(Part 2) Best alternative medicine books according to redditors
We found 4,905 Reddit comments discussing the best alternative medicine books. We ranked the 1,185 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
Simon Singh explains.
edit: Hey, I didn't expect this to become the top comment. Neat. Might as well abuse it, by providing bonus material:
This is the same Simon Singh discussed in this recent and popular Reddit post; he is a superhero of science popularization. He has written some excellent and highly rated books:
(full disclosure: I have nothing to disclose, other than that I'm a fan of his work.)
Switch your mouse hand to your other hand while working/browsing the internet. It'll only take a couple of days to feel natural. This will let your wrist take a break when needed. Still use your other hand occasionally as complete rest is bad. Motion is key.
Is your issue coming from your wrist? Just because you have wrist pain doesn't mean it's the source. A lot of mine comes from neck/shoulder/elbow I've learned (can feel it pull when I do shoulder stretches/movements). You sit down all day for work. Check your back/neck/shoulders/elbow. Make sure you aren't locking up. Again, keeping motion in your body is key.
Make sure your posture is good. This is important too.
This book helped me a lot: https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524415698&sr=8-3&keywords=chronic+pain. It has a overview in the first 3 chapters then specific parts to focus on that hurt in other chapters. So you read chapter 1-3, then skip to your problem chapter.
You most likely hurt because some muscles are over compensating while others are not moving at all. What this book taught me is a lot of our issues from deskjobs/gaming come from being immobile. Evolution, the way our bodies are, are used to constantly being used. Basic muscle-skeletal motion is the backbone of your health. It's how you breathe, blood circulates, speaking, etc. If you stop moving your body adapts to that lifestyle.
Basically, from seeing doctors, and being told to stretch specific parts that hurt (your wrist) never fixed the underlying issue. You should stretch your wrist, it helps a ton and prevents injury. But I had to getup and stretch everything and get my body moving again due to my lifestyle.
Sorry for the wall of text. Idk you position or lifestyle, but if you have a desk job and play video games you're most likely immobile most of the day and only your arms and wrist move, thus they work hard and hurt to makeup for your shoulder and other parts doing nothing. I felt the need to type this out to you and everyone else as a PSA because it'll become much worse than just wrist problems in a few years.
My first book
My second book
Taking a child (or going yourself) to see a chiropractor is very dangerous. While chiropractors claim they can treat almost everything, the effectiveness of their treatment only has been proved, mildly, for lower back pain and lower back problems. Source
However, what has been demonstrated is the danger of stroke following a chiropractic session. The neck is a very sensitive area, and manipulation can cause the formation of blood clots. The clots then travel in the brain, where they risk to block blood circulation and cause a stroke. Some people have died and others suffer permanent damage from this. Here is an article from sciencebasedmedecine.org.
Please, never let a chiropractor touch your or your child's neck.
I am so sorry your family is going through this.
I didn't lose the use of any body parts, but I did experience a bleed in my brain at 15 that totally altered my family's lives. It's been 11 years. Had to relearn depth perception, I had double vision for a year, and they didn't know if/when it would ever happen again. When a tragedy such as what you're going through occurs, it effects the whole family. My comment will be directed at all of you, as you will all need time to heal and relearn how to live. Not only your injured little girl.
The first thing I recommend is therapy. For all of you. My parents felt helplessness, guilt, anger, and a whole plethora of other difficult emotions. My little sister suddenly had a big, strong sister who wasn't there to lean on anymore. I almost died. We each had individual feelings and emotions to process on the road to healing. Family therapy wasn't a good option for us, but it can be for some. Ideally, a mix of individual therapy with a per needed basis of family therapy would have been the path I hoped for my family.
The only book I've read that has ever been any benefit relating to my health is How To Be Sick by Toni Bernhard. I'm not sure how old your daughter is, but I recommend it to you and your wife as a possible guide in this terrible situation. In later life, I've also experienced daily chronic pain and fatigue associated to Fibromyalgia. Although it's marketed as Buddhist inspired, but it's not religious. She takes ideas from the Buddhist teachings and applies them as coping mechanisms and life skills for her chronic condition. This book has helped me with the feelings of denial, "why me?", and loss. I'm not the same person I was before these conditions, but I like who I am now, and I'm happy. My parents tell me I'm stronger, but I think they have to say that cuz they're parents. I haven't had another bleed, though apparently I'd had one prior to age 15.
Good luck, your family is in thoughts. This Internet stranger is hoping for the best for you all!
Peace and love.
Texts and Reference Books
Days in the Lives of Social Workers
DSM-5
Child Development, Third Edition: A Practitioner's Guide
Racial and Ethnic Groups
Social Work Documentation: A Guide to Strengthening Your Case Recording
Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond
[Thoughts and Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life]
(https://www.amazon.com/Thoughts-Feelings-Harbinger-Self-Help-Workbook/dp/1608822087/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3ZW7PRW5TK2PB0MDR9R3)
Interpersonal Process in Therapy: An Integrative Model
[The Clinical Assessment Workbook: Balancing Strengths and Differential Diagnosis]
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0534578438/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_38?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ARCO1HGQTQFT8)
Helping Abused and Traumatized Children
Essential Research Methods for Social Work
Navigating Human Service Organizations
Privilege: A Reader
Play Therapy with Children in Crisis
The Color of Hope: People of Color Mental Health Narratives
The School Counseling and School Social Work Treatment Planner
Streets of Hope : The Fall and Rise of an Urban Neighborhood
Deviant Behavior
Social Work with Older Adults
The Aging Networks: A Guide to Programs and Services
[Grief and Bereavement in Contemporary Society: Bridging Research and Practice]
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415884810/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy
Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change
Ethnicity and Family Therapy
Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Perspectives on Development and the Life Course
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
Generalist Social Work Practice: An Empowering Approach
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook
DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents
DBT Skills Manual
DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets
Social Welfare: A History of the American Response to Need
Novels
[A People’s History of the United States]
(https://www.amazon.com/Peoples-History-United-States/dp/0062397346/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511070674&sr=1-1&keywords=howard+zinn&dpID=51pps1C9%252BGL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch)
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Life For Me Ain't Been No Crystal Stair
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Tuesdays with Morrie
The Death Class <- This one is based off of a course I took at my undergrad university
The Quiet Room
Girl, Interrupted
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
Flowers for Algernon
Of Mice and Men
A Child Called It
Go Ask Alice
Under the Udala Trees
Prozac Nation
It's Kind of a Funny Story
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Yellow Wallpaper
The Bell Jar
The Outsiders
To Kill a Mockingbird
And the evidence for acupuncture is extremely weak (so just because an insurance company covers it, doesn't mean it's effective). A very readable book on alternative medicine is "Trick or Treatment": http://www.amazon.com/Trick-Treatment-Undeniable-Alternative-Medicine/dp/0393337782
With Each and Every Breath by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond by Ajahn Brahm
Right Concentration: A Practical Guide to the Jhanas by Leigh Brasington
Wisdom Wide and Deep by Shaila Catherine
Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana
Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana
Autism means you have a digestive disorder. You can get off the spectrum, the younger the better (less catching up to do). https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Syndrome-D-D-D-H-D-Schizophrenia/dp/0954852028 Interestingly, it requires bone broth.
You know who knows you are wearing a brace? Nobody. You know who cares? Also nobody. A brace is probably going to be about as noticeable as your "slouch" to the side, and neither of them is a big deal to anyone worth your time. I knew a girl who wore a brace under clothes and it wasn't really noticeable. For you this is like some big important thing, right? For the rest of the world, every medical condition you will ever have is relatively unimportant.
IDK what is causing your curves to be a little off. It is possible you could DIY some fixing by applying the Egoscue Method. It's cheap if you want a paper copy, and there's an app as well. Dig the reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887 You may also be interested in https://egoscueexperiment.blogspot.com/2011/07/egoscue-and-scoliosis.html
The main thing you need to remember is that there's nothing to be afraid of. If someone notices your brace through your clothes (and most people won't, especially the first time you meet them) then you say it's because you've got scoliosis. Drop it on them like it is as important as the sky being blue or the carpet being blue, no big deal . . . and they probably won't think much of it.
Look at some of these pictures of people wearing their braces under clothes. They don't look like much of anything. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=scoliosis+brace+under+clothes&amp;atb=v60-6_c&amp;iar=images&amp;iax=images&amp;ia=images
Hey there - Good news! Fasting and Keto are like magic for T2 diabetes.
I'm 53 and you can absolutely regain control over your blood sugar. I got my A1C down from 13.5 to 4.9 in 9 months.
I'm off all medications and delicious food is my diabetes medicine for life! I also lost 40 lbs which was a huge help. With zero exercise. I can eat 100 calories in 30 seconds, but it takes an hour to exercise it off- I can't outrun my fork.
This is where fasting/keto really help. Use Keto to switch your body from sugar-burning to fat-burning and you won't even feel hungry most of the time. I swear! Get that battery around your belly working and it's always feeding you.
Here is the simple rule - If you don't want sugar in your blood, don't put it in you mouth. It's really thay easy.
I don't eat bread, pasta or potatoes. ZERO added sugar in anything. I eat all the meat and veggies I want. It's literally that easy. Toes are more important than french-fries - trust me!
You should check out /r/keto for lots of amazing recipes and advice.
PM me or reply here if you want any advice or support, I;d be glad to share my experience.
You should for sure check out Dr. Jason Fun's The Diabetes Code he has reversed T2 diabetes in hundreds of his patients.
Best of luck to you!
I am pretty sure that Buddha absolutely said something exactly like that.
In the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha directly talks about exactly those very things. I don't remember if it is precisely for staying mindful while experiencing sexual urges, but it is about focusing on the phlem, body fluids, urine, feces, etc. to stay mindful (as it is the Establishing of Mindfulness Discourse). I do remember coming across other teachings that mention bodily fluids such as this, but unfortunately at the moment I can't remember the sutras.
What /u/jayebyrde mentioned is directly in line with many teachings in Buddhism. Just off the top of my head, Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw goes into great detail on this exact subject (using the minds ability to focus on phlem, the feces in the body, etc. to direct the mind from this particular desire) in the Manual of Insight. A book in which Sayadaw thoroughly references the direct words and teachings of Buddha in nearly every page he writes.
The problem is that as soon as people test and verify that alternative medicine works, the "alternative" bit gets removed. There's no vast conspiracy out there. Do the science, become medicine.
https://www.amazon.com/Trick-Treatment-Undeniable-Alternative-Medicine/dp/0393337782 is an interesting read if you're inclined that way.
Oh, I wanna try too:
>Are there different "branches" of Buddhism, sort of like in Christianity?
>Who was The Buddha?
> why is there prayer in Buddhism? How is Buddhist prayer different than, say, Christian and Islamic prayer?
>Do Buddhists go to temples on a certain day of the week like Christians? Is there a ritualistic process on what is done each day?
> If I call my local Buddhist temple or meditation center, would someone there be willing to talk to me over the phone and introduce me in real life to what Buddhism is?
> Basically, I would really appreciate it if you could explain to me what Buddhism means to you, what your daily Buddhist lifestyle is, and how it affects you.
Also, here are some books:
TADA!
Man this is a tough question. Buddhism is not easy to understand. The best "Intro to Buddhism" books I know, half of my friends (in their early 20's) would have a very difficult time understanding.
Although it's not a Buddhist book, perhaps she would enjoy The Tao of Pooh which uses the Winne the Pooh characters (pictures too!) to explain Taoism. Although Taoism is different than Buddhism, this book may help your daughter to lighten up on the tough existential questions, and to try to simply enjoy life and be present.
&nbsp;
In a few years, to introduce her to Buddhism, I'd recommend What the Buddha Taught, Awakening the Buddha Within, Mindfulness In Plain English, and the Dhammapada - which is a collection of verses/sayings that are said to represent the essential core of Buddhist teachings.
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The Dalai Lama is my favorite spiritual teacher, but I think his books can be a little difficult, especially for someone so young. I remember when I first started dwelling on existential questions in high school, I borrowed the Dalai Lama's Meaning of Life from my Dad. Although the book was difficult, it was one of the main factors responsible for me starting to seriously pursue Buddhism.
Those are very good questions. Here are some helpful resources:
Trading Candy for Gold: Renunciation as a Skill by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Excerpt:
Buddhism takes a familiar American principle — the pursuit of happiness — and inserts two important qualifiers. The happiness it aims at is true: ultimate, unchanging, and undeceitful. Its pursuit of that happiness is serious, not in a grim sense, but dedicated, disciplined, and willing to make intelligent sacrifices.
What sort of sacrifices are intelligent? The Buddhist answer to this question resonates with another American principle: an intelligent sacrifice is any in which you gain a greater happiness by letting go of a lesser one, in the same way you'd give up a bag of candy if offered a pound of gold in exchange. In other words, an intelligent sacrifice is like a profitable trade. This analogy is an ancient one in the Buddhist tradition. "I'll make a trade," one of the Buddha's disciples once said, "aging for the Ageless, burning for the Unbound: the highest peace, the unexcelled safety from bondage."...
oOo
Other resources:
Mindfulness In Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana.
Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond by Ajahn Brahm.
Wings to Awakening
Kind regards,
...
I have learned everything through countless hours researching on the internet and books. Going through ethnobotanical stores and cross referencing with erowid and books to find out what seemed most interesting.
The best book on the subject is The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants It contains everything you ever wanted to know about psychoactive herbs.
Just start collecting small. I have built this collection up over several years.
I also really enjoy finding the right vials and making nice labels for everything. In fact that is just as fun as getting a hold of the herbs. I have a few herbs lying in zip-lock bags, but they are kept apart from the rest of the collection until I have found a more presentable way to store them :P
"Once someone is enlightened, there is no cause to again become confused and ignorant.... we weren't once enlightened and then fell from that state.... Although all sentient beings have Buddha nature or Buddha potential, their minds have been clouded over by ignorance since beginningless time. Each moment of ignorance was produced from the preceding moment, without beginning. No external being created it. However, although ignorance has no beginning, it does have an end. It can be removed through the wisdom realizing emptiness, the lack of fantasized ways of existing. Once we perceive reality, our minds can no longer ignorantly misconceive things." - Ven. Thubten Chodron https://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Beginners-Thubten-Chodron/dp/1559391537
"If your mind has from the very beginning been uncreated purity and perfection, then you might ask why we wander in samsara. It is because from the very beginning we have never recognized our own nature. This is not to say that we degenerated from a former state of recognition, but rather there never was such a state of recognition.
