Return of the Wizards

[Ilkka]

Ilkka, you said you were practicing Qigong, right? Somebody in my town is teaching Qigong and Taijiquan and I am thinking about practicing it as well. Would you mind relating your experience? Like how long you have been practicing and what you personally got out of it? Did you get to a level where you actually felt something when you played around with the energies in and around you and if yes, how long did it take until you got to this point. I am asking because when I look at some videos on the Internet, I see a bunch of people imitating the instructor by doing some very slow exercises, a bit of stretching, and I get the impression that most of them have no clue what they are doing beside the physical exercise. Of course, I can't feel anything just by watching a video. But still, I am not sure if joining a club is as helpful as I would expect it do be. Also, in a Western world, people often come and go into and out of clubs. And I have to wonder, when playing with bioenergies where group dynamics are essential, wouldn't this be a problem? Wouldn't this disrupt the whole flow of bioenergy or at least a big part of it?
It seems only logical that I ask these questions first, before it is I who disrupts the energy flow in the club by joining and then leaving shortly after, still feeling quite intense.

I did do some Qigong exercises that I learned from various sources and made my own movements even, maybe someone did them before so I dont take credit. There is such an exercise a way to detect your bioenergy which is simple enough. Just stand in a "horse riding stance" which is common in Qigong; Legs about shoulder apart with knees bent slightly, feet aligned straight ahead which is difficult for some (like me sometimes since feet tend to point right and left not straight). Your back should be straight also and hips bent slightly. Arms would hold imaginary keg with elbows slightly bent downwards as if you would lift hands from your wrists, which works the best, just imagine something pulling your wrists while keeping arms relaxed.

Then the actual exercise; Take right arm and keep it palm upwards just below your bellybutton and place left hand palm downwards on top of right hand, but do not let hands touch, just let them "hover" there and imagine the Chi flowing from one to the other, after a while of concentration you should feel some energy going and for me my left hand automatically starts raising without an effort. The hands could be the other way around in this exercise too so and perhaps should even swap them. Just tried it left hand is being pulled up to the right one, I can do this while sitting in somewhat comfortable position, but not ergonomical.

I guess that includes raw cocoa beans.

They contain Theobromine which is slightly different than caffeine and one of the metabolites of caffeine, but I would imagine so since the effect is identical in both. Stimulants the lot of them.

I do still drink alot of tea, but have for sometime now been having enough of the taste of variety of teas. Pretty soon I might have to stop drinking tea entirely, just because of the taste that has gotten too much too used. Gotta get me some herbs for brewing tea, have been drinking alot of Rooibos tea too almost every evening for years.

Have got a little sip of alcohol few times this year which is more of a tincture, because I have steeped some quantity of Chaga mushroom in that moonshine. And last time I left the pieces to steep for many months, I guess it should be enough time to get all the stuff out from the Chaga and into the alcohol.

[daniel]

Again I felt a strong oppressiveness. Then, in that dark room there was a bright, white, horizontal light on a table in the corner. It was the size of a glowing stick, the kind you take with you when you walk into a cave. I was about to stand up to check it out but woke up in the same moment.
After calming down my immediate thought was if I should join the Taiji/Qigong club. I guess, I have my answer right there.

The stick is chemical luminescence, not electrical, which would indicate that you have the chemistry, but not the ability to handle the flow of bioenergy (overloaded circuits dim as resistance increases from heat). The oppressiveness may indicate the drain of energy, trying to make something work.

I guess that includes raw cocoa beans.

Actually, cacao is good for you, as long as not done in excess. The "caffeine" in it is balanced with other molecules in the proper proportion, so it enhances the flow of energy and does not overwhelm it.

The caffeine problems come from the extracts used to overstimulate the system.

[Ilkka]

I forgot to mention the "correct" breathing in that exercise which is fully shown in the video I uploaded into Antiquatis server some time ago and can be downloaded from there. But I try to explain as best as I can like in my previous post. So you should always keep your chest relaxed and breath only from your diaphragm so that your belly goes "up and down" instead of your chest.

