https://www.reddit.com/r/longtermTRE/comments/17jc4av/the_truth_about_semen_retention_flatline_and/
created by Nadayogi on 29/10/2023 at 20:42 UTC
288 upvotes, 29 top-level comments (showing 25)
Dear friends, this post is my attempt to clarify the topic of semen retention, clear misconceptions and debunk the myths around it.
Semen retention is not directly relevant to TRE but for the past several months I've been flooded with questions and requests for explanations on the topic, especially from people from r/Semenretention and r/NoFap.
What is semen retention? Semen retention, as the name implies, is the practice of abstaining from ejaculation for different reasons, but mostly to gain spiritual fuel, meaning accelerating one's spiritual practice and increasing one's meditative capacity. That was the original purpose as documented in many ancient texts, in Taoism, Buddhism, yogic traditions and even the Bible in a more cryptic way.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika States the following about semen retention:
The knower of Yoga should preserve his semen and thereby conquer death. Emission of semen is death; preservation of semen is life.
This or a similar statement is repeated in many other hatha or Nath texts onwards from the 10th century AD on.
In the Baghavad Gita we find in chapter 6, verse 13-14:
Let him firmly hold the body, head and neck erect, and gazing on the tip of his nose, without looking around, let him sit, serene and fearless, established in the vow of celibacy, self-controlled and balanced, thinking of Me as the Supreme goal.
In the Taoist text The Secret of the Golden Flower we find:
The elephant position: the wife lies down in such a position that her face, breasts, stomach and thighs all touch the bed or carpet, and the husband, extending himself upon her, and bending himself like an elephant, with the small of the back much drawn in, works underneath her, and effects insertion [very gently into the vulva, **withdrawing before the spasm to avoid ejaculating the semen**].
While the eastern descriptions are mostly clear and direct, the bible is a bit more cryptic and needs some explanation. Let's have a look at the story of Samson and Delilah. Here's a summary generated by ChatGPT:
The story of Samson and Delilah is a biblical tale from the Book of Judges in the Old Testament. It revolves around Samson, a man of immense physical strength granted to him by God, and Delilah, a woman who is bribed by the Philistine rulers to discover the source of Samson's strength and weaken him.
Samson falls in love with Delilah, and she repeatedly tries to uncover the secret of his strength. After several failed attempts, Samson eventually reveals that his strength comes from his uncut hair, which is a symbol of his dedication to God. Delilah betrays him by having his hair cut while he sleeps. As a result, he loses his strength and is captured by the Philistines.
The Philistines blind Samson and imprison him, but his hair begins to grow back. In a final act of strength, Samson brings down the temple of the Philistine god Dagon, killing himself and many Philistines in the process.
The above is a codified story about semen retention. Samson's true strength does not come from his hair of course but from his abstinence and when he indulges in the pleasure of ejaculation with Delilah he loses his strength. As he starts retaining again (growing back his hair) he gets his strength back.
There are thousands of verses referring either directly or indirectly to semen retention in different religious and spiritual traditions all over the world. The one's presented here are just a few examples. The idea of semen retention or celibacy or the hostility towards masturbation because of ancient texts and ideas have shaped a lot of our culture over time. So why is ejaculation (especially during masturbation) so often depicted as sinful? Most men know how draining an ejaculation can be. The cliché of men falling asleep right after sex comes to mind. Especially people on the spiritual path, meaning those who are into meditation, yoga, prayer or similar forms of seeking a kind of spiritual satisfaction and fulfilment, experience a loss from the "divine" connection when ejaculating. It's a feeling of having lost all progress and being back on square one. Retaining gives many seekers a calm mind and high vitality, so there is clearly a physiological mechanism at work here that can have perceived spiritual consequences for many people. Now we add in a sense of shame and embarrassment around the whole topic and we get puritanism, which leads to even more confusion and neuroticism.
The practice of semen retention for spiritual seekers has stuck around up to this day and its benefits are well known in yogic communities, old and new, at least for those who experience the benefits. However, during the last decade, SR has gained a lot of attention among people of all walks looking for self-improvement or other benefits.
In subs like r/Semenretention and r/NoFap you will find countless people (mostly beginners) reporting on the unbelievable benefits they experience during their abstinence, such as increased energy/vitality, personal magnetism, increased attraction from other people, especially women, and generally, increased happiness and joy.
