 age shows how
well a person’s body is functioning compared to the norms
of the whole population. It gives a truer measure of how
the aging process is progressing than does chronological or
calendar age, because any two people who are both 55
years old by the calendar  will generally have very diﬀerent
bodies. Initially all that Wallace needed to test were three
rather simple variables: blood pressure, acuteness of
hearing, and near-point vision (the ability to see objects
close-up). All three steadily deteriorate as the body
biologically ages and therefore serve as convenient
markers. Wallace discovered that the meditators, as a group, were
signiﬁcantly younger biologically than their chronological
age. The diﬀerence between the two was not small, either—
the female subject who scored the best was fully twenty
years younger than her chronological age. Strikingly, how
much younger a person tested was closely correlated to
how long he had kept up his meditation practice. Wallace
found a dividing line between those who had meditated
fewer than ﬁve years and those who had meditated ﬁve
years or more. The ﬁrst group averaged ﬁve years younger
biologically, while the second averaged twelve years
younger. A backup study condu cted in England later
calculated that each year of regular meditation takes oﬀ
roughly one year of aging. Another ﬁnding that particularly
impressed Wallace’s team was that their older subjects
showed as good results as much younger people. A typical
60-year-old meditating ﬁve years or more would have the
physiology of a 48-year-old. Another important point raised by this remarkable study
is that the subjects were not trying  to age more slowly. They were simply removing an invisible barrier, and then
the desirable physical changes took place of their own
accord. This spontaneous ﬂowering seems to be quite
nonspeciﬁc; a 1986 Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurance
study based on two thousand meditators in Iowa showed
that they were much healthier than the American
population as a whole in seventeen major areas of serious
disease, both mental and physical. This was a very
signiﬁcant improvement. For example, the meditation
group was hospitalized 87 percent less often than
nonmeditators for heart disease and 50 percent less often
for all kinds of tumors. There were equally impressive
reductions in disorders of the respiratory system, the
digestive tract, clinical depression, and so forth. Although
the study was limited to one group, this is very encouraging
news for anyone who wants to follow a holistic program of
prevention. —
The fourth state may play an important role in our future. At the source of human awareness lies a super-normal level
of consciousness—it can become normal, however, once we
have accustomed ourselves to experiencing it. If turiya is
the mind’s birthplace, then why can’t it be the mind’s
permanent home. This is the next area to explore,
investigating whether nature is uniﬁed not just in Einstein’s
hypothetical model but in ourselves. EXPANDING THE TOPIC
In hindsight, the practical side of this chapter, connecting
meditation with positive changes in the brain, has only
expanded. * Rese arch into medita tion continues apace,following the same lines I described thirty years ago. Vital
signs are seen to improve, and various eﬀects on brain
function can be observed with ever-increasing accuracy. Skeptics have been thoro ughly driven out of the debate on
these issues, but not on the notion of unbounded
awareness. Recognition of a fourth state of consciousness,
beyond waking, dreamin g, and sleeping, arous es ﬁerce
opposition because “unb ounded” would mean that mind
exists outside the brain. The path to proving the reality of unbounded awareness
isn’t by introducing cosmic mind, not if you want to
convince anyone who would suspect that God’s in the
wings. It’s more convincing, especially to doctors, if you
direct them to the intima te scale of the human body. When
someone asks, “Where is the mind located. ” they will
automatically point to their heads. Why. Is it because  we
automatically expect to experience our thoughts in our
heads. That seems to be the case. When dream ing at night,
it gets a bit more ambiguous, since we feel that we are
“inside” our dreams. But for most of us, most of the time,
“my head” is where “my mind” is located. This response may feel true simply because so many
sense organs are located there: eyes, ears, nose, tongue. But we can easily undermine the commonsense model of
sight and sound taking place in the head. When a car
backﬁres behind you, the sound can’t be felt entering the
ear canal, being processe d in the inner ear and then in the
brain’s auditory center. There is no noise in the brain. Quite
clearly the sound of the backﬁring car comes from outside
you. In some cultures, hearing is a faculty that goes from
inside to outside, the opposite of what we assume. Think
about driving down the highway and suddenly noticing the
driver in front of you hitting the brakes. Your attention goes
out in order to see his rear lights go on. The senses follow
attention, which makes it plausible to say your mind wentoutside your body when you spotted the brake lights. We
casually adopt this model for vision when we say that
someone “shoots a glance” at someone else. Babies, we are told, have  a much more diﬀuse experience
of the ﬁve senses, perhaps mixing them up in what are
called synesthesias (for example, experiencing sounds as
colors or tastes as shapes, an experience reported from
hallucinogenic drugs and in deep meditative states). Some
researchers contend that babies therefore have  a poor
sense of the boundary between themselves and the world. But infants turn into toddlers, and the separation between
self and the world starts to harden. Society and family
reinforce this habit as the toddler grows up, and eventually
the mind takes its seat in our heads, or so it seems. In
altered states, whether induced by drugs or in deep
meditation, there are countless reports, echoed by Charles
Lindbergh in his transatlantic ﬂight, of the mind extending
in all direct ions. There are even subjective reports of
sitting in a chair and reaching out to touch some velvet
drapes far across the room—the senses literally go where
they are directed. Neuroscientists would call such experiences anomalies,
declaring resolutely that mind and brain have taken up
residence together in a box called the skull. But it is
undeniably possible to literally “think outside the box,”
beginning with the message system discussed in this book
that connect s every cell in the body with whatever is
occurring in the brain. “Fine,” a neuroscientist would
argue, “but the brain is still the machine that makes mind. Take away the brain, and there is no mind. ” But this is the
same as saying that if you turn oﬀ the radio, there is no
music. You haven’t destroyed the music, only the receiver. One must be open to asking some culturally radical
questions, including the most radical of all: Is a brain evennecessary for “thinking”. There are diﬀerent ways to
explore this issue. First, let’s consider whether only human brains  create
minds. Few people who have pets or live on farms would
say that the animals they encounter don’t have minds. There is already abun dant evidence that the genes,
receptors, and neurotran smitters involved in human brain
function are present in animals. Saying that diﬀerent kinds
of animal brains create minds is not so troublesome if you
insist that the mind is rooted in these shared processes and
chemicals. We aren’t able to describe what animal minds
are like (some may lack anything like human self-
awareness), but we shouldn’t have a problem conceiving
that these creatures have one. Second, there are nervo us systems on the evolutionary
ladder than don’t require a central brain. Some creatures,
like jellyﬁsh, have neuron al nets distributed throug hout the
body. We, too, have such systems. Your gastrointestinal
tract sends and receives signals from the peripheral nerves
that branch out from the spinal cord. But digestion can
function quite well when severed from the peripheral
nervous system. As in the jellyﬁsh, your gut constitutes a
weblike intestinal nervous system. In the language of cell
biology, specialized ganglion cells are located between
muscle layer s in the intestinal wall that act like a local
brain. If one severs any peripheral nerves, these ganglion
cells continue to instruct the intestine to move and absorb
and secrete, working quite autonomously as a self-
contained functional unit. It turns out that the intestinal tract only takes advice
from the rest of the body. It harbors its own reactions. When bad news gives you a sinking feeling in the pit of
your stomach, you are experiencing an emotion as surely as
you experience it in your head. In fact, your gut reaction
pre


 lower doses of 800 milligrams per day to treat fibromyalgia. It is often
recommended that SAMe be taken along with vitamins B6, B1 2, and folic
acid to enhance its ef ficacy. SAMe m ay be an ef fective alternative to antidepressant medications, but
we believe that more scientific research is necessary before we can
recommend its routine use. If you are feeling persistently sad and depleted,
please see your health-care p rovider to discuss all potentially helpful
treatment options, including SAMe. GROWTH HORMONE
In 1990 an intriguing article on aging by Dr. Daniel Rudman and his
colleagues appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. Men between
sixty and eighty years of age were given human growth hormone (hGH)
injections three times a week for six months. At the completion of the study,
the men who ha d received hGH shots had an increase in their lean body
mass, a decrease in their fat content, and an increase in the t hickness of
their skin. Initially, these results were enthusiastically advertised as
evidence that hGH was the sou ght-after fountain of youth. Unfortunately,
subsequent reports found that several undesirable side ef fects developed
with its ongoing  use. Growth hormone injections had to be discontinued in
a number of men due to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome, edema,
joint aches, or breast swelling. Other reports found that although a person
developed greater muscle mass on hGH, they did not increase their strength. In fact, adding growth hormone  to an good exercise program did not add
additional benefit.Due to the high  cost and inconvenience of hGH injections, there have
been attempts to stimulate the production and release of growth hormone
through amino acids taken oral ly. It has been known for many years that
giving th e amino acid ar ginine intravenously increases the level of growth
hormone. Ef fort s to boost growth hormone levels with oral ar ginine have
met with  mixed results. Conside ring all the currently available i nformation,
we d o not believ e that there is enough current evidence to suppo rt the long-
term value of pharmacologically manipulating growth hormone levels. W e
will continue to follow the research in this area with great interest. DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE (DHEA)
This natural hormone produced by the adrenal glands must hav e a purpose,
but desp ite the fact that it was id entified over fifty years ago, scientists have
not yet determined what it does. It is known that we make very little DHEA
during the first ten years of life, we make a lot of it between the ages of
twenty a nd forty, and then we gradually discontinue making it, so by the
time we  are seventy, we have l ess DHEA than we had as teenagers. The
ef fects o f giving  animals and p eople supplementary DHEA h ave yielded
contradictory results, generating a lot of controversy. Some enthusiastic
advocates promote DHEA as the antiaging elixir, while most medical
scientists believe that further study is necessary to determine its lasting
benefits and risks to health. Among the thousands of studies on this
intriguing chemi cal, there are reports that it can relieve depressi on, improve
certain aspects of memory, red uce body fat, and enhance immunity. In a
recent study from France, men and women between the ages of sixty and
eighty years were given a daily DHEA dose of 50 milligrams and compared
to other subjects taking a placebo. At the conclusion of the one-year
experiment, mild benefits to the skin were seen in the younger men, while
women over seventy showed modest improvements in their skin, bones, and
libido. W hether these ef fects are due to the conversion of DHEA to male
and fem ale sex hormones or a specific action of DHEA on its own is notknown. Unfortunately, for almost every study that suggests a benefit there is
usually another one that fails to support it. Although seriou s side ef fects a re uncommon, DHEA is converted into
male an d female hormones and may contribute to health concerns ranging
from ac ne to activation of b reast and prostate cancer to psychiatric
problems. The other issue of concern with DHEA is that we really don’ t
know what long-term side ef fec ts it may cause. Although the recent French
study las ted a year, most investigations showing either benefit or no benefit
have las ted less than three months. W e believe that too many qu estions still
need to be ans wered before we can endorse the routine use of this
fascinating horm one. W e’ll continue to watch DHEA with great interest and
provide you with updates as new information unfolds. In the meantime, we
