Retention Thread

[mantis]

this topic, i hope, will serve as a tool to everyone who is attempting retention. so far i am on record time, having not ejaculated for 19 days now. i have tried a lot of practices and try some today which may even seem crazy - i do not care, if it helps me in preventing nocturnal emissions i will do it. thus, i will cover some things i believe need to be addressed.

 

first subject: pornography, masturbation and women.

 

if you want to get past three days i heavily advise you stop watching porn; this instant. stop for a moment and enter a meditation like state while keeping your eyes open. look at all the weird thoughts going through, crazy huh? when you are watching porn and pleasuring yourself, as these usually go hand in hand, you are receiving tons of subtle information and gestures from the film. one is that women are here to give you your pleasure and must obey your command (hence men guiding the positions without regard for the womans feelings in most films). this will create fantasies in your mind where things must go a certain way or they're wrong. pornography i believe can also cause a form of erectile dysfunction, but that is merely my opinion.

 

masturbation, something else you must drop too. by this point if you haven't already gone back to the tao lounge muttering "this guy is nuts" you may be onto something. masturbation is in essence the physical manifestation of all of your sexual thoughts and desires. notice when you masturbate in your mind you are thinking of a pretty girl, maybe a model, maybe your girlfriend, doing things just how you like them. desire. once you quit masturbating you may find days to be significantly longer depending on how you go about your life, take the hint and use it as meditation time, or if you're into that type of stuff, qigong or energy work.

 

lastly, women. no you don't have to drop them but you do have to change how you think about them. look how filthy our minds are, we see an attractive woman and all we think about is having sex with her! this is how your desires have taken over your life. if you see an attractive girl just take her for what she is and move on; instead of staring at her tits all day and thinking "man i'd totally hit that." it is because of a woman that we're all alive, i'd believe some respect is due to them as they are genuinely the creators of all that is and all that ever has been.

 

something to keep in mind is that the path of great sacrifice is the path to great rewards. a lot of willpower is needed to do anything on the spiritual path, and being chaste is no different. at first, it is hell; you do not want to do it and you want it to end right now. within time you get a hand of the ropes and learn what you thought was terrible really isn't.

 

an example of this is learning how to play an instrument. at first your music will sound terrible, so bad even to your ears it sounds vile. you will be greatly discouraged, even in jest by your peers. if you can learn to overcome this and continue to practice, within time your instrument becomes a second voice, another means of expression to you; then your music is loud and beautiful to the ear.

 

and thus it is so with retention. you will want to watch the pornographic films, you will want to masturbate, you will want to have an orgasm, accept all this as this is the only way. upon starting you will fail, many times over again and will wake up only to find your energy has been taken from you in your sleep. do not give up, this is imperative for this process. write down what caused you to lose your seed and meditate on it and begin the process again as this is the only way to slowly purify yourself; overnight change simply does not exist.

 

so far, one thing i have found that works in time is not laying on your stomach, rather sleeping on your sides. when you sleep on your stomach you usually naturally get an erection, at which point any movement on the mattress could cause enough friction for you to have an orgasm even without the aid of succubi. when you learn to sleep on your sides there is no friction and thus, no unnecessary excitation of the creative organs.

 

[林愛偉]

Great points, good guidance! It is as such, change one's views about that which they experience. Then, both the experience and experiencer disappear and the true substance comes into view.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

Edited December 19, 2007 by 林愛偉

[mantis]

the alleged dangers of sexual retention

this i do not understand at all. people claiming that sexual retention can be hazardous for your health. i do not see how it would be dangerous to your health to keep the energy that created you; instead of wasting it for a few seconds for sensual pleasure. i believe this is a deep, deep rooted ego of lust that does not want to give up. ask yourself that next time, why do i want to orgasm? why? your mind will give you an instant response and that isn't what we're looking for here, you must look deep inside.. meditate on it.

