Do Ya'll guys drink?

[zerostao]

"Obviously tea is great but this isn't the tea thread its the booze thread! "

 

let me be the first to offer to buy the first pitcher of guiness

 

you know , i live in a "dry county" where alcohol sales are forbidden. guess thats we got so dang good at making our own and it is good to know the bootlegger!(usually the sherriff's cousin or brother)

 

lazy cloud is who introduced me to kombucha, then he asked me to culture a scoby for him!

then he wanted me to provide him with the recipe for Cho Wa(another mushroom tea thingie)

of course i did oblige him on that as well. the things i have to do for my fellow forest dwellers sometimes......

[spiraltao]

"Obviously tea is great but this isn't the tea thread its the booze thread! "

 

let me be the first to offer to buy the first pitcher of guiness

 

you know , i live in a "dry county" where alcohol sales are forbidden. guess thats we got so dang good at making our own and it is good to know the bootlegger!(usually the sherriff's cousin or brother)

 

lazy cloud is who introduced me to kombucha, then he asked me to culture a scoby for him!

then he wanted me to provide him with the recipe for Cho Wa(another mushroom tea thingie)

of course i did oblige him on that as well. the things i have to do for my fellow forest dwellers sometimes......

 

 

[spiraltao]

"Obviously tea is great but this isn't the tea thread its the booze thread! "

 

let me be the first to offer to buy the first pitcher of guiness

 

you know , i live in a "dry county" where alcohol sales are forbidden. guess thats we got so dang good at making our own and it is good to know the bootlegger!(usually the sherriff's cousin or brother)

 

lazy cloud is who introduced me to kombucha, then he asked me to culture a scoby for him!

then he wanted me to provide him with the recipe for Cho Wa(another mushroom tea thingie)

of course i did oblige him on that as well. the things i have to do for my fellow forest dwellers sometimes......

 

 

[Gerard]

I want to know how to do it. I also want to know just how toxic a load I'm already carrying and how it got into my orbits in the first place.

 

Slow way: lifetimes of meditative practice

Fast way: Internal Martial Arts (Baguazhang is the fastest method I have come across with), Vipassana (a bit slower), Zhan Zhuang (minimum of 1 h of daily standing) combined with Baguazhang is a killer method, very painful though.

 

How did it get inside of you in the first place? A: Karma.

 

We all carry a toxic load inside which forms knots of condensed energy (Qi blockages) along the main centers of the Central channel and its two main branches: left and right. These channels have got nothing to do with the meridians of acupuncture. They are the core of our Qi body:

 

 

Source: http://www.energyarts.com/taoist-energy-anatomy

 

 

Our task is to remove those blockages: this can take many years, decades of energy work as they create mind patterns/fixations that are embedded as brain habits (mental formations) resulting from their crystallisation within glands and internal organs. We will be facing our most traumatising and deeply entrenched inner demons along the track. Very difficult and demanding work but all the effort put counts toward attaining greatness since releasing the blocked energies that ultimately cause destructive non-spiritual patterns (emotional, mental, psychic or karmic) helps to release the demons that can easily hide at the bottom of the unconscious mind and attach to one's karma.

 

Let me give you a practical example and not just fancy words:

 

I did my regular early am routine of 1h standing meditation in pole standing (I vary my hand/arm positions in 5 different placements) but this morning something really nasty stopped me at 50min. It was anger and frustration stuck as toxic old Qi flowing down my legs and reflected in a specific place in both organs...I could feel the discomfort in a tiny point in my liver and its corresponding point in the GB. Qi wasn't flowing well. So I was frustrated not being able to complete 60min. I then realised that the stopping at 50min was caused by my frustration in my younger years (upbringing and career related). This frustration comes from a past life unresolved issue which I have seen in meditation and which is stuck in my liver Qi.

 

I was very upset and hated myself. I resumed my standing meditation after walking around for 15 min, then I worked with another tree and felt much better but the blocked energy is still there and also stuck in both shoulder blades, both sides of the kwa, center of midriff (both left and right). All of these plus and small knots of blocked Qi in my kidneys (largest ones, especially in the right kidney which is blocked), liver, GB, spleen and heart (large one) are my main focus in my current practice. Where did they come from: emotional abuse when I was a kid, leading a stressful life as a result, being involved in a highly stressful job, binge drinking, going to bed late for years, studying stressed right through the night, sexual misconduct as in sleeping around; as you can see all of these habits caused a serious damage in my energetic system. Why me? A: Several lifetimes ago I abused power and caused a lot of suffering to others; and in another life a French courtesan very fond of sexual encounters at various levels.

 

I am taking my spiritual practice very seriously as you can imagine. There is still a lot of blocked energy to be removed.

 

I understand know why Daoists placed so much importance to stimulation of the kidney one (the kidneys, the root of life, are known as the 'mother of all the organs', not only because they store yuanqi, one's very essence, but also because they are the source of all the Yin energy for the rest of the organs) during the stepping in their circle walking meditations.

 

Good luck to you all.

 

Edited December 4, 2011 by Gerard

[baiqi]

Gerard, that is a great post, which is relevant with my own experience.

 

 

About alcohol:

 

with my practice, I did also begin to feel the chi of this and that kind of food.

 

It made me stop eating meat completely, also made me realise some food I love aren't that good for circulation (cheese is a very good example. Still eating it, though I know it's bad for health! I feel like I'm an addict! )

 

As for alcohol, I feel the differences between different kind of acoholic drinks:

 

- red wine is the best, by far. It improves the circulation.

- liquors are generally to be avoided, though it may be ok if you drink just a little.

- beer: I was originally a beer drinker, I am reducing it more and more. I realized it makes the chi stagnate.

There are however somme differences according to the quality of beer you drink. In Europe, especially Belgium, some beers are brewed by christian monks.

"Strangely", these beers seem to have a much better effect than the others.

 

Oh, and of course, one should drink moderately. I disagree however with those who say alcohol is a poison. Any poison depends on the quantity. Even water can be a poison.

[Patrick Brown]

I drink way too much it's pretty much standard issue for people that move up. Balancing all that energy is tricky. If I was in the right space I would grow younger (regenerate) but hey we're here and now and the world is a trap for the beauty that we all hold. I'll give up when I get a better space and a bigger mirror.

[mantis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Ching_Yun

 

This guy drank rice wine everyday, he lived to be a decent age?

[Alethaeia]

alcohol is a gift from the gods

for me, it's either red wine or homebrew beer

in true Taoist tradition, i use alcohol as a way to moderate my practice

we must not take life too seriously

( :

[konchog uma]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Ching_Yun

 

This guy drank rice wine everyday, he lived to be a decent age?

 

well he drank 2 shots per day, and they had 50 different kinds of longevity herbs steeped in them.

[Birch]

I drink way too much it's pretty much standard issue for people that move up. Balancing all that energy is tricky. If I was in the right space I would grow younger (regenerate) but hey we're here and now and the world is a trap for the beauty that we all hold. I'll give up when I get a better space and a bigger mirror.

 

What do you mean "standard issue"?

I read something similar elsewhere (Bonnie Greenwell's book on kundalini).

[Cameron]

alcohol is a gift from the gods

for me, it's either red wine or homebrew beer

in true Taoist tradition, i use alcohol as a way to moderate my practice

we must not take life too seriously

( :

 

 

How regularly do you drink?

 

I think the just drink on weekends and not too much approach is a good one. In anmy case, that's what I am settling for!

[Birch]

Slow way: lifetimes of meditative practice

Fast way: Internal Martial Arts (Baguazhang is the fastest method I have come across with), Vipassana (a bit slower), Zhan Zhuang (minimum of 1 h of daily standing) combined with Baguazhang is a killer method, very painful though.

 

How did it get inside of you in the first place? A: Karma.

 

We all carry a toxic load inside which forms knots of condensed energy (Qi blockages) along the main centers of the Central channel and its two main branches: left and right. These channels have got nothing to do with the meridians of acupuncture. They are the core of our Qi body:

 

 

Source: http://www.energyarts.com/taoist-energy-anatomy

 

 

Our task is to remove those blockages: this can take many years, decades of energy work as they create mind patterns/fixations that are embedded as brain habits (mental formations) resulting from their crystallisation within glands and internal organs. We will be facing our most traumatising and deeply entrenched inner demons along the track. Very difficult and demanding work but all the effort put counts toward attaining greatness since releasing the blocked energies that ultimately cause destructive non-spiritual patterns (emotional, mental, psychic or karmic) helps to release the demons that can easily hide at the bottom of the unconscious mind and attach to one's karma.

 

Let me give you a practical example and not just fancy words:

 

I did my regular early am routine of 1h standing meditation in pole standing (I vary my hand/arm positions in 5 different placements) but this morning something really nasty stopped me at 50min. It was anger and frustration stuck as toxic old Qi flowing down my legs and reflected in a specific place in both organs...I could feel the discomfort in a tiny point in my liver and its corresponding point in the GB. Qi wasn't flowing well. So I was frustrated not being able to complete 60min. I then realised that the stopping at 50min was caused by my frustration in my younger years (upbringing and career related). This frustration comes from a past life unresolved issue which I have seen in meditation and which is stuck in my liver Qi.

 

I was very upset and hated myself. I resumed my standing meditation after walking around for 15 min, then I worked with another tree and felt much better but the blocked energy is still there and also stuck in both shoulder blades, both sides of the kwa, center of midriff (both left and right). All of these plus and small knots of blocked Qi in my kidneys (largest ones, especially in the right kidney which is blocked), liver, GB, spleen and heart (large one) are my main focus in my current practice. Where did they come from: emotional abuse when I was a kid, leading a stressful life as a result, being involved in a highly stressful job, binge drinking, going to bed late for years, studying stressed right through the night, sexual misconduct as in sleeping around; as you can see all of these habits caused a serious damage in my energetic system. Why me? A: Several lifetimes ago I abused power and caused a lot of suffering to others; and in another life a French courtesan very fond of sexual encounters at various levels.

 

I am taking my spiritual practice very seriously as you can imagine. There is still a lot of blocked energy to be removed.

 

I understand know why Daoists placed so much importance to stimulation of the kidney one (the kidneys, the root of life, are known as the 'mother of all the organs', not only because they store yuanqi, one's very essence, but also because they are the source of all the Yin energy for the rest of the organs) during the stepping in their circle walking meditations.

 

Good luck to you all.

 

 

That was a very good post Gerard. Thanks!

[Dreamingawake]

I generally only drink liquor on social occasions or a decent micro-brew whenever the mood strikes me For me that seems to work out to maybe a couple beers maybe once a week and a few drinks maybe twice a month.

[zerostao]

well, traditionally between thanksgiving (or haloween!) and until new years i slow down on the beer and get into the holiday spirit with some kentucky straight, 7 year old jim beam (there is a new devil's cut beam i havnt tried yet) or maker's mark or if any bum happens to have some woodford reserve you are cordially invited to drop on by. of course i have the longevity herbs at home to add to taste.

 

even this time of year long neck bottles do come in handy, tis the season (looks for the smiley face in the santa hat??)

[dawei]

Just remembered....the other week I did a reverse orbit practice, and it enabled me to slam 3 pints, no problem. No drunkenness, no overheating, no rising energy, etc. I was just healthy and happy.

 

Hmmm...maybe I shouldn't have said that (being a bad example)...but it's true.

Everyone's body and reaction is different... but experiences are really quite interesting... and as they go, mine is similar.

 

I discovered this in my trips to china where consuming alcohol is a daily holiday. Particularly in the northeast where it can get to 70%, one has to be careful in their giddy consumption among those who will show up at a local clinic the next day for an IV to recover.

 

But I found after an almost year break from traveling there, when I returned, I was able to consume 2x more of the jet fuel than normal despite I don't get close to that level of consumption otherwise. In fact, they quickly dubbed me by the applicable term "Da Jiu Gui" (Drinking Ghost).

 

Anyways, I don't necessarily recommend believing it works that way for everyone nor should be attempted. But I am not one to stand on a pulpit and expound the opposite either. It's your experience in the end.

[Taomeow]

Everyone's body and reaction is different... but experiences are really quite interesting... and as they go, mine is similar.

 

I discovered this in my trips to china where consuming alcohol is a daily holiday.

 

Being constantly sober is not the state of consciousness expected of a person in many cultures. (Mongolians believed for the longest time that it is somewhat shameful for a grown man to be completely sober. "Plain vanilla" consciousness was seen as unmanly.) While I've seen it overdone to a ridiculous extent in Russia, I can understand that drunken consciousness is a choice one might make, well, consciously. Even in the most unlikely places...

 

The most unlikely place where I've encountered it was a buddhist temple in Beijing where my local friend took me to a miracle-working massage therapist. The therapist showed up almost an hour late, and by that time his other patients arrived, and he decided to treat them first, because it was just a quickie, and then concentrate on the "white ghosts." He started working with one of the women and then he started yelling at her at the top of his lungs. At some point he pushed her away and ran out into the yard where I was waiting, screaming something to me, then ran back in. "What did he say?" I asked my friend. "He said, 'If you came to this country to witness barbarism, come look! This is it! This is what true barbarism looks like!' " I asked, "what does he mean -- the fact that he is drunk?" "No, that has nothing to do with anything, he's always drunk after lunch. He's talking about his patient. She didn't do what he told her to do the last time she visited. And now her skeletal structure is off all over again and that's what he calls barbarism."