... If the mind’s nature is recognized, that recognition and the qualities inherent within the nature of the mind are the source of everything we call nirvana: all the qualities of buddhas, of their bodies, realms, and so on. If the mind’s nature is not recognized, that lack of recognition, that ignorance, is the fundamental cause or root of all samsara, all of its suffering and lack of freedom. It is this mind that, when its nature is recognized, attains buddhahood. It is this mind that, when its nature is unrecognized and on the basis of which karma is accumulated, falls into the lower realms." - Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche https://www.lionsroar.com/vajrayana-unpacked/
You gave it your best shot.
It's the Bagavad Gita.
https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Translation-Stephen-Mitchell/dp/0609810340/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493149715&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=bhagavad+gita
The book Heal Pelvic Pain may be beneficial to her as a supplement to her pelvic floor therapy. Best of luck.
If you don't mind my being nebby, this book helped a lot with my back pain. It's a little bit woo, but it's basically about how emotional stress can manifest as physical pain. There's some suggestions for dealing with it too.
Ok, so I could soapbox on this forever, but I'll try to be brief. (edit: and looking back I failed ;) )
High tsh with normal T3 T4 (can you include your free t3 & t4 numbers because "normal" is subjective with some docs?) just on the surface sounds like you're early on in the hypo process. Your TSH is coming high from your pituitary gland because it's like the gland is screaming for hormone, but the hormone actually produced (T3 &4), while lower than your brain would like, doesn't fall into your doctor's ranges for being abnormal. That said, too many doctors treat entirely based on labs and not on symptoms. And imo the wait way too long just to be "sure" that your levels have adjusted as much as they could on the current dose.
The medical profession is way behind when you are dealing with autoimmune endocrine disorders.
Now all that said, there are many other problems that come along with Hashimotos and being autoimmune that while they correlate with thyroid problems they are not necessarily caused directly by thyroid dysfunction. It is the whole autoimmune process that really screws you up.
Your doctor poo pooing your request for a celiac test is bs. It is not an unusual request in this day and age, and the basic celiac test is bloodwork. Based on that reaction alone I'd switch docs because she's not even considering, especially given that you have a history of all kinds of gastric problems.
That said, celiac testing isn't the end all be all. I was blood tested; negative. Had an endoscopy (many gastric issues here too) and they found evidence of the same kind of damage that celiac causes (flattening of the mucus and villi around the duodenum) but a biopsy did not show celiac. Hence I was told non-celiac gluten intolerance. Many Hashimoto folk have this. Plus I remember reading somewhere that they can't find all the different types of celiac through testing yet.
So at one point I just gave up gluten anyway and felt better. -For a couple years prior, bread and cake things just started tasting like plain flour to me, whereas gluten free goods (once I tried them) started tasting like food again.
I too have done paleo and it helped but not as much as I needed. I just started reading a book that was highly recommended by a good friend with similar problems and it seems spectacular.
Really breaking it down, the book was written by a pharmacist. It goes into all the different mechanisms that go on with Hashimotos (at present understanding) and how they affect you. Of great consideration are the gastric issues because they usually = a lack of absorption and thus vitamin deficiencies going on to significant degree. What I like so far is that she doesn't just state those things but goes into easy to understand detail of what is actually happening and she does this for each thing (food, supplements, even some spices) that are affected by absorption.
Anyway, it's a stricter diet that paleo, but essentially said "if A is a problem then eliminate food 1, if B is a problem then add vitamin x but only the sublingual kind or only from food (depending on the vitamin based on what is absorbed better)".
Oh, and also she recommends against protein pump inhibitors because they reduce your acid and low acid = poor absorption = GERD. However she also says don't stop immediate and gives suggestions on how to transition off of them. And instead what you do is use a couple of specific digestive enzymes. She gives proper dosing and tells how long to use them. (if you just want to know off the bat, pm me and I'll tell you)
It's called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause and I'm really excited about it because I've had very similar problems to yours and it's affected my life too much.
I pick and choose from a lot of ancient spiritual practices. Hinduism is one that really resonates with me though. I started with reading the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. Both considered to be amongst the core texts of Hinduism.
For the Bhagavad Gita, a very beautiful and easy to read version is Stephen Mitchell's translation.
For the Upanishads, the version I like best is Juan Mascaro's translation.
Wishing you peace and love on your journey.
🙏 Namaste 🙏
Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World.
I see this book is highly recommended by some of the people in this thread, so I went to Amazon to get it and saw this review:
> I was looking for more information on Tibetan buddhism, but sadly this book is mostly about the author. I found it hopelessly narcissistic and pedantic.
I'll probably still get it anyway, since you guys (and most of the rest of the Amazon reviewers) recommend it so highly, but I'd appreciate it if someone could address this review.
EDIT: Actually some of the two- and three-star reviews are concerning as well...
Yeah, Ingram does a great job covering the jhanas. You might also want to check out:
Have you ever seen the [The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0892819782/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8) by Christian Rätsch (published in 2005)? It's very comprehensive including a lot of information on cultural context for basically all the known psychoactive plants on the planet (at the time of publication at least). My copy at home has like hundreds of sticky notes in it, haha. I definitely recommend that book.
I had some time, I hope this helps, sorry that it made me pretty mad the farther in I got =)
>A vegan diet never sustained any traditional culture
This is an extremely selective take on the source material. Weston Price reported that several healthy groups of people who were lacto-vegetarian or pisco-vegan. At most this would be an argument for vegetarianism, not the omnivore diet that the author is now advocating. More importantly, the logic is terrible, even setting aside whether or not we should be taking Weston Price and his legacy foundation seriously.
There is no necessary connection between the supposed fact that no ancestral diets were vegan and the idea that a vegan diet is unhealthy. Just as there is no necessary connection between the fact that no traditional culture had a lifespan over 60 years and the fact none of them listened to the radio. Without a solid argument of why a vegan diet is unhealthy this claim only lends the appearance of providing evidence when, in fact, it relies on subsequent claims that should be accepted or dismissed on their own merit. So this ought to be dismissed entirely until the claims are established independently and then only accepted as a tenuously possible interesting explanation of other known facts.
> Vegan diets do not provide fat-soluble vitamins A and D
So she readily admits that you can get enough vitamin A by eating vegan foods, but tries to dismiss this as difficult and undone by various disorders. Well, vegan sources worked for impoverished children in Mozambique well enough. Vitamin A can also be supplemented easy enough, like for these children in Venezuela. As for the disorders, sure, lots of disorders can interfere with proper nutrition. That is why we should all go to the doctor regularly for checkups and tests, regardless of our diet. Personally, I've never even heard of a vegan being deficient in vitamin A, but anything can happen.
As for vitamin D, this is actually more important. Yes, it should concern vegans. However, it should in fact concern most everyone because tons of people in northern climates or who work indoors are deficient. It is extremely easy to supplement with vegan sources and can be readily obtained just by spending enough time in the sun. The "useable" vitamin D bit is a canard. Yes D3 has been shown by some studies to be better absorbed than vegan D2, but D2 is definitely absorbed and the solution when necessary is simply to supplement at a slightly higher level for vegans who are deficient. As above, I recommend visiting a doctor for this, they can test your blood for D levels and give a recommendation based on their findings.
>Vegan diets often rely heavily on soy
Sure, so if you have any problem with it don't eat it. There are a ton of complete sources of protein out there. I'm actually surprised that she mentioned soy protein powder and bars, because other than a couple athletes, none of the vegans I know rely on these to get enough protein.
On the other hand, if you have no problems with soy whatsoever, (and most people do not) then this is another non-issue. The last person I talked to who was having problems with soy was drinking ~2 gallons of soymilk a day. That is probably way to much, don't consume that much.
>Vegan diets do not provide vitamin K2
As someone else pointed out in this thread, the Japanese traditional food natto does provide K2 derived from its creation process. Still, having lived in Japan I wouldn't personally want to eat natto on a regular basis, or ever again. However, from what I've read this also isn't a problem for most vegans, human gut bacteria produces K2 on its own. As the blog linked to above notes, if this were a problem for vegans it would show up in the studies comparing clotting rates, but it doesn't.
> Ethical omnivorism supports a healthy planet
I can't even begin to get into how inane this argument is, which seems focused on this weak claim, "vegan diets ten[d] to demand a higher quantity of cereal grains and soy."
Once we get to the point where 70% of US grain is not going to feed livestock and all the major fisheries are not in the process of being entirely wiped out, then we can talk about the fantasy world in which bison roam freely through the towns of Kansas and all the meat we eat comes from free-range goats locally sourced in New Zealand.
I can't even tell you the number of times I hear this argument from people who I later find eating a hamburger at a local restaurant without a second thought as to where it came from, or putting a picture of sizzling bacon they got from the grocery store on their blog. The simple fact is that eliminating meat from human diet would be such a titanic reduction in environmental carrying cost to the planet that whatever fractional gain might theoretically be had from occasionally supplementing with seasonal and local free range meat to avoid complete reliance on plant matter is quite insignificant in comparison.
> Real Food > Fake Food
This isn't even an argument. It is just superstition and cultural bias wrapped up in the shell of an argument. Who cares what humans have been doing for thousands of years? Are we to bring back slavery cause it was functional much longer than the industrial wage system? For that matter, what the heck makes imprisoning cows, artificially inseminating them, machine milking them, homogenizing the milk, then churning the product until it hardens into a semi-solid state more "natural" than combining a bunch of plant based material to produce something that looks and tastes similar? If she is so worried about this "natural vs artificial" false dichotomy, she can go eat an apple (genetically modified by humans for millenia) and avoid both forms of processed food altogether.
> Vegan isn’t the answer to autoimmune disease
Right... if I only had a nickel for every time someone told me a story of two separate phenomena which they have linked as essentially causal in their mind, but which we don't even have the data yet to establish so much as a correlative link, then I wouldn't have much money cause nickels aren't worthy much. Still, this is seriously going off the deep end. She actually links to a book that claims you can treat Autism and Dyslexia by managing the gut bacteria. I don't even know for a fact that these claims are false, only that no scientist on the planet yet knows that they are true.
> You must take life to have life
Wow. Yes, field mice are killed in harvesting grain. If she is so concerned about this, why doesn't she advocate for methods of driving field mice out of their burrows before harvesting, rather than simply accepting their death? Or no longer ever feeding a single grain to cattle whose conversation to the protein that winds up for dinner is so inefficient that it requires the death of an order of magnitude more mice?
The fact is that veganism isn't about no living thing dying. My skin cells and the bacteria in my stomach are dying as we speak. Who cares? I don't believe in magical plant and amoeba souls that are somehow more important than or equivalent to the thinking, feeling, caring, sentient creatures that meat eaters kill, maim and imprison for luxury food.
Also, just to be clear, plant communication has nothing whatsoever to do with intelligence. They don't have nervous systems, they don't have brains, they don't have anything with which to cognate. The "communication" being referred to by the sourced she cites is an intentional misreading of a scientific term meant to indicate transmission of chemicals. Then again, maybe they think the Earth is intelligent because there is communication between the mantle and the core.
> Vegan diets are deficient in vitamin B12 and iron
Getting bored with her at this point. Yes, these are two vitamins of which vegans should be aware. Both can be tested, both can be supplemented if found short. You almost get the impression from this article that most meat eaters are not deficient in various nutrients. Heck, since less than 1% of people in the US are vegan and B12 is a problem specific to vegans, why are 20% of people over 50 borderline deficient in B12?
> Animal fats offer unique nutrients
Omega 3, yet another nutrient that is low for almost everybody. This is the same argument over again. Everyone in my family takes an Ovega-3 to avoid this EPA and DHA issue altogether. I'm not remotely convinced that it is necessary, the studies certainly are not conclusive. Most likely, bodily conversion of flax seed will do you fine as well as chia seeds, beans, cabbage, mangoes, wild rice, etc.
The whole "saturated fat is great" bit is still a fad not established by science. Yes, there have been a couple exploratory studies suggesting the possibility, but credible institutions like Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical and the American Heart Association still advise against it. And the bit about cholesterol is purposefully obtuse, the human body manufactures more than enough cholesterol on its own. The idea that dietary cholesterol is a "key part of wellness" is based on nothing but hot air.
"The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity" devotes an entire section of the book to sex and how it relates to Taoist practice.
Mindfulnss, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditatior's Handbook by Ajahn Brahm, great for beginners and seasoned practitioners.
I am currently in the middle of reading Manual of Insight by Mahasi Sayadaw, and what you've posted seems directly in line with what I am reading.
Read Dr. Jason Fung's The Diabetes Code. Smart guy, well trained, treats T2D in his Toronto clinic through diet. A real researcher and practitioner. Lots of good content including videos on the Diet Doctor website too.
In my view, you don't need all those articles addressing individual issues - though of course you can if you enjoy them. Pull the lens back a bit. LCHF has been shown to be very effective against every ailment you list.
Try keto for six months. You won't do any harm and it's likely you'll do a lot of good. Then if it's not for you, carry on your journey! No-one here can tell you want to do or launch the ultimate argument.
This is Mahasi Sayadaw. You might like his noting method.
Here are a few more resources on his approach to meditation.
And here is a comprehensive meditation manual he wrote.
I'm not a Mahasi guy myself, but I thought he sounded kinda like what you're looking for...
Get this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Behavior-Therapy-Second-Basics/dp/1609185048/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1540775861&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=judith+beck
Judy Beck owns.
This book, Pain Free by Pete Egoscue, changed my life. At one point I thought I was going to have to give up guitar because of wrist pain/soreness. Now I do a couple of small stretches a few times each week and the pain is 100% gone. No surgery. No physical therapy. I’m not a doctor so I can only comment on my own experience, but this worked for me. I saw improvement within a couple of days.
I hope you get on top of this quickly. Chronic pain is no joke.
https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887
Easwaran or Mitchell, imo, or both. ;) It's beneficial to compare translations.
http://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Classics-Indian-Spirituality/dp/1586380192
http://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Translation-Stephen-Mitchell/dp/0609810340
Eliminate refined sugar and white flours from your diet. I recently read Anticancer and the author talks alot about the connection between blood sugar levels and body inflammation. As an overt example, he uses acne and that it's mostly an issue in the developed world (where we eat refined sugars and flours that spike you blood sugar level). He cites a study (pdf) of a few island cultures who eat a very natural diet and have zero cases of acne. Another study showed improvement with Australian teenagers following a low glycemic load diet.
There are so many and with many different focal points. I also think a list with some identification as to the focal points for each book would be useful. And I'm always happy to find new good ones, so I am glad for this post.
Rodales is one that I've seen mentioned a ton elsewhere, and I have found it useful too. There is some lore and some preparation and growing information along with medicinal info..
If you are looking for experience logs concerning herb usage, Susun Weed's forum is a nice place to search. The accounts are not made by medical professionals and perhaps are not studies based, but they are from people who test and use herbs on themselves. A very female bent; however, I've not seen a male treated anything but nicely there.
