seeking some advice/knowledge/wisom on my recent cultivation

[meditator00]

About 4 months ago I incorporated reverse breathing while pulling up the perineum and sphincter muscles on consecutive inhales for a good chunk of my practice. After about 2 weeks of doing this, I noticed an obvious energy accumulation in my lower dan tien and why I noticed this is because of serious heat in that particular area on exhales. This particular sensation was weak prior to this new breathing technique. At that point im thinkin that i'm doing something right as far as energy gathering goes. Then when I would do mco meditations it really became obvious because this heat would clearly start in my lower dan tien then travel up my back feeling like a fire inside me and how a fire kinda waves around ya know and come to my forehead. But after my 3rd month of this practice I began to get these mild headaches during my practice. So what I decided to do was when I would do my inhales, I would put my full focus on only my bottom area around the perineum and not "flex my mind" as I would describe and the headache issue subsided, but it kind of lingers around at times very, very mildly. This doesn't exactly worry me since I feel like this is probably a symptom of energy blockages being cleared up cause I am a person whom does not suffer migraines or headaches....ever. Anyways, I began to feel like a sensation and it feels really weird/good at the moment of squeezing the perineum. Then one day not long ago I was reverse breathing for a few minutes without squeezing the muscles, but focusing on the lower dan tien and really feeling deep inside and I felt this seriously odd tingle that literaly went from my belly button on the inside and traveled to about my scrotum. Since then I feel something kind of similar to it if I really focus down there while doing breathing exercises. I am curious to know if what I am experiencing is on a right track. I figure it must be but I dont have a teacher, wish I did, however at this moment in my life i don't really have the means to get out and meet other like minded individuals or join in on mediation groups yet. Thank you for reading my post and especially for the responses.

Edited September 25, 2014 by meditator00

[Gerard]

Stop doing that. Forcing energy work/meditations only brings trouble and in the long run disaster to happen.

 

Focus on moving work, mindfully, you must learn from a traditionally trained and caring teacher.

 

When doing still meditation work, here's good advice.

 

Good luck.

Edited September 26, 2014 by Gerard

[meditator00]

Through research I have come arcross things about the consequences of improper energy practices during meditation but what exactly are the consequences if what I am doing feels correct deep down intuitively?

Edited September 26, 2014 by meditator00

[GrandmasterP]

If you are feeling ill as a direct result of cultivating in a particular way then stopping is good advice.

There are plenty of tried and tested cultivations out there that won't cause you any discomfort.

It's always best to learn from a teacher.

Going it alone can be a recipe for disaster, certainly in the early years.

There's an old motto.......

" The self taught cultivator has a fool for a student."

Edited September 26, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Taoist Texts]

. I am curious to know if what I am experiencing is on a right track. I figure it must be but I dont have a teacher,

The rightness of the track is defined by its destination. What is your destination?

 

At any event dont worry about teachers, since there are no 'teachers' their imprtance is overrated.

[lifeforce]

The journey is the destination, and the destination is the journey.

[Taoist Texts]

The journey is the destination, and the destination is the journey.

yeah well may be, in a manner of speaking...on the other hand:

 

If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable. –Seneca

[Daeluin]

It's all about balance.

 

Ultimately one should be fully relaxed, but as one is learning to dissolve blockages, perhaps strengthening weaknesses will help regain balance. But this is all subtle work. As we strengthen one area, perhaps we reach the point of balance; then continuing on will simply imbalance things in the other direction. Simultaneously, as one imbalance is corrected, other imbalances become subtly predominant.

 

So while techniques are great, over-emphasis of their practice may cause their own imbalances. Finding a teacher can greatly help, otherwise if one is not careful it may be easy to swing back and forth on side-paths, while the center path remains elusive. But hey, the journey is important too, forever containing messages about where the true center lies - remember, all life is part of the journey, not just the practice sessions.

