calming the energy

[brother neil]

understanding the energy is not always an easy thing.  sometimes an opening or shift occurs and you feel a release of energy.  I have been doing well at witnessing this past week without judgements.  SO I am not sure what it is, my asanas have gone deeper, some deep meditation, more witnessing and less judging, sending sexual energy up the spine, putting myself back into the world instead of shunning it, etc... a few days ago I had a lot of energy  cultivated, it left my legs tingling with energy for a few days.  The base of my spine is very heated now, as my abdoman as well.  I have had a cold belly for as far back as I can remember.   SO with the expanded energy I have nights were sleeping is diffficult.  I know I can learn to control the energy, it just takes time.  what would be something I could use to go to sleep.  One book says breath in for 4 and out for 8 8xs while on your back, then sixteen on right side and then 32 an left.  I do the breath count but I dont want to fall asleep on my left because that would awaken the right nostril and supposedly put more pressure on the heart so I sleep on right side or back.  But basically when the energy heats up I would like to be able to cool it down, harness it a bit more, I need some sleep;)  
thanks
Neil

[Katrine]

Hi tubeseeker

It is great that your energy is awake
It is so much fun to become alive like this, yes?

quote:But basically when the energy heats up I would like to be able to cool it down, harness it a bit more, I need some sleep;)

The energy has a life of its own . And the only way I know of that will cool it down is what in AYP is called self-pacing. If you are on the edge of feeling overheated over time...it is usually a sign that some self-pacing is needed. We can self-pace in different ways. Somtimes more physical exercise is needed, sometimes we cut down on spiritual practises or we balance our other activities apropriately.

In order to consciously know the sacredness of life we surrender to limiting whatever signs there is of excesses in practise. More is not better in this context. A steady, easy-going progression will often get us here faster.

I wish you all the best!

[brother neil]

I have actually scaled back on my practices a bit and I feel more relaxed because of it.  I was very ridgid for a while and now I am going more with the flow.  I agree self pacing is important and understand what you and other mean by referring to self pacing.  BUt sometimes I am not doing a whole lot and I get a shift.  For example when I was in costa rica I cut out most all of my practices for a month because I was so burnt out.  Yet for some reason I had three seperate occasions where the base of the spine started vibrating. Here I was eating chocalate chip cookes and coffee milkshakes everyday and surfing for a couple hours and laying around reading, not much practice going on but yet I vibrated for three days in a row. Right now with the added energy I got yesterday and today was a result of a practice that was moderate, it was not like I did one hour of asanas, an hour of meditation.  so self pacing is key but I want to learn how to quiet it down when a lot of energy opens.

[Scott]

Martial arts are good.