Right side of heart center too open (I think)

[Phoenix]

I've been experiencing an odd effect recently that I'd love some advice about. Anytime I read news stories that involve people treating each other less than lovingly, I get an odd sensation about two inches to the right of my heart center. It's as if there is a spot there that's too open and there is a leak. It is not at all a pleasant sensation and feels very unbalanced, and unfortunately it often lasts for a couple of days at a time. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Besides not reading the news, is there anything I can do to counter this? Thanks in advance.

[z00se]

Besides not reading the news, is there anything I can do to counter this? Thanks in advance.

 

Yes, Relax. Don't start trying to relax 2 days after it started, relax as soon as it begins. Continue relaxing and stop thinking about it. Think about something nice. Forget that thought and feeling.

 

Of course the easier path, the path of the tao, would be to stop reading the news and start reading a nice book that makes you feel good, happy and gives you a warm buzzing feeling all over your body. It sounds alot easier and better than reading bad news that makes you feel miserable and gives you a bad feeling near your heart.

 

But i guess you will continue to read the news just as i continue to do the things that i shouldn't. So you need to read the news but not be emotionally effected by the bad story and don't create tension in your body. You're probably not aware you are creating the tension yourself, but if you meditate enough and be aware of yourself you will finally realise how you are tensing up. Thats step 1. Step 2 the hard bit is to not tense up any more

 

Good luck!

[Phoenix]

Yes, Relax. Don't start trying to relax 2 days after it started, relax as soon as it begins. Continue relaxing and stop thinking about it. Think about something nice. Forget that thought and feeling.

 

Of course the easier path, the path of the tao, would be to stop reading the news and start reading a nice book that makes you feel good, happy and gives you a warm buzzing feeling all over your body. It sounds alot easier and better than reading bad news that makes you feel miserable and gives you a bad feeling near your heart.

 

But i guess you will continue to read the news just as i continue to do the things that i shouldn't. So you need to read the news but not be emotionally effected by the bad story and don't create tension in your body. You're probably not aware you are creating the tension yourself, but if you meditate enough and be aware of yourself you will finally realise how you are tensing up. Thats step 1. Step 2 the hard bit is to not tense up any more

 

Good luck!

Thanks, zOOse. I've spent plenty of time in retreat (several years, actually) during which I didn't read the news. Now I am attempting to "live in the world" and nevertheless keep up some sort of practice. But I think you're right. Living in the world doesn't necessarily mean reading the news, or at any rate, not all of it.

 

The funny thing about this sensation is that it doesn't feel like tension. It feels like the opposite, like a spot that's way too open. But it occurred to me last night that maybe I'm tensing up *somewhere else,* and that's causing this weird imbalance. I'll experiment with that.

 

Thanks again for your reply.

[Sloppy Zhang]

Of course the easier path, the path of the tao, would be to stop reading the news and start reading a nice book that makes you feel good, happy and gives you a warm buzzing feeling all over your body. It sounds alot easier and better than reading bad news that makes you feel miserable and gives you a bad feeling near your heart.

 

I'm sorry.... but..... what?

 

I think there has has been some inappropriate equating of meanings here.... since when is the path of the tao "easy"? Since when is running away from a problem part of the tao? I think there has been some confusion about "effortless effort", "paths of least resistance" (the way water flows), and things of that nature....

 

If you want to deal with something or overcome it, you are going to have to face it. Water eroding a rock doesn't avoid the rock.... it goes around it, over it, both of which, at least in English (quite regrettably) seem to connote "avoidance"... but keep in mind that all the while water is in constant contact with the rock on all sides. Constantly flows over it. It doesn't avoid the rock- it continually strikes it for years. It doesn't get hung up on the rock, but the rock doesn't get off easy. Just because it is big and rough and water goes around, rather than through, doesn't mean the rock isn't eroded after a period of time.

 

And let's not forget how outright destructive "water" paths can be, or have you forgotten the super strong tsunamis of the past?