 

do not get me wrong - there are side effects to retention, but i wouldn't call them dangerous. at first it will be difficult, you are pretty much re-wiring your bodies system to save instead of spend, and we all know savings accounts have higher apr rating, ha! you may feel pains in odd areas, areas you may have not even explored on your body.. you may even become sick for some time (as i am now sick out of the blue). however, this is something to look forward to i believe, as this is a sign of something marvelous going on inside: detoxification. see, when you spend your time spilling your seed every "cycle" or in some cases every day, your body has no time to regenerate. you give your body the message "this guy is creating life here, let's give the best we got to create a new human" your body does not know you are just enjoying yourself. once you stop this process your body no longer has to focus on obtaining energy to replenish it's reserves once lost from the orgasm, giving time for some well overdue healing.

 

this is where you feel the aches, the pains, the sickness etc. then on the second part you have those whom bring up the idea that orgasm will help the prostate. think of this for a moment, why is it that prostate cancer is only highly rampant in the united states? scientists believe it is the high use of dairy products, probably the lack of exercise and high obesity rates, too. nonetheless, there is other forms of caring to your prostate rather than exercising it via expulsion. massaging the pubococcygeus muscle externally provides some relief to the prostate without having an orgasm.

 

all in all, retention is not for everyone. some people love the orgasm and couldn't imagine life without it - that is fine, everyone will live their life. remember this, though, that your sensual desires will never be satisfied and in absence of their satisfaction is their dissatisfaction, and thus is the never ending cycle of desire.

Edited December 22, 2007 by mantis

[林愛偉]

There is no danger in retention. It is only said to just to get people to waste themselves, get confused. and was written by confused people. Monks retain till they physically die...no problems with them now.

Daoists and Buddhists alike are taught not to release. Releasing means death, retaining means life. The human body is to retain things it needs. It is because of people getting attached to lust that they make excuses to release their fluids.

 

People can argue and say its natural to release, but who really claimed that excuse? THe body itself is natural, there is no real separation between that which people think is unnatural and that which is natural. THey are both the same. People like to make distinctions to fulfill their own habits.

 

Simply don't release, and you will gain proper wisdom, be able to control desires, emotions, thoughts..basically you will be in the control seat. But release and your lust, emotions, desires take control, ad make excuses as to why its "okay".

 

There is nothing positive about releasing. f you can't do it, that means that before you sexually stimulated yourself, and released you never had the urge to release. Once you felt that feeling of releasing, it ingrained in the mind as something desirable and thus it was always sought after.

 

The feeling of releasing is an obstacle which results in many more obstacles. It is all natural because it is of the mind, there is nothing unnatural about what is in the world. People love to distinguish with what they think is natural and not.

 

All things are made of the elements. Therefore they are natural. What is done with them may not be wholesome, and that is shown through behavior, emotions, which is all mind anyway.

 

Its the same with anything that is really good for you. There will be another who says its not, and this will create confusion, and separation and thus two sides to the coin when in actuality there was only No Side.

 

There is nothing wrong with retention, because if you are not releasing, then there is no retention. The simple thought of holding back creates the mind that there is something that can be released, and thus results in confusion, and internal dialog about which one is right. Emotions get involved, lust, views, influence from friends, books, etc. All of this get people confused.

 

If people really want to know the benefits of retention, Cut off lust so you can see clearly.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

Edited December 22, 2007 by 林愛偉

[mantis]

your words cut through the propaganda sifu lin - right through it. people have been practicing retention since written history, i'm willing to bet prostate cancer didn't even exist then, heh. when you try retention notice the first few days how attached you really are to your sexual acts... if that isn't enough to give you the will power to move on i do not know what to tell you.

 

the best of luck to all of you

[林愛偉]

your words cut through the propaganda sifu lin - right through it. people have been practicing retention since written history, i'm willing to bet prostate cancer didn't even exist then, heh. when you try retention notice the first few days how attached you really are to your sexual acts... if that isn't enough to give you the will power to move on i do not know what to tell you.

 

the best of luck to all of you

 

 

Very true about the prostate cancer. Releasing actually weakens the prostate gland.

 

Have fun!

 

Peace,

Lin

[Mal]

all in all, retention is not for everyone. some people love the orgasm and couldn't imagine life without it - that is fine, everyone will live their life. remember this, though, that your sensual desires will never be satisfied and in absence of their satisfaction is their dissatisfaction, and thus is the never ending cycle of desire.

