Maybe the first thing is to look into our own experience. What happens when we frequently sleep in late? Physically, we may feel well rested (though sometimes it works the other way); but isn't there also some kind of dullness or laziness on another level?

In this context, the word 'spirit' is referring to Shen, a term used in Taoist and other Chinese internal arts, including Traditional Chinese Medicine. Shen is one of the Three Treasures, three precious substances each person oversees, and which sustain our lives, activities, and spiritual attainments. (The other two Treasures are Jing/Essence and Qi/Energy.)

Preservation and nurturing of the Three Treasures is said to be necessary for development of both mundane qualities like mental acuity and spiritual qualities like subtle perception. (Actually, distinctions between mundane and spiritual are regarded as arbitrary.)

The guidance about sleep comes from a very wonderful classic text on health and how to harmonize with all the rhythms of life: The Yellow Emperor's Classic Of Internal Medicine (available in several translations).

Here, Shen or 'spirit' refers to our capacity for presence, and our moment-to-moment presence itself. When you meet a master or an advanced meditator and witness their shining eyes, that is the expression of Shen. When you are in love with someone and together you reflect almost magically bright eyes to each other, that is also Shen -- you are being very present with each other, very alive.

This is the faculty that can get harmed with oversleep (and I would say with other forms of indulgence and laziness as well). Less presence, less bright spirit, less care for the moment, less ability to ground and open to reality.

Anyway, that's the guidance. You should check for yourself whether that's true, and what further teachings may say about your own experience.

But just as an indicator of how traditional training harmonized with daily rhythms: the monks in most mountain temples in China and Korea wake around 3am! And in general their spirits are very bright, as a result of their meditative training, their ethical behavior, and their environment (clear mountain air, with fresh water, simple food, simple work), and as supported by the cycle of their day.

I've never read about there being a tolerance effect specifically for those two herbs, but in general even with herbs that are super safe for long term use, etc. it's always smart to take a break if you're not experiencing the same beneficial effects, to see if that's what's happening.

The list of herbs that aren't safe to use long term would be very long! I'd grab a couple of herbal medicine books for reference, this is a good one: The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification, by Matthew Wood https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Traditional-Western-Herbalism-Classification/dp/1556435037/ref=sr_1_1
(Wood's Earthwise Vol 1 and 2 are also excellent resources.)

You can think of herbs on a spectrum, like:

• Nourishing / tonifying
  
• Mildly sedating / stimulating
  
• Strongly sedating / stimulating
  
• Potentially poisonous
  
  Nourishing herbs like nettle, oatstraw, calendula, red clover, burdock, alfalfa (and many others) are like food, no more harmful to you than eating spinach every day. (Chamomile and lavender may fit into this category, or chamomile might be considered mildly sedating.)
  
  The more stimulating or sedating an herb is, the more you want to pay attention to any potential negatives to long term use.
  
  And of course some herbs are potentially poisonous, but may be good to use on a very limited basis when a strong and fast action is needed. Side effects are common with these herbs. Poke is an example -- it's an excellent herb for combating a strong infection or when you need a quick immune system boost, but you'd only want to take very small amounts (1-2 drops of tincture), and only for a short time period.

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&qid=1510690404&sr=8-1&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&ie=UTF8&qid=1510690479&sr=1-3&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&ie=UTF8&qid=1510690609&sr=1-1-spell&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.

Seconding u/theUnmutual6's recommendations, in addition to u/BlueSmoke95's suggestion to check out Ann Moura's work. I would like to recommend Ellen Dugan's Natural Witchery and her related domestic witchery books. Ellen is a certified Master Gardener and incorporates plants into much of her work.

Some of my favorite plant books!

Plant Science:

• Plant Physiology and Development (you can get away with the previous edition of this one!)
  
  
• Botany for Gardeners
  
  
• Essential Plant Pathology (do NOT get the first edition - the second edition is superior in almost every single way)
  
  
• American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques
  
  
  Foraging & Field Guides:
  
  
• A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America
  
  
• Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt To Plate
  
  
• The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
  
  Herbalism:
  
  
• Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use (this is the first one I would recommend to novices)
  
  
• The Herbal Apothecary: 100 Medicinal Herbs and How to Use Them
  
  
• The Herbal Medicine Maker's Manual
  
  
• 300 Herbs: A Materia Medica
  
  
• Culpeper's Complete Herbal
  
  Ethnobotany:
  
  
• A Modern Herbal Vol I and Vol II (these could belong in the above section or here - I love love love these books. I think they are a must for any hedge witch or green witch!!)
  
