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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 15 2006 : 05:40:53 AM
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Up until about a month ago my practise consisted of nothing more than meditation; sometimes with a mantra, most of the time I simply meditated on space (see my other postings for details). Then, after finding this forum, I started doing pranayama. I needed something that could draw the force away from my crown until it was ready to open. The activity in my crown calmed down a lot after including pranayama (5 min before each meditation); the ecstacy that run through my body is as strong as ever, but it helped to understand that its source was the spinal nerve.
However - one morning (about 4 weeks ago) I noticed a slight spot of exema on my right eyelid. Every winter for the past three years I have developped small spots of exema in the hairline behind my ears. Also, I have had problems with immense itching inside my ears. It goes away when the sun "comes back" in may/june.
However - the spot on my eyelid grew, and the other eye eventually got affected. At first it was itching, but a couple of nights ago I awoke up with "burning" eyelids. They are very red and swollen - I look like I have had a real sunburn. It finally dawned on me (I can be incredibly obtuse sometimes) that the focusing of the energy around the third eye was causing this. I am being burned from inside. It made me wonder......was I right to start "doing something" (adding pranayama) - when I earlier basically "did nothing" and got this far anyhow?
I am a Pitta/Vata constituition (very evenly balanced between the two). This is of course a Pitta symptom, so now I drink Pitta tea,(does anyone know an extreme Pitta diet?) try to get off my serious butt and have some fun. I don't read (the silence explodes in me whenever I do) - I immediately dropped pranayama. I also dropped meditation. The problem is that I have lost the ability to NOT be in touch with the silence inside. It is always there in my awareness. And with it - the force. Like I said to Anthem in another post (Satsang cafe) - the process now owns me, not the other way around. I can feel how the energy now wants to exit through the crown. Can someone tell me what it is supposed to feel like when I can safely allow the energy all the way up? I am not in despair. I continue to watch. But I wonder if there is anything else I should take into consideration?
I have taken my symptoms to mean that my third eye is not fully opened - otherwise the energy would have moved freely out that way when I did pranayama. Is that your opinion too?
I can put my attention on any of the other chakras - all I feel is wonderful ecstacy. The only place I ever experience pressure is in my head. My forhead (not exactly the third eye - but the top of my forehead - it is also a burning sensation), a "(k)not" in the middle of the head, another "(k)not" in the back of my head. In addition to the knots I also experience large aereas of what feels like "baloons filled with air" inside my head. Not painful, rather on the verge of becoming pleasurable.
Anything I can apply on my sunburn? (Ointments, water etc)
May all your Nows be Here |
Edited by - Katrine on Apr 03 2006 03:54:15 AM |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2006 : 08:34:57 AM
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| Aloe vera is good for sunburns. Are you drinking plenty of water, at least a couple quarts (or liters) per day? It's good to cut back- read about "self pacing" on the forum. You can do a search. You may want to email Yogani about this one. |
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2006 : 08:57:53 AM
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Thank you, Ether
About the exact same time that you posted your reply I stood in a shop downtown Oslo staring at a 98% Aloe Vera moisturizing gel. I simply walked in (don't ask me why - I had no intention of going to town today), found it, bought it and immediately applied it on my lids. I feel cool now. Three minutes later I walked past a fruit juice stand. I had them make me an ice cold mango/passion fruit smoothie. It tasted absolutely heavenly. Thanks!
I will increase my water intake too. I mean - how can I expect to stream like a river, when I don't supply any rain?
May all your Nows be Here |
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2006 : 10:34:06 AM
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Hi Katrine,
How long were you meditating for before you stopped (how many minutes per session and how many times per day)? You mentioned 5 minutes of pranayama, are you doing any other mudras too? I have had stages (I am in one now) where it is very easy for me to go over and I am currently meditating only 15 minutes a day now and have cut my mudras and samyama in half as well. This seems to be enough for me at the moment.
To me 5 minutes of pranayama before a reduced period of meditation without anything else should do the trick as long as you aren't doing anything else outside of practices that might be putting you over like too many asanas or saying mantras all day long etc. Let us know more details. |
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yogani99
USA
153 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2006 : 10:48:33 AM
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Hi Katrine:
I know what you mean about crossing over from chasing after spiritual results (replace with "kundalini" if you like) to having spiritual results chasing after us. It is both a confirmation and a challenge.
