In Yogic philosophy, one of the main ways to feel the connection between mind and body is through breathing. Alternate nostril breathing is a powerful technique that can balance, calm, energise the mind. It improves concentration and creates a sense of peace and clarity.

Here is a basic alternate nostril breathing exercise:

1. Sit upright in a comfortable position with your back straight. Place you left hand on your left knee.
2. Bring your right hand to your face, with your index and middle finger placed on your forehead (over your third eye area).
3. Use your thumb to close the right nostril and inhale slowly and consistently through your left nostril. Pause.
4. Close your left nostril with your ring finger. Move your thumb to open your right nostril, and exhale slowly and consistently.
5. Inhale through your right nostril, slowly and consistently. Pause.
6. Close your right nostril, open your left, and exhale through your left nostril, slowly and consistently. Pause before moving onto the right nostril.
7. Repeat this pattern for around 10 cycles. Then, release your right hand and rest it on your right knee. Return to normal breathing.

This exercise improves the connection between both sides of the brain. It reduces feelings of stress and anxiety, lowers heart rate and relieves tension, regulate the cooling and warming cycles of the body, and revitalises your mind.

Our left nostril activates the right side of our brain, and our right nostril activates the left hand side of our brain. To activate one side of your brain more often (if you are significantly dominant in either your left or right brain thinking), you can sleep on the appropriate side of your body to activate the corresponding side of your brain.

Here are two more types of alternate nostril breathing, as described by Dr Prakash C. Malshe in his book A Medical Understanding of Yoga.

Sahita Pranayama

• Inhale through the left nostril, counting up to 16.
• Hold the breath by closing both nostrils, counting up to 64.
• In this time, make a sucking in effort that creates negative pressure inside the chest cavity (uddiyana bandha).
• Then, release the breath through the right nostril, counting up to 32.
• Repeat the process with the other nostril to complete the cycle.

This builds up the anaerobic capacity of holding your breath on inhale.

Suryabhedana Pranayama

• Breathe in fully through the right nostril.
• Then, hold your breath with a lot of effort while maintaining the chin lock (jalandhara bandha).
• Hold your breath for as long as you possibly can.
• When it is time to exhale, do so out of your left nostril, slowly, continuously, and with patience.
• This should be repeated continuously.

This Pranayama is said to extend life and awakening the kundalini as well as increasing heat in the body. The conflict between the urge to breathe and voluntarily suppressing this urge raises our body temperature without the need for shivering.

It is possible to raise your body temperature enough to sweat using this method. It has been studied, and the results showed that participants started sweating after 4 cycles of this procedure (taking about 5 minutes to complete). Their body temperature rose by 2 °F in this time. Where this heat is generated from remains to be investigated because there is apparently no shivering or muscle contraction involved.

There are some advantages to this. Raising your body temperature intentionally can ward off the common cold. Inducing a higher body temperature also provides the correct temperature for immune cells to thrive.

There are also some adverse effects that can arise when we practice this type of breathing. In scientific research on suryabhedana pranayama some participants got cold sores. Herpes bacteria thrives in warmer temperatures. It was also noted that the palms of the hands of some participants grew red after practising this for a few days in a row, and the skin of their palms became dry.

Interestingly, there is no medical treatment available for excessive palm sweating, so in fact suryabhedana pranayama could be a reliable treatment method.

The post Alternate Nostril Breathing: Mind-Body Connection appeared first on The Renegade Pharmacist.

The world is full of natural remedies that can treat physical conditions – plants with anti-inflammatory properties, roots that fight cancer, fermented foods that protect your gut. But some plant medicines carry an extra punch…

The first humans that came across psychedelic plant medicines might have experienced more than they bargained for! Eating some species of plants or fungi can induce a powerful psychedelic experience, sending the forager on a journey through completely trippy states of mind.

Psychedelic plant medicines have long been used for personal and spiritual growth – see EntheoNation’s plant medicine course for an extensive guide. Indigenous peoples all over the world have used psychedelic plant medicines as a core part of their healing practices, and many still do today.

Now, on the brink of a wave of psychedelic legalization, we can begin to understand the pharmacology of the ancient psychedelic plants that have been used for healing for thousands of years.

This article will explore four of the most popular psychedelic plant medicines in the world, and what their pharmacology can tell us about their potential to improve our lives.

What are Psychedelic Plant Medicines?

Psychedelic plants all produce a psychedelic “trip” once ingested. Most people experience changes in perception and thoughts; such as seeing bright colors and complex geometry, and feeling intense emotions or revisiting childhood memories.

Some psychedelic plants can just be eaten raw for their psychedelic effects to take hold… while others require precise preparation, such as mixture with other ingredients, to unleash their potential.

Of the many psychedelic plants that grow in the world, these are some of the most well known:

Ayahuasca

One of the most famous psychedelic plant medicines is ayahuasca. This is a brew created from the mixture of a number of different plants, but the most well-known version uses the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and Psychotria viridis leaf. The combination of these two plants produces a unique psychedelic experience, lasting several hours, and it is used for many healing purposes by Amazonian peoples.

The psychoactive component in P. viridis, DMT (dimethyltryptamine), is not normally active when you ingest it orally. However, the combination with B. caapi in a typical ayahuasca brew produces a unique pharmacology that prevents DMT being broken down by your stomach enzymes. This allows DMT to reach your brain and causes a psychedelic trip that can be used for mental healing.

Traditional ayahuasca use involves an experienced and highly trained shaman diagnosing your spiritual or physical ailments, and crafting a healing ceremony to address your problems. They might request you to follow a special diet involving abstinence from certain foods, sex, and digital media, in the days leading up to the ceremony.

During an ayahuasca ceremony, the shaman may use medicine music (icaros), work with spiritual energies, or simply reassure the participant to guide them through the experience and facilitate their healing.

Magic Mushrooms

Other plant medicines don’t require any mixture or preparation. Magic mushrooms (although technically a fungus, not a plant) are probably one of the most widespread psychedelic plant medicines in the world. You can find them growing on almost every continent, in damp wooded areas. They have been used by indigenous peoples for centuries.

Some evidence suggests that magic mushrooms were used by indigenous Australian peoples over 12,000 years ago. Aztec and Mayan art was heavily influenced by magic mushrooms, and priests used them in divination and healing. They are still used traditionally by many Mexican groups, and one unique species of psychedelic mushroom is an integral part of several branches of Siberian shamanism.

Magic mushrooms contain the psychoactive substances psilocybin and psilocin. There are over 200 species of magic mushrooms that contain these substances. These psychedelic mushrooms can be eaten fresh or dried, or brewed into tea, to induce an experience lasting a few hours.

Peyote and San Pedro

Peyote and San Pedro are two types of psychedelic cactus that have been used in healing ceremonies for thousands of years. They were among the first psychedelic plant medicines to be introduced to North America, and are still used in sacred healing practices today.

They both contain the psychedelic substance mescaline, and are usually prepared by boiling pieces of cactus in a tea. The cactus can also be eaten fresh.

The traditional use of these psychedelic cacti was thought to originate in a number of indigenous North American peoples, around Mexico and Texas. It has been used traditionally as a treatment for pain and physical ailments, but its ceremonial use has now evolved to focus on the treatment of addiction and spiritual issues.

San Pedro grows much faster than peyote, and as such people recommend using San Pedro over peyote due to sustainability concerns.

Salvia

Salvia divinorum, known colloquially as Salvia, is a plant that contains the world’s most potent naturally-occurring psychedelic. It has been grown by Mazatec shamans for countless generations, and relatively small doses hold great healing potential.

