depression/unbalance & meditation

[jfraser]

Carrisa,

I have some suggestions and comments, if you don't mind:

Asking joeblast, or others on the forum if they recommend qiqong as an addition to or replacement for medically prescribed medication could putting JB or others in legal jeapordy. If they respond and are not licensed medical doctors and/or Board Certified Psychiatrists (in the case of medications for ADHD or Bi-Polar symptoms), they are breaking the law in the USA, if they respond to this kind of question. If something goes wrong with what a forum member like JB, or others recommend to you, they may find themselves on the wrong end of prosecuting attorneys and/or private attorneys, for practicing medicine without a license.

Even if someone on this forum is an M.D., it is not ethical, as far as I know, for them to give you medical advise on or off the internet, without knowledge of your medical history, psychiatric history, the medications you are on, and your diagnosis, at a minimum. And to do so, on this public forum could be a violation of your confidentiality as a patient, and also could break at least federal laws. What you do, of course, is up to you.

The last question you asked to JB is a question to ask your M.D. and/or psychiatrist.

I have the feeling your are looking for solutions to a lot of suffering at times, and I understand that, from what you have said on your posts. Qigong has no magic, as far as I know, and some dangers.

As JB wrote, it takes a lot of reading and understanding what you are doing, and also discipline and great perserverance over years to get real results. Doing it out of a book, and not having a qualified teacher, can bring even more problems.

If you don't have a medical doctor or related professional that will really listen to your concerns and desires about qigong practice, medications, etc., that is really sad. Some may be too busy or need to be too much an authority figure to really listen to you about your concerns, I don't know your situation.

The Relaxation Response could be your best bet, that is up to you.

This is neither medical advice or legal advise, just a concerned personal opinion.

Best regards,
James

[joeblast]

yeah...lol...I've said a few times over that I'm by no means any authority on...anything at all. I'm just giving my opinions, which is what a forum is for; not serious medical advice! J's right about that though, I'm not saying ditch your meds if you've been on them for however long. I'm just saying that I believe any sort of med you take is to balance an existing condition; after a period of restoration and balancing, you should be able to wean from it at a proper rate and have your brain & body pick up the rest. If you get a good sense of what feels right and what doesnt, stepping down should be done just like the nic patch, ostensibly Since qigong & meditation are such good ways to get in touch with your mind & body, it only makes sense that it has the potential to help if done right.

I'm not saying its easy, by any stretch of the imagination. We all know ourselves differently and there is no personalized manual for your exact year, make, and model

Yes, those are hormones. Wiki a couple of 'em if you feel so inclined, I dont know it well enough to speak to it. Its a subject I'll learn something of sooner or later, but I dont know much at present.

imho, it should be possible to actively assist in your body's functions - some are just harder than others. The delineation between somatic and autonomous nervous systems is pretty gray. I believe high levels of achievement necessarily include high levels of autonomous nervous system sensitivity and/or control. I think very deep levels of meditation can (should?) really get you in tune with processes that are too far relegated to the realm of static normally for you to have much awareness of them. Of course, there's no guarantee, but I'm talking potential.
In the case of my friend that has whacked out endocrine levels, I firmly believe that if he can feel the difference between this or that hormone level in his body then he should be able to attain a level of where he should have some measure of control over it; even if its just via a very good yin and yang of meditation and exercising. He knows what feels right and what does not; a slow weaning from supplements should be able to happen if went at the right way. That's not (for the most part, I think) doctor prescribed medicine, though. He's done his homework and has a pretty good idea of what does what and takes what he needs to have his endocrine levels balanced. I'm just of the opinion that it should be reversible, this tendency for his system to basically not run right.

But then again, I'm no expert

[jfraser]

Dvivid wrote;

An interesting aside: I spoke recently w Master yang about "chemical imbalances" and the psychoactive drugs associated. In the west we typically view that a person has a chemical imbalance which makes their minds chaotic and makes them have emotional disturbance.

But, the traditional Chinese view of this subject is the exact opposite: your chaotic mind creates a chemical imbalance. It stems from a lack of mental self-discipline, and a lack of being centered and grounded in reality.

As far as I know, a western view is that chemical inbalances in humans come from inborn temprament, in some people, and/or from what jB calls a "chaotic" neglectful, and/or abusive up-bringing, or over-whelming one time or repeated very stressful events, as in the case with PTSD. Where does Dr. Yang say these embalances are from, on Western thinking? Context and temprament, and the interaction of same, can certainly "cause" imbalances
in internal chemistry, This point is circular, not linear. in reasoning.

Where, from a Chinese perspective, does a chaotic mind come from? And grounded in which "reality"?

Everyday reality in the West, is chaotic for most people. And many poor people live daily, such as the inner cities of Philadelphia, NYC, Baltimore, Washington, DC, St Louis, etc. with such external chaos and danger, that the self discipline is used up just to survive and keep their children and families out of danger, pay the rent, and eat. This is their daily reality.

And there are currently many millions of documented slaves in the USA, and in many developing countries, many of whom became slaves as children. Being a sex slave as a child in northern India, a slave worker in a rug factory in Nepal, or a slave serving food (and thousand of miles away from home, not of their choice) to US troops in Irag, makes being centered and self discipline, beyond basic moment to moment survival, out of the question.
See www.freetheslaves.com. for more information, as well as documentation, on this subject.


Or, there is just being a citizen of Baghdad.

That is how I see it.

James

[Phalanxpursos]

Anyway, I have been trying to "balance" myself with qigong meditation, mostly embryonic breathing now... (i went a little "gung ho" in the beginning, but not anymore).

Hi Carissa.

Eat & drink healthy and have enough fresh air & sunlight from nature close to your home, you will feel the relaxation you need. It is very good to meditate with relaxing music, when the music stops it's a signal to come back to the real world. Probably the best for you is to adept to natural breathing patterns, that the body decides which pattern is best needed by ‘not’ regulating the breathing but by letting it ‘flow naturally’. The Gung Ho feeling you might have experienced is the result of intense breathing excercises which widens the veins in the brain and throughout the body, remember that Qi Gong for beginners is not about powerful breathing excercises but about establishing relaxation. Powerful Qi Gong excercises give physical strength, relaxed Qi Gong excercises give mental calmness. You can become relaxed while sitting on the couch listening to music and reading a good book, you don't necessarily have to meditate for this.

If you have trouble clearing your thoughts then resort to relaxation first.