Informer Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) Pantheism is fairly similar to the Tao.  Tao-  Within these contexts Tao signifies the primordial essence or fundamental nature of the universe. In the foundational text of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching, Laozi explains that Tao is not a 'name' for a 'thing' but the underlying natural order of the universe whose ultimate essence is difficult to circumscribe.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao  Pantheism is the view that the Universe (or Nature) and God (or divinity) are identical.[1] Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal, anthropomorphic or creator god. The word derives from the Greek (pan) meaning "all" and the Greek (theos) meaning "God". As such, pantheism denotes the idea that "God" is best seen as a process of relating to the Universe.[2] The central ideas found in almost all pantheistic beliefs are the view of the Cosmos as an all-encompassing unity and the sacredness of Nature. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheism Edited May 25, 2012 by Informer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth Ananda Posted May 25, 2012  Only one with greed would keep spiritual evolution a secret. There is not a secret, all is within you already.  lol, I have practices that there are simply no coming back from.  I won't share them online, ever, and I have not seen them in print anywhere. This is good. I share them with the few close students that I can trust wont loose their marbles, and who will be very careful with them, and even then, it gets sketchy. To enter a completely different way of experiencing and perceiving, in an extremly short period of time, with no way to turn it off once its on, is massively massively disrupting to the psyche and quite simply, can easily turn a previously healthy psyche into a schizophrenic. Dangerous stuff.  This is not selfishness on my part. This is love for my fellow humans.  People with little experience will never understand how dangerous some of this rarer stuff can be, and so whinging about secrets is understandable. Also I do believe there has been too much secrecy in the past, which is why I post things like the Cobra breath, and try to make most of my practices freely available  In Melbourne, I do all my work by donation, and struggle to keep my practice open as a result. Online work like with Mike, I do for free.  Have fun 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) I don't believe you discovered anything others haven't already discovered in our thousands of years of being human. The difference is that they wrote it down and shared it with everyone. Â The grandest secret is that there are no secrets. Edited May 25, 2012 by Informer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth Ananda Posted May 25, 2012 I don't believe you discovered anything others haven't already discovered in our thousands of years of being human. The difference is that they wrote it down and shared it with everyone.  The grandest secret is that there are no secrets. :lol:  Not discovered by me! Initiatory secrets, that they were wise enough to not write down and share :o  and if the greatest secret is that there are no secrets, then why does me having secrets {that you don't know} bug you so much???   Reveling in the Mystery! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) It doesn't bug me at all, I know there is no truth to whatever you are thinking you are hiding, only belief disguised in mystery and intrigue. (Yes, you should probably keep it to yourself and not even hint at it since it is such a valuable secret to be so haphazardly guarded by you.) Â Flaunting a secret and not saying or revealing the secret is proof of intention in and of itself. (imo) Â Truth is in plain sight, "the secret" is your method of coercion or being coerced (prob both), and I am not susceptible to either. Â Truth is present for all to determine the validity, it needs not hide away. Edited May 25, 2012 by Informer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Way Is Virtue Posted May 25, 2012 Mike, in my experience it is probably better not to be too quick to try to label or pigeon hole what you are experiencing. There can be many causes at various levels of such things. Try to stay as relaxed and natural as you can and observe and investigate what seems to help and what does not. I have found that generally simpler and natural approaches and being prepared to give things a lot of time if necessary, and not giving up will eventually lead to insights and improvement. It could be as simple as consulting a herb doctor or acupuncturist or naturopath, or doing simple forms of health yoga or qigong, or just continuing with long relaxed walks in nature, or just giving it more time. Some teachers or natural healers or groups may help but doing research and taking your time to check various things out may be helpful as well. Such things are part of the journey of life that we all experience and go through in varying degrees and at different times. Best wishes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mike 134 Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) Hey guys,  I am wondering if any of you have experience with prescription medications? I'm currently taking gabapentin to help decrease agitation/anxiety and improve sleep. I actually feel okay on it but just a little dull. I've taken it for the last two months. I guess for most ppl its not too harsh, but the thing that scares me is that its a nerve medicine, used for nerve disorders like pain, restless legs, neuropathy, and seizures. But kundalini also affects the nerves. I am really concerned that it may interfere with the whole process? Is my being able to sleep a because the medication is temporarily halting the k? I want to let the k take its course and not screw things up with meds. I read this post  http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/yoga-forum/1400012-gabapentin-advised.html  and also this  http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/yoga-forum/1400017-my-experience-gabapentin.html  warning against taking it.  "this drug can have a very serious side effects for the person inside of the Kundalini as the drug operates in many ways to modulate the electrical systems of the brain and the central nervous system exactly the areas where Kundalini is present and also upgrading the body into finer systems of current and distribution. I will let Chris_H tell you the " quality " of the pain that can be endured.  The chemical industry doesnt even know the full effect of this drug on the body. So everyone who is interested in the Kundalini - please be advised of this drug and the SSRI class of drugs (selected seratonin re-uptake inhibitors) before you begin an awakening. - chrism "   But the problem with me is that I have to take SOMETHING. If not gabapentin then some other sedative, and natural supplements are too weak. I've been on one medication or another ever since this whole episode started almost a year ago.  The other thing that scares the crap out of me is that I took antipsychotics for a couple of weeks ! These are really harsh medicines and I am concerned I may have distorted the k forever?? I stopped taking them when I started on gabapentin. I read on this site that "Prescription psychoactive drugs (antidepressants and antipsychotics) can arrest or completely abort a transformational process. This may sound desirable to those who are having a hard time of it, but these drugs do not return one to normal; instead, they tend to freeze the process in its present state."  http://www.elcollie.com/st/chap10.html  Thanks guys!   informer: should I stay away from tap water then?  virtue: yeah at first I went with the conservative natural route but ended up on harsh meds out of desperation. I'm trying to get off and do the practices I've been suggested. Edited May 25, 2012 by mike md Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Way Is Virtue Posted May 25, 2012 virtue: yeah at first I went with the conservative natural route but ended up on harsh meds out of desperation. I'm trying to get off and do the practices I've been suggested. Pharmaceuticals can have many undesirable side effects. IMO, best to try to avoid them unless really required for health reasons. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) Don't get the wrong Idea here, I'll just share my experience and choices about what I found to be helpful for me, because it is helpful to me it may not necessarily also be helpful to you. Â The only medicine I really use is Marijuana, which helps to take the "edge" off so to speak. Marijuana is criminalized and demonized as harmless as it is, so I feel it may be taboo to speak of, if this is the case for you then simply disregard what I say. Â Magic mushrooms also have a profound effect on the third eye in my experience, but there are many who do not have such pleasant effects/affects from the mushrooms. Things being as they are, I rarely bring up such things, but it is what it is. Edited May 25, 2012 by Informer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted May 25, 2012 informer: should I stay away from tap water then? Â I think that is for you to decide, I would suggest to do some research on things instead of believing people, find out then decide. There is a bunch of stuff that has already been posted about the subject on these boards as well as on the internet in general. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sahaj Nath Posted May 26, 2012 That would be great, but even if people know of good yoga classes, Bhajan groups, or anything that can support him better than just an online connection, then please post  actually, there's a student of Ratu Bagus in Virginia who might be someone good to know. i could put the original poster in contact with him, but after reading through this thread (thanks for bringing it to my attention, don_vedo), i'm not so sure if that's the right direction to take.  there are hundreds of generic recommendations out there, and many of them are going to contradict because the process is not a "one size fits all" kind of thing. none of them are wrong necessarily, but a lot of them are likely to be wrong for you. who you are is every bit as important as what your condition is, and that's why it's such a good idea to have a PRIVATE dialogue with someone who can help you navigate to a better place.  it seems to me that you are interested in getting off the ride altogether, and you don't have a lot of interest in discovering where it can take you. in other words, what you really want is to get your life back. if this is true, it's important for anyone who could help you to know this. and it makes a world of difference in terms of what practices/lessons/foods/whatever are going to be best for you. often people are eager to promote what THEY want in your situation without listening well enough to who YOU are what what YOU want. you need to work with someone who is going to take the time to listen and understand the important things about you. someone who is going to ask personal questions. someone who knows how to guide you to where YOU want to go, and who has taken the time really know where that is.  of course, this ALSO means that if you want some serious, quality advice, you need to be willing to open up, get personal, and share of yourself. this isn't something you'll want to do in an open forum.  i could probably help you, but i honestly don't think i'm the best person for the type of guidance you're looking for. what i CAN say, however, is that SETH ANANDA knows his stuff. and more importantly, he LIVES his stuff. he doesn't just talk the talk. it would be worth your while to start a private dialogue with him and just see where it goes.  if all else fails, you are welcome to contact me as well. i will definitely interview you with a series of questions, and if i don't help you directly, i'll at least have the information i need to put you in the right hands.  distance aside, my guess is that Seth can do more for you than most of those folks that you could meet in-person. you've got nothing to lose. we don't betray confidences. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted May 26, 2012 The only medicine I really use is Marijuana, which helps to take the "edge" off so to speak. Marijuana is criminalized and demonized as harmless as it is, so I feel it may be taboo to speak of, if this is the case for you then simply disregard what I say. Â Â I for one really appreciate your bringing that up. Cannabis (indica) is important to me as well for PTSD. But I must also say that it has greatly expanded my thought process as well. The brain seems to establish pathways at a much more dynamic rate than when I'm not using it. I wish the liquor lobby would just go jump over a cliff and let us smoke what comes up out of the ground, for god's sake. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birch Posted May 26, 2012 Will vouch for Hundun as (only as I know him) a serious distiller of compassion. Not the kind that comes in words but with words. Â Oh geez I don't know how to help but it ought to be helpable. And not necessarily just by whoever forum passer-by humans. Â Right now I'm hanging out in a forest sort of a place. Where do you do best? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mike 134 Posted May 26, 2012 (edited) In one sense, I believe you have a blockage, a place where the energy is stuck and activating psychic pathways and channels in your third eye and cave of Brahman instead of letting the energy pass through and then go back down  Hey, this makes perfect sense. I remember the first couple of weeks I had bad headaches and derealization. Also I am still having neck spasms but improved somewhat. So maybe I developed a bad block in the neck chakra that couldn't go down so its going up, activating the head chakras ? Either this or I somehow spontaneously activated a head chakra, but, being an untrained person, the neck chakra is not wide enough to let the energy back down ? This might also explain why I don't feel anything in my spine, cause the lower chakras aren't involved ? Does that make sense ? Have anybody heard of a case like this ? And if so why am I getting muscle twitches and tingling all over even in my feet ?  Hey if this is the case, shouldn't I be doing all of these at once ? 1. Trying to unblock the neck chakra (how?) 2. Trying to burn through the block from below by raising kundalini starting from the root, using kundalini yoga. 3. Touching my head to a tree or something to ground it out directly.  Does that make sense to you guys ? Please try to comment if you can because I'm still a beginner with no real clue how these things work.  it seems to me that you are interested in getting off the ride altogether, and you don't have a lot of interest in discovering where it can take you. in other words, what you really want is to get your life back  Hey hundun thx for offering to help me. You recommended seth, I started dialogue with him a few days ago and we are working together. On pg one of this post he asked me if I wanted to explore or to stop this process. Believe it or not I actually said explore, cause if it stops its not like I can just turn the clock back a year, and it might come back. Who knows maybe I can go somewhere with this.  Right now I'm hanging out in a forest sort of a place. Where do you do best Yeah I'm actually in the woods too. Edited May 26, 2012 by mike md Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted May 26, 2012 mike did you say how old you are? Â Also do you feel this "heaviness of head like one is wearing a helmet." , when you listen to these: Â http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TbHo31kaSM Â http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM7egu73gCg&feature=related Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ulia Posted May 26, 2012 (edited) Hi Mike,  Regarding Bipolar, you may find this series of videos very helpful. They are done by a gentleman who went through the same thing and realized that it was awakening, not a psychiatric disorder: Bipolar or Waking Up: http://www.youtube.com/user/bipolarorwakingup?feature=results_main  I found solace and peace in Buddhist temples. I have gone to all the temples and sitting/meditation groups, and personally found Zen/Chen temples very helpful. They generally have a meditation session and you can consult with a monk or a senior student about what might help you. I would highly recommend it, if only just to get some peace of mind. I'm sure there are several temples in your area that would welcome you.  Best wishes, Ulia Edited June 17, 2012 by Ulia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birch Posted May 27, 2012 "why am I getting muscle twitches and tingling all over even in my feet ?" Â I get this 'at rest' pretty often. It's like the muscles are discharging as I relax. I don't know why this happens but a) seems to happen quite a lot some practices seem like they induce it even c) I did come across a few sources who suggested it was natural (Steven Levine is big into it) d) ever see those guys at the office bouncing their legs (not in an 'O at D' thing (c.f. Drew Hempel). Â The only other thing that comes to mind is calcium/magnesium balance as an issue. But that's a longshot and a guess so please take it as such and NOT any kind of diagnostic. Â Oh yeah, drink more water:-) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mike 134 Posted May 27, 2012 (edited) It completely disapeared when I started to get more sleep and eat more properly  Yeah, I wish I can sleep ! Without meds that is. I tried b12, took it for a long time with other vitamins... Didn't do anything. Thanks for your support man.  The only other thing that comes to mind is calcium/magnesium balance as an issue. But that's a longshot and a guess so please take it as such and NOT any kind of diagnostic  Good thought but they checked my electrolytes and they were okay. I tried ca/mg supplements anyway and also iron just to see but it didn't do anything. It's definitely not natural. I never had them before I got sick, and they showed up exactly at the same time as my other symptoms so yeah everything is related.  Also do you feel this "heaviness of head like one is wearing a helmet." , when you listen to these  Hard to say I kind of always feel that way with the sleeping pills... And auto suggestion ican be powerful. The first one was freaky though. What's the point of the music ?  