There is nothing wrong with retention, because if you are not releasing, then there is no retention. The simple thought of holding back creates the mind that there is something that can be released, and thus results in confusion, and internal dialog about which one is right. Emotions get involved, lust, views, influence from friends, books, etc. All of this get people confused.

 

Thank you both so much.

 

To think "I" have been "trying" to "do" this for 16 years.

What a fool.

 

 

No Drives, no compulsions, no needs, no attractions:

Then your affairs are under control.

You are a free man.

Easy is right.

Chuang Tzu

[mat black]

Simply don't release, and you will gain proper wisdom, be able to control desires, emotions, thoughts..basically you will be in the control seat. But release and your lust, emotions, desires take control, ad make excuses as to why its "okay".

 

The way i understand that is:

 

If we feel a strong desire/lust for a person, that effectivelly projects our energy away from us. So then the body responds by releasing/projecting semen. the body simply follows the mind habitually and unconciously

 

It's all projection resulting from craving/desire.

 

But when we really look into the cause of these desires, really look at them with awareness, the very looking at them burns them up, they just dissolve. The light dispels the darkness (unconciousness)

 

So then, with the cessation of desire, there will be no urge to project - mentally or physically. This is my experience anyway.

 

No Drives, no compulsions, no needs, no attractions:

Then your affairs are under control.

You are a free man.

Easy is right.

Chuang Tzu

 

Yeah, centered within yourself, free from projecting.

 

Mal, what a quote! so concise.

Edited December 22, 2007 by mat black

[onebir]

There is no danger in retention.

 

Several doctors here in China have told me that low ejaculation frequency can cause or exaccerbate prostatitis. And I found western research showing Catholic priests or monks have more problems in this area. (I can try to find it again if anyone's interested.) You could claim western research has a cultural bias. But I think for Chinese docs - who've been trained in a medical system with Daoist roots, based on the concepts that give rise to the idea that seminal retention can be beneficial - that's a harder claim to make.

 

The symptoms of prostatitis can be pretty vague - probably the only way to be sure whether you have it is to get a checkup. I seem to have misdiagnosed my own prostatitis in the past as back pain, colds and jetlag. It's difficult to cure fully and can progress. Getting colds/ unidentifiable minor illnesses regularly - which seems to be a side-effect of prostatitis - makes it difficult to maintain a regular meditation (or whatever) practice.

 

If you're retaining via internal locking, another more insidious danger emerges: this can be a one way ticket on a major ego trip, and extreme attachment to sex. After all now you're a) quantitatively better than most other men at a (/the?) defining activity of manhood, b.) not really limited in how much sex you can have, & c) your partner(s) may also become somewhat addicted to you...

 

So there are physical and emotional/spiritual dangers. It's true that most of the world is way too "pro-ejaculation", with little recognition of its ill effects. But that doesn't justify a total backlash. A balanced recognition of the risks and benefits, and how to minimise the risks and maximise the benefits will serve the minority of people interested in exploring the benefits of retention better than totally ignoring the risks...

Edited December 22, 2007 by onebir

[林愛偉]

Several doctors here in China have told me that low ejaculation frequency can cause or exaccerbate prostatitis. And I found western research showing Catholic priests or monks have more problems in this area. (I can try to find it again if anyone's interested.) You could claim western research has a cultural bias. But I think for Chinese docs - who've been trained in a medical system with Daoist roots, based on the concepts that give rise to the idea that seminal retention can be beneficial - that's a harder claim to make.

 

The symptoms of prostatitis can be pretty vague - probably the only way to be sure whether you have it is to get a checkup. I seem to have misdiagnosed my own prostatitis in the past as back pain, colds and jetlag. It's difficult to cure fully and can progress. Getting colds/ unidentifiable minor illnesses regularly - which seems to be a side-effect of prostatitis - makes it difficult to maintain a regular meditation (or whatever) practice.