 

Sorry if it feels like I'm singling you out, I'm not, I just feel very uncomfortable with some of the words in your post.

 

Phoenix- if you want to address this problem, you are in for some serious self reflection, and going deep inside yourself, something I feel you have already started to do. Good job on examining other parts of your body.

 

Also, something to think about- we live in a very "closed" society. People don't even really "feel" much anymore. It's not a requirement for being "successful" in society (as far as society's definition is concerned), and for the people who can feel, most of them are discouraged from doing so.

 

So perhaps rather than feeling too much, you are just plain starting to feel. But it is new and making you feel uncomfortable. There are a lot of sad things in the world, and I don't think many of us react appropriately. Sure a lot of us go, "oh wow, that's so sad." But how many of us are actually sad? How many of us truly question the world we live in, and why we are here, and why things are the way they are, based on what they have seen in the news?

 

There is so much in our society that is just appearance. It's all about whether you "look" sad. But when you actually ARE sad... well, that's not productive to society, and in many cases, it's time for therapy to get you "work ready".

 

Not to be all dark clouds, there are lots of happy things in the world too best not to feel too much of one thing, but don't stop feeling things just because they are sad, in my humble opinion.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[Phoenix]

 

If you want to deal with something or overcome it, you are going to have to face it. Water eroding a rock doesn't avoid the rock.... it goes around it, over it, both of which, at least in English (quite regrettably) seem to connote "avoidance"... but keep in mind that all the while water is in constant contact with the rock on all sides. Constantly flows over it. It doesn't avoid the rock- it continually strikes it for years. It doesn't get hung up on the rock, but the rock doesn't get off easy. Just because it is big and rough and water goes around, rather than through, doesn't mean the rock isn't eroded after a period of time.

 

 

 

Sloppy Zhang,

 

I know you're responding to zOOse, but I'm curious what you would advise me to do. I've tried what you suggest, "facing it down," but it's been getting more pronounced and considerably worse. A bad headline will now set off this weird imbalance. In other words, in trying to face it, I'm unintentionally creating a habitual response.

 

I'm all for facing as much as we can, but I think it's counterproductive to take on too much at a time. In my situation at the moment I think it's wise to cut out news stories involving things like rape and torture and abduction, at least for a while, until I can figure out what's making my body do this weird thing. If you have any other ideas, I'd love to hear them.

[Phoenix]

Sloppy Zhang,

 

I just now saw the rest of your post -- not sure how I overlooked that before, sorry about that!

 

I agree that we live in a rather non-feeling society. I'm afraid that's not my issue; it's rather quite the opposite. I'm basically a compassionate person; I've cried myself quite raw over others' suffering on many occasions. But what's happening to me at the moment is weird and different. It's not compassion, it's revulsion. I think...

Edited February 8, 2010 by Phoenix

[Sloppy Zhang]

Sloppy Zhang,

 

I just now saw the rest of your post -- not sure how I overlooked that before, sorry about that!

 

My fault actually, I went back and edited in the second half, because I realized I had forgotten to address your post

 

I agree that we live in a rather non-feeling society. I'm afraid that's not my issue; it's rather quite the opposite. I'm basically a compassionate person; I've cried myself quite raw over others' suffering on many occasions. But what's happening to me at the moment is weird and different. It's not compassion, it's revulsion. I think...

 

Well if it's too debilitating, then I agree you should probably cut out some of the more gruesome headlines.

 

I also don't think you should take on more than you can handle, which is why I think z00se had some good advice- as SOON AS IT STARTS practice letting go. Have you read any of B.K. Frantzis' stuff? He teaches a method of dissolving and letting go which I think is perfect for this situation. It encourages you to examine the feeling, and really focus on it, and focus on how it affects you, while at the same time allowing you to release whatever it is- it's helped me a lot in a lot of situations. It is pretty much the application of the "water eroding a rock" metaphor. Gentle, and if it gets too much for you, you can always take a step (or ten steps) back and try whenever you feel more comfortable.

