Do Ya'll guys drink?

[Cameron]

Curious if most Bums drink or not.

 

I drank quite a bit in Korea.

 

And here in China the trend seems to continue

 

How important do you think abstaining from the sauce is to your cultivation?

 

I have been on a pretty crazy lifeystlye schedule. Doing my practices during the week and trying to abstain then getting hammered on the weekends. But wondering if it wouldn't be for the best to just stop entirely.

 

ps. Bijou(Chinese wine) is evil.

[Marblehead]

I do have a glass of wine on occasion in the evening after all my work is done for the day to help me relax.

 

As with most things in life, excess is not so good.

[thelerner]

I probably have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer on a daily basis. Tastes good and the moderate drinker tends to live longer (least in the West) then the tea teetotaler. Some how fermented grapes are a strong health tonic. Part of it is the grapes but apparently alcohol in moderation also helps the cardiovascular system.

 

On the other hand I know of several teachers who don't drink. I organized a wine and smores camp fire at Tao Mountain years ago and while Michael Winn joined us he didn't drink because he said it messed with his qi. He might be correct, though I know other high level teachers who do.

 

I don't find my meditation helped or hindered after a glass of wine, but I'm not particularly high level.

 

 

I'll throw in this article:

 

8 Health Benefits of Drinking Wine

 

Every year, there is a flurry of headlines about the health benefits of wine. But can drinking wine really make a difference? Here, the news—very good news, indeed—from the latest studies. Note: The health benefits come from moderate wine consumption, defined by the American Heart Association as one to two four-ounce glasses a day.

 

By Christine Quinlan

 

The Benefit: Promotes Longevity

 

The Evidence: Wine drinkers have a 34 percent lower mortality rate than beer or spirits drinkers. Source: a Finnish study of 2,468 men over a 29-year period, published in the Journals of Gerontology, 2007.

 

The Benefit: Reduces Heart-Attack Risk

 

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers suffering from high blood pressure are 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack than nondrinkers. Source: a 16-year Harvard School of Public Health study of 11,711 men, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 2007.

 

The Benefit: Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

 

The Evidence: Red-wine tannins contain procyanidins, which protect against heart disease. Wines from Sardinia and southwest France have more procyanidins than other wines. Source: a study at Queen Mary University in London, published in Nature, 2006.

 

The Benefit: Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

 

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers have 30 percent less risk than nondrinkers of developing type 2 diabetes. Source: research on 369,862 individuals studied over an average of 12 years each, at Amsterdam's VU University Medical Center, published in Diabetes Care, 2005.

 

The Benefit: Lowers Risk of Stroke

 

The Evidence: The possibility of suffering a blood clot–related stroke drops by about 50 percent in people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol. Source: a Columbia University study of 3,176 individuals over an eight-year period, published in Stroke, 2006.

 

The Benefit: Cuts Risk of Cataracts

 

The Evidence: Moderate drinkers are 32 percent less likely to get cataracts than nondrinkers; those who consume wine are 43 percent less likely to develop cataracts than those drinking mainly beer. Source: a study of 1,379 individuals in Iceland, published in Nature, 2003.

 

The Benefit: Cuts Risk of Colon Cancer

 

The Evidence: Moderate consumption of wine (especially red) cuts the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent. Source: a Stony Brook University study of 2,291 individuals over a four-year period, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2005.

 

The Benefit: Slows Brain Decline

 

The Evidence: Brain function declines at a markedly faster rate in nondrinkers than in moderate drinkers. Source: a Columbia University study of 1,416 people, published in Neuroepidemiology, 2006.

Edited December 1, 2011 by thelerner

[deci belle]

Hammer? Non. But I do have a .12L flask with me all the time. But it still takes about three months to empty it!!❤

 

(ed note: oops! I wrote .25L …my flask isn't that big!)

Edited December 1, 2011 by deci belle

[Cameron]

Cool, yeah I would like to atleast switch to wine instead of beer and hard liquor.

 

I am particularly weary of bijou since it got me smoking again after 2 1/2 years of not lighting up.

 

It was a beautiful farmhouse in Hebei province, I was innocently taking shots of bijou with my friends under the stars surrounded by beautiful mountains and eating delicious, fresh Chinese farm house food. My defenses were down and I started smoking again!