  
• Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees
  
  
• Whispers from the Woods: The Lore & Magic of Trees
  
  
• Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
  
  I also encourage y'all to look into fungi as well. I work with both plants and fungi and I think they bring a fascinating and fulfilling aspect to my work. Plus, hunting for mushrooms is super fun! I can recommend field guide books for folks who are interested, they just tend to be very region-specific so I'm not going to list all of them here.
  
  For general fungus reading I recommend the following:
  
  
• Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds
  
  
• The Fifth Kingdom
  
  
• Mycelium Running
  
  
• Radical Mycology: A Treatise on Seeing & Working with Fungi
  
  
• Mushrooms Demystified

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)

 

• Conquering Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Other Repetitive Strain Injuries - Sharon Butler
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/1572240393/
  
• Author's Website: http://www.selfcare4rsi.com
  
   
  
  
  
• Deskbound - Kelly Starrett
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628600586/
  
• Author's website: http://www.mobilitywod.com
  
• also search Youtube for Mobility WOD videos
  
   
  
  
  
• Pain Free - Pete Egoscue
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553379887/
  
• Author's website: http://www.egoscue.com
  
   
  
  
• The Endless Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality - R. Louis Schultes
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/1556432283/
  
   
  
  
• Discovering the Body's Wisdom - Mirka Knaster
  
• "A Comprehensive Guide to More than Fifty Mind-Body Practices
  
• that Can Relieve Pain, Reduce Stress, and Foster Health,
  
• Spiritual Growth, and Inner Peace"
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553373277/
  
   
  
  Note the reviews on these books. And note that you can get them cheaper used.
  
  Have faith. Good luck!
  

I think you should find out exactly what he is, if you can get your hands on a business card that would be great, or if you can search him on the internet. There are many different practices that are similar to chiro.

Most of the careers involve a good length schooling program, they aren't just something you can go an apprentice in.

And if you can go somewhere with a longer/heavier course load, the better. Body work is one profession where I think it really pays off to get as much information as possible.

If you're really interested about going down this path, whether its dealing with muscles, bones, soft tissue, energy patterns.. whatever, I recommend you get a book and start to get familiar with your human anatomy. If you can have a firm grasp on high school cellular biology.. that is great too.. if you suck at bio, maybe get some tutoring or just brush up on it.

Here are 2 good little books that can help to build your knowledge base, i recommend getting them :) They aren't filled with a bunch of medical language so they are easy to interpret. They are good for newbies

Book #1 - helps to understand human anatomy, and a good grasp on some medical terminology

Book #2 - explains all the systems in the body - their structures fuctions ect. As well as great pictures

Okay so this isn't complete, and apparently my account is too young (or doesn't have enough karma?) to make a post to the subreddit :(

But here is the original post I constructed to submit:

Hello r/herbalism.

This book list was compiled by a good friend of mine who has been a practicing herbalist for a while now. I thought you might all enjoy this list; it's divided into different sections based on the particular area of study. My friend would also like me to inform you "If anyone should have difficulty locating these books, I've found a website, called bookfinder.com, to be most useful in acquiring these books for a fraction of the price from regular booksellers."

Beginner Herbalism, General

• Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use
  
  
• Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech
  
  
• Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine Making Guide
  
  
• Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health
  
  
• Herbal Antibiotics: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug Resistant Bacteria by Stephen Buhner
  
  
• The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook: A Home Manual by James Green
  
  
• Earthwise Herbal Vol I. and Earthwise Herbal Vol. II by Matthew Wood.
  
