Spirit of the Tiger

Well originally I just wanted to post this as something anyone can try at home. no expensive fees, and easy to do.

Zhan Zhuang and the Search of Wu is another book on zhang zhuang. I have a PDF copy. If you can also find online the copies of Jerry Alan Johnson's Medical qigong texts you'll also find it has a good description of Zhang Zhuang in the section "Postural Dao Yin". http://www.chrat.de/yigong/engqigong104.pdf

Wujishi Breathing Exercise is a short little book I got recently. The books here might also be useful? http://www.warriorsofstillness.com/ and... http://www.wujiqigong.net/ and these websites might also prove useful http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/wuji.htm http://precisiondocs.com/~altaoism/ZhanZhuang.htm

Also I think it's good to use modern scientific measures along with TCM principles to explain the whys and hows of TCM or even to further classify things using TCM principles using modern scientific research. People just repeat what TCM says often like "this is strengthens the spleen, is warming, etc" but how does it do this? The answer cant just be "because it says so in the nei jing" or "because it just is traditionally for thousands of yrs (of course within the context of usage)" or something like that.. or even to further explain or justify using more vague TCM terms which have no correlation with modern scientific research. Not that TCM can't be scientific in it's own right but in the ancient times some tools were lacking that we have now which can help to evolve TCM and take it in a new direction. This is part of why in China TCM and western allopathic medicine are in such conflict.

i think the issue with raw foods can be looked at again with a modern viewpoint taking into account TCM principles. I think a raw food diet can work and it still wouldn't be a problem. My take is that one can be just fine if 75-80% of the food is raw, and for special cases if one is in a weakened state perhaps some cooked food/herbs can be of benefit. I am not against preparation of herbs and such but yea raw food isn't all that bad. I think it's just traditionally raw food is avoided because in the old times we didnt have as much knowledge as we have today, the environment and/or technological limitations did not allow for a diet high in raw foods. If you read my previous posts it can make sense why raw foods aren't all that bad if you take into account certain things and still it will fall under TCM principles.

funny I came across this website yesterday http://dangerofchi.org/ http://www.thejinn.net/chi_jinn_my_story.htm So yea if you're not exact about what you call "qi", practice virtue and charity it can take on the form of your fears.

also, my friend thinks ur probably psychosomatically causing the deconversion of qi into sexual fluids. Ie 'when this happens, the qi deconverts'. It's the mind programs u run. If you train ur mind to not deconvert the qi to sexual fluids like a really accomplished yogi u cd look at a naked woman and it won't deconvert your qi.

It seems Drew that you're kinda obsessed about the whole sexual thingy that you have to be in full lotus so long that you're knees are breaking.. there are other ways to transmute sexual energy than just full lotus. Try the headstand.

I haven't read your full post yet but I have the question which begs to be asked: just where is the differentiation between sex and non-sex thoughts? We all have gender... so every thought that is differentiated by gender can be classified as "sex thought". Even merely looking at a woman can be considered sex. Conversation can be considered sex. Etc. I just see it as unnatural I guess to be watching and denying myself the humanity of sex. A woman has a sexy body, so wouldn't looking at her turn a man on, can't that be considered sex also? What about hugging, touching, what about just having a boner? I feel like I'd have to hit myself everytime I think something "sexual" (not knowing the real distinction of what is/isn't sexual), and it seems unnaturally. And to be carrying a grudge everywhere I go of repressed sexuality. I guess it's moreso that one shd just meditate often to do the work of transmuting than repression. I mean.. once a person meditates there is less distinction of extremes and one is in a non-dual consciousness, is that what it is? So that there is no "excess thoughts" or "ego" distinguishing this or that (at least excessively/forefully) and whatever is thought is thought naturally not by any egoic force. By that understanding then maybe some "sexual" thoughts can be ok if it's not overly materialist/excessive or based on ego? Then the question there is of course what is/isn't ego?

yea I dont know where I'm at with grains.. I just know that it takes sprouting with them. It's ok to eat sprouted.. but it can still be mildly inflammatory even if sprouted.

Im also wondering if masturbation/sex w/o ejaculation is allowed... I guess I just fear losing my size and "yang" stregnth when/if "it" retracts for a long time..