[soaring crane]

Classic case of TMTS

 

 

 

(Too Much Too Soon)

[meditator00]

I dont have a destination set, I just want to continue to learn. is my point of view wrong or should there be a destination, or goal, set in regards to meditation and energy cultivation? Anything surrounding meditation and the energy cultivation process seriously intrigues me because since my own personal experience mentioned on my introduction post. Then when I began to practice qigong, which was roughly a couple years after I began sitting/laying meditation, I began to understand a deeper sense of energy I guess i'll call it because I began to consciously feel it. I began to feel the pulse of my blood strengthen at first and it turned into other sorts of feelings which don't feel bad, aside of the short headache thing which subsided after I changed the way in which I practiced.

Aside of my original reason for posting my experience....I also always thought to myself....how did the original person learn about these things? They didn't have a teacher except for their own intuition and insight through what i'd call astral projection and interaction with what seemed to be other entities. Also, through documentation of my dreams and a very good friend of mine who passed away many years ago, I noticed that once in a while there is a sort of influenced involved once in awhile which seems to be trying to teach you something or let you know about something.

Edited September 26, 2014 by meditator00

[Gerard]

Personally I'll advice you to learn from a teacher. Safer and you'll progress faster with no side-effects. Where do you live? Cehck for any Buddhist Vipassana retreats in your area...or alternatively an IMA instructor (traditionally trained from a known lineage).

 

Here are some links:

 

1. Vipassana

 

2. IMA

 

Best of luck. You'll need it.

🙏 Edited September 27, 2014 by Gerard

[allinone]

all you need is in the books also, not only teachers posses everything.

Edited September 27, 2014 by allinone

[Bearded Dragon]

You're probably tensing too much. Whether you have the sensitivity to feel it or not.

 

Since it seems you still want to continue this practice then I would suggest refinining the process such that you only do it by intent. A thought of energy moving. If you do anything physically like trying to suck up energy or pump it with your breath you will invariably introduce tension. You CAN do those things but it would be wise to be good enough to be at a high level of relaxation like maybe 5+ years worth of experience. I'm talking about real relaxation. Not the superficial kind. If you don't know what I mean then you don't have it.

[manitou]

(I don't think the 'Quote' button works with Windows 8.1 - at least not on my twitterbox)

 

Gerard - your first post - I followed the link and what wonderful information that was. It was almost an instructional on how to develop the witness state - especially with all the 'ings' - i.e. wondering, contemplating, hurting, etc. That in itself is worth its weight in gold.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

In meditation progress, I've always felt the following from the Tao Te Ching to be highly relevant:

 

10. Therefore the Sage dwells in nonactive affairs and practices the wordless teaching.
11. The ten thousand things arise, but he doesn't begin them;
12. He acts on their behalf, but he doesn't make them dependent;
13. He accomplishes his tasks, but he doesn't dwell on them;
14. It is only because he doesn't dwell on them, that they therefore do not leave him.

 

I would just suggest meditating on this for a while until it's understood at a deep level.

[Horus]

About 4 months ago I incorporated reverse breathing while pulling up the perineum and sphincter muscles on consecutive inhales for a good chunk of my practice. After about 2 weeks of doing this, I noticed an obvious energy accumulation in my lower dan tien and why I noticed this is because of serious heat in that particular area on exhales. This particular sensation was weak prior to this new breathing technique. At that point im thinkin that i'm doing something right as far as energy gathering goes. Then when I would do mco meditations it really became obvious because this heat would clearly start in my lower dan tien then travel up my back feeling like a fire inside me and how a fire kinda waves around ya know and come to my forehead. But after my 3rd month of this practice I began to get these mild headaches during my practice. So what I decided to do was when I would do my inhales, I would put my full focus on only my bottom area around the perineum and not "flex my mind" as I would describe and the headache issue subsided, but it kind of lingers around at times very, very mildly. This doesn't exactly worry me since I feel like this is probably a symptom of energy blockages being cleared up cause I am a person whom does not suffer migraines or headaches....ever. Anyways, I began to feel like a sensation and it feels really weird/good at the moment of squeezing the perineum. Then one day not long ago I was reverse breathing for a few minutes without squeezing the muscles, but focusing on the lower dan tien and really feeling deep inside and I felt this seriously odd tingle that literaly went from my belly button on the inside and traveled to about my scrotum. Since then I feel something kind of similar to it if I really focus down there while doing breathing exercises. I am curious to know if what I am experiencing is on a right track. I figure it must be but I dont have a teacher, wish I did, however at this moment in my life i don't really have the means to get out and meet other like minded individuals or join in on mediation groups yet. Thank you for reading my post and especially for the responses.