  
• The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification by Matthew Wood
  
  
  
• Rodale's 21st Century Herbal by Michael Balick
  
  
• The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine: The Ultimate Multidisciplinary Reference to the Amazing Realm of Healing Plants in a Quick-Study, One-Stop Guide by Brigitte Mars
  
  
  
• The Herbalist's Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines by Nancy Phillips, Michael Phillips, and Rosemary Gladstar
  
  
  

  Advanced Herbalism
  

  
  

• Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices Of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman
  
  
• Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by David Winston
  
  
• Edward E Shook's Elementary Treatise in Herbology and Advanced Treatise in Herbology - (In regards to the second, my friend has found a free PDF of the advanced treatise.)
  
  
• The School of Natural Healing: The Reference Volume on Natural Herbs for the Teacher, Student or Herbal Practitioner by John R. Christopher
  
  
• The Complete Herbal Tutor: A Structured Course to Achieve Professional Expertise by Anne McIntyre
  
  

  Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry (Part of the Advanced Herbalism List)
  

  
  
  

• The Constituents of Medicinal Plants: An Introduction to the Chemistry and Therapeutics of Herbal Medicine by A. Pengally
  
  
• Phytochemistry and Pharmacy for Practitioners of Botanical Medicine by Eric Yarnell
  
  
• Herbal Constituents: Foundations of Phytochemistry by Lisa Ganora
  
  
  

  Medicinal Mycology
  

  
  

• The Fungal Pharmacy: The Complete Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms and Lichens of North America by Robert Rogers
  
  
• Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms by Paul Stamets
  
  
  
  

I don't have a lot of natural flexibility. Probably more than you, OP, but still not a lot.

For legs I do the routine outlined in Yin Yoga and also in Insight Yoga, including the dragon pose and other hip stretches. Paul Grilley also has a good DVD on Yin Yoga.

My general method has been to read books and go from there. Toe touches are good in also helping you develop flexibility in your spine and back. Don't be discouraged if you are only able to do three or four stretches in a book. That is a good place to start. The components of the body are connected so as you continue to practice you'll become able to do more stretches. For instance by loosening your back muscles you'll be able to do that hip stretch you could never get before. Try to do the stretches that you feel a good stretch in and are for areas of your body you prioritize. Even if you do only two or three stretches a day that is a good place to start.

edit: Mth25 named some of the same poses I have found effective for stretching my legs and hips. Just try googling those to get an idea. There's a lot of similarity between the various teachers so it's just about matching what they teach with what you're capable of and feel a stretch in.

Summer, I suggest looking into Myofascial pain management therapy and holistic avenues online as well.

Since there is a chronic history of a specific type of pain that's related to your orgasms, there may be a muscle within your body that is what is called "contractured", not just "contracted" that is causing you pain. Contractured muscles are muscles that have essentially seized up and are not firing correctly enough any more to contract properly. The issue with contractured muscles is that they can form in connective tissues, which have formally been thought by doctors to not be able to cause much of any pain at all (many docs still have this impression), as well as the fact that stretching contractured muscles is NOT helpful and an effective treatment. Instead, many who have chronic pain and get physical therapy stretching etc. end up in far worse shape and set way back than before.

Instead, it's important that the docs prescribe special (up-and-coming) injections called toradol injections, AND/OR myofascial trigger point massage therapy (by a CERTIFIED myofascial trigger point specialist specifically for people suffering from disabling chronic pain probs - NOT "sports medicine therapists")

If there is not treatment of the trigger points first, before stretching, it causes trauma to the muscle.

The reason I say all of this is because there has been yet more recent developments in the research surrounding the effects of the female orgasm and how it relates to a special muscle within the pelvis that is involved in the process. Docs are now learning more about how what seems to be a small outer muscle only ever being involved in this kind of thing is actually one that goes all the way around the inside of the pelvis.

I have a sneaky suspicion that perhaps you have tension from myofascial contractures within that special muscle, and it's connected to the spinal tissues that cause tension headache pain when pushed at.

Tension headaches stem from undue pressure put on various parts of the spine. In those cases, special stretching can help cure tension headaches, but in your case I really recommend looking into some kind of myofascial trigger point treatment FIRST.

Remember - no matter what a doctor says, your body is your body, and if they have a problem with you refusing certain treatments because you feel you know better about the info than they do, and they can't offer any new sources to back up any counterpoints to the research that you have done, that is all the more reason to NOT listen to them and go to someone else who has counterpoints, or alternatively, more evidence to back up what YOU are saying.