Salvia contains the psychedelic substance Salvinorin A, and only micrograms of it are required to have a psychedelic effect in people. It binds to only one type of receptor, which is very rare for natural psychedelic plants – and ingesting it results in a very unusual and disorienting experience.

Traditionally, the leaves of the Salvia plant are either chewed raw, or brewed into a tea. In contemporary western use, it is most commonly smoked in highly-concentrated extracts, producing an intense but very short psychedelic experience lasting only a few minutes.

Shamans use it to treat physical ailments, and consider it a route to connect with spirits or deities. Due to Christian colonial influences, one of its traditional names is Ska Maria Pastora, meaning “The leaves of [Saint] Mary the Shepherdess.”

How do psychedelic plant medicines work?

Psychedelics all cause a profound change in consciousness (when taken at a high enough dose). This change in consciousness, alongside their pharmacological properties, has been shown to be a potential treatment for conditions such as depression, addiction, and anxiety.

Different psychedelic plants work differently, but we’re starting to understand more about the root of their healing effects.

The Serotonin System

Ayahuasca, magic mushrooms, peyote and San Pedro all contain psychedelic chemicals known as “classic” psychedelics. They all work mainly through activation of serotonin receptors in the brain.

The increase in serotonin that these psychedelic plants can cause is thought to be the route of their effects on perception – such as visual hallucinations and changes in thoughts. Serotonin is also considered the main neurochemical route of treatments of depression, and that could be why these substances have so much antidepressant potential.

Both ayahuasca and magic mushrooms have been studied in extensive clinical trials showing that a single dose of these substances can have significant and lasting antidepressant effects in people suffering from severe depression.

Although peyote and San Pedro have not been studied as extensively, it’s likely they would have similar antidepressant effects. Their key psychedelic component, mescaline, also activates serotonin receptors in a very similar way to ayahuasca and magic mushrooms.

We don’t know why the activation of the serotonin system in the brain can fight depression – but most contemporary antidepressant medications also boost serotonin levels, suggesting that it’s an effective way to treat the condition.

The kappa opioid system

Salvia contains a unique psychedelic substance that activates only one very specific receptor in the brain, and its pharmacology suggests that it could be a powerful anti-addictive medicine.

Salvinorin A, the main psychoactive substance in Salvia, activates the kappa opioid receptor (KOR). Although this is an opioid receptor, it actually carries out a role you might not expect – it helps prevent addiction.

Studies have shown that if you activate the KOR in lab rats at the same time as giving them access to unlimited quantities of cocaine, the rats are less likely to show addictive behaviors.

These findings have given researchers hope that Salvia could help them develop an anti-addiction medication – one that could not only help people go through withdrawal, but also prevent addiction to highly dependent substances like cocaine or heroin.

Studies have also shown that Salvia could be an effective painkiller. Mice who are given Salvinorin A are less likely to experience discomfort when sitting on a steadily warming surface. The prospect of developing a non-addictive painkiller is very exciting for sufferers of chronic pain.

Scientists are attempting to develop chemical analogues of Salvia that could fight addiction or pain without causing you to trip!

The Mystical Experience

Although we’re learning more about the pharmacology of these healing plants, their unique effects on the mind sets them apart from other natural remedies. People describe having intense mystical experiences with these plants, that give them a fresh perspective on life. The intensity of the psychedelic experience has been directly linked to the healing benefits of these plant medicines – so there’s possibly more than just chemistry happening behind the scenes.

In studies on depression and tobacco addiction, where magic mushrooms have been used to effectively treat these health conditions, researchers found that the people who reported the most mystical experiences were also more likely to be healed.

A mystical experience is considered a state of mind that is very hard to describe – and involves a sense of realization or awakening, an encounter with some kind of universal truth or entity, and a sense of interconnectedness or timelessness. People often report mystical experiences giving them a fresh perspective on life, helping to give them new purpose or motivation to make positive changes.

So how can we make the mystical experience happen?

Unfortunately there’s no simple answer. We can’t directly link the mystical experience to pharmacology – some people have a mystical experience on very low doses of psychedelic plants, while others need very high doses! It can also arise spontaneously without the input of any substance whatsoever.

It seems as if the combination of psychedelic plants with holistic practices such as meditation, journaling, introspection, prayer, yoga or outdoor exercise is most likely to produce a mystical experience. Like the attainment of enlightenment through meditation, achieving a true mystical experience probably requires practice and patience.

How can you use psychedelic plant medicines?

There are many ways to use psychedelic medicines in your life – and you don’t even have to trip if you don’t want to.

Although the healing benefits of psychedelic plants have been discovered during high-dose experiences, it’s also possible to use tiny doses in your daily life to gain some of the positives too.

Additionally, there are a number of holistic practices you can use to amplify the benefits of a single psychedelic experience, potentially making one trip all you need to significantly change your life.

In the next part of this series, we will explain the easiest ways to use the healing benefits of psychedelic plant medicines while staying as safe as possible. Stay tuned!

Guest Post by Patrick Smith

Patrick Smith is a writer and biologist who has worked in the psychedelic community for several years. He writes about the scientific and cultural aspects of psychedelic plants for the educational platform EntheoNation.

The post The Pharmacology of Psychedelic Plant Medicines appeared first on The Renegade Pharmacist.

N-Dimethyltryptamine – more commonly referred to as DMT – is a naturally occurring chemical that we find in both animals and plants. Because of the intense psychedelic experience that you get from a DMT trip, some refer to it as the “spirit molecule.”

The original use of DMT comes in the form of tea brewed from the shrub Psychotria viridis. This tea is often used by the indigenous people in the Amazon for ritual purposes. Even though the traditional use of DMT dates back to as far as the 8^th century, the Western world has only recently begun to understand just what this hallucinogenic is capable of.

Why is it that so many people consider the use of DMT something like a ‘religious’ experience, something that leaves them at peace with the universe? To understand that, we need to delve a little deeper.

The facts about DMT

The white crystalline powder that comprises DMT comes from plants found in parts of Asia, South American, and Mexico. The traditional ways of using DMT are the following:

• Smoke or vaporize it in a pipe;
• Consume it in a brew as the indigenous people in the Amazon do;
• Inject or snort it (though these instances are rare).

There is strong evidence to suggest that our bodies naturally produce DMT. The specific part responsible for the production of DMT in the body is the pineal gland in the brain. While there is strong evidence that this is the fact in animals, there is no conclusive evidence in humans.

Dosage and Length of a DMT Trip

Depending on how you use DMT, the dose that you need to experience the effects range between 30 to 150 milligrams.

Smoking DMT

If you smoke DMT, the onset of your DMT trip are almost instantaneous. Between 3 and 5 minutes after smoking, your DMT trip will peak and plateau and the experience will typically last between 30 to 45 minutes.

Drinking DMT

Consuming DMT as a brew is quite a different experience. In these cases, the dose is typically between 35 to 75 mg. You are likely to experience the effects after 30 to 45 minutes and notice that the peak and plateau arrive 2 to 3 hours after ingestion. After around 4 to 6 hours, the DMT trip comes to an end.

The Effects of a DMT Trip

As you can imagine, the means of administration is going to change the duration and intensity of DMT use. Those who inject the drug notice immediately psychedelic effects that are almost instant, while those who drink it have less intense effects for much longer. There are a few physical symptoms that may occur when taking DMT orally. These include diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting. Other physical effects include rapid rhythmic eye movements, dizziness, dilated pupils, agitation, chest tightness, and an increased heart rate and blood pressure.

The hallucinogenic and psychedelic side effects of the use of DMT are far more profound and depend on the dosage that someone uses.

