Alcohol

[Mal]

[Squatting Monkey]

I like the odd pint of Guiness now and again

[宁]

it of course depends on your goals in practice, but it's generally forbidden....

 

alcohol... it creates holes and craters in the aura.

especially the spirits. that's why they are called spirits.

the spirits create dwellings in the aura layers, for different entity.

so does smoking...

[11:33]

I always thought red wine was the best choice of alcohols.

 

...

 

On another note, don't they make medicinal wines using hard liquor? So having some amount of alcohol a day isn't a big deal even for Taoist herbalists, [just don't drink more than one a day??????]

Edited May 19, 2009 by 11:33

[Deepbluesea]

I am on a really lazy, winding spiritual quest. I think that if I was much more committed I would need to drink nothing. But since I am not there, I drink beer. I think that your progression is right on. Though the wine could be fairly equal with beer if its good wine.

 

I have been brewing my own beer (I still drink a lot of commercial too) for over 15 years. It is about the same cost and much better tasting. Years ago I grew hops, and just this year I got started again. The home brew is not just better tasting, it is alive and packed with B12. Since I am making it myself and cultivating the hops, I can further justify what I know in my heart of hearts probably isn't very good for me.

 

Somewhere I read that the average Christian monk in the Middle Ages drank about a gallon of beer a day. Also, a Swedish study with mice showed that drinking the equivalent of 17 beers a day dramatically reduced the chance of prostrate cancer. Health goals worth reaching? (haha)

[Aetherous]

I see no problem with having a beer. A gallon on the other hand...

[Ya Mu]

[JEN_A_KINS]

Coopers Extra Stout sounds good; bring some over and we will do beer qigong.

 

The dark beers are better nutritionally than the light beers. I advise to everyone that they follow the Taoist middle path if they drink beer, a beer or two a day is not going to hurt, a six pack or two a day is a problem, unless you specifically spend a great deal of time burning off the negative effects with qigong.

 

I highly advise that no one plays with energy while inebriated, the qi gets wild and there can be repercussions.

 

i'm an amberbock girl myself, but as with everything, moderation is key

[Pero]

I highly advise that no one plays with energy while inebriated, the qi gets wild and there can be repercussions.

 

No kidding.

Sometimes I practiced qigong or meditation and then got drunk... First of all I got drunk much more easily it seems. And then often I had strange tingling and heat sensations. And if I got really drunk and threw up, it seemed like I felt my entire stomach meridians...

[Eric23]

[CarsonZi]

I am under the understanding that Absinthe and Mezcal are considered sacred alcohols. Just what I've been told.

 

Love,

Carson

[jai64]

Having too much fun sober. Don't want to ruin it.

 

~joe

[sheng zhen]

Alcohol clouds the energetic senses.

 

Some people feel they get more in toutch with energy after a few drinks and start channeling, seeing auras, feeling energies, and stuff like that. But that is not because they see the energies clearer. It is only because they are more spontaneous and have lost some of the reality-restrictions they normally have. And therefore they might expreience more of the reality they "want to" experience. If that is seeing auras, energies, and the like, then that is what they see.

 

But in reality alcohol clouds the energetic senses. If you doubt this then try living and doing energywork without alcohol for a year and then have a drink and see if your vision gets better. My vision certainly didnt.

 

After 7 years with no alcohol I have started drinking a littlebit again now. The energetic cloud coming from just one glass of beer goes away within a few days. And the more I drink the longer it takes. This might be too subtle for most people to care about, but it is still there anyways.

 

I dont know of any better options to alcohol.

Edited May 19, 2009 by sheng zhen

[hagar]

Alcohol clouds the energetic senses.

 

Some people feel they get more in toutch with energy after a few drinks and start channeling, seeing auras, feeling energies, and stuff like that. But that is not because they see the energies clearer. It is only because they are more spontaneous and have lost some of the reality-restrictions they normally have. And therefore they might expreience more of the reality they "want to" experience. If that is seeing auras, energies, and the like, then that is what they see.

 

But in reality alcohol clouds the energetic senses. If you doubt this then try living and doing energywork without alcohol for a year and then have a drink and see if your vision gets better. My vision certainly didnt.

 

After 7 years with no alcohol I have started drinking a littlebit again now. The energetic cloud coming from just one glass of beer goes away within a few days. And the more I drink the longer it takes. This might be too subtle for most people to care about, but it is still there anyways.

 

I dont know of any better options to alcohol.

 

Ah, and I thought we were enjoying ourselves...

 

For my views on alchohol, I refer to my wine gong posts of yonder.

 

For those who don't care to look that up, here's the quick guide:

 

Nothing soothes and clears the mind as a well stored St. Emillion wine. It clears the small intestine, which governs thinking and memory. And secondarily it affects the heart energy. And last but not least, the quality of life.

 

Beer on the other hand is tricky. Better with dark than light. Spirits, better with colored than clear. Some liqour actually have healing properties if they contain certain herbs.

 

But sometimes it may be explained by the placebo effect.

 

h

[sheng zhen]

For my views on alchohol, I refer to my wine gong posts of yonder.

Wine Gong, hahaha

 

That sounds interesting. How does drinking wine become a "gong"? Is it because you drink it meditatively slow or something like that?

[hagar]

Wine Gong, hahaha

 

That sounds interesting. How does drinking wine become a "gong"? Is it because you drink it meditatively slow or something like that?

 

Well, isn't accumlated effort over time the direct definition of "gong"?

 

Erwann, Zhixing's french protege always brings a vintage St.Emillion to class for a half hour wine tasting session. We're given a glass, taste, feel the energetic effects, and have a good ol' time.