Please note, just for the record for you and others who may also read this - Fibromyalgia "tender points" are different than "trigger points". Docs also can get this easily confused.

Check out the following links to learn more about this:

"trigger point explained with animation"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sltGyJvbvWw

"Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction" facebook group run by DEVIN STARLANYL. You can talk to her personally, here.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403922832988029/

Devin Starlanyl's website with tons of info for patients, and for patients to bring to their doctors to read up about this information. It might seem somewhat uneventful of a website, but the info stated is some of the best for quick references to these concepts:
http://homepages.sover.net/~devstar/

Devin Starlanyl's most recent book:
"Healing through Trigger Point Therapy: A Guide to Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction"
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-through-Trigger-Point-Therapy/dp/1583946098/

Very helpful place to find help, as well as a great indicator of those who are skilled in accurate massage therapy by having gone through his personal certification programs -
The John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach:
https://www.myofascialrelease.com/

John Barnes MFR Directory
http://mfrtherapists.com/

National Association of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists:
http://www.myofascialtherapy.org/

All of this ultimately stems from these two doctors, one of which has already passed away:
Janet Travell, MD and David G. Simons, MD:
http://www.triggerpointbook.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=148

Lastly, I think it would also be helpful to find an UPPER-CERVICAL CARE SPECIALIST Chiropractor if you have the ability. They are trained in MUCH MORE than just "cracking bones". I promise you this! But Upper Cervical care is super super extra important. No matter what. It is >>>essential<<< to find this kind of specialist within chiropractor networks to perhaps get some kind of helpful advice and/or treatment. They know lots about muscles, bones, medicine, and nutrition, as well as lots of other things.

you might find value in Rosemary Gladstar's books on medicinal herbs. There are a few that might be of interest to you. medicinal herbs for beginners, 175 herbal recipes for vibrant health, herbs for stress and anxiety, and family herbal are a few good ones to look into.

In the related listings I found several other great titles with good reviews on them. Among them, there was the herbal apothecary, the complete medicinal herbal, and the herbal medicine maker's handbook

I would also suggest James Wong, an ethnobotanist. He has a series that was on the bbc about using plants to make medicinal items. It was on youtube for a bit but is no longer there in its entirety. He does have a book on the series, though-
grow your own drugs. A sequel with more recipes can be found here- a year with james wong.

I also find that many sustainable living, foraging, and related sites tend to have good recipes you can sort through. here are a few of the ones i have saved.

mother earth news- make your own herbal teas

wolf college resources

https://arcadianabe.blogspot.ca/

http://www.eattheweeds.com/archive/


lastly, a basic google search for "herbal remedies" brought me a few websites that look promising.

mother earth news- herbs for ailments and wounds

botanical.com has a few resources for recipe and information about plants, but it is more limited than i would like.

the family herbalist looks very promising.

there are probably a ton more out there, but i hope that some of these or the terms they use can help you find what you are looking for.

My grad-school adviser held Dr. Robert Svoboda in high esteem, so I learned the basics from Prakriti: your Ayurvedic Constitution. Prakriti is Mother Nature - Goddess Nature Herself embodying all materiality. Prakriti's other half is PuruSa God or pure Spirit or pure non-material Being analogous to elements in Hegel and Heidegger.

The other is Svoboda's associate Dr. Vasant Lad. Good news! Looks like Dr. Lad recently published Ayruveda textbooks vols 1 2 and 3! Did not know that.

So Dr. Svoboda for easy and fun introduction (also could check out his other works on jyotish and Aghora - a type of left-hand esoteric yoga - very good, entertaining read) and Dr. Lad for more serious study. Dr. Lad has an Ayruvedic institute in NM offering some kind of credential if you get very interested. Good Luck!

Absolutely have gone through this almost word for word. I am still in my "never wants sex with my partner" phase. Once in a blue moon, we'll have sex like twice in a day and then months will pass again before we do. In fact, pretty sure there was a year where we didn't have sex at all. It just is. Please be patient with yourself because I know it's hard. How can I not want sex with the love of my life? It's because my mind still doesn't "understand" that sex isn't violence.