On the spinal breathing, make sure you are doing the full cycle, slow and easy, between brow (not crown) and root, and not deliberately stopping in breath suspension on either end. That way you will be bringing energy down from the brow and marrying it with energy being brought up from the root. This is the best inner energy stabilizer I know and can help resolve all sorts of imbalances. But it is not a panacea for everything. Sometimes it just takes time and balanced living to even things out after big new energy openings like you have had.
I had them 20 years ago, initially without the benefit of spinal breathing, and that is reflected in the experiences described in the Secrets of Wilder novel. Talk about sunburn!
While inner silence may be the underlying factor in all of this, it is also what gives us the fortitude (inner center) to weather just about anything that happens. In AYP we work to make the whole process smooth and comfortable. For folks coming in with pre-existing overload (or a strong tendency in that direction), the AYP methods can help, but every case is unique, of course, so we do the best we can. One thing I can promise: Unlike lots of traditions, we will not run away from your (or anyone's) wild kundalini symptoms. We enjoy doing the work and being a mutual support system, you know. What are spiritual friends for anyway?  (note the sunglasses)
Maybe you have been through lesson 69 already. If not, check it out -- that is a laundry list of kundalini symptoms and measures that can help. Don't forget physical exercise -- "grounding" is important when the energy is jamming in the upper centers.
Not sure what you mean by "extreme pitta diet," but here is an ayurvedic dosha-based "yes/no" food list that might be helpful: http://www.aypsite.org/ayurveda-diets.html When the energy is running like what you have, the tone of the diet can make a big difference. Also, a heavier diet can help slow down the energies during peak periods.
Well, those are a few suggestions. The most important thing is to be proactive in managing causes and effects as best as possible. In AYP, we call it self-pacing. You are an old hand at this sort of thing, and I know you will be fine. Hopefully we can add a few useful tools here that can help you smooth out the ride.
All the best!
The guru is in you.
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2006 : 06:41:18 AM
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Thank you, Yogani
Yogani wrote:
quote:
On the spinal breathing, make sure you are doing the full cycle, slow and easy, between brow (not crown) and root, and not deliberately stopping in breath suspension on either end.
There you have it! I must admit that I have indeed been in breath suspension (most of the time at the end of exhalation). I am so used to ending up in incredibly slow cycles when I meditate (it happens by itself). Also – the ecstatic surge is so strong the instant my attention hits the perineum that I have simply become unconsciously blissed out right then. I will try again – this time following your explicit directions.
I ordered your books from Amazon today. I’ll have to check out this John Wilder guy.
Every time I eat, my energy skyrockets. I have tried with light foods, heavy meals etc – it doesn’t seem to make any difference, my Kundalini LIKES food! (I guess it feels it is needed for the extra purification; the exact same thing happens during menstruation). I become a spacekadett if I skip meals (I also easily lose weight) – so I am very diligent when it comes to a regular eating schedule.
I have never had a spiritual family, or spiritual friends for that matter, so thank you for embracing me and making me feel like I am being looked after. I really appreciate it!
Anthem wrote:
quote:
How long were you meditating for before you stopped (how many minutes per session and how many times per day)? You mentioned 5 minutes of pranayama, are you doing any other mudras too?
Hmm. How to answer this one….
Anthem – I did about 5 min of Pranayama and about 25 min (sometimes longer) of meditation. Sometimes once a day, other times two. But, - in addition to this I find myself pulled inwards many times a day. The pull is so strong I have no way of resisting it. And to be true – the ecstacy is so blissfull that I haven’t wanted to either. I am beginning to see that this is a problem (Shoot!! ). Also, my work is such (I talk to people every day about their health issues, their emotional blocks and their path in life) that I commune from my stillness when I listen to them. It is as if my stillness touches them somehow (I don’t know how to explain this, other than saying that people become relaxed and open up). I don’t see them properly if I am not grounded in my inner center. So, I guess you could say that I meditate too much!
I have never done any Mudras.
Somehow, I think things will work out. I had a strange experience yesterday. I walked out my front door (it is beautifull out here right now…lots of snow…..crisp and clear)…..and then I stopped dead in my tracks – this sounds crazy, but the air was filled with laughter. I didn’t hear anything, but I looked at the houses, the trees, the ground…..everything was bursting with laughter. Very close to exploding. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. I am so damn serious with my process. Someone was definitely making fun of me (in a good way). I relaxed. I’ll be fine. And so will you!
May all your Nows be Here |
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Feb 18 2006 : 1:44:39 PM
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Hi Katrine,
If you are still finding yourself over cooked(I've been there too!), you may find it useful, after implementing Yogani's suggestion, to also reduce your time in sitting meditation.