[Temper]

The physical... Check. The spiritual... (In constant evolution, so...) semi check. The chemical...uhhh can I pass cause I basically live on caffeine... Lol. That being said I considered tea as an alternative however I just read that even tea is to much? And now chocolate too...I think I don't want to be a wizard after all.. Haha. Are there options for the individual who works ER nights? Other than finding a new career that is.. Lol.

[Andrew]

When you do amalgamation exercises, are you softening the bioenergy system (via meridian lines) as well? I know that kind of training along with that I call credenciveness training has produced greater strength, control, happiness, creativity, belief in oneself, and a greater potential for magic. All of which make me feel more alive. I just didnt know if there was a difference between one's energy system, like where past negative experiences are stored in your soul and form complexes that affect your well-being unconsciously, and one's bioenergy system.

Talking about wizardry and tobacco, I had to look up JRR Tolkien's reasons on why Gandalf smoked. It's pretty interesting there was a story to it at all.

Regarding pipe-weed:

Saruman soon became jealous of Gandalf, and this rivalry turned at last to a hatred, the deeper for being concealed, and the more bitter in that Saruman knew in his heart that the Grey Wanderer had the greater strength, and the greater influence upon the dwellers in Middle-earth, even though he hid his power and desired neither fear nor reverence. Saruman did not revere him, but he grew to fear him, being ever uncertain how much Gandalf perceived of his inner mind, troubled more by his silences than by his words.

...

Now truth to tell, observing Gandalf's love of the herb that he called 'pipe-weed' (for which, he said, if for nothing else, the Little People should be honoured), Saruman had affected to scoff at it, but in private he made trial of it, and soon began to use it; and for this reason the Shire remained important to him. Yet he dreaded lest this should be discovered, and his own mockery turned against him, so that he would be laughed at for imitating Gandalf, and scorned for doing so by stealth. This then was the reason for his great secrecy in all his dealings with the Shire...."

Fast-forward to the Council held in 2851:

"The Council met in Rivendell, and Gandalf sat apart, silent, but smoking prodigiously (a thing he had never done before on such an occasion), while Saruman spoke against him, and urged that contrary to Gandalf's advice Dol Guldur should not yet be molested. Both the silence and smoke seemed greatly to annoy Saruman, and before the Council dispersed he said to Gandalf: 'When weighty matters are in debate, Mithrandir, I wonder a little that you should play with your toys of fire and smoke, while others are in earnest speech.'

But Gandalf laughed, and replied: 'You would not wonder, if you used this herb yourself. You might find that smoke blown out cleared your mind of shadows within. Anyway, it gives patience, to listen to error without anger. But it is not one of my toys. It is an art of the Little People away in the West: merry and worthy folk, though not of much account, perhaps, in your high policies.'

Saruman was little appeased by this answer (for he hated mockery, however gentle), and he said then coldly: 'You jest, Lord Mithrandir, as is your way. I know well enough that you have become a curious explorer of the small: weeds, wild things, and childish folk. Your time is your own to spend, if you have nothing worthier to do; and your friends you may make as you please. But to me the days are too dark for wanderers' tales, and I have no time for the simples of peasants.'

Gandalf did not laugh again; and he did not answer, but looking keenly at Saruman he drew on his pipe and sent out a great ring of smoke with many smaller rings that followed it. Then he put up his hand, as if to grasp them, and they vanished. With that he got up and left Saruman without another word; but Saruman stood for some time silent, and his face was dark with doubt and displeasure."

[Ilkka]

And now chocolate too...I think I don't want to be a wizard after all.. Haha. Are there options for the individual who works ER nights? Other than finding a new career that is.. Lol.

If you had read carefully enough daniels latest post you would've rethink the thing about chocolate as in cocoa/cacao right here:

I guess that includes raw cocoa beans.

Actually, cacao is good for you, as long as not done in excess. The "caffeine" in it is balanced with other molecules in the proper proportion, so it enhances the flow of energy and does not overwhelm it.