 

If you're retaining via internal locking, another more insidious danger emerges: this can be a one way ticket on a major ego trip, and extreme attachment to sex. After all now you're a) quantitatively better than most other men at a (/the?) defining activity of manhood, b.) not really limited in how much sex you can have, & c) your partner(s) may also become somewhat addicted to you...

 

So there are physical and emotional/spiritual dangers. It's true that most of the world is way too "pro-ejaculation", with little recognition of its ill effects. But that doesn't justify a total backlash. A balanced recognition of the risks and benefits, and how to minimise the risks and maximise the benefits will serve the minority of people interested in exploring the benefits of retention better than totally ignoring the risks...

 

 

There is no problem with retention if one is cultivating. Doctors don't cultivate, and most Chinese Medicine Doctors in China don't cultivate either. I have met some Doctors of CHinese Medicine in both America and China, who are Chinese, that don't even believe in Qi.

 

Many "dangers' spoken of in Qigong are towards those who can easily be fooled by others who either are out to hurt people, and others who also have no clue what they are doing.

 

Proper cultivation is by no means harmful. It is warnings such as "retention is harmful..." that make people confused, especially to those who are new to cultivation.

 

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

Edited December 22, 2007 by 林愛偉

[onebir]

Doctors don't cultivate, and most Chinese Medicine Doctors in China don't cultivate either.

That's a fair point. And it goes double for their patients, who they'd be seeing the effects in.

 

There is no problem with retention if one is cultivating....

How do we know? Even if it was the case when these practices were invented, it might not be now, because lifestyles have changed, people have different diets, are exposed to more & different pollutants, the practices have moved outside the monastery, practioners are less closely supervised...

 

Proper cultivation is by no means harmful.

This implies someone has to be doing it properly to avoid problems. How can they be sure this is the case?

 

It is warnings such as "retention is harmful..." that make people confused, especially to those who are new to cultivation.

The evidence on priests etc suggests it entails some risks. There doesn't seem to be any solid evidence on the extent cultivation offsets these risks - and probably never will be, because it's not really the kind of thing that's easily researched. And most people couldn't be 100% sure they're cultivating properly anyway.

 

Given the information available it seems impossible to deny that retention involves some risk. However, so do most human activities. They may not be large risks, particularly if it's done right. And the benefits probably mean the risks are worth taking...

[林愛偉]

That's a fair point. And it goes double for their patients, who they'd be seeing the effects in.

How do we know? Even if it was the case when these practices were invented, it might not be now, because lifestyles have changed, people have different diets, are exposed to more & different pollutants, the practices have moved outside the monastery, practioners are less closely supervised...

This implies someone has to be doing it properly to avoid problems. How can they be sure this is the case?

The evidence on priests etc suggests it entails some risks. There doesn't seem to be any solid evidence on the extent cultivation offsets these risks - and probably never will be, because it's not really the kind of thing that's easily researched. And most people couldn't be 100% sure they're cultivating properly anyway.

 

Given the information available it seems impossible to deny that retention involves some risk. However, so do most human activities. They may not be large risks, particularly if it's done right. And the benefits probably mean the risks are worth taking...

 

 

If one is cultivating properly there shouldn't be a problem. It is true patients don't cultivate, that's why I don't choose to see many patients. To be sure one is cultivating properly, night emissions wouldn't occur really...this is in regards to retaining and cultivating by changing thoughts, views of sex and lustful desires.

 

Monks don't cultivate so well these days as well, so not many are great examples, but there are many who are. There are some who lived to 120, 130 and who are not even sleeping who retain. But they are cultivating constantly.

 

A good sign of proper retention is younger skin, less health problems, more energy, not tired when waking and no problems trying to go to sleep, as retention can up one's energy level.

 

It isn't easily researched, you are right on that, especially because of the many taboos on cultivation in general, even more so with sexual energy cultivation.

 

Yet those I know who hold fast to retention practice have not had any health problems. Their side effects are high energy but with their cultivation, those things are utilized to control the "too" much energy from retention.

 

Because the many practitioners out there learning different views from so many books and teachers, it does make it difficult to know exactly what is proper. A good way to find out is to try it, and monitor one's mind, behavior, and health all the times. Look for the ebbs and flows and cultivate to not be caught in the ebbs and flows.