​

I recommend the book The Sexual Healing Journey. I recommend to read through it VERY SLOWLY as it includes real life case studies that include descriptions of sexual abuse/rape. However, my copy is full of sticky notes when I read something that resonates with me and makes me feel like I'm not crazy. Like --- why is it I can imagine having sex with a random person EASILY but a person I love and am emotionally close is not at all interesting? Rape. That's why.

​

If you have the financial resources, I also recommend therapy. I suffer from PTSD so it is mandatory for me -- but it has been life saving.

​

Further, there is a huge detachment that occurs between your mind/body when you experience extreme trauma. I often feel as if I've detached from my body and it's prevalent when my body is freaking out (throwing up, sweating, pacing), but my mind is completely calm. To repair that detachment, you have to find a safe way to get back into your body. Yoga is one such way. Check out Overcoming Trauma through Yoga. Dance, exercise, tai chi, whatever it is that allows you to be mindful of your body and your breath is key here. I'm still trying to have the motivation to do this as it's really been the hardest part for me, but I know the small amount I have done makes a difference.

​

Lastly, trust yourself. There isn't a fixed formula for any of this, but it can be done. You're stronger than you know. Feel free to PM me if you wish!

Totally forgot to reply to your message, sorry for the late reply :)

I've gained most of my knowledge regarding Ayurveda through a yoga teacher from India (she is a Swami) that lives and runs a Yoga center in my city (I'm from Europe), from a good friend of mine and the rest from reading various random articles on the internet and researching it for myself. So I'm not sure if I can recommend you any really good books, as I haven't read many on this topic myself.

I have partially read, found interesting and insightful and also heard good things about The Ayurvedic Encylopedia, by Swami Sadashiva Tirtra


Here are a few lists of Ayurveda books that I found that you may also find useful:

http://www.pittaayurveda.com/top-10-ayurveda-books-reviews/

http://www.katetowell.com/4-best-books-for-ayurveda-newbies

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Books-Ayurveda-Medicine/zgbs/books/4700


This is of course all mostly Ayurveda. I haven't really delved deep into Chinese traditional medicine yet, which is also very interesting to say the least (and offers its own insightful perspectives on healing).

I have Prescription for Nutritional Healing and Staying Healthy with Nutrition which I'll use as references for basic nutrition. The second one comes off a bit too hippy-ish for me sometimes (they state one of the most important water-soluble vitamins is Vitamin L, aka 'love') however all-in-all it's a pretty solid resource for understanding the essentials. The book begins with a discussion on water, which I think is great as H2O is often left out.

I'm also particularly interested in sport nutrition, so I have also picked up Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. I like glossing over the reference textbooks, then switching to Nancy's book to get her 'sports coach' perspective.

In terms of a true materia medica, theres not really one you can just outright buy that I'm aware of. Most herbalists make their own. You can print off templates free from a google search, and then for each plant that you have/grow/easily forage/whatever, you'll write down what its good for, what recipes work for what situations, how to make each one, as you research and learn more about it. There are a few books you can buy to help you assemble that, I like a good plant ID book tailored to my region, something like this for the different kids of things you can make https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0895949903/?coliid=I2XLXE8ZPXBYMR&colid=1LERDA1TIBU8M&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it plus books if you want more info on specific info on herbs for colds, herbs for chronic illness, etc.
I keep my materia medica in a 3 ring binder, and am constantly adding to it. It's about ready for me to go thru and type out a few of the plants, while I'll continue to hand write notes as I learn more.

Ayurveda might indicate types of food/diet and practices relevant to your body type. Have you figured out your doshas? There are many pakriti quizzes online, including this one: https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/prakriti-quiz/

In case you don’t know your doshas, take the quiz more than once to make sure you get definitive results (and note that a tri-dosha result is more than likely not accurate...it is very rare...take the quiz again and adjust some of your answers).

Once you know your composition (primary and secondary doshas), start doing searches like “vata-pitta fall diet”, or “kapha-vata summer exercise” (or whatever your primary and secondary doshas are).

