Turning the Voume DOWN...

Sometimes having insights and bizarre experiences can be highly inconvenient - especially when having to deal with family, work, or making critical decisions in mundane reality. In terms of critical decisions it's often better to make them with both feet on the ground without reference to what's happening in your practice, especially if you happen to be in Dark Night territory. Sometimes it's impossible to avoid or postpone such decisions.

In cases like this, it's helpful to have some sort of "volume control knob" so that you can focus on consensual reality. I thought this thread might be a good place to trade techniques for that.
Here are a few of my ideas/techniques:
Take a break.
Exercise
Eat a hearty meal (half a glass of wine with this increases the effect).
Banishing or Grounding and Centering ritual.
Walk outside barefooted.
See a good movie.
Make love.
Get a good nights sleep, or take a nap.
Go do something you really enjoy.
Fantasy Fiction novel (or other light, entertaining reading).
Spend time with friends.

Any other ideas?
David

B r e a t h e... as in doing breath work practice, i.e. pranayama techniques.

Yoga asanas

Qigong and/or Tai Chi

Any practice that connects body, mind, and energy flow.

Doing/creating in visual or performing arts - i.e. painting, sculpting, playing musical instrument, singing...
Or, viewing others creations (such as art galleries, including virtual galleries on internet). And/ or listening to music...

Peace and Happiness,
- Tina

David, thisis a great idea for a topic. You have a pretty comprehensive list there, especially if we add Khara's comments. I would add just a few things:

Just stop. Stop doing, stop moving, just STOP. It's the pause that refreshes! It's like a reboot
Talk to someone. Find a person in your life who you can 'splain this to (that's a tough call, I know) and go talk to them

A few days ago I gave my wife permission to call me out if she thinks I'm getting freaky or l;osing touch with what David calls consensual reality. She now has the power to make me stop

"
Find a person in your life who you can 'splain this to (that's a tough call, I know) and go talk to them

A few days ago I gave my wife permission to call me out if she thinks I'm getting freaky or l;osing touch with what David calls consensual reality. She now has the power to make me stop

"

That's my favorite idea yet1 The buddy system!
It strikes me that message boards like this offer a great support system, but any support system might be helpful.

Tina, do you think there are any Qi Gong practices one should avoid? I know that Zhan Zhuang in particular has the quality of turning the volume UP for me (to the point where I'm hallucinating - seeing energy patterns of trees and stuff).

It seems like energy work in some cases could stimulate kundalini, which might not be desirable. On the other hand, certain practices which balance and purify prana could be helpful. Hatha Yoga seems like a good idea. What do you think?

"Tina, do you think there are any Qi Gong practices one should avoid? I know that Zhan Zhuang in particular has the quality of turning the volume UP for me (to the point where I'm hallucinating - seeing energy patterns of trees and stuff).

It seems like energy work in some cases could stimulate kundalini, which might not be desirable. On the other hand, certain practices which balance and purify prana could be helpful. Hatha Yoga seems like a good idea. What do you think?"

Good point, David. Yes, some qigong practices serve to "turn the volume up," whereas others are relaxing and smoothing of energies. Zhan Zhuang "standing like a tree" is a standing meditation known to be a highly energetic practice. Zhan Zhuang is an efficient way to develop internal energy, and since it's a standing in stillness meditation, energy is not consumed. Therefor, Zhan Zhuang has the potential to be problematic for those already experiencing excess or blocked energies.
Perhaps another one to avoid would be the Micro Cosmic Orbit. It may be beneficial for the experienced qigong practitioner whereby they efficiently direct and circulate the qi through the Governing and Conception channels. If done properly, this practice can decrease the discomforts of kundalini effects, on the other hand if done improperly it can have very adverse effects (exasperating blockages, stagnating or pooling energy, potentiate yin/yang imbalance, etc.) which would greatly intensify kundalini discomforts and possible psychosis like effects.

Generally, my suggestion to someone new to qigong would be to practice some gentle basic health qigong, such as "The Eight Brocades," or the relaxing "Tiger Embraces the Mountain of Stillness." Both of these practices have energy releasing qualities that can balance energy and decrease discomforts from rising kundalini energies.

[edit: added info]