Meditation and beer

betaboy

Namaste,

Is there any meditation technique that gives the same effects of beer? Normally when we drink beer, it sort of subdues the senses and mind, which is why we feel okay (because there isn't too much sensitivity to pain). So is there any meditation that gives the same effect?

I hope people won't be judgmental about this.

BB

zenff

Sorry; it has the opposite effect
Meditation will make you more sensitive and more mindful.

TiaP

I'd be a bit worried if meditaton gave me a bloated belly, beer burps and the urge to take a nap lol :crazy:

Maybe what you're after are concentration mediation techniques aka Samatha that subdues mind chatter by focussing on a meditation object such as the breath? They can also lead to feelings of tranquility and joy which are a lot nicer than the affects of a few beers, IMHO

all the best, Tia

person

I was in the hospital once really doped up on morphine, I mentioned to the nurse that I felt really clear headed and she seemed surprised. After thinking about it later I think that through my meditation practice I'd gotten used to being in a state of mind that wasn't entirely dependent on the senses. When I tried to talk the words came out slurred and trying to move my arm was a bit harder too. So I don't know maybe becoming a morphine addict would help my practice. :screwy: In some of the deeper meditative states the senses do shut down in a way, but if its done through medication I think you'll probably just shut down with it. I've heard HHDL when talking about his gall bladder surgery say he tried to stay aware in a deep meditative state as well as saying other experienced meditators have tried to do the same. But the process happens too fast and in an unnatural way and none of them were able to do it.

Jeffrey

You can feel a sense of relief and relaxation and aliveness. More like the first beer than the second or more. I don't know how to reliably produce that. A rare treasure. Of course not always the beer feels the same mood.

SherabDorje

Namaste,

Is there any meditation technique that gives the same effects of beer? Normally when we drink beer, it sort of subdues the senses and mind, which is why we feel okay (because there isn't too much sensitivity to pain). So is there any meditation that gives the same effect?

I hope people won't be judgmental about this.

BB

No, there's not. Mindfulness meditation can help with pain by just letting it be and not getting into the pain-resistance-more pain cycle, but that's about it.

Why do you think Buddha advised against intoxicants and substances that dull the senses? The point of meditation is to be aware, not slightly drunk.

They're just two entirely different things.

newtech

Hello:

Your question its related to the chemistry or to the experience?

If it is to the chemistry, Alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system, but dont know about meditation, probably not, probably activates it, or activates the good things and deactivates de bad ones..dont know.

If it is about the experience, meditation can restrain the senses in a much amazing way. of course feeling a lot better..but it takes practice, thats the difference.

Jeffrey

Acohol depresses. It also makes membranes more permeable which I am not sure what that does is it part of the depressant effect?

The initial stages of drunken makes you more energetic because inhibitory areas of the brain are depressed which elevates the person. I would guess that there is some seratonin and dopamine activity. The prefrontal cortex is very much affected which is linked to less inhibitions socially and more laughter. In alcohol chronic use the prefrontal cortex is affected which is particularly unfortunate to youths in their early 20s or younger because the PFC is still developing at that time. There is a possibility that such use makes more mental illness. Certainly mentally ill people have higher incidents of alchol use though that may be 'self medication'.

Vincenzi

meditation techniques can be used for pain-relief (basically all anesthesics -sp?-, which includes alcohol), all other aspects of alcohol are never similar to meditation.

BeachHouseGuy

I beer

mugzy

iBeer, sounds like a new Apple product :crazy:

Mountains

Beer goes better with pizza than meditation does, but conversely, meditation goes better with most other situations

Yishai

meditation techniques can be used for pain-relief (basically all anesthesics -sp?-, which includes alcohol), all other aspects of alcohol are never similar to meditation.

Anesthetics, which are administered by an anesthesiologist, cause anesthesia. This is called anesthetizing.

But yes, the only similarity is that they can both reduce some sensation. However, alcohol shuts down everything eventually even the brain sections that control involuntary actions such as breathing and heart-rate regulation. That's called alcohol poisoning

Meditation, on the other hand, keeps you alert. The attention just turns inward, instead of constantly being outward attention.

