Marks of Glory

I agree... the chants are full of worldly lessons of how to behave with others, and to play is a true lesson of trust and how to "dance with it", Sister! about the energetics, it certainly generates alot of Jing because of the leg work, the rhythm and it's close contact with the ground (especially the more traditional Angola). on the Angola style also the players ofter spin on their own axiswith the palms facing up, I betya it's an intuitive move of capturing energy hehe.. yes, bezouro is a little cheesy hehe.... oh, careful with the documentaries about candomble, I saw one of BBC that made the whole riatual seem more like a big theatrical play. There are two very good films that are not at all cheesy, I like them alot. They show alot of the lifestyle of "Bahia" the Brazilian state where african culture mostly flourished, they also show alittle bit of capoeira, here are the two trailers.. they are very god films by themselves! Here are the Trailers. "The Two Deaths of Quincas Wateryell" "Captains of the Sand"

what about it ?

capoeira is not a fight, it is a game!

hey brother come to brazil to check out capeira in Bahia or in any part of Brazil. It is very associatd with the Brazilian-Afro religion cults of the Candomblé and Umbanda, in which Mediums incorporate spirits during drum music induced trances... search for "pontos de umbanda" in the internet to download some rythms of this cult, (careful couse some invoke the Trikster (Exu). There is Capeira Regional which is more sportive with more violent jumps and kicks, and the Capoeira Angola which is more grounded, more slow, more playful, lucid and spiritual, with more cultural and spiritual roots... a nive brazilian film about a great capoeira is called "Bezouro", check it out on the net. best

Nice practicing... i have heard people describing different tummo breathing exercises for me... where did you study the Yi Jin Jin, Nei gong and Martial arts? what practces are especifically for physical body, energetic body and spirit? thanks!

let´s open a new topic! can the Ox and the farmer maybe simbolize intense practice (cultivation)? the river going up hill maybe symbolizes the Return Path. In buddhism and vedanta there are two paths of the Cosmos: The path o Evolution, or Creation of the Cosmos which is called Pravritti i.e. the comming forth of the world and all it's activities. The scriptures of Pravritti Dharma thus speaks about laws of moral duty and how men should behave in society and follow the Dharma, living in the day-to-day world. The Nirvitti Path, or the left hand path, is involution, dissolution and return to the Source (the River going uphill ?) Those are followed by the Yoguins and cultivators to seek true eternal knowledge. Oh.. Gerard, By the way, beatiful picture and simbology of the Pelvic skeleton! Where did you gather all the "esoteric" information and interpretation of the TCM theory (like the projecting of reallity throu8gh the Gall Bladder and Liver, etc)?

Geese... those western abordations really spookes me out! rsrs... I will read the article and try to observe my breathing patterns deeper still to see if I notice the typical oscillation mentioned in the Cheyne-stokes article on the internet.. Thanks for sharing sister.

Ok Aziz, Thnks for the post, i will answer your questions... I started practicing Yoga daily and seriously about three to four years ago, when I was all fucked up drinking, smoking and using alot of psychedelics. Since then my priority was Yoga practices, practicing everyday, following Swami Satyananda's book on Tantra and Kriya, one pace at a time and really giving 100 % effort on the pranayama practices. I started practicing only on the mornings, for about 30 an hour first, and slowly increasing to about 3 hours to even 4 if I have time (todays practice), always in the morning. The yoguic practices, praticularly the Pranayama practices really were opening up some energies within me, but in a rather disordered manner, I spent alot of time kinda insane, having allucinations, feeling strange things, not understanding what was happening. It was when I started feeling energy around me, and it's interaction with people. I guess that the great problem of Pranayama is knowing how to direct the energy, i mean, it really transforms Jing into Qi, but the Qi would stay spread out around my body, interacting with people, and I would loose my body awarness and stay spaced out for months in a row. About one year ago I started incorporaing some Taoist practices. My general rule was: Stick to the Yoga practices in the morning, and experiment whatever you want in the evening. so that I did not get lost trying alot of practices, which would ultimately mess up with the whole practice buisness. Today I am living in a farm for some months, and increasing my practice period which is very stable now. On the mornings I still practice my Yoga techniques, starting with Asanas, including increasing the Sirsasana headstand pose. and increasing Uddiiyana Bandha practice Then passing on to Bhastrika Pranayama (I only started practicing this one after about 3 years of Nadi Shodhana) and Nadi Shodhana if both my nostrils are opened. Then I do the first 4 or 5 Kriyas of the Swami Satyananda tradition, to chanellize the energy generated during the pranayamas. I have a light breakfast and after i compeltely digested the food I start my afternoon practice of Hatha yoga again, this time only practicing the Headstand Sirsasana and the Uddiyana Bandhas repetitive contraction, following Bhastrika Pranayama and Nadi Shodhana if the weather is not too hot. This ends my yoguic practices for the day. On the afternoon I do one round of the 24 simplified Taichi and one round of the 48 movements taichi from Shouyu-Liang's tradition, and at night my Qigong practices from Shou Yu Liang's tradition also. Basically Ba Duan Jin to warm up and get the Qi flowing, then the relaxation thechniques and Qi permeating technique, then the Kidney Strengthening Qigong and finally ending with some Zhan Zhuang. That answers you questions... ; ) about mixing the practices, I really feel comfortable with it, and believe that it actually helps me. The yoguic practices, especially the breath retention ones are more agressive to my body, but are very good for generating energy, i like them. I feel that the night practices and the taichi kind of balances out any execssive and irregular energy pattern that was originated in the yoguic practices and are very important to my whole sadhana bringing the energy more in contact with my body and directing them. If I were older and had a more stressed up body, i certainly wouldn't practice the Hatha yoga pranayamas as intenselly as I do. I believe that energetic mechanisms are universal, so it really is possible to dialogue in between different traditions.. Is taichi good for moving practice? or should I incorporate the walking qigong on my night practice? hmm I have heard about the heat being generated because of "friction" of impurities also. It is possible to be due to that, but also... the navel area is traditionally associated with fire, so the Qi of that region maybe of fire like qualities even after the organism is unblocked. I believe that in my case it could be a misxture of both, since it is the first time that I felt such a sensation (hot) going through that area.... I post my experiences here to make sure with more experienced practitioners and to share with general public.