Cunningham's is a good magical go-to based in some lore, but can be problematic sometimes as dangers are not always noted. And the lore can be difficult to track down; though I was surprised that some of it had uses that I was already familiar with from childhood. Many websites about magical correspondences are word-for-word taken from it. It's Llewellyn, but don't let that scare you. I doubt there is an apothecary in existence that doesn't have a copy somewhere.
Miller's Magical and Ritual Use of Herbs was one I acquired years ago when starting the magic/psychoactive hunt. It includes some methods for preparation though the herbs included are limited. I think going to a forum or sub here that is dedicated to psychoactives would probably be more useful for preparation guides, but they may lack the ritual component.
For identification and growing and a tiny bit of lore too, I found Angier's Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants to be very easy to use when I first started. It's not comprehensive and it is dependent on region, but I thought it was a charming read.
I think if you can find a field guide to wild plants that pertains to your geographical area, it would be better. That way you can get out and examine the plants yourself and see how they grow and interact with other plants and their environments. Much of what I have read about the magical properties of plants makes sense when I consider observations of the plants behaviors. Some of it is counter-intuitive too, but what makes a plant magical is sometimes going to be based in a lore you create on your own.
The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants was a pricey thick one, but one I have found very useful for its purpose. I think it could be more inclusive, but I think the same thing could be said of every plant book published! If you can find one used, you may get it at a bargain. I bought mine for under 50$US but I have never seen it that cheap before or since. But this is not one that will be in every public library, so if you can afford it and spot it cheap, it may be worth the jump of you are into this kind of information. And of course the ever-loving Erowid is a great resource too.
These are just a few for beginning that I have used, but I have not used them in isolation. And there are several I have on a wish list too (this one has been rec'd to me, and omagah these have a savings account building over here). Websites have been excellent free resources especially to start. U.S. Wildflowers has a huge photo library and links to others if the geographical areas pertain to you. It's helped me get some basic identification of local plants many times.
For medicinal use and contra-indications that might feel safer, there are many hospitals that host pages of advice about herbal medicine and many of those link to studies. Since nothing here should be taken as medical advice, going to those resources may be very helpful. I have used too many to list.
And the same goes for growing guides. Websites are going to be quicker than books, but books may offer things like seasonal planting patterns and landscaping that a simple growing guide might not contain. There are too many of those to list as well.
Sorry for the length and I hope you get many more suggestions!
It's all so confusing haha I feel you. My PT appointment was definitely promising! I'm in NYC and go to Beyond Basics Physical Therapy, the head woman there is very invested in pelvic pain and came out with this book that I also bought! you should check it out if you're waiting to get in to see a PT as it has alot of exercises and massages in there, and the reviews are also very promising.
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071546561/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Sounds like you have a "mixer" experience rather than a "straight chiropractor" experience. Grab a phone book and call ten random chiro offices. Ask if they can help with high blood pressure, arthritis, ear infections and general fatigue. I'd love to hear a summary of the answers.
Subluxation is part-and-parcel to chiropractic training in most instances. It's medical nonsense.
Also, chiro has only ever been shown to be successful at treating low back pain, though maybe even not that based on a recent Cochrane review, and then with no greater efficacy than other treatments and at higher cost.
A great, in-depth review of chiropractic medicine (and other alt med) is Trick or Treatment by Ernst and Singh
Edit: fixed link error
Edit 2: revision for clarity
Chamomile, Lavender and Passionflower have poor evidence in favor of helping with insomnia, while Valerian has some evidence that it helps (Singh & Ernst, 2008, p. 235). As always, consult a doctor if you want to treat insomnia.
That's actually the name of a great book explaining how various forms of pseudoscience are bullshit. Highly recommend it
Simon Singh has a big chapter on chiropractors in his book Trick or Treatment. There is evidence showing efficacy for back problems, but he warns that you should NEVER let them mess with your neck.
This book healed me:
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446392308
Down vote when the post doesn't offer anything to the discussion, not when you don't like someone(s) mentioned in the post. I'm sorry to see closed minded actions on this reddit. OP asked for any help. Only one other reply gave a definite reference. Here's my third for anyone interested in this subject:
Another book to consider is Barbara Ann Brennans Hands of Light.
Sorry for the delayed response. Honestly, after reviewing the book again, I have to say it's actually one of the better ones out there as far as REAL witchcraft goes. Witchcraft is not a religion, and it isn't politically correct. It's simply a set of practical methods to achieve one's goals, whether they be healing, defense, finding love etc. Though some of his ideas at the time are a little dated now, Paul Huson did an excellent job of laying out the principles of effective magick in simple terms. He even touched on elements of Hoodoo i.e. southern African-American folk magick, derived from African, European witchcraft, and Native American practices - see This Website for a thorough introduction to Hoodoo. This book by a real practitioner is also very good, though badly in need of editing.
Now that I've re-read sections of Mastering Witchcraft, I'm almost wishing I'd had it as my first book nearly 30 years ago heh. If you were to study and learn everything Huson's book has to offer, you'll have a better foundation in effective witchcraft than most Wiccan manuals out there today, many of which are extremely watered-down and geared more toward practices that make a person feel good about themselves without requiring much effort, or worse yet, practices that indulge a practitioner's need for attention or escapism. Pay particular attention to what he has to say about states of consciousness. Try to grasp the essence of why/how magick works as you read books such as this. Much of witchcraft/magick/ritual is done for symbolic purposes, with the physical objects/tools being used to focus and direct energy and intent, or as vessels for anchoring energy/intent to. Systems of correspondences help to link levels of reality and act as mental triggers to help re-enter specific states of consciousness.
At its core, magick is a Psychic skill. It is postulated that there are various levels of reality, from Oneness/God/Tao down to the Physical World and various points in between (see Yggdrasil, Tree of Life, Enneads of Plotinus, Plato's theory of forms etc. etc.). The most common forms of Magick work by injecting one's spell/intent into a higher level of reality (Astral Plane, Yesod etc.) in an effort to rewrite or reprogram the reality that is about to manifest. The effects then trickle down into manifestation through seemingly 'natural' means. Other forms involve creating energy links to targets and injecting power/intent through them while using poppets, photos, and other physical objects to help direct and focus the intent. Even more direct forms of influence can be performed through deliberate, conscious real-time energy manipulation, and this can become quite advanced.
Suggested books for developing your energy sensing/directing abilities include Franz Bardon's Initiation into Hermetics (he provides a fantastic though difficult set of exercises for self development) and Robert Bruce's New Energy Ways (ignore the new-agey way he writes - the methods are VERY effective for learning to sense and direct energy). To get ideas of what to do with energy for healing purposes and what energy might 'look like' to clairvoyants (or to you after you develop your clairvoyant skills), this book and this book may be very helpful. Ignore her new-age spin on the material. Her perceptions are pretty accurate.
I should mention that Paul Huson continued to produce useful books, btw. His book on the history of the Tarot is fantastic! There are other authors out there on Witchcraft that are worth perusing, but it is difficult to find authors who don't pander to new age feel-good beliefs. I tend to look for historical or anthropological works. Other areas that can be helpful are related topics such as Norse trancework and Runes (Jan Fries, Edred Thorsson), folk magick from various parts of the world, shamanism, hoodoo, brujeria (there are YouTube channels by serious practitioners of this), Egyptian and Greek religion/magick (again, look for serious scholarly books), and of course, Ceremonial Magick/Hermeticism. The origin of much of European occult terminology can be found in Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy, published in 1531.
Anyway, I hope that random collection of thoughts gives you some ideas for research. Mastering Witchcraft and similar books published in the 1970s are actually quite good introductions. I recommend absorbing what they have to offer, and looking deeper into the origins of the practices described.
I'd recommend reading the Bhagavad Gita, maybe start with a modern translation to familiarize yourself with the contents before diving into a more literal translation. I don't really have anything on tap for Buddhist or Shinto literature. Usually I start with the history of the religion and follow-up with any mentioned texts.
Sure. Offer the fruits of your actions to whatever supreme being you happen to believe in.
It's literally one of the oldest tricks in the book.
I suggest the Stephen Mitchell translation: http://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-A-New-Translation/dp/0609810340/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1344000555&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=bhagavad+gita
It is both linguistically and aesthetically beautiful.
I hear you. I like to explore philosophy with a number of teachers in the lineage; one of my favorite weekend workshops was with Harmony Slater. She’s a joy and a wealth of knowledge.
I am lucky that I get to practice with Eddie. I may be a bit biased, but I really don’t know of any other books that so succinctly ties it all together at the right level of information blending both Eastern and Western schools of thought.
Book recos:
Here is my favorite translation of the Bhagavad Gita.
I also really like this interpretation of the Yamas and Niyamas.
And my favorite Yoga Sutras.
The closest I can think of in terms of modern day explanations is the Yamas and Niyamas book by Deborah Adele. It really is a nice, practical read.
For me it was a general feeling of getting sick all the time )almost like a flu but not as strong), extreme tiredness and brain fog. The thing is my thyroid problem should have been under control because I already had a total thyroidectomy and my meds were under control. The doctor even wanted to reduce my hormone dosage. I had always felt tired but during the last year, after being on exchange in Europe and eating pasta and bread for most of my intake, I almost became bed ridden and could barely function. Since I didn't attribute it to my thyroid it took me a while to figure it out, trying to research chronic fatigue syndrome, mostly. Then I dounf two books that explained mot of my symptons.
Long story short Hashimoto's thryoiditis is an autoimmune disorder that goes beyond the thyroid and for people with autoimmune disorders gluten wreaks havoc on the body. Since I stopped eating gluten (first i did an elimination diet where you stop eating gluten, soy,dairy and corn I've since reintroduced corn and dairy with great success) my energy levels are way better and i feel muuuuuch better and whenever I eat it i feel bad and very tired but I agree that my situation may have deteriorated more than it should have because of the 6 months that I had gluten comprise most of my diet.
Here are the 2 books:
http://www.amazon.com/Immune-System-Recovery-Plan-Autoimmune-ebook/dp/B008J48LT6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407973564&amp;sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Hashimotos-Thyroiditis-Lifestyle-Interventions-Treating/dp/0615825796/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407973565&amp;sr=8-3
The first one explains better the gluten issue while the second focuses more on Hashimoto's.
If you have any further questions I'll be glad to help.
I would definitely recommend thyroid medication sooner rather than later; it can take time to find your right dose. I went untreated for years and ended up pretty anemic. The thyroid has a hand in pretty much every process in your body, and it's incredibly important. There are definitely lifestyle changes you can make that can help - I totally recommend any book by Izabella Wentz (I started with Finding Your Root Cause) - but the first step to feeling better is getting on meds.
What were your thyroid lab results (TSH, Free T4, Free T3, TPO/TG Antibodies)?
From what I am reading, gluten perpetuates the autoimmune response from your body, and you'll keep having issues unless you drop it. My Dr, who has hypothyroidism himself, says its okay to go gluten-less and not gluten-free, but I'm still having serious muscle and joint pain and am still tired, so I'm working all the food/ inflammation angles.
Dropping "goitrogens" (uncooked broccoli, all soy, etc), taking some supplements to boost immune system and gut health (turmeric, zinc, fish oil, probiotics, and when I finally find it cheap, selenium)... I've been feeling like shit for a long time and after getting past the shock of having an autoimmune disease I'm in full on "fuck this shit" mode.
I recommend two things! If you are struggling with cooking better for yourself, I recommend an app called Mealime. It's honestly great for any human, despite diet issues, but you can tell it to remove gluten from the recipes it gives you, and holy crap they're all good and fast! If you like to bake and cook like I do, a friend who's little girl has celiacs told me about a book called "How Can It Be Gluten Free", which is written and recipes tested by America's Test Kitchen (and has a second volume, also!).
Second thing, is go out and buy this book cause it's written by a pharmacist who is currently in remission from Hashi's and she talks about all the bull crap she went through with drs and medicine and supplements and food. I haven't read through it all but what I have has been very insightful and had great reviews on Amazon from people like us.
I hope this helps!
Doubt and uncertainty are a terrible thing and I can't help at all but cancer has a 1 and 3 chance of effecting me so I have been researching what I would do if I got cancer and to be prepaired just incase I cross paths with it.
3 books
Anticancer: A New Way of Life
Neurosurgeon gets a brain tumour, gets chemo and goes into remission, gets tumour again and decides to study if food and life style can effect his cancer. Video of the author
Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself
Doctor studies if the mind can influence the body in it's ability to heal itself and finds studies to verify if it is possible. Video of the author
Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds
Doctor studies anecdotal evidence of people who had cancer that went into spontaneous remission for almost no apparent reason and finds traits amongst all people.
Look into cannabis oil and how it effects cancer, would highly recommend taking lots of cannabis oil and changing her diet.
Rick Simpson: Run from the Cure
CNN Weed Documentary
CNN Weed 2 Documentary
please read this book, you'll probably live longer and happier as a result.
Hi. I totally sympathize with what you and your gf are going through. I think you are getting great advice and support here in the comments. I just wanted to add to it and say that I've been reading a book that's been a real eye-opener about how we can help ourselves understand the mechanics of cancer a little bit better, and how we can help ourselves stay healthy. It's called Anticancer: A New Way of Life, by David Servan-Schreiber.
Now it's not one of those "cure yourself with carrots, doctors don't know anything," things, at all, but the book does offer a lot of common sense about what role our diet, stress, and other factors play in our lives. Though the author did eventually die of cancer, he had survived 19 years past his initial diagnosis, and so I think that still makes it a very worthwhile read. I know it's made me feel stronger to read it and try to implement its advice, so I thought it may help you, too.
Best of luck to you and your gf!
https://www.amazon.com/Anticancer-New-Life-David-Servan-Schreiber/dp/0670021644
I don't think there's anything wrong with being a Christian and practicing Buddhism. Lots of people see Buddhism as more of a philosophy than a religion. The resources are definitely out there though. As far as books go, my personal favorite and the only book I have on the subject is Awakening the Buddha Within by Surya Das. I'd highly recommend it!
As far as feeling down about where you're at in life, don't beat yourself up. We're all on our own journeys and we all strive to better ourselves the best way we can. Be well, brother!
Probably not what you were looking for, but that kind of mindset is exactly what Buddhists train to eradicate through meditation. I'm reading Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World right now, and it breaks Buddhism down into everyday language really nicely. A lot of it is about abandoning recognition or validation from the outside world, and keeping a perspective on what's important - including appreciating yourself and what you have. Great read, and might help guide you on your own path to self-improvement, Buddhist or not :)
Ajahn Brahm's Mindfulness, Bliss, And Beyond: A Meditator's Guide
Great guide for deeper meditation and entering the jhanas.
https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Psychoactive-Plants-Ethnopharmacology-Applications/dp/0892819782
Libgen has a copy
Neither of those plants are hallucinogenic. If you mean entheogenic plants, then that's totally different.
