In January, I increased a supplement called UBQH, which had multiple very positive effects. Specifically, I had an increase in outgoingness at work; a sudden inspiration to restart skateboarding (which I tried but didn’t continue with); some more insights similar to last month about reason vs emotions; the beginnings of a change in my relationship to hunger & libido that would continue to evolve over the next few months. I must have had some CoQ10 deficit for years that was strongly contributing to my mood symptoms, which is now being addressed.
I continued to practice TMI, sitting for several hours a day in many cases. I stayed in stage 4, with more previews of 5 & 6 occasionally. I continued to notice that my off cushion life was improving greatly even though I did not seem to be improving at calm abiding that much. I contemplated & worked with different types of dullness & distraction a lot.
I started attending a traditional, local dharma center more frequently. I participated in a refuge ceremony there, formally becoming a Budddhist. I also attended various classes. I began to find hanging around other ‘traditional Buddhists’ to be somewhat grounding, in that the values of devotion, kindness, service & community are more strongly expressed than they are in the ‘pragmatic dharma’ circles I had previously hung out in. The prior ‘allergic reaction’ I had to ‘mushroom culture’ was no longer there & I could see the benefits of both traditional & pragmatic approaches for the first time.
I also read more Alex Berzin stuff on karma, contemplated the bardos & got 2 acupuncture/cupping appointments in which I experienced weird central channel/chakra stuff both times. I visited home in NJ for a week, which was fun & relaxing (where it might have previously been stressful).
I continued to practice TMI, sitting for several hours a day in many cases. I stayed in stage 4, with more previews of 5 & 6 occasionally. I continued to notice that my off cushion life was improving greatly even though I did not seem to be improving at calm abiding that much. I contemplated & worked with different types of dullness & distraction a lot.
I started attending a traditional, local dharma center more frequently. I participated in a refuge ceremony there, formally becoming a Budddhist. I also attended various classes. I began to find hanging around other ‘traditional Buddhists’ to be somewhat grounding, in that the values of devotion, kindness, service & community are more strongly expressed than they are in the ‘pragmatic dharma’ circles I had previously hung out in. The prior ‘allergic reaction’ I had to ‘mushroom culture’ was no longer there & I could see the benefits of both traditional & pragmatic approaches for the first time.
I also read more Alex Berzin stuff on karma, contemplated the bardos & got 2 acupuncture/cupping appointments in which I experienced weird central channel/chakra stuff both times. I visited home in NJ for a week, which was fun & relaxing (where it might have previously been stressful).
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