 

When my turn came, I experienced something indescribable. I've never had bodywork of this kind -- I felt like a kid of twelve after he was done, body and mind alike. But while he was working on me, he poured buckets of drunken abuse on my head which my friend translated only partially. Would I go to this guy again? Only every day if I could.

[Cameron]

 

The most unlikely place where I've encountered it was a buddhist temple in Beijing where my local friend took me to a miracle-working massage therapist.

 

 

One of the funniest things I have seen since moving to China was a Taoist monkon top of Hua Shan drinking a Red Bull. Not sure if he was legit or not, but he was quite a character!

[Patrick Brown]

What do you mean "standard issue"?

I read something similar elsewhere (Bonnie Greenwell's book on kundalini).

 

It's just that so many Master's, Mystic's, teachers seem to succumb to alcoholism. Obviously alcoholism isn't good but it seems that they use it to bring themselves down and calm their energies. It's not only a physical thing as perceiving the nature of reality, through insight, can often make the journey unbearable.

 

Interesting to note that Siddhartha was named the compassionate Buddha i.e. The sympathetic Buddha mainly because he wasn't going to teach the Dharma but in the end he did.

 

As I said in a recent post enlightenment can be a blessing or a curse depending on how the individual deals with it. We also have Jesus, who we all suspect drank a bit too much, and his famous outburst in the temple. Of course enlightenment isn't a curse it's just that it makes you different.

 

I am a fool. Oh, yes! I am confused.

Others are clear and bright,

But I alone am dim and weak.

Others are sharp and clever,

But I alone am dull and stupid.

Oh, I drift like the waves of the sea,

Without direction, like the restless wind.

Everyone else is busy,

But I alone am aimless and depressed.

I am different.

I am nourished by the great mother.

 

Of course they suggest that Lao Tze walked off into the desert to die sick to death at the hearts of men. No doubt he took a bottle or two of wine with him!

 

The bottom line with booze is "use it but don't abuse it".

[dawei]

Being constantly sober is not the state of consciousness expected of a person in many cultures. (Mongolians believed for the longest time that it is somewhat shameful for a grown man to be completely sober. "Plain vanilla" consciousness was seen as unmanly.) While I've seen it overdone to a ridiculous extent in Russia, I can understand that drunken consciousness is a choice one might make, well, consciously. Even in the most unlikely places...

the cultural stories are interesting. I had to get used to being asked if I wanted alcohol at breakfast... along with the leftover duck, spicy fish and vegetables. My breakfast is generally very simple (eggs are enough) and the one time of day I do put my foot down about drinking since otherwise I won't have any feet to put down

 

But it is a culture which does also take drinking to a serious level as well with all the home-made brews one can encounter. In one trip I was presented with a "3 year brew". I just returned and brought back various items to make my own brew (ginseng, roots, animal parts, etc). I will watch it for 3 months before I can drink it.

 

How this stuff reacts to the energy levels of the body is another story in itself.

[Yuen Biao]

- beer: I was originally a beer drinker, I am reducing it more and more. I realized it makes the chi stagnate.

There are however somme differences according to the quality of beer you drink. In Europe, especially Belgium, some beers are brewed by christian monks.

"Strangely", these beers seem to have a much better effect than the others.

 

If you analyse many beers you will find they are full of additives; as you correctly point out many European beers are natural and contain just the necessary ingredients.

Bavarian Purity Law

 

So without going off in a tangent too much if you're going to drink beer make sure you know what's in it and boycott the crap out there that's full of additives!

[CLPM]

I think alcohol in small quantities is good for you, and I enjoy the occasional beer too. I've never gone overboard with alcohol, but I've never been shy about drinking it.

[Alethaeia]

I think the just drink on weekends and not too much approach is a good one. In anmy case, that's what I am settling for!

that sounds healthy, moderation is one of Lao's three great virtues, is it not? : )

How regularly do you drink?

 

i drink a couple times a week, no schedule really

i try not to get too tipsy, it's usually destructive for me to fall too far out of control -- i have alot of fire >: )

 

also i forgot to mention my very favorite drink, which for me is a rare treat -- Port 'The Philosopher's Wine'

man i love that stuff <3

Edited December 6, 2011 by Alethaeia

[Patrick Brown]

also i forgot to mention my very favorite drink, which for me is a rare treat -- Port 'The Philosopher's Wine'

man i love that stuff <3

White Port is best!

[Mal]

[Ish]

I really question that snippet which says alcohol connects you to the divine.

If it was true im sure our society would be a lot less dysfunctional, at least in the UK.