Detoxing

[JohnC]

So I've been doing SFQ for 5 months now with kunlun, and zhan zhuang.

 

Last night I felt a lot of movement around my heart area and little pops and a lot of fear emotion coming up.

 

Today, I've got a rash under my armpits!

 

No major changes in anything, same food I've always been eating. Not sick, sleep normal, other than minor wake ups through the night.

 

So... what do you guys think?

 

I'm just going wtf?

[Aetherous]

Kunlun makes stuff come to the surface.

[gendao]

According to William Bodri, skin disorders are very common in spiritual detoxing...

I have also experienced in the short time with the skeletal meditation the eruption and clearing away of rashes.

These could include skin infections or detoxing rashes from organ or tissue toxins being expelled through the skin. Be sure to keep an eye on either and treat as necessary.

 

Concerning the heart, HT1 is right under the armpit.

Well, sounds like your honeymoon is over and you're now entering the housecleaning stage. Buckle up, the ride's just getting started kiddo!

Edited July 29, 2010 by vortex

[JohnC]

According to William Bodri, skin disorders are very common in spiritual detoxing...These could include skin infections or detoxing rashes from organ or tissue toxins being expelled through the skin. Be sure to keep an eye on either and treat as necessary.

 

Buckle up, the ride's just getting started kiddo!

 

Hotness.

 

Alright well that makes me feel better at least. I was like, what the fuck is going on?!

 

Yea the rash is literally in the HT2, HT1 area and down into the pit, to horizontal my nipple on the side of my body.

 

Crazy.

 

John

[Encephalon]

I had my overheating phase in July of 2009, about 19 months into my nei kung practice. I had to shave off my beard in April of that year because a rash on face started to develop, the first time I had ever had a skin issue. By July it was hot as hell in Los Angeles and my entire upper torso was cooking. My acupuncturist told me westerners typically overheat with chi kung, especially because of the western diet.

 

I've been able to contain the face rashes with occasional Desonide ointment but the real trick is to clean the excessive salt and sugar out of your diet. I've also been taking schizandra for months now and it's done wonders.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18515024

 

Looking back with what I've learned in here, I would have to say that I overheated myself at the time by practicing my nei kung as usual but introducing Tidal Wave Chi Kung by Gary Clyman into my afternoon repertoire. No wonder I cooked myself!

 

No more Clyman.

Edited July 30, 2010 by Blasto

[Gerard]

Guys, start drinking quality Chinese green tea daily, twice a day minimum. It will cool you down and bring balance and harmony into your entire selves.

 

There is a Chinese proverb that says: "A cup or more of tea per day, keep the doctor away."

 

To the OP, see a qualified TCM practitioner for herbal and/or acupunture treatment to ease off the pressure on the heart meridian.

 

Your spleen Qi is probably damaged as well, since it provides energy to the heart, due to:

 

1. Irregular eating habits

 

2. Eating excessive amounts of cold or greasy foods

 

3. Eating too close to bedtime.

 

Or it could have been caused by excessive mental energy (if you happen to work as a teacher, lawyer, IT consultant, etc.) as these activities overuse mental spleen energy.

 

Good luck in your recovery.

[3L3VAT3]

i got serious acne at 17 (when most people clear up) from f'ing with psychadelics and whatnot... brought some serious things to the surface i guess.

 

Getting better now that i PRACTICE...

[三江源]

Hi JohnC.

 

I had a long long period of rashes after my first taoist retreat, seriously annoying as they were on my face and itchy.. I went often to a TCM practitioner for help, and I really would recommend you do that, get yourself some good herbs, dietary rec's, maybe some acupuncture.

 

I couldnt eat anything spicy for a few years, which kind of was painful to me, and a piece of chocolate would result in SPOTS and no way could I drink any alcohol at all, not even a few mouthfuls of red wine with a great meal, as the rash would not like it.

 

As you can see from the Bodhri link, it's very common. Part of purification, and seeing as how the skin is the most superficial organ, it's pretty good that any problems come out there, rather than float around - or whatever they do - inside your system in deeper levels.

 

Good Luck with it.

[Brian]

..

[Vajrasattva]

According to William Bodri, skin disorders are very common in spiritual detoxing...These could include skin infections or detoxing rashes from organ or tissue toxins being expelled through the skin. Be sure to keep an eye on either and treat as necessary.

 

Concerning the heart, HT1 is right under the armpit.

Well, sounds like your honeymoon is over and you're now entering the housecleaning stage. Buckle up, the ride's just getting started kiddo!

