Cognizance Posted March 9, 2011 Funny you say that because Im smoking a joint right now. I just recently joined Tao Bums. Nice to see we have something in common broski Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Encephalon Posted March 9, 2011 So, the pot thickens. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cognizance Posted March 9, 2011 So, the pot thickens. and so it begins... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Way Is Virtue Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) I don't know how much pain you are in, but if it is not really bad, have you considered just cutting down somewhat on the amount of vicodin that you are taking? Maybe less vicodin would allow you to do your qigong more effectively. I've never taken vicodin though so I am just basing this on your statement that it is affecting your qigong. P.S. If it were me I would probably just continue doing whatever qigong practice I could manage regardless of whether I was feeling much going on or not. Maybe that is another option... Either way, the pot thing doesn't sound like the best choice all things considered... From what you describe, you have been doing very well. No need to risk messing things up... Edited March 9, 2011 by The Way Is Virtue Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taomeow Posted March 9, 2011 Pot intensifies rather than blunts your sensitivity to things physical, so it is not a useful choice for pain IMO. I'll email you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted March 9, 2011 Blasto, There is a Silva technique for pain management. I will send the link when I find it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fizix Posted March 9, 2011 Blasto, There is a Silva technique for pain management. I will send the link when I find it. Vicodin is an opiate. Opiates completely destroys/burns out not only chi flow, but jing as well; marijuana accumulates chi in the central channel and diminishes it as well, which is why one feels lethargic and hungry.... the body wants to replenish the lost energy. How many milligrams of vicodin are you taking on average? Having a history of addiction, you want to be very careful when managing pain with something as addictive as vicodin (oxycodon)...which is only a few molecules different from heroin, both synthesized from morphine. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) Hey Blasto! Here is the link. Scroll down half way to the "Glove Anesthesia" link. This is the most natural way I know of and the technique is based on theta brain waves. I believe Silva gives a 30 day guarantee. Hope this helps. http://silvashop.com/cart/alacarte.htm#hand_glove Edited March 10, 2011 by ralis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LBDaoist Posted March 10, 2011 I recently went through the same choice in my own life. I had (have) a serious disc issue (L5 / S1 is way out of whack.) I was on vicoprofen (ibuprofen and vicodin combined) and a muscle relaxer. I ended up tossing the pills and going with a good sativa strain of marijuana. The difference between the two is that vicodin completely masks the pain. The pot just makes it bareable. With my background in qigong, I appreciated being able to still feel the pain because I was able to work with it. I have since tapered off the pot, but it was a good middle ground for me. I hate vicodin with a passion. It is nothing but bad news for the body. Do you have any bao ding balls? Those are great for increasing circulation, especially in the hands and arms. Are you doing heat and ice? Those will help get the qi flowing again as well (heat more so than ice). Just don't do either for more than 15 minutes a time. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bindo Posted March 10, 2011 The last time I had to deal with pain, I used Serrapeptase and celadrin (internally), and it worked great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheSongsofDistantEarth Posted March 10, 2011 Interasting thread, Blasto my boy. Slowly taper off the Vicodin, it's been nearly a month. How much pain are you really having? I would stick with Vitamin V for another 3 weeks or whatever, rather than going back to your D.O.C. Songs Formula clearly states Work at home guy + maryjane2 = Wanker (Computer x Internet) + pain No pot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Audiohealing Posted March 10, 2011 As long as we're on-topic on drugs/meds that kill chi... I'm on psychiatric meds for bipolar disorder... there's really no way around this for me. It's either that or I'm dead. I know a fair bit about psychopharmacology... but the one that worries me most are benzodiazepines. (anti-anxiety medication) I've been on them for about 3 years now. Can I still reap benefits from cultivation practice ? It's a bit discouraging putting so much effort into practice and having the thought in the back of your mind that its all useless. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheSongsofDistantEarth Posted March 10, 2011 As long as we're on-topic on drugs/meds that kill chi... I'm on psychiatric meds for bipolar disorder... there's really no way around this for me. It's either that or I'm dead. I know a fair bit about psychopharmacology... but the one that worries me most are benzodiazepines. (anti-anxiety medication) I've been on them for about 3 years now. Can I still reap benefits from cultivation practice ? It's a bit discouraging putting so much effort into practice and having the thought in the back of your mind that its all useless. Benzo's really suck as a long term solution for anxiety. I would try and get off them as soon as you can. That's a bad class of drugs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mYTHmAKER Posted March 10, 2011 As long as we're on-topic on drugs/meds that kill chi... I'm on psychiatric meds for bipolar disorder... there's really no way around this for me. It's either that or I'm dead. I know a fair bit about psychopharmacology... but the one that worries me most are benzodiazepines. (anti-anxiety medication) I've been on them for about 3 years now. Can I still reap benefits from cultivation practice ? It's a bit discouraging putting so much effort into practice and having the thought in the back of your mind that its all useless. This may appear naive as i don't know the details of your bipolar disorder. One thing i would suggest is that you stay away from sugars, caffeine, canned soda. Clean up you diet. Read labels - foods are loaded with chemicals. Many years ago i had serious incapacitating anxiety attacks which were gone in a few months after i radically changed my diet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Easy Posted March 10, 2011 Look Blasto, you don't have to go with any of those superficial chemical routes. All you have to do is get underneath it all. Go deep into that pain, let that pain become your entire being...it will only take 10 minutes or so. Let that pain become your ALL, your totality. Immerse yourself in its source. Empty yourself of all but the pain. And then remember the Heart Sutra... "Therefore, Sariputra, in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, no discrimination, no conditioning, and no awareness." NO SENSATION! Let that flood your being! NO SENSATION! You will be pain free...pain free forever...because the Heart Sutra is THE TRUTH! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3L3VAT3 Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) yeah... opiates are bad news.... between the 'chi-killing', the constipation, and the overall addiction; they suck majorly... To the other dude, benzo's are the same thing... your cultivation practive will come in handy when/if you decide to cut back on them... I'm sure your familiar with benzo "rebound"... it's no joke and can be as bad as heroin withdrawal... ask me how I know... but the fact that you practice can be helpful when dealing with the tapering effects... It'll mimick the effects of hardcore 'chi-action', but in a bad way really... Yea, drugs pretty much suck... Edited March 10, 2011 by 3L3VAT3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
unmike Posted March 10, 2011 So, the pot thickens. Solidarity! As for the issue at hand, vicodon't affects more than just the pain channels it's supposed to, and its efficacy suffers in the long term. Weaning is difficult. Synthetic. Blah blah... Marijuana is natural (unless you live in California...) and affects things more varied than the simple pain mechanism. It relaxes and eases tension, especially emotionally, when compared to vicodin, which can precipitate edginess and impatience. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thunder_Gooch Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) Invest in a good TENS unit, they really work for my back pain, better than drugs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_nerve_stimulation The herb is great, but I find it makes me push all my chi stores out like a roaring fire radiating heat. Also it unbalances my practice, and seems to attract negative entities (real or perceived) Now, I realize that no one in The Tao Bums has ever smoked marijuana, but I just have to ask. I’m in a quandary. I had shoulder replacement surgery less than a month ago and have been happily taking my vicodin ever since. Vicodin pretty much kills your chi flow, as some of you know. My shoulder is fine but my hand remains asleep and very tense although my thumb and first two digits are waking up. I’m beginning to think that I might be “chi-dependent” because I haven’t been able to run my energy for quite some time now, but I’m beginning to notice that calm and contentment that regular daily energy runs give me is beginning to wane. Meaning, I'm getting a little edgy. As a 12-Stepper, I realize I’m playing with fire here, but a part of me really wants to replace the vicodin with pot brownies if pain management goes on for much longer. I could still run my energy under the refer influence, although the current does tend to evaporate like a steam cloud after time. I don’t honestly feel like I’m at risk for opening up Pandora’s box of hard-core drug addiction. Quitting alcohol, cigarettes, and refer was always pretty easy and I never experienced the despair of the white-knuckle, dry drunk episodes. I haven’t had a drink in 30 years, a cigarette in 20, or a bonghit in 1. My life is really good right now, as my wife is making a boatload and my only burden is to run my online business, tend to my screenwriting, clean up the cat vomit and cook dinner, which I can do now with just a little bit