Treena

LOL. I drop in and this is the first discussion I see. You're knackered Grand! Funny guy. Practically everywhere is insured to the hooeys, it's how they operate. And I agree, massage is good good stuff.

Yoda, Riggs' book is excellent. The best I've come across. His deep massage techniques will also release trigger points. And I agree with Mal, that if you get Davies' book, much cheaper than Travell and Simons' or Chaitow's textbooks (it'll run you about $20 online), you'll have all the info you need. Also a much cheaper version of the canes is the Acu/Shiatsu bar. With the tennis balls I've found they can be too soft for a lot of the 'hard bodies' out there (LOL! Hard body is not a sought after thing in trigger point land!), so some hi-bounce rubber balls of varying sizes work even better.

Holy Shemomma! Just read your intro thread in the lobby, Witch, and you are one amazing woman. I don't even think I could function having those many orgasms daily! I can see why you release energy out. But am terribly curious as to what would be the ideal way for you to convert and store it. And I wonder if the CCO did that? It depleted the sexual energy, yes. But did you notice an increase in your overall energy? A light in your eyes? A bounce in your step?

Witch, great article on a little known topic. When it happened to me for the first time I had no freaking idea what was going on and spent some time trying to figure it out. One of the things I've realized is the fluid is not urine. As the article you link to above says: Researches have found that although many women feel a slight need to urinate right before ejaculation, the fluid is definitely not urine. Nor does it come from the Bartholin gland which produces a milky, odorless secretion that helps lubricate the vagina when sexually aroused. But here's an interesting thing I've found out through experimentation while trying to figure out what the heck the fluid was and where it came from. If you are 'femal ejaculating' and then you 'also' activate the bladder with the usual muscular relaxations and contractions, then, yes, urine will come out. If you don't activate the bladder, it won't. Now I try never to have a full bladder while having sex, so maybe that makes a difference. And again, maybe each one of us is different in how it works. Witch, I've also been thinking about the energy loss question. And I think it comes down to Intention. Just as anyone can lose energy if he/she voids the bladder right after qigong practice the same person can, however, make sure he or she doesn't lose the energy by 'intending' not to. It may work in a similar way with female ejaculation.

I find if the muscles are in a really bad, knotted, and shortened state it's much more effective to do some trigger point release, yourself or someone working on you. This can be a godsend when it comes to overstressed tendons that may already be pulling away from the bone because of shortened muscles. Stretching can just aggravate this condition. And in the other extreme if you're hypermobile, which is very flexible, you really don't want to stretch because you may often overstretch, which causes damage to the joints over time. Then the trigger point release is ideal for you, allowing you to release tight muscles without damaging the joint. What I find ideal for most peopel is a combination of the two. Stretching (or tai chi, bagua, qigong, yoga, whatever your love) and self-trigger point release--unless you have a really great practitioner who can really read your body. And you have money for such a thing. Though to learn effective trigger point release it's good to learn from someone who know so you know what is and isn't pushing it--and in this way you'll never age in a can't-bend-down-and-touch-your-toes kind of way. And so who knows, maybe this is the longevity elixir.

Some women never will do such a thing because they feel they are/will be peeing and so won't relax enough to let it happen. There is a difference. The fluid is completely different. It's the sensation that is subtle. A very slight difference. I've never found it to be an energy loss.

As a medical qigong practitioner the standing postures help me to open up blocked channels and to learn to release and relax tension so that I can move large amounts of energy for healing work. It's amazing really how standing for a relatively short period of time can aid me in moving a 'lot' of energy. I often get helping visions to aid what I do. I've received them about the standing postures, and though I haven't been able to manifest this 100% yet, I've learned it's about letting the energy support and move in, around, and through the body. There is no muscular effort. It's all about the energy.

I'm always fascinated by Chaitow's articles. He's also got a great series on shallow breathing and pain and trigger points...also at Massage today: http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2005/10/15.html Breathing Patterns, Connective Tissue and Soft-Shelled Eggs by Leon Chaitow, ND, DO http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2005/12/14.html Understanding and Rehabilitating Unbalanced Breathing by Leon Chaitow ND, DO and Local Adaptation Syndromes Wholistic Solutions Depend on Contextual Thinking by Leon Chaitow, DO, ND Massage Today February, 2006, Volume 06, Issue 02, which I don't have the url on at present. Does anyone have any of his textbooks? They're just expensive enough that I haven't invested but I'm always lusting after them anyway. And I love Myer's Anatomy Trains.