But as the french like to emphasize, wine is serious business, n'est pas?

 

I for one tend to drink more when I am on retreats. I actually have a craving for wine and beer there, and we tend to search out the best restaurants...

 

Don't know what that is about. Always been more of an ascetic, but after I revved up my practice, I tend to fall of the wagon more often than not.

 

h

[WhiteTiger]

Alcohol is a big discussion in my eyes!

 

One discussion I should probably not spend so much time figuring out. Taoist Priests just don't drink Alcohol. Nor do Taoist Monks, nor Buddhism Monks.

 

in an old post on TTB it was revealed to me that warrior dieties even now and then like the occasional wine offering.

 

Anyway... If your meditating 4+ hours in one sitting. The means of the meditation is spirituality, meaning (as opposed to health benefits) You eat one to no meals daily... Alcohol consumption is strictly forbidden. It drastically hinders you off your goal.

 

On the other hand... if you don't know how else to help you relax a little throughout the day. Than Alcohol is a great way to help relax a person, if you don't have other means of doing so. Although when I say this... please understand we aren't talking about lots of Alcohol here.

 

A Taoist life or even a martial artist life is much different then the people whom seek out food to supplement what they can not achieve desired results through practicing. Although there is nothing wrong with using other means to make it easier.

 

If I had to drink I would definately go for the darker beers just because simply they fill you up more and if I had a choice between wine and darker beer I would go with a little wine.

[thelerner]

I'll usually have wine or beer w/ dinner. It tastes good has some health benefits too.

 

Still its nice to clean out every now and then, no alcohol, no vitamins, no flour for a week or so to reset myself back to normalese.

 

 

Michael

[DaoChild]

Not keen on drinking much myself. I guess it could stem from the fact that when I was a little kid I HATED water. It had no taste, so I never drank it. I drank lots of juice & soda.

 

I went camping and could only drink iodized water for 30+ days, and now I only drink water & tea, and from time to time alcohol.

 

I guess it's all what your preference are - if you want the very disciplined route, then only eat vegetarian & drink water and tea.

[sheng zhen]

Well, isn't accumlated effort over time the direct definition of "gong"?

 

Erwann, Zhixing's french protege always brings a vintage St.Emillion to class for a half hour wine tasting session. We're given a glass, taste, feel the energetic effects, and have a good ol' time.

But as the french like to emphasize, wine is serious business, n'est pas?

 

I for one tend to drink more when I am on retreats. I actually have a craving for wine and beer there, and we tend to search out the best restaurants...

 

Don't know what that is about. Always been more of an ascetic, but after I revved up my practice, I tend to fall of the wagon more often than not.

 

h

I see. But Im sure the energetic effects still are inverse proportional to the amount of wine consumed

 

I like alcohol. I like the taste and the feeling. So Im glad Im able to have a few drinks with friends now and then. I just have to deal with the side effects for a few days after. Its worth it for a little time with my friends! But I cant go on like I did when I was young, getting drunk every weekend and a couple of beers every evening. I need a couple of weeks on the water wagon between every "alcohol gong" practice.

[hagar]

I see. But Im sure the energetic effects still are inverse proportional to the amount of wine consumed

 

I like alcohol. I like the taste and the feeling. So Im glad Im able to have a few drinks with friends now and then. I just have to deal with the side effects for a few days after. Its worth it for a little time with my friends! But I cant go on like I did when I was young, getting drunk every weekend and a couple of beers every evening. I need a couple of weeks on the water wagon between every "alcohol gong" practice.

 

How do you percieve the effect as a "cloud"?

 

h

[sheng zhen]

How do you percieve the effect as a "cloud"?

 

h

Everything is more smeard out, more diffuse and unclear. It becomes difficult to pinpoint my focus and stay out of the way of the energy I see and work with. It becomes easier to make up the images instead of recieving them. My inner eye is out of focus just like my physical eyes are out of focus when Im drunk.

 

It is really the same effect as being drunk only on the more subtle levels.

[hagar]

Everything is more smeard out, more diffuse and unclear. It becomes difficult to pinpoint my focus and stay out of the way of the energy I see and work with. It becomes easier to make up the images instead of recieving them. My inner eye is out of focus just like my physical eyes are out of focus when Im drunk.

 

It is really the same effect as being drunk only on the more subtle levels.

 

Interesting. I haven't really thought of that before. But the effects of a long night out tend to linger for a couple of days, your right about that. No way I could do a good sitting after a night out with more than 3 beers.

 

The siberian shamans use alcohol to iduce a state of consciousness where they are able to recieve the information they need to perform healing rites. Yet that could be a whole different ballgame all together.

 

h

[sheng zhen]

Interesting. I haven't really thought of that before. But the effects of a long night out tend to linger for a couple of days, your right about that. No way I could do a good sitting after a night out with more than 3 beers.

 

The siberian shamans use alcohol to iduce a state of consciousness where they are able to recieve the information they need to perform healing rites. Yet that could be a whole different ballgame all together.

 

h

Yes, the shamans use a lot of different drugs! I believe there is a big difference between using it within a trained shamaistic context to guide and heal the tribe, and using it at a party with friends just to get an interesting experience.

[Owledge]

I'd say a little bit is OK, because the body should be able to deal with more serious poisonings. I mean... alcohol is a 'regular' job for the liver. Of course it will impair your senses, but I don't see it as a problem. You should just not drink alcohol and then do energy practice.

 

Personally, I ended up with only three alcoholic drinks that I infrequently consume: mead, Guinness and plum wine.