I'm referring to the intentional meditations you mention above, where you sit down to practice once or twice a day. It doesn't sound like there is much you can do about the other moments of meditation that occur spontaneously throughout your day, but reducing your formal time down to 10 or 15 minutes in addition to the 5 minutes of pranayama, until you regain your balance, can be really beneficial. This has been really effective for me in the past maybe you will find it helpful too!
Good luck,
A
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2006 : 03:52:57 AM
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Thanks Anthem
Yes - it works!
Like I told you, I stopped the sitting meditations alltogether for a couple of days. Then, after reading Yoganis reply, I decided to try Pranayama again - this time correctly done.
So my schedule these days is: 5 min og Pranayama and 10 min of meditation twice a day. The two days I did nothing was a challenge....my brain felt fried (and still in the fryingpan)....my eyelids were constantly burning. Everytime I sat down to relax the forces inside increased. Then I started with Aloe Vera (several times a day) and the sitting schedule mentioned above. Things immediately calmed down. The swelling of my lids is now gone, the color down from red to a bearly noticable pink and the pressure in my head is replaced by...(I am having trouble explaining this sensation)... pleasant "pockets of nothing" (I used to call it air....but that is wrong...it is more like a vacuum). I walk around with a constant "thick thread" going from my perineum to my third eye. The ecstacy I feel is becoming more and more refined....I am able to watch it now - and not lose consciousness over it
At the same time I can feel a build up of ecstatic...charge...every time I meditate. When I open mye eyes after meditation, it is so blissfull to meet the daylight that it makes med wonder how high it is possible to rise before I actually explode. Time will show.
It is my feeling that taking up the Pranayama again actually "cured me" of the burn much quicker than if I had done nothing. But the clue is of course to do it correctly! I therefore strongly advise anyone with like problems to bring them to this forum. This way, we all learn.
May all your Nows be Here |
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Yoda
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2006 : 2:34:53 PM
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Every winter for the past three years I have developped small spots of exema in the hairline behind my ears. Also, I have had problems with immense itching inside my ears. It goes away when the sun "comes back" in may/june.
My first guess would be a vitamin D deficiency as it seems to be related to sun exposure.
Good luck with it!
-Yoda |
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2006 : 3:36:02 PM
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Yoda, you may be right
This year I have taken cod-liver-oil all winter, and the exema has not been as bad as last year.
I can't help thinking that the eruption is related to the energy frequency, though. I notice that now that the sunburn is almost gone; the exema on my lids seems to be disappearing with it..
Also - this incident (the sunburn) finally explained something that has happened to me in the past:
Every time I had a major insight; a profound understanding that related to my life and Being; I would suffer from extreme thirst for a couple of days. I would consume many litres of water every day..it got my friends worrying....they thought I had developped diabetes
But I now understand the connection
May all your Nows be Here |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2006 : 5:13:15 PM
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Yoda wrote:
"Every winter for the past three years I have developped small spots of exema in the hairline behind my ears. Also, I have had problems with immense itching inside my ears. It goes away when the sun "comes back" in may/june. "
These things we're writing about are very likely caused by spiritual energies running around unbalanced in our bodies.
However, the body usually uses the skin to try to get rid of toxins when the normal methods don't work. And the usual reason normal methods aren't working is not enough water.
Nothing else counts as water but water itself.
You can't count soda, coffee, tea, juice, or any other drink as water.
most people don't get enough water in the winter time because the air is dryer so they lose moisture all day long, and they don't exert themselves as much so they don't feel thirsty.
Also they don't sweat as much so that method of elimination is gone.
Usually if you have skin problems, just drink more water, and they go away.
You have to drink a couple mouthfulls at a time, not all at once, but two
quarts or liters per day is a good guideline. Not distilled water, as that creates other
problems, but filtered water is best, tap water is fine if you don't have filtered.
i used to think every time I drank a soda it was as good as half a glass of water at least.
Then I had excema and drank more pure water, and it went away. sometimes my skin breaks out in small places, I drink water, and it goes away. |
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2006 : 5:35:27 PM
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Thank you, Ether
Yes, you are right. It is easy to forget to drink water during the winter time. For one thing, it is not appealing to drink cold water when the temperature outside gets below minus 5 (celcius), and hot water never sat well with me..
Maybe that explains it, then....why the excema goes away every summer. I definitely drink more water then. I never drink anything but tea, water or fresh jucies.
I will report back in a couple of weeks; after the increase in my water intake.