 

Not many can do it. It is possible because of this that there are many cautions on the retention practices.

 

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

Edited December 22, 2007 by 林愛偉

[mantis]

How do we know? Even if it was the case when these practices were invented, it might not be now, because lifestyles have changed, people have different diets, are exposed to more & different pollutants, the practices have moved outside the monastery, practioners are less closely supervised...

 

this is how we know, i posted this previously that there was a medical study in which the men that regularly consumed dairy products had a much higher risk of prostate cancer. retention is not dangerous, i do not seek to argue but to inform those who wish to try it. for example, the oneida community of the 1850s practiced coitus reservatus and no ill side effects where noted in the men. here is a quote from the wikipedia page (it can be found here)

 

Male Continence is based on the male's muscular ability to control his ejaculation during sexual coitus. Young boys just entering puberty were only allowed to participate in sexual acts with women who were past the child bearing age until they had proved their fully mastered ability to control ejaculation. Many women of the community found male continence to lead to the furtherment of their sexual enjoyment, as sexual encounters often could last for more than one hour.

 

There were rumors at the time claiming that controlling the man's 'seed' could be detrimental to the male's health and lead to infertility, but these claims were later disproved.

 

you can, of course, become celibate and not do any sexual practices but that is not the way to go - you should not reject the energy, which is where i believe it is possible for danger to arise; you should use the energy to your advantage as the highest quality spiritual catalyst we have.

[onebir]

...cultivating by changing thoughts, views of sex and lustful desires.

This is really a separate issue to retention, and must be much more difficult in (most) modern societies, where sexual images are hard to avoid, than in the environments when retention was originally practiced. People practicing retention now have probably also had larger numbers of past sexual partners, and perhaps are more likely to have low level prostate infections as a result of this. These are very hard to detect because a) the pathogens don't cross into the prostatic fluid in large numbers and many are anaerobic & difficult to culture in a lab.

 

Yet those I know who hold fast to retention practice have not had any health problems.

This doesn't imply that it won't cause problems in some people - the 'sample' is presumably pretty small, the environmental factors probably don't span the full range of possibilities etc.

 

Because the many practitioners out there learning different views from so many books and teachers, it does make it difficult to know exactly what is proper.

Agreed

 

A good way to find out is to try it, and monitor one's mind, behavior, and health all the times. Look for the ebbs and flows and cultivate to not be caught in the ebbs and flows. Not many can do it.

Accurately monitoring ones own prostate health is very difficult. Particularly if you're inclined to attribute sensations there to the cultivation process before considering the possibility of low level infection.

 

It is possible because of this that there are many cautions on the retention practices.

I'd agree there probably should be.

[onebir]

this is how we know, i posted this previously that there was a medical study in which the men that regularly consumed dairy products had a much higher risk of prostate cancer.

How does a dairy products-prostate cancer link have any bearing on discussion of a possible retention-prostatitis link?

 

for example, the oneida community of the 1850s practiced coitus reservatus and no ill side effects where noted in the men. here is a quote from the wikipedia page (it can be found here)

That quote isn't attributed, and could change next week. The various environmental factors I've mentioned could well have been very different at the Oneida Community, and the effects of the practices only identifiable at a statistical level. It's not good quality evidence.

 

retention is not dangerous, i do not seek to argue but to inform those who wish to try it.

I don't wish to argue either. But what does 'not dangerous' really mean? Crossing the road is not dangerous, but people die doing it. There's concrete evidence that retention can lead to problems in western non-cultivating celibates. There's no concrete evidence that cultivation completely prevents these problems. Admittedly this may reflect the cultural/philosophical shortcomings (no pun intended) of medical science. But even if "proper cultivation" does offset the documented risks, there's a lack of clarity about what 'proper cultivation' is, and a risk that some cultivators may try to do it 'properly', but not get it right.

 

Nothing in the discussion to this point weakens this line of reasoning. So let's admit there's a risk, and encourage people to mitigate it. Partly through giving as full a description of 'proper cultivation' as possible, and partly through admitting that medical checks could play some role...