can take some reassurance fr om a study which showed t hat regular
practitioners of meditation have higher DHEA levels than people who are
not meditating. PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS
Nutritional scien tists have identified many health-enhancing sub stances that
come from our f ood. Members of the natural plant chemical family known
as phenolic compounds are receiving a lot of attention for their potent
antioxidant properties. Some o f the chemicals that you may have heard
about include bioflavonoids, iso-flavonoids, catech ins, and
proanthocyanidins. Found in green tea, berries, grape skins and seeds, as
well as pine bark, some of these  natural chemicals have been fo und to be as
much as fifty tim es more powerful scavengers of free radicals th an vitamins
C and E. The an tioxidant prope rties of the proanthocyanidins derived from
grapes may explain the beneficial ef fect of wine on the heart. In addition to
a possible role in the prevention of heart disease, these substances have also
been sho wn to have possible protective activity against cancer, d egenerative
brain conditions, and macular degeneration of the eye.As a  result of these studies, many nutritional supplement companies are
of fering concentrated capsules of these helpful agents. Grape seed extract,
powdered green tea extract, and pine bark extract (commonly known as
pycnogenol) are widely availa ble in health food stores and have been
promoted as antiaging wonder drugs. W e agree that these substances are
natural botanica l gifts, but believe they are best consumed as nature
provided them. Our bottom line regarding these super antioxidants is to eat
plenty of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and
cranberries. Con sume lots of grapes and chew the seeds. A cup or two of
green te a will invigorate you while you are receiving the antioxidant
benefits of the p olyphenols cont ained within. In regards to this class of age-
reversing allies, we believe that good food is better than good medicine. Our Daily V itamin Recommendations
Living b eings have evolved for billions of years without the consumption of
nutritional supp lements, with most of the substances packed into a
multivitamin tablet having been  identified chemically only within the last
century. And yet it is becoming increasingly clear that the levels of vitamins
that prev ent a deficiency disease  may not be the levels that prov ide optimal
health. W e view nutritional sup plementation as an insurance policy. The
following daily doses are encou raged to complement a well-balanced diet. They fall well w ithin safety limits while reflecting the informa tion on the
role that higher intake may play in lowering the risk for th e common
conditions that deplete our vitali ty and make us sick. Y ou can us ually fulfill
these re quirements by taking a high-potency multivitamin, m ultimineral
supplement. Ou r recommended Reversal of Aging nutritional c omplement
plan is listed in the appendix. If you are at ris k for heart disease, you may benefit from an a dditional
dose of B vitamins, including folic acid, B6, and B12. If yo u feel your
memory is not serving you as well as you remember it did, consider adding
a daily helping of ginkgo biloba. If your joints have been calling for
attention, increa se your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and try supplementingwith glucosamine sulfate. Using these concentrated nutrients to complement
a healthy lifestyle and diet can help you grow younger and live longer. But
do not for get: Nutritional supplements  ar e not a sub stitute for a
nutritionally balanced diet. Nutrient Ritual
Rituals serve to focus your atten tion. Y ou probably cannot remember what
you wore to din ner last Thursday evening, but if that night you attended an
awards c eremony or a birthday celebration, the previously for gotten details
may become available to you. Rituals take you from mind lessness to
mindfulness. They bring you into present moment awareness. Rituals focus
your intentions and stimulate your inner drugstore to produce age-reversing
compounds. Consciously taking your supplements can empower their ef fects and
enhance their benefits. Although some disparage the so-called placebo
ef fect, w e see it as a valuable expression of your natural inherent health-
promoting pharmacy. When you anticipate the benefits of nutritional
complements, you activate your


 challenged existing perceptions and
fundamentally changed the way people view the world. By proving that matter and
energy are one, Einstein brought forth a new field for studying the laws of the
universe, quantum physics, in which human beings are regarded as networks ofcomplex energy systems that interact with physical and cellular systems. We human beings are not Newtonian in nature, but rather Einsteinian. Humans are
matter, but we are also multidimensional energy systems, and our thoughts, beliefs
and attitudes create energy fields that influence our biochemistry and affect our
health. Yet our physicians continue to use the mechanical Newtonian model. No Ground to Stand On
We are brought up to think of medicine as scientific and that the techniques and
procedures used by our physicians are the result of extensive scientific study. Not so. Several studies, including a 1978 report by the U.S. Office of Technology
Assessment, have estimated that no scientific basis exists for 80 to 90 percent of all
procedures used in medical practice. In fact, traditional or allopathic medicine has no general theory of the organism,
health or disease—no unifying framework to tie it all together. Without a theory and
a framework, there is no understanding of what the problems are, how they
developed or how to solve them, and everything becomes an ad hoc experience. The
mechanistic manner in which medicine is practiced today has never been proven by
scientific method. As Lynne McTaggart, author of the 1996 book,
What Doctors
Don’t Tell You,
wrote: “For all the attempts to cloak medicine in the weighty mantle
of science—a good deal of what we regard as standard medical practice today
amounts to little more than 20th-century voodoo.”
Doctors usually have little idea what is wrong with their patients or how to make
them well. And how can one blame them? They spent many years in medical school,
learning technicalities, procedures and protocols, and were taught that “cures” must
come from outside the body. That is why physicians have no faith or instruction
about the natural capacity of the human body to heal itself. In fact, many argue that
almost all conditions presented to physicians are self-limiting and spontaneously
resolve by the natural healing process, regardless of what the physician happens to
prescribe. This natural healing process must become our focus, because the magnitude of
sickness in this country is astonishing. More than three out of four Americans now
suffer from a diagnosable chronic disease, a dilemma that the modern medical
establishment not only fails to solve, but actually contributes to. Things must
change. In March 2001, The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of
Sciences issued a report titled,
Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System
for the 21st Century. According to this report: “... between the health care we now
have and the health care we could have lies not just a gap, but a chasm.” The report
also said: “Health care harms patients too frequently and routinely fails to deliver its
potential benefits.”The United States has the most expensive, yet one of the most inadequate health
care systems in the world. Our infant mortality rate is worse than Cuba’s. According
to the World Health Organization, our overall health is worse than that of almost
every European country, as well as Australia, Canada, and Israel. According to the
above Institute of Medicine report, “... a fundamental, sweeping redesign of the
entire health care system is required.” The report cited that “... the nation’s health
care delivery system has fallen short in its ability to translate knowledge into
practice and to apply new technology safely and appropriately.” It went on to say, “... if the system cannot consistently deliver today’s science and technology, it is even
less prepared to respond to the extraordinary advances that surely will emerge
during the coming decades.”
We’ve spent hundreds of billions of medical research dollars on outmoded
science, which explains why we have not found the cause or the cure for a single
chronic disease. Decades after President Richard Nixon declared “war on cancer”
and after countless billions of dollars spent, malignancy survival rates are not
noticeably improved. We have yet to produce a truly effective cancer treatment;
every minute another American dies of cancer. The situation is similar with heart
disease. We can implant a new artificial heart surgically, but we cannot prevent or
cure heart disease. Why? Because so few resources are devoted to study of the
body’s healing systems or to help patients understand and support their own health
at the cellular level. Reallocating resources with these priorities in mind is the
direction medicine must take if it is ever to be effective in reversing our epidemic of
chronic disease. Everyone Is Unique
Interested only in identifying symptoms, physicians do not listen to their patients. Patients are regarded as machines, similar to every other machine; doctors need not
learn anything unique about individual people. A study reported in the December
1993 issue of
Internal Medicine News
found that 70 percent of patients were
interrupted by their doctor within eighteen seconds after the patient began to
describe their symptoms. As soon as the doctor has matched symptoms to a disease,
treatments follow established protocols. Everyone with the same “disease” receives
the same treatment. Such procedures completely ignore one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the
twentieth century: biochemical individuality. Two people with the same so-called
disease may need different treatments because no two people’s cells are
malfunctioning for exactly the same reasons. Modern medicine does not teach
physicians how to recognize or work with each patient’s unique biochemistry. Even when presented with scientific evidence that an alternative system works
best, most physicians resist change and fail to apply these findings. Their disease-based focus interferes with the essence of what health care should be: the
optimization of health at the cellular level based on a person’s unique biochemistry
and life circumstances. Resistant to Change
Adopting a more rational system of medicine would result in an enormous
reduction in health-care costs by eliminating hundreds of thousands of physicians
and closing thousands of hospitals (not to mention the potential financial ruin of
drug companies). Obviously, the economic incentive to maintain the status quo and
not change is enormous. Currently, cancer is a billion-dollar-a-day “industry” in the
United States, and more people are employed in the AIDS industry than there are
sufferers of AIDS. Modern medicine’s efforts to protect money and jobs were vividly described and
documented in the 2000 book by former New York State Legislator, Daniel Haley,
Politics in Healing: The Suppression and Manipulation of American Medicine. Haley points out that in the twentieth century several inexpensive and highly
effective cures for cancer were introduced in American medicine. The developers of
these cures, well-meaning people, were naive and believed that the world would
welcome a cancer cure. What these people—among others, Harry Hoxey, William
Frederick Koch, Royal Raymond Rife and Dr. Andrew Ivy—all failed to understand
is that someone who threatens the survival of a prospering and growing industry
with an inexpensive cure will not be welcomed. Proven and effective cancer cures
were repudiated and suppressed by the American Medical Association (AMA) and
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Discoverers of these cures were
isolated, harassed, persecuted, prosecuted, financially ruined and destroyed, and
their treatments essentially have been lost. Some events described in Haley’s book
are bizarre and are hard to believe, yet they are documented by evidence presented at
jury trials and recorded in court records. The FDA, AMA, the National Cancer
Institute, and the American Cancer Society still continue to suppress cancer cures,
such as that developed by Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski; his office has been raided by
FDA agents and U.S. Marshals, he has been persecuted relentlessly, and his medical
license is on a ten-year probation during which time he is not allowed to see new
patients. These actions prevent public access to treatments and intimidate other
unorthodox physicians. Physicians who have worked all their lives within the existing system often feel
threatened by change. The majority of physicians support efforts by state medical
boards and government regulatory boards to suppress alternative approaches. A less
expensive, more effective way of practicing medicine threatens their economic well-
being, as well as philosophically questions the validity of their lifetime work.Physicians who have dared to introduce alternative treatments have had their
licenses revoked, been financially ruined, and ostracized because they were willing
to help patients with treatments that were not the “accepted standard of care.”
A chilling example of how nonconforming doctors are kept in line is the case of
Jonathan Wright, M.D. On May 6, 1992, a small army of FDA agents plus ten police
officers, with drawn guns and flak jackets, attacked Dr. Wright’s office. Rather than
simply opening the office door and walking in, they broke it down, terrifying his
staff and patients in the waiting room. Why? Was Wright on the FBI’s list of known
terrorists? No. Wright was merely an outspoken critic of modern medicine and the
FDA, and he regularly used vitamins and natural substances in his practice. This
approach to healing made him a target. During the fourteen-hour raid, all of Wright’s records, equipment, manuals,
vitamins, minerals and herbs were confiscated. They even took his postage stamps. None of Wright’s patients ever had complained about him. Wright was never
charged with anything, nor ever prosecuted for anything.


 tment is also given to those with neuro-muscular and
skeletal disorde rs as well as to help clients reach beyond theirpsychophysical limitations. Based on a precise knowledge of the
body’ s ener getic channels  (nadis)  and vital spots  (marmas), the
therapist suspends his weight from ropes overhead and applies
pressure with long strokes of the soles of his feet, after the client’ s
body ha s been prepared with specially medicated oil. There is
usually some manipulation of the joints and limbs also. What distinguishes  chavitti thirumal  from other massage
treatments is the application. The foot of the masseur is able to give
a deeper, more thorough pressure and is able to cover the whole
length o f the body from the tips of the fingers to the tips of the toes,
with long continuous graceful strokes. Therapists need to under go
many years of t raining: learning the  chavitti  art requires a certain
type of calling and certainly a deep dedication to the wellbeing of
clients and their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual upkeep. After placing a foot in some medicated oil, the  chavitti  therapist balances his or
her weight via ropes hanging from the ceiling, and presses deep into  marma
points along the client’ s back and legs.hot stone abhyangam
This de eply penetrating, all-over body blast is an example of
how A yurveda may be integrated with other hea ling
traditions from elsewhere in the world. Developed by
therapists at the world-famous Soukya International Holi stic
Health Center  near Bangalore, it employs the hea ling
medicated her bal oils and m assage movements of A yurveda
with the warmth and nurturing qualities of hot stones
developed by both Native American Indians and T ibet ans
(separately of course!). It is  one and a half hours of p ure
bliss. Small stones placed  between the toes are delightfully indulgent, while larger ones
are used for the massage itself. Feelings of warmth and security emanate from
them; all the while the medicated oil does its detoxifying work. There is both a therapeutic elem ent and a feel-good factor to this
treatment, so you can relax coco oned in the warmth emanating f rom
the hot stones knowing that what is taking place is good for you. The long, firm strokes of the masseuse encourage the eliminatio n of
toxins from the deeper tissues and also stimulate peripheral
circulation of both blood and lymph. This, along with the heat from
the stones, enables the medicated oils to be absorbed to do their
work. Naturally, as with all A yurvedic treatments, oils are chosen
according to the client’ s constitution and/or ailment. One the rapist is in char ge of heating and re-heating the stones,
while th e other alternates between oil massage, stone massage with
oil, and placing stones at key points on the body. As the treatment
progresses, a rhythm is established. One part of the body is being
massaged, while a strategically placed stone sends heat deep into
another part of the body; as the stone cools, it is replaced or ta ken
away an d another stone is plac ed elsewhere. After the back, legs
and arms have b een seen to, the client turns over, and is then invited
to li e do wn on eight stones that run up either side of the spine. The
heat is then twofold: coming up through the back, and down from
stones on the front. Stones are often basalt, a black volcanic rock with a high iron content,  that
absorbs and retains  heat well. Such stones are believed to improve energy flows
in the body. W ith soothing music, firm massage strokes and the wonderfully
nurturing warmt h from the smooth stones, this is an experienc e to
savor. T he mind wanders and re turns, the body sighs in acceptance,the spirit is soot hed. Unfortunat ely, it seems all too soon when the
treatment comes  to an end. Nonetheless, the benefits linger an d if
this therapy is prescribed as a daily treat during a long-term stay, the
ef fects are magnified considerably.marma massage  Pressure Point
Massage
Indian pressu re points are known as  marmas  and are
similar to Chinese acupressure points. T ranslating from  the
Sanskrit as “secret” or “hidden”, they are found at junctures
of the body where two or  more tissues, muscles, veins,
ligaments, bones or joints meet. In T raditional Chinese Medicine (TCM ), there are thousands of such
points, but only 107 exist in th e A yurvedic system. Consistin g of
major po ints tha t correspond to t he seven  chakras  and minor points
that rad iate out along the torso  and limbs, they are measured by
finger units  (anguli)  to detect their correct locations. There are 22
points on the low er extremities, 22 on the arms, 12 on the chest and
stomach, 14 on the back and 37 on the head and neck. The mind is
considered the 108th  marma  point. In the  Sushruta Samhita  each
point has a Sanskrit name. A yurveda states that every  marma  point is placed a t a junction
of d if ferent channels of  prana  movements in the body. Prana,
similar to  chi  in  TCM, is considered the subtle vital ener gy that
pervades every part of the bo dy, nurturing the cell systems. If
marma  points become blocked or ruptured,  prana  flow is
interrupted and or gans may be come diseased. If they are c lear,
prana  is fre e to  travel the meridians or  nidas  unchecked — and the
body is healthy. The idea of massaging the  marma  points began in Kerala at
around 1500  BC  when masters of  kalari payattu  first used themarma  points as points for injury. It w as only a matter of time
before A yurvedic physicians rea lized that these points could also be
used for  healing — and began  to experiment with massaging the
points to trigger a healing flow of ener gy. T oday,  marma  massage
is pr acticed at cl inics and spas f or a number of dif ferent reasons, be
it therapeutic, relaxing or revitalizing. Marma  massage generally combines soft, flowing movements
(abhyangam ) with pressure point therapy. For the latter, the
therapist uses one or more fingers depending on the size of  the
marma  point, an d either presses directly or in circular motions on
that particular point. It is believed that clockwise movements
stimulate and ener gize a  marma  point, while counterclockwise
motions break up blocked ener gy and toxins held within a point. The pra ctice is quite similar to Chinese acupressure or Japan ese
shiatsu, the  origins of which lie in A yurvedic practice. Benefits of
regular  marma  massage are a general balancing — emotional,
spiritual and physical — resulting in clarity, calmness and
confidence. Showing both  chakra  points and meridian s, this educational drawing (left below )
shows how  prana  or the vital force needs to flow around the body. Specific points
(left and below ) are pressed to release blocked  prana.champi  Indian Head Massage
In spite  of its name, Indian head massage involves work  not
only on the head but on the upper back, shoulders, neck,
scalp a nd face too. In much  the same way that T raditional
Chinese Medicine dictates that certain points on the feet are
directly aligned to internal or gans, A yurvedic texts re late
certain parts of the head  to other body parts and /or
symptoms or diseases. Therefore, a  champi  or head
massage does not only af fect the immediate areas massaged:
it can be a healing, rejuvenating and thoroughly stimulating
experience as well. The moment a b aby is born, th e fontanel on the top of its head is
covered immediately with cloth soaked in oil with a  bala  root
decoction to strengthen the head, sight and intelligence. Mothers
massage their babies’ heads to facilitate strong skull and brain
development, and later, give their daughters head massages to
stimulate the scalp and infuse c onditioning oils into the hair. Men
are used to rec eiving a sharp rubdown at the barber ’ s shop and
another place you are likely to r eceive an Indian head massage is in
a salon or spa. The massage normally takes 30 to 60 minutes and is given
seated in a chair. It may be dry or oils may be used to both condition
hair and calm t he nervous system, as hair roots are connected to
nerve fi bers. T echniques vary, but the therapist usually start by
gently kneading  upper back, shoulder and neck muscles, then worksup to  the  head. Here, the scalp is squeezed, rubbed and tapped  and
hair may be


 Coordin ate your Breathing  with your Lover's..  238
      (4)  Inhale  Pow er up the Spine  to the  Head;
           Exhale  out the G-Spot  and Penis.....................239
      (5)  Helping  your Partner  to Clear  and Open
      a  Blockage ............................................................  241
      (6)  Retum  to Lovemaking.................................... 242
   b. Second  Upw ard Draw...........................................  242
      (1)  Bring  the Sexual Energy  to Both  Eyes............  243
      (2)  Bring  the Healing  Energ y to Both Ears............  244
      (3)  Bring  the Healing  Energ y to the Tongue.......... 244
      (4)  Bring  the Energy  to the Nose........................... 244
   c. Third  Upw ard Draw............................................... 244
      (1)  Bring  the Energy  up the Spine to  the Crow n... 244
      (2)  Use your Eyes  and Mind  to M ove the Energ y.. 244
      (3)  Flow of Nectar  to the  Thymus Gland ..............  245
      (4)  Ribs  Absorb  the Overflo w of Nectar ...............  246
   d. Fourth  Upward Draw  will Help to  Stabilize the
      Intern al Organs.....................................................  246
      (1)  Bring  the Sexual Energy  and the Orgas mic
           Vibratio n to the Ovaries  and Kidneys...............2 46
      (2)  Bring  the Sexual Energy  and Orgas mic
         Vibration  to the  Spleen  and Liver.......................24 8
      (3)  Bring  the Orgas m and Sexual Energ y to
           the Lungs.......................................................... 248
   e. Fifth Up ward Draw  increases  the Amount of
      Blood  Vessels and  Blood Circulation.....................2 48
      (1)  Wrap and  Energize  the Cervix wi th
          the Sexual  Energ y.............................................  248
      (2)  Pull the  Energ y up to the Aorta  and
      Vena  Cava ............................................................  248
- 17 -Contents
          (3) Pull up the  Sexual  Energy  to the Heart ...........  249
      f. Sixth Upward Draw, the Plateau  Phase:
          Circulate  your Microc osmic Orbit into  your
          Lovers’  Orbit...........................................................2 49
          (1) Joining  the Two Micr ocosmic Orbits............... 251
   5. Cultivating  the Valley  Orgas m.................................... 253
      a.  Cultivation  in the  Three  Tan Tiens........................ 253
      b.  Cultivation  of Deep Relaxation.............................. 255
      c. Development  of a Strong  Nervous  System..........  256
      d  Ment al Spiraling  of the Energy .............................. 257
          (1) Navel Center  or Lo wer Tan Tien......................  257
          (2) Solar Plexus....................................................  257
          (3) Heart  Center  or Middl e Tan Tien..................... 258
          (4) Throat..............................................................  259
          (5) Yin-Yang, or Third Eye..................................... 259
          (6) Pai-Hui (Cro wn) or Upper  Tan Tien.................  259
   6. Valley Orgas m Sum mary.......................................... 259
E. Helpful  Hints................................................................... 260
   1. For Lesbian  Couples .................................................  260
   2. In Teaching  your Man................................................. 260
      a.  Testic le Breathing..................................................  260
      b. Big Draw  for Men.................................................. 261
      c. Stopping  Ejaculation .............................................  261
9. Interview  with  an Ovarian Kung  Fu Practitioner........... 263
Bibliography...........................................................................
Universal Tao System Overview......................Overvie w 1—38
- 18 -About  the Author
About  the Author
Mantak Chia
Master Mantak Chia
Maste r Mantak Chia is the  creator  of the  Universal  Tao System and
is the  director  of the Universal  Tao Center  and Tao Garden  Health
Resort  and Training  Center  in the beautiful  north ern country side of
Thailand. Since childhoo d he has been  stud ying the Taoist approach
to life. His m astery of this ancient  know ledge, enha nced  by his
study  of other  disciplines,  has resulted  in the develo pment  of the
Universal  Tao Syst em wh ich is no w being  taught  through out the
world. - 19 -About  the Author
    Ma ntak Chia w as born  in Thailand  to Chinese  parents  in 1944. When he w as six years old, Buddhist  monks taught  him how  to sit
and “still the  mind.” W hile still a gram mar school  student,  he learne d
traditional  Thai boxing. He w as then  taught  Tai Chi Chuan  by Mas -
ter Lu, w ho soon  introduc ed him to Aikido,  Yoga and broad er levels
of Tai Chi. Years later,  when he was a student  in Hong  Kong  excelling  in
track  and field events,  a senior  classm ate named Cheng  Sue- Sue
introduce d him to his  first esoteric  teacher  and Taoist  Maste r, Mas -
ter Yi Eng (I Yun). At this  point,  Maste r Chia  began  his studies  of the
Taoist wa y of life in earn est. He learned  how  to circulate  energ y
through  the Microcosmic Orbit  and,  throu gh the practice  of Fusion
of the  Five  Elements, ho w to open  the other  Six Special Channels. As he studied  Inner  Alche my further, he learned  the Enlighten ment
of the  Kan and Li, Sealing  of the Five  Senses,  Congress  of Heaven
and Earth  and Reunion  of Heaven  and Man. It was Maste r Yi Eng
who autho rized  Maste r Chia  to teach  and heal. When Mant ak Chia  was in his early  twenties he studied  with
Maste r Meugi in Singap ore, who taught  him Kundalini,  Taoist Y oga
and the Buddha  Palm. He w as soon  able  to clear  blockages  to the
flow of energy  within his o wn body. He learne d to pass the  life force
energy  through  his hands  also,  so that he could  heal  Mast er Meugi’s
patients. He then  learned  Chi Nei Tsang  from Dr. Mui Yimwattana
in Thailand. A wh ile later,  he studied  with Maste r Cheng  Yao-Lun who taught
him the Shao- Lin Method of Intern al Power. He learne d the closel y
guarde d secret  of the organs,  glands  and bone  marrow exercise
know n as Bone  Marrow Nei Kung and the exercise  know n as
Strengthe ning and Rene wal of the  Tendons. Master  Cheng  Yao-
Lun’s  system co mbined  Thai boxing  and Kung  Fu. Maste r Chia
also studied  at this  time wi th Maste r Pan Yu, whose system co m-
bined  Taoist, Buddhist  and Zen teachings. Master  Pan Yu also taught
him about  the exchange  of Yin and Yang power betw een men and
wome n, and how to develop  the Steel Bod y. To underst and the mechanis ms behind  healing  energ y better,
Maste r Chia  studied  Western anatom y and med ical science  for
two years. While pursuing  his studies,  he managed  the Gestetne r
Company, a ma nufacture r of office  equip ment  and became w ell
acquainte d with the technolo gy of offset  printing  and copy ing ma
- 20 -About  the Author
Using his  know ledge of Taois m, co mbined


 way they
are. Always remember, it took 13. 8 billion years of everything unfolding
exactly as it did for the moment in front of you to be the way it is. A perfec t example of how we cause ourselves mental suffering  is how
we view our bodies. When you’re young, you look a certain way. You get
older, and you look another way. What’ s wrong with that. It’s just
miraculous. You watch your body change all by itself. That is a natural
process, and it should not cause suffering. Likewise, in this life you go
through many different experiences. They should not cause suffering. Experiences are not suffering. They are experiences. But if you decide how
you want them to be, and they’re not that way, then you suffer. Suffering is
caused by the contrast between what you mentally decided you wanted and
the reality unfolding in front of you. To whatever degree they don’t match,
you suf fer. What we’re exploring here is deeper than most people want to go, but
it is the truth. You have set up in your mind what you like and what you
don’t like based on your past impressions. Now you honestly believe the
world should be that way. Obviously, that’s not a belief founded in reality. As long as you do that, you’re going to have a very hard time in life. We now have a pretty clear view of the personal mind. We have seen
that the first layer of mind is the one that receives the senses. The second
layer is the samskaras we did not let pass through as life flowed into us. Based on this foundation, we built very personal thought pattern s of like and
dislike and how to get life to unfold the way we want. These impressions of
what we liked and disliked are so powerful that our consciousn ess becomes
completely absorbed in the model of life they generate. In fact, we focus on
it so completely  that it forms our self-concept. “I am the one who likes this,
doesn’ t like that, and I’m dead serious about getting what I want. ” We are so
distracted by this model that we’re not even aware of being back there
watching all this. But we are—how else would we know it’ s going on. Chapter 18. Willful and Automatic Thoughts
You’re in there, and you have the ability to create a thought. Right now say
“Hello” inside your head. Say it over and over again. It’s doing it, isn’t it. If
you had not purposely said that word, it would not have been in your mind,
would it. You clearly have the ability to willfully make your mind create
thoughts. In general, there are two very distinct types of thoughts: willful
and automatic. The first one we’ll explore, as its name indicates, is a
thought that you willfully create. You can willfull y create thoughts in two different ways. You can create
auditory thoughts through the voice inside your head talking to you, saying
“Hello,” or you can create visualizations in your mind’ s eye. For example,
right now, visualize a boat. Do you see it in your mind. Now  visualize a
bigger boat, and an even bigger one. See the Queen Mary in there. That boat
would not be in there unless you purposely willed it to be. Once again, we
see that you clearly have the ability to make your mind create thoughts. There’ s another category of thoughts besides willful thoughts:
automatic thoughts. These are the thoughts you did not purpose ly decide to
create—they just pop into your mind on their own. You may pay attention to
them once they’re there, but you did not willfully decide to create them like
you did with the boat. The vast majority of your thoughts are automatically
generated. You’re driving down the street enjoying your day, and your mind
starts creating thoughts by itself: “Why did I have to say those  things. If I
hadn’ t said them, we might still be together. Well, that’s unlikely—we were
having problems before that. ” You’re not willfully making your mind create
these thoughts. This is that voice inside your head talking on its own. If you
doubt that this is happening by itself, try stopping it for any length of time. The mind’ s stream of thoughts will return in no time. Let’s say somebody was supposed to call you at three o’clock and by
three thirty they still haven’ t called. What happens during those thirty
minutes. Your mind creates thoughts by itself. You are not willfully
deciding, “I want to worry about this. Okay, mind, start creating worrisome
thoughts. Did he have an accid ent or is he standing me up. ” You’re not
doing that. Your mind is doing it all by itself. They’re not even  meaningful
thoughts—they’re destructive thoughts. They are ruining your thirty
minutes. The question becomes, if you’re going to end up waiting thirty
minutes for the person to call, why do you want to make yourself miserable. Well, technically, you’re not. Y our mind is doing it for you. If you pay attention, you will see that the mind creates most thoughts
on its own. They go on all the time. Just watch yourself in the shower. Watch yourself when you’re driving. Watch yourself whenever you take a
break from work. You’ll see the mind is constantly creating thoughts. Even
when someone is talking to you, the words may be coming in through your
senses, but you’re not totally listening to them. You’re also listening to your
mind’ s reaction to what’ s being said. You’re thinking, “I don’t agree with
that. I would never do it that way. ” Your mind just made the discussion all
about you instead of what the person is saying. If you watch those
automatically generated thoughts, you’ll see they range anywhere from
funny to frightening. Regardles s, is it so smart to have all that noise going
on inside your head all the time. If you bother to pay attention to it, you’re
going to find out that it’ s not. Where do those thoughts come from. Why does the mind  create
thoughts by itself without you willfully doing it. We’ve actually already
discussed this. When you store a samskara, an unfinished mental and
emotional pattern, that pattern will not sit quietly inside of you. Anything
that ever got stored inside your mind, because you resisted or clung to it, is
trying to release. It’s an energetic reality, like Newton’ s laws of motion. The
energy cannot stay in there unless you continuously assert an opposing force
of will to keep it in there. That’s why it keeps coming back up. Mommy
yelled at you twenty-five years ago, and that hurt you. Now suddenly
somebody menti ons their mother yelling and all these emotional and mental
issues come up inside of you. Why. That blocked energy is always trying to
come up, every single millisecond. Just like in a dammed-up river, the
blockage is trying to release its pent-up energy. It is not comfortable stayinginside you, so you have to const antly assert your willpower to hold it down. How much ener gy are you wasting keeping all this garbage inside. Just as your body is always trying to expel impurities, so your mind is
trying to get these mental impurities out. That is what’ s happening when
your mind creates its own thoughts. Sometimes you will be able to trace
those thoughts back to their source; other times it’s not so easy. The
important thing to realize is there’ s always a reason why your mind creates
one thought versus another. Let’s go back to the example of someone being late with a phone call. Your mind could begin creating worrisome thoughts about what you might
have done to upset them so much that they aren’ t calling. But that is not the
meaningful question. The meaningful question is, why did that possible
reason come up versus any other. Turns out, when you were ten years old,
somebody once said, “You’re right, I didn’ t call you. It was on purpose
because I didn’ t like what you did. ” Now years later, when somebody
doesn’ t call, that comes back up. What if years ago when a person didn’ t
call, the reason was they wanted to surprise you by personally coming by
with a special gift. Now when someone doesn’ t call, you feel all excited
about what might happen next. These impressions get left insid e you. They
will continuous ly try to release pent-up energy, and they will end up
determining the thoughts your mind creates on its own. This is the nature of
almost all your automatic thoughts. They are not to be seen as some
important truth or great insight into what is really going on. They are simply
your mind attempting to cleanse the patterns you have stored in there. Chapter 19. Dreams and the Subconscious
To get a better understanding of how stored mental energies get released,
let’s turn to a favorite topic of psychology: dreams. What are dreams. The
traditional Freudian concept of dreams is that some events happening
outside leave unfinished impressions in the mind. A little boy wants a
bicycle but doesn’ t get one. He goes to sleep and dreams he’s got a bicycle. The original bicycle event didn’ t sit well, so the boy


 the Indio school board refused to
re-admit him into the system. I had written a two-page letterexplaining that he was better, but the educational system, notsurprisingly, proved to be blind to how simply ADHD can beaddressed. On the positive side, he is now attending a parochial
school. His sixth-month report card was all A’s—not surpris-ing since most ADHD children are extremely intelligent. When the boy went for his next therapy appointment, the
psychiatrist, who had been following him for his ADHD, sawright away that the signs of the disorder were gone. But whenhe asked the mother what her son was taking and she told himnatural progesterone cream, he told her to stop the cream133 ADD AND ADH D—THE SILENT EPIDEMIC  immediately, that it was a female hormone, and to put her son
back on the drugs that had been prescribed. She explained thatthe boy wouldn’t take them because they made him feel sick.He told her to do it anyway. Needless to say, the mothercontinued with the cream. I subsequently spoke with the psychiatrist, who refused to
accept anything I was saying because there were no drug-company studies to verify it. He refused to allow his ownpowers of observation to see that progesterone was beneficial.Psychiatry developed purely as an observational science; now itis almost purely about psychopharmacology. He would ratherplace this nine-year-old boy on potentially lethal drugs, withmultiple side effects, than use a natural bio-identical hormonewith no side effects. His statement that progesterone is afemale hormone is typical of the lack of education doctorsreceive about hormones. As stated previously, I do not treat young children that are
hyperactive in my practice—but I do treat their parents. If aparent has ADHD, there is a 50 percent chance that the childwill also be hyperactive. If the child is adopted, then he or shehas an even greater likelihood of having ADHD. This isbecause the majority of women who give up their children foradoption seem to be young mothers who have gotten intodrugs and alcohol and gotten pregnant, and, in my opinion,most young people who get involved with drugs and alcoholhave ADHD. ADHD IN ADULTS
There are many adults with undiagnosed ADD or ADHD. People who experience sleepiness between 3 and 4 in the after-noon or while driving—this is ADD. I use the word “ADD”interchangeably with “hypoglycemia,” because when the level134 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  of sugar in the brain is low, the person can’t focus. People who
become workaholics may actually have ADHD and are livingon high levels of adrenaline caused by recurrent hypoglycemia. /Sswashimply put, I view ADD and ADHD as a matter of
too little progesterone, too much insulin, and,
in the case of ADHD, too much adrenaline. If you ask a specialist in ADD/ADHD what is causing the
problem, they generally say they don’t know. I am not aware ofany other doctor beside myself who approaches these condi-tions from a hormonal standpoint. Simply put, I view ADDand ADHD as a matter of too little progesterone, too muchinsulin, and, in the case of ADHD, too much adrenaline. Myphilosophy is so far removed from the standard of medicalpractice, which calls for the use of dangerous stimulants totreat the problem, that it can create concerns for traditionalpractitioners. Yet, as they say, the proof is in the pudding.When I treat the symptoms of ADD and ADHD with proges-terone and a diet that encourages the lowering of insulin, thereare positive results. The immediate response of one patient, a 53-year-old
male, after starting on progesterone was that it made himextremely tired. As soon as he said that, I realized he was anadult with ADHD. He was a trim male, working a 12-to-14-hour day. Placing him on progesterone prevented his insulinlevels from rising. It took away his hypoglycemia, so hisadrenaline levels went down. I adjusted his diet, providingmore carbohydrates to normalize the sugar, and also gave himthyroid. As a result, his fatigue disappeared. I think part of the reason why ADD/ADHD is under-
diagnosed is that doctors approach it as a “learning problem.”My feeling is that this is not true. People with ADHD have no135 ADD AND ADH D—THE SILENT EPIDEMIC  trouble focusing on things that interest them; however, they
will not focus on anything that they have no interest in. Inother words, ADHD is not a learning disorder; it is, morecorrectly, an interest disorder. Interestingly, most of the patients I see in my practice are
adults with unrecognized ADHD. CHARACTERISTICS OF ADHD
The typical adult with ADHD has a history of increased
physical activity as a teenager, being slim during his or heryouth, never opening a book in high school or college untilthe night before an exam, and possibly becoming a type-Apersonality or workaholic. They usually have a history ofbeing easily irritated and quick to anger, and they might havehigh expectations of other people. As they approach theirmiddle years they start putting on weight around the waist.They have symptoms of hypoglycemia: sleepiness in the lateafternoon or while driving or after eating. They commonlydisplay restlessness—tapping their hands or feet during theday, and manifesting restless leg syndrome or tossing andturning at night. All of these symptoms and behaviors canbe linked with the high adrenaline levels and high-insulin,low-blood-sugar syndrome of ADHD. There is often a strong family history of associated
hormonal problems—a mother with breast cancer, a sister withendometriosis, a brother with bi-polar disorder, children ornephews and nieces who are hyperactive (ADHD). Othercommonly associated conditions are type II diabetes andalso fibromyalgia. Please keep in mind that adrenaline is not only a hormone
but also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Adults with136 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  ADHD are often extremely intelligent as well as extremely
successful. I suspect that most of the CEOs of the largestcompanies in the world are diagnosable as having ADHD.They use their adrenaline to become workaholics—they put in14-hour days and rise to the top of their businesses. Likewise,I suspect that many Hollywood stars have ADHD—classicexamples might include T om Cruise, Mel Gibson, and thecomic actor Michael Richards, who played Kramer on
Seinfield. Again, most professional athletes probably have
ADHD—they use their adrenaline to excel in sports. On the other end of the spectrum, I would not be
surprised if most drug addicts and alcoholics would turn outto have ADHD. They turn to drugs and alcohol to deal withthe anger caused by an excess of adrenaline. Similarly, a highnumber of people in prison might be diagnosable as havingADHD, also people with road rage and people who abusespouses. Certainly, anger management classes would be largelyattended by ADHD sufferers. People are sometimes characterized as left- or right-brain
dominant. People who are right-brain dominant tend to becreative. I suspect that if you take right-brain dominance andadd adrenaline, you wind up with a creative genius. AlbertEinstein, for instance, is well-known as having a classic case ofADHD (he failed a number of subjects in school). It may havebeen high levels of adrenaline that made the brains of Einsteinand other creative geniuses such as Da Vinci and Beethovenfunction so brilliantly. I also wonder whether people withautism or with T ourette’s syndrome could also have anoverload of adrenaline in the brain. In autism, the excessadrenaline might be manifesting as sensory overload, and sothe person shrinks back from the world to decrease the amountof stimulus.137 ADD AND ADH D—THE SILENT EPIDEMIC  It should also not be surprising that many conditions
associated with adult ADHD are considered incurable by themedical community, since, in my view, the cause is hormonesout of balance—an unfamiliar concept for many physicians.These conditions include: restless leg syndrome, fibromyalgia,type II diabetes, endometriosis, menstrual migraines, andasthma, to mention a few. Yet utilizing natural bio-identicalhormones, altering the patient’s eating habits, and helpingthem gain insight into their condition often lead to a “mirac-ulous” resolution of these very problems. A WIDESPREAD PHENOMENON
My point is that the medical system has failed to appreciate the
influence of hormones on our behavior and how they affect usclinically. I suspect there are well over 200 million adultsnationwide with unrecognized ADHD. Obviously, this israther a bold statement. But consider the people you interactwith on a daily basis—those who are quick to anger, thepeople with nervous energy, those who are restless at night,who tap their hands or legs, who have cold hands when youshake hands with them (due to vasoconstriction of bloodvessels caused by high adrenaline levels), who drink too muchor use drugs. Look at the millions of women with estrogen-dominant conditions—menstrual cramps, migraines, fibroids,endometriosis—all related to low progesterone levels. Howmany of these women are hypoglycemic from increased insulinand put out adrenaline to bring their sugar levels up so thebrain can function? Since hormone patterns are genetically inherited


 ed
plausible in a society where women married around 20), but this proved
impossible. Nobody could find a family in which parents and offspring
were both centenarians. Most investigators concluded that the Geor gian
supercentenarians were products of a traditional culture in which being as
old as possible had always been a cause for great social respect. Why We Need Abkhasia
Despite the inconsistencies in his findings, Dr. Leaf stood by the principles
of age preventi on he saw at work in the Caucasus. His work made a
significant difference in turning Americans toward more exercise and better
diet, particularly in terms of heart-attack prevention, but mounting
skepticism force d him to retrac t his support of superlongevity. Abkhasiashouldn’ t be dismissed, howev er; in a world where the vast majority of
societies condit ion their people to expect short lives and condemn the
elderly to a marginal existence, this one society fostered a conscious ideal
of old age as the most rewarding phase of life—and the reward was open to
all who wished to achieve it. To me, Abkhasi a was the place where the traditional concept  of “old”
never took root. The word was banished, and in its place the long-living
pursued an ageless lifestyle—they galloped their horses, worked under the
sun, and sang in choirs in which the youngest member was 70 and the
oldest was no (contrary to Soviet propaganda, which boast ed that the
minimum age was 90). Abkhasia proved that growing older can be a time of
improvement. Abkhas ians toasted one another with the words, “May you
live as long as Moses,” and they venerated the long-living as people who
were achieving an ideal. By far the greatest advantage the long-living enjoyed was this: They
trusted in their way of life. Abkhasians struck Western visitors as
remarkably attuned to the rhythms of life, precisely what we have lost in
this coun try. It’s worth quoting at length from Dan Geor gakas, an American
writer who traveled to Abkhas ia and was among the first to document
inconsistences in centenarian accounts of their age, and still found much to
admire. In his book The Methuselah Factors  Georgakas wrote, “Abkhasians
dislike being rushed, loathe deadlines, and never work to exhaustion. In the
same vein, they consider it extremely impolite to eat quickly or to eat too
much. …Their routines have a tempo more linked to biological rhythms than
the helter -skelter patterns that predominate in most developed countries. ”
One gets the sense of a peopl e who have reached a natural  balance. Rather than struggling to break unhealthy habits, their culture had woven
good health into their overall view of life. Seventy percent of their food
consisted of vegetables and dairy products, and a further uniqu e aspect of
the traditional diet was the insistence on freshness. “Vegetables were picked just before cooking or serving, and if meat was
to be part of the menu, guests were shown the animal before it was
slaughtered. Whatever the food served, all leftovers were discarded,
because they were considered harmful to health. Such concern for freshnessguaranteed that a minimal loss of nutrients took place between  garden and
table. Most food was consumed raw or boiled, with nothing fried. ”
Light eating and heavy exercise made it easy for Abkhasians to preserve
the lean body outlines considere d most pleasing in their culture (as in ours),
but there was a deeper significance to this than vanity. “The Abkhasians
have been among the few people in the world so appreciative of the ill
effects of fat that even their children and infants remain slim. ” The
traditional love of horses added another tempo to this integrated  way of life
that already embraced work and diet. “From the earliest possible  ages, even
at 2 and 3, child ren were taught to ride. Horses provided the main sport, and
the ability to do equestrian tricks was a mark of individual worth. The
horses were never used as work animals, only for recreation and sports. ”
In every  society, expectation rules outcome. In a culture where wealth is
the highest goal, the entire society will focus on making money, prestige
will accrue to those who make the most, and the poor will be regarded as
failures. In Abkhasia, a great value was placed on longevity; therefore the
entire society felt motivated to live up to that ideal. In America, the reverse
is true; old age is not valued, much less exalted. This helps account for the flagrant manner in which we waste the last
years of life in our society. An extremely pessimistic study from the
government’ s Centers for Disease Control underscores this point. To assess
the health of people at the end of their lives, researchers evaluated seventy-
five hundred individuals who had died in 1986. Their families were asked if
the deceased person could still perform five minimal daily activities in the
year before he or she passed away: dressing, walking, eating, going to the
toilet, and bathi ng. On average, only 12 percent of people who died after
age 65 could be classified as “fully functional” according to these minimal
standards. At the opposite extreme, 10 percent of the subjects needed assistance to
perform three or more of these daily activities in the last six months of life;
these people were classified as “severely restricted. ” The bulk of elderly
Americans falls between these two extremes, in a shadow land between
self-suf ficiency and dependence. It is disturbing enough to realize that only
one person in seven can take care of life’s simplest needs but the figures get
worse the closer you inspect them. In the youngest age category, from 65 to 74, only one-fifth of the people
could be classed as fully functional. About 15 percent showed confusion
when asked where they were; 13 percent had trouble remembering what
year it was; 10 percent could not reliably recognize family and friends. A
higher percentage of people who died from heart attacks remained fully
functional than did those who died from cancer. Fully 49 percent of heart-
attack victims could perform all five activities the year before they died,
compared to only 4 percent of cancer sufferers. Women, besides suffering
more years of disability, were hit harder than men: They were 40 percent
less likely to be able to take care of themselves in the last year of life than
were men and 70 percent more likely to fall into the severel y restricted
category. Another factor that increased the likelihood of disability was not
being married. Researchers consider this study highly significant because few others
have looked as closely at the health status of old people in the critical last
year of life. We have to be caref ul not to extend the findings too far—since
the vast majority  of the elderly are not in their last year, they are much less
likely to be severely restricted. But the CDC figures give us a sobering look
at how far the “new” old age still has to go. Huge differences divide the American and Abkhasian cultures. One
would have to go back to 1920 to find a time when the majority of
Americans lived  in rural areas. A lifetime of light eating and considerable
physical activity  is something we have to consciously learn again, but to
fixate on those ingredients would cause one to miss the spirit of Abkhasia,
which to me is far more inspi ring as a motivation to survive to 100. I
recently received  a letter from a concerned woman named Mary  Ann Soule,
inviting me to a conference on “conscious aging. ” She ended it with the
following eloquent statement:
If we continue to succumb to modern America’ s stereotypic vision
of aging, fearing the changes in our bodies, resisting the natural
transitions of life, and avoiding the unknown territory of death, we
will deny ourselves and the whole of civilization the gifts of age:
mature perspective, seasoned creativity, and spiritual vision. The truth of this comes through every day when I talk to older patients. One of them, a retired office manager, once ruefully remarke d to me, “I
always wanted to live a long time, but I never wanted to grow old. ” He said
this ironically; it went without saying that he couldn’ t have one without the
other. But why not. He was quite healthy and active, yet unfortunately he
saw himself  as old, which in America means entering a no-man’ s-land of
lost dignity and uncertain self-worth. After his 1972 visits with the long-
living, Alexander Leaf came away “feeling that to live to be 100 was a most
natural and simp le thing. It took only a brief time back in Boston before the
feeling was just another exotic memory. ”
This country has recently experienced an unparalleled boom in
centenarianism. The number of Americans who are 100 or over is currently
estimated at 35,800—double what it was ten years ago and expected to
double again before the year 2000. This figure comes from the Census
Bureau, which accepts people’ s reported ages without verification. (A
detailed investigation of Social Security recipients who reported their age as
100 revealed that 95 percent were exaggerating; this


bitesandthestingsof
scorpions,bees,hornetsandwasps.Houseswere
sprinkledwithwaterinfusedwithrueinordertorid
themoffleas.Engraversandpaintersateruetorelieve
theireyeswhentheywereweakfromoverwork. Thehomeopathicremedyispreparedfromthefresh
herbwhichisgatheredinJune,shortlybeforebloom-
ing,thenchoppedandpoundedtoapulp.Theex-
pressedjuiceislefttostandinalcoholandsuccussed. GENERALSYMPTOMS
Pains:inbones;inpartslainon;sore,bruised. Betterformovement. Worseforlyingonpainfulpart. LikeRhustoxicodendron,Rutaisaremedyforsprains;
thedifference isthatRhustoxisindicatedfordamaged
ligamentsandRutaisforinjuriestothetendonsand
theperiosteum(thecoveringofthebones).Itcanbe
veryhardtodifferentiatebetweenRhustoxandRutain
asprain,andusuallyitwillbeRhustox'scleargeneral
symptomsthatguideyou.Rutaisindicatedwhere
therearesore,bruisedjointpainswhichfeelworse
whenlyingontheaffectedpartofthebody.Theremay
berestlessnessbutnotnearlysomarkedasinRhustox.EMOTIONAL/MENTALSYMPTOMS
Fearfulofdying.Weary. Theemotionalsymptomsarenotstronglymarked,but
duringafeverthepatientwillfeelscared,andmay
alsobeirritableandalittledepressed. PHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Backache
SymptomsPainssore,bruised.Withlameness. Betterforlyingonback. Eyestrain
SymptomsEyesight:dim;weak.Pains:aching;burn-
ing;strained. Worseduringtheevening;atnight;forpoorlight;for
usingeyes;forclosework. Causestoomuchclosework;overstrainingeyes. Rutawillstimulateandstrengthentheeyemuscles
andrestorethesightwhereeyesighthasbecomeweak
anddimafterstrainingtheeyeswithfineworkortoo
muchreading(whenthelettersonthepageseemto
runtogether).Thisparticularweaknessoftheeye
occursinpeoplewhodoagreatdealofcloseworkfor
prolongedperiodsoftime.Itisnotaremedyfor
inflammations oftheeye. Headache
SymptomsPains:insidesofhead;sore,bruised.With
eyestrain(seeabove). Causeseyestrain
Theheadfeelsasifithasbeenbeatenorcrushed. Injuries
SymptomsBruisesonshins.Painsbruised,sore. Rutaisindicatedforbruisestothecoveringofthebone
(theperiosteum), inparticularbruisesontheshins. Thesecanbeverypainfulinjuries. Jointpain
SymptomsPains:inhands;infeet;inlowerback;in
partslainon;inbones;sore,bruised.Withlameness. Worseforwalking. Sprains
SymptomsPains:bruised;constant;inankle;inwrist. Withexhaustion;lameness. Worseforexercise;forpressure;forstanding;for
walking. UsedafterArnicahasdealtwiththeswellingand
bruisingofsprainsandstrains,Rutawillfinishoffthe
NBSEEALSOPAGES203-26FORGENERALADVICE,DOSANDDON'TS. 146•Sarsaparilla(Sars.) INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA
healing.Handsandfeetfeelcold.Theinjuredpart
feelslameandasifbruisedandthepainsareconstant
-thereisnoreliefofpainfromcontinuedmovement. Pressureisalsopainful.Thepersonfeelsweakand
weary. Tenniselbow
SymptomsPainsbruised,sore.Withlameness. Worseforexercise. Thesearepotentiallydifficultinjuriestodealwithand
shouldalwaysbegivenalotoftimetohealincasethe
tendonitselfispartiallydetached.Rutawillhelpto
healadamagedtendon,providedthejointisban-
dagedtightlyandcompletelyrested.afterwardssoonbecameapopularremedytotreat
chronicrheumatismandobstinateskindiseases.The
Moroccansuseditinthetreatmentofleprosy.Itwas
alsoregardedasatonicandabloodpurifier.Itisoneof
themajorflavouringingredientsofrootbeer. Thehomeopathicpreparation ismadefromthe
driedandpowderedroot,whichisaddedtoalcohol
andsuccussedintheusualway. GENERALANDEMOTIONAL/
MENTALSYMPTOMS
Sarsaparilla isasmallremedythathasnomarked
generaloremotionalsymptoms,butitisoftenneeded
forcystitisandIhavethereforeincluded ithere. Sarsaparilla (Sars.) Familyname:Liliaceae
Othernames:wildliquorice;shotbush;small
spikeard;rabbitroot
Sarsaparilla isaperennialclimberfoundincertainparts
ofnorthandsouthAmerica. Ithaslong,slender,
bitter-tastingrootletswhicharepoisonous iftakenin
largequantity,producingnausea,vomitinganda
temporarylossofappetite. TheplantwasbroughttoEuropeinthemid-
sixteenthcenturybyexplorersofthe'NewWorld'andPHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Breastfeedingproblems
SymptomsNipplesinverted. Thismakesitverydifficulttoestablishbreastfeeding. Cystitis
SymptomsDesiretourinate:ineffectual.Painscut-
ting.Urination:slow;dribbling;canonlypassurine
whilestanding.Urine:green;pale;withmucus;with
sediment. Worseatendofurination;duringamenstrualperiod. Causesgettingchilled;cold,wetweather. Thepersonmaypassurinewithoutfeelingit,butwill
experienceunbearablepainattheendofurinating,
andwillyellwiththepain.Urinatingisdifficultwhile
sittingdown,andthepersonmayonlybeableto
urinatefreelywhilestandingup.Eventhenshemay
onlymanageafeeblestream.Childrenwithcystitiscry
outbeforepeeingbecauseoftheanticipatedpain.The
kidneysmayalsobepainful(therightmoresothanthe
left)andinflamed(withcuttingpains)-itisadvisable
toseekprofessionalhelpbeforethispoint,butSarsa-
parillawillhelptorelievethepaininthemeantime. Sepia(Sep.)
Familyname:Dibranchiata
Othernames:squid,cuttlefish
Cuttlefisharemolluscsrelatedtotheoctopusand
squid,andarefoundmostcommonlyinthe
MediterraneanandotherEuropeanseas.Unlikemost
molluscs,whichhaveshellsoutsidetheirbodies,
cuttlefishhavesoft,gelatinousbodieswithtinyshells
inside.Theygrowtoonetotwofeetlong,andswim
INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA Sepia(Sep.)•147
aboutrapidlybysquirtingjetsofwaterfromtheir
bodies.Theycanchangecolourandsquirtjetsofinkas
aprotective,camouflagingdevice. Sepiaisthenamegiventothedriedbrownish-black
ink,whichisusedasanartists'pigment;therawinkis
notfitformedicinaluseandindeedwasunknownto
medicineuntilHahnemannobservedthatasickly
artistfriendofhislickedhispaintbrushfrequentlyas
heworked.Hemadeapotencyofthe'sepia'inkand
curedtheartistofhiscomplaints. Forthehomeopathicpreparationthepurepigment
istriturated. GENERALSYMPTOMS
Catchescoldseasily.Complaintsfromgettingwet. Cravesvinegar.Dischargesvellow.Dislikesmeat. Facepasty.Painspressing.Sweat:cold;hot;profuse;
smelly;sour;fromslightestphysicalexertion;from
mentalexertion;frompain;onsinglepartsofthe
body.Symptomsleft-sided. Betteraftereating;forvigorousexercise;forrunning;
forfastwalking. Worsebeforeduring/aftermenstrualperiod;atnight;
forcold;forfasting;forgettingwet;forrest;forfrosty
air;forsweating;fortouch;forwalkinginthewind;for
mental/physical exertion;forwriting. Sepiaisaremedythathasaprofoundeffectonthe
femalehormonesandisthereforeoftenneededduringandafterpregnancy,aroundthetimeofthemeno-
pause,andforproblemswithperiodsorproblemsthat
areexacerbatedaroundthetimeofthemenstrual
period. ThetypicalSepiafaceisyellow,earthyandpale,
withamarkedyellownessrunningacrossthesaddle


. DYER
with those aspects of life. From this perspective you are not at the
mercy of your ego energy, insisting that everything must be perfect,
and that when things are not, you have reasons to give up your trust
in the divine. The valleys are merely the way of the physical plane, but they are
not who you are. You are part of the unseen wisdom that created
this entire physical plane and you can trust in it uncategorically. There is timeless wisdom in this old idea of trust. Any person can
sense that problems are within, but the spiritually trusting person
realizes that the solution is also within. When you trust in yourself, you are not looking for solutions to
your life problems in someone or something outside yourself. Instead,
you remain in a state of trusting. Then, in a trustworthy manner, you
can proceed to attract the energy to you that provides the solution. Take your most serious problems and turn them over to God. Say
something like the following: “I have not been able to resolve these
issues in my life and I have used every technique I know. I would
like to show my trust in the divine force by simply turning them
over to your divine hands. As I do this I know that the divine force
that is you, God, is also me, and I trust that this action will lead to a
resolution of these problems. ”
I can assure you that this method puts you into direct contact
with a higher power than can ever be found in a bottle, a bank state-
ment, a contrary partner, an illness or anything on the earth plane
that you believe is external or separate from you. I left all of the
addictions of my life behind me with the simple words “I’ve tried
everything else, now I am trusting God. ”
It was not as though something outside myself was now doing it
for me. I simply trusted that force, and it began showing up in my
daily abstinence program. I trusted in the eternal wisdom and I also
32
pT Manifest Your Destiny
trusted in myself to receive that wisdom and apply it. This same
process has been the source of all of the manifesting that has
occurred and continues to transpire in my daily life.,
The presence of complete trust is evident in your life when what
you think, feel and do are all balanced and in harmony. The pres-
ence of a distinction between your thoughts and your emotional
state as well as your behavior tends to move you away from the
trusting attitude I am encouraging you to adopt as you practice this
second principle of manifestation. Examine your thoughts carefully. See if those thoughts are totally
congruent with your actions. To say “I believe in a healthy body”
and to practice eating in unhealthy ways dissolves trust in yourself. Congruent thought, emotions and behavior are strong indicators of
your self-trust. And keep in mind that when you trust in yourself,
you are trusting in God at the same time. When you are incongruent with your thoughts, you are showing
a lack of trust in the divinity that is your essence. Be honest about
any incongruency. Identify it and trust in your ability to transcend
it, and the energy that you need for this transformation will be
attracted to you. But if you hang onto the incongruency, thinking
one thing but behaving in disingenuous ways, you will sabotage your
ability to trust in yourself and in the infinite wisdom as well. As you practice surrendering, acknowledge your fundamental
richness rather than bemoaning the imagined poverty of your being. When you practice spiritual trust you are surrendering your ego,
and all of its hallucinatory beliefs, to a higher power. You are just
letting go and knowing that divine guidance is always with you. Begin a meditation practice of contemplating the supreme principle
that is beyond the pettiness of this world. Yes, it is in this world, but
it is not blemished by this world. The mind needs and craves seren-
33
WAYNE W. DYER
ity. Meditation is not merely making the mind think that it is medi-
tating. Meditation is, literally, the embodiment of truth and trust. It
is in the purification of the mind that liberation reveals itself. The practice of meditation is a powerful tool in my life. As a
writer, I sometimes write for hours and everything flows magically. Then a time comes when there are no more words. I want to write
and nothing happens. No matter how hard I want to write, there is
no writing taking place. At these moments I have learned to leave the typewriter and to
sit quietly, closing my eyes and surrendering. I don’t know what I
surrender to, but I simply let go and attempt to purify my mind. Then, after some time of simply surrendering meditatively, I seem
to tap into something that is a source of inspiration, and I write
page after page with no idea where it is coming from. This process
of closing my eyes and becoming serene gives me the ability to tap
into that source of inspiration. And the word “inspiration” comes
from “in spirit. ”
This is trust. This is grace. It is knowing that I can literally con-
front myself in a spirit of serenity and that what I seek will be
attracted to me. This is the energy of manifesting, and it comes
most frequently when the mind is quiet. It is the quiet mind that
comes in contact with the truth. _
When we meditate, we come into contact with the part of us that
is truth. The surrendering process helps us to use this truth in our
daily pursuits. It is the same with trust. Surrender to it through
your quiet moments of serenity and you will know the truth of this
principle. This second spiritual principle of manifesting leads us to a higher
place within ourselves. It gives us the confidence to trust in some-
34
Manifest Your Destiny
thing other than that which we perceive with our senses. It illumi-
nates within us the knowing that there is far more to this journey
than what we observe, and we come to trust in this knowing to a
point where peace serves as a serene substitute for doubt and anxiety. When you trust, you know. And a knowing cannot be silenced by
the contrary opinions of anyone you encounter. You will be indepen-
dent of the good opinion of others when this trust becomes your way
of life. You will not need to prove yourself to anyone, or to convince