While a lower dose has no hallucinogenic responses, it does have a handful of sensory and emotional responses. The higher doses of DMT produce sensations of rapidly moving images, bright colours, and the sensation of movement. The sensations experienced with DMT are often equated to looking through a kaleidoscope. In higher doses, you may have the sensation that you are speaking to other life forms; these are often referred to as elves, dwarves, or smaller extra-terrestrials.

A Personal Anecdote

Unlike other hallucinogenic drugs, my DMT trip allowed me to experience something so radically different from anything that I have ever tried before and I believe it gave me a new look on reality. The use of DMT makes the use of other hallucinogens feel obsolete. It is hard to find words to describe a DMT trip – it makes you feel like you are in your most pure form. A DMT trip fills you with happiness and peace.

You feel as though you are being pulled through space and time, as though you are breaking through our realm and into another completely unknown realm – it feels so abstract and intense.

Stepping so far out of my own boundaries meant that I felt comfortable with myself. Like I had a renewed outlook on life and our experiences.

That is not to say that the positive feelings associated with a DMT trip means that it is addictive – the contrary.

While I still like to use DMT at times, the experience is simply too intense to use without separating yourself from it for a while. I personally believe that this is something most everyone should try at least once, just to have a sense of understanding of the capability of our brain beyond our usual understanding.

Tips For Your First DMT Trip

Respect

Firstly, it is important to respect this mysterious compound. It is a powerful substance and it should not be abused. In fact, a DMT trip can bring you much clarity on your life outlook. Before your DMT trip, ask yourself: what do you want to get out of this experience? Do you have something to resolve internally? Do you want to explore the universe? Or do you just want to enjoy yourself and see where you are taken?

DMT Trip Sitter

It is always a good idea to have someone you trust present who will look after you during and after your DMT trip. This person will make sure that you do not hurt yourself (for example, by dropping the bong when your trip begins), and that you come back to reality safely and calmly. It is also good to have someone with you to speak about your experiences afterwards.

Comfortable Setting

It is a good idea to have your first DMT trip in a setting that you feel comfortable in. You are going to experience things that look and feel completely surreal during your trip, so knowing that you are in a safe place before your trip can ease your mind. It also feels reassuring to return back to your usual plane of consciousness in a familiar environment.

How To Take DMT

From personal experience I recommend smoking DMT with a gravity bong if you are going to smoke. While a normal bong is acceptable, a gravity bong has a number of benefits. The primary is that a gravity bong is going to get the substance into your lungs quickly. When compared to marijuana or cigarettes for example, smoking DMT is very harsh and abrasive. It can make you cough a lot, and with a traditional bong, people often start coughing before being able to inhale everything.

Given the scarcity of DMT, you want to make sure that you avoid this. The first hit might be the only one you get. As far as dosage is concerned when smoking, a low dose is anything less than 20mg, 20 to 35mg is a standard dose, and a strong dose is anything over 35mg.

Conclusions

DMT is a sacred molecule that should be treated with respect. When you understand what DMT is, how to use it, and what you can gain from a DMT trip, your experience will be much better, more profound, and could change your life.

As long as you follow the above guidance, you are sure to have an enjoyable DMT trip and a newfound respect for the universe and for your third eye.

Produce DMT Naturally Using Very Simple Methods

Click here to find out how you can produce DMT within your own body after just a few weeks of practice!

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Hypoxia

Hypoxia is said to occur when your body or a specific organ of the body is not getting an adequate amount of oxygen supplied to it. It can be of two types:

1. General hypoxia that affects the entire body.
2. Local hypoxia that affects only a part of the body.

What is Intermittent Hypoxia?

Intermittent Hypoxia is an induced condition in which a person goes through alternating periods of hypoxia and normoxia. Here, normoxia refers to the normal exposure to the oxygen present in the environment which is typically 21%. Hypoxia is fairly lower than this percentage.

Induced hypoxia is controlled and given in specific doses under the supervision of medical professionals.

Hypoxia is said to be the cause of various negative physiological changes, but the reason why many doctors get frightened when they hear this term is because it can cause damage to cells and tissues. However, when controlled episodic hypoxia is induced, it can be used to treat various unhealthy and abnormal occurrences in the body.

Intermittent hypoxia has been the center of research and of particular interest in the past few decades because of its newly discovered beneficial properties. After conducting various research studies it is now well accepted that controlled and brief episodes of hypoxia can prevent the tissues from multiple possible injuries and also aids in the healing process.

Hypoxia promotes the production of the enzyme called Nitric Oxide Synthase, it is believed that this enzyme plays a very vital role against oxidative damage in the body. The more the nitric oxide is present in the body, the more it protects the tissues from possible damage. It can also cause the arteries to dilate, thus hypoxia can also treat conditions like erectile dysfunction by allowing the quick vasodilation for the erection.

DNA damage is quite common when cells are undergoing the division process, p35 is a regulatory factor that reverses this damage and the presence of hypoxia promotes the production of p35, thus playing an important role in DNA repair.

Some common beneficial effects of intermittent hypoxia are:

• Strengthens the immune system
• Increases tolerance to glucose
• Decreases inflammation
• Decreases hypertension
• Increases hemoglobin levels in the blood
• Enhances memory and spatial learning
• Increases resistance to various injuries and ageing

Stem Cells

Stem cells are also called special cells because they are different from the normal cells in the human body. Stem cells have the ability to renew themselves regardless of their origin. Stem cells can also divide themselves rapidly and since they are not specific, they can divide into specific types of cells as required by the body.

Our body is in constant need of new cells to function and the normal cells present in the body like the muscle cells and cardiovascular cells are unable to make copies of themselves, thus they need the help from stem cells to do that for them.

Stem cells are important for the maintenance of skin, blood, tissues and organs present that undergo damage over the course of time. It is because of these properties, stem cells have been on the forefront of research for the last few decades.

Hypoxia and Stem Cells

Did you know that the oxygen level in the embryo is almost equal to that on Mount Everest?

When the fetus is developing in the mother’s womb, it is provided with a very protected environment, safe from mechanical shocks due to the presence of the amniotic fluid present in the womb. As well as providing the fetus with all the nutritional requirements and adequate temperature, a big factor that is usually not acknowledged is that the womb is an hypoxic environment.

It is this hypoxic condition that helps in promoting the growth and multiplication of stem cells, in other words their differentiation. The stem cells are said to be maximum in number during the fetal life in the embryo. This is the scientific reason behind the preference of using embryonic stem cells which are collected from the umbilical cord.

When a newborn baby is exposed to normal air with a high percentage of oxygen, the pressure of oxygen rises in their arteries. This makes the stem cells disappear rapidly from the blood system.

In adults, stem cells are only in specific locations of low oxygen like the bone marrow. This happens because of the presence of hypoxia in bone marrow. The circulation of blood is very low and the oxygen is constantly being extracted.

This location in the bone marrow also is beneficial anatomically. The stem cells reside in such areas gathered in clusters, surrounded by the differentiated cells on the outer layer. The cells on the outside of these clusters consume a lot of oxygen, which in turn creates a very hypoxic environment for the stem cells within, helping them to survive for longer periods of time.

Osteoarthritis is less prevalent in hilly areas. Research has been carried out to confirm this and it is said to be due to the fact that the hypoxic environment of the hilly or high altitude areas promote the presence of stem cells and their constant migration to the bone marrow. This is all because of the presence of hypoxia.

Hypoxia And Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Hematopoietic stem cells have an innate ability and potential to differentiate and become blood cells. However, the repopulation property is quite low under normal physiological condition of the body.