I want to add to this topic a new exeprience with heat that I had just a few days ago. Interesting enough it had nothign to do with Pranayama nd kumbhaka, and happened during a Qigong practice. It was during some Kidney Sterngthening Exercices from Shou Yu Liang's Qigong empowernment book, particularly the girdle vessel circulation, where I focused on my lower dantien, then while exhaling and contracting my perineum, i brought the Qi down to the hui-yin, then up to the mingmen, then round the girdle vessel to my navel, and when I inhale I would bring my Qi down from my navel to my Dantien, repeating 21 times. After some rounds I started feeling a Heat sensation on my Navel, the Heat spreaded all over the navel area as I continues the exercice, then it came down to my Huiyin and up my spine. I was going to try and complete the microcosmic circulation with it, but it got stuck in an obstrucion in the height more or less of the mingmen, where it stopped rising and the sensation of heat soon dimineshed and dispersed. I felt some pain on the obstruction. very interesting experience. On the next day I noticed a certain lightness on my body and mood, my I also noticed that beneath my eyes were blackish coloured, as if i'd been punched on the eye socket. My aunt noticed it particularly and said that it looked that I had painted it black. Any ways, I know that on Japanese Acupuncture face-reading, this region is associated with the Kidneys, so I guess that I forced a little bit of my Kidneys on that practice, I don't know if it was because of the practice, or because of the blockage (on the region of the Mingmen). Maybe it happened due to a desobstruction. Don't know. Anyone?

Hi all. I have studied my breathing patterns lately... and i noticed that, if it is Apnea that I am suffering, it surely is not the physical type, for I have slept sitting down and in varied positions and sometimes some breath shortaged still takes place (but in a mild manner, not as drastic as the crisis that I have when I practice too much exercice). So I believe that my sort of "apnea" has it's origin in the Nervous System. I have been noticing my breathing patterns bduring the day time also, and I noticed that it is very sutil, and very silent throughout the day, I guess this is a good breathing pattern to meditate, but not very good to do the day-to-day buisness, so I am practicing Ajapa-Japa throughout the day, which basically is conscious breathing. If I forget, my breathing will get very sutil once again, and I will enter a more transcendental and hibernating mode, so I constantly have to be aware of breathing. (Ajapa Japa means "repetition without repetition" which is being aware of the breathing process and often associating mantras with is, as So-Hong ("so" uininspiration, and "hong" in expiration), it seems like it's working to make me more alert during the day-to-day. I have been thinking.. Ajapa Japa is said to be a very important practice for advanced Yoguins, so I have been thinking... maybe very advanced yoguins must practice Ajapa Japa all day long to continue alive and not desencarnate, or simply not to stay in a perpetual Samadhih, since they activated so strongly some "transcendental energies" that their breath is constantly stopping... I am Just thinking out loud here...

Hi. I have noticed that after some intense Qigong practice my body stays kind of cold to the touch (starts happening during the practice). But I do not feel cold at all. I go to sleep and often wake up feeling very cold at night. As if my body is cold. I have got ill much more often lately. Does anyone know why this phenomenon happens? Is there anything that I can do to not get sick but still contunue with my practices? Teas, moxas on specific areas of the body, etc? I have heard that Kundalini Yoga practitioners are recomended to start their practice on Autumn or Spring so that they do not get a Sick. Any comentaries are welcome.; Thank You.

hmm I really wnted to know mare about the mechanics behind this. apreciated

superb! -------------------------- Actually my brothers, I have a strong hunch that it side effect from (strong) pranayama practice affecting the respiritory and nervous system accompanied with exhaustion, but I rather not say anything for the moment and dig in deeper and go for the physician, but I certainly will come back with some answers, rsrs..