Here is a good book to understand more.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Psychology-Syndrome-D-D-D-H-D-Schizophrenia/dp/0954852028
even the title seems wrong, shouldnt it be psychological syndromes?
Wrote this to another person in here too, but i'll write it in case you don't see that.
I have read that many people with Crohn's disease have had a really good experience with following the GAPS diet, you should look into the diet if you don't know about it already, peoples stories of how much it's helped them, seem quite convincing, there's a lot of material online on it, and also a book if you want it in paper form.
Link to a homepage concerning it (there's many): http://www.gapsdiet.com/Home_Page.html
You can also read reviews on e.g. amazon about the book.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gut-Psychology-Syndrome-Depression-Schizophrenia/product-reviews/0954852028/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&amp;showViewpoints=1
You don't need to buy the book to follow the diet, but i'd say read about the diet, its definitely worth a shot if it can help your condition on long term.
FPMT.org has an excellent course titled "Discovering Buddhism" that can be taken online and does a good job of introducing Buddhism from square one. FPMT is a respected mainstream organization. Otherwise, I would recommend the book Buddhism for Beginners by Thubten Chodron. Ven. Chodron has studied extensively with the Dalai Lama and is a well-regarded Buddhist scholar.
Either of those resources would be helpful to study on your own alongside attending whatever services are nearby.
In my opinion, Western philosophy is almost entirely useless and impractical for understanding altered states of consciousness because it has no interest in truth beyond language. Western philosophers are obsessed with words, with concepts - so obsessed, indeed, that the mere idea of looking beyond them has never crossed their minds for more than a second. The best you can do with Western philosophy is Aldous Huxley. His most famous work that deals directly with psychedelics and states of consciousness beyond language is The Doors of Perception. But his Perennial Philosophy may be even better as far as deep philosophy goes. Plus, it blends together teachings from West and East into one coherent whole.
If you are interested in intellectually digesting a psychedelic experience, you really need some eastern philosophy. The best of the best, the crown jewel, is the Bhagavad Gita. Also look into the Buddha's life and teachings, for digesting enlightenment is very similar to digesting a psychedelic experience. My recommendation here is the Dhammapada. This is less spiritual, more intellectual than the Gita, and the copy I linked has a beautifully written introduction on the Buddha's life and his own dealing with enlightenment. If you are spiritually inclined, start with the Gita. If you are more intellectually inclined, I would start with Huxley or the Dhammapada. Either will help you process a psychedelic experience in a way that mainstream Western philosophy could never match.
There are tons of free single lectures available on YouTube. This is one of my favorites .
HOWEVER, I strongly suggest you splurge on the Out Of Your Mind lecture series audiobook. It ties many thing together in ways that the individual snippets on YouTube can’t come close to.
There's a 2,000 Buddhist map for attaining awakening. And, as I've come to experience first-hand, it's one legitimate model for understanding the progression toward liberation.
See Mahasi Sayadaw, Kenneth Folk, Daniel Ingram, Ron Crouch, and others:
Suggest discussing with your doctor. Fasting will impact your blood sugar and may require adjustment to your insulin prescription.
There is a book by Fung called the The Disbetes Code that might have some practical advice for you about fasting to cure diabetes. I have not read (i never had it but was on my way before IF). But have read The Obesity Code which is excellent.
Here is a link ...
The Diabetes Code: Prevent and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally https://www.amazon.com/dp/1771642653/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Id1SCbACAGWPA
I love listening to Alan Watts. His Out of Your Mind lectures were very eye-opening for me, and gave me a foundation upon which to start questioning my own beliefs and self.
I will check this book out and report back :)
There are many.
Edited to add one more: Plutarch's Life of Cato the Younger
This book is your answer
https://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Code-Prevent-Reverse-Naturally/dp/1771642653/
T1D is a disease of little to no insulin
T2D is a disease of too much insulin. Insulin is ineffective because of insulin resistance (it takes much more insulin to do the job of keeping blood sugar levels normal)
For T2D, a LCHF diet (combined with fasting) will keep blood sugars low & allow for the insulin resistance to reverse. You just have to work with your doctor to continuously monitor the need (or eventual lack of need) for medications once you make that diet change.
I became interested in Zen not through books but through audio clips. I listened to Alan Watts "Out of Your Mind" and this had a huge impact on me. Dharma talks by Gil Fronsdal at AudioDharma.org have also been incredibly influential. I'd also recommend Free Buddhist Audio for some great, free talks. Give your friend some audio to listen to on their ipod during long car drives. Great to see you and others spreading the Dharma.
I have been reading a recent translation of Mahasi Sayadaw's Manual of Insight lately, which was only recently released. It explains in excruciating detail both the practice and the theory behind his brand of vipassana, including how paying mindful attention to whatever present moment experience is arising develops direct, experiential insight into ultimate reality. However, it's extremely technical, even more so than Daniel Ingram's Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha, which also addresses this issue.
> I find it much more profitable for me to just expand my consciousness on the subjects of my life and come to my own realizations and insights.
This exercise may be valuable to you, but it's very different than the method of vipassana. Here, you're simply engaging experience at the conceptual level, at the level of the narratives you've created about yourself and your everyday experiences. Liberating insight is developed by directly seeing the stuff that makes up that high-level conceptualized experience. It's like the difference between watching and enjoying a movie and actually paying attention to the frame-by-frame of the movie, trying to see the pixels that comprise the picture, and ultimately trying to understand that which gives rise to the movie itself.
To see clearly and directly, you work with what you can actually see, right now in your experience, hence the emphasis on the "present moment." You simply observe whatever is actually happening, whether thinking, breathing, pressure sensations, seeing, smelling, or whatever. You pay close attention to whatever arises at the doors of the five senses and the mind's door. You see how each sensation, physical and mental, arises and passes away, one by one, constantly, like an ever-flowing river.
You don't infer that this is occurring or think about it or work it out intellectually. You just watch that process happening. Do that long enough, and what you see begins to sink in at an extremely deep level of the mind, eventually upending your entire world view. That's vipassana.
There are lots of different methods defending on the school. One of the more straightforward free sources on it is Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha. Some people have argued that Mahasi's book is better, but I don't think it's free.
In either case, they only describe a few different methods for one school. Other schools have their own way of doing things. Many of those are secret. What isn't secret is often conveyed in abstruse terms to laymen.
For those that are interested in this topic you might like these books
Practicing the Jhanas: Traditional Concentration Meditation as Presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw(tranquility - concentration )
>Manual Of Insight by Mahasi Sayadaw (vipassna)
Hey!
I am sure that you've done this, but just in case you haven't: make sure to contact the program(s) you're looking at applying to and see what that the prerequisite classes are for each. I got my masters in clinical mental health counseling and my program required a number of basic psychology courses are prereqs.
Aside from that, don't worry too much about what you don't know. If you're looking to get a jump-start you can read through a basic theories textbook (like this one) or some seminal works by notable authors in the counseling/mental health fields like Man's Search for Meaning, Cognitive Behavioral Theory, or Reality Therapy for the 21st Century.
If you don't have a background in psychology then some of these might feel a little abstract, but don't worry! You don't have to understand everything to begin exploring your interests.
I hope this is helpful!
https://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Code-Prevent-Reverse-Naturally/dp/1771642653/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1771642653&amp;pd_rd_r=1ce80e9f-bd30-11e8-9d90-8b493ea953ed&amp;pd_rd_w=DxE7U&amp;pd_rd_wg=jDARH&amp;pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_p=3f9889ac-6c45-46e8-b515-3af650557207&amp;pf_rd_r=8AX1653QACKR8Z2TE0SQ&amp;pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&amp;pf_rd_t=40701&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=8AX1653QACKR8Z2TE0SQ
First of all, sorry for responding so late. I saw your comment, but didn't have time to really sit down and give it the attention it warrants. Here is my reply:
This is an excellent and one of the most important points. Unfortunately, health care in America sucks in general and this is even worse for mental health due to a lack of understanding on the part of insurance companies about the nature of mental illness.
I do not have a great answer to your question because I've never really looked into it. There were some sites that seemed like good places to start that I found by Googling around:
NAMI HelpLine
SAMSHA
These are just other general thoughts/ideas:
-If you have insurance and are not really sure what's covered, call them and ask. You'll get a good idea of what's covered, what the copayment is likely to be etc. Even if the copay is more than you can afford, that is not necessarily the end. Many mental health practitioners operate on a sliding-scale which means they have some flexibility in terms of copayment.
-Look into universities or hospitals in your area. They often have clinical trainees or researchers who can see you for a reduced fee or even for free (e.g. in exchange for participation in a research study).
-I was going to say go to your local place of worship, but I am not sure how connected to mental health resources temples and masjids are.
-If you're a student with or without insurance, go to your campus counseling center and talk to them. They usually know practitioners they work with who have cheaper rates for students.
-If you don't have insurance and you aren't a student, there are hotlines or centers that might be able to help you get health insurance. I am not knowledgable of this process, but Google or asking on other subs could help.
-Depending on where you live, there can be support groups offered in the community. It isn't ideal, but you'll receive some form of support and it may help connect to other resources.
-Finally, sometimes seeing a therapist is just not an option. Whether it's due to just not being able to afford it, or maybe you live in an area that lacks mental health resources. In those cases, I could think of a few things.
You can find support groups on the internet. Not necessarily Reddit, but there are entire forums dedicated to people who experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse issues, etc. I'm sure there is a range of variance on the quality, but you should never discount the power of social support, even if it's not through a physical medium.
The other approach is self-education about mental health. Even though I put it as the last option, this is definitely one of the most powerful ones. There are a lot of great books and research papers out there on mental health, understanding specific disorders, and full clinical manuals. Some of these are not really accessible to people outside the field, but a lot of these are meant for the average consumer. You need to be careful because there is a lot of crap out there too. Check reviews, make sure the source is evidence and research based. This one is so critical. Through decades of research, we have a good understanding of many disorders, as well as the treatment approaches that are effective for them. It's important to consume content that is based on these scientific methods. If you need help deciding which books are good, again Google around or perhaps go to a psychology-focused forum and ask for opinions. One good approach is to read books written by the people who actually developed the therapies! Here are two good examples I like:
CBT for Depression
DBT
I fully realize that when you're struggling with a problem, you may feel that you don't have the physical or psychological resources to try to take this approach. But you should always know that this choice is available to you. It's something that you can try. Maybe it will help, maybe it won't. But it will definitely not hurt you.
If anything hurts, stop.
Three fingers used shallowly will do nothing to help train your muscles, because they are an inch or so inside your vagina. Explore with one finger inserted past the muscle band. Then work up from there.
Stop attempting intercourse. There are plenty of ways to pleasure each other without it until your body is ready. Hands, mouths, sex toys (or safe objects covered in condoms) and other body parts (eg intercrural sex).
If you want more professional help, see a urogynaecologist (urogynecologist in US English) for diagnosis and referral to treatment.
I highly recommend working through the book "Heal Pelvic Pain" by Amy Stein. Lots of libraries have it.
Some herbs have active effects on the body. But usually, if something works, they can refine a drug out of it that has a more precisely controlled dose and therefore safer and more effective. e.g. Asprin. Also if you buy herbal medicine often distributors give you the wrong herb or some adulterated mix that could be unsafe. And you should always consult with a GP, especially if say, you're pregnant or something.
You might want to read Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine for better information than I can give here.
TL;DR: Not really a "BS" or "Not-BS" case. Herbal medicine might work, probably stay away to be safe or consult your GP.
Side-note: often times people confuse homoeopathy with herbal medicine. Homoeopathy is 100% BS inert non-treatment and contains no herbs.
For a thriller treatment of infections diseases, the following are a nice read
I'm inclined to also suggest the works of Simon Singh, to whom I was introduced by his book on math and cryptography - The Code Book. But he has also written about cosmology and "alternative" medicine. The later got him involved in a landmark libel lawsuit in the UK. For that reason, there is probably more than the usual bit of politics you'd expect in a popular science book. However, in the post-truth era of Donald Trump and company, that maybe fitting if bitter medicine.
Edit: As someone who may not have the best scientific background, one might be prone to confuse science with pseudoscience. Even today, there is no shortage of low quality literature on UFOs and parapsychology. As such, Carl Sagan's The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark is highly recommended.
Dr. Sarno was a legend, starting in the 1960s. He recently passed away. Read the comments on Amazon at least, even if you don't read the book. It helped me, not with back pain, but with ALL my running injuries. (I started to meditate in 2011, no injuries since).
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446392308/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=healing+back+pain&amp;qid=1573336420&amp;sr=8-2
Two suggestions. 1.) Go to acupuncture 2.) Read this or ANY book on the subject by Dr. John Sarno. He's healed countless celebrities and others.
Read this book, it changed my life.
Healing Back Pain
First, RESPECT, for working with the dying and grieving. That is profound, and highly important work.
To reiterate other's here, you don't sound 'crazy', only opening to something that had value and an accepted place in antiquity and pre-modern societies (arguably it does now also, but not necessarily through any official institutions, it still seems to be a fringe activity and 'gift' not accepted by the sciences).
A starting point to placing your inner experiences into a broader context, which may help with self-understanding and integration through the process, might be:
Channeling. There are numerous other texts of similar material around. Check them out?
As to matters of grounding, other's advice here seems sound.
A somatic practice might prove helpful, like hatha yoga, or perhaps continuing meditation but practicing it in a different way, seeing as you are already meditating? Anapanasati, how to practice breath meditation, which focuses on the breath and thus has more of a grounding and bodily based attention brought to the process could be useful in this context. I've personally had trouble with dissociation and found sitting with a piece of obsidian and/or black tourmaline held in both my hands while sitting cross-legged or lying flat on my back, and focusing into the stone with my mind while being mindful to both my breath and body a helpful way of grounding and generating containment in/as my body.
Although the following book is primarily about working with energy healing it discusses channeling and contains diagrams of exercises that help a practitioner working with subtle forces to stay grounded and balanced, it might also be worth your time Hands of Light.
Salutations!
You CAN learn some of it from books - the rest you'll have to do through spirit work and guidance. There are 2 books by Barbara Ann Brennan that will get you started on viewing and manipulating the aura and structures within it. They're a little new agey, but the info is fairly solid and effective, and they're regularly used as part of the teaching curriculum for naturopathic/alternative health/massage/reiki type courses at accredited colleges. Go through her first book before delving into her 2nd book. As a supplement, you should also read and practice Robert Bruce's New Energy Ways material. It will get you in shape for energy sensing and manipulation. MUCH magick and healing can be done with the techniques in his book alone!
