Thoughts on NOFAP?

[Yazata]

can't have personal experience for something I've never done

Yeah, that was my point.

The thread was about personal experience but you don't have any yet denounce others' experience.

You seem to be taking this personally

My bad. Wish I could give you a hug, seems you'd enjoy it.

 

[SkullTraill]

Damming a river floods living land; restricting a river's flow to direct its flow to best effect cultivates the living land provided the lord is mindful of the land downstream.

How It's A Placebo:
It's a placebo because confidence without competence is nothing but delusion. If you are 5'4", poor and ugly, you can be as confident as you want, reality will keep reminding you that you don't have what it takes to be romantically successful.

Yes, exceptions to the rule exist, but the exceptions don't disprove the rule.

Confidence that isn't rooted in a history of success or an increased potential for success, is delusion.

A man in wheel chair can wake up one morning confident that he's going to get up and walk, him just believing so isn't going to have that result.

The difference between bravery and foolishness is the outcome, and someones actions are always judged in hindsight.

If an untrained male civilian rushes into a burning building when firefighters are on their way, and he successfully rescues a mother and a child, people will call him brave. If he instead gets himself and the mother+child killed due to his lack of capability and knowledge people will call him foolish and say he should have waited for professionals.

Believing you can do something without taking your own capabilities into consideration is foolishness, but people only ever see the outcomes, maybe you'll get lucky or maybe you won't.

It reminds me of this quote - "The difference between insanity and genius is measured only by success and failure"


Why That Matters:
If someone wants to use their time and energy effectively, they have to be honest with themselves about their own capabilities.

If you have a double digit IQ, you can want to be a world renowned theoretical physicist as much as you want, you can hope and dream, but it's statistically unlikely that you can achieve that goal.

If you are born with a genetic disease like muscular dystrophy, you can want to be a world famous body builder as much as you want, you can hope and dream, but it's statistically unlikely that you can achieve that goal.

Every human has a cap on their potential for various facets of their biological existence:
Height
Intelligence
Strength
Life Span
Physical Capabilities
Mental Capabilities
Etc

Heck even empathy is included in that, the brains of psychopaths are different to that of the brain of a regular person. Some people are handicapped in the sense that they struggle to empathize with others. (In some circumstances it's a perk, CEO's often have psychopathic traits)

To get to the point, not everybody is going to get the things they want in life, not even the things you consider "basic". If you waste your time chasing after what's statistically less likely, instead of pursuing what's statistically more likely, you may end up being left with nothing but regret at the end of your life.

1. I think you misread, in the case of those men "feeling confident", it wasn't a change in brain chemistry that caused this, it was something psychological, it was them not being reminded that they are failing romantically that made them "feel confident".

It's not like the effect of a drug (chemical), it's more like the effect of removing someone with claustrophobia from a closet they were locked in (psychological).


2. This has nothing to do with my level of interest, it has to do with what makes sense. I know that either way people are going to do whatever they want. In the modern era people are raised to be emotional and to value their emotions above logic and reason. I just think people should stop complaining about the outcomes if they are going to do this.

I really hate the "woe is me" types who keep stumbling into trouble or depression because they refuse to accept reality.

A lot of things influence our emotions on a daily basis, the question is do you go into the passenger seat and let your brain guide you, or are you the driver and you decide whether or not the emotions determine your decisions.

Looks like I'm the one who misread or missed something, I didn't notice that.


I can't have personal experience for something I've never done. Every time I went a week or two without masturbating it wasn't on purpose, the urges just weren't there. I would just never force myself to abstain like that, I don't see the point.

NoFap just sounds ridiculous to me by default because if it was true the people with the most active sex lives would have the worst lives and be totally drained of energy, but it's clearly the opposite.


I need you to think for a second and see how pointless this statement is. When ANYONE asserts an opinion that's exactly what they are doing from the perspective of the person with an opposing opinion.

If I phrased it to be "less direct" and to "sound nicer" I would still be asserting that I believe myself to be right, and by default if someone is right another person is wrong.

You seem to be taking this personally, I really didn't even see your post where you claimed NoFap worked for you, I only read SkullTraill's post and responded to it.