The benefits seem magical, almost too good to be true. How can it be that such a simple practice can take someone from depression and anxiety to a confident, charismatic man who is always the life of the party wherever he goes? Little do they know this is only a tiny fraction of the full benefits of SR (more on that later).
Most people experience the benefits after one week of SR, after which they often sharply decline. For some the benefits stay for a period of time after that initial week, but eventually that high also fizzles out. Others find it to be a bit of a rollercoaster with benefits waxing and waning but eventually disappearing for good. Now the disillusioned retainer tries to get that initial high back, like a junkie chasing the dragon only to be disappointed. This is called flatline, a state of low libido and mild depression, where all benefits are gone.
According to the r/Semenretention and r/NoFap doctrine, flatline is the result of addiction to masturbation and porn and the "damage" that has been done by those vices must be reversed through abstinence and "transmuting" the energy through creative outlets and hard work, such as working out.
Unfortunately, the dynamics of semen retention are not as easy as depicted in those dedicated subs. Being creative, working out etc., do little to get back the benefits that were once experienced by the now confused practitioners, although there are still valid reasons to engage in those worldly activities. The truth is that SR brings up trauma to the surface from the unconscious where it manifests as muscular and mental tension. This kind of tension acts as energetic blockages in the nervous system. You can imagine SR like opening a spring inside your pelvic floor. A spring of sexual energy that starts welling up, since there is no longer a physical outlet for that energy. But due to all the blockages in the body there will soon be no place for the energy to go and the pressure (tension) starts to rise. Soon you will be like a walking pressure cooker ready to burst at any time. If there is still no release the body starts to shut down energetically to protect itself and tries to release the energy through wet dreams.
There is no point in retaining if you're only making your life miserable. Self-torture has never benefited anyone. Rather we should be looking for the root cause of the issue. Whenever I've tried to explain these things in the subs mentioned above, I was met with hostility and people defending a system that clearly doesn't work. The blind following the blind. However, there were some individuals who heard the wake up call and realized their endeavor was a fool's errand.
So in order to get the full benefits of SR we need to get the energy flowing and clear out the clogged, rusty old piping in our body (nervous system) from our trauma. This will lead the energy higher up, out of the pelvic floor where the true benefits of SR start to come forth.
To do this we will have to release the majority our trauma and by releasing I mean getting it truly out of the system. There is only one legitimate way to do this, which is through the body's inherent tremor mechanism. TRE allows us to easily access this tremor mechanism and let the body take over and do all the work, while we lie down and surrender.
This trauma release process will take some time, usually several years of dedicated practice. During that time SR should not be practiced as it can bring up too much tension for the nervous system to handle. It can even hinder the process. In any case you should listen to your body, as it tells you what to do if you truly choose to listen and take a step around your conditioning and dogma you've learned.
What about yoga and meditation? Have you ever wondered why some people experience so many benefits with meditation and blissful states while it doesn't work at all for others? The difference between those groups of people is the amount of trauma they carry. If you have sufficiently little trauma in your system, these practices will work to release the remaining trauma and experience the benefits. Unsurprisingly, you might experience involuntary movements during those practices just as with TRE.
The benefits of SR go far beyond the ones already mentioned above. SR coupled with true spiritual practice such as meditation and pranayama will lead to unending, full body ecstatic bliss. A never ending orgasm 24/7, peace and happiness beyond comprehension. Things like magnetism and charisma will still be there and even stronger than before, although you probably won't care about them anymore.
There will be no conflict of interests when it comes to relationships, because you can now effortlessly orgasm without ejaculating and experience no loss of energy. On the contrary, you will gain even more energy through sex.
If you're in flatline and feel hopeless right now, don't worry. I've been in this exact same position. Then I discovered TRE and kept at it for many years until most of my trauma was gone. It's a lot of work for sure and much dedication is needed, but nothing in life will ever be more rewarding than the work of getting rid of your trauma. Your reward will be a life free of anxiety and depression. Presence, joy and peace will come naturally and effortlessly. But most importantly it's the ticket to true spiritual practice that will lead us to eternal freedom.
​
Comment by ThePixelHunter at 01/11/2023 at 01:18 UTC
34 upvotes, 5 direct replies
OH MY GOD that was incredible. I'm in such an incredible state of euphoria right now. It's like the best cry I've had, but with no sorrow.
First my legs shuddered, gently and then harshly, and then my pelvis, my stomach, my hands, finally my arms, and then my legs and hips were swaying back and forth while my arms took on a life of their own. I was starting to sweat towards the end.
I started giggling, then laughing with tears, and as I write this I'm still chuckling and my stomach muscles are contracting deeply. I've always held tension in my stomach. My calves are always tense as well, interestingly. But right now my arms and legs feel like they're floating. My shoulder tension didn't improve, but I'm in no rush.
The wind-up period was a good 5 minutes, and I thought "This is just muscle fatigue. What's the deal?" but as I continued doing the butterfly exercise, I began to fully tremor and I knew I was onto something real. I tremored for 10 to 15 minutes, or possibly longer. I felt so amazing, I didn't want to stop, but I knew I should.
I was skeptical at first, but I kept an open mind, and I'm SO GLAD I did! This is very real.
At first I thought the tremors were psychosomatic, or that I was doing them unconsciously. I had to stop myself from resisting a few times, and just let it go. Every time I did, the body just took on a life of its own, doing wild and unexpected things, and moving upwards through the muscle groups unexpectedly. There's no way my concious was responsible for this. I had full awareness and could pause at any time, readjust, etc. but each time I surrendered, my body took back over and continued. I was concious the entire time, but every move was unexpected. I felt like a marionette. Absolutely incredible. And now I'm exhausted any ready to sleep!!
I've felt this kind of euphoria only rarely in life. Maybe twice. Both were following traumatic experiences. After one, I was actually shivering in place, but not from cold. Very interesting, looking back now. I understand what my body was trying to do for me.
This knowledge is groundbreaking. I feel like I've just been given the key to my life back. I'm free!!! I'm absolutely brimming with gratitude right now.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I think you've just changed my life. I know some people who would be thrilled to teach this. I'm going to learn this and share it with everybody who'll listen.
I found TRE when you crossposted this thread to /r/semenretention or /r/pureretention. Thank you again so much!
Comment by [deleted] at 31/10/2023 at 01:23 UTC
22 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by lambjenkemead at 30/10/2023 at 15:04 UTC
14 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Fantastic post thanks for writing. I did SR about 4 years alongside hours of vipassana and felt like a god for a few months only to eventually fall into a strange tangential relapse on a couple of behaviors I’d resolved decades before. The relapse “seemed” to happen when I was feeling my most potent and powerful. In retrospect I think that repressed trauma was starting to arise and I was unconsciously self medicating to try to keep it at bay. Your post has connected the dots for me a bit.
May ask why you say tremoring is the only possible route to relieve all stored traumas? I’m not necessarily disputing you but why do you say it’s the only way?
Comment by vaporwaverhere at 30/10/2023 at 00:49 UTC
23 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Once I met a guy from South America who was celibate by choice because he wanted to reach enlightenment. Parahamsa Yogananda and Babaji were his heroes.
He practiced hatha yoga, kriyas, pranayama, kundalini yoga, you name it. Did he have an awesome flexibility doing yoga? Absolutely. Could you feel his energy? No. Was he enlightened? He even admitted he wasn’t. He was clearly stuck but kept thinking his semen retention and sadhana would help him get there. He got wet dreams from time to time and he was pissed about it. And had a big ego on top of that, often with a patronizing attitude to others. All I can think is that he for sure had and has a lot of unresolved traumas.
If I ever bumped into him, I will talk about TRE but I doubt he will listen to me.
Comment by DiscretionLevelZero at 29/10/2023 at 21:43 UTC
10 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Is there any equivalent of semen retention for females?
Comment by Life-Guarantee-7052 at 30/10/2023 at 18:11 UTC
9 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I’ve been unconsciously doing this ( TRE ) for the past 2-3 years, full retention for the past year. Thank you for shining a light on this subject, much appreciation brother!
Comment by [deleted] at 18/11/2023 at 05:10 UTC
9 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Incredible post by OP. Look, I’ve done the Vipassana retreats, meditation, SR, therapy, etc. What OP is telling you is the truth. You can’t address your issues with anapana or Vipassana when your body is holding onto all this extreme emotions and feelings in silence and stillness.
It’s like a body of water filled with garbage. What happens when you clear out the trash, the body of water starts flowing properly again. Same applies with your body, you need to cleanse the body of the trash it’s holding onto aka those bad memories.
When you have this energy built up and creating immense awareness through meditation, you’re now hyper focused on these bad sensations in the body. But focusing on those sensations without moving them will cause you havoc. In my opinion it actually compounds your trauma because you’re to multiply that energy by focusing on it while before you didn’t even know it was a problem.