Yes, it sounds/looks to me like you see energy ("chakras" are part of that). I could be wrong, but I'd look into it more if I were you anyways. You would probably make a really good energy healer and/or medical intuitive. Check out the Hands of Light book (http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Light-Healing-Through-Energy/dp/0553345397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1347945502&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=healing+hands). I also prefer Pranic Healing over Reiki (Reiki is more commonly known). http://pranichealing.com/
I can send more info on people/books/etc if you want.
As far as I'm aware he works with energy beings he calls "guides" that are among us in some way. He calls on them mentally/spiritually to share their energy, and he serves as the bridge connecting you to the energy. Not very sure of the origin of the practice. It does involve a bit of being chosen by the guides but I'm not sure about the exclusivity. He does have children, and also some students he informally teaches to connect his way. Don't know where he started from yet.
Practices generally involve the patient standing with eyes closed while he stands by arms wide open. Next thing you know he takes a deep breath and exhales and you're spinning/twirling like a top involuntarily and your hands want to come up as if under water. If you don't twirl the force of the energy will make you fall over. This process connects you to the universe/guides opening up your crown. Always makes you giggly because the energy comes as a shock as it pushes you.
Then he will have you lie on your back and he'll place his hand on your head. His hands gets very hot as he guides you through a meditative journey to receive the energy you need. Meanwhile you see bright colors while eyes closed and you feel like you are radiating with energy/light. It feels amazing and your mood improves dramatically as your physical pain fades away. This practice may be different in some cases with specific illnesses.
Look up "subtle energy" and this book called "Hands of Light" both his suggestions. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0553345397?pc_redir=1404445078&amp;robot_redir=1
I am such a shill for physical therapy, DO IT! I think it's what will ultimately fix you! (not just you, but, like, everyone)
for most people's problems, if nothing has been actually torn apart, and in some cases where it has, physical therapy > massage > chiropractor > surgery > sitting around whining how everything hurts and you keep snapping ur shit up
(those are greater than signs btw, not some weird reverse process diagram)
Also have I told you about our lord and savior Pain Free by Pete Egoscue?
I'm plugging Tom Merrick.
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After switching from a 9-5 vehicle job to early morning physical labor I felt the price I paid for sitting too long. I've dedicated most of my free time since January to mobility and physical alignment. I am recovering from a life time of previous physical punishment but seeing incredibly quick improvements from a daily discipline of proper mobility. I've forgone all other training besides my job to strip my body down to its basics. I figure if the base is level and square, I can dedicate my physical ambitions in any direction. It's honestly felt 'spiritual' learning my own, individual body. With daily use of the same motions in a slow and focused manner, I'm continually squashing through pain spots and weaknesses; many that I never knew I had because I simply was never paying attention to them.
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I recommend Tom Merrick's routines to find your own weaknesses and have something to gauge progress with, and just make daily habits of the ones that work well for you. Pain Free by Pete Egoscue and Foundation Training by Eric Goodman have driven a lot of my progress as well as simple research into the discomforts or oddities I discovered in my body.
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I figure if life is a game, than longevity is the name of that game. My best odds rest in a body that's built to prevent injury and operate at peak levels. A couple of months ago I realized I will feel the urge to do daily mobility work for the rest of my life because it feels too damn good.
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Movement is so basic but so forgotten. It's fundamental to who we are as primal beings.
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I rant about this because I care so much about it. So many people in my life are in physical pain and it drives me mad that movement isn't taught by anyone in our lives until we discover our own need for it.
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Feel good, live good.
I would like to know as well! I've been suffering from poor posture from sitting at a desk all day. I have to consciously make an effort to not round my shoulders. I found that this book's excersices have helped me a lot! https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887
There's a book about being pain free that really helps. It's about addressing the root cause of the pain instead of the spot of the pain. Kind of like having the wheels aligned on the car instead of replacing tires that wear down on one side. The title talks about chronic pain, but I mostly get soreness from racquetball and it helps.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887/
[This book] could be very helpful for you. Since your condition is autoimmune based the cause most likely lies within the intestines. 80% of the body's immune system is carried within the intestines and the bacteria that harbor it. Healing them can bring you closer to remission.
Also, campassi, are you familiar with the Root Cause book?
http://www.amazon.com/Hashimotos-Thyroiditis-Lifestyle-Interventions-Treating/dp/0615825796
https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Health-Sex-Longevity-Practical/dp/067164811X
This author should be about your speed. But go gently. You can injure yourself with too much tonification, especially the wrong kind at the wrong time. I would recommend consulting a qualified Chinese herbalist (profession, not ethnicity). Look for someone who has a master's degree from an accredited university teaching Chinese medicine/acupuncture. If they have a Diploma of Chinese Herbal Therapy from the NCCAOM that is a very good indicator of good training. Just tell them what you want and they will work with you. Herbs are medicine. Jing and Yang tonics are among the strongest. Don't underestimate the risks or benefits.
awakening the buddha within
Right, I don't do the whole nomenclature thing, but labels are sometimes useful for describing exactly what "system" someone is using. Living in the now, so to speak, and not identifying with the mind are definitely great skills to cultivate. If you don't already utilize some form of cognitive behavioral therapy, like REBT, you should look into that because the two complement each other very well.
I'm waiting on:
Mindfulness in Plain English
Focused and Fearless: A Meditator's Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity
Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditator's Handbook
They were from the /r/meditation book recommendation thread, and I've been trying to develop mindfulness skills more.
You should check out Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditator's Handbook by Ajahn Brahm. It's a complete guide to meditation, from the basics into and including the deepest states. First ~50 pages available here.
>I recently called a tibetan buddhist center to ask about the various non-mind, non-body states I’ve been experiencing, because I wanted to compare notes and see how others maneuver through them, as the states can’t be willed I’ve found, unlike any normal out of body experience, they’re independent and the more one tries to move it the more one remembers the “self,” and the desire to move.
Yes, if you use will that ruins the meditation. You're supposed to let go of will completely :-)
What sort of out of body experience are you describing here? Is it that the five sense have disappeared completely? (All notions of body, space, time are gone; a serious deviation from "normal consciousness").
Are you left only with a bright white/colored light?
This might be of some insight:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Sick-Buddhist-Inspired-Chronically-Caregivers/dp/0861716264/166-0357771-4655327?ie=UTF8&amp;*Version*=1&amp;*entries*=0
As someone who has been down the rabbit hole and has no idea how the hell I came out on the other side, just know that some of us identify with your pain and you aren't alone in your struggle. You're like a chronic pain patient, but the brain's version. Then again, suffering in the conscious center of our bodies is hard to transcend even by thinking of it that way (see: mindfulness), but it provided me some solace once I grasped it. I hope you will continue to hang on and fight and keep reaching out. I've heard of treatment-resistant depression having some root in gut bacteria even (they have a role in manufacturing neurotransmitters), so please don't give up--antidepressants only do a few dynamic things with the brain's chemistry and the drugs you mentioned flood the brain's receptors and sometimes make things worse in the rebound period. I basically have a stress disorder so I don't drink alcohol anymore because the rebound after even drinking a little boosts my stress levels needlessly. I don't personally have ADHD or anhedonia so I can't understand your exact experience but as someone who has ridden a rough road for over a decade until just recently, I hope that you reach a turning point soon that gives you some hope.
I've barely started reading it, but someone here suggested the book "How to be Sick" by Toni Bernhard.
I didn't have any long-term friends when I got sick, because I'd gotten sober just 3 years earlier and had to stop seeing pretty much all the friends I still had. Then I moved to a rural area 1300 miles away.
What helped most was (accidentally) finding a forum with people who had a similar interest. I made a post about a problem I had, and stuck around to read other posts because I found it interesting. Because I went regularly, I ended up becoming friends with several other regulars. We don't chat much, but they are available if I need them (which is both less than I want, and less than I used to need).
I got diagnosed with chronic fatigue prior to getting the bipolar dx and so can relate to your account. Even now I am unsure if the bone crushing depression hasn't a physical cause.
The following book was useful
How to Be Sick by Toni Bernhard
Link: https://amzn.com/0861716264
In retrospect, I wish I had sought government assistance sooner. I assumed I would soon be working and then felt to exhausted to advocate for myself.
I wish you all the best and hope that you are surrounded by loving people.
To give a short answer. Yes.
This is from a book about psychoactive plants i have. Because there are a lot of non factual answers here, I thought i post this. I had to write it all so there might be some spelling errors.
.
.
.
Plants of the gods, By Richard Evans Schultes, Albert Hofmann &Christian Rätsch.
>
The chemistry of Fly Agaric
> The active principle of Amanita muscaria was thought once, a century ago, to have been muscarine when Schiedeberg and kope isolated this substance. this belief has been proven erroneous. Recently Eugster in Switzerland and Takemo in Japan isolated ibotenic acid and the alkaloid muscimole as being responsible for the Fly Agaric's psychotropic effects. The mushroom is taken usually dried. The drying process induces the chemical transformation ibotenic acid to muscimole, the most active constituent.
...Amanita muscaria may be the oldest of the hallucinogens and perhaps was once the most used...
A little background summary from me:
It's been used by many different cultures in the past and has been associated with many different gods, There is evidence suggesting it's been used in India, Siberia and The America's, (From Mesoamerica to the north of Canada.
If you're interested in these kind of things, i suggest you try to find some literature about it. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications, Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers, Psychedelics Encyclopedia. It's amazon link's but you can find them anywhere.
Yes it helped significantly to the point that it is almost unnoticeable. However it is one of the toughest diet to follow.
The "candida diet" is similar but GAPS is superior. Read the book.
Yes it is, and I have been reading similar experiences in the phoenix rising forum. They have been strong enough for me but I had to use very large doses, they are natural antibiotics, a test to see if you are one (of the many) with a low level undiagnosed infection. You may want to have a look on this book also, the same logic, but in the gut... https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Syndrome-D-D-D-H-D-Schizophrenia/dp/0954852028
This is a good start. http://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Beginners-Thubten-Chodron/dp/1559391537/ref=cm_lmf_tit_2
Also
http://www.amazon.com/Transforming-Mind-Dalai-Lama/dp/0722540302
This one is a good one on meditation. More of a Zen thing, still a good read though.
http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Beginners-Shambhala-Library-first/dp/B004WKAMAM/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1320336862&amp;sr=1-2
I read this one out of curiosity. The Tibetans have an interesting view on death and the 'process' of dying.
http://www.amazon.com/Tibetan-Book-Dead-Liberation-Understanding/dp/0553370901/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1320336920&amp;sr=1-1
Uhm.. it all depends on what you want to write about!
Im sure google would help in your search as well
Personally, I am of the mind that violence begets violence. In this situation, as someone else mentioned, for each person you kill, several more are likely to take their place.
However, I found this story to be interesting (from Chapter 15 in Buddhism for Beginners):
>In a story of one of Shakyamuni Buddha's previous lives as a bodhisattva, he was the captain of a ship. He knew that the oarsman was going to kill and rob the five hundred merchants on board. He had intense compassion not only for the victims, but also for the oarsman, who would experience the torturous karmic results of killing so many people. In addition, he was willing to take upon himself any negative karmic effects of killing. He thus decided to take the oarsman's life, but because his motivation was pure, the karmic effect of killing was minimal, and he created great positive potential that propelled him on the bodhisattva path.
I can understand the logic here, though I would not be willing to undertake that karma myself. The determination of what situation justifies killing is very subjective. It seems like a slippery slope.
Buddhism for Beginners by Thubten Chodron
Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up by B. Alan Wallace
The World of Tibetan Buddhism by the Dalai Lama
Books:
YouTube
It seems a little weird to want to buy books to try and discredit some random person online who will forget all about this conversation in a couple of days, but sure, whatever.
Nag Hammadi Scriptures
Dhammapada
Upanishads
Baghavad Gita
Mahabharata
And this volume of the Vedas, though as I said I haven't read through it yet.
I also have this copy of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, which I haven't gotten around to yet.
Now, once again, please tell me where in the Nag Hammadi scriptures it says that you spend 1000 years in a Devachan before reincarnating.
A great primer for the core tenets and historical context is "What The Buddha Taught" by Walpola Pahula. It provides a wonderful explanation of the thought process and is very clearly written; a lot of colleges use it in their comparative religion courses.
I also think that reading the "Dhammapada" is particularly vital. I prefer the Eknath Easwaran translation; I feel like he did an excellent job translating it into modern laguage while retaining the meaning of the text and providing excellent discussions of each sutra without being to neurotically overbearing, like so many religious commentaries can be. He also did excellent versions of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads if you are interested in broader Indian spirituality.
Alan Watts: Out of Your Mind
http://www.amazon.ca/Out-Your-Mind-Alan-Watts/dp/1591791650
^^^^youcanfinditonpiratebay
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is a wonderful book that is heavily involved in mind and consciousness. I recommend it to so many people, and have heard so many stories of how impactful it has been from other friends.
If you're more inclined to the literary, Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre and Notes From Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky are both literary examinations of mind and self. Both are written in the first person as a stream of consciousness, the former as a series of diary entries, and the latter as the unbroken rambling notes of the narrator. Dostoevsky's other work, though I personally have not read it yet (though it is high on my list), is definitely worth looking into for those interested in literature. From the wiki article for The Brothers Karamazov:
>The Brothers Karamazov is a passionate philosophical novel set in 19th century Russia, that enters deeply into the ethical debates of God, free will, and morality. It is a spiritual drama of moral struggles concerning faith, doubt, and reason, set against a modernizing Russia
Crime and Punishment also touches on moral issues, but I don't know if it's particularly in the same vein as BK and NFU.
Personally, I find literature to be the most effective path of exploration. Blogs and webpages tend to be highly unprofessional, raw, unedited, unreviewed, and unclear. Science is limited in its examination of the subjective experience, and can tell you how something works, but nothing higher. It is concerned purely with the physical, not the metaphysical or philosophical. Literature carries refinement and clarity, while maintaining the artistry required to examine the subjective and philosophical.
That said, I do sometimes enjoy Russell Brand's Trews series on YouTube.
Like Terence McKenna, I prefer Alan Watts' speaking to his writing. His lecture series Out of Your Mind had an extremely powerful impact on me (transcript available in book form).
I know Watts isn't as rigorous as some people would like, but I still feel that he does a good job explaining many fundamental concepts. I really like Watts' lectures--I can't recommend him enough. He speaks with a certain clarity, humor, and lucidity that's difficult to find when looking for lectures on similar topics.