Scientific evidence indicates that hypoxia can greatly enhance the differentiation and proliferation of stem cells and research backs it up that stem cells can survive for longer periods of time in an hypoxic environment. They are more capable of their self-renewal process in 2% of oxygen present in the atmosphere as compared to the normal 20% in natural air.

This happens because the balance between the differentiation of stem cells and their pluripotency is maintained by the optimum oxygen content in the tissues by the suppression of NADPH oxidase formation and protecting the cells from the toxic effects of oxyradicals (any group of radicals that react as soon as they interact with oxygen).

How Hypoxia Can Help Treat Diseases By Promoting The Growth Of Stem Cells

From birth, then to a young individual and finally to old age. As the years go by the number of stem cells continues decreasing, leading to damage in the body and neurodegenerative diseases. It is possible to facilitate the migration of these stem cells from the bone marrow to the various body tissues by just a little dose of hypoxia on a daily basis.

Various studies have shown that intermittent hypoxia is also reported to help with injury repair and has anti-inflammatory properties by stimulating the mobilization of stem cells present in the bone marrow. There is no need to extract stem cells from bone marrow and then injecting them in the place of need like the damaged organ or tissues.

If hypoxia is induced, the stem cells can be made to relocate and circulate as needed with the help of controlled oxygen present in the tissues, the technique called intermittent hypoxia!

Hypoxia can help treat various disorders that have no possible cure like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and osteoarthritis in old age.

Try SOMA Breath Techniques to Induce Brief Intermittent Hypoxia and Heal Yourself on Every Level.

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References

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Carreras A, Almendros I, Acerbi I, Montserrat JM, Navajas D and Farre R. Obstructive apneas induce early release of mesenchymal stem cells into circulating blood. Sleep 2009; 32: 117-119

Gozal E, Sachleben LR Jr, Rane MJ, Vega C and Gozal D. Mild sustained and intermittent hypoxia induce apoptosis in PC-12 cells via different mechanisms. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2005; 288: C535-542

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The Darkness Retreat With Shashi Solluna

I just had one of the best months of my life at a resort called Serenity Living with some of the world’s top tantra practitioners in a stunning location on a magical island called Koh Phangan in Thailand.

This is a co-working, co-living community curated by my dear friend Shashi Solluna, a Taoist tantra teacher. We have even co-created her debut meditation album that is now being signed by Hay House.

We are all at around the table on one of last few days together having a last supper to celebrate the launch of our album with the rest of the community.

The soaring highs, the sheet depth of connections, and the innumerable positive insights and emotions created from this month of embracing tantra at a deep level for the first time ever over-shadowed any thoughts of the trip I was about to embark on to Zorba The Buddha. This is an Osho based retreat centre found in a tranquil sanctuary in the heart of Delhi, the capital of my motherland India.

I had no idea of what I was about to really put myself through and the real seriousness of the revelation and deep insights I was about to receive. All talk of this amongst my friends was making fun of the obvious question:

Why on Earth would anyone want to spend an entire week in complete darkness?

How Can A Darkness Retreat Awaken You?

Many spiritual and shamanic traditions have used meditations in pitch darkness as a method of healing, transformation and awakening. How can this simple technique be a catalyst of transformation?

If we take a look at the chemistry of the brain we can begin to understand the biochemistry behind awakening.

How A Darkness Retreat Awakens The Pineal Gland

It is thought that the biological structure associated with the third eye, or inner eye, is a gland called the pineal gland. Some theories say that the pineal gland can become calcified, and thus our inner vision becomes dulled or blocked. By purifying this gland, it is decalcified and thus activated.

Activation of the pineal gland may be what ancient mystics have called “opening your third eye”. Spiritual awakening is a shift in perception. It is not the outer world that changes, but the inner world.

When the perception shifts from seeing separation to seeing oneness, it is said we see with our inner eye open. Along the way, the practitioner may or may not experience shifts in perception such as psychic abilities, astral travel, and lucid dreaming.

The pineal gland has been called “the seat of the soul” (Descartes and Bailey) and is thought to be a very profound spiritual center of the brain. In Tao Tantra, there is a term called the “crystal palace” used in meditation. This is said to be connected to both the third eye and the crown chakra. Thus to activate it is to activate the higher spiritual centers.

Why DMT Is Produced In The Brain During A Darkness Retreat

The chemistry of the brain gets really interesting when we start to look deeper into the pineal gland. We find that under circumstances of light deprivation, the pineal produces a psychedelic substance called DMT. This is a naturally occurring substance, which occurs at birth and death in humans.

DMT is also produced during a shamanic plant medicine drinking ritual called “Ayahuasca”, which is drunk for visionary purposes. However, it has been discovered that an individual can develop the release of DMT naturally within their own brain, in a more natural and gentle way through meditation, darkness retreats, and pineal gland decalcification.

The Darkness Retreat

Learn What Happens When You Open Your Third Eye Here

https://dh8jl46frt.wpdns.site/opening-the-third-eye/

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Health = Order, Disease = Disorder

This is the basis on which Ayurveda is built. Within the body, there is a constant interaction between order and disorder. When the body becomes imbalanced and there is more disorder than order, a Panchakarma can be a highly effective process to bring balance and order back into your being.

Bring balance and order back into your life using SOMA breathwork techniques.

In this article we will discuss:

• The basics of Ayurvedic Doshas.
• What is Panchakarma?
• The 5 types of Panchakarma cleanses.
• How to cleanse your body and restore balance at home.

Ayurvedic Doshas

Before you begin a Panchakarma, you will need to understand you body’s Dosha type. According to Ayurveda, every single person is a unique combination of universal consciousness, made from the five basic elements: Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Ether.

There are 3 main Dosha types:

1. Vata – A combination of Air and Ether.
2. Pitta – A combination of Fire and Water.
3. Kapha – A combination of Water and Earth.

These three organisations of the body affect your body type (for example how easily you gain or lose weight) as well as your personality traits and the types of illnesses and ailments you are more likely to experience.

Every person has a different proportion of each Dosha. You might be totally Vata, Pitta, or Kapha predominant. Or, perhaps you are Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Kapha, or Kapha-Vata predominant. Rarely, someone will be Vata-Pitta-Kapha predominant.

This balance of Dosha type is unique to you, and is your own natural order. Your health is negatively impacted when the balance is disturbed. Sometimes this imbalance can be dramatic, and you may experience multiple minor or major health problems.

This is where Panchakarma comes in.

What is Panchakarma?

Ayurveda states that releasing toxins from the body is key to preventing disease. Panchakarma is an intense cleansing process that purifies your body from the inside out.

You can go to a Panchakarma retreat for up to 21 days, but some people do a lighter version of Panchakarma in their own home.

Panchakarma includes 5 different cleansing methods

5 Panchakarma Cleansing Methods

1. Vamana: Therapeutic Vomiting

Vamana is the process of therapeutic vomiting to eliminate the mucus build up as a result of excess Kapha. If someone is prone to colds, coughs, and asthma, it is a sign of excess Kapha. Therapeutic vomiting is also related to diabetes and chronic indigestion. Emotions that are stored in the stomach and lungs can be released in this process.
Once vamana is complete, you will feel instantly lighter, any wheezing or breathlessness will have disappeared, and you will have a clear mind and a clear sounding voice. Afterward, it is recommended that you rest, fast, and release bodily urges whenever you feel the need.