The caffeine problems come from the extracts used to overstimulate the system.

But if you were referring to excess use of it then I understand. Maybe for night time work you would need some other kind of energyboost from natural sources such as fruits, herbs or roots perhaps. Or just a good night sleep after you've stopped consuming caffeine for a month it is said to bring more energy.

I too drink alot of tea still, but mainly because I still have it, gotta use it all off then just need to switch to something without caffeine. Maybe in a week or so I will drink less tea per day to gradually quit it and not like "cold turkey" all of a sudden. Reduce from median of 8 cups per day to 6 then 4 and perhaps to only 2-1 per day and off entirely. 1 cup a day sounds like too wasteful since I like to steep tea leaves 2 times in a row so. I am very cheap and want to use everything for it fullest potential or worth. Just few weeks ago I had a big tear in my old plastic bag and I used duct tape to patch it, works like a charm. I even cant remember how old is that plastic bag but atleast 5 years its been in usage in winter times. I got about 3 different plastic bags in each coat for winter, autumn/fall and summer times. So how's that for extreme cheapness?

[Temper]

Andrew, the info on Gandalf was really amusing. So basically The Hobbit people were a bunch of hippy stoners and Gandalf likes their laid back attitude and herb... Love it.

Ilkka,. Yes I believe my major challenge isn't the actual chemical but rather the excessiveness. To be sure I think it's the refined sugar and HFCS that has the tightest hold on me. Slowly weaning I'm familiar with, I just wonder if I should introduce a new "flavor" of stimulant or just complete the weaning process first. I dread the process of cleansing, so I procrastinate. . Also, my father once said that "repair before replace respects worth",. You sir have epitomized this.

[animus]

The stick is chemical luminescence, not electrical, which would indicate that you have the chemistry, but not the ability to handle the flow of bioenergy (overloaded circuits dim as resistance increases from heat). The oppressiveness may indicate the drain of energy, trying to make something work.

By the comparison of the white horizontal light to the glowing stick I only meant to describe the size and the proportions of it. I am not sure what it actually was which is why I was about to stand up and check it out. And I forgot a crucial detail: it was accompanied by a buzzing sound, so it might have been a thick wire/filament. I guess, the electricity has just gone to a different circuit. (It didn't hurt my eyes to look at it and the room stayed dark except for this illuminated stick.)
My own interpretation was that I need to move on to the next step in my personal evolution and go with the energy (symbolized by electricity). Or maybe my unconscious shouted at me "Get your ass up!" because I have been rather lazy in the last months. But I have to admit that I suck at dream interpretation. Should I ever reach a level where I can communicate telepathically, then I will be as slow as a tree.

[Ilkka]

Slowly weaning I'm familiar with, I just wonder if I should introduce a new "flavor" of stimulant

Have you tried Mate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_(drink)?
It is quite good and since I haven't used it in a while I am gonna buy some soon. I haven't got the actual gourd and straw for it and only been steeping it like regular tea, and not like it "supposed to do" correctly/traditionally. Because I have gone through all regular teas that there are no new flavors to be discovered I need something "new" or just gotta stop it entirely. Not even considering drinking coffee, I can stand the smell of it only in the place where they roast it, also the same place where I buy all my loose tea leaves. When I go shopping tea in there for even a 10 minutes the smell of coffee gets just sticks onto my clothing and it reeks (to my nose it does). As growing up I had used to the smell of coffee what my parents made everyday.

[Lozion]

Slowly weaning I'm familiar with, I just wonder if I should introduce a new "flavor" of stimulant

When I was in West Africa, I used to drink a lightly fermented home-made ginger « soda » to help fight the heat and get a bit of a kick.

This old african drink has crossed over in the New World and ginger beer or soda is quite common in the Caribbean and Latin America. I’ve stopped alcohol consumption for close to 4 months and really envoy artesanal ginger beer. Careful though, the Olders say its also quite the aphrodisiac..