Thnks for the advise Bamboo, hopefully in about 4 months I will be close to a reall master to absorb the teachings. Hi Azad, I appreciate your reply. oh yes, I feel alot tired lately. I even wrote a topic on breath suspention due to exhaustion some days ago. May this energy leackage be due to not closing onto Dantien properly after practice? I realized that I do not close

Hey Cheya. Do you know what kind of treatment your client underwent? thnks

will check out with my doctor. Will check this out! Oh yes! I am so grateful for you all having said this to me. I will surely consult a medical doctor and explain him my situation. i probably will have a blood test check to check out my iron and vitamins levels since I am a vegetarian. My father has Apnea but he is fat, and he says that apnea happens normally with people that are fat. It happens due to a relaxation of the breathing related muscles, which are impeded from continuing with their functions due to the extra weight of the fat and mass of obese people. I believe that in my case, the Apnea that is occuring is a manifestation due to other factors. I.E. exhaustion. The Apnea crisis that I have normally happen when I am feeling really exhausted, probably my muscles relax so much that the Apnea comes in. So i guess i need to discover the cause of this Exhaustion or rather, my exhaustion can be due to my apnea that is ocurring every night, which in turn causes more ehaustion which leads to a more profound relaxation which leads to more apnea crisis. for the meanwhile I will: I am planning in adding some meat in my Diet, maybe a Liver Soup or broken bone Soup once a week for nourishment. Avoid sleeping when I feel exausted, and probably try and just rest without faling a sleep, the exhaustion normally subsides. If I sleep, probably I should do it in a sitting or reclined position. (curious that the last time that I had a crisis, i instinctively turned with my belly downwards, every time I had crisis, I was laying down with my belly upwards, so the weight of my belly would sink down, forcing against the diafragm`s free movement) I will check this out with my TCM physician also. I will probably get a sleeping test to test for my apnea. My neck is very long which might contribute to this condition. The sofa in which i had some crisis is very soft and I was sleeping withou a pillow with could facilitate a blockage in my neck. I will make my best to sleep on my sides instead of on my back, maybe by stitching a pocket on the back of my pijamas and putting a tennis ball there, so that I can`t lay down on my back, forcing myself to turn sideways. Whoa, it seems that apnea affects alot of people who don`t even know it!!!! I certainly will sleep on my sides from today onwards! oh... have you guys ever heard about that wooden "pillow" which is supposed to fit perfectly on one`s neck?? probably it has a shape intended to relieve those apneas! I will chech this out. my brothers, thank you very much for your feedback! helped me alot (even save my life probably) rsrsrs.... i am going to my farm so will not reply for the next days, but will surely post futurely with updates. I found a nice website full of info.: http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/sleep_apnea_000065.htm Thank you once again, God bless you all

I agree completely. I myself have written alot of poetry that sprung from an overwhelming anxiety which burst creatively in all directions. But all of those creations tended to the negative side, some very beautiful and dificult to tell that they were negative. But the Dark Side was there.. occult. During this period i really believed that all inspiration came from this profound striving / anxiety. But all of a sudden one day, i discovered anoter source of inspiration, and it was blissfull, peacful, very wise, serene, and way,. way more lucid, as if inspiration poured with no difficulti and spontaneously.

I believe that this condition is aggravated in cases of an excessively weak diet and extreme summer Heat which makes my body meltish and slow and heavy. ------------------- One of my "spiritual sources" that mentions experiences of Suffocation is Master Tolken`s "The hobbit". More especifically a passage of the book in which the Hobbit and his friends are lost in the Dark Woods, and are captured by giant Spiders who roll them in their silk cocoons, thus suffocating them, By the time Bilbo Baggins reaches his friends to save them, they are already purple due to the suffocation.

much appreciated

I am visiting my parents in their town so stopped the practice for 3 days, I will inform you on another occasion.

Cheers Bamboo. Nice thread. I will ponder upon it (maybe this isn`t correct english). Hmm about the Coolness, once again I will remind you that internally I feel warm, it is my body externally that gets cold to the touch. By what you said about the seasons, and the Kidney predominance, I just remembered. Isn`t Kidney Qi Hot on the Inside and Cold on the outside? How can I know if certain practices are compatible with one another? what are the underlaying dynamics of the choices? namaste

Thankyou very much my brother. Nice Post! very helpful post indeed. I have never had a personal Guru, so I am am very "cautious" (in it`s relative concept.. hehe). And like o reveive alot of info. As for the Heat, the last time it happened, I managed to pull it up with my plain intent (not necessarily sincronizing with breath), up to my Mingmen point. Funny, after the practice, I felt (Am feeling right now) Heat on my neck, more especifically the right side, it is not bothering me, and it is not a violent heat. a superficial and tangible heat on my skin (by tangible I mean that it is not like the heat generated by sports or running, but rather like dipping my hand into Hot water.) May I ask you about your experiences with heat? The practices that generated them? the sources from which you gathered your info? Thank you!

Thanks

hmmm I just remebered... I went to a TCM physician today.. and was diagnosed with Heat entering the Liver.

But i am more grounded, have a stronger sexual drive, and greater capacity of retaining my ejaculation... aren`t all tose signs of a stronger lower Dantien and Kidney?