feeling crummy. Liver qi stagnation is a weird and trick monster. It can cause you to feel bad, and then once you do feel bad and that makes you upset it further causes your Liver qi to stagnate, thus a vicious cycle. :-/. The primary set of points we typically use for Liver qi stagnation are Liver 3, and Large Intesting 4 (the four gates). Perhaps try doing acupressure on those points for a good 15-20 min massaging in a counter-clockwise motion.