That would be very cool. When you do, please let us know what it was like.

Ain't that the truth? I often contemplate the fact that a jellyfish is not one creature, rather it is a colony of medusa and polyp types. I begin looking at humans the same way. For instance, look at each cell, how it is different, how each is somewhat similar to one-celled organisms from the past. I can't help but think that humans evolved because a bunch of one-celled organisms got together and decided to cooperate. With that perspective we are quite literally part of everything. And "time" is a funny thing. I haven't quite figured out yet why it does exist and doesn't exist. Doesn't matter likely. I think it's to keep our human brains from exploding from too much of everything. Ain't that the truth? I often contemplate the fact that a jellyfish is not one creature, rather it is a colony of medusa and polyp types. I begin looking at humans the same way. For instance, look at each cell, how it is different, how each is somewhat similar to one-celled organisms from the past. I can't help but think that humans evolved because a bunch of one-celled organisms got together and decided to cooperate. With that perspective we are quite literally part of everything. And "time" is a funny thing. I haven't quite figured out yet why it does exist and doesn't exist. Doesn't matter likely. I think it's to keep our human brains from exploding from too much of everything.

Hmmm...this is all great food for thought. I've always used intention with Tibetan incense(s) that were created for specific situations to help "key in" my intention to the universe. So, say I want to boost health, wealth, protection, clearing, I use specific incense to help. Only lately am I using an energetic rooting and connection that includes the microcosmic orbit. With this I'll focus my energetic intent by itself for healing or onto sacred geometry symbols for specific purpose or (when I remember) into my food and drink as prayer and connection with the Divine. TaoMeow raises good points. I look at it this way. We are each here to fulfill our destinies, our purpose on this earth. So if we are not using every one of our skills to help with our "personal goals" we may have a hard time fulfilling our purpose on this earth, as well.

Try releasing the knots in your jaw muscles. When tight they often cause ear troubles. And LOL, TaoMeow. I especially like: With your taoist practices you have partially unblocked a gene that makes the ears of animals of other species capable of wiggling.

Wow. Love the visuals of the brain on that page. I've been taught that the eyes are directly connnected with the brain, a total connection into the nervous system. In his book Sacred Mirrors by Alex Grey there is an awesome painting of the nervous system, and there staring out at you from a nest of brain and nerves are the eyeballs. BK actually does/teaches an eye tension release massage, which helps drain tension from the nervous system, so giving relief to the entire body. This is similar, even though entirely based on meditation or energy-work if you will.

I don't know, Xeno. I've experienced the orbit a number of different ways, and I wouldn't say that any of them are incorrect or wrong or not the real thing. My experiences range from energy just moving around it to that deep gelatinous slow-moving light filled substance that has its own time and flow. I'm actually puzzling over why we all perceive this so differently. And why one way is considered better or more right than another. And using recorded info, what's wrong with that? It's simply a guided meditation.

TaoMeow, you give me hope. Water! Next year? I intend to keep on course, keep learning, cultivating, clearing, moving energy... Oh it's a good good life. I pinch myself almost daily nowadays. Made it through the horrid stuff of my younger life. I realize now, I live my life in a really great country, meaning I can be and do almost anything I want. No starvation, no awful women hatred stuff--girl babies killed, women burned. Life is good. Our lives our good. Great thanks to all those wondrous beings out there helping us. And wishing great auspicious happenings to people who are suffering now.

That's so amazing, MForge. An awesome post. And I also feel as grateful as you do to be here. Small town living, eh? Luckily, we are our own small town of like-minded folk here at Tao Bums. All hail the internet! (And Sean and whoever else created this site) Wishing everyone an Amazing Christmas and a Wonder Filled New Year.

Michael, On a quick search of amazon and net I didn't get any hits on the Minke Devos CD. It's sounds really interesting. What are your directions for locating it?