2. Virechan: Purgation

The second method of Panchakarma, virechan, is related to excess Pitta. Excess bile produced and accumulated in the liver and small intestines can lead to rashes, skin inflammation, acne, nausea, and jaundice. Virechan, or purgation, is the act of ingesting an Ayurvedic laxative. This is to restore the Pitta balance in your body. In fact, this process can totally cure the problem of excess Pitta.

3. Basti: Enema

The third cleansing process of Panchakarma is an enema. Vata is the force that is most active in diseases. Vata is stored in the large intestines and bone tissue. You reach the root cause of disease by controlling Vata through basti or enema.

4. Nasya: Eliminate of toxins through the nose

The nose is the doorway to the brain and to consciousness. Prana, life force energy, enters the body through breaths inhaled nasally. Prana is found in the brain and maintains sensory and motor functions, regulates mental activities, memory, concentration and intellectual activities.

Nasya is a nasal massage. Here is how to do it: each morning and evening, dip your little finger in ghee. Slowly begin massaging the inner walls of your nose in a clockwise motion, then counterclockwise, gradually working your way up. Do not be forcible in this process, but aim to eventually insert your finger as far as it will go.

Ensure that you keep your fingernails very short, so you don’t damage the delicate mucous membrane in the nose. In time, your breathing pattern will change, emotions will be released, and your eyesight may even improve as the days go on.

5. Rakta Moksha: Detoxify the blood

The intestinal tract absorbs nutrients into the body. The same goes for toxins in the intestinal tract. This leads to conditions like hypertension and other circulatory problems including rashes, acne, and chronic itching or hives. The final method of Panchakarma is to detoxify the blood system. Pitta and blood have a very close relationship: an excess of Pitta in the blood causes toxicity.

Traditionally carried out with leeches, releasing blood from the body by other means is also widely carried out today. Letting blood causes the spleen to produce anti-toxic substances boost immune system activity. Toxins in the blood are then neutralised, which results in dramatic improvements or cures from many blood disorders.

Purify your body at home

Panchakarma is an extreme form of purging and cleansing. It is a big commitment that commands a lot of respect for Ayurvedic traditions. Some people choose to create their own milder version of Panchakarma at home.

This article has shown you the basics of Ayurvedic Dosha types, and outlined the 5 core principles of Panchakarma.

Panchakarma is a process of great depth, and there are some treatments excluded from this article, such as Shirodhara – the act of pouring warm liquids on your forehead.

The truth is, it is not necessary to go these extreme lengths to cleanse your body. There are much more readily-available processes that require less effort but still produce maximum results.

SOMA Breath techniques combine the ancient yogic wisdom of Pranayama with modern day science. This allows you to access your “inner pharmacy”, purify your blood, increase your energy and mental clarity, increase your longevity, and even heal faster from illnesses and ailments.

The post Panchakarma – What is Panchakarma? appeared first on The Renegade Pharmacist.

The G Spot is a big topic in the world of sexuality and pleasure. Dubbed a gynaecologic myth, direct stimulation can be a challenge for both men and women. However, when you get it right the reward is enormous amounts of pleasure.

What if you could access the same orgasmic powers and pleasure of the G Spot, without physically touching it?

What if you could sparkle your day with small “shots” of full body ecstasy, anytime you want, using ONLY your breath?

This is very possible.

Full body orgasmic energy is one of the many elements of SOMA Breathwork Meditation that both men and women can enjoy. Once you understand and integrate these easy techniques, your quality of life will increase exponentially.

In this article you will learn:

• The SOMA Breathing technique that will stimulate the G Spot for both men and women
• How this breathing technique works!
• Where to take this knowledge even further and improve ALL aspects of your life

Stimulate The G Spot Without Physical Touch

Practitioners of Kundalini Yoga and Tantra already know how to do this. They use a component called the “Mula Bhanda”. This term refers to the pelvic floor muscles around the genitalia.

Also known as the PC (pubococcygeus) muscles, they are the same muscles you’d use to hold in your urine.

Although it takes time to develop the sensitivity to master the technique, the practice you’re about to learn is worth the effort.

This is also a safe way to gradually awaken the kundalini, which has the potential to become an incredible vibrant force that will wash over your whole body.

This will make your intimate life much deeper and many men are surprised that they can also feel full body orgasms.

How To Practice The Technique

1. Take a deep breath in “squeeze” the pelvic floor muscles at the top of your breath
2. Hold your breath in and keep your pelvic floor muscles contracted for a few seconds
3. Exhale through the mouth as you release the muscles and fully relax
4. Repeat

Further Guidance

1. Always breathe in through your nose, from the belly.
2. When you contract or “squeeze” the pelvic floor muscles, the rest of the body needs to be fully relaxed. It will take some practice, but it is KEY to fully isolate these muscles.
3. As you hold the breath in with the contraction, pay attention to the feelings in your body. This is where the G Spot is being stimulated and the Kundalini energy is being awakened.
4. A daily meditation practice will help develop the sensitivity in the movement of energy in your body.

One More Note

Breathing properly is super important. Learn how to do it in this video:

How This Simple Technique Works

As you practice more and more with this technique, you will notice that there are several different areas. You will also notice that they trigger different feelings in different parts of the body.

The PC muscles are connected to the entire base of the body, which is where the root and sacral chakras, or lower dan tien, or lower energy centre, is located. You’re not only stimulating the G spot but rather many different areas.

This explains why Kundalini awakening can be so strong. You’re awakening the same potential of a full body orgasm through Yogic asanas and breathing techniques.

Men and Women Develop Similarly in The Womb

Men and women begin developing the same way in the womb. Once the fetus reaches a certain stage, the genital start to differentiate. For example:

1. In men, the main gland grows and develops outwards of the body. For women, this is the clitoris which grows inwards.
2. The outer lips of the vagina, are the skin around the penis.
3. Men actually have a uterus, however it is microscopic since it never developed.
4. The G spot in women is the prostate gland in men.

Benefits of This Practice 

As you slowly awaken this powerful energy, you will find that simple, everyday tasks can become very enjoyable. You will literally have a feel good “push button” anytime you want. This can become an amazing tool for dealing with stressful situations and changing back to a “good mood” whenever you need it.

Other benefits include…

Better Back and Hip Support

The PC muscles are a component of the core muscles, which play an important role in supporting the spine and hips. Working them out this way can actually relieve lower back pain and protect the joints of the pelvis, tailbone, and lower spine.

Bladder support

The pelvic floor muscles also support the bladder. By keeping them strong, you can prevent or cure bladder leakage.

Increase Vitality and Energy

By taking a breath in and holding it, you are generating a small shot of adrenaline in the body. When you incorporate the pelvic floor contraction, you are adding a Kundalini force to the exercise. This results in a burst of energy and small increase of core temperature whenever you need it.

Benefits for Men

Since the male G spot is the prostate gland, regular stimulation will lower your chances of developing prostate cancer. You will also increase your stamina in general.

Benefits for Women

By working out these muscles, it can improve the childbirth process, help speed up your recovery, and make orgasms easier.

By the way, read this article explaining how orgasmic energy is an amazing way to generate new brain cells and neural path ways.

Conclusions

To get the full benefits of G spot stimulation without physical touch, the PC muscle contractions will take regular practice. But believe us, it’s worth it.

One of the main SOMA Breathwork exercises uses this muscle, so start practising SOMA Breathwork today! SOMA Breathwork comes with many other benefits such as more vitality, complete relaxation, emotional blockage release, stimulation and awakening of different parts of your brain.

All of this AND you get to learn how to stimulate the G spot without even touching it!

You can experience all of this in one of SOMA Breath;s free weekly webinars. Join the next one here.