Dr Lad has a very well-known book about the basics of Ayurveda which also suggests practices and procedures for various types of ailments. You might consider picking up a copy: https://www.amazon.com/Ayurveda-Science-Healing-Practical-Guide/dp/0914955004/ref=nodl_ (sorry for the long links, I am on my phone)

Regarding pains in areas of the body, I started to consider that there were energetic, emotional issues, and/or traumas that were needing to be acknowledged and released. I had quite a few different types of sensations in my own body and found childhood trauma and issues that had been holed up there. I found a mindfulness meditation practice hugely beneficial to give me the tools to start to unlock these emotions which may have been influencing my physiology. I am not sure if Ayurveda speaks directly to this, but since Ayurveda is a body healing science, it may also have an energetic, emotional, spiritual component to it too. Additionally, I found therapy helpful to work through emotions I had avoided and parts of myself that had been exiled. I do not know if these concepts will resonate or if they apply.

Jack Kornfield’s audiobook version of Meditation for Beginners is stunning. https://www.amazon.com/Meditation-for-Beginners/dp/B01679X0JU

Finally...NONE OF THIS replaces oversight of medical professionals. I am not a doctor and I am not providing any medical advice nor direction for anyone.

Good luck on your journey inward! Do not forget that power to heal yourself comes from within. This must be balanced with science and medicine as well. We are spiritual beings in human bodies. Sometimes the only way out is through. It gets scary in there, but it is worth it.

Edit: wording

Oh! I used to live there when I first became a witch! Dedicated myself under a full moon in the month of Imbolc out on, believe it or not, a golf course near my house. Had to sneak out and jump a fence to do it. It was the only place that felt appropriately green enough; I had no respect for the desert back then.

Yeah you'll defiantly have to look into container gardening so you can move those little guys around into the shade. Maybe get something like.. cloth or something so their little roots don't wither up in the heat. We had luck growing Mediterranean herbs back when I was a kiddo, and I bet you could grow sacred datura. She's a well known witching herb that grows in deserts. There's a ton of varieties of sage that do well in that place too. And aloe vera ofc; gotta love those things. Weirdly, I bet mugwort will grow there. I am starting to suspect the only place mugwort won't grow it the literal vacuum of space. I totally think you can do it! Here, get this book. Everybody loves it.

IANAD! Try my advice at your own risk.

This is my I'm-too-broke-to-go-to-the-doctor home medical care bible. I couldn't get along without it.

I developed a soft-tissue swelling/pain/irritation in my shoulder which I think is bursitis. I consulted my wonderful book and found that it recommends the same set of remedies for most of these types of joint problems.

For joint problems like bursitis and tennis elbow it recommends, among other things, a combination of Fish oil capsules (follow bottle instructions) Vitamin C, 1000 mg/day, and a supplement called Zyflamend, 2 capsules 2x day. I found it at my local healthfood store.

To that I added ibuprofen for inflamation. A doctor would prescribe 800 mg 3x day as that's the optimal dose to treat inflamation. Taking that much ibuprofen OTC can irritate your stomach though, so use your own judgement on that. I had speedy relief using this regimen. But of course everyone's different and may react differently.

The book recommends moist heat for pain, but I think that would exacerbate swelling. Ice may be better, 20 minutes at a time so you don't injure your skin. A bag of frozen peas is great for icing an injury.

The book also recommends you figure out what repetitive motion you're doing that caused the injury and stopping that activity. It also notes that you may see improvement - and pain relief - from immobilization of the joint.

Hope this helps!!

To have fun while learning, try The Four Hour Body by Tim Ferriss. I also like Prescription for Nutritional Healing for a reference.

I prefer to see studies backing claims. Maybe not everything below is relevant, but here are some places I like to read online, too: Examine.com, Stronger By Science (mostly strength training studies), Strength Sensei (Charles Poliquin is an Olympic strength coach and knowledgable in nutrition), Suppversity, ss.fitness

I had to take a nutrition prereq for college and loved it so much I got a nutrition minor. I love and kept all my books for it. And I have plenty supplemental books as well. Here are some of my favorites.

Science of Nutrition

Nutrition Through the Life Cycle

Nutritional Healing

Medical Nutrition Therapy

We all need help sometimes, you can't do it on your own.