Something is either true or false, there's no such thing as "personal truth", only "personal beliefs".

You are kind of just stating the obvious, any opinion you assert that opposes an opinion I have, is by default you asserting yourself to be right and me wrong, that is the very nature of having opposing positions.


I know right.

Like Yazata said, I asked for personal experiences in this thread. There is a reason I didn't post it in the occult sections or the lounge.

I don't want to have to close this thread.

@Pestifer Mundi I know you desperately want your opinions and philosophical assertions to be ratified and accepted... and as a cynical person myself, I agree with a lot of what you're saying ( not all though. ). However, if you want to discuss this matter from a psychological/philosophical viewpoint, feel free to make your own thread in Philosophy and Psychology there is no issue with that at all. However, I posted this in Health and Fitness because I wanted to guage personal observations people had made about nofap. If you have not tried it, why are you posting here?

 

[Nana]

Like Yazata said, I asked for personal experiences in this thread. There is a reason I didn't post it in the occult sections or the lounge.

I don't want to have to close this thread.

@Pestifer Mundi I know you desperately want your opinions and philosophical assertions to be ratified and accepted... and as a cynical person myself, I agree with a lot of what you're saying ( not all though. ). However, if you want to discuss this matter from a psychological/philosophical viewpoint, feel free to make your own thread in Philosophy and Psychology there is no issue with that at all. However, I posted this in Health and Fitness because I wanted to guage personal observations people had made about nofap. If you have not tried it, why are you posting here?

My apologies, my public persona comes off like a fortune cookie. I'm just trying to say the most with the least, tho'. So in the spirit of the question asked, let me go the long route.
In my early 20's, decades ago, after a particularly painful break up, I entered a celibate lifestyle because "fornication was an abomination before the Lord..." and "... fornication is adultery..." and I was a Saved, Sanctified, & Filled with the Holy Ghost Christian. I did it for identity and I was miserable. The only thing I cultivated was pride, and I'm not talking that good pride that comes from merit. I was filled with the type of pride that comes from the belief that I was better than the people around me. The kind that came with shame when that same person hates hypocrisy and falls off the band wagon every once in a while. My contempt for those people who were unmarried and sexually active eroded my personal and professional relationships and eventually turned itself on to me atrophying one of my most potent (non sexual) creative outlets. Celibacy for the sake of my ego was self abnegating and destructive.
More than 20years later, I am studying Jade Dragon practices and learn that periods of celibacy and certain mental, emotional, and physical exercises can restore genital efficacy, particularly after years of undisciplined usage. It's been 6 years since then and my creative potential has been restored and my personal and professional relationships have improved rather than suffered.
Or in other words, I learned that a dammed river floods the land but a cultivated river builds civilizations. It's not an esoteric treaties, it's the findings of a 23 year personal inquiry.

 

[WisdomAddict]

i wanted to make threat on this topic
But here is my own personal experinces
I try no fap for a year and the reason i done it
because i wanted to quit p'rn, and i succeed in that
And to be honest i have a very strong sex drive by natrual
And i realised in the past weeks
That
'i should not do anything against my own nature'
And should enjoy it and hermitage its not for me
Sexual absence makes me melancholic and even make me feel tired and sleepy!
Not ejaculating helpedme alot with my focus edging is fun and refreshing and transformational.
This may sound weird and hypocritic but i do fap but its ok for me because i use my lust for betterment of soul,
And its working...At least for me...
I accept myself the way i am as long its in harmony with my own nature...
Thats all i know...

 

[Jarhyn]

So, this is a complicated issue for me. I have a very complicated relationship with sex, sexuality, and the way my body developed.

If I could, I would undo that, but I can't, and it wasn't even an option to forego or delay it in the time where I developed.

Others get better opportunities these days.

Even so, it's not like I dislike sex, I just don't like the building need to generate and ground that much energy into something quite so basic as sexual masturbation.

At any rate, I'm ready to make some decisions, having walked a path, if only to find what part of it is the goad of the hormone and what part of it is my own appreciation and desire for the experience, and to find out whether removing the goad damages something else in exchange for such a "non-modal" approach.