May all your Nows be Here |
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2006 : 8:32:19 PM
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quote:
I walk around with a constant "thick thread" going from my perineum to my third eye. The ecstacy I feel is becoming more and more refined....I am able to watch it now - and not lose consciousness over it
At the same time I can feel a build up of ecstatic...charge...every time I meditate. When I open mye eyes after meditation, it is so blissfull to meet the daylight
Wow Katrine, this sounds great, I look forward to that , thanks for sharing! |
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2006 : 09:31:21 AM
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Hi all
Ether, you wrote:
quote:
These things we're writing about are very likely caused by spiritual energies running around unbalanced in our bodies.
However, the body usually uses the skin to try to get rid of toxins when the normal methods don't work. And the usual reason normal methods aren't working is not enough water.
Nothing else counts as water but water itself.
I promised to report back after an increase in my water intake.
Ether, you were right
These past weeks I have used Aloe Vera on my eyelids and behind my ears. I have drunk 2 more litres of water pr day.
I am happy to tell you that my exema is almost all gone. It first disappeard from my lids (which makes sense since that symptom came in last) - then gradually my skin elsewhere cleared up.
Thanks a lot Ether
May all your Nows be Here |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2006 : 9:55:29 PM
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| Cool Katrine! Thanks for reporting back. |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2006 : 11:09:44 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Katrine
There you have it! I must admit that I have indeed been in breath suspension (most of the time at the end of exhalation)
That'd definitely a move that brings up lots more energy (whereas AYP pranayama is about balancing and distributing energy).
I'd eliminate breath suspension in pranayama and cut down on it elsewhere to fix this overload. And add LOTS of walking and physical exercise. You know how people talk about "grounding" and "being grounded"? Do that sort of activity. Engage a lot more with people and the world.
Good luck. Watch your eczema carefully, it's your friend in that it's a solid, visible, external gauge. We don't get that sort of thing much in spiritual practice! so don't fail to watch for growth/shrinkage of the existing spots and appearance of new ones (especially in armpits and at coccyxx).
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2006 : 12:25:24 PM
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Thank you, Jim
Yes to all of your advises. In deep meditation the breathing becomes very slow and sometimes I am in suspension without noticing it. Since the sunburn I am very careful not to stop the flow of breath.
What do you know of qi-gong? I find it very grounding so I included it in my practise again after the sunburn (I had not done it for some months). Walking is my favorite exercise - I always suffer if there is no time to walk (luckily I have dog).
May all your Nows be Here |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2006 : 1:14:51 PM
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Yogani recommends (and, I believe, practices) tai-chi. One useful move, borrowed from tai chi, is to stand with legs slightly bent, much weight in feet (and awareness of the point just above the center of the foot), with arms extended parallel in front of you with palms facing each other. Visualize a ball between hands (and connect it with the point of your navel). And fill that ball with energy.
If you have feelings of constriction in head (especially forehead), visualize your mental energy extending freely outside the skull. I.e. let it all hang out. Be careful not to visualize this around the crown (top of the head), though!
If it keeps worsening, here's a useful rule of thumb. Think of everything that makes you feel "spiritual" (certain music, people, activities). And avoid them for a while. When my kundalini first awakened, I made error of going to an art gallery that week. The most beautiful paintings caused me some serious pain...just more overdoing! Was pretty difficult to explain to the person I'd gone with.... |
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2006 : 04:44:46 AM
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Thanks Jim
quote:
....and awareness of the point just above the center of the foot....
Do you mean the center above each foot?
May all your Nows be Here |
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riptiz
United Kingdom
741 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2006 : 09:55:49 AM
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Hi Katrine, Jim,
A good grounding exercise commonly used in qi gong. Stand feet apart , knees slightly bent and weight slightly more on the balls of feet rather than heels although heels don't lift.Arms at side but keep the elbows slightly out to allow the armpits to remain open.Hands relaxed and slightly curved like a chimpanzee's.
Relax the stomach, chest, turn the hips up slightly and dip the chin slightly to take tension from the neck.
Close eyes and visualise the energy moving down the body, down through the soles of feet and grow roots into the ground , down to the centre of the earth and visualise standing on a rock at the centre.Stay there for a few minutes before bringing the energy back up to the crown and relax.This is a good relaxtion and grounding technique.
L&L
Dave
'the mind can see further than the eyes' |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2006 : 11:48:44 AM
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| Katrine, no, on the sole of the foot. if you considered the ball under the big toe and the ball under the little toe to be two points of a triangle, the third point of that triangle, just above the center of the foot at the top of the arch, is the point to focus on. Nail it into the ground like it's a thumb tack. |
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Sunburn