Much love!
Orlando – SOMA Team

The post G Spot Stimulation Without Physical Touch for Men and Women appeared first on The Renegade Pharmacist.

To take this even further, brilliant scientific-driven music producers have developed amazing sound technology that can not only give you instant stress release, but also help you increase the quality of your life and, done the right way, with the proper training, help you attract into your life what you deeply want.

In this article you will find:

1. Relaxing Sounds designed to raise the vibrations of your brain 
2. An explanation of how this music works.
3. How to take this to the next level and use it as a tool to accelerate the achievement of your goals while increasing the quality of your life.
4. The best science based training available today

Relaxing Sounds

By now, the art of music has become so advanced that “scientific” producers are able to create sounds designed to “trigger” or “awaken” certain states in the human brain and body. This happens through the concept of Brain Entrainment.

Created by the Renegade Pharmacist himself, here are some relaxing sounds for 30 mins, designed to relax your brain fully. By allowing yourself and your body to completely let go and enjoy a peaceful moment, you’re actually giving your body the time and space it needs to regenerate itself.

By listening to this music regularly, you will develop a great resilience to stress and will be able to tackle your day with more peace and clarity.

Preferably with headphones, play this video in full screen. You can either enjoy the visuals, or simply let them dance in the background of your eyes closed.

The more you listen to these relaxing sounds, the easier you will recognize the feelings of “self-healing”. The more you experience them, the more such feelings will be with you during your day. This is a great way to build resilience to stress.

How To Use Relaxing Sounds To Accelerate The Create The Life You Really Want

Relaxing music will give your brain and body some rest. In such state, your mind is actually very receptive to change. This is how we can use this music to improve our lives.

As you listen to this sounds, and enjoy deep relaxation, try this:

1. Imagine, as vivid as you can, something that you would like to have
2. Do your best to imagine it as if you already had it
3. Ask yourself these questions:
   • How would I FEEL, if I ALREADY HAD what I want?
   • What kind of person do I need to be to have what I want?
   • What would it FEEL like to be that person?
   • What would be my posture and facial expression like…if I already am that person?

During deep relaxation, the more you dive into those feelings, the more you will actually start to feel them as though they were real. This will take some practice, but when you figure out how to Feel as thought you have what you want, BEFORE you have it, this is how we manifest what we want, almost like magic.

Most importantly, you must imagine yourself being the person that you need to be, with the qualities and characteristics, work ethic, loving behavior, etc, so that it makes sense for the world to give you what you ask.

Best Training Available Today

This article is meant to be an introduction. You can use the music and instructions to get started. However with the proper training you can master these skills in a matter of days, and start taking steps towards your ideal life right away!

Try out this webinar, where you will be introduced to the most advanced manifestation techniques available today, fully based in both science and ancient wisdom. Simple breathing techniques, relaxing sounds and the amazing power of your own imagination.

You will build an amazing resilience to stress, train yourself to self heal, have a super strong immune system and figure out what you deeply, truly want in life and come up with a plan to achieve it.

The system is called SOMA Breath and was created by the Renegade Pharmacist himself, based around the methods that not only saved his life, but that are making his dreams (and thousand’s of others around the world) come true. Register here, it’s free.

Much Love
Orlando – Renegade Team

The post Relaxing Sounds – Music Designed To Increase The Quality Of Your Life appeared first on The Renegade Pharmacist.

Here is a yoga nidra meditation combined with Trypnaural brainwave entrainment (alpha/theta/delta) for relaxation, sleep, attracting abundance and manifesting your intentions.

Yoga Nidra Meditation, an ancient meditation technique, is an ultra powerful method for harnessing the power of the law of attraction.

Yoga Nidra Meditation can be used for:

1. Feeling like you had a full nights sleep.
2. Deep relaxation of your mind and body.
3. Law of attraction and manifesting intentions.

What is Yoga Nidra Meditation?

Yoga Nidra Meditation is an ancient meditation technique from India that allows your mind to flow into a deep hypnotic state of deep alpha, theta and delta brainwaves where you can enter into a deep feeling of relaxation and healing.

Yoga nidra meditation is also referred to as ‘Yogi Sleep’ – a state of lucid sleeping, when you are close to being asleep yet your mind is still present.

In this state of deep relaxation, yoga nidra meditation can be used to plant your intentions that program your unconscious mind.

Your reticular activating system is located is your brainstem located in the ‘reptilian brain’. Mastery over the function of the brainstem can bring more control over your life. This mean yoga nidra meditation is method to help you attract more of the things you want into your life, even activating your own internal power for self healing.

For example if you set your intention during yoga nidra meditation to recover from chronic illness, your mind will focus more on creating behaviours that are beneficial to boosting your immune system.

How Does Yoga Nidra Meditation Work?

Yoga nidra meditation works by taking your brain on a journey through the 4 main brainwave states of beta, alpha, theta and delta. Yoga nidra meditation results in a ‘hypnagogic state’ – this is the state between wakefulness and sleep. During this brainwave state you can literally command your subconscious mind to reprogram you to manifest your intentions. You can also enjoy a trippy lucid dream like experience.

By combining a yoga nidra meditation with special brainwave entrainment technology called Trypnaural you can help the journey progress faster and deeper.

What Are Intentions?

If you imagine your life is like a constantly flowing river of events and circumstances, the power of your intention influences the probability of an event or circumstance occuring at a certain point in time.

The more you believe something to be true, the greater your reticular activating system will play out your life to make it true.

An intention can be something material such as wanting your dream car or vacation, or it can be something more physiological such as healing from chronic illness or wanting to reach your perfect weight.

It can also be more spiritually aligned by focusing on something you want to attract that could help the greater good.

The more focused you are on exactly what you want, the greater the power of your intention becomes.

How to set your intentions during Yoga Nidra Meditation

You have to be very careful when selecting your intentions and using them during Yoga Nidra as the process is very powerful and sometimes we can manifest things that we do not really want and are not truly beneficial to us.

Here are some guidelines to follow to make sure you have the greatest chance of success with manifesting your intentions during the practice of Yoga Nidra.

1. Be affirmative and said with conviction – Manifesting successfully is dependent on how strongly you believe with pure conviction that what you are trying to create has already happened. Your unconscious mind cannot distinguish between positive and negative, so if you want to reach your perfect weight, you would say ‘I am at my perfect weight and body shape’ rather than ‘I don’t want to be fat’ otherwise your unconscious mind will act on the word fat, ignoring the don’t and manifest that result instead.

2. They must be in the present tense – as you manifest only what you truly believe has already occurred, all intensions should be in the present tense. For example if you want want attract more money, you would say ‘I am wealthy’ or you can be even more specific and say ‘I have $100k in my bank account”

Other points to consider are:

4. They must be in the first person
5. They must involved a specific action
6. Repetition is essential, so the more times you repeat an affirmation the better. It should become a daily practice.
7. Positive intentions do not magically manifest results, what they do instead is open your subconscious mind to new channels of information and opportunity, so you must take action on these in order for any major changes to happen to your life.

Here are some examples of good and bad positive intentions to use.

I am a creative thinker – good

I want to be a creative thinker – bad

I am in perfect health – good

I don’t want to be fat – bad

So remember to pick the right statements for your intentions, then make it a daily habit to clear the clutter and reprogram your subconscious/unconscious mind.

Learn more about the benefits of meditation and download our popular meditation music here

By Niraj Naik

The post Yoga Nidra Meditation appeared first on The Renegade Pharmacist.

This is a ‘serious’ scientific investigation into the effects to your health, life and your mind after listening to a new genre of rap music called Mumble Rap, also known as Soundcloud Rap that has been sweeping the internet and becoming incredibly popular on places like Youtube and Soundcloud.