TRE and doing some exercise like martial arts or rock climbing with lots of rest is the best way to recover from my experience so far. After one sessions you’ll see tremendous results. Make sure to do TRE with a trained professional for the first couple of times, but after you can practice on your own.
Plus I know people that have done EMDR and other somatic modalities but why do they still feel the bad sensations and have to constantly go to things like plant medicine, etc.
OP, glad you posted this and looking forward to more post by you.
Comment by decg91 at 22/12/2023 at 21:13 UTC
7 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I developed PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome) from 20+ years of chronic porn consumption. Yes, its a real thing. Typically, you only see post acute symptoms on withdrawal from hard drugs like heroin, fentinol, cocaine, etc., but with the new phenomenon of internet porn that arised in 2006-07, people who grew up with it like me, some of them are starting to go through PAWS, which is basically a flatline that lasts from 2 to 5 years. Ive been on nofap for 6 months and seen little to no improvements except for ocasional morning wood. Do you think TRE will help me get out of this without having to wait 2-5 years? I want my libido back so bad...
For more insights, go to r/pmopaws
Comment by Fragrant_Jackfruit31 at 05/12/2023 at 09:35 UTC
6 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Fascinating post. Could you explain why people with trauma experience initial benefits on SR and then go on to experience deminishing returns even after they "reset their streak", as it were?
Comment by cmred88 at 29/10/2023 at 23:35 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Thank you so much for this post. This is why I love reddit. It’s about exactly the two things I’ve been doing now for a while, and of course there is a link.
Just a question, when you say it takes years of dedication and hard work etc, is that to mean that it is hard to dedicate yourself to consistently practice it? Because the practice I have been doing is probably the easiest thing I’ve done. Lie down on my back with my legs bent, feet flat on the floor and let my body tremor. It almost feels too easy.
So I’m wondering, are there more practices I should be doing? Or is this one practice method enough for the benefits over the long term?
Comment by hmmmmmmsure at 30/10/2023 at 23:27 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Hi there, this is a gem of a post, thanks!
Can you please explain why yoga is not a good enough outlet to relieve trauma and clear energy blockages? The yogic texts literally emphasize over and over again on how asanas clear the energy blockages in the body.
Also, i have been bombarded with all sorts of acute illnesses ever since I started retaining my semen, such as indigestion, constant headaches, mood swings, high body temperature and of course, the inevitable relapse and binges after long streaks. My experience proves that there is some truth to what you are saying.
Comment by ThePixelHunter at 01/11/2023 at 01:29 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Would it be inadvisable to practice SR, say on a 1-3 month cycle, while also practicing TRE? I understand that you feel SR is pointless when we're carrying trauma, due to trapped energy. However, I can't deny to myself that I feel more courage and resilience when retaining for a week or more.
Would practicing SR be activity harmful in combination with TRE? Or simply ineffective?
Comment by ididitsocanu at 02/11/2023 at 01:35 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Thank u bro much appreciated 🙏
Comment by Asleep345 at 14/06/2024 at 06:50 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Should I do SR with TRE? I’ve tried TRE I would say 8-9 times for 1-2 hours each sessions and it’s very slow had some stuff come up nothing too major usually just in dreams experienced what ever needed to be left out and went back to being present kinda like automatic I’ve dealt with no fap and semen retention a lack of it for quite a while and so TRE has helped me be able to retain more and just step away from masturbating and pornography and lust and so everyday im losing desire slowly actually very slowly but it’s noticeable I cannot get tremors up my body and I believe that is the abuse I did to myself with masturbating and not keeping SR and so I decided to do TRE and SR and it’s been way more beneficial to me or I notice it’s been beneficial to me rather than TRE alone I notice more energy release when doing TRE nothing major but I could notice it and I’m actually liking the benefits I mean I do get bad nightmares and stuff and I know that’s all the process stuff I’m the type to be able to ground myself so when it happens I don’t hold onto it just kinda goes away automatically like it’s not there after I experience whatever comes up so should I keep doing SR with TRE if I’m noticing it’s been beneficial ? Or should I do more TRE and less SR or more SR and less TRE ?
Comment by Alternative_Rain7889 at 30/11/2024 at 15:28 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
This is the greatest post about semen retention that I've read. Very well done. Thank you for speaking the truth that you have clearly lived yourself and for guiding the way for others.