People reading this will always suggest finding a teacher - to say much more can be dangerous.

 

Is your tongue at the roof of the mouth behind the teeth?

How does all of this change if you do it sitting on grass?

 

Its all a question of rooting, balance, and intention.

 

You are playing around with the sexual energy sublimation in ways that masters do, without a solid grounding.

 

If you don't know where you are going any road will get you there.

 

If you ascend said energies the way you are without allowing the time for circulation to balance it you are simply cooking your brain...overloading the Upper Dantien without it having a balance/escape route down to Middle Dantien, Lower Dantien - or perhaps even the Functional Channel.

 

It is essential to balance these energies throughout the system (MCO) and open up the channels - which is what this technique will do.

 

But you need to ground yourself in the safety mechanisms.

 

I'd bail up JoeBlast and Son of The Gods into a corner and press them on this one....

 

But, I'd had similar - and I've had it go to a level of eye watering disfunctionality - with Qi caught in the head for hours.

 

You need utter stillness "memory energy" to direct any caught energy in the Upper Dantien - you need to get it down the Functional Channel.

 

The MCO is designed to orbit said energy and distribute it to the gland and organs - so that you build from the foundation up - otherwise the pressure of said energy is too much for the undeveloped system and you are top heavy - your brain cooks.

 

You are wise to seek counsel, and you are a natural imo.

 

But that does not mean you can't naturally fuck yourself right up nicely

 

Shortcuts can = retirement.

[Songtsan]

A little qigong illness never hurt anyone! I'm no teacher, so all I can say is that you might want to tread carefully..

Edited October 5, 2014 by Songtsan

[meditator00]

I have gotten a grasp with what is going on with me through the responses received..again thank you. Gerard, you provided some very useful links thank you. And as for the response given by horus, yes I keep the tongue at roof of mouth, being outside sitting in grass didn't provide a huge difference in practice. I honestly don't do still sitting meditation outside because the bugs that land on me or fly near me distract me way too much. But next spring I will get a tent for that purpose cause it's something I want to do more often. I spent a month doing daily meditations outside in a quiet and reserved area near my home over spring time and I felt a stronger connection in my crown, oddly, maybe?

[Horus]

Yep, I just let them bite me.

 

You could also try a grounding mat/cord.

 

Yes, when you root in well it helps activate the crown; when a tree has roots it leaves flourish.

 

When you pull up perineum and the energy ascends to the crown, you can also try to bring the hot energy down from the head to the root. it may help to look into apana/prana pranayama.

 

imo you have done this before, ask you higher self to show you more. You probably have a top down chakric balance. Most people and schools open the lower centers first, then the higher. You may well be the other way around - ie crown open already, root needs cultivating to open up the system.

 

Best of luck upon you path

Edited October 6, 2014 by Horus

[Gerard]

Practicing outside makes a huge difference. All those things that distract you is part of the refinement progress. There will be always noise no matter where you go, even silence itself has sounds according to Tibetan Buddhist mystics. Mindfully take notice of them...simply observe what happens.

 

Also meditating in the natural environment will enable to refine the 5E more efficiently. Sitting for 1h in an urban area feels like 10 min in places like the one pictured below especially if there is wind as it is the easiest and cheapest way to move stagnant Qi. Wind + water (excellent for the kidney and the liver).