This is one of my favorites from YouTube. I'm sure you already know that Trey Parker and Matt Stone made a few videos using some of his recordings. A few of the animations in that video were done by them.
Out of Your Mind is, by far, one of the best collections of his lectures. I've given copies to friends to serve as an introduction to human religious and social practices, Eastern/Western religious philosophical concepts, etc.. The lectures start with providing a good background for the nature of consciousness, how humans tend to perceive the world, and how past religious and political practices have shaped modern society.
They're also good to share with religious/Christian individuals, as he introduces many ideas using traditional Judeo-Christian mythological figures, and doesn't come off as being unabashedly Atheist--something that tends to be a turn-off when trying to introduce philosophy with religious folks.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heal-Pelvic-Pain-Strengthening-Incontinence/dp/0071546561
Get that book. It's by a proper physio and has things you can do for all manner of pelvic ailments. My physio recommended it too me for something else and it was great. Also see if you can find a womens health physio to check you out and see if there is anything you can do. The pelvic floor is often overlooked when people have pelvic area type issues.
My pelvic floor was over tight and it was aggravating things, may well be worth investigating.
I've got the same problem as you OP and, though no doctor has referred me to a specialist yet because they never fucking listen, I have some advice:
EDIT: Regarding number 9, if the botox injection is not effective at all, there is usually a hidden prolapse that would not show up in regular tests – keep that in mind!
> I was told it was pelvic floor tension, and slowly over the years the flare ups just kind of became less and less.
That's interesting. Who told you this and what did they recommend for you at the time?
If the pain you're having is a recurrence of that issue, I'd recommend the book "Heal Pelvic Pain". Hopefully it's available in your country. There's a digital version you can read right away. It's effectively a home PT/physio program of gentle stretching, which is almost identical to what I was taught in PT.
It would make sense that you're continuing to experience breakthrough pain if the underlying condition isn't being treated. It's possible there may be more to it given the pain coinciding with your implant, but that's a good place to start.
I'm assuming you've been checked for diabetes. It could be pfd as it sounds like they did thorough testing for anything else. Just warning you the tests for pfd are not pleasant.
I have pfd but it doesn't cause urinary problems too often for me but that doesn't mean you don't potentially have it. Also letting you know that with pfd, the mind is thought to be a major contributing factor and physical therapy is often accompanied with talk therapy. It's really up to you if you want to pursue testing and see if this route is worth it.
There's also a good book about pfd excercises if you just wanted to try them at home. Most of the exercises in the book are just regular stretches but there is some inner rectal work involved.
If you keep coming back negative for UTI and other infections, I would try to see a specialist. I see IC already mentioned here and it could be that or another one of many pelvic pain conditions that don't involve infection. I thought I had a problem with UTIs too. I saw several doctors. Medications and antibiotics didn't help. I finally saw a gyn specializing in pelvic pain and a urologist. Between the two of them, we worked out a solution. I recommend this [book](https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Pelvic-Pain- Strengthening-Incontinence/dp/0071546561/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492197691&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=heal+your+pelvic+pain+book) as well.
Find a obgyn who specializes in vaginal disorders. Sounds like some form of vulvodynia. Topical medications and physical therapy can do wonders. Also, check out this book which has great advice for various vaginal disorders and exercises you can do at home:
https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Pelvic-Pain-Strengthening-Incontinence/dp/0071546561
I suffered for two years with a vaginal disorder (chronic years infections which caused vulvodynia) and still have issues from time to time so I know how frustrating it can be.
See also: Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine by Edzard Ernst, Simon Singh
You should check out the book Trick or Treatment by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst. It goes through the history, theory, and scientific evidence for a variety of alternative treatments including Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Herbal medicine, and more. It's a good read, but the tl;dr version is that there was some evidence for acupuncture as an effective treatment, but as the research methods improved, it's looking more and more like it's no better than a placebo.
Incidentally, Chiropractic doesn't fare much better. Chiropractic is really pseudoscience, though some recent chiropractors are using only the more effective parts of chiropractic and jettisoning the rest. (Some chiropractors still claim to be able to treat all kinds of diseases and ailments - not just those related to the back/spine even though there's no evidence to support this.) If your chiropractor is a true chiropractor, you could be at real risk of doing significant damage. Even if they're one of the "good" ones, you're probably paying too much compared to what you could get from a real doctor.
An interesting aside: libel laws were (are?) extremely harsh in the UK. When Simon Singh started talking about the evidence of chiropractic, the British Chiropractic Association in the UK sued him. Had they won, Singh would have been personally liable for millions in damages. After the dust settled, Singh won and chiropractors in the UK are now forbidden from claiming any efficacy in their treatments. Here's an interesting Wikipedia article about all of that, but there are even more articles online.
This might not be exactly what you are looking for but I would recommend - Trick or Treatment. It does a good job at explaining the scientific method and how homeopathy, acupuncture, etc have been shown not to work in multiple studies.
I really like this book because it fairly balanced in its analyses (tho' I am sure there are people who think homeopathy works and could pick faults in the book). Also if you want to scientifically honest, the book is good starting pt to think about how certain we are that some things (e.g. homeopathy) are completely useless while others (e.g. acupuncture) might be useful in some cases - even if the underlying stuff about chi, etc might have nothing to do with actual physiology.
Had back, neck, sciatica pain for 15 years.
Done deal!
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446392308/
https://www.amazon.com/Divided-Mind-Epidemic-Mindbody-Disorders/dp/0061174300/
Haven’t had a single issue since (10 yrs)
Here's your answer:
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446392308
Seriously.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0446392308/
Take a look at this , take some time to read the reviews and this might be your solution to back pain. It’s change my life, followed the book and studied it religiously since last March
Stopped going to chiropractor, PT and massage therapy and resumed majority of my physical activities
It's psychosomatic.
I'm sure right now people are thinking that I'm saying "your pain is not real". I had this pain. I know it's real.
You probably have something called "TMS".
Reading this book and absorbing it cured me of back pain. http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446392308
Read the reviews. Buy the book. Or borrow it.
You have to keep an open mind, because many people cannot accept this way of thinking about their pain (or other TMS-related malady). I think it's because they get insulted or offended they are not being taken seriously because they think they are being told the pain they have is due to some sort of "mental weakness".
It's not weakness. The pain is brain's method to distract you from some unresolved stress or misplaced rage -- stuff that almost everyone carries with them. And TMS manifests itself as different problems with different people. It can be back pain, allergies, knee problems, so-called "fibromyalgia", irritable bowel.. you name it-- it's probably TMS.
The author of this book had also proven that bulging discs, herniated discs, "misalignment" of the spine causing compressed nerves do not cause pain. There are tens of millions of people who lead pain free lives who have all sorts of these "problems" in the spine.
And because the pain is mental, chiropractic, heat, cold, accupuncture, drugs, surgery- you name it- will only give you temporary relief (placebo effect).
Trust the author of this book. He does not hawk his books anywhere. He does not do any public advertising of his books or his theory.
And it's really no "theory". It's really what causes most pain and other illnesses.
(Obviously there are serious illnesses and trauma where TMS does not apply. No one is suggesting cancer and heart disease are psychosomatic- or that if you are in a car accident your pain is all in your head.)
I've heard from multiple people about this book over the last couple weeks though I have no personal experience with it. My experience with back issues was completely weight related. I carried all my extra weight around my midsection and had chronic back pain. After losing over 60lbs the pain dissipated and hasn't returned.
Barbara Brennan's Hands of Light and Light Emerging are two classics --highly recommended.
Hands of Light by Barbara Brennan - Read this for a class while in Massage Therapy school. Really made me look at things in another light. Might be a little heavy to digest, but lots of wonderful information.
Read these books: The Field, The Holographic Universe and Hands of Light.
As for you, please provide citation for your side of things.
I am a big book reader, specifically on energy healing and understanding how energy creates health or illness. I am a fully recovered bulimic -- and swear that these books changed my entire view and relationship with myself.
Here are my top 3 favorites, one is available for free as a digital book so I included that link.
xo tracey
Light Emerging - Barbara Brennan, free digital book http://t2mh.com/inspiring/Barbara%20Brennan%20Light%20Emerging%20-%20Journey%20of%20Personal%20Healing.pdf
Hands of Light - Barbara Brennan
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hands-Light-Healing-Through-Energy/dp/0553345397
Caroline Myss - Anatomy of the Spirit: Seven Stages of Healing
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anatomy-Spirit-Seven-Stages-Healing/dp/0553505270/ref=pd_sbs_14_t_2?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=FMJ18K9R9ZHN2Y8BFSWX
I have been struggling with carpal tunnel, back, neck, and hip pain for roughly 5 years now. I've been to several PTs, Chiros, Doctors, Massage therapists, acupuncture, ergonomic mice/keyboards...you name it. Nothing helped.
Carpal tunnel is most likely linked to bad posture. Your back, shoulder, neck, hip, hands and everything else are interlinked. Carpal tunnel is usually due to your neck being tweaked. (Which can be caused from issues elsewhere.)
Here are the things that are helping me:
I recently started doing ddpyoga. Laugh all you want, but it is awesome and it's fun AND it makes you feel great. If you stick with it you will feel better. It's not yoga like you typically imagine it. It's no bullshit and incredibly fun and the workouts dont take forever either (a big plus).
Also the things in these books are incredibly helpful:
http://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887
http://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-at-Your-PC/dp/0553380524/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1422293270&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=pain+free+at+pc
They helped me realize that my pain is all coming from hip misalignment. It's immediately noticeable if you ever feel "off balance" or your natural stance has your feet pointing outward.
Hope this helps.
These problems have to do with accumulated muscular tension which over time becomes "permanent". It can be removed but it will not go away on its own. Muscles will start to stick together and more and more movement patterns are impaired. In the body, everything is connected to everything, so it is more useful to work on realigning the body as a whole.
As you have found, most regular doctors know nothing about such things and have no interest in learning.
You must now embark on a Healing Journey. You can take a self-help approach or you can spend a lot of money paying various
therapists to help you. Or you can do both. The types of therapists that may be helpful will be various kinds of "bodyworkers" - massage therapists, myofascial therapists, Rolfers, Hellerworkers, etc. Maybe some chiropractors. You might look into yoga and other types of stretching. You need to spend time checking into various approaches and helpers to see what and/or who works for you.
You can make all the progress you want on this. Its just a matter of how much you want to learn and how much time you want to spend learning about and working on yourself.
Here are some very special books that I highly recommend:
(there are countless more)
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Note the reviews on these books. And note that you can get them cheaper used.
Have faith. Good luck!
I have back pain, and for some karmic reason perhaps, know a few people with either problems or have titanium in lieu of back bone. Here are my opinions..
Edit: I can also vouch for this book... Pain Free. Which describes various stretching techniques for different parts of the body.
My wife has PFPS and I've been helping her deal with it for the better part of a year. It seems like we tried everything, including 7 weeks and two grand worth of physical therapy. Nothing worked. (This is going to sound like a sales pitch but I swear it's not.) Until I stumbled upon The Egoscue Method.
The basic theory behind it is that pain (in the knees, back, neck, shoulders, etc) is due to muscle imbalances that lead to poor biomechanical structure of the body. Our bodies have evolved over thousands and thousands of years to be on the move. In less than a century, we've gone from moving all day to sitting all day, forcing our bodies to go against thousands of years of evolution. And in short -- it causes shit to get messed up.
The Egoscue Method is designed to get your body working properly again through simple stretches and exercises. I was super skeptical, but ended up being surprised at how well it worked. After a year of chronic pain, my wife did some of the knee stuff in this book and within a couple days was feeling better than ever.
The idea behind it also seems pretty sound. For example, one exercise is simple butt squeezes to help activate your glutes. I tried explaining to my wife how to do it, but for some reason she wasn't getting it. I was explaining how to fire your glutes, and she (exact words) replied, "It just feels like I'm clenching my butthole." That's when I realized she had no idea how to activate her glutes.
Another one is you sit on the edge of a chair and, keeping your toes on the ground, you lift your heels up. But the key is to not use your toes, but rather use your hip flexors to lift them up. She couldn't do it. Like, at all. Her mind had no idea how to activate her hip flexors.
So now imagine her at physical therapy, doing leg raises, band walks, all this leg work, yet her body doesn't utilize her glutes or her hip flexors. So the muscles her body does utilize get stronger, while the ones her body doesn't remain weak. All this stuff that was supposed to be helping had been making things worse by widening the strength/weakness gap, creating larger imbalances, and worse body biomechanics.
It may not work for everyone, but it's made a world of difference for her. Just figured I'd share our experience with others, because if it weren't for some throwaway comment on some random message board, I don't know if I ever would've found out about the stuff otherwise. Hopefully this helps someone else, cuz chronic knee pain can be a real bitch.
Really interested in any other experiences or opinions on this stuff. I could go on and on about it, but I tried to keep it simple.
tl;dr, Work on proper biomechanics before working on strengthening your muscles, as you could be doing more harm than good.
book
thanks for the contest!
Here it is on Amazon.
For #3 I like to refer back to the Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna essentially asks Krishna "what is the meaning of my life." Krishna gives a long treatise that basically comes down to "suck it up and do what you have to do."
Beautiful language though. I like the Stephen Mitchell translation.
Moral realism. Indeed, I consider religion a mythopoeic way to express the philosophy of moral realism.
I am a pluralist, so I don't dismiss any religion out of hand, but I know more about philosophy than about any religion outside of Christianity. However, I enjoyed Stephen Mitchell's translation of the Bhagavad Gita. He has also translated Gilgamesh, Tao Te Ching, The Book of Job, poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, A Book of Psalms, and Genesis.
Hey, thanks for replying.
I think what I am going to do to start is take this Thyroid Support supplement and read this book. Searching through the reviews and judging by what others have said about Selenium alone, I think I might have more luck trying to clean up the antibodies by treating the root cause with nutrition than I will by just letting my antibodies kill my healthy tissue and putting fake hormone in my body to help with the resultant hormone deficiency. It seems strange to me based on what I've read already that doctors aren't trying to cure the actual condition, but just using synthroid as a bandaid, basically, to patch up the biggest side effect of the condition. From what I understand so far, my symptoms are a result of processes that are happening with the antibodies attacking my healthy tissues. Different amounts of certain nutrition sort of "mop up" the various imbalances and excess byproducts in the system due to different reactions (for example, selenium does something good and, if I recall correctly, hydrogen pyroxide is byproduct made in over-abundance with Hashimoto's). But I am just beginning to learn and the ideas I shared here are just scraping the surface.
Don't fret! Sounds like it's an under active thyroid, which is what I have. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis when I was about 10, so trust me when I say that it's definitely not anything to be frightened about.