Comment by ment0rr at 29/10/2023 at 22:27 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Thanks for taking the time to write this. I have been trying to understand the link between SR and TRE but have been conscious that the reason for this space is to discuss our experiences with TRE.
This trauma release process will take some time, usually several years of dedicated practice. During that time SR should not be practiced as it can bring up too much tension for the nervous system to handle.
For those that have been practicing SR without release for a long time, do you know if the process of releasing the pent up sexual tension and regaining libido/emotional balance likely to take as long as releasing trauma?
Am I right in thinking that the longer someone has been holding the tension in, the longer they can expect to return to balance.
Comment by [deleted] at 30/10/2023 at 11:04 UTC
3 upvotes, 2 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by zminky at 30/10/2023 at 14:25 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I thought this was a TRE subreddit, I keep seeing the semen retention topic come here way too much? Maybe start a SR subreddit?
Comment by No_Tell7929 at 29/10/2023 at 22:50 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I found this clip useful, basically backs up this post.
https://youtu.be/lyxDs7yHPAI?si=mCM08XA5USgRZVsb
Comment by TheBrizey2 at 29/08/2024 at 07:36 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
The thing about the spiritual connection to semen retention is that it falls into the common trap of physical reduction. Really it is a holistic practice of restraint on all dimensions of being, physical, subtle, emotional, psychological and spiritual that is really for advanced religious practitioners like monks or devotees, with the guidance of a master, NOT for laypeople or DIY health and wellness enthusiasts.
Fuck around with half-baked unguided practices and you are likely to cause more damage than good.
From AI to illustrate the imperfection of the correlation:
The Samson and Delilah story (Judges 13-16) has sparked interpretations beyond its literal meaning. The idea that Samson’s power resides in semen retention stems from:
1. Ancient Near Eastern mythology: Fertility and virility were often linked to hair growth and semen.
2. Nazirite vow (Judges 13:5): Samson’s hair was a symbol of his dedication to God, potentially tied to sexual abstinence.
However, scholars argue that:
1. Biblical context: The story emphasizes Samson’s hair as a symbol of his Nazirite vow, not semen retention.
2. Hebrew text: No linguistic evidence supports the semen retention interpretation.
3. Ancient Jewish interpretation: Early Jewish commentators (e.g., Philo, Josephus) understood the story literally, focusing on Samson’s hair.
Possible mistranslations or idioms:
1. “Seven locks” (Judges 16:19): Might imply completion or perfection, rather than a physical source of power.
2. “Strength” (Hebrew: כֹּחַ, koach): Could refer to spiritual or moral strength, not physical.
Scholarly perspectives:
1. Dr. Susan Niditch (Amherst College): Sees the story as a reflection of ancient Israelite values, not semen retention.
2. Dr. John Walton (Wheaton College): Interprets Samson’s hair as a symbol of his sacred calling.
3. Dr. Carol Meyers (Duke University): Understands the story within the cultural context of ancient Israel.
Sources:
1. The Jewish Study Bible
2. The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Narrative
3. Journal of Biblical Literature
4. Vetus Testamentum
5. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament
Comment by prolikejesus at 10/11/2024 at 20:53 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I think saying everyone has to do TRE is a bit of a stretch. Lots of people have found success with trauma without using TRE. Being initiated into a yoga practice for example, this usually involves being given a process to become the peak of human potential, without using TRE.
Comment by JicamaTraditional579 at 30/10/2023 at 04:24 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
If there is still no release the body starts to shut down energetically to protect itself and tries to release the energy through wet dreams.
When starting the ejaculation again.....does the body reset itself energetically?(starts to bring up urges again?) Also the tention and trauma bring up by sr does not revert back after restarting ejaculation and has to deal with it? Tre will be sure way to deal with it but....in some cases some people are not able to tremor even after starting the ejaculation....tremor does not start even if they fatigue thier legs whole day.
Comment by [deleted] at 29/10/2023 at 22:21 UTC
0 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by Noraleen at 23/08/2024 at 19:25 UTC
0 upvotes, 1 direct replies
This was an incredible post - I do feel like I’m missing something pivotal what is TRE?
Comment by Apprehensive_Ebb_785 at 16/10/2024 at 09:25 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Eu tento reter, porém consigo 3 semana, mas acabou que fazendo as coisas com minha esposa e escapa, mas e mas vez por mês, eu rei ício a conta? Ou tá valendo ainda?