--- In [email protected], Share Long wrote: > > Seraph, some wise and ancient cultures also recognized that sex could be used to improve health and even to become enlightened. I guess karma determines whether one is born into a sex is bad culture or a sex is good culture!
For both s3raphita and Share, I know of at least one wise and ancient culture that believes that not only is sex healthy for you, the desire for it is a sure indicator of ill health. I'm speaking about the study of the Chinese tonic herbs. Do not confuse tonic herbs with the larger study of herbology. There are over 10,000 beneficial herbs known in the Chinese canon, but most of them are used to correct something specifically. For example, if you have high blood pressure, drink a certain herb tea. Your blood pressure will go down, but if you *keep* drinking the tea after it returns to normal, it will *keep* going down. The tonic herbs have a different nature. Thousands of years of observation (and "seeing," if you believe in such things) have identified a few herbs that seem to be all about balance. Drink a tonic herb tea and your blood pressure will return to normal if you have high blood pressure, and the same thing will happen if you have low blood pressure. The tonic herbs are taken to bring one's body, mind, and spirit into greater harmony. The "curing" of what ails ya is just the side effect. That's the theory, anyway. I have some faith in it, having experienced the effects that a regimen of tonic herbs did for me once, back when I had greater access to them. Anyway, the noted Chinese tonic herbalists in history are known for their longevity. Life spans of 100+ are more common than rare. And these guys and gals are sexual right to the very end. Some of the male herbal masters father children in their 90s or 100s. When you are being examined by a tonic herb master, it's not all physical. Yes, they take pulse readings, as I understand some Ayurvedic physicians do. But they also take note of subtle body language (How do you walk? Are your shoulders slumped or not?), and they ask you questions about your mental state. What kinds of things does your mind tend to focus on? (Frequent thoughts of death are a big indicator of serious Yang deficiency and the possibility of actual death) And they ask about sex. Not only "Are you gettin' any?," but the more important from their point of view, "Are you even *thinking* about gettin' any?" If the answer to the latter question is "No," from the point of view of Chinese tonic herbalism, the person saying it is in ill health. Anyway, back when I was taking such herbs regularly, I was able to do so because my best friend worked as an apprentice to one of the most famous Western practitioners of tonic herbalism. People from Asia would fly over to L.A. to consult with him, that's how famous he was. And his clientele contained a fair sample of the truly famous, as well. The Stones won't go on tour without a supply of his teas for everyone associated with the tour. Everyone, including the roadies. It's because they've found that the herbs tend to keep people well, and avoid absences due to colds or flue that could jeopardize the tour. The glitterati of L.A. used to flock to his home/shop to get special teas to improve their health, appearance, and...back to the subject of this thread...to enhance their sexual experience. The herbalist in question sold aphrodiasics that are as close as I've ever encountered in this lifetime to "the real thing." I watched one Hollywood starlet have an orgasm while sitting at the tea bar after drinking her tea. Right out of "When Harry Met Sally," except that it was L.A. and no one noticed. :-) Men also came calling, naturally, seeking teas to improve both their potency and their sexual experience or their perceived virility onscreen or onstage. I will not reveal any of their names other than the one who has granted permission to use it. Billy Idol has been a customer for years, because he feels that the teas enhance his...uh...stage presence. My friend was brewing up a batch of Billy's special tea one day, and wound up with "extra." He offered the last remaining cup in the pot to me. Being an ex-hippie and thus up for anything, I drank it. And thus I got to learn a great deal about that phrase "up for anything." I had to walk around with a woodie for two days. It was like being back in high school, but without a notebook to hold in front of you to disguise things. :-) > On Friday, December 27, 2013 9:49 PM, "s3raphita@..." s3raphita@... wrote: > > > > Re "Those suicidal terrorists convinced themselves to be above human weaknesses, including fear of death and attraction to women.": > > Totally agree. The irony, of course, is that it is *not* weak to be afraid of death or experience sexual attraction. >