In this article you will learn:

1. What exactly is mumble rap.
2. What happens when you listen to mumble rap.
3. How to cure yourself of any harm caused by listening to mumble rap.

What Exactly is Mumble Rap?

The saying goes ‘you must be getting old’ when you begin to judge the music kids are listening to. However in the case of mumble rap, this no longer applies. You have to be a psychologically disturbed and morally challenged individual if you condone the influence to youth culture of one of the most monumental disasters of modern times.

Mumble rap is a new form of rap music that has become incredibly popular in recent times due to several factors that we will explore in this article, including the viral effect of social sharing platforms like Youtube and Soundcloud. It usually consists of a very minimal hiphop or trap breakbeat devoid of anything musical to accompany it. It is then layered with nonsensical mumblings that sounds like it was sung by someone who may have been shot several times in the face and then lost the ability to speak.

According to wikipedia the term “mumble rap” was coined in 2016 by Wiz Khalifa. There is disagreement over who first rapped in such a style, although its creation has been attributed to rappers such as Gucci Mane, Chief Keef, and especially Future. However Mumble rap’s meteoric rise and success may be credited to a Canadian born music star, Drake with the record ‘Hot Line Bling’. Written (using that term loosely) by Drake himself this insult to music has since amassed over a billion views on Youtube.

However Drake is still a very polished version of mumble rap, and no longer even considered to be in the same genre as the new emerging artists, because at least you can make out some of his lyrics, even though a Chinese kindergarten student can probably write a more intellectual sounding song.

Mumble rap on the other hand has unbelievably degenerated into something far worse than what Drake has to offer. Yes, you can safely say Mumble rap is now potentially more dangerous to youth culture than a British Royal pedo ring, and in this article you will discover exactly why.

What happens when you listen to mumble rap

Music is very subjective and it’s effects are different depending on whether you think like it or hate it:

You hate it:

1. You turn it off and immediately save yourself from the toxic effects of this new disaster of a so called musical genre.

You think you like it:

1. At first you hear it and think: “this must be some kind of joke”
2. You freak out because all your friends are actually listening to it
3. Youtube and your friends keep recommending you stuff to listen to. You can’t escape. It’s playing absolutely everywhere.
4. In order to fit in with the ‘cool kids’ you pretend to like mumble rap too. You even begin to look like mumble rap star.
5. You are now literally brainwashed into liking it. Your mind has bee fooled by the power and misuse of social media marketing.
6. You realize how easy it is to make mumble rap. Becoming a mumble rap star seems to be way towards wealth and fame. No need for a job to get off the streets.
7. You resort to shooting a fellow mumble rap star, or raping a child and then bragging about it to get more views.
8. You end up dead or in jail before the age of 20, but hey, at least you were ‘cool’ for a very brief moment.

What Bad Music Does To Your Health

Music has a measurable physiological effect based on whether you resonate with it or not, and music that resonates with you has the ability to light up all areas of your brain and boost low alpha brainwaves associated with optimum cognitive function.

Listen to two pieces of music, one you love and one that you really hate…

How do you feel after listening to each one? Do you feel contracted or expanded? Do you want to relax and enjoy or run away?

So if you really love mumble rap, then it may actually have a positive physiological effect on your body. However if deep down inside you are just faking it to try and fit in, and you secretly hate it, then be warned, because it will have negative effect on your brain.

Researchers at University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore showed that listening to your favourite music can actually be good for your cardiovascular system. Music personally selected by participants of the study that they loved showed to dilate blood vessels, lower blood pressure and improve blood flow. However music that they perceived as stressful (most participants chose heavy metal or gangster rap), narrowed blood vessels and created an unhealthy response.

Music Is The Language Of The Soul

In a study by Sir Dr David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. ,an internationally renowned psychiatrist, into the effects of different types of music using muscle testing. He says that, “Whereas virtually all classical music and most pop music (including “classic” rock and roll) caused a universally strong response, the “hard” or “heavy metal” rock that first gained acceptance in the late 70’s produced a universally weak response.”

Dr Hawkins says that , “Among our test subjects, punk rock, death rock and gangster rap music made every subject go weak, confirming earlier observations made by Dr. John Diamond.”

This means that just by listening to mumble rap, which is an even cruder form of gangster rap, you become weaker –  a side effect of listening to mumble rap that’s not much use for a wannabe gangster!

In a study of students Dr. James Johnson of the University of North Carolina found that listening to rap music increased tolerance for and predisposition to violence. It also promoted materialism and reduced interest in academic studies.

Dr Hawkins concludes that “the music of Bach makes everyone go strong, even if they don’t personally like it, just as heavy metal music makes all subjects go weak, even if they personally prefer it.”

This shows that certain styles of music speak the true language of the soul and resonate with your nervous system in a positive way, regardless of how messed up society has made you and your taste in music.

How Did Mumble Rap Get So Popular?

Imagine when you first had a sip of beer, you may have spat it out and wondered why on earth do adults drink this crap?

The same thing goes for music, why is it that there are some genres of music you cannot stand but then you grow to love (or are you really just faking your love for Drake to be accepted by the cool kids?)

How The Kids Got Brainwashed

Thoughty2 (Arran) a Youtuber makes a great analysis of why music has become so bad today. Back in the time when bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd, artists like Michael Jackon, Stevie Wonder and Prince were selling millions of records worldwide, mainstream music actually featured real musicians who could play real instruments. During this time in the history of commercial music people actually bought records. Due to the digitalization of music, record sales are now non existent forcing record companies to take desperate measures to stay in business.

Music is now accessed cheaply and easily on platforms like Spotify, Youtube and Soundcloud so the record labels make a fraction of what they used to by selling vinyl records and CD’s. It is now estimated to cost $3 – 5 million dollars just to launch an artist so record labels no longer take risks as it is too expensive to test an artist out. It’s far safer with the cookie cutter approach of just repeating a formula over and over again.

Rap music videos are also now constructed with the aim to go viral by trying to be as shocking and offensive as possible.

Drake Made Dumb Music Cool.

Now every single mumble rap or gangster rap song sounds almost identical because they are emulating the one song that made Drake into a star, but not the whole song, just a few bars of it with the most irritatingly catchy mumbling hook. Every rap artist wants to be like Drake. It’s far easier to emulate a dumbed down Drake than his musically, intellectually and lyrically far superior counterpart, Eminem.

Easier to replicate = cheaper to make hits and videos go viral. More concerning to the fate of humanity is that another artist called 6ix9ine took mumble rap to another level of bad taste, and everyone now wants to be like him.

The end of times is near…

6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj video with over 400 billion views!

Music Videos That Inspire Violence

If the music could not get much worse than it is, what definitely takes things to a darker and more disturbing level is the music videos that go with them. Kids with balaclavas and hoodies bragging about their latest rape or murder. Sexually offensive and disrespectful lyrics and images of women. Violence, abuse and bragging about it, seems to be a staple part of the mumble rap formula.

Lyrics That Create A Culture Of Chaos

Just think how much of your life today is a result of something you read, listened to or inspired by a lyric from your favorite song. Words create cultures and musical lyrics may be the most powerful culture forming tool that has ever existed. The bible states ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’  The Rigveda is considered the world’s oldest religious text that is the root of yoga, meditation and the Hindu religion. It is a collection of songs, sung to a special rhythm that is said to contain the secrets of the universe and gave rise to one of the world’s first civilisations located in the Indus valley. This ancient civilisation is claimed to be more spiritually and even technologically advanced than modern society today. People lived many times longer than they do today, and in more harmony with nature.