 

 

haha aint that the truth!

 

Yes buckle up : )

 

Drink plenty of water do some fasting

 

eat better

 

do more practice.

 

I remember one teacher saying...

 

"oh you fucked yourself up? Ok great fix it with more practice. "

[Vajrasattva]

Hotness.

 

Alright well that makes me feel better at least. I was like, what the fuck is going on?!

 

Yea the rash is literally in the HT2, HT1 area and down into the pit, to horizontal my nipple on the side of my body.

 

Crazy.

 

John

 

 

get some herbs for your heart and also some liver cleansers

 

also garlic oil.

 

you will want to try to get in to a sauna a few times a week aswell or take regular hot epsom & sea salt baths 1 x a week. If you can it would help you to learn how to do energy sweeping and sweep out your meridians & organs.

 

Also before and after you start any practice you shoud be doing some form of self massage.

 

peace & May you heal/detox quickly & Smoothly .

[Vajrasattva]

I just ate half a cantaloupe and feel an "air conditioning effect" in my body. I'm also breathing easier, as cantaloupe is good for the airways.

 

Benefits of watermelon:

 

 

aloe juice also good for keeping cool

[Kameel]

JohnC - Most likely Tinea Cruris. Pick up Lamisil cream OTC twice a day for a week. It will go away.

 

Blasto - If the seborrheic dermatitis flares or becomes too frequent, take Diflucan 200mg 2 tablets QD for 3 days. This cuts down drastically on the pityrosporum ovale counts thereby decreasing recurrence.

[Birch]

Oh cool. I was just about to ask some questions about treatment of "detox" symptoms using TCM or "western medecine" and by the latter I am referring to "suppressive" medication. I.e. one that suppresses symptoms (most often recognizable by the phrase "certain side-effects may include".

 

What I want to know is: if you suppress a "detox" symptom, isn't the risk that it dives down further/prevents completion of the detox? Double-plus uncool in the longer run?

[三江源]

 

 

What I want to know is: if you suppress a "detox" symptom, isn't the risk that it dives down further/prevents completion of the detox? Double-plus uncool in the longer run?

 

yep.

 

the Path of No More Suppression....

 

of anything.

 

only Witnessing and Transformation.

[Kameel]

Oh cool. I was just about to ask some questions about treatment of "detox" symptoms using TCM or "western medecine" and by the latter I am referring to "suppressive" medication. I.e. one that suppresses symptoms (most often recognizable by the phrase "certain side-effects may include".

 

What I want to know is: if you suppress a "detox" symptom, isn't the risk that it dives down further/prevents completion of the detox? Double-plus uncool in the longer run?

 

Well, we are assuming this is a detox symptom. It's summer...people sweat, fungus proliferates. I also think it is a fallacy to believe western medicine suppresses, and eastern medicine cures. If an antifungal cream is fungicidal, it by definition destroys the fungus, so not much suppresion there. Having said this, I tend to lean toward "alternative medicine" as a personal bias for most things, but in this case, I personally would rather use Lamisil cream for a week then say Tea tree oil for months. YMMV

[Birch]

"I also think it is a fallacy to believe western medicine suppresses, and eastern medicine cures."

 

I think it's a fallacy to say ALL of either of those suppress or cure - problem is sorting out which from which.

[Ya Mu]

Well, we are assuming this is a detox symptom. It's summer...people sweat, fungus proliferates. I also think it is a fallacy to believe western medicine suppresses, and eastern medicine cures. If an antifungal cream is fungicidal, it by definition destroys the fungus, so not much suppresion there. Having said this, I tend to lean toward "alternative medicine" as a personal bias for most things, but in this case, I personally would rather use Lamisil cream for a week then say Tea tree oil for months. YMMV

I agree with you.

For decades now, in my study of naturopathic, homeopathic, and Chinese medicine, and hanging around "natural medicine" practitioners, I have heard over and over the "detox" theory. However, in clinic, I simply have not seen this TO THE EXTENT everyone seems to think. Yes, it does occur. But only in some people and not the majority of people. Mostly, toxins are eliminated through the bodies natural systems and any particular herb, medicine, or practice will not induce the severe detox symptoms that are bandied about. As in the example you mention above, I think it is a case of people calling one thing something else because they wish to believe that is what it is. If it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it probably is a duck.

 

One thing, though, on certain fungals I have seen better results with Tea Tree oil than with what you mention. On others, tea tree seems to be not effective at all and the over the counter products much more effective. I think there is another great use of tea tree oil; it APPEARS to me to be more effective on MRSA than anything else that I have seen, anecdotal results weigh it much more effective than the over the counter "antibiotic" creams.