Which is why sometimes, it is good to ask for help.


like I am now :)

(if you are aiming for cheaper, this would also be good!

(Note, both of these texts are highly recommended by my professors (I'm going for my masters in mental health counseling, with a focus in trauma and crisis))

I'm a beautiful person

And so are you! =)

i have stopped buying books for myself as i cant justify it and i have a hard time spending money on myself. for some topics this it makes it tougher to learn without a physical book. i have two on my wishlist that i would love to study. im fine with used copies! =)

Reading the Body: Ohashi's Book of Oriental Diagnosis

How to See Your Health: Book of Oriental Diagnosis

I am also in DESPERATE NEED for laundry detergent and i have no income at the moment. i broke my leg and became unemployed and am searching for a job. i thought these would be a better option than the bottles of soap as i will have to move probably. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DSNLH2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3BXLYR83R8BA1&coliid=I19NUY346NXWI4

My pleasure :) since you already do yoga, also have a look at this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Trauma-Through-Yoga-Reclaiming/dp/1556439695/ref=mp_s_a_1_1 - it’s good. My favourite say is: if you’re tired, learn to rest, not to quit. Take care!

Sure, you can research David Emerson who's involved at Kripalu, or there's Bessel van der Kolk who is a badass, you can listen to a great interview with him from the show On Being. There's also Stephen Levine.

Here's a Kripalu article that quotes van der Kolk.

And there's psychologists that talk a lot about somatic holding, or at least subconscious holding patterns. An easier read would be stuff from Daniel Siegel(I know it kinda looks like pop psych but it's actually pretty good), one of my favorite authors on trauma is Donald Kalsched, which is a bit more dense and more about work through talk psychotherapy. But often I find myself applying his concepts in yoga classes as a way to understand what's going on inside mentally/emotionally that's connected to my physical experience. Also sheds some light on how I relate to other students and the teacher.

Then there's the bodywork stuff, cranial sacral therapy or somatic body work but there's too much misinformation for me to guide you. All I can say is that I have a yoga teacher that also gives me bodywork sessions that supplement my yoga practice, and the inner growth I've experienced has been profound.

Out of all of this, if you're going to research anything I would highly suggest the van der Kolk interview, which you can download and listen to.

For a general overview of the history of traditional herbal medicine in the West, I recommend Barbara Griggs' book, Green Pharmacy: The History and Evolution of Western Herbal Medicine.

For traditional shamanic, magical use of herbal medicinal plants, I suggest you look into the Native American tradition(s). If you are looking for something in the area of psychedelics, I can recommend one book I liked: Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge

For a bend towards energy medicine and the inner practice of herbalism, see Matthew Wood's books, for example The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification.

This book looks pretty good, but I'm not and expert.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/184819109X/ref=sxts_sxwds-puwylo_rv_3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

You probably will need a good book on Chakras - a lot of what's out there is New Age culturally appropriated crud.

This one isn't bad:
https://www.amazon.com/Chakras-Centers-Transformation-Harish-Johari/dp/0892817607/

The Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook is a great book, and I believe you can find a free pdf online.

https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Herbal-Dispensatory-Medicine-Making-Guide-ebook/dp/B01CMGW6EW

I purchased this and it has a LOAD of knowledge. It's excellent for all stages of herbalists. It takes some getting used to to read it and understand some of the meaning. But the authors do an excellent job at explanations and definitions in the beginning. It even has recipes.

I found this book to be of the most help. There is an entire chapter devoted to stones and I feel like ayruvedics had the most complete knowledge on this. Also I didn't find it too "new agey".

You have a great idea here and I believe that if you reference this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1583334009 you could provide more specific reasoning to why specific supplements are used. I found it a little vague with not giving more specifics. Have your write up on lysine be your basis for your descriptions of your other supplements. If you want feel free to PM me any questions.

Ah, I see.

Satyananda Saraswati - A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya


Satyananda Saraswati - Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha

Mukunda Stiles - Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy

KS Joshi - Yogic Pranayama

David Frawley - Ayurveda and the Mind

Satyananda Saraswati - Kundalini Tantra


Good luck and all the best. I recommend all books for a rounded introduction. I'd also recommend a more technical book on Chakras by Harish Johari, but I'd start with the above books.

