carsten888's MAP Journal

[carsten888]

Let me first say I love the MAP program! Thanks to all the wonderfull people involved in this project.

I'm stuck at leg bouncing.
Brushing and sponging work fine. But when bouncing I got various problems.

When sponging I follow in my mind the path along my legs. When I try do this faster for bouncing, I can't help but skip bits (if not all) between toes and hips. I read in the book the mind is capable of incredible speeds, but my (normally ok-ish) mind can't get any faster then 1.5 sec each way. I tried it anyway, just focusing on toes-hips-toes-hips, skipping the whole in between but that does not seem to work, no sensations at all and also losing focus with that rather quickly.

When sponging I don't feel any blockages, so I don't think it is resistance causing the speed limit.

I read in the book just imagening the ends of a bounce will not work. And when I try anyway, using the image of a energy ball travelling up and down inside my legs, I don't feel any sensation in my legs (as with sponging) and quickly loose focus. I feel like maybe when working with another image then the actual legs, it might corrupt the whole energy-work as one is no longer focusing on the leg-image, but rather on a mental construction of it.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there another technic I should try?

[CFTraveler]

Let me first say I love the MAP program! Thanks to all the wonderfull people involved in this project.

I'm stuck at leg bouncing.

Believe it or not, this happens to most of us at first.

Brushing and sponging work fine. But when bouncing I got various problems.

When sponging I follow in my mind the path along my legs. When I try do this faster for bouncing, I can't help but skip bits (if not all) between toes and hips. I read in the book the mind is capable of incredible speeds, but my (normally ok-ish) mind can't get any faster then 1.5 sec each way. I tried it anyway, just focusing on toes-hips-toes-hips, skipping the whole in between but that does not seem to work, no sensations at all and also losing focus with that rather quickly.

It's normal for the mind to 'not register' small amounts of 'spots' here and there. If it gives you anxiety, slow it down, and when you feel you've covered the required area speed it up. Think of it this way- when you walk you don't think of what each muscle is doing, you just do it. Bouncing is like that- once you've developed some speed, you don't have to be conscious of the feeling, just have the awareness (or knowledge) that the energy ball is going through everything it needs to go through.

When sponging I don't feel any blockages, so I don't think it is resistance causing the speed limit.

Good.

I read in the book just imagening the ends of a bounce will not work. And when I try anyway, using the image of a energy ball travelling up and down inside my legs, I don't feel any sensation in my legs (as with sponging) and quickly loose focus. I feel like maybe when working with another image then the actual legs, it might corrupt the whole energy-work as one is no longer focusing on the leg-image, but rather on a mental construction of it.

Bouncing doesn't give you the same sensation as sponging or slow-bouncing- but the thing is, it doesn't have to. This is because the reason for the bouncing is different than sponging. With sponging, you want to feel the awareness feedback (sensation), but with bouncing, you want to learn to move awareness at a faster speed. Strong sensation is not the object, moving awareness through your body quickly is.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there another technic I should try?

You are not doing anything wrong, consider bouncing a technique you are learning, which will be used later in your process for other things. Your concerns are valid and at the same time common. Don't worry, keep at it.
Like I said before, you can approach bouncing differently- start slowly, speed up. If you don't feel it's working, slow down again, and slowly speed up again. Think of it as a 'getting your brain to speed up faster' type of exercise, and enjoy it.

[carsten888]

Thanks for your usefull reply.

If you don't feel it's working, slow down again, and slowly speed up again.

if no sensations, how can I tell it is working?

and enjoy it.

all the time

[CFTraveler]

if no sensations, how can I tell it is working?

I thought you said that sponging gave you some sensation? Bouncing is the same thing, only faster.

[carsten888]

if no sensations, how can I tell it is working?

I thought you said that sponging gave you some sensation? Bouncing is the same thing, only faster.

When sponging I get the sensation, when bouncing (same but faster)(start skipping bits, or just energy) I don't get sensations.

[carsten888]

when brushing and sponging, does it matter if I use the same speed as the heartbeat or breathing? As the pulse of the heartbeat is like waves going through the limb I'm working on, I sometimes notice I end up using the same speed as the heartbeat, and am not sure the sensation I am feeling is the heartbeat or the energy-flow. Then when I go faster or slower I can feel the sensation properly, so I guess I'm doing something right. Just not sure about if there is any reason to avoid the speed of the exercise synchronise to the fysical speed of heartbeat or breathing.

[CFTraveler]

You're doing it right.

[tudorgirl]

I experience the same thing!

[JoSac]

I use this technique where I grab the bone in my leg with my astral hand and slide it from toes to hip. This way it gets the whole inside of your leg. If you have to make your astral hand a little bigger .

JS

[CFTraveler]

Very good advice, JS.