 

I would also suggest learning to "open up" other parts of your body. Maybe part of the problem is that it is too centralized. You get so much energy in the heart region, it can't go anywhere. But if you can find a way to open up the rest of your body, and let that energy circulate, you might be able to handle it better. Increase the "surface area" of the impact, as it were, to lessen the blow

 

As for feeling revulsion.... try to find and feel more happy things. Try to connect with people, have fun, enjoy it, relax, do whatever you enjoy doing. Try to connect with people, maybe get into a relationship, or if you are already in one, try deepening that. Try to find the inner light and compassion within yourself (even if it gives you problems occasionally), then try to see that light in everyone else.

 

If all you see and feel are dark, depressing things, it is going to give you a pretty bad worldview (that doesn't change the fact that there are a lot of bad things in the world), it's just, there are lots of good things in the world too, don't miss out on them

[Chitoryu]

Today's 365 Tao is about Worry. That seems to be on topic, as they often are.

 

I had someone close to me who was nearly driven into a shell over the bad things in the world. Things that were personally observed and the overwhelming emphasis on bad news the medial thrives on. I had not started my Tao journey but I knew that the right thing was to understand that you would remain in contact, like water and the rock, but you needed to maintain your flow. You could not, you can't solve all the problems, correct all the wrongs and fight all the evils. But you can feel compassion. You can understand the need to take care of yourself and then do what you can each day to excercise your compassion, even if the person you help will never know it.

 

Doing this, you bolster your health. You let the fear and worry pass through you and you fight entropy. You are closer to the Way.

[Phoenix]

I think I figured it out. My right channel seems to be opening (so is the left, but it's lagging behind). Reading about cruelty in the news seems to cause my throat to tighten and close up, so whatever energy is coming up the right channel at that point is blocked and streams out at the heart level.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your advice.

[Aetherous]

[Phoenix]

I don't know this one, but I just read that it opens the throat. I'll give it a try, thanks.

[Guest winpro07]

sometime cords will travel directly between chakra. usually happens from inorganic beings, but people do it too. it can leave a remnant and something like a scare and leak that leaves you open to other incidental attacks.. The palms and forearms can vibrate high enough to sort of 'break up' crystallized forms. Some time as awareness increases we psychically remember old wounds and the body manifests physical sensations of them. It feels like alien or foreign energy in you space

Generally speaking all forms dissipate or transmute at frequency much higher than they formed at

[Phoenix]

sometime cords will travel directly between chakra. usually happens from inorganic beings, but people do it too. it can leave a remnant and something like a scare and leak that leaves you open to other incidental attacks.. The palms and forearms can vibrate high enough to sort of 'break up' crystallized forms. Some time as awareness increases we psychically remember old wounds and the body manifests physical sensations of them. It feels like alien or foreign energy in you space

Generally speaking all forms dissipate or transmute at frequency much higher than they formed at

I *think* this is my own reaction. I don't have a sense of a foreign energy in my space. Perhaps there is an old injury of some sort causing my throat to block off, but it feels like that really is the problem. When that's open, I can feel energy moving up over my jaw to the outside of my face, just to the side of my ear. (The same thing happens on the left but it's more subtle.) Simultaneously the weird sensation to the right of the heart center goes away.

 

I'll pay attention, though, thanks.

[z00se]

Pheonix: I suggest not over interlectualizing it. Theres probably many things at play that are causing this unwanted problem. The thing is that by trying to work out yourself if it is this channel, that channel, chi going the wrong way, too much or too little... or whatever - is that really it doesn't even matter. By doing that you're only tying yourself up in more knots. So if you chi is going the wrong way, you have too much or too little in one place are you consciously going to make it go the right way or add more or less qi, close or open charkahs or whatever? No thats wrong. You can't consciously change it to the right way, you will make yourself worse.

 

You need to relax, build up more qi pressure so that the qi can push open any blockages by it's self. This is the most important thing. YOU don't do anything the qi knows what to do - don't try mentally or consciously to correct yourself, it's your mental thinking that got you this problem in the first place. If your mind knew what it was doing it wouldn't give you this undesirable feeling. Give up your mind's control and let the qi do it's job by it's self.