[林愛偉]

 

 

This doesn't imply that it won't cause problems in some people - the 'sample' is presumably pretty small, the environmental factors probably don't span the full range of possibilities etc.

 

 

 

 

Even good things, for some make them feel bad. It would be a whooooole other thread, and though has, it never got as deep as this.

 

The reason why even "good" things bring people uncomfortable situations, is their Karma.

Though it may not be "bad" that they feel bad, it is just results from past causes having the proper "vehicle" at the moment to manifest.

 

Just elaborating on the Karma part:

 

There are times when any type of medicine can't help the patient get better. This is one of those times when regardless of the manner of medicine, it is the person's karma which cannot be changed at the time.

 

far-fetched? I told this story before; In a monastery here in China, Jin Ning Si, there is an old lay woman app. 95yrs old. Skinny, and small, lovely lady. She broke her leg while getting off of the bench in the cafeteria. She didn't cry, or even ache in pain. She simply stayed in "right mind" and the other lay cultivators there helped her to her room. Begging her to go to the hospital she refused.

She simply recited Namo Amitabha Buddha throughout the hold day, as she has always done. And her leg healed extremely fast, without a cast and without pain killers, x-rays, no medical attention whatsoever. She walks around now, though has a wheelchair and sits in it, she pushes it around the temple for exercise.

 

I have seen people with really bad cancer get cured and others not. Not the same medicinal formulas either. Karma has a big part, like the total part, of how we get cured from sickness and how we stay diseased.

 

In terms of retention, I haven't heard of any problems from those cultivating it that I know. They must be doing something right.

 

BUT there are those who aren't clear on how to do this, and there is the problem. So, YES there are problems with retention if it is done incorrectly, with improper guidance. And it is unfortunate that there is much more of the incorrect than correct out there.

 

So there is the question, which guidance is proper/improper. No pains in the groin, kidneys, urethra. No night emissions (but this goes together with no porn and watching sexual desires as well, AND no sexually stimulating of oneself, nor letting on e do it for you.. haha).

 

I like your reasonings. Very great points you make.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

 

P.S.- the karma part though really for another thread, just needed to be a bit cleared up since I referred to it.

[mantis]

today is my 26th day of retention and due to my recent findings i will post some tools here that i believe will help all retain. the movements are of hatha yoga and basically mimic pranayama externally. they also claim various health benefits; if that's true great but if not that's fine to - we're doing it for simple retention.

 

here is the first asana, it is known as "Sirshana"

 

 

it is done by locking your fingers together on the floor and thus making a triangle-like shaped figure and then putting your head inside of it. i suggest you use a wall for a while to practice and get the use of it as you will fall if you try it without. breathe only through the nose in this asana. i first held this posture at about a minute and 10 seconds, i am now up to two minutes. my advice would be to just hold for as long as you can and everyday increase by 10 seconds (or more, if you like).

 

here is the second asana, also known as "Sarvangasana"

 

 

it is asked you do this asana after Sirshana and also claims various health benefits; the only one im concerned with is stopped nocturnal emissions, which it does say it stops. it is pretty self-explanatory from the photo and this one gives a recommended practice time of 5 minutes and then continue progressing from then at your own pace.

 

this is the last asana named Matsyasana; this is to ease out any cramps or stiffness developed from long term practice of the above asanas.

 

 

do not frighten, it is not as complicated as it looks. simply get in full lotus, lay down (with your feet still in full lotus) and arch your head so that it is flat on the ground. you should feel a burn in your lower back and that will signify it is working. you can hold this for as long as you like, as it gives no recommended practice time. again i suggest you do it as long as you can and add slowly onto that. once finished your back will feel good and light.

 

all of these asanas where taken from the book "Practice of Brahmacharya" which can be found in it's entirety (here). if you are truly curious it has a lot of information you can utilize without having to be drawn into it's anti-sex semantics. good luck to you all.

Edited December 26, 2007 by mantis

[Trunk]

Semen retention dangers (link).

 

* hurumph *

[Mal]

today is my 26th day of retention

 

Hi Mantis, Glad it is going so well for you, it's my 5th and even the guys at work are starting to look attractive!