I learned from a combination of textbook and acupuncture friends' feedback...and lots of pulse taking. The text I used is Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture by Hicks, Hicks, and Mole. How you hold the hand to take the pulse is to stand on the left side of the person. Take the person's left hand in your left hand, as if shaking hands and use your right hand to take the pulses. Opposite on the other side. Here's some of the text: Taking the pulses When taking the patient's pulses the practitioner goes through these stages: - First, place the middle finger over the radial styloid [the bony 'table' on the inside, thumb side of the wrist] until the tip reaches the radial artery. At the same time use the thumb as a fulcrum at the back of the wrist. - Next, let the middle finger drop on to the pulse of the middle pulse position. - Having located the middle position, feel the first, second and third positions in turn. The first pulse position is distal to the middle position and is felt under the tip of the index finger. The third position is proximal to the middle position and is felt under the tip of the ring finger. When feeling each position, the practitioner should place only one finger on the artery at a time. At first it can be really difficult even finding 'a' pulse. So that takes time. Eventually you can sense the depth variations of the pulses. And that's exactly it. Kind of like playing a small flute. It's interesting to take pulses. It seems to have a calming effect on the person having his/her pulses read. I think it has to do with care. Someone is caring for the person, reading his/her system deeply, witnessing.

Ouch! Taomeow! And I've learned that raw/cold food can be quite injurious (sp?) to the spleen.

I've always seemed to have trouble with the microcosmic orbit in the past. Now I just do it as part of what I do and it works fine. I've been thinking a lot lately about the difference between working to figure out a practice and then getting to the point where you're doing it no problem. I've spent a lot of time trying way too hard when in the figuring stage. When I finally go the knack of moving energy, I realized, hey, effortless, easy. I really love the method Yudelove mentioned in 100 Days of moving energy back and forth between two points that are a bit stuck. Flush the channel. You can do that with your hands, too. Pass the energy back and forth over the part that you're working on. Obviously not easy for some parts of the orbit, but no prob for others.

Hey T, Pulse reading can definitely be taught, be interested to know why you heard otherwise. It does, however, take a lot of practice to refine, and it's helpful to have feedback from people in the know. Eventually with the pulses you get to the point that you start recognizing a whole lot of, lot of! Deficiency and excess are where you start from. Then you get to recognize dampness and all sorts of things. A good mix of TCM and Five Element. If you can find an acupuncturist friend or relative, they can be invaluable in aiding with the pulse refining. And love the taiji under the full moon. That'd be a lot of good moon mojo, for sure.

A website for good acupuncture info is: http://www.yinyanghouse.com. Though it's changed a bit so I can't find the five element pulse method just now. Learning any Chinese Medicine method of diagnostics can be helpful. And it's all fascinating. Love TaoMeow's food/herbal approach as well! Food and the body, dynamic, changeable, effective.

Zhi is will or willpower. From a medical qigong perspective, and ain't it great how all the terminology is close but never quite the same?, the idea is to purge, tonify, and regulate the organ in that order. Stagnation, use a healing sound. Tonify by bringing in healing light, organ colours, massaging, and such. Regulate by doing the microcosmic orbit or some other balancing type exercise that is appropriate to what's going on with the person. There are so many, each specific to the imbalances that can occur. QiDr raises a good point about not overdoing things when in balance. Moderation is really a good idea. Overdoing anything is not good. Listen to the body. But also realize that purging out stagnation from organs can be a hell of a process as you get to 'relive' some of the emotion anyway as it's going out. What's the difference between qi deviations (things going wrong) and funky feelings as a natural part of purging? That's what someone trained in these things can help the practitioner to figure out. The qigong exercises are often described as being like herbal medicines: specific for each person, a certain amount is ideal, and actually doing the exercises is necessary. A great way to figure out if you're deficient or in excess organ energy-wise is to learn to read pulses. TCM is quite complex, but Five Element is definitely do-able. Hmmm...I'll go check on a website and post in a bit.

Yeah, very well could be. How bout this wild speculation, check out the image of the meditator in the merkaba (image tag says: This looks like a UFO) at http://www.crystalinks.com/merkaba.html and then consider, maybe humans are doing just that. Would also explain the UFO and light-type sightings.

Another angle. I've often heard that we're here until we accomplish what we're here on this earth to do. You know, our purpose, our big task in this lifetime. So, maybe those people who are really old are just big procrastinators. And the ones who died young, in out, job done....?