My biggest suggestion, if it is hypothyroidism, is to read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Hashimotos-Thyroiditis-Lifestyle-Interventions-Treating/dp/0615825796
It is a fantastic source of knowledge and information about what's going on in your body and what can help and why.
Another tip, especially after reading the book, is to make sure you have a doctor who's willing to listen and work with you and not just prescribe pills and send you on your way. A lot of times, symptoms will persist even when your blood work comes back normal. It wasn't until I read the book just recently, and started taking a few additional supplements that I finally started to feel better. I have had HT for as long as I can remember so I never knew anything other than being cold all the time, feeling like it was nearly impossible to wake up in the morning, and being tired all the time.
Thyroid problems are irritating and a hassle, but they're completely manageable and shouldn't affect your job at all.
If you have any questions or want to talk, feel free to let me know. I have, quite literally, a lifetime of experience with it.
The Root Cause was a good read: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0615825796/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_TxLEDb3BTK09X
Check out the Root Cause by Isabella Wentz! Here is her blog... but the book explains really clearly how you can put autoimmune disorders into remission, so I'd recommend you check it out!
A lot of this is trial and error to see what works for you. The Root Cause might help you figure out where to start to discover triggers and reduce the antibodies. I'm still working on it too! My peroxidase is down to 124 and thyroglobulin has stayed steady at 2. Currently on T4 and T3, taking various supplements (multi-vit, Vit B and D, probiotic, calcium, fish oil), soy and dairy free (gluten free didn't seem to help, but I may try GF again depending on how things go).
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Edited to add: I had a food sensitivity test done in Dec, which revealed that I am highly reactive to casein and whey and eggs (yolks and whites), which is why I went DF in January. I had severe GI issues and have felt way better DF. Working on healing my leaky gut to try to reduce my autoimmune response.
Literally going through a version of this right now.
Diagnosed Hashi's at 17, put on levo and 11 yrs later still had symptoms and felt absolute blah.
Jan. 2018- needed to try something to change this, so I started a keto diet, felt better at first then worse (also avoided gluten like 80% of the time)-- Around April I found out about the AIP diet and tried a mostly, paleoish/AIP as much as I really could, diet, most importantly avoiding gluten altogether. I then staggered eliminating potential problem-causing foods, getting rid of dairy first, then nightshades, etc. As a poor foodie who enjoys cooking, it was tough, but doable. Lots of repeated recipes.
Of course, come these past holidays I had to test some limits. I had eliminated all of the AIP "categories" - I was hangry - but I was also DEFINITELY feeling better. So I had some nibbles here and there, only testing one type at a time, and in a small amount. And, if I had some cow dairy, or a sizable amount of gluten, I got a reaction :( Physically, irritated white bumps on or inside my lips, then a slew of Hashi symptoms, like that fatigue man.
I absolutely scoffed at the thought of a "gluten free" diet when it first popped up too. I hate that I have done the time to test it, with this result. But... I do love learning new, healthy recipes. It sucks, but most doctors aren't interested in treating the cause of these symptoms. Read up and research, take everyone's experience and story in, and listen to your body! It might be gluten, or it might be another sensitivity, but your body's reaction should be a good gauge.
This and This were my starter books looking into the science of what was causing everything, This was helpful when eliminating foods, and lately I've been adapting some recipes from this book (+ meat!) which has been very tasty.
Here is the mobile version of your link
Might want to check this book out. Dude who wrote it had a type of brain cancer that usually kills within a year, maybe two. He lasted from 1992 to just a few weeks ago by doing what he describes in his book.
It seems there is a consensus that cruciferous vegetables are the thing, and cooked tomatoes (liberate lycopene when cooked). Also, curcumine (with pepper or ginger to make it more powerful). It is an anti-inflammatory and that helps fight cancer. And green tea.
This lady must eat correctly. Hope you can persuade her, and that it is not because of money.
I read this book and found it fantastic.
http://www.amazon.com/Anticancer-New-Way-Life/dp/0670021644/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1321757490&amp;sr=1-1
Used copies go for under $10.
My stepdad recently had two bouts with cancer - one tumor on his nasal nerve and the other on the brain lining. Not a very fun experience I can imagine.
Anyway, my mom did a lot of research into cancer and how to treat and prevent it and found a great book by written by a physician/neuroscientist who had two malignant brain tumors himself. Essentially, he wanted to find a way to improve his odds of beating the cancer and improve his quality of life (diagnosed at age 31, survived until age 50 if that tells you anything).
It's called Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber
Amazon Link
(You may want to look into the audiobook, since there is a lot of content which can become very dry)
Essentially, he explains the relationship between inflammation and disease, particularly in relation to the food we eat (and sometimes the food our food eats). He does this without new-age quackery and backs it up with a lot of science.
I really hope this helps. My family has dealt with a lot of cancer, and it's a rough disease for everyone involved.
anti-cancer : a new way of life
https://www.amazon.com/Anticancer-New-Life-David-Servan-Schreiber/dp/0670021644
I think that was about his age, too. I don't think they use that pesticide anymore. If you're interested, this is the book where he talks about it.
It's a fantastic book by the way. I highly recommend it. Just now, looking at the ratings, it's solid 5 stars with 788 reviews.
Get the book "Anticancer, A New Way of Life"
http://www.amazon.com/Anticancer-New-Way-Life/dp/0670021644/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1268934438&amp;sr=8-1
Read It Today!
The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity
Edit: I would also add that if you actually get blue balls, actual soreness and/or pain in your balls from delayed ejaculation, then masturbation is a great response. I have no idea what would happen if you don't masturbate but it seems like a bad idea. You're only supposed to get blue balls when you expect to ejaculate and then don't get to for whatever reason. Barring coitus interruptus, you are probably experiencing a disconnect between body and mind, i.e. you are getting horny and you don't know how to deal with it. Over time you will learn how to deal with it and the fapping will decrease in proportion to the improved body/mind harmony.
Edit edit: Read this little rant I posted on r/seduction regarding porn. Sorry I'm new to this subreddit so I don't know what the attitude around here to porn is, but personally I'm more anti-porn than I am anti-fap (of course too much of either is bad).
There is a great book about the TAO by Daniel Reid who puts in Western words for us to understand clear practices, advices and reasons for the fundaments of ancient chinese philosophy. Great book, and he makes a big point of saying that men have to abstain from ejcaulating as much as possible. Not from having sex, but from cumming basically. Having sex without waste of semen is the best thing we can do as in theory we absorb from the "magical juices" that women secrete when excited: Very powerful juices which are absorbed through the penis, but should also be ingested whenever possible :)
https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Health-Sex-Longevity-Practical/dp/067164811X
I immediately thought about withholding on cumming to preserve inner energy when seeing the title of this post. The lifestyle is called taoism, the belief is that losing sperm would reduce one's "chi". This is described in the book "The tao of health, sex and longevity".
There are lots of books that are influential but to tailor a choice for the context: The Tao of Health, Sex & Longevity by Daniel Reid. It's not completely accurate but for a guy to give good advice on how to live a good life it was a great book based on some experience and some learning and some practical aspects. Something schools seem to fail to do after years of attendance.
i don't have any studies to back it up other than my own personal experiments and random advice i got from some crazy bastards.
a woman's orgasm is very different from a man's.
there's this book you can read that got me started down this path: The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity: A Modern Practical Guide to the Ancient Way
You need to learn to cope with your natural emotions, thoughts, and desires without the aide of any substance. You're not addicted to weed, it's your emotional crutch. This book has helped me a lot. Give it a try. Personally, I find inspirational helpful words on every page of this book. First, you will learn that it is pointless to dwell on thoughts, emotions, or desires. Then, you will learn how to actually control yourself enough to not dwell on those things. That's all there is to it. You're not broken. You're not an addict. You're not a bad person. You simply were not taught self-discipline by your parents or society, and now you're dealing with the fallout of being an adult without an emotional foundation to stand on. It's up to you to build that foundation, or you can do the typical thing and medicate yourself with something legal.
For me I liked "Awakening the Buddha Within"
http://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Buddha-Within-Tibetan-Western/dp/0767901576
In case you're still interested in Meditation solutions.
Metta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifMKRRzlY6A
Ecstatic Jhana practice: http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Bliss-Beyond-Meditators-Handbook/dp/0861712757/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
someone else in this post linked to this book that i bought right away http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Bliss-Beyond-Meditators-Handbook/dp/0861712757
i think it's a buddhist book, but it speaks of attaining bliss through deep meditation too. is this the same thing as what yoga is trying to accomplish?
also it's kind of odd that you'd mention Christ. Does believing in jesus really lead to bliss? or is this just because you're a christian?
Definitely not reveling in others' misfortune. More like becoming more empathetic to others' struggles and realizing that suffering is universal, and most importantly, realizing that it doesn't have to break you. I am not religious, but Buddhism has some really great things to say on this topic. Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh was really helpful to me, along with a few other Buddhist books. How to Be Sick by Toni Bernhard has a lot of great tools and practical advice. I read it with someone else in mind but found it invaluable for myself.
This may help :
http://www.amazon.com/How-Sick-Buddhist-Inspired-Chronically-Caregivers/dp/0861716264
Also, how do you do with mega high potency probiotics like VSL#3 ? I know probiotics are better for the colon than the small intestine, but I've read of a couple of people that megadoses of probiotics helped their SIBO enormously - the trick is to avoid those with FOs in them....
There is a book, "How to be Sick" by Toni Bernhard that was helpful, comforting and a little validating: https://www.amazon.com/How-Sick-Buddhist-Inspired-Chronically-Caregivers/dp/0861716264/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=VG4Y5N47MX9QJZ7AYHM3
She has another called "How to Live Well".
The first helped me while I was in a dark place about being ill.
I'm the author of "How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers." This is my first blog post for Psychology Today. I hope you enjoy it. Here is a link for my book: http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Sick-Chronically-Caregivers/dp/0861716264
> How does one not form attachment when one is physically dependent on another person for their basic needs? For example, if one is physically disabled and their spouse has to provide for their care, how does the disabled person's dependence not cause fear of loss, fear of abandonment, etc?
I'm a caregiver to my wife who has physical disabilities. Coming from that perspective, I agree with Zeniues' advice to watch all of those thoughts you brought up. In my limited experience with this technique, almost all emotions lose their power when you acknowledge and watch them.
Fear and worry in general are a result of your mind residing in the future. Staying in the present moment is essential. As is recognizing and accepting your limitations and the results of those limitations. Accept that you need help/care. I don't think the dependency is bad, so long as the fear is removed from that dependency, if that makes sense. I am dependent on my job in order to pay our rent, and that by itself is fine, in my opinion. It's when I jump in to the future and worry about losing my job that the dependency becomes harmful.
I bought this book a while back but have yet to read it. However, I think it may have some good insights for you, "How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers": http://smile.amazon.com/dp/0861716264/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_9lPtub0EGNN9R.
I can truly empathise with you and I'm so sorry that it has been so rough. I'm 23/f with fibromyalgia and the the past year and half of the 8 years I've had it have been the worst. Fact is your life has changed, maybe not permanently, but in the here and now, it's different. Is it fair? No. But you can adjust to this life change and still be happy or at least, happier. I found this book very helpful in changing the way you think and interpret your sickness.
Have you thought about changing therapists if the therapy isn't working? I go to pyschotherapy and have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I also need antidepressants to keep my mood and depression in check ALONG with therapy. Since it is so severe, you could talk with your GP and see if he would prescribe anything or have suggestions.
In terms of work, I'm working part-time at home for a family business so I get a bit of occupation and some cash. Have you tried a part-time job or maybe helping out a close friend or family's shop if possible?
Friends may come and go. I realised who my real friends are when I got sick. Lost one very close one and other friends and solidified some others. It's hard. They may never get it. Don't feel afraid to go to them for support nevertheless. Friends are supposed to be there for you, though thick and thin, good AND bad times. Feel free to PM if you want to vent or talk. I'm on reddit everyday and throughout. You may not be able to go out with friends or bf but you can still keep in touch over the phone or online video chats. It's not the same but at least you can have a good convo.
What are your hobbies? Indulge yourself in them since you are unhappy. Do those things that bring a smile to your face.
I really hope things turn out better for you and soon. Don't give up. It can get better.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0861716264?pc_redir=1409138329&amp;robot_redir=1
that book might be right up your alley
This website has a little profile for each plant, you can search either the aliment or the herb. -https://herbpathy.com/. I love to read some of Susun Weeds articles, and she also has a radio show on blog talk that anyone can call to talk to her, she is more women centered in general, but has great information for everyone. http://www.susunweed.com/. Then, here are some books on the subject that can help you make your own herbal medicines- https://www.amazon.com/Male-Herbal-Definitive-Health-Care/dp/1580911757/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1510690404&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+male+herbal
https://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Medicine-Makers-Handbook-Home-Manual/dp/0895949903/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 - I read this one, and its great.
https://www.amazon.com/Wise-Woman-Herbal-Childbearing-Year/dp/0961462000/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1510690479&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=the+wise+woman+herbal
For those of us who like to explore psychoactives there is this book- https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Psychoactive-Plants-Ethnopharmacology-Applications/dp/0892819782/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1510690609&amp;sr=1-1-spell&amp;keywords=encycolpedia+of+psychoactives.
I sometimes get books through the public library its a great resource to check out various types books before buying them or if you can't afford to. Some herbs which I have explored, and like are: California Poppy wonderful for anxiety, sleep, and mild pain. Damiana slightly mood uplifting, and great for the reproductive organs, I don't know if it was this herb is entirely to blame for it but my cycle is way more regulated ever since drinking it. Echinacea for colds, and immune support. Skullcap for anxiety. Tumeric, Manjistha (Indian herbs), and pepper together for inflammation, and the blood/skin, black seed Oil, and of course kratom. I have been building my own little medicine cabinet piece by piece playing, and learning along the way. Enjoy! May you discover a new, and amazing journey.
https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Psychoactive-Plants-Ethnopharmacology-Applications/dp/0892819782
There a lots of books, not sure if this is what you’re after but I’ve heard great things about it.
https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Psychoactive-Plants-Ethnopharmacology-Applications/dp/0892819782
You'd be strapped to find "a" book about all that, this would be a start though https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0892819782/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495052203&amp;sr=1-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=psychoactives&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51Q3ED9DP3L&amp;ref=plSrch
Wow, that all sounds super rough. Kudos to you for dealing with it while pregnant!
My story is nowhere near as extreme as yours, but I've had success with the GAPS diet and wanted to tell you about it, in case you hadn't heard of it before. My mother has Crohn's, which puts me at higher risk as well. I've always had a sensitive digestive system, and about a year ago I stopped taking BC after finding out it can trigger or exacerbate Crohn's, especially in people who are already high risk. At this stage I wasn't super sick, but I was having mild issues, and was beginning to get random joint pain. It was obvious to me I was working my way towards having the full blown symptoms my mom has.