(went total celibacy, since I was having trouble just holding back)

 

It was an interesting Christmas. Normally I like to write Xmas, but this one was definitely not X rated Even the actual kunlun practice felt particularly sexual this morning.

 

This does not feel right or easy.............

[mantis]

it is like riding a bike my friend. at first you will feel uneasy, you will want to stop riding. you fear that you might crash and get hurt so you use the training wheels. in time you can remove those and walking will seem slow.

[Upfromtheashes]

BUT there are those who aren't clear on how to do this, and there is the problem. So, YES there are problems with retention if it is done incorrectly, with improper guidance. And it is unfortunate that there is much more of the incorrect than correct out there.

 

So there is the question, which guidance is proper/improper. No pains in the groin, kidneys, urethra. No night emissions (but this goes together with no porn and watching sexual desires as well, AND no sexually stimulating of oneself, nor letting on e do it for you.. haha).

 

 

Hi

I am confused -

Are you saying that complete celibacy can be accomplished without problems or retention?

I am confused as to terminology -

Retention is stimulating either with a partner or by masturbation and not ejaculating while celibacy is completely refraining from any sexual stimulation whatsoever

Or am I mistaken?

They seem to be very different animals in regards to effects-

[onebir]

here is the first asana, it is known as "Sirshana"

 

 

here is the second asana, also known as "Sarvangasana"

 

 

this is the last asana named Matsyasana; this is to ease out any cramps or stiffness developed from long term practice of the above asanas.

 

 

 

I teach yoga, and most beginners in my classes can't do sirsasana safely, with or without a wall. Having said that, my students are mainly female southern chinese, & their relatively poor arm strength and short arms don't help. But I'd urge anyone attempting sirsasana to get a more detailed description of how to do it, and preferably some instruction, before making a habit of doing it. Practiced incorrectly for long periods it can cause neck problems. Note that in the photo above the person is leaning to slightly to one side - that's very difficult to detect if you're practicing alone, and probably isn't helpful.

 

People have less trouble with sarvangasana, but some people need padding (eg a folded blanket) under their shoulders to reduce the pressure on their necks. It helps to go into halasana, and wriggle the shoulders closer before raising the legs into sarvangasana. Once again, there are some subtleties to the posture that the description above omits - the elbows should be drawn in to shoulder width (if possible - unlike in the picture), & the fingers point upwards. With the shoulders drawn in & pushing into the floor, the body can be lifted up a bit, leaving room for the neck to curve a bit more gradually than would be the case if the shoulders (ie trapezius muscles) were totally relaxed.

 

The version of matsayasana shown here includes a lotus. If when you sit cross-legged your knees naturally rest more than a few cms above the inside edges of your feet, a full lotus will put a lot of strain on ligaments inside the knees, and can cause injuries. The main function of matsysasana is to allow the cervical vertebrae to bend in the opposite direction to sirsasana and to decompress (very little weight should be on the head - most should be on the elbows). The lotus isn't necessary for this; the legs can just be extended with the front thighs tightened, heels pushing away.

[neimad]

There is no danger in retention. It is only said to just to get people to waste themselves, get confused. and was written by confused people.

 

 

My balls really start to ache and has become so painful I can't walk if I go for about 2 weeks without ejaculating.

[林愛偉]

My balls really start to ache and has become so painful I can't walk if I go for about 2 weeks without ejaculating.

 

One can relieve that by inhaling from them and lead to the crown , and on the exhale bring that energy into the Dantian.

 

You can also rub your legs from the back of the sit bones down the hem strains to the ankles. Another way is to do stretching. You can even press along the inner portion of the shins, about 4-5 fingers up from the ankle bone. That would relieve the tension around the testicles.

 

 

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

Edited December 27, 2007 by 林愛偉

[Vantage]

Interesting thread guys.

 

I've been unable to get past 20 days, because of wet dreams.

 

I've found out that I especially get wet dreams when I drink coffee during the day, so I will have to drop coffee if I want to get past 20 days.

Edited December 27, 2007 by Vantage