I'm twenty something. Edited May 27, 2012 by mike md Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted May 27, 2012 They are frequencies that have been correlated to the frequencies of our energy centers. The first one was 3rd eye. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gatito Posted May 28, 2012 (edited) ... Edited July 17, 2015 by gatito 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Foote Posted May 29, 2012 Hey guys,  I am wondering if any of you have experience with prescription medications? I'm currently taking gabapentin to help decrease agitation/anxiety and improve sleep. I actually feel okay on it but just a little dull. I've taken it for the last two months. I guess for most ppl its not too harsh, but the thing that scares me is that its a nerve medicine, used for nerve disorders like pain, restless legs, neuropathy, and seizures. But kundalini also affects the nerves. I am really concerned that it may interfere with the whole process? Is my being able to sleep a because the medication is temporarily halting the k? I want to let the k take its course and not screw things up with meds. I read this post  http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/yoga-forum/1400012-gabapentin-advised.html  and also this  http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/yoga-forum/1400017-my-experience-gabapentin.html  warning against taking it.  "this drug can have a very serious side effects for the person inside of the Kundalini as the drug operates in many ways to modulate the electrical systems of the brain and the central nervous system exactly the areas where Kundalini is present and also upgrading the body into finer systems of current and distribution. I will let Chris_H tell you the " quality " of the pain that can be endured.  The chemical industry doesnt even know the full effect of this drug on the body. So everyone who is interested in the Kundalini - please be advised of this drug and the SSRI class of drugs (selected seratonin re-uptake inhibitors) before you begin an awakening. - chrism "   But the problem with me is that I have to take SOMETHING. If not gabapentin then some other sedative, and natural supplements are too weak. I've been on one medication or another ever since this whole episode started almost a year ago.  The other thing that scares the crap out of me is that I took antipsychotics for a couple of weeks ! These are really harsh medicines and I am concerned I may have distorted the k forever?? I stopped taking them when I started on gabapentin. I read on this site that "Prescription psychoactive drugs (antidepressants and antipsychotics) can arrest or completely abort a transformational process. This may sound desirable to those who are having a hard time of it, but these drugs do not return one to normal; instead, they tend to freeze the process in its present state."  http://www.elcollie.com/st/chap10.html  Thanks guys!   informer: should I stay away from tap water then?  virtue: yeah at first I went with the conservative natural route but ended up on harsh meds out of desperation. I'm trying to get off and do the practices I've been suggested.  I apologize for not reading the full thread, but I thought you might like a different approach. I can't tell you about gabapentin, but I can tell you another way to fall asleep. The idea is to follow the sense of location in the occurrence of consciousness. You can read my full description, "Waking Up and Falling Asleep", here.  I was writing on Apech's "Myth of the Eight Hour Sleep" thread (it's here), and I mentioned my practice. Humbleone took me up on it, and after a couple of questions (which are on the thread starting about page 2), he wrote this:   "I woke up at 4:30AM, after a quick drink of water. returned to bed and tried your practice.  I hope I did it correctly, I was somewhat surprized that my mind moved around quite a bit. not fast, but in slow motion the awareness would shift, from left cheek to right side of torso etc. The end result was a light sleep state, but I was glued to the bed and then woke up exactly at 6AM, feeling refreshed like I had a complete 8 hours of sleep."  He wrote me that he succeeded in getting back to sleep 3 nights in a row, then 7 nights in a row, then he tried it in the day time and had a good result there too. As to the hypnic activity, here's a paragraph from a piece I wrote that maybe addresses that:  "These days I'm happiest when I can feel my action being generated from the place I find myself in, from the place and the things that enter into the place even before I know it. I can say that my sense of place is freed to move when I have an attraction or aversion to something I feel, and the witness of that attraction or aversion enters into my sense of place; that's how I find myself waking up or falling asleep, in the midst of my activity." (that's from my article "Kobun Chino Otogawa on Zazen", here).  Best of luck with it,  Mark Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mike 134 Posted May 29, 2012 (edited) Gatito: thx for the link. I will look in to it. I tried something similar in the past with a hypnosis cd but it didn't work but hey I got nothing to lose. Â Mark : do you focus awareness on where you are in the body, like where your arms, legs are, or do u focus on where you are in physical space outside of you, like your bed or room ? The post above said cheek to torso...is there an order to this ? Thanks. Â Hey guys I appreciate all the responses. I am working with Seth ananda and I have a daily routine going. I will post again in some weeks and let you all know how things are running, but I'm sticking around in the meantime. Later ! Â Edited May 29, 2012 by mike md 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birch Posted May 29, 2012 Hi Mark! I tried your sleep thing yesterday. Works very well. I think I was out by third movement. I also liked how you explained it in the post above because I hadn't understood it before:-) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites