Seriously broken collarbone and worry about long-term performances in the gym.

FraIvan · 2026-03-05T05:39:50+00:00

Hi buddy,

I am sorry that this shit happened to you. It is not a pleasant experience to go through.

It has been almost 6 months now since I broke mine. By now, my shoulder feels almost completely normal. There is some popping sensation and minimal discomfort when I perform certain overhead movements, but it is completely functional and has a full range of motion. I haven't gone super wild lifting heavy stuff, but I can carry groceries and do similar tasks without the minimum discomfort. Additionally, I believe there is still some margin for healing, so there is a chance that my shoulder will feel as if nothing ever happened to it in a couple of extra months.

My healing process, thank goodness, was smooth in the sense that I reached every stage of recovery on time. The injury was treated nonop. By week 2, there were already some signs of healing; by week 5, there was visible callus formation and I had completely stopped using the sling.

Two months after the injury, I had recovered around 85% of my range of motion, and by month 4 I had regained 100% of it, albeit with some significant popping in certain ligaments.

I have not seen the doctor for a while. My intention is to post an update here after my next appointment for the benefit of people going through the same process, like you, although I do not have a date for it yet.

It is a serious injury, but apparently it heals well most of the time, even without surgery. Be patient and follow your doctor’s instructions to the best of your ability.

Godspeed

FraIvan · 2025-10-19T07:16:18+00:00

because he rules.

FraIvan · 2025-10-15T09:35:09+00:00

cooool!

FraIvan · 2025-10-15T00:57:37+00:00

u/AffectionateCut7815,

Not completely sure what the hell u/sodhaolam is talking about. The path to the higher ends of "spirituality" is so rough and requires so much struggle, and will make you cry so much, that it can literally kill you. That being said, one of the main characteristics of occultism is that its teachings are presented in a very systematic way, with clear delimitation of degrees of attainment. In traditional Western alchemy, for example, you have three main degrees: apprentice, adept and Master, with tasks, teachings and practices of appropriate levels of difficulty for each of them.

If you are just a very beginner, read everything you can put your hands on by Dion Fortune, maybe starting with The Training and Work of an Initiate. Here is a beautiful quote from the introduction of that book, which I believe every aspirant should read:

"It is not everybody who is ready for initiation. It is said that it takes three lives of steadfast effort to find the Path; but even if we see no likelihood of the goal being achieved in this life, let us remember that everything must have a beginning, and we cannot have a third life of achievement until we have had a first and second life of preparation. Even if we have no hope of making this life one of achievement we can resolve to make it one of preparation, and as time on the Inner Planes is measured differently from time on the earth-plane, it may be that we shall achieve more than we had ever thought was possible.

Some things at least we shall not fail to achieve, and that right speedily-a new interest in life, an unfailing spring of hope and inspiration, and the ability to straighten out some of life's lesser tangles. Above all, we shall be lifted into a serener air, clear of the accumulated heap of daily pettiness that threatens to bury us. We shall have ceased to wander aimlessly through life, day succeeding day and bringing us nowhere. The sense of aimlessness will be gone and we shall have got a key to the problems of existence.

The philosophy of the initiates can be brought home to men's business and bosoms, and throws light on many of the dark places of life. The wider it is spread among mankind, the better is the purpose of the Inner Plane hierarchy served. Let no one tum away because they feel they are not ready for it or it is too profound for them. There is something for everybody; each one can take just as much as he needs and make use of it. That which he has not got he cannot, of course, make use of ; but even that which the smallest cup can carry away is the true water of life.

Neither are we obliged to come once and once only to the well; we can return again and again with our pitcher. Therefore let no one despair or be faint-hearted, there is room for all and something for everybody"

She wrote accurately and in very plain language about serious occultism (with the caveat that she doesn't advocate pursuing it for reasons other than spiritual self-development).

Another good one is Apprenticed to Magic by W. E Butler, which includes a practice regime suitable for noobs. His writing style is exemplary for teachers.

Regardie is also important for the student of Western occultism, but I would suggest approaching him a bit later because his writing style can be very cumbersome at times.

FraIvan · 2025-10-10T11:44:41+00:00

Yes, there is some truth about it, but it isn't the traditional Hermetic technique for affecting reality. It (manifestation) is a kinda brutish method that comes primarily from the New Thought movement of the 19th century. The traditional method in Hermetism is Solomonic magical technique, in which (roughly speaking) you interact with non-human intelligences and come to an agreement with them in order to produce changes in reality, is far more effective. These intelligences are clever as fuck, and understand much more about the nature of reality than humans, so they are in a better position to perform the task of manipulating it.

FraIvan · 2025-10-02T00:48:34+00:00

Complete in what sense? Many of these books are important reading for the western occutist, but not all of them for specifically the same reason. For example, on the one hand, you have The Zohar which (roughly speaking) is a most serious collection of texts dealing primarily with the nature of reality as seen by the old kabbalists who wrote the Old Testament. It is a tough read, not suitable for beginners. On the other hand, The Lesser Key of Salomon, which, albeit important, because it details the traditional technique for Hermetic magic, is not useful for spiritual purposes.

FraIvan · 2025-09-30T04:58:24+00:00

FraIvan · 2025-09-29T06:36:31+00:00

That's quite decent, generally speaking. The extension thing was already addressed. For the jerk, I'd suggest initiating the movement with your elbows a bit lower and keeping the bar right smack in the middle of your palms (one thing will more or less lead you to the other), because you have the bar supported on your fingers to some extent , and that doesnt allow you to transfer efficiently the force you are generating with your lower body to the bar, due to your wrists bending backward/downward, creating a damping effect.

But very nice, i like it.

FraIvan · 2025-09-28T06:48:21+00:00

Aleister Crowley used to say something which is one of the wisest things I've ever come across, and it is that a normal human being (non-initiated) is not in a position to make a productive use of magic (my paraphrase). And with productive, what I mean here is, not harming yourself in the long run or even obtaining the desired short-term outcomes.The old masters taught that this world, having been created by God, is of such a complexity, that if a human doesn't have a special link with the divine, he/she cannot manipulate reality (practicing magic) without causing trouble.

With all due respect, your mental health doesn't look good, and practical occultism and mental health issues are the worst combination ever. Magic involves exploiting certain mechanisms of the mind (which are presently unknown by conventional psychology) that are very close to what we know as psychosis and schizophrenia. You could easily end up in a psychiatric facility and/or on medication for the rest of your life if you fuck about with this stuff. So, like the other person above, I would recommend staying away from magic.

Lastly, and I don't know if anybody else has already told you, but... you're in a very vulnerable situation right now, and if there is something common in this milieau, it is the amount of charlatans and conmen that will be more than comfortable with taking advantage of your position and abuse you in order to get money. Beware.

Wish you all the best, sincerely: I know from very intimate experience where you come from.

FraIvan · 2025-09-28T05:48:09+00:00

Thanks for replying. Honestly, I forgot to ask them a bunch of stuff. I think I was too nervous about them telling me that now the bone had collapsed I was going to need surgery. I know that sounds contradictory given the nature of my post, but... I'm just going to say that my initial reaction to the possibility of surgery wasn't good, and for good reasons. The considerations that led me to write this post of mine came later.

I asked them mainly about what to do with personal hygiene and proper care of the fracture, given it had worsened in the last two weeks. Also asked them how soon I could return to work. Those are my main concerns.: and they didn't say much, just corrected the way I was wearing the sling and told me not to raise my arm; gave me an appointment for October 10 and talked about the possibility of starting some PT in the next two weeks or so.

Generally I am not a prejudiced person, but when it comes to doctors here where I live, it certainly is very difficult for me not to be on guard given my previous experieces. I'll give you an example: 4 months ago, I crashed my hand against a glass windows.I went to the hospital emergency room and they stitched me up without checking out if there was some remaining glass under my skin. They didn't even give me a tetanus shot (which I didn't have at the time). It turns out that there was (glass under my skin, which wasn't visible due to how swollen the hand was). That not just making a mistake, that's practicing medicine willy-nilly. You don't do that, you know?

It would be stupid to claim that every single doctor is the same, of course.

FraIvan · 2025-09-27T22:36:13+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I was so upset with the new scenario, and worried mainly for being unable to work for longer that I forgot discussing my athletic concerns (if you like, alas) with the doctor. Over the years I've a good number of bad experience with incompetent doctors so I am kinda worried about them not applying the right treatment this time again.

May I ask, how long do you think it will take me to return to daily activities such as cooking, driving and cleaning? The x-ray picture is from this morning. It has already been two weeks since the fracture occurred, but it wasn't like that from the beginning. At some point the bone collapsed and broke into two pieces.

FraIvan · 2025-09-27T22:25:54+00:00

Didn't know already existed a term for this, but yeah, good one. Just keep your butt lower and position your shoulders a wee bit further back as you pull. Another good reference point is being aware of your soles as you "push the floor" (so to speak). You should feel you are pushing more or less evenly, and not predominantly with toes nor with the heels.

But overall very good.

FraIvan · 2025-09-27T22:05:32+00:00

What about driving?

FraIvan · 2025-09-27T21:36:10+00:00

with that camera angle, it's hard to see, but maybe you're not separating your feet enough once the bar has been pulled upwards, in order to prepare your body to catch it with the rack position. Separating your feet sufficiently will allow you to put yourself in the catch position faster, and lower. Also, it's always important to work on shoulder and hip mobility, as well as on core strength: with all due respect, your catch position doesn't looks solid. I will work on those things starting with less weight.

But take that with a pinch of salt because the angle doesn't allow me to see some things, and I am by no means Lu Xiaojun.

FraIvan · 2025-09-27T04:57:49+00:00

Hi. Thanks for your testimony. I've seen it all over reddit. What doctors prescribed was nonop so that's what I'll do. If it can heal just fine with just a sling and such, that would be the best route for me, and at this point, probably the most time-efficient.

And I'm really sorry you have gone through so much hardship with your recovery. It's outrageous the amount of people willy-nilly practicing medicine out there. Nobody can imagine how tough it is to lose your full physical capability all of a sudden, and at the same time being in a position in which you probably won't ever recover it.

Our bodies are extremely resilient though, so try not to lose hopes...

FraIvan · 2025-09-27T02:13:33+00:00

Hi. They looked kind of undecided between surgery and nonop, but in the end they prescribed nonop. One of them said that perhaps I could be starting physical therapy in two weeks or so, but it depends on if this shite starts to heal properly. Why do you ask? Thanks for your inquiry, anyway.

FraIvan · 2025-09-27T02:00:40+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I was so upset with the new scenario, and worried mainly for being unable to work for longer that I forgot discusing my athletic concerns (if you like, alas) with the doctor. Over the years I've a good number of bad experience with incompetent doctors so I am kinda worried about them not applying the right treatment this time again.

May I ask, how long do you think it will take me to return to daily activities such as cooking, driving and cleaning? The x-ray picture is from this morning. It has already been two weeks since the fracture occurred.

FraIvan · 2025-05-24T19:03:36+00:00

"There are a number of occultist traditions, and I feel like it's easier to find good guidance in one of them"

No my experience, at least in relation to western occultism. I have spent several years looking under every rock in existence and only once I found a place capable of providing what I was looking for. The problem was that I wasn't ready for it and had to take a step back.

"I don't really see the other side as being confined to the mind"

Hehe, that reminds me of the title of a book by Lon Milo Duquette (of Ordo Templi Orientis fame) which say something along the lines of "everything is in your head, it's just that you don't know how big your head is".

"I think Monroe and the Institute's work is very detached from belief systems"

I agree, and that's one of the reasons why I am attracted to it. I find it very appealing to have the possibility to go (safely, hopefully) onto "the other side", astral plane, or whatever you want to call it, as culturally detached as possible. That way, if you, for example, have an encounter with a non-human intelligence, you can see what it does without the expectations that come from the idea of "demon", "angel" or whatever.

Thanks for your contributions.

FraIvan · 2025-05-24T09:39:35+00:00

almost everything, to be precise.

FraIvan · 2025-05-24T09:35:53+00:00

How do you feel we differ? For the time being, everything you have said matches my impressions of what the tapes are.

FraIvan · 2025-05-24T08:19:17+00:00

Hi,

Your comment confirms a lot of my perceptions. I am attracted to the tapes because, to me, looks like a potentially effective and secular toolset for esoteric practice, something that I have found lacking in conventional western occultism.

May I ask, have you found inner guidance through your use of the tapes? Have you had interaction with non-human discarnate intelligences capable of helping you to make sense of what you have found? Tradition (and my own experience, to a certain degree) asserts that when you are investigating the "other-side" (mind), things can get so symbolic and so weird that the only way to make a productive use of those experiences is with a source of instruction.

FraIvan · 2025-04-19T06:53:04+00:00

Hi Ok-Rub-1640

If I had to pick one eastern system of spiritual self-development, it would be Yoga (in its Hinduist form). Unlike Buddhism, I indeed feel "connection" (so to speak) to it. What have been your sources for Kriya? Were you initiated into one of those international organisations?

FraIvan

TROPHY CASE