 

[Amur]

As you grow older you need to fap less. I fap something like 1x/2-3 weeks and it feels like I'm always running on high kundalini. Tried again fapping like once a day but noticed my power decline.

 

[Nana]

As you grow older you need to fap less. I fap something like 1x/2-3 weeks and it feels like I'm always running on high kundalini. Tried again fapping like once a day but noticed my power decline.

How old were you when you started cultivating your internal energies?

 

[Amur]

How old were you when you started cultivating your internal energies?

Think I started doing it at 35 or 36. Otherwise I just went with how horny I was. After reading Mantak Chia's book I started doing it.

 

[Mider2009]

I tend not to engage in sex or dating...not saying I couldn’t or could in the past but I’ve always been social,y awkward and prone to chasing stupid woman who use men. As for “fap” lol...well I did engage often as a young German guy n teen

These days I try to avoid it, I am fine without dating as well, most girls in my area are very good digerish and a few incidents have resulted in cursing...so it’s best to just Not engage, also when I reached 35 I started becoming a lot more aggressive and telling woman they don’t have the right to expect anything from me.

im not a virgin but I find sex awkward.

on the spiritual side I try to maintain certain purity standards which just means I try to avoid porn, etc and if I do by chance engage I undergo a purification ritual.

 

[Wizardium]

Semenretention is not a placebo and has huuuge benefits. Anyone who claims otherwise has not done it themself for longer streaches.

The chinese taoist knew about it, the indian yogis knew about it. Many many years ago.

Do 90 days hardmode without edging and wet dreams and come back to me and tell me that it is not real. If you cant you are a wanker.

 

[Mider2009]

I tend not to engage in sex or dating...not saying I couldn’t or could in the past but I’ve always been social,y awkward and prone to chasing stupid woman who use men. As for “fap” lol...well I did engage often as a young German guy n teen

These days I try to avoid it, I am fine without dating as well, most girls in my area are very good digerish and a few incidents have resulted in cursing...so it’s best to just Not engage, also when I reached 35 I started becoming a lot more aggressive and telling woman they don’t have the right to expect anything from me.

im not a virgin but I find sex awkward.

on the spiritual side I try to maintain certain purity standards which just means I try to avoid porn, etc and if I do by chance engage I undergo a purification ritual.

Young guy...not German wtf auto correct?

 

[KjEno186]

Out of curiosity, I did a tarot reading with the following statement: "Show me what it would do for my magical workings if I refrained from sex and masturbation for at least one month."

I used a Tree of Life layout as specified in The Magical Knowledge Trilogy by Josephine McCarthy with my BP Grimaud 1930 reproduction deck (TdM) using the deck's included LWB (meanings may often vary somewhat from GD/RWS decks).

Highlights of the reading:

Position 1, Story is about: La Papesse (The Popess). The LWB says, "a conservative approach to sex and the body," which is fitting when speaking of abstinence.

Position 2, Story, present aspect: Le Monde (The World). The LWB says, "everything is perfect as it is," which pretty much agreed with ...

Position 10, Outcome: Four of Coins. The LWB says, "Stability," which I take to mean that nothing would change either way.

Nothing in the other positions countered the outcome, but for reference here they are with selected excerpts from the LWB:

3. Story withheld aspect: King of Cups - Emotional maturity... I left the shame of sexuality behind long ago.
4. Necessary (fate gives): Page of Wands - Immature approach to sexuality... Is it saying that it's immature to worry about abstinence?
5. What is withheld: Knight of Cups - Over-optimistic but unrealistic attitude... It could be unrealistic to think that abstinence would affect my magic.
6. Center of situation: Two of Swords - Boundaries, make use of present situation. Note the difference with Etteila and RWS meanings... Likely saying to keep doing what I've been doing and that will be enough.
7. Emotions, needful burden: Ace of Wands - Active or repressed sexuality. McCarthy doesn't recommend reversals, so I weigh both sides on this one... I'm not a young man anymore, and I've found a personal balance.
8. Mind, magic / unravelling: Empress - Productivity...
9. Tribe, home, ancestors: Queen of Swords - Secure, protected position...