Uhm.. you wrote about using cayenne pepper on the penis in another thread. I was wondering if you meant on the tip of the penis like... where it can even go inside through the meatus... Im thinking that shit would hurt lol. I actually tried the clove oil thing twice as was suggested on the forums a while back and yea it hurt... but I was also wondering about the same thing too with regards to the clove oil.

I think starches just aren't natural foods for us. We have to sprout them to get rid of the lectins otherwise they are not food for us. Even the birds the natural seed eaters prefer sprouts. The easiest to digest of the carbs are the fruits. But if you look at all the recent researches on diet you'll also see that a diet high in carbohydrates contributes more towards aging than one of low carbohydrate. And that also agrees with the paleo diet principles. It is perfectly possible to do this as a raw vegan. There is unwarranted fear against "PUFAS AND MUFAS" aka polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats simply because of the need for omega 3s. It also has steered many away from vaulable nutrition in nuts and sees because they contain "excess omega 6s". Actually nuts and seeds contain a lot more omega 9 than omega 6, and that doesn't disturb your omega fatty acid ratio as long as you focus on the omega9s being the "filler" source of fats and focus on using flaxseed and chia seed to balance the ratio of omega 3s to 6s.

Read up on my posts about the raw food diet. The diet I practice is basically "moderate carb" raw. Gabriel Cousens has it right in a 3 phase diet. Phase 1 has you eaten nothing sweet, except for small amounts of low glycemic berries and grapefruit in raw salads. The rest you can eat all the veggies and veggie fruits you want but none of the starchy veggies like carrots, tubers, etc. Only the zucchinni and yellow squashes. Also mung and adzuki sprouts are ok in moderation. I'd say of the long shoot type sprouts not the skimp tailed ones. Snow and snap peas are good here. Each phase is phase 3-6 months. Phase 1.5 has allows the same fruits that you could eat in salads for phase 1 but more sporadically, ie separate from salads, etc. But since it's a moderate carb diet you don't ever make fruits the main part of the diet, only eaten in moderation. Non-stored grains are also allowed here but never in excess, if even at all. Phase 2 you are allowed to eat higher glycemic fruits like apples, pears, etc. and high glycemic fruits very rarely. Non-stored Grains and tubers also rarely. Only sprouted. If at all really. Soaked nuts and seeds are good sources of protein on this diet, with much emphasis on keeping the omega 3 to 6 ratio a 1:1 to 1:4. Also good source of concentrated protein is making a green smoothie filled with any of the greens you like.. but emphasizing on baby greens, microgreens/green sprouts, microalgae (ie spirulina/chlorella/AFA), seaweeds, grasses, forage greens etc. And perhaps a nutmilk. Really good way to get in the protein. Maybe some snow or snap peas, carob powder, or some maca can be good here for palatability. Not even necessary if you're used to eaten greens on their own. Low glycemic acid fruits would mix well here with the nut milks. If not using nut milk then you can use any other fruit. Of course... in this diet sprouts are probably a must to make up for the fact that the most popular raw foods can be cold/yin in nature, but when sprouted they are full of enzyme activity, nutrients are predigested and more bioavailable, nutrient content is higher, etc. Many of the goitrogenic factors would be non-existent in the baby green/microgreen phase. Also making sure not to eat food that is too physically cold of course. Gabriel Cousens cites some studies in his book Spiritual Nutrition that in fact heated food can be detrimental to the body, denaturing proteins, making cis turn into trans-fats, devitalizing the qi aspect of a food (with the enzyme activity) making them higher glycemic etc. but also taking in a food that is physically hot temperature wise can be detrimental for the enzymes in the mouth and in the gut.. also making the food acidic and altering the organic nature of the food. The sprouts to focus on are the microgreens/sprout greens and shoots. Sprouting also saves money because buying seeds in bulk and growing them on your own is a lot cheaper. Just find a good source of water and set everything up. At first it'll take effort to set things up and get into the rhythm but then it'll become a lifestyle. Gabriel Cousens is one of the only raw food pioneers promoting the LOW GLYCEMIC/LOW-MODERATE CARB raw diet. When the body makes the shift to become more of a fat metabolizer (by focusing on monounsaturated fats aka omega 9 oleic acid from raw soaked nuts/seeds), moderating the carb intake and the glycemic index, you become more insulin sensitive, and optimizing glucagon (breaks fats down) levels. So for exercise you will start using fats for energy and the sugar you do get from the good goes straight to the nervous system where it should be going and also stored as glycogen instead of fat. The fat metabolism is actually according to Gabriel Cousens the optimal system to use, while the sugar based metabolism is for emergencies, ie glycogen, to get quick and strong boosts of energy for emergency purposes. So instead of your body constantly burning off glycogen for no reason it will turn to the fat for energy by normal physical exercise ie endurance type exercise. Just like the Zone diet. Fats also provide more calories per gram. Also a high carb diet leads to higher glycation end products which translates to aging. 3 Major factors of aging are: devitalization by running out of enzyme activity in the body, glycation end products and calcification of the bones.