SpinyNorman2

I'd be a bit worried if meditaton gave me a bloated belly, beer burps and the urge to take a nap lol :crazy:

I get those when meditating after a large meal actually.... ;-)

Spiny

seeker242

I don't know of any meditation that will make you want to dance on top of the table, take 1/2 your clothes off and run out into the middle of the street screaming gibberish, at 1 AM, on the way to pee in your neighbors flowerbed.

Mountains

meditation techniques can be used for pain-relief (basically all anesthesics -sp?-, which includes alcohol), all other aspects of alcohol are never similar to meditation.

Anesthetics, which are administered by an anesthesiologist, cause anesthesia. This is called anesthetizing.

But yes, the only similarity is that they can both reduce some sensation. However, alcohol shuts down everything eventually even the brain sections that control involuntary actions such as breathing and heart-rate regulation. That's called alcohol poisoning

Actually, being in anesthesia school at the moment, I can state with 100% certainty that alcohol is, in fact, an anesthetic. And any substance that produces an anesthetic effect can also kill you, just like alcohol. It's a matter of dose and elimination/metabolism. Alcohol isn't generally used by anesthesia providers (at least not on their patients...), since there are much better drugs out there, but it will do the job in a pinch. It's far more complicated than that, and alcohol doesn't provide any analgesia (pain relief) nor any reliable amnesia (lack of recall) except in very large, and sometimes toxic doses.

Mountains

I don't know of any meditation that will make you want to dance on top of the table, take 1/2 your clothes off and run out into the middle of the street screaming gibberish, at 1 AM, on the way to pee in your neighbors flowerbed.

Come and see me. We'll talk

seeker242

I don't know of any meditation that will make you want to dance on top of the table, take 1/2 your clothes off and run out into the middle of the street screaming gibberish, at 1 AM, on the way to pee in your neighbors flowerbed.

Come and see me. We'll talk

You know of a meditation that will do this? No thanks!

Yishai

Actually, being in anesthesia school at the moment, I can state with 100% certainty that alcohol is, in fact, an anesthetic. And any substance that produces an anesthetic effect can also kill you, just like alcohol. It's a matter of dose and elimination/metabolism. Alcohol isn't generally used by anesthesia providers (at least not on their patients...), since there are much better drugs out there, but it will do the job in a pinch. It's far more complicated than that, and alcohol doesn't provide any analgesia (pain relief) nor any reliable amnesia (lack of recall) except in very large, and sometimes toxic doses.

I'm so sorry for not being clear! I was saying that alcohol and meditation were similar only in reducing some sensation I am quite aware of alcohol being an anesthetic. Mostly historically since we have better things nowadays.

Again, sorry for the confusion!

And the only reason I mentioned the whole anesthesia thing again was because Vincenzi didn't understand the spelling. However I see that anesthesics is also sometimes used (but not as prominently).

SpinyNorman2

.... run out into the middle of the street screaming gibberish, at 1 AM, on the way to pee in your neighbors flowerbed.

So it was YOU!

Spiny Wilted Flowers

conradcook

Is there any meditation technique that gives the same effects of beer? Normally when we drink beer, it sort of subdues the senses and mind, which is why we feel okay (because there isn't too much sensitivity to pain). So is there any meditation that gives the same effect?

To take your question at face value, there is something in hypnotism called the "Drug of Choice" pattern. Invented by Richard Bandler. Hypnosis is not meditation, but it's a different way of using trance.

The purpose of the drug of choice pattern is to get the physical sensations of a drug, without the side effects or letdown. Works with any sensation, provided with a good hypnotist and a good subject.

But if what you're looking for is *pain control*, that's something different. And hypnotists have tools for that, too.

If what you're looking for is not exactly pain control or getting a beer buzz, but freedom from suffering--

Buddha bless,

Conrad.

NOTaGangsta

Meditation is not about getting "high" in the first place.

taiyaki

it's about "being" high.


hahahaha.

ThailandTom

lol, no no and no. Meditation and beer is just no! Why would you even want to think about doing the two together, unless you are ignorant and or delusional, or have no proper understanding of meditation. Meditation is an act where you can bring on clarity and realisation, beer will just cause ignorance and blindness which will eventually cause suffering. However, I am drinking beer at this very moment