Around the same time, I stumbled across a blog talking about the GAPS diet, which is actually very similar to the AIP. The point of GAPS, in a nutshell, is to eat only easy to digest foods and supplement with probiotics - this allows the gut to heal, and re-establishes proper bacteria. The diet is designed to last for 1.5-2 years, after which your system is supposed to be healed and can handle normal foods again. Although, it's expected you won't go back to the standard American diet of tons of sugar and processed foods.
Personally, I've been on it for about a year now. My joint pain cleared up in the first month or two, and other random symptoms have also disappeared. I was somewhat lucky, in that I didn't have an extreme case yet, and that the bacterial imbalance I had happened to be rather well studied. Turns out I have an overbalance of histamine-producing bacteria, which can cause severe allergies, bad PMS, and migraines, among other things. My PMS cleared up in about 3 months after starting, and I've had very few issues with allergies this spring where I typically am completely miserable and end up with sinus infections. And so far, no migraines, although they only came 1-2x per year.
You would have to make the decision for yourself if you think GAPS would work for you. The chance to be healed was a huge motivator for me, and I think your previous success with AIP is a good sign as well. The full GAPS diet is fine for pregnant or breastfeeding women, although you have to be careful to get enough fats/energy. Here's the link for the book on amazon, although I'd recommend getting it from a library first.
I hope you are able to figure out the best way to manage your UC, and let me know if you have any questions!
The lady talks about this book, which is pseudo scientific bullshit and tbh I think in a fair world the author would face charges for criminal negligence or something similar for trying to advise people to do this shit.
So it's safe to say that whatever she's blasting up there probably shouldn't be entering your body in any direction.
The GAPS diet is a great resource/starting place. Stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome.
It's like Paleo on steroids. I have a number of friends who have had great success with this diet, as well as the Candida Diet & Paleo (obviously).
https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Syndrome-D-D-D-H-D-Schizophrenia/dp/0954852028
I think you are doing excellent. Even the $40 per month for a gym membership isn't bad since it keeps you healthy.
I think embracing cooking could help you cut the eating out budget if you are able to make more of your own meals and enjoy them.
Do you have a friend who loves to cook and needs money? Perhaps you could have them make you some dishes and freeze them to save money. Or you could get together with friends and do big casseroles, chili, soups etc and share.
I also have eating problems (achalasia - not like yours) so I understand issues around needing to find foods that work.
Here is an interesting book that might assist with some of your food issues. Ignore that it talks about autism - it is a great book about why many of our health problems are based on our unhealth guts.
It's well known http://gfcf.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Gut-Psychology-Syndrome-Depression-Schizophrenia/dp/0954852028/ref=sr_1_1
SpasticusAutisticus: ^^original ^^reddit ^^link
It's well known http://gfcf.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Gut-Psychology-Syndrome-Depression-Schizophrenia/dp/0954852028/ref=sr_1_1
Also not a teenager. My advice is to seek out a local priest or monk and learn from them. Being part of a group of Buddhists (sangha) is important. You need support from others.
I also recommend you do some self-studying. It's likely your teacher gave you some misinformation either out of ignorance or time constraints. I think "Buddhism for Beginners" is a good coverage of the key points, but there are many other good books. Be careful not to be trapped in pursuing intellectual knowledge of Buddhism. You need some knowledge, but practicing the path is more important.
If you run into Zen I want to caution you that many people know very little about Zen, but think they know a lot. Not many people are going to pretend to be experts in other variants like Pure Land, but quite a few will talk about Zen like they are an expert, but they are actually quite ignorant. This goes back to why I recommend you find a priest. Learn from an expert.
Beyond finding a sangha and following the advice of your teacher, the other important step is to follow the precepts. The Five Precepts were explained to me as the minimum someone needs to do to be able to practice Buddhism. Not as a divine law that you are mandated to follow, but in the sense that not following them makes practicing the path very difficult or impossible. https://thebuddhistcentre.com/text/ethics
Buddhism for Beginners by Thubten Chodron. She's a wonderful writer with a sense of humor. http://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-For-Beginners-Thubten-Chodron/dp/1559391537/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1374857471&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=buddhism+for+beginners
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Beginners-Thubten-Chodron/dp/1559391537
Really?
Why not read this?....http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Dhammapada-Classics-Indian-Spirituality/dp/1586380206
The Dhammapada by Eknath Easwaran
This book is my favorite translation of the Dhammapada. The introduction has the best story about the life of the Buddha. It provides the historical context of the day through which Buddhism grew from. This introduction provided a perspective I've never heard before, and it opens my eyes into what the Buddha discovered and how he got there. I would buy it alone for the introduction.
Meditation in Plain English
For a more practical book, Meditation in Plain English is just what the title says. It teaches you how to meditate and provides the reasons why you should meditate with going into technical terms of Buddhism.
If you have any questions, pm me. Good luck.
i recommend the translation by Easwaran
[https://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Easwarans-Classics-Indian-Spirituality/dp/1586380206]
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1586380206/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I have this, but it's not 13 hours.
http://www.amazon.com/Out-Your-Mind-Essential-Listening/dp/1591791650
Read "The Diabetes Code" by Dr. Jason Fung. It's not meant to address Type 1, but if your friend is "pre diabetic" he is not Type 1.
https://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Code-Prevent-Reverse-Naturally/dp/1771642653/
I am 39 with two young daughters (2 + 4 years old). I understand the struggle of raising kids and how that translates to less activity + less sleep = no energy... so you need to get energy from somewhere, and food is the answer which then translates into weight gain. That said, if you are Type 1 Diabetic, that adds a really huge variable to that already difficult situation.
IF can be a solution for Type 2 diabetics to reverse their condition and get off their dependence of metformin, insulin, etc. If you are Type 1 diabetic however - your scenario is quite different. Hopefully someone with some experience can chime in to assist you there. Whatever you do, you'd need to work with your Doctor to delicately balance your new eating/fasting protocol with your insulin and any other medications.
I found the following references from Dr. Jason Fung really great. His take on Type 2 diabetes and obesity I find quite fascinating and has answered a lot for me when choosing to incorporate intermittent fasting into my life. He has a couple books - I've read the Obesity Code, but he also has a very similar book with a bit more emphasis on Type 2 Diabetes called the Diabetes Code. With your use of insulin - the latter might have a bit more meat to it for your situation, although keep in mind it is focused on Type 2 diabetes.
Read https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1771642653/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_1771642653 it will change your life to the better
I love Alan Watts. I have this on CD! I'm only on Disc 4 right now, but he's a great speaker.
So you meditate while listening to the videos? I've been doing it in silence.
I can't recommend The Diabetes Code enough. Dr. Fung basically advocates for Intermittent fasting and Keto.
I suspect that if you haven't already, you'd get a lot of mileage out of a 10-day Vipassana course from dhamma.org.
The ñāṇa-system you reference, imu, comes from the Burmese Vipassana tradition, in particular from Mahasi Sayadaw. A short translated version can be found here. I've also been given to understand that a full translation has recently been published on Amazon. The short version indicates that a brilliant light is involved in the fourth ñāṇa.
The twitching, jerking and blockage, IMO, are defilements of concentration. Also, IME, there is a steady-state pīti/rapture that comes with the dissolution of such defilements; the "will"ed type of pīti/rapture can be distracting from the task of dissolving defilements, IMO.
Finally, I don't know what this vipassana-jhana business is all about, but the Paṭhama Jhāna of the Pāḷi Canon, is when pīti & sukha permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills the body such that there is nothing of the entire body unpervaded, and one is able to remain like that for however long is desired.
I love that this information is being shared and accessible to individuals that need it. My only gripe after reviewing the article is that the author is just describing tenants of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Which is great, but I see no mention of the source material, or citing of where the information originated.
For those interested, here is a great book on CBT:
http://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Behavior-Therapy-Second-Basics/dp/1609185048/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1451823143&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=CBT+books
For those that would like free online resources here is a great website:
http://www.get.gg/
I initially followed the principles of Stoicism, which is a philosophy that's very close to the principles of CBT. So my first resource was /r/Stoicism, where you can find things like this and this that have direct correlation with CBT principles. Greek and Roman literature might be hard to get into, but there are very readable translations and the principles are applicable.
Of course, not everyone is interested in philosophy, so my recommendation would be to find something along the lines of Judith Beck's Cognitive Therapy, or other similar resources that are based on research. I can't really recommend else because I haven't read much from other authors.
But in general I would recommend reading about cognitive biases in general, along the lines of this, this, this, or this. Being conscious of how everybody thinks might help you see some negative spirals in your life, and can help you change the environment that might lead you to that negativity.
But again, professional help can be very useful, so definitely consult a professional who is maybe better for you. Good luck!
I taught myself how to do CBT on myself using this book. It's written for psychologists on how to do CBT on their patients, but I found it pretty easy to understand and apply to myself.
https://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Behavior-Therapy-Second-Basics/dp/1609185048/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=cognitive+behavioral+therapy+judith+beck&amp;qid=1551304085&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3
I did a CBT specific internship and these are the books I learned on.
You're correct, it's from one of his sessions. I listened to it just yesterday on Alan Watts - Out of your mind
> You don't seem to know much about Alan Watts to begin with and that's fine that just means you don't know much about Alan Watts.
On the contrary, in addition to listening to over 24 hours worth of audio lectures I've also read several of his books, including "The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are", "The Wisdom of Insecurity", and "Still the Mind". It's not uncommon for Watts to preface his musings with a disclaimer that what he's saying is merely entertainment. That's all it really is to him. It's merely entertaining to project your consciousness onto the universe. After all, we're the only animal on the planet that can do that, it's an amusing exercise. But, in the end, saying that the universe is God or conscious is meaningless. Saying so carries no additional meaning; it's still more accurate to say that the universe is simply the universe. Why project our consciousness onto the universe? Isn't our consciousness, in fact, the chemically induced hypnotic suggestion of consciousness? Something necessary to keep life going? They say that life on Earth began about 4 billion years ago and that our sun has 4 billion years left in it. We already know humanity isn't powerful enough to survive the death of our star. Already man knows that he is obsolete. For man did not fly to the moon.. a machine did. Man will not remain on the forefront layer of life for long. The face. The forefront layer that will gaze at its ruined sun and home planet is not the face of man. Not a face comprised of cells. It is a face comprised of men and machine. Man will cross over and become this thing and it will scour the galaxy. Drink your ecstasy and let it take you under as Alan Watts did. Or see the point in overcoming man and overcoming life's obstacles.
Out of your mind lecture series — http://www.amazon.com/Out-Your-Mind-Alan-Watts/dp/1591791650
Hi,
The method of this one retreat was Mahasi
https://www.amazon.com/Manual-Insight-Mahasi-Sayadaw/dp/1614292779
The method induces stages of insight as with any other Vipassana technique
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html
It leads to Nibbanna(cessation), which happened to me on this and several other methods. It won't make sense unless you experienced it because the mind will try to conceptualize it.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html#ch7
****
Vipassana is one method of leading to cessation. As with lying down it does not necessarily lead to passivity. If you’re already passive/sleepy it doesn’t matter what posture you're in.
The tendency to experience fullness is probably because lying down is associated with sleep.
Though the best way to understand any technique is to go to a retreat. To limit meditation to a posture is limiting oneself.
These are the ones that I've done and they have all mentioned lying down as an appropriate form of practice. However, if you find yourself falling asleep you can sit, stand, or walk. The goal is not to fall asleep or do dream yoga.
Mahasi - look up manual of insight with his name.
same with Goenka but this time the mind settled on one object for an hour without wondering. I did not make this happen. It happened on its own.
Goenka - during one retreat as I lay down I continued the practice. the mind was awake, calm, and relaxed. It was was aware as the physical system shutdown and went into a deep sleep as well as went it came back online. Awareness was there the whole time. Awareness is not thinking or identification with anything per say.
U Tejanyia - experience Samadhi during lunch and at work after a retreat.
Shinzen Young - the system was very open and emotional arisings were experienced flowing through the body like electricity.
Again the lying down does not necessarily induce sleepiness. But if awareness is strong one can be very present with the sleepiness and watch how it changes. How it changes into a clear and awake mind. Having goals or how meditation should be is limited and goal-oriented.
I would prefer to be in a meditative state in any posture/condition then limiting it to any one posture. Look up Vipassana and Tibetan (Reginald Ray) practices. The problem is that a lot it is a bit watered down and if not done consistently enough the purification process is not experienced.
There's a lot of good info here too: dharmaoverground.org
Herniated disk? Consider reading this
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Health-Sex-Longevity-Practical/dp/067164811X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1422270799&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=tao+of+health+sex+and+longevity&amp;pebp=1422270789126&amp;peasin=067164811X
"The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity: A Modern Practical Guide to the Ancient Way" by Daniel Reid
This is the life manual that every person should come with when they are born.
http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Health-Sex-Longevity-Practical/dp/067164811X
Okay, my story itself may not be what you're looking for, but I'll go ahead and tell you a little bit about it. I have vaginismus due to having very severe endometriosis. I mean I'm just in constant pain, so whenever I try to insert something vaginally I usually get really overwhelmed and emotional and it will hurt in varying degrees usually depending on how bad my pelvic pain and or/depression is at the time.
Now, I haven't tried to have sex, and I'm nowhere near over it, but as a student hoping to be an OB/GYN, I can try to point you toward some help. I don't know your personal situation, but pelvic floor therapy is often the first line treatment for vaginismus. Pelvic floor therapy is something you can do on your own or with a physical therapist. If you're going to do it on your own, I'd recommend the book [Heal Pelvic Pain by Amy Stein.] ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071546561?pc_redir=1411220987&amp;robot_redir=1) If you want to try to find a physical therapist, [this] ( http://www.pelvicphysicaltherapist.com/home.html) site may be able to help you understand what goes in to this. I myself will probably see a pelvic floor therapist next semester. A huge key is just having a good support system. My parents and my family doctor are fantastic and make everything easier to bear :)
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me!
My husband went through this same cycle. It is nearly the exact story you posted.
Turned out to be all stress based. He read the book Healing Back Pain, which is basically a book about how your body will create pains and issues for you to distract you from dealing with your mental issues. As soon as he started understanding that that was his problem, all his symptoms cleared up. We have thousands of dollars of medical to pay off now because of this.
I really feel for you because he was at his wit's end with all these issues and you sound like you are as well. Feel free to PM me if you need to talk.
Edit: link.
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446392308
There's a book called Health Sex and Longevity