I saw this somewhere but there is a full lotus posture in which the arms go across the back and meet the opposite foot. I forgot what it's called. Oh wait nvm this is the bound lotus posture . Yea I thought it was another thread someone was talking about how they connect with the feet in the front of the body. Hey Drew.. whenefver I tried doing the "Secret" method from Yan Xin ie making the head face down.. I sometimes think I am looking too down. Is it an exaggerated chin lock or is it Just the regular chin lock? And you look at your hands that are in the Zen mudra right?

hm. Good post I like it. I agree, full lotus makes me feel better when I'm feeling down, and I don't even have to be meditating. What about siddhasana and headstand? My friend says these are probably even better for meditation, though I'm not sure if he was also emphasizing "as a qigong" like you guys would prefer.

Let me also add that fermented foods are also a good for the gut flora. If one has candida overgrowth, parasites, etc (a lot do and don't even know it) it's good to take care of these also.

Hi this is Non. I finally changed my avatar to something which has more integrity. Spirit of the Tiger with it's Highest Integrity. I chose this name because of my Chinese astrological birth year. I'm a yang fire tiger. Not that I will change all that much. Well hopefully I'll add more to the discussion than smtg Non would. Regards

Cool tiger Small Fur. Thanks for that . Alright, thanks for the comments all. I don't know if I'll even post that much now as I'm busy but I wanted to intro myself. Regards

I believe the sprouts and baby greens are key to making the raw food diet work and also minimize any spleen-pancreas disharmonies. Sprouts contain an abundance of enzymes and predigested macronutients, along with vitamins and minerals which are bound as naturally occuring organic compounds which make them more bioavailable and digestible.. Baby greens, microgreens and sprout greens over mature greens makes a huge difference also. Mature greens can often have excess cadmium and other heavy metals which can inhibit thyroid function (spleen's TNT function also). At least the ones that are popular. Goitrogens and excess oxalates are other compounds found in mature greens that make digestion harder and directly affect the spleen yang. When it comes to greens, the best are the sprout greens, baby greens, microgreens, edible weeds, seaweed and seaveggies and microalgae. This can make all the difference when it comes to the spleen's TNT function. Iodine as well from sea veggies can also help to warm you up. Lettuce are also probably good and don't require them to be immature. Some might consider them more cooling and watery.. I've seen some sources categorize them as neutral. Fruits also provide a thermal effect. Of course not in excess. Greens, nuts and seeds, when soaked and/or sprouted make superior sources of fats and protein. Keep to the optimal ratio of omega 3s to 6s of 1:1 to 1:4 to make EPA and DHA in the body without needing supplementation, and omega 9s are good for filler which doesn't disturb this intake ratio. The fats also help keep a person warm. One should also make sure to choose warming and more yang foods. The key is in the seed(s). Sprouts are definitely human food. When it comes to grains and legumes though... it might be best to either stay away from them or only consume them when they are well enough sprouted. For grains it's ok to consume when the sprouts are 1-3 inches long or so. Like any normal grain sprout. That is if you consume them... Beans, are probably best only after it has formed a shoot like pea shoots and chinese bean sprout. Not all legume sprouts are good for eating raw. Only peas, adzuki, mung, lentil and maybe chickpeas. But since it's hard to get them to the shoot stage really it seems peas and mung are optimal. It does take work but I think there's something to it. Let's not forget the edible weeds. When they are small they can be quite tasty. And foods that are cold in temperature definately can impair the spleen/stomach function. No colder than room temperature is normally best.

Thanks all. I wasn't completely my idea, I have to give credit where it's due. I'm not going to say any names but "she" knows who "she" is. I probably could have thought of it myself, but with that old mindset it probably would have not happened soon enough.. Regards