 

[SkullTraill]

Out of curiosity, I did a tarot reading with the following statement: "Show me what it would do for my magical workings if I refrained from sex and masturbation for at least one month."

I used a Tree of Life layout as specified in The Magical Knowledge Trilogy by Josephine McCarthy with my BP Grimaud 1930 reproduction deck (TdM) using the deck's included LWB (meanings may often vary somewhat from GD/RWS decks).

Highlights of the reading:

Position 1, Story is about: La Papesse (The Popess). The LWB says, "a conservative approach to sex and the body," which is fitting when speaking of abstinence.

Position 2, Story, present aspect: Le Monde (The World). The LWB says, "everything is perfect as it is," which pretty much agreed with ...

Position 10, Outcome: Four of Coins. The LWB says, "Stability," which I take to mean that nothing would change either way.

Nothing in the other positions countered the outcome, but for reference here they are with selected excerpts from the LWB:

3. Story withheld aspect: King of Cups - Emotional maturity... I left the shame of sexuality behind long ago.
4. Necessary (fate gives): Page of Wands - Immature approach to sexuality... Is it saying that it's immature to worry about abstinence?
5. What is withheld: Knight of Cups - Over-optimistic but unrealistic attitude... It could be unrealistic to think that abstinence would affect my magic.
6. Center of situation: Two of Swords - Boundaries, make use of present situation. Note the difference with Etteila and RWS meanings... Likely saying to keep doing what I've been doing and that will be enough.
7. Emotions, needful burden: Ace of Wands - Active or repressed sexuality. McCarthy doesn't recommend reversals, so I weigh both sides on this one... I'm not a young man anymore, and I've found a personal balance.
8. Mind, magic / unravelling: Empress - Productivity...
9. Tribe, home, ancestors: Queen of Swords - Secure, protected position...

Interesting stuff....

 

[Ancient]

I once went without sex for 3.5 years. I fapped. Call it training in self-sufficiency.

I’ve abstained entirely for periods of time here and there, and find that it does bring my energy levels up…but also makes me uncharacteristically aggressive. Around the two week mark I start getting easily provoked and can be pretty miserable to those around me.

These days I try to listen to my body. If it wants a release, it gets one. Keeps me nice and balanced.

 

[Lemongrass00]

Nofap is largely a myth, it temporary increases testosterone but not to a degree worth it and it is not long lasting.

most of the “benefits” are mental, the discipline coming with rejecting instant gratification and mastering your own bodily instincts.

can be an effective tool to strengthen the will

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

For some, it is not exactly a choice.
Personally I think sex is risky, namely because of scheming people.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Besides, I was lucky if i had sex once a decade unless i paid for it, which was still far and few between.

 

[Xenophon]

Fapping, I believe, has its rightful place in moderation, as both a pastime and a tool to keep yourself level-headed. A good meat-beating always helps me personally, whenever I'm getting stressed out over small shit. Knowing that, nofap as a movement has never really interested me. It's honestly kinda funny to see stuff like NNN blow up so much as a meme, though.

Osman Spare seems to have made it a big part of his magickal practice.

 

[WisdomAddict]

Osman Spare seems to have made it a big part of his magickal practice.

So it does actually...
I was doing it not on the magical purpose but I noticed I get my desired results more accurately and quickly
As I somehow seeing my music writing process as a magical process
I never kept such magical journals but in my case was actually keeping few factors all together and using them at the same time
The most important part of it was
act accordingly to doing part 'of the process of song writing without lust of the result the very important factor that I read on/from liber null.
Helped me getting the result I wanted and mental clarity from no fap,

 

[Jiggywiggy]

I'm so glad this post came about. I've been studying sex transmission for a while now. In my practice this is what I've learned:

Abstinence increases my energy. I've been successful in transferring the pleasure from my groin to my root many times and the sensations are stronger with abstinence. But using orgasm pleasure in the same way is much more intense. The only downside is it takes a while to charge up afterwards (I have to go 3 days or more of abstinence).

The root of Chinese qi gong (

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) is where I first learned the importance of this practice. It explains why it is important to abstain and use as a battery for longevity.