By simply looking at what the kids are now listening to, and the obvious degeneration of youth culture today witnessed in the world today, in the so called ‘developed nations’, perhaps this claim is not so far fetched.

Last year, Florida rapper XXXTentacion was charged with aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and witness-tampering. You would think a civilised society would choose not to celebrate this artist, however his debut single has been certified platinum by the RIAA, and his debut album has reached No. 2 on the Billboard albums chart.

Another mumble rap star, Kodak Black was fighting sexual harassment charges, while streaming on instagram a video of a group gang bang of a girl in his hotel room. His fans made a digital campaign like the #FreeKodak hashtag showing nothing but support for his behaviour that involves assaulting an unnamed woman, removing her underwear, attacking her orally, and penetrating her.

6ix9ine, arguably the most famous of the new breed of mumble rap stars, who looks like a demented manga cartoon reject with rainbow teeth, has pleaded guilty to the “use of a child in a sexual performance”.

Meanwhile Lil Peep, another huge mumble rap star, recently died of an overdose of fentanyl (the only thing they share in common with mega stars, Prince and Michael Jackson, most definitely not the talent!) Prescription opiates are another staple ingredient of this scene’s lyrics which makes the fast growth of this movement even more terrifying.

The Black Plague Of Music Is An Example Of Technology Gone Wrong

Thanks to the viral nature of platforms like Soundcloud and Youtube, mumble rap stars now have an extremely powerful and cheap method for reaching their fans, who are primarily made up of young kids and teens. Bypassing the filters of more discerning and socially responsible record labels and radio stations, we now have an epidemic of delibrately bad music. Music is now easier and cheaper to make than ever thanks to software and the fact people like Drake, Niki Minaj and other stars of genres like grime made unintelligent beats devoid of music acceptable for release. These days the dumber the music the more popular it becomes in the mainstream it seems.

However this time instead of physically wiping out populations like the black plague did back in the 14th century, technology can now spread and actually breed new generations of people who may be more likely to become rapists, killers and addicts, but now on a potentially unprecedented scale.

Patricia Collins, the author of ‘From Black Power to Hip-Hop: Racism, Nationalism, and Feminism’, “Mass media created a seemingly authentic Black American culture that glamorized drugs, violence, and hypersexuality.” She also correctly states that hip hop has been converted into a multi-billion industry that has been turned to “generate cold, hard cash.”

Several studies now show that negative impact of rap music on youth culture relating to sexual abuse and drugs. One particular study by The Pacific Institute of Research and Evaluation researched 1,200 California community-college students (ages 15–25). The participants answered survey questions about their music-listening habits, use of alcohol and drugs, and aggressive behaviours like fighting. Clements concern regarding hip hop and drug use seems to be true because the study discovered that 70% of the students who listened to hip hop or rap music had connections with their substance use and aggressive behaviors.

Big Budgets Boosts Views and  Brainwashes For Bigger Bottom Lines!

An average mumble rap hit from someone like Trippie Redd can amount 30-50 million views in a relative short period of time, however a mega star like Drake has videos reaching more than a billion views! This was extremely alarming to witness and appeared at first to be a true measure of the popularity of this degenerate genre of music compared to other some what more positive genres of music to youth culture. A meditation music track for example will at most reach 1-2 million views, and the many benefits of meditation for youth culture are undeniable.

However a music industry insider explained that all is not what it seems. He explained that major record labels use paid advertising such as Youtube Promoted Videos as a way to simulate virility of a music track. When you watch a video on Youtube you often and annoyingly will see a short video advert that plays directly before the video you actually wanted to see. Most of the time you will shut this video down and not pay attention to it, however Youtube still classes this as a view!

This means record labels with massive budgets can work with platforms like Youtube to dramatically increase the number of views giving the false impression that it’s popular, when actually it isn’t. This helps the artist in several ways including their bottom line as they now appear to be famous. Mainstream culture follows a very obvious herd mentality and will rather go to see the concert of someone who is famous, or buy the clothes and merchandise of that person, even if the music is atrocious.

This is how you create a brand and make a lot of ‘cold hard cash’

FOFO (The Fear Of Feeling Out) – The Most Dangerous Epidemic Spreading Across The World.

FOFO (fear of feeling out) could be the reason for why something so apparently distasteful can become mainstream culture. After all music is one of the most cultural forming tools that exist, and this may be the reason why…

Back in the time of our tribal ancestors if you were rejected by the tribe it would mean no one would want your babies. Something as trivial as not being able to dance could end in rejection. If you were born a lighter or darker skin color than everyone else, such as an albino, or if you were much smaller or weaker than other members of the tribe you would most likely be excluded, and off on your own you would go.

Unless you were a real ‘renegade’ and managed to create your own competing tribe elsewhere, you would get outcasted, fail to pass on your genes, and would inevitably die a fast and painful death. The fear of this ever happening is perhaps the greatest fear of all and it still drives a lot of human behaviour to this day.

It seems we have moved on a lot since those tribal ancestral times, but has it really? The fear of feeling out or excluded is still a driving factor of a lot of human behaviour. The human need for belonging, connection and love is perhaps the greatest human need of all and is hardwired deep into the bio-survival circuit of the reptilian brain.

Just think back on your own life at how many things you did, decisions you made, events you did or did not attend, books you did or did not read, clothes you would wear or would never dream of wearing simply to fit into the culture you felt most attracted to. Marketing and advertising is all designed to create cultures within cultures, and to lose the deep seated fear of feeling out, to get you to the buy stuff that makes you feel more ‘in’.

Depression and anxiety is a serious epidemic around the world. A big reason for it is this growing movement towards becoming tribal cultures again. You may be at risk of depression if you feel you have been excluded by your current ‘tribe’ because for example you do not earn as much money anymore and you can’t afford to go to the same places as them, or perhaps you do not feel connected anymore to your workmates, peers, friends or even family. Perhaps you turned vegan, but they still eat meat, or you do yoga but they now think you are a weirdo for doing it and so on. Until you discover a new ‘tribe’ that makes you feel more ‘in’ then you may suffer from depression or anxiety, especially if it is your own family who are beginning to exclude you.

Conclusion

Music is one of the most powerful culture forming tools that has ever existed. Kids look up to music stars like their heroes. They want to act like them, dress like them, make as much money as them, take drugs like them, and treat women like them. This is the same for every genre of music, however it did not seem it could get worse than gangster rap, until the devolution of mumble rap.

At one time musicians and artists like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Bob Dylan stood for something. Their music had a message, they spoke out against corruption and wanted to make a positive impact in the world. Where are all the role models gone? With the recent #Metoo campaign exposing pedophilia rings in the film and music industry, and the rise of popularity of new genres of music like mumble rap glamorizing rape and murder, we desperately need a revolution in music or else we are in grave danger.

Music is just like the ring in Lord Of The Rings. It gives great power but at the same time requires great responsibility. Thankfully there are underground artists who still make music for the love of the art, and there are more and more emerging artists who are real talents, with also a positive message for the world.

Learn more about music actually designed to improve your brain functionality and the quality of your life as a result. This is the most advanced sound technology available today.

If you feel like you are part of a “mold”, “trapped” in a style or feel like you are being someone you’re not, here’s a webinar designed to help you find your true self and point your whole life towards becoming the best and most unique version of you: SOMA Live Webinar.

Written by O.G.T

The post Mumble Rap – What Happens After You Listen To Mumble Rap Like Drake, Lil Pump, 6ix9ine, TRIPPIE REDD, etc. appeared first on The Renegade Pharmacist.