[Birch]

Ya Mu, would you suggest that some practices are in fact the source of the symptoms??

 

Also, pls describe "normal" detox from other situations. That would be really helpful for me.

 

Thank you!

[Ya Mu]

Ya Mu, would you suggest that some practices are in fact the source of the symptoms??

 

Also, pls describe "normal" detox from other situations. That would be really helpful for me.

 

Thank you!

If a practice is balanced no problems should occur.

Normal detox is the everyday natural restoration and cleaning of the body. This process can be enhanced by certain herbs and neutriceuticals, drinking plenty of water, and exercise. The body is ALWAYS attempting to restore itself to harmony.

An extreme situation would be like if the liver became saturated with toxins, perhaps caused by quite a lot of overindulgence or exposure to toxins.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Ya Mu

[Birch]

If a practice is balanced no problems should occur.

Normal detox is the everyday natural restoration and cleaning of the body. This process can be enhanced by certain herbs and neutriceuticals, drinking plenty of water, and exercise. The body is ALWAYS attempting to restore itself to harmony.

An extreme situation would be like if the liver became saturated with toxins, perhaps caused by quite a lot of overindulgence or exposure to toxins.

 

 

Thanks Ya Mu. So what of the accounts of practitioners "overheating" through practices? From my own experience I have a few of those. But I wondered if it wasn't just due to more intense awareness and focus (or focus on myself as a source of causality...)

 

And what of practices that are deemed "fire" or "water" practices? And what of the "ascending" and "descending" practices?

 

I mean I guess it stands to some amount of logic that if you put your system into some amount of physical immobility (like prolonged sitting) then things are bound to occur from a purely physical POV. From what I've gathered, "balanced" systems include both immobile and moving practices.

[Ya Mu]

Thanks Ya Mu. So what of the accounts of practitioners "overheating" through practices? From my own experience I have a few of those. But I wondered if it wasn't just due to more intense awareness and focus (or focus on myself as a source of causality...)

 

And what of practices that are deemed "fire" or "water" practices? And what of the "ascending" and "descending" practices?

 

I mean I guess it stands to some amount of logic that if you put your system into some amount of physical immobility (like prolonged sitting) then things are bound to occur from a purely physical POV. From what I've gathered, "balanced" systems include both immobile and moving practices.

 

I guess it is possible but in the system I practice and teach, as these things come up they are dealt with in a gentle manner. The system has safeguards. There is no need for all the drama and problems that are associated with particular approaches. Change is desired and needed to raise awareness but it needn't be violent. Usually the forced type practices or practices lacking a good closing method are the ones people have problems with. Think "in a natural progressive manner". So basically my answer to your question is yes this does happen but only in unbalanced systems.

 

IMO any good system has a balance of fire and water. IMO, there is no pure water or fire method. Fire HAS to be to burn through illusion and water HAS to be to slowly break through the barriers. IMO mostly these terms are over emphasized for marketing purposes.

[Martial Development]

I knew a fellow who had some of these problems. He actually developed a burning red stripe on his head (accidentally), kinda like The Last Airbender. A western MD ran some tests and found "no cause" for the condition, and was unable to propose a solution.

 

In order to get rid of it, this guy finally had to give up coffee, soda, chocolate, tea (including "healthy green tea"), spicy foods, and fried foods. And avoid excess meat and salt. And take some expensive ayurvedic herbal prescriptions. Sounds like a real headache, no pun intended.

[Birch]

"the forced type practices or practices lacking a good closing method are the ones people have problems with."

 

 

Thanks Ya Mu! Could you give some examples of both? I'm currently building my own understanding of practices (not to do any more than understand, but I have some inklings of what's going on with some, and totally not with others...)

[Ya Mu]

"the forced type practices or practices lacking a good closing method are the ones people have problems with."

 

 

Thanks Ya Mu! Could you give some examples of both? I'm currently building my own understanding of practices (not to do any more than understand, but I have some inklings of what's going on with some, and totally not with others...)

Examples of forced have been seen in many of the new poster's threads, the ones that start out "Can you help me I screwed up.."

An example of unforced is Stillness-Movement which has a great closing method.

My best advice to you is to find a system that you like, combine that with a teacher you feel is honest, and practice daily for the next 60-80 years. If you have any questions about the system I teach and practice feel free to ask. I would also suggest finding a teacher who actually can and does manipulate energy. There are quite a few around.