 

 

2014 is a very fast moving year, your liver should be hyperactive, but great care must be taken to avoid rising liver fire. Adopt a calm lifestyle in the wood horse year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[joeblast]

signal to noise ratios

 

before a certain measure of cultivation is done, you wont feel any difference.

 

subtly, the differences appear.

[sillybearhappyhoneyeater]

don't do that kind of breathing at all.

That breathing is a basic misunderstanding in Daoism.

The practice you describe is for martial arts - not for meditation.

when you meditate, you should always focus on relaxation and non "holding,"

the breathing can simply be natural and not forced - usually daoism simply focuses on opening and closing with the breath.

In breath is usually an open feeling, while the out breath is usually closing.

as such, in is yang, and out is yin.

the best thing is if the breath becomes so soft that you forget about it completely.

That is when you can actually enter the non action state and begin healing.

training that is too hot will only result in you getting hurt.

try to get as much benefit from your practice as possible!

[meditator00]

The most interesting thing that sets me apart from any person i've ever spoken with is I remember the moment free will was given to me. I was 4 years old, walking to my baby sitters house. I seen myself from high up in the sky, then in a blink I was much closer, then in a blink i was in my body and that moment didn't cling to my mind until I was probably 12-14 when I first mentioned it to friends. I had numerous out of body experiences as a child when dreaming but didn't know it til these days now that I am involved with meditation. The top-down chakric thing makes sense because if I put my mind on the top of my head I can feel the "beam" from the top of my head solidly and that too is something i've noticed since I was younger but didn't know what it was. I remember one of the first times I intently meditated I felt either my solar plexus or navel chakra spinning and it was very interesting which was an experienced that told me to continue practicing. But as for the bringing the fire energy down when it ascends, do you mean to bring it down the functional channel or down the governing channel? Or to completely think about the fire in the whole orbit?

 

Oh an the "silence has it sound" thing I find super interesting cause I hear a hum, meditation or not, when in silence or semi-silence. It sounds like the mysterious taos hum and I mentioned I meditated to a binaural of something as similar to it that caused my mind to like tap into another frequency and a tunnel.

Edited October 13, 2014 by meditator00

[Spotless]

If one starts with the basics and they are well found then from the practicing of the basics all else will follow.

This was true for my practice.

 

Today we are seeing the basics intermixed with the advanced and also techniques for correcting an imbalance used as a technique for acheiving overbearance on whole systems.

 

Nothing is in books but symbols - wisps of wisdom passing over ones head - someone else's wisdom - candy you snatch from the window basket. "Wisdom" set in someone else's proclivities.

 

It is said that if you start Yoga with the basics and practice them diligently you will come to know all of yoga - this is true.

 

No where is it said that if you practice meditation, do crack and sit on your head - that all will unfold unto you.

Many of the mixed mish mash of exercises are crack to a huge number of people.

Go to the postings about 3/4s of a year ago - near the end of the winter "season" where practice is at its highest over the winter months and all the injured come in out of the cold in late winter early spring. Lots of topics on kundalini explosions - many or most still very much in trouble from them.

 

Books are hard to resist but they usually just put another "religion" in our heads - practice tends to rub out book learning by the fact that EVERYTHING we think we understood about the real stuff was wrong - practice - simple real practice will carry you way beyond the crack addicts - and even a "successful" crack addict is just a show piece perhaps good for lectures and the "circuit" but not for ocean voyages.

 

We think we are going to solve a thinking problem with a thinking solution - and we are going to solve a non-feeling problem with catastrophic feeling - we think we are going to feel better through greater insanity.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Spotless

[manitou]

I find that the most useful books which tap into every possible 'religion' are the metaphysical books. They seem to have come to the essence of the underlying truth of most 'religions' - it's the commonality between the religions that should be examined, I believe. Everything but the commonality of the metaphysics of the religions is lore.

 

To me, the commonalities are How It Works. The protractor from which all things can be triangulated.

 

The commonalities I speak of are to be Humble, Love your brother as yourself, Judge not (lest ye feel judged.....in your own mind!)

Edited October 15, 2014 by manitou