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What is the effect on microwave on food ? does it destroy all the qi the food has ? does it destroy just some ? If i put some freshely picked broccoli (or any other vegetable) and cook it in the microwave , does all the qi get destroyed ? what if i cook the broccoli on a stove and than re-heat it in the microwave ? what about other cooking methods - what is their effect and which is better qi wise (frying,raw,oven, pot on a fire put on an electric heater etc)

I heared from someone about blessing food and water before consumption what do people who do it say before consumption ? do you do anything else ? what is its effect (qi wise ? mind wise ? etc)

I am trying to find my way with food. Particularly, coming off Suboxone, I need energy, liver, kidneys and brain regeneration. Sleep is an issue as well. On a deeper level, I'm practicing the very, VERY beginnings of internal alchemy, and thus am interested in changing my body's pH balance. I identify as a Taoist, because it is easiest, but I'm more specifically an esoteric mystic, I guess. I want to know what everyone eats, an their experience with food, changing diets. I just stopped eating meat a few days ago. I have decided I will not eat anything I would be unwilling to procure. So, I would milk a cow, takean egg, kill a shrimp, maybe even a fish. But nothing else. This happens naturally also. I have no moral issue with killing animals, but I do have a moral issue with industry. So ANYWAY: What do you identify as? (Taoist, Buddhist, atheist, gnostic luciferian,Catholic etc.) What does your diet look like? Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Snack? How did you come to this diet? What benefits have you noticed from it? How have your different diets made you feel? Any other observations about certain foods, supplements, etc? Drugs/medications: side effects, benefits and food interactions? Any other comments or pieces of advice? SPECIFICALLY FOR TAOISTS Grains or no grains? Are whole grains okay? Natural sugar vs. refined sugar? Carbs vs no carbs? Cooked versus raw food? Vegetable/fruit juice: Pastuerized or unpastuerized? Better or worse than eating the entire fruit/vegetable? Smoothies? FASTING: Resources? How long?(min./max) Experiences? I really appreciate it guys. I'd like this thread to be a resource for everyone. I find it very difficult to learn what the Taoists diet looks like. I understand this is because of the individual nature of Taoism, and it's feminine and embracing nature. But still, I'd like to know how others eat and why.

Thread discussing if non-vegan diets are sustainable in the modern age and moving forward into the future.

I recently realised that cooking a stew is like a perfect Daoist dish for a beginner (at least for a Westerner who hasn’t got easy access to all your fancy herbs). You got a lot of vegetables, meat, and few if any grains. Also it is very warming, and so good for the body. However, as I plan to cook this on a regular basis, I want to know not only the best ingredients, but ingredients that are widely available and not too expensive. So, in my stew I shall add hot water (of course) bones (for the marrow, which will strengthen my Jing energy). From which animal do you think is best? meat (again, from which animal do you think is best?) Vegetable oil Anything else? I look forward to any suggestions, like what vegetables, spices, etc to add. However, Lao Zi says not to make a dish appeal to the 5 tastes of the tongue, so a bland, tasteless dish is what I want. So if you add something sour, suggest also something bitter.

The food we consume - is the all that we take in We bring in through the eyes vast cubic miles every day The ears hear a thousand vibrations we never notice The nose speaks directly to our ancestry in each breath Our skin sinks to the marrow Please share here beauty that you have found so that it might be a well of delight and wonder

hello, I have been doing tests and read about TCM and such, and i have been diagnosed by different tcm practitioners and tests that i have yin deficiency. these links of some tests and what i have been told by some tcm practitioners: " You seem to have several symptoms of a general yin deficiency. The burning of the hands, nervousness and flushing can stem from heart yin deficiency. some of your digestive issues and some of the constant worry could be from spleen qi deficiency. Eczema is commonly caused by damp heat and is probably made worse by your yin deficiency as well. As for your tongue, the deep centerline crack reflects yin deficiency. The soft, somewhat flaccid texture of the tongue reflects chronic spleen weakness. the bumps of the tongue reflect chronic heat accumulation, which in your case is probably a result of the chronic yin deficiency. it is a little hard to tell but it does look like the front of the tongue is a little brighter red than the rest, which is another sign of heat which has accumulated in the upper." tests: http://imgur.com/a/bqOMz http://imgur.com/a/xD1Tz Can someone explain me the yin energy and how it is absorbed (ground or cosmos..or...) and what food or lifestyle is yin, and techniques and such that may help me in balancing, since i don't have much knowledge in tcm. thanks

I was reading innersoundqigong's blog at http://innersoundqigong.blogspot.ca/2015/05/neidan-qigong-alchemy-secret-of.html?zx=def6cc3eb7c8d7c3 so now I'm wondering what are the best foods/herbs/supplements for providing nourishment to the spleen?

Does anyone have a particular Taoist practice or discipline that they follow for eating? I live in the United States which is a country in which, ironically, it is the abundance of food that is making us gravely ill. So it makes good sense to have good habits that promote spiritual cultivation and growth. The below page I recently read, and found it to be a good resource for this topic: http://www.seventhfam.com/temple/books/eattolive_one/eat1_10.htm I think one large meal a day is more than possible, and honestly makes good sense because you can devote the majority of your day to everything besides cooking or eating. It just seems to be cultivating an "eat to live" mindset. I have never done well with several meals a day. I've had very religious experiences fasting for a couple days, it seems to open creative and soul channels which are closed after consuming food. I have never gone longer than a few days though because I'm already slender. I've also read about one bowl meditation where you put everything you want to eat in one bowl. Not sure about the practicality of this if eating one meal a day.

Greetings Bums, I'm trying to modify my daily diet to improve my practice (and general health/wellbeing of course) and would welcome suggestions from any and all about ideas for breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks that would be in keeping with a Daoist diet. I have seen plenty of lists of foods which constitute good Daoist types e.g. avoiud red meat, spicy food, cold food/drink, processed food etc etc. but I am an absolute incompetent in the kitchen and as regards cooking and preparing food etc. It is something that I don't have the time or the inclination for to be honest, so contstructing my own recipes and ideas is something that gives me the fear. I think I'd be much more successfull in my endeavours if I was able to have a clear and prescriptive structure to follow. SO if anyone could share what they eat on a daily basis - that they believe constitutes a good Daoist diet - then this would be much appreciated! I'm hoping to put together a simple plan for three simple healthy meals. I should say that I have a moderately active life - commuting/working with long days (though in a sedentary job) with some light exercise and qi gong in the evenings and daily meditation. Any input much appreciated. Thanks

Hi All, Amazing and not so amazing animals/foods I have tried on my travels thus far; * Australia: Kangaroo, rabbit, jelly fish, birds nest soup and crocodile * Cambodia: Tarantula * Indonesia;: Frog, sea cucumber, snails and dog (stray) I have a Vietnamese friend who said she ate rat and snake in Vietnam... I'd love to hear what others have tried on their travels... Peace, FT

What do you eat (or avoid eating)? What's your diet profile (or ideal diet)? Got recipes? What does the Taoist, Buddhist, or Spiritual diet consist of?

I have tried several times to eat very simple foods, with limited spices and ingredients, and after only 1 to 2 weeks, it seems like my appetite goes way down and so does my energy. I have trouble sleeping, and I just always feel tired. I can force myself to eat more, but I'm not hungry, so I don't digest it well. I know in TCM that when you digest food, the spleen extracts the raw chi so your body can use it. Weak digestive fire means less food being eaten and less chi, resulting in much lower energy. This is my experience every time. I'm not saying being gluttonous is good or that we should go out of our way to prepare extravagant meals, but I've come to realize that enjoyment on some level of the food I eat is crucial to optimum health. I guess its important to find the middle ground and not go to either extreme. Who would have thought. What's your guys and gals take on this?

So I found a good read when I was younger, maybe 10 years ago or so, a book by Mary Summerrain called The Phoenix Rising. Another book she wrote, Dreamwalker, spoke of a concept that has been on my mind for a while and I figured it's time to just hash it out and put it into words. Maybe get some answers just doing so, but it's here as well, for discussion. (note, for some reason I cannot use the enter key to add vertical spaces between paragraphs, this wont be easy to read.) So! SummerRain makes note of something genuine: That a holy person, sage, monk, or other spiritually aware and/or advanced person's lifestyle is irrelevant. You can be a dreamwalker, as noted in this book, even though you drink sodas, smoke cigarettes, and eat red meat. MAYBE spiritual titles are irrelevant, that this applies across the board, or perhaps it's only relevant to dreamwalkers? It rings true, in my ears, that a physical lifestyle influences only the physical life-world, and is irrelevant regarding spiritual and/or psychic experiences and ability. So I am wondering to myself if it matters a person's sexuality, gender, diet, habits, addictions, or lifestyles have any genuine meaning in regards to practicing anything of the spiritual/energic sort? I personally do not believe smoking dope and promiscuity are going to directly inhibit immortality, but as with all things, everything in moderation...