Couch 125 - We shall survive!

I wish I could host a drumming circle for the couch.

What would that look like? I'm curious.

Your pic looks awesome and peaceful. Wish there were groups like thatnout here.

Oooooooo....lovely

Just curious. Does anyone else have a reaction to MSG (mono sodium glutamine). I have a reaction to it and I think it's an allergic reaction but I was just curious if anyone else has a reaction to it. It can come really close to anxiety and not being able to "think straight"

It's very pretty! Forgive me please. What exactly is it?

Thank you! I would agree with the placebo aspect, except my terribly upset tummy tells me that it is real. Very real. I try to stay far away from MSG as best I can. I messed up tonight and fixed some instant cheese grits, no southern comments please . It wasn't too long after that, that I started feeling the side effects. Agitation, headache, anxiety and trying to put my thoughts together. There is also yellow 5 and red 40 as ingredients. Those aren't good either.

Why can't food people produce food that is good for you and not harmful?

I've done 2 essential oil allergy shooters and feel a bit better. Still bad headache. I'm going to do one more and go to bed. Hopefully it will be better in the morning.

It used to give my mother a bad headache. It was very connected to msg and I don't agree that her bad reaction to it was due to a placebo effect.
I like grits.
I think all science has aspects of pseudo-ness. One study will say one thing, another study will say another and so on. Plus so many of the studies have agendas that I don't find them all that trustworthy.

I know they don't realise the effect incense has on me but they are burning it and its not helping my mood and I don't know what to do.

I never said that pain that stems from the placebo effect is not real. Of course it is, the placebo effect means that we get actual real symptoms or other effects stemming from a cause that is different from what we might believe. Please do not twist my words.

Not exactly the same thing, but yeah theres a very close link between my stomach and my brain. Oh and my butt. Sorry about that!

I don't agree it is pseudo science or placebo effect -i think science and its studies are not reliable.

I spend way too much time with right now with mds telling me their science does not explain what we see happening with my person. Their studies say X is not due to medicine Y and yet when not on Medicine Y, she does not have a very visible side effect and about a minute after taking Y it comes back and that being the only change -I am not going to believe that it is the placebo effect -particularly when it happens even if she is sedated and does not know she has been given Y. They just stand there, watching X happen and say the studies don't show it as a side effect. Now that they have finally agreed to stop with Y, she does not have to deal with X.
So I am not enamoured of their science or studies as applying across the board as they might like everyone to believe.

And I was not replying to you.

And Okay I modified my response.

the labyrinth you mean? they're similar to a maze, except in a labyrinth, there's no dead ends, as in, you can't get "lost". The way in, is also the way out. One of our members is our labyrinth maker, he lays them out just by feel he never has a sketch or a plan he just listens to his body and walks them out laying the ropes holding them in his hands and placing them with his feet. It's an awe-inspiring process watching him lay them. Anyway in the center there's an altar of some kind, and walking a labyrinth is a very personal thing. We don't talk or greet each other while walking, in my picture you can see feet (I didn't want to show people's faces that's why I cropped it). Also there is a consistent drumbeat while we're walking, several people take turns drumming while we walk. We walk together but each thinking our own thoughts or prayers or songs or chants or releasing or whatever people need. At the center, we usually have a basket of blessings that have been pre-written and each person takes one to be read after we walk out and shared with the group after if we choose to. Last night we had a bowl of flower petals at the beginning, you could choose to pick some up and release into them whatever you needed to release (me, I blew into them the pain I'm working on releasing from 30+ years ago) and then in the center was a bowl of water to put the petals in and cleanse the whatever away. Then you take a moment of silence if you choose, and a little bell to ring, I always do, then I get up again and walk back out always feel more centered and relaxed and last night, I felt lighter again. It's really a beautiful and spiritual practice for me.

And if that's not what you were asking, now you know more than you wanted to know!

Thank you Art! That was what I was asking about. It is very beautiful and it sounds like a deeply personal experience.

Thank you for sharing it with me.

There is probably a way to skype a drum circle. I am not into it, but I think those of you who are could use technology to set it up if you wanted

Bonus - over Skype, no one will poke an eye out!

There you go!

The group where i go, the facilitator does online circles, similar to skype i think. I've never attended an online one, but i think i will soon just to see how she does it.

Hello new couch. Yes, we shall survive indeed. Still uncertain about what t I'm using, which is causing me a little anxiety. But I should know soon, at least I hope. Considering going back to very old t, even though I thought she made counselling too religious even after I asked her not to.

I may like an online drumming circle. Maybe someday I'll try one.

I always thought i would like drumming. Then one time during my dbt group several years ago, they had us drum on the table, some people REALLY got into it, so between the wildness and the heavy thumping, i had to leave the room. It kinda reminded me of stuff my uncles did when they were playing cards with my mother when i would be half asleep and not allowed to go to bed, and they would be angry, so it wasnt a good feeling. But im kinda bummed that i think i wouldnt enjoy it, cuz they have drum circles all the time in this town. Maybe being outside vs inside a small stinky conference room makes a difference? Tell me it does!

I think it would make a difference. Also i think the sound would be different too, the drum is more well musical for lack of a better wprd tjan a table would be i would think. Its a softer sound even though u can drum loudly if you choose.

I can't type today haha