 

Ahhh, will have to do some major high quality tea drinking and qigong to kick the habit again!

[Aetherous]

Red wine every night.

 

Sometimes Guinness, instead. Yummmmmm.

[Cameron]

Haha, Guiness...

[joeblast]

Drinking does deplete qi. Destroyed almost all of the progress I made longevity breathing a few years ago in one good party-weekend. As to the evening single drink with dinner or something, well, eating is another thing, as long as it takes place early enough so as not to mess with the evening's practices, no biggie. but if I eat or drink too late, forget about "practice."

[Jeff]

Used to drink a glass of wine over dinner. Over the last couple of years, as the energy flow has increased, I have lost the ability to drink. It just doesn't taste good anymore.

 

[suninmyeyes]

Havent had a drop for past 15 years since I stopped for a while once I took up daily spiritual practise . Remeber feeling great and clear after 6 months of non drinking expiriment and have no need for a drink.

[taowanderer]

Dark beer and red wine have similar health benefits. Occasionally I'll indulge in scotch (family heritage ), but that tends to dull the practice!

[Taomeow]

I think it's to be avoided by those who have a problem with it. Everybody else should pay attention to the information about health benefits of minor/moderate occasional drinking, because it is correct. Animals and birds of the world seek out fruits and berries that have accidentally become fermented (happens all the time in natural environments) and get drunk from time to time. I've seen a whole bunch of hummingbirds go after a pool of wine-smelling juice around a banana that fell on a wide leaf below and fermented. They were trashed! Playing and colliding in the air, throwing themselves up and down, emitting lightnings of brilliance in the sun, such joy to watch! But only animals owned by humans are capable of becoming alcoholics. Everybody else enjoys the brew sporadically. A sage emulates that.

[Ish]

I reckon getting mashed on the weekends is preeetty bad in terms of practice. I mean it is fun and all, but I wouldn't bother with it anymore.

This is the whole becoming alienated from your peers that I made a post about on another thread hahah >.<

[JohnC]

Lomax drinks, and there are plenty of masters I know that drink... in fact even advocate it, because it helps you to face your internal patterns and let things go.

 

And hell yea I drink... to be enjoyed in balance like everything else.

 

John

[Taomeow]

At some point I spoke with a Chinese acupuncturist at a post-seminar lunch, who is also an indoor student (yup, there is such a thing, much as the outdoor students hate it ) of someone who has no public presence, whom she described as a high level taoist master. She is a tiny little woman and seems very fragile until you talk to her. So, we had a fairly in-depth discussion, and reluctantly at first, and then eagerly, she told me about her training under her master. She said he aims to demolish every pre-conception she ever had, and so he took her on a trip to Hong Kong to meet with and spend time among other masters of his level, his friends. She told me of many absolutely miraculous things they do for fun, and one of the things she saw them do, on a number of occasions, was challenge each other to consume and then transform cisterns of hard liquor and remain sober, smoking fat cigars while at it and poking fun at each other, and then play martial games in earnest, with much laughter and mirth. She said the master made her learn to drink and smoke (which she never did prior to her training) while at the same time working on neigong techniques of transforming these substances into extra pure qi. "How else are you going to live in a toxic world if you don't have the skill?"

[mYTHmAKER]

I think it's to be avoided by those who have a problem with it. Everybody else should pay attention to the information about health benefits of minor/moderate occasional drinking, because it is correct. Animals and birds of the world seek out fruits and berries that have accidentally become fermented (happens all the time in natural environments) and get drunk from time to time. I've seen a whole bunch of hummingbirds go after a pool of wine-smelling juice around a banana that fell on a wide leaf below and fermented. They were trashed! Playing and colliding in the air, throwing themselves up and down, emitting lightnings of brilliance in the sun, such joy to watch! But only animals owned by humans are capable of becoming alcoholics. Everybody else enjoys the brew sporadically. A sage emulates that.

 

Hmm.... I didn't realize I'm a sage

[Cameron]

Hehe, Taomeow

 

Sort of reminds me of when Chris used to post here and wrote about Max. That his diet consisted of pizza, french fries, mountain dew etc

 

But if you don't have the alchemy of a Taoist Wizard follow do such things at your own peril! hehe

[Enishi]

Beer bong chest thumping competitions and slamming shots of liquor at parties isn't very good for ya, but a glass of wine or a beer here and there certainly makes life more enjoyable overall.