Herbal Medicine Makers Handbook by James Green

​

Buhner is GREAT! What protocol are you on?

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0895949903/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've seen this book by James Green recommended quite a lot.

There are plenty of resources in this sub and others already. Poke around and you'll find what you need.

This is a good subreddit. Inactive albeit plenty of good resources available.

Since all addiction is a form of medication for internal pain usually stemming from trauma of some sort i would recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Trauma-through-Yoga-Reclaiming/dp/1556439695
Pranayama is really good for me to keep off pot & cigarettes. Good luck!

Trauma sensitive yoga resources
Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga
Trauma Recovery Yoga
I've never linked anything on Reddit because I've only posted a few things but for those of you who are interested in yoga geared toward trauma survivors these resources are a great starting point.

I really like Prescription for Nutritional Healing, it's more like an encyclopedia.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1583334009/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

Pretty sure this is it.

I've got two books that may be of interest to you. They are both books we are using in my herbal apprenticeship and very well written.

Michael's Moore's Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West

Matthew Wood's The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism

Nah, that isn't it at all. This was a guy. I'm pretty sure it was a neurologist or something. /u/RyKel46 linked it here: http://www.amazon.com/Take-Off-Your-Glasses-See/dp/0517886049

I started with this; https://www.amazon.com/Ayurveda-Science-Healing-Practical-Guide/dp/0914955004 and found it quite good for the basics. Plenty of books and info out there.

https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Trauma-through-Yoga-Reclaiming/dp/1556439695

A quick search will yield many results
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1883725070/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_VScTAb9P6AH2K

https://www.amazon.com/Prescription-Nutritional-Healing-Fifth-Practical/dp/1583334009

https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Healing-14th-Linda-Page-ebook/dp/B00C2DVK5W/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1550116554&sr=1-1&keywords=linda+page+healthy+healing

I second u/All_Is_Coming as well, seeing as this is your first death be patient with yourself. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to process grief. If you're worried about it, you sound very normal to me. You may find that your yoga practice may drive you to tears in an emotional sense, it happens to me a lot actually. I assume this is pretty normal. Remember, we store our emotions in our bodies so when we use our bodies we release those feelings.


I recently read "Overcoming Trauma through Yoga" and found a lot of really useful information in there. Maybe you'll find it useful, too.

Try Prescription For Natural Healing: A Practical A to Z Reference To Drug Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, & Food Supplements. This book covers nearly any illness you can think of, from Alcoholism to Zika Virus. Extremely thorough, it not only covers what supplements, vitamins, herbs, and minerals you should take, it also covers lifestyle changes and diet. This practically eliminated my anxiety (until I stopped following it's advice), it cured my acne, turned around my depression, and improved my ADHD. It's not a cure by any means as I unfortunately fell back to my old bad habits and lost the book. I will be purchasing it again soon though. I can't recommend it enough.

There is a whole new branch of mental health treatment taught through qualified and well-trained yoga therapists who specialize in trauma. If you're interested in it, the current gold standard for trauma treatment is laid out in some books:

The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Koch, MD

The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Nadine Burke-Harris, MD

Overcoming Trauma through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body by David Emerson

Yoga for Emotional Balance: Simple Practices to Help Relieve Anxiety and Depression by Bo Forbes

It's becoming apparent that yoga is actually a massively useful tool in rooting out and treating trauma, which is often at the root of mental illness.

I get that you were making a comment about the way people tend to dismiss the pain of mental illness by saying "suck it up", but yoga therapy really is a great course of treatment.

Think about how breathing acts during bouts with anxiety or panic. Practicing yoga conditions and trains your body to slow down and bypass the trauma triggers and subsequent bodily response to keep you breathing instead of passing out or going into panic mode. And that's just one small benefit of practice.

Trauma is just now beginning to be understood by the greater medical community, and yoga with a trained therapist can make a world of difference.

Programs like this one are beginiing to help millions of people.

So the "get over it" part can go fuck itself, but if you suffer from anxiety, depression, or trauma-related mental illness, you really should keep hydrated and do yoga.