anyone of the rightness of your views. You will be a silent sage, moving through this material plane with a
knowing that you have tapped into a source of inspiration that pro-
vides you with all the sustenance you need. Indeed, you will begin to
see how this earth plane is really a very big part of you, more so than
you might ever have imagined. And this is the subject matter for the
third principle of manifesting. 35
YOU ARE NOT AN ORGANISM IN AN ENVIRONMENT:
YOU ARE AN ENVIRONORGANISM
The Third Principle
ne of the reasons the idea of being able to manifest is so
foreign to most of us is because we have been brought up to believe
that as individuals we are separate from our environment. We think it
is our role to dominate our environment and describe ourselves as
individuals within the environment. Armed with this kind of logic,
we are diminished in our ability to sense our connection to our envi-
ronment. :
Because of our sense of disconnection we believe we do not have
the power to attract what we want from our environment. Consequently, we feel it is merely a matter of luck or happenstance
when we succeed in manifesting. When we change this idea about
36
Manifest Your Destiny
ourselves, we activate our ability to manifest and see it as a function
of our divinity rather than as being an impossibility or an incident of
luck or coincidence. This third principle of manifesting begins with the understanding
that it is absolutely impossible to describe ourselves as separate from
our environment. I am coining a new word, a neologism, for the pur-
pose of articulating this principle. For the rest of this chapter con-
sider yourself as an “environorganism. ” This word signifies that there
is absolutely no difference between you and your environment. You
are your environment, and even more significantly, for the purposes
of this book, your environment is you. OUR NATURE AS AN ENVIRONORGANISM
Try thinking of the external world, your environment, as your
extended body. That is, you are not separate from the external world
you see. In this concept it is impossible to describe yourself without
including your surroundings. In fact, it is not even possible to see or
hear yourself as a separate entity apart from your environment. For example, describe yourself walking, just you walking. There
cannot be walking without also describing whatever it is you are
walking upon. Without the floor or the ground, there would only be
your legs moving back and forth, and, of course, that is not walking. Your experience of walking also includes the air you are breathing
while you are walking, the gravity that keeps you from floating off
into space, the pebbles, or carpet, or sand, or cement that you walk
on and the makeup of these elements in the pebbles and carpet, and
on and on. In addition to your walking as an example of you as an environor-


 and
brain function from deterioration
suggest that goji berry has a place in the diet of anyone seeking to keep
healthy in their later years. A small
handful of berries taken on a daily
basis (eaten raw or as part of a larger
dish) makes a useful contribution to
long term good health. QCautions  Avoid during pregnancy. It can interact
with some prescribed medicines: do not take with warfarin.Fresh
root
US_110-111_Lobelia.indd   111 26/02/16   3:59 pm
112Melaleuca alternifoliakey medicinal plantsLeaves have a
strong aroma
when crushedMelaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae)
Tea TreeT ea tree
An evergreen reaching 23 ft (7 m), with  layers of papery bark, pointed leaves, and white flower spikes. Tea tree provides one of the most effective
natural antiseptics. Habitat & Cultivation
Tea tree is native to Australia,
flourishing in moist soils in northern New South Wales and Queensland. It is now cultivated extensively, especially in New South Wales. Tea tree is grown from cuttings  in summer. The leaves and small branches are picked throughout  the year and distilled to produce essential oil. Related Species
Other Melaleuca species that provide valuable essential oils include cajuput (M. leucadendron, p. 233), broad-leaved paperbark tree (M. viridiflora) and M. linariifolia, the essential oil of which is very similar to tea tree. Key Constituents
■ Volatile oil containing terpinen-4-
 ol (40%), gamma-terpinene (24%),
 alpha-terpinene (10%), cineo (5%)   (percentages are variable). Key Actions
■ Antiseptic
■ Antibacterial■ Antifungal
■ Antiviral
■ Immune stimulant
Research
■ Antiseptic properties Tea tree
essential oil was first researched in 1923 in Australia. Since the 1960s  it has been intensively investigated, and its antiseptic properties are  well established. Clinical trials, mainly in Australia, have shown that it is effective at treating a broad range  of infectious conditions, especially fungal and skin problems such as vaginal yeast, acne, and warts. ■ Active constituents One of
the most important constituents is known to be terpinen-4-ol, which  is significantly antiseptic and well tolerated by the skin. The oil also contains cineol, which can irritate  the skin. The cineol content varies—poor-quality oil has more than  10%; in some cases up to 65%. Traditional &
Current Uses
■ Traditional remedy Tea tree is
a traditional Aboriginal remedy. The
leaves are crushed and either inhaled or used in infusions for coughs, colds, and skin infections. ■ Skin problems Tea tree can be
applied to skin infections such as athlete’s foot and ringworm, as well  as to corns, warts, acne, and boils, infected burns, wounds, insect bites and stings, and other skin conditions. ■ Chronic infections Tea tree may
be taken internally as a treatment for chronic, and some acute, infections, notably cystitis, glandular fever, and chronic fatigue syndrome.■ Oral infections The herb is
effective in mouthwashes, countering oral infection and gum disease, and
it can also be used as a gargle for
sore throats. ■ Vaginal infections Tea tree is
an excellent remedy for vaginal irritation and infection, including yeast Parts Used
Key Preparations
& Their UsesLeaves have high levels of a
strongly antiseptic volatile oil and are used in preparations for skin problems and infections. Fresh
leaves
Cream Add 5 drops
essential oil to 1 tsp base cream and apply to pimples 3 times  a day. Infusion (to make, p. 291). For chronic
infections, infuse
1⁄2 tsp herb in 3⁄4 cup
(150 ml) of water. T ake twice a day.Essential oil Add 3 drops to 12 drops carrier oil and dab onto athlete’s foot. infections. It may be used as a pessary
or can be diluted in a carrier cream and then applied. Self-help Uses
■ Acne & boils, p. 305. ■ Athlete’s foot, p. 304. ■ Vaginal yeast infection, p. 314.Tea tree, and in particular its essential oil, is one of the
most important natural antiseptics. Useful for stings,  burns, wounds, and skin infections of all kinds, the herb merits a place in every medicine chest. Tea tree is native  to Australia and is a traditional remedy of the Aborigines. Its therapeutic properties were first researched during  the 1920s, and it is now widely used in Europe and the  U.S., as well as in Australia. QCaution Do not take the
essential oil internally except
under professional supervision. Dried leaves
Pessaries (to make, p. 297). For vaginal infections, insert one a day. US_112-113_Melaleuca_Melissa.indd   112 26/02/16   3:59 pm113Melissa officinaliskey medicinal plants
Leaves produce
a lemon scent
when crushedMelissa officinalis  (Lamiaceae)
Lemon Balm,  Melissa
In writing that “Balm is sovereign for the brain,
strengthening the memory and powerfully chasing
away melancholy,” John Evelyn (1620–1706) neatly
summarized lemon balm’s long tradition as a tonic
remedy that raises the spirits and comforts the heart. Today, this sweet-smelling herb is still widely valued for
its calming properties, and new research shows that it
can help significantly in the treatment of cold sores. Habitat & Cultivation
Native to southern Europe, western
Asia, and northern Africa, lemon
balm now grows throughout the
world. The plant is propagated from
seed or cuttings in spring. The aerial
parts are picked from early summer
onward and are best harvested
just before the flowers open, when
the concentration of volatile oil is
at its highest. Key Constituents
■ Volatile oil up to 0.2% (citral,
 caryophyllene oxide, linalool,
 and citronellal)
■ Flavonoids
■ Triterpenes
■ Polyphenols
■ Tannins
Key Actions
■ Relaxant
■ Antispasmodic
■ Increases sweating
■ Carminative
■ Antiviral
■ Nerve tonicResearch
■ Volatile oil  German research
has shown that the volatile oil, and in
particular citral and citronellal, calm
the central nervous system. The oil
is also strongly antispasmodic. ■ Polyphenols  Polyphenols are
antiviral. In particular, they combat the
herpes simplex virus, which produces
cold sores. In one research study, the
average healing time of cold sores was
halved to about 5 days and the time
between outbreaks doubled. ■ Thyroid  Lemon balm inhibits
thyroid function. Traditional &
Current Uses
■ Traditional uses  This herb has
always been taken to lift the spirits. T aken regularly, it was believed to
encourage longevity. Other traditional
uses include healing wounds, relieving
palpitations and relaxing the heart,
and treating toothache. ■ Modern relaxing tonic  Lemon
balm is a relaxing tonic for anxiety,
mild depression, restlessness, and
irritability. It reduces feelings of
nervousness and panic and will
often quiet a racing heart, being
a valuable remedy for palpitations
of a nervous origin. Lemon balm
is also useful when too much anxiety
is causing digestive problems such as
indigestion, acidity, nausea, bloating,
and colicky pains. ■ Cold sores  Lemon balm relieves
cold sores and reduces the chances
of further outbreaks. ■ Hormonal herb  Following the
discovery of its antithyroid effect, the
herb is given to people with an
overactive thyroid.Lemon balm
A perennial growing
to 5 ft (1.5 m), with
tiny white flowers
and deeply veined,
toothed leaves. ■ Other uses  Lemon balm is a
first-aid remedy for cuts and insect
stings and is good for fevers. Self-help Uses
■ Anxiety, depression,
 & tension, p. 308.Lemon balm’s  botanical name, Melissa,
comes from the Greek for bee and refers to
the great attraction the plant holds for bees.Parts Used
Key Preparations
& Their UsesAerial parts are used in a variety
of preparations as a calming remedy. Essential oil For shingles, add 5 drops
to 1 tsp olive oil and massage the
painful area gently ( see p. 297). Infusion (to make, p. 291). For nervous headaches, drink
3⁄4 cup (150 ml) 3 times a day.Tincture (to make, p. 292). For
anxiety and mild depression, take
1⁄2 tsp with water 3 times a day. ■ Cold sores, chicken pox,
 & shingles, p. 304