2 Bikram Yoga classes down! Feeling good. Finally I'm stretching and challenging myself. This past month in Northampton as been beautiful, creative, powerful, and sometimes lonely, being just with myself, going through the solstice dark days of the year. It has also been an amazing head trip being on the internet, playing with brainwave entrainment and biofeedback, and testing out some biohacks.
I had some totally out of this world head spaces, and below I'll identify some changes in my life this month, that maybe be factors.
No smoking pot or tobacco or taking any drugs at all. Weird! My last serious tobacco use was last spring, but I was smoking pot (seriously) this summer. The bottom line, is that I enjoy singing, and like a clear throat. Mentally or energetically, it has some unbalancing effects. For example, training one to think that pleasure comes from external sources.
This fall I started, again, engaging in serious meditation. It's just such a basic, foundational practice, to let go of cravings and aversions, and simply rest in the nothingness.
Here in Noho, I tested out Vipassana, Zen, and Shambala meditation groups. I like Zen the most.
My morning ritual has been awesome and consistent. I get up whenever I get up, but as soon as I get up, I do the 5 Tibetan Rites yoga sequence, then the 5 Treasures Qi Gong sequence, then 15 minutes Microcosmic Orbit meditation, then shivasana. All of them are having tremendous impacts, moving my spine and refining my energy body.
I've definitely enjoyed going to the Dance Spree and Dance Spirit dances here, just free, barefoot, ecstatic dance, unguided movement practices. Things get rather shamanic, trippy, and trancey, for sure.
My diet this month has been almost pure vegan. Mostly because of budget considerations. This fall I started on the no eggs regimen. That has felt really super good. I recommend people try that. If you're going to eat eggs, eat them raw. Going vegetarian I think has brought a higher frequency, that is at times hard to maintain, but worth it. With practices like Chi Kung, energy can come directly from the universe, and you become more efficient at utilizing it.
I've been standing lots, on the shakti mat. Standing desks all the way.
I sleep on two yoga mats and a big sleeping bag.
Lots of brainwave entrainment, alph and gamma ramps, and even delta tones sometimes going to sleep.
The Sleep Cycle app has been quantifying my sleep -- I can improve on sleep quality lots.
I do enjoy staring at the sun when it first rises in the morning, which helps reset circadian rhythms.
Sadly I ran out of Vitamin D a week ago, and have been out of Omega 3s for a couple weeks. I was taking electrolyte packets with trace minerals and Vitamin C. Now I take C powder.
Another change has been eating increasing amounts of rice and lentils. Certainly less than ideal. I add frozen kale, and tons of coconut oil and some olive oil, with copious amounts of Himalayan Pink salt. Another dish I make, Is sprouted buckwheat with blueberries and coconut oil, or switch out buckwheat for raw pumpkin seeds. Add some cacao nibs and stevia, and bam!
To sum things up, I've had days here, particularly the week before the solstice, where I was having major endomorphine, endocannabinoid production. I think it can be seen as a by product of major neural rewiring. Moving the spine, bringing energy up to the brain, refining the energy body with Chi Kung, going vegetarian, and listening to brainwave entrainment, have all had tremendously positive effects. Finally, being able to cut stencils and make t-shirts, has been a very healthy release, biofeedback mechanism, and way to integrate. Art is important. So is dance.
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