of help from my stepdaughter. I have my first child on the way, my rockin’ wife is gorgeous, loves me madly, is losing weight and getting really big boobs (go figure! ), so I don’t have any reason to throw this away by becoming a pothead. I believe people relapse when they convince themselves that they have been freed of addictive tendencies AND are still mired in a lackluster life that is still haunted with issues of low self-worth and daily impoverishment. I guess to most of you this sounds like just another rationalization for jumping on the brownie wagon, yes? Thanks in advance. Edited March 10, 2011 by More_Pie_Guy 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kabalabhati Posted March 10, 2011 If marijuana does the trick I would choose it over synthetics/opiates anytime. Then again I prefer not to smoke any more after years and years of regular use. I just quit altogether about half a year ago and have no desire to start again.. So that tells you something about the nature of the reefer dependency when compared to harder medicine. No physical withdrawal, and once your body/mind fully realizes it's not really good to use weed, quitting is easy as 123. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
InfinityTruth Posted March 10, 2011 Try it out and see how you like it. You can always stop if you don't like it. Personally I don't understand why people always get all militant against it. Some of my most memorable best experiences came from it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted March 10, 2011 Invest in a good TENS unit, they really work for my back pain, better than drugs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_nerve_stimulation The herb is great, but I find it makes me push all my chi stores out like a roaring fire radiating heat. Also it unbalances my practice, and seems to attract negative entities (real or perceived) That was my experience also - although, I'd choose mj over vicodin every single time if I *had* to choose between the two - I was on vicodin (and however many other variants) when I had back surgery and it felt like I was walking around with six feet of cobweb all around me. I'll also agree with taomeow's intensifying remark. Since its been a few weeks, and if you're cutting the vicodin anyway...why replace it with something else to be consumed? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VCraigP Posted March 10, 2011 since we're on a taoist board, what about medical qigong, tcm acupuncture, or chinese herbs? Qigong, acupuncture, external Qi healing treatment and herbs, probably moxibustion. Also Serrepeptase is a good suggestion not only for pain but for healing. See TCM Doc for ways to help DETOX from vicodin. I promise you your Liver is not happy about it!! Good Luck Craig PS - I never understood the claim of use of Herb for pain management. I figured people were just using it as an excuse to acquire medical MJ with symptom which is hard to prove objectively. PPS - Hello rationalization... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Audiohealing Posted March 10, 2011 Is it your own opinions about which drugs/medications can kill chi... or tear holes in auras, etc. It sounds like most of it is made up conjecture. I mean... it can't be tested by empirical science so how can one really know what it does to a person in regards to chi? it's all subjective, no? You have to be majorly clairvoyant and actually WATCH SOMEONE in real time on LSD to see what it's doing to its auric body. I've heard so many theories that vary for person to person that it's hard to believe any of it. The fact is, I have to be in this medication because without it, I am not functional. Like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder is not curable. So I have to make due with what I can. If a person on medication still feels chi running through him and feels that he is reaping benefits then that's all that matters IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kabalabhati Posted March 10, 2011 Is it your own opinions about which drugs/medications can kill chi... or tear holes in auras, etc. It sounds like most of it is made up conjecture. I mean... it can't be tested by empirical science so how can one really know what it does to a person in regards to chi? it's all subjective, no? You have to be majorly clairvoyant and actually WATCH SOMEONE in real time on LSD to see what it's doing to its auric body. I've heard so many theories that vary for person to person that it's hard to believe any of it. The fact is, I have to be in this medication because without it, I am not functional. Like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder is not curable. So I have to make due with what I can. If a person on medication still feels chi running through him and feels that he is reaping benefits then that's all that matters IMO. This was interesting, it's from SFQ's home page: Frances Gaik, Psy. D., Psychologist, Oak Brook, Illinois, Author of: "A Preliminary Study Applying Spring Forest Qigong to Depression as an Alternative and Complementary Treatment" "Extremely effective in the treatment of depression, including bipolar subjects." Of coure this is just one doctor's opinion but it sounds convincing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
