Frustration and deliverance

"
One other thing: I wonder if some of this shaking is because I am genuinely cold? I deliberately made it warm as hell in my hotel room, but nonetheless, by the end my hands and nose are noticeably cool to the touch. Is this a known physiological thing? Just askin'."

Sympathetic arousal causes, among other things, constriction of the peripheral capillary beds. Sympathetic arousal can be caused by anything that causes stress, including pain, but also by anxiety, fear, or anger, or other strong emotions. It's basically the "Fight or Flight" response - peripheral vasculature constricts to raise blood pressure and make more blood available to the heart, lungs, and skeletal muscles; heart rate raises, breathing becomes more rapid and shallow, pupils dialate, sweating occurs.

It also tends to inhibit the parasympathetic arm of the autonomic nervous system which regulates eating, and sleeping. SLUDE is the mnemonic for what the parasympathetic system does: salivation, lacrimation, urination, defecation, and emesis.

At any rate what most people notice first is that their hands are cold when they are starting to get nervous.
David

"Some of these dukkha nanas have to do with a *lack* of meaning, and dealing with that. They have a lot to do with aversion as well.

The best thing is to see it for what it is and accept it, deal with it with equanamity and mindfulness.

What helped me in the past was to take a kind of warrior's attitude towards these negative states and transitions - that of impeccability. I would say to myself "I'm going to deal with the truth of this, no matter how unpleasant it is."

Then I would typically turn up the volume in various ways and go out and face it.
I truly hope that helps.
David"

this advice has helped me with what i'm going through. thank you David

mikael

Dear Tomo,

The book Jing Zuo Xiu Dao Yu Chang Sheng Bu Lao (靜坐修道與長生不老) by Master Huaijin Nan (or Nan, Huaijin) was translated into English by Wen Kuan Chu. The English title of the book is Tao & Longevity: Mind-Body Transformation.

This book deals with the physical phenomena and changes that predictably occur as one progresses in meditation practices. It costs about $8 to $20 and is a very useful read.

Here is an excerpt:

Why Qi Channels Vibrate

The relationship between meditation and the qi mai, the changes in qi mai, and the physiological reactions and their phenomena have been described in previous chapters. However, the physiological reactions of the qi mai are not always the same for everyone who practices meditation.

Why do different people with similar human bodies have various reactions? Is it because different meditation techniques and methods result in dissimilar effects and reactions in the qi? This can be explained in two ways.

First, the reactions of qi are such that it always follows Ren [Mai] and Du [Mai] step by step. Ther eis no other route from the viewpoint of meditation and cultivation of Dao.

Second, there are differences in qi mai and its physiological effects which depend upon such factors as bodily strength, health, age and sex.

Different techniques and meditation methods can produce different reactions, but this is not the major reason for dissimilar reactions in individuals and is merely a partial explanation.

Many who practice meditation experience vibrations of the body. This inner vibration often becomes and external jumping of the entire body and all its limbs, in which case a person might assume different movements and postures similar to those employed in yoga and Tai Ji Quan. Those whoa re fond of mysticism may consider this to be something wonderfully mystical.
[cont'd]

In the past some individuals specialized in the practice of divine boxing, which originated because of the occurrence of this phenomenon in meditation. Practitioners of divine boxing and people who practice "tumblingcloud," both of which were initiated from this phenomneon, often experience harmful effects and consequences.

Is this phenomenon mystical? Not at all. It is half physiological and half psychological. Even the physiological half of this reaction seems to be caused by self-suggestion. Nervous tension is often caused when a person pushes himself too hard. This tension is reflected in the subconscious mind which, inturn, causes the initial trembling of nerves and muscles. These subconscious hints subsequently enter naturally into consciousness which then enhances the vibrations and trembling. Through these subconscious slef-suggestions a person often comes to shake and move his entire body and limbs in a kind of a regular pattern.

Unfortunately, ordinary people cannot always determine the reason for these vibrations and this sort of shaking. Some are afraid that they might do something wrong and so give up meditation altogether. Others believe they have already obtained divine powers or have achived the basis of Tao and may indulge in these vibrations and movements. Further, qi cannot enter into its genuine orbits of Ren and Du Mai due to these shaking movements of the body and so it merely circulates between the ligatments and muscles. Few people are introspective enough to discern that the casue fo these movements is actually nervous tension resulting from self-suggestion.

If one intends to meditate for a healthy body and mind, or for Nei Gong (training the internal organs to develop uncanny strength and endurance), then it is all right to let this kind of bodily movement develop.

[cont'd]

One who does not have this aim should quiet the inner mind and relax the nerves and muscles to go "up one more floor" or lift oneself to a higher level and enter into a state of quietude.

Some people learn meditation because they suffer the pains of illnesses such as pulmonary, bastric, hepatic, renal or neuropathic diseases. It is very common for such people to feel the qi rolling in certain locations of the body during meditation. In general, those whose lungs and kidneys are deteriorating and weak often feel the qi rolling around the left and right sides of the body in certain patterns. Those who have trouble with their intestines and stomach often feel the qi circulating around the abdomen. Those who have problems in the liver or heart might feel something blocked insdie the chest or diaphragm. One who breaks up this sort of blockage will suddenly feel a kind of openness or may even excrete a sticky liquid.

---

Those are two pages. The book goes on like that. Just wanted to recommend it to you.

There was a sentence about a certain development when a person feels a general sensation of cold. But unfortunately, I couldn't find it just now. If I do, I'll type it here.

Good luck!

Nigel

"this advice has helped me with what i'm going through. thank you David

mikael"

You're more than welcome, Mikael!

I'm glad it helped someone.
D

Thanks, everyone, for your continued support through this. Among other things, I clearly need to get to equanimity so I don't freeze my a** off fighting this thing!