 

I'm sorry.... but..... what?

 

I think there has has been some inappropriate equating of meanings here.... since when is the path of the tao "easy"?

Always has been and always will be

 

Since when is running away from a problem part of the tao?

Never. Wriggling around a problem so that you solve it in the easiest possible way is part of the tao.

 

I think there has been some confusion about "effortless effort", "paths of least resistance" (the way water flows), and things of that nature....

 

If you want to deal with something or overcome it, you are going to have to face it. Water eroding a rock doesn't avoid the rock.... it goes around it, over it, both of which, at least in English (quite regrettably) seem to connote "avoidance"... but keep in mind that all the while water is in constant contact with the rock on all sides. Constantly flows over it. It doesn't avoid the rock- it continually strikes it for years. It doesn't get hung up on the rock, but the rock doesn't get off easy. Just because it is big and rough and water goes around, rather than through, doesn't mean the rock isn't eroded after a period of time.

 

And let's not forget how outright destructive "water" paths can be, or have you forgotten the super strong tsunamis of the past?

 

You don't have to face something if you want to overcome it. We have a stumpy tailed lizard in Australia, it has a fat tail. Animals think it's tail is it's head so they attack the wrong side and it lives on. Is that easy for it to do? Yes, Is he facing the problem? No he's facing the other way Theres countless other examples of this in nature.

...So the water does seem to "avoid" the rock by wriggling around it, according to what you've said and yet the rock is overcome instantly very easily, and as time goes on it is overcome more and more easiily until finally the rock is there no more. The tao is not about a b c d, it's about a straight line from a to d, without doing steps b and c that your mind has been lead to believe are necessary due to your social conditioning.

 

Not to be all dark clouds, there are lots of happy things in the world too best not to feel too much of one thing, but don't stop feeling things just because they are sad, in my humble opinion.

I agree with your opinion that you should feel as many different feelings as you can. Try them out. However i don't believe this what cultivation is all about. The feelings are sapping away your energy. When you feel only love (special feeling) your energy is totally balanced and health giving.

[z00se]

I think I figured it out. My right channel seems to be opening (so is the left, but it's lagging behind). Reading about cruelty in the news seems to cause my throat to tighten and close up, so whatever energy is coming up the right channel at that point is blocked and streams out at the heart level.

 

Thanks, everyone, for your advice.

 

Good you figured it out. It's a common problem. Some people have this so they feel they are choking and think it's hard to breath. You can google it. Now you know what is causing it, you can be aware of your throat and when you feel it tighten up relax, and when you can't relax any more, it's time to stop reading about misery

[longrhythm]

I've been off the news for years now. I don't think it's running from anything to choose not to seek it out.

 

Let's put it this way, if someone in front of you were in immediate danger and you could do something to help, would you? That's the time to question whether you're running from reality.

 

Media confuses people, we lose a sense of reality because we have too much capacity to "shape" it. When in fact media, based on truth or fiction, is just a "guided meditation" of sorts, a hand to hold as you are led through an exercise in imagination.

 

The events in the news are of another time and place, out of your hands. The only thing you can do is react emotionally to it, without any productive outlet. It's indulgence, and it's useless. If you like feeling like crap and being a rubbernecker, by all means you have plenty of company.

 

Me I'd rather choose to focus on the positive and deal only with what's put in front of me.

 

 

Sloppy Zhang,

 

I know you're responding to zOOse, but I'm curious what you would advise me to do. I've tried what you suggest, "facing it down," but it's been getting more pronounced and considerably worse. A bad headline will now set off this weird imbalance. In other words, in trying to face it, I'm unintentionally creating a habitual response.

 

I'm all for facing as much as we can, but I think it's counterproductive to take on too much at a time. In my situation at the moment I think it's wise to cut out news stories involving things like rape and torture and abduction, at least for a while, until I can figure out what's making my body do this weird thing. If you have any other ideas, I'd love to hear them.