 

I do notice however that my sensing ability is diluted after a single beer, and that it lasts for awhile even after the "buzz" wears off. Therefore I don't drink every day of the week, maybe 2-3 max.

Edited December 1, 2011 by Enishi

[Informer]

What is better way to destroy the liver than consuming copious amounts of liquor?

 

Liquor dehydrates people, reducing the water in your body, I don't see how that would be beneficial to qi, I personally get dehydrated enough without drinking when practicing. I think that any "extra qi" would have to be used protecting and healing the liver, so it doesn't seem that it would really be of any benefit.

[Birch]

It depends.

I've noticed it's a hit on energy levels for mental work but good for physical work.

I've developed a heightened sensitivity so can actually feel my liver working on it. It doesn't like it much (nor lots of sugar).

If I drink "too much" and go to sleep i can pretty consistently expect raging muscle releases. That by itself is kind of unpleasant.

I like wine (good stuff, not too much antifreeze in it) and I've gotten interested in micro-brewed beer.

[Informer]

It depends.

I've noticed it's a hit on energy levels for mental work but good for physical work.

I've developed a heightened sensitivity so can actually feel my liver working on it. It doesn't like it much (nor lots of sugar).

If I drink "too much" and go to sleep i can pretty consistently expect raging muscle releases. That by itself is kind of unpleasant.

I like wine (good stuff, not too much antifreeze in it) and I've gotten interested in micro-brewed beer.

 

I drink wine on occassion as well. The polyphenols in redwine is an anti-oxident / immunoregulatory booster. Obviously when used within reason. I also feel my liver working away, which is why I stay away from the hard liquor.

 

I never had micro-brewed beer. Can you elaborate on it?

[starhawk]

while at the same time working on neigong techniques of transforming these substances into extra pure qi. "How else are you going to live in a toxic world if you don't have the skill?"

"got alcohol"

"got alchemy"

"got qi"

 

 

Totally believe it because I've heard similar stories. Of course, I've never been there to see if it is real.

We should organize a Tao bums thing like this to prove it

Just kidding, not interested. This should help those fellows who are low on Qi.

[Birch]

Oh, it's just beer brewed in small amounts. Also means they can do seasonal ingredients and trials on fun stuff. In theory, less additives etc. But I'd check. Lots of towns have it. In fact setting up brew pubs with local micro-brew is an idea:-). The equipment must be pretty expensive though!

[Informer]

So is it generally organic? Seems like that would be the way to go, mmmmm organic beer!

 

[Taomeow]

What is better way to destroy the liver than consuming copious amounts of liquor?

 

Liquor dehydrates people, reducing the water in your body, I don't see how that would be beneficial to qi, I personally get dehydrated enough without drinking when practicing. I think that any "extra qi" would have to be used protecting and healing the liver, so it doesn't seem that it would really be of any benefit.

 

A Japanese company, Slashfood, conducted a study after it had been noticed that sake brewers have amazing skin. Turns out sake, but not other alcoholic beverages the controls consumed (250 ml if I remember correctly), increases moisture in the tissues by 30%.

 

As usual, individuality is the key. American diets tend to produce Dampness in the body, a breeding ground for cancer, diabetes, and other degenerative disease. Which alcoholics, unfairly enough, get at a much lower rate than the general population (while indeed getting far more liver disorders). They are also much less prone to infections, account for much fewer cases of the flu and the common cold, and are seldom overweight, with the exception of beer alcoholics. Of course alcoholism is not the answer, but alcohol has properties worth knowing, and counteracting Dampness is one of them (while it's the opposite for the moisturizing sake). Old school doctors still remember... well, in the "old country" they do... that before antibiotics, inhaling the vapors of alcohol treated pneumonia and tuberculosis, and failing that, Edgar Cayce did a reading concerning his beloved wife who was about to die of tuberculosis and had been given a few hours to live by three or four attending physicians, and prescribed this in combo with -- hold on to your hat -- heroine and cocaine. She got well and they lived happily ever after. Cayce was a very religious man very opposed to "recreational" uses of any substances, but his readings often called for these on a case by case basis.

 

Everything is a double-edged scalpel. Can kill, can heal. Don't give a scalpel to a neanderthal and don